Chapter 30 - Descent

Vanessa dashed toward Mary, a wide, wicked grin spreading across her face as she extended her hand, launching razor-sharp ice spikes. Frozen in fear, Mary couldn’t move, her gaze locked on the incoming attack. Just as the deadly shards drew near, Yumiko flung her arm out, summoning a powerful gust of wind that blasted Mary sideways, knocking her clear as the ice spikes whistled past, embedding themselves in the ground where she’d just stood.

“Snap out of it!” Yumiko shouted, her voice trembling with urgency. She nocked an arrow and fired it at Vanessa, who deftly sidestepped, her grin unbroken, eyes gleaming with thrill.

Meanwhile, Lukas squared off with Ronan. The large attacker’s fists clenched inside his gauntlets with some excitement. His eyes smoldered with intensity as he stared down Lukas.

Ronan met his glare with a smirk. “Quite the hateful look you’re giving me. Tell me, do we know each other?”

Lukas tightened his grip on his sword, his voice low and cold. “I’d remember the eyes of a devil.”

The remark wiped the smirk from Ronan’s face, a flicker of anger sparking in his eyes. “Careful with your words,” he hissed. “These eyes are a gift from our master. They drain courage from the souls of lesser foes. But you—” he studied Lukas, who stood tall, radiating defiance— “you’re a rare one. No fear. Only hate.”

Ronan’s gaze drifted to the tag around Lukas’s neck, a metallic gleam catching the light. “And a level one at that. Do you really think you can face me?”

“Enough talk,” Lukas said, taking a step closer, his voice dripping with disdain. “That’s all your group does—talk, like you know everything.”

Ronan chuckled darkly, shaking his head. “Tell me, does this hatred truly stem from a stranger? Or is it possible we’re... connected somehow? Perhaps we’ve met before? I’ve had these visions… showing and leading me to this moment. Surely you’ve felt this way before, haven’t you?”

“I’ve never met you,” Lukas snapped, his voice sharpened by fury. “I despise you because of what your friend did to my group five years ago!”

Before Ronan could respond, Lukas lunged, his blade flashing as it cleaved through the air. Reacting on instinct, Ronan backpedaled just in time, Lukas’s sword slamming into the ground with a force that splintered the stone beneath.

“You left yourself open!” Ronan sneered, raising his fist to counterattack. But as he looked up, Lukas’s armored fist was already hurtling toward him.

The punch struck with brutal impact, snapping Ronan’s head back as he staggered, skidding across the floor. Stunned, he lifted a hand to his face, where a thin trickle of blood ran down his cheek.

He wiped the blood with the back of his hand, staring at it with a new sense of wariness. “You’re no level one, are you, boy? First the fake explosive trick, now this speed and strength... Far too much for a rookie.”

"I said enough talk!" Lukas roared, charging at Ronan with unyielding determination.

Ronan grinned fiercely, "I agree! Time to show you what I’m made of!" he shouted, rushing forward to meet Lukas head-on.

Across the room, Yumiko fired a frantic volley of arrows at Vanessa, her hands shaking. She cast a quick, desperate glance at Mary, who remained frozen in place, terror evident in her wide eyes. “Mary!” Yumiko called out, her pulse pounding as her arrows flew past Vanessa, each one missing its mark.

Vanessa sneered, raising her hand. With a flick of her fingers, a wall of ice materialized, intercepting the arrows. “You’re so boring!” she jeered, shattering the wall into a storm of massive ice shards that cascaded toward Yumiko.

Yumiko rolled to the side, but a jagged shard struck her leg, sending a sharp burst of pain shooting up her thigh. She yelped, collapsing onto one knee. As she struggled to rise, Vanessa created an icy path that snaked toward her. “I used this move to kill a blaenhorn,” Vanessa taunted. “Let’s see what you’ll look like suspended in the air!”

Just as Vanessa prepared to unleash another attack, a boulder smashed down between them, forcing her to stumble backward. Yumiko looked up, eyes widening as she saw Mary standing nearby, clutching her hammer, her breath coming in quick, shallow pants. A sheen of nervous sweat glistened on her forehead.

"Sorry... I’ll fight now," Mary stammered, her voice shaking but resolute. She tightened her grip on her hammer. "No more being a coward!"

Yumiko gritted her teeth, steadying herself as she stood. Pain throbbed through her injured leg, but she pushed it aside. "Just… try not to make eye contact with her. It doesn’t remove the effect, but it makes her a bit easier to fight."

Mary nodded, her gaze flicking cautiously away from Vanessa’s chilling stare. “Are you alright?” she asked, noticing Yumiko’s wince.

Yumiko forced a smile, concealing the pain. "I’ll manage."

The two women turned to face Vanessa, who was now rising to her feet, a twisted smile playing at her lips. “So, the other one’s found her courage and is willing to fight. This just got interesting!”

Suddenly, the ethereal voice spoke, reverberating in Yumiko and Mary’s minds: Children, you must run! Do not fight!

Vanessa’s head snapped up, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. “What was that?” she asked, her tone sharp.

Mary exchanged a worried glance with Yumiko. "Can she hear the voice?"

Yumiko shook her head, uncertain, as she reached for another arrow. “I don’t know. But it’s even more reason to end this!”

Vanessa’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “We can see holy magic with the eyes our master gave us. Whenever one of you communes with a holy spirit, it leaves a trail.” Her gaze locked onto Yumiko, and she pointed toward her shoulder. “I see it on you, right there. Someone’s talking to you, aren’t they?”

Yumiko’s eyes widened in surprise, and she clenched her arrow tighter, steeling herself for whatever came next.

Without warning, she fired an arrow at Vanessa. The woman ducked at the last second, feeling the rush of wind as the arrow whistled past. Mary seized the opportunity, raising her hands and summoning boulders from the ground. She hurled them toward Vanessa, who swiftly reacted, shooting a trail of ice onto the floor and skating across it with agile precision.

Boulder after boulder crashed down, each missing by mere inches as Vanessa effortlessly weaved through the chaos. Suddenly, one massive rock collided with her last known position, sending a plume of dust and debris into the air and obscuring her from view.

“Did I get her?” Mary called, her voice trembling with a mix of hope and adrenaline as she scanned the dusty aftermath.

“Where did she go?” Yumiko asked, keeping her bow drawn and aimed at the last spot they’d seen Vanessa.

But without warning, Vanessa darted out from behind the boulder, skating directly toward Mary with chilling speed. Startled, Mary desperately began hurling rocks in her direction, but Vanessa twisted and turned, evading each one. Yumiko loosed another arrow, but Vanessa conjured a small, shimmering shield of ice, deflecting the arrow with ease.

With a swift leap, Vanessa closed the distance, hurling her ice shield toward Mary. Mary raised her hammer just in time to block it, the shield shattering into a spray of icy shards. She barely had a moment to recover before Vanessa appeared in front of her, a small sword already in hand. Mary hefted her hammer to parry as Vanessa’s sword came down, the strike powerful enough to create a shockwave that rattled her bones.

Mary clenched her teeth, struggling to keep her stance steady under the force of Vanessa’s blow. Sensing an opening, Yumiko fired an arrow at Vanessa’s exposed side. But Vanessa twisted with uncanny speed, dodging the arrow and pulling Mary into her line of sight, using her as cover.

Mary tried to hold her ground, but Vanessa was a whirlwind of strikes, each movement fluid and merciless. She was small but strikingly strong, her attacks keeping Mary on the defensive. Desperate, Yumiko attempted to maneuver around for a better shot, but pain lanced up her leg from an earlier injury, causing her to stumble.

The battle between Mary and Vanessa was fierce, but it was clear Mary was outmatched. Vanessa’s movements were too swift, too precise. She danced around Mary’s hammer swings, taunting her with each dodge.

“Where’s the fight in you?” Vanessa laughed, her voice mocking as she struck with another feint. “Is that really all you’ve got?” She slashed again, her blade scraping along Mary’s armor, nearly finding the vulnerable gap between its joints.

Mary’s breaths came heavy and strained, her strength wavering. Yumiko, heart pounding, unleashed a flurry of arrows, but Vanessa rolled to the side, avoiding them with ease. Then, Vanessa moved to Mary’s flank, positioning herself just out of Yumiko’s line of sight, using Mary’s larger frame as a shield once more.

Frustration and panic filled Yumiko as she realized Vanessa was keeping Mary as a buffer, preventing her from getting a clear shot. Every time she tried to aim, Vanessa slipped around Mary, taunting them both with her relentless agility.

Vanessa’s smile grew as she slashed and dodged. “Oh, come now. This can’t be all you two have!” she sneered, as her blade pressed close to Mary’s shoulder. Mary fought to maintain her stance, but her strength was waning under the relentless assault. The room echoed with the clang of metal and the dull thud of stone as Vanessa toyed with her, her laughter cold and taunting.

Mary’s muscles tensed as she swung her hammer down with all her might, forcing Vanessa to backstep. Gasping for breath, she watched the attacker’s grin widen, her eyes glinting with something darker as she held something aloft.

Vanessa’s laughter echoed through the chaos, and she tossed a small pouch into the air, catching it effortlessly. “Missing something?” she teased, her voice dripping with mockery.

Mary’s hand flew instinctively to her belt. Her stomach twisted into a tight knot as panic surged through her veins. “My potions pouch!” she shouted.

From across the room, Ronan’s voice cut through the tension, harsh and commanding as he struggled with Lukas. “Enough playing around! Vanessa, finish them off and help me here! This one’s more trouble than he looks. Remember to leave one alive!”

Vanessa’s expression flickered with disappointment, but only for a moment. “I was just having a little fun,” she shrugged, then tossed the pouch into the air one last time. In an instant, she was gone, a blur of movement that was barely perceptible. By the time the pouch began to descend, she was already inches in front of Mary.

Caught off guard, Mary swung her hammer with all the strength she could muster, aiming to bring it down on Vanessa with crushing force. But Vanessa danced aside with a fluid grace. The hammer crashed into the ground with a deafening crack, splintering the stone beneath it.

Before Mary could recover from the missed strike, Vanessa’s blade flashed in a deadly arc, slipping through the seams in her armor and sinking deep into the joint at Mary’s torso. The shock of the blow was immediate, and Mary’s eyes widened in disbelief as the sharp pain coursed through her body.

A scream tore from her throat, but the sound was quickly drowned out by the thud of her hammer hitting the ground. Blood poured from the wound, and the light in Mary’s eyes flickered.

“Mary!” Yumiko’s voice broke through the haze of panic, her heart dropping to her stomach as she saw the bloodstained blade emerge from her friend’s side, glinting ominously in the dim light.

Vanessa’s face twisted in a smirk as she raised a boot and kicked Mary’s stomach, sending her hurtling across the floor toward the edge of a dark pit. Mary came to a halt, lying motionless, blood pooling around her as she gasped for breath.

Vanessa turned her gaze toward Yumiko, her eyes glowing with a dangerous red light. “Now,” she purred, “it’s time for you to take a nap.” She began moving toward Yumiko, her sword glinting, her steps slow and taunting.

Yumiko’s heart raced, and she found herself rooted to the spot. Move! Please, body, move! she thought, trying to will herself into action. But her fingers stayed locked around her bow, and her legs wouldn’t respond.

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Vanessa was nearly upon her when a sudden impact shattered the moment. Ronan’s body hurtled through the air, crashing into Vanessa and knocking her to the ground.

Yumiko blinked, the spell of fear breaking. She drew a sharp breath, her senses returning. Thank goodness. Lukas... Relief flooded her. With him here, we might just stand a chance.

But when she looked over at Lukas, her relief faded. He was limping toward her, his face smeared with blood, his armor dented, bruises covering his arms. His eyes still burned with fierce determination, though his breaths came shallow and labored. “The big one…” he growled, voice hoarse but steely. “He’s tough. But I’ll kill him.”

Yumiko cast a worried glance back at Mary, who lay near the pit, barely moving. “Lukas… Mary is down!. She’s… she’s losing blood. I don’t know if she’s going to make it—”

“I know.” His voice was hard, but she saw the strain in his clenched jaw as he forced himself to keep his gaze on their enemies, who were slowly pushing themselves back up from the floor.

Yumiko watched as Vanessa stood up, anger flashing in her eyes as she shoved Ronan aside. He staggered to his feet, looking as worn and bruised as Lukas. Yumiko leaned closer to Lukas, whispering, “It took everything Mary and I had just to scratch her. At this rate… we don’t stand a chance.”

Lukas shifted to stand protectively in front of her, his grip tightening around his sword. “That’s why you need to grab Mary and get out of here. Run while I hold them off.”

Yumiko shook her head, grimacing as she extended her injured leg to show the deep wound in her calf. “I can’t. Not with this injury… My healing magic barely dulls the pain. I’m not skilled enough to fix something this serious, and even a high-grade potion would need time to close a wound like this.”

Lukas’s jaw clenched, determination flickering through his fatigue. “No one’s dying under my watch,” he said, though his voice carried the weight of exhaustion. “There has to be a way.”

Yumiko’s gaze drifted to Mary’s still form lying near the edge of the dark pit. A flicker of an idea sparked in her eyes. “I think… I might have an idea. Do you trust me?”

Lukas frowned. “What is it?”

Vanessa and Ronan were beginning to approach, their eyes gleaming with malicious intent as they closed the distance. Yumiko whispered urgently, “I need you to unleash your strongest fire spell on them. I will take Mary and jump into the pit. You will have to follow right behind us.”

“Jump into the—”

“There’s no time to explain!” Yumiko cut him off, her voice fierce. She raised her bow, nocking an arrow as she glanced at him with unwavering confidence. “Just trust me!”

Vanessa smirked, her red eyes gleaming at Lukas. “Looks like you gave Ronan a hard time. Why don’t you try your luck against me?” She tilted her head as Lukas began sheathing his sword. Her smirk turned to disappointment. “Oh? Are you surrendering?”

Lukas took a deep breath, raising his hand as flames began to swirl around it. The intensity in his eyes sharpened, his focus locking on his opponents. Realizing his intent, Ronan’s eyes went wide. “Vanessa! He’s conjuring something big! Strike him down before he can finish!”

Vanessa’s calm facade cracked as she hastily raised her hand, launching a spear-like shard of ice toward Lukas. But before it could reach him, Yumiko’s arrow met it midair, shattering it into harmless fragments that fell like snow.

With his focus unbroken, Lukas completed his spell, releasing a roaring wall of flame that surged forward, filling the cavern with searing heat and a blinding light. The torrent of fire rushed toward Vanessa and Ronan like an unstoppable wave.

Vanessa, eyes wide, threw up her hands and conjured a thick ice barrier, but the fire was too fierce, crackling and consuming everything in its path. She gritted her teeth, digging her feet into the ground as the sheer force pushed her back. “Damn him!” she shouted, panic breaking through her anger.

Behind her, Ronan shouted, his voice strained, “Don’t let him overpower you! Hold your ground!”

As Lukas’ attack sent Vanessa and Ronan reeling, Yumiko didn’t waste a second. She rushed toward Mary’s motionless form, her heart pounding in her chest. Her gaze flickered to the torch Lukas had given her, lying nearby. Without hesitation, she grabbed it and hurled it into the pit, watching as it vanished into the darkness below.

“Now!” Yumiko shouted, her voice sharp with urgency. “Jump!”

She gave Mary’s limp body a gentle but firm nudge, sending her into the abyss. Without a moment’s pause, Yumiko followed, launching herself into the pit after her friend, both disappearing into the dark, the sound of their descent echoing in the cavern.

Lukas hesitated, still conjuring flames to hold back Vanessa’s relentless ice defense. He stole a glance over his shoulder and saw the yawning abyss of the pit behind him. He took a deep breath, cutting off the torrent of flames, and stepped backward, letting himself fall into the darkness below. Vanessa felt the pressure of his magic vanish and halted her enchantment, breathing heavily. As the steam and smoke cleared, she glanced around the now-silent room. Her opponents were gone.

Ronan, clutching his bloodied arm, stepped forward and shook his head. “They dropped down into the pit.”

Vanessa slammed her foot against the stone floor, frustration flashing in her eyes. “This is on you! You’ve been obsessed with that blond idiot for days, and when we finally corner him, you let him slip through your fingers!”

Ronan stalked over to the edge of the hole and peered down into its black depths. “Funny, since he managed to outsmart you just now… and back when he set off that explosive.” He smirked, stifling a wince as he pressed a hand to his wounded arm.

Vanessa’s glare tightened, but she bit back her retort. “Fine. So, what now?”

Ronan’s eyes narrowed as he met her gaze. “Isn’t it obvious? We follow them.”

Far below, in the pit’s eerie silence, Lukas saw the faint glow of the torch falling toward the bottom. Relief surged through him when he realized there was a bottom—but it was rushing up fast. Yumiko floated beside him, struggling against the freefall. She caught his eye, yelling, “I have a plan! Grab Mary, close your eyes, and trust me!”

Lukas maneuvered mid-fall, pulling Mary close as her limp form drifted toward him. He clenched his jaw, squeezing his eyes shut, hoping Yumiko’s plan would work.

With outstretched arms, Yumiko began to chant, her voice steady and urgent. “Goddess of Wind, hear my plea and come to my aid. Help us lift, help us glide, help us float!” She summoned her magic with every bit of focus she could muster. “Air Burst!”

A powerful surge of mana poured into Yumiko, pulsing from her fingertips as an intense blast of air shot downward, ricocheting off the pit floor and blowing back up through the shaft. The rush of wind hit their faces, pushing against their descent. They slowed but continued to fall, the ground rushing closer with each passing second.

Thirty meters. Yumiko pushed more mana into the spell, fighting exhaustion. Their descent eased, but still they dropped. Fifteen meters. She strained harder, her magic weakening. Five meters. Heart pounding, she squeezed her eyes shut, pouring the last of her strength into one final burst of air just before they hit.

With a bone-jarring thud, they landed. Lukas braced himself, still holding Mary tightly as he felt the impact shudder through him. Yumiko rolled to her back, gasping for breath, her limbs shaking from exertion.

They had reached the bottom of the pit, alive.

As they regained their senses, they noticed the faint glow of mana crystals embedded in the walls, casting the cavern in vibrant pink and blue hues. The shimmering light gave the space an otherworldly beauty, but Lukas barely registered it as he surveyed their surroundings and checked on his teammates.

Yumiko looked up, breathless and aching, to see Lukas already at Mary’s side, his expression unusually tense. “Hold on, Mary,” he murmured, glancing over her pale face. He reached for his pouch to retrieve a potion, but his fingers struggled to grip anything. Frustrated, he turned to Yumiko, his voice sharp with urgency. “Yumiko! Come here—grab a potion and use your healing magic on her, fast!”

Yumiko pushed herself off the ground but staggered as her injured leg buckled beneath her. She gritted her teeth, refusing to give in to the exhaustion tugging at her limbs. With a final surge of determination, she scrambled over to Lukas. Her hands were shaking as she dug into his pouch, knocking several potions to the floor in her haste. Finally, her fingers closed around a vial. She popped the cork and, carefully lifting Mary’s head, poured the thick, purple liquid into her friend’s mouth.

Lukas knelt beside her, finally managing to clasp one of the fallen potions with unsteady fingers. He handed it to Yumiko, his voice calm but firm. “Drink this. It’s going to taste horrible, but it’ll help restore your mana.”

Yumiko eyed the potion’s strange purplish color, hesitant. Before she could ask, Lukas added, “It’s a blend—a mana recovery potion with healing properties. It’s unrefined, so it’ll taste vile, but it’s potent. Better than most anything you’d find over the counter.”

Bracing herself, Yumiko took a large gulp. The bitterness hit her immediately, like rancid herbs and raw metal, but she forced it down, coughing slightly as she finished. Almost instantly, warmth spread through her veins as her mana reserves began to replenish. Even the small scrapes on her arms started to close up.

Refocused, Yumiko held her hands over Mary’s chest, gathering energy. She began to chant softly, her voice steady with resolve. “Oh goddess of life, goddess of healing, bless me with your grace. Restore the wounded and give strength to the weary… Heal!” Her hands began to glow with a soft, green light, an ethereal aura spreading over Mary’s still form.

As Yumiko poured more mana into her spell, she could feel her resolve intensify. I’m not going to fail this time… not like before… Her mind flashed back to the memory of the little boy from Torrwr, and the helplessness she had felt then. She couldn’t let that happen again.

Lukas remained silent beside her, his gaze fixed on Mary’s face. Though his usual cold demeanor remained, his eyes held a depth of worry he rarely showed.

Bit by bit, Yumiko could feel the warmth of her mana flowing into Mary, mending the worst of her injuries. When the spell was complete, Yumiko’s strength ebbed, and she slumped backward, panting. “I… I did everything I could,” she said, her voice weary but hopeful. “The potion took effect, so she’ll be stable for now. But she lost a lot of blood, and I think the healing was mostly external. Her internal injuries… those may still need attention. She’ll need a real healer or doctor soon.”

Lukas looked down at Mary, relief flashing briefly across his face as he exhaled a quiet breath. He nodded to Yumiko, his voice low. “Good work.” Yumiko slowly laid on her back, staring at the cavern ceiling as she tried to catch her breath.

In the dim light of the cavern, surrounded by softly glowing mana crystals, they sat in silence, catching their breaths and holding on to hope that Mary would pull through.

Lukas continued to study Mary’s face closely. Her breathing was shallow but steady, and, finally, the blood from her wound had stopped. Quietly, he reached to his side, picked up two more potions, and tossed them to Yumiko; they landed softly against her stomach. “One for you, and another for Mary.”

Yumiko pushed herself up and noticed Lukas’s trembling arms. His body bore the marks of their brutal fight: bruises, deep cuts, and a weariness that went beyond fatigue. “What about you?” she asked quietly. “You’re barely holding yourself together.”

Lukas gulped, clenching his jaw. “I’ll manage. I just need a moment. I have more potions.” He tightened his grip on his shaking arm, keeping it out of her view.

Yumiko turned back to Mary, lifting her friend’s head gently to pour more potion down her throat. Then, with a grimace, she uncorked her own vial and forced herself to drink it, gagging as the bitterness hit her tongue. Lukas spoke as she choked down the last sip. “Potion fatigue is real. If you take too many at once, your body stops responding, or you suffer side effects. That’s all either of you can have for the next six hours.”

As the potion’s warmth spread through her, Yumiko felt her wounds begin to mend, her leg injury slowly knitting itself closed. She glanced at Lukas, noticing him wince slightly as he shifted his shaking arm.

“It’s from the magic attack you used before we jumped, isn’t it?” she asked, watching his face. He kept his eyes averted, avoiding her gaze. “Mary asked earlier if you have the Silent Cough… Is that true?”

The cave was silent but for the steady drip of water from above, each drop echoing in the stillness. Yumiko looked down at Mary, struggling with the quiet tension between them. “I heard… that you’re funding research for a cure. Is it because you have it?”

Lukas said nothing for a long moment, his grip tightening on his arm. Finally, his voice broke the silence, low and hesitant. “I’ve been paying a research team in Daegheor—a medical town in the northern mountains to find a cure for the Silent Cough. I want to find a cure so no child grows up in a world where they have to watch their parents suffer... or worse.”

Yumiko listened intently, her gaze fixed on Lukas as he spoke, "The Silent Cough begins subtly, eating away at a person’s magic. At first, they lose control of their spells, or their magic starts to weaken. Most mistake it for a persistent cold when the flu-like symptoms set in. But after a month or two, things take a darker turn. The strength fades, the body grows weak. The throat tightens, making it harder to breathe, harder to speak. Eating, drinking... everything burns as if you’re swallowing glass. By that point, they can’t talk, can’t yell, can’t even cough. And eventually..." He trailed off, his face tightening, a coldness settling in his eyes.

Yumiko’s throat tightened at his words. “I’ve heard of its effects... from others, too. It sounds... grueling.”

Lukas looked at Yumiko, his gaze distant. “My father was one of the people who suffered from that disease,” he began, his voice soft but firm. “It’s why I’m committed to researching it. As for myself…” He took a breath, shaking his head. “I don’t know if I have it. I don’t know if I have a year left… a week, or a decade. But I promised myself, my father, and your brother too—I will find a cure. Even if it comes a day too late for me, I’ll still keep that promise. And I’ll find out who’s behind spreading this disease.”

Yumiko frowned, confused. “The Silent Cough isn’t contagious… is it?”

Lukas nodded. “That’s what everyone believes. The research team that I have been paying thinks it’s not spread person-to-person, but through something else. I believe the disease might be a curse inflicted on humanity by the gods—activated only under certain conditions. Like a trap, it targets people according to some hidden rules. That’s why finding these flowers may be the cure of the disease.”

Yumiko raised an eyebrow. “But I thought you didn’t believe in gods or heaven?”

He shrugged. “I don’t, really. I don’t think the gods care much about us. They’re not here to intervene or save us like some say. I respect them in the same way they seem to respect us… which is to say, not much. I guess you can say that I don’t believe in religions rather gods.”

Yumiko was silent, wrestling with his words. She didn’t agree, but she understood. With everything Lukas had been through. “So… you think you might die soon?”

Lukas stood up, his posture slightly stiff from the lingering battle wounds. “I don’t know.” He flexed his arm, wincing as he tried to shake off the tremors from his overexertion.

Yumiko watched him, her concern deepening. “Why don’t you drink a potion now?”

Lukas shook his head. “I used what we had on you and Mary.”

Yumiko bristled, standing up, “Lukas—”

“I made a choice. The people with me are my responsibility, and I have my own rules for that. Call it selfish, call it reckless—I don’t care. But no one dies under my watch.”

Yumiko took a deep breath, her hand reaching into her pouch. Slowly, she pulled out a small red potion—the one Lukas had given her during their carriage ride to the Evergreen region. “Here,” she said, holding it out. “I still have the one you gave me…”

“Keep it,” he replied, shaking his head. “We’re not out of danger yet. Those two are probably on their way down here right now.”

Yumiko glanced around the crystal-lined cavern, her voice tinged with worry. “You think they can find a way down?”

Lukas shrugged, glancing back at the glowing mana crystals embedded in the cavern walls. “They don’t seem like the kind to give up easily.”

Just then, a faint, raspy sound echoed through the cave. Yumiko turned, her heart leaping as she saw Mary’s eyes slowly flutter open, a weak cough escaping her lips.