the new ally

The signal they thought was from Vaelen?

Yeah—turns out it wasn't.

They followed the source. Ended up deep in the desert, heat pressing down on their backs. And that's where they saw it—

A figure, halfway buried in stone.

Lucien stepped closer. "That's a person…"

The book buzzed in Mira's hands. Glowed purple.

A deep aura started leaking out—slow at first, then wild. Everyone jumped back, ready to throw hands if needed.

Cracks ran up the stone.

Something—or someone—was waking up.

And then…

Boom.

The stone exploded outward, dust everywhere. And standing in the middle of it?

A man. Tall. Calm. Dressed in rags and covered in dust, but that aura? That purple glow around him? It hit different.

He opened his eyes—then looked around.

Saw Mira. Lucien. Krane. Jonas. Dave.

And the man just… laughed. Like really laughed.

Mira stepped forward, suspicious. "Did Vaelen send you?"

He kept laughing, brushing stone off his arms. "Vaelen? That's a name I haven't heard in a long time…"

Then—he paused.

Looked at them again, slower this time.

And just walked past them like he already knew them.

"Well, look who it is," he said, voice cool. "Time for the jackass troublemaker himself."

He looked up at the sky, annoyed. "As annoying as the moon…"

Then he turned toward Mira—more specifically, her book.

"Darling," he said, voice low and teasing, "you know there's consequences for summoning me, right?"

Mira blinked, confused.

He smirked, eyes glowing deeper now. "You were supposed to call upon me only when you were really in trouble."

The book flipped a page on its own. The purple aura thickened.

He stood tall, cracked his neck, and finally said:

"The book has spoken its wish…"

He stepped in front of them all. Calm. Confident.

"And how shall I be of assistance?"

Then he looked at Lucien with a grin.

"Go on, kid. Let's see what kind of mess you've pulled me into this time."