Leo and Rein didn't hesitate.
The moment that overwhelming aura spread across the forest, they ran.
Branches snapped beneath their feet as they pushed forward, not daring to look back. The pressure in the air felt suffocating—like something unseen was watching, hunting.
Then—
A cave.
"There!" Rein pointed.
They rushed inside without a second thought. The darkness swallowed them instantly, the outside world cut off in a single step. Both of them ducked behind large rocks near the entrance, holding their breath.
Silence.
Then—
A shadow passed by.
Tall.
Slow.
Heavy footsteps echoed faintly through the cave entrance.
Leo and Rein froze.
"What… was that?" Rein whispered, her voice barely audible.
Leo kept his eyes fixed on the entrance, his body tense. "…I don't know," he murmured. "But it's definitely bad news."
Neither of them moved.
Not until the presence faded.
Minutes passed. Slowly, the suffocating pressure in the air began to lift. The heaviness in their chests loosened, and the silence no longer felt threatening.
Leo exhaled quietly.
"I think we should go back before something worse happens."
Rein nodded. "…Yeah. That was reckless."
They stepped out from behind the rocks and carefully scanned their surroundings. The forest outside looked normal again—too normal.
"Looks safe… at least for now," Leo said.
Still cautious, they moved out of the cave and into the open, planning to regroup with the knights.
But something felt… wrong.
The forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
No insects.
No rustling leaves.
No animals.
That unnatural silence crept under their skin, sending a chill down their spines.
Leo's eyes narrowed.
Without warning, he grabbed Rein's hand.
"Run."
"What—?" Rein barely had time to react before Leo pulled her back into the cave.
"I heard something," he said sharply.
They went deeper this time.
Far deeper than before.
The cave stretched endlessly, its walls damp and uneven. The air grew warmer as they advanced, the smell of earth and stone thickening around them.
Rein raised her hand, conjuring a small flame. The flickering light danced across the cave walls, revealing just how vast the tunnel truly was.
"…This might be the Arcane Cave," she said.
Leo glanced at her. "Arcane Cave?"
"My grandmother used to talk about it," Rein explained quietly. "During the First War, people from Luminous Flame hid here. It's massive… and easy to get lost in."
Leo let out a soft whistle. "You really know your history."
Rein rolled her eyes. "My father made sure of that."
They continued walking.
Then—
Leo stopped.
"…Wait."
Rein turned. "What is it?"
Leo raised his hand slightly, signaling her to stay quiet.
"…Do you hear that?"
At first, Rein heard nothing.
Then—
Faint.
Broken.
Whimpering.
Crying.
Her expression changed.
"…Someone's here."
The sound echoed deeper within the cave, weak and uneven, like something barely holding on.
They moved carefully toward it.
Step by step.
The deeper they went, the stronger the sound became.
The cave widened into a large open space—and there, at the center, something lay on the ground.
They stopped.
"…What is that?" Leo asked.
The figure was barely recognizable.
It wore a torn, filthy robe. Its long hair covered most of its face, and its skin—if it could even be called skin—was dark and unnatural, almost like a liquid mass barely holding its shape.
It looked… wrong.
"I don't know," Rein said cautiously. "I've never seen anything like it."
They approached slowly, staying alert.
Rein crouched down beside it, studying its form carefully. She reached out, touching its arm.
Cold.
Unnaturally cold.
She moved its limb slightly—it felt loose, unstable.
"…It's not normal," she muttered.
Meanwhile, Leo scanned the surroundings, making sure there were no traps.
Then—
The creature moved.
In an instant, its hand shot up and grabbed Rein's throat.
Her eyes widened.
Leo reacted immediately.
He stepped forward and slammed his foot down on the creature's body with force.
A sickening sound echoed.
Dark liquid burst from its mouth.
Its grip weakened—but Leo didn't stop.
He stomped again.
And again.
Until the creature's strength gave out completely and its arm fell limp to the ground.
"Leo—stop!" Rein coughed, pulling herself back.
Leo paused, breathing heavily. "…It's still alive."
Rein steadied herself, rubbing her neck. "…We should take it back."
Leo frowned. "Back to Lucindor?"
"We can have experts examine it," she said. "This could be something important."
Leo nodded.
Without hesitation, he lifted the creature onto his shoulder. To his surprise, it felt incredibly light—far lighter than it looked.
"…That's weird."
"What?" Rein asked.
"It barely weighs anything."
He glanced at her and smirked. "Hey, it's about your height."
Rein shot him an annoyed look. "I'm tall. You're just taller."
Leo laughed as they made their way back through the cave.
After what felt like forever, they finally reached the exit.
Fresh air hit them instantly.
"Finally…" Rein breathed.
Leo stretched slightly. "That cave was hotter than I expected."
They stepped forward—
"Don't move."
Both of them froze.
Three knights emerged from the bushes, swords drawn and pointed directly at them.
Leo raised an eyebrow. "You recognize me, right?"
Their eyes shifted to the creature on his shoulder.
"…What is that?" one of them asked.
"An unknown creature," Rein replied.
"Put it down," another knight ordered.
"No."
Leo's voice was calm—but firm.
The knights hesitated… then slowly lowered their weapons.
"We apologize, Your Highness."
Leo sighed. "You don't have to call me that."
"The King ordered us to continue treating you as a prince."
Leo smirked slightly. "He's worried, huh?"
"…Yes."
Leo chuckled. "That old man…"
Rein nudged him. "You're weird."
"No, I'm not."
The knights stepped forward. "Shall we escort you back to Lucindor?"
Leo nodded. "Yeah."
One of them gestured to the creature. "We can carry it."
Leo shook his head. "I've got it."
As they walked through the forest, Leo's expression turned serious.
"…Did you feel it earlier?" he asked.
"The aura."
The knights exchanged glances.
"…No, Your Highness."
Leo frowned.
Rein spoke up. "It was overwhelming. Like something powerful entered the area."
The knights shook their heads. "We weren't informed of anything like that."
"…That's not good," Leo muttered.
As they continued walking, Leo noticed something.
"…Wait."
The forest was still quiet.
No animals.
No movement.
Rein noticed it too.
"They're gone," she said.
"After that aura…" Leo added.
The knights tightened their grips on their weapons.
"…We should move faster."
They reached Ember Falls again.
The sound of water returned, calming the tension slightly.
"…Still beautiful," Leo murmured.
"Yeah," Rein agreed.
For a moment, everything felt normal again.
Then—
It came back.
That same overwhelming aura.
Stronger.
Closer.
The air trembled.
And this time—
It wasn't passing by.