In the valley surrounding the mountain, at the site where Koby had crashed, Axle and James were still lying in the rubble. Blood flowed from Axle's wounds despite James's attempts to bandage them with torn strips of cloth. The bleeding had lessened now—which was a bad thing. It meant Axle was running out of blood to lose. James knew this. He had known it for the last twenty minutes, watching the color drain from Axle's face, feeling the warmth leave his skin.
He had wanted to go get help. But help was miles away, and Axle would die before James could return with anyone. He had thought about it while kneeling over Axle's bleeding body, weighing the options, hating every single one.
Axle had begged him to stay. So James stayed. He owed him that much—to not let him die alone.
Axle wasn't screaming or groaning in pain anymore. He wasn't even shaking that much. His body had grown paler by the minute, his skin taking on a waxy, grey pallor. James touched his forehead. It was cold. Really cold.
"You know, doing that isn't going to bring me back to life magically," Axle muttered, shivering the words out through his dried, cracked lips.
" Talking like you're already dead," James said.
Axle chuckled—a weak, rasping sound. James smiled despite everything.
"We're in a magical world, and you'd think you'd still believe in miracles."
Axle's smile vanished as quickly as it had come. His eyes drifted upward, toward the grey sky visible through the broken canopy.
"You know, I don't fancy players," he said.
"What changed your mind?" James asked, keeping his voice light, trying to maintain the small talk.
"I didn't." Axle let the words sink in. "Or... I was in the process of changing my mind."
"Well, you don't show it."
"That's because someone told me something." Axle paused, remembering what Rowan had said in the barn. "I found out that players are just normal people thrown into chaos, trying to survive."
"So why bring that up now?"
"Because." Axle took a quick gasp of air. "I was right. Players do cause chaos. But it's not necessarily their fault. They have to adapt. And that's what makes them dangerous."
"It also means they appreciate all the help and goodwill shown to them," James quipped.
"You're delusional." Axle's laugh was small, almost choking.
"Because I choose to believe in the goodness in people?"
"No." Axle's eyes met James's. "Because you refuse to believe in the evil lying inside people."
James was speechless. He looked at Axle, really looked at him—at the pale face, the bloodied chest, the eyes that had seen too much for someone his age.
Axle cleared his throat with a small cough and continued. "Take Koby, for instance. He's running wild. If you were in a position to kill Koby and end all this, would you take it?"
"He can still be saved." James's voice was firm, unyielding. "This has happened before. Raya was able to stop him. As long as he can be saved again—"
"This has happened before?" Axle cut him off in surprise. "So what now? You guys just find a way to calm whatever is happening with Koby again?" He coughed violently, spitting out blood. James patted his side, steadying him.
"He's out there, probably killing people, and you would still hesitate to kill him."
"Yes, Axle." James's eyes lit up as he spoke. "And do you know why? Because he's my best friend. My brother. We're in a foreign realm, and all we have that's close to home is each other. If we turn on each other, what do we have left?"
Axle just smiled. A light, downcast smile. He wasn't happy.
"You think I'm that kind of person that tries to do all good?" James continued. "Yes, I try my best to do right by others. But when others try to touch my family, I don't back down. Everyone values family above all else, and I'm no different. Koby is a part of my family. If there's any hope to save him, I will save him."
"Even if you lose everything else?" Axle asked, his eyes locked on James's.
The question hung in the air. Simple. But harder than anything James had ever had to answer.
Just then, there was a rustle of leaves and the cracking of branches underfoot. James drew his sword, his body tensing, ready for another fight.
With a wave of branches aside, Kai came into view.
A huge sigh left James's mouth. Relief washed over him as he saw Kai's blue hair, messy and tangled, his face streaked with dust and exhaustion. Kai rushed down to where James sat with Axle.
Lyrielle came into view shortly after, shuffling through the undergrowth. She was still half-injured, a thin layer of aura flickering around her body like a dying candle.
"Are you guys okay?" Kai asked, checking Axle after confirming James was alright.
Axle met him with a look that was not impressed—as if taunting Kai.
"Do I look okay, Kai?" he finally said.
"I can see you still have your sense of humor." Kai flicked Axle's forehead gently. Axle laughed, then groaned from the pain.
Lyrielle rushed to Axle's side as she saw the puncture wounds. She began covering him with her healing aura immediately, the soft green light spreading across his torn chest.
"How did this happen?" she asked, looking at James.
"Koby was hit with a poisoned tentacle. The possession came back. He went wild." James tried to explain as quickly as possible.
Kai looked at him in surprise. What he had feared—Koby's possession coming at the worst possible moment—was exactly what was happening now.
"Where's Koby now?" he asked, gripping James's shoulder.
"He headed for where Rowan was holding off Silas." James glanced at Lyrielle, who was still working on Axle. "Is he going to be okay?"
Lyrielle didn't look up. "I can't use any heavy healing techniques. It would take too much aura, which I don't have. The best I can do is give him minor healing to get him out of danger. Luckily, none of his vital organs were damaged." She paused, focusing her energy. "I'll do my best. Then you two will take him to town for proper treatment."
"Kai, you take him into town." James made to move. "I'll go get Koby."
Kai's hand shot out, gripping James's shoulder tightly. "And how do you plan to do that?"
"I'll figure something out later." James tried to pull free. "I just have to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone anymore."
"James." Kai's voice was low, warning. "You're no match for him alone. He'll kill you."
James met Kai's gaze. He was crossed, his jaw tight, his shoulders rigid. He shrugged his shoulder free from Kai's grip forcefully.
"I have thought about it. Yes, I can't beat him. But I can keep him at bay long enough for Lyrielle to use her healing magic on him."
"Correct me if I'm wrong." Lyrielle's voice cut through the tension. She was still healing Axle, her hands glowing, her eyes fixed on her work. "But didn't you and Axle just attempt to fight Koby?"
Silence from James.
Lyrielle received an affirmative nod from Axle and continued. "From the looks of it, the combined force of both you and Axle ended with Axle here on the verge of death. So what makes you think you would fare any better alone?"
Kai looked at James, a lock of his blue hair falling over his face. He needed James to understand that what he was planning was suicide.
"We need to help Axle first," Kai said. "Then we'll be on our way to help Koby."
"But Koby needs the help now. If we don't go, he might never be able to track himself back." James's voice was adamant, unyielding.
Kai shouted in frustration—a low, guttural sound that echoed through the broken forest. He looked at Lyrielle. She nodded. He turned back to face James.
"You're not going back to those mountains unless you want to go through me." He stood in front of James, blocking his path.
"Excuse me?" James's voice was sharp with surprise.
"You're being overly irrational. I'm pretty sure Koby wouldn't want you doing something reckless." Kai's eyes were set with determination.
Seeing Kai's resolve, James chuckled—a low, humorless sound. He retracted his sword back into his inventory.
"So how do you plan to stop me if I say I will go?" James met Kai's determination with fierceness of his own.
Silence stretched between them. The only sounds were the low hum of Lyrielle's aura working through Axle's body, the distant chirp of crickets, the whisper of wind through the broken trees. Everything seemed to watch this standoff.
James moved forward, trying to pass Kai.
Kai grabbed his shoulder, trying to drag him back.
James shuffled out of his grip, using a shadow step from his boxing training. His right jab shot out—fast, precise.
Kai blocked with his elbow, catching the punch before it landed. He grabbed James's right arm, coming in close to throw him to the ground.
James hit the dirt hard. Kai tried to grab his midsection to keep him pinned, but before he could lock his arms, James had already rolled out of the way. He swept low, aiming for Kai's legs.
Kai jumped back, evading the sweep.
"I don't want to do this, Kai." James's voice was quiet. "Just let me go. We don't have to do this."
"Stop being dumb, and we won't have to do this." Kai raised his arms in a guard stance.
James smirked—a small, tight expression. He shifted into a southpaw stance.
Kai's eyes narrowed. He could tell James meant business. James rarely used a southpaw stance unless he was serious. That meant Kai had to take this seriously too.
James approached.
He slipped into a low weave, his feet a blur as he closed the distance with explosive, precise footwork. Kai's eyes tried to follow, but the movements were so quick—
James shot out a right cross.
Kai blocked it. But the move turned out to be a feint. James leaned to his left side and delivered a devastating left jab to Kai's liver spot.
The air left Kai's lungs. Pain exploded through his torso. He hunched over, gasping—
James completed the combo with a right hook to Kai's face.
Kai hit the ground with a crash.
James stood over him, looking down at his friend grunting in pain, holding his liver spot. Kai stared up at the grey sky, his breath ragged.
With a nod, James turned and headed for the mountains.
Kai sat on the ground for a long moment, taking in breaths. The liver shot had cut his breathing for what felt like an eternity.
One breath.
Two.
Three.
He looked at Lyrielle. She just nodded, as if telling him it was okay.
He looked at the ground. The grass was wet with morning dew and ashes from countless destructions in the valley.
Lyrielle left Axle for a moment and came to Kai, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I couldn't stop him," Kai said, his voice breaking. He looked at Lyrielle with teary eyes.
"You couldn't." Lyrielle's smile was knowing. "Or you didn't?" She paused. "You used aura to enhance your body at the last minute. Despite having more aura than him, you only used it when he delivered the liver shot—to defend against it."
Kai scoffed. It turned into a small chuckle. Tears still fell from his eyes.
"Looks like I couldn't trick you." He touched his forehead. "You think he noticed?"
"Definitely." Lyrielle's voice was soft. "My guess is that he was counting on you to do that."
"In order to show me he was strong. And determined to save Koby." Kai paused, looking at Lyrielle. "Make sure he doesn't die before I come back. Please."
"I will." Lyrielle squeezed his shoulder. "And make sure Axle doesn't die either. I've healed him enough for you to move him back to town. But he's not out of the woods yet."
Kai nodded, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He stood, approached Axle, and looked down at the wounded boy who was still lying in pain.
"Come on, you idiot." Kai bent down, slipping an arm under Axle's shoulders. "Let's get you to town."