Xavier opened his eyes to a world transformed. The terror of falling was gone, replaced by a cool wind brushing against his face. Beneath him, something soft and warm held his weight. He lowered his gaze and froze.
Golden feathers. Thousands of them. Each shimmered like polished amber, flames dancing across their edges without burning. The warmth seeped into his bones, chasing away the mountain's chill.
"…No way." His voice was barely a breath.
Ahead, vast wings stretched into the night, arcs of fire painting the sky. A phoenix—radiant and impossible—carried them through the heavens.
"We're… flying…"
The words slipped out, fragile against the rushing wind. He turned sharply. "Raiden! Elra! Open your eyes!"
Raiden stirred, reluctant, but when his gaze finally lifted, the vice-captain's composure shattered. His lips parted, disbelief breaking through. "…Impossible."
Elra raised her head slowly. The moment her silver eyes met the blazing wings, her hands flew to her mouth. Wonder softened her features, her voice trembling with awe. "…It's beautiful…"
And in that moment, the truth settled over them. This was what Xylo had meant. This was trust made manifest.
The phoenix soared higher, its cry echoing through the night—solemn, eternal. Beneath its wings, they understood: they were no longer falling. They were ascending
None of them spoke. For a long moment, silence reigned—not the silence of fear, but of awe. They sat upon the phoenix's broad back, letting the cold wind rush past while the world unfolded beneath them.
The forests stretched endlessly below, a dark ocean of pine dusted with silver snow. Above, the aurora shimmered in ribbons of emerald and sapphire, painting the heavens with quiet majesty. For a fleeting instant, it almost felt peaceful.
Xavier lowered his hand, hesitant, and brushed his fingers across one of the phoenix's vast feathers. The flame that danced along its surface curled over his skin, warm and gentle, like sunlight on a winter morning. It did not burn.
Unable to resist, he plucked a loose feather. The moment it left the phoenix's body, golden fire blossomed along its length, transforming it into a torch of living flame. Xavier's eyes widened, his voice breaking into a whisper. "…Incredible."
Raiden shifted forward, crawling carefully toward the phoenix's neck, steadying himself against the rushing wind. His usual composure was gone, replaced by something softer, almost reverent. "Xylo?" His voice carried across the night. "Can you hear me?"
The phoenix turned its head, its molten-gold eyes locking onto Raiden. For a heartbeat, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then came the cry—sharp, proud, crying out to him.
SKREEEEEEEE!
Raiden's lips curved into a rare smile. "So you're still in there."
The phoenix answered with another cry, then returned its gaze to the horizon, wings cutting through the aurora-lit sky.
Elra's laughter broke the silence. It was bright, genuine—the first they had heard since stepping into the Spell World. "A minute ago…" she gasped between breaths, "…I thought we were going to die. And now we're riding a phoenix. I don't think anyone would ever believe this."
Even Xavier laughed, the sound raw but real. For the first time in what felt like forever, hope stirred among them.
The phoenix soared higher, its colossal wings stirring currents of blistering heat. Below, the forest ignited in its wake. Snow dissolved into steam, branches erupted into flame, and towering pines became pillars of fire clawing toward the heavens. Behind them stretched a blazing scar across the frozen wilderness, a mark of power impossible to erase.
Elra turned, her silver eyes widening as she watched the inferno consume the land. Awe shifted into disbelief, then into something heavier. She looked back at the magnificent creature carrying them, her voice caught in her throat.
Just how powerful… is he?
Then—
The phoenix shuddered, its colossal frame trembling as though the fire within was flickering. Its wings faltered once, then again, each beat weaker than the last.
Raiden's head snapped upward. "Xylo?"
No answer.
The golden eyes that had blazed with majesty now dimmed, their brilliance fading into a dull glow. The steady rhythm of its flight broke apart, wingbeats uneven, strained.
"Something's wrong!" Xavier shouted, panic cutting through the rushing wind.
The phoenix lurched violently. Its body dipped, then continued dipping. The sky no longer held them. Gravity reclaimed its dominion.
"XYLO!" Raiden's voice cracked as he crawled desperately toward the creature's head, fighting against the violent descent. "Stay with us!"
The phoenix answered only with a weak, pained cry—its once-proud voice reduced to a trembling echo. Its wings no longer obeyed.
They plummeted.
The forest surged upward with terrifying speed.
Then—impact.
The phoenix tore through the treetops like a blazing comet. Towering pines shattered into splinters as massive trunks snapped beneath its weight. Its burning wings carved a trench across the snowbound earth, igniting everything they touched. Fire leapt from broken branches while steam burst from melting snow, the ground trembling under the force of the collision.
The creature slid for dozens of meters, leaving behind a trail of flame and ruin, before finally grinding to a halt.
The silence that followed was deafening. The forest burned. The snow hissed into vapor. And upon the scorched earth lay the phoenix—its flames guttering, its breath shallow.
One by one, they staggered upright. Raiden's gaze immediately snapped toward the distant Black Tower. The colossal pillar of light still pierced the snowy night sky. No announcement echoed across the Spell World signaling that anyone had made it to the tower, which meant that the wraiths were still holding everyone back.
"…There's still time," Raiden murmured, though his voice carried little conviction.
Behind him, Xavier and Elra knelt beside the phoenix. Its flames, once brilliant, flickered weakly… then went out. The glow vanished, leaving the creature's vast body bare and still.
Then its body stirred.
A ripple moved beneath its breast, as though something inside had begun to struggle. Muscles twitched and feathers shifted. The flesh stretched unnaturally from within, straining against the shape that contained it.
A wet tear split across its chest. The opening widened. Golden feathers peeled back, still clinging to living flesh as though the phoenix itself were being pulled apart from the inside. Steam rose into the freezing air.
A trembling hand forced its way through first. Then an arm. Slowly but carefully—a human figure dragged itself free, each motion pulling strands of flesh off his body loose, as though shedding a second skin.
Xylo stumbled out fully naked, his entire body shaking uncontrollably. His breathing came in ragged gasps, every muscle trembling from exhaustion. He managed only a single step before his strength abandoned him.
Face-first, he collapsed into the snow behind the fallen phoenix. Raiden reacted instantly. He tore the heavy cloth from his waist and covered Xylo's lower body urgently. Xavier followed without hesitation, ripping the upper half of his cloak free and wrapping it around Xylo's shoulders, shielding him from the biting cold.
For several moments, none of them spoke. The only sound was Xylo's ragged, shallow breathing.
Slowly, Xylo's eyes opened. His gaze drifted toward the enormous, lifeless shell of the phoenix lying nearby. A faint, weary smile tugged at his lips.
"…Goodness…" He exhaled, the sound fragile, almost amused despite his exhaustion.
"Still… couldn't carry us far enough… could I? Huh?"
Xavier knelt beside him without hesitation. "No." His voice was firm, cutting through the cold silence. He shook his head, eyes steady on Xylo. "You carried us farther than anyone else could have."
The edge in his tone softened, becoming almost protective. "You've already done more than enough, Xylo. We'll take it from here."
Raiden nodded, crouching down beside them. His hand pressed reassuringly against Xylo's shoulder, steady and deliberate. "He's right. You've done your part. Now it's our turn. You need to rest. Me and Xavier will carry us the rest of the way."
For the first time since the crash, Xylo closed his eyes. His chest rose and fell in uneven rhythm, but he allowed himself to breathe—allowed himself to let go. Relief flickered across Raiden's face, though it was tempered by the weight of responsibility. Xavier's expression carried quiet gratitude, guilt mingled with admiration. Elra's silver eyes shimmered, torn between awe and worry, but she stayed close, unwilling to look away.
Then—
A voice thundered across the sky, "ATTENTION, ALL PLAYERS." It said
The words echoed over the frozen wilderness. "Five players have successfully passed through the portal."
Silence followed, heavy and absolute. Their fragile moment of peace was shattered, replaced by the reminder that this hell was far from finished with them.
Xavier slowly lifted his head, disbelief tightening his features. "…Did it just say five?"
Elra's voice was hushed, uncertain. "We all heard that… right?"
Raiden didn't answer immediately. His eyes stayed locked on the distant pillar of light, the solemn weight of the announcement pressing down on him. "…Five." His tone was grave. "Then we don't have much time."
He rose to his feet, the urgency in his movements clear. "If only five have made it through, then it's only a matter of time before more do. And time right now is a luxury we can't afford to lose."
His gaze shifted toward Xavier, steady and unflinching. "Xavier, listen carefully. I know what I'm about to say isn't something you want to hear."
Xavier met his eyes, silent but attentive.
"If we're going to make it through that portal… if we're going to be among those seven hundred…" Raiden hesitated, the words heavy on his tongue. Then he forced them out. "…we may have to kill."
The snow seemed quieter after those words, the wind itself holding back. Xavier stared at him, his silence sharp, his thoughts unreadable.
Raiden sighed, his voice low but firm. "I know who you are. I've seen it since the day we met. It's true you're sometimes afraid—so am I— you'd rather save ten strangers than sacrifice one. You'd risk yourself before letting someone else die." His tone hardened. "But if someone stands between us and survival… please don't hesitate."
Xavier lowered his eyes. The silence stretched, broken only by the wind. Finally, he spoke, his voice quiet but resolute. "I know. I understand. If people are willing to kill each other just to survive…" He turned his gaze toward Xylo's weak figure, lying in the snow. "…then I'll do what I must. If it's the only way to get Xylo home alive."
His voice sharpened, anger flickering beneath the calm. "We've already been tricked and deceived by Miriam. That cultist is the reason we're here, the reason Xylo is in this state. If it comes down to killing monsters or killing people—and some people still choose the latter…"
Xavier's eyes hardened as they lingered on Xylo. "…I won't hesitate," he partially lied. In his mind he debated the idea of killing someone. Was that something he could really do?