Inside, Abdul appeared to be just an ordinary old man. "Come in, come in. What is it you seek?" he inquired.Polo hesitated. "A shadow appeared to us, said you do readings or something?"Abdul burst into raucous laughter. "Nice joke, kid," he cackled, only to be silenced by the serious expressions on everyone's faces. His eyes widened. "Damnation," he muttered. "You don't know what you're asking. This work, this gift—it cost me dearly, and I put it away for good reason.""What do you mean? What are we asking?" Norvax queried.Abdul sighed. "No time for explanations. Here are the rules: I will change my appearance but not my voice. Do not interrupt me, or there will be repercussions." Before anyone could object, Abdul's form levitated from the ground, his eyes dilating into dark orbs. His voice, though still recognizable, took on an unsettling timbre. "Polo, Death binds you no longer. A great power within you will soon reveal itself in a forest. Norvax, Time has forsaken its hold on you; in Valheim's hallowed halls, your swords shall find a higher purpose. Jason, your actions at the end of this journey will bring peace, but at a grave cost. Ava, your tranquility will spawn catastrophe—yet those who suffer may deserve it."
Before Abdul could complete his eerie recitations, Jason lunged at him in a fit of impulse. He was hurled across the room, landing in a heap, barely clinging to life. Abdul, snapping back to his original form, looked at them disdainfully. "Should I continue?" "Yes," Ava answered hastily."If your fool of an ex hadn't disrupted the process, perhaps I would have. Now go. Leave this place and never return," Abdul ordered. Stumbling outside, they found themselves awash in confusion and dread. Polo and Norvax were stunned by Abdul's mysterious knowledge; Jason was, miraculously, still alive but deeply shaken; Ava was left utterly speechless.
Having returned to check on Abdul, they found him descending from his levitation, his eyes returning to normal. "Leave now," he murmured wearily. "Too much knowledge like this... it drains me, makes me sleepy. Acknowledging his request, Polo and the others quietly exited the room. Once outside, they paused, each lost in thought about the uncertain future. Norvax broke the silence. "Our last clue pointed us toward Enerxis, right? To confront Karnox and his evil? But what now?"Polo, whose priorities had shifted dramatically, shrugged. "Honestly, I couldn't care less about Karnox. If the world is meant to end, so be it."But you're not going to Enerxis?" Jason echoed her confusion, "That's an odd choice, but... why aren't we heading to Enerxis?""I don't know," Polo admitted. "I think I'll stay in this village for a while, see where this path leads me." Norvax, slightly exasperated, reminded him, "Abdul doesn't want us lingering around here." Polo clarified, "I won't be near Abdul. There's an abandoned cottage on the outskirts. I'll ask around and stay there.""Well, do what you must," Norvax conceded. "As for me, I'm heading to Enerxis. What about you, Jason, Ava? Are you with me?" Jason revealed, "Actually, there's been a new settlement not far from here. Thanks to our ranks and reputation, we've gained high status among nobles and kings. They're waiting for our arrival. The settlement won't thrive without us." Norvax nodded, "That's impressive. I wish you both the best of luck." Inwardly, Polo felt a twinge of frustration. He had lost his powers, but during the time he possessed them, he could have risen to great heights. He kept these thoughts to himself, though. After a moment, he wished them safe travels. Norvax set off towards Enerxis, Jason and Ava towards their burgeoning settlement, and Polo, now 'Polo', towards the village to inquire about the abandoned cottage.
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