My body was broken. My breath shallow. But I was alive.
Barely.
The pain was unbearable — not just physical, but something deeper. My left arm… shattered. My right leg… gone. My shoulder bled freely, the wound burning like molten steel.
Noctua kept healing me, her power flickering like a dying flame. She was running out. And so was I.
The battlefield roared around us. But my focus narrowed.
I reached into my pouch. Two crystals remained.
One for healing. One for attack.
"If I choose wrong… there won't be another chance."
They pulsed in my hand. Not just with magic — with judgment.
I felt them resonate with my fear. With my doubt.
The Mega Orcs had done this. I remembered their shadows. Their hunger. Their strength.
They had descended like beasts — tearing through our ranks. No warning. No mercy.
Their power was overwhelming. And they were still out there.
The crystals hummed louder. The pendant around my neck vibrated. It wasn't just a tool. It was watching me.
"Choose."
The world faded. Only the decision remained.