Chapter 32: Hope

###Chapter 32: Hope

While the chaos unfolded around them, Icelyn snapped out of her daze, shaking off the shock that had held her frozen. She turned toward the knights, her voice sharp with urgency.

"What happened here? What is going on?"

One of the knights, bloodied and battered, looked at her with weary eyes.

"It was sudden... too sudden," he said, his voice trembling.

"The neighboring nations—those who once called us allies—they've turned against us. They've teamed up and attacked, claiming this kingdom is useless, weak... saying that only the strong deserve to survive."

Icelyn's jaw clenched, her teeth grinding as she took in the knight's words. Her fists tightened around the hilt of her sword, her knuckles turning white. She looked out at the destruction, her heart heavy with helplessness. The kingdom she had sworn to protect was crumbling before her eyes, the flames reflecting in the tears she refused to let fall.

As she stared at the burning ruins, a sudden, otherworldly voice echoed in her mind.

"Can you hear me, heroes of the Celestial? We have detected... Mondryn's seal is weakening."

The voice reverberated through her thoughts, chilling and commanding.

"What?" Icelyn gasped, her eyes widening in shock. The words sent a jolt through her body, a mixture of fear and urgency coursing through her veins.

She turned to the others, ready to rally them, but stopped short. Everyone—Agin, Arie, Liana, Lea, and even Eldren—stood frozen. Their faces were pale, their eyes filled with fear, their bodies trembling as the weight of the message sank in.

"Come on!" Icelyn shouted, her voice cutting through the silence. "We have to move! We have to stop Mondryn before—"

Her words were cut off as Eldren suddenly spoke, his voice breaking.

"Before what? Before the inevitable?" His legs gave out, and he fell to his knees, his head bowed in despair.

"What's the point? Even if we stop Mondryn... what else is there? Look around you, Icelyn. Everything is destroyed. There's nothing left to save."

Tears streamed down his face as his voice grew quieter.

"We've already lost..."

The others slowly sank to their knees as well, one by one, their heads bowed as if the weight of the world had finally crushed them. Agin stared at the ground, fists clenched, his knuckles digging into the dirt. Liana hugged herself, her shoulders shaking as silent tears fell. Lea's eyes were fixed on her father's lifeless body, her grief too overwhelming for words. Even Arie, who had always carried a spark of determination, looked hollow, as if his will had been snuffed out.

Icelyn stood in the center of them all, her teeth gritted in frustration. Her gaze darted between her companions, their hopelessness infecting the air around her. Her fists trembled as anger bubbled inside her.

"Get up!" she shouted, her voice shaking with a mix of fury and desperation.

"I know it's bad. I know it feels like there's no point—but if we give up now, then Mondryn wins! If we don't stop him, this destruction will spread. What little hope is left will vanish!"

Her words hung in the air, but no one moved. The group remained frozen, lost in their despair.

Icelyn's breathing grew heavier as she stared at them, her heart pounding. She didn't have the answers. She didn't know if they could stop Mondryn. But giving up wasn't an option—not for her, not while she still drew breath.

Icelyn's frustration reached its breaking point as she glared at the group kneeling before her. These weren't just ordinary people—they were chosen by the goddesses, entrusted with a divine mission to protect the world. And yet, here they were, broken and defeated, their resolve shattered.

"Unbelievable," she muttered, her voice sharp with anger.

"You're the chosen heroes, the ones blessed by the goddesses themselves, and you're giving up? Do you think the world can afford your despair right now?"

Her words cut through the silence, but still, no one moved. Icelyn's fists clenched in frustration as she took a deep breath, ready to shout again—when suddenly, a voice resonated in their minds.

It was powerful, yet calming, carrying the authority of divinity.

"Raise your heads, mortals." the goddess's voice began, echoing within each of them,

"You kneel before despair, but despair has no power over those who carry the fire within them. Look around you—what you see is ruin, yes, but what is ruin if not the soil in which greatness is planted?

You were not chosen to stand here because you are unworthy or weak. No, you are here because you possess the strength to rise, to endure, and to conquer. Do you feel fear? Good. For fear is proof that you care, that you still fight to protect what matters.

The path ahead is treacherous, the odds daunting. But remember this: the stars shine brightest in the darkest skies. Each of you carries a spark—a fragment of the divine. Together, you are a force no darkness can extinguish.

Stand now, not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. Stand for those who cannot, for those who wait for your courage to light their way. The world is watching, and your story is far from over.

Rise, my chosen. Rise, and let your hearts burn with the fire of resolve. You are not alone. My strength flows through you, as does the strength of those who believe in you. Take that first step, and I promise you, the ground will not give way beneath your feet. Now go, and carve a legend out of this despair!"

The goddess's words hung in the air, resonating deeply within each of them. For a moment, there was silence, as if the world itself was waiting for their response.

Eldren's eyes burned with renewed determination as he looked at the others.

"She's right. This is our responsibility. We can't let this end here!"

Eldren, still on his knees, slowly raised his head. His eyes no longer held fear, but a flicker of resolve.

"We were chosen for a reason," he said, his voice steadying. "We can't let her down."

Agin pushed himself to his feet, brushing the dirt from his knees.

"If there's even a chance to make things right, we owe it to everyone to try."

Lea wiped the tears from her face and stood tall, her gaze fierce despite the grief lingering in her heart. "For my father... for the people... we will fight back."

Eldren, still shaken, hesitated before finally taking a deep breath.

"It's not over," he said, his voice trembling but resolute.

"If there's a chance to stop Mondryn, I'm not going to waste it."

The group rose, their determination reignited. Their fears and doubts were still there, but they were no longer paralyzed by them. They were ready to stand against the darkness, ready to fight for what remained of their nation.