After running a good distance from the burning camp, Ryu finally began to slow down. The dark silhouette of the mountain loomed in the distance, quiet and imposing under the night sky.
A flood of questions rushed through his mind.
The fire—it must have started from one of those torches the soldiers carried, he thought bitterly. Careless.
He sighed and turned his attention to the supplies in his cart, trying to piece together a strategy for killing the Kolasis. The alcohol could be used to start a fire—or maybe even as a makeshift bomb. He pulled out a piece of beef jerky and chewed it slowly, his body aching.
Then his gaze drifted to the barrel of mystical water. Something about it made him stop walking. It was as if the barrel had taken hold of him, compelling him to move closer.
He opened the lid.
The water shimmered like stars scattered across a midnight sky, even though no light touched its surface. He thought he could hear whispers—faint, impossible whispers—curling from its depths, but the words were just out of reach.
His curiosity surged.
He hesitated, then dipped his hand into the water.
Ding!
A chime echoed in his ears. A translucent blue screen blinked into existence:
---
[Item: Avalin's Tears]
[Item Rank: Fabled]
[Attributes: Heals almost all injuries in seconds]
[Warning: Drinking too much will cause unbearable pain and paralysis for at least a month]
---
Ryu's eyes widened.
A Fabled rank item? He had only ever heard of them in rumors. To his knowledge, fewer than a hundred had ever been found in the world. Each one was worth billions.
But… Avalin's Tears?
Who was Avalin?
And the idea of drinking someone's tears made him uncomfortable. Even more concerning was the warning. Paralysis for a month? During combat, that would be a death sentence. And how much was too much?
Staring at the shimmering water, more questions than answers swirled in his head. But he had no way to answer them now.
Reluctantly, he closed the lid and mumbled to himself, "I'll need to ask the commander about this… when I see him."
He pushed the cart forward again, muscles groaning from fatigue. Looking back, he saw a faint orange glow behind him—the fire was spreading faster than he expected.
His surroundings changed as he neared the mountain. Glowing blue and green flowers bloomed across the forest floor, and the trees were dotted with luminous algae. For a moment, it felt like he was walking through a dream. The beauty of it almost made him forget his aching limbs… until he spotted a small fire in the distance.
"A campfire," he muttered. "That must be the knights."
He dragged the cart toward the light, his arms and back sore from hours of pushing. When he finally reached the camp, he saw thirteen knights slumped around the fire, their faces hollow, eyes vacant. They looked utterly spent.
The commander sat apart from them, sharpening his sword in silence.
Ryu approached. "I have arrived, Commander."
The man looked up, nodded once, then returned to his blade. "What did you bring?"
Ryu set down the cart. "A barrel of alcohol. A barrel of that mystical water. And jerky."
"Good," the commander muttered without looking up.
Ryu sat down in front of him. "So… what's the plan?"
The commander paused, then looked Ryu in the eyes. "After we sleep, we kill it."
Ryu gulped.
They exchanged a long, quiet stare before the commander resumed sharpening his blade.
"You should get some rest too," he added.
Ryu glanced around. The knights and the commander were covered in wounds. He couldn't help but ask, "Why don't you and the knights drink the water?"
"We already drank too much," the commander replied.
"How do you even know when it's too much?"
The commander stopped. "You just do."
Ryu frowned. 'You just do'? What kind of answer is that? But he didn't dare say it out loud.
He sat near the fire, staring into the flickering flames, but curiosity tugged at him again.
"How did the water even start healing people?" he asked.
The commander raised an eyebrow. "You're not from here, are you?"
Ryu let out a nervous laugh.
With a sigh, the commander lowered his sword. "Its origin is unknown… but most believe the water came from our goddess, Avalin."
"Care to elaborate?"
The commander's eyes reflected the flames as he spoke:
> "The goddess of our forest—Avalin, radiant as dawn—once descended to the mortal realm. There, she met a humble musician, Elias, whose music stirred even her divine heart. Though love between gods and mortals was forbidden, she fell for him. For a time, they wandered the meadows and forests together, his songs echoing their joy.
But mortality is cruel. Elias fell ill—some say it was a fever, others a curse—and even Avalin's powers could not save him. She cradled his body as he died, her divine tears falling as silver rain upon the earth. Where they touched, flowers bloomed, whispering his name on the wind.
Now, when storms cry across the land, people say it's Avalin mourning the love she lost. And sometimes, in the hush of twilight, if you listen closely… Elias's song still lingers—just beyond reach.
Those who drink her tears are healed of nearly anything. But if they're greedy… they pay a steep price."
He paused. "Or so the story goes."
Ryu remained silent, the tale swirling in his thoughts.
If her tears could heal anything… why couldn't she save him?
Still, every myth has a root in truth, however small. He glanced at the commander again.
"And what about the origin of Kolasis?"
The commander's gaze darkened. "That… is a story I do not know."
Ryu sighed and let his body collapse to the ground. He didn't think he'd be able to sleep—but sleep came easier than expected, almost unnaturally so.
Just as he began to drift away, he heard a voice.
Pleasant.
Soothing.
"Welcome, traveller."