The moment the last of the Remnants crumbled to dust, Malakar straightened, his usual smirk returning.
"Well, that was fun. But I think we’ve spent enough time dawdling."
Argolaith wiped the sweat from his brow, still feeling the lingering weight of the fight. "We need to keep moving."
Kaelred, catching his breath, shot him a glare. "Keep moving? We’ve been walking for weeks. How much farther is this place?"
Malakar’s grin widened. "Oh, not too far."
Argolaith narrowed his eyes. "Define ’not too far.’"
Malakar lifted a hand, pointing toward the distant towering silhouette of a mountain range.
"Just a few hundred miles."
Kaelred gaped. "A few hundred miles?"
Malakar shrugged. "Give or take."
Argolaith let out a breath. "Then we run."
Kaelred stared at him. "Excuse me?"
"We run," Argolaith repeated. "Nonstop. No more slow pacing. We need to reach this lich before something else finds us."
Kaelred groaned. "Do you know how exhausting that is going to be?"
Malakar clapped his hands together, looking far too pleased. "Oh, I like this plan. Let’s do it."
Kaelred sighed in defeat. "Of course you do."
Argolaith cracked his knuckles. "Then let’s move."
And just like that—
They ran.
They pushed forward at full speed, their bodies moving like blurs across the rugged terrain.
The wind howled past them, the ground blurred beneath their feet. The distance between them and the mountain shrank with every step.
Argolaith and Kaelred, both conditioned from years of endurance training, kept up with the relentless pace.
Malakar, being undead, showed no signs of fatigue.
If anything, he seemed amused by the entire situation.
Hours passed.
They moved through forests, valleys, and rocky plains.
Their legs burned.
Their lungs ached.
But they didn’t stop.
Every so often, Argolaith reached into his storage ring, pulling out stamina elixirs.
"Drink," he tossed one to Kaelred.
Kaelred downed it, letting the restorative properties course through his body.
Malakar grinned. "I love watching mortals struggle."
Kaelred grumbled. "I hate you."
More hours passed.
Day turned into night.
The stars shimmered above them, yet they never slowed.
Even the creatures of the night, lurking in the shadows, didn’t dare to interfere.
Perhaps they sensed the power that now radiated from the group.
Or perhaps they simply didn’t wish to become prey.
The mountain was close now.
Its titanic form loomed before them, its peak hidden beneath swirling clouds.
Argolaith, still running, glanced at Malakar. "Where exactly is this contact of yours?"
Malakar, completely unfazed, pointed toward a massive crevice near the mountain’s base.
"There."
Kaelred, breathless, stared at the dark abyss. "We’re running into a hole in the mountain?"
Malakar smirked. "Oh, it’s not just a hole. It’s the entrance to his lab."
Argolaith narrowed his eyes. "How do we get in?"
Malakar tilted his head. "Simple. He’ll know we’re here."
The moment they stepped near the entrance-
The ground shook.
The mountainside rumbled.
And then—a massive stone door began to rise.
From within, an eerie golden glow poured out, illuminating the cavernous depths.
Kaelred, panting, clutched his knees. "This better be worth it."
Argolaith straightened, eyes fixed on the entrance.
Whatever answers lay inside…
They were about to find out.
The stone door groaned as it ascended, revealing an immense cavern bathed in an eerie golden glow.
The air inside was thick, laced with something unnatural, something that felt older than time itself.
Argolaith, Kaelred, and Malakar stood at the threshold, gazing into the unknown.
Kaelred wiped sweat from his brow, still catching his breath from their nonstop run. "I swear, if we did all of that just to walk into some death trap—"
Malakar snickered. "Relax, Kaelred. He wouldn’t kill you outright."
Kaelred frowned. "That’s… not reassuring."
Argolaith stepped forward, his grip tightening on his sword.
He could feel something inside, something watching them.
Something intelligent.
Something patient.
And then—
A voice.
Deep. Resonant.
And echoing from the very walls of the mountain.
"Malakar… I see you’ve returned."
The golden glow intensified, and from the depths of the cavern, a figure emerged.
A tall, skeletal being, draped in ornate black and gold robes that shimmered with shifting runes.
His skull was smooth and polished, unlike Malakar’s more weathered appearance.
And his eyes—
Glowing amber orbs, swirling with knowledge and madness alike.
He did not walk.
He hovered, his presence alone commanding the very air around him.
Argolaith felt the weight of his existence.
This was not just any lich.
This was something far beyond the norm.
Malakar stepped forward, arms crossed, grinning. "Still as dramatic as ever, I see."
The lich tilted his head. "And you are still as irritating."
Kaelred leaned over to Argolaith. "I don’t like him already." Read chapters at Freewebnovel
The lich’s gaze snapped to Kaelred.
"Ah. The boy who clings to old knowledge. I’ve been watching you."
Kaelred stiffened. "Excuse me?"
Argolaith narrowed his eyes. "You know who we are?"
The lich chuckled, the sound hollow and otherworldly.
"Of course. I know all things within my domain."
He then turned to Malakar. "Now, why have you brought these children to my doorstep?"
Malakar’s grin widened. "We need answers."
The lich’s glowing eyes dimmed slightly. "Ah. The Grand Design."
The lich drifted forward, the air warping around him as he studied Argolaith.
His gaze was piercing, as if peeling away layers of reality just to understand what he was seeing.
"You do not belong."
The words echoed, sending a chill down Argolaith’s spine.
Kaelred frowned. "We already know that."
The lich ignored him.
He raised a bony hand, and suddenly—a glowing sigil appeared before him.
It was complex, filled with interwoven runes and shifting symbols.
"This is the Grand Design." He gestured to the intricate pattern.
Argolaith studied it, feeling an odd sense of disconnect.
It was like looking at something that should include him… but didn’t.
The lich continued.
"Every being, every soul, is woven into this. A tapestry of fate, a construct of balance. Even gods cannot act outside of it."
Then, his gaze darkened.
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"But you—"
The sigil shifted.
One part of the intricate web of runes warped and twisted, forming a void.
A gap.
A piece that should exist—but did not.
And that piece…
Was Argolaith.
Argolaith felt his stomach tighten.
He already knew he was not part of the Grand Design, but seeing it so clearly, so definitively, made it feel more real.
Kaelred shook his head. "But why? What does it mean?"
The lich’s gaze bore into Argolaith’s very soul.
"It means that whatever you are, however you exist… you are outside the natural order."
"You are an anomaly."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Argolaith clenched his fists. "Then what am I?"
The lich’s skeletal fingers twitched, as if considering his words carefully.
"That, even I do not know."
Argolaith felt his frustration rise. "So we came all this way, and you don’t have answers?"
The lich chuckled softly.
"Oh, I have answers. But you are not ready for them."
Argolaith’s jaw tightened. "Then what can you tell me?"
The lich leaned in slightly, his glowing eyes narrowing.
"You must find the Five Trees. Only then will the truth become clear."
The room grew silent.
Argolaith took a slow breath.
He already knew he had to find them—but now, it felt even more urgent.
If they held the key to his existence…
Then he would find them.
No matter what it took.
Kaelred cleared his throat. "Alright, so we came all this way just to be told ’figure it out yourself.’ Great."
The lich turned his gaze to Kaelred. "I could give you more, but you would not understand it."
Kaelred crossed his arms. "Try me."
The lich smiled.
And suddenly—the air trembled.
Runes flared to life across the chamber walls.
The ground hummed with power.
And reality itself seemed to bend.
For just a brief moment, Kaelred and Argolaith felt as if they were outside of time itself.
A mere fraction of a second—
But it felt like eternity.
Then—it stopped.
Everything snapped back to normal.
Kaelred stumbled back, pale. "What the hell was that?"
The lich laughed. "That was knowledge beyond your comprehension."
Malakar sighed dramatically. "He does this to everyone."
Argolaith exhaled sharply. "So, what now?"
The lich’s eyes flickered. "Now? You leave."
Kaelred blinked. "That’s it?"
The lich smirked. "I do not do charity. You asked for guidance, and I have given it."
Argolaith frowned. "You sure you don’t just want us out of your way?"
The lich grinned. "Oh, absolutely."
Malakar clapped his hands together. "Well, that went better than expected."
Kaelred glared. "You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you?"
Malakar grinned wider. "Of course."
Argolaith shook his head.
This lich was as insane as Malakar—if not worse.
But at the very least, they had a new direction.
Find the Five Trees.
That was the only way to understand the truth.
And so, without another word, Argolaith turned toward the exit.
Kaelred followed, still shaking his head.
Malakar paused, glancing back at the lich. "Try not to go insane while I’m gone."
The lich laughed. "You say that as if I haven’t already."
Malakar grinned, then stepped forward to join the others.
And with that, they left the mountain.