We departed before noon.
There was no hesitation, but there was also no disorganized rush. Every movement was calculated. While Lyannis organized maps and diplomatic documents, Elara reviewed magical supplies with almost clinical precision. Rai'kanna supervised the loading of the weapons. Vespera checked alternative routes in the mountainous areas. Liriel remained close to me, silent, as if she could feel the invisible pressure that still followed me.
I wasn't restless.
I was focused.
Before we crossed the gates of Vaillo, I asked that we gather one last time in the main hall of the mansion.
We sat around the central table.
It wasn't an emotional meeting.
It was a strategic one.
"The information Scarlet brought is not confirmation," I began. "It's a hypothesis."
Lyannis nodded slightly.
"Without concrete historical proof."
"Exactly."
Rai'kanna rested her arms on the table.
"But it's the only lead we have."
"Yes."
Elara folded her hands over her lap.
"If the Fourth General truly possesses absolute regeneration, facing him directly may be useless."
Vespera completed:
"Or simply prolong a battle that cannot be won."
Liriel kept her gaze fixed on me.
"Then we need to strike the cause, not the effect."
I took a deep breath.
"If the stone is real and has any connection to the principle that sustains his immortality, we have a chance."
Rai'kanna smiled slightly.
"What percentage are you calculating?"
I answered bluntly.
"Fifty percent."
Lyannis tilted her head.
"That's high considering we started from zero."
"Or low considering the risk."
Elara studied the maps.
"The Kingdom of the Cyclopes is not hostile, but it is closed. We'll need formal authorization."
"We have enough reputation," said Vespera. "That will open doors."
I looked at each of them.
"This decision isn't simple. We might cross mountains, negotiate politically, invest time and energy… and in the end discover the stone is useless."
Silence.
No one looked away.
Rai'kanna spoke first.
"If we don't try, the chance is zero."
Liriel nodded.
"I prefer acting with uncertainty than waiting with certainty of danger."
Elara added:
"If there's any tool that increases our probability of victory, we should pursue it."
Lyannis concluded calmly:
"The bet is rational."
I already knew the answer even before the meeting started.
But I needed to hear it from them.
Not because I doubted.
But because leadership isn't about imposing direction.
It's about sharing risk.
"Then it's decided," I said. "We're going to the Kingdom of the Cyclopes."
No objections.
No doubts.
Their trust wasn't blind.
It was built.
We left shortly after.
The road leading north began to change gradually. The terrain became drier, the trees more spaced out. The air seemed less humid, heavier. As we moved forward, rocky formations began to appear on the horizon.
Mountains.
Too large to seem natural.
Elara observed the landscape carefully.
"The mineral composition changes as we move forward."
Lyannis recorded it mentally.
"Territory rich in ore."
Rai'kanna seemed excited.
"Finally something that isn't forest."
Vespera walked slightly behind me.
"Open terrain favors long-range visibility."
Liriel remained beside me.
"You're analyzing too much."
"I am."
"Afraid of making a mistake?"
I thought before answering.
"I'm afraid of wasting time."
She understood.
The Fourth General won't give us warning.
If he decides to act before we're ready, any delay could cost more than we imagine.
We stopped at dusk on a rocky elevation. The view allowed us to see kilometers ahead. The cyclopean mountains were closer now.
We set up a simple camp.
Nothing excessive.
Rai'kanna lit the fire efficiently. Elara adjusted a small magical protection barrier. Vespera positioned herself at a higher point for a few minutes before relaxing. Lyannis reviewed reports. Liriel sat nearby, looking at the stars.
I remained silent.
Fifty percent.
It might work.
It might fail.
Rai'kanna sat beside me.
"You're quieter than usual."
"I'm calculating."
"That's not how you fight."
"We're not fighting yet."
She laughed lightly.
"You already decided before Scarlet even finished speaking."
"Yes."
"Then stop pretending you're still evaluating."
She was right.
I had already chosen the moment I heard the word weakness.
Elara approached.
"Even if the stone doesn't work, this trip will give us something."
"What?"
"Information."
Lyannis agreed.
"Knowledge about how other kingdoms dealt with generals in the past."
Vespera added:
"And political connections."
Liriel looked at me.
"You're not alone in this decision."
I knew that.
But responsibility is never completely divided.
It only becomes shared.
After everyone settled down to rest, I remained awake for a few more minutes.
I looked at the mountains in the distance.
The Kingdom of the Cyclopes.
Brute strength and ancestral tradition.
If anyone recorded something about demonic immortality, it was them.
I lightly touched my chest.
The mark remained silent.
He knows.
But he still hasn't moved.
Maybe he's waiting.
Maybe he's confident.
If he is truly immortal, he may not feel urgency.
But we do.
I returned to the group and sat down.
Liriel briefly opened her eyes.
"Already decided?"
"Yes."
"Then rest."
I lay down looking at the sky.
The strategic decision wasn't just about a stone.
It was about accepting that the enemy is beyond anything we've faced before.
Accepting that pure strength may not be enough.
And adapting.
If fifty percent is all we have,
then we will turn that half into an advantage.
I closed my eyes.
Tomorrow we will officially cross into cyclopean territory.
And when we meet the king,
I won't ask for a miracle.
I'll ask for possibility.
Because sometimes,
a chance is all that separates defeat from victory.
And I chose to bet.