Krad stepped forward, his heart hammering against his ribs. Mist walked beside him with that infuriating calm, while Hanan, Miss Vice, and Drugo trailed behind.
"So," Drugo grumbled, crossing his arms like he was bracing himself for disappointment. "Off to get your face smashed in again?"
"Not if I can help it," Krad shot back, grinning despite the knot in his stomach. "This time I'm totally ready!"
"That's the spirit," Mist said with a light chuckle. "Though I wouldn't get too confident just yet. You're still slower than a three-legged turtle."
Krad's jaw tightened, but he bit back the retort bubbling up. He knew Mist wasn't just being a jerk, it was a reminder. The Rage was coming, fast and merciless, and failure meant more than just losing a fight. It meant losing everything.
Miss Vice's gaze settled on him, sharp and assessing. "Your resolve is admirable, Krad. But raw strength won't be enough. You need control, discipline. Those will keep the Moon Eater's mark from devouring you whole."
Krad stopped walking and turned toward her, his voice dropping low but fierce. "When I come back stronger... after I beat Liyab in the Rage, I swear I'm going after the Goblin Lord." His golden eyes burned with a fire that surprised even him. "Damos is gonna pay for what he did to your kingdom, Hanan. That's a promise."
Hanan's silver eyes widened, and for a heartbeat, tears threatened to spill over. She blinked them away quickly, her voice soft but steady. "Thank you, Master Krad."
"No need for thanks." He flashed her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Besides, I've got a score to settle with that ugly bastard anyway."
Drugo snorted, though a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Just don't get yourself killed, idiot."
Miss Vice's attention shifted toward the town gate, her tone turning commanding. "Enough talk. You all know what needs to be done."
Mist's sharp eyes traced something invisible in the air, like he was reading a map only he could see. "The Narda Stone," he murmured. "It's close. Perfect."
"The Narda what now?" Krad asked, leaning over Mist's shoulder curiously.
"A teleportation stone," Mist explained without breaking stride, his voice brisk and matter-of-fact. "It's a safe zone and a gateway to key locations across the realm. We'll use it to reach the Kingdom. Let's move."
Krad followed in silence, the faint afterimage of whatever map Mist had conjured still dancing in his mind's eye. Behind him, Kubo Village grew smaller and smaller. He stopped abruptly, glancing back one last time at the place that had become something like home.
"I'll be back," he thought. "And I'll be stronger."
The path opened up ahead as Mist quickened his pace, moving with the fluid precision of someone who'd walked these trails a hundred times over.
"So," Krad said, desperate to fill the silence, "this Narda Stone thing... is it like some magical teleportation rock? Or weird alien tech from another dimension?"
Mist glanced at him, his expression unreadable as ever.
"It's a Crescent Stone. A convergence point where energy flows together. To us humans, it might look like advanced technology. To someone else, pure magic. What it truly is... depends on how you see the world."
Krad groaned dramatically, throwing his hands up. "Do you always talk like the mysterious wise mentor from every fantasy movie ever made, or is today just extra special?"
Mist's lips twitched with the ghost of a smirk, but he didn't answer as they emerged into a clearing.
Krad's breath caught.
"Whoa," he whispered, awe creeping into his voice despite himself. The stone before them was massive, a towering crescent shape that seemed to hum with power. Blue runes crawled across its surface like living things, shifting and glowing in patterns that made his eyes ache if he stared too long. The air around it felt thick, charged with an energy that made his skin prickle. "This thing is... insane. Like it's alive or something."
Mist approached the obelisk without hesitation, his confidence almost intimidating. "This Stone is more than a waypoint. Use it wisely, and it will carry you far. Use it carelessly..." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "And it will tear you apart."
Krad blinked, his awe rapidly shifting to nervous skepticism. "Tear me apart? Cool, cool. That's exactly what I wanted to hear before stepping into the glowy murder rock's personal space."
Mist cast him a sidelong glance. "You survived the Moon Eater's mark without permanent damage. If anything, the Stone might be afraid of you."
Krad scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, well..."
Mist didn't wait for him to finish. He placed his hand flat against the obelisk's smooth surface. Instantly, the blue runes flared to life, shifting like liquid script as they rearranged themselves into a new, intricate pattern. A pulse of energy rippled outward, rolling through the ground in waves that stopped just short of Krad's boots.
The air grew impossibly heavy, charged with raw power that made every hair on his body stand on end. His eyes darted to the glowing circle forming around the base of the Stone, a ring of brilliant light humming with anticipation.
"Step into the circle," Mist commanded, his voice steady and absolute.
Krad hesitated for half a second, then squared his shoulders and stepped forward.
The moment his feet crossed into the glowing ring, everything shifted. The atmosphere changed like the second before lightning strikes. The hum of energy deepened, resonating in his chest like a war drum. The ground beneath him trembled faintly, and the runes on the obelisk spun faster and faster, blazing brighter as if they'd suddenly come alive.
Mist's expression remained calm, though his eyes were razor-sharp. He knew the risk, if Krad accidentally tapped into the Moon Eater's power here, the Narda Stone would react violently. They'd both be shredded to pieces.
"Brace yourself," Mist said, his hand firm against the stone's surface.
"For what?" Krad asked, his voice climbing slightly.
Mist didn't answer.
The circle beneath them exploded with light. A force erupted upward suddenly, wrapping around them like an invisible current. Krad's stomach lurched as he was yanked upward, weightless, into the air. The world melted into a swirling vortex of radiant colors—blues, golds, whites, all twisting and spiraling around him like he'd been flung into the heart of a cosmic kaleidoscope.
Then, with a violent thud, his feet slammed onto solid ground.
The impact jolted through his legs, but he was unhurt. The blinding light faded quickly, leaving him disoriented and blinking rapidly as his vision adjusted.
His breath caught in his throat.
They stood in the middle of an enormous plaza, its ancient stone tiles cracked and weathered but still radiating an undeniable majesty. Towering marble columns surrounded the space, their surfaces wrapped in glowing green vines that pulsed faintly with life. The air was cool and damp, carrying the earthy scent of moss mingled with something metallic and faintly sweet.
In the distance, the skeletal remains of a grand castle loomed against the sky, its jagged spires piercing through a layer of thin, drifting mist. Massive ancient trees framed the horizon, their trunks impossibly wide, their golden leaves shimmering like they were lit from within by some hidden fire.
Krad's mouth hung open.
"This place..." he breathed, his voice barely a whisper. "It's like something out of a legend."
Mist glanced at him, his expression unreadable but his tone almost amused. "Welcome to the Kingdom of Darkness."