Those words slipped from Raym's lips in a quiet murmur:
"Where we parted… no… where we were betrayed for the first time…"
Lyra snapped him out of it:
"What are you mumbling about?"
He flinched slightly, then replied quickly:
"Nothing… just thinking."
But his eyes said otherwise.
Silence fell over them...
They stood still… waiting…for something none of them could define.
Then—
A sound...
Movement in the bushes.
In an instant, tension exploded—hands moved toward weapons…breathing slowed…
Then—
Round emerged...
He stepped forward calmly, relief visible on his face:
"Oh… you came. I didn't expect this much support."
Raym rushed toward him immediately:
"What happened?! Where's Lorian?!?"
Round exhaled slowly...
"We clashed with the cult..."
Silence...
"It happened fast… too fast... Araki was there… but he escaped..."
Raym clenched his fist...
He escaped to somewhere....
And… I believe Lorian was right...
A pause...
"We're already late..."
The weight of those words crushed the air...
"But—"
Round raised his head:
"We can still stop him. Here. Now. Once and for all."
The atmosphere turned suffocating...
Then Aldous smiled confidently:
"Then let's stop them."
He looked at everyone:
"We're stronger. And we outnumber them..."
Was it reassurance…or conviction???
No one knew...
They moved...
Silently...
Time passed…
Until they reached it...
A cave entrance...
But—
This wasn't normal...
Heat poured out like a living thing.
Daniel narrowed his eyes:
"This isn't natural…"
Round stepped forward.
"Let me try something."
He knelt… placed his hands…and whispered something strange...
Then—
The ground trembled violently...
"What is happening??!" Arvela shouted.
But Raym didn't move...
He trusted him.
Then—
The wall split open...
A hidden passage appeared.
"But… it was closed!" Arvela said...
They all felt it—
This world…was far bigger than they thought...
They entered...
Darkness swallowed them whole...
Until—
They saw it.
A city.
Underground.
Ruined. Burned. Silent.
"This… isn't right…" Raym whispered.
Ash filled the air.
The place felt… dead.
Yet… something lingered.
Presence.
"Move! We're close!" Round shouted.
They ran...
And then—
They found them.
Lorian and Saon.
Standing over the last cultist.
A strike—
And it was over.
Relief flooded Raym's face.
"You're safe…"
Lorian gave a faint smile.
Saon…
remained silent. Unreadable.
They regrouped quickly.
"No time," Lorian said. "I'll explain while we move."
They advanced.
The destruction worsened.
Burn marks. Distortion.
Something had passed through here.
"I followed their trail…" Lorian began.
"This time… I stayed hidden."
"I saw them enter this place."
Pause...
"I learned how… and followed."
Then—
His gaze hardened.
"But…"
He looked at Raym:
"Araki…"
A pause.
"He wanted me to find this place."