They tumbled out onto cool, damp grass, the familiar lakeside surroundings a stark contrast to the chaos they'd just left behind. The moonlight bathed the water in a silvery glow, the air calm and still save for the soft rustling of the lake's waves.
"Did we... make it?" Yvette asked, her voice shaky as she sat up and looked around. Her gaze darted nervously to the water, half-expecting another monster to emerge.
"We're back," Evan said, his tone clipped. He rose to his feet, scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger—or Silas.
Ourra flopped onto his back with an exaggerated groan, spreading his arms out dramatically. "I'm never going near another rift portal again."
Yvette chuckled weakly, brushing the dirt off her arms. "Agreed. That was... different."
"Different?" Ourra smirked, propping himself up on his elbows. "Try insane. I've never seen a monster that sturdy before."
"And I stopped it with my bare hands!" Ourri interjected, puffing out his chest like a proud rooster. His voice was still hoarse from his earlier war cry, but his enthusiasm hadn't waned.
"Yeah, yeah," Ourra teased, waving a hand dismissively. "The big, bald hero of the day. We should write a song about you."
Yvette managed a laugh, shaking her head. "I'll admit, Ourri, I didn't think you had it in you. But you actually pulled it off."
Their lighthearted banter brought some relief, a faint glimmer of normalcy after the chaos. But Evan's mind was elsewhere. His eyes remained fixed on the lake's dark surface, his jaw tight.
"What about Silas?" he asked abruptly, cutting through the group's laughter. His voice carried an edge, one that made the others pause.
The mood shifted instantly. Yvette glanced toward the rift's former location, her brow furrowing.
"He didn't come through," she said softly, her tone heavy with unease.
"I know," Evan replied, his voice low. He clenched his fists, his frustration evident. "I looked back, but..." He shook his head, the words catching in his throat. "The team comes first. I couldn't risk it."
An uncomfortable silence hung in the air, the weight of his decision pressing on all of them. Even Ourri, normally quick to crack a joke, remained quiet.
"He wasn't one of us," Yvette said after a moment, her voice hesitant but firm. "We barely knew him. You did the right thing, Evan."
Evan didn't respond immediately. He stared at the lake, his thoughts a tangle of guilt and doubt. Silas had been a stranger, yes—but Evan couldn't shake the feeling that they were leaving something unresolved.
As the night deepened, they set up camp near the lake's edge, falling into their usual rhythm despite the lingering tension. The fire crackled softly, its warm light casting flickering shadows on their tired faces.
"That thing was tougher than anything I've ever seen," Yvette said, breaking the silence as she poked at the fire with a stick.
"And smarter," Ourra added, sitting cross-legged beside her. "At least for a giant hunk of rock. It knew where to hit us."
"Doesn't matter how smart it was," Ourri said with a grin, still riding high on his earlier stunt. "I still stopped it. Bare hands, remember?"
"Sure you did, big guy," Ourra said with a smirk. "The hero of the day strikes again."
Yvette chuckled despite herself, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "I have to admit, it was impressive. Reckless, but impressive."
"Reckless is an understatement," Evan muttered, his gaze fixed on the flames. "We're lucky that thing didn't crush us all."
The group fell quiet again, the weight of their mission settling over them.
"So, what now?" Yvette asked hesitantly, glancing at Evan. "We didn't find what we were looking for. The chamber... the golem... none of it gave us answers."
"Our entire reason for coming here was a bust," Ourra added, his tone unusually serious. "If Silas knew something, he sure didn't share it before disappearing."
Evan exhaled sharply, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "We regroup. Focus on what we know and what we can do next." His eyes flicked to the lake, his voice hardening. "And we stay alert. Whatever that was back there—it's not over."
"You think Silas had something to do with it?" Yvette asked quietly.
"I don't know," Evan admitted. "But I don't trust coincidences. He shows up out of nowhere, fights alongside us, then disappears when the dust settles? It doesn't add up."
"He was... strange," Yvette said, frowning. "Powerful, but he kept to himself. We never really got a chance to understand his motives."
"Doesn't matter now," Ourra said with a shrug. "He's gone, and we're still here. That's what counts."
Their conversation dwindled into silence, the fire crackling softly in the background. The night stretched on, the stars above a stark contrast to the darkness that lingered in their minds.
Evan stared into the flames, his jaw tight. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were being pulled into something far bigger than they realized. And Silas... wherever he was, Evan knew this was far from the last they'd see of him.
Near the massive, fallen body of the golem, the air rippled. Silas emerged from his stealth spell, stepping carefully over the debris. His robes were tattered, and blood streaked his face, but his eyes gleamed with a predatory focus.
"Never realized I'd need the help of humans to achieve my goals," he muttered, a sly grin spreading across his face.
He approached the golem's chest, where the energy blast had torn through its core. The once-imposing construct now lay motionless, its intricate carvings and runes dim. Silas extended a hand, and his fingertips began to glow faintly with magic.
"Let's see what secrets you've been hiding."
Murmuring an incantation in the ancient tongue of the elves, Silas traced glowing runes in the air. The remnants of the golem's core flickered to life, emitting a faint, otherworldly glow.
Slowly, the core disintegrated, revealing a small, crystalline object within—a key, its surface etched with intricate patterns and pulsing faintly with energy.
Silas's grin widened. "So, you were hiding this all along."
The key floated into his hand, and he turned his attention to the far end of the chamber. A faint outline of a door was visible against the wall, nearly imperceptible to the untrained eye.
Silas walked toward it, his steps deliberate and confident.
Stopping before the hidden door, he held the key aloft and began chanting once more. The guttural tones of the elvish language echoed eerily through the chamber, resonating with the key.
As he finished the incantation, the door's outline glowed, and with a low rumble, it slid open, revealing a dark, narrow passageway.
Silas stepped closer, peering into the darkness. His expression twisted into a satisfied, almost maniacal smile.
"All that struggle, manipulating those foolish humans... perhaps it was worth it after all," he said, his voice dripping with malice.
Without hesitation, he stepped into the hidden room, the shadows swallowing him whole. The door slid shut behind him, leaving the chamber silent once more, the fallen golem a lifeless husk in the gloom.