The old dwarf finished recounting the past. It wasn't the whole story, but it was enough for Naell and Owly. As night fell, they wrapped up their conversation. The trio was then escorted to the old dwarf's mansion, where they would spend the night.
Duwend had other plans. He'd promised Owly that he'd help find Athena, though Naell wasn't entirely convinced and remained skeptical about the "helping" part.
However, there was no denying that Duwend knew things, things even Phoenix wasn't aware of—or hadn't gotten around to sharing.
Still, without any connections to the pieces who had betrayed the celestials, Duwend's ability to help was limited.
Naell chose not to dwell on it. He shut his eyes, willing sleep to come. Tomorrow felt like it was going to be a tough day.
.
.
.
And he wasn't wrong. After a quick breakfast and a bath, the trio was summoned to the empire's castle, where they met King Duwend the 10th.
The current king bore such a striking resemblance to his great-great-great-great-grandfather that they could have been mistaken for brothers. But there wasn't time for idle conversation; they were in a hurry to meet the "original" Duwend.
"We'll talk more later, but for now, safe travels," the king said, dismissing them with a nod.
They bowed and left, though Naell couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
When they reached Duwend, he simply said, "Good, you're here."
But the trio's attention was immediately drawn to something else: a large circle of ancient stones, strewn with debris, their age apparent from the faded colors and the powerful aura they emitted.
Duwend noticed their awe. "That's a teleportation system," he explained. It was used by the pieces and messengers eons ago."
He touched one of the stones, and with a solid thump, the center of the circle began to glow, radiating power that seemed to come from the dwarf himself.
"As you can see, I can only activate it for a short time. It takes a lot of power," Duwend said, his voice tinged with strain.
The energy it required was immense, and the stone seemed to drain it rapidly.
"Why don't we help, Master? My aura might not be much, but these two have plenty of mana," Entima offered, glancing at Naell and Owly.
Duwend shook his head as he replied, "You are my disciple, and these two are pupils, but this can only be activated by the pieces and messengers."
Disappointed, Entima nodded. He wanted to contribute, even if it was just to power the device. He looked at the duo, already anticipating what he was going to say.
"We never expected you to come with us, HOOT," Owly said, his tone firm but warm.
Naell then added, "You have your responsibility here, Prince. Besides, those two would surely scold me if I made you come with us."
He was referring to Arawa and Sanbu. They might have been used to Entima going alone, but this time was different, as the duo might be venturing into uncharted territory belonging to the enemy.
Entima sighed. "I hope you find your mother, Owly. And be safe, both of you."
He wanted to go with them, but his battle was different. Even though the influence of the pieces of Lucile was waning in the Republic, the fact that they still had any presence at all meant that change was necessary.
Months ago, Entima might have been focused on reclaiming the throne he believed was rightfully his. But meeting Naell and Owly had changed him.
"Thanks to both of you, I've found my calling. Being the sole ruler of my country isn't it."
Naell and Owly exchanged relieved smiles. They had worried about their friend's ambitions. Seeing him choose a different path eased their concerns.
"Truly, if it weren't for you two, I might have made a mistake. Ruling a country is hard; I should just enjoy my life as lazily as I can!"
"..."
While Naell and Owly grappled with a mix of guilt and relief, Duwend began to power the device. He thumped his axe into the ground, causing the room to tremble slightly.
"I'm about to activate the device. It'll give you enough time to reach Hatikala, a ruined kingdom, once a place where all the races lived in harmony."
The duo nodded and bid farewell to Entima. Duwend continued, "This country could be the base of the pieces of Lucile. I've already informed Ignis, and he said sending you two would be suicide."
Despite this, both Ignis and him agreed to the duo's mission. They knew it was time to end this once and for all. He then explained why they hadn't considered this place as a potential hiding spot for the pieces of Lucile.
"It was uninhabitable after the war. The place was destroyed, and nature itself was corrupted. Even the monsters avoided it—or so we thought."
The ruins were also closely monitored by Nonau and the Lair of Dragons, which led to their complacency.
"But if the queen of Lucile was Reyna D'ialim, then there's a high chance this is their domain."
Duwend's expression shifted slightly, becoming solemn, almost sad.
"She's the only one capable, aside from the fairies, of creating a grand illusion such as this. And this should have been her resting place."
The trio stood in silence, absorbing the gravity of the situation. The delay in resolving this issue might have been due to a lack of urgency.
"Ignis and I only realized this after hearing that Reyna was behind the incident in Taglagas."
Since the matter involved a kin, the kingdom of Awdita had been cautious in sharing information. Other kingdoms and even the guardians were unaware of who Reyna truly was, given how long her name had been lost.
"This was a major oversight on our part. If you want to back out now, we'd understand."
Duwend looked at the duo, but there was no hesitation in their eyes. The old dwarf grinned, admiring the bravery of his young pupils.
Little did he know, one of them was so terrified that his emotions had gone numb.
"Very well, I can see your resolve. And don't worry—you won't be going alone."