"Has it been five minutes?" I asked, glancing at Diego, who was still catching his breath.
"Almost..." he murmured, taking a deep breath.
"But we need to get ready soon."
I turned my attention to the system screen.
The countdown continued, each second ticking, reminding us that danger might be near.
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00:06:31
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00:06:30
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"We need to pack up," I said, my voice more assertive now despite the exhaustion.
"Our goal right now is just to survive."
Diego suddenly remembered.
"Ah! I grabbed some supplies earlier. There's food and a medical kit in my bag. I threw it at the entrance before I ran to you."
"Nice!" I praised, relieved by the good news.
"I actually meant to look for weapons. But, I was in a hurry, so the closest thing I could find was a metal pipe. No weapons, though." Diego scratched his neck, looking sheepish.
I smiled.
"Good move. At least you grabbed something."
"Wait," Diego said, then dashed toward the cave entrance.
He quickly returned, a bag slung over his shoulder.
"Here it is," he said, opening it to show canned food, water, and bandages.
"Is this enough?" he asked, opening the bag slightly to show its contents.
A variety of canned food, water bottles, and some medical bandages were neatly arranged inside.
I paused, weighing it.
"It should be for now. We'll need to find more if possible."
Diego nodded.
"Should we leave now?"
I shook my head.
"Wait. I want to try something with my new skill on the queen's corpse."
Diego's expression shifted between confusion and curiosity, but he didn't press further.
"Okay, but hurry. We don't have much time."
I nodded and approached the massive corpse of the Voraxes Queen.
The smell of blood and decay hit me, but I pushed it aside.
"Give me a moment," I said with a thin smile.
"If anything happens, shake me again, alright?" I added, trying to lighten the mood.
Diego chuckled, but his eyes remained serious.
"Alright, but no more bleeding. You've worried me enough already."
I nodded and crouched next to the queen's body.
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I touched her cold, rough skin, focusing to activate my new skill.
"Voraxes Queen... elf," I muttered, trying to summon any lingering memories or essence.
A strange energy spread from my fingers, flowing through my body.
It was like I was connected to the creature, exploring something deeper than just death.
Diego stayed a few steps back, watching warily.
"Hey, you okay?" he asked, moving closer but still cautious.
I raised my hand, signaling him to stay back.
"I'm fine. Just a little longer..."
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When I opened my eyes, the scene before me had shifted completely, as though I'd been thrown into a different world.
Before me stood a creature resembling a giant insect, its dark, shimmering skin like obsidian.
But next to it was an elf, with a friendly smile and graceful posture.
"Huh? They... are together?" I thought, confused.
But a strange feeling crept in.
From the insect, I sensed a hidden anger, like a swirling whirlpool.
The elf, on the other hand, exuded a soft, pure aura, like morning dew in spring.
The contrast made me uneasy, as if something dark lingered between them.
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When I blinked, the scene disappeared.
The world around me shifted from bright to a dark night, illuminated by the light of a planet that resembled the moon.
Before me, a giant tree stood, so massive that it exceeded the limits of my imagination.
Its trunk rose high into the sky, piercing through the clouds, while its leaves gently swayed above the clouds, creating an unmatched canopy.
The tree was so magnificent that it left me speechless, lost in a deep reverie.
However, my daydream was interrupted by something moving at the corner of my eye.
An elf appeared, walking gracefully toward the giant tree.
She looked like someone very important.
She wore a robe embroidered with starlight, her steps light as a whispering breeze.
I watched in awe as she stopped before the thick, powerful roots of the tree.
She bowed her head, as if praying reverently, before slowly walking through the roots, as if they were parting just for her.
Unconsciously, my vision seemed to guide me to follow her.
Beyond the roots, I found a space within the tree, a place of unimaginable luxury and indescribable beauty.
Its walls glowed with golden patterns, while a large altar stood in the center, made of pure crystal that emitted a soft light.
The room was filled with a calming scent, like a blend of rare flowers and morning air.
Yet, that beauty was soon tainted by another presence.
From behind the roots of the great tree, I sensed a familiar emotion, the same one I felt from the insect creature earlier, though now it seemed corrupted.
It hid, peering from the shadows with an intention that was clearly malevolent.
Its anger and ill will were palpable, like poison seeping into the air.
I held my breath, watching as the creature moved slowly, drawing closer to the elf who was now kneeling before the altar.
But just as the creature almost reached the elf, a sudden flash of light erupted from the altar, like a quiet starburst full of power.
The light flowed like a wave, touching every corner of the room, making the creature's shadow freeze for a moment.
I could feel the pure energy of the light, like an undeniable warning wave.
The insect creature backed away slightly, doubt flickering in its movements. But its evil intent had not faded.
I could sense the hatred and unease growing stronger, as if the light only fueled its fury.
It let out a low, shrill sound, like a sharp roar mixed with a hiss.
The sound echoed through the room, making the altar tremble slightly.
The elf, still in a prayerful position, slowly opened her eyes.
She was neither shocked nor panicked.
Her gaze was full of calm, like someone prepared for anything. She rose gracefully, turning to face the creature.
When the elf realized what was happening, she stepped forward, her eyes burning with resolve.
Her voice echoed in the room, not in a language I understood, but in something older, deeper.
Each word felt etched into the soul, and though I couldn't understand the language, I felt her emotions—anger mixed with deep despair.
"ᚠᚢᚾᚴᚺᚱᛖᛏ ᛟᚾ ᚲᛖᛚᛖᛏᛖᛞᛟᚷᛖᚱ, ᛁᛞᛃᚨᛞᛟᚢᚾ ᛗᚨᚱᚷᛁᛃᚨᚾᛞᛖ!" the elf said firmly.
The insect creature hissed, responding with a low, painful sound, reaffirming its unshakable malice.
The elf tried speaking again, her voice softer but still commanding.
"ᛃᚢᛃᛟᚺᚨ ᛋᚢᛗᚷᛁᚾᛞᚨᚱ ᚦᛖᛞᛖᚲᛟᚾᛖᛏᚨᛋᛏᛃᛟᚢᛋᛏᛁᛊ ᛃᚢᛖᛋᚦᛁᛊ ᛏᛟᛟᛚᚨᛞᛖ?" she asked with hope, though her tone softened.
But the insect creature responded with wild movements, reaffirming its unyielding malicious intent.
Its dark aura spread, flooding the room and burning away the calm energy that the elf had projected.
Everything in the room seemed to be engulfed in an impenetrable darkness.
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I hadn't noticed another presence lurking in the shadows.
Another insect creature, a swarm of them, had been hiding in the dark corner of the room.
It waited patiently, like a hunter stalking its prey.
With a sudden movement and shocking speed, the creature charged at the altar.
Before the elf could react, it roughly snatched something glowing from the altar, a radiant seed.
I was stunned.
Even the elf standing before the altar hadn't expected this.
The light from the altar flickered out instantly, leaving a thick and cold darkness behind.
It felt like the world had stopped breathing.
The elf, shocked and furious, tried to stop the creature. But it was too late.
In the chaos, she lost her balance, falling to the ground, her hands trembling as she gripped the earth.
"ᚷᛟᛞᛖᛋᛋ ᛟᚢᚱ ᛗᛁᚾᛞᛋ," she whispered softly, almost inaudibly, but I could feel the deep sorrow in her words.
The destruction had begun, and nothing could restore things to how they once were.
Then, the elf pulled a small whistle from her belt.
She blew into it with all her might, and a sharp, piercing sound filled the room, echoing like a call to arms.
As the seed was stolen, the ground began to tremble violently, and a cracking noise rang out.
Roots tore through the earth with unstoppable force.
Elves near the altar rushed to salvage what they could, their voices filled with panic.
"ᚺᛁᚱᛗᛁᛇ ᛋᛁᛚᛃᛇ!" one cried.
"ᛇᛇᛋᛇ ᚴᚱᚨᛋᛋᛇ!" another shouted, trying to stay resolute, though fear was evident.
I didn't understand their words, but the fear and despair were clear.
The tree was their life, their hope.
Elder elves tried to protect it, but their magic faltered.
"ᚠᛇᛇᛒᛋᛇ ᛇᛋ ᛖᛗᛁᛇ ᛁᚾᛇᛋ ᚷᛖᛚᛇ!" one old elf cried, more a final prayer than an order.
When the tree collapsed, the elves' emotions broke into tears.
"ᚠᛇᚹᛇᛇᛒᛁᛇ," one whispered, grief flooding their words.
It felt like a final tribute, a mournful farewell to the tree that had been their soul.
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Betrayal.
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As destruction loomed, my vision blurred again, as if something was pulling my consciousness away.
The world faded into darkness, and a heavy, cold sensation enveloped me, like sinking to the bottom of a dark ocean.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a cave—different from the one where Diego and I had taken shelter.
The air was thick, charged with a heavy, almost tangible emotion. It wasn't human, but not entirely alien either.
At first, it felt like a fog, but soon it became more distinct—anger, greed, and destruction mixing together, a suffocating presence.
It was so familiar, like the insect that had taken the seed.
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Then I saw it.
Queen of Voraxes.
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Her massive body radiated power, dark energy flowing from her like smoke. Her red eyes burned like embers, and on her chest, a glowing seed pulsed faintly.
On her chest, I saw something, a small seed that glowed with a dim light, as if it were the center of everything.
That seed, the mysterious object that, when she took it, became the source of destruction for the great tree, was now inside her.
I realized then—she had fused with the seed, becoming more than just an insect.
She was the source of the destruction.
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Suddenly, my vision changed again.
The darkness lifted, and I was back in the cave with Diego.
The queen's massive body lay still in front of me.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
"Kai?" Diego's voice reached me, full of concern.
"Are you okay?"
"Ah, yeah, I'm fine," I answered, nodding slightly, trying to reassure him that I was okay.
Even though my vision was starting to blur a little and my body was overwhelmed with exhaustion from the toll I had just taken, I tried to hide it with a small, forced smile.
"Is it over?" he asked.
"Yeah," I replied, still processing everything I'd just seen.
"What did you get?" he pressed.
"Wait a second," I murmured, closing my eyes and focusing.
The sensation from earlier was still there—inside the queen's body.
I turned to Diego.
"How strong are you now? Can you flip this corpse over? There's something I need to check."
Diego stared at me for a moment, confused.
"Huh? Let me try."
Without another word, he moved toward the queen's giant form, gripping the edge.
"HYAAAAAH!" he grunted, putting all his strength into it.
With a heavy thud, the queen's body shifted, and Diego managed to flip her over.
I quickly moved to her chest.
"Can you pull this part, Diego?" I pointed to a gap in the tough skin.
He nodded and, with effort, tore away the hard exterior, revealing the softer flesh underneath.
"Is this enough?" he asked.
"Yeah," I replied.
I pulled the medical kit from his bag and grabbed a surgical knife.
I carefully cut into the soft flesh, ignoring the thick green blood that poured out.
My fingers searched inside, it felt disgusting, even though it might have only been a few seconds, until finally, my fingers touched something hard and different from the surrounding flesh.
"Got it!" I shouted, pulling my hand free.
My left hand was covered in green blood, but I held a small, glowing object in my grip.
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As I opened my hand, a blue notification appeared in front of my eyes, floating in the air.