After the bloody battle against the mad emperor Kapard, Salson's spirit was as wounded as his body. He lay on the ravaged earth, Sabrin cradling his head with gentle hands. A faint whisper escaped his lips, "Please… take me to the castle."
Following Salson's fading guidance, the trio finally reached their destination: an ancient castle, its stones weathered by time and perhaps more than just the elements. Waiting for them at the entrance were Shatly and Ari, their expressions a mixture of relief and grim anticipation.
Are and Shatly ushered the weary group into a chamber that felt heavy with history. A grand bed with a gilded frame and blood-red covers dominated the room. Shatly's voice was low and resonant as she spoke, "This room is where it all began. It is here that Saland imparted his final will upon you, Salson. And in turn… you must now bestow your own covenants and powers upon the next inheritor."
With utmost care, Sabrin laid Salson upon the ornate deathbed. Immediately, Ari and Shatly began their preparations, their movements precise and practiced as they traced the intricate lines of a magic circle upon the stone floor.
Salson, his breath growing shallow, turned his gaze towards Brihan. "Brihan… please," he rasped, "I have one final request."
Brihan clasped his friend's weakening hand, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Anything, my friend. What do you need?"
With a monumental effort, Salson uttered, "You must find a newborn… before I pass. The words of these two… these demonesses… have finally taken root. I understand my fate now. Please… grant me this one last wish."
A heavy silence hung in the air before Brihan gave a solemn nod. "I will," he vowed, before turning and leaving the room, the weight of the unspoken task heavy on his shoulders. Salson was left behind, entrusted to the silent vigil of Shatly, Ari, and the ever-present Sabrin.
Spring had painted the sky a flawless blue, devoid of even the wispiest cloud. Yet, the land surrounding the ancient castle bore the brutal scars of Kapard's relentless attacks and the subsequent clash with Salson. The once-rolling hills were now jagged and broken, a testament to the destructive power unleashed.
Brihan journeyed through the ravaged landscape, his heart heavy with purpose. He searched through numerous villages, each bearing its own marks of devastation, until he reached a small, isolated mountain settlement. Here, the destruction was particularly stark. A direct hit from Kapard's forces had sheared off the peak of the towering mountain that loomed over the village, triggering a catastrophic landslide that had buried homes and lives beneath tons of rock and earth.
Driven by a desperate hope, Brihan picked his way through the treacherous debris. He finally reached what remained of a small dwelling, utterly crushed by an enormous boulder. Saruth, ever vigilant, circled the ruined structure and was met with a horrifying scene. The bodies of a man and a woman lay amidst the rubble. The man's head was brutally crushed, his face unrecognizable. The woman's upper body was pinned beneath a massive stone, while her lower half lay exposed. It was tragically clear that she had only recently given birth.
Just as Brihan was about to succumb to despair and move on, a faint, heart-wrenching cry pierced the silence. His head snapped up, his eyes scanning the devastation. Then, he understood. By some impossible miracle, the crushing debris had formed a small pocket, a hollow space that had somehow shielded a newborn life.
With a surge of hope, Brihan cautiously approached the space. Within the shadowed recess, nestled in a simple wooden basket, lay a tiny infant. Stunned by the sheer improbability of it all, Brihan gently lifted the basket, the fragile weight a stark contrast to the surrounding destruction. Without hesitation, he turned and began his journey back towards the ancient castle, the precious cargo held securely in his arms.
Days later, Brihan finally reached the castle walls, his body weary but his spirit resolute. He entered the familiar chamber to find Salson clinging precariously to life, his breathing shallow and his face pale. Ari, her movements swift and gentle, took the newborn and carefully nursed him, a flicker of life in the otherwise somber room.
Once the infant was fed, she placed the wooden basket within the glowing confines of the magic circle, positioned close to Salson's deathbed. As the circle pulsed with arcane energy, Salson reached out a trembling hand and gently touched the baby's cheek.
"Child," he whispered, his voice weak but filled with a strange peace, "you who were born by miracle… your name shall be Sten." He then turned his gaze towards Sabrin and Brihan, a faint smile gracing his lips. "To you two, who have been my steadfast friends and allies until the very end… I wish you both happiness and love."
A delicate blush crept onto Sabrin and Brihan's faces at his heartfelt words.
"Please," Salson continued, his voice fading further, "take this child to a humble village… where he can grow without the weight of expectation. It is time for me to go now."
With his last remaining strength, Salson placed his hands upon the tiny head of the sleeping Sten. A dark light emanated from his touch, enveloping the infant in a soft glow. Then, a visible tremor ran through Salson's body. He began to crumble, his form turning into fine dust that swirled and settled on the red covers. A serene smile remained on his face even as he ceased to be. Tears flowed freely down the faces of Sabrin, Brihan, Ari, and Shatly, a silent testament to the bond they had shared.
In the aftermath of Salson's passing, the kingdom of Saxasol dissolved. The vast empire fractured into countless small, isolated human villages. The innate abilities that had once defined their civilization began to fall into disuse, becoming little more than whispered legends. Those few individuals who still wielded such powers chose to leave the fragmented lands, seeking others like themselves. They eventually forged a new realm, a land solely for those with extraordinary abilities, which would later be known as the Dark Continent.
Meanwhile, a different path was being forged by other humans. They began to delve into the intricate magic left behind by Wakawa, not to wield it directly, but to understand its principles. They painstakingly transformed this arcane knowledge into a new form of power – technology, a more structured and modern kind of magic. These innovators eventually established their own civilization, a technologically advanced kingdom they called Hi-Tec.
Brihan, now the undisputed king of the elves, solidified his own realm, ushering in an era of stability and prosperity for his people. His bond with Sabrin deepened, and they eventually married, their union blessed with a single daughter. Yet, Brihan never forgot his promise to Salson. In the quiet of the night, he entrusted the infant Sten to a trusted ally, an elf skilled in stealth and discretion. The swaddled baby was gently placed before the doorstep of a modest home in the peaceful human village of Sharard, his future now left to the whims of fate.