James's gaze shifted, settling on the small figure across the room—Nyx. The sight of her limp form twisted something deep inside him, a searing pain unlike any wound he had ever suffered thus far. He could feel his heart shattering, pieces of it slipping away as he rose to his feet, each step he took a monumental effort, each heartbeat echoing with grief. He stumbled forward, the fatigue and pain of the battle nothing compared to the hollowness he felt at that moment. Every breath was a ragged struggle, his vision swimming as he neared Nyx's still body.
“Oh, Nyx...” he whispered, his voice catching in his throat. He knelt beside her, his fingers trembling as they reached out to touch her. Her fur, usually vibrant and shimmering with life, felt cold under his touch. The moss light flickered, casting dim shadows across her tiny form, her fur catching the faint glow of the lantern as if trying to come alive one last time. James choked back a sob, his tears falling freely now, dampening her fur.
“Nyx, come on... wake up,” he murmured, his voice a cracked whisper. But there was no response. No tiny chirp, no flicker of her ears, nothing. The warmth in her body had already started to fade, her little lungs still, her eyes closed as though in sleep.
James pulled her closer, cradling her in his hands, the reality of it all crashing down on him. His shoulders began to shake, the weight of his grief too much to bear. “Oh Nyx...” he sobbed, his voice rising, breaking, the echo of his wail bouncing off the cavern walls, filling the empty space, amplifying the emptiness inside him.
Joey stirred, his eyes opening slowly, the sound pulling him from his haze. He watched as James held Nyx close, the despair on his friend’s face a raw wound that Joey could feel deep in his chest. He tried to push himself up, he couldn't his body too weak, but his eyes never left James—his friend, his brother in everything but blood—crumbling before him. Joey clenched his jaw, the ache in his chest deepening as he fought against the overwhelming helplessness of the moment. He wanted to say something, anything, but words failed him.
“You brave, poor little thing...” James whispered, his tears dripping onto Nyx’s lifeless body. “I’m so sorry...” His voice cracked, the words barely escaping. He looked toward the altar, his eyes narrowing as he caught sight of the bubbling black liquid, the surface rippling as though alive, as though mocking his grief. It was from here the salamander had emerged, and James couldn’t shake the thought—perhaps it held something more. The altar seemed ancient, foreboding, as though it contained secrets from an era long forgotten, mysteries veiled in its dark, writhing depths.
Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, James squinted, his heart hammering in his chest. He had to know. Maybe, just maybe, there was still hope. With shaky hands, he closed his eyes, the barely recovered mana gathering within him, a dull ache spreading through his skull as he activated {Essence Sight}. His vision blurred, and then the world around him shifted, the pool before him shimmering with ethereal energy. He could see something—a resonance, a spark within the liquid—something similar to the essence that still lingered faintly within Nyx. The essence moved with an eerie beauty, swirling through the dark fluid like a ghost of something once alive, something that still had a small chance of being rekindled.
It was a fragile hope, a flicker in the vast darkness of his despair. He looked down at Nyx, her still body cradled against his chest, his heart aching with every beat. He wished, desperately, that he could take her place, that he could undo everything that had happened, that he could give her another chance. He stood slowly, his legs trembling, the steps to the altar feeling like an eternity, each movement heavy with uncertainty. Each footfall felt weighted with every mistake, every regret, each one echoing through the silent cavern like a cruel reminder of what was slipping away from him. Joey watched, his eyes filled with confusion, his lips parting to ask—but he stopped. He saw the determination in James's eyes, the desperate, unwavering resolve, and he simply nodded.
“I don’t know if this will work, Joey,” James said, his voice hoarse, barely audible, “but I have to try.” His words were filled with a despairing hope, as if even speaking them might shatter whatever chance remained.
Joey nodded again, his throat tight, his voice lost in the weight of the moment. He could only watch as James carefully set Nyx down on the edge of the bubbling pool. The liquid hissed, small tendrils of steam rising from it, and James felt the burn as his hand touched the surface, the acidic sting biting into his skin. He winced, but he didn’t pull away. He couldn’t. He had to try.
Nyx’s tiny form began to slip beneath the dark surface, the liquid swirling around her, almost as if it were alive, pulling her in. James watched, his breath held, his entire being focused on this one moment—waiting, hoping. The pool seemed to hum, a low vibration that filled the air, the ripples growing, the surface bubbling furiously. For a brief, heart-stopping moment, it looked as if something was happening. The liquid surged, Nyx’s body disappearing beneath the surface, and James felt his heart leap into his throat—maybe, just maybe—
But then, nothing. The pool went still, the surface smoothing, the ripples fading away until all that was left was the dark, glassy liquid, and Nyx lay there, unchanged, her body still, her fur wet and lifeless. James felt his heart shatter, a raw, agonizing scream tearing from his throat as he reached into the pool, pulling her out. The liquid burned his skin, but he didn’t care. He clutched Nyx to his chest, his tears falling freely, his body wracked with sobs.
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“No, no, no... please...” he whispered, his voice barely a breath, broken and desperate. “Please come back... please...” But there was nothing. No miracle, no second chance. Just silence, the cold, empty silence of the cavern, the only sound his own ragged breaths, his sobs echoing off the walls. The darkness of the place seemed to press in on him, mocking his anguish, a cruel and indifferent witness to his despair.
James sank to his knees, his body trembling, his forehead pressing against Nyx’s tiny head. He could feel the coldness of her fur, the life that had once been there now gone, leaving only emptiness. His tears soaked her fur, his hands trembling as he held her close. Joey watched, his heart aching, tears welling in his own eyes as he saw his friend’s grief, the raw, unfiltered pain that filled the space between them. The weight of that sorrow was like a physical force, something that seemed to distort the very air, making it heavy and suffocating.
“I’m sorry, Nyx...” James whispered, his voice cracking, his tears flowing. “I’m so, so sorry...” He held her close, his body shaking, the weight of his failure crushing him, the cavern around them a dark, hollow reminder of what had been lost. He could remember every moment, every little chirp she had made, the warmth of her perched on his shoulder, the bright spark in her eyes when she faced danger without a hint of fear. All of it was gone now, snuffed out, leaving only the unbearable silence.
The pool bubbled quietly beside him, the faint light of the fungi casting a dim, haunting glow across the scene. James could feel the coldness creeping in, the exhaustion finally taking its toll, his vision blurring as the adrenaline faded, leaving only pain—raw, unending pain. He stayed there, kneeling, holding Nyx close, the world around him fading into darkness, his heart aching with every beat, each breath a struggle against the despair threatening to swallow him whole. The world felt as though it had shrunk, leaving only this moment, this grief, a small circle of existence defined by loss and the weight of his own helplessness.
And in the silence of the cavern, James mourned. For Nyx, for Joey, for the innocence they had lost, for the hope that had slipped through his fingers like sand. The darkness pressed in, and for a moment, James let himself fall into it, let the grief take him, let the pain wash over him, unfiltered and raw, a tide that threatened to drown him. He could hear the echoes of every mistake, every failure, each one a whisper in the darkness that surrounded him. But even in the depths of his sorrow, he held Nyx close, refusing to let go, his heart shattered, but still beating—still holding on, even when there was nothing left to hold on to.
He looked up at the cavern ceiling, tears blurring his vision, seeing nothing but the shadows that seemed to mock his pain. Every part of him screamed for respite, for the emptiness to stop gnawing at him, for something—anything—to change what had happened. But there was no miracle, no comforting light, just the cold, unfeeling darkness of the rift. He closed his eyes, his forehead pressing against Nyx’s, and he whispered one last apology, his voice barely audible, a breath in the void.
“I promise... I’ll never forget you,” James murmured, his fingers gently stroking her fur. The promise felt hollow, inadequate, but it was all he had to give. His heart ached with every word, the weight of the vow settling in his chest, heavy and unyielding. Joey shifted slightly, wincing as pain flared through his body, but his eyes remained on James. He wished he could do something—anything—to help, but all he could do was be there, sharing in the silence, the sadness, the dark reminder of what they had lost.
Finally, James took a shuddering breath, the sobs subsiding into quiet, broken gasps. His arms were still wrapped around Nyx, her small form fitting so perfectly in his hands, and yet feeling so terribly wrong now. He looked over at Joey, whose eyes were filled with tears, his face pale and drawn. The bond between them felt like the only thing keeping them from falling completely apart. Joey gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, and James knew—he wasn’t alone in this.
The cavern felt like it was closing in, the walls pressing against them, the weight of the rift bearing down, but James forced himself to take another breath, to hold onto that tiny ember of life still burning within him. He was exhausted, broken, but not defeated. Not yet. He couldn’t be. He had to keep moving—for Joey, for Nyx, for everything they had fought for.
Slowly, painfully, James began to rise, his legs trembling beneath him. He held Nyx close, his hands gentle, his tears still falling. He looked at Joey, the silent question hanging in the air. Joey nodded, his eyes glassy with unshed tears, his face set in a grim expression of determination. They had to move forward—together, somehow. James knew that the journey ahead would be harder than anything they had faced before. The weight of their loss would follow them, haunt them, but they would carry it. They had to.
“Let’s get out of here,” James whispered, his voice cracked and raw. He looked down at Nyx one last time, his heart aching, and then he turned to Joey, extending a hand to help him up. Joey took it, his grip weak but resolute, and together they began the slow, painful journey out of the cavern, the darkness at their backs, the faint glow of the moss their only guide towards a swirling pattern of runes on the door they entered through now seeming to lead out of here.
And though James’s heart was broken, though the loss was still fresh and searing, there was a part of him that refused to give up—a part that clung to the memory of Nyx, her bravery, her light. He would carry that memory with him, through every battle, every dark night, every step of the journey. And maybe, just maybe, he would find a way to honor her, to make her sacrifice mean something, to find a spark of hope in the shadows.
They walked slowly, each step a struggle, each breath a reminder of what had been lost. And yet, they moved forward. Because that was all they could do—move forward, even when the world felt like it was falling apart, even when the darkness threatened to swallow them. They would keep going.
END OF BOOK ONE