The group finally reached the outskirts of the Ocean’s Heart, a vast crystalline cavern submerged beneath
layers of dense forest and treacherous cliffs. The air was thick with magic, the very ground humming with
latent energy.
Before delving into the cavern, they decided to rest at a nearby clearing. The tension of their journey had
taken its toll on everyone, and the looming trial weighed heavily on their minds.
As the campfire crackled and the others drifted off to sleep, Selvi approached Kira. Her usual confident
demeanor seemed softer, more vulnerable in the flickering light.
“Kira, can we talk?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
He glanced up, surprised by her tone. “Of course.”
They stepped away from the camp, the jungle alive with the soft chirping of crickets. Selvi led him to a
nearby hill overlooking the cavern entrance, the moonlight casting a silvery glow over the landscape.
“I’ve been thinking,” she began, her bow slung loosely over her shoulder. “About… us.”
Kira blinked. “Us?”
She nodded, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. “You’ve changed a lot since we met. Back then, I thought
you were just some clueless kid, way out of your depth. But now… you’re becoming someone I can’t help
but admire.”
Kira scratched the back of his neck, feeling a mix of pride and embarrassment. “I don’t know about that. I’m
still figuring things out.”
Selvi smiled, stepping closer. “Maybe. But you’ve got something special, Kira. Something worth following.”
Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, Selvi reached out, brushing a
stray lock of hair from his face.
“You’re always so focused on protecting everyone else. Don’t forget to let someone protect you, too,” she
said softly.
Before he could respond, she leaned in, her lips brushing his in a tender, fleeting kiss.
When she pulled back, her cheeks were bright red. “That was… probably stupid.”
Kira shook his head, a small smile playing at his lips. “Not stupid. Brave.”
They stood there for a while, the silence comfortable, the bond between them deepening in the quiet
moonlight.
The next morning, the group entered the cavern. The crystalline walls glimmered with an otherworldly light,
reflecting and refracting their torch flames into a kaleidoscope of colors.
Lyria hovered beside Kira, her expression grim. “This place is alive. Be on guard. It will test all of you in ways
you can’t imagine.”
The group pressed forward, the path twisting and turning as if designed to disorient. The deeper they went,
the colder it became, until their breath misted in the air.
Darumu frowned. “This doesn’t feel right. It’s too quiet.”
Suddenly, the ground trembled. A low growl echoed through the cavern, growing louder with each passing
second. From the shadows emerged a hulking beast—a Hydralis Wraith, its six heads snapping and snarling,
each one glowing with a different elemental energy.
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“Scatter!” Lyria shouted as the beast lunged.
The fight was chaotic, each head spewing fire, ice, or lightning. Darumu and Mira worked together to
distract the beast, while Selvi fired arrows at its glowing eyes.
Kira, struggling to focus, activated his Arcane Rift ability, his sword glowing with arcane energy. He managed
to slice off one of the heads, but the beast roared, its remaining heads lashing out with renewed fury.
As the battle raged, one of the heads lunged toward Kira, its jaws snapping shut around his torso. Blood
sprayed as he cried out in pain, his sword clattering to the ground.
“Kira!” Selvi screamed, her eyes wide with terror.
Ignoring her own safety, she charged forward, firing arrows into the beast’s neck. The distraction was
enough for Darumu to land a powerful chi-infused strike, severing another head.
Selvi dropped her bow and pulled Kira free from the beast’s jaws, her hands trembling.
“Kira, stay with me!” she pleaded, pressing her hands to his wounds.
Lyria’s voice echoed in his mind. “You’re not done yet, Kira. Fight!”
But the Hydralis Wraith wasn’t finished. One of its heads reared back, charging a blast of dark energy. Selvi
saw it coming and made her choice.
She threw herself over Kira, her body shielding him from the attack. The blast struck her full force, sending
her flying across the cavern.
“Selvi!” Mira cried, rushing to her side.
Selvi’s breaths were shallow, her body battered and broken. Kira, barely conscious, crawled toward her, his
vision swimming.
“Selvi… no,” he whispered, tears streaming down his face.
She smiled weakly, her hand reaching up to touch his cheek. “Guess I… got to protect you, after all.”
Her hand fell limp, and the light faded from her eyes.
The group was forced to retreat, carrying Kira and Selvi’s body out of the cavern. Darumu led the way, her
jaw clenched, tears streaming silently down her face. Mira sobbed openly, her healing magic unable to bring
Selvi back.
When they finally emerged into the daylight, Kira collapsed to his knees, clutching the orb.
“This is my fault,” he whispered. “I wasn’t strong enough.”
Lyria appeared beside him, her expression uncharacteristically somber. “This is the cost of the path you’ve
chosen, Kira. But you can’t let it break you. Selvi wouldn’t want that.”
Darumu placed a hand on his shoulder, her voice trembling. “We’ll avenge her, Kira. But we need you to
lead us.”
Mira knelt beside him, her hand resting over his. “Selvi believed in you. We all do.”
That night, as Kira stared into the orb, a voice echoed in his mind—Selvi’s voice.
“Don’t stop, Kira. Keep going. For all of us.”
The orb pulsed with light, as if responding to her words.
Lyria appeared, her expression grim. “The trial will be harder now. The Ocean’s Heart won’t just test your
strength—it will test your resolve. Are you ready for that?”
Kira stood, his determination renewed. “I have to be. For Selvi.”
As the group prepared to return to the cavern, the stakes had never felt higher. The Ocean’s Heart awaited, and with it, the answers they desperately needed.