"What happened?" Takeshi asked, his voice hoarse as he stirred awake, the ache in his body reminding him of the battle.
"You collapsed from exhaustion two days ago," Nyx replied, sitting beside him with a soft, relieved smile. "The elders sent their best healers to treat you. You've been resting since then."
"I see..." Takeshi muttered, glancing down at the bed, his thoughts racing.
The quiet was interrupted by the soft creak of the door. Mia stepped into the room, her presence commanding yet warm. She approached Takeshi's bedside with a gentle smile.
"How are you feeling?" she asked. "Our healers worked tirelessly to stabilize your condition. They said your mana was drained so severely that your body shut down to protect itself."
"I guess I pushed myself too far fighting the Prophet," Takeshi admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "But at least I managed to defeat him. Now, your people can live in peace again."
"Yes, we owe you a great debt," Mia said earnestly. "One of our scouts witnessed your battle. They reported how you fought with such tenacity—and prevailed. You have my deepest gratitude."
"It's not that big of a deal," Takeshi replied, though the weariness in his eyes betrayed the effort behind those words.
"If you say so," Mia said with a knowing smile. "Well, I'll leave you three to rest. There's much I need to attend to."
As Mia exited, Nyx stood and headed to the kitchen, returning shortly with a tray holding two steaming cups of tea. She handed one to Takeshi, her concern visible despite her calm demeanor.
"The Prophet you fought... was he strong?" she asked quietly, breaking the silence as she sipped her tea.
"Yeah," Takeshi replied, staring into his cup as if replaying the battle in his mind. "I didn't expect to need my Chronos ability just to stand a chance. His celestial weapon was something else—it could regenerate and harden at will. Fighting him felt like pushing against an immovable wall."
Nyx studied his expression, noticing the weight behind his words. "But you won. That's what matters."
Takeshi clenched his fist, his gaze hardening. But is that enough? he thought. To protect what's ahead... I need to be stronger. Much stronger.
Three days later...
Takeshi had fully regained his strength. Standing outside the chambers of the Great Tree of Life, he adjusted his gear while Nyx and Akari prepared for their journey. The time to depart had come.
They gathered at the center of the tree, where the four elders—Geiros, Shin, Mia, and Gean—awaited. The air was solemn, but gratitude shone in the elders' eyes.
"Takeshi, Nyx, Akari," Geiros began, stepping forward, "thank you for your courage and selflessness. Without you, this sacred place may have fallen to ruin. We owe you a debt that words alone cannot repay."
Takeshi bowed respectfully. "Sir Geiros, Sir Shin, Miss Mia, Gean—thank you for welcoming us into this sacred haven. But we must continue our journey. There are still people out there—people who took my parents—and I need to find them."
The elders exchanged a knowing glance before Geiros reached into his robes and retrieved a small, glowing artifact—a compass-like device with intricate etchings that shimmered faintly.
"Take this," Geiros said, placing the artifact in Takeshi's hands. "This compass will guide you through the fog that surrounds this land. It will also aid you in finding what you seek. Use it wisely."
"Thank you," Takeshi and Nyx said in unison, accepting the gift with deep bows.
With heartfelt goodbyes exchanged, the trio stood at the edge of the dense fog that enveloped the forest. Takeshi glanced back at the towering Great Tree of Life one last time before turning to face the unknown ahead.
"Let's go," he said, his voice steady.