God's Tree-Chapter 44: Parting the ruins

Every line of ancient text Argolaith had copied in the ruins was a stepping stone to the power he craved, and every carefully rendered diagram was a testament to his unwavering resolve.

In the dim light of the ruined sanctuary, as he pored over fragile scrolls and crumbling tablets, he and his newfound companion Kaelred had grown close.

Bound by their shared hunger for knowledge and the desire to unearth the lost secrets of an age when magic flowed freely.

Over days filled with whispered debates and quiet study, the two men forged a friendship as resilient as the mountain stone itself.

One cool evening, as they rested amid the echoing corridors of the ancient sanctuary, Argolaith turned to Kaelred with a question that had been on his mind for some time.

"Kaelred," he said softly, "would you want to come with me on my journey to find our Five Trees?"

Kaelred’s eyes—flame-like with inner fire—sparkled in the flickering light. "Yes, I would like to go with you. Then I can also find mine as well."

Kaelred smiled, a mix of excitement and relief warming him from the inside. "But where are they drawing you to at the moment?"

"They are drawing me to the other side of the Forsaken Forest at the least," Argolaith replied, his tone thoughtful, as though he were recalling half-forgotten dreams.

The two men sat in quiet companionship, their conversation drifting from plans to practicalities as they began to pack up their supplies.

Argolaith’s mind, however, soon returned to the peculiar gift he carried—a storage ring of mysterious origin that he had stolen, with the reluctant blessing of athos from his hometown.

"Kaelred, let’s go put that guardian primordial beast in my storage ring," Argolaith said with a grin that bordered on mischief. His voice was low, carrying a blend of pride and incredulity.

Kaelred’s face paled in shock. "Wait! Will it even fit? They don’t have limitless space in them."

Argolaith chuckled, shaking his head. "What do you mean? Mine is like a limitless void inside of it."

In a hushed tone, Kaelred pressed further, "How is that even possible? Only a god would be able to make something like that. Where did you get it?"

Argolaith’s eyes danced with a secret mirth as he recounted.

"I stole it from an elder in my town—he had a lab deep in the Forsaken Forest. There were all manner of tools for alchemy, rune smithing, and hundreds of books. I took it, and when I returned, he simply said you can keep it, just not to tell too many people."

"Stole it!" Kaelred exclaimed, half in disbelief and half in awe.

"Indeed," Argolaith replied with a shrug. "It wasn’t used much, and in the end, elder athos let me have it."

As the two men finalized their preparations and slowly packed up the precious relics and fragile scrolls, Argolaith’s heart swelled with the promise of their shared future.

"Well then, I think we have learned all we can here," he said. "Kaelred, are you ready to set out to descend the mountain and continue our journey?"

"Yes, I am ready," Kaelred replied without hesitation, his eyes alight with determination. "But let’s go get that guardian primordial beast as well."

With a conspiratorial nod, Argolaith led Kaelred to a secure spot on the plateau where, with meticulous care, they managed to capture the still, colossal corpse of the fallen guardian.

Using the strange power of his storage ring, its inner void defying all mortal limits. Argolaith carefully placed the massive, inert form inside.

Kaelred’s eyes widened as he beheld the seemingly impossible feat.

"Unbelievable," Kaelred whispered. "It’s as if your ring is a bottomless pit."

Argolaith grinned. "The elder said it was special. Now that we have it safely stored, our path down the mountain beckons."

And so, with their hard-won knowledge secured and the monstrous guardian now contained within the storage ring, the two set off down the mountain.

The descent was as perilous as the climb had been—icy winds tore at their cloaks, and the narrow, winding paths were treacherous in the fading light. Yet their spirits remained unbroken.

"Kaelred, be ready to fight against primordial beasts and fellow warriors," Argolaith warned as they began their descent, his voice carrying over the howl of the wind. "The mountain’s trials are far from over."

The mountain’s face, once a looming challenge of vertical ascent, now revealed its darker side as the two friends began their journey downward.

Every step on the crumbling stone and ice-laden ledge was fraught with danger. The winds, sharp as blades, whipped around them, threatening to hurl them off precarious edges.

Yet Argolaith and Kaelred pressed on, side by side, determined to descend with the same unwavering resolve that had brought them to this point.

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They often paused along the way, not only to catch their breath but to rest and refuel.

In one such sheltered alcove—a small natural recess formed by overhanging rock—they set up a temporary camp. The cave-like nook offered scant protection from the bitter winds, but it was enough to allow them a brief respite.

"Let’s make some food," Kaelred suggested, his voice echoing softly in the cold, still air. "I’m getting too weak to fight if I don’t eat soon."

Argolaith nodded, and together they began their modest preparations. Out of the storage ring, Argolaith retrieved a portion of the fresh meat from the fallen guardian primordial beast.

Its flesh, still vibrant with a faint, otherworldly sheen, was unlike any other meat he had tasted.

Coupled with a small bundle of magical herbs known for their warming properties and ability to bolster stamina, they set to work.

"Time to cook," Argolaith declared, as he arranged a small fire with bits of wood he had gathered earlier.

The fire, though modest, cast dancing shadows on the icy walls of their temporary refuge.

He took out a portable, enchanted pot—one that he’d modified using some of the arcane knowledge he had gleaned from the ancient texts—and began to prepare a stew.

The two friends chopped the herbs into small, even pieces. Kaelred helped by carving chunks of the primordial meat with careful strokes, ensuring that the cuts were uniform.

The herbs—crimson, silver, and deep green—released a faint, spicy aroma as they were sliced, and the meat sizzled when it hit the heated pot.

Soon enough, the ingredients melded together into a fragrant stew that promised warmth and strength.

"This smells good," Argolaith commented as he stirred the bubbling concoction. "I need to be quick though—I don’t have much time before the winds freeze what remains of our ingredients."

Kaelred chuckled, though his eyes betrayed his worry. "At these heights, I’d say the temperature is easily negative eighty. Thank goodness this cave kept us from being turned into ice cubes, huh?"

"Indeed," Argolaith replied with a wry grin. "Now, let’s eat before our stew becomes a block of frost."

They ate their meal in relative silence, the savory warmth of the stew a stark contrast to the bitter cold outside.

Every bite fortified them, the magical herbs working their subtle miracles within their bodies.

Yet even as they nourished themselves, the ever-ominous rumble from the mountain’s depths reminded them that time was not on their side.

After finishing their meal, the two warriors took time to clean their dishes and store them neatly in the storage ring.

They then resumed their descent. The path down the mountain was a shifting labyrinth of icy slopes, precarious ledges, and narrow trails that wound their way through frozen canyons.

The winds grew fiercer, carrying with them the distant echoes of unseen dangers.

It was said that primordial beasts roamed these lower reaches—monsters as merciless as the guardian they had killed—and that fellow warriors, desperate and ruthless, also sought to claim the ancient knowledge hidden within the mountain’s heart.

"Kaelred," Argolaith warned as they continued down the rocky slope.

"Be on your guard. The mountain is as treacherous in descent as it is in ascent. We must be ready for anything—primordial beasts, bandits, even other warriors trying to seize our hard-won knowledge."

Kaelred gripped his sword tighter. "I understand. We’ll stay close and watch each other’s backs."

Their conversation was interspersed with long periods of silence as they navigated the icy trails. The bond between them, forged in the heat of battle and the shared pursuit of ancient wisdom, grew stronger with each step.

Together, they recalled the lessons from the ruins, discussing the delicate balance between power and sacrifice.

They speculated on the mysteries of the Five Trees and the promise of magic that would change their destinies.

During one brief pause on a narrow ledge, Argolaith gazed out at the sprawling vista below—a realm of snow, ice, and jagged rock that stretched out as far as the eye could see.

"I wonder," he said softly, "what new trials await us as we descend further. The ancient texts spoke of arrays and formations that harness the very energy of the earth. Perhaps mastering them will help us overcome what lies ahead."

Kaelred nodded, his expression serious. "Our journey is far from over. Every step we take now is a battle against nature itself. But I believe that, together, we have the strength to endure even the harshest of challenges."