After walking a while longer, Sprite says, "I've been hearing rumors that the city's leader Aegir is under mind control. The city folk around here need our help. What do ya say, Vidar?"
Vidar believes in his soul that no one should have to be under mind control and so he will do whatever he can. With Sprite at his side, he goes off to find out what is going on in the city. Vidar asked around but no one seemed to know anything about the situation. From the corner of his eye, he spots a strange-looking building. One of the main buildings that stand out in the capital of Rakoth. Vidar and Sprite know they must investigate this strange building. They head to it.
Vidar asked, "What is this place?"
"Only people with a lot of Yin Prisms come here. The mages of this Rift Temple may be greedy but they hold the most valuable information and knowledge Yin Prisms can buy as well as help refine your abilities and pass on teachings that the Griffins passed down to them. This is a newcomer's best and worst nightmare."
Vidar nods and looks up at the large building. He can already feel a presence of power and knowledge in the air.
Vidar chuckles nervously and a little excited says, "This sounds like a charming place already."
A mage comes out of the temple to greet them.
"Hello, good to meet you my young Griffonborn. I am Grigori. Come inside the Rift Temple and let me know how I can be of service."
Vidar surprised by this says, "How did you…?"
Grigori interrupted him, "Of course, I know who you are my young Griffonborn. The ancient knowledge of the Griffins and Griffonborn alike is filled with many useful things.
Sprite says to Vidar, "We can learn a lot from this mage. I'm sure he can help us figure out what's going on with Aegir."
"You're right," Vidar whispered.
Grigori realizes that Vidar is having an internal conversation with his Echo and smiles, "Ah, yes. Where are my manners? It is nice to have a little light like you as well to join and aid young Vidar on his journey"
Vidar with a hopeful but stern look says, "We are trying to figure out what's happened to Aegir. We hear that he's been acting strange and there's a rumour that someone put a spell on him to control him. What can you tell us about this?"
"It certainly sounds like something evil has been done here indeed. Whoever is behind this must have great Echo knowledge and powers. They likely are in an advantageous position to continue their manipulation. The only mage right now with the ability to cure the city leader would be my master, Akaris, although he has not been seen for many years."
"How can we find him?"
Grigori in an optimistic tone "I could make a spell that tracks him with my Void Echo ability, though every attempt I've made has failed since the location keeps changing."
With Vidar looking a little taken aback, Sprite intervenes, "So let's see if we can find Akaris"
Vidar in an excited yell, "Those exist!?"
Sprite looks at Grigori and says, "Don't mind him, he's still in training."
Vidar looks at Sprite, pouts, and says, "Well you don't have to put it so bluntly."
Sprite smiles and jokingly says, "Sorry not sorry. Anyways onwards my Griffonborn trainee."
Vidar started thinking how he liked it better when Sprite was only inside his head. Sprite looks at Vidar sharply, smirking, "I heard that"
"Son of a biscuit eater!"

Vidar soon leaves the temple and starts walking to where Grigori's tracking spell leads him. He found himself in the village Imoy, which is the village that surrounds Rakoth on the southern side of the city. Vidar looked toward the sunset as well as all the small sandstone huts, that barely have space for three people, on the barren land. During the night stars are shining brighter than ever, and almost all villagers were gathered by a big bonfire celebrating the positive things in life.


Meanwhile, back in Rakoth, Shia and Samuel are both talking away from the celebration next to a hut drinking the homemade beverage crafted by Grigori.
Shia says, "Samuel, I want to go out and explore. It's so empty here. I want to see the beauty of our world, other than staying stuck here like the rest of us."
"What's wrong with it?"
"I've grown tired of it," Shia sighed.
Grigori overhears the two of them as he walks to talk to some people he knows.
Grigori exclaims, "Shia!"
Shia says, "Ahhhh, wise mage, I didn't see you there."
"That's because you aren't aware of your surroundings, so tell me why you want to leave."
Samuel cuts in, "Shouldn't you address the people?"
"Am I not addressing the people?"
"No. You're only talking to us."
Grigori responds, "Now if I were to address everyone at once, I'd merely be a wolf dictating how you guys live your life, and you, Shia, caught my attention with your dreams about traveling to new grounds."
"I feel my life is to be out there, far and beyond these wastelands," Shia explains.
"That it may. Listen here, young one, if you ever feel the need to explore, talk to me tomorrow. I'm running late. Can't keep the good people waiting."
Samuel and Shia both agree.
Grigori says, "One thing, both of you come here." Gigori looks towards the people standing near the fire as the villagers look by in awe at a gathering they haven't seen in some time.
"Rakothians," the mage announces, "It has come to my attention that some of us are abusing our powers; to gather food and supplies. We must learn to use our gifts positively at times, as we can't afford to use such power without thinking.

As Vidar walks, he finds a bottle on the ground. While he goes to pick it up a Scylla pops up and looks at Vidar.
Sprite laughs, "These little cute creatures aren't anything to worry about, just don't mess with their family and we should be fine."
Vidar shrugs and picks up the bottle that was on the ground. The Scylla growled and started to attack Vidar. Confused and surprised, Vidar backs away and tries to talk down the Scylla.
Vidar started, "Now little Scylla, I don't wanna hurt you. I just want to take this and go."
The Scylla starts shooting beams of water at Vidar.
Vidar sighs, "Dammit. If this is how it must be."
Sprite says "Well, it seems we have no choice."
Vidar shoots wooden vines in an attempt to trap the Scylla. The Scylla shoots acidic water to melt down the wooden trap.
Vidar, surprised, says, "This little guy is a smart one."
"Why not try using other echo abilities?"
Vidar says, "I don't know how to do that."
"For now just visualize any other element."
Vidar focuses and closes his eyes. He visualizes lightning and when he opens his eyes a powerful orb of lightning appears in his hands. He slams it down onto the Scylla and connects. The creature evaporated in a cloud of smoke. Vidar, exhausted and winded from using a new echo ability says, "Why was that Scylla so aggressive?"
Sprite responded, "Probably because of what's inside the bottle. Look at the bottle carefully."
"I don't see anything in here. What are you on about?"
"Take a closer look. These are the eggs inside the bottle."
"Son of a biscuit eater! They are so tiny I can barely see them!" Vidar exclaimed.
As Vidar recovered from using a new Echo ability his body hasn't adapted to yet, he started to think back to when Reya was taken from him and how much stronger he has become since then. Vidar looks at his scratched-up hands as he lays down on the ground to rest.
Sprite says, "My little Griffonborn trainee is tired it seems. Very well, I shall keep watch while you take a nap."
After Vidar drifted into sleep, he started to have nightmares of Reya being kidnapped. It was as if he was reliving the awful moment.
Vidar jolted up and yelled, "Noo Reya!!!!"
Sprite, a little startled, attempts to calm Vidar down, "Now now, you were having a nightmare Vidar. Try to relax."
Vidar shakily says, "I can't seem to get the image of Reya being kidnapped out of my head. What is going on with me?"

Vidar clenched his fists and looked up to the night sky. Sprite looked worried, not knowing what to say or how to help.
Vidar whispered to himself, "I will find you one day and bring you back home. Everything will be normal again."
Sounding hopeful, Sprite said, "Let's take this bottle back to Grigori, Vidar."
Vidar gave himself a moment before getting up and walking over to the Rift Temple where Grigori was waiting for them.
"Welcome back young Griffonborn."
Vidar greets him explains the story of the Scylla and shows Grigori the bottle that he found.
"Oh my," Grigori said, "It would seem that Akaris' energy has been trapped inside by a powerful Echo ability."
"What do we do now?" Sprite inquired.
"I have made a potion infused with my Void Echo that will bring his Echo abilities back once he drinks it."
Vidar interrupted, "But how are we going to find him? We haven't had any luck finding him last time."
"While I was making this potion there was a peculiar energy that I felt near an Echo focus point."
Sprite says, "Oh my, I only heard rumors about those. Is it true?"
"Yes indeed, very powerful potholes on our land that exude Echo energy beyond imagination. We felt an unusual energy spike go through Khrarx, near the capital but you should be able to find Akaris," Grigori confirmed.
Vidar turns to Sprite, "I thought you knew everything, Sprite?"
"Oh not everything, just more than you know, haha."
Vidar gave Sprite an annoyed look.
"Why do you gotta be so harsh?"
"I'm not, I'm just very honest," Sprite chuckled.
When all the goodbyes were said Vidar made his way over to Khrarx. Sprite sensed energy stronger than he ever felt before.
"Wow, the energy in this area is insane, how are we going to find Akaris with all this energy flowing through here?"
"I don't know about you but I see an Echo energy leading somewhere.''
Sprite said, "Wait, what?"
Vidar indicated the energy, "Look."
"You've been improving mighty fine my Griffonbor…"
Vidar cuts Sprite off and says, "If you finish that with sentence trainee I'm gonna be pissed."
Sprite looks at Vidar in amazement.
"I was going to say my Griffonborn lord," Sprite said smiling.

"Now let's see where he is."
Vidar slowly begins to feel stronger.
"There's immense energy flowing through me. I feel great."
"That's not surprising, you're standing on the purest form of energy on Lenart in the form of Echo."
"This feels amazing!" Vidar said excitedly.
Sprite looked into the distance, "I see someone over there. Could that be Akaris?"
"Let's go over there and find out, shall we?"
"We shall indeed."
He began to walk closer and realizing that it was Akaris Vidar said, "Why is he moving around like crazy?"
"Maybe losing his magical energy made him go crazy?"
As Vidar gets closer, he sees two of them.
"Wait, there's two of them now?!"
Sprite replied, "Yeah, he isn't able to control the small energy he has left, now it seems whoever did this must be incredibly powerful."
"Let's approach one cautiously."
"Lead the way."