Erend slowly lifted his gaze from the floor and looked toward the two leaders standing across the chamber.

King Garrie and Archmage Velrion still wore solemn expressions. The weight of everything they had just learned remained visible on their faces. Neither man looked reassured by the information Erend had brought back. If anything, the revelations concerning the Void Architect, the approaching entity, and the Creation’s fears had only made the situation appear even more daunting than before.

But as Erend stood there, he noticed something else. Or perhaps more accurately, he felt it. A different emotion lingered nearby, the feelings of determination.

It did not come from King Garrie or Velrion. It came from Eccar, Aesa, and Sylven. The feeling was strangely clear it made Erend frowned slightly.

For a moment he found himself wondering why he could sense it so easily. The certainty felt almost unnatural. He did not need to look at them to know what they were feeling. Somehow he simply knew.

Perhaps the connection between the Dragonborn had grown stronger over the years without any of them realizing it. They had fought together, bled together, and faced death together countless times.

Perhaps their souls had gradually become more intertwined because of it. Perhaps that was why he could feel their resolve as clearly as his own. The possibility seemed surprisingly reasonable.

His gaze shifted toward the three Dragonborn standing nearby.

Eccar looked back at him. Aesa did the same. Sylven’s eyes met his eyes shortly afterward.

None of them spoke. Because they did not need to. There was a knowing look in their eyes, a quiet understanding. And suddenly Erend felt certain that they understood exactly what he was feeling as well.

The burden, responsibility, fear, and determination. All of it. They shared it together.

Not because of Magic energy or some mysterious ability. But because they had walked the same path for so long that words were no longer necessary.

The realization strengthened Erend’s resolve even further.

The situation remained dire and the threats ahead remained overwhelming. But they were not standing alone. Right now what they needed most was not fear. What they needed was action.

More importantly, they needed to show the people around them that hope still existed. Perhaps not certainty or a clear victory. But hope. As long as hope existed, the fight was not over.

Erend stepped forward slightly.

"We need to continue this as quickly as possible," he said firmly. His eyes settled on King Garrie and Archmage Velrion. "We need to gather all the Archmages and every mage capable of assisting the process. The rewriting cannot wait any longer. Do either of you have any suggestions?"

Silence followed for a few seconds, Erend waited. Beside him, Eccar, Aesa, and Sylven remained equally patient. All three stood with the same unwavering attitude, the same determination and readiness to move.

King Garrie and Archmage Velrion studied them carefully. For several moments neither man answered and they simply looked at the four Dragonborn standing before them.

They did not see warriors who had surrendered to despair or people crushed beneath impossible odds. What they saw were four warriors who still intended to fight.

Four Dragonborn who had learned terrifying truths yet remained willing to move forward.

Something stirred inside both men. The determination displayed by the Dragonborn was impossible to ignore.

King Garrie slowly exchanged a glance with Archmage Velrion. The elderly Archmage looked back at him. A moment later both men nodded.

"I will make certain the formula is completed properly," Velrion said. "In the meantime, I need your assistance bringing the remaining four Archmages here."

"You got it," Eccar answered immediately.

The response came so quickly. The decision had already been made. There was no reason to delay.

The group immediately began discussing assignments.

Since time had become their most valuable resource, each Dragonborn would retrieve one Archmage personally.

Erend would travel to Drakenmere Kingdom and bring Archmage Morvain here. Eccar would head to Seraphele Kingdom and retrieve Archmage Lisara. Aesa would travel to Valdros Kingdom to bring Archmage Kelor. Sylven would journey to Elaris Kingdom and escort Archmage Selena.

The plan took shape rapidly. No one hesitated. Every person in the room understood the urgency.

Once the assignments were finalized, the four Dragonborn moved immediately.

Power surged through the chamber and space distorted in four separate locations.

Blue, red, cold silver, golden and black, and greenish energies spiraled outward as portals opened one after another. The air itself trembled beneath the concentration of power.

Without wasting another second, Erend stepped toward his portal. Eccar, Aesa, and Sylven did the same. They entered their respective portals.

A moment later the gateways collapsed behind them, leaving only fading traces of energy within the chamber.

For several moments, only the fading traces of Dragonborn energy lingered in the air. The four Dragonborn had already departed, leaving behind a sense of urgency that seemed to permeate every corner of the underground facility.

King Garrie was the first to move. The king turned away from the place where the portals had stood moments earlier and looked toward Archmage Velrion.

"I’ll begin mobilizing the remaining fighters," he said. "If the rewriting process succeeds, we’ll still need every available soldier ready for whatever follows."

Velrion nodded immediately.

Neither of them needed further explanation. The coming days could very well decide the fate of their world.

Without wasting another moment, King Garrie turned and headed toward the stairway leading upward. His footsteps echoed through the chamber as he disappeared from sight, already planning the deployment of knights, mages, commanders, and every veteran still capable of fighting.

Once the king was gone, Velrion remained standing alone near the center of the chamber.

His gaze moved toward the floating Magical artifacts and projections suspended throughout the room. Countless formulas drifted across the displays while streams of information continuously updated themselves through the connected networks of the kingdoms.

The elderly Archmage stared at them for several seconds. Then he released a sharp breath. "I have to make sure they work properly."

The words were quiet, but the determination behind them was unmistakable.

Immediately afterward, Velrion stepped forward and began working once more. His hands moved across the floating projections while dozens of runes shifted and rearranged themselves at his command. Every calculation, formula, and detail of the rewriting process would have to be perfect.

Failure was no longer an option.

—