As the morning sun rose in the east, Jack stirred awake with a sharp inhale, the remnants of exhaustion clinging to his muscles like lead weights. His body protested as he sat up, soreness radiating from every limb, but he ignored it.There was still much to be done.

  As his vision cleared, he saw his companions scattered around the area. Tanner lay with his head propped against a tree. Lyla was nearby, resting against a moss-covered rock, her eyes closed but her breathing steady. Monsoon lay curled at her feet, his azure fur rising and falling with slow breaths. The already awake Goldeyes was positioned a short distance away, still licking at his partially healed wounds, his keen eyes watching Jack with quiet understanding.

  The wolf’s thoughts brushed against Jack’s mind like a gust of wind through the trees. You live. Good.

  Jack managed a small smirk. Did you doubt me?

  Always. You are reckless. Goldeyes’ tone carried the usual dry humor, but beneath it was the lingering worry of a companion who had seen Jack nearly torn apart too many times.

  Jack exhaled and ran a hand through his damp hair. The events of the past hours replayed in his mind—Cael’s monstrous transformation, the acidic fog, the desperate charge into the Pool of Purity. He turned his gaze toward Cael lying motionless near the Pool but breathing steadily as his chest rose and fell. The goblin looked more like himself now—his grey skin still looking a bit off but no longer disfigured by the grotesque insectoid mutation.

  Jack’s jaw tightened. They had saved him from the spirit’s corruption, but the scars—both physical and mental—would remain.

  He needed answers. He needed a plan.

  Gathering his strength, he pushed himself to his feet. The motion caught Lyla’s attention, and she stirred, rubbing her eyes before blinking up at him. “Jack?”

  “We need to talk,” he said, his voice hoarse but firm.

  Lyla nodded, quickly shaking off the last vestiges of sleep. She nudged Monsoon awake, and the smaller wolf yawned before padding after her. Goldeyes rose to his feet as well, though he needed no summons. Jack could already sense his companion’s awareness—his quiet readiness to listen, to act if necessary.Lyla roused Tanner as well, leaving only one member of their party still slumbering.

  Jack stepped toward Cael and gently placed a hand on the goblin’s shoulder. “Cael, wake up.”

  The goblin groaned, his eyelids fluttering before he slowly regained consciousness. His eyes darted around, confusion flickering across his face. “Jack?”

  “You’re safe,” Jack reassured him. “But we need to go over what happened.”

  Cael swallowed and nodded, pushing himself upright with shaky arms. Jack motioned for the others to gather closer. As they formed a small circle, he took a steadying breath before speaking.

  “I want to make sure we all understand what just happened,” he began, his gaze moving from one companion to the next. “Cael was possessed by something—something powerful. We barely managed to force it out using the Pool of Purity, but we don’t know if it’s truly gone or just waiting for another chance to take hold.”

  Cael’s hands clenched into fists on his lap. “I could feel it,” he murmured. “Like it was whispering in the back of my skull. Promising strength, control, vengeance … but it wasn’t me. It was something else.”

  Jack nodded grimly. “That’s what worries me. If it could take hold of you once, it might be able to do it again.”

  Lyla crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. “The spirit was likely parasitic. A remnant of the Herald, residing in its poison. It lurked inside that dagger, then latched onto Cael when he was vulnerable, twisting his form to suit its needs. The Pool purified his body, but there’s no telling if any trace of it still lingers.”

  Jack exhaled through his nose. He had been thinking the same thing, but hearing Lyla say it made it feel heavier. “Which means we need to be careful. Cael, if you feel anything—any strange thoughts, any pull toward what you felt before—you need to tell us immediately.”

  Cael met his gaze and nodded. “I will.”

  Jack studied him for a moment before nodding in return. He had to trust his friend, but he would also be keeping an eye on him. Just in case.

  Now, for the harder topic.

  He straightened and turned his focus to Lyla. “And then there’s Celia.”

  Her lips thinned.

  “She still hasn’t woken up but she seems stable otherwise. She may need a bit of healing magic to rouse. That gives us time to decide what to do with her.”

  The group fell into an uneasy silence as the Scraelings words lingered in the cool night air. The soft crackling of the dwindling fire and the distant hoot of an owl were the only sounds filling the space between them.

  Lyla herself was the first to break the silence. She shifted her weight, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her eyes burned with intensity as she spoke. “We should kill her.”

  Jack flinched slightly at the bluntness of her words, but then he remembered that she had been the victim of Celia’s ambush.

  Tanner grunted in agreement, his gaze dark. “I don’t see another choice. She’s dangerous, Jack. You saw how she tried to kill you. You saw what she’s capable of.”

  Jack exhaled through his nose, unsurprised by their reactions but unwilling to let the discussion end there. He turned his gaze toward Celia, still unconscious, her body bound tightly to the thick tree behind her. The elf looked deceptively peaceful, her silvery hair falling over her shoulders, her breathing slow and even. But Jack knew better. This was the same woman who had nearly destroyed them.

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  The Scraeling continued, her voice edged with frustration. “She’s not just some rogue mage, Jack. She worked with Faraun. She was willing to sacrifice us without hesitation. If we let her go, she could come after us again, or worse—report us to whoever else she’s allied with.”

  Tanner nodded, running a hand through his disheveled brown hair

  ” She’s an elven noble. They’re a bunch of lying backstabbers by nature. The safest option is to end her before she becomes a problem again.”

  Jack remained still, considering their words. They weren’t wrong—Celia was a threat. But something in his gut told him there was another way. He had seen glimpses of her mind, remnants of her memories, when she had been at his mercy. He had felt her desperation, her fear, her anger. She wasn’t just another mindless killer. She was something else. And more importantly, he had a way to make use of that.

  “I have something,” Jack said finally, drawing their attention back to him. “A Light Attunement crystal.”

  Lyla blinked, her brows furrowing. “A what?”

  Tanner leaned forward slightly, intrigued despite his skepticism.

  Jack reached into his pouch and carefully pulled out the small crystal. It shimmered faintly, casting a soft glow against his palm. “It’s a powerful magical conduit. It allows someone to attune themselves to the element of Light, but more importantly, it can act as a bargaining chip.” He turned the crystal slightly, watching the way it refracted the firelight. “I saw into Celia’s memories. This is something she’s always wanted but never been able to obtain.”

  Lyla’s eyes narrowed. “Why would she want it?”

  Jack met her gaze. “Because it would make her stronger.”

  He didn’t want to get into the details of what he had seen in the elf’s mind but he was sure she would do almost anything for the crystal.

  “If we use it correctly, we can make a deal with her.”

  Cael shifted uneasily. “And what kind of deal are we talking about?”

  Jack’s fingers curled around the crystal. “We offer it to her as a way out. But we don’t actually give it to her outright. She has to prove herself first. If she wants to live, she proves herself and then gets the crystal. We keep a close eye on her in the meantime. If she refuses… well, we know what happens next.”

  Tanner let out a low breath, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re saying we dangle the prize in front of her, but we don’t actually hand it over until she earns it.”

  Jack nodded. “Exactly. She gets the attunement only if she proves her trustworthiness. Until then, she stays under close watch.”

  Silence stretched between them again as the implications settled. Lyla tapped her fingers against her arm, her expression troubled. Tanner looked unconvinced but thoughtful. Cael remained quiet, still recovering from his own ordeal. Goldeyes, who had been watching silently, brushed against Jack’s thoughts.

  You trust this path.

  Jack responded in turn. It’s the best option. Killing her outright would be cleaner, but we’d lose something valuable. If she lives under our control, we gain an asset.

  Goldeyes’ thoughts carried a note of reluctant agreement.

  Then let us see if she accepts the leash.

  Lyla finally sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I don’t like it,” she admitted, “but I see the logic. If it works, it could be useful. If not…” She trailed off, and the implication was clear.

  Tanner exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “Fine. But the moment she steps out of line—”

  “I know,” Jack interrupted. “We handle it.”

  Tanner was the first to break the silence, his voice gruff and serious. He shifted his weight, sitting up straighter and looking directly at Jack.

  “We need to talk about what comes next,” Tanner said, his face hard. “I’ve been thinking about it, and there’s something I have to do. Something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time.” He looked at each of them in turn. “I’m going back to Stonetree. It’s the city where I was born. Where the Aguilars and the Hightowers and the rest of the filthy elf slavemaaters reside. My sister—Hina—is still there, and I won’t rest until she’s free.”

  Lyla raised an eyebrow. “Stonetree? That’s a ways out.”

  “I know,” Tanner replied, his jaw tightening. “But she’s still a slave in that city. We were separated when I was sold to the Aguilars. I’ve heard rumors... She’s still alive, but barely. I have to get her out of there.”

  Jack leaned forward, his gaze steady. “If you want, we can help. We’ll go with you. You don’t have to do this alone. You saved my life and probably all our lives. I owe you a debt. We all do.”

  The ex-slave looked at him, gratitude flickering across his face before it was masked by a hardened resolve. “I appreciate that, Jack. But rescuing a slave can be risky. It’s not something I would ask anyone else to take on.”

  Lyla nodded, her voice thoughtful. “From what I’ve heard Stonetree can be a dangerous place.If we’re going there, we’ll have to be careful.”

  Jack’s eyes met Tanner’s, and for a long moment, there was a quiet understanding between them. “We’ll get her out, Tanner. We’ll make sure she’s free.”

  Tanner exhaled, his shoulders easing slightly. “You have my thanks.”

  There was a pause before Cael spoke up, his voice quiet but firm. “I wish I could go with you. But I... I have my own obligations.” He looked around at the group, his expression apologetic. “In a little over a month, I need to return to my clan. My people are waiting for me. I’ve been away too long. They need to know I’m alive.”

  Jack’s heart sank a little at the thought of losing Cael, but he knew the goblin’s loyalty was never in question. “I understand, Cael. Family comes first. We’ll take care of what needs to be done, and you’ll leave when the time comes.”

  Cael nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly. “I just don’t want to leave you all in the middle of something. But I don’t have a choice.”

  Jack clapped his friend on the shoulder. “We’ll handle things. Go to your people, Cael. We’ll finish this, and then we’ll all find a way forward.

  A brief silence settled between them, the fire crackling louder than before. It was clear that the road ahead wasn’t going to be easy, but at least they had a sense of direction, even if it was scattered with personal goals and obligations.

  Finally, Jack spoke again, his voice steady but filled with a certain intensity. “Before any of that happens, though, there’s something else I need to do. I need to help Goldeyes. We need to find the Ramkin who killed his pack.”

  Tanner looked over at the large white wolf, who sat vigilantly by the fire, his fur glowing softly in the dim light. The wolf met his gaze for a brief moment, but it was clear that the bond between Goldeyes and Jack ran deeper than most could understand. Goldeyes had stood by Jack through everything. They were Companions. And Jack would not let his friends loss go unavenged.

  Lyla nodded, her voice solemn. “We owe him that much.”

  Goldeyes’ thoughts brushed Jack’s mind gently, like a soft nudge against his consciousness. His emotions were muted, but the undercurrent of grief and anger was palpable.

  We go together. He did not speak often, but his words were clear enough.

  Jack nodded silently in response, knowing Goldeyes’ determination was as strong as his own. “We’ll take some time to train. Get stronger. We’ll deal with the Ramkin together. Once that’s done, Cael, you can return to your clan. After that, Tanner, Lyla and I will head to Stonetree. All agreed ?”

  Lyla shifted, tapping her foot lightly on the ground. “How long are we giving ourselves?”

  Jack thought for a moment. “Two, maybe three weeks. We’ll train, prepare, make sure we’re ready. After that, it’s time to take the fight to the Ramkin.”

  Tanner’s eyes narrowed. “And after that?”

  “After that, we head for Stonetree,” Jack confirmed. “We’ve all got our own missions, but we’re in this together.”

  Goldeyes’ mental voice once again brushed against Jack’s thoughts, carrying a note of solemn agreement. Together.

  Jack rose from his seat, stretching his stiff limbs. He turned toward the Celia, gesturing for Lyla to follow. “If we’re going to Stonetree, a native noble born guide might be able to open some doors for us. Let’s wake her up.”