The group stumbled back into the safe zone, their steps heavy and spirits crushed. The towering roots of Yggdrasil shimmered faintly in the distance, casting a golden hue over the broken remnants of memories that floated around them. But the glow couldn't warm the cold despair that hung over the survivors gathered at the edge of the zone.
As they crossed the threshold, whispers spread among the gathered crowd. Faces turned toward them, eyes filled with hope that quickly soured into dismay when they saw no one following behind.
"Where are they?" a young woman near the front asked, her voice trembling. "Where are the people you were supposed to save?"
Rowan stiffened, gripping her spear so tightly her knuckles turned white. Kieran stepped forward, his shield still glowing faintly, and opened his mouth to respond, but Emrys raised a hand, cutting him off.
"We did all we could," Emrys said, his voice calm and soothing. "The survivors escaped to another fragment. They'll find refuge there, away from the Core's corruption."
The lie was smooth, deliberate. The crowd's murmurs grew quieter, and a few nods rippled through the group. The hope wasn't restored, but it was enough to quell the immediate despair. Aiden watched Emrys carefully, noting the subtle shift in his tone and the faint flicker of regret in his eyes.
"But why couldn't you bring them here?" someone pressed.
Rowan bristled but said nothing. Kieran placed a firm hand on her shoulder, his eyes steady. "The fragments are unstable. Moving between them isn't always safe. What matters is they're alive—and so are we."
The explanation seemed to satisfy most of the group, though the tension lingered. As the crowd dispersed, a young boy tugged at Rowan's arm. She crouched down, her usual sharpness softening as she looked at him.
"Did you see my sister?" he asked, his wide eyes brimming with tears. "She went to that fragment."
Rowan hesitated, her throat tightening. Before she could stumble over a response, Emrys knelt beside her, placing a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Your sister is safe," he said gently. "And she'll be thinking of you, just as you're thinking of her."
The boy nodded slowly, his lip quivering. "You promise?"
"I promise," Emrys replied, his tone steady. The boy clung to his mother, who gave Emrys a small, grateful nod before leading him away.
When they were alone, Rowan rounded on Emrys. "You lied to them."
"They needed hope," Emrys replied evenly, standing. "Despair is as dangerous as the Core itself. You've seen what it does to people."
Rowan's jaw tightened, but she didn't argue. Instead, she turned on her heel, muttering something about checking the perimeter.
Back at the safe zone's central hub, the group gathered in the makeshift meeting room. The remnants of the school fragment hovered ominously on the edge of the zone, its twisted halls barely visible beyond the golden light of Yggdrasil. The tension among them was palpable.
Before the meeting could begin, Kieran's vice-captain entered the room, her armor gleaming in the faint light. She saluted sharply. "Captain, you're needed at the eastern boundary. The corruption is pressing against the wards."
Kieran nodded, rising from his seat. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't make any rash decisions without me."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Rowan said dryly, twirling her spear.
Kieran gave her a pointed look before following his vice-captain out of the room.
Once the door closed, Aiden turned to Emrys, the question that had been gnawing at him finally spilling out. "Is there a way home?"
Emrys regarded him carefully, his silver eyes thoughtful. "There's always a way, Aiden. But the question is, at what cost? The Core doesn't let go easily. And if you've been touched by its corruption…"
The room fell silent. Sylva's glow flickered, and Rowan glanced at Emrys, her expression unreadable.
Emrys leaned back in his chair, his staff resting against his shoulder. "Home," he repeated, his voice contemplative. "It depends on how you define it."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Aiden pressed, his frustration bubbling to the surface. " its not like You're here by choice, are you? Are You not trapped here like the rest of us?"
"That's true," Emrys admitted, his tone calm. "I came to the Otherworld willingly. But it doesn't mean I can leave whenever I please. The Core's influence ties us all here in ways that are... complicated."
"Then there is a way?" Aiden asked, hope flickering in his chest.
Sylva floated closer, her tone unusually soft. "The path home isn't impossible, but it's dangerous and requires the defeat of the core. Right now, our focus must be on stabilizing the fragments and keeping the Core at bay. If we fail, there won't be a home to return to."
Aiden slumped back in his chair, the weight of their words settling heavily on his shoulders. He glanced at Rowan, who was uncharacteristically silent.
"Why do you fight?" he asked her suddenly.
Rowan blinked, caught off guard. "What kind of question is that?"
"You're always the first to charge in," Aiden said. "You act like you don't care about anything, but you do. So why?"
Rowan hesitated, her fingers tightening around her spear. "Because someone has to," she said finally. "The Core takes everything if you let it. I've seen what happens when people give up. I won't be one of them."
The room grew quiet again, the weight of her words sinking in.
Despite the tension, Aiden felt a faint smile tug at his lips. For a moment, amidst the chaos and uncertainty, there was a sense of camaraderie. But as he looked at the stabilized fragment, his smile faded. The Core was still out there, and their fight was far from over.