The Goddess Cora sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping as she observed Elara finally succumb to sleep. The once radiant golden glow of magic dissipated from the room, leaving behind a sombre atmosphere. Evan’s lifeless body lay on a table at the room’s centre, respectfully covered with a sheet.

“Ah, an older tradition,” Cora muttered to herself, her tone laced with weariness. “That girl fought harder than I anticipated.”

A voice interrupted Cora’s thoughts from behind her.

“Finally,” she muttered under her breath. “Took your time returning, Evan.”

“I… I died. How… What… How am I still alive?” Evan’s voice trembled with confusion as he stared at his hands, turning them over in front of him.

“You are dead, human,” a voice beside Evan spoke. It emanated from a dark, swirling mass of shadows, its eyes glowing a menacing red.

“Ardentrex. I should have known you were involved,” Cora sneered. “You dragons always poking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“You’re one to talk, Goddess Cora,” Ardentrex retorted icily. “You gods are the reason this world is in this state.”

“I’m not here to argue, Ardentrex. I made a promise to a friend, and I intend to keep it,” Cora replied, shaking her head. “You, desperditio spatii, I am here to bring Evan back from the dead.”

Ardentrex’s swirling mass of shadows stilled as he shouted angrily. “Damn, you goddess. I am not a waste of space…..”

Ignoring both the goddess and Ardentrex arguing. Evan’s steps faltered as he approached Elara’s sleeping form, his brow furrowing with silent agony that etched lines of distress across his features. In his eyes, a storm of pain raged as he gazed down at her.

“I failed her. I promised I would protect her,” Evan whispered before gazing at the goddess. “Does this mean you’ll be helping me?”

Cora rubbed her eyes wearily before dropping her arms with a heavy sigh. “Yes. Bringing your spirit back to your body required more effort than anticipated.”

Evan bowed low. “Thank you for looking out for me, goddess. But if I may, Why?”

Cora fixed her gaze on Evan, feeling an unfamiliar discomfort stir within her as she watched him worship her. It wasn’t the usual adoration she received from mortals. There was something raw and earnest about his reverence that unsettled her. She shook her head, catching the faint chuckle of Ardentrex’s shadows as she spoke.

“Sera asked for this favour,” Cora stated firmly, her tone brooking no argument. “You owe me no thanks. Let’s return you and the useless dragon to where you both belong.”

As Evan stood and moved back beside his lifeless body, Ardentrex moved next to him. Cora raised her hands, conjuring a radiant golden light that bathed the room in warmth, carrying scents of pine wood, cinnamon, and the tang of the ocean. Evan’s body began to glow, the light pulsating and intensifying with each passing moment.

Just as the brilliance of the light became nearly unbearable, a resounding noise echoed through the room, and both Evan and Ardentrex’s spirits vanished from sight. Cora staggered slightly, her arm reaching out to steady herself as she gasped for breath. The exertion had left her utterly drained.

Evan’s eyes fluttered open as he peeled the sheet away from his head, sensation flooding back into his body. With a sense of awe, he reached up to touch his face, reassured by the familiar feel of his own skin. Sitting upright, he surveyed his surroundings. The goddess had departed, but her parting words lingered like a solemn oath in his ears.

“This is your final opportunity, Evan,” Cora’s voice echoed in his mind, a gentle yet stern reminder. “There will be no one to rescue you next time. Do not squander this chance. My friend expended much to aid you. I’ve left you a small token. Hopefully, it will serve you better than Chaos Magic has. Do not trust the dragon.”

“I’m alive,” Evan thought, gratitude swelling as he lifted his gaze to the room’s ceiling. “Thank you, Goddess Cora, Goddess Sera. I won’t fail you again.”

“What… What was that noise?” came Elara’s tired voice, breaking the room’s silence.

Evan’s heart raced as he watched Elara’s eyelids fluttering open, revealing her eyes still clouded with sleep. At that moment, time seemed to stand still as their gazes met, and a flood of emotions washed over him. Relief, longing, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude surged within him, threatening to consume him entirely.

As Elara’s drowsy voice broke the silence, Evan felt a lump form in his throat, his breath catching in his chest at the sound of her voice.

“E-Evan?” Elara’s voice was barely more than a whisper, her eyes wide with disbelief as she saw him sitting beside her. Evan felt a lump form in his throat, his breath catching in his chest at the sound of her voice. Neither spoke for a moment. Their shared gaze spoke volumes as they sought solace in each other’s presence.

“It’s me, Elara,” Evan finally replied, his voice barely above a hoarse whisper. “I’m here.”

“Evan?” she murmured, her voice soft and uncertain. “Is it really you? Am I still dreaming?”

Evan nodded, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips as he met her gaze. “It’s me, Elara,” he replied, his voice tinged with sorrow and determination. “I’m so sorry for everything that’s happened. I promise I’ll make it right.”

Elara’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as she stood, making her way to where Evan sat. As she reached out to touch Evan’s face, her fingers tracing the contours of his features as if to assure herself of his reality. “I thought I’d lost you,” she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. “I… I’m scared of how much I rely on you now. How much I need you. But I couldn’t bear the thought of facing this world without you.”

Evan’s heart ached at the raw vulnerability in her words. His pain mirrored in her eyes. Without hesitation, he gathered her into his arms, holding her close as if to shield her from the harshness of their reality. At that moment, nothing else mattered but the warmth of her presence, a beacon of hope in the darkness surrounding him. Evan’s thoughts turned dark at the thought of what losing her would do to him.

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But their fleeting moment of reunion was shattered by the sound of approaching footsteps, the urgency in their steps signalling imminent danger. With a heavy sigh, Evan reluctantly released Elara from his embrace, his gaze meeting hers.

“We don’t have much time,” he said, his voice firm with resolve. “Whatever we face. Are you with me?”

Elara nodded, her eyes shining with determination as she rose to her feet, her hand finding Evan’s in a silent gesture of solidarity. The tent flap opened as a woman stepped through.

“Elara, we need to… Wha… How…” A woman’s voice came. The figure of a woman stopped as she noticed Evan sitting up.

Elara giggled as she spoke. “Evan, this is the person we were after. Rivena. This is Evan.”

“Hello, Rivena. We have much to discuss.” Said Evan as he bowed to her. “But I assume that will have to wait.”

Rivena shook herself as she stared at Evan. “Right… Yes… We are under attack. It seems someone has finally decided to kill us.”

The tent shuddered violently as a fireball impacted the ground next to the tent wall. Evan instinctively threw his arms around Elara, shielding her from the chaos. Hungry and fierce flames spread rapidly, casting dancing shadows and a menacing glow over their faces. Evan could feel the heat licking at his skin, a palpable threat that spurred him to action.

Evan grabbed at the chaos mana that simmered within him, prepared to unleash the destructive power in defence. Just as he started to summon the magic, a commanding voice cut through the chaos.

Ardentrex’s voice echoed in the depths of his mind. “Human,” he urged, his tone tinged with concern, “you must listen to me. Chaos magic is a dangerous path, especially for a human like yourself. You know the payment for using it. Your lifespan is finite; you die a little more with every use, and Cora had to expend great effort to bring you back from the brink.”

Evan clenched his fists, grappling with the conflicting emotions swirling within him. The allure of chaos magic beckoned temptingly, offering power and protection in equal measure. But Ardentrex’s warning echoed in his thoughts, a reminder of the risks he faced if he succumbed to that dark temptation.

“I understand,” Evan murmured, his voice strained with uncertainty. “But I can’t just stand by and watch while others are in danger. I have to do something, Ardentrex.”

Ardentrex’s presence softened, a ripple of understanding coursing through Evan’s consciousness. “I know you feel compelled to act,” the dragon spirit conceded, his voice comforting in Evan’s mind. “But true strength lies not in wielding chaos magic but in resisting its call. Trust in yourself, human. You are stronger than you realize.”

Evan’s resolve wavered as he weighed Ardentrex’s words, a battle raging within him as he struggled to find a path forward. In that moment of uncertainty, he glimpsed a glimmer of hope, a flicker of determination guiding him towards a different course of action.

“Thank you, Ardentrex,” Evan said, his voice infused with newfound resolve. “I’ll find another way to protect them.”

Evan blinked as the fire burning the tent froze before dying out completely. Evan’s mind struggled to comprehend the sudden turn of events. “What… what just happened?” he murmured, his voice tinged with awe and confusion.

Elara seized Evan’s hand, pulling him away from the remains of the smouldering tent. They found themselves leaning against the sturdy walls of a nearby building, their breaths coming in ragged gasps as they sought solace in each other’s presence. The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke.

Elara’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she gazed at Evan. Without a word, she reached out to him, her fingers trembling as they traced the contours of his face as if to reassure herself of his reality.

Evan gathered Elara into his arms, holding her close. Time seemed to stop for him as nothing else mattered at that moment but the warmth of her presence.

“When did I become so dependent on Elara.” Evan thought as they held each other in a silent embrace. Evan felt a surge of emotion welling within him, threatening to overwhelm his senses. He closed his eyes, savouring the feel of Elara’s heartbeat against his chest, the softness of her breath as it mingled with his own.

Rivena felt a pang of longing tug at her heart as she watched the two of them. Approaching cautiously, Rivena cleared her throat, drawing their attention away from their private moment. “Elara,” she began, her voice tinged with both awe and concern, “I can’t begin to imagine what you must be feeling right now. But we need to focus on the task at hand. The attack was just the beginning.”

Elara nodded, her eyes flickering with determination as she reluctantly pulled away from Evan’s embrace, her hand finding him in a silent gesture of solidarity. Turning to Rivena, she squared her shoulders. “You’re right. We need to prepare to defend.”

Elara turned to Evan, and her gaze fell upon Evan’s state of undress. She gasped in shock, her cheeks flushing crimson with embarrassment. “E-Evan,” she stammered, her voice trembling with apology and mortification. “I-I didn’t realize… I’m so sorry.”

Evan stared at her and Rivena before he followed where they were looking. Gazing down, he froze. Turning to hide himself, he hurriedly snatched a pair of pants from a nearby clothesline, hastily pulling them on as he attempted to regain his composure. “It’s… it’s alright,” he reassured himself as he turned back to face them. “Let’s focus on getting out of here, ok.”

As they looked around the once serene campsite, it was now a battleground. Flames licked the dungeon ceiling, and the sounds of clashing swords filled the air. It was clear that they were under attack, and their only chance of survival was to fight their way out.

Evan’s heart raced as he surveyed the chaos around them. His mind was still reeling from his recent resurrection and the warning from Ardentrex about the dangers of using his chaos magic. Despite the situation’s urgency, he hesitated to tap into that dark power, fearing the toll it would take on him.

“Stay close,” Evan called out to Elara and Rivena, his voice barely audible above the din of battle. “We must stick together if we’ll leave here alive.”

Evan tried to summon the chaos mana within him, but it felt different now, tainted by something and Ardentrex’s warning. Instead of the raw power he was used to, he felt a dizzying surge of raw mana coursing through his veins, leaving him disoriented and weak.

Elara and Rivena fought by his side, their spells and sword strikes cutting through their enemies with deadly precision. But despite their best efforts, the attackers seemed to be gaining ground, their numbers overwhelming.

“We need to retreat,” Evan shouted over the chaos, his head swimming with exhaustion as he fought to stay upright. “There are too many of them. We won’t be able to hold them off much longer.”

Elara nodded grimly, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she fought off another attacker. “Agreed,” she replied, her voice tinged with concern. “But where do we go? We’re surrounded.”

Rivena’s eyes narrowed as she surveyed their surroundings, searching for a way out. “There’s a hidden passage nearby,” she called out, pointing toward a cluster of rocks at the edge of the campsite. “It leads out of the dungeon. Every tenth level has one. We’ll have to fight our way there, but it’s our best chance of escape.”

Nodding in agreement, they fought their way toward the hidden passage, Evan relying on Elara and Rivena to cover him as he struggled to keep up. His head throbbed with pain, and each step felt like an eternity as he fought to stay conscious. But despite his best efforts, he could feel his strength waning, his vision blurring as darkness threatened to consume him.

Just as it seemed they would be overwhelmed, they reached the entrance to the hidden passage. Without hesitation, they dove inside, the darkness swallowing them whole as they fled into the winding path. Evan leaned heavily on Elara and Rivena for support, his limbs heavy with exhaustion as they stumbled through the darkness.

As they disappeared into the shadows, Evan couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at his gut. He had narrowly escaped death this time, but he knew their enemies would stop at nothing to see them dead. And with each passing moment, the darkness seemed to grow deeper, the danger more palpable. Evan couldn’t help but wonder if they would ever make it out this alive.