Hours passed, slow as frozen serpents. The night thickened—deeper, heavier. And gradually, their bodies began to respond. Tingling in the limbs. Muscles groaning, but moving. One by one, the trio finally managed to stand—staggering, battered, but upright.
They wandered off to gather wood, scratching at the ground and roots, their movements clumsy but determined. Back by the rock, they lit a small fire—meager, flickering, but enough to break the damp and stir their minds awake.
They sat around it in silence, eating a simple but warm meal that brought a hint of life back into their bones. And as they ate, they began pulling out the anima gems they'd gathered earlier.
The one from the Awakened Beast had been set aside. Placed on a stone, almost with silent reverence. No one had spoken of it directly, but everyone wanted it. It burned with curiosity, with temptation—what kind of essence could a monster that powerful hold?
