The sound ripped through the pyramid.
A brutal crash—metal slamming into stone with enough force to make the walls tremble.
Rio's ears snapped upright instantly, every fine muscle in them going rigid. The sudden noise made them twitch uncontrollably, turning toward the stairwell before his mind had even processed what had happened.
Oathkeeper stirred in his arms, its faint blue glow flaring brighter for a heartbeat, reacting to Rio's spike of fear.
That wasn't the wind.That wasn't the stone settling.
It came from below.
From the stairs.
From where Filip had gone alone.
"Filip…" Rio whispered, his voice barely more than breath.
The silence that followed was unbearable.
No footsteps.No voice.No sound of movement.
Only the distant howl of wind far above, echoing hollowly through the pyramid.
His chest tightened painfully.
I should have gone with him.I shouldn't have let him go alone.
The guilt struck immediately—sharp and crushing. Rio's tail curled tightly around his leg without him noticing, wrapping itself close as if trying to protect him from the thought. His ears flattened slightly, flicking in short, anxious movements as he strained to hear anything from below.
Before fear could freeze him in place, Rio forced himself to stand.
His legs shook violently the moment he put weight on them. The exhaustion from earlier hadn't disappeared—it had only been buried under adrenaline. He nearly collapsed again, catching himself against the cold stone with a trembling hand.
"I'm coming," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
He had only brought his bow and arrows. No backpack. No supplies.
It didn't matter.
Oathkeeper's glow brightened as Rio stepped onto the spiral staircase, the soft blue light spilling across the stone walls and steps, stretching long shadows ahead of him.
Rio descended slowly.
Carefully.
One hand pressed against the wall, fingers tracing the rough stone to keep his balance. Each step felt uncertain. His tail swayed behind him, constantly tugging his center of gravity just slightly out of place, forcing him to move even more carefully.
The deeper he went, the colder the air became.
Then—
He saw him.
Filip lay slumped against the wall at the base of the stairs, his body completely still.
Rio's heart nearly stopped.
"Filip!"
He hurried forward, stumbling as his knees threatened to buckle, and dropped down beside him.
Up close, the damage was impossible to miss.
Filip's clothes were coated in grit and dust, ground deep into the fabric. His jacket was scraped raw in places, torn where stone had bitten into it. His sword lay nearby, discarded where it had slipped from numb fingers—the hilt darkened with dried blood.
And Filip's hands—
Rio flinched hard.
They were ruined.
Skin torn open.Blisters burst and peeled back.Blood dried and smeared across his palms and fingers.
"Oh no… no, no…" Rio whispered, his voice breaking.
Filip's ears lay flat against his head, completely still—too still. Even in sleep or exhaustion, they should have twitched. His tail rested limp against the stone floor, no tension left in it at all.
That scared Rio more than anything else.
His first instinct was to grab Filip, to shake him awake—but he stopped himself.
Breathe.
Before doing anything else, Rio lifted his head and scanned the chamber.
Slowly.Carefully.
His ears strained for sound as his eyes searched beyond Oathkeeper's glow.
That's when he saw it.
The skeleton.
—or rather, what remained of it.
Bones were scattered across the stone floor in every direction. Arms torn away. Joints shattered. The remains looked less like a body and more like something that had been ripped apart piece by piece through sheer desperation.
Nearby, a massive axe was embedded deep into the stone floor, cracks spreading outward like a spiderweb.
Rio stared, his stomach twisting.
"…You fought all of this," he murmured. "By yourself…"
His tail drooped low behind him.
Why didn't I follow him?Why did I let him face this alone?
He checked again.
No movement.No shifting shadows.No presence lingering.
The pyramid was silent.
Safe.
Only then did Rio allow himself to relax—just a little.
"I'll be right back," he whispered.
He forced himself to stand again and turned back toward the stairs. He climbed as quickly as his unsteady body allowed, muscles burning with every step.
At the summit, he grabbed both backpacks—the one he'd left earlier and Filip's—and slung them over his shoulders. His bow knocked lightly against his side as he turned and hurried back down.
When he returned, nothing had changed.
Filip was still unconscious.
The bones were still lifeless.
Good.
Rio knelt beside Filip again and pulled the backpacks close. His hands shook as he opened Filip's bag.
Inside were exactly what the god had given them:
A book.A few cans of preserved food.A small portable stove.A water flask—still partly full.
And tucked carefully beneath them—
Bandages.
Rio let out a shaky breath.
"Thank you…"
He uncorked the flask and poured water gently over Filip's hands. Dirt and dried blood washed away, the water running red as it spilled across the stone floor.
Filip didn't wake.
"I'm here," Rio whispered. "You're safe now. I promise."
He wrapped the bandages carefully, layer by layer, doing his best to protect the torn skin. His fingers were clumsy, his hands still unsteady—but he took his time.
When he finished, exhaustion finally crushed down on him.
Oathkeeper had moved closer, standing alert, its glow steady as it watched the shadows.
"Can you… keep watch?" Rio asked softly.
The dragon chirred quietly, ears and wings twitching in alert focus.
Rio managed a weak smile.
Then he leaned forward and rested his head gently in Filip's lap, careful not to disturb him. Filip's tail lay still beside him, brushing lightly against Rio's shoulder.
"I shouldn't have stayed behind," Rio whispered. "I won't do that again."