"The Cave of Seraphia..."

I woke up slowly, my ears registering the world around me before my eyes could fully cooperate. Gradually, I opened my eyes, but the light was blinding, forcing me to snap them shut immediately.

My hand instinctively went to my head as I attempted to calm the raging storm inside and shield my eyes from the harsh light.

I struggled to lift myself up, but a searing pain shot through me from my sides.

"Easy there," a voice said gently. "You don't want to undo those stitches."

I groaned softly, overwhelmed by the pain and disorientation. Despite my best efforts to stay awake, exhaustion soon washed over me like a tide, pulling me into the depths of slumber.

When I next awoke, it was to the soft rustle of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl. The harsh daylight had given way to the gentle embrace of night. I blinked a few times, my surroundings gradually coming into focus.

I was no longer in the blindingly bright place I had been earlier. Instead, I found myself in a dimly lit room, the only source of light coming from a few candles flickering on a nearby table.

The pain in my sides had dulled to a persistent ache, but it was no longer the searing agony I had felt before. I cautiously pushed myself up into a sitting position, taking in my new surroundings.

It seemed I was in some sort of shelter, a small, rustic room with wooden beams overhead and a simple, comfortable bed beneath me.

Questions swirled in my mind as I tried to piece together where I was and how I had come to be here.

Taking slow and cautious steps, I made my way toward the room's entrance, mindful of the lingering ache in my sides. Each step felt like a small victory over the lingering pain.

Reaching the entrance, I paused and listened. The murmur of voices reached my ears, accompanied by the comforting crackling of a wood fire. Laughter, deep and hearty, joined the chorus of sounds.

With curiosity and a sense of hope, I moved closer to investigate, wondering if I might find answers to the questions that had been gnawing at me.

As I drew closer to the group gathered around the fire, one of the men suddenly looked up and let out a shout of surprise.

"He's alive, people!" he declared, excitement in his voice. He turned to those sitting around the fire. "Come on, men, pay up, pay up. I told you he still had some life in him."

A chorus of good-natured laughter and the clinking of coins followed as they settled their wagers. It seemed that I had become the subject of some sort of bet, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and confusion.

I cleared my throat, drawing their attention, and spoke, "Alive indeed. Mind telling me where 'here' is and how I came to be in this state?"

"Calm your horses, comrade," the man who had noticed me said with a friendly grin. "You just came back from the dead. Or you were already on the brink of it before we found you."

With a nod of understanding, I slowly lowered myself onto a nearby log, the pain in my sides reminding me of my recent ordeal.

"Come on, have a seat with us," he continued, offering a hand of camaraderie. "Let's get you something to eat and drink. Then you can tell us about how you got to be out there alone, with a spear hanging out of you."

As I ate, my newfound companions regaled me with their stories and past missions, trying to make me feel at home among them. However, my mind remained fixated on one thing: how to plan my revenge.

When they eventually asked about how I ended up in the desert, I replied in a cold and succinct manner, highlighting the main points. "Seemed like you were overpowered the last time. My advice? Get stronger."

One of them retorted, "You think I don't know that?"

The bonfire crackled and the atmosphere grew quieter. It was then that a member of the group, introducing himself as Draxus, chimed in. "You know, there's a cave said to be hidden in these deserts. They say it holds goddesses imprisoned within and can grant wishes to whoever finds it."

I couldn't help but feel a spark of interest as Draxus mentioned the mysterious cave, something that might aid me in my quest for revenge.

"Tell me about this cave," I urged, genuinely intrigued.

But the response from one of the group members caught me off guard. "Do not bother trying to look for the cave. It's more like a suicide mission."

I turned to face the speaker, my determination unwavering. "To you, it may seem that way, but to others, it's a lifeline. Tell me about it; I intend to find it."

Another member of the group chimed in, clearly concerned. "We didn't save your ass for you to plan on dying again, you know? We had to drag you halfway across the desert. And now you're planning on risking it all for a myth that no one has proven?"

I met their gaze with resolve. "Do I have anything to lose?" I asked rhetorically. "The answer is no. Do I have anything to gain? Yes. So, that's it. I'm finding that cave, and you are going to help me."

"In the heart of the desert's scorching embrace, where the sun kisses the sands, seek the night's cool embrace to find your way," Draxus recited, his tone filled with a sense of mystery.

"That's the guide to the cave, according to the myth," he added.

I couldn't help but scoff at the cryptic riddle. "Sounds like something made up for a bedtime story," I remarked with a hint of frustration.

As I stood up, I thanked them for the meal. "I think I would prefer some time alone at the moment," I said, needing to gather my thoughts and plan my next move in pursuing the elusive cave.

Unable to sleep, I found myself back outside, seeking the solace of the desert night to clear my racing thoughts. As I paced around, I spotted one of the mercenaries, a figure named Lorian, sitting alone, gazing at the starry expanse.

"Mind if I join you?" I asked, seeking some company in the quiet darkness.

Lorian nodded and patted the ground beside him. We both settled into a comfortable silence, the desert wind whispering secrets in the night.

"The Cave of Seraphia does exist," Lorian finally spoke, his voice detached as if recounting a long-buried memory. "I lost my entire family while trying to find it. That's something I haven't spoken about in a long time."

I listened intently, my curiosity piqued. "Did you find it in the end?"

Lorian shook his head. "Yeah, I did find the entrance, but I couldn't bring myself to go in. It wasn't worth it after all."

I leaned in, my determination clear. "Tell me all you know. Like I said, I have nothing to lose."

And so, he shared with me all the information I needed to find the entrance to the cave, hidden in plain sight.

Standing in front of the cave, the night sky above me, I couldn't help but feel anticipation. This was it—the next step on my path toward vengeance.