Finally, Wysar, Liuke, Tori, Rayna, Rika, and Luka emerged from the heavy mist. A sense of peace settled over them as they realized they had nearly reached the Shadow Fen, the second layer of the forest.
Suddenly, Rayna's eyes caught Liuke's metallic form. She gasped as she looked at the lower right side of his abdomen—the part the beast had bitten.
The wound was hollow. It looked like he had been emptied out from the inside.
"Liuke, what… what is this?" Rayna whispered, stepping closer.
She reached out, her hand disappearing into the cavity of his abdomen. It was completely vacant, a haunting void where flesh and bone should have been.
"Why is it empty inside, Liuke?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Are you even okay?"
Liuke didn't look at her. "I don't know, Rayna. Honestly, I don't care what's happening to me. I just need to reach the Fount of the Second Breath."
The group watched him with growing concern, realizing he was pushing himself far beyond his limits. Wysar, however, remained silent, a shadow of regret and sadness crossing his face for reasons known only to him.
Rika broke the silence, her eyes snapping toward Tori.
"Hey, Tori," she snapped. "You've been lugging that bag of stones around this whole time. Tell us the way. Where is this Fount?"
Tori flinched at the sudden pressure, looking nervous.
"Well… actually," he stammered, "I think the Fount of the Second Breath should be somewhere in the second layer of the Everdread Forest."
"You think?" Rika growled. "You don't even know? Then why did you even come along?"
Wysar, who had been listening quietly as they walked, finally spoke up.
"Don't worry," Wysar said calmly. "I know where the Fount is. It's in the Shadow Fen, toward the North. It's a bit of a journey, and we'll have to survive the dangers within to get there."
Liuke turned to him. "If you know where it is, do you have any of it? Have you ever collected it before?"
Wysar shook his head. "No. I saw it once, but it felt… strange. I chose to ignore it and kept moving. It's likely the same place you're looking for."
"Then we shouldn't waste any more time," Liuke said firmly.
After navigating the last of the Mist and speaking with Syria, the group finally entered the Shadow Fen.
But as they crossed the threshold, Luka called out to them.
"Hey, look around," she said, gesturing to the suffocating darkness. "We can't see a thing. We're right in the narrow strip between the Shadow Fen and the Dusk Wood. I have an idea."
Rayna turned to her. "What is it, Luka?"
"It's pitch black," Luka explained. "It must be nightfall. We should stop here for eight hours. We need to rest and save our energy for what's ahead."
Liuke nodded. "You're right. We've been wandering this forest for too long. We'll rest here. Wysar, help me cut some branches from that large tree over there. We need a fire for light."
With his bare hands, Liuke snapped three or four thick branches with ease, while Wysar used his Solar Sword to slice through the rest.
Soon, a fire was crackling, and the group huddled around the warmth.
"Do you think anything will attack us here?" Rika asked, glancing into the dark.
"No," Tori reassured her. "We're right between the layers. The chances of a creature wandering into this specific spot are almost zero."
As the flames danced, Liuke turned his attention back to Wysar.
"Wysar, there's something else I want to ask you," Liuke said. Wysar was busy warming his hands over the fire.
"Go ahead," Wysar replied.
"Why are you here? What do you actually want?" Liuke asked. "I know the people in your home, the Eternal Freeze, spread lies and hated you. I know you became a wanderer to prove them wrong. But why this place?"
Wysar stared into the embers. "I've always been interested in the roots of things. In my travels, I've noticed a pattern."
"And what's that?"
"Every evil in this world is linked to power," Wysar said. "Those who hold authority use it to exploit others for their own gain. If anyone stands in their way, they simply eliminate them."
He looked up, his gaze intense. "I've come to a conclusion: what if all the powerful people fought one another? If they destroyed each other, the power itself would vanish. No power, no one left to abuse it."
Liuke grew quiet, weighing Wysar's philosophy before finding his counter.
"You're right that many people use power for evil," Liuke admitted. "But look at it from another side. If you destroy all power, there will be no fuel left to protect yourself or others from those very same villains."
Liuke leaned forward. "Power is just a tool; it depends on who holds it. The Elders use it for malice, but soldiers like us use it to shield those who have none. Eliminating power won't solve the problem."
Wysar didn't budge. "Think about it, Liuke. Without power, everyone loses their 'specialty.' Everyone becomes equal. That is the only true way to erase evil."
"I don't want to waste my energy on abstract theories," Liuke sighed. "All I know is this: I will use my Solar Power to protect my people, no matter the cost."
Wysar realized then that his vision wouldn't be easily accepted. Liuke was the first person to truly challenge his ideology.
Liuke, in a way, you are right, Wysar thought to himself. Power can be used to save. But I want to go a step further. I want a world where no one ever needs saving in the first place. I will destroy all power so that everyone is finally equal.
Wysar kept these thoughts hidden. No one knew how he planned to achieve such a grand, dangerous goal.
Meanwhile, miles away in the deep, suffocating dark, Jems, Polas, and Fera finally stood before the Bloodhush Tree. They had arrived to claim the fruit—the only thing that could save Polas's life.