Day ten!
Seriously, they'd made it to day ten since this whole Rift Expedition began! Who would've thought that the first day. Yes, that literal near-death nightmare, would be the worst of it? Somehow, against all odds, things had gone surprisingly smoothly ever since.
Fang had truly stepped up his game. He'd become far better at scouting, always moving well ahead of the group. He led them only into monster territories where they actually stood a chance of surviving.
Tave, too, had grown. His ability to share vision was now becoming a major asset. It was like they suddenly had eyes beyond their limits, and it changed everything.
They faced monsters with ruthless efficiency. With every encounter, Tave would pass along just enough info. Nothing more than needed, but always spot-on to Oriana, guiding her on how to take each beast down quickly and cleanly.
Oriana had also recovered. She was back on her feet and fighting strong again. Her return marked the revival of the team's full strength. And not just hers. Orion, too…
Yes, Orion was back. He had healed, and finally. Finally, he was no longer under that prisoner status.
The team was unified again. Well, sort of. There were no more fights, no open conflict. But Orion kept his distance. He rarely spoke, never lingered. The only time he seemed truly engaged was during a hunt. And even then, he'd leap ahead, striking first, moving outside the team formation.
Then again, Orion had always been different. With his self-reliance, his devastating damage output, and his ability to heal himself, he didn't need much support from anyone. He was a lone force, carving his own way through.
Even so, the team held strong. They handled everything the Rift threw at them, and not just well. But, flawlessly.
No one brought up the murder again. Not even once. The events of that brutal first day in the Rift Expedition, where a teammate was killed were never spoken of beyond the immediate aftermath. Orion, just as everyone expected, never mentioned it. And the rest of the team? Not one of them dared to dig deeper, not with him right there.
But silence didn't erase the truth. No matter how well they performed, or how united they appeared, the fact remained: Orion had taken a teammate's life. And once this Rift Expedition was over, he would still have to answer for that. A murder, even one wrapped in mystery and necessity, came with its own price. Its own consequences.
Still, that reckoning would have to wait. It wasn't the time. Not yet. They had a mission to finish.
And so, on the tenth day… They finally picked a spot to rest. A place not far from a cave Tave and Fang had been quietly scouting for days. They'd mapped the area, observed it closely, and now it was clear. This cave wasn't just a shelter. It was something far more important.
It was shallow at first, unassuming. But deep within, at the heart of the cavern, lay a massive lava pool. The air pulsed with the dense, fiery energy of the elemental plane. The entire place thrummed with heat and power, pure, concentrated fire elements.
And yes… Tave knew this was it.
With absolute certainty, he felt it in his bones: this was the place. This was the moment. He could finally awaken his Relic. He'd been waiting for this chance long before they ever stepped into the Rift, and now, at last, it was within reach.
Once everyone had settled down to rest, Tave rose quietly to his feet and turned to the others.
"I'm going to scout the area for a bit. You don't need to worry. Fang's coming with me," he said, already signaling the silent wolf at his side.
"Tave?" Oriana looked up. "Are you sure? Do you need someone to come with you?"
"No. Fang is enough," he replied without hesitation.
Then his eyes flicked toward Lily. She hadn't said anything, but the look on her face said it all, quiet concern wrapped in resignation.
He knew she wasn't fooled. Not really. But still, he'd told her where he was going, even if he hadn't told her why. That was enough… or at least he hoped it was. Anything more might've made her worry even more than she already did.
Tave moved swiftly, his figure swallowed by the creeping darkness as he disappeared beyond the flickering edge of the camp's firelight. Fang followed close behind, his movements as silent as a shadow at Tave's heels.
For the past few days, Tave hadn't leveled up. Which wasn't all that unusual. Leveling back-to-back in such a short window was rare even for the most relentless fighters. Still, he could feel it. He was close. So close to reaching Level 19 he could almost taste it.
"Fang," he murmured, eyes fixed on the path ahead, "stay outside the cave. No need to come in. Just make sure nothing gets too close."
Fang didn't reply, didn't even make a sound. He simply vanished, melting into the shadows like mist into night.
Tave pressed on alone. From the outside, the cave entrance shimmered faintly with an ominous red glow. It wasn't wide, but as soon as he stepped inside, the air changed. Heat clung to his skin like a second layer, thick, stifling. Sweat broke across his forehead within seconds.
He moved deeper, step by careful step, navigating the narrow tunnel until it opened into a larger chamber. And there, right in the heart of it, was what he'd come for.
A molten river of lava cut through the cavern's floor, glowing a fierce, blinding orange. It flowed steadily into a wide basin at the center, bubbling and roaring with raw, elemental fire. The temperature was almost unbearable.
Tave stepped slowly toward the edge of the lava pool, every footfall measured, cautious. The heat pulsed stronger the closer he got, and for a brief, terrifying moment, he imagined slipping, falling straight into the molten fire. The thought made him swallow hard. He forced it away.
There was no time to ease into this. Ideally, he would've liked to grow accustomed to the environment, to let his body adjust to the overwhelming temperature, to ground himself before attempting something this serious. But time wasn't a luxury he had. So, he began.
With the tip of his dagger, he etched a magic pattern into the ground. A circle, intricate and deliberate. Then he drew out several chains. He anchored them into eight evenly spaced points around the circle, pulling all the ends together in the center.
Next, he drew his sword. The one his father had given him. Carefully, he drove it into the center of the circle, then began attaching the ends of the chains to it, one by one.
He paused, breathing deeply. Double-checking everything. Was it right? Was it ready?
"Yes, everything is perfectly covered!"
After a final inspection, he nodded to himself.
A slow grin spread across his face, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he drew out the Fire Elemental Spirit Relic Token. The one he'd received from the gift box.
"Now," he murmured, "let's see what kind of spirit comes to answer my call."