Kairiki

Level 15: Conquest

[The energy outside the gate was thick, buzzing with residual power from the battle inside. As the gate slowly began to close, the pressure it exerted on the surroundings diminished, and the air grew still. The tension that had gripped everyone was finally beginning to ease. The once-chaotic atmosphere now felt eerily calm, as if the dungeon itself was taking a final breath before sealing off entirely.]

[Hydro, Luz, Amity, Anne, Francinilson, Suho, Mei, and Marcy slowly made their way out of the dungeon, their expressions weary but relieved. The gate closed behind them with a faint hum, leaving the horrors of the dungeon behind.]

[Crowds of worried onlookers and guild members had gathered outside, anxiously awaiting their return. The mothers of Luz and Anne, Camila Noceda and Mrs. Boonchuy, immediately rushed forward as they spotted their daughters. Luz and Amity barely had time to catch their breath before they were engulfed in Camila's embrace. Anne and Marcy, equally overwhelmed, found themselves in the arms of their parents, tears streaming down their faces as they relived the terror of the encounter.]

CAMILA: Luz, Amity, thank goodness you're safe!

[Her voice trembled with emotion as she held them tightly, her relief palpable. She looked over at Hydro, the boy who had fought so fiercely to protect them. In the dungeon, he had been a force of nature-serious, ruthless, and driven by a determination that had terrified even his allies. Yet, now, standing outside the gate, he seemed to have reverted to the cheeky and soft-spoken teenager she had first met.]

[Camila approached Hydro, her gratitude evident in her eyes.]

CAMILA: Thank you... Thank you for saving them. I don't know what we would have done without you.

[Hydro, still feeling the weight of the battle, offered a small, boyish smile, scratching the back of his head as if embarrassed by the attention.]

HYDRO: It was nothing, really. I'm just glad everyone made it out okay.

[Mrs. Boonchuy and Mr. Boonchuy soon joined them, their expressions filled with gratitude and concern. They, too, had felt the fear that had emanated from Thul'gar, the malevolent orc whose power had nearly overwhelmed their daughters. They shuddered at the memory of the suffocating pressure that had made them feel as though their bodies were being torn apart, only to realize it had been an illusion-a powerful one, but an illusion nonetheless.]

MRS. BOONCHUY: We felt it too, that awful feeling... It was like we were being ripped to pieces. But we resisted, thanks to you.

[Hydro nodded, his mind still replaying the events of the battle. The way he had fought-how his voice had deepened, how his actions had turned sadistic-was a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. It unsettled him, this darkness that seemed to surface in the heat of battle.]

HYDRO: What happened to my voice back there? I sounded so manly... so different. I sounded... sadistic, egoistical. The darkness inside me, it's starting to change. The way I fought... they're probably traumatized by it, by Thul'gar's spells.

[Despite his concerns, Hydro put on a brave face, offering a reassuring smile as he placed his hands on Luz's shoulders.]

HYDRO: Luz, I know you were scared in there... I think I just realized something. I don't know why it took me so long to figure it out. The only thing I've ever really wanted was to get stronger. The way I fought back there... I'm sorry if it terrified you. Thul'gar was cruel, and I had to be just as ruthless to defeat him. But I want you to know, I'm still just a 14-year-old kid. I've faced worse things before, but it's different when you're in the thick of it. If you ever come across a witch or something that powerful, be careful, okay?