The Battle of Ashes

The battlefield was wasted with the remnants of destruction: scorched earth, spoiled and broken weapons, and the remnants of soldiers who had once been so sure of their victory. The air was thick with smoke, the stigma scent of burnt flesh and ozone hanging heavily around Vardy and his companions' breath. The aftermath of the battle weighed heavily on their shoulders, but there was no time to mourn for.

Ferah was already searching the horizon, her eyes narrowed as she looks for any signs of movement. Luthor, too, seemed on edge, his gaze ever watchful, always searching for the next threat. But Vardy, though weary, stood tall, his mind racing as he processed what had just occurred.

They had won the battle. The Aegaon forces had been crushed, their leader terminated by Vardy's final surge of magic. Yet, deep within him, something still gnawed at his thoughts. The Aegaon leader's words echoed in his mind: "The darkness has always had a price, and you will pay it". The weight of that statement settled over him like a shadow, dark and oppressive. He knew the battle was not truly won not yet, at least.

"You're thinking about it again," Ferah said softly, stepping up beside him. Her keen instincts had sensed the shift in his demeanor. "The price. The cost."

Vardy didn't look at her but instead stared out over the battlefield. "I have to. Aegaon was just the beginning. There's something much darker lurking in the world. Something bigger than them, than us."

Luthor approached, his face grim as he assessed the damage. "Vardy's right. We can't let our guard down now. We've won the battle, but the war is far from over. And if what the Aegaon leader said is true, the darkness is still out there, waiting, just watching us, slowly and steadily, keeping it's record."

Vardy nodded, but the feeling of unease still lingered in him. The storm of shadow that had once seemed like a distant threat now felt all too close. The price the Aegaon had spoken of, it was a heavy one, one that he wasn't sure he could pay. But whatever the cost, he would face it. He had no choice.

"Then we need to prepare," Vardy said, his voice hardening with resolve. "We need to find out who's behind this. Who really controls the Aegaon. And we need to stop them before it's too late."

Ferah looked at him, her eyes unwavering. "We've fought hard to get this far, Vardy. I'm with you, no matter what comes next."

Luthor grunted in agreement. "We all are. But we need answers,and we need them very fast."

Vardy's eyes narrowed. "I know where we need to go. There's someone who can help us. Someone who knows more about the darkness than any of us."

Ferah raised an eyebrow. "And who would that be?"

Vardy took a deep breath, knowing that the next part of their journey would be even more strenuous than the one they had just survived. "We're going to find the Oracle."

The oracle? Ferah sounds surprised 

The Oracle was a figure wrapped in mystery, a being whose true form and nature were known to few. Legend spoke of her ability to see the threads of fate, to peer into the future and uncover the deepest secrets of the world. But she was elusive,always just out of reach. And finding her was a task that many had failed.

Vardy had heard whispers of her existence in the farthest corners of the world, but he never thought he would actually seek her out. Yet, the Aegaon leader's whispering words had left him with no choice. If there was any hope of stopping the rising darkness, they would need her guidance.

The journey to find the Oracle would not be easy. It would take them through treacherous lands, across vast deserts, through ancient forests and forgotten ruins. The path was filled with danger, both from the elements and from those who sought to prevent the Oracle's prophecy from being fulfilled.

But Vardy was always ready. He had come this far,and he would go as far as necessary to uncover the truth, the whole truth behind all of the happening.

Alright we all. Are in this let go, Ferah said.

Days passed, as they traveled, the landscape changing as they moved deeper into undefined territories. The air grew colder, the terrain more hostile. The mountains loomed ahead like silent sentinels, their jagged peaks lost in the clouds.

"Do you think we're close?" Ferah asked, her voice tinged with fatigue. They had been traveling for days, pushing their bodies to their limits in search of the Oracle.

Vardy's gaze remained fixed ahead, his mind focused on the path before them. "We're getting closer. I can feel it."

As they climbed higher, the wind howled through the mountain pass, a biting cold that cut through their clothes and sent shivers down their spines. The world seemed to grow quieter, as if the very air had thickened with anticipation.

Then, just as the sun began to set, they reached the top of a high ridge. There, standing amidst a ring of ancient stone pillars, was the Oracle.

Vardy's eyes opened, Her presence was so shocking, as though she existed in two worlds at once. She was neither fully human nor fully ethereal, her form shifting in the twilight. Her long, silver hair flowed around her like a halo, and her eyes,deep pools of dark, endless knowledge,met Vardy's with a piercing gaze.

"You seek answers," the Oracle said, her voice a soft murmur, like the wind itself.

Vardy stepped forward, his heart racing despite the calm exterior he tried to maintain. "I need to know what's coming. What the Aegaon leader meant when he said the darkness has a price."

The Oracle regarded him silently for a moment, then nodded. "The darkness is an ancient force, one that has always existed in the shadows of the world. It is not a force that can be defeated through strength or power alone. It feeds on fear, on pain,on sorrow, and on the loss of hope. It grows stronger each time a soul falls to despair."

Vardy clenched his fists, trying to suppress the fear that gnawed at him. "How can we stop it?"

The Oracle's eyes softened, and her gaze shifted to the horizon. "You must face it, Vardy. But you cannot face it alone. There are others who are tied to this darkness, people whose fates are intertwined with yours. Only together can you hope to stand against it."

Vardy swallowed, the weight of her words settling heavily in his chest. "Who are they? Where are they?"

The Oracle's expression darkened. "That, you must discover for yourself. The path ahead will not be easy, and not everyone will survive. But know this: you have a choice. You can either let the darkness consume everything, or you can fight back, no matter the cost."

Vardy's mind raced as he absorbed her words. The Oracle's prophecy was clear: the battle ahead would require sacrifices. But the true question lingered,could he make the right choice, even when the cost seemed too high? He Would do whatever, he. Can possibly do to get the energy back to control... compared to what he was getting now 

The storm was coming, and this time, it was not just the world that would be changed. It would be Vardy's very soul that would be tested.