The journey back to Eldoria was slow.
Amagi carried Gorath over his shoulder, while two soldiers carefully lifted Norio onto a stretcher. Neither of them spoke much—the weight of the battle still lingered in their minds.
By the time they reached the capital, healers were already waiting.
Gorath was taken in first.
Basic healing spells were cast one after another—soft green light covering his body, restoring his strength, closing his wounds. Within hours, his breathing stabilized.
But Norio…
It was different.
A healer stepped back, worry clear on his face.
"His condition… it's not responding."
Amagi frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Normal healing spells aren't working," another healer said. "His body… rejects them."
The room fell silent.
Then an elder healer stepped forward, her expression serious.
"There is one way," she said. "But it's not perfect."
---
The chamber dimmed as the advanced spell began.
Symbols formed in the air—complex, glowing, far beyond basic magic. The energy felt heavy, almost unnatural.
The spell activated.
Light surrounded Norio's body, focusing on the deep wound in his torso.
Slowly… painfully…
The damage began to close.
Muscle restored. Organs repaired.
But—
When the light faded…
The skin did not return.
The wound was healed from within, but the surface remained scarred—raw and permanent.
The healer exhaled. "That is all we can do."
---
Hours later—
Norio's eyes slowly opened.
He stared at the ceiling, silent.
Then—
"…I'm alive."
Amagi stood nearby, arms crossed. "Barely."
Gorath, now awake but resting, sat against the wall, watching quietly.
Norio slowly turned his head toward him.
For a moment… he said nothing.
Then—
"…Sorry."
The word felt heavy.
Gorath didn't respond immediately. He simply looked at him.
"…You hit hard," Gorath finally said.
A faint smile appeared on Norio's face.
---
Amagi stepped forward. "Start talking."
Norio's expression changed.
Serious.
"…Vaelros," he said.
The name filled the room.
"He was our leader."
Amagi's eyes narrowed.
"He built the cult. Gave us purpose. Power…" Norio paused, clenching his fist slightly. "But it wasn't enough for him."
"What do you mean?" Amagi asked.
"He left," Norio said. "Abandoned everything… for more power. Something beyond curses."
Silence followed.
That confirmed it.
Vaelros wasn't just leading from the shadows—
He had already moved on to something far worse.
---
Meanwhile—
Far from the castle…
Ace walked alone.
The streets were quieter near the outskirts, leading toward a place he hadn't visited in a long time.
Vargan's house.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
Memories.
Training.
Lessons.
Loss.
Ace stopped for a moment, staring ahead.
Then—
His eyes narrowed.
Someone stood in the distance.
A figure.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
The wind shifted as the figure slowly turned.
Ace's heart tightened.
"…That's…"
He took a step forward.
Not fully believing what he was seeing.
But knowing—
This wasn't a coincidence.