Gondor moved swiftly, heading to gather his tools for the removal of the pulse embedded in Kael's side—a dangerous procedure where the odds stacked grimly against him. Still, life was nothing without risk, and for Lyria, all she could do now was cling to faith.
Meanwhile, the trio sent by Thadeus was fast approaching Umbra's End.
"Not much further now," Bane said as he dismounted his horse, rolling his shoulders. "Let's rest here for the night. After all, the objective is to find Garrik—not to kill ourselves getting there."
"You speak as if you're in charge of us," Brielle retorted, swinging down from her horse with a graceful ease.
"And who else but me would be best suited for such a position?" Bane grinned, his voice soaked in self-praise.
"I'd rather follow a wild boar," Brielle shot back teasingly, folding her arms with mock disdain.
They continued to bicker, their words laced with a playful, provocative edge that neither was truly trying to hide.
"Settle down, you two," William, the last of the trio, finally interjected, his tone caught somewhere between annoyance and amusement.
"Nobody was talking to you!" Brielle and Bane barked in unison, whipping around to glare at him.
William smirked, "Always bickering, always shouting in sync—gods, you two should just kiss already. Or better still, get laid and save the rest of us the headache."
Brielle and Bane flushed instantly, their faces turning a furious shade of red as they whirled on each other again, now squabbling over William's bold provocation.
"Why would you say that, William? I'd never lay with a proud, thick-headed brute like him," Brielle snapped, though the mischievous sparkle in her eyes betrayed her.
"As if I'd ever lay with a loud-mouthed, sharp-tongued minx like you," Bane fired back, crossing his arms, though the smirk tugging at his lips betrayed him too.
Their bickering rolled on, but even William could tell—there was less venom in their words and more… something else.
By the time they set up camp amidst the teasing and banter, the tension had morphed into something oddly warm. Together, they went hunting, each determined to catch their own meal, driven mostly by Bane's stubbornly competitive spirit.
They set up camp in a not so thick forest
This group Thadeus had assembled—thinking them random, disposable pieces—was anything but that. Bane and William had grown up side by side; they were more brothers than friends. Brielle had crossed paths with Bane years ago during training for the Blood Bonding Ritual, around the same time Kael and Dren were making their mark. Her extroverted spark clashed against Bane's prideful fire in a way that kept them at each other's throats—playfully, of course. William was always the unwilling mediator, often dragged into their squabbles despite his best efforts to remain neutral.
They talked, they laughed, they ate until their bellies were full, and when night fell, a peaceful silence settled over them as they lay beneath the endless sky.
"We sure are a jovial bunch for people heading straight into enemy territory," Bane said, finally breaking the stillness.
"What's wrong with that? Were you expecting some quiet, suffocating atmosphere?" Brielle asked, resting her hands behind her head.
"Hell no. The act of pretending to be a random group was just to meet Thadeus' requirement anyway. But let's be honest… this mission—it could very well be our last."
"That's one way to look at it, you simpleton," William said, not missing a beat.
"Oh yeah? What other way is there, Mr. Know-It-All?" Bane fired back, grinning.
"If we find Garrik before he reaches Umbra's End, the mission's only half done. We weren't sent to interfere—we're backup. Our presence might change how Garrik moves. Maybe he won't act so recklessly if he knows we're there."
"Correct. Very well said, Brielle," William added with a nod.
"Pfft."
"Hey, William," Brielle called softly.
"Yeah?"
"…Bane."
"Hmm?"
"If a fight is inevitable… do you really think we'd be of much help? Be honest."
Silence.
A cold, uncomfortable silence that seemed to stretch on forever.
"To be perfectly honest," Bane finally said, his voice heavy, "even if the three of us somehow became one person… we wouldn't even scratch Garrik's level. And the Harbinger… that monster… he's in a league of his own. His very presence could break us before we even lift a blade."
"Simply put," William added grimly, "if a fight's unavoidable, we'll be nothing but obstacles. There's only one man alive who can stand toe-to-toe with the Harbinger—Garrik Veymar. But standing your ground isn't the same as victory."
Bane sighed, his gaze hard. "All we can do is pray the old man hasn't done anything stupid by the time we find him."
Brielle said nothing. She just stared up at the stars, her heart heavy. Deep down, she already knew the answer to her question long before the boys spoke. She just… hoped. Hoped for even a dim light in their reply.
Without another word, sleep slowly claimed them one by one, the weight of tomorrow pressing gently upon them.
---
"Shall we begin?" Gondor asked, holding his tools carefully in his gloved hands.
"You said you were off to get your equipment… you spent the entire day!" Lyria snapped, frustration and fear colliding in her voice.
"I wanted to be sure I wasn't missing anything."
"Whatever. You plan on doing this tonight?"
"Of course. Why not?"
"Have you even looked outside? It's late."
"Exactly why we should do it now. He doesn't look like he can hold on much longer—not with the amount of pain he's in."
Lyria fell silent. Her hands trembled at her sides.
"So, as I said… shall we?"
"…Yeah."
Together, they carefully moved Kael to the table Gondor had prepared for the extraction. The terror in Lyria's eyes was unmistakable—her breathing uneven, her gaze flickering between Kael's pale face and Gondor's steady hands.
Gondor, on the other hand, was a man carved from stone. His calm wasn't arrogance—it was necessity. If Kael had even the slightest chance of survival, Gondor could not afford the luxury of fear.
Minutes away from beginning, one truth loomed over them like a shadow.
Is this the end of the road for Kael? Did Lyria make the right choice? Were they already too late?
Amongst the storm of uncertainties, one thing was certain:
The fate of the world, fragile as glass, now rested on their shoulders.
And if death claimed Kael tonight… doom would soon follow.