As you and Alster step onto the even higher elevated island of Vay in the northwest, a wave of determination washes over you. The towering falls loom ahead, where Haden had once plunged into the torrential stream to retrieve the crystals. Frustration bubbles up inside you as you realize how much time has been wasted, and a sense of moving backward gnaws at your spirit. But then it hits you—this feeling of despair is precisely what whoever orchestrated this ordeal intended. A steely resolve forms within you. If their goal was to make you falter, then your response would be to double down, to push harder than ever before.

As you approach the pool where the falls calm, you spot Talik, at last! She is hunched over with her fingers tracing patterns in the sand. Panic surges through you at the thought she might be injured. "Talik!" you shout, relief flooding over you as she straightens up. You rush to her side and see that she has been drawing. "What’s that?" you ask, curiosity piqued.

Talik's eyes meet yours with a mix of urgency and excitement. "When I was teleported, I caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure. Someone unfamiliar—a face, maybe a mage not wearing a mask. It was all so quick, but I drew what I could remember."

A wave of relief washes over you at being reunited. "It's good to see you in one piece," you say, clasping Talik's shoulder.

"Likewise," Talik responds with a smile. "Do you still have the scroll?"

You nod, patting your satchel. "Yes, it’s safe with me."

"Good," Talik says, her tone serious. "I believe the scroll is crucial to all of this. Keep it close." 

"Yeah, I already worked that much out!" You reply in your regular snarky voice knowing it would bring some comfort to your best friend. 

Talik's expression turns contemplative as she kneels and scatters runestones onto the ground. Her eyes glaze over momentarily, a sign that her mage abilities are at work. "Drue and Haden... they’re at the Temple of the Griffon, in the northeast of the island. The runestones show it clearly."

Alster steps forward, determination etched on his face. "Then we must head there immediately. Follow me; I think I know the way."

With Alster leading, you navigate a path under the falls, heading northward. The roar of the cascading water fades behind you, replaced by the anticipation of the journey ahead. Together, you forge onward, ready to face whatever challenges lie at the Temple of the Griffon.

Next: E7Q3 Reunited