The sun was lazily rising over Alak Zind'ria, spreading its golden light over the winding streets of the city. At the same time, Mana was also emerging from his sleep, though far less gracefully.
A vigorous knocking resounded on the door. "Get up, lazybones! It’s time to uncover some mysteries!" shouted Mälwe with the morning enthusiasm typical of those who don't understand the concept of sleeping in.
Sparko, Mana’s faithful companion, let out a plaintive groan that perfectly expressed what Mana was also thinking. "Yes, I know, my friend," Mana responded, his voice still heavy with sleep, "I could have slept a few more minutes... or hours..."
Ten minutes later, after a quick wash, Mana descended to find Mälwe and Aranon. Mälwe was buried in her notes, while Aranon waited stoically, arms crossed like a marble statue resigned to living among mortals.
"Off to the library!" declared the elf eagerly as soon as she saw Mana emerging from his morning fog.
The streets of Alak Zind'ria were already bustling despite the early hour. Merchants were preparing their stalls, waving strange fruits and exotic spices under the noses of passersby, hoping to convince them that their future would be bright if they purchased one of these colorful wonders.

Mana and Sparko, irresistibly drawn to these natural gems, stopped in front of a stall adorned with small pink balls speckled with golden dots. "Those are Niyal ladybugs!" announced Mälwe in a knowledgeable tone. "A rare delicacy, they say. Their taste is a subtle mix of rosewater and honey." That was enough to convince Mana to part with a few gold coins in exchange for a handful of these treats. As he bit into one, he found that the rumor was true: it was like eating solid honey with a delicate floral note.
Caught up in his enthusiasm, Mana then pointed to a fruit the size of an apple that seemed to beat like a heart, shifting between a deep blue and a pale blue. "And what’s that?" he asked, eyes shining.
Mälwe frowned. "I think that’s a dragon heart," she said cautiously.
Mana and Sparko’s eyes widened. "So cool!" exclaimed the archaeologist, like a child at a fireworks display. Without hesitation, Mana bought one and took a bite without thinking.
"It’s best not to take too big a bite because…" began Mälwe.
Too late. The archaeologist had already swallowed a considerable chunk of the fruit. The merchant, Mälwe, and even Aranon stared at him with eyes as round as gold coins, waiting for what would happen next.
"What?" asked Mana innocently.
Then, the sensation hit him like a barrel of flaming peppers. A burning heat spread through his mouth, causing him to cough and spit out small flames like a miniature dragon. "It’s an extremely spicy fruit," Mälwe explained, her tone a little too calm for the situation. "They call it ‘dragon’s cough’ when you eat too much. But in small amounts, it’s used in some local dishes... very local."
"You... could’ve... told me... sooner..." Mana gasped, struggling to catch his breath.
Aranon and the merchant burst into laughter, while a glass of water was handed to Mana, which he accepted with silent gratitude.
Five minutes later, after the coughing fit subsided and Mana regained a semblance of dignity, they set off for the library once again.
The building was imposing, a true masterpiece of architecture, all white, adorned with golden and blue engravings that glittered in the sunlight. At the entrance, five armored guards stood tall, prohibiting access to any weapons, forcing Aranon to part with an impressive arsenal while Mana discreetly hid Sparko in his shirt.
"I'll wait here, I don't like reading," Aranon declared, settling down on a bench next to a scribe who seemed scandalized that anyone could dare utter such heresy.
Inside, after what felt like an eternity of searching, Mana and Mälwe finally found the long-sought section: "History and Historic Sites of Gyptia."
Mana read aloud: "The Sêt is the largest river in all of Chibu. It’s the lifeblood of all Gyptia, allowing life to flourish. The largest cities are along the river."
"I already knew that," Mälwe grumbled, visibly frustrated. "These are common facts."
Mana, growing increasingly discouraged, continued his research, but the scrolls were stingy with useful information.
"I don’t get it!" Mälwe exclaimed. "It should be here somewhere!"
Minutes turned into hours, and Mana began to wonder if it was even worth continuing. Finally, he asked the question that had been on his mind for a while. "Sorry to bring this up again, Mälwe, but every time I try to talk about it, you remain very vague. Why are you so obsessed with this stone, and why is it so important for you to find it?" he asked quietly.
Mälwe’s expression darkened, her gaze turning cold. "I can’t tell you, Mana..."
"If you want my help, it might be better to share some information," Mana replied with an encouraging smile.
After a long sigh, Mälwe relented. "The Original Sapphire is a stone of extraordinary power. It can make any plant grow and heal any wound. But this stone is actually half of another. One half is in Vykore, where it was swallowed by a terrible creature, and the other is here in Gyptia, but no one knows where. I need to absorb a fraction of its energy to save someone dear to me."
Mana suddenly had a flashback and interrupted Mälwe. "Of course! I know this story! My father was the first to discover that creature! He used to tell me all about it when I was a child."
"You’re Jackson Jones' son?!" Mälwe exclaimed.
"Shhhhh!! Yes," Mana whispered, fearing to attract attention.
Mälwe smiled. "I knew there was something about you! I felt it the first time we met, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it."
An idea hit Mana like a flash. "Let’s check the Vykore scrolls!"
After a long search through dusty scrolls, they finally stumbled upon a scrap of paper signed by Jackson Jones. "I met a lot of strange warriors in Vykor who told me about the Original Sapphire. Apparently, it broke into two pieces in the ancient times, one piece in Vykor got swallowed by that blasted Kraken I crossed paths with during my adventures. But the other part... Now that’s the big mystery! I’ve searched everywhere, even under the rugs. There’s a now-extinct Nuba tribe that mentioned a massive stone with incredible powers in Gyptia. But where? I’ve got to get my hands on that fragment. In the wrong hands, it could..." And the note ended there, as if the ink had gone on strike.
"That’s not very reassuring... Behind his humor, my father seemed... worried," Mana said, raising an eyebrow.
"We absolutely need to find that source!" exclaimed Mälwe.
"But where? Even my father didn’t seem to know where to look," replied Mana, shrugging.
"Well, let’s dig into the Nuba tribes!" suggested Mälwe.
They continued their search, turning over every book, scroll, and scribble, until Mana stumbled upon a rather sparse bit of information mentioning a Nuba tribe that went extinct in the Daan-Jer region about ten years ago, in the south of this region.
"It’s not much, but it’s all we’ve got for now," sighed Mälwe
And so, they rejoined Aranon, who had fallen asleep on a bench, probably dreaming of epic battles or giant sandwiches. They set off again, their minds full of questions.
But in their enthusiasm, none of them noticed the shadowy figure following them. "The Original Sapphire... I don’t know what it is, but it must be worth a pretty penny," the figure muttered. "You’ll pay for your insolence, elf!"
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