The Next Steps (Part 2)

At that moment, we didn't exchange another word. We simply ran into the cave urgently, with the echo of our steps reverberating off the damp, rocky walls. When we finally reached the spot where Kaelan and Rydian were, we saw that Kaelan had been the first to wake up, while Rydian remained unconscious.

Tskagh… what… happened? — murmured Kaelan, with his voice hoarse and dragged, and his mind still immersed in the fog of unconsciousness. His blurred gaze wandered around until he finally noticed us.

He blinked a few times, trying to orient himself.

— Where are we? — he asked, confused.

— Inside the cave, the same place we spent the night — Vayrënna answered, her voice firm.

Her name seemed to spark something inside Kaelan. He moved, frowning.

— V-Vayrënna...? What… happened? — his voice carried a mix of disbelief and apprehension.

— You accepted Dravyn's challenge and lost — she replied, bluntly.