Deep in the Golden gate Laura, Lana, Collin and Allen were standing at the entrance of the dark cave. Amon just left reducing their numbers by one, leaving them back with their original party.
Collin hugging his new staff close to his chest and slowly caressing it as one would do to a lover "Well it's just us again, what now?" He asked no moving his eyes from his staff.
"What other choice do we have other then moving forward." Replied Lana.
Allen nodded at her before speaking "Yes, but first I say we set camp here and get some rest before moving."
Collin visibly shuddered before adding "I agree, only Ysion knows what can be in that cave..."
Lana looked towards Laura who was still observing the Elixir in her hand "What do you think Laura?"
She raised her head from the bottle to look at them "I agree on getting a rest, I also need to use this." She said shaking the elixir in her hand.
Allen nodded at her then spoke "Okay, then it's decided let's set up camp."
*************
It did not take long before the party was seated around a small fire a distance away from the cave. Allen passed up some dried provisions to everyone who gladly accepted. The mood around the fire was somber, everyone was mentally and physically exhausted, they had been on the edge since they entered the gate and even though they passed the first area of flowery hell it came at the cost of one life.
No one knew what sort of danger was waiting for them in the cave, and that weighted deeply on their minds. Lana munching at her dried meat raised her head to look at her companions, Allen was cleaning his giant claymore in silence a somber look on his face, Collin was too busy eating with his right hand all the while his left one hugged his new staff tightly to his side. She turned her head to look at the last member of the party and the strongest, Laura had a serious look on her face while looking at the bottle in her hands.
"That's your reward yes?" Asked Lana trying to lighten the heavy mood, at her question Allen stopped cleaning his sword and raised her head to look at Laura curiously, Collin still stuffing his mouth looked at them as well waiting for Laura's reply.
"Yes..." Came Laura's brief reply.
Collin with his mouth still full asked "Aren't you going to drink it?"
"Are you an Animal? Don't speak with your mouth full." Lana threw him a disgusted look to which he just shrugged.
"Here goes nothing I guess..." muttered Laura opening the lid of the bottle, a very pleasant aroma leaked from it that cause all of them to feel more relaxed and energized. Collin stopped eating and looked at it with eyes wide open
"The amount of Pure Mana leaking out of that bottle is insane! Quick drink it!" He urged Laura, she then moved it to her mouth and downed the whole bottle in one gulp.
Everyone stood in silence waiting for the result, Laura looked at the empty bottle in her hands then looked at her companions her were staring at her.
"Well how do you feel?" Asked Allen
"I feel, no diffe—Ugh!" Before she could finished, she toppled to the ground clutching her head in pain.
Lana in distress jumped to her feet and went to Laura trying to help her out "What is happening to her?!!"
"I don't know! The amount of mana she is leaking is too strong!" Answered Collin as he stood up in shock, Allen dropped his sword to the ground and rushed to help Lana hold her up.
"AHHHHHHH!!!!" The almost inhuman scream of Laura came as she stood on her knees clutching her head. A shock wave pushed all the others away from her, she then started floating lightly above the ground with her eyes closed as the wind started to pick up making her clothes flutter. Her companions looked at her in concern but could not speak as they retreated a few steps further away from her as the wind surrounding her was growing stronger.
Lana in distress turned towards her friends and asked "What do we do??"
"We wait..." Allen replied with a somber look on his face, next to him collin had gaze glued at Laura while his fists were clutched.
The minutes passed as the team grew uneasy, the wind surrounding Laura has forced them to retreat even further away from her, forcing them near the entrance of the gate. They could barely make out the figure of Laura in the middle of the ever growing tornado, it was then however that something happened, Laura in the middle of the storm was undergoing a massive transformation, her hair turned to a bright white color that seemed to cast a holy shadow around her as it slowly grew longer reaching her knees, her skin started to change turning fairer and smoother, two wings that were nearly as tall as her body slowly spurted from her back each long, narrow feather tensed, they were as white as snow. Her eyes were still closed but to anyone that could see her she looked like a Goddess, no an Angel descending on earth.
The wind surrounding her slowly receded, as the group could now move closer to her, they were all shocked as her floating figure was soon made visible.
She then suddenly opened her eyes and the world seemed to stand still, her eyes were golden and seemed to illuminate the whole area as her gaze passed by the group they were frozen in place as they instinctively felt the urge to bow down in respect, but it was then that Laura's figure slowly floated down as she reached the ground her hair slowly changed back to it's former brown color her wings slowly faded until they were no more and the only thing that was left were her eyes that were now a bright golden color and her smooth white skin.