After Arthur's group had left, silence engulfed the place, heavy and strange.
The corridor ahead, once fiercely guarded by Morbus, now seemed more vast and shadowy with no monsters in sight.
The only thing that remained was the feeling that this place still held something important.
The group advanced slowly.
The tension from the battle had eased, but everyone still felt the weight of exhaustion.
As they walked, their eyes were drawn to details in the surrounding rooms, hidden items amidst the dust and ruins, waiting to be discovered.
"Hey, look at this!"
Alex caught the group's attention, holding a blue crystal in his hands.
Maya tilted her head, observing the crystal closely.
"Aren't these supposed to drop from monsters?"
Evan, who had been quiet until then, responded.
"It's probably because the monster we defeated was strong. I guess it's only fair we get free crystals without having to kill more monsters for them."
On the other side, Jenna was rummaging through a nearly collapsing shelf, her fingers brushing away the accumulated dust.
When she found something, her eyes widened.
"I think I found something!"
Everyone turned to her as Jenna held up an ancient scroll, its inscriptions faintly glowing.
"This looks… important."
She examined the symbols dancing across the surface of the paper.
As usual, Maya moved closer, leaning in for a better look.
"A scroll? What's it for?"
Jenna took a moment before smiling in surprise.
"It's a return scroll! It lets us go straight back to Spectra and finish the trial."
Alex raised an eyebrow as he spun the crystal in his hands.
"So, we can end it now? No more running, no more monsters?"
Jenna nodded.
Maya crossed her arms, considering.
"That sounds useful, but maybe we should save it. If things go wrong later, this could be our only way out."
Alex shrugged but agreed.
"Fair enough. Besides, we might find more crystals or something even better. It's not worth stopping now."
Jenna carefully placed the scroll into her bag as the group resumed their path through the corridors.
The absence of enemies was a relief, but the atmosphere still felt strange, as if something was about to happen.
Evan, as quiet as ever, walked at the back.
His steps were heavy, and his eyes were fixed ahead, but it was clear his mind was elsewhere.
He said nothing, but the way he seemed to observe every detail around them made it obvious he noticed more than the others.
"Do you think he's okay?" Maya murmured to Jenna.
"Hmm… I don't know, I think he—"
Before she could finish, Alex called her back to help search another room.
—————————————————————————————
With each item we collected, I felt a momentary relief.
I didn't want to fall behind the other teams in terms of points.
Still, I couldn't ignore Evan.
He was there, walking with us, but it was clear something was wrong.
His steps were heavy, not just from physical exhaustion but from something deeper.
He seemed lost in thought, as if carrying a heavy burden with him.
"Hey, are you okay?"
My voice broke the silence, perhaps more forceful than I intended, but I couldn't help it.
He lifted his eyes, making an obvious effort to hide whatever he was feeling.
"Yes, I just overdid it with the magical energy. Nothing serious."
'Really?'
There was something in his tone that didn't convince me.
'Did Rachel and he talk about something that left him like this? No, I remember overhearing most of their conversation, even if unintentionally.'
His silence had always been something that bothered me, but I decided to respect his distance.
"..."
"..."
The sound of our boots echoed through the empty corridors of the structure.
Each step seemed slower, more dragging, as Jenna's magical lantern illuminated the worn walls and dust-covered objects around us.
Suddenly, an unexpected brightness appeared.
"Shhssh…"
The daylight blinded us for a moment as we emerged into an open area.
The narrow corridors gave way to a wide and peculiar space, with ancient structures scattered across the field.
"That was unexpected."
I couldn't hide my surprise at the sudden change in the environment.
Evan was by my side.
His eyes scanned the area with an expression that was hard to read. Perhaps relief, perhaps something else.
"Looks like we're outside again," he said.
It felt like he was talking more to himself than to the group.
====
We let the moment of surprise pass and returned to the task of exploring.
While the others were rummaging through the structures, Evan suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed on a point on the old wall in front of him.
His eyes seemed distant.
For a few seconds, he remained still, his brow slightly furrowed, as if analyzing something invisible to the rest of us.
'What's he staring at so intently?' I thought, but before I could question him, he turned, breaking the silence.
"I'm going to check over there," he said, pointing toward a secluded area.
His voice was calm but firm, carrying a tone that clearly didn't expect objections.
"I think there's… something interesting."
The way he spoke, as if he already knew what he was looking for, was intriguing.
It wasn't the kind of casual observation of someone just exploring a new place.
Alex, who was on the other side, frowned and took a step toward Evan.
"Going alone? I can come with you, just in case—"
"There's no need," Evan interrupted with a wave of his hand.
"Keep searching here. I won't take long."
There was something in his tone that made everyone pause.
None of us insisted.
I watched him for a moment longer before turning my attention back to the task at hand.
As Evan walked away, Alex broke the silence, sitting on the ground with a sigh.
"Sigh. Should we use the scroll now? We don't know what else could show up, and we've already gathered plenty of points with the crystals we found."
Maya was the first to respond, crossing her arms while looking up at the sky.
"Maybe. But it would also be good to find the main artifact. That's what gives the most points, right?"
Jenna, always meticulous, hesitated.
"Yes, but we can't forget what Evan said. If we get too greedy and go after the main artifact, we might lose what we've already gathered to other teams. And honestly, I'm almost at my limit."
"Same here. Let's wait for Evan to come back, and then we can decide."
I nodded, but my mind was already elsewhere.
My eyes instinctively followed the direction where Evan had disappeared, and an odd sensation settled deep in my chest.
'What is he looking for?'
—————————————————————————————
The silence in the forest was almost oppressive, as if nature itself had held its breath.
The tall trees cast long, twisted shadows under the faint light, creating indistinct shapes that seemed to move as Evan advanced.
The air was dense, heavy with something he couldn't quite identify, pressing against his chest like an invisible weight.
Each step echoed faintly on the damp ground, dry branches cracking underfoot.
"Creak."
Evan stopped for a moment, glancing around, his sharp eyes scanning the darkness between the trees.
"How long do you plan on just watching me?"
He took a few more steps, stopping in a small clearing.
The shadows around him subtly rippled, reacting to his state of mind.
His hands clenched into fists as he turned his head, trying to locate something. Or someone.
"If you have business with me, show yourself already. I don't like games."
The wind blew, but the sound was strange, like a whisper carried through the air.
The trees leaned slightly, and the environment seemed to plunge into an even deeper darkness.
The faint light filtering through the treetops began to fade, as if being swallowed.
"Shhhhk..."
A low sound, like something shifting through the earth, reached Evan's ears.
He didn't retreat.
The shadows around him reacted involuntarily, quivering as if they knew what was coming, ready to strike at any moment.
A deep, muffled noise filled the space.
A soft, cold silver light emerged from the ground in the clearing, spreading like a stream flowing in all directions.
As the light expanded, shimmering particles began to gather, swirling like dust carried by the wind.
And then, from the center of this surreal glow, a figure emerged.
First came the wings.
Massive and intricate, they seemed to be made of a material that defied logic, shifting between a fabric of stars and dense mist.
They were imposing yet silent, extending with an otherworldly grace.
Soon, the rest of the figure took shape.
It was a feminine entity, but her beauty was unsettling and impossible to define.
Her features shifted subtly, as if they were never meant to be captured by human sight.
Her eyes, two glowing red orbs like distant galaxies, reflected the vastness of the cosmos and the absolute void at the same time.
Her garments, as dark as twilight, resembled a sea in constant motion, enveloping her as if they were part of her very essence.
And then she spoke.
"Finally, we meet, Evan."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it reverberated through the clearing as if reality itself bent around her words.
Evan stepped back, the shadows around him reacting immediately, rippling with ferocity.
He raised his hands, shaping them into black tendrils that quivered in the air, ready to strike.
"How do you know my name? What do you want from me?"
His voice was firm, but there was tension in his words.
The figure tilted her head slightly, her glowing eyes fixed on him.
"Do not ask what I want, but what you seek," she said, each word carrying a crushing weight.
"I am an observer. A witness to intertwined destinies. And you… you are a dissonance."
Evan frowned, the word "dissonance" echoing in his mind like an off-key note.
'Dissonance? What does she mean by that? Is she talking about me being here… in this world I created?'
The thought sent an uncomfortable pang through his chest.
The idea of being something that shouldn't exist, a flaw in the natural flow, was both absurd and unsettling.
'But… how does she know about that? I never wrote about a being like this in my novel.'
His gaze narrowed as the entity continued to stare at him, but the questions lingered.
"Dissonance?"
Evan clenched his fists, the shadows around him vibrating with growing intensity.
"I'm not interested in your riddles. If you have something to say, say it now."
A faint smile curled the entity's lips, but there was no humor in it. Only a quiet melancholy.
"Arrogance and fear… always walking side by side. There is no need to hide one with the other."
"Argh…!"
The air around him seemed to solidify, trapping him in an invisible grip.
He tried to move his arms, but it felt as if invisible chains had bound him.
His shadows reacted, launching themselves like black blades toward her, but as they neared, they vanished into the energy surrounding the entity, swallowed as if they had never existed.
He gritted his teeth, struggling against the overwhelming pressure as his mind hammered with a single thought:
'Is this how it ends?'
Evan's consciousness seemed to start slipping away, as if the grip wasn't just restraining his body but draining his very soul.
The world around him felt distant, every sound muffled, every sensation fading, as an impending darkness threatened to consume him.
There was nothing else he could do; his shadows had failed, and he was already near his limit from the previous battle.
The weight around him felt inescapable.
His vision blurred, and as his strength abandoned him, a fragile question escaped his lips, almost torn from him.
"W-what… do… you… want?"
His voice was uneven, broken, each word dragged from his chest as if it weighed a ton.
Suddenly, the pressure that immobilized him began to lessen.
The crushing grip that held his body loosened, though it brought no immediate relief.
Instead, something even more unsettling occurred.
The entity moved closer, gliding ethereally, as though she floated through the air.
Evan tried to step back, but there was nowhere to go.
He braced for a fatal attack, pain, or even death.
But what he encountered was something entirely different.
Without warning, the being enveloped him in an embrace.
It didn't feel like a physical touch but something beyond comprehension.
Her essence seemed to project itself, wrapping around Evan's soul in an ethereal wave.
It was both as light as the wind and as crushing as the weight of a mountain.
Evan stood still, confused.
The warmth surrounding him was strange, almost comforting, yet the emotional weight was unbearable, as though every fragment of his existence was being judged.
"Your soul carries a dark fate… what once seemed destined to be lost no longer exists. And yet, here you are, resisting what cannot be changed."
Her words echoed within Evan, piercing the barrier of his resolve with a sharp melancholy.
Her presence felt less threatening now, but it still bore a weight he couldn't comprehend.
"I'm sorry, Evan."
A chill ran down his spine again.
The phrase, spoken with an almost gentle voice, unsettled him more than any attack could have.
He tried to respond, his shadows stirring around him, but it was futile.
The strength he once felt seemed drained, leaving only a momentary void.
Evan's body trembled, but he didn't try to escape.
His mind screamed at him to react, but the exhaustion, the emotional weight, and her overwhelming presence kept him frozen.
"I want to see how far you'll go, Evan. I want to see… how much you'll try to change the fate that awaits you."
Her tone felt like a whisper, yet every word reverberated as though the entire environment carried them.
"What… are you…" he tried to ask, but his voice faltered.
His vision began to blur, and a distant sound, like a melancholy wind blowing through a canyon, filled his mind.
"Rest, Evan," murmured the entity, almost as if in lament.
"There is more to see, and even more to bear."
Her final words came as a whisper that seemed to reverberate within his soul.
Before he could process them, the weight on his consciousness became unbearable.
Unable to fight, without words or strength, Evan's awareness faded completely, leaving only the eternal silence that surrounded them.
—————————————————————————————
The muffled sound of boots against the stone floor echoed around me as we walked through the ruins.
"I think that's everything here," Maya said, finishing counting the crystals she had collected.
"Not bad. At least we didn't leave empty-handed."
Alex was sitting on the ground, spinning an arrow between his fingers.
"Do you think Evan found anything? He should've been back by now, right?"
Jenna sat on the edge of a collapsed section of the structure. Her fingers plucked at small tufts of grass on the ground, as if it was the only way to pass the time.
"True… he said he wouldn't take long."
Alex frowned, but I was already adjusting the sword at my side, ready to act.
"I'll go see what he's doing," I said firmly, cutting off any chance for debate.
Alex raised his hand, hesitant.
"Need help?"
"No. Stay here. I know which way he went, and it'll be faster if I go alone."
Without waiting for a response, I distanced myself from the group, following the path where Evan had disappeared.
"....."
As I advanced, I noticed the atmosphere around me gradually changing.
The stone walls gave way to a narrow trail between tall trees and exposed roots.
The wind blew softly, but there was something different about it.
The damp ground creaked under my feet.
'Why does this feel so… strange?'
I pressed forward, and a creeping mist began to form between the trees, wrapping everything in a cold embrace.
"Huff..."
My breathing grew uneven; every step brought a new wave of unease.
The forest felt more alive, but not in a comforting way.
'Could he have run into a monster?'
The silence around me was oppressive.
Suddenly, a sound echoed.
"Crrrkk!"
My body froze for a second.
My eyes scanned the area, searching for the source of the noise.
"...Evan?"
I called out, but my voice seemed swallowed by the dense mist, muffled as if the very environment conspired to silence it.
I felt my heart pounding in my chest, echoing in my head like a frantic drumbeat.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to push away the panic threatening to overwhelm me.
I gripped the hilt of my sword tightly, feeling the sweat on my palms, and took a few cautious steps forward.
The trees around me seemed to lean toward me, their twisted branches like sharp claws, grotesque shadows cast by the dwindling light.
And then, finally, something broke through the mist.
A figure in the distance.
"~Evan?..."
The air escaped my lungs.
I ran without hesitation, the muffled sound of my steps on the damp ground and my labored breathing filling the silence.
"Huff, huff…"
With every step, the scene ahead grew clearer, and a tight knot formed in my stomach.
Evan stood there, but his body was rigid, as if trapped by something invisible, incomprehensible.
Around him, the mist seemed to take shape, distorting into rippling shadows, but it was the figure before him that froze my gaze.
The woman was both mesmerizing and terrifying.
She wore something indescribable, as though woven from shadows and light.
From her back, black wings extended, moving gently, almost as if they had a life of their own, defying any logic.
Her arms were around Evan, holding him in an embrace.
"Hey! Let him go!"
My voice cut through the heavy silence of the environment, laced with a mix of anger and fear.
The figure didn't react immediately.
Slowly, she lifted her face in my direction, and our eyes met.
A shiver ran down my spine.
Her eyes were like a shimmering abyss, reflecting something too vast to comprehend.
Looking into them made me feel small, insignificant, and my instincts screamed for me to retreat.
But I didn't retreat.
"I said, let him go!"
My voice was firmer, but my feet hesitated.
The air around me felt heavy, as if it had thickened into something suffocating.
The entity tilted her head, almost as if studying me.
Finally, her arms released Evan, and she laid him on the ground with an intentional gentleness.
He was unconscious but breathing.
'At least he's alive,' I thought, though the relief was only temporary.
"What did you do to him?"
My voice carried a hint of challenge, but the woman simply observed me with unsettling calm.
"He walks a path toward a fate he seeks to rewrite, but how much he can change… that only time will reveal."
I frowned, my hands tightening around the hilt of my sword.
"Stop with the cryptic nonsense. Who are you? And why are you here?"
For a moment, silence returned.
Her eyes locked onto mine, and the sensation of being laid bare under that gaze was unbearable.
Then, she tilted her head slightly, as if finding my question unnecessary.
"I am a witness. Of what was, what is… and what is to come."
Her eyes glimmered, and her next words sent a chill through my body.
"And you, Seraphina, are more entwined in this destiny than you can imagine."
Hearing my name from her lips was enough to ignite something within me.
Fear gave way to anger, and before she could say anything else, I moved.
"Shut up!"
I raised my sword and charged, delivering a direct strike.