Helena's laugh, though brief, was like a breath of fresh air after the suffocating weight of battle. She stood up, still touching the spot where the gash had once been, as if in disbelief that the injury was gone. The air around us buzzed with shock, and the others—Rodrick, Garreth, and the medics—stared at me as if I had just performed a miracle.
"I… I don't know what to say," Helena said, her voice softer now, almost unsure.
"Just focus on getting back to full strength," I replied, trying to brush off the attention. I wasn't used to this kind of spotlight, and the truth was, I wasn't entirely sure what had just happened myself. I had summoned a healing potion straight out of The Path of Heroes—a game item, something that shouldn't exist in this world. And yet, here it was, a small vial of liquid that had just saved a life.
Rodrick stepped forward, his eyes fixed on me. "That… that was something else, Your Highness," he said slowly, as if trying to choose his words carefully. "I've seen many things on the battlefield, but that? Summoning a potion like that out of thin air?"
I shrugged, trying to maintain my casual demeanor. "I've always had a knack for improvisation."
Rodrick's expression shifted from shock to amusement, though I could see the wheels turning in his head. He was an old soldier—experienced, pragmatic, and not one to believe in miracles. Yet here we were.
"Improvisation or not," he said with a nod, "you've just saved one of our best. For that, we're all grateful."
Garreth, who had been watching Helena with a keen eye, let out a low whistle. "You keep pulling stunts like that, Your Highness, and people are going to start thinking you've got some divine blood in you."
I chuckled at that, though inwardly I felt the weight of their expectations. They had all witnessed something they couldn't explain, and the truth was, I couldn't explain it either. The powers I had tapped into—the aura, the Gate of Babylonia, the ability to summon objects from the game world—it all defied the logic of this reality.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on that. We had won the battle, yes, but the war was far from over. The barbarians had been driven back for now, but we had barely survived this assault. The kingdom of Eldoria still faced countless threats, and there was no guarantee that we'd be this fortunate again.
"Your Highness," Rodrick said, his voice bringing me back to the present. "What you did here… it's nothing short of remarkable. But it's clear that whatever power you're drawing from, it's only the beginning."
I met his gaze, trying to gauge his meaning. "The beginning of what?"
Rodrick glanced over at Helena, who was now speaking quietly with Garreth and Emory, her strength visibly returning with every passing moment. Then, he looked back at me, his expression serious.
"The beginning of something bigger than all of us," he said, his tone low but resolute. "You've always been destined for greatness, Your Highness. King Valen knew it, and I think deep down, so did you."
I exhaled slowly, the weight of his words sinking in. "You're giving me too much credit, Rodrick. I'm still figuring all of this out."
"And you will," he said, his voice firm. "But make no mistake, this power—whatever it is—you're going to need it. Eldoria is going to need it."
I nodded, though inwardly, I felt the burden of responsibility growing heavier. I had spent most of my life trying to avoid the expectations that came with being a prince. The previous Eldric Valen had been weak, spoiled, and unworthy. But now, after everything that had happened—the battles, the awakening of these strange powers—I could no longer afford to hide from that destiny.
"Maybe," I said, my voice quieter now. "But I didn't win this battle alone. I had all of you with me."
Rodrick's expression softened. "You're right about that, Your Highness. But you led us. You gave us hope when the odds were against us. That's what a leader does."
Before I could respond, Garreth's booming voice interrupted. "Helena's looking much better, but we've still got some cleanup to do here, Your Highness. What's the plan?"
I glanced around the battlefield again, noting the fallen soldiers, both ours and the enemy's. The barbarians had been driven back, but they were far from defeated. We needed to regroup, tend to the wounded, and reinforce our defenses before they could strike again.
"First, we gather our wounded and see to the fallen," I said, my voice steady now. "We'll fortify the camp here and send scouts to track the enemy's movements. We can't let them regroup."
Garreth nodded, already turning to bark orders at some of the remaining knights. Helena, now fully on her feet, walked over to me, her usual confident swagger returning.
"I hate to admit it," she said with a smirk, "but I might owe you one, Your Highness."
I raised an eyebrow, my lips curving into a playful smile. "Just one?"
Helena chuckled, though there was a warmth in her eyes that hadn't been there before. "Alright, maybe more than one. I didn't think much of you before this battle. Thought you were just another pampered noble who didn't know the first thing about real combat."
"And now?" I asked, curious.
She paused for a moment, her gaze meeting mine. "Now… I see you're different. Stronger than I gave you credit for. The king would be proud of what you've become."
I felt a pang in my chest at her words. King Valen—my father—had always been a looming figure in my life, one I had never quite lived up to. His death had left a void in the kingdom, one that I had been too weak to fill. But now, standing here on the battlefield, surrounded by those who had fought and bled for Eldoria, I realized something.
I wasn't just Eldric Valen anymore. I was Darius Caelum, too—someone who had lived and fought in a different world, someone who carried the lessons of the Path of Heroes with him. I wasn't my father's shadow. I was carving my own path.
"The king… he trained you, didn't he?" I asked, recalling what she had said earlier.
Helena nodded, her expression softening. "He did. Took me under his wing, treated me like I was his own child. Everything I know, everything I am, it's because of him."
"He must have seen something in you," I said, my voice low. "Just like he did in me."
She shrugged, though there was a flicker of sadness in her eyes. "Maybe. But I never got the chance to repay him for what he gave me. And now… well, now I guess I owe that to you."
I shook my head. "You don't owe me anything. Just keep fighting. That's how you repay him."
Helena smiled, a genuine warmth in her eyes. "You're not as arrogant as I thought you'd be, you know that?"
"Don't spread that around," I replied with a grin. "I've got a reputation to maintain."
She laughed again, and for a moment, the heaviness of the battle seemed to lift, replaced by something lighter. Something almost like hope.
But before we could say anything else, one of the medics approached, his face pale. "Your Highness, we need your attention. There are more wounded that require immediate care."
I nodded, my mind quickly shifting back to the task at hand. "Let's get to work."
As we moved through the battlefield, helping where we could, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. Not just within me, but within all of us. We had survived this battle, but the war was far from over. The power I had summoned today—the potion, the aura, everything—was just a glimpse of what I was capable of. But it was also a reminder that I had a long way to go before I could truly understand and control it.
Rodrick had said I was destined for greatness, that King Valen had seen it in me. But destiny wasn't something handed to you on a silver platter. It was something you had to fight for, something you had to earn.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows over the battlefield, I glanced at Helena, Garreth, Rodrick, and the others. These warriors—my comrades, my friends—they had fought beside me, trusted me, and saved me when I needed them most. I wasn't fighting this battle alone. I had them with me, and together, we would face whatever came next.
"I think we've earned some rest," I said with a sigh, leaning on my sword for a moment. "But we'll need to be ready for whatever's coming."
Rodrick chuckled softly. "Rest while you can, Your Highness. The next battle won't wait long."
"I know," I said, glancing at the horizon where the last traces of light were fading. "I know."
The kingdom of Eldoria was far from safe, and the enemies at our doorstep were relentless. But for the first time in a long while, I felt something stir within me—a sense of purpose, of resolve. I wasn't just a prince anymore.