The silence that followed Zara's exit was broken by the sound of her own hurried steps returning to the crystal.
Her mind was still processing the last image she saw: the monster launching itself at impossible speed toward Elio and Micah.
The arm she had lost was slowly beginning to regenerate, but the physical pain was insignificant compared to the anguish growing in her chest as the seconds dragged on without any sign of her friends.
"No!" she shouted, extending her hand toward the shining surface.
"Why aren't they coming out? We should go back!" Lila's voice trembled with fear and determination. Her hands moved nervously toward the crystal too.
But instead of the familiar pull of transportation, luminous words appeared in the air:
"Access denied. The challenge has been completed. Access to the deposit's temple is available only through the upper entrance."
"It can't be!" Lila threw herself at the crystal, but got the same result.
"I shouldn't have left first," Zara murmured, her voice laden with remorse. "I should have maintained the prison, given them more time..." Her newly regenerated hand closed in a fist of frustration.
Then she realized what the crystal was saying...
"Upper entrance?" Zara murmured, her mind working frantically. "Do we have to fly to the top of the deposit?"
"We won't have enough mana for several hours," Mei calculated, her voice trembling slightly. The guilt for having been the first to leave continued gnawing at her conscience, making her analyze every possible solution with desperation. "We spent everything in the battles..."
'Was I too selfish?' Mei asked herself over and over. 'I just followed Elio's orders to the letter, didn't I?'
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Years of education in the privileged families' branch had ingrained in her an almost sacred respect for hierarchy.
As a minor branch of the ex-privileged families, she had been raised to follow orders without questioning them, to respect the authority of those above her. But now, that same obedience she had always considered a virtue weighed on her like guilt.
"Hey, hey, calm down girls," Kriz's voice tried to sound light, although the tension was evident even in his usual joking tone. "Elio gave an order. Obeying our leader isn't cowardice."
"Kriz is right," added Brok, his deep voice conveying a calm he didn't feel. His own arm was also regenerating, but like Zara, he barely noticed the pain. "Elio isn't just our friend, he's our leader. He trusts us to follow his orders, even when they're difficult."
"But they're in there!" Lila protested, tears of frustration forming in her eyes. "With that... thing."
Kriz tried another joke, something about how Elio was too stubborn to die, but it fell flat in the tense atmosphere. Even his usual smile seemed forced.
The monster's laughter this time was longer, more terrible.
"To warn the queen that the time has come, of course. For her to send all possible soldiers. To finally end the parasitic humanity."
Its claws pressed slightly against Micah's skin. "Tell me, little parasite, how did you get here? How many high-level humans are there? And where is your leader? The one they call 'Von' is the grand prize... If you tell me who it is, I'll let you go."
"Don't tell him anything!" Micah shouted, his voice firm despite the pain. "Enter the book, Elio!"
The monster responded by increasing the pressure. "I'll tear off his head if you don't at least tell me where your leader is."
"Let me die!" Micah insisted, blood beginning to flow where the claws pressed. "Enter the book! He must have a reason for getting the information so don't let this bastard get what he wants!"
Elio felt his heart being torn apart. He couldn't let Micah die, not like this, not because of him.
The words started forming in his mouth, the information the monster wanted...
Before Elio could reveal information, a memory crossed Micah's mind in a flash. It was a sunny day, one of those moments of pure happiness with his father. The pain in his neck momentarily vanished before the warmth of that memory. 'I miss you, father' he thought, and a strange peace invaded him.
"SHUT UP, ELIO!" he shouted with all his strength, interrupting his friend's confession.
The monster tightened its grip, making blood flow more profusely, but Micah continued speaking, each word a battle against the pain in his throat.
"If you want to make decisions as the leader," his voice cracked but remained firm, "you have to become stronger and kick this damned spawn's ass!"
Elio's eyes opened with horror as he understood what Micah was planning. The monster also seemed to sense that something had changed, its claws pressing deeper to try to silence him and let the other human release the information.
"Thanks for not abandoning me, Elio," Micah's voice softened for a moment, a sad smile forming on his bloodied lips. "And I'm sorry..."
Tears began running down Elio's face while he frantically shook his head.
"But I won't let you abandon what's most important like our fathers did..." Micah coughed blood, but his eyes shone with determination. "I'm going to give them a good lecture... Hey stupid monster... START COUNTING TO 100,000 WITH YOUR QUEN'S ASS!"
When the monster processed the meaning of the words it tried to get the credit, its claws moving to tear out his throat, but those instants it took to understand were enough...
Micah was faster.
With a movement no one expected, he used his last mana point on his own dagger to cut his neck.
"MICAH!"
Time seemed to stop. Elio watched, paralyzed, as his friend's head fell to the ground. The monster, for the first time, showed something close to surprise in its black eyes.