The elf suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit, his body shaking uncontrollably. "Hey, easy there," I said instinctively, moving to his side. I rubbed his back gently, grabbing the water bottle and bringing it to his lips. "Drink up," I urged, tilting it carefully so he wouldn't choke.

  He took a few shaky sips, the coughing gradually subsiding into ragged breaths. As he leaned back against the cold cave wall, catching his breath, I noticed something that made my stomach twist–a web of faint black veins creeping up the side of his neck, pulsing ominously under his pale skin.

  "What the hell is that?" I muttered under my breath.

  I reached out and pointed at his neck. "Are you... okay?" I asked, forgetting for a moment that he couldn't understand me. His eyes followed my finger, and upon realizing what I was indicating, a shadow crossed his face.

  He offered a faint, weary smile and shook his head, dismissing my concern.

  Before I could press further, he picked up the journal lying between us, clearly avoiding the topic. Flipping to a blank page, he began to draw.

  I watched as he sketched a simple stick figure lying flat, then drew a bold X over it. The message was grim and unmistakable.

  I sighed, a knot tightening in my chest. "So it's like that, huh?" I whispered. The weight of the situation settled heavily between us.

  He glanced at me briefly before turning to a fresh page. This time, he drew a more detailed humanoid figure. Beside it, he sketched a small circle, shading it thoroughly. Finishing, he looked up at me expectantly, tapping the shaded circle.

  I frowned, scratching the back of my head. "I don't get it," I admitted. "What are you trying to tell me?"

  For a few minutes he frowned and then he seemed to realize my confusion. A look of determination flashed in his eyes as he flipped to another page.

  He drew five dots around the humanoid figure, then pointed emphatically at the shaded circle again. His gaze locked onto mine, urging me to understand.

  "Five... points?" I murmured, trying to piece it together. "What does that even—"

  Before I could finish, he lifted his hand. Flames burst to life in his palm, red-hot and blazing. "Whoa!" I exclaimed, instinctively shielding my face. The heat washed over me, irritating my already sensitive skin.

  "That was surprising," I muttered, peering through squinted eyes. Despite the discomfort, I focused, letting Exira enhance my perception. There it was–an unfamiliar energy radiating from within him, manifesting as the fire dancing in his hand.

  Just as quickly as it appeared, the flame flickered out. The elf doubled over, coughing violently, a spray of blood staining his pale lips.

  "Damn it," I cursed, moving to support him. "You're pushing yourself too hard."

  He waved me off weakly, his breathing ragged. We waited in tense silence until his coughing subsided. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but a resolute expression remained.

  "You're one stubborn son of a..." I bit back the rest of the sentence, exhaling sharply.

  After a few moments, he returned to the drawing. He sketched a flame beside the humanoid figure, drawing a line from the flame to the figure's head. He tapped the drawing, then pointed to his own temple.

  "Fire... mind?" I guessed aloud. "Your power comes from your mind?"

  He nodded slightly, though I couldn't tell if he truly understood me or was just hopeful I'd catch on.

  Without missing a beat, he circled another area on the figure–this time around the chest or perhaps the core. Clenching his fist tightly, he gritted his teeth and gestured for me to pay attention.

  "Alright, show me what you've got," I said, leaning in.

  A subtle shift occurred. This time, the energy emanated differently–less concentrated, more dispersed. Through Exira, I observed the flow originating from deep within him, spreading outward and concentrating in his clenched fist. It was similar to before, yet fundamentally different.

  Understanding hit me like a bolt. "Wait a second," I murmured. "You're showing me two types of... energy? One from the mind, one from the body?"

  He watched my face intently, searching for any sign of comprehension.

  I pointed to the flame he'd drawn connected to the head. "Mind," I said slowly. Then I pointed to his clenched fist and the circled area on the figure. "Body."

  A spark lit in his eyes. He nodded vigorously, a relieved smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

  "Finally, making some progress," I said with a small grin. "So you're trying to tell me about your... pathways of power?"

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  He tapped the five dots he'd drawn earlier around the humanoid figure,

  He tapped his chin thoughtfully, then pointed to the five dots around the humanoid, “So you have 2 of those 5 points of power” As I used my fingers to gesture the numbers.

  He shook his head as he drew again.

  Seeing the confusion still plastered on my face, El let out a low grunt to grab my attention. He circled the next point on the humanoid figure he'd drawn, tapping it insistently. Then he pointed directly at his eyes, widening them dramatically before glancing around the cave.

  I squinted, trying to piece it together. "Eyes? Sight?" I mumbled. "Wait, you're saying this point affects vision?"

  He nodded eagerly, a hint of relief crossing his tired features.

  "Alright, so mind powers, physical strength, and now... enhanced vision?" I muttered, more to myself than to him. "That's pretty damn handy."

  El offered a faint smile, seeming satisfied that I was starting to catch on. He then circled the remaining three points on the drawing and shook his head slowly, his expression turning somber. It was clear he hadn't unlocked those abilities yet–or maybe he couldn't.

  Before I could ask–or rather, gesture–anything else, a harsh wheeze escaped him. El doubled over, a violent coughing fit wracking his body. "Hey, easy there!" I exclaimed, moving closer. I placed a steadying hand on his back, feeling the tremors coursing through him.

  As he lowered his hand, a fit of wheezing and coughing overtook him. "Hey, easy there," I said, moving closer to support him. He hunched over, each cough wracking his frail body. I grabbed the water bottle and held it out. "Here, drink."

  He took a few sips, the coughing gradually subsiding. It was obvious that this little presentation had taken a toll on him. The dark veins creeping up his neck seemed more pronounced now, a grim reminder that time wasn't on his side.

  I watched him carefully, a knot forming in my stomach.

  Damn it, he's worse off than I thought. The urge to ask him a million questions burned inside me, but I held back. Communication was still a barrier, and I didn't want to overwhelm him.

  We sat in silence for a moment, the only sounds our ragged breaths echoing softly in the cavern. I glanced down at the sketches spread out before us, my mind racing.

  Five points... but only two unlocked? And the others are still out of reach for him or there are some requirements to unlock them??

  Ahh so much I don't know…wait…

  An idea sparked. I picked up the pen and drew a new human figure, marking five points just like before. Then, I added a sixth point, looking up at El questioningly. "Only five points?" I asked, pointing to the extra one I'd added.

  He shook his head firmly, lifting his hand with fingers spread wide–emphasizing the number five. The gesture was forceful, leaving no room for doubt.

  "Alright, got it. Just five," I muttered, scratching out the extra point. "But how do you get them?"

  I circled the five points on the drawing, then looked at him expectantly. He seemed to consider my question, his eyes narrowing in thought.

  After a moment, he nodded, understanding dawning on his face. Taking the journal from me, he began to draw again. This time, he sketched a series of skulls and a stick figure wielding a sword. One by one, he crossed out the skulls as the figure appeared to defeat them.

  He paused, then randomly circled one of the skulls, shading it heavily until it seemed to glow on the page. He drew a line from the glowing skull to one of the points on the human figure.

  "Wait," I whispered, leaning in closer. "You get these points from... killing monsters?"

  He looked at me, then continued drawing. This time, he illustrated a much larger skull surrounded by what looked like flames or some kind of aura.

  "A boss?" I guessed. "An elite monster?"

  He nodded emphatically, tapping the drawing for emphasis.

  "Fantastic," I sighed. "So I have to take down big, ugly bastards to unlock these powers."

  El wasn't done yet. He drew waves representing water and placed a point deep below them. Next, he sketched a mountain with flames and marked another point within it. Lastly, he drew an area with lightning striking down, adding a point there as well.

  He handed me the journal, watching as I examined the new drawings.

  "Locations," I murmured. "Specific places tied to these points."

  I traced my finger over the images–a deep sea location, a fiery mountain, and a stormy area struck by lightning. The pattern was clear.

  "So it's not just killing monsters," I said thoughtfully. "It's also about going to these places."

  El nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

  I looked back at him, a mix of excitement and dread swirling in my gut. "You're telling me that to unlock these powers, I need to face off against elite monsters and venture into godforsaken places?"

  He didn't need to understand my words; the expression on my face said it all. He simply gave a solemn nod.

  "Great," I muttered sarcastically. "Because my life's not complicated enough already."

  Despite my sarcasm, a spark of determination ignited within me. This was a path–a dangerous, possibly suicidal path–but a path nonetheless.

  I glanced over at El. "Thanks for sharing this," I said quietly. "I appreciate it."

  He met my gaze, his emerald eyes reflecting a depth of understanding. For a moment, the language barrier didn't seem so insurmountable.

  I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "Looks like we've both got our work cut out for us."

  He chuckled softly, though it quickly turned into another bout of coughing. I reached out to steady him, concerned, tightening my chest. "Easy, don't push yourself."

  He waved off my worry, but I could see the strain wearing on him. The black veins on his neck seemed more pronounced now, a grim reminder that time wasn't on our side.

  "Listen," I said firmly. "We need to find you help. Medicine, a healer–something."

  He looked at me with a resigned expression, then pointed back to the stick figure he'd crossed out earlier.

  "Don't give me that," I snapped, surprising myself with the intensity. "I'm not about to watch you keel over without a fight."

  He offered a sad smile, placing a hand over his heart. "Thank you," he whispered in his own tongue, the meaning clear even if the words weren't.

  I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling up. "Damn it, there's got to be something we can do."

  Sighing and shaking his head El took the diary as he drew again with shaky hands.

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