The wind howled over the cliffs as Riku, Mira, Kira, and Kaito raced toward the outskirts of Aetheria.
Sora lay in Riku's arms—limp, pale, barely breathing.
With every passing moment, the weight of fear drained into Riku's heart.
"Hold on, Sora," he whispered with desperation. "Just hold on."
"Nigh there!" barked Kaito, casting a look ahead down the road.
But hope had failed — the village gates were still far away, and Sora's breathing was fading.
Suddenly, out from the mist, a figure appeared.
A young woman with cascading white hair, clad in simple robes marked with the healing sigil of the ancient Elemental Healers.
Golden like the sun, her eyes pierced into theirs.
"Lay him down!" she commanded. Her voice bore such authority.
Riku froze for a moment.
"Who...who are you?!"
"No time!" she snapped. "Trust me, if you want him to live."
Without permission, she had knelt down next to Sora. Her hands glowed softly shimmering green. Energy symbols were whirring around her wrists as she pressed her palms against Sora's chest.
Kaito narrowed his eyes. "An Elemental Sage...?" he muttered.
The woman gritted her teeth, sending wave after wave of healing energy into the shattered body of Sora.
Sora gave a weak gasp and convulsed underneath her hands. Black marks—remnants of Spirit extraction—were crawling up his skin.
"This poison... it's eating away at his life force..." she muttered. "I have to get it out, or he dies."
The earth quaked a bit under her power.
Mira anxiously gripped Kira's arm. "Is it...working?"
Seconds stretched into eternity.
The healer's whole body was shaking with the exertion.
Then—with one last screech—the dark energy was yanked out, blasting through the sky and exploding in a shower of shadowy sparkles.
Sora coughed hard, and his eyes opened, hazy but alive.
"He's stable... for now," the woman gasped. "But he needs time. He lost the Spirit... and a part of himself."
Riku dropped to his knees as his eyes welled. "Thank you...Thank you!"
The healer smiled gently. "Don't thank me yet. There is a long way to go for him."
Kaito stepped closer. "Who are you?"
The woman got to her feet, brushing off the dust from her robes.
"My name is Amara," she said. "The last living disciple of the original Elemental Sages. And if you want to save your world... you'll need more than just raw strength."
Everyone stared at her in awe.
For the first time since the battle, Riku felt the flicker of a small, fragile hope rekindled in his chest.