Their journey continued across the desolate expanse of the Wasteland, the grey sky pressing down on them like a lid. The familiar ruins of the Loom of Fate rose in the distance, its golden threads still pulsing faintly against the ashen landscape.

Azrynn let out a visible breath of relief, her shoulders sagging as she took in the sight. Her voice carried a note of genuine gratitude.

"I’m glad it’s still functioning. I was worried the seal might have been damaged beyond repair."

Lilith’s crimson eyes swept over the Loom, her expression thoughtful. Her voice flowed like silk, steady and deliberate.

"It seems the Void creature is still contained. The seal held."

Alice’s cat ears twitched, her tail swaying slowly behind her. Her dark violet eyes were fixed on the Loom’s shifting threads, her voice carrying a note of cold certainty.

"It’s only a matter of time. The Void creature will break free eventually. We need to destroy it before that happens."

Adam leaned against a nearby pillar, his arms crossed, his voice carried that particular brand of arrogance that came from knowing he could back it up.

"That Void bastard’s probably exhausted too. It spent a lot of power trying to break through the seal. It’s not going to be at full strength for a while."

Isolde’s voice cut through, calm but pointed. Her pale eyes were fixed on Adam, her gaze sharp with curiosity.

"Adam. That sword you found—is it the one mentioned in the diary? The Starfall Edge?"

Adam shook his head slowly, his voice carrying a note of casual dismissal.

"No. That one came from a monster I killed. The real Starfall Edge is probably still sealed somewhere in the deepest part of the ruins. The Void creature’s smart—it wouldn’t leave a weapon that could hurt it lying around where anyone could find it."

Alice stepped forward, her dark violet eyes fixed on Adam with quiet expectation. Her tail swayed once, deliberate.

"Adam. Let me borrow your pouch."

Adam didn’t hesitate. He unclipped the Pouch of the Hoarding Gnome from his belt and handed it to her without question. His voice was light, unconcerned.

"Sure. Here."

Alice took it without a word, tucking it securely into her own belt.

The group pressed on, leaving the ruins behind as they emerged into the harsh, unforgiving light of the Wasteland’s surface. The grey sky stretched endlessly above them, and the familiar scent of dust and decay filled the air.

But they were not alone.

Monsters had gathered along the path ahead—twisted, malformed creatures that had been drawn by the disturbance in the temple. Their eyes glowed with dull hunger, their forms shifting and writhing as they watched the group emerge.

Ignis stretched her arms above her head, her flames flickering with barely contained excitement. Her voice carried a note of eager anticipation.

"Finally! I’ve been feeling stiff from not fighting for too long!"

Alice’s voice was devoid of amusement, her ears pinning back slightly as she let out a slow breath.

"It’s only been a few days, Ignis."

Ignis’s grin widened, her golden eyes blazing.

"A few days too long!"

Ignis shot forward like a blazing comet before Adam could even finish his sentence. Her flames roared to life around her fists, golden and fierce, as she launched herself at the nearest monster.

"Wait—!" Adam’s hand shot out, but she was already gone.

He let out a long, heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging with the weight of familiar exasperation.

"...And there she goes."

Alice’s cat ears twitched, her tail swaying with dry amusement. Her voice was flat, carrying a note of pointed irony.

"As usual. Ignis can’t be controlled."

Lilith’s voice drifted over, smooth and innocent, though her crimson eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Oh? Are you talking about yourself, perhaps?"

Alice’s head snapped toward her, her dark violet eyes narrowing into sharp slits. Her tail lashed once, her voice dropping to a low, dangerous growl.

"Quiet, Lilith. Or I’ll tear that smug mouth of yours apart."

Lilith’s hand flew to her chest in mock horror, her voice carrying a note of theatrical fear. She immediately sidled behind Adam, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt.

"How frightening. Adam, protect me."

Isolde’s voice cut through the chaos, calm and measured. Her Crimson Blossom Crown pulsed faintly as she moved past the group, her pale eyes fixed on Ignis’s blazing form.

"I’ll support Ignis. Watch her flank."

Adam’s gaze shifted to Azrynn, a flicker of curiosity crossing his face. His voice carried a note of genuine interest.

"Azrynn. I want to see what you can do. Your rune abilities—I’ve been curious about them."

Azrynn’s yellow eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing her features. Then a small, determined smile curved her lips.

"Understood. I’ll show you what I’m capable of."

She stepped forward, her bow already in hand, her body flowing into a low, ready stance.

Azrynn’s fingers moved with practiced precision, tracing a series of glowing runes in the air before her. The runes pulsed with a soft, silver light, intertwining and weaving together until they formed a complex pattern that hovered just above her palm.

She drew her bow in one fluid motion, nocking an arrow that wasn’t there. The runes around her hand pulsed brighter, and a shaft of pure, condensed silver light materialized between her fingers, humming with contained power.

Azrynn released the arrow.

The rune-enhanced projectile shot forward faster than the eye could track, leaving a trail of shimmering silver light in its wake. It struck the nearest monster square in the chest and didn’t stop. It pierced through the creature’s body, carving a clean, precise hole through its torso, and continued into the one behind it, then the one behind that.

Three monsters fell in a single shot.

The remaining creatures hesitated, their dull hunger flickering with something like confusion.

Adam’s eyebrows rose. His voice carried a note of genuine surprise.

"That’s... not normal arrow fire."

Azrynn lowered her bow, a small, proud smile crossing her face. She gestured to the fading runes still lingering in the air.

"Dark Elf rune arrows. We channel our mana into the runes, then compress it into the arrow’s form. The runes determine the arrow’s effect—piercing, explosive, binding, elemental. The more complex the rune pattern, the more powerful the arrow."

She nocked another silver-light arrow, this one glowing with a faint, blue-white hue that pulsed with contained energy.

"This one is a freeze arrow. The runes are designed to draw in moisture and freeze it on impact. It won’t kill, but it will immobilize long enough for us to finish the job."

Ignis’s head snapped around, her golden eyes wide with excitement.

"Ooh! Can you teach me that?! I want to shoot exploding arrows!"

Azrynn’s lips curved into a small, amused smile.

"Exploding arrows require a different rune pattern—one that channels fire mana. I can show you the basics, but it takes years of practice to master."

Lilith’s crimson eyes gleamed with interest. Her voice was soft, almost purring.

"Fascinating. The runes themselves hold the power—you’re not casting spells, you’re instructing the world to reshape itself. Truly elegant."

Isolde’s voice carried a note of curiosity, her pale eyes studying the lingering runes with sharp focus.

"Can the runes be applied to other surfaces? Swords, armor, even the ground beneath us?"

Azrynn nodded, her expression thoughtful.

"Yes, but it’s more difficult. The runes need a surface that can hold their energy without breaking. Metal and specially prepared stone work best. Wood and earth are too unstable—they can’t sustain the pattern for long."

Adam’s voice cut through, calm but carrying a note of approval.

"That’s incredible. Your people have been hiding a lot of power down here."

Azrynn’s expression softened, a hint of pride flickering across her face.

"We had to adapt. When you’re trapped underground for generations, you learn to make the most of what you have."