After that fateful night at the bonfire, Alvin and I grew even closer and perhaps we were friends now.

  The snow withdrew more and more, making room for the lush greenery of spring. Wildlife returned to the world. Insects finally appeared, birds sang, and somewhere beneath the soil, life slowly and quietly stirred back into the woods.

  We had made progress in the Aldovien language. Enough to express our basic needs and thoughts. One thing hadn’t changed though.

  The size of our mana pools.

  No matter how hard we trained, how much magic we used, our mana reserves remained the same. We tested it with great effort. Day after day, spell after spell, and came to the realization: Mana doesn’t grow with time alone. Not like strength or stamina. Not passively. To grow, it maybe required something else. Some kind of insight, or breakthrough, we simply didn't know.

  We sparred, often. Alvin would summon Ice Arrows, and I’d raise Earth Walls. We learned each other’s rhythms and limits. Over time, Alvin shaped a combat style of his own. He favored water magic—his affinity strengthening it beyond the rest—but used other elements when needed. He fought like a flowing current: fluid, sudden and powerful.

  One day we sat under a giant pine tree, watching the pale midday sky. That day we decided to venture deeper into the forest, atop the mountain range and try our luck.

  We made dried meat, gathered fruits, and shouldered our packs. We didn’t know what we were searching for exactly, Just that staying in one place wouldn't bring answers and would only lead to stagnation.

  The pine trees stretched endlessly. The grassy scent of spring clung to the air. For three days we wandered, and just as we were about to turn back, we saw it.

  A structure. Stone. Worn and half-buried in moss and vines. It sat on a nearby peak, crumbling but proud.

  We exchanged glances. The sun was already setting at the horizon. We decided to rest for the night, afterwards we would then explore the ruins.

  That night, we made camp by a flowing stream. The fire cracked and emitted a warmth, in contrast to the mountains chilly air. The moon was a waning crescent, its silver shimmer soft against the trees.

  For a while, I forgot the dangers that lurked. The world felt still. Beautiful. Sacred.

  Alvin’s voice broke the silence.

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  “Hey, Nestor,” he asked, his tone firm and curious, “what do you think happened to that place? You think there’s any loot?”

  I inhaled deeply before I spoke. My limbs were strangely light.

  “If there's no loot in a ruined temple on a mountain covered in forest, then loot doesn’t exist,” I answered, half-smiling. “And about what happened there—I haven’t a clue.”

  Alvin didn’t respond. He just looked up at the moon, his expression unreadable, then lay down and turned his back to me.

  I stayed awake.

  I gazed at the moon.

  And the moon… gazed back.

  Its light touched me—like it always did—but this time, something inside me stirred. Like a whisper not in sound, but in essence. It wasn't magic. It was... calming and tranquill.

  A trance overcame me.

  I don’t know how long I sat there, only that when morning came, Alvin shook me awake. His hand was warm, but his voice was worried.

  “You okay, Nestor?” he asked.

  I blinked. The world looked… lighter.

  “I think so,” I answered, standing up.

  But I didn’t just stand. I moved.

  My body, small as it was, felt entirely different. My bones felt denser, yet weightless. My blood moved faster, but quieter. I jumped—and landed two meters away, soundlessly, on a moss-covered rock.

  Alvin stared at me, dumbfounded. His mouth opened slightly, his dark-blue hair shifting in the breeze. He didn’t speak. He simply looked. He couldn't fathom why I just jumped seemingly randomly.

  Then, without a word, he stepped beside me and looked up at the peak.

  “Let’s go,” he said quietly. “If we move now, we’ll reach that place by midday.”

  With that being said he walked ahead, his steps were firm and with purpose.

  I followed.

  The feeling of lightness subdued and then faded, but I knew that something changed.

  The spring sun shone down on the world, casting warm rays of light over the once frostbitten place. Alvin and I were near the structure—only a few steps away.

  Neither of us talked as we surveyed the surroundings. This place seemed to have once been used by humans. The old paving stones were mostly covered by earth and vegetation, cementing its age in our minds.

  The road led us to a tower-like ruin. It wasn't very tall, standing at around 30 meters.

  In silence I entered the tower through one of the many holes in the walls. Alvin followed and almost stumbled, shattering the silence. We locked eyes. His face turned slightly red, as he pretended to look elsewhere.

  Inside the tower there were some weapon stands— alas the weapons had been eroded by time. A broken wooden staircase led upwards and we decided to try our luck by ascending them.

  Torn banners hung on the walls- perhaps torn by man. The light blue hue and a lionhead symbolized the governing system the tower once was belonged to.

  With the passage of time, many things disappear. Kingdoms, Empires, people, everything faded, swallowed by time itself.

  I can only sigh at this truth. I was sure that even the gods will vanish one day.

  People are insignificant. Eternity remembers no names. With that beeing said, there is absolutely no reason for me to uphold my disposition.

  I had died once. My heart was that of regret and anger. I will not let the same happen again. Why should I put on a facade. Just to please other people who don't even matter to me? That would only restrict my heart. My true impulses and ambitions would then be caged by a prison of pretence— something I burdened myself with.

  If I want to socialize, I'll do it. If people annoy me, I'll seek solitude. If somebody tries to harm me, I'll harshly retaliate with all my might. For that is my conviction.

  My thoughts were interrupted by Alvins hasty and shrill shout.

  "NESTOR, THERE IS A CORPSE HERE!"

  With a few hurried steps I quickly caught up with him. Alvin seemed to shudder for a bit. His face was extremely pale and his expression was perplexed. I didn't notice any of this as I took a look ahead. A pile of grey meat stuck to a pile of bones—resembling a human. It only resembled a human because of its form—its sheer size, however, was monstrous.

  Its ribs were broken inwards, as if something managed to break the ribcage in one go. Inside of the corpse there were three gems.

  I glanced at Alvins trembling body.

  "Are you allright, Alvin?"

  I asked him. Alvin seemed to be feeling nausea. Maybe he wasn't ready to see a corpse so human-like. He slowly turned toward me, his frame trembling, his voice cracking:

  "Th..Thi...This giant... Spoke... To me."