The pure mana from the Nexus Core was a godsend. Elara immediately began channeling the raw energy into her allies, replenishing their mana pools and mending their dream-bodies. The exhaustion that had weighed them down for days began to recede, replaced by a surge of revitalizing power. Mara, Jax, and Silas, too, absorbed the revitalizing energy, their tattered avatars regaining a healthy glow.
They spent the next day resting, recuperating, and processing the harrowing battle. The air in the Nexus chamber, now free of the Sentinel's corruption, felt cleaner, more vibrant.
"You saved us," Mara said to Caden, her voice filled with genuine gratitude, her eyes no longer filled with desperation. "We were done. Just waiting to vanish."
Jax nodded, his mage's staff now humming with renewed power. "We owe you. Seriously. What's your next move?"
Caden looked at his own group, now fully recharged, the light of the second key in his pocket feeling stronger than ever. "We're going to the Shifting Sands. To find the next key. To continue the Protocol." He explained briefly, abstractly, about the Harbingers and the spreading corruption, a glimpse of the bigger picture.
Mara listened, then looked at Jax and Silas. A silent conversation passed between them. "That's... a lot," Mara finally said, her gaze drifting towards the path leading out of the Nexus, back towards the ruined city. "A 'dying world,' and 'ancient protocols'... that's heavier than just trying to get rich enough to buy out."
"We've spent too long just trying to survive," Jax added, his voice weary despite his replenished energy. "We just want... safety. The city, as broken as it is, has numbers. A community. A place to lay low. Maybe find a small, reliable grind. Not save the universe."
Caden understood completely. Their paths had diverged. His group was now bound by a grander, more terrifying purpose, while Mara's just wanted a chance at peace in a nightmare.
"We wish you luck," Caden said, extending a hand to Mara. "And thank you. You gave us the edge we needed."
"You too, Harbingers," Mara replied, a faint, sad smile touching her lips. "Be careful out there. The Sands... they're meant to break you."
With a final exchange of nods, the two groups parted ways. Mara, Jax, and Silas, now replenished and with a renewed, if humbler, sense of purpose, began their trek back towards the city. Caden watched them go, a pang of bittersweet understanding. He knew the allure of seeking simple safety in the chaos. But for his group, that path was no longer an option. They had chosen the burden of a cosmic duty, a desperate quest for true escape, not just survival.