"Ken! Lenia!"
Darwin sprinted toward Lenia, her gaze locked on the distant trees, vacant and hollow. She was still paralyzed by the shock of what had just transpired. Darwin, his heart pounding, asked what had happened to Ken. But there was no time for answers. His hands moved instinctively, reaching Ken's body. Too late. No pulse. He clenched his teeth and wrenched the war axe from Ken's chest, blood-stained and heavy.
"Lenia, do you still have your [Teleport] rune? If you do, use it now. Get us to the city. Now!"
"I-I'll do it."
Lenia fumbled for the rune, her hands trembling, and whispered the incantation. In the blink of an eye, they were back in the safety of the inn.
Darwin laid Ken's body on the bed, his breathing labored, and turned to Lenia, demanding answers. Lenia spoke, her voice hollow, her eyes wide with grief, and when she finished, Darwin was silent—confusion and anger rippling across his face.
"Darwin... I'm going to bring him back."
"What are you saying?"
Lenia reached into her bag, pulling out a rune etched with the figure of a bird.
"I'm going to use this."
"Wait, if you use that rune—"
"I know!" she snapped, her voice breaking. "But I can't let him die. Not like this."
Her tears fell freely now, but she forced herself to take a breath, to steady her hands.
"Darwin... this is my choice. You don't have to understand, but I need you to accept it."
Darwin was torn. Ken was essential. They needed him to defeat the Demon King. But Lenia... Lenia was like a daughter to him.
"I can't stop you. But... what am I supposed to say to Ken?"
Lenia smiled softly, a smile that carried all the weight of her decision. She pulled out all her remaining runes, her hand steady despite the tears in her eyes.
"When he wakes, give these to him. Please."
Darwin's eyes shimmered, his voice thick with emotion.
"Ugh... I... I will. I swear it."
"Thank you." Lenia's smile widened, her tears subsiding for the briefest of moments. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Before I go... I want to thank you. You saved me, Darwin. Back when my clan was attacked, you were there. I never told you, but I always knew. And I'm grateful. For everything."
"Of course... It's... it's nothing... for me."
Lenia's fingers interlaced with Ken's as she held the [Phoenix] Rune in her other hand.
The rune flared to life, a bright, green aura enveloping Lenia. The air shifted, crackling with energy, as her life force—her very soul—flowed from her into Ken. Slowly, agonizingly, Ken's wounds began to mend, the torn flesh knitting itself together. Lenia gripped his hand tighter, her tears spilling onto his cold skin.
Memories flashed in her mind, moments that now felt like fleeting whispers in the wind.
- "Haha, look, Lenia! The slime can't even climb!"
- "Why is that hedgehog rolling toward me?!"
- "Wait, did that goblin just start dancing after I hit it?"
- "In my world, it's peaceful... mostly. Except for the war-torn regions."
- "Hm? Oh, I gave you that earring. Keep it."
- "Hey! Don't mess with Lenia!"
- "A wound like this? It's nothing, haha."
Each memory tore at her heart. Her body aged rapidly as her life force drained into Ken. Her hair turned white, her skin wrinkled and withered, and her voice grew faint, raspy.
"We're even now... haha... and... thank you... for everything."
Her final words came as a whisper, fragile as autumn leaves in the wind. Her consciousness faded, and her hand slipped from Ken's.
Lenia died with a smile etched on her now-aged face.
Darwin's face crumpled as he stood there, helpless.
"Ahh... if only I had come sooner... if only I could have saved them both..."
*Crash*
The door burst open, and the innkeeper rushed in, his eyes wide in shock at the blood on the bed.
"Sir, what happened?" He gasped, looking between Darwin and the lifeless Lenia.
"Bring... bring a coffin here," Darwin choked out, still holding Lenia's runes.
"A-a coffin? Right away, sir."
***
Two days later.
"Ugh, my head... where am I?" I woke, disoriented, my vision blurry. My body felt heavy, but I realized I was in an inn.
'An inn? Wait, so I didn't die when I saw my mother? But I'm sure... that orc's blow...'
I checked my body.
'The wounds are gone... did Lenia and the others bring me here? Did they find a healer?'
*Kreeek*
The door creaked open, and Darwin stepped in.
"Ah, Darwin."
"K-Ken..."
He rushed over and wrapped me in a tight embrace.
"Hey, what's with you?"
"Thank the gods... you're alive."
"Haha, didn't you know how tough I am? By the way, where's Lenia?"
Darwin froze, then slowly pulled away. His face, etched with pain, grew distant. He reached into his bag and handed me a small pouch.
"Lenia... she told me to give you this when you woke."
I opened the pouch. Inside were runes—her runes.
"These are Lenia's. Why would she—"
"Ken... Lenia... she's gone."
"Huh? Stop messing around, Darwin."
"..."
"Darwin... tell me this is a joke."
"... I'm sorry."
"No... NO! You can't be serious!"
My legs buckled, and I collapsed, tears flowing down my cheeks. My hands trembled as I gripped the runes.
"This isn't possible... Lenia is still alive, right? She's in the next room, right?"
"Ken... she's gone."
"You're lying!!"
I staggered to my feet, barely able to stand. Each step felt like a nightmare. My mind raced, clinging to the hope that Lenia was still here. She had to be.
'Lenia... you're here... I know you are.'
Darwin grabbed me, holding me back.
"Let go! I need to see her!"
"Ken! Face the truth! Lenia is gone!"
"You're lying! She's still here!"
*Thud*
"Wake up, damn it! Lenia sacrificed her life to bring you back! Her last words... were to thank you!"
"Ugh... Lenia... why?"
"Ken... I didn't want her to die either. But this was her choice. She didn't die as a [Runemaster] helping a [Hero]. She died as Lenia, helping Ken. She loved you. That's why she gave her life for you."
I couldn't hold it in anymore. I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably, as I clutched the last rune Lenia had given me.
"I buried her in Milson Village, east of the Verde Forest. If you need time... I'll leave you alone now."
Darwin walked out, leaving me with nothing but the silence and the runes in my hand.
'Why... why do I keep losing the people I care about?'
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Darwin, standing outside my door, heard my scream. His shoulders slumped, tears streaming down his face as he made his way back to the kingdom.
***
Deep underground, in the heart of Tenra Forest.
"Hahaha! My plan worked! I never thought she'd go so far as to sacrifice herself for that [Hero]."
"Boss, should we start preparing the army for the southern invasion?"
"Yes, but first, you need to retrieve something for the leader. He's requested a specific item."
"We'll get it done."
"Good. Head to the Verde Forest and bring it back."
"Understood!"
I immediately changed my clothes and donned my armor, preparing to head to the Kingdom of Rodrian to question Darwin about Lenia. But before that, I glanced at the runes Darwin had given me earlier. Each rune was marked with colored lines that formed a distinct pattern.
Pyro glowed red, Anemo a bright green, Geo a deep orange, Hydro a dark blue, Cryo a light blue, Dendro a rich green, and Electro a vibrant yellow. There were also three runes I couldn't identify.
"Lenia never told me about these…"
Two of the runes had patterns that resembled tubes (?), and the last one bore the intricate design of a bird.
"I'll ask Darwin about these later."
I carefully tucked the runes into my bag and grabbed my sword, which lay beside my bed. Without wasting any more time, I set out for the kingdom to meet Darwin.
When I arrived at the palace gates, I was allowed in, but what struck me was the hushed whispers among the guards stationed there.
"Did you hear? The last Runemaster died because of that incompetent [Hero]."
"Completely useless. That Runemaster could have been so valuable to him since he has no powers of his own."
I didn't care that they were talking about me. What infuriated me was how they treated Lenia, as if she had been nothing more than a tool at my disposal. I was about to confront them when Darwin called out to me.
"Ken!"
I turned to see Darwin approaching, and when he reached me, he said, "Understand... things aren't looking good. In the last two days, low-class demons have begun to spread since you were unconscious."
"Two days?"
"...Yes, and now I need your help to carry out a purge at the southern border."
"Before that, I need to ask you something."
"What?"
"Why... why did Lenia die? And explain these three runes to me." I pulled out the three runes I didn't recognize.
Darwin glanced at them and explained.
"These two are [Teleport] runes. If you see that one has no color, it means it's already been used. The other one is a [Phoenix] rune... and that's the one Lenia used to bring you back."
"So... she used *this* rune?"
"...Yes."
I paused, my heart heavy with the weight of the truth. After that, I asked Darwin more about the demon invasion, listening carefully to his explanations.
"Alright, I'll join you."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."