Chapter 151: Towards the Lion’s Den
Nero stood by the dying fire, its embers casting faint shadows on the cursed village’s broken walls.
The hollow tree loomed behind him like a skeletal monolith, its twisted branches reaching skyward like claws.
Lyra clutched her blanket, watching him with wide, worried eyes.
The old woman sat still, her gaze sharp and knowing.
"I need to get closer," Nero said, his voice steady but low. "If I want to stop Malrik, I have to understand exactly what he’s doing, and how far along he is. I can’t do that from here."
The old woman’s lips pressed into a thin line. "The closer you get to Malrik, the less chance you have of returning," she warned.
Nero offered a faint, humorless smile. "I’m not planning to fight him. Not yet."
He adjusted the strap of his pouch, securing it against his robes.
"What I need is information: how Malrik is accelerating the curse, whether he’s using rituals or other dark magic, the structure of the fortress, and what’s his objective.
If I can figure out his method, and his timeline, I might find a way to sabotage or delay whatever he’s planning."
Lyra stood up, panic flaring in her voice. "But what if they find you?"