Chapter 5 – Farewells

The night was silent, with stars visible in the sky. In the guild, after dinner, Grumak sat awake, watching Shiro and Helster sleep peacefully.

The heavy heart.

The thought of being away from his son tormented him. Since his mother died, he hadn't left him. But in this world, so different, he would have to.

“Is this the right decision? I promised never to abandon him..., but maybe, for the first time, I'm being the father he needs—and not the father I want.”

His reflection was interrupted by firm footsteps. It was Farlan, coming from the hallway. Seeing Grumak in his thoughts, he approached without a word, stopping beside him.

—I see you are reluctant to leave them.

Grumak sighed.

— Ever since Shiro's mother passed away, I've always been close by. Now... I'm sending him far away, to a world we don't know.

Farlan placed his hand on her shoulder.

" The weight of being a father is great, Grumak... but the weight of being a hero is even greater.
This separation will teach you a lot. You're not failing—you're showing the way."

Grumak nodded silently. His hands clenched for a moment, before unclenching with renewed relief. Their fate would require courage, sacrifice... and faith.

The Dawn of Separation

The sun was rising, dyeing the sky orange and gold, when Lakin entered with his usual firmness into the room where Shiro and Helster slept.

—Get up. Today begins your true test. Let's see if you can keep up with the legendary Alvim.

Helster half asleep — until he heard the name.

— Alvim?! The fruit-eating bear?!

Lakin laughed lightly.

—That 's right. But be careful, Helster. He may love fruit, but in combat... he's savage.

Shiro jumped out of bed in excitement.

—So this is the training Farlan mentioned?

— Exactly. Alvim is one in Earthlume. If anyone can teach you, it's him.

Already prepared to leave, with backpacks on their backs and reinforced travel clothes, Shiro approached his father.

The moment Grumak had feared had arrived.

— Son... I know we're not used to being apart.
I worry... but you're strong and you'll overcome any challenge.

Shiro smiled, trying to hide his emotion.

— Father, I learned from the best. I promise I'll come back stronger... to fight by your side.

Grumak with his hand on his shoulder, and a gleam in his eye.

— Being strong is not just raising your sword.
It's knowing when to retreat, when to hold back, when to believe. It's keeping your heart clear... even in the shadows.

Helster approaching, smiling.

" Hey, Grumak, I promise to take care of him. We'll go back—and you'll be proud of us."

Grumak gave them a big hug.

— I'm counting on you. Protect yourselves... and take care of each other.

Farlan and Lakin arrived soon after. She carried a small bag of provisions and scrolls of guidance.

" Alvim will meet you to the south, in the lost village.
Respect him, learn from him... and show that you deserve to be called heroes."

Shiro and Helster nodded with determined expressions. They gave Grumak one last look, and he tried not to show how much his heart was clenching.

" Come on, pork rinds. Adventures await us! " Shiro joked.

— I'm hungry already... I hope the bear has fruit.

Grumak smiled, watching the two set off along the trail. He stood there, watching until they disappeared into the trees, with the guide Lakin had sent.

A silent tear ran down his face.

But along with it came a quiet pride .

“Go, my sons. Become the heroes Avalon needs—and the men I always knew you could be.”

The road was lined with trees, their spreading canopies seemingly touching the sky. The breeze gently swayed the branches, and the sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating dancing reflections on the path.

Shiro and Helster walked side by side, excited at the idea of being heroes.

" So, Hel, what do you think this Alvim guy will teach us first? " Shiro asked, laughing.

" Maybe some secret combat technique? Or a juice that makes you invincible? " Helster replied with a smile. " I just hope he's not slow!"

The two laughed, but the lightheartedness of their conversation was interrupted when they saw Lakin's guide walking a little ahead… talking to nothing.

Shiro and Helster looked at each other.

He spoke in a low voice, talking to someone invisible. His tone wasn't one of madness, it was one of respect.

— …Yes, we're on our way. I'll protect you, you can trust me… — he said, staring at a fixed point.

Shiro approached discreetly, speaking softly to Helster:

— Did you see that? He's talking to someone over there.

— Maybe he has an imaginary friend. Or… I don't know… spirit!

Before they could speculate further, the man stopped and turned calmly to them, as if he had heard everything.

— They are curious.

Shiro cleared his throat, trying to maintain his composure.

— Well... it's just... it seemed like you were talking to someone.

The Guide gave a brief, soft, enigmatic laugh.

—Yes, he was. With a friend. An ancient… and wise creature. He's been with me since I nearly lost my life. Only those who have experienced death can see him.

Helster's eyes widened.

— So… like an invisible pet monster?

" In a way. He's not a monster. He's a guardian.
Something between spirit and animal… a presence. When I was mortally wounded, he appeared before me and offered a pact. He's been with me ever since ."

Shiro was silent for a moment, absorbing the story. There was something real about it. Something that resonated.

— Is he here now? With us?

" Yes, " he replied, looking to the side. " And he sees beyond what you can imagine. Time, for him, is like a line that can be bent.
That's why I know you'll be safe with me."

He paused briefly. Then the tone of his voice changed.

" But... he warned me that this journey will be more than you expect.
Even Master Alvim holds surprises that he doesn't even understand."

Helster felt a chill. Until then, everything had been excitement. But now… there was a different weight.

Shiro, on the other hand, felt his heart race—not with fear, but with excitement. Something big awaited them… and he was ready to face it.

The forest, alive with the sound of birds and the rustling of leaves, fell silent. The air grew denser, and even the breeze ceased, as if nature itself were holding its breath.

Shiro and Helster's muscles tensed, their eyes fixed on the darkness between the trees. The guide remained still, like a statue. He seemed to hear something they couldn't.

“ It’s coming… ” he murmured, his eyes wide. “ And it’s not something we can face.”

A violent crack from the left, and from the right, from all sides—or worse, from within the forest . The figure among the trees became more visible: tall as a house, shrouded in a dark mist that seemed to corrode everything around it.

" Shiro... " Helster said, his voice lower than ever. " This thing... it's not natural."

" I know, " Shiro replied firmly, though fear tightened his chest. " But we won't back down."

The creature revealed part of its form: a grotesque blend of various beasts and shadows. It had no visible eyes and an overwhelming presence. The nearby branches withered at its mere approach, as if its very existence drained life.

The guide stepped forward, positioning himself between them and the threat.

" Listen carefully. This is a fragment of darkness. We cannot defeat it. We can only survive it. Stay behind me. Don't fight, just flee on my signal."

— But what about you?! — Shiro protested.

" Trust me. He's with me. And we'll hold this thing off long enough for you to escape."

He closed his eyes and muttered words in a strange language. A faint glow enveloped his body , and for an instant, the image of a giant spiritual wolf appeared beside him—a creature of light, with silver eyes and translucent claws.

— Guardian... protect them.

The wolf ran toward the shadow, letting out a howl that reverberated throughout the forest. The creature of darkness responded with a deep roar, and the clash of light and darkness shook the ground, causing branches to fall and the wind to pick up again.

— GO! NOW! — shouted the guide.

Shiro hesitated for a second, but Helster pulled him by the arm.

—Come on! He trusted us. We can't waste it!

The two ran down the trail, branches scraping their arms, slippery rocks making their steps difficult. Behind them, the sound of a clash between colossal forces reverberated—like thunder in broad daylight.

After several minutes of desperate running, they finally emerged from the dense forest and reached a clearing. Panting and scratched, they stopped and turned around.

The forest behind them was now shrouded in a strange mist. Total silence.

" Do you think... he's okay? " Shiro asked, still panting.

" I don't know..., but if that guardian was real, then maybe he's alive, " Helster replied, trying to convince himself.

They sat on the ground for a moment, just to breathe. But Shiro couldn't relax. There was something about the creature… something familiar.

“This darkness… it doesn’t want to kill us. It wants something more…”

As Shiro and Helster advanced towards the lost village, Grumak and Malias prepared to take an opposite path.

Grumak adjusted the straps on his backpack and checked the scrolls tucked into his chest. Beside him, Malias stood firm and serene, her expression unwavering even in the face of uncertainty.

Farlan approached with slow steps and placed a firm hand on Grumak's shoulder.

" You've chosen a difficult route, Grumak.
The road to Eldoria is smooth... but after that, you'll be alone.
Human and hostile lands don't forgive demihumans."

Grumak nodded, his voice firm.

—We have faced many dangers, and we will face others. We are prepared.

Farlan glanced away for a moment at Malias, who was watching the horizon with determined eyes.

" I don't underestimate you. I just ask that you remember: beyond Eldoria, there is no longer any protection. Some villages… " he hesitated " will not be friendly to you. "

" We're not looking for acceptance, " Malias replied, his eyes never leaving hers. "
We're looking for answers. And we're looking for them."

Lakin smiling, crossing his arms.

" That's why you're perfect for this mission, Malias. And you, Grumak... " she jerked her chin, " carry more than just your own journey.
You have a connection to Avalon that you don't yet understand. Follow your instincts. They've brought you here, and they'll take you far."

Grumak returned a faint smile, but his expression quickly darkened. Shiro's image still lingered in his mind. Uncertainty gnawed at him.

" They're strong, " Lakin said, guessing his thoughts.
" Shiro and Helster will surprise even you. Trust me."

" It's hard, " Grumak murmured.
" I've never been away from him for so long... but I know this journey is his too."

Farlan stepped forward, his voice now thick.

" Listen well, Grumak. If you cross paths with Greg... avoid confrontation.
He is now the strongest champion in the human kingdom. And you... are not ready yet."

Grumak held the guild leader's gaze. His answer was full of conviction:

" If he threatens Shiro, Helster, or Malias... I won't back down.
Even if it costs me my life."

“ And I respect that, ” Farlan replied.
“ But remember… true strength is sometimes knowing when to back down. Greg is no longer human. The darkness in him… has grown.”

Finally, they exchanged one last silent wave.

After saying goodbye to Farlan and Lakin, Grumak and Malias walked along the dirt path that cut through the dense forest. The world around them seemed to recede with each step, plunging them into a sacred silence, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the soft echo of their footsteps on the damp ground.

Although the road was quiet, the atmosphere was heavy , as if ancient shadows were watching them.

Grumak, attentive to both the path and the expression of his companion, decided to break the silence that had accompanied them since they left Farir.

—Malias… you've been through so much before we met.
Do you think you can remember anything else? About where you were… how you got there?

His eyes were fixed on the horizon, as if searching for answers. When he spoke, his voice was low, almost an echo.

Malias took a deep breath. For a moment, his hands trembled.

— A hooded being called me Malias.

I never saw his face, but he would appear… he would leave food and water, always silent, he never touched me, but he was always there.
He was like a silent jailer. Sometimes I felt him watching me. Other times, he would disappear for days .
But he always came back.

Grumak frowned, uneasiness growing in his chest.

— He was watching you… so someone put you there for a purpose.

— That's what I think too.

After walking in silence for a while, she stopped. Her eyes were now fixed on Grumak.

—But there was something else. A... magic window.
It would appear every now and then. And through that window, I saw you.

Grumak turned around in surprise.

— Did you see me...? What do you mean?

— I don't know how, or why.
The window simply appeared, floating in the air. And through it, I saw you living your life. I saw you... always at night, in many different places.
And I felt I needed to call you.

She looked away, embarrassed by her words.

—I didn't know who you were. But every time the window appeared, I screamed for help.
Always hoping… that you would hear me.

Grumak was silent. A memory flashed through his mind—strange nights when he felt a chill, a presence watching him.

— I... sometimes I felt something. Like a distant voice was calling me.
I never understood. But maybe it was you.

Malias smiled slightly.

— I never thought anyone was actually listening.

They exchanged an intense look. It was as if something invisible connected them, something constructed beyond time and space.

"I'm here now," Grumak said firmly.
"And I swear, as long as I'm by your side, no one will arrest you again. Whoever did this to you… we'll find out."

She had a sparkle in her eyes. For the first time since they met, Malias seemed lighter, more alive.

As they continued along the trail, the sky turned gold and violet. The forest, once dark, now seemed to breathe more gently.

But a feeling of being watched.

Grumak stood, listening for every sound, every shadow dancing among the trees.

They moved on...