Before leaving, the group spent several hours searching the village for any other clues about the mysterious attacker.
They moved between abandoned tree houses, crossed sagging rope bridges, and checked every platform they could safely reach.
Vines crept through broken windows, roots pushed apart floorboards, and layers of moss had swallowed entire sections of the settlement, but despite their efforts, they found very little.
No unfamiliar footprints.
No signs of the Night Void.
No traces of a struggle beyond what they had already seen.
The only thing that stood out sat exactly where Quade had described it.
A strange metallic chain rested atop a broken pillar in the center of the village.
Hound picked it up carefully and turned it over in his hands while sunlight reflected across the unnaturally smooth links. The metal felt cold despite sitting in the jungle heat, and the longer he held it, the more aware he became of a faint tugging sensation inside his Heka pool.
Not dangerous.
Just... present.
"Master, something wrong?" Lorenzo asked.
The older man looked up. "I'm not sure." The chain vanished into his backpack a moment later. "If this thing is connected to what happened here, we shouldn't leave it behind."
He decided not to tell them about the draining sensation yet.
Quade nodded.
It was the only clue they had.
With nothing else worth investigating, Quade led them through the village and up into one of the taller tree houses where he had been living alone.
The room was small but organized.
Bundles of dried food hung from the ceiling, simple tools rested against one wall, and a worn sleeping mat occupied the corner. Quade gathered his belongings in silence while the others waited.
A weathered leather journal disappeared into his pack first.
Then several small keepsakes.
Then food.
When he finally finished, Hound glanced toward the door.
"We need more backpacks, and did the Simmons leave any weapons behind?"
Quade nodded immediately. "Come with me."
The village's old armory sat partially built into one of the largest trees in the settlement.
The moment the doors opened, both Zyon and Lorenzo stopped walking.
Rows of weapons stretched across the room.
Spears.
Swords.
Axes.
Clubs.
Pikes.
Racks packed with generations of craftsmanship lined every wall, while sunlight filtering through cracks in the wood reflected from polished metal and sharpened edges.
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Lorenzo stared. "Okay." His jaw slowly dropped. "Now this is a treasure room."
Quade couldn't help smiling. "Most of these belonged to my people."
As they stepped farther inside, his hand brushed against a nearby weapon rack. "The Simmons Warriors relied heavily on Heka enhancement, so weapons were considered extensions of the body."
His smile faded slightly. "The strongest warriors were usually buried with their favorite weapons."
Lorenzo nodded solemnly. Then immediately picked up two blades.
The short swords felt almost weightless in his hands.
Curved.
Balanced.
Fast.
Lorenzo gave them a few experimental spins before grinning.
"Oh." Another spin. "Oh, I definitely like these."
The blades danced through the air. "I can use illusions, Flashbangs, and these."
He pointed dramatically toward himself. "I'm about to become very annoying."
"You already are," Zyon replied.
Hound eventually selected a spear.
The weapon featured a reinforced shaft and a dark spearhead crafted from an Ethereal horn.
The older adventurer rolled it between his fingers before giving it a thrust. "Reliable," he said.
Which was the most excitement anyone could expect from Hound.
Zyon took much longer.
He moved through the room slowly, testing weapons one after another before stopping in front of a massive battle hammer.
The head looked large enough to crush stone.
The handle required both hands.
He then grabbed it.
It was heavy, but the weight felt surprisingly good.
A smaller version rested beside it.
Zyon kept the bigger warhammer on the ground and then picked up the smaller hammer.
Then smiled. "This feels right."
Lorenzo raised an eyebrow. "The giant hammer?"
Zyon nodded. "I think I can channel force through it."
"Of course you picked the biggest thing in the room," Lorenzo teased.
"It picked me," Zyon then said, trying to act dramatic.
A small round shield caught his attention next.
"Crafted from a Level 2 Aether-Tortoise shell," Quade said. "It is light enough to use comfortably while still feeling incredibly durable."
Zyon hung the shield on the side of his backpack.
Then his eyes landed on something stranger.
A firearm. The weapon sat alone on a lower shelf.
Metal.
Mechanical.
Different.
Zyon picked it up carefully. "What is this?"
Quade laughed nervously. "First of all, don't point it at us. It's a Core-Gun."
Zyon immediately lowered it. "Sorry."
"It's powered by Ether-cores." That got everyone's attention. "Most of the weapons here are, but this one is different. Want me to show you?"
A few minutes later, they stepped outside.
Quade aimed the weapon toward a distant tree and squeezed the trigger.
BANG!
An energy projectile tore across the clearing and slammed into the trunk.
Wood splintered.
Lorenzo jumped. "That was loud."
Zyon carefully accepted the firearm and copied Quade's stance.
When he fired, the recoil nearly made him drop it.
The boys laughed.
Even Hound smirked.
Still, Zyon couldn't stop staring at the weapon afterward.
A strange curiosity settled into the back of his mind. 'Maybe I can recreate that feeling myself.'
He couldn't stop thinking about the moment the Ether-core released its energy and transformed it into an attack.
He then handed the Core-Gun back to Quade.
Back in the armory, Quade helped him secure the new equipment.
A sturdy leather harness allowed the massive battle hammer to rest comfortably across his back, while the smaller hammer settled at his waist. The shield attached neatly to the side of his Ironback backpack, keeping both hands free while traveling.
For the first time, Zyon felt like a real adventurer.
The armor section proved just as valuable. Dozens of leather sets hung from carefully maintained racks, each crafted from the hide of Ironhide Boars.
The workmanship was exceptional.
Rich browns and dark greens blended naturally into the jungle environment, while overlapping reinforcements covered the chest, shoulders, and forearms without limiting movement.
The moment the boys changed into them, they felt the difference.
Better fit.
Better protection.
Better everything.
Lorenzo stretched his arms and immediately grinned.
"Hehehehe." He punched the air. "These are amazing."
Another punch. "I look heroic."
Zyon said nothing.
Instead, he carefully tore a thin strip from the sleeve of his old silkworm tunic.
The white cloth felt familiar in his hands.
For a moment, memories returned.
The village.
The school.
Victor.
Caroline.
Rommel.
Home.
Quietly, he tied the cloth around his upper arm beneath the armor.
Across the room, Lorenzo did the exact same thing.
Neither spoke about it.
They didn't need to.
Hound examined the completed armor sets and nodded approvingly. "The Simmons Warriors knew their craft."
His fingers ran across one of the reinforced sections. "This armor will serve us well."
Nearby, Zyon lifted the massive battle hammer and swung it once.
The weapon cut cleanly through the air. "I would've preferred fighting with gauntlets."
A second swing followed. "But this will do just fine."
By late afternoon, everything had been packed.
Weapons.
Armor.
Supplies.
Memories.
The four adventurers gathered at the edge of the village.
For several long moments, Quade simply stood there.
His gaze moved from one frozen villager to another.
The silence hurt.
But not as much as it once had.
Eventually, he tightened the straps of his backpack. "I'm ready."
Hound nodded.
Beside him, Lorenzo adjusted his oversized Ironback backpack while Zyon rested his hammer against one shoulder.
The road stretched northward.
Hound took the first step. "Let's go."