Grey's eyes fluttered open, the soft glow of a warm yellow light filling his vision. It was Cynthia, her hands aglow as she poured healing magic into his chest. The wound from the earlier slash, a deep horizontal cut, throbbed painfully beneath her touch. Her arms radiated a faint luminescence, like the glow of dragonflies in the dark.
"Cynthia…" Grey's voice was barely audible, strained and weak.
"Don't talk, Grey. You're hurt," Cynthia replied, her voice trembling with worry as she focused on mending his injuries.
"Zarek…" Grey forced the words out, urgency in his tone. "What about Zarek?"
Cynthia froze for a moment, her hands faltering slightly. She didn't answer, but the silence was enough. Grey's chest tightened, and his heart sank.
"I see," he murmured, his voice carrying the weight of grief.
Determined to assess the situation despite the searing pain, Grey tried to lift his head. His blurred vision caught glimpses of the battlefield. The white-haired man stood tall in the distance, an unyielding and cold presence. Before him, Cain and Kai stood side by side, tense and ready. On the other side, Eva lingered at a distance, her stance firm yet unreadable.
The pain overwhelmed him, forcing his head to drop back to the ground with a dull thud. He groaned, his body too battered to keep fighting, his mind lingering on the loss of his friend and the peril they now faced.
Cain's voice resonated through the battlefield, sharp and unwavering, yet carrying the weight of years-old pain. "Five years ago, my team and I entered that cursed portal. I was the only one to make it out alive. My captain, my comrades—slaughtered like they were nothing. By one of you." His glare locked onto the white-haired figure. "I never thought I'd see another monster like that. What's your purpose? What do you want from us?"
The white-haired man, unbothered by Cain's anger, stood motionless for a moment before finally breaking the tense silence.
"You are correct," he began, his voice cold and detached, laced with quiet menace. "I am a Valtarian. My name is Namior. I owe you no further explanations, but I will tell you this: our purpose is simple—the complete annihilation of your world. That is why we are here. Anyone who stands in our way… will be obliterated."
Kai's voice cut through the rising tension, low but brimming with barely-contained fury. "Old man… are you saying this bastard is one of the people who killed my sister in that portal?"
Cain's usual composed demeanor faltered. His shoulders sagged slightly under the weight of guilt. "Yes.... I knew her," he admitted, his voice tinged with regret. "Dara… she sacrificed herself to save me."
Kai's fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his entire body trembling with barely-contained rage. His breathing grew heavier, and his eyes blazed like an inferno as he took a step forward, his voice rising.
"So it's your fault," he spat, his voice cracking with grief and fury. "How is it fair that you're here breathing while she's not?!"
Cain didn't flinch, his expression grim but unwavering. "Fair?" His voice was calm, yet there was a storm beneath it. "In a battlefield, there is no such thing as fair. What exists are the choices we make. Her choice…" Cain's voice faltered for a moment, the image of Dara flashing in his mind, "…was to sacrifice herself to save me."
His gaze darkened as another memory surfaced—Zarek. "And his choice," he continued, his voice steady but heavy, "was to enter this mission knowing full well it might cost him his life."
Kai's anger boiled, but Cain pressed on, his tone sharpening. "There's no room for regrets here, Kai. Regrets only insult the sacrifices of those who gave their lives for us. Dara… Zarek… they made their choices, and now it's our turn."
He took a step forward, his voice ringing with determination. "We have a choice—to stand and fight this monster here and now, stop him from entering our world, and protect the lives of those still with us. Hate me if you want, but some of your teammates are still alive. Are you going to throw them away too?"
Eva bit her lip, the weight of Cain's words hitting her hard. Zarek's face flashed in her mind, and she clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She didn't speak, but her trembling shoulders and the single tear that fell from her eye betrayed the turmoil within.
Cain's gaze swept over them all. "This is our time. We fight for them. We fight for the future they gave their lives to protect."
Namior's piercing blue eyes gleamed with intrigue as he looked at Cain. A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "You've piqued my interest, human. What's your name?"
Cain raised his sword, its crimson glow casting shadows over his face. His gaze was unwavering, his voice cold and resolute. "The name's Cain Locke, but don't bother remembering it. You won't be alive long enough to use it."
Kai stepped forward, his fists clenched, and determination blazing in his eyes. "Hey, Cain. For this once, I'll help you take this monster down. But don't think this means I've acknowledged you or anything."
Cain let out a dry chuckle, glancing at Kai over his shoulder. "Just what I'd expect from Dara's little brother," he said with a faint smirk, the mention of her name laced with bittersweet pride.
Kai stiffened at the mention of his sister but didn't respond. Instead, he shifted his stance, preparing for battle. Eva drew an arrow from her quiver, the faint glow of her skill radiating from her bow as she stepped into position.
Namior's smirk widened, his expression almost amused. "Ah, how delightful. Even amidst your hopelessness, you find resolve. It's almost admirable... if it weren't so futile. Shall we begin?"
Cain tightened his grip on his sword, his voice a low growl. "Enough talk. Let's finish this."
The tension in the air was palpable as everyone shifted into their battle stances. The silence of the battlefield was shattered by the piercing whistle of an arrow cutting through the air with devastating force.
Namior's eyes narrowed as he reacted with uncanny speed, his golden spear whipping upward. The arrow clashed against the spear, the collision redirecting its trajectory. A thunderous explosion erupted as the deflected arrow struck the ground, shaking the area.