As we settle around the campfire, I watch Talia transform the rough campsite into a cozy spot, laying down stones around the fire and setting a metal crate we salvaged as a makeshift stand. She fills a pot with water from the pack and, with a graceful motion, sprinkles in tea leaves we collected earlier. The earthy aroma fills the cave, the scent mixing with the warm crackling of the fire, lending a brief peace to our ragtag group. IG-22 meanwhile has left the cave, resuming its patrols.

  I clear my throat, taking the chance to recount the events of the past two weeks. I leave out some parts—like the exact details of the military camp and more importantly the crash site of the Crucible—but I share enough for them to understand the weight of our journey. I start with our narrow escape from Arroyo, recounting the constant pursuit and close calls that nearly ended us. Bjorn's face falls as he listens, and he apologizes heavily, his voice thick with guilt. I can't tell him it's all right because, in truth, it wasn't—but he seems to understand that well enough without my words.

  As I continue, I notice Alduin's frequent glances at Talia. Each time, his eyes soften, a mix of sorrow and pride filling them as he listens to the lengths we've gone to stay safe. Rebecca, meanwhile, looks shocked, her usual stern expression giving way to something gentler as she takes in all we've endured. Nikko, though, seems most affected, her small face drawn tight, ears drooping slightly as she absorbs every word. I reach the part about our encounters with followers of the Shadowfell, those eerie figures wearing dark armor emblazoned with emblems marking their allegiance. I describe how they ambushed us outside the elven city and appeared again at Inyeth Themar's palace when Talia and I stormed it to rescue Alduin.

  "They were in your palace," I say, turning my gaze toward Alduin. "They were part of your guard.

  Alduin's face hardens at this revelation, a flicker of fear breaking through his stoic exterior, though he quickly suppresses it. "My own guard..." he murmurs, barely audible. I can sense he's struggling to reconcile this reality with the kingdom he once ruled.

  "One of them acted as your advisor," I continue, watching his reaction closely. "He's been weaving lies, deceiving you—leading you to this moment. I'm certain he's kept you in your corrupted state."

  Alduin's face darkens, and his hands clench tightly. A bitter tremor runs through him, his pain nearly tangible. "So it's true," he mutters, his voice laced with regret and sorrow. "Even those I trusted..."

  When I finish, a heavy silence falls over the group, broken only by the soft crackling of the fire. I can see the impact my words have left, fear painted plainly on Bjorn's face, a chill settling over Alduin.

  "That... that is horrifying," Bjorn stammers, breaking the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "Are you sure they are followers of the Shadowfell?"

  "How can you be so certain?" Alduin adds, voice lined with doubt. "There are many large bandit groups across our lands. Perhaps these were merely... bandits?"

  I shake my head firmly. "No, these were no mere bandits, Alduin. They were members of your guard, and each one was consumed by black flames upon death."

  Alduin and Bjorn both gasp, horror flashing across their faces. Alduin echoes, "Black flames?"

  I nod. "Yes. And the ones in the palace... their remains were different, as if corrupted even further. They turned into this vile goo that dissolved immediately."

  Bjorn, after a long pause, looks at me with a grim expression. "Please tell us... do you have any way to stop it?"

  Talia quietly pours tea into small cups, handing one to each of us. Bjorn and Alduin accept theirs, though they seem lost in thought, their faces etched with determination. Nikko, still looking troubled, blows on her tea before taking a careful sip. Rebecca, beside her, holds her cup with both hands, knuckles white as she struggles to steady her trembling grip.

  I let out a long sigh, lifting my mask just enough to sip the tea, savoring the warmth it brings. "I do," I say slowly, "but it requires me to locate it first."

  Bjorn's eyes narrow, deep in thought. "It mentioned something about six seals already being broken. What could it mean by that?"

  I lean forward, taking a steadying breath. "There are seven ancient dungeons scattered across Aranthia. These are not just relics; they are the sites where the Shadowfell entities were sealed long ago."

  Alduin and Bjorn's eyes widen in shock. "Shadowfells?" Bjorn asks, his voice barely a whisper. "Did you just say... Shadowfells? Plural?"

  I nod solemnly. "There isn't just one. There are seven Shadowfell entities, each sealed in a different dungeon."

  "I disagree," a deep voice echoes from the shadows. Apollo steps into the firelight, his medieval armor glinting softly. Bjorn's eyes narrow as he notices the droid, a flash of resentment in his gaze.

  Apollo's crimson optics turn toward Bjorn. "Something wrong?" he asks calmly, though there's a slight edge to his voice.

  Bjorn scowls. "A lot, actually." He shifts his gaze to me. "Are you aware this... this demon stormed through my camp, slaughtering countless men—including my high guard?"

  Alduin looks between us, his voice tinged with disbelief. "One man did all that?"

  I nod, my tone calm. "I am aware, Bjorn. But he didn't kill anyone. I gave him specific orders."

  Bjorn's expression darkens, his distrust evident. "Explain."

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  Apollo's tone remains even. "I stunned them, as I did to you. I assure you, none of your men were killed."

  Bjorn looks between Apollo and me, suspicion lingering in his gaze. Finally, he lets out a frustrated sigh, leaning back with a reluctant nod. I turn my attention back to Apollo. "Why do you disagree?" I ask.

  "The Shadowfell has created this calamity in a very short time. If six of these entities had been released, we would see similar devastation across the kingdoms, especially in Elaria. But there's been no evidence of that. Furthermore, one has been unleashed, clearly. If six seals have been broken, why would it need to destroy a final seal if all the remaining Shadowfells had been released already?"

  Apollo's statement hangs in the air, and the others listen with rapt attention. Talia settles beside Alduin, a steaming cup in hand, while Rebecca and Nikko watch Apollo with a mix of curiosity and concern.

  "How do you know that the other kingdoms haven't been affected by a similar calamity?" I ask, genuinely curious.

  "I have access to the planetary probes you launched," Apollo replies. "I've monitored activity across the kingdoms over the past two weeks."

  I raise an eyebrow. "And why didn't you tell me?"

  Apollo's response is nonchalant. "You never asked."

  I sigh, shaking my head slightly. Alduin leans forward, looking bewildered. "Planetary probes... what are these machines you speak of?"

  Apollo launches into a highly technical explanation. "These are autonomous devices equipped with high-resolution imaging sensors, spectral analysis tools, and atmospheric sampling instruments. They orbit in the lower atmosphere, collecting comprehensive data across various biomes and geographic regions, scanning for anomalies and recording environmental fluctuations—"

  I cut in, noticing Alduin and Bjorn's blank expressions. "Think of them as devices that let me view the lands of Aranthia from above."

  "Ah," Alduin says, nodding in understanding. Bjorn gives a faint, appreciative hum, as if this simplified version finally clicks.

  Apollo nods, his crimson optics reflecting the flickering campfire. "I believe these dungeons weren't prisons for multiple Shadowfells, but rather, prisons for the very essence of its power."

  I glance at him, intrigued. "How so?"

  Apollo turns his gaze on me, his voice steady and almost cautionary. "Haven't you noticed the pattern? Initially, the attacks were limited to animals. Then, as time passed, there was a sharp increase in their frequency and ferocity, followed by crop failure and livestock dying without clear cause." He pauses, letting his words settle. "I suggest that these phenomena marked the breaking of the first few seals. And later, in Lindórinan, you were informed that a second seal had fallen, correct?"

  I nod, remembering the urgency in the voices that informed us. "Yes... that's when the Shadowfell's followers began appearing. They were transported here by some form of magic."

  Apollo continues, his tone deepening. "Precisely. With each seal broken, the Shadowfell's influence grows stronger. And now, with the sixth seal shattered, we've witnessed a new phenomenon—the fallen followers of the Shadowfell dissolving into black goo. I believe this Shadowfell has gained the ability to create followers from its own essence, not merely transport them here."

  His words hang in the air, echoing in my mind, a chill creeping into my bones. If what he says is true, we aren't facing seven separate entities but a single, immensely powerful one gaining strength with each broken seal. The thought tightens my throat, the realization sinking in.

  Talia's voice breaks through the tension. "Then there's only one seal remaining," she says, her voice filled with a mix of determination and urgency. "We need to find out which dungeon still stands."

  Bjorn sighs, his brow furrowing as he leans forward, considering the vastness of our task. "It takes two weeks just to reach Curville from here. Even if we discover the correct dungeon, we'd never make it there in time."

  I look at him, a small smile forming as I reach over and raise my left arm. With a quick motion, I wave my right hand over the wrist. The segments of the glove retract, revealing the smooth metal of my gauntlet beneath. I activate the communicator, feeling its familiar hum against my skin.

  "DP-8," I say calmly, "bring back the speeder."

  A distant hum resonates from outside the cave, growing louder as the sound of the speeder's engines fills the air. Bjorn and Alduin exchange bewildered glances, their eyes widening with disbelief as they turn toward the cave entrance. The speeder, sleek and powerful, descends from the skies, its engines casting a bright glow against the cavern walls before it lands smoothly just outside the entrance.

  Alduin stares, mouth agape. "By the gods... what kind of device is this?"

  I catch the faint chuckle from Talia, and even Nikko and Rebecca share amused glances at the sight of Alduin and Bjorn's reactions.

  "This," I say, suppressing a smirk, "is a speeder. It allows me to fly through the skies." I pause, choosing my words carefully. "Think of it as... a flying carriage."

  Alduin and Bjorn set down their cups, curiosity and awe etched across their faces as they slowly approach the speeder. Its polished, streamlined frame reflects the dim cave light, an otherworldly creation against the rugged landscape.

  Bjorn circles the speeder, his hand hovering over the chassis as though it might vanish if he touched it. "It's... unlike any carriage I've ever seen," he murmurs, his voice filled with wonder.

  Alduin's fingers trace along the edge of the sleek metal, his expression one of reverence. "How does it... defy gravity? What powers it?"

  I watch their reactions, a mixture of pride and amusement stirring within me. "The engines use repulsorlifts," I explain, though I know the concept will be foreign to them. "It generates a force that lets it hover and move through the air."

  Bjorn looks at me, his brows knitted with a fierce, almost childlike curiosity. "And... how fast does it go?"

  I chuckle softly. "Fast enough to cover the distance to Curville in hours rather than weeks."

  Their awe deepens, and Alduin runs his hand along the length of the speeder, studying every detail, while Bjorn walks around to inspect the rear engines.

  Talia joins us, leaning against the speeder with a small smile. "I think they're fascinated," she whispers to me, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

  Bjorn lets out a hearty laugh, the sound echoing off the cave walls. "Well, I certainly feel better now," he says, his booming voice carrying a newfound confidence. His gaze darts to the speeder with a mix of awe and admiration.

  Alduin steps forward, his expression both relieved and intrigued. "I assume you possess weapons as fascinating as this... speeder?" His voice is steady, but I catch a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.

  I give a slight nod, lifting my cloak to reveal the blaster holstered securely at my hip. The polished metal catches the firelight, casting faint, glinting reflections across its surface. Alduin's eyes widen at the sight, his earlier skepticism replaced with unmistakable relief.

  Bjorn, too, leans in, inspecting the blaster with a look of genuine intrigue. "I'll be damned," he says softly, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth, the weight of recent fears easing from his features.

  After a moment, Alduin takes a steady breath, his expression settling into one of quiet resolve. "Is there any way we can assist you in this fight?" he asks, his tone respectful, almost reverent, as though realizing that he's stepping into a struggle larger than he could have anticipated.

  I pause, my gaze sweeping over the faces around me, feeling the gravity of his offer. The fire crackles softly, casting warm shadows on the cave walls as I meet Alduin's eyes.

  "In fact," I say, my voice measured and steady, "there is."