The world didn't disappear.
It slipped.
One moment—
the cave.
The next—
Home.
"…Elios."
A voice called out.
Not distant.
Not distorted.
Normal.
Elios turned.
Kael stood near the door—
a sack beside him.
"…What are you doing?"
"…Nothing."
"…Then help me."
He nudged the sack slightly.
"Lift this and put it inside."
Elios walked over.
The sack was heavy.
Too heavy.
"…You could've done this yourself."
"I already did enough."
"…Lazy."
"…Do it."
Elios crouched slightly.
His hand gripped the sack.
He pulled—
It didn't move.
"…Tch."
For a moment—
nothing happened.
Then—
He focused.
Not consciously.
Not fully.
Just—
something he had done before.
His breathing aligned slightly.
His grip tightened.
His muscles—
responded differently.
Sharper.
More controlled.
The weight felt—
lighter.
Not gone.
Just manageable.
He lifted it.
Steady.
Without strain this time.
And placed it inside the box.
Kael watched.
"…Since when can you do that?"
Elios straightened.
"…Do what?"
"…That."
Kael pointed at the sack.
"…You struggled with that yesterday."
"…I didn't struggle."
"You did."
"…It's just something I figured out."
"…What kind of 'something'?"
Elios paused.
"…I just focus."
A small shrug.
"…And my body responds better."
Not fully explained.
But enough.
"…Like you're forcing it?"
"…No."
A slight pause.
"…More like… guiding it."
Kael frowned slightly.
"…That doesn't sound normal."
"…It works."
That was enough for Elios.
Kael didn't argue further.
But he didn't look convinced either.
"…Don't break yourself doing weird things."
"…I won't."
A normal moment.
Simple.
Unimportant.
The kind that disappears—
without anyone noticing.
Then—
A sound.
Sharp.
Metal clashing.
Wrong.
Out of place.
Elios' eyes snapped open.
The cave returned instantly.
Cold.
Dark.
Real.
"…Hah—!"
His breath came out rough.
Too fast.
Too uneven.
The ground was still beneath him—
but everything else had changed.
"…Kael—!"
He saw him.
Still standing.
Still fighting.
But barely.
Three goblins in front—
Two behind.
No space.
No escape.
Kael moved.
His blade cut through one—
Then turned—
Blocked another—
But slower.
Too slow.
Blood ran down his side.
Heavy.
Uncontrolled.
"…Get up…!"
He didn't look back.
Didn't need to.
He knew Elios was there.
"…Move!"
Elios tried.
His body responded this time.
Not frozen.
But heavy.
Delayed.
He stepped forward—
Then stopped.
The same fear.
The same pressure.
Still there.
Kael cut another down.
His breathing broke.
"…Damn it—"
Another goblin rushed him.
He blocked—
Barely.
The impact pushed him back.
His footing slipped.
He steadied himself—
But his arm trembled.
Not weakness.
Blood loss.
Too much.
Too fast.
"…Just go—!"
His voice cracked this time.
"…Run!"
Elios didn't move.
Not forward.
Not away.
Stuck.
Kael pushed again.
One more strike—
Clean.
One more goblin fell.
But his blade dropped slightly after.
His grip—
loosening.
"…No…"
Elios whispered.
Kael tried to step forward—
But his leg gave out.
He dropped to one knee.
Still holding the blade.
Still facing forward.
One last goblin lunged—
Kael forced himself up—
One final swing—
It landed.
The goblin fell.
Silence.
Total.
Kael stood there for a second.
Just one.
Then—
His body swayed.
His grip loosened.
And he collapsed.
"…Kael…"
No response.
The cave didn't move.
Didn't react.
It just—
remained.
Elios stood there.
Breathing.
Shaking.
But not frozen anymore.
His hands clenched.
"…Move…"
The word came out low.
Unsteady.
But real.
He turned.
Not because he was ready.
But because staying—
meant dying.
And this time—
he understood that.
End.