The soul said firmly, "When the sun descends and the cries rise, you will find yourself cradled by a single place."
From the unknown, a very powerful light swallowed everything, including Kaven, who was closing his eyes firmly, submitting to his fate, wounded yet resigned.
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Jack's pov~
I don't know how much time has passed since our battle with the soldiers' souls.
As I opened my eyes and felt every wound upon my body, I looked around to see what had changed.
It is almost midnight, and I saw Arthur lying next to me, I checked his breathing.
He is alive, and I don't know whether it's a good thing or not. I admitted that he has good skills and instincts, but he makes me feel uncomfortable.
There is something wrong with him and with his bond to Kaven.
As I was thinking about Arthur, I couldn't notice the corpse next to him.
I felt terrible because it couldn't be one of the soldiers as they had vanished when we killed them.
I gathered myself and moved to see whose corpse this is.
My eyes had widened as I saw Kaven lying there, covered with blood and I couldn't say if he was alive or not.
I hurried to him to wake him up, but I wouldn't believe that he had died.
As I became closer to him and he suddenly let out a gasp and rose, as though his fleeing soul had come back to breathe life into him.
I rushed toward him, hurrying to embrace him happily, and my commotion stirred the surroundings, waking Arthur as well, who also hurried over to hug Kevin with me.
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Kevin's pov~
I slowly opened my eyes, confused, to see Jack and Arthur clinging to me, their faces radiant with happiness. I couldn't grasp what had happened to me — only one haunting sentence kept repeating in my head.
I said hesitantly," What had happened to me? I don't remember. And what's the meaning of this sentence, It's the only thing I remembered.
"When the sun descends and the cries rise, you will find yourself cradled by a single place."
I stopped talking as my head was hurting me so much.
Arthur said that it's not the time to think and Jack agreed with him and said that we have to rest first.
I also agreed because every cell in my body hurts me.
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Yet, on the other side of the scale, a different weight awaits…
After they witnessed everything that happened with Kavin, Margarita's soul glowed high as she knew that it was very close to finding what they're all seeking.
She wanted to part ways with Lucas, but he had another opinion on that.
Lucas pov~
"I can barely comprehend the whirlwind of events that brought me here. Revenge was my mission—my only purpose.
So how did I lose my way? Yet surrender is no longer an option. She's weaving a sinister plan, and I have no choice but to draw her deeper into trusting me."
Lucas spoke in a tender yet haunting tone:
"Now that the boy has returned to them, the path home lies open at last. But tell me… are you truly alright, or only pretending to be?"
Margarita was confused, she wanted to trust him, but every single sign in the world told her not to.
She gave him a faint nod, but the shadows of fatigue betrayed her strength.
Around them, the forest whispered softly, the tall trees swaying gently under a pale moonlight. A cool breeze stirred the leaves, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and something darker—something waiting in the shadows.
Lucas assumed his role flawlessly, lifting her without a word of consent.
Her gaze met his, cheeks burning with a rosy flush—ignited by his rugged masculinity and the unwavering confidence etched into his sharp features.
Though trust between them was fragile and scarce, she couldn't help but be drawn to the moment he crafted, a silent spell she found herself falling for.
Inside, a confusing swirl of emotions churned—part admiration, part hesitation, and a flicker of something dangerously close to hope.
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At dawn the next day, as the sun's first rays broke through and a soft, refreshing breeze whispered through the air
Kaven and Jack shared their thoughts and gave different opinions to understand what was hidden behind the last words of the ancient soul.
Arthur had gone out to hunt for their food, leaving Jack to seize the quiet moment and confide in Kevin the uneasy fears that lingered about this mysterious stranger.
Jack spoke, his words edged with unease:
"Kevin… I think we need to separate from Arthur. I can't shake this feeling about him. He clings to you in a strange way—so much that he even risked his life for you. It's as if he's known you from the very beginning… and he's trying to get closer for some hidden purpose."
Kevin lowered his voice, a shadow crossing his expression.
"Maybe you're right, Jack… What if Arthur came for the amulet? The way he looks at it—it's as if the necklace itself is calling to him."
Yet even as the words left his lips, doubt gnawed at him. A part of him wanted to trust Arthur—wanted to believe that the man's courage was real. But another part whispered that Jack's fears might be the truth he dared not face.
Jack asked with a frown, his voice low and uncertain:
"Could he have some connection to the princess?"
But before Kevin could answer, Arthur appeared—having clearly caught half of their conversation. He betrayed nothing in his expression, as though the words had never reached him. Instead, he held up a small deer and spoke calmly:
"I've brought us a young stag. We'll need to light a fire to cook it."