"Well, my work here is done. See you," Silver said as he gathered some of his belongings from the cave. Before bidding farewell to Paltio and his friends, he entrusted Chiki with an important task: to train Ron in his absence.
As he prepared to leave, Silver felt Avocios's mental call. As always, his creator contacted him directly, without preamble or hesitation. "My dear Silver, you must go to Fuertelia." Without questioning, Silver nodded to himself. "Understood," he murmured with determination, then hurriedly set off toward the designated location.
Though not as swift as Toco-Toco, Silver was a formidable being in both strength and endurance. Instead of taking the main path, he decided to scale the mountains, seeking the fastest route while avoiding any unnecessary confrontations. With surprising agility, he climbed rocks without equipment, leaped between trees in the forest, and used branches as natural catapults to propel himself forward even faster. Every movement was calculated to save time and keep him clear of enemy forces.
Finally, he arrived at the destination indicated by Avocios. Before him stood an impressive entrance, flanked by majestic statues of a woman. Some held scales in their hands; others, magical scepters. All were carved with exquisite detail, adopting different yet equally imposing poses.
Silver entered the place, passing through hallways adorned with more statues and intricate imagery. The atmosphere was solemn, charged with ancient energy that resonated with every step he took. Finally, he reached a door where he spotted a figure in the distance.
"Well, so this is where you've been hiding, Meliradal. Looks like quite a cozy spot," Silver remarked, wiping the sweat from his brow after the long journey.
"Hey! It's been ages since I've seen you. What have you been up to, Silver?" the bird-woman asked in a friendly tone.
"Oh, just doing a few things here and there for our creator," Silver replied calmly.
"Really? Wow, sounds like you've been busy all these years. Tell me, how is our lord faring?" she inquired with genuine curiosity.
Silver's brow furrowed slightly. "Don't you remember? He was lost and captured by the enemy after the war we fought."
She lowered her gaze, thoughtfully. "Well… I can't seem to recall it fully. There are gaps in my memory from that day."
Silver sighed, understanding there wasn't time for detailed explanations. "I don't have much time to explain everything now. What we need is to reunite. It's time for all the guardians to come together again," he said firmly, though his tone softened as he spoke.
Meliradal shook her head, resigned. "I'd help you with that, but, as you can see, for some reason, I can't leave this place. I've tried, but there's some kind of force field preventing me from moving forward. This place has become both my sanctuary and my prison."
Silver carefully observed the surroundings, analyzing the situation. After a moment of reflection, he declared confidently, "Let me give it a shot. With my super strength, I'm sure I can break it." He pointed ahead. "Stand back."
"Alright, if you say so…" Meliradal stepped back, crossing her arms as she watched intently.
Suddenly, Silver unleashed a barrage of strikes against the spot where Meliradal was trapped. With each blow, it became clear that an invisible, resilient, and unyielding barrier stood in his way. He tried to shatter it countless times, applying all his immense strength, but the barrier didn't budge even slightly.
"Stop, stop!" Meliradal told him, seeing that his efforts were futile. "It's useless. This barrier is too powerful. I've tried everything, but I think I'll be stuck here for the rest of my life," she added with a resigned sigh, letting herself drop onto a nearby rock. Her tone was a mix of exhaustion and boredom.
"Damn it… I thought brute force could break this magic," Silver muttered as he delivered one final punch to the ground in frustration. He observed the barrier once more, but it remained intact, showing no cracks or signs of weakness.
"Well, give it up. You won't achieve anything," Meliradal said calmly. "I've already gotten used to this place; it's not so bad." She paused, as if recalling something. "Hey, why don't you tell me what happened back then when you left the battlefield? Maybe that way I'll recover some details," she suggested, looking at him with curiosity.
Silver slowly nodded. "Alright. I don't have any other options right now, so I'll keep you company while I think of a way to free you." He sat down across from her, crossing his legs, and began to speak. "Well... do you remember we were being attacked by many Shadow soldiers, led by Tejod and seven hooded figures known as the Shadow Council?"
"Yes, I think I recall something: a huge, ugly badger and others who kept their faces hidden," replied Meliradal, though her voice betrayed a certain uncertainty. "Go on," she encouraged him.
"They attacked us with everything they had. Something was coming from the world of darkness, a dark force that pushed us back. Lord Avocios said that everything was lost at that point, but there was still a ray of hope, a small chance. However, for that to happen, many years would have to pass." Silver paused, as if reliving those moments in his mind.
"Then, he gave me the task of taking a scepter to Avocadolia, the place where his most fervent followers and the chosen ones lived to watch over this realm. Since I had nothing else to do but obey, I decided to carry out his order. But I didn't tell Golden because... well, you know how he gets when someone gives him orders," Silver continued with an ironic smile.
"That golden guy... Well, I don't remember much about him, but something tells me he's quite melodramatic. Surely, he hasn't forgiven you for what happened, based on what you're telling me," Meliradal interjected, laughing softly. "But go on, continue."
"Alright, so I left the battlefield and went directly to that realm. But it was too far from the final battlefield where we fought against the shadows. When I returned, everyone was gone, including you, Meliradal." Silver lowered his gaze, thoughtfully.
Meliradal frowned, trying to remember. "Well, some vague images come to mind, but I don't recall much of what happened. I only knew that a light blinded me, and then I appeared in this place."
"Yes, that's right. That's why Golden hates me. But, as you say, he's stubborn and doesn't understand explanations," Silver concluded with a heavy sigh.
"Yes, that's how it seems. Just because he's Avocios' favorite," Meliradal commented in a slightly mocking tone.
She paused and then added, "So you went to the place where Paltio comes from, the boy who passed through here some time ago with his friends."
"So you know Paltio and his friends... Well, they seem like good people. I hope they manage to accomplish what they've been entrusted with," Silver said thoughtfully, crossing his arms.
"I hope so too. Maybe they'll do more than we were able to. I left Nakia with them to help a young girl named Alita; she'll teach her magic," Meliradal explained, a hint of pride in her voice.
"Ah, I also left Chiki with them to train the boy Ron," Silver replied with a smile.
"I see. Good thing your chihuahua is training that kid; he needed to get stronger, especially since he has the armor of the ancients," Meliradal noted, nodding approvingly.
All the talking had made Meliradal hungry. "All this talk left me starving. Do you want something to eat?" she asked, rising from where she had been sitting.
"Well, it won't be any trouble," Silver responded politely.
"No, not at all. I can serve you some tea and freshly baked cookies," she offered with a kind smile.
"Alright, I like everything you make," Silver said sincerely, causing Meliradal's smile to widen even further.
"Good, I'll go get them," she replied before heading back into the depths of her sanctuary.
While Meliradal went to fetch the snacks, Silver decided to try once again to break the barrier that kept her trapped. With renewed determination, he unleashed several powerful blows against the invisible barrier—but, as always, nothing happened. The barrier remained intact, unperturbed by his immense strength.
"It's a shame I can't break this barrier," Silver muttered in frustration, clenching his fists. "My lord Avocios told me to free Meliradal. We need all five of us together... And now, what am I going to do? If Krasper were here, maybe he could do something," he reflected aloud, his tone heavy with concern.
"What about me?" asked a familiar voice behind him.
Silver spun around quickly, both surprised and thrilled. "Krasper!" he exclaimed, feeling a wave of hope wash over him.