"I can't do it... I can't," Elias cried, his vision blurry and his body weaker than ever. Rowan quickly took his hands, holding him as he climbed behind him, letting Elias's tired body lean on him.
"We're almost there... don't give up on me... on us," Rowan whispered.
Elias stared at him, hot tears streaming down his face. He squeezed his hand back, then slowly nodded. From the corner, Cyrus chanted even more words—the battle was both physical and spiritual. The candlelight flickered, the wind howled, and sudden darkness covered the land, thicker than ever.
"They who seek what they did not plant... shall harvest nothing," Cyrus murmured, then placed his hands within the mirror. And within the Damnforest, the heart-wrenching screams of Mistress Diana echoed, and she fell to the ground with a little blood dripping from her mouth.
Just then, a wave of pain hit Elias, and he cried out loud, his legs spread, his back arched upwards, and he squeezed Rowan's hand even harder.
