BWDWNRMC

Chapter 11 BWDWNRMC

The cavernous chamber was a graveyard of shattered stone, burnt remnants of the mother spider, and the cold corpses of its offspring. The team gathered their breath, their bodies battered and bruised. Sakuchi, still unconscious and barely clinging to life, lay in Cynthia's arms, his pulse faint but steady. Blood stained the ground where he had collapsed, the price of his reckless power. His flames had scorched not only their enemies but also himself.

Cynthia's eyes were wide with concern as she gently checked his breathing. "He's alive… barely."

Celess wiped the blood from his hands and exhaled, his face unreadable. "We can't afford to rest too long. We've only cleared a single room."

Kyron, now standing with a hand on his knee, glanced at the wreckage around them. His muscles screamed for rest, but his resolve held firm. "I'm all for catching my breath, but what's next? We keep going deeper into this hellhole?"

Number 8, standing off to the side, crossed his arms, his eyes scanning the remnants of the battle. "If we want to find the Conqueror Stone, we have no choice but to keep moving. But we need to be ready for whatever's coming. That father spider wasn't the worst thing we'll face here."

Telemon, still catching her breath after the exhausting fight, shot him a glare. "You're not wrong, but we can't just rush into the next room without a plan. We need time to heal. This isn't some random dungeon crawl."

Celess turned to her. "What's your plan, then? Rest here and risk being ambushed by something even worse?"

Number 8 spoke before Telemon could respond. "He's right. Time is of the essence. We've already wasted too much of it fighting. We need to heal up, plan, and then move forward. But there's no more luxury of waiting for the perfect moment. We don't get to decide when the next monster comes."

Kyron cracked his knuckles. "Then let's make it quick. The sooner we get the stone, the sooner we get the hell out of here."

Cynthia nodded, still cradling Sakuchi's limp body. "I'll stay with him for now. Someone needs to watch his back."

Telemon turned her gaze to the others. "Fine. We'll rest for an hour. Everyone who can still fight, prepare for what's ahead."

The group settled into the wreckage of the chamber, each of them doing their best to tend to their wounds. The echoes of the battle faded into an uncomfortable silence, the weight of the temple's strange atmosphere pressing in on them.

As they worked, Number 8's gaze lingered on Sakuchi, who still burned with an unnatural heat, even in unconsciousness. A faint crackle of energy rippled through the air around him, a fire that was both wild and terrifying.

Telemon finally broke the silence, her voice low. "What the hell was that earlier? That cloak of flame… It was like nothing I've ever seen."

Celess grimaced as he applied a bandage to his arm. "It was raw power. But too much for him to handle. He almost burned out completely."

Kyron grinned, though his eyes held concern. "It was impressive, though. Hell's Cloak, huh? Whatever that was, it's not something you see every day."

Number 8 observed in silence, his sharp eyes calculating. "It's a dangerous ability. If he doesn't control it, it will consume him. But… there's potential. If he can harness it, he might be able to do more than just burn things to the ground."

Sakuchi groaned softly, his body shifting slightly in Cynthia's lap.

Telemon leaned forward. "If he doesn't wake up soon, we're going to be in trouble. We can't carry him through this entire temple."

Cynthia looked up sharply, her grip tightening on Sakuchi's arm. "He's not dead. Not yet."

"I didn't say he was," Telemon replied with a sigh. "But the rest of us are running on fumes. We need to stay focused."

Number 8 stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "Then we need to keep moving. The longer we stay here, the more likely we are to draw attention."

Kyron cracked his neck. "I'm ready. Just say the word."

Telemon looked to the others. "Alright. We take our chances. We head deeper. No more wasting time."

The group stood at the entrance to the next floor of the Great Temple, a heavy silence hanging between them. The floor beneath their feet trembled slightly as if in anticipation of their descent. Sakuchi lay motionless on the cold stone, his unconscious form abandoned where they had left him.

Cynthia wiped a stray tear from her cheek, her heart aching as she glanced back at Sakuchi's still figure. She knew it was necessary—his condition was too fragile he'd risk slowing them down—but it didn't make it any easier. Her heart ached with every step they took away from him.

Telemon's usually stoic expression betrayed a hint of sorrow, her eyes clouded with concern as she fought to keep her emotions in check. She had always carried the burden of being the team's leader, but this was different. Leaving Sakuchi behind felt wrong, even if it was the only option.

Kyron, sensing the tension, grinned nervously. "Come on, guys. We can't keep looking back. We're moving forward. That's the mission."

Celess, always practical, nodded. "The sooner we finish this, the sooner we get back to him. We can't waste any more time."

They all descended in silence, the weight of their decision hanging heavy. But despite their resolve, the gnawing guilt lingered. No one spoke, but in their hearts, they all shared the same unspoken burden—the fear that leaving him alone could cost them everything.

Sakuchi stirred slowly, his senses coming back in painful waves. His body felt like it was being crushed under the weight of a thousand suns, every inch of his skin searing with raw fire. He gasped, the coolness of the stone beneath him offering no comfort. His hands twitched, but they were weak—too weak to move. A horrible, guttural cough wracked his body, and he coughed up blood onto the cold floor.

He tried to sit up, but his limbs betrayed him, shaking violently as if they had never been used before. His heart raced, panic setting in as he realized—he was alone.

His mind scrambled, searching for his team, but they were nowhere to be seen. He couldn't even hear their footsteps.

Where did they go?

A strangled cry escaped his throat, but it was weak, barely audible. He could barely hold himself together, his body ravaged by the poison, and now he was abandoned in a place full of monsters.

As he struggled to stay conscious, a low growl echoed through the cavern. His head snapped up, but his vision was hazy. The shadows in the distance shifted, and before he could react, a creature appeared from the darkness.

A low-level wraith, its thin, ghostly form drifting silently toward him, its yellow eyes glowing with malice. It swirled around, its fingers sharp and translucent as it approached. Sakuchi's breath hitched, panic flooding his senses.

I can't fight back. I can't even move.

His body was too weak. He barely had the strength to form words. "Help…" he whispered hoarsely, his throat raw.

But there was no answer. The wraith moved closer, its cold fingers grazing his skin. He screamed out in desperation, the pain and fear rising up from deep within him. His scream echoed, but no one was there to hear him.

Back on the next floor, the team was knee-deep in combat. A pack of wolves, their eyes glowing with a feral hunger, emerged from the darkness, surrounding the group. The air crackled with tension as the wolves lunged.

Kyron, roaring with excitement, charged headfirst into the fray, fists flying as he smashed into one of the wolves. Celess manipulated the air around him, sending ice shards flying to create a barrier between them and the wolves.

Telemon and Number 8 flanked the wolves, their movements swift and coordinated. Despite the violence of the battle, their focus remained unwavering, their eyes occasionally darting back to the path behind them.

As the wolves fell one by one, the sound of Sakuchi's scream pierced the air.

A collective shiver ran through the group.

Cynthia stopped in her tracks, her heart leaping in her chest. She knew that scream. It was Sakuchi.

For a moment, a split-second of hesitation flickered in her eyes. But then, she looked at the others.

They had already made the decision to leave him behind. They couldn't risk going back. Not now. Not after everything they had fought through.

Telemon's voice was firm, though it wavered slightly. "We finish this first. Then we can go back."

Cynthia's fists clenched. She didn't want to hear it, but she understood. There was no time to go back now. Her heart screamed to turn around, to rush back to him, but the others needed her to stay strong.

Sakuchi's scream continued, but his cries were muffled by the darkness, his voice becoming a pitiful whisper. He could feel the wraith's icy fingers wrap around his throat, tightening with every passing second. His vision blurred, his body beginning to shut down.

Just as the darkness started to claim him, a sudden crash echoed through the chamber.

Cynthia. She had came back for him.

Without thinking, she broke from the group, her legs pumping beneath her as she ran back up the stairs, leaving the wolves behind.

When she arrived, she found him in a heap on the floor, barely conscious, the wraith still clawing at his skin. Without hesitation, she lunged at the wraith, summoning her illusion magic to confuse and disorient it.

It screeched, disoriented, as she threw herself between it and Sakuchi, her illusions warping the air around her.

Sakuchi's eyes fluttered open, catching sight of Cynthia standing over him. Her voice, fierce and determined, broke through his haze.

"Stay with me, Sakuchi. I'm not leaving you."

With one final push, Cynthia drove the wraith away with a blast of illusion, and it dissipated into the air.

She knelt beside him, her hands trembling as she tried to keep him awake. "I'm here. You're not alone."

Sakuchi, his body still shaking, managed a weak smile. "I knew you'd come back."

Her hands were gentle as they cupped his face, her touch sending warmth through his cold skin. The pain of the past few hours, the fear, the loneliness—they all seemed to fade away in that moment. She was here. And he was alive.

Their faces inched closer, as if drawn by some unspoken force. With a soft, breathless whisper, Cynthia's lips met his. The world seemed to disappear around them, their shared kiss anchoring them to reality amidst the chaos of the temple.

Time stood still for them. They didn't breathe, didn't break the kiss—they simply existed together, their hearts racing in tandem, a silent promise to never leave each other behind.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team finally finished with the wolves and made their way back up to the top floor. The silence in the air felt thick as they approached the scene, the quiet strange after the chaos of battle.

But when they arrived, they stopped in their tracks, eyes wide in surprise.

Cynthia and Sakuchi were still locked in a passionate kiss, their bodies close, as though they had forgotten the world around them entirely.

Number 8 coughed awkwardly, looking away. "Well… that's a first."

Kyron raised an eyebrow. "Guess I didn't see that coming."

Cynthia and Sakuchi finally pulled apart, their faces flushed with the heat of the moment. They didn't say a word, only looked at each other, breathing heavily as they shared a quiet, shared understanding.

But Cynthia didn't let go of him. Not this time. "I'm not leaving you again," she whispered, holding him close.

But Telemon? She stood still, her expression unreadable. The distant coldness in her eyes was unmistakable. Her gaze was fixed on Cynthia and Sakuchi, the brief flicker of jealousy flashing before she masked it with a sharp, controlled glare. She didn't look at the others, nor did she even seem to hear the teasing comments from the team.

Her fists clenched at her sides, nails digging into her palms as she struggled to suppress the unease rising within her chest. Why did it bother her so much? She should've been used to the idea of her team having their bonds, but something about seeing Sakuchi so vulnerable, clinging to Cynthia of all people… it made her insides twist.

Cynthia. Always so compassionate, always so eager to take the lead when Sakuchi's around… Telemon forced herself to breathe slowly. I don't have time for this. I shouldn't care.

And yet, it hurt in a way she hadn't expected.

Cynthia pulled away from Sakuchi slowly, a soft smile curling at the corners of her lips, her eyes never leaving him. "I'm sorry," she murmured, though her words weren't exactly an apology. More like an explanation of sorts.

Sakuchi, still pale and weak, managed to sit up fully, the pain of his body obvious in every movement. "You came back for me," he said, voice still hoarse. "I didn't think…"

Cynthia's hand went to his cheek, brushing away a few strands of his dark hair as she gazed down at him, her expression soft. "I promised you, didn't I?"

Telemon's breath hitched, and her eyes narrowed as she turned sharply away, her gaze now fixed on the floor. I promised too, didn't I?

The rest of the group looked between the two of them, sensing the sudden shift in the air. It wasn't just the affectionate scene—they could feel the underlying tension, the unsaid words between the leader and her subordinate. Telemon had always been the steady anchor, the one who kept the team together. Yet right now, she was anything but steady.

"You're both okay?" Number 8 asked, his tone deliberately casual, hoping to break the growing awkwardness.

"Yeah, we're good now," Sakuchi said, his voice barely above a whisper. His hand rested on Cynthia's, though it wasn't lost on anyone that his eyes darted toward Telemon as he spoke. She hadn't said a word since she walked in.

Telemon's heart skipped a beat as her eyes locked with Sakuchi's for a brief moment. The intensity in his gaze made her stomach tighten—was it guilt? Was it something more? She couldn't tell. Her breath caught as he looked away almost immediately, as though it had never happened.

"I'm glad you're both fine," Telemon finally spoke, her voice crisp, the cold edge still present as she turned to face them. "But we can't waste any more time."

Cynthia, still hovering protectively by Sakuchi's side, glanced at her, but Telemon was already walking past them, her footsteps echoing sharply in the stillness. She gave no further indication of her feelings, but there was a noticeable tension in the air as she moved to join the others.

Cynthia blinked, her brow furrowing slightly, sensing the change in Telemon's behavior. She wanted to say something, but her eyes landed on Sakuchi instead. He was still staring at Telemon's retreating back, his face unreadable.

"Is something wrong?" Cynthia finally asked, her voice quiet.

Sakuchi let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "She's been distant lately… I don't know why."

Cynthia studied him closely, her lips pressing into a thin line. Distant? Her mind flashed back to the kiss—her own feelings about the situation, and how she'd just acted so impulsively. Was it really just the situation, or had something deeper been brewing beneath the surface?

But she didn't voice her thoughts. Instead, she gave him a reassuring smile. "It's nothing, I'm sure. You're hurt. We'll talk about it later, okay?"

Sakuchi nodded, though the frown still tugged at his lips.

As the team began to move forward again, Telemon stayed a few steps ahead of the group, her eyes fixed straight ahead as if she hadn't noticed the tension she had left behind. The silence around her was deafening, but it wasn't the kind of silence that brought peace—it was the kind that settled over her like a suffocating cloud, drowning out her every thought.

The rest of the team spoke casually amongst themselves, but the coldness between Telemon and the others grew, and though they didn't know the full reason for her behavior, it was clear they all felt it.

Telemon's chest tightened, a dull ache building in the pit of her stomach. Every step she took felt heavier than the last. The emptiness of the space around her seemed to reflect the growing chasm inside.

She had to ignore it.

She couldn't let her emotions get the best of her. Not when the mission was still at hand.

But as her gaze flicked briefly toward Cynthia and Sakuchi, a lingering thought whispered in her mind. I can't lose him. Not to anyone. Not now.

She clenched her fists tighter, pushing the thought down. There was no time for distractions.