Irelia stepped forward, the blade in her hand radiating a cold glow that seemed to bite into the surrounding air. The metallic sound echoed through the empty room, ricocheting off the pillars of crimson ice like a silent warning: from then on, there would be no more room for hesitation.
Kael responded to her gesture with a simple nod—firm, decisive.
"I agree."
His voice seemed lower than before, but it carried the weight of an irreversible decision.
He turned completely to the three of them, and the red glint reflected in his eyes gave the distinct impression that the living ice was staring back at him.
"If they finish before we reach the core," he continued, "there will be no mission, no king to rescue… and no kingdom to return to."
The words hung in the air like ice cracking before breaking.
Sylphie took a deep breath, gathering her focus. A soft green mist gathered around her hands.
"Then let's stop it before it explodes. Let's climb up once and for all."
