Cora's POV
The early morning light was faint, and my eyes felt heavy from the cold and exhaustion, but I forced myself awake.
I gently touched Isla beside me, and her body felt warm—finally, a small sense of relief washed over me.
But my heart hadn't completely relaxed yet.
I turned to check on Mark, and his face was ghostly pale, the traces of nosebleeds still visible.
I reached out to touch his face—it was cold, like a stone.
I held my breath and felt for his pulse.
It was so faint, I could barely detect his pulse.
His condition was dire.
I had to find Deborah and Matthew immediately, or Mark might not make it.
I tried to wake him, but he was already unconscious, lost in darkness.
I thought about giving him the Amulet, but Isla needed its protection as well.
I felt torn, unable to make a decision, while time slipped away.
I couldn't wait here any longer.
I pulled a blanket from my pack and quickly fashioned it into a makeshift stretcher, dragging Mark onto it.
Then I wrapped Isla in another blanket, straped her to my front, slung the pack onto my back, and began the grueling journey to find the main group.
Every step felt like it was draining the last of my strength.
The rocky and muddy terrain made each footstep heavier, and I never imagined I could carry such a burden.
Each step felt like my legs were filled with lead, and every rock seemed to remind me of my physical limits.
Crossing a rocky stream with rushing water, I realized I couldn't drag Mark across at the same time.
I had to carry Isla and the pack across first, then go back to take Mark over this dangerous section.
Each trip was a test of my endurance. With every step, my heart raced, and my body felt like it was rapidly burning through all its energy.
The sun began to set, and the moon rose in the sky, almost full tonight.
Tomorrow's full moon filled me with anxiety.
I was so exhausted I couldn't go any further and had to stop, resting under a large tree.
Isla lay quietly in my arms, while Mark leaned beside me.
I pressed close to him, hoping the Amulet's protection could still aid him, but seeing his tired and weak face pained me.
He finally opened his eyes slightly, his consciousness slowly returning.
I whispered, "Are you feeling any better?"
He only gave a faint "mm," his voice barely audible.
"We're getting closer to the cave," I said with a strained smile. "I never thought I'd be this strong. I guess my potential is limitless."
Though I was joking, the bitterness inside made me turn my head, and a tear silently slid down my cheek.
"You're incredible," Mark's voice was weak, but I could hear the sincerity in his words. "You're the most amazing and captivating person I've ever met. I've liked you from the first moment I saw you."
My heart raced, excitement and surprise flooding me.
So, I wasn't imagining it after all! Eagerly, I responded, "I felt the same! Ever since I saw you at NO. 7, I've had a crush on you."
I gazed at him, happiness filling my chest.
But Mark's breathing grew heavier, and he remained weak.
"No, it was even earlier than that. I was drawn to you when you first joined EI after college," he said, his eyes closing again, exhaustion etched on his face.
"Really?" I asked, shocked, waves of emotion crashing over me.
I had never noticed his feelings for me, or even paid attention to him back when he was just another scientist at EI.
"Yes," he continued, struggling to speak. "You were so dazzling, and I was just a bookworm stuck in a lab. That day you came to the office to meet Deborah for lunch. I was sitting there, but I couldn't even turn around to look at you."
"I'm sorry…" I said, lowering my head in guilt, finally realizing all the quiet support he had given me over the years.
"It's nothing," he smiled weakly. "Liking you from afar gave me something to look forward to every day."
I looked at him, my heart full of emotion. "It's an honor."
Mark's voice grew weaker, almost too faint to hear. "When the sun rises… you should take Isla and keep going."
"What do you mean?" I instantly understood the implication of his words, but I couldn't accept it.
"I don't think I'll make it through the night," he said calmly, as if it were an undeniable fact. "You can't drag me anymore, or I'll slow you down."
"No!" I said firmly. "I won't give up on you."
He sighed softly and closed his eyes, his exhaustion overwhelming him. "If you leave me behind, you and Isla will find the group faster… Otherwise, the three of us might die here."
"Don't say that!" I gripped his hand tightly, my heart heavy with guilt. "I'm sorry… If I hadn't lost the Amulet, you wouldn't be like this."
"Don't blame yourself," Mark said softly, his voice fading. "Even without today's accident, I wasn't going to live long. You know that, from my exposure to the Falshi radiation… it ruined my body."
His voice trailed off, and I knew he was fighting to stay awake.
I looked at his pale face, unable to hold back the pain in my heart.
"Rest for now," I whispered, trying to hold back my tears as I wrapped my arms around him tightly.
***
I must have drifted off without realizing it, but the cold raindrops had jolted me awake.
The rain was hitting my face like icy needles piercing my skin, immediately sending a shiver down my spine.
I opened my eyes to find the sky faintly glowing with the early morning light, though it remained a dull, overcast gray.
The rain was falling softly, as if it were a warning from nature.
A deep unease settled in my chest, and I quickly turned to check on Mark.
His whole body was cold, his pulse weak, barely there.
I tried to feel his breath, but it was almost nonexistent, and even the rise and fall of his chest was hard to detect.
I couldn't let him slip away from this world.
"No,I won't let this happen," I silently vowed to myself. "No matter what,I won't give up on him.I have to get him back, whether he's alive or…"
I had quickly secured Isla to my chest, had strapped the pack onto my back, and used all my strength to drag Mark onto the blanket.
Then, with every ounce of energy I had left, I began the trek eastward.
The rain grew heavier, turning from a light drizzle to a steady downpour, and soon it became a torrential flood.
I felt the air grow colder with every passing moment, and I worried that Isla might fall ill again from the cold.
So,I pulled a thin blanket from my pack and wrapped her tightly against me.
The biting wind chilled me to the bone, and my clothes were soaked through, making every step feel more and more burdensome.
Along the way, Isla woke up hungry.
I pulled out one of the apples Mark had found the day before and handed it to her.
She began nibbling on the apple, the sound of her small bites standing out against the cold, rainy night.
A wave of sorrow washed over me—Mark had found those apples, but he hadn't had a chance to eat one himself.
Time seemed to blur together as I walked without any sense of direction, no sun to guide me.
I had no idea how long I had been walking;I only knew I had to keep going, for Mark and for Isla.
I had to find the rest of the group.
Then, through the haze of rain and exhaustion,I heard a distant voice calling out,"Cora! Mark!"
I froze, thinking I must be imagining it.
But soon, the voice grew clearer—it was real!
Someone was calling our names!
"We're here! We're alive!" I shouted back with all the strength I could muster, my voice hoarse and desperate.
Not long after,I saw Deborah and Matthew running toward us.
The moment I saw them,I finally felt a wave of relief—we were saved.
They reached me quickly,Matthew immediately checking Mark's condition while Deborah took my pack and gently unstrapped Isla from my chest,soothing her with soft words.
But what Matthew said next shattered my world.
"Mark…is already gone."
His calm voice hit me like a hammer, crushing me from the inside.
I couldn't believe it. Tears blurred my vision, and my whole body began to tremble.
How could this have happened?I had used every ounce of strength I had to try to save him, to bring him back…and now, he was just gone?
"This isn't real…"I whispered to myself, feeling as though my heart had been ripped in half.
I couldn't accept it. My mind replayed every moment we had shared together—Mark's smile, his kindness, his gentle voice.
How could all of that be gone in an instant?
"Mark…" I sobbed uncontrollably, collapsing to the ground, holding him in my arms.
Deborah came over, trying to comfort me, but she was crying too.
In my arms, Isla softly murmured,"Mama, Dada, Mama, Dada."
She had no idea what had happened, only sensing the confusion and unease around her.
I held her close, my tears blinding me, unable to express the overwhelming pain in my heart.
After a brief moment of mourning, the group from Murias followed tradition, cremating Mark's body and holding a solemn moment of silence for him.
Everyone knew that Mark wasn't just a friend;he had been Murias's only mineral energy scientist.
His contributions to this journey were immense.
Without him,we would never have escaped the underground city, and none of us would have survived long enough to use the Amulets.
"We might not make it to the cave tonight," Matthew's voice cut through my thoughts.
I nodded, trying to steady myself."We haven't encountered any mutated creatures on this plain so far. The journey has been relatively peaceful, but the weather is unpredictable."
Everyone was still shaken by the deadly blizzard from three nights ago.
We all knew that if another disaster like that struck, Murias might be wiped out for good.
No one wanted to face that kind of cold, despair,or death again.
We could still fight against monsters, but against the fury of nature, humans felt small and powerless.
"We need to move faster," Matthew said firmly. "We need to reach the cave as quickly as possible."