Realization hit Rowan faster than it hit Silas.
He gathered the aura around himself, strengthening it into a barrier—a circular, hollow whirlwind that absorbed the shock of the blast Koby had thrown at him. The force pushed him back a few meters, his boots carving furrows in the rocky ground. Silas had not been so lucky. He took a direct hit from the blast and fell to his knees, groaning and coughing violently, his body shuddering from the impact.
"Koby!" Rowan's voice cut through the chaos.
He knew what Koby had done. The dark aura surrounding the boy's mutilated body was unmistakable. And now it seemed like Koby was no longer in control.
A smile perked up on Koby's face. It was not Koby's smile. It was too wide. Too knowing.
He dashed toward Silas, kicking him aside—a brutal, dismissive strike—and then used another burst of aura to rocket toward Rowan. His fist shot forward in a straight jab.
Rowan caught the hand. But Koby had used that as a diversion. He bent low, pivoting for a kick aimed at Rowan's legs.
Rowan was quick. He stepped on Koby's kicking leg, stopping the movement cold, and then punched Koby backward with a torrent of air.
Koby flew through the air, his body tumbling once before he landed on his feet squarely with a heavy thud. He didn't pause. Another burst of aura and he rushed Rowan again, going in for a grab.
Rowan weaved the attempt, destabilizing Koby's balance by kicking the front of Koby's right foot. The impact shook Koby's stance, causing him to stagger. But he recovered fast—faster than Rowan expected—and stood up straight, continuing to throw a combo of punches.
Rowan took note of Koby's movements. Dark aura was pouring from his body like smoke from a fire, thick and suffocating. But his attacks were still sloppy. Unrefined. The entity might be ancient, but it was fighting with a body it didn't fully understand.
Rowan took advantage, weaving through Koby's assault and pushing him aside each time—either with his hands or a gust of wind.
Koby struck again. Rowan dodged and moved to push him aside—
Koby rushed in, grabbing Rowan's shirt. He dragged the older man closer, close enough to punch him in the face.
Rowan caught the punch, holding Koby's fist tightly.
But Koby didn't stop. Using his captured fist and his grip on Rowan's shirt, he gathered enough momentum to jump and kick Rowan in the stomach with both feet. The force sent Rowan reeling backward into a pile of rocks, which shattered on impact.
Koby stood straight, his black eyes fixed on the rubble. He moved toward the pile—
A tentacle whip caught him across the chest.
The impact sent him flying. He crashed into the ground, rolling once, twice, before skidding to a halt. He recovered quickly, jumping to his feet after a few seconds, scanning his hand where he had blocked the tentacle attack. The skin was sizzling with heavy burns. The smell of burning flesh filled the air.
Dark aura covered the wound, threads of darkness weaving through the damaged tissue. Koby's black eyes met Silas's determined gaze.
"You forgot about me," Silas said with a grunt, walking toward Koby. A smile tugged at his lips, though his body was still recovering from the earlier blast. "Caught me off guard by firing back my own attack. Don't think I'm so easy because you landed one lucky hit—"
The sentence wasn't finished.
Before Silas could blink, Koby was already in front of him. His legs were coiled, his arm drawn back for a heavy right hook aimed at Silas's jaw.
But Silas reacted preemptively. His tentacle shot forward, wrapping around Koby's torso, stopping the movement before the blow could land. He suspended Koby in the air, the tentacle coiled tight around the boy's mutilated body.
"You're a hasty fella," Silas said, his eyes strained with curiosity as he studied the restrained Koby. The boy struggled, his body writhing against the tentacle's grip, burns spreading across his skin where it touched. "So you're the vessel." Silas's smile widened. "Took me long enough to find you."
Koby, after unsuccessfully trying to get free through physical effort, began pouring dark aura around the tentacle. He was trying to manipulate it—like he had done with the poison blast.
"Don't bother." Silas's voice was calm, almost bored. "You can't manipulate these tentacles. They may be made with dark aura, but it's a mythic-grade sword that I control."
Just then, Silas was hit with an air blast that sent him flying. He bounced off the ground, tumbling across the rocky terrain, and his grip on Koby loosened.
"I won't let you hurt him again." Rowan's voice was low, firm. His palm was still raised, the remnants of wind aura dissipating from his fingertips.
Silas recovered quickly, catching his breath in a split second. He rose to his feet, his eyes darting between Rowan and Koby.
All three of them watched each other with careful eyes. Each had a different purpose at that moment.
One to collect the vessel. One to protect the vessel. And the vessel himself—wanting to fight the strongest in the area.
All were about to face off, right now. Their lives on the line. Powers cranked to the maximum they could manage. Dust and smoke from the surrounding destruction rose into the air, obscuring the sky.
In the Whisper Guild, the morning light was growing stronger.
Sevika spread her healing aura around Lyrielle's wounds. The injuries began to close little by little, the torn flesh knitting together under the soft green glow. But Sevika was clearly struggling—sweat beaded on her forehead, and her breathing was labored as she fought to maintain control.
"The injuries are far too severe, Lady Lyrielle," she said, holding her chest and gasping lightly for air.
"It's alright." Lyrielle's voice was calm, steady. "You've managed to close the wounds a bit. At least I'm not at the verge of death anymore. I can manage the rest on my own."
She took a clean piece of cloth from Sevika and began changing the wrappings around her midsection. The old bandages came away soaked through, dark and heavy. She wound the fresh cloth around herself, pulling it tight enough to hurt.
The hall wasn't as crowded as before. Most of the guild members had been sent to attend to the evacuees. Only a few tables remained, set up to treat those with minor injuries. There weren't any major injuries—except Lyrielle and Raya.
Lyrielle stood up straight from her makeshift bed, adjusting her bandages. The morning sun poured through the high windows, contrasting with the remaining lit candles. The light was vivid, bright, casting long shadows across the stone floor.
A few feet from Lyrielle's table was Raya's. Kai sat by her side, his elbows on his knees, his head bowed. Aries stood beside them, her arms folded, her eyes fixed on Raya's face.
Their greatest fear—for Raya's safety—was now abated. She was out of the woods. That was a start.
"You don't plan on going back to the mountains in your state, do you?" Sevika asked, a hint of worry glowing in her blue eyes.
Lyrielle offered no explanation. She simply said, "You did good," and moved over to Raya's table.
She placed a hand on Kai's shoulder, looking down at Raya's still-unconscious face. "Don't worry. She's okay now. She just needs rest."
Kai sniffed—a small, almost imperceptible sound—and looked up at Lyrielle. "Are you ready to go?"
"Go where?" Aries asked, confusion flickering across her features as she exchanged glances between Lyrielle and Kai.
There was a moment of pause. That was enough to tell Aries everything. They were trying to do something dangerous again.
"You guys can't be seriously thinking of going back to the mountain, right?" Aries let out a small laugh, but the fear in her voice was unmistakable.
"I have to go get the boys," Kai said.
"While risking your life in the process?"
"Lyrielle is going to be there."
"She almost died from losing her guts." Aries's voice rose in protest, catching the attention of a few people passing through the hall.
"It's fine, Aries." Lyrielle's tone was calming, measured. "I have to go and help Rowan anyway. It seems like no help is going to reach him for a while."
"A moment ago, you could barely walk without being supported." Aries stepped closer, her arms uncrossing. "And you want to jump back into the fray? What makes you think you would fare better than last time?"
"So what would you have me do?" Lyrielle's voice was quiet, but there was an edge beneath it. "Stay put while Rowan fights and probably dies?"
"He's Rowan the Hero." Aries's voice was desperate now, grasping for reason. "The one who stopped the Wars. One of the few Knights above Saint Realm out there."
Lyrielle ground her teeth. A tear dropped from her eye—a single, hot line down her cheek. "I still have to get to him. To make sure he doesn't get hurt."
"We're not going to do anything big," Kai tried to settle.
Aries folded her arms again. "I'm not sure Rowan would want us to put ourselves in danger. He's strong enough as it is."
"He's not, okay?" Lyrielle's voice rose—not loud, but sharp enough to cut. Only Aries and Kai could hear her. They both turned to face her.
"What do you mean?" Aries asked, her arms dropping.
Lyrielle took a seat beside Raya, her shoulders sagging. Her ears drooped low. Her already tattered white hair fell forward, covering her face. She raked it back with one hand, the sunlight catching the strands and making them shimmer.
She was beautiful, even now. Even with her tattered robes and tired eyes. Even with the fresh tears that had not quite dried.
"Rowan isn't the all-powerful hero everyone remembers him as anymore." Her voice was quiet, heavy. "It's a long story. But he's going to need all the help he can get."
Another imposing silence fell over them as Aries and Kai absorbed the information. It seemed to hit Aries harder than Kai—the image she had held of Rowan, the invincible Hero, was now shattering.
She fiddled with her fingers, her gaze dropping to the floor. Then she looked up. "Fine. I'm coming too."
"No, you're not," Lyrielle said decisively.
"You're letting him go." Aries used her thumb to point at Kai.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kai asked, one brow raised, annoyance flickering in his eyes.
"He's going for his own reasons," Lyrielle clarified.
"And I don't have mine?"
"You have no ties to Rowan, or me, or the boys." Lyrielle's voice softened. "I can't put you at risk."
"Besides," Kai added dryly, "we need you to keep an eye on the guild master. Since he seems to fancy you."
Aries scoffed. "He doesn't fancy me."
"I have a feeling that he's entwined with this." Lyrielle met Aries's eyes, a quiet plea in her gaze. "Please. Stay."
Aries sighed, long and heavy. "Fine. I'll stay."
Lyrielle stood up and turned to hug Aries. It was brief—a quick embrace—but it carried weight. "Thank you," she said, a small smile of relief crossing her face.
Then she turned and beckoned to Kai. "Let's go."
They headed for the main door.
Just as Kai passed her, Aries reached out and caught his hand. He stopped, one brow raised in question.
"I know you don't like me, and what not." Aries's voice was quiet. "And I can say the feeling's mutual. But Koby's going to need all the help he can get."
"Why do you say that?" Kai asked.
"James and Axle." Aries's fingers tightened on his. "If anything were to happen to them, Koby has a very strong sense of responsibility."
Kai withdrew his hand. His jaw tightened. "He's going to be fine." He turned and walked toward Lyrielle, who was already waiting at the doorway. Then he raised his voice, just enough for Aries to hear: "He always is."
With one last glance at Aries standing by Raya's bedside, Lyrielle and Kai stepped outside into the morning light.
In a corner of the hall, close to the doorway, Lysander stood watching. His emerald eyes tracked the two figures as they disappeared. Beside him, Eliza lingered, her red hair catching the sunlight.
Neither spoke. But their silence said everything.