Chapter 30: Eldren?

###Chapter 30: Eldren?

The void shimmered in silence as Freya's words settled over them like an immutable truth.

"For that matter, I have chosen a new vessel. And the one I have chosen…"

Freya's gaze drifted to one person, her golden eyes unwavering. She extended a hand and pointed directly at Lea.

"...is her."

Arie and Icelyn's eyes widened in shock, their reactions almost synchronized.

"Princess Lea?!" Arie exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief.

Lea's mouth fell open, her face pale.

"Me? Why me?" she whispered, almost to herself, unable to process what she'd just heard. Her voice trembled as she looked at Freya, pleading for an explanation.

Before Freya could answer, the serene white void around them began to tremble. The ground beneath their feet vibrated, sending waves of energy through the air.

"The time has come,"

Freya said, her voice calm yet resolute as if the chaos of the void did not faze her. Her golden form began to glow brighter, a radiance so intense that it seemed to pierce through the void itself. As her light engulfed her, she turned toward Arie.

"Arie," she said, her voice softer now, almost maternal.

"I have left a blessing with you. It will help suppress the presence of the being inside you. You may not understand this now, but in time, you will."

Freya's glow became almost blinding, her ethereal form shifting and gliding toward Lea. The princess staggered back, raising her hands instinctively, but Freya's movement was steady, inevitable.

"Wait!" Lea stammered, panic flashing in her eyes. "What are you doing? I—I'm not ready for this!"

"You were chosen because you are stronger than you know,"

Freya replied, her voice echoing with divine certainty.

"Trust in yourself, Princess Lea."

With that, Freya's radiant form merged into Lea, enveloping her completely. A brilliant, golden light exploded from her body, illuminating the void. Arie and Icelyn shielded their eyes, their silhouettes swallowed by the blinding glow.

When the light finally faded, the three of them were back in the dimly lit room where they had fallen asleep.

Arie groaned softly, rubbing his temples as he sat up.

"I just had the craziest dream..."

"That wasn't a dream," Icelyn said firmly, standing beside him. Her sharp gaze moved toward Lea, who lay quietly on the ground, still deep in sleep. She looked peaceful, her breathing steady, entirely unaware of the gravity of what had just occurred.

Before anyone could say another word, a deafening explosion echoed through the room, shaking the walls violently. Dust and debris rained from the ceiling as the group sprang to their feet.

"What was that?!" Arie shouted, his eyes darting toward the source of the noise.

"Near the entrance!" Icelyn said, already drawing her weapon.

They rushed toward the entrance, their hearts pounding in sync with the chaotic vibrations of the ground. Agin stood there, his weapon drawn, his face pale but focused.

"Agin!" Arie called out. "What happened?"

Agin's voice was tense, his eyes locked on the destroyed wall ahead of him.

"I don't know! Something—or someone—broke through the wall."

The group turned toward the wall, where the dust and debris were slowly settling. As the air cleared, a shadowy figure began to emerge from the destruction.

Arie summoned his weapon and gripped it tightly, his instincts screaming at him to prepare for a fight. Icelyn's blade was already in her hand, her stance guarded.

Finally, the figure stepped forward, his face illuminated by the flickering torchlight.

A voice was heard with the words

"Woah, I can do that now? That's so cool." Finally, the figure stepped forward, his face illuminated by the flickering torchlight.

"Eldren?!"

The name left their lips in unison, their disbelief evident.

The tension in the room was evident as Eldren brushed off the last bits of dust from his tunic.

"Eldren?" they all said in unison, disbelief evident in their voices.

Eldren gave them a sheepish smile.

"Oh, hey, guys."

"What are you doing here?" Arie asked, his voice a mix of surprise and suspicion.

Eldren scratched the back of his neck, his expression almost too casual for the situation.

"Well, I wanted to find a way out. The easiest thing I could think of was… well, blasting the wall."

Arie's eyes narrowed. "Blasting the wall? Really?"

Icelyn crossed her arms. "You could've brought the whole dungeon down on us."

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" Eldren shot back with a nervous laugh, trying to downplay the situation.

Arie shook his head.

"We've got a fire over there, and Princess Lea is still asleep. That rumbling woke us up."

Eldren glanced toward the small room they had been using as a makeshift resting area. His expression softened slightly.

"Alright, let's go. No use standing here."

The group made their way back to the room, the atmosphere tense and heavy. They settled around the small fire, its faint glow casting long shadows on the stone walls. Eldren hesitated for a moment, his carefree demeanor giving way to something far more somber.

Arie, sensing the shift, broke the silence.

"Eldren… what happened to you? And where are the other students?"

At this, Eldren's expression darkened completely. He looked down at his hands, clenching them tightly before meeting Arie's gaze.

"The others…" He paused, his voice barely above a whisper. "The others didn't make it."

The room went cold, the air thick with unspoken grief.

Icelyn leaned forward, her voice sharp but controlled. "What happened?"

Eldren took a deep breath, his jaw tightening as he began to recount the events.

"When the explosion happened, we were all thrown into a deep hole. While falling, Adrian and I managed to slow our descent by using our swords against the walls. But the others… they lost consciousness."

He paused, his eyes distant as if he was reliving the moment.

"Then the teacher reached us," Eldren continued, his tone filled with bitterness.

"At first, I thought I was imagining it, but… he was actually... He was with the Cult of Crimson."

Arie's eyes widened in shock.

"The Cult of Crimson? Are you sure?"

Eldren nodded grimly.

"I saw it with my own eyes. He suddenly turned on us. Adrian and I tried to fight back, but he was… strong. Too strong. He stabbed us both like we were nothing. Before I blacked out completely, I saw him take out some kind of artifact. He used it on the others… and then…"

He trailed off, his voice cracking slightly.

Icelyn's grip on her weapon tightened. "An artifact? What kind of artifact?"

"I don't know," Eldren admitted, his voice trembling. "But whatever it was… it wasn't natural. It felt wrong. Evil."

Silence fell over the room as the weight of Eldren's words sank in. Arie stared into the fire, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"The teacher…" Arie said, his voice low and dangerous. "He's with the Cult of Crimson, and he killed them?"

"Yes... they did" Eldren confirmed, his tone heavy with guilt.