Rufus stood at the edge of the western mountains, staring into the distance.The voice he had heard was gone.Yet the words remained stuck in his mind.Help me.He could not explain why, but he was certain the voice had been meant for him.Tina walked closer.“Rufus, are you sure you heard someone?”“Yes.”“Could it have been the creature?”Rufus shook his head.“No. It sounded different.”Mr. Rodri looked toward the mountains.“Maybe someone is trapped inside.”The stranger remained silent.Rufus noticed his expression.“You know something.”The stranger sighed.“I know that this area was once connected to the guardians.”“The guardians of the stones?”“Yes.”Rufus looked toward the mountains again.“Then we need to go there.”The stranger nodded reluctantly.“But we must be careful.”They began walking.The road ahead was rough, with large rocks scattered across the ground. The mountains rose high above them, their peaks disappearing into clouds.The journey was difficult.After sev

The mountain shook again.Rufus glanced back toward the passage they had just left.The sound of stone breaking echoed through the tunnel.Vikram had entered the cave.“Keep moving!” Rufus shouted.Tina grabbed one of the dwarves by the arm and pulled him forward.Mr. Rodri followed closely behind them, while the stranger remained at the rear.The wounded man struggled to keep up.Rufus stayed beside him.“You said Vikram is not alone.”The man nodded.“His army is outside.”“How many?”“I don't know.”“Hundreds?”The man swallowed.“More.”Rufus's expression hardened.More footsteps could now be heard behind them.The passage shook.A loud roar followed.The wounded man nearly fell.“What was that?” Tina asked.The stranger answered without turning.“Vikram has brought something with him.”Rufus looked at him.“What?”“I don't know.”“That isn't good enough.”The stranger finally turned.“Whatever it is, we cannot fight it here.”Rufus looked toward the front.“How much farther?”The

The blue light on the horizon grew brighter.Rufus stood in the hidden chamber beneath the abandoned settlement, staring through the narrow opening that led toward the surface. The light was not fading. It was spreading across the sky, turning the darkness outside into a cold blue glow.For several seconds, nobody spoke.Then one of the dwarves whispered, “The second stone.”Rufus tightened his hand around the amulet hanging against his chest.The red stone inside it was still warm.He could feel its power moving through him like a slow fire. But the feeling coming from the blue light was completely different.Cold.Deep.Almost like water flowing through his veins.Tina stepped closer.“Whatever is out there,” she said, “we can't stay here.”Rodri looked toward the entrance. “I agree. Vikram knows where we are.”The wounded soldier nodded weakly.“He won't stop,” he said. “Not now.”Rufus turned toward him.“You said the person carrying the second stone is coming toward us.”“Yes.”“

The green light appeared beyond the mountains.It was faint at first.Then it grew brighter.Rufus stared at it, unable to move.Another stone had awakened.Another heir had been chosen.The words repeated in his mind.“The third stone.”The woman carrying the Water Stone looked toward the green light.Her expression had changed.“You said the third stone had awakened,” she said.Vikram nodded.“It has.”The sixth guardian stepped forward.“You should not know that.”Vikram laughed.“I know many things you have forgotten.”The guardian's black armor seemed to darken.“You have been searching for the stones.”“Yes.”“And now you have found three.”Vikram looked at Rufus.“Not three.”His eyes moved toward the red glow of Rufus's amulet.“Two.”Rufus understood.The first stone was with him.The second was with the woman.The third had only awakened.Vikram had not obtained it.Not yet.Rufus looked at the green light.“Whoever has the third stone is in danger.”The woman nodded.“More

The fourth light remained in the sky.It was darker than the others.Almost black.Rufus stared at it while the red, blue, and green lights slowly faded.“What kind of stone is that?”The sixth guardian refrained from answering immediately.He looked toward the distant horizon.“The fourth stone is different.”“How?”“It does not give its heir power easily.”Kael looked at the guardian.“Then what does it do?”The guardian's eyes remained fixed on the black light.“It tests them.”Rufus frowned.“And if they fail?”The guardian finally looked at him.“They die.”Silence filled the mountain.Tina stepped closer to Rufus.“Then we need to find that person.”The guardian shook his head.“No.”Rufus looked at him.“No?”“The fourth heir must face the stone alone.”“That doesn't make sense.”“It is the law of the stones.”Rufus clenched his fists.“Laws can change.”The guardian stared at him.“Not these.”Before Rufus could answer, Kael suddenly dropped to one knee.He grabbed his chest.