"Athos, I’m hungry."
The voice of his younger self echoed in his mind.
The old librarian barely looked up from his book. "Then cook something."
Argolaith, no older than six, had pouted. "I don’t know how."
Athos had turned a page. "Then learn."
Argolaith had stomped his foot. "Why don’t you cook?"
Athos had finally looked up, his tired eyes narrowing. "Because I don’t have time to coddle you, boy."
And that had been that.
He’d learned to cook that day—burning his fingers, nearly ruining the only good pan they had, and finally managing something barely edible.
But he had done it.
And from that day forward, he had taken care of himself.
Because Athos?
Athos had never been a father.
Kaelred’s voice broke him from his thoughts.
"You’ve been quiet for a while, Argolaith."
Argolaith blinked, looking up. "Yeah. Just thinking."
Kaelred raised an eyebrow. "That’s dangerous for you."
Argolaith snorted. "Thanks, Kaelred."
Malakar smirked. "Do share, Argolaith. I do so enjoy learning about my traveling companions."
Argolaith hesitated for a long moment.
Then, finally, he said it.
"I never knew my parents."
Kaelred and Malakar both looked at him.
Kaelred’s expression shifted, a hint of understanding in his eyes.
Malakar? He merely waited, letting the silence stretch.
Argolaith continued. "They left me at birth. I don’t know who they were. I don’t know why they abandoned me. But Athos—he took me in."
Kaelred frowned. "Athos, the librarian?"
Argolaith nodded. "Yeah. But he didn’t raise me the way you’d think. He gave me a place to sleep, made sure I had books to read… but he never treated me like a son. More like… a nuisance that he didn’t completely hate."
Malakar chuckled. "Charming."
Argolaith smirked faintly. "He was rough. But I survived. He taught me a lot. Just… never how to rely on anyone."
Kaelred was silent for a moment. Then he muttered, "That explains a lot."
Argolaith raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Kaelred smirked. "Yeah. Like why you act like you’re completely fine doing everything yourself."
Argolaith grinned. "I am fine."
Kaelred shook his head. "Sure. Whatever you say."
Malakar tilted his head. "And yet, here you are. Traveling with us."
Argolaith rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."
Despite the light teasing, there was an understanding in their gazes.
They wouldn’t press him further.
For now.
By midday, the landscape began to shift.
The wild forests gave way to ancient ruins, scattered remnants of civilizations long lost to time.
Kaelred glanced around. "This place feels… off."
Malakar nodded. "There was once a city here. But it fell long ago."
Argolaith examined the ruins carefully.
Then, he noticed something.
The air was changing.
Subtle at first—a shift in pressure.
Then, the sky darkened slightly, even though the sun was still visible.
Kaelred tensed. "That’s not normal."
Malakar’s eyes glowed faintly. "No. No, it is not."
Argolaith gripped his sword. "Stay sharp. Something’s coming."
And then, from the depths of the ruins—
A sound.
Low. Resonating.
Like something awakening from a long slumber.
Kaelred gritted his teeth. "You just had to stop and look around, didn’t you?"
Argolaith smirked. "What’s life without a little adventure?"
Malakar laughed. "Oh, this is going to be fun."
And with that—
The ruins came alive.
The sound rumbled through the ruins.
Deep. Resonant. Like stone shifting after centuries of stillness.
Argolaith gripped his sword, standing alert. Kaelred stood beside him, his posture tense, while Malakar watched with intrigue rather than fear.
Then—a gust of wind swept through the ruins, thick with the scent of earth and age.
And before them, the rubble began to move.
Stone shifted, ancient bricks tumbling aside as something enormous rose from beneath the ground.
A colossal figure took shape, towering over them.
Its body was made of interwoven stone and vines, its arms thick as tree trunks, its eyes glowing with a soft blue light.
Yet, despite its immense size, it did not strike.
Instead, it observed them—silent, unmoving.
Then, with a voice like rolling thunder, it spoke.
"You are… not the ones I expected."
Argolaith lowered his sword slightly, but didn’t let go of it.
Kaelred glanced at Malakar. "Any idea what this thing is?"
Malakar smirked. "Oh, certainly. But I’d much rather let you figure it out."
Kaelred sighed. "Of course."
Argolaith took a step forward. "Who are you?"
The giant entity’s glowing eyes dimmed slightly.
"I am the Guardian of Gren’Thal. Keeper of these ruins.
For thousands of years, I have slumbered, waiting for the return of my creators."
Kaelred frowned. "Your creators?"
The Guardian’s massive head tilted slightly, as if considering the question.
"The ones who built this city long ago. They were… different. Curious. Bold."
It paused, then added, "Much like you."
Argolaith exchanged a glance with Kaelred. That wasn’t ominous at all.
Malakar chuckled. "Ah, yes. Another ancient being who speaks in riddles. I do love these encounters."
The Guardian ignored him.
Instead, its gaze locked onto Argolaith.
"You carry something unusual."
Argolaith felt a chill run through him.
The storage ring.
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Argolaith narrowed his eyes. "You mean my ring?"
The Guardian was silent for a moment.
Then, it nodded. "Yes. That which holds a void within itself. That which defies the rules of space and time. It does not belong to this world."
Kaelred muttered, "Oh, fantastic. More cryptic nonsense."
Malakar’s smile faltered slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Not of this world, you say?"
The Guardian turned its glowing gaze toward Malakar. "You… you are something strange as well."
Malakar grinned, but there was something sharp behind it. "Oh, I do try."
Argolaith, however, wasn’t focused on Malakar.
His mind raced over what the Guardian had just said.
If his storage ring didn’t belong to this world…
Then who made it?
And why did Athos have it?
The Guardian shifted its massive limbs, dust falling from its body as it stepped forward.
Despite its towering size, its movements were slow, almost gentle.
"You have awakened something deep within these ruins."
Kaelred tensed. "That’s not usually a good thing."
But the Guardian did not radiate hostility.
Instead, it lowered its massive hand, resting it on the ruined stone before them.
"These halls contain knowledge. Lost truths, buried beneath the weight of time."
Argolaith’s fingers tightened around his sword. "What kind of knowledge?"
The Guardian’s eyes flickered.
"The kind that will change your path forever."
A Glimpse into the Past
The air around them shifted.
A deep hum vibrated through the ruins, and suddenly—the stones began to glow.
Faint, ghostly light flickered to life, revealing faded murals on the walls.
Scenes of towering cities, grand halls filled with scholars, and strange beings not quite human, yet not quite beast.
Kaelred muttered, "This place… was once incredible."
The Guardian nodded. "Once, long ago, this city flourished. But knowledge… is a dangerous thing."
Malakar chuckled. "I couldn’t agree more."
Argolaith studied the murals, trying to piece together what had happened here.
Then, he saw it.
A depiction of a massive formation of runes, covering an entire city.
It was the same kind of runic formation that had cursed the Grendyles.
His stomach dropped.
"This… is connected to Gren, isn’t it?"
The Guardian was silent.
Then—it nodded.
"Yes."
Argolaith exhaled sharply. "If we study these ruins, will we find a way to help the Grendyles?"
The Guardian tilted its head.
"Perhaps. If you have the patience to learn."
Kaelred sighed. "Great. More studying."
Malakar smirked. "Oh, don’t be so dramatic. Learning is fun."
Kaelred glared. "That’s easy for you to say. You don’t even need to sleep."
The Guardian watched them, amused.
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Then, it turned its gaze back to Argolaith.
"I can offer guidance. But the choice is yours."
Argolaith hesitated.
Their goal was still to reach Malakar’s contact.
But if the answers they needed were here…
Could they really afford to walk away?
A Decision to Make
Argolaith looked at Kaelred.
Then at Malakar.
Both waited for him to decide.
Finally, he turned back to the Guardian.
"Then teach us."
The Guardian’s eyes gleamed.
And just like that—
The ancient ruins hummed with unseen energy, their glow fading and pulsing like the heartbeat of a slumbering giant.
The Guardian stood before them, towering yet unthreatening, a relic of a past long buried beneath the weight of time.
Argolaith exhaled, gripping his sword instinctively. He had made his choice.
"Then teach us."
The Guardian’s glowing eyes flared, its massive stone limbs shifting as it studied them in silence.
Kaelred crossed his arms. "Well? You heard him. Let’s get started."
Malakar grinned. "Yes, do enlighten us, oh ancient one."
The Guardian’s deep voice rumbled through the ruins like rolling thunder.
"Before we begin, you must understand one thing."
It raised its massive stone hand, tracing a symbol into the air with an invisible force.
The runes upon the walls shimmered, responding to its presence.
"Knowledge is power. But power without wisdom leads only to ruin."
Argolaith and Kaelred exchanged glances.
Kaelred muttered, "Great. Another cryptic teacher."
The Guardian continued, unfazed.
"You seek to undo a mistake written in stone. But first, you must learn the language in which it was written."