I was out of Mana.

Orin was out of potions.

Even our emergency stock was completely drained.

And none of it had done a damn thing to help Elena.

The venom had already spread through every inch of her body. It was only a matter of time. Even Muradin, clad in Korrogoth's Bulwark Armor and boasting the highest Vitality among us, had struggled against Nyrathos' venom. Elena stood no chance.

Panic clawed at my chest. Desperation clouded my mind. Darwyn's constant shouting wasn't helping. If anything, it was making everything worse.

Orin's blue eyes were already red and swollen from crying. Her round cheeks were streaked with tears as she looked up at me, trembling.

"E-Eryndor… isn't there anything you can do?" she pleaded, her voice cracking between sobs.

I couldn't answer.

Instead, I shut my eyes, forcing myself to block out the chaos. I needed to think. There had to be a way.

Breathe. Calm down.

And then, I remembered.

A single chance.

I reached into my pouch, fingers brushing against an object, an item I had picked up during my very first expedition. Before I even met her.

I had nearly sold it off once, thinking it was useless. Thank God I hadn't.

Without hesitation, I shoved it into Elena's blood-soaked mouth, forcing her to swallow.

"Erynd! How is she?!" Darwyn's voice was raw with frustration, barely holding back his emotions.

I didn't look up. "Focus on the fight," I snapped. "Don't let that bastard get anywhere near us."

"Elena—"

"I don't know yet! Just let me work!"

Darwyn clenched his jaw but didn't argue. He turned back to the battlefield, where Nyrathos was still thrashing violently.

I dropped to my knees beside Elena and pressed my hands to the ground, slipping into deep meditation. Mana restoration was slow, but I needed every drop I could get. Orin stayed beside me, hovering protectively over Elena, hands shaking as she clutched the empty potion bottle.

The battle raged on.

Darwyn and Muradin held the line, dodging and countering, pushing themselves past their limits just to buy me time.

A shriek.

A deafening, agonized roar filled the cave.

I snapped my eyes open just as Nyrathos collapsed.

Silence followed.

For a moment, no one moved. Then Darwyn and Muradin stumbled toward us, their bodies battered and bloody, barely standing, but their eyes only on Elena.

A faint green glow surrounded her. The lingering effect of my Rejuvenation. Her breathing had stabilized.

Her skin, once a deathly deep blue-purple, was regaining its normal color.

The bleeding had stopped.

The gaping wound in her chest was still there, but it was closing.

Darwyn exhaled a shaky breath, his entire body trembling. Then, without warning, he grabbed me in a crushing hug.

"I owe you again, Erynd," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion.

Before I could respond, Orin let out a squeal of joy, bouncing on her heels as fresh tears, this time of relief, spilled down her cheeks. Muradin let out his signature deep, booming laugh, clapping a heavy hand on my shoulder.

Once again, Ironwood had survived the impossible.

No casualties.

***

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "This was the only way I could think of."

Elena, still lying on the cold stone floor, gave me a weak smile. Her voice was hoarse, but there was warmth in her tone.

"Don't apologize. If anything, I should be grateful… At least I still get to see you all again."

I exhaled, relieved that she was strong enough to talk. "Still, it's not exactly the best fit for an archer like you. Maybe one day, if you save up enough stones, you can get rid of it."

Elena frowned slightly, her curiosity piqued. "Can you explain it in more detail?"

I nodded. "The passive ability is what saved you, Resilience Scales. It prevents fatal poison damage and reduces the duration of any toxins in your system." I paused, letting that sink in before continuing. "For the stat boosts, it's actually not too bad for you. Mainly increases Agility, with a small boost to Vitality and Wisdom."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Elena hummed thoughtfully, but I could tell she was waiting for the catch.

"The problem," I continued, "is the active skill. Toxic Aura. Almost completely useless for you."

She let out a small laugh. "Yeah, I don't think an archer needs to be radiating poison."

"Exactly," I said, smirking. "Oh, and by the way, that thing wasn't cheap. So don't forget to pay me back when we get back to town."

Elena gave me a look, somewhere between amusement and exasperation. But her grin widened, a real, genuine smile. She was safe. That was all that mattered.

Of course, there was still one small issue.

She was now stuck with Ooborosk Soul Fragment for the foreseeable future.

Not a bad deal, all things considered.

***

We spent two full days inside the cavern, recovering from our injuries and restocking every single potion we had drained in that brutal fight.

Now, it was time to move forward.

"So, we're down to the last Guardian," Orin said cheerfully, stretching her arms.

Darwyn grinned. "Yup. Just one more. Try not to piss yourself, Orin."

Orin scowled. "Excuse me?"

Darwyn's smirk widened. "The last Guardian is a ghost, Wraithkeeper. Supposed to be absolutely terrifying."

Muradin, ever the troublemaker, let out a low, guttural growl, mimicking a spectral wail.

Orin jumped and then shot both of them a glare. "You two are the worst."

I chuckled. "We don't need to do that. We can go straight back to the Sanctum of the Wayfarer."

Orin blinked. "Wait… but didn't you say we had to defeat all the Guardians?"

I smirked. "Thanks to you, we don't have to."

Orin's brows furrowed in confusion. "What does that even mean?"

I simply grinned, enjoying the look on her face.

"You'll see soon enough."

Orin groaned. "Ugh, you're always like this! Just tell me!"

But I only gave her a knowing look before turning forward, leading the way toward our next challenge.

***

The Sanctum of the Wayfarer lies hidden deep within Thalorien Forest, a place of eerie beauty and quiet mystery. As we approached, the cursed forest's dense trees parted to reveal a clearing bathed in an otherworldly glow. The ever-present purple mist thinned here, and the air felt unexpectedly pure.

Orin let out a low whistle. "Finally I can feel clean air again in this forsaken forest. Place gives me chills, though."

Darwyn narrowed his eyes, scanning the tree line.

Towering trees encircled the sanctum like silent guardians, their gnarled trunks wrapped in glowing moss that pulsed faintly in time with the heartbeat of the forest. Their branches tangled overhead, forming a natural dome that filtered the light into delicate streams, casting a dreamlike shimmer across the clearing.

I moved forward, gaze fixed on the structure at the center. "There it is... the Altar of Purity."

The altar gleamed in the center of the sanctum. White marble, unblemished, etched with ancient runes that pulsed with silver light. A shallow basin rested atop it, its surface glimmering not like water, but like liquid moonlight.

Elena walked closer, drawn by the quiet hum of power radiating from the stone.

"I can feel it," she said, eyes locked on the marble. "Ancient energy."

Elena knelt near the base of the altar, her fingers brushing the mossy ground.

Suddenly, a shaft of light broke through the canopy above, striking the altar directly. Silver beams danced across the marble and reflected in the basin, casting rippling patterns across the clearing floor.

"So, what do we do now?" Darwyn asked, his gaze fixed on me.

I didn't answer him right away. Instead, I turned to Elena, our treasurer.

"I need 5,000 Mana Stones."

Elena blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Wait… don't we only need 1,000 to activate the altar?"

"This wasn't part of the plan," Orin chimed in, crossing her arms.

I sighed. "It's easier to show you than to explain. But listen, this has to stay between us. The Ironwood team only. This information is too valuable to let slip."

My gaze sharpened as I looked at Darwyn and Muradin, making sure they understood the gravity of my words.

Muradin gulped. "O-of course, I won't tell anyone."

"Me neither," Darwyn added quickly, though curiosity flickered in his eyes.

Satisfied, I took five Mana Stones the size of golf balls from Elena and poured them into the basin at the altar's center.

The effect was almost immediate.

A pulse of unseen energy rippled outward. The purple mist that had long filled this place dissipated instantly, vanishing like ink dropped in water. The air changed—crisp, fresh, almost sacred.

Without thinking, we all took deep breaths, savoring the sudden purity. After days of inhaling the damp, heavy air tainted with that eerie mist, this felt like standing on a mountain peak at dawn.

"What is that smell? It's… beautiful." Elena whispered, looking around in awe.

Orin pointed at the Altar of Purity, her mouth slightly open.

Around the altar, delicate, luminous flowers began to bloom at an unnatural speed. Their petals, glistening with morning dew, unfolded, exuding a soft glow. The gentle scent drifting from them was unlike anything we had ever smelled before. Serene, calming, and almost divine.

A thin layer of mist formed above the moss-covered ground, swirling lazily, giving the entire area a dreamlike, otherworldly quality.

Then, a sudden burst of energy erupted.

All at once, the monsters lurking within the Sanctum of the Wayfarer, creatures that had prowled the darkness for centuries, were violently expelled. Some were flung back by an unseen force, their roars and shrieks echoing through the area. Others vanished entirely, as if erased by the altar's newfound power.

Then… light.

A brilliant ray of golden light pierced through the dense canopy above, illuminating the altar like a celestial beacon. Something was descending from it.

Darwyn rubbed his eyes, his voice barely above a whisper. "No way… this can't be real."

Orin let out a small gasp, clutching onto Elena. "Oh God…"

Muradin's jaw hung open. His usual bravado crumbled in the face of what he was witnessing.

And as I stood there, watching in silence. This was only the beginning.

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