Hearing that Erend was already preparing to travel to a distant place—possibly another kingdom—so soon after they had just resolved a major disaster, left Eccar staring at his friend in disbelief.
"That strange power already gave you another mission this quickly? Doesn't it know what just happened?" Eccar asked, his voice high and full of disbelief.
Erend paused for a mont, considering the question. He hadn't really thought about it. Was the system a sentient entity capable of thought, or was it simply a program that operated beyond the rules of all worlds?
"Honestly, I don't really understand it either," Erend said. "But so far, the system has always guided in the right direction. Every task it's given has led to sothing that ended up saving the world. You know that as well as I do."
Eccar went quiet, staring at Erend, realizing his friend was right. They had always been in the right place at the right ti, thanks to the system's guidance.
But sothing about it still bothered Eccar—deeply, even. The fact that they didn't know what the system actually was. It felt like so kind of cosmic entity far beyond their comprehension. It seed to know the future, and Eccar wouldn't be surprised if it could actually see everything happening across all worlds at once.
For now, the system had always given them the right tasks, and they had always managed to solve problems before they grew out of control. But the idea that so unknown force was pulling their strings from behind the scenes made Eccar uneasy. Even if he could sense that the system wasn't malevolent—at least, not yet.
"How soon do you need to leave?" Eccar finally asked after a mont of thought.
"Uh… about that… I think I have to leave soon. But I don't actually know how urgent this quest really is," Erend replied. He was silent for a few seconds. "Maybe I need to go there first, assess how bad the situation is, and only then will I understand what's really going on."
Eccar nodded. "I'll head out first. You should visit your family first," he said firmly.
"You sure?" Erend asked.
"Of course. After a battle like this, you should see your family first, right?"
Hearing that, Erend smiled. He was glad to have another Dragonborn friend—soone with whom he could share the burden of power.
"Alright. I'll head out now." Erend rose from his seat and left the room they had been in.
Aurdis was now in an underground chamber with King Fairon and several advisors. Saeldir was also present, sitting in a silver wheelchair with two crystal orbs behind him, guiding the chair according to his ntal commands.
They were observing Laston's corpse, preserved through magic. Though truthfully, even without magic, the body wouldn't have decayed—most of it was already made of tal and wires.
The expressions on the Elves' faces were not of excitent or joy. They knew they would gain a new kind of power from studying Laston's body, but seeing what it had beco—twisted into this abomination—left them disturbed.
To them, the body was sacred, a symbol of perfection. But Laston had gone beyond all limits by transforming his own body into sothing like this.
Finally, after a long silence settled over the chamber, it was Aurdis who broke it.
"We need to start dissecting the body," she said, her voice steady.
King Fairon and Saeldir both turned to her with wide eyes, clearly surprised by how calmly she said it. For a mont, they simply stared at her as if trying to decide whether she was being serious or just masking her discomfort.
Aurdis t their gaze with unwavering clarity. "This is what needs to be done. You all know it so why hesitate now?"
King Fairon let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his beard. "You're right," he admitted, his voice quiet but resolute. "No matter how disturbing this is, it's a necessary step."
Saeldir gave a slow nod, his fingers curling around the arms of his silver wheelchair. "We should begin as soon as possible," he said. "We still have the corpses of the Ogres and Daemons waiting to be dissected as well."
King Fairon turned his attention to Saeldir. "Can you handle that in your current condition?"
"I'll ask my apprentice to assist," Saeldir replied. His voice was even, but a flicker of amusent crossed his face as he imagined the horrified look on his apprentice's face once they were told they'd be working on Laston's twisted remains. He grimaced. "Though I don't expect them to enjoy it."
"I'll help," Aurdis said with sudden energy.
"Oh, you will?" Saeldir raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. Then he smiled. "That's good. I'll take all the help I can get."
King Fairon folded his arms and looked once more at the cold, tallic corpse of Laston laid out on the stone table.
Its twisted form shimred faintly under the Magical lights. Wires coiled through what was once flesh. Plates of dark alloy covered bone, and runes burned dimly across sections of artificial muscle. It looked more machine than Elf now.
"This… is going to be difficult," king Fairon muttered.
"Difficult," Saeldir echoed, "but necessary."
Just as the weight of silence was beginning to settle again over the room, a knock ca from the heavy wooden door.
Aurdis turned toward it. "Co in," she said clearly.
The door creaked open and Erend stepped inside.
His eyes were imdiately drawn to the figure on the stone table. The sight of Laston's corpse was sothing he'd never expected to see before – a damn Elf-cyborg.
He stared at the twisted fusion of tal, sinew, and Elf features.
He didn't comnt on the corpse. His expression said enough. Instead, he turned to the others and spoke.
"I wanted to let you know—Eccar and I will need to go to a place called the Qomore Kingdom," he said.
At the ntion of the na, Aurdis, Saeldir, and King Fairon exchanged quick glances, the air shifting slightly with a ripple of recognition.
"Qomore?" King Fairon repeated, brows furrowing. "That's one of the largest kingdoms of the human race. Located in the eastern continent. Why do you need to go there?"
"The power guiding … it needs to go there."
He didn't need to explain further. They all understood what he ant by the power. The sa strange force that had led Erend through one impossible situation after another.
King Fairon exhaled slowly. "Then you should go. But be cautious. Its politics can be as dangerous as its Magic."
Aurdis stepped closer, concern softening her features. "Do you know what you're walking into?"
Erend shook his head. "Not yet. But I'll find out when I get there."
Saeldir studied him from his chair, tapping a finger against the silver armrest. "Just make sure you don't get pulled into their power gas. Humans like to drag others into their sses."
Erend offered a wry smile. "I've been dragged into worse."
Despite the tension in the room, that earned him a small chuckle from Aurdis.
"Then go. Find what you must. And return safely," she said.
"I will," Erend promised, casting one last look at Laston's corpse before turning for the door. "And I'll let you all having fun with that thing. Haha."
Then he go from the chamber. Saeldir following close behind him, knowing that they will need his help for this.
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