Night had finally descended, and the forest had surrendered itself to darkness.
The pale moonlight filtering through the twisted branches above did little to illuminate the endless sea of snow beneath their feet. Every sound carried weight—the shrieks from the skies, the heavy footsteps in the distance, the rustling of unseen things moving just beyond sight. The Spell World had not grown quieter with the setting sun. If anything, it had become far more dangerous.
The giant tree loomed above them, its roots twisting through the frozen earth like the bones of some ancient guardian. Nestled between those roots was the cave Elra had spoken of, its entrance half-hidden beneath snow and shadow. Relief began to stir in the group—until Raiden suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
His voice cut through the silence, sharp and commanding. Xavier shifted Elra slightly on his back, his breath misting in the cold. "Raiden? What's wrong?"
Raiden's eyes narrowed. He was staring at the cave entrance. A faint orange glow flickered from within, spilling across the stone. Firelight. His expression hardened instantly. He turned toward Elra. "Does anyone else live with you?"
Elra blinked, startled. "What?"
"Answer me."
"N-No," she stammered quickly, shaking her head. "I live alone. I always put out the fire before sleeping. I don't want to attract monsters." Her face paled as realization struck. "Then… why is there light inside?"
The atmosphere shifted immediately. The cave no longer looked like shelter—it looked like a trap. Raiden's wings unfolded with a soft rustle, black feathers stretching wide. He plucked several free, blood staining their edges before they hardened into steel. He handed one to Xavier, another to Miriam, and another to Elra. "Stay behind me," he ordered quietly.
No one argued.
The crackle of fire grew louder as they approached.
Raiden pressed himself against the stone wall, wings half-unfurled, and slipped into the cave. The tunnel stretched several meters inward, the warmth of fire growing stronger with each step. The flickering glow painted the walls in shifting orange.
Then—sudden movement.
A burst of flame tore through the darkness, streaking toward him with violent speed. Raiden's wings folded instantly, feathers locking into armor. The fireball exploded against his defense, heat washing over him in a wave.
Another came almost immediately, hurled from trembling hands. Raiden swept it aside with a wing, sparks scattering across the stone. He stepped forward aggressively, his eyes narrowing.
The attacker was no monster. It was a man. His body was ragged, clothes torn and partially covered in wounds and brusies. He raised his hands again, fire gathering at his fingertips.
Raiden moved swiftly, wings spreading wide. The hardened feathers clashed against the next blast, scattering embers across the cave floor. He advanced, each step steady, unyielding.
"Stop!" Raiden's voice thundered, echoing against the stone.
But the man's fear was stronger than reason. Another fireball erupted, wild and unsteady this time. Raiden's wings folded once more, absorbing the strike. He lunged forward, closing the distance in a single motion.
The man staggered back, his strength faltering. His knees hit the stone. His hands trembled, fire sputtering out before it could form.
"I yield!" he cried as his voice broke. "Please! Don't kill me!"
Moments later, Xavier and the Miriam entered, with their blades upright. "Raiden? What's going on?"
Raiden lowered his guard. "There's someone here. He's injured."
The man's gaze swept across them—Xavier, Miriam, Elra—and his face drained of color. He dropped to his knees. "Please! I swear I don't have anything valuable! I won't cause trouble!" His body trembled violently.
Xavier stepped forward, voice calm. "We're not going to kill you. My name is Xavier. These are my companions." He offered a faint smile. "What's your name?"
The man hesitated, then whispered, "…Xylo." His voice shook, but there was steel beneath it. "I came here to hide."
Raiden crouched beside him. "What happened to you?"
Xylo lowered his head. "I was attacked."
Xavier's eyes sharpened. "Attacked? By monsters?"
Xylo shook his head slowly. "No."
The cave seemed to grow colder.
"People," he said quietly. "Groups are hunting others in the Spell World. They kill players to gain points… to grow stronger." His hands clenched against his torn clothing. "I ran into one of them. Their leader wants me dead. I barely escaped."
The words hung heavy in the air. The fire's warmth felt thin, fragile against the weight of his confession.
Raiden's eyes narrowed. "So it's true. Even here, men choose to become predators."
Xylo nodded, his voice trembling. "I've seen them. They move in packs, hunting anyone they find. They don't care who you are. They don't care if you're weak. They kill, and the Spell World rewards them for it." His gaze flicked toward the cave entrance, as though expecting shadows to follow him. "I thought monsters were the worst thing here. I was wrong."
Xavier felt the words sink deep into his chest. Until now, he had believed the Spell World's greatest threat came from the creatures lurking in the dark. But hearing Xylo's words, he realized something far more terrifying—human cruelty had followed them even into this place.
Perhaps the most dangerous beings in the Spell World weren't only the monsters
The group settled inside the cave. Xylo, still shaken, rummaged through a small satchel and produced dried meat and a handful of hard bread. "It isn't much," he said quietly, "but it's all I have. You should eat."
The food was rough, tasteless, but it was enough to ease the gnawing hunger in their stomachs. For a short while, the cave felt warmer, safer.
Raiden and Xylo spoke by the fire. The knight's voice softened as they exchanged stories—city streets and favorite foods. Xylo spoke of Thorn City. Raiden listened, his expression distant, as though remembering a life that felt impossibly far away. Their laughter echoed faintly against the stone walls, strange and comforting in a world that was offering them nothing but fear.
For the first time since arriving, Xavier felt something close to peace. Then a sudden pain struck.
It began as a sharp lance through his skull, sudden and merciless. His smile faltered, the firelight blurred, and the voices around him grew distant. His body collapsed against the cold stone floor, convulsions tearing through him as though something inside was clawing its way out. Tremors overtook him, his fingers scraping helplessly against the ground, his breath uneven and strangled.
"Xavier!" Elra's voice broke through the haze, but he could barely hear her. Raiden rushed forward, Miriam cried out, Xylo knelt beside him in panic—but their voices were muffled, swallowed by the storm raging inside his mind.
Memories crashed into him. Not one. Not two. Hundreds.
Gunfire echoed. Buildings burned beneath smoke-darkened skies. Students screamed as they fled bloodstained hallways. A boy dragged his injured mother through rubble. A castle stood against a blizzard, steel clashing in the storm. A woman with fiery red hair smiled warmly, her hand resting gently atop his head. Laughter aboard a ship. Then blood. A masked figure beneath a deer skull, green eyes glowing amidst corpses.
The images twisted together, overlapping, colliding until he could no longer separate them. Which belonged to Xavier? Which belonged to Liam? Who was he mourning? Who had he lost?
Voices called out from the chaos. "Xavier!" "Liam!" "Brother!" "Killer!" The names echoed endlessly, until even he no longer knew which one was his.
Tears streamed down his face as his body convulsed harder, the avalanche of grief and guilt crushing him. He saw his sister. He saw familiar faces frozen in fear. Gunshots shattered the image. Another memory replaced it—his mother, crimson-haired, standing before the deer-masked figure. Another scream. Another death.
The torrent consumed him.
Raiden's voice roared above the chaos, but it could not reach him. Miriam's cries, Elra's desperate call, Xylo's panic—all of it was drowned beneath the flood of memories.
And then, through the endless storm, only darkness remained.
Xavier's body went still. His eyes closed. His breathing slowed.
He had lost consciousness.