"Why is this happening?"

Kane's teeth gritted in frustration as he questioned himself, wondering at which point he erred, while staring at his blackening arm. Yet upon reflection, many details eluded him.

The Void, being the antithesis of matter, meant that Void creature's flesh could dissolve organics. Pressing the carapace against his skin had led to corrosion. Then, why wasn't Kai'Sa affected similarly? Was it because the monster had been dead too long, or the carapace he used lost its potency? Or was it that only specific parts of the carapace were viable?

Furthermore, symbiosis with the Void was unreliable; since the fall of Icathia 3,500 years ago, untold numbers had been dragged into the abyss. Yet only a rare few, like Kai'Sa, achieved symbiosis.

It was akin to a viral infection where, among millions, only a handful may develop antibodies.

Perhaps Kai'Sa's success was a fluke within a fluke, and even a perfect replication of her process might not yield the same result...

Was there really no chance left for him?

He was angry. How could Kai'Sa succeed against such daunting odds, yet he couldn't?

But to give up was to die. Kane preferred to believe there was something he overlooked, a misstep that led to his failure.

He wouldn't give up. He would try until his last breath.

As Kane fought his burgeoning fear with almost manic determination, the terrified Kai'Sa dropped her dagger and clung to his right arm, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Why... why are you doing this? You don't need to prove anything, I didn't doubt you!"

Kai'Sa didn't fully comprehend Kane's intent, but the sight of her only ally harming himself broke her heart.

Her own skin-deep agony seemed trivial compared to Kane's plight.

"I told you, only monsters can survive here. I have to become one," Kane replied, his voice heavy with resignation.

Kai'Sa was nearly Kane's height, and her mutated arm now possessed a strength he couldn't resist.

"You don’t need to become a monster for me..." Her voice was a choked whisper.

Kai'Sa wasn't easily fooled. What good came from becoming a monster? She believed Kane was only trying to comfort her.

For that ludicrous sense of solidarity... but what was the value of that against one's life?

Having lost everything, she couldn't bear to lose the last semblance of friendship she had.

Kane, unlike Kai'Sa, wasn't completely swayed by emotion; a fraction of rationality kept his mind alert. He heard the scuttling above, reminiscent of giant insects' scratching.

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"Let's talk somewhere else. It's not safe here."

Kane had Kai'Sa pick up the dagger and spear, and they quickly left the spot.

...

In an underground tunnel, Kane's gaze drifted from his darkening arm. There was no swelling or whitening—an indication of the best possible outcome.

If the wound had bubbled and burst, spilling out amniotic-like fluid, it would mean something was gestating within him. Organic matter breaking down into a pale substance, reconstructing into a malignant life.

This was not the symbiosis that Kai'Sa experienced, but a deadly parasitism—the monster consuming and absorbing the host until it burst forth, like a creature from a sci-fi horror.

He turned to Kai'Sa and softly said, "Eat something."

"I'm not hungry," Kai'Sa sulked against the cavern wall, voicing a lie in defiance of Kane's command.

She blamed herself for his current state—his skin now a horrifying shade of black and purple, as if bruised all over.

"Stubborn girl, you need strength to fight monsters."

Kane didn't seem upset; he picked up the last peach from the pile of food by her feet, carefully wiped it clean against his sweater, and held it to her lips.

"Eat up. This peach will rot if you don’t, and it might be your last."

His words triggered tears; Kai'Sa's sensitivity had heightened in recent days. "Why are you still thinking of killing monsters after all this?"

"I can't become what I must if I don't kill them. Like I said, only monsters can survive here."

"Why? Why are you so set on becoming a monster? Isn't it better to remain human?"

The idea of becoming a monster horrified Kai'Sa. She couldn't comprehend Kane's calm when he spoke of such things. A calm so deep, it was as if a monster's spirit inhabited a human shell.

Yet she could still feel his kindness—an unfamiliar sensation she had never felt from him before.

Kane had become more reliable, more considerate, and yet, so unfamiliar. Her limited understanding couldn't grasp this transformation.

Was this what adults meant by growing up?

Seeing her refuse the fruit, Kane took a bite himself. Showing a bit of optimism might lessen Kai'Sa's guilt.

"Look, how delicious and juicy it is. Don't you want a taste?" He offered the bitten peach, and this time Kai'Sa didn't refuse. She held the fruit and his hand, hesitating between pushing it back or taking a bite.

"Dying is the easy part. If I wanted to die, I would've found a quiet place to do it where you couldn’t find me. But here I am, sharing food with you. Do I look like someone who wants to die? Hey, do I really need to feed you? We’re not children anymore..."

"I’ll eat, I’ll eat. Just stop talking; it hurts your chest. I... I'm not angry anymore."

After a heavy cough from Kane, a concerned Kai'Sa finally bit into the peach, taking a large bite where his teeth had marked the flesh, their dental impressions overlapping.

This time, the taste wasn't one of despair, but of crisp, juicy sweetness.

The flavor of hope.

Joy, contentment, the desire to live—the ability to experience such feelings.

Kane waited until Kai'Sa finished the peach and some dried mutton, then he took a sip from the water skin.

"Our food is dwindling, Kai'Sa. What will we do when it’s gone?"

Her heart lurched at the thought, almost regurgitating the food.

What indeed would they do when the last morsel was consumed?

"The village..." Kai'Sa's reply came haltingly, though she knew it wasn't a real solution.

Aside from the ruins, there was nothing edible underground. Once those were gone, there would truly be nothing left to eat.

"We don't know how long we'll need to survive down here. It could be years, decades, or we might never get out. To live, we need to plan now," Kane said.

Kai'Sa glanced at the half-empty bag of food, doubting any plan could stretch their supplies for so long.

She was at a loss, relying on Kane's ideas.

"From what I've seen, the only thing we don't lack down here are monsters. If we want to live, we'll have to eat them."

"You still want to hunt those monsters!" Kai'Sa's face puffed with indignation then collapsed into tears. "Kane, are you a fool? Your hand rotted from just touching them! If we eat them, how can we possibly survive?"

She clutched his arm amid sobs, trying to prevent him from more folly. But the real fool appeared to be her—foolish enough to blow bubbles through her nose.

"I didn't say we'd eat them with our mouths." Kane sighed, wiping away her tears with his sleeve, then said:

"Come, extend your hand, I’ll show you."