The young girl sat quietly by the crackling campfire, watching the flames dance. Soren moved calmly, preparing a pot of tea, while Malick fumbled with some vegetables in a small pot, his attempts at roasting them far from graceful. “It’s not much,” Malick murmured, glancing up. “I’d hoped to catch some hares for dinner, but today didn’t go exactly as planned.”

“I’m sorry,” the girl said, her voice filled with regret. “I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.” She shifted uncomfortably where she sat on the ground.

“Don’t apologize,” Malick said gruffly. “I was just stating a fact.” He scooped some vegetables into a small bowl and pushed it toward the girl. “Eat.”

Soren rolled his eyes and looked at the girl. “Don’t mind him,” he said dryly. “He’s always this pleasant.”

Malick scowled at Soren, clearly disapproving.
“See?” Soren said, a satisfied smirk on his face, knowing Malick’s reaction only proved his point. “This is what I’ve been dealing with!”

The girl took a bite of food while offering a nervous grin. She wasn’t quite sure how to feel about the two men she had ended up with. One of them seemed to be a Shadow Weaver. Though he had helped her today, it made her question what kind of men she had the fortune—or misfortune—of crossing paths with.

“Don’t worry, he won’t bite,” Soren said with a grin. “By the way, I don’t think we’ve properly introduced ourselves. I’m Soren Dagger, and this delightful dark elf here is Malick Dra’ak.”

“Elara Moonswisp,” the girl said quietly, introducing herself as well.

“Elara... What a pretty name!” Soren said, his voice full of charm. “What brings a young girl like yourself to the Cursed Hollows?”

Elara’s face twisted with discomfort, and Soren immediately regretted his words. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” he said quickly, trying to ease the tension. “I’ve just been stuck with this guy for far too long, and I was actually excited to have someone more pleasant to converse with.” Soren leaned toward Elara, making sure Malick could hear, and whispered with a grin, “It’s hard to believe, but he’s a terrible conversationalist.”

“You’re not as funny as you think,” Malick replied flatly, sitting on a small boulder away from the others. He wanted to eat in peace, but Soren’s constant prattle made that nearly impossible.

Elara gave a soft chuckle. Soren didn’t care about Malick’s overbearing moodiness—it was nothing new. What mattered was that, despite the rough day she’d had, the young girl still found a reason to smile. Even if it was at Malick’s expense...

“I can tell you,” Elara said, offering a bittersweet smile. Soren could see the struggle in her eyes, but he gave her the space to speak when she was ready.

“The dire wolves... you saw their deformities, right?” Elara asked, her tone hesitant.

“Yeah...?” Soren questioned.

With melancholy, Elara elaborated, “I’ve seen such an affliction before. Back home, my sister has the same growths and sores. She, too, came into contact with a strange blue light not far from our grove.”

“We also saw a similar blue orb swallow a group of forest imps not long before we found you,” Soren added. “They just vanished into thin air.”

“They vanished?” Elara asked incredulously. “My Gods... Where did they go?”

Soren turned his gaze toward Malick and asked, “Didn't you mention having seen something similar before as well? That’s why you were in Duskwood asking about Savantra?”

Malick simply nodded, letting out a confirming grunt of agreement. He hadn’t yet told Soren about what happened to his village, and the thought of sharing his story with the others filled him with unease. Revealing that he was the last remaining member of his tribe—at least for now—could make him vulnerable to those who might seek revenge against his kind. But he also understood that telling his story could be  a key to understanding the scope of the unfolding events.

After a few moments of deep contemplation, Malick decided to share what happened to his village with the others. Truthfully, the dark elf admitted to himself that he had little choice but to trust these humans. He had nowhere else to turn, no one else to rely on. And he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a little afraid of the blue light and its path of destruction. He needed to understand what was happening—only then could he hope to restore his village to its former glory.

“Before I met you,” Malick said, gesturing toward Soren with a nod of his head, “I was hunting in the woods beyond Nightshade, my home village. I had been dragging the corpses of two dire wolves back when I noticed a bright light through the trees. As I approached, I remember worrying that it might burn my skin because it radiated so much heat. And then, I saw it, a blue dome of light surrounding my village. Then it suddenly vanished, taking my village along with it. Not a single thing remained. Not one...”

Soren’s expression shifted to one of genuine concern. “That's terrible...”

“Where do you think they went?” Elara asked, her voice filled with worry.

Malick shook his head. “I have no idea. Honestly, I'm not even sure if they’re still alive...”

Soren felt a pang in his chest as he looked at the dark elf. Malick’s face looked long and weary, as though he were carrying the weight of the world. It must be difficult to keep up such a brave front while holding in all that pain and worry. Soren knew the dark elf could be crass and rude at times, but he honestly believed Malick was a decent person. Up until now, the moody “Shadow Weaver” hadn’t seemed much different from anyone else Soren had encountered throughout his lifetime. He knew the Weavers were often ruthless and terrifying, but Malick seemed... ordinary. At least, in his opinion.

“So what exactly are you hoping to find in Savantra?” Soren asked.

“I”m not even certain,” Malick admitted. “But if there’s any place where the answer can be found, surely it would be in the city of scholars.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Soren agreed.

Malick returned to eating his meal in silence, the atmosphere a little less tense. He couldn’t quite explain it, but there was a sense of relief in sharing his story with Soren and the girl. He wasn’t used to relying on others. It wasn’t a great feeling... but it wasn’t necessarily a bad one either.

Soren kept the conversation flowing, turning to Elara. “And you? What were you and your group up to before we found you in the woods?”

“We were actually headed to Twilight Keep,” Elara explained. “A renowned sorceress lives there. Though my people are known as great and powerful healers, my sister’s cure is beyond our expertise. We had hoped the sorceress might know a way to reverse the affliction.”

“Where exactly is Twilight Keep?” Malick asked as he began cleaning up the mess from dinner. “If it’s on the way, I think a visit would be a good idea. Maybe she would know something about the blue lights we keep seeing.”

“I agree,” Soren said.

“It’s actually on the way to Savantra,” Elara continued, sketching a rough map on the cave floor with a stick to illustrate the location. “If we keep going in the same direction, there’s a small village beyond the woods, near Silvershade Creek. Cross the creek, and you’ll find the tower.”

Her eyes lingered on the sketch for a moment, ensuring they had a clear understanding. “It shouldn’t be too far out of the way.”

“I expect it’ll add an extra day or two to our journey,” Soren remarked, glancing at the map.

“Then it’s settled,” Malick replied, his voice steady. “We’ll change course and head out tomorrow."

It was getting late, and the weight of the day had left its mark on everyone. Weariness settled in their bones, exhaustion reflected in every glance.

“We should take turns sleeping and keeping watch,” Soren suggested, his voice low. “Elara, you should rest. We’ll keep an eye on the cave for the night.” He nodded to Malick, who gave a small, acknowledging gesture in return.

Elara felt a knot of unease tightening in her stomach as she placed her trust in these two men she barely knew. Her understanding of Shadow Weavers was limited, but what little she did know kept her on guard. The other man—though outwardly kind—radiated an almost too-perfect charm, something that set her nerves on edge. She couldn’t shake the feeling that his kindness was less about sincerity and more about manipulation, a carefully crafted facade to play others to his advantage.

Still, despite her growing mistrust, Elara knew she had little choice. Her party was gone, and she was stranded for the night in this cave, whether she liked it or not.

Soren handed Elara his bedroll with a gesture of kindness. “Tomorrow, we’ll find somewhere to get you your own,” he suggested softly.

Though cautious, Elara’s tired eyes quickly surrendered to the weight of exhaustion as soon as her head touched the makeshift bed. Within moments, she slipped into a deep, peaceful slumber.

Malick lowered himself beside Soren and asked, “What do you think?”

“About what?” Soren replied, his gaze flicking toward him.

Malick nodded toward Elara, curled up in Soren’s bedroll. “Our new acquaintance.”

“I think she’s pretty cute,” Soren answered honestly.

“Be serious.”

“I am serious,” Soren said. “Plus, I think having a healer with us is a good thing.”

Malick’s finger absentmindedly traced circles in the dirt as he asked, “What about the sorceress she mentioned?”

“It can’t hurt to have a look,” Soren answered. His tone shifted slightly. “I’m sorry about what happened to your village. You could’ve told me sooner...”

“Would it have made a difference?” Malick asked, his voice carrying an edge of something deeper.

Soren caught the hint of melancholy in the dark elf’s tone as he considered the question. “No,” he said quietly, “I suppose not.”

Malick let out a long yawn. “I hate to ask, especially since we’re both exhausted, but... would you mind taking the first watch?”

Soren stretched, a slight edge of alertness creeping into his voice. “Actually, I’m feeling a bit more awake now. Got my second wind, I suppose. You go ahead and rest. If anything happens, I’ll wake you right away.”

Malick gave a drowsy nod of approval before settling into his bedroll.

The two men alternated shifts throughout the night, each taking turns to keep watch. As the first light of dawn began to spill into the cave, casting a soft, golden glow at the entrance, everyone eventually stirred. The plan was clear—travel to the nearest village, restock, and prepare for the journey toward Twilight Keep.