ar was in the middle of a conversation with several Elf soldiers on the ground when Erend''s call echoed through the air. He paused, looking up toward the balcony where Erend stood. With a quick farewell to the soldiers, he smiled.


    "Duty calls, gentlemen," he said.


    The Elf soldiers saluted him in return, gratitude shining in their eyes. "We''re thankful for all you''ve done. Be careful out there, ar," one of them said, his tone filled with respect.


    ar nodded, the smile still on his face as he spread his wings. With a single powerful beat heunched into the air, flying swiftly toward Erend. As he ascended the wind whipped around him and soon he reached the top of the tower,nding lightly beside Erend.


    "So, what''s next?" ar asked, curiosity glinting in his eyes.


    Erend, standing with his arms crossed, gave a slight grin. "Just watch."


    Erend close his eyes and began essing the System with his mind. Momentster, a shimmering portal began to form in front of them, swirling with red and white light.


    ar''s eyes looking at it intently. "A portal, huh," he muttered. "How does this work and where this will take us?"


    Erend opened his eyes and nced at ar. "It''s part of the power I''ve been granted. We don''t have time to exin all the details right now, but trust me—this will get us where we need to go."


    Without further hesitation, Erend stepped forward, standing just before the swirling portal. He nced back at ar. "Let''s go."


    With that, Erend jumped into the portal, vanishing into the red and white vortex. ar hesitated for only a moment before following. He leaped in after Erend, and in the blink of an eye, they were swallowed by the portal.


    ---


    When ar finally passed through the portal, hended softly on a strange, grey sand that felt oddly weightless beneath his feet.


    He nced around and scanning the horizon. Everywhere he looked the same endless expanse of grey sand stretched out indefinitely, blending into the dull sky. There were nondmarks, no features—just the vast, silent emptiness.


    "What is this ce?" ar asked.


    "This is the Dungeon World," Erend replied, standing beside him. His tone was matter-of-fact, but ar could sense there was something more. Erend''s expression looked tense, a shadow of anxiety crossing his face.


    "Uhh, ar," Erend began, hesitating for a moment. "I need to exin something to you before we go any further."


    ar turned to him, noticing the conflicted look in Erend''s eyes. He frowned slightly. "What is it?"


    "My power as a Dragonborn… it''s not natural. I didn''t have it from birth. I… got it after I almost died. It was given to me, but I''m not a normal Dragonborn like you. I''m not sure if I should have told you this, but I thought you deserved to know if we are about to battle to death next to each other."


    There was a long pause as Erend waited for ar''s reaction, doubt gnawing at him. He wasn''t sure how ar would take this revtion. Perhaps he would feel betrayed or see Erend differently. The uncertainty made Erend''s stomach twist.


    ar blinked in surprise, his eyes widening slightly as he processed what Erend had said. For a brief moment, shock registered on his face, but then he sighed, his expression softening.


    "I don''t think it matters much right now," ar said. "To be honest, I don''t understand how any of us get the power of the Dragonborn. I was just… born with it. No parents, no one to tell me how or why I became what I am. I''ve always known I had great power and that I was different, but I don''t know the reasons behind it."


    He looked at Erend then, his gaze steady. "Maybe this is just the nature of our power. It doesn''t matter how we got it, Erend. What matters is that we use it to protect the things we care about."


    Erend stared at ar, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. He hadn''t expected such understanding, but ar''s words eased the burden on his heart. A smile tugged at Erend''s lips knowing that one more person epted him for who he was.


    "Alright then," Erend said with a nod, his confidence returning. "That''s one problem solved."


    ar gave him a reassuring nod. "So, what''s next?"


    "Now," Erend replied, his tone shifting to focus. "Let''s get down to business."


    Erend raised his hand, summoning the Dungeon. A low rumble resonated through the grey sand beneath their feet, and before them, arge door materialized out of thin air. It looks dark, ancient. Erend nced at ar.


    "This is the Dungeon I was talking about," Erend said. "Once we enter, we''ll be facing monsters. Killing them will give us the power we need to get stronger."


    ar stared at the door, a mix of curiosity and apprehension in his eyes. "I don''t have the same power like you, though," he said.


    Erend nodded, understanding the concern. "True, but if the System is letting you enter, there''s a chance it''ll benefit you in some way too. We''ll figure it out as we go."


    Without another word, Erend stepped forward and pushed the door open. He entered first, with ar following closely behind. As soon as they stepped through, the environment shifted around them.


    Gone was the endless grey desert; they now stood in the midst of a dense forest, trees towering high above them. The air was thick with the smell of damp earth, and the sound of rustling leaves filled the air.


    ar looked around, bewildered. "Wha—"


    Before he could finish his sentence, a chorus of screeches echoed through the trees, cutting through the stillness of the forest like a de. The noise was sharp, shrill, and unmistakably hostile.


    Erend''s eyes narrowed. "They don''t waste time, huh," he muttered. He turned to ar, his expression serious. "We''ve got to fight. Get ready."


    There wasn''t any more time to exin. From the treeline, shadows began to move, swift and predatory. The monsters were already closing in.


    ---