Behind the camp, within the crevices of the mountain wall, the flickering firelight danced against the cold, the tension in the air still lingering, refusing to dissipate.
Just as Kaine and Thalio prepared to infiltrate the orc stronghold once more, a low groan pierced through the silence of the night.
"She's awake!" Roddy jumped to his feet in surprise and joy, rushing toward the two still figures lying on the ground.
Lorne's eyelids fluttered slightly before she finally forced her eyes open. Her vision was blurry as she stared blankly at the rocky ceiling above her. Slowly, her gaze wandered across the surroundings, eventually landing on Roddy and Kaine's faces.
"You…," her voice was hoarse, filled with confusion and disbelief, "you really… saved us?"
"Of course!" Roddy grinned widely, his eyes glistening with tears. "I told you I'd come back for you, didn't I?"
"That's… wonderful… I thought…" Lorne's words trailed off as a single tear slid down her cheek. It wasn't a tear of sorrow, but one of relief—a release from the terror of near death.
At that moment, Milena also opened her eyes. Her reaction was quicker; she immediately sat up and checked Lorne's condition. Only after confirming that Lorne was safe did she allow herself to breathe a sigh of relief.
For a brief moment, joy filled the cave. Kaine softly asked, "How do you feel? Is there any discomfort?"
"Nothing specific… just a bit…" Lorne frowned as she tried to sit up, but a sharp pain quickly spread across her body, making her grimace.
Instinctively, she stretched out her hand, as if summoning the ice element to ease her discomfort. But nothing appeared. No frost, no resonance with the elements—there wasn't even the faintest trace of energy.
She froze.
"Let me try again…" she muttered through gritted teeth, extending her hand and concentrating with all her might—still, there was no response.
Her face turned pale as her lips trembled. "No… no, this isn't right… What's happening?"
A strange emptiness spread through her body, as if something vital had been ripped away. The void was cold, hollow, terrifying—an overwhelming chaos surged through her chest, spreading to every corner of her being.
"No!" she cried out, her voice filled with terror and denial. "This can't be happening! My power—where is it?! I'm still alive—why is it gone?!"
"Lorne, calm down—" Kaine stepped forward, trying to steady her.
"Calm down?!" Lorne shoved him away, her eyes wide with panic. "I've lost everything! They took my element away! I'm no longer a Conduit!"
She suddenly grabbed a dagger from nearby. Her hands trembled so violently she could barely hold it, but without hesitation, she pointed it at her chest.
"Then what's the point of living?!"
"Stop!" Roddy lunged forward, grabbing her wrist tightly. His eyes were frantic. "Don't do this! This isn't your fault!"
Kaine swiftly took the dagger from her hand, his voice low but firm. "Lorne, you're still alive. We saved you so you could have a choice—not to give up."
Finally, Lorne broke down. She collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face. "I can't… I'm useless now… I can't even avenge my parents… I can't do anything…"
Milena rushed to her side, wrapping her arms around Lorne, her own eyes brimming with tears. "You're not useless. We escaped because you held on. We're all still here—you're still here… That's what matters most."
The firelight cast flickering shadows across their faces. No one spoke. The air grew heavy, suffocating under the weight of their emotions.
Then, a soft, unfamiliar voice broke through the silence.
"…This feeling… is far too familiar."
Everyone turned toward the sound, their eyes widening in surprise. Emerging from the shadows of the night was a figure shrouded in a faint, ethereal glow. Her slender form seemed woven from mist and moonlight, her feet barely touching the ground. Her expression was calm, her gaze serene.
"Who's there?! Stop right there!" Milena immediately moved to shield Lorne, her arms spread protectively. "This aura… it's neither orc nor human."
"Wait!" Kaine quickly stepped forward, raising a hand to stop them. His voice was steady. "She's not an enemy. She's an elf. Her name is Lua, and she's an ally I met in the forest."
Lua's tranquil gaze swept across the group before settling on Lorne. Her eyes held neither pity nor sympathy, but rather a deep, contemplative scrutiny.
"An elf…?" Lorne murmured, stunned. Then, as if clinging to a final shred of hope, she stumbled toward Lua, desperation in her eyes. "You're an elf?! Then you must know how to save me… Please… I don't want it to end like this… I don't want to be useless!"
Lua remained silent.
Kaine stepped closer, speaking softly, "Lua, is there anything you can do to help her?"
Lua slowly closed her eyes, as if communing with an unseen force. After a moment, she opened them again, her voice deliberate and heavy. "There is a way… but it's a path fraught with peril. You must understand—it is nearly a dead end."
Everyone stared at her, their breaths held.
"If she can find an ice elemental spirit whose soul resonates with hers, and if both sides willingly undergo complete fusion, it may be possible to rebuild her connection to the elements. But such a fusion would almost certainly mean the sacrifice of one side's existence. And the price of failure…" Lua paused, her expression darkening. "…is the collapse of her soul, leaving behind only a mindless husk."
The cave fell into a deathly silence. Even the wind seemed to halt.
"…So she might die?" Roddy asked in a hushed voice.
"Worse than death," Lua replied.
The glimmer of hope that had briefly lit their faces was once again overshadowed by fear.
But Lorne lifted her head, her gaze unexpectedly calm. "I'm willing to take that risk. If that's the only way I can regain my power, then I'll do it. Even if the price is my life."
Milena's face turned pale as she clutched Lorne's hand tightly. "No, you can't… We just got you back… You can't gamble your life again…"
"I don't want to be someone who needs protecting," Lorne said softly. "I want to fight. I want revenge. I want to stand alongside all of you."
Lua watched her for a long moment before finally nodding. "I will help you."
The cave, still cold and shadowed, seemed to grow a little warmer in that fleeting moment of trust and resolve.
After a brief rest, Kaine outlined the plan he had originally devised. To everyone's surprise, both Lorne and Milena volunteered to join the mission.
"This time, I won't hide behind you," Lorne said to Kaine, her expression calm yet determined. "I'll face this in my own way."
Milena added softly, "We'll do this together."
Kaine nodded, his eyes glimmering faintly. This battle wasn't just about striking back at the orcs—it was about protecting each other and reclaiming the power and dignity that had been stolen from them.
As the fire burned low, the cave fell into a brief silence.
Just as they were preparing to set out, a deep voice echoed from the entrance. "No."
Startled, they turned to see the mysterious prisoner, Rey Sahir, standing in the shadows of the rocky entrance. One hand rested on the stone wall, his gaze as deep as the night.
"You must not go back there," he said, his tone calm but carrying an unyielding weight.
"There are still lives waiting to be saved. We can't just ignore them!" Kaine replied firmly.
"What you've seen is only the surface," Rey said, his eyes scanning each of them before settling on Kaine. "You're young. Too impulsive. The truth behind all this is not something you're ready to face."
"We're not looking for the truth," Thalio said, stepping forward, his tone passionate. "We're trying to stop those cruel experiments!"
"Elamiah is already in chaos," Roddy added. "If even the elves are being used as materials, it's only a matter of time before we're all destroyed."
"I understand your passion and ideals," Rey said, his voice heavy. "But if you go back now, you'll only be throwing your lives away. The forces behind all this are far beyond what you can imagine. This isn't just the work of orcs or shadow elves."
The group froze.
"What do you mean?" Kaine asked, frowning.
Rey didn't answer directly. Instead, he stepped out of the shadows, positioning himself in the middle of the path leading out of the cave.
"If you want to go back, you'll have to get past me first."
The air grew tense, the pressure in the cave rising sharply. Rey's long-suppressed aura began to seep out, like a beast finally unleashed, suffocating everyone in its wake.
Kaine's eyes widened as he faced Rey directly for the first time. In those eyes, there was no hostility, no pity—only unshakable resolve and a sorrow born of countless battles.
Thalio drew his twin blades. "This isn't the fight we want… but if we have no choice… we won't back down."
"I'll show you that reckless impulsiveness won't lead to victory," Rey said coldly. The atmosphere around him shifted in an instant, the air cutting like blades.
Kaine took a deep breath, gripping his sword tightly as he locked eyes with Rey. Though his feet remained still, his heart was resolute.
This battle was about to begin.