"Hurry up, or I'll leave you behind!" the stranger urged in a rushed voice. "What I did to those things is only temporary. They'll be back."
Paltio's team began running after the mysterious savior, though they weren't sure if he was truly helping them or simply stealing the carriage.
"Hey, wait!" Paltio shouted as he tried to catch up with the man, who was running at an impressive speed despite carrying the heavy carriage on his shoulder.
"How can he run so fast and carry something so heavy?" Alita asked, panting as she struggled to keep up.
Ron, on the other hand, thought to himself: That person might be able to teach me how to use my powers. His mind was already brimming with ideas about how to make the most of this unexpected encounter.
They kept running after the stranger until they reached a towering waterfall. Without warning, the man disappeared behind it. Paltio and his group arrived shortly after, though the prince was the last to cross since he had forgotten to use the speed power in his boots, and Golden, distracted, hadn't summoned Toco-Toco to ease their journey.
A hand emerged from behind the waterfall, gesturing to them. "Come this way!" the stranger called from the other side. The path to the waterfall was perilous, lined with slippery rocks and a deep void that threatened to swallow them if they misstepped. Mok acted quickly, using his knives to create an improvised bridge. One by one, everyone crossed and entered behind the waterfall, where they discovered a large cave that resembled more of a home. Rustic furniture, utensils, and a cozy atmosphere contrasted sharply with the tension outside.
"Well! I thought you'd never make it," the man remarked, his voice tinged with a sarcastic smile. "But I'm glad you did."
"Who are you?" everyone asked in unison, eager to learn the identity of the stranger who had saved them.
The man removed his hood and cloak, revealing his true appearance. He had humanoid features mixed with the characteristics of a cane cors dog or Italian Mastiff: a strong face, small ears peeking out from his cerulean hair, and silvery skin that shimmered under the dim light of the cave. His amber eyes radiated calm, and despite his intimidating appearance, his demeanor was friendly and relaxed.
"I'm Silver," he introduced himself with a theatrical bow.
"Silver!" everyone exclaimed, except Golden.
"He's a dog!" Ron blurted out, pointing at him without subtlety.
"So this is where you've been hiding, you unfaithful mutt," Golden said, his voice laced with evident irritation. It was clear that his relationship with Silver was far from cordial.
"Do you two know each other?" Paltio asked, looking back and forth between Golden and the newcomer.
"Know each other… I wish we didn't," Golden replied with a huff.
"Bah! As annoying as ever, Golden," Silver retorted with a mocking smile, scanning the area for the tiny being. Finally, he spotted him emerging from Paltio's seed, making dramatic gestures.
"What are you doing inside that seed? Come out already! We need help to face the shadows," Silver said, crossing his arms.
"I would," Golden replied sarcastically, "if I could get out of this boy."
Silver burst into laughter at the comment. "Bah! Old friend, as careless as ever," he said between chuckles.
Then, turning to the group, he added: "Well, you should take a seat while I prepare some tea and food. I noticed Nakia was weakened, and all of you need to recover your strength."
They proceeded to eat while beginning to discuss what had happened. Reluctantly, Golden started recounting recent events to Silver, though it was clear he didn't want to share anything with him. There was palpable rivalry between them, laden with distrust and resentment.
"Why did you abandon us that day?" Golden asked accusingly, fixing his gaze on Silver.
"I didn't abandon you, Golden," Silver responded calmly, though his voice carried a hint of sadness. "I was entrusted with a great task directly by Avocios himself, something of the utmost importance. I swore not to tell any of you, but because of that, I ended up looking like the deserter… in your eyes." Silver lowered his head slightly, as if silently apologizing.
Golden, however, didn't believe a word of it. Every sentence that came out of Silver's mouth seemed like another lie to him. Furious and irritated, he decided to withdraw from the conversation. "As long as we're with this guy, I'll keep quiet," he said before retreating into the seed, severing the mental link he had maintained with the group.
"Well! That Golden sure is a character," Lukeandria remarked sarcastically, crossing her arms.
"But what exactly happened? Can you explain it to us?" Alita asked politely, trying to maintain a peaceful atmosphere.
Silver sighed deeply before responding. "I would tell you, but it's something Avocios ordered me not to reveal to anyone," he said firmly.
"Nonsense! Lies!" Golden interrupted from inside Paltio's seed, his voice resonating with irritation.
"You're acting like a child," Silver retorted with an ironic smile, clearly enjoying the situation.
"I'm not going to talk to a traitor like you," Golden shot back disdainfully, his voice dripping with irritation. Without giving Silver time to respond, Golden retreated once again into Paltio's seed, where he completely isolated himself. To ensure he wouldn't hear another word, he pulled out a pair of imaginary—or perhaps magical—earphones, put them on, and crossed his arms like a sulking child. It was evident he had no intention of cooperating or listening to Silver, at least not for the moment.
Everyone watched the scene with a mix of disbelief and contained amusement. It was hard not to notice the palpable rivalry between the two guardians, though it was almost comical to see Golden behaving so childishly.
"What a temper!" Silver commented, raising his hands in mock surrender. "There's no dealing with that old grouch."
Lukeandria let out a low chuckle, unable to contain herself. "It seems Golden has more pride than common sense," she murmured, earning an amused glance from Alita.
Meanwhile, Paltio observed the interaction with concern. He knew they needed to work together if they wanted to survive the specters, but with Golden locked inside his seed and Silver acting as if he owned the place, things weren't looking good.
Everyone present could feel the tension in the air. It was clear that the conflict between Golden and Silver would escalate, but no one wanted to intervene—until Paltio spoke up.
"Silver," Paltio said calmly, trying to mediate, "you can tell us what happened. Even Golden can read your mind and confirm if what you're saying is true."
Silver let out a brief laugh. "Read my mind? That stubborn fool can't. Among guardians, we can't read each other's minds—it was a clause Avocios placed on all of us."
"Hey!" Ron interrupted, raising his hand to get attention. "Mr. Silver, I see you're very strong. Could you be my master?"
Before Silver could respond, a sense of danger flooded the cave. Silver raised a hand to silence everyone, his expression now serious. "I know those specters won't die from the power I used earlier. They're still hunting us," he warned.
"And from what you said, red-haired girl," Silver continued, addressing Lukeandria, "those tormented souls won't rest until they've completed their mission, right?"
Lukeandria nodded gravely. "That's right. They won't stop until they take Paltio or fulfill their objective."
"Then," Silver said with determination, "the only way to destroy those things is by using my secret weapon."
"Secret weapon?" everyone asked in unison, filled with curiosity.
Without further explanation, Silver ventured deeper into the cave, but not before instructing them: "Entertain the enemies while I prepare this."
Paltio decided to stay in the cave, arguing that he wasn't ready to face the specters. Moreover, Golden still refused to emerge in Silver's presence, leaving the prince without his support.
Mok and Lukeandria, on the other hand, decided to go out and confront the specters. Both stepped out from behind the waterfall, drawing the creatures toward them. Though they were unsure of the extent of Silver's powers, they trusted that, as they had seen earlier, he could "pacify" the entities. They decided to play along and buy time.
The specters gave no quarter. Their ethereal and swift movements made them difficult to combat, and their spears glowed with dark energy as they relentlessly pursued them. They even crossed through the waterfall, invading the cave where Paltio, Ron, and Alita were trying to take cover.
Ron and Alita were ready to act, armed with their unique abilities. But Paltio, still fearful of ghosts and entities, couldn't help but retreat every time one of them came too close.
One of the specters summoned several dark energy spears and began launching them toward the group. Mok moved quickly, blocking the attacks with his knives while trying to counter the specter that confronted him directly. Sparks flew every time their weapons collided, briefly illuminating the dimness of the cave.
Suddenly, a chilling scream echoed through the air. The specters raised their hoods, revealing white masks that concealed their faces. With slow, deliberate movements, they removed the masks, exposing skulls that seemed to belong to the underworld. Their hollow eye sockets glowed with a sinister light, and their toothless mouths opened wide to emit even louder, deafening screams. The sound pierced their ears like sharp needles, causing unbearable pain to everyone present.
Taking advantage of the moment of confusion and weakness, the specters attacked. With supernatural strength, they pushed Mok and Lukeandria against one of the cave walls, immobilizing them instantly. Dark spears emerged from their hands and pinned them in place, trapping them like butterflies on a display board.
Without pause, the specters advanced toward Ron, Alita, and Paltio. They tried to resist but were quickly overwhelmed. Ron and Alita were brutally thrown against one of the adjacent walls, leaving them dazed and unable to move.
Paltio, paralyzed by fear, desperately called out to Golden within his mind. "Golden! Can you hear me?!" he shouted mentally, but there was no response. Golden remained immersed in the seed, stubbornly shut off from the outside world. He refused to speak or even look at Silver, whom he considered a traitor to their cause.
"Hey! Golden, can you hear me?!" Paltio tried again, his mental voice laced with panic as he watched the two specters slowly approach him. The creatures tilted their heads, as if savoring the terror emanating from the prince.
"Preyyy founddd," they whispered in unison with guttural, distorted voices.
"Make it sufferrr... then killll."
Their words reverberated in Paltio's mind like a macabre echo, deepening his despair. He looked around frantically for help, but all his companions were incapacitated. He was alone, facing these terrifying creatures, with no apparent escape.