The group remained silent for several minutes.
James stayed close to Emily, watching her carefully. Colors slowly returning to her pale face, her breathing steady but faint.
Rachel rested beside them, her eyes closed. The weight of everything that had happened finally caught up to her, and for the first time, she allowed herself to rest.
Jake lay nearby, already drifting in and out of sleep the exhaustion and pain pulling him under.
Only James and Van were still awake.
Van sat a short distance away, completely absorbed in the gauntlet. He turned it over in his hands, tapping at its surface, then slipped it on—his face lighting up like a child with a new toy.
"This is amazing…" he whispered.
James watched him for a moment, curiosity flickering in his mind.
Then his gaze shifted.Viper stood near the cave wall, leaning back casually, her presence quiet but alert.
James hesitated then spoke.
"You said something earlier…"
Viper's eyes moved toward him.
"Out here…" he continued, his voice steady but uncertain.
"…where is here?"
A brief pause followed.His gaze drifted toward the darkness beyond the cave, the shadows stretching endlessly into the forest.
"Where are we?"
Before she could reply, Iron scoffed.His gaze remained fixed on the darkness outside the cave.
"Why would a weakling like you need that?"
James frowned. "I'm not weak," he shot back.
"Then what are you?"
Iron turned, finally facing him.
"A chicken?"
He let out a short, mocking laugh.
"Even calling you that is an insult… to the quillraptors."
The argument drew Van's attention immediately.
"What's a quillraptor?" he asked.
Iron glanced at him briefly.
"Another weakling," he muttered.
"Iron, enough."
Viper's voice cut in sharply. He turned looked at her. Her expression was cold and firm.
Clicking his tongue, he turned away again.Viper sighed quietly before shifting her attention back to James.
"This world… we call it Xynthara."
She paused, her gaze drifting toward the forest outside.
"And this place—this is the Ancient Forest."
"Named after the creatures that roam it."
She turned to Van.
"A quillraptor is one of those creatures—a fast, pack-hunting beast that lives deeper in the forest."
Her eyes shifted to the gauntlet in his hands.
"And that…" she added, pointing at it,
"came from a Brambear."
James stayed quiet, digesting the information she had provided,though his eyes remained fixed on Iron.
"Then who are you guys?" Van asked.
James turned as well, his gaze briefly scanning Viper's armor, searching for answers.
"You shouldn't stare at a woman like that," Viper said teasingly.
James coughed feeling awkward, quickly looking away.
Smiling, she continued,
"We're hunters."
"You hunt the monsters?" James asked, uncertain.
"Like… actually hunt them down?"
"Yes." She nodded.
"That's the only way to survive here if you want to live."
Her expression grew slightly serious.
"He's right about one thing," she added, glancing at Iron.
"You are weak. And if you want to survive here… you'll need strength."
"That's if he doesn't die first."
Iron's voice came out cold, loud enough for all of them to hear.
James frowned. He didn't like being called weak.Something in him refused to accept it—his pride.He stepped forward slightly, facing Iron.
"What makes you think I'm weak?"
Iron turned his head, eyes sharp.
"You froze."
He paused making sure James listened
"You just stood there while that beast attacked you."
His voice hardened.
"If that were your team…"
"…that hesitation would've gotten them killed."
"You think too much. You act too slowly. Out here… that gets you killed."
Iron's voice was cold, unwavering.
"You're the type to stand there and watch your teammates die—because you're stuck in your own head."
He pointed toward Viper.
"If she hadn't shown up when she did… you wouldn't be alive right now."
"Iron, he gets it," Viper cut in.
James stood there, fists clenched. He knew Iron was right. That was what made it worse.
"Are you going to keep babysitting them?" Iron asked, his tone sharp. "I'm already tired of this."
"Remember our mission," Viper replied calmly.
"We bring them back. After that… it's their choice."
She glanced at the group.
"Besides… they'll learn."
Iron scoffed turning away
"Keep telling yourself that."
"What mission?" James asked, suspicion creeping into his voice. His anger hadn't fully faded.
Viper studied him briefly.
"Relax. As hunters, we're given missions.Ours was to bring you back to the city."
"You knew we were coming?"
James took a step back, shocked—and wary.
"Coward," Iron muttered under his breath.
James ignored him, his eyes fixed on Viper.
"Yes," she said.
"We've been watching you since you arrived. Just like us, other hunters were sent to retrieve others."
"Wait—"
James' voice rose.
"You watched them die… and didn't save them?"
"Our mission was to bring back those with potential," Iron cut in sharply.
"They were weak. That's why they died."
"You—!"
James rushed forward, rage flaring but Viper caught him before he could move any further.
"Let me go!"
He struggled, glaring at Iron, his eyes bloodshot.
"Relax," Viper said firmly, pushing him back.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
She stepped between them.
"Iron. That's enough. I'll handle it."
Iron watched James for a moment.
"So you've got some bite after all," he said.
"Maybe there's something in you… or maybe it's just anger."
His fist slowly unclenched.For a brief second, the air around him felt… still.Then it returned to normal.
He sat back down.
Viper guided James back and made him sit on the fur.
"Be careful," she warned quietly.
"You don't want to get on his bad side."
Van, who had been silent, finally spoke.
"There are… other people like us?"
Viper turned to him.
"Every five years, when the three suns appear in the sky… new people arrive in this world."
"Hunters are sent to bring them back—those worth training."
"Then…"
Van hesitated to speak.
Viper understood.
"I was like you once," she said."I arrived here in 2015."
She glanced at Iron.
"He came in 2020."
She paused, her voice softer.
"I had just finished university… and was heading home."
Van swallowed looking at her face.
"That's… fourteen years ago, but you're —"
"So it's 2029 there…" Viper muttered under her breath.
Then she looked back at them.
"Time flows differently here."
"Why did you save us?"
James' voice came from the side,he was calmer now.Viper smiled faintly.
"I couldn't just watch you die."
Her eyes lingered on him.
"And… I thought you were interesting."
James said nothing just watched her.
"Alright, get some rest," Viper said."We have a long way ahead of us tomorrow."
Van moved back and leaned against the wall, settling onto the fur.Only James remained alert, his eyes still fixed on her.
"Relax," Viper said, noticing his tension.
"No one's going to hurt you."
She tilted her head slightly."If we wanted you dead… we wouldn't have saved you."
James exhaled softly.He relaxed a little and moved back, resting against the wall. But his eyes still lingered on them.Viper smiled faintly before turning and walking back to Iron.
James watched her in silence.
His mind drifted replaying everything that had happened. The new world, monsters straight of out myths.
He slowly turned, scanning his friends.
Jake had finally fallen asleep, his wounds now fully closed.Emily rested quietly, Rachel beside her.
Van slept with the gauntlet still clutched tightly in his hands.
James' eyelids grew heavy.He tried to fight it, but his body demanded rest.Darkness slowly claimed his vision.
Watching him fall asleep, Viper glanced at Iron.
"You were too hard on him," she said quietly.
"They'll die if they don't know the truth," Iron replied.
Viper nodded slightly and leaned back against the wall.
Silence settled over the cave broken only by the steady rhythm of breathing.