Outside the throne room doors, Olorith wished the others good luck in their search for Ursaval before he and Axel departed to find Thornhart.
Korthok unfolded the map he had received earlier. "Alright, let's see what we've got here." He traced a finger across the parchment. "It says we're looking for a giant cave somewhere within this forested region."
Ash nodded. "Then let's move. Axel's already gone, and Olorith knows exactly where he's headed."
Olorith led Axel through the city and into a more densely wooded area. Noticing the change in scenery, Axel asked, "Does Thornhart live in the forest?"
"He prefers it," Olorith replied. "According to the king, his presence helps keep the forest healthy."
Olorith's expression darkened. "Not like the other one, who does nothing but sleep and fight every day."
"You mean Ursaval, right?" Axel asked.
"Yes..Ursaval," Olorith said. "Ursaval."
Axel was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "I wonder what your Titans truly look like. The only one we've seen so far was Jörmunditself and that wasn't even her true form."
Olorith smiled. "Don't worry, child. You'll see soon enough. They are magnificent." His smile faded slightly. "Even the other one."
After walking through the forest for a time, the surroundings began to dim. The trees grew tall and wide, their canopies blocking out nearly all the light above. Yet the area still shimmered with an iridescent glow of purple and green.
Glowing green vines draped from the branches above, and fluorescent creatures darted along the path, all rushing toward a distant clearing.
Drawn by their movement, the two followed. As they broke through the last veil of foliage, Axel's eyes widened.
"Wooah…"
At the center of the clearing stood a giant, transparent green deer, towering among the trees like a living spirit of the forest. Its immense form was crafted from crystalline light, glass-clear yet glowing from within, as though emerald magic flowed through veins of pure energy.
Ancient runes drifted beneath its translucent hide, accompanied by soft motes of light that pulsed slowly, like a steady heartbeat.
Its antlers rose high and wide, branching endlessly like luminous roots.
Each tine refracted light into shades of jade and teal, with faintly glowing moss and vines clinging to them, blurring the line between beast and woodland. With every breath, a gentle mist spilled from its nostrils, carrying the scent of rain and fresh earth. When it moved, the forest answered grass unfurled beneath its hooves, flowers bloomed in its wake, and the air shimmered around it.
Its eyes were deep pools of radiant green, calm and ancient, holding the wisdom of centuries. The deer did not merely walk through the forest it was the forest given form, a gentle guardian whose presence filled the clearing with quiet awe and timeless magic.
Meanwhile fighting their way through dense bushes, Ash and Korthok finally reached the cave marked on the map. It was enormous so vast it looked less like a cave and more like a hollowed mountain. Giant claw marks and deep gouges scarred the stone walls, as though the rock itself had survived countless battles.
Ash glanced around uneasily. "Should we go inside?"
"I don't see any other option," Zaru replied. "Though I don't think the big guy is too happy about it."
Both of them glanced at Korthok, who seemed to be having second thoughts.
"This place looks like a war zone," he muttered. "Stay on guard."
They ventured deeper into the cave, where the sound of crashing stone and violent movement echoed ahead. The group slowed, tension tightening as they approached the noise.
To their surprise, they found a group of massive grizzly bears fighting one another, their bodies covered in scars as though they had been battling nonstop for days.
Korthok shifted into a battle stance. "Is this what we're looking for?"
Ash frowned. "How should I know? I'm not even from this world."
The bears suddenly stopped. One by one, they turned toward the intruders and spoke in unison, their voices deep and rumbling.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here? Worse still a human. If I did not sense the King's blessing upon you, you would already be dead."
Ash forced a nervous smile. "Y-Yes, the king sent us. We're looking for Ursaval." He laughed awkwardly. "We didn't mean to disturb your… activities."
The bears fell silent, staring at them. Korthok leaned closer to Ash, whispering, "What's going on? What are they saying?"
"They're… not saying anything," Ash replied, panic creeping into his voice.
"They're just standing there."
Then, suddenly, the bears began to merge.
One by one, their forms collapsed into each other, flesh and magic folding together as they rapidly grew in size. The air trembled with power until only one remained a single, colossal bear.
It loomed over them like a living mountain of fur and muscle, its presence heavy with ancient power and endless battle.
Deep claw marks and jagged scars crisscrossed its massive body, each wound faintly glowing with lingering magic some pulsing red, others smoldering with cold blue light, as if the scars themselves remembered the fights that carved them.
Its thick, dark fur was matted in places where magic had burned or torn through it, threaded with streaks of shimmering silver that caught the light as it moved. Enormous runes were etched into its hide like brands, partially healed yet still radiating a dull, ominous glow.
Every breath rumbled like distant thunder, sending tremors through the ground beneath its paws. One eye was clouded and pale, the other sharp and blazing with feral intelligence. Its claws were long and battle-stained, each step gouging the earth as though the land itself feared its weight.
An aura of wild magic rolled off the bear in heavy waves, warping the air around it. This was no gentle guardian it was a survivor. An ancient force hardened by pain and rage, carrying the scars of a thousand battles and the untamed fury of the wild itself.