Archive of Our Own

The night was quiet, save for the crickets chirping and the leaves on the swaying trees rustling.

But the night didn't represent the storm going on in Lloyd's head.

He tossed in and turned in bed, sweat clinging to his temples, muttering incoherent panicked words.

His breathes came short and quick, as if he was trying to run away from a nightmare ruthlessly haunting him.

He shot upright with a choked inhale, breath scraping out of him like he'd been drowning. His heart hammered too fast, too hard against his ribs, like it was trying to force its way out of his chest.

His eyes shot around his room, for a moment feeling like he was in a foreign place.

The dark slowly settled into place around him, familiar shapes sharpening into focus as his brain caught up to reality.

Right. This is my room

His breathing evened slightly, his tensed shoulders dropping the slightest.

Lloyd dragged a trembling hand down his face, swallowing hard. His throat felt raw, as if he had screamed. Maybe he had, he wasn't too sure of—well—anything anymore. The taste of fear clung stubbornly to the back of his tongue.

He squeezed his eyes shut, in hopes to will the nightmare away.

Yes nightmare. Not vision.

Because it can't be a vision. Because the visions always come true.

This isn't true.

The words rang hollow in his skull, bouncing around all the jagged places the nightmare had carved open.

No matter how much he insisted though, he could feel he was trying to trick himself—to save him from the reality.

Lloyd let out a shaky exhale and forced his eyes open again, staring at the faint sliver of moonlight spilling underneath his closed blinds. His heart was still pounding, but slower now, more of a dull bruising throb than a frantic hammer.

He pushed the blankets off his legs and swung his feet to the floor.

The icy cold temperature of the cool floorboards clashing with his sweaty and warm body caused him to shiver on contact.

His hand hovered over his chest for a moment, pressing against the fabric of his shirt as if he could physically cage his heartbeat and force it to calm.

It didn't.

"Okay, I have to check," he concluded, shaking his head hard, as if he could rattle the images loose. "Just to calm my nerves. That's all."

Lloyd moved before he could overthink it.

The floor creaked softly beneath his feet as he crossed the room, every sound feeling too loud in the stillness of the night. His hand found the door knob soon after he stood before the door, twisting the knob a little more rough then intended.

He winced slightly when the door swung open with too much force, afraid he'd awake anyone. Even so he remained in a rush, shutting the door quickly despite the creak.

He paused for a moment, waiting until the darkness around him adjusted to his vision, continuing when he could finally make out some outlines.

The hallway was quiet. It was the kind of quiet that made his skin itch.

Lloyd moved with careful swift, padding down the corridor with quick steps. Every creak of the floorboards made his shoulders tense and his legs lock, but nothing stirred. Doors stayed shut. No came about voices. No sudden movement from the dark.

Lloyd slowed when he reached a certain decorated door.

Which In other words, Sora and Ar—Sora's door.

It was closed shut as it usually was, light from what he suspected to be from her lamp spilled from the small space underneath.

His hand hovered inches from the handle, fingers curled like they were afraid to touch it. For a second, he hesitated—heart kicking up again, dread curling tight in his stomach.

Then, he took a deep breath and twisted the knob. The door opened with a protested creak.

Lloyds breath caught in anticipation, opening the door with quick movements as if to rip the bandaid off.

The room was...messy—as he should've expected.

His eyes made its way to her bed, his heart dropping when he noticed she wasn't there.

Before he could spiral into paranoia, his gaze flicked to the desk.

There Sora lay slumped over it.

He stared for a moment, his racing heart pounding in his ears as it slowly settled into a steadier rhythm.

She was half curled over a mess of papers and scattered tools, cheek pressed against her arm. The desk lamp glowed beside her, its light illuminating the faint crease between her brows.

Lloyd let out a long, awaited sigh of relief, his tense shoulders sagging under its release.

"Good, you're asleep," he whispered, more to himself.

He looked her up and down, now taking note of how uncomfortable sleeping on a desk was. "You should probably invest in the couple step walk to your bed though," he chucked under his breath.

He crossed the distance to Sora—then with careful movements—gently peeled her head off her arm to let it breathe. He winced at the marks lining her skin, the consequences of sleeping in such an uncomfortable position.

He let her head rest back on the desk for a moment, using the back of his hand to nudge any loose gears farther from the edge. Then he placed a steady hand at her side, gently turning her toward him while his other hand supported her back, careful not to wake her.

He scooped the arm at her side under her legs, picking her up with ease.

Sora shifted slightly in his grasp, tucking herself further into Lloyd. He froze at the movement, his eyes trailing down back to Sora.

He watched carefully for any signs she was waking up, only easing as he observed her breath staying even.

He adjusted his hold then closed the distance to the bed. He settled her down onto the mattress, then draped the strewn blanket over her.

He lingered for a second longer, standing at the foot of the bed, his fingers still lightly griping the corner of the blanket.

Involuntarily—almost like an instinct—his gaze drifted upward, tracking the line of the wall to the ceiling above her. He scanned it once. Then again, jaw tightening.

Lloyd forced himself to look away, exhaling through his nose. You're fine, he told himself. She's fine.

He reached out, hesitating only briefly, before nudging the blanket higher over her shoulder. Then he stepped back, careful not to make a sound as he turned toward the door.

The door shut with a final click.

— ✦ —

The sun hung high in the sky, casting warm light over the monastery. The day had been uneventful, a rare moment of peace for the team. Kai and Cole were engaged in a playful spar, Nya leaned against the railing, watching the two spar while sipping on some coffee, Sora sat nearby tinkering with some new gear, while Wyldfyre was lighting everything she was seeing in the training course as Frak and Euphrasia attempted to put the flames out. Lloyd sat with them, lost in thought as he swirled his coffee in his mug.

He looked from across the table, where Sora sat. He raised an eyebrow. "What are you working on?"

"Making a prototype of possible additions to our suits," she answered without looking up.

"Oh really? What kind of additions?"

Sora held up a small device between her fingers. "Trackers that you can't take off, and adjustable grapple hooks—so we're not just relying on ropes all the time."

Kai dodged a swipe from Cole and called over, "You mean so we don't have to rely on makeshift solutions every time?"

Lloyd raised an eyebrow. "You say that like we haven't saved your butt more times than I can count that way."

Nya hummed in agreement, blowing on her coffee. "Yeah, remember that time you got stuck halfway up a cliff and we had to pull you up with our belts tied together?"

"That was one time," Kai shot back, narrowly ducking as Cole aimed a kick at his shoulder.

Wyldfyre, meanwhile, was too busy igniting random training dummies, much to Frak and Euphrasia's dismay. "WOO! Look at it go!" she cheered as another dummy burst into flames.

"Could you maybe not set everything on fire?" Frak groaned, trying to stamp out the flames with his foot.

"Yeah," Euphrasia added, as she diminished the flames with her wind. "Some of us actually like having an intact training course once in a while!"

Before Wyldfyre could bark out a snarky comeback, a familiar voice interrupted the moment.

"There has been unusual activity reported near a village," Zane announced, stepping out the elevator.

Kai sent a right hook that connected with Cole's jaw, causing him to wince. Despite the pain, he averted his attention to the nindriod, his eyebrow raised. "Unusual activity? What kind?"

Zane's eyes flickered with analysis. "A group of unidentified individuals have been sighted moving in and out of the area. The villagers have expressed concern."

Kai rolled his shoulders as both him and Cole came inside. "You can handle that, its probably just a false alarm anyway. You know how dramatic they can get sometimes."

Zane rubbed the back of his neck. "That could be true, however, based on the reports I feel like I have an idea of the specific individuals behind this..."

The air shifted into something thicker, the lain out info clearly implicating what was expected.

Lloyd caught on immediately, gripping his mug a little tighter. Euphrasia eyebrows knitted together closely, her arms crossing. Frak began to play with his thumbs, Nya set her coffee mug down, Kai and Cole sat down on the kitchen table near Lloyd and Nya, while Sora perked up, setting her prototypes down.

"Are you saying..." Sora trailed off.

Zane nodded slowly. "Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying," he confirmed.

Sora's breath hitched. The room was silent, heavy with unspoken thoughts.

Wyldfyre looked between the two. "Wait, what are we talking about?"

"Oh uh, we believe it may be... related to Arin and Ras," Zane clarified.

Wyldfyre made an 'O' with her mouth. Then her face shifted into something more serious. "What the heck is that stupid tiger up to this time," she scoffed, crossing her arms roughly.

Zane shook his head. "I do not know, Wyldfyre. His reasons may be unclear, but whatever it is it cannot be good." He paused for a moment scanning everyone's faces with his eyes. "Considering this, I believe multiple of us should go."

Sora's chair screeched against the floor as she shot to her feet. "I'll go!" she volunteered, her voice firm, leaving no room for argument.

Zane nodded. "Very well. I think it is best if Cole and Frak mandatorily come to this mission as well. The place we need to check is in a cave."

"Wait what," Lloyd blurted, going pale.

It was too quiet though, no one else heard him or the panic in his tone.

Cole sighed, crossing his arms. "Of course, it's a cave. It's always a cave."

Frak scratched the back of his head. "I, uh, guess I'm in then."

"I'll go too," Wyldfyre volunteered. "I need to fight something."

"Oh hell no, you are NOT leaving me alone to clean up your mess in the training course—I'm going too!" Euphrasia said, pushing Wyldfyre to the side as she raised a hand high.

Everyone bickered, fighting over who goes and who stays, what gear to bring, when they leave, what to pack, but Lloyd barely registered anything.

The words Zane had said repeated in his mind like a broken record. Cave. It was a cave mission. And Sora wanted to go.

His stomach twisted uneasily, and he had the sudden urge to throw up all the coffee he drank.

The grip on his mug tightened, his knuckles turning white. "Wait—" The word left him before he could stop it, louder and clumsy than intended.

Everyone turned to

him, patiently waiting for whatever it was he had to say.

Lloyd hesitated for a fraction of a second, but the thought of Sora stepping into that mysterious cave made his pulse quicken. He forced a breath through his nose. "Are we sure she should go?" His eyes locked on her, unable to hide the concern in his voice.

Sora blinked, her brows furrowing. "Wha—'are we sure she should go'—whats that supposed to mean!?"

Lloyd struggled to find the right words—anything that could make her see reason. "Y-You're still in training," he managed to say, though the words felt weak in his mouth. He cleared his throat. "You shouldn't be going on dangerous missions."

Sora stared at him like he had grown two heads. "Lloyd, I've literally fought against and taken down a corrupt emperor with you, fought the Forbidden Five, and won in a tournament. You think I can't handle this?"

She leaned forward, her voice rising with growing frustration. "I've been trying to find him, Lloyd. This might be my only chance to see him—and besides, that is complete bull because those two are even more new than me!" She said, waving a hand toward both Euphrasia and Frak.

They both nervously shifted their weight around, finding any excuse to look at anything other than the two of them.

Lloyd's jaw clenched, his own frustration bubbling at the situation. "Sora, this isn't about training—this is about you," he said, his voice softer now but still strained. He could feel his heart racing. "I-I just don't think you're..." trialed off, motioning toward her. The implication was crystal clear.

Sora's jaw tightened, hurt flashing in her eyes.

"You don't think I'm what?" she demanded, voice sharp. "Capable? Careful? Stable enough to 'handle' it? Or do you just not trust me?"

"That's not—" Lloyd ran a hand through his hair, frustration cracking through his composure. "That's not what I'm saying."

Kai glanced between them. "Okay, whoa, I can sense this is getting pretty heated—pun not intended." He glanced over to Lloyd. "I usually trust your judgement but, why can't she go?" He questioned.

Lloyd opened his mouth to respond—then stopped.

His gaze dropped to the floor, jaw tightening as he seached for words that wouldn't betray him. "Because I don't like it," he said finally, the answer blunt and unsatisfying even to his own ears.

Sora blinked. "A-are you serious!? That's your reason!?"

Lloyd sank back in his chair. "Yes?"

Nya winced. "Lloyd... you could've at least come up with something better than that."

"Yeah, I know," he muttered, face burning as he buried it in his hands.

Cole patted his back, rubbing small circles. "It's okay, buddy. You tried."

"Okay you don't need to do that."

"Hehe, sorry.."

"As entertaining as this conversation this is, we need to get the move on," Zane said.

"Okay, cool and understandable," Sora nodded, standing up and pushing her chair in. "I'm gonna go pack then."

"Sora," Lloyd warned.

Sora froze like a cartoon character for a split until her shoulder dropped again and she groaned. "What now?"

Lloyd blinked. "W-what now!? We were still in the middle of a conversation!"

Sora raised an eyebrow. "I thought that was finished after that terrible excuse..?"

Lloyd spluttered. "It was not a terrible—okay yea, it was bad—but that's not the point!"

Kai snorted. "Buddy, you basically said 'because vibes.'"

"I did not—" Lloyd cut himself off, exhaling sharply. He looked back at Sora.

He realized how ridiculous he was being. It was a vision, yes, but they're always confusing and unpredictable. There's a chance it's something in the later future.

And besides, taking away her right to choose wasn't right either.

He sighed, his shoulder slumping at the action. "Okay, yeah sorry. I'm just...worried."

Sora's expression softened by a fraction. "Yeah, thanks for looking out for me but I can handle myself. Nothing to worry about," she reassured. She hesitated for a moment, rubbing the back of her neck. "...If it makes you feel better, you should come."

Lloyd weakly nodded. "Yeah, thanks. I probably will."

Zane cleared his throat, his eyes moving between the group. "Alright, if thats settled then let's get ready. We don't know what we're dealing with, but stay alert. I'll need Euphrasia and Wyldfyre to stay on the bounty in case of emergency, while the rest will go down and explore the cave."

"Put on babysitting duty!? Boring!" Wyldfyre groaned.

"We're staying on the bounty...what exactly are we babysitting..?" Euphrasia asked.

"The bounty, DUH," Wyldfyre scoffed.

"Right..."

Zane gestured to Nya, Kai, and himself. "The three of us will stay online and be on the coms at all times, let us know if anything goes wrong."

Kai gave a thumbs up. "Loud and clear boss!"

"You're just gonna use this as an excuse to continue your prime empire grind," Nya teased.

Kai gasped, placing a hand on his chest. "Will not!"

Nya stared at him with a deadpanned expression.

"Yeah nah, I'm totally gonna do that," he giggled.

Nya rolled her eyes, grabbing him by the arm to drag him down to the basement with her.

"And there they go," Cole muttered.

Frak nudged Euphrasia. "Do you think Nya is gonna lecture him? She seemed annoyed."

She shrugged. "Probably gonna give him an earful I guess."

Frak whistled. "Who knew the ninja was this chaotic. Definitely not what I imagined my hero's to be like. Still super cool though," he said, grinning ear to ear.

Zane cleared hisi throat. "Does everyone understand the assignment?"

Nods were exchanged and he exhaled. "Very well, good luck to the six of you."

— ✦ —

The hum of the bounty rang as they landed; a nice and smooth landing. Lloyd adjusted the gear on Euphrasia. "Make sure to be ready to jump down when something goes wrong, and don't be afraid to call either."

Euphrasia nodded. "Yes, I know, thank you!"

"Just making sure, this is your first mission."

Euphrasia smiled. "Yeah, but I also have handled things in the cloud kingdom pre-tty well."

"That is true," he chuckled. He glanced past her, his eyes landing on Wyldfyre who was messing with the tools on her given belt. "However, you are alone on the ship with Wyldfyre, that is certainly something you need to be careful with," he poked.

Euphrasia flashed him a smile, and Lloyd gave Euphrasia one last safety check before moving on. He turned toward the others, who were already waiting at the entrance of the ship. Sora was checking her essentials, mumbling to herself—something that he suspected was just an item check.

She broke focus and looked up for a moment, catching Lloyd's gaze, and offered a brief, encouraging thumbs up.

He gave her one back, and she turned away.

"Stay focused," Lloyd said quietly, more to himself than anyone else. His hand tightened around his weapon strap, a comforting weight against his side.

"Alright, we ready to go?" Cole called out, his voice steady and commanding as he finished adjusting Frak's gear.

Lloyd nodded, leading the exit off the ship.

When they all safely made it off, Lloyd turned around to wave both Euphrasia and Wyldfyre a goodbye. He turned back to the group now in front of him, jogging to get in front.

He made his way over on a rock so his voice would reach everyone easier. "Alright, we don't know how deep the cave goes, so we probably wont have any light. Make sure to keep your flashlight connected to your shoulder pads. If you lose that, use your backup one. If you also lose that, a bit concerning but try to stay close to someone with a light or leave the cave with either me or Cole."

He paused for a minute. "Actually, probably only me since Cole is really important here considering it's a cave and—" he shook his head. "Never mind. Just stay together, caves can get pretty complicated."

Cole nodded, walking up to Lloyd to ruffled his hair. "Look at you being leader-y! Don't be all tight about it boogers, you're worrying too much."

Lloyd grumbled, fixing his hair. "Don't call me boogers, Kai 2.0."

"Boogers..?" Frak question, turning to Sora.

She shrugged. "Long story, tell you later," she giggled, walking past the entire group.

She turned around and began to walk backwards. "C'mon, we don't got all day! The cave isn't gonna explore itself!" She called, her hands cupped to her mouth.

Lloyd watched her for a second longer than necessary.

Something in his chest tightened as she disappeared into the shadow of the cave mouth, her voice echoing faintly against stone.

He swallowed.

"Yeah yeah, alright," he said, forcing his focus back to the present. "Wait up for us, don't wander off already!" He called back.

He heard a faint "okay" from inside the cave, easing the tension in his chest just a bit. He motioned for the group to follow as he too entered the cave.

The cave swallowed the daylight almost immediately.

The farther they moved in, the more the sounds of the outside world faded, replaced by the soft drip of water and the crunch of boots against uneven stone. Lloyd's flashlight beam skimmed over jagged walls, catching flecks of mineral that glittered briefly before vanishing back into shadow.

They quickly caught up with Sora, who was perched on a large rock, arms out as she tried to keep her balance.

"Careful," Lloyd said, instinctively lifting a hand. "That thing looks slippery."

"I'm fine," Sora replied easily, wobbling for half a second before righting herself. She grinned. "See?"

His shoulders didn't relax.

"Nah he's right, not trying to have you crack your head open five minutes in," Cole said, holding out his hands to help her down. "Come on, get down."

She hopped down without Cole's help, landing with a soft crunch. "You guys worry too much."

Maybe, Lloyd thought.

But his eyes flicked upward again, tracing the uneven stone overhead. The ceiling here felt lower than it should've been—pressed in, heavy in a way he couldn't quite explain.

He shook the thought away and stepped forward.

The group ventured further into the cave, their footsteps echoing off the walls. Every breath became heavy with the earthy scent of damp stone. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like ancient, frozen daggers, dripping water at intervals, creating a soft rhythm that added to the eerie silence.

Lloyd's eyes scanned the walls, noting how the stone were uneven, and patched with cracks and moss in some places. The cave seemed to be in a state of disrepair, as if it had been abandoned by time itself.

"Feels like this place is held together by a prayer," Frak muttered, his voice low and thoughtful as he adjusted his gear.

"Tell me about it, feel like the earth is screaming at me," Cole added beside Frak.

"That's reassuring," Sora muttered, looking up at the jagged ceiling.

Lloyd couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking on borrowed time. He stole a glance at Sora, watching her analyze the roof unstable roof with growing concern.

He shook his head. The less thinking, the quicker this gets done, and the quicker they get out of here.

He cleared his throat. "Alright, let's go."

They continued their descent inside the cave, and as they walked deeper, the cave got narrow, then began to widen again, the walls stretching outward as they entered a larger chamber. The ceiling here was higher, but the stone was rougher, more uneven. There were large, hollowed-out areas in the walls where the rock had eroded, and the air grew cooler. It felt as though they were descending into the very heart of the mountain.

Gradually, the ground beneath them sloped downward, and they had to be careful to avoid slipping on the loose gravel. Their flashlights revealed an intricate network of stalagmites and stalactites, casting strange shadows that seemed to move with them.

Lloyd felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as they moved deeper into the cave. He felt as though he was being watched by something he couldn't name. Maybe it was Ras? A source dragon? The visions itself? He swallowed hard, shoving down the twisting feeling in his gut.

Then, they reached another turn, and the tunnel ahead seemed to open up into a vast cavern. The ceiling was impossibly high, lost in shadows, and the air felt even heavier in this space. The ground was uneven, with large boulders scattered around, some partially buried in the dust and dirt. It felt like an ancient chamber, long forgotten by time.

"Is it just me or does this scream 'I'm here to do villain stuff,'" Frak muttered, unclipping the flashlight from his shoulder to shine it around the cave.

"Oh for sure," Cole confirmed.

"You would think they'd have some light though," Lloyd added with a mutter.

Sora swept her light upward, freezing when it caught on something embedded along the ceiling.

"Well, lucky you, Lloyd," she said. "We've got few a glow urns camping out in here."

Lloyd turned to her, frowning. "Glow urns? What's that?"

"A creature that emits light, they thrive best in caves," she replied casually, clipping her flashlight back onto her shoulder as she unhooked the grappling hook at her belt. "They were like some sort of delicacy when the crossroads was first made since they were often used as a light source."

Frak swallowed. "Sounds a bit cruel, don't you think?"

Sora shrugged. "Kinda. Depends on the person. Glow urns usually light up when they're disturbed—or if something gets too close. Sometimes they get curious." She glanced back up at the ceiling, aiming the grappling hook near the group of urns. "They'd wrap themselves around whatever caught their attention and stay lit for a good while once they got attached. That's how people got them to turn on over there."

She fired her hook, disturbing the urns which ultimately caused them to light up for a split second. Darkness enveloped them again for a couple seconds before they lit up with a warm glow, curiously dancing around the line. Then, one by one they began to latch onto it, just as Sora had said.

Cole whistled, turning off his flashlight in the newly lit cave. "This is nice, I gotta bring you in more cave missions man," he said, clapping her on the shoulder.

"Jee, thanks," she chuckled, her cheeks faintly turning pink at the compliment.

"Man, I feel like you know everything," Frak muttered, staring at her.

Sora snorted. "Trust me, I really don't."

She tugged lightly on the grappling line, checking that the glow urchins were secure, then shrugged. "I just...picked things up. You learn fast when not knowing gets you in trouble."

Lloyd stiffened at that.

"Still," Cole said, glancing around the cavern now bathed in warm light, "beats wandering around blind."

The words had barely left his mouth when—

SKRRRREEEE—

A sharp, piercing screech ripped through their comms.

Everyone flinched at once, hands flying up to their ears as the sound spiked painfully, distorting into overlapping static that made Lloyd's teeth ache.

The screech fractured into uneven bursts, then collapsed into a low, dead hiss.

Silence.

Lloyd tapped his earpiece. "Nya? Kai? Zane, come into, do you hear me?"

He was met with silence.

He swallowed hard, trying again. "Euphrasia? Wyldfyre, come in, do any of you hear me?"

Nothing. Nothing but static.

"Aw damn it," Cole muttered, taking off his earpiece to look at it, the others following in suit.

"Is it some sort of malfunction from being too deep into a cave?" Frak suggested. He glanced up at the glow urns. "Or maybe they're messing with our signal somehow?"

Lloyd glanced to Sora, watching her concentrated expression on her earpiece. "What do you think?"

She stayed silent for a beat before speaking. "Glow urns don't mess with signals at all—our comms should be able to work even in the deepest of areas. And it couoldn't have been a malfunction either, the damage on our comms would indicate that—"

She was cut off by footsteps. Slow, deliberate footsteps that were getting louder after each step.

Lloyd's hand went instinctively to his weapon. "Get behind me," he murmured toward the two teens, not taking his eyes off the tunnel ahead.

Frak didn't disobey, going right behind him as told.

Sora didn't move, her eyes fixated on the tunnel.

The footsteps stopped.

A beat of thick silence passed, like the invisible figure(s?) and them were in some sort of stand off.

Then suddenly, from the shadows, Ras stepped forward, a smirk twisting his lips as he locked eyes with the Ninja. Beside him stood Arin, his expression cold, his jaw tight.

"Well, well," Ras's deep voice rang throughout the cave, "like I suspected, pesky ninja finding a way to make things harder."

"Arin," Sora whispered, looking at who she called her best friend.

Lloyd's grip tightened on his weapon, his muscles tense with anticipation. The presence of Ras sent a chill down his spine. The man's smirk was all too familiar, a sign of trouble. His eyes flicked to Arin, whose gaze was hard as stone.

"Was cutting off our comms your doing then?" Lloyd questioned, nodding his head toward the two across him.

"It was," he confirmed, then turned to Sora with a calculated gaze. Lloyd instinctively inched closer to her. "Just some extra precautions in case...issues have taken place."

Ras sighed, his eyes trailing the entire group. "No matter, guests are always welcome."

Cole stepped forward. "What are you doing here, Ras? What are you planning?"

His eye twitched. "That doesn't concern you. I recommend you all leave since you plan to cause trouble, I don't intend on staying this nice."

Lloyd shook his head. "Sorry Ras, but we can't do that. You already have scared the villagers enough to give us a call with whatever you may be planning."

Ras tilted his head, his eyes narrowing as they took on that calculated gleam. "I find it hard to believe that is the only thing you came here for."

Sora clenched her jaw, her fists curling into a tight fist. "Yeah, maybe we did," she confirmed. Her eyes shot to Arin. "You can't stay with him, you know that."

The tiger chuckled. "Cutting to the chase I see."

"Shut up Ras," she snapped.

Arin stepped forward. "Hey, don't talk to him like that!"

"W—you're defending him!?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Arin shot back, his arms stretching out. "What, just because I used to fight him means I can't see the truth? That I can't choose the right side?"

"Arin, are you even hearing yourself? Your working with Ras, the dude who helped brainwash an entire realm, kidnapped the destiny writers to sacrifice for a ritual—which was a ritual to break out the forbidden five, and the list goes on!"

Frak nodded. "Arin, I know his teachings seem good, but he isn't a good person. You told me the truth about Ras which opened my eyes, please don't fall for the same tricks as I did."

Arin's jaw tightened.

"You don't get it," he said sharply. "None of you do."

Ras's smile widened just slightly.

"I chose this," Arin continued, his voice rising. "I chose to stop being dragged around, to stop trusting people who lie to me."

His gaze snapped to Lloyd. "He's a better teacher than you'll ever be. He knows how to actually teach me and keep his promise to help find my parents."

Lloyd flinched at his words, the blow hitting him harder than any punch he'd taken.

"That's not true," Sora said, stepping forward despite Lloyd's hand shooting out to stop her. "Lloyd never lied to you. He's been trying to help since day one."

Arin laughed, sharp and humorless. "No, something always got in the way. And every time, he'd promise soon."

He sneered at the group. "I watched him make more promises to everyone, promises he knew he couldn't keep."

Sora stepped closer again, voice shaking now. "Arin, listen to yourself. Everything you're saying is what Ras has put into your head. You think Ras cares about your parents? That he cares about you? He's using you."

Ras chuckled softly behind him. "If I were using you," he said smoothly, "you wouldn't have a choice. And yet—here you are."

Arin's shoulders tensed.

Frak finally took a step forward, no longer behind Lloyd.. "You're lying! The second you don't have a use for him, he's just the dirt under your shoe." He turned to Arin with desperate eyes. "He's just going to throw you away like you mean nothing. Don't fall for him."

Ras let out a low grumble, letting his hammer rested on his shoulder hit the ground. It came down with a loud thud that echoed through the cave.

"You have a chance to prove your loyalty to me, Arin," he said without looking.

Arin's gaze flicked to Sora.

For half a second, his grip tightened—then loosened. His jaw worked, like he was swallowing something bitter.

Then his hand went to the blade at his side.

"Stop," Sora said, a hand shooting out. "Just—stop and think for one second," she pleaded.

"I've already had time to think," he said.

And then he lunged.

The thin line of peace broke in that moment, and everyone else jumped into action.

Sora twisted her body to the side, the blade barely missing her.

Lloyd lunged forward to help, but the force of Ras's hammer sent him flying the further away.

"You've got bigger problems to deal with," he growled, the patterns on his fur becoming red as his size increased.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Lloyd groaned.

Frak lunged forward to help, but Ras cut him off with a swift punch that nearly knocked him off his feet. Cole immediately rushed toward Ras, his own hammer drawn out to attack.

Cole swung his weapon with all his might, but Ras easily deflected it with the side of his own weapon, sparks flying where metal met metal.

Sora rolled to the side, narrowly dodging another swipe from Arin's blade. She scrambled to her feet, keeping her distance.

"Arin, stop!" she shouted, voice sharp. "I didn't come here to fight you!"

"Well I did!" He shouted, rushing forward with his blade aimed for her chest.

She caught his hand, twisting his wrist so he let go of the weapon, quickly kicking it away so he couldn't pick it back up.

He growled, and with his free hand he punched her jaw.

She stumbled back, her grip on his wrist loosening as she caught herself before she could fall to the ground.

Arin yanked his arm free, then reeled for the next punch.

She leaned back just as the fist came down, letting it sail past her. She twisted, using the momentum to shove him slightly off balance.

He stumbled slightly, quickly finding his balance and whipping back around to lung forward, his body crashing into hers as they both went down.

They hit the ground with a thud, dust and pebbles scattering around them. Sora's back stung on impact, already feeling the bruise forming.

Arin set two quick punches to her face before she was able to shield it with her arms. She gritted her teeth, keeping herself calm despite the sting. Knowing she couldn't keep absorbing the strikes, she waited until he reeled in for another attack before allowing her hands to shoot forward, grabbing onto his shoulders and rolled, placing her on top of him now.

Her hands moved from his shoulders to his biceps to prevent him from attacking, her legs pinning his own.

Arin struggled beneath her, but she held firm. His breathing was sharp, erratic, and she could feel the heat of his anger radiating off him.

"Arin... listen to me!" she shouted over the chaos of the cavern. "This is crazy, this entire thing is just crazy! Just look at us, why the hell are we even fighting each other!?"

Arin growled. "Because—"

"Because I lied? Because Ras told you to!?" She breathed heavy, her own anger bubbling. "I know I'm not a great friend. I know that me lying and telling you that it was your own object spinjitzu that took him down was wrong. But I also know that Ras does things you would never agree with in a million years."

She swallowed. "I know you're desperate, but going with Ras is the worst decision you can make. He doesn't want to help you, he just wants to help himself."

Arin's movements slowed, and Sora could feel the fight in him fading just slightly, replaced by something heavier—confusion, doubt, anger all tangled together.

Hope bloomed in Sora's chest, her grip softening.

"I-I understand if you never want to talk to me. I wouldn't wanna talk to me either, but I can't live knowing I let you get manipulated by Ras."

"ARIN!" Ras shouted from across the cave. Both of the teenagers heads snapped toward him.

Ras slammed his hammer into Frak, sending him down, then directed his attention back to Arin. "DO NOT FAIL ME. FINISH THIS!"

"DUDE SHUT UP," Cole yelled back, jumping up and putting him in a headlock. Lloyd came to his side, jumping to assist Cole. Frak wheezed, getting back up again after that strike and dove right back into battle, leaving the two other teenagers alone at their own affairs again.

The words settled on for Arin, and his chest heaved, his anger rising higher once more. Sora barely had time to turn back to Arin before she was shoved down by him.

Sora hit the rocky floor hard, dust puffing around her. She blinked rapidly, groaning as she scrambled to push herself back up.

Arin breathed like a man who had lost his mind. "I won't let you get in my head," he said with so much anger it made the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

He broke into spinjitzu, and Sora had no time to dodge as he crashed into her.

She flew back, hitting the cavern wall with a loud crack that echoed.

She gasped, the air in her lungs being ripped away from her.

Pain shot through her entire body as she slid down the wall, dust and small pebbles skittering around her. Black spots danced around her vision as her ears rang. The glow urns flickered, casting long, jittering shadows across the cavern.

Arin's figure loomed above her, chest heaving, eyes burning. "Stay down if you know whats best for you."

She let out a breathy laugh. "You should know by now that ninja have this annoying motto of how we never quit."

He grabbed her by the collar, pulling her up. "If you don't wanna give up so bad, WHY ARE YOU HOLDING BACK!?"

"I already told you I'm not fighting you."

His grip tightened on her gi. Before he could stop himself, he slammed her into the wall with great force.

Enough force to make the unstable cave shake.

The impact sent a violent tremor through the cavern. The glow urns flared wildly, their light stuttering as the ceiling groaned overhead—stone grinding against stone in a deep, ominous rumble.

Lloyd's blood ran cold.

Arin let go of Sora, stepping back with widened eyes as his gaze locked onto the ceiling.

Ras snarled. "That seems to be my queue."

He shoved past the distracted Lloyd, sprinting out the cave entrance.

Cole whipped around. "You coward!" He called, ready to chase after him until another sharp crack echoed through the cavern. Then, all at once, the ceiling began to break apart.

He swore under his breath, pivoting to grab Frak and hoist him over his shoulder. "We gotta go, come on!" He said to the others as he hurried out the exit.

A section of the ceiling gave way.

"Sora!" Lloyd yelled, stepping back just as a chunk of stone slammed into the ground where he'd been standing moments before, cutting him off from them. Dust exploded, thick and blinding.

Sora coughed, struggling to stand as the floor trembled beneath her. Her ears rang, her head swimming.

Arin grabbed her arm, covering his mouth with his free one.

"Come on!" he barked, panic sharp in his voice.

He yanked her forward, heading for cover since the exit was now closed off.

The cave screamed.

An avalanche of rocks tore loose directly above them.

Arin gasped, looking up at the rocks falling down on them.

He barely registered the hand that slipped from his grip, and in the next moment he was shoved forward.

He stumbled, hitting the ground rough as the earth around him roared.

Then silence.

The cave was dark, the glow urns long retreated—or worse. The only thing that accompanied him was his heavy breathing.

His arms shook under himself as he sat up, his eyes uselessly darting around the cave.

"Hello?" He called.

For a moment there was nothing.

Then—

"Arin? Is that you?" Lloyd's voice broke through, muffled but frantic.

His head snapped toward the sound. "Y-yeah!" he shouted back.

"Okay—good. Are you okay? Is Sora there?" Lloyd said quickly. "I can't move this boulder. Cole doesn't know if he can without bringing the whole cave down. Are you two okay?"

Arin swallowed.

"I—" His voice caught. Sora...? Where did she—"I can't see," he said instead. "Hold on."

He forced himself to move, hands patting down his belt until his fingers brushed plastic.

His flashlight.

He let out a sigh of relief, unsure if he could take the dark any longer.

His hands fumbled with the clip, only successfully unclipping it after some frustrated insults exited his mouth.

He clicked it on.

Light flooded the cave.

He flinched, a sharp hiss leaving him as he threw the back of his hand over his eyes, blinking rapidly until his vision adjusted.

The light swept over the cave, his eyes scanning every inch. Every inch he didn't see a sign of Sora, his panic rose.

"Sora?" He called out in a small voice.

Where did she go? Why can't I find her? When did I lose track of her?

I was holding her hand, how—

He dropped the flashlight, his stomach twisting in knots he didn't know was possible. He could hear his heart roar in his ears, his breathing becoming erratic.

"Arin? Are you okay!? I heard something drop!" Lloyd's muffled voice returned from the other side.

Arin didn't register his words.

His mind raced, replaying the moments before the ceiling collapsed.

His mind reeled, remembering the sensation of absent weight where he held Sora's hand. Remembered how right after that, a sudden mysterious force shoved him forward, enough to get him out of crossfire.

It hit him all at once.

Sora. She had pushed him.

He covered his mouth that dried with his hand.

If that were true then...

His gaze trailed the floor, landing on the pile of rocks that sat in front of him.

The exact pile where he and Sora previously stood.

His chest tightened, every heartbeat pounding like a drum in his ears.

Without thinking, he lunged toward the debris, hands clawing at the rocks, scraping dust and smaller stones aside. Every second that passed felt like a lifetime.

"Sora!" he shouted, voice raw and breaking, echoing through the cavern. "SORA!"

"Arin?! What's wrong with Sora!?" Cole—he believes—questioned.

He didn't answer. He just kept digging, his skin scraping against the stone.

"I'll get you out, don't worry, I've got you Sora," he said, unsure if he was trying to reassure the girl under the rubble or himself.

— ✦ —

Lloyd slammed his fists against the stone. "Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t," he cursed. He whirled around to face Cole. "You have to move it, something happened!"

"You know I want to just as bad as you do, but I don't know if I can risk another collapse," he reminded. "That's why I left as soon as possible, I couldn't do anything without making it worse."

He glanced around the cave, his flashlight highlighting the cave. "This cave is just so unstable. It's a miracle that even this section is holding up."

Lloyd groaned, running a hand through his hair. "So what, we just sit here and do nothing!?"

"That's not what I'm saying," Cole reassured. "I just need to get a better feel of the cave, it's gonna take me a bit."

"Then start feeling it, what are you waiting for!" Lloyd snapped.

Cole put his hand up in the air. "Okay okay, damn."

He took a deep breath, planting his feet firmly on the uneven ground. Dust rattled down from the ceiling with every small shift, and he could feel the vibrations of the unstable rocks beneath him.

Lloyd sighed, plopping down on the nearest rock. He put his hands in his head, rubbing his temples.

This was bad. Everything that could've gone wrong had gone wrong. He had just hoped the outcome wasn't as terrible.

His stomach twisted at that thought, shoving the feeling that his vision could be true down.

A faint scuff sounded to his side, almost too soft to hear over his racing heartbeat.

Lloyd lifted his head slightly. He squinted into the shadows and noticed Frak fiddling with the broken comm, a quiet noise escaping as he tried to understand it.

"Frak?" He questioned.

The serpentine flinched at his name, dropping the comm.

"Oh shoot—sorry, didn't mean to startle you," Lloyd said, reaching down for the comm and handed it back to him.

"I-it's okay, just startled me," he said, giving him a weak smile.

Lloyd gave him a small nod. "Yeah, I tend to do that a lot apparently," he said, attempting to lighten the mood.

Frak offered a polite smile, then awkwardly looked down at the comm in his hand.

"Sorry this is how your first mission went," Lloyd muttered. "Kinda a huge train wreck all around."

Frak shook his head lightly, his fingers fiddling with the comm again. "It's... it's okay. You've been doing a lot already." He paused, glancing up at Lloyd with a hint of worry in his eyes. "Do... do you think they're okay? That Sora's okay?"

Lloyd froze, the words hitting him like a punch. His stomach twisted again, and for a moment he couldn't answer. All he could see was the last moments in his vision—the ceiling falling, Sora under...

"I... I don't know," he admitted finally, his voice tight. "But we have to hope. We have to believe they made it."

Frak nodded silently, the weight of the cave pressing down on them both. "I—it's just—" he sighed. He glanced once more at the comm, then set it down beside him. "Arin seems panicked about something—definitely with Sora because we heard him shout her name. Twice."

He played with his thumbs. "I just can't help but worry about that. What will we do if something bad happened?"

Lloyd ran a hand over his face, trying to keep himself calm. "We... we don't know what happened yet," he said slowly, his voice tight. "But panicking won't help. We have to—"

Another sharp rumble shook the cave, dust raining down around them. Both jumped, hearts lurching.

Cole's voice cut through the darkness, steady but strained. "I think I've got a grip on it. I think if I just jut pillars beneath this, it shouldn't hit the ceiling to cause another collapse."

"Alright great," Lloyd said, taking a deep breath. "Do whatever you need to do. Frak, can you go back to the bounty and let Wyldfyre and Euphrasia know what's happening?"

Frak's eyes went wide. "But what about—"

Lloyd placed a firm hand on the teenager's shoulder. "We've got it from here. Right now, they need to know what's wrong. You need to brief Nya, Kai, and Zane especially." His chest tightened. "And if worst case happens, we need medical supplies ready to go immediately."

Frak hesitated, then nodded, turning to sprint out the cave.

Lloyd exhaled shakily, letting Frak disappear into the shadows. He glanced at Cole, whose jaw was set tight, muscles flexing as he crouched near the boulder.

"Okay..." Lloyd said, voice low. "I trust you not to kill us all."

"No pressure or anything," Cole half chuckled, standing up.

He planted his feet, the dug up gravel clinging to them. He breathed deeply, letting his arms rest to his side, his hands in fists.

Then, he slowly raised his hands up, the ground beneath them rumbling. The earth obeyed his every command, and pillars began to slowly form underneath the huge bolder blocking their way.

The boulder shuddered as it lifted, inch by inch, supported by the pillars of stone Cole molded beneath it. Dust cascaded down from the ceiling with every shift, rattling across the cavern.

Lloyd's hands hovered near the rock, ready to push or brace if anything went wrong. His heart pounded, every snap and crack of the cave setting him on edge. "Cole... careful!"

"I'm...I'm not rushing," Cole grunted, sweat beading at his forehead. His muscles tensed, straining to keep the boulder steady as the weight threatened to tilt. "Just...almost there."

The light from Lloyd's flashlight flickered over the suspended rock. For a tense heartbeat, time seemed to stretch. Then, slowly, just enough, a narrow gap opened beneath the boulder.

Lloyd exhaled, relief flooding him, though his muscles remained coiled. "Good... good work. That's enough to get through," he said, voice tight with urgency.

Cole let out a shaky breath, stumbling back. "Okay good." He glanced down at the opening he had provided. "Let's go, come on," he said, already lying to crawl underneath.

Lloyd followed, crawling carefully beneath the narrow gap, his flashlight bobbing with every movement. Dust swirled around him, making him cough, but he forced himself forward.

He stood up, his light immediately landing on Arin, hunched forward and holding...something.

— ✦ —

Arin's fingers were numb.

He couldn't feel them anymore, but they still moved, still scraped and clawed at the rubble in front of him. Dust burned his throat, but he didn't stop. He couldn't.

Every second felt wrong. Too slow. Too loud. Too quiet.

"Sora," he rasped again, voice shredded raw. "Please... say something."

His fingers brushed fabric.

He froze.

His breath hitched, sharp and painful, as if his chest had forgotten how to work.

He tugged gently, fumbling for his flashlight with his free hand, the beam shaking as he pointed it toward the fabric.

White.

The fabric was white.

A broken laugh tore out of him. "The—there you are," he breathed, relief crashing over him.

He dug faster now, reckless, ripping away loose stones, ignoring the way his skin split and burned, ignoring the sting of blood mixing with dust.

"You better believe I'm going to give you the talk of the century," he said, voice wobbling. "You can't just—do stuff like this, you know?"

His vision blurred.

He blinked hard, but it didn't help.

Wait.

When did he start crying?

He wiped at his eyes with his sleeve, ignoring how his gut twisted the closer he got to uncovering her.

His hands closed around another rock, but this one was slick.

He frowned, pulling his hand back slightly.

Red smeared across his palm.

For a moment, his brain refused to process it. He stared at his hand like it belonged to someone else, like it was just more dirt, more cave grime.

Then he looked back at the pile he had created.

He finally noticed how more stones he had pulled were stained the same way. Dark, bloodied streaks dragged across jagged edges. All...fresh.

His breathing hitched.

"No," he whispered, the word slipping out before he could stop it. "No, no—"

He shook his head hard, like he could physically dislodge the thought. "You're fine," he told the empty cave, voice trembling. "You're just—scraped up. That's all. This place is sharp, it's nothing. We can get you bandaged up if it's pretty bad!"

He dug again, faster, desperate now, shoving rocks aside with shaking hands.

Blood smeared across his fingers, his wrists, his sleeves.

As he dug up more, he could see some parts of her white fabric being stained red. His stomach twisted uneasily.

His hands finally cleared enough space to see more of her.

And something in his chest cracked.

Blood tangled into her pink hair, blood pooling beneath her. He didn't know the source—maybe there was multiple, he had no way of telling.

His breath came out in short, uneven gasps.

"No—no, no, no," he muttered, hands hovering uselessly over her. "Okay. Okay, I've got you. I just—hold on."

He hooked his hands underneath her armpits, dragging her further out of the rubble. He tried not to gag as the blood smeared across the ground, leaving a dark, uneven trail.

Her left arm moved at angles he didn't think was normal, but swallowed down that fact anyway.

She was heavier than he expected.

No—that was bad. That was really bad.

He finally dragged her fully out, her body face down.

Arin froze.

He was too scared to shine the light on her properly. Too scared of what he might see. Worse, he wasn't sure he could bring himself to flip her over.

For a moment, he just knelt there, chest heaving, hands trembling violently.

He squeezed his eyes shut. "C'mon Arin. You gotta assess the damage," he weakly muttered.

His hand slid shakily to her shoulder.

Slowly—so carefully it hurt—he rolled her onto her back.

Then, without looking, he reached for his flashlight.

He squeezed his eyes shut again. His heart beat violently in his ears, trying so desperately to break free from his chest—from this situation.

he swallowed down as much of the lump formed in his throat, opening his eyes again.

He had to do this.

He shone the beam of his flashlight toward her, catching her face.

Arin's breath punched right out his chest.

Blood streaked across her temple and down to her chin, matting strands of pink hair stuck to her skin because of it. A deep gash split her brow, and bruising bloomed darkly along her jaw and neck.

Small pieces of plastic littered her hair, some cutting into her skin. It was what probably used to be her headphones.

He glanced further down, visible stabs made by the sharp edges of the rocks, seeing as blood seeped through her gi, staining the beautiful white a furious red.

His hand hovered over her chest.

He waited.

And...nothing.

His breath stuttered. "No—no, I'm just—hold on," he muttered, shifting closer, angling the light better like that would change something. "I can't see right, that's all."

He pressed two fingers to her neck.

Her skin was cold.

His fingers trembled harder, pressing again, like he could force something to be there if he just tried hard enough.

"C'mon Sora, th—this isn't funny!"

He shook his head, the flashlight wobbling in his hand.

"Wake up, please—just move! Please!"

He gripped her shoulders, voice cracking, tears spilling over. "You—you can't leave me here! Not like this! You came all the way here just to talk to me!"

The cave answered only with a hollow echo of his own voice.

His chest heaved, breaths ragged and uneven, and finally, the truth started clawing its way in.

She wasn't moving.

"Y-you're losing a lot of blood," he muttered, his tears falling on Sora.

His hands shook as he pressed down on an open wound on her side, trying to stop the bleeding, but it just slipped through his fingers, warm and unstoppable.

This wasn't something he could fix.

This wasn't something he could power through.

This was reality punishing him.

"Sora," he sobbed, his forehead dropping against her shoulder. "Please. I'm sorry—I'll be better, I swear. I'll listen, I won't get angry, I won't—"

His words dissolved into broken, useless sounds.

"Y-you're a good friend," he choked. "I'm sorry for making you think you weren't. I don't ever want to leave you alone ever again. I wa-wanna keep talking to you forever," he sobbed.

Her body stayed limp beneath his hands.

He cradled her close to him, hugging her tightly, as if things would change if he held on hard enough.

They didn't.

Her head lolled against his shoulder, heavy and unresponsive. No breath brushed his neck. No faint rise and fall beneath his hands.

Just dead weight.

Just silence.

The truth finally fully set in, cruel and final.

Suddenly, a beam of light cut through the dust, exposing the bloodbath he bathed in.

Arin didn't flinch or turn around. He remained still.

"Arin?" Lloyd's voice cut through the cavern, urgent, panicked.

Arin didn't flinch or turn around. He remained still, cradling her, the light slicing through the dust and casting jagged shadows across the walls.

"Arin?" Lloyd's voice cut through the cavern, urgent, panicked. "It's me! Cole's here too! We're—"

His words faltered as his gaze locked onto what—no—who Arin was holding.

The flashlight dropped with a clatter that bounced on the walls.

Cole's hand covered his mouth as he too saw the scene. "Oh my god..." he gagged, horrified.

Arin turned around to face them, his tear streaked face covered in dust and blood telling all the stories needed to be told.

Lloyd took a step back. Then another. A string of no's left his mouth, as if the words repelled whatever twisted reality this was.

Arin turned back to the body of the girl he had called his friend—his irreplaceable best friend.

His eyes traced every detail one last time: the smears of blood, the strangely bent limbs, every cut, every bruise, memorized in a gut-wrenching inventory.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, voice cracking under the weight of it all. "I'm so... so sorry, Sora."