Chapter 1617: A Question

Erebus could now see that the other council members had gradually come around to his position.

Or at least they had realized that they had nothing better to offer. Even if they still disagreed with his decision none of them could present a more convincing alternative.

After everything they had endured and all the failed attempts to lift the curse, allowing the outsiders to investigate seemed to be their most promising option after what Erebus had just said.

Erebus looked around the table and gave a small nod of satisfaction. The gesture was subtle and almost impossible to notice. He was not entirely convinced that the others had accepted his decision, but their silence was enough for him.

He had made his position clear and there was no reason to continue arguing when none of them had anything better to suggest.

"We’ll continue this discussion tomorrow," he said.

Without waiting for a response, Erebus turned around and walked out of the council hall.

The remaining members watched him leave before exchanging glances with one another.

For a while, none of them spoke. Aldric eventually released a weary sigh, and the others seemed to follow his lead as the tension in the room finally began to settle.

They had little else to discuss for the time being, so they gradually dispersed and returned to their respective homes.

Meanwhile, Erebus had no intention of resting.

His desire to find a way to solve the curse had kept him moving for years and the possibility of finally discovering its origin only made him more restless.

The outsiders had brought forward a new theory that none of them had considered before. If the remnants of the creature that once threatened this world were still somewhere in the city and were responsible for sustaining the curse, then finding them could be the key to everything.

Erebus could not just sit around waiting for the outsiders to begin their investigation when he could search for answers himself.

He left the council hall and made his way outside. A moment later a pair of enormous black wings spread from his back.

With a powerful beat he lifted himself into the air and began flying above the city.

From that height, he could observe the buildings and streets below while searching for anything that might have escaped their attention during previous investigations.

At the same time, Erebus reached out through their mental connection and called for his lizard-like friend.

He sent it a simple command, instructing it to begin searching the city for anything unusual that might be connected to the creature or the curse.

A moment later, a response entered his mind, confirming that the creature had received his order and would begin moving shortly.

After he was satisfied with that, Erebus continued flying across the city.

His eyes swept over the buildings and the surrounding landscape as he searched for anything that might provide a clue.

He knew that finding the creature’s remains would not necessarily be easy, especially after more than a century had passed, but he refused to overlook even the smallest possibility now.

The outsiders might have discovered a promising lead, but Erebus intended to search for the answer himself as well.

He would not leave everything in their hands only.

The next day finally arrived but Erebus still found nothing useful despite spending hours flying above the city.

Everything he saw was the same as it had always been. The familiar buildings and streets offered no new clues, the strange lights that continued blinking in the sky were nothing more than manifestations of the curse.

At least, that was how they appeared to him. He had seen them countless times before, and there was nothing unusual about them that could help him uncover the creature’s whereabouts even now.

Erebus eventually released a heavy sigh as he continued surveying the city below.

Perhaps there was nothing more he could discover through his own efforts. He had already searched for years without finding anything meaningful, and yesterday’s own investigation had yielded no better results.

Maybe this problem could only be solved by Erend and his three Archmage companions.

They had already noticed something that he and the council had overlooked, so perhaps they would be able to find what he could not with their expertise.

Just then, several portals opened. The familiar distortion in space caught Erebus’s attention, and he immediately turned toward it.

A moment later, Erend emerged alongside Adrius, Lysander, and Sylmira.

Erebus descended from the sky and landed directly in front of them, his black wings folding behind his back as he approached the group.

Erend looked at him and offered a bitter smile. He could not help feeling a little amused when he saw that Erebus had already put on his usual stiff and stern expression the moment they arrived.

It was hardly a welcoming greeting, but Erend had grown accustomed to the Dragonborn’s temperament by now. He no longer expected anything different from him.

"Are you ready to begin again?" Erebus asked, his voice carrying a hint of eagerness.

"Yes, of course. That’s why we’re here," Adrius replied with a smile. "Did you manage to find anything?"

Erebus shook his head. "No. Everything still looks the same to me." His expression darkened slightly, revealing his disappointment.

"Don’t be discouraged, my friend. A problem like this was never going to be easy to solve," Adrius said reassuringly. "We’ve prepared a formula based on the hypothesis we discussed. Hopefully, it will produce some useful results this time."

Erebus nodded. "Right."

With that, Adrius and the other two Archmages began making their preparations.

They moved toward the area they intended to investigate and started arranging the materials they had brought with them. Each of them had a specific task in mind, and they wasted no time getting to work.

Meanwhile, Erend approached Erebus and stopped beside him. He glanced briefly at the three Archmages to make sure they were occupied before lowering his voice.

"Can I ask you something?"

Erebus turned toward him with a slight frown. "What is it?"

"Have you ever heard of a... Dragonborn Nest?"

Erebus’s frown deepened.