Argolaith clenched his fists. He wasn’t going to let it go.
The weight of Malakar and Karthos’ reactions to his storage ring had set off every alarm in his mind.
This was more than just an old relic.
It was something far more important than he had ever realized.
So he did the only thing he could do.
He asked.
"What do you know about my storage ring?"
Kaelred looked at him, then at Karthos. He had been thinking the same thing.
Malakar, however, simply smirked, folding his arms across his chest as if waiting to see what Karthos would say.
Karthos was silent for a long moment.
Then—he exhaled.
"I know enough," he finally said.
Argolaith narrowed his eyes. "Which means?"
Karthos’ gaze darkened slightly.
"It means," he said slowly, "that the person who made that ring can be a very scary man. So never make him mad."
Argolaith and Kaelred stiffened.
Malakar’s smirk faltered just slightly, but it was gone before anyone could notice.
Argolaith’s voice lowered. "And who is he?"
Karthos’ expression remained unreadable.
"…I can’t tell you his name."
Silence.
Kaelred muttered, "Well, that’s not ominous at all."
Argolaith exhaled sharply. "So you can’t even tell me who made it, but you’re saying he’s dangerous?"
Karthos nodded. "He is the keeper of all knowledge in the realms. There are no secrets he does not know, no mysteries he has not unraveled."
Argolaith’s grip on his ring tightened.
Kaelred ran a hand through his hair. "This just keeps getting better."
But Argolaith wasn’t done. If Karthos wasn’t going to give him that answer, then he’d get another.
"…Where are we?"
Karthos blinked. "What?"
Argolaith exhaled. "Where are we in the world of Morgoth?"
Karthos’ eyes narrowed slightly. "You don’t know?"
Argolaith gave a tired laugh. "It’s a long story."
Karthos studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Fair enough."
Argolaith pressed further. "How far away is the Forsaken Forest?"
Karthos tilted his head.
Then, he said something that sent shivers down everyone’s spine.
"The City of Gren is about two million miles away from the Forsaken Forest."
Argolaith and Kaelred froze.
Even Malakar, for once, looked surprised.
"…Two million miles?" Kaelred said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Argolaith tried to process what he had just heard.
They had known they were far from where they started.
But two million miles?
That was beyond anything they could have expected.
Kaelred shook his head. "How the hell did we even get this far? That portal—there’s no way it was just a normal teleportation gate."
Malakar chuckled. "You are only now realizing this?"
Kaelred shot him a glare. "Oh, shut up."
Argolaith took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus.
It didn’t matter how they got here.
What mattered now was where they were going next.
He looked at Karthos. "Then where do we go from here?"
Karthos studied them for a moment.
Then, he pointed north.
"There is a human city a few thousand miles in that direction. You should head there."
Argolaith and Kaelred exchanged glances.
A human city.
It had been so long since they had been around other people.
And considering everything that had happened, it might give them some much-needed information about this region.
But then—Karthos’ voice dropped slightly.
"Do not forget about Gren."
Argolaith stiffened.
Karthos’ glowing eyes locked onto him, his voice carrying a weight that could not be ignored.
"One day, you must return. And when you do, you will save the Grendyles."
Argolaith met his gaze.
Then, slowly—he nodded.
"…We will."
Karthos smiled.
The path north stretched before them, a seemingly endless expanse of rugged terrain and dense wilderness.
As Argolaith and Kaelred took their first steps toward the human city, the lingering presence of Gren felt like a distant weight on their backs.
Malakar did not follow.
Or rather, he did, but not in the way a companion would.
Instead, he faded into the shadows, his figure dissolving into the void between light and dark, watching them from a distance.
Ever the observer.
Ever the calculating specter trailing in their wake.
The rhythmic sound of their boots crunching against the rocky terrain filled the silence between them as they walked.
Kaelred glanced at Argolaith.
"What kind of city do you think it’ll be?"
Argolaith exhaled, considering the question. "It depends on how far we go. If it’s just a settlement, we won’t find much there. If it’s a real city, we might have access to a lot of knowledge."
Kaelred nodded. "If it’s big enough, we might even hear about the Grand Magic Academy."
Argolaith smirked. "You still planning on going there?"
Kaelred scoffed. "Of course. And you?"
Argolaith’s smirk faded slightly, but he nodded. "Yeah. That was always the plan."
A pause.
Then, Kaelred looked at him with mild curiosity. "What cities have you been to before?"
Argolaith didn’t answer immediately.
For a few moments, he simply walked in silence.
Then—he let out a short laugh.
"The City of Gren was the first I’ve ever been to."
Kaelred blinked, stopping in his tracks.
"…Wait. Seriously?"
Argolaith nodded.
Kaelred’s brow furrowed. "So you’ve never been to a human city?"
Argolaith shook his head. "Nope. Seminah, the town I came from, was small. I lived in a cabin on the outskirts, near the Forsaken Forest."
Kaelred’s expression twisted into a mixture of disbelief and understanding.
"Well… that explains a lot."
Argolaith chuckled. "What about you?"
Kaelred exhaled, crossing his arms. "I’ve been to a few cities, though I never stayed in one place too long."
"Any favorites?" Argolaith asked.
Kaelred smirked. "None worth remembering. Some were grand, some were absolute trash heaps, and some were somewhere in between."
Argolaith hummed, letting that sink in.
Then Kaelred’s tone grew more serious.
"But listen, Argolaith. When we get to the city, you need to be careful."
Argolaith raised a brow. "Why?"
Kaelred gestured vaguely. "Because cities aren’t like the wilderness. The people you meet there? Some of them will be far stronger than anything we’ve faced out here. Not just with their magic, but with their bodies too."
Argolaith narrowed his eyes. "You mean there are warriors who never sought out their Five Trees?"
Kaelred nodded. "A lot of them. Some people just go with the closest trees that call to them. Others never seek them out at all and instead devote themselves to mastering their physical bodies and combat skills. That’s how the cities stay so populated—not everyone is born with the same hunger for magic."
Argolaith let that settle in his mind.
He had never considered that before.
Every warrior he had met had been someone seeking magic, someone chasing power.
But there were those who had built their strength with nothing but pure discipline and mastery of the body.
It made sense.
And it meant that in the city, they could not afford to underestimate anyone.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, the sky above them transformed into a canvas of deep purples and blues, the first stars winking into existence.
Kaelred let out a tired groan. "Alright, we should stop for the night. No sense in pushing forward if we’re just going to collapse."
Argolaith nodded in agreement. "Agreed. Let’s set up camp."
They found a clearing near a small creek, the air filled with the fresh scent of flowing water and damp earth.
With practiced ease, Argolaith summoned a fire, and Kaelred began gathering dry wood to keep it burning through the night.
Then—they began preparing their meal.
Argolaith opened his storage ring, retrieving fresh meat and a wide variety of magic plants that they had collected throughout their journey.
Kaelred raised a brow as he watched Argolaith pull out cut after cut of meat, his mouth twitching in amusement. "How much of that war beast do you even have left?"
Argolaith smirked. "Enough."
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Kaelred rolled his eyes. "I hope you don’t plan on just roasting it over the fire."
Argolaith chuckled. "Of course not. I’m making something better."
Kaelred sat down, watching as Argolaith started preparing their feast.
He seasoned the meat with finely ground Crimson Thistle—a plant known for enhancing stamina and warmth.
Then, he sliced a Thunder Root, its electric essence crackling faintly, and added it to the meat marinade, infusing it with a sharp, tingling spice.
Kaelred sniffed the air. "That smells… oddly good."
Argolaith smirked. "It’s going to taste better."
He then pulled out a collection of Luminara Petals, known for their ability to sharpen reflexes when consumed, and tossed them into a pan with some rendered fat from a primordial beast, letting them sauté until golden.
Kaelred chuckled. "You really don’t mess around when it comes to food, huh?"
Argolaith shrugged. "If we’re going to get stronger, we might as well enjoy the process."
By the time the feast was ready, the aroma had filled the entire clearing, the combination of seasoned meats and roasted magical herbs blending into a rich, mouthwatering scent.
They sat down, plates full, and dug in.
The moment the first bite hit Kaelred’s tongue, his eyes widened.
"…Holy shit."
Argolaith chuckled, taking a bite of his own meal. The meat was rich and tender, the Thunder Root adding a sharp, electrifying kick to the flavor.
The Luminara Petals, once bitter when raw, had been cooked to perfection, their golden edges crisping beautifully, releasing their natural magical properties with every bite.
Kaelred groaned. "You could open a damn restaurant."
Argolaith smirked. "I’ll consider it after I find my Five Trees."
Kaelred laughed. "Alright, fair enough."
For a while, they ate in peace, their exhaustion fading as the magical properties of the food soothed their bodies and minds.
When their plates were empty, they leaned back, staring up at the star-filled sky.
Kaelred exhaled. "I don’t know what’s waiting for us in that city, but whatever it is, we’ll face it head-on."
Argolaith nodded. "Together."
Kaelred smirked. "Damn right."
With that, they cleaned up their camp, storing everything away before lying down near the fire, letting the warmth seep into their muscles.
As sleep took them, Malakar watched from the distance, unseen, ever watching, ever calculating.
The road ahead was long.