Luna’s consciousness snapped back to the outside world, eyes opening slowly. Cold air rushed into her lungs as she took a sharp breath, but this ti, it didn’t hurt like it did before.
She forced herself to sit up, wiping at her eyes before she saw the scene.
Everyone was there: Marcus, Iris, and Emily. All three were gathered around her, forming a tight circle. Their expressions were far more serious than she expected.
"...What’s going on?" Luna asked, her voice still a little weak.
Emily leaned forward imdiately.
"You finally woke up," she said, relief clear in her tone. "Do you have any idea what just happened?"
Luna blinked. "...No?"
"There was this massive wave of cold," Emily continued quickly. "Like—insane levels. It just washed over the entire cavern."
Iris nodded faintly. "Yeah, at first we thought it was so kind of beast still dormant here. We got ready and sprinted over...only to find you sprawled on the floor."
"How...was I?" Luna said slowly, glancing at the frozen flower.
"...Freezing," Iris muttered. "It was like the cold was coming from inside you, like it was eating you from the inside."
Emily glanced at Marcus before continuing.
"I tried to stop you," she admitted. "You looked like you were about to—"
She stopped herself. "But Marcus held back."
"It’s more dangerous to interrupt soone mid-cultivation," he said simply. "Especially when they’re already unstable."
Marcus continued. "If we pulled you out at the wrong mont...You wouldn’t just lose your cultivation, you’d die instantly."
"...I see."
Luna lowered her gaze to her hands, staring at the cold gathering at her palm before looking back up.
"...I broke through."
Emily blinked. "Wait—seriously?!"
"That fast?" Iris raised an eyebrow. "Damn, I thought Aren was a genius, but guess you’re not too bad yourself."
"Line 3 already..." Marcus nudged Iris. "Way better than when we were freshn, huh?"
"Keep it to yourself! I was already talented, hohoho!" Iris shalessly laughed.
Even if it was a bit absurd, she managed to lift Luna’s mood as a small smile ford on her face without her being able to help it.
Emily crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks slightly. "Hey, don’t act like she’s the only one who made progress."
That caught Luna’s attention. "...You all did too?"
Marcus answered first. "Yeah, I managed to reach Stage 9 with my main elent, Earth."
"Isn’t that—?" Luna started.
"Yep! That ans he’s pretty much mastered it." Iris cut in. "But don’t forget about this Big Sister! I’ve just reached Stage 8 in the Wind Elent myself!"
"Ooohh," Luna nodded enthusiastically and gave her so slow claps.
"I went half and half," Emily raised her hand and said imdiately, not wanting to be left out. "Both my Lightning and Plant Elents are at Stage 5 now."
Luna looked between them, taking it all in.
...They all got stronger. A lot stronger.
"...Looks like everyone’s still sprinting ahead," she muttered.
Iris gave her a slap on the back, imdiately slapping her out of her thinking. "You’ll catch up in no ti."
"But when you do...make sure to keep an autograph, okay?" she said smugly. "I want to brag that I was the senior of a future Grandmaster-Grade Mystic."
"You praise too much," Luna said softly, looking away as her face blushed.
The light chatter lingered for a bit longer before sothing disrupted it...the sound of a small rock being kicked.
"Quiet," Marcus said softly, already pulling Emily and Iris around the corner, obstructing them from view.
Luna followed a mont after, just peaking her head out enough to see where the sound ca from. Everyone imdiately restricted their ether, pulling it inwards until none of their traces were left within the caves.
That was when more sounds ca, this ti, footsteps. More than one by the looks of it. One. Two. Three... all draped in dark hooded cloaks and masks
"Tch...this place better be it. We’ve been to so many fucking caves that I’ve pretty much lost count."
"...Finally," a second muttered. "I’m sick of walking through that damn swamp."
A third let out a short laugh. "You’re complaining already? We just got here! But...that damn swamp really was a pain in the ass."
They spread out, looking around at the place before one of them inspected the crystals and likely ca to the sa conclusion that they had.
Defilers...what the hell are they doing here?
Luna turned to ask, but realized that nobody here except Aren actually knew what they were. But instinctively, they all realized a single thing: These people weren’t friendly.
One of them crouched near the crystals, picking one up before letting out a low whistle.
"...Damn," he muttered. "Jackpot."
Another clicked his tongue. "Don’t get distracted. That’s not what we’re here for."
"Yeah, yeah," the first replied, tossing the crystal lightly in his hand before slipping it away. "Still doesn’t hurt to take a little bonus."
The third stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the cavern once more. "...So this is the spot those freaks in the lab marked?"
"Should be," another answered. "Unless they screwed up again."
"Hell, wouldn’t be the first ti."
"...So what are we even doing here?" the first said boredly, kicking a stone across the cavern. "There’s nothing here. We should just leave."
"Don’t be so hasty. The Drake likely lives in the water."
"...We check the pool first."
Without waiting for a response, the third made his way to the edge of the clear pool. The others followed, though looking not too excited.
"...Tch. Can’t see shit."
"Of course you can’t," another replied. "If it was that easy, we wouldn’t be here."
Marcus’ eyes narrowed as he looked at the scene.
"Poachers..." he muttered.
"What’s your call, Marcus?" Iris whispered softly from Luna’s side. "Should we deal with them here or—"
"No," the captain said almost imdiately. "There’s no reason for us to intervene. That’d be risking our necks for no reason."
Everyone pulled back, hiding behind the walls, waiting for the hooded figures to leave.
All but Emily...
"Emily—no!"
"Storm Cloud!"
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