The presence of the mysterious man was something surprising for them. Adrien, Erend, and Billy looked to Saeldir for some kind of explanation. But the Elf only wore the same puzzled expression as them.
"Uhh, I must have startled you. I apologize for sneaking up on you all like that," the man said. "My name is Adrius. I am a human."
Hearing that, they exchanged looks once again.
"What is a human doing here?" Saeldir asked, puzzled. "Alone."
Adrius scratched his head. "That's a bit hard to explain. Why don't we take shelter first? There is a cave nearby. It's the place I've been using for shelter since this afternoon."
"I don't trust you," Billy said bluntly. "I mean… You're alone, and you just look suspicious."
Adrius nodded his head several times as if understanding. "Right. Yeah, I completely understand. But you don't need to be afraid because I have no ill intentions. And if I did, you could defeat me together, right?"
They had indeed been observing Adrius since earlier. They couldn't trust him at all, but what he said made sense. And the four of them knew that they were strong enough to defeat him.
However, joining the stranger was a risk they could not afford. The four of them understood that.
"No, thank you. I guess we're fine," said Adrien.
Then they turned their faces away and began walking again.
Adrius groaned and rubbed his face. His thick beard felt rough to his own hands.
'Is this because of my beard?' he thought. Adrius walked following them. And they immediately noticed what he was doing.
'I guess he's not dangerous,' Billy said telepathically.
'We can't take the risk, and we have to hurry,' Saeldir replied.
Billy didn't say anything more. Besides, their quest is more important than the man.
"Hey," Adrius called. "Let's talk first. I know you're on an important journey. May I know your destination?"
Erend turned around. "Why do you want to know?"
"If it's something really bad, then I feel like I need to know," Adrius replied.
"Who are you really?" Saeldir asked, curious.
Adrius felt that he should start being honest if he wanted to gain their trust. That way, they could trust him to tell them what they were really doing.
"I'm quite famous among humans in Astoria. Have you ever heard of it?" Adrius asked.
Erend, Adrien, and Billy exchanged puzzled looks. But Saeldir seemed to react differently.
"I'm familiar with that kingdom. What's your connection to it?" Saeldir asked.
"Well, my name is… Uhh… Adrius Darkmoor."
Saeldir furrowed his brow. "The Archmage of Astoria kingdom?"
Adrius nodded with a sheepish smile. Erend, Adrien, and Billy exchanged glances.
"I assume that you haven't been keeping up with the developments of that kingdom. Well, I had to exile myself after refusing a project to build weapons that they would use to declare war on a Dwarf kingdom in the west."
Upon hearing Adrius's explanation, the four of them were equally surprised.
"Dwarf kingdom in the west? Isn't that where we're heading now?" Billy said, looking at the others.
Saeldir nodded. Then, he looked at Adrius and said, "Where is your cave?"
In the end of the conversation, they agreed to go to the cave that Adrius had used for shelter. They found themselves inside the cave while their horses waited outside.
Saeldir asked them to use their Magic to create a veil that concealed the presence of the horses and protected them from the storm. Erend did not participate in it because his Magic was completely different from theirs.
The crackle of burning wood filled the cave, isolated from the storm outside. Erend, Adrien, Billy, and Saeldir felt relieved to finally be free from the storm. They were also grateful for the warmth of the campfire.
Adrien, Erend, and Billy drank the coffee they had brought. The black and warm liquid flowed down their throats, eliciting a long sigh from each of them.
"You can start saying something now," Saeldir said, looking at Adrius.
"Right. So, just like I said, about a year ago, I fled from the Astoria kingdom after burning my spells and creations. I'm sure that's why they couldn't continue the project.
"They also hunted me like hungry hounds. I'm a criminal in that kingdom now.
"I once had a vision of a disaster. I forget now because I'm not really skilled in divination, but I remember the feeling. It was a devastation of immense proportions.
"Since then, I've been trying to find clues but couldn't find anything. So when I saw you guys rushing to do something, I thought I should meet you," Adrius explained.
"Do you think we have something to do with your vision?" Adrien asked.
"I've never seen people from the Elf kingdom traveling in such a small group. And the fact that you are humans and an Elf traveling together makes it all the more confusing," Adrius said.
They were unsure whether to trust Adrius or not. He was a native inhabitant of the area they wanted to reach. So maybe he could help them find the fastest way to get through it.
Erend, Adrien, Billy, and Saeldir discussed telepathically while letting Adrius ponder in silence. After a few minutes, they came to a conclusion.
"We want to go to the Dwarf kingdom in the west. Help us get there," Saeldir said.
"Why do you want to go there?" Adrius inquired.
"Listen, Adrius. What I'm about to tell you is something big and will sound shocking. So prepare yourself."
Adrius nodded. "I've been preparing myself since I invited you into this cave."
In turn, they began to tell him about the Great Calamity but with a shorter and safer version. They didn't reveal everything they knew, just the most important parts.
Adrius's face paled after he finished hearing their explanation. The feeling he got when hearing their explanation was similar to what he felt when seeing that vision.
Adrius sighed, trying to calm his pounding heart.
"I will help you get there," he said.