"Using the comms magic is forbidden," Nerion muttered tensely as they crept among the rocks toward the camp. "If the enemy intercepted our signal, they know exactly where we are."
Elandra shot him a sharp look. "So how exactly did you want Kiro to warn us? With a carrier pigeon?"
"Enough!" Keal interrupted. "Arguing won't help now. We need to get back before they find the camp."
When they crested the last ridge, they froze. In the valley below, soldiers moved in loose formation between the rocks, methodically scouring the area around their camp.
"What do we do now?" Elandra whispered in concern.
"We need to assess the situation," Keal replied quietly. "We don't know how many there are. Reinforcements could still be coming."
Torgul growled, "If we wait any longer, they'll be in the camp—and that'll be the end of us."
Keal held his silence. The camouflage barrier shielded them visually—but the moment a soldier stumbled in, that magic would shatter. He couldn't risk the villagers' lives; a frontal assault seemed just as dangerous.
"What if I distract them?" Unutay suggested. "I'll lure them away."
"And if they capture you?" Mika snapped. "Then not only do they discover the camp—they find you too."
Unutay only offered a cool smile. "I won't be captured."
"No," Keal said firmly. "Too risky. I have a better idea." He pointed to a massive boulder anchored on the hillside above the valley. "Nerion, do you see that rock? Can you roll it down?"
Nerion nodded—but before he could act, a cry shattered the stillness. Arrows whistled through the air.
"They've discovered the camp!" Kiro's voice crackled through the comm.
"Too late!" Torgul bellowed. "Go!"
They all charged at once. Elandra loosed arrow after arrow while Nerion unleashed a barrage of fireballs and fierce gusts that tore through the surprised soldiers.
Mika transformed midair into a giant, dragon-like creature, plummeting into the fray. Dust and chaos whirled in her wake.
Torgul charged like an unleashed beast, swinging his dual axes and sending soldiers flying. Unutay and Keal moved in perfect sync—dodging blows, vaulting bodies and corpses, eyes locked on the camp.
In the camp, Kiro fought desperately against multiple foes. Mika slammed into the ground beside him, knocking one soldier aside, then felled another with a single monstrous strike.
The invisible barrier shattered like glass. The villagers, panicked, huddled in a corner—easy targets for enemy archers.
Kiro shielded them. Three arrows flew toward him—but Keal and Unutay crashed into the archers, dispatching them with brutal precision.
"We have to hold this line!" Keal shouted, shoving two more enemies back.
Mika, now a towering Golem, pummeled the attackers with earth-shattering blows. Kiro fought by her side, undeterred by the odds.
On the other side, Torgul, Elandra, and Nerion confronted the incoming cavalry—mounted on massive lizard-like beasts. Nerion summoned a forceful concussive wave that hurled the riders from their beasts, while Elandra rained a volley of arrows, striking vital points.
Unutay and Keal fought their way back to Kiro and Mika. The attackers wavered—and then broke.
"They're falling back!" Torgul shouted.
"Then we've done it!" Kiro gasped.
The assault was repelled. But the calm afterward was deceptive—this battle had only just begun.
Battle-weary, Torgul, Elandra, and Nerion regrouped at the camp. Elandra rushed to Kiro's side.
"You okay?" she asked, breathless.
"Just a few scratches," he replied with a grim smile. "Nothing serious." Relief glistened in her eyes, even without words.
"We can't stay here," Nerion urged. "Another patrol will come soon. We must move—now."
Keal surveyed the group. "Anyone injured?"
They all shook their heads.
"Good. Pack your gear. We move out."
They hurried to gather their things. Keal turned to the villagers.
"You all right?" he asked gently.
They nodded, exhausted but gratefully.
"Don't be afraid. We'll protect you. Be ready—we leave shortly."
Once packed, Mika asked, "Which direction?"
Keal hesitated, glancing toward the horizon. "We head north—the soldiers' camp was south. We move away from that."
"And if we stumble into another camp?" Nerion urged.
Keal's eyes flashed. "If you have a better idea, speak up. Otherwise, we go north."
At that moment, the old woman from the village stepped forward.
"My son is with the resistance," she said, voice steady. "They have a hidden camp—about a day's march away."
The group paused.
Keal looked her in the eye. "We'll accompany you to it—but after that, you must proceed on your own."
They all agreed.
The march resumed. They trudged through the parched, arid land; crimson dust swirled with each footstep. By evening, they reached a small river. Across its banks, greenery flourished—the land came alive again.
Mika looked in awe. "I thought the whole world was this dry."
"Me too," Torgul murmured.
The woman smiled. "This is the resistance's territory. The king's forces do not enter here."
Keal stepped to the water's edge. "Then we'll camp on the far side and rest tonight."
They crossed the river, built a modest camp, and lit a fire. As the flames crackled, tension eased among them. Elandra distributed food while Mika leaned back, lost in thought.
The little girl emerged quietly and approached Mika. "Can the others transform too? I only saw you change."
Mika smiled kindly. "No—the rest of us can't. We each hail from different worlds. That big guy there"—Mika gestured to Torgul—"he's half human, half giant."
"And Keal?" the girl asked.
"He's human. The tall one with the cloak is Nerion—a Mage. And those pointy-eared ones? They're elves. Twins, though they don't look alike."
The girl pointed to Unutay. "And him?" she whispered. "Where is he from?"
Mika's voice softened. "No one knows. Not even he. He looks human—but there's something... different."
The girl tilted her head, questioning. "He's your friend, right?"
Mika nodded, gently. "Of course. It doesn't matter where someone comes from—only the purity of their heart."
The girl lowered her gaze. "How did you all come together?"
Mika took a deep breath. "Each of us has our own story. Mine... my world was destroyed by a catastrophe. I was a baby when Meridion—our old master—saved me and brought me to Earth. Since then, it's been my home."
The girl's eyes glowed in the firelight. "You saved us. Will you take me to Earth too?"
Mika's smile faltered, tender sadness in her eyes. "You have your family here—you have your mother, your friends."
The girl's voice trembled. "But my father isn't here. If you can't take me... please help me save my father."
Mika's heart cracked. "If we could... I would. But we've interfered too much. We can't do more."
"Why not?" the girl asked, voice breaking.
Mika looked down, then up at the stars. "Because we have a mission. We must find our enemy—before he destroys more worlds. When Nerion is ready tomorrow, we must go. I'm so sorry."
Early the next morning, the group packed their temporary camp. The old woman led them along a rough trail toward the resistance's hideout. The air was heavy with unspoken tension—most noticeably, Mika's melancholy.
She walked slowly, gaze fixed on the ground. Keal noted her silence but said nothing—until after awhile, he quietly moved beside her.
She looked like she wanted to speak—words faltered on her lips.
Keal stopped ahead. Mika halted. He moved again. Mika followed.
He stopped again—then again. On the third pause, he turned to her.
"Do you want to tell me something?" he asked softly.
Her eyes grew wide, tear-bright. When she replied, her voice was cold.
"No."
Keal was silent for a long moment. Then he spoke, measured.
"Mika... I understand what's on your mind. But we can't make that little girl our priority."
"Why not?" she burst out. "Are you going to leave her in grief? Continue as if nothing happened?"
"Mika," said Keal, voice firm, "we've already interfered too deeply in this world's conflicts. Tomorrow, the crystal will be fully charged. We must continue—this entire Alliance is counting on us. We cannot abandon them."
"But we have one more day," Mika shot back. "We ask where her father's being held, rescue him, and be gone before anyone knows."
"No." Keal's word was steel. "It's too dangerous."
"Let's vote!" she spat.
"There is no vote," he snapped. "My decision stands. The Alliance's fate is at stake. We can't risk entire worlds over one child."
Mika shook her head in fury, sped ahead, muttering curses. Keal heard them but remained silent.
Ahead, Torgul and Unutay walked in tight formation. Suddenly, they froze.
Kiro and Elandra instinctively raised their bows. Keal clasped his sword.
Mika, still raging, failed to notice the sudden tense stillness—colliding sharply with Torgul.
"Why are you just standing there, you giant idiot?" she hissed.
Torgul's voice was calm but urgent. He nodded toward the undergrowth.
"We're surrounded," he said.
Mika's anger drained instantly. She looked around—nothing visible, no soldiers in sight.
But she felt it—an invisible tension. The held breath of the forest. The wind waiting.
Then came a deep voice from the trees:
"Drop your weapons—and surrender."