Two days since the witch's arrival changed little his routine. Although they made it harder, everything interested him too much that only tiredness made him stop. Not only was the morning spent with Lelile, being instructed by the witch in new magic methods. He was far from dominating them, although he learned the bases to continue progressing in the future, mainly because he made him write down what might be helpful later. After lunch and a well-deserved break, Lunaluz took the relief. And after one more, he went to the Climbing Grounds with Aer, Rune and Leith.

It is not that the days in which the imminent and constant danger was persecuting them would have been left behind, even though fatigue, in one way or another, did not abandon him either. His progress was slow but constant, making it sometimes frustrated. And even though he had guides helping him, his vision didn't disappear, even when he slept.

He spent the nights restless, moving so much that he woke himself up, although he soon closed his eyes again, wishing to rest a little more.

"Finnian. Finnian!"

Another dream? Was it a vision, offering him a sneak peek of what would happen in the future? Or was something going on?

"You have to wake up! Quickly."

Did they attack them again? Recovering consciousness, he opened his eyes suddenly as soon as he heard those words again, at the same time on his ears and head. However, he failed to get up. Wherever his bed was, a pool of darkness had appeared. Similar to the mud, he tried to cling to his body, seeking to drown him in whatever it was. Even his clothes were no longer as before, being stained black, spreading for moments.

He tried to clean up, move from where he was, failing as if he were an infant who did not know how to walk. And then, something protected him. It was not a ghostly shield but an armour of the same characteristics that fit his body, preventing darkness from consuming him. Then Aer grabbed him from the arm, a gesture that Rune and Leith imitated, and even Ead glowed to help him. His protection cast light, and as soon as Ailfryd appeared by the door, everything ceased suddenly.

Immediately raising up, looking to place himself at the opposite end of his room, only the elthean and him remained, nervous and worried about such a radical change.

"What the hell has that been?" Finnian snorted.

"It's the same thing we were wondering," Aer said.

Why had it appeared there when they were supposed to be safe? While his awakening was as creepy as his arrival in that world, the discussion formed as a result was worse than Finnian hoped. Rare were the occasions Finnian saw his parents arguing, but Ailfryd and Lelile battled with what this meant, in addition to what they would have to do from now on.

"Since he came here, he had been safe, but you came and had brought the problems to the Galya," Ailfryd said with anger. It was surprising that someone of its size and adorability could be so aggressive.

Then he remembered their first meeting, and even Finnian didn't know what to think, aware that the flags were there.

"If you think it's been my fault, then you're too naive to be a Guardian," Lelile exclaimed.

"Isn't it a coincidence that the Eroder sent a message, and then you appeared?" Ailfryd continued. "How do we know you are not on your side?"

"He killed my friends!"

Lelile's voice could cut off the air. She was full of pain but of a resentment that was not going against the Galya's Guardian. Their world was constantly shaking, and even they, who were to keep calm, were yielding to chaos.

"Don't even dare of saying I'm on his side," Lelile continued, shedding fury and pain at disproportionate levels. "All I've done was to help the cause."

"He's a Signer, he must learn at his own pace, and your magic is too much for someone as young as him," Ailfryd rebated.

"And what do you expect him to be locked up? You don't even know what's going on outside here. You may have evolved, but you still don't want to see the real problem we're having," Lelile exclaimed, raising the tone of voice even more.

What bug had bitten them? It was he who almost ended up sunk in the purest darkness he had ever seen!

"Can you stop raising your voice at once?" Finnian asked although none of the elthean seemed to hear him.

"He can use a Valiant, Ailfryd. When was the last time we saw a Signer wield one?" Lelile said.

"My Valiant?"

The shield, the armour, whispered Ead to his mind. At first, they were not sure, primarily because of the way it showed up. The first, during his confrontation with Ailfryd. The second was when Lelile appeared, while that was the third. It was not a defensive spell but connected to him, even though they were not explaining it.

"You know what that key is, Ailfryd. Why are you making him wait?" Lelile said with increasing urgency.

"Because I don't know what they will find when they get there," Ailfryd exclaimed.

"Shut up!"

Finnian's roar was such that it broke the pace of the discussion. Those present looked at him, and he was sure that anyone nearby could hear them. Fortunately, that house did not have many neighbours nearby to find out everything that had happened.

"This has not been anyone's fault. Something similar attempted to catch me in my world shortly before I arrived in Elthea," Finnian reminded them harshly. "So stop all of this nonsense and start behaving like the leaders you are."

Galya, Myrd. He knew that the range of his enemies was amplified at times, although his strength was also increasing.

"I'm not your puppet, or I dance for you, so stop acting as if I weren't here," added Finnian. "Therefore, start telling me what this key is and where it belongs. I know there is a door, and I want to know its place."

"We don't know," Ailfryd said.

"I don't buy it," Finnian said, crossing his arms.

"Says the truth," Lelile intervened, to everyone's surprise.

"It came up in the Silver Orchid, but we don't know where that door is," Ailfryd said.

The only thing they told him was that it belonged to the Signers that preceded him and that they handed it over to Myrd for protection until the appropriate person came to claim it. However, neither Lelile nor Ailfryd knew that part of the story, although they knew only the next place to reveal that secret: The Silver Orchid.

"And why so much mystery?" Aer said, breaking the silence.

"Because Calamity won… Kind of," Lelile admitted, lowering her voice.

"He killed the Orchid's Guardian from that time. If not for the previous Signers, it would have prevailed," Ailfryd explained. "The key protects something. We ignore the what or where, but only a few know its existence for obvious reasons."

For Elthea, the former Lord of Calamity almost managed to complete his mission to the point that dorean suffered damage, but the reality was different. Ailfryd, as Guardian, was aware of something like this to prevent it from happening again, but he was unaware of more factual information. What had happened exactly with the previous Signers? What did they hide and know where? Everything became increasingly diffuse as it progressed, which did not leave a good feeling.

Rubbing his arms, he inspired heavily, trying not to run out of air while everyone waited for his reaction for his next step.

"We have to go there. It is the only place where we will find out the last pieces of this strange puzzle," Finnian said.

"You have a couple of days to leave and prepare everything you may need," Ailfryd said, almost begging.

"Because Finnian, when you abandon the Galya, everything will be more challenging," Lelile said.

Their enemies were more potent and more numerous. They knew what he didn't know and would try to beat him before completing his missions. Defeating the Lord of Calamity, finding the Eroder before he did more damage, and stopping seemed too much for him once and for all. And now the search for a mysterious door. Could his adventure become more complicated?

Then something happened that managed to change the pace of that conversation, making the anguish and pressure transform into something else. Aer's stomach roared, his ears shrunk, embarrassed because it would have happened in an instant like that. However, he did the same thing, getting him a loud laugh.

"Is it amusing to you?" Rune exclaimed, just as it happened to her as well.

His laughter became more pronounced, closing his eyes while he let himself carry. Soon, his colleagues joined together, making that horrific awakening look like a bad experience, a scare that didn't have to define the rest.

"Do you know one thing?" Finnian said when he finally managed to regain composure. "I don't care what is going to happen now. I'm here, am I? We will head toward the Silver Orchid, and we will be able to do what other Signers got in their time."

Although there was a difference, a minimum. That darkness, the same one that had managed to enter a dorean, but temporarily. Why was it so keen to capture him?

"What happened here... Only a being of terrible power could try something like that," Ailfryd said.

There were two that interposed between him and his destiny. Both were faced and were a threat that could not be overlooked. He might not know exactly why they were trying to catch him that way in his sleep, but like the rest, he would find out as he continued to move forward. After all, little more could he do for now, right? Or not until they have some breakfast first!