Chapter 23: What Lies Ahead
The battlefield was a wasteland of shadows and broken earth. Silence, thick and eerie, settled over the area where Avenis had been defeated. The swirling dark energy that had once radiated from him was gone, dissipating into the night like a bad dream. Jin-Seong stood in the middle of it all, his sword lowered, Ara's light dimming as exhaustion settled into his bones.
His breath came in ragged gasps, his muscles aching with the strain of the fight. So-Ra and Yeon-Hwa were equally worn out, both catching their breath nearby. So-Ra cleaned the blood off her wind-worn blade while Yeon-Hwa, still gripping her spear, scanned the area cautiously, as though expecting another threat to emerge from the shadows.
But it was over. Avenis was defeated.
"We won," So-Ra muttered, almost in disbelief. Her tone, however, lacked any sense of triumph.
Jin-Seong, wiping sweat from his brow, shook his head. "No. We survived. That's all."
Yeon-Hwa's eyes narrowed. "His final words. Do you think... the Hero Council truly serves the constellations?"
"It's more than that," Jin-Seong replied, his gaze darkening. "Avenis made it clear. We're pawns in their game. There's something far bigger at work here."
The three stood in silence for a moment, the weight of those words pressing heavily on their minds. Just as Jin-Seong was about to suggest moving out, a sudden breeze rustled the leaves behind them, and a familiar, playful voice broke through the stillness.
"Looks like we missed all the fun!"
Jin-Seong's eyes widened, and he turned swiftly to see two familiar figures stepping out from the shadows of the trees. Lily's bright red scarf fluttered in the wind as she approached, her bow slung over her shoulder, a sly grin on her face. Joon followed closely behind her, his staff glowing faintly with residual magic, a look of mild embarrassment on his face.
"Lily! Joon!" Yeon-Hwa exclaimed, her voice a mixture of surprise and relief. "Where have you two been?"
"Long story," Lily chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "But hey, seems like you managed just fine without us."
So-Ra raised an eyebrow. "Define 'fine.' You two always seem to show up after the hard part is over."
Lily shrugged, her grin not faltering. "What can I say? Perfect timing, as usual."
Jin-Seong's expression softened, though he could tell something had been off with their absence. "It's good to see you both, but what happened? You've been gone for a while."
Joon stepped forward, his face more serious now. "Avenis set up traps outside the battlefield. We sensed a disturbance, and when we investigated, we got caught in a spatial distortion. It delayed us long enough for the battle here to begin. By the time we broke free, it was already too late to join you."
"A spatial distortion?" Jin-Seong repeated. "Avenis must have been planning for more than just a direct confrontation."
Lily nodded, her eyes narrowing. "It felt like a diversion. Something meant to keep us apart so we couldn't overwhelm him together."
So-Ra crossed her arms. "Clever. Annoying, but clever."
Joon looked around the battlefield, his gaze settling on the place where Avenis had fallen. "I assume he's gone?"
"Yes," Jin-Seong confirmed. "But before he died, he said something... disturbing."
Lily and Joon both leaned in, their expressions darkening as Jin-Seong recounted Avenis's final words about the Hero Council being controlled by the constellations. The implications hung heavily in the air.
Joon's brow furrowed. "If that's true, then the corruption we've been seeing in the Hero Council runs deeper than we thought. The constellations themselves... could they truly be involved?"
Lily's playful demeanor had vanished, replaced with sharp focus. "If they are, we've got a much bigger problem than just Avenis or the Hero Council. We're talking about forces far beyond our understanding manipulating events."
Yeon-Hwa stepped forward, her spear still in hand. "Can we even trust the constellations we're contracted to, then? Ara's power—" she glanced at Jin-Seong, "—may not be what we think."
Jin-Seong looked up at the sky, where Ara twinkled softly, as though unaware of the turmoil below. "I don't know," he admitted. "But for now, it's the only power we have. We'll have to tread carefully."
"So what's the plan?" Lily asked, her hands resting on her hips. "We can't just go charging in blind, not with this new information."
Jin-Seong sighed, sheathing his sword. "First, we regroup. Everyone's exhausted, and we need to figure out our next move without rushing into anything."
Joon nodded in agreement. "We should head back to camp. It's safer to discuss our strategy away from here."
So-Ra glanced at the fading battlefield. "Agreed. There's no telling if more of Avenis's forces are lying in wait."
The group began to make their way back through the forest, the tension slowly easing as the immediate threat passed. But Jin-Seong couldn't shake the feeling that Avenis's death had only opened the door to something far worse.
As they walked, Lily fell into step beside him, her voice low. "You know, I don't like where this is headed. If the constellations are pulling strings, we're going to need more than just brute force to win."
Jin-Seong glanced at her. "What are you suggesting?"
She smirked. "That maybe it's time we start thinking outside the box. Play by our own rules for a change."
He raised an eyebrow. "You have something in mind?"
"Not yet," Lily admitted, "but give me some time. I'm sure I can come up with something."
They continued walking, but Jin-Seong knew that the simple days of fighting clear enemies were over. The shadows they faced now were deeper, darker, and far more dangerous.
As the group reunited, the air was heavy with the realization that their battle against the Hero Council and the constellations was only beginning. Uncertainty clouded their path, but with Lily and Joon back at their side, Jin-Seong felt a renewed sense of determination. Whatever came next, they would face it together.