The sun glowed brightly.
Eiden, Iris, Selyndra, Dravien, Vaelus, Morvath, and Seraphaine walked along a dirt road as they traveled through the heat.
Birds sang melodies on nearby branches, and small animals scrambled through the grass.
As they walked, Selyndra looked around — the trees, the bright green fields, the birds flying overhead.
"So… Morvath, where are we going?" Selyndra asked.
"Well, like I said, we're going on an adventure to find Eiden's now three remaining enemies. I didn't expect we'd encounter one so soon, though." Morvath grinned. "But also, I know a dungeon I've always wanted us to explore. I talked to Eiden about it last night — it caught his interest the second I mentioned it."
"Uhmm… and that is?" Selyndra asked.
"The First Era's Dungeon," Morvath said proudly.
"Oh gods, we're going there? This is exciting!" Seraphaine squealed, practically bouncing.
"Okay, but Eiden," Selyndra said, fixing her golden hair, "why did that place catch your interest of all places?"
"Who wouldn't want to explore a dungeon like that?" Iris replied before Eiden could. "It's supposed to be where the artifacts, grimoires, and scrolls that belonged to the Three Gods lie."
"Okay… but Eiden said he has every spell to exist. He wouldn't really need their grimoires or scrolls that contain knowledge…" Selyndra said.
"Well," Eiden answered calmly, "I created it to be like that. But it seems the gods refused that to happen. So knowledge or spells that belonged to them didn't go into my grimoire. It's more like… they want me to find these spells personally."
"But that still doesn't answer my question," Selyndra insisted. "Why that place?"
Eiden looked ahead, eyes narrowing slightly with interest.
"That dungeon is said to contain every single thing about the Three Gods. Every single thing. The knowledge they once had. Statues of them — statues no one has ever seen, because no one knows their faces or their appearance. No one even knows which of them were male or female. It's the dungeon that can uncover countless secrets and mysteries."
He paused.
"And I want to see it for myself."
"Hmmm, I see," Selyndra said with understanding.
The walk was quiet.
Later, they passed through a small village and heard commotion.
They turned and saw a woman yelling at a bunch of men in silver armor with sheathed blades at their waists.
"Are you kidding me?! That werewolf destroyed my crops! My crops! That was nearly months of stock! Find that beast and…. And kill it!" The old woman in a brown-white dress yelled.
The men then nodded before walking away, as one muttered:
"Tch, damn bitch is always fussing about something…"
Vaelus pointed at the old lady, "Uhhh, should we ask what's wrong?" He asked, confused.
"I'll ask her…" Iris said as she approached the woman.
"Hello, Miss. I was wondering what was wrong…" Iris said.
"Oh, I'll tell ya what's wrong!" She then laid her hands towards the destroyed crop field beside her cottage, "My damn crops are gone! Atein! By a werewolf!" She said.
"A werewolf? But this isn't normally an area they'd be lurking…" Iris said.
"Exactly! I think that damn werewolf king is on the move, he's got something planned…" The old woman said, before saying again, "Here, I would love it if you and your people over there could get rid of them or something." The old woman asked.
"We'll see what we can do, miss," Iris said before walking back over.
"Well, seems like werewolves are just acting out…" Seraphaine said.
"Yup… and it is best we handle them. We don't know if they'll try and kill some villagers here…" Eiden said.
"Perfect then. Dravien, Morvath, Iris, and Seraphaine, stay here in the village. Me, Eiden, and Vaelus will search the woods and find a possible werewolf den. Got it?" Selyndra said.
"Got it. But… are you sure? If you come across the werewolf king and fight him, you do know he is powerful, right?" Iris said.
Selyndra scoffed, "Oh, please. We'll be fine. And strength speaking, Eiden, I and Vaelus are the strongest of the sages. So we'll be fine." She said.
"Alright then, well, be careful!" Dravien said as he waved, watching Eiden, Vaelus, and Selyndra walk into the woods by the village.
"What's up with Vaelus lately?" Seraphaine asked.
"It's probably his foresight again… usually he can see major events in the future, he's probably seen something so bad he's afraid to tell us, but whatever it is, he can't prevent it." Morvath said.
"Right… I forgot he has that ability. It must be a pain." Iris said.
In the woods, Vaelus, Iris, and Eiden walk together quietly through the dark woods with little sunlight.
"Do you think we'll find a werewolf den around here?" Selyndra said.
"Probably," Eiden said.
Vaelus continued walking, his head down.
"Vaelus, you okay?" Eiden asked, glancing at him.
Vaelus lifted his head slightly. "Yeah… I'm okay."
Eiden let out a quiet "Mmm," and they kept moving.
They walked for a long while, passing claw marks carved into trees, paw prints pressed into the dirt, broken branches, and patches of dark fur scattered along the ground.
Eventually, night settled over the forest.
"Eiden, it'd be nice if you created an underground camp for us to sleep," Selyndra said.
Eiden paused.
He hated taking the easy route.
"Fine—"
"Can you make it with comfortable beds and not slabs?" Vaelus asked, looking up at him.
"Hm. Okay," Eiden said.
He extended his palm and chanted, "Creation Magic: Underground Camp."
A small staircase formed ahead of them, leading down to a wooden door.
"Selyndra," Eiden said.
"Why, thank you," she replied, heading down the steps.
Eiden looked at Vaelus, who was staring off into nothing.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Vaelus looked at him for a moment, then back at the ground.
"It's nothing…" he murmured before walking down into the room.
Eiden watched him go, then followed.
He closed the door behind them.
Inside were three beds and a basket filled with bread, berries, and cooked meats.
Selyndra was already lying in one bed, fixing her hair before settling in.
Vaelus went straight to another bed and slipped under the covers, pulling them all the way up to his face as if hiding from the world.
Selyndra glanced at Eiden.
"What's up with him?"
"I'm not sure," Eiden said quietly as he lay down, pulling the covers to his neck.
His eyes slowly drifted shut.