"Where were you?... My n told that you didn’t spend the night in your quarters." King Ull intoned as he stepped into Cybele’s quarters, the latter looking rather exhausted.
Cybele gave him a perfunctory glance before responding. "I didn’t know I had to report my daily activities to you."
"It’s nothing of that sort. But you are important and I would rather not allow you to be in any sort of danger."
"I am quite capable of protecting myself, Ull. Do not underestimate ."
"I understand that but it wouldn’t hurt to keep updated with your whereabouts. What if the Bazaar cos looking?... What am I supposed to tell them?"
"That you do not know where I am and I didn’t tell you. As simple as that."
King Ull let out a drawn-out sigh with Cybele remarking. "Now then, if you are done, you may take your leave, I need to get so rest."
"I’ll leave so guards at the door."
"Do what you feel is right."
With that, Ull took his leave, going ahead with his decision to leave behind two guards at Cybele’s door.
anwhile, Cybele laid down on her bed, her gaze sweeping across the roof above, forged of stone.
With a satisfied smile dancing at the corners of her lips, she fell into a peaceful slumber.
***
The eting with the mbers of Constellations progressed smoothly, with everyone gearing up for what was sure to be a tough battle against Baba Yaga if they were to co across the Undeath.
As for the Banshee, Alex felt that there was no need to engage them in battle.
As long as they were a race with needs, there would surely be a compromise to be reached.
With that understanding, they all left to rest, with Ana heading to the bridge to take over from Ulysses, allowing the latter to get so well-deserved rest after piloting the submarine for so long.
That night, Alex once again found himself in the field divided by light and darkness, with the so-called Son of Light standing in his usual spot.
"You are back. I was hoping you wouldn’t co back." Adrian intoned as he made eye contact with Alex.
Frowning deeply, Alex inquired. "Why does this dream exist?"
He’d hoped to return to his dreams, to et up with his loved ones but here he was, pulled into a landscape he couldn’t quite understand.
"Because we are connected. Like two sides of a coin, we are destined to et each other like this until we et in the field of battle."
"I am not interested in fighting you."
"You don’t get to decide that. If you do not fight, I will kill you."
"And if I fight?"
"Your death would co, albeit slower than intended."
"You sound so sure," Alex muttered with Adrian smirking.
"Because unlike you that has cut off from what makes you special, I do not dare to do so. Hence, from the beginning, I hold the higher ground."
Alex furrowed his brows, unsure of what to make of his words.
After a while, he turned to leave only for Adrian to remark. "Do not waste your strength. As long as you dream, you will appear here and there is no end to this dream. If you wish to end it, Alexander Regulus, then co and find ."
Gritting his teeth, Alex glared at Adrian but knowing fully well that he wouldn’t be able to reach him, he dropped to the ground, sitting in a lotus position before he began to draw sothing in the ground.
Seeing this, Adrian mimicked his actions and just like that, both n revealed their artistic brilliance.
As one drew a picture of his wife and daughter, another drew a picture of a life filled with peace.
***
It was a mountain with a peculiar appearance.
Sharing an uncanny resemblance with a humanoid figure howling in anguish, it possessed three peaks with nurous human-sized holes around its body along with three large holes that looked like two eyes and a gaping mouth.
The area around the mountain was covered in a strange black tar that acted like lava, devouring everything it ca in contact with with a sizzle.
Like a river, it encircled the mountain, acting as a natural border between it and the Grim Forest.
From within, cries of agony would echo, spreading as far as the wind could carry the sound before finally dissipating.
This was the Wailing Peaks and Arwen had just arrived at its border.
"From here, we will have to fly." Her guide intoned in a respectful tone only for Arwen to respond.
"No need for that, co, let’s go."
Before the guide could respond, she turned into a ball of green flas that shot forward without hesitation, quickly crossing the boundary to arrive at the largest hole in the mountain.
Apart from the outermost part that was sowhat touched by the subdued rays of the Lightbringer, the area within was completely shrouded in darkness.
Taking steady steps forward, she swiftly found her way into the inner layer where she ca across several Banshees that seed to be hibernating.
Almost like they sensed her presence, they all opened their eyes at the sa ti and a mont later, they locked onto Arwen’s petite figure.
In response, Arwen flashed a beautiful smile.
***
"We have arrived," Ana announced after almost a week of travel.
They would have gotten in faster, unfortunately, they had to make an urgent pitstop for food due to the fact that there was nothing onboard for them to eat.
Thankfully, they were able to get so mutant at from a passing mobile city after offering so money along with appropriate threats.
In any case, the submarine finally made its first contact with land as Ana parked it within a nearby canyon, after which they all stepped out, and Alex teleported them out of the canyon.
Ahead, the Grim Forest, radiating a chill that left them unnerved, waited while beckoning them to enter.
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