The infirmary was quiet—too quiet. The hum of the machines monitoring the injured was the only sound that broke the eerie silence, but even those seemed distant. Kael sat beside the beds of Tetsu and Hana, their still forms lying there like hollowed-out shells. The life that had been there was gone.
The other students, those who had survived the chaos, filled the room, their eyes glancing nervously between each other. Kyoushiro stood by the door, arms crossed, watching them all carefully.
Eri stood at the foot of Hana's bed, her face streaked with tears, her eyes red from crying. Her hands clenched the edge of the bed, knuckles white.
"I can't… I can't bring them back, Kael…" she whispered, barely audible, her voice breaking. "The medicine… I don't have anything left..."
Kael's head shot up, a new, colder determination in his eyes. "There has to be something. You're the one who brought me back, Tetsu back—don't tell me there's nothing left!"
Eri trembled but stood firm. "I know, but… this is different. This… is not something I can heal. There's no medicine for this kind of death."
Kyoushiro stepped forward, his voice low and grim. "There is a way. But it's not simple. And it's not without its price." His gaze met Kael's. "There's a medicine… but it lies beyond this world."
Everyone looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?" Kael asked, narrowing his eyes.
"The Cleansing Elixir," Kyoushiro explained, his voice steady, despite the gravity of his words. "It can bring them back. It's one of the few things capable of reversing death… but it comes from a place far beyond your reach."
"Where?" Kael asked, his heart racing with hope.
"There's a portal," Kyoushiro continued, his eyes distant as he seemed to focus on something only he could see. "It's hidden in a place outside of this world—another dimension. But there's a catch."
Kael's brow furrowed. "A catch?"
Kyoushiro nodded. "There's a beast guarding it. Stronger than the four you just fought combined. And it's not just that beast. There are fifteen others, each as dangerous and deadly as the ones you faced."
Everyone fell silent, the weight of Kyoushiro's words hanging in the air. Eri sank to her knees, hands clutching her chest. "Is it… even worth it?" she whispered through her sobs. "To go up against something like that… for them? It's too much. It's… too much."
But Kael's voice cut through the air, steely and unwavering. "Where is this portal?"
Kyoushiro looked at him, his expression unreadable. "It's located in the Forbidden Ruins, deep within the Rift of Lost Souls. The coordinates are far from here, and reaching it is nearly impossible. But if you truly wish to bring them back… you'll have to go there. You'll have to face the beasts."
Kael stood up, his fists clenched at his sides. "Then tell me where it is."
Everyone in the room stared at him in shock. Tetsu and Hana were lying there, their bodies still and lifeless, and yet Kael's resolve remained unshaken. He had just lost his closest friends, the ones who had been with him since the beginning, and still—he was ready to risk everything for them.
Eri raised her head, her tear-streaked face twisted in pain and confusion. "Kael… You can't be serious. You can't go alone. You'll… you'll die!"
Kael's eyes locked onto hers, filled with an intensity she had never seen before. "I'm not going alone. But I have to go. I'm the only one who can get it. Hana and Tetsu don't deserve to die like this. I'm bringing them back."
He took a step toward the door, ready to rush off, but Kyoushiro's voice stopped him.
"Kael…" Kyoushiro said softly. "If you go, you might not come back. And there's no guarantee you'll find the elixir. The beasts won't let you walk out easily, especially not with the Cleansing Elixir."
Kael paused at the door but didn't turn around. "I don't care."
Eri stepped forward, her voice trembling with emotion. "Kael… Please. You can't do this alone."
But Kael didn't answer. Instead, he stepped outside, the cold night air hitting his face like a slap. The coordinates from Kyoushiro burned in his mind, urging him forward.
He could feel the pull of the Rift of Lost Souls, its call strong and clear, echoing through him. Every step was a promise. A promise to his friends.
And Kael would see it through, no matter the cost.