Chapter 6: The Land of the Winds
Episode 3: The Bonds of Royal Blood
Part 2/7 – Exploring the Runes of the Ancient Ruins
Scene 8-10
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Scene 8: When the Center Collapses
Within the crumbling ruins of the crashed spaceship, tremors began—faint at first, but quickly escalating in intensity. One collapse triggered another, until the entire structure caved in like a domino effect, resembling a skyscraper undergoing a controlled demolition. But far more terrifying than the destruction itself was the sudden cry from Osiris:
"Everyone! Akira is still inside!"
The group froze. Then chaos erupted.
Everyone screamed—some calling Akira's name, others crying in panic. Yue, above all, screamed for her brother with all her might.
Osiris displayed Akira's position through their MR glasses. But the air was thick with rust and debris, making it impossible to approach.
That's when Gryphonnix transformed into his true form—a massive griffin. He flapped his wings powerfully and summoned a swirl of wind magic, forming a vortex that sucked in the rust and debris. At the center of the storm, the whirlwind compressed everything into a single massive chunk the size of a bus.
With visibility restored, the team dashed toward Akira's location. But he was buried deep beneath twisted metal and rubble. Osiris checked the multifunctional watches they had received in Draft, which could monitor vital signs.
"He's still alive," she announced. "But unconscious. And it looks like the oxygen is running low. We have to act fast—now!"
Panic struck deeper. Their leader—the one who always protected them, the center that held them together—was in danger. With no one to guide them, their coordination fell apart. They were shouting over each other, unsure what to do.
Even Yue, who often took the lead in Akira's absence, was completely overwhelmed. With her beloved brother in danger, she couldn't think straight.
Then Gryphonnix let out a mighty roar—a deafening, majestic sound like a lion proclaiming order.
"ROAR!!"
The group froze once more.
He spoke with calm authority. "Everyone, pull yourselves together. Panic won't save him. First, center your minds. Then figure out what needs to be done."
Kalisa, still composed, stepped forward. "Take a deep breath, everyone. Gather here."
She took charge gently but firmly. "I won't tell you what to do. In the future, you'll face moments like this again. And you'll have to find your own way through them. But don't worry—we'll support you from the sidelines. Right now, Akira's life is the top priority. Think of this as a trial. One you must overcome—no matter what it takes. Here's a hint: Akira always gave you guidance, didn't he? So imagine if he were standing here, and one of you were trapped inside. What would he tell you to do?"
Yue wiped the tears from her cheeks. She was closest to Akira—she knew what he would do.
"He'd assess the situation first. He'd gather as much information as he could."
Kalisa smiled. "Exactly."
Osiris jumped in. "I'll monitor his vitals and transmit all the data to your glasses."
Keela, now steadied, raised her voice with determination. "I probably have the strongest piercing power here. I'll shoot from above and open a direct path to get us as close to him as possible. Osiris, guide my aim."
"Got it," Osiris replied confidently.
Draco spoke next. "I'll melt the surrounding metal to soften it."
"No!" Mirelle interjected. "You might hit him. Use your gravity magic to lift the lightest debris. Elina, can you use your barriers to carry those pieces out of Keela's path?"
Elina nodded with resolve.
"I'll widen the hole Keela makes using my four-elemental spells," Mirelle continued. "I'm the only one who can drill like this. I'll go in myself. Yue, get ready to heal him the moment we reach him. Got it?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Their fear had turned into focus.
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Scene 9: The Heart-Wrenching Rescue
Once roles were assigned, everyone sprang into action. Gryphonnix took the lead in clearing out the swirling dust from the demolition. Kalisa summoned a fresh breeze to carry air into the wreckage. Osiris, monitoring Akira's vitals, announced, "His oxygen levels just improved. Looks like air's reaching him now."
With newfound determination, the team pressed forward.
Keela ascended using her glider, firing every last bullet and arrow she had to carve a path. When her ammunition ran out, Mirelle took over.
She began by weaving water magic to seep into the cracks beneath the rubble. Then, she froze the water to push the debris upward, using fire magic to divide the ice into layered segments. Finally, she swept the slick ice plates out with wind magic. Draco followed up by reducing their weight, sending them to Elina, who transported the slabs outside the excavation zone with her barrier magic.
Of all the tasks, Mirelle's was the most grueling and precise. She tirelessly adjusted the shape of the ice, eventually realizing that angled, spiral cuts worked best—like a giant drill boring deeper with each turn.
The pressure was immense. Draco longed to help more, but he held himself back, knowing the plan relied on restraint. Elina performed her part with focused dedication. Osiris anxiously monitored the numbers on her display, gasping at every tiny drop in Akira's vitals. Yue waited in near agony, bracing for her healing role. Keela, having already completed her task, could only watch and wait with clenched fists and a heavy heart.
Suddenly, a crisis struck.
Osiris shouted, "Everyone, move! His vitals just dropped. He might be going into shock—possibly bleeding!"
A new wave of panic swept over the group.
Mirelle pushed through, digging faster and harder, her mana nearly depleted. She chugged potion after potion, but their effects waned with each dose. Desperate, she turned to every last resource in her arsenal—rare scrolls that temporarily boosted mana capacity, expensive scrolls that accelerated recovery rates, even high-grade mana stones she never imagined using. She didn't care about the cost. Nothing mattered more than the person trapped below.
She knew full well—a mage without mana is nothing more than a scarecrow for crows to nest on.
And then, at last—she broke through.
She reached Akira. He was truly trapped beneath the wreckage, but by some miracle, a pocket of air had allowed him to breathe. Blood trickled from his head, filling Mirelle with both relief and fresh worry. Without wasting a moment, she wrapped him in water and froze it into a protective shell, lifting him out.
Draco stepped in, lightening the icy cocoon and sending it to Elina's barrier platform. Then he dove back down to retrieve Mirelle. She had used every last ounce of strength. The moment Akira was safely in the air, she collapsed.
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Scene 10: Healing Isn't Everything — True Recovery Isn't Immortality
Elina brought Akira up from the debris, and Yue immediately began treating him. But seeing the blood pouring from his wound, she couldn't start healing right away.
"Why aren't you healing him, Yue?" Keela asked, her voice filled with concern.
"I can't," Yue objected firmly. "Healing magic accelerates muscle regeneration. If I try to seal the wound now, the blood could get trapped in his head, or worse—it could cause an infection since the wound hasn't been cleaned yet. Keela, I need your help treating Akira's injury first."
Keela was more than willing—ready to do anything necessary.
Yue worked while explaining, her tone steady and urgent. "Turn him to the side. Elina, Draco, help rotate him gently—he needs to lie on his side. Mirelle, can you melt the ice covering his wound?"
She gave her orders quickly and precisely. "I'll start purifying and disinfecting around the wound." She then cast a cleansing spell on Akira's head.
"Come on, Keela, help me wipe up this blood. Mirelle, I need you to use water to wash away the excess. Once you're sure there's no dirty blood left, freeze the area just enough to stop the bleeding."
Mirelle pushed herself to cast one last spell before collapsing from mana depletion. Kalisa stepped in to assist, while Gryphonnix stood nearby, clearly anxious. No matter how powerful he was, before the intricacies of a discipline he didn't understand, he knew it was best to let those with expertise take over.
As the bleeding subsided and the blood clotted, Yue began casting healing magic. Even after the wound closed, Akira remained unconscious. Yue hesitated—should she wake him up? But the worry inside her pushed her to be certain. She leaned down, gently shaking him and calling his name.
Still no response.
"Keela… can you give him a light shock?" Yue asked, eyes darting anxiously.
Everyone's expression changed in shock.
"I-I mean just enough to wake him up!" she quickly clarified.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the group—except for Mirelle, who remained unconscious.
Keela sent a small jolt into his body. Nothing.
A second try. Still nothing.
On the third attempt, Akira gasped and his eyes fluttered open.
The ice spell was already beginning to fade due to its caster being out cold. Akira made to rise, but Draco rushed over to support him.
"What happened?" Akira mumbled, his voice faint. "Why's everyone crowding around me…?"
Yue burst into tears and clung to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. Keela grabbed his hand and began sobbing as well. Even Elina and Osiris didn't know what to say. Draco gave him a light scolding, his voice soft. "Finally awake, you idiot. Stop being so reckless."
Akira raised one hand to rub his aching head. "Ugh… Took a wrong step, I guess." Then he looked at his other hand—and realized he was holding something tightly.
He turned it over to examine it.
It looked like a nameplate, the kind worn on a soldier's uniform. Despite everything else being corroded, this tag still gleamed, untouched by rust. And engraved on its surface, the words read:
"United Galactic Federation."
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