The next morning, Paltio hadn't been able to sleep well.
"You didn't sleep, did you?" Ron said, still a bit groggy.
"No, I really didn't. I couldn't stop thinking about what they're doing to the people in the village… and that so-called 'room.'"
"No idea," Alita interjected. "But from what Tertrol said, it sounds like a place where they reeducate people."
"Then the population of Hassdalia must be there, in that dungeon," Mok suggested.
"Fool," Pax muttered. "Why did you accept Tertrol's proposal? You should've left your friends here in the dungeon, and we could've continued our journey."
"Fool yourself!" Paltio shot back. "I would never abandon anyone."
"That's our boy," Mok said with a grin. "It's true he can be absent-minded and worse at times, but he's always there for his friends… and for people in danger. He just doesn't always measure the risks well."
"And we'll support him until the end!" Alita and Ron declared in unison.
"Wow, what a bunch of fools. Don't come crying if you die on this mission. We'll see how friendly you all are then. As I said, I'll only help the kid as long as it doesn't cost me my life," Pax added, not taking his eyes off the window.
"It's already morning," Paltio commented, glancing at the watch Tejod had given him. It displayed a glowing number two, marking the start of a new cycle.
"But outside, it's still eternal darkness, filled with shadows and mist," Alita interrupted.
Suddenly, someone opened the door to the room. It was a small space, but thanks to the supplies Paltio had brought in his bag, it was enough for the five of them to rest comfortably.
"Wow, that little bag sure holds a lot," Ron remarked.
"It's a gift from my grandfather," Paltio replied. "I wonder where he is now…"
"He went searching for our god or a clue that might lead him there," Mok explained. "But he hasn't returned in many years."
"I know," Paltio said softly. "I hope to find him, and that he can help us defeat the shadows."
"No offense," he added, looking toward Pax.
"Ha, ha," Pax laughed sarcastically. "Do you really think you can beat us? We've already won. There's nothing left for you, foolish child. Stop dreaming. Once Tejod has the core, everything will be over."
The conversation was cut short when a guard dressed in dark blue entered and signaled for them to follow. The group stepped out behind him and found a carriage waiting for them in front of the palace.
"Here are the coordinates you need to reach," the guard handed over a slip of paper. "Mok, input them into your device. Good luck… you're going to need it," he added with a mocking laugh.
Everything remained cloaked in shadows until, suddenly, Tertrol appeared.
"I'll give you visibility," he said, and from his finger emerged a large luminous sphere made of red fire. It ascended into the sky, growing larger as it rose until it became an artificial sun, illuminating every corner of the realm.
"Good," Tertrol continued. "You have until the light fades to find what I want: the claw of that creature. Kill it if you can… though I doubt you'll succeed," he sneered.
"And how much time is that?" Paltio asked.
"Think of it as morning. Twelve hours. So, if I were you, I'd hurry," Tertrol answered with a sardonic smile.
Quickly, everyone climbed into the carriage and set off toward the designated location.
From afar, Tertrol shouted after them:
"Be careful with the Oboros!"
The name reached Pax, who heard it clearly thanks to his heightened sense of hearing.
"It's more serious than I imagined," he said gravely. "But I'll tell you anyway… chances are you won't return."
He looked at Paltio and continued:
"Listen carefully, princeling. The creature you'll face—and from which you must retrieve a claw—is the Oboros, another of my master's creations. That monster is lethal, so be cautious. It cannot die unless you find the original; if you damage its copies, they will reproduce instantly. It's a giant lizard, as tall as a tower, walking upright on two legs, with a long, sharp tail, and in the center of its chest is a prism. That prism is its weak point. Only by destroying it can you defeat him."
"That sounds easy," Ron interjected. "We just need to hit it in the chest."
"Don't be naive," Pax retorted. "Lord Tejod wouldn't create something so easy to kill."
"If the prism glows white, it means it's a copy. And if you destroy a copy, even more will spawn. But if the prism is amber-colored, that will be the real one. However, the wretched beast hides among its replicas, shielding itself from any attack. Both the original and the copies can devour you without hesitation. So pay attention: you must be extremely careful."
"I see," Mok said thoughtfully. "What a twisted mind someone must have to create such things," Alita added with a shiver.
"Silence!" Pax interrupted sharply. "Don't speak ill of Lord Tejod. He only made a few defective creations that were later discarded—like this beast. But my master is the best."
"Well," Ron said, "at least we have Mok. Surely with him, we'll stand a chance."
"Yes, that's true," Paltio affirmed. "You see, hope is the last thing to die."
"You're right," Alita agreed.
"Fools… You'll see—it won't be so easy," Pax concluded as he took the reins of the carriage.
They arrived at an elevated spot atop a hill, where a dark and silent cave opened before them.
"We've arrived," Pax announced.
Everyone disembarked from the vehicle before beginning their ascent, as the path was too steep and narrow for the carriage to continue.
"We'll go slowly," Pax instructed. "Once we reach what looks like its lair, stay alert and don't make much noise."
After a grueling climb, the five of them reached the entrance of the cave. They were exhausted; the trail had been winding, narrow, and demanding, forcing them to move in a single file.
Pax took out some of his magical powder and conjured a small blue flame, barely enough to illuminate a few steps ahead.
"Why is that flame so tiny?" Alita asked. "We won't be able to see anything like this!"
"Precisely because of that," Pax replied. "I don't want to alert the beast."
Once inside, they began to advance through a cavern larger inside than it appeared from the outside. The ceiling was high and dripped water in some spots, adding a cold, damp sensation to the atmosphere.
"I think there's nothing here," Ron said loudly.
"Lower your voice, foolish brat!" Pax scolded him. "Or it'll discover us."
They continued walking until they reached what appeared to be a dead end. For a moment, they thought this was the end of the cave.
Ron stepped back slightly and, as he moved, slipped on something strange.
"What is this long thing?" he whispered.
"It's a rock, you fool," Alita replied. "There are plenty of them here."
"But this one feels different… softer," Ron said as he touched it. Suddenly, the "rock" began to move.
Ron tried to touch it again, but it was no longer there.
"How strange… Do rocks move?" he asked, confused.
"Not that I know of," Alita shot back. "And stop asking stupid questions."
At that moment, a deafening roar echoed through the entire cave, bouncing off the walls like an endless echo. Pax spun around immediately and, amidst the shadows, saw glowing eyes staring directly at them.
"It's the Oboros!" he exclaimed. He looked closely and lowered his gaze to its chest. The prism shone with a white light.
"It's just a copy," he said. "Run! There are surely more."
He increased the flame of his torch, and then everyone saw it: a massive creature, just as Pax had described, but even more terrifying in person. It leaped between the rocks, chasing them with fury.
"They're all copies," Mok observed. "There are five…"
"Don't even think about pulling out your knives," Pax warned him. "Remember, if you attack one, it will multiply."
"Then… what are we supposed to do?" Mok asked.
"Run," Pax answered. "And make sure they don't eat us."
"That sounds good to me," Ron said, grabbing Alita's hand. Both of them took off, running alongside Paltio.
"Damn it… running won't help much," Mok muttered as he dodged a giant tail and dagger-like fangs.
"We need to find the original!" Alita shouted. "If we don't eliminate it, these copies will never disappear."
One of the beasts appeared beside Paltio and the others, lunging violently and trying to strike them with its tail.
Unable to restrain himself, Mok pulled out his knives and attacked. The blades sank into the creature, which let out a sharp cry before splitting into two. Now there were seven.
"Fool!" Pax yelled at him. "I told you not to harm them! Now they've multiplied!"
"We're almost at the exit!" Ron called out.
Everyone ran desperately. Alita and Ron were ahead, believing they were safe… when, right at the entrance of the cave, a figure much larger than the others emerged. It was the real one. Its prism glowed with an amber light, intense and almost hypnotic in the dimness of the cave.
The beast rose onto its hind legs, towering over them with its colossal size. It opened its massive jaws, revealing rows of teeth as sharp as blades, and the two young people froze, paralyzed by fear.
But Paltio didn't hesitate. With a decisive push, he shoved his friends forward, out of harm's way.
It was his last conscious act.
With a swift and brutal motion, the creature clamped its jaws around him, swallowing him whole in a single bite.
"No!" Mok screamed. "Master Paltio!"
His voice broke in the damp air of the cave, heavy with pain and despair, as he watched his prince vanish forever inside the monster's maw.