The wreckage of the battle and the dust of Kael's army were left behind. Before them stretched the "Dragon's Teeth," Illyria's most rugged and impassable mountain range. Grimhold's secrecy was hidden within this natural fortress.
The journey began relatively calmly compared to previous ones. Korvan led the way, reading almost invisible trails and markers. Behind him, a dozen or so surviving Naje warriors advanced with discipline and silence. Moaito and Sere walked at the center of the group.
The silence was unbearable for Sere. Lyrian's words echoed in her mind like a persistent refrain. "A role greater than Moaito's..." What did it mean? Would she replace him? Or... would she lose him and carry his burden? She felt fear and an equally potent, secret excitement.
"Moaito," she whispered to her ancient companion beside her. "What Lyrian said... does it worry you?"
Moaito didn't answer for a moment, just looked at the peaks ahead. "Worry is not a luxury a Guardian can afford, Sere," he replied, his voice so light it was almost lost in the wind. "I assess possibilities. Lyrian's words are one possibility. But you walking here, with me... that is a reality. And this reality carries more weight than any prophecy."
It was an indirect expression of trust, typical of him. It didn't fully calm Sere, but it reminded her of what she needed to focus on: the present.
As they progressed, the landscape began to change. The forests of the lower hills gave way to bare, wind-sculpted rocks. The air grew thinner, breathing became harder. The Naje warriors seemed unaffected, but Sere felt exhausted.
One night, camped in a narrow cave, Korvan sat down with them. The old warrior brought out a piece of dried meat to share.
"Strangers are being taken to Grimhold for the first time," he began, his voice mingling with the crackle of the fire. "But you are not merely strangers. You are... a sign of hope. A hope long lost."
"What do you mean?" Sere asked with interest.
"The legends," Korvan continued, his eyes fixed on the fire. "The legends of Ma'at and the First Guardians. We, the Naje people, are their children. We are tasked with guarding their legacy. But centuries passed... and the Guardian did not come. People lost hope. Some forgot, others, like Kael... began seeking other remedies. Grimhold is the last fortress of those who kept the faith."
Moaito listened to these words with deep attention. "And now a Guardian has come," he whispered.
Korvan looked at him, the weight of a generation in his eyes. "Yes. But even you... are alone. Tired. And the enemy has armies. Winning back people's faith is as hard as moving a mountain."
"Maybe moving the mountain isn't necessary," Sere interjected, catching both their attention. "Maybe it's enough to... plant a seed of hope in the right place, like a flower cracking concrete." As she said this, she remembered that moment in the valley. A single shout had shaken an army.
Korvan looked at her for a long time and showed his teeth in a rare smile. "Perhaps, little girl. Perhaps yes."
The next day, while traversing a pass, Sere noticed something. On a rock by the path was a faint carving, almost faded away. A circle containing the four elemental symbols. The symbol of the "Focus of Balance."
"Look!" she called to the others.
They all gathered. Korvan examined the carving, surprise on his face. "This... this is an ancient Naje mark. But I didn't know it was on this route. It shows our ancestors passed through these mountains. Perhaps Grimhold is not just a refuge..."
"...it is a temple," Moaito finished, his eyes gleaming. "Perhaps the path to the Spine of the Earth leads directly beneath Grimhold."
This changed everything. They weren't just heading to a fortress anymore. They were approaching the threshold of an ancient secret.
A few days later, they finally arrived. Where two massive mountains met, hidden behind a waterfall, stood a huge stone door reinforced with iron. Grimhold.
The guards at the door stood at attention when they saw Korvan. But their eyes shifted to the strangers behind him, especially Moaito. In their gazes were doubt, fear, and overwhelming curiosity.
The door opened with a deep creak, revealing a dark, stone passage.
Korvan turned to Moaito and Sere. "Are you ready? You are not just stepping into a fortress, but into your past, and perhaps your destiny."
Sere looked at Moaito. His face was as expressionless as ever, but in his eyes was a feeling of truly "coming home" for the first time in a thousand years.
Together, they took their first steps into the darkness of Grimhold.