Understanding his role as the Conduit of Life brought Kostas a quiet confidence. His purpose wasn't to perform grand magic, but to simply be the living connection between the earth's raw energy and its fading pockets of life. He stayed with the Emerald Tree for three days, absorbing its ancient wisdom, learning how to channel the boundless energy of the ocean and the sun—the essential forces that sustained its life on the precarious cliff.
On the third morning, as the sun rose, Kostas knew it was time to move on. His journey now had a clear direction: to seek out the final element where his healing presence was needed. His focus shifted from the wild rush of the sea to the soaring openness of the sky. The next great challenge, he sensed, lay high above, where the air was thin and the stone peaks touched the clouds.
He bid farewell to the Emerald Tree, promising to return. As he turned inland, he noticed a faint, shimmering trail—a nearly invisible path of silvery air that seemed to ascend directly toward the highest, most distant mountain range. It was a path meant only for the wind and the brave.
Following the shimmering trail, Kostas began his climb. The air grew colder and the terrain became unforgiving. The Green Keepers’ training in stamina and respect for nature served him well, but the altitude tested his limits. He realized the final element—Air—presented a challenge of clarity and transcendence. The mountains were not depleted, but they were silent, waiting. At the base of the highest peak, he found his final obstacle: a great, smooth slab of black, sterile stone that seemed to block the entire mountain from the sky, muffling its natural song. Kostas placed his hands on the cold stone, ready to listen to the mountain's sorrow and restore its breath.