The moment Muslin and his companions faced Elegreon deep within the caverns of the Black Mountain, the tension in the air reached its peak. Elegreon's crimson eyes burned with greed and fury, his massive frame and overwhelming presence casting a heavy shadow over them. Muslin knew that confronting the dragon would be no easy task.
Spreading his colossal wings, Elegreon glared down at them and asked,"What is it that you seek? Are you here to steal the Seed of Dimensional Rift that I am after?"
Muslin replied calmly,"Elegreon, we did not come here to fight you. The Ancient Gods are plotting to destroy this world. If they succeed, the Seed you seek—and everything else—will be meaningless."
Elegreon fell silent for a moment, suspicion and curiosity flickering across his eyes. Yet deep inside, he was already calculating.If the Ancient Gods destroy this world, all my plans would be for nothing. But if these mortals manage to stop them… perhaps in the ensuing chaos, I could seize everything for myself.
With a skeptical voice, Elegreon spoke again,"Even if what you say is true, there is no guarantee you can stop them. But if you succeed, I may yet have my chance to rule over the ruins of this world."
Elena stepped forward and said firmly,"The only way to stop the Ancient Gods is through the power contained in the ancient hammer and anvil you possess. We need them. With their power, we can seal the dimensional rift and thwart the gods' plans."
Elegreon narrowed his gaze."And if you fail? Then all will be lost, and I will have wasted my time and strength."
Muslin answered without hesitation,"If we fail, the Seed you seek will be worthless. There will be no world left to rule, no throne to claim. If you will not help us, at least do not stand in our way. We will walk our path—and you may walk yours."
Elegreon brooded over Muslin's words. A trace of inner conflict crossed his eyes.If they fail, I lose everything too. But if they succeed... I might claim all.
Finally, with a slow, heavy nod, Elegreon spoke,"Very well. I acknowledge your right to try and save this world. But know this—should you succeed, I will claim Luminaris amidst the chaos. Whether you can stop me then remains to be seen."
With that, Elegreon raised one massive claw and placed the ancient hammer and anvil before Muslin."This is what you seek. Take it. But if you fail to stop the Ancient Gods, I will not hold back."
Muslin bowed his head respectfully."Thank you, Elegreon. We will stop the gods. And if you attempt to conquer Luminaris afterward, we will stand against you with everything we have."
Elegreon let out a derisive laugh."Hmph. I commend your courage, mortals. But we shall see if your strength matches your words."
Spreading his wings, the dragon soared into the skies, vanishing into the stormy heavens.
Holding the ancient hammer and anvil in their hands, Muslin and his companions felt a renewed sense of determination. They were ready for the final journey to stop the Ancient Gods. Yet in their hearts, they knew—the day would come when they would have to face Elegreon again.And when that time came, they would be ready.
***
Episode: The Truth Revealed in the Temple of the Sun
After negotiating with Elegreon, Muslin and his companions finally secured the ancient hammer and anvil. Although they had gained a fragile cooperation, the looming threat of Elegreon turning against them at any moment kept them on edge. Their next destination was the Temple of the Sun — the place where they would use the relics to activate the ancient mechanical computer and uncover a way to stop the Ancient Gods' plan.
Arriving at the temple, the group was immediately struck by the overwhelming energy hidden within its serene beauty. Though centuries had passed, the ancient power within the temple still pulsed, alive and waiting. They made their way to the heart of the temple, standing once more before the mechanical device they had previously overlooked.
"This is it. The place we were searching for," Muslin said quietly.
Carefully, Lisa took out the ancient hammer and anvil."Now we have to use these to activate the computer," she said.
Muslin retrieved the ancient disk and carefully placed it into the central slot of the machine. As the disk settled into place, the machine began to whir softly, and ancient runes etched into its surface lit up. Gripping the hammer, Muslin struck the disk gently atop the anvil.
In an instant, a blinding light filled the entire temple, and the ground trembled beneath their feet. The ancient computer, dormant for centuries, roared to life. Complex mechanical sounds echoed through the halls, and the disk spun rapidly, radiating intense light.
"The machine's working!" Elena shouted.
Muslin watched the machine's movements carefully, analyzing the information it began transmitting."This disk holds critical knowledge—something we need to stop the Ancient Gods. We have to find it."
Following the flow of light generated by the machine, Aria noticed mysterious patterns beginning to emerge."These aren't just records," she said softly. "They're warnings. This is a warning about the destruction the Ancient Gods are planning."
As Muslin dug deeper into the data, a growing unease took root in his heart. The machine started producing more complex symbols and phrases, flashing ominous alerts. Turning to his companions, he said,"This isn't just about sealing the rift… This disk… it's a tool to reset civilization."
Elena's eyes widened in shock."Reset? What do you mean?"
Muslin's voice trembled slightly as he explained,"If we use this disk, it won't just erase the Ancient Gods' influence—it'll wipe out all of civilization, like formatting a computer's operating system. Everything would vanish. Everything would have to start over from nothing."
Lisa, visibly shaken, murmured,"So… if we use it, we might stop the Ancient Gods, but we'll lose everything we've built."
Aria spoke quietly, her tone heavy,"If we use it to save the world, we risk destroying everything we sought to protect. But if we don't act, the Ancient Gods will destroy everything anyway."
Serena shook her head grimly."It's a gamble. If we activate it, we could lose everything. But if we don't, we're guaranteed to lose."
Muslin clutched the disk tightly, the weight of the decision pressing down on him."The choice is ours now. But before we commit, we have to search for any other way. This… this must be our last resort."
Elena nodded firmly."She's right. We should only use the disk if there's truly no other way. First, we search for another path."
Resolving themselves, Muslin and his companions gathered all the information the machine provided. They made a solemn pact: they would exhaust every option to stop the Ancient Gods without resorting to the catastrophic power of the disk. But if the worst came to pass, they would be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice — for the sake of the world.