Elwin, Lumie, Leon and Runald had taken Kari’s body to the hospital. It was one of few dead bodies in the entirety of Al Dherjza, it seemed. Everyone else on the brink of death had been healed. And most of those who had died prior to Kari’s sacrifice had been zombified.

Runald had rejoined the rest of the Al Dherjzan forces. Although the fighting was over, there was still much work to be done. The streets needed to be swept, the populace accounted for, and someone had to keep an eye on the infighting remnants of Tenebria Coronum. One could never be certain that an unstable element within that cursed crown wouldn’t activate some esoteric spell of great power.

Elwin, Lumie and Leon made their way through the salty catacombs beneath the city. They had obtained directions to ADAM’s Labyrinth from a rather exasperated and overworked head nurse at the hospital. It was a sombre scene; their surroundings were a reminder of all the people they had lost, most especially Kari.

They finally came before the gate, the plaque with its ominous message hanging above them.

Elwin stared into the warped space blankly.

He had walked down with the others almost like some kind of Crassian automaton. Acting without thinking or question, just as he had to survive the past few weeks. But with the sight of the entrance to ADAM’s Labyrinth before him, Elwin was forced to confront what he was doing… And what he was about to do.

It was real.

Until this point, Elwin had still thought of ADAM’s Labyrinth as some myth, some convenient hypothetical, existing only to give himself and the other hopeless Apolphians something to cling onto as their world was dominated by the Incandestine’s otherworldly power. Not something that readily existed.

The elf from Ellenia had just assumed that he would enter the Labyrinth, just as he had simply faced P’tira’s and Vulana’s trials. It was a natural course to take after all. It was in part thanks to his efforts that the Labyrinth was open at all.

He had earned it. But he had never considered how badly he wanted it.

The tiny black spot before him demanded an answer.

Would he risk everything?

“…Elwin? Hey! Elwin!” A voice called. It was Lumie, waving her hand in his face, trying to get his attention.

“-Huh? Oh, what is it?” Elwin asked, snapping out of his daze.

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“Jeez, I thought a spell had been cast on you or something…” Her tone shifted to one of quiet concern. “What are you going to do?”

“I-I don’t know.” Elwin lied. Suddenly, he felt bad. Why did he lie? “What about you?” he asked, turning the question back onto her.

Lumie quietly contemplated what to say, rather than replying immediately with an anxious fluster as Elwin had. “I don’t know either.” She said eventually.

Leon spoke up. “I know.” He said with a sigh. “I’m not going in after all.”

When the others reacted with questioning eyes, Leon continued.

“I’m a fighter. A warrior. Not some saint that ADAM would rest his favour on. I have the feeling that as soon as I step into that gate, I’m as good as dead. Or maybe worse. ‘The brave are foolish to desire things they don’t understand’, ADAM put that there to spare people like me.”

Lumie showed her understanding to her brother with a nod.

“Elwin?” she asked again.

“I don’t know,” Elwin said. But this time, Lumie saw the guilt in his eyes, and heard the uncertainty in his voice.

“Elwin? Please. You finally made it, didn’t you? You finally made it here all the way from Ellenia. You lifted two of the seals and opened the Gate. You’ve done enough, haven’t you? Come on.”

Elwin was not sure how to respond. So he said nothing, pursed his lips and tried to avoid Lumie’s pleading eyes. “I’m sorry.” He said eventually, unable to bear her accusatory gaze.

“Hey, elf, are you really about to risk everything after everything you’ve done? Come on, let someone else take care of it. Look. High Priestess Blue, King Rolynd, Grandmaster Sophia and the Chief Mage have already entered. Let them handle it.” Leon said, trying to bring Elwin around.

“But who can guarantee that they will make the right decisions? That they will even pass ADAM’s ultimate test? That they will protect us? You’ve seen what has become of Al Dherjza, King Rolynd’s city. You’ve seen what has become of his armies! I’m sorry, but I can’t put my faith in anyone else anymore!” Elwin declared.

“But-” Lumie began.

But Elwin wasn’t done yet. “If even one of the Three Lords of Tenebria Coronum succeeds, who knows what they might wish for? The fighting might be over, but the war is not. It’s continuing… in there!” he said, pointing at the beckoning black hole.

Lumie was stunned into silence. Leon angrily opened his mouth once again. “Come now, you cannot expect the Three Lords to pass ADAM’s test, can you? Much less the Incandestine Empress. You’ve seen just how evil they are.” Lumie’s older brother growled.

Elwin’s response was in a voice just as low. “…You said it yourself, didn’t you? We are unable to judge people’s character. We can only judge their actions. Those four tyrants have indeed done terrible things. But who knows the true weight of their souls? I’m not going to wait around to find out. I’ll do whatever I have to, to keep us all safe.”

Leon was forced into silence, unable to argue against his own words.

“…If that’s how you really feel, Elwin, then I won’t stop you. I don’t want what might be the last memory we share to be us arguing like this.” Lumie said in a small voice. “And good friends support each other as much as they protect each other, no matter how knuckleheaded they might be.” She said, looking towards Leon, who sighed.

“Just remember that Kari died for this. He died and gave us all a second chance.” Leon grumbled. “We just don’t want to see you waste yours.”

“I’m not going to waste it,” Elwin reassured them, embracing each of them in turn. “I’ll come back... just you wait.”

And with those words, he stepped forward.