Chapter 525: Back To The Palace
Eccar glanced up at him, eyes slightly hazy but still sharp. Those simple booze wouldn't be enough to make him drunk.
"You made good time," he said with a smirk, raising the bottle in a mock toast. "Want a drink?"
Erend didn't waste any time addressing Eccar's bottle. There were more important matters at hand.
He stepped forward with serious expression. He leaned in close, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Do you know anything about a place called the Dungeon World?" .net
Eccar blinked, taken aback by the question. He lowered the bottle. His brows furrowed in confusion.
"Dungeon World? Never heard of it," he muttered, shaking his head. "What are you talking about?"
However, Eccar already know that it must be something important if Erend mention it.
Erend's eyes flicked around them, ensuring no one was close enough to overhear. He started to explained briefly
"It's a place I can enter... through my uhh… Power. I've been going there to fight monsters and grow stronger. But it's not part of this world, or any world for that mattere. It's something else, something... outside of everything we know."
Eccar's frown deepened, his expression turning from confusion to concern as he listened. "And what? Is this... 'Dungeon World,' you think it's connected to the threats we're facing now?"
"I don't know," Erend said. "But it's given me the power I need to survive. And I was wondering if... well, if others could join me there. But the power just confirmed that only Dragonborn can enter, at least for now."
Eccar leaned back, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Huh… I've seen a lot of strange things in my time but what you're describing... I've got no idea. I don't know what kind of Magic could create a place like that." He paused, then said. "You've been keeping this secret for a while, haven't you?"
Erend nodded. "I didn't know how to explain it. It's... hard to trust anyone with something like this, this will only make things more complicated."
Eccar nodded, and right now his curiosity piqued. "So, I can also enter it?" Eccar said, looking at Erend.
Erend met his gaze and nodded. "Yes. But it's unfortunate… turns out not everyone can enter it for now. I hoped we could all go together, get stronger as a group."
Eccar shrugged. Then frowned, pondering the sheer magnitude of what Erend had just described. A dimension created by some mysterious power that could only be accessed by Dragonborn. The implications of such a place were immense. It was like an endless source of strength and training.
But Eccar couldn't shake the unease creeping into his thoughts. Was this power truly a blessing? Or something more dangerous than it seemed?
He rubbed his chin, deep in thought, before glancing back at Erend. "You sure that's all there is to it?"
Erend's expression tightened, as if weighing how much more to reveal. "There's more, but… it's complicated."
"Well, alright. Lets focus on this first, a place that exists outside of everything. That's not exactly comforting." He paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "So how do we even enter it?"
"You'll know soon. Anyway, me and two other Mages have already defeated the second harbinger of doom. There's still two more left and we don't know when or where they'll appear. But we have to be ready. Fast," Erend said.
Eccar nodded in agreement. "I agree. We can't afford to be caught off guard again. If this Dungeon World is the key to getting stronger, then we'll have to use it. But..." His voice trailed off, before looking back at Erend again. "We need to be careful, too.
Something that powerful—there's always a cost, even if you don't see it right away."
Erend blinked his eyes. He never thought about it that way. He just always thought that the System and everything around it is benevolent and just wanted to help him. But it's a matter for another timee.
Erend nodded, appreciating the warning but knowing that time was running short.
"I'll keep that in mind. But right now, we don't have the luxury to be cautious," Erend said.
Eccar gave a wry smile. "Well, when the time comes, just let me know. I'm ready."
With that, the two shared a brief but understanding silence.
Aurdis suddenly approached with a worried look on her face, her graceful steps swift yet hesitant. Eccar noticed her and for a moment, a wistful smile crossed his face, as if something from a distant memory had surfaced. Someone from another time. Without saying anything more, he rose from his seat, casting a knowing glance toward Erend.
"I think it can wait a little bit more," Eccar said with a casual wave before leaping off the balcony. His departure was quick and immediately giving them the privacy they needed.
Aurdis drew closer to Erend, her worry evident in the way her brow furrowed and her lips pressed into a thin line. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly as if to make sure he was truly there.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly with concerned voice.
Erend returned the embrace and nodded. "I'm alright."
Aurdis sighed, the sound full of helplessness and frustration. "How long is this going to go on?" she asked.
Erend exhaled, his gaze distant for a moment before he turned back to her. "I don't know," he admitted. "But everything's going to be alright."
She pulled back from the hug, her eyes searching his face for some kind of reassurance. Then, a small, soft smile broke through her worry, and she nodded. "Yes. Everything will be alright."
In that quiet moment, the world seemed to fade away. Without words, they leaned in, and their lips met in a kiss—soft and tender, a fleeting moment of peace amidst the chaos that surrounded them.
---