Back in their small nest, Caelum and Aurelia lay in silence. The dim light filtering through the burrow’s entrance barely reached them, casting long shadows on their tiny forms. The warmth of the ground beneath them contrasted with the heaviness that filled the air. Both of them were battered and exhausted, still reeling from the fight that nearly ended them both.

Caelum rested his head on a patch of soft earth, his breathing still uneven. His body had recovered, thanks to the miraculous level-up and the Light Magic he had desperately summoned. Yet, despite his healing, there was an ache deep within him—one that had nothing to do with physical wounds.

Aurelia was beside him, barely stirring. She had her own share of injuries, but she had fought bravely. Still, the venom that had coursed through her veins had left a scar on her spirit, one that neither magic nor rest could easily heal. Every breath she took was slow, deliberate, as though she was trying to hold onto the thin thread of life she had barely clung to during that battle.

For a long while, neither of them spoke through their telepathy. There were no words that could convey the terror they had experienced. The reality of the forest and its dangers weighed heavily on both their minds.

Caelum’s thoughts raced, but his body felt numb. He had barely been able to save Aurelia. That snake had been so much stronger than anything they’d faced before. His mind replayed the image of Aurelia’s tiny body lying motionless, venom coursing through her, the thought of losing her making his heart twist in agony.

How long can we keep doing this? he thought, the question hanging heavy in the air.

He turned his head slightly to look at Aurelia. She was still breathing, still alive, but the cost of their survival felt too great. They had come so close to death, and for what? Just to live another day in a world that seemed determined to kill them?

"I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this," Caelum finally admitted, his telepathic voice shaky. There was a rawness in his tone, something that hadn’t been there before. He had always been able to push through, to believe in their survival, but now… now it felt different.

Aurelia didn’t respond immediately, but he could feel her presence, her emotions mixing with his through their telepathic link. There was sorrow, deep and heavy, as if she was mourning something they had lost. Maybe it was the innocence of believing they could survive without too much struggle. Or maybe it was the realization that every day here was a fight for survival, and no matter how strong they got, the world would always throw something more dangerous at them.

A quiet sob echoed through their telepathic link, and it took a moment for Caelum to realize that it was his own.

"I… I thought I was strong enough," he whispered. "I thought… after everything we’ve been through, I could protect us." The words stung as they left him. He had always pushed forward, focused on getting stronger, learning new skills, and surviving in this cruel world. But now? It all felt so… pointless.

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If it hadn’t been for that last burst of magic… Caelum didn’t even want to finish the thought.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought of Aurelia, how close she had come to death. He could barely breathe thinking about it. She had saved him so many times, fought so fiercely beside him. And yet, he had almost failed her.

Aurelia shifted slightly beside him, her soft presence comforting, though she remained silent. She was exhausted, physically and emotionally.

Caelum couldn’t help but feel the weight of guilt settling heavily on his chest. He had put her in danger. Every time they fought, every time they faced another monstrous creature, he wondered if it would be the last time they walked away together. His thoughts spiraled, each one darker than the last.

The quiet sounds of their nest—the faint rustling of leaves, the occasional chirp of distant insects—usually brought him some comfort. But today, it only made the silence between them more suffocating.

Why does it have to be like this? he thought bitterly. Why is everything out here trying to kill us?

Tears streamed down his cheeks as the sobs wracked his small body. The helplessness, the fear, the constant feeling that he was never strong enough—it all came crashing down on him. He had been fighting so hard to survive, but now the weight of it all seemed unbearable.

"I’m scared," he whispered, barely able to push the words through their link. "I’m so scared, Aurelia. I don’t know if I can keep doing this."

Aurelia stirred at his side, but her movements were slow, sluggish. Her presence was still comforting, but Caelum could feel her weariness. She was just as broken as he was.

The silence stretched between them again, but this time it was heavier. The weight of their struggle hung over them, a reminder of the dangerous world they lived in.

Caelum closed his eyes, his body trembling with the weight of his emotions. The tears kept coming, his small frame shaking with every sob. He had tried so hard, done everything he could, but it still felt like it wasn’t enough.

Maybe I’m not enough.

The thought echoed in his mind, a bitter whisper that gnawed at him. He had always pushed forward, always believed he could get stronger, but now? Now it felt like the world was too much. No matter how many levels he gained, no matter how many new skills he learned, there would always be something stronger, something that could take it all away in an instant.

The reality of it all hit him like a crushing wave, and for the first time since arriving in this world, Caelum felt like he was drowning in hopelessness.

I can’t do this… I can’t keep doing this…

The world felt darker, colder. The warmth of the sun filtering through their nest couldn’t reach him. He felt trapped, stuck in a cycle of fear and pain that he couldn’t escape. The constant danger, the endless struggle—it was all too much. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep going.

As the tears continued to fall, Caelum felt himself sinking deeper into despair. The weight of survival, the constant fear of losing Aurelia, the unrelenting danger of the forest—it was suffocating. He didn’t know if he had the strength to keep fighting.

And as he lay there, crying softly beside Aurelia, he felt the darkness of his thoughts creeping closer, threatening to pull him into a place he wasn’t sure he could come back from.

Maybe… maybe it’s just too much…

The sobs slowed, but the heaviness in his chest remained. The tears left his eyes puffy and red, but they kept coming in slow, quiet streams. His mind was spiraling, caught in a web of doubt, fear, and despair.