For a moment…
The entire forest was silent.
No wind.
No insects.
No sound of movement.
Only the faint rustling of leaves falling slowly to the ground.
Julien was still holding Eva.
Her body had gone completely still.
"Eva…" he said quietly.
No response.
He shook her slightly.
"Eva."
Nothing.
Zoe stepped forward slowly.
Her hands were shaking.
"Let me see her…"
Julien lowered Eva carefully onto the ground.
Zoe knelt beside her.
Her fingers moved toward Eva's neck, searching for a pulse.
Seconds passed.
Too many seconds.
Zoe's face slowly changed.
Her lips trembled.
Nora, still weak, pushed herself up from the ground.
"What… what is it?"
Zoe didn't answer.
Her eyes were already filling with tears.
"Zoe?" Nora whispered.
Lucas stood a few steps away.
For once, he wasn't joking.
He wasn't smiling.
He just watched.
Zoe looked down at Eva's still face.
And her voice finally broke.
"…She's gone."
The words fell into the forest like stones.
Nora froze.
"No."
She shook her head immediately.
"No, no, no… she can't be."
She crawled closer and grabbed Eva's shoulders.
"Eva! Stop playing around!"
Her voice cracked.
"You said you'd fix everything!"
Tears rolled down Nora's face as she shook her again.
"Wake up!"
Julien slowly stood up and turned away.
His jaw clenched tightly.
Lucas watched him.
For once… he didn't say anything.
The silence felt heavy.
Too heavy.
Nora collapsed beside Eva, crying.
"We just got you back…"
Zoe covered her mouth, trying to hold back the sobs.
But she couldn't.
Tears streamed down her face.
"She saved me so many times…"
Her voice broke.
"And now… we couldn't save her…"
Lucas finally spoke quietly.
"…She knew the risk."
But even he sounded different.
Not playful.
Not sarcastic.
Just quiet.
Nora leaned her forehead against Eva's shoulder.
"You idiot… why did you do that…"
The wind moved softly through the trees again.
Zoe slowly looked up at the dark sky.
Her face was wet with tears.
Her voice trembled as she whispered into the cold night air.
"Ancient spirits…"
Her hands lifted slowly.
"I know you hear me."
The wind suddenly shifted.
Leaves began moving again.
Zoe closed her eyes tightly.
"You know how to bring her back."
Her voice broke completely.
"I don't care what it costs."
The air grew colder.
Nora looked up at her.
"Zoe…"
But Zoe continued speaking to the empty sky.
"I want her alive."
Her voice turned desperate.
"Take anything you want."
Her hands shook as she whispered the final words.
"My power…"
"My soul…"
"Just bring her back."
The forest went silent again.
No answer came.
Only the cold wind moved through the trees.
And Eva's body remained still on the ground.
Lucas slowly looked toward the darkness of the forest.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Something heard that."
And somewhere far away…
Something ancient had begun to listen.
The forest still felt heavy with grief.
Eva's body lay quietly on the ground.
No movement.
No breath.
Zoe sat beside her, tears still falling silently.
Nora knelt on the other side, her hands trembling as she held Eva's cold fingers.
Julien stood a few steps away, staring into the darkness, his jaw tight with anger and helplessness.
And Lucas…
For once, Lucas Kane had nothing to say.
He looked down at Eva for a long moment.
Then finally he exhaled slowly.
"…I know a place."
Everyone looked at him.
Lucas rubbed the back of his neck.
"My friend used to summon ancient spirits there."
Zoe wiped her tears quickly.
"Spirits?"
Lucas nodded.
"She's part of the Harper family."
Zoe's eyes widened slightly.
"That's my bloodline."
Lucas shrugged.
"Then congratulations, you're exactly who we need."
Julien stepped forward.
"Where is it?"
Lucas pointed deeper into the forest.
"Old Harper ground."
He looked at Eva again.
"…If anyone can bring her back, it's them."