As Abid and Banarf returned deeper into the Buried City, the traces of the terrible collapse that had swallowed Abid and the ancient ruins had vanished from the surface. They found themselves in a profound silence, a silence that was not merely the absence of sounds but a historical weight that enveloped every stone in this forgotten place. The darkness of the shaft was illuminated by a faint glimmer of Abid's small fire, revealing an entire underground city, carved with astonishing precision into the mountain rock, as if it had emerged directly from the heart of the earth.

Abid looked around with a mixture of awe and wonder. He hadn't expected to find such a treasure trove of forgotten civilization beneath the icy ruins. The passages before him stretched like the veins of the city, but devoid of any sign of life.

Nearby, Banarf, a blonde dwarf with gray eyes, sat on a pile of rubble. She had regained some of her strength after being freed from the curse of the statue of Shulamuns, but her face still bore the scars of years of pain and suffering. Her eyes, which had glowed with curiosity and concern a moment earlier, were now filled with deep sadness as she surveyed the ruins of her city. Tears welled in her eyes, glinting in the dim firelight as she recalled the past. "This is our city, Dragon Knight," Banarf whispered in a broken, quiet voice, "or what's left of it. Its ancient name was 'Shulam,' meaning 'heart of the earth' in the Dwarven tongue. It was an impregnable fortress, a center of knowledge and craftsmanship. Built by our ancestors, who burrowed beneath the earth to create a kingdom like no other and to protect themselves from the harsh environment on the surface." Abid reached out politely to place his hand on her shoulder, a simple gesture of sympathy. "Your curse has been broken, Banarf. And that in itself is new hope."

Banarf sighed deeply, then stood with difficulty. "Hope is nice, Knight, but it is also painful when you see what has been and what it has become. Shulam once teemed with life, with the laughter of children and the clang of hammers in the workshops of craftsmen. Now all you hear is the sound of silence." Banarf's gaze swept across the city's darkened horizon, as if searching for a familiar face. "Many fled when the statue of Shulamuns began to go mad, many died, and I remained trapped by this curse, searching for an end to my pain."

"But you have found it," Abid replied, his voice quiet and dignified, "and now, it is time for you to discover what secrets your city holds. Perhaps this city holds the keys to a deeper mystery, the mystery of the Scribe and the Star of Beginning."

Banarf nodded vigorously, the spark returning to her eyes. "Yes, Knight! It's true. Shulam was no ordinary city. Our main fortress, the Heart of the Earth, contained great archives and secret libraries. We believed that the Star of Beginning was not just a light in the sky but the spirit that nourished the mountains themselves. Perhaps there we might find something to help us."

Abid and Banarf headed toward the innermost part of the city, where the massive columns grew taller and the walls grew more and more intricately carved. Banarf was the guide, remembering the paths through the ages, and she showed Abid the main passage that led to the center of the Heart of the Earth, the city's main fortress. The main passage was carved with exquisite care, its walls decorated with relief carvings depicting dwarven history, heroism, and wisdom. The illustrations told stories of their protection of the mountains and their mining of silver and precious metals. Every step stirred in Abid a deep sense of appreciation for this forgotten civilization. After a long walk through winding passages that sometimes narrowed and at other times expanded into massive halls, they finally reached the imposing entrance to the main castle. The door was made of dark stone, inlaid with glittering metals, and decorated with deep carvings of dwarves holding hammers and mining tools. Two intertwined symbols towered over it: a massive hammer and a war-axe, above which a faintly glowing pentagram, the symbol of the "Star of Beginning," towered. "This is the entrance to Shulamun, Dragon Knight," Banarf said, her voice filled with both pride and sorrow. "This was the seat of the dwarven Elders and our command center. Before the statue of Shulamuns became a monster, he stood at this door, protecting and blessing." Abid pushed the great door open with his might, which opened slowly and with difficulty, with an ancient creaking sound that pierced the silence of the city. The main castle revealed a massive circular hall, its ceiling incredibly high, supported by massive stone pillars. The walls were covered in carvings.

And intricate drawings, some eroded by time, others still retaining their faint luster. At the heart of the hall was a circular stone altar, with a short column in the center and a circular niche above it, as if waiting for something to be placed in it.

"Those carvings," Banarf said, pointing with a trembling hand at the wall, "are similar to those on the statue of Shulamun before it was corrupted. Only here, they're much sharper and more detailed."

Abid approached the walls and the altar. Indeed, the carvings carried a geometric design similar to what he'd seen in his tribe's sacred cave, which featured the "Star of Beginning" surrounded by strange, almost mechanical lines. Here, the symbols were more complex, as if they were written in a very ancient language.

Abid realized this was the place to use his new and refined ability, the Mind Stimulation (Level One). He closed his eyes and leaned on his Intelligence (25 points, you've ascended) and Wisdom (30 points, you've ascended). He spoke the super-German phrase he had learned to activate his powers. He felt a surge of energy, a stream of knowledge rushing into his mind.

With each volume he read in the Gedi Collection, with each symbol he deciphered, his powers were developing. Now, as he focused on these ancient inscriptions, the strange symbols began to take on clear meanings in his mind, as if they were his native language.

"These writings... speak of a 'Star of Beginnings'..." Abid said in a low voice, running his fingers over the glowing symbols. "It's not just a celestial body, Banarf. It's a 'focal point of super-energy,' the foundation that connects everything in Seria. It's the prime mover that powers the mountains and guides every living being."

Banarf paused to breathe. "This is what our ancient legends whispered! This fortress was a temple to the 'Star of Beginning,' and our ancestors believed they could harness its energy. They built the Statue of Shulamuns as a supernatural defensive device, powered by the star's energy, to protect the city, but in a wrong way."

Abid continued deciphering the inscriptions, absorbing every word. "The scrolls say that the Scribe, the Architect of Reality, used the energy of the 'Star of Beginning' as the core to weave the threads of Seria's world. It is not just a written story but a living fabric of energy. This star is the heart of this fabric. This altar... was used to focus this energy. It seems that the curse that befell you, Banarf, was due to the misuse or corruption of this core energy."

Banarf's face paled. "So my curse is not just any curse, but a 'fault in the fabric of my personal reality.'"

"Exactly," Abid replied. "This means there is a way to fix this wrong. The crystal we extracted from the Shulamuns statue is part of that energy. It acts as a key or a catalyst, and the reason for this city's destruction and curse may have been the construction of the temple."

Deeper in the inscriptions, Abid found references to a specific artifact, known as the "Dwarf's Heart." The inscriptions described it as a "relic of the Earth's core," a device designed to focus the energy of the "Star of Beginning" and direct it for noble purposes, such as collective healing or the purification of the land. This artifact seemed to be used to calm and properly direct the Shulamuns' energy.

"The key to breaking your curse, Banarf, lies not just in the crystal, but in an artifact here. It's called the 'Dwarf's Heart.' We must find it."

Banarf's eyes sparkled with hope. "The Dwarf's Heart! I'd heard of it in ancient tales, but I thought it was a legend. It was said to be kept in a secret vault, beneath the main altar, opened only in times of dire need."

The two began searching. Banarf, though weak, was growing more and more excited, recalling her childhood memories in this castle, recalling secret passages and hidden rooms. After hours of painstaking searching, using Abid's intelligence and Banarf's knowledge, they discovered a secret entrance hidden behind one of the colossal statues. The entrance led to a narrow passageway leading downward.

They slipped into the secret vault. The air was cooler and damper, and the smell of ancient metals filled the air. In the heart of the vault, on a small altar carved from rose quartz, they found a stunning artifact: a small dwarf statue, carved with unparalleled precision, glowing with a faint blue light. It wasn't just a statue; it was the "heart of the dwarves." It had a cavity in its chest that looked as if it were designed to hold a crystal.

Banarf cautiously took the statue, her hand trembling. "This is it! It's our ancestors' healing tool!"

Abid and Banarf returned to the main hall, to the circular stone altar. The moment was crucial. Abid looked at Banarf, seeing a mixture of hope and dread in her eyes. This was her only chance for complete freedom from the curse.

"Are you ready, Banarf?" Abid asked, his voice calm and steady.

Banarf nodded vigorously, her eyes brimming with tears. "I am ready, Knight. I have waited for this moment for so many years."

Abid placed the cool blue crystal he had extracted from the Shulamuns statue into the cavity in the chest of the Dwarven Heart. Upon contact with the crystal, a bright blue light emanated from them, growing in intensity, accompanied by a low resonance that filled the entire hall. The carvings on the walls began to glow periodically, as if awakening from a slumber. Abid focused his mind. Drawing on his newfound understanding of the energy of the Beginning Star and how it worked through the inscriptions, he began chanting phrases from the ancient language he had just deciphered. These weren't just words; they were codes and energy channels, attempting to restore balance to the fabric of reality.

Banarf felt a surge of cold energy coursing through her body, followed by a burning sensation in every bone. The chronic pain was gathering and intensifying, as if it were being forced out of her body. Banarf let out a suppressed scream, but she didn't flinch. She could see her life flashing before her eyes, every moment of pain, every glimmer of hope. It was as if the curse was resisting, trying to cling to her.

With every word Abid spoke, with every glow of the statue, the curse was fading. A faint light emanated from Banarf, and a thin black cloud evaporated from her body, as if dissolving into the air. The chronic pain faded, and her energy surged. The deep wrinkles on her face began to smooth slightly, and the dark circles beneath her eyes disappeared. Banarf breathed deeply for the first time in years, as if she had come back to life.

"I am free!" Banarf cried, tears welling in her eyes, this time of pure joy. "The pain is gone! It is gone!"

She embraced Abid, then looked up at him with indescribable gratitude. Her gray eyes glowed with a new brilliance, full of life. "Words cannot express my gratitude, Knight. You saved me, not only from the curse but also from the despair that bound me."

Abid looked at her, a deep joy filling his heart. This was the first time he had seen Banarf breathe freely and with a genuine smile on her face. His acts of kindness echoed through the fabric of existence, reassuring him that goodness had real value, even if their world was just a story. After moments of euphoria, Banarf felt a new strength coursing through her veins. She stood tall, bearing the characteristics of a Highlander warrior. It wasn't just physical strength; it was an inner strength that reflected her grit and determination. She had regained her original stats, even surpassing them, thanks to this powerful experience.

Banarf now had Strength 13, Agility 10, Constitution 20, Intelligence 17, Wisdom 18, and Charisma 20. This was a marked increase in many of her abilities, especially intelligence and charisma, indicating that she was more perceptive and influential after her ordeal.

"I feel stronger than I have in years," Banarf said, a broad smile spreading across her face. "No, stronger. And it seems the curse that has been draining me has opened my eyes to things I couldn't understand before."

Focusing, Banarf began to examine herself. She raised her hand, feeling energy surging through it. "It seems I can protect myself and my allies more effectively now." Then she said a few words in a low voice, and a light, almost invisible shield appeared around her, shimmering silver, protecting her from projectiles. "This is the ability of 'Protection Shield,' and it's back stronger!" Then she closed her eyes for a moment, seeming to refocus. "My mind is also sharper and clearer. I feel protected from any illusion or psychic attack that might strike me." "This is 'Iron Mind,' and I've never had this ability so powerful before."

Finally, she placed her hand on the ground and concentrated. The ground shook slightly, then rocks slowly began to form into a small barrier in front of her. "It seems I can shape rocks too! 'Stoneshape'! This ability will be extremely useful on our journey."

Abid looked at her with admiration. Banarf was no longer just a weak, cursed dwarf but a powerful and insightful ally. Her experience in her old city, her knowledge of dwarven secrets, and her newfound supernatural abilities would be invaluable on his journey.

"This is amazing, Banarf! Congratulations!" Abid said, his voice full of encouragement. "You have proven that will and determination are stronger than any curse, stronger even than any written text."