In one of the inner corridors of the mountain, two girls rested while leaning against the uneven rock wall.
Emma kept a firm hand over her abdomen, pressing the wound Victoria had inflicted on her. Blood seeped between her fingers, warm, sliding down her side despite her attempts to contain it.
She had managed to bring Liora closer to the exit, forcing her body far beyond what was prudent, ignoring the pain for as long as she could.
But now the wound had worsened. Her legs no longer responded with the same speed, and the simple act of running had become impossible.
Liora was sitting beside Emma, her back resting against the cold wall of the corridor. Her trembling hands gathered ether, forming small green sparks that spun and crackled around her.
Every second required visible effort; finally, a green bubble emerged between her palms, but the strain made blood once again flow from her nose.
—Emma —she said, trying to get her attention—. I managed to create this bubble to heal that wound a little. Bring it closer..
Emma looked at it, surprised by the precision and power Liora displayed despite the obvious effort.
—There's no need —she rejected it with both hands— I can hold on a bit longer. You said the exit is close, so trust me.
Liora smiled at her friend's determination.
—Come on, Emma, don't act tough. Remember I know quite a bit about anatomy. I know the blade pierced an organ; the pain must be unbearable. It's already an admirable feat that you dragged me this far with that wound..
—I promise you there's no need, I have enough Ether to use the pain-ignorance technique Víctor taught me —Emma replied firmly.
Liora sighed under her breath:
—Well, if you put it that way…
Emma smiled, proud of having won a small
argument for once.
—Although —Liora interrupted in a more serious tone, a sly smile betraying her lips—, you should know my bubbles can't be undone. So I'm forced to use it if I don't want to waste the Ether I spent creating it.
—Then use it on yourself —Emma replied quickly.
Liora chuckled softly:
—Idiot, my damage isn't physical. My condition is because I've pushed my ether core too far; and this green bubble can't heal that kind of injury.
Emma watched her for a few moments and, finally, accepted begrudgingly.
Carefully, Liora pushed the bubble toward Emma's wound. Upon contact, the pain lessened slightly and the bleeding slowed; the flesh closed a bit, forming a small plug of skin, but the wound remained open and sensitive.
Even so, that minimal relief allowed Emma to breathe with less effort and continue relying on her strength to move forward.
Emma stood up with effort, supporting Liora under her shoulder. With slow but determined steps, they began to move deeper into the cave.
Liora, with her free arm, held the precious egg firmly, protecting it as if it were the most valuable part of her own being.
The dim light of the cave reflected off the egg's surface, illuminating their tense, sweaty faces as they advanced, each step a reminder of what they had sacrificed to get there.
—————-
Marcus moved through the uneven corridors of the mountain, while a persistent doubt carved its way into his mind.
Had he lost Liora's trail?
What if she hadn't even passed through here?
Up until that moment he had guided himself by Emma's footsteps, by subtle marks. But the absence of clear signs began to feed darker thoughts.
Every empty corridor and silent fork made the uncertainty weigh heavier than the fatigue.
And he really was tired.
Then he saw it.
Blood.
A small dark pool stained the cold rock floor. Further ahead, the trail became evident: cracked walls, scattered debris, impact marks… and more blood, splattered like a violent testimony of what had happened there.
Marcus stopped for a moment, observing the scene.
A slow, dangerous smile spread across his face.
Without saying a word, he resumed his march, following the trail with a firm step. He had found the right path.
—————-
Emma and Liora advanced down the corridor like shadows dragged by inertia.
Both were covered in dried blood and dust, their bodies tense, exhausted to the limit.
But Liora was calm.
Despite the setbacks, her plan had worked. She had known how to adapt to the surprises, to readjust every move on the fly… and in the end, she had succeeded. The egg was in her possession.
She had left Victoria behind.
Marcus.
And Ryun… most likely had already withdrawn.
Everything had gone according to plan.
The exit was close. Too close for anything to go wrong now. They just had to cross a natural bridge and then find a corridor or a dead-end chamber where they could hide. There they could breathe.
Think. Decide what to do next.
Because the truth was undeniable. Both of them were exhausted.
In that state, even the worst student in the exam —or the most insignificant monster— could defeat them.
Liora had already begun to organize her thoughts, to calculate scenarios for after they got out, to wonder what prize the top 3 of the exam would receive, when…
Clang.
A dry, metallic sound, colliding against rock.
Liora stopped dead.
She frowned, her body tensing immediately. That sound did not belong to the mountain. It wasn't stone, nor monster, nor collapse. It was metal.
Metal striking rock.
She didn't have her ether senses active. Even so, she heard it clearly.
Clang.
Again.
Closer.
Clang.
Each time closer.
The cadence didn't change. Slow. Constant. Irremediable.
A heavy rhythm advancing without haste, but without hesitation.
Liora's heart lurched.Her mind searched for explanations, discarding them one by one. It didn't fit. It couldn't fit. At that point, no one should be there. No one in a condition to move like that.
An absurd, almost ridiculous idea crossed her mind.It escaped her in a barely audible murmur, laden with disbelief.
—Impossible…
Liora stopped completely and turned, looking back down the corridor they had come from. Desperately wishing to be wrong.
But she wasn't.
From the curve of the corridor emerged a staggering figure.
It was a tall girl, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She was probably beautiful… but at that moment it was hard to say. Her face was covered in dried blood, dust, and fresh burn marks, as if she had passed through the heart of an explosion and refused to fall.
Her right arm hung lifeless along her body. The wound on her shoulder was still bleeding, soaking the torn fabric, and part of her skin was blistered and cracked by the explosion.
Victoria advanced leaning on her spear, which was no longer a weapon, but an improvised cane. The tip scraped the rock with every movement, producing that slow, constant… inevitable metallic sound.
She was hunched, exhausted, wounded.
But her gaze had not changed.
It was still the same as always: firm, stubborn, loaded with an indomitable will that refused to yield, even when the body had already begun to give in.
Liora glanced toward Emma.
The girl, her expression hardened by pain, slipped back under her shoulder to help her stay upright.
Liora took a deep breath and, with a cold, focused expression, spoke in a low voice, but with absolute clarity:
—Emma, the exit is close. Cross that bridge and enter the chamber on the other side. Once you're inside, destroy the back wall with punches. I don't care how much noise you make or how long—
—No —Emma interrupted immediately, turning her face toward her—. You do that. Let me fight her, I'm better at fighting.
Liora looked at her for a long second. There was no reproach in her expression, only calm certainty.
—Believe me —she replied calmly—, I know that very well.
Liora gave her a brief moment to understand… and then placed the egg in her arms. Its weight was real, dense, almost solemn.
—But only you can break that wall.
Emma opened her eyes, surprised, and clutched the egg to her chest by pure instinct.
—Take care of it —Liora continued, already stepping aside—. When you break the wall, call me. All right?
Emma stopped protesting. She hugged the egg to her chest and, without looking back, headed toward the bridge. Her steps were heavy, clumsy from exhaustion, but firm.
Liora watched her walk away for just an instant… and then turned.
Victoria was already close enough.
Liora straightened her back with effort. Pain ran through her body, but she did not let it show on her face. Instead, she tilted her head and formed a cheeky, almost provocative smile.
—Now, let me ask you again —she said—. What happened to your arm?
As she spoke, she raised both arms heavily, adopting an imperfect but determined fighting stance. Her breathing was irregular, her ether core protested… even so, she did not step back.
Victoria did not respond.
With a sharp gesture, she dismissed her spear. The golden weapon dissolved into particles of ether before touching the ground. She then raised her left arm, the only one that still obeyed her, and slightly bent her legs.
Wounded. Burned. Exhausted.But ready.
The two stood facing each other in the narrow corridor, surrounded by silence, blood, and shattered stone.
Two wills that refused to yield, waiting for the first move.
Both charged and exchanged blows.