Eldrin took a step back, staring at Ingi with a mixture of disbelief and newfound wariness. The weight of the revelation had clearly unsettled him. He wasn't a man easily shaken, but what he had just experienced was undeniable.
He exhaled sharply, crossing his arms. "So, let me get this straight… You're the Dragon King," he gestured to Ingi, then pointed at Zarathorak, "and you are the Bloodweaver. And somehow, all of you are wrapped up in some kind of mission to gather dragons for an impending calamity?"
I nodded. "That about sums it up."
Eldrin let out a humorless chuckle. "Hells, you expect me to just roll with that?"
"You just felt it yourself," Fafnir said, arms crossed. "There's no denying it."
Eldrin clicked his tongue in frustration, but he knew there was no point in arguing. He rubbed his temples before sighing. "Fine. I won't question the who anymore. But what I will question is your next move. You're asking about the Ruined Spine, which means you seriously intend to go there."
"We don't have much of a choice," I said. "If Umbaxis is really there, we need to find him. We don't even know for sure, but it's our best lead."
Eldrin shook his head. "Even if you do find him, how are you planning to convince him to join you? From what I remember, Void Dragons aren't exactly cooperative. Umbaxis is—" he hesitated, his brows furrowing. "No one knows his true nature. Some say he's been sealed, others say he's just waiting for something. But if you're looking for him, you better be prepared for anything."
Zarathorak scoffed. "Please. If he's hiding, then we'll just drag him out."
Eldrin shot him a glare. "If it were that simple, he wouldn't have stayed hidden all this time." He then turned back to me. "And even if you manage to find him, what if he doesn't listen? What if he's against whatever you're trying to do?"
I met his gaze. "Then we'll cross that bridge when we get there. But we can't ignore this."
Eldrin studied me for a long moment before sighing. "You really don't know how to quit, huh?"
I smirked. "Wouldn't be here if I did."
Eldrin rubbed the back of his neck, clearly still processing everything. "Alright. Listen. If you're going to the Ruined Spine, you need a damn good plan. That place is as unpredictable as it gets. The terrain is constantly shifting, the creatures there are beyond what most adventurers can handle, and worst of all, it's cursed—not in the magical sense, but in the fact that anyone who ventures too far never comes back."
"Which is why we came to you," I said. "We need all the information we can get."
Eldrin took a deep breath before nodding. "Fine. I'll tell you what I know."
Eldrin pulled out an old, tattered map and laid it across the table. The Ruined Spine was massive, stretching high above Asnor's northernmost border. The majority of it was covered in faded ink, signifying the unexplored areas.
"The Ruined Spine wasn't always like this," Eldrin began. "Centuries ago, it was home to many civilizations. But something changed—something turned the land into what it is now. The deeper you go, the more the terrain betrays you. Paths you take will change when you turn around. Landmarks will vanish. And worst of all…" he pointed to the center of the map, where an ominous marking lay. "This area is what we call the Heart of the Abyss. No one who has ever made it this far has returned."
I frowned. "And you think Umbaxis is there?"
"If he is anywhere, that's the most likely place," Eldrin said. "The Heart of the Abyss is a void—just like him."
Fafnir clicked his tongue. "That makes things more complicated."
Eldrin smirked. "Understatement of the year." He then looked at me seriously. "I assume you still intend to go?"
I nodded. "Of course."
Eldrin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Then at least let me offer you some guidance. There are a few known outposts—temporary safe zones created by adventurers who barely made it out. They won't last long, but they might help you navigate."
He pointed to a few scattered markings on the map. "These are the most recent ones. Use them if you can. And whatever you do, don't trust the terrain. Mark your paths, retrace your steps, and for the love of the gods, stay together."
I nodded in appreciation. "Thanks, Eldrin."
He scoffed. "Don't thank me yet. You're still insane for doing this."
I smirked. "Insanity's part of the job."
Eldrin shook his head before leaning back. "One last thing," he said. "If you do manage to find Umbaxis… make sure you're ready. You're not just dealing with a dragon—you're dealing with the Abyss itself."
Zarathorak grinned. "Sounds fun."
Eldrin shot him a glare. "You won't be laughing if it consumes you."
Zarathorak's grin widened. "Then I'll just consume it first."
Eldrin sighed. "Why do I even bother…"
I chuckled before rolling up the map. "Alright. We have our next move. Time to prepare."
Just as we were about to leave Eldrin's chamber, the heavy wooden doors swung open, revealing a group of familiar faces—Ronan, Chad, Adrian, and Cedrick. Their expressions lit up the moment they saw us, and Chad was the first to react, his booming voice filling the room.
"Well, well! If it isn't the irregulars themselves!" he laughed, stepping forward with his spear resting on his shoulder. "Still alive, I see!"
Ronan smirked, crossing his arms. "You had us worried there. We didn't hear a word from you after you went into the Obsidian Wastes. Thought you might've gotten yourselves killed."
Adrian shaking his head. "Though, considering the way you always get into trouble, I shouldn't be surprised you came back in one piece."
Cedrick grinned and pounded his shield. "I told you they'd be fine! You're looking at the toughest bunch of weirdos I've ever met!"
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Nice to see you guys too."
Fafnir scoffed but smirked slightly. "Worried about us? That's new."
Chad let out a hearty laugh. "Of course! We might not have been in the same party for long, but we fought together. That means something, doesn't it?"
Ronan raised a brow. "So? Where the hell have you been? What happened down there?"
I exchanged a glance with Fafnir and Ingi, making sure not to reveal too much. They didn't know we were dragons, and they didn't need to. To them, we were just adventurers—powerful, sure, but still adventurers.
I shrugged. "It's a long story. Let's just say we had some… complications. But we managed to deal with what we needed to."
Adrian adjusted his gloves, eyeing Zarathorak, who stood with his arms crossed, exuding an air of indifference. "And who's this?"
Zarathorak glanced at me, as if silently asking whether he should introduce himself properly. I shook my head slightly. No need to overcomplicate things.
"He's an ally," I said simply. "We ran into him on our journey, and he decided to tag along for a while."
Cedrick nodded, accepting the explanation without prying. "Well, if he's with you, then I won't question it!"
Ronan, however, narrowed his eyes at Zarathorak. "You've got an intense presence… Feels different from a normal adventurer."
Zarathorak smirked but didn't say anything.
Chad clapped his hands together. "Anyway! Enough standing around. You guys are back, so how about we celebrate?"
Fafnir raised an eyebrow. "Celebrate?"
"Yeah!" Cedrick grinned. "We were just about to head to the tavern to drink and feast. You should come with us!"