Paltio continued to wait for a response from Golden, but the silence in his mind was overwhelming. The specters were now just a few steps away, their skeletal figures casting menacing shadows under the dim light of the cave. Just when it seemed there was no escape, something strange happened.
"Take this, foolish specters!" Silver shouted with determination, holding in his hands a device that resembled a giant vacuum cleaner. He activated the machine, and a powerful suction began pulling the specters toward him. They started to scream, but this time it wasn't a cry of rage or pain—it sounded more like a lament filled with annoyance and frustration.
Without stopping, Silver continued operating his weapon. The two entities were completely sucked into the device, struggling desperately as they tried to free themselves, but it was futile. Finally, Silver turned off the machine and sealed the vacuum bag inside a container covered in ancient symbols. With skill, he molded the container between his hands until it became a solid, extremely hard rock-like object. Ron watched in amazement as Silver manipulated the material effortlessly, as if it were soft clay, though he knew it would have been impossible to deform without specialized tools.
"And that's the end of that," Silver announced with satisfaction, tossing the container into the abyss.
Lukeandria was stunned. She had never seen anyone defeat the Spelectrums so easily. It was clear that Silver possessed extraordinary abilities—something even she wouldn't have been able to achieve on her own.
Once the shock subsided, Paltio approached Silver and thanked him, though his expression still reflected frustration. His anger wasn't directed at Silver but at Golden, who had kept his word not to emerge in Silver's presence—even when it nearly cost Paltio his life.
"GOLDEN!" Paltio screamed wildly, his voice echoing throughout the cave.
Inside the seed, Toco-Toco looked at Golden curiously. "Sir, I think someone is calling you… Meow!" the feline said.
"I doubt it," Golden replied indifferently.
"Yes, sir, it's the brat Paltio, and he's doing it with a tone of voice I don't like. It sounds like he's shouting… Maybe he's in trouble."
Golden paused to reflect. Though his pride kept him withdrawn, Toco-Toco's words resonated in his mind. Perhaps the prince truly needed his help. Swallowing his stubbornness, he decided to leave the seed and face the situation.
When he appeared before the group, Paltio greeted him with a mix of relief and anger.
"Why didn't you come when I called you? Those specters almost killed me!" the prince exclaimed, pointing to where the creatures had been moments earlier.
Golden lowered his head, ashamed. "I'm sorry, Paltio. I acted like a fool," he admitted sincerely. Then, turning to Silver, he added, "Thank you for saving him. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't been here."
Silver simply nodded, accepting the apology with a faint smile. He knew Golden had always been prideful, but he also understood that his resentment ran deep.
Finally, Golden decided to tell them the truth about his conflict with Silver.
"Well, you see," he began, taking a deep breath before continuing, "During the war against the shadows, my companions and I—there were five of us in total—were appointed as Avocios's personal warriors. Our mission was to protect him from any danger, no matter the circumstances. But during the greatest battle our god ever faced, Silver wasn't present on the battlefield. If he had been there, perhaps we could have defeated the shadows that day, and the world wouldn't be in the state it is now."
Golden paused, looking at Silver with a mix of nostalgia and sadness.
"That's why you hate me, isn't it?" Silver asked softly, breaking the silence.
"Yes," Golden replied, his voice tinged with melancholy as he lowered his gaze. "But even now, I still struggle to fully understand what happened back then. I only saw your absence as betrayal… A wound that took years to heal."
He paused briefly, as if the words weighed more than he was willing to admit. His expression reflected a mixture of regret and vulnerability—something rarely seen in him.
"I suppose my pride kept me from seeing beyond my own pain," he added in a murmur, almost as if speaking to himself.
At that moment, a voice resonated in Silver's mind. It was clear and authoritative. "Tell them," the voice commanded.
"Are you sure?" Silver asked silently, seeking confirmation.
The voice responded firmly: "Yes, it's time."
Silver proceeded to explain why he had to leave that day. "According to the mission Avocios entrusted me with," he explained calmly, "I had to carry the last remnant of his power and infuse it into the scepter located in Avocadolia."
"So, you were the one who charged the scepter?" Mok asked, astonished.
"Yes, Master Butler," Silver replied with a respectful bow. "My lord foresaw that, at a critical moment before the shadows advanced toward his core kingdom, he needed to restore power to the last bastion and vessel given to the Avocados, ensuring the last flame of hope would not be extinguished. That's why I left—to prevent that charge from falling into enemy hands. Avocios knew that the battle was lost from the start."
He paused, as if recalling the difficult moments he had endured during that mission. "I took too long to arrive and complete my task because the paths were destroyed and blackened by the shadows. I placed the last remnant of energy our god entrusted me with into the scepter and withdrew, awaiting the prince of Avocadolia according to my lord's prophecy in these lands. I thought you would choose to go to Reedalia instead of Fuertelia … but I see now that I was wrong. I apologize, Paltio. It would have been better if I had stayed to fight alongside you in the battle looming at your doorstep."
"Don't worry, we all make mistakes," Paltio replied with a sincere smile. "It wasn't your fault that the shadows got their way."
"I'm proud of your response, young master," Mok said, admiration evident in his voice.
Golden, visibly moved by Silver's words, lowered his head. "You had that duty… I didn't know. Forgive me, my friend," he said with genuine remorse.
Silver nodded slowly. "I forgive you, Golden. I knew you didn't understand my reasons back then."
They exchanged a glance, their old rivalries dissolving in the face of mutual understanding. With a faint smile, they smoothed over their differences, leaving behind years of resentment.
Now that everything was resolved, Paltio spoke up. "We must continue with our destiny."
"Will you join us to defeat Urugas?" Golden asked hopefully, addressing Silver.
Silver shook his head. "Not yet. However, we will meet again along the way, just as my god foretold."
Golden studied him for a moment, his eyes narrowing as if trying to decipher something hidden behind Silver's words. "Do you have other secrets to hide?" he finally asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and wariness.
But almost immediately, Golden sighed and waved his hand, dismissing his own question. "Never mind. I'll let it go… I now understand that you have your objectives and the tasks Avocios entrusted to you. I'm not the one to question them."
Despite his apparent indifference, it was clear that Golden still felt some discomfort about the idea of Silver's unrevealed secrets. However, he also seemed willing to accept that some things had to remain unanswered, at least for now.
"Well, but now, how are we going to leave?" Lukeandria asked, crossing her arms.
Mok smiled confidently. "That's not a problem. I read the professor's manual and figured out how to make the carriage work without horses."
Before departing, Silver approached Paltio seriously. "Be careful. Someone in your kingdom betrayed you. That day, I saw one of your people speaking with someone from the Red Shadows. That person is in Reedalia. I couldn't see them clearly, but I know they're there."
"Hey, you!" Silver exclaimed, pointing directly at Ron.
Ron blinked in confusion and pointed to himself with an innocent gesture. "Me?"
"Yes, you, porcupine-haired boy," Silver remarked with an ironic smile, clearly enjoying the improvised nickname. "You said you wanted to get stronger, right? Well, I'll leave a friend of mine to accompany and train you."
Ron frowned slightly, offended by the nickname, but his curiosity soon outweighed his indignation. "A friend of yours? What kind of friend?" he asked, crossing his arms as he looked at Silver skeptically.
Silver didn't respond immediately, simply smiling with an enigmatic expression that only heightened the intrigue.
From behind Silver appeared a small chihuahua with bright red fur. The animal lifted its head proudly, though its tiny size made it look more comical than intimidating.
"His name is Chiki. He'll teach you," Silver said with an ironic grin.
The dog growled softly, clearly annoyed, and tilted its head up toward Silver with an indignant glare. Despite its diminutive stature, its voice resonated deep and gruff, completely opposite to what one would expect from such a small chihuahua. "Are you leaving me with this green-haired kid, sir?" Chiki protested in an authoritative and offended tone, pointing his tiny paw toward Ron.
Silver looked at him with amusement. "Train him well, Chiki. There's no time to waste. You'll accompany them on their journey," he ordered while petting the little dog.
Chiki barked energetically and nodded with determination. "Yes, I will! I'll turn this brat into someone strong!"
Everyone laughed at the scene, though it was clear that the tiny chihuahua had enough personality to make up for his size.
They all climbed into the vehicle, not without first saying goodbye to Silver. The atmosphere was a mix of gratitude and nostalgia as they watched the peculiar figure give them one last farewell gesture before disappearing into the shadows of the cave.
"What a silly fight," Ron commented with an ironic smile, glancing at Golden with a hint of mockery still in his voice. "Sometimes people argue over every little thing."
Golden turned to look at Ron as if he wanted to burn him with his gaze. Though he wore his helmet, the weight of his disdain was almost tangible, and Ron felt a shiver run down his spine. It was as if Golden's words could pierce through the metal and lodge themselves directly into his soul.
He knew Ron was right—much as it pained him to admit it—but his pride was an impenetrable wall he wasn't ready to tear down just yet. Golden crossed his arms with a haughty gesture, avoiding further eye contact as if that alone invalidated what he had just heard. However, the slight tremor in his posture betrayed that Ron's words had struck a sensitive chord.
Ron swallowed hard, realizing he might have gone too far. "Uh… was all that drama really necessary?" he murmured, trying to lighten the mood with a nervous smile, though he knew Golden wasn't in the mood for jokes.
Meanwhile, Mok got to work. He pressed a few buttons on the carriage's control panel, activating a hidden mechanism. From the chassis, metal treads emerged, encircling the wheels and transforming them into something resembling tank tracks. With a soft hum, the vehicle began to move smoothly, even switching to autopilot mode.
Paltio, seated in one of the rear seats, gazed thoughtfully out the window. His mind kept circling back to Silver's words: "Someone in your kingdom betrayed you… That person is in Reedalia." Who could it have been? The idea that someone close to him had conspired with the Red Shadows filled him with a mix of confusion and restrained anger.
At that moment, Lukeandria approached him, visibly nervous. "Paltio," she said in a low voice, almost a whisper, "can you repair my helmet and armor?" Her tone was shy, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she avoided looking directly at him.
The prince looked at her in surprise. "Of course," he replied with a kind smile. "But in return, you'll have to tell us why you're with the Red Shadows. We know only men can be soldiers under Tejod."
Lukeandria raised an eyebrow at him, feigning irritation. "So now you remember important things, huh? But when it came to trivial matters, you didn't even pay attention. Some prince you are."
Paltio burst into laughter, unable to contain himself at her sarcastic remark. "Well played," he admitted, raising his hands in mock surrender.
Lukeandria sighed, crossing her arms. "Alright," she said finally, her expression softening. "I guess you deserve to know my story, especially since there's nothing you can do against Tejod anyway."