Somewhere in Brazil, deep within the Amazon rainforest, the cult leader known as the Sixth Bound—the Witcher—walked alongside Vision. They were searching for the hidden wooden box that contained Victor Valois's heart. The forest was unnaturally silent. Not a single branch swayed, nor did the leaves rustle. It was as if the forest itself had sensed their presence and was holding its breath.
"Too quiet… It's not supposed to be like this," the Witcher said, his eyes glowing with white circular patterns. He scanned the forest carefully with his supernatural sight. Beside him, Vision's eyes glowed a deep crimson. Through them, Victor watched from inside his coffin.
"This is it. I can feel my heart somewhere here," Victor said through Vision.
"It's a massive forest, Master. Whoever buried the box here performed countless spells and powerful rituals," the Witcher replied. Vision turned toward him.
"Why do you think you've been named the Witcher? This is your job. You have the power to retrieve the box and my heart. Now do your thing," Victor ordered through Vision's eyes.
The Witcher stepped forward and began chanting in an ancient language. Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled. A massive crack spread across the earth as the ground slowly split apart, widening until a gigantic pit had opened before them. Darkness consumed everything below, and the hole seemed endlessly deep.
The Witcher stopped chanting, and both of them cautiously approached the edge.
Far below, resting at the bottom of the pit, was the wooden box. Victor immediately recognized it.
"It's there… I can feel it," Victor whispered through Vision. Just as they prepared to jump into the pit, a gigantic black snake lunged toward them without warning. They quickly leaped backward, narrowly avoiding its deadly fangs before landing safely on the opposite side.
"It's being guarded. Look closely," the Witcher said.
Using their enhanced vision, they peered deeper into the darkness. There they saw six enormous Black Mambas surrounding the wooden box.
Around them slithered nearly five thousand venomous vipers, coiling over one another like a living sea of death.
"It's impossible to get inside. We can't do this alone. We need the Vessel," the Witcher said.
Vision looked at him.
"Then it's time we retrieve the Vessel," Victor replied through Vision's eyes.
Somewhere far away, between towering mountains, Milan and the others continued their journey. The air was fresh as winter slowly faded and summer approached. Milan walked at the front, leading everyone toward the Wise.
"Milan, are you sure we're going the right way?" Nutaila asked while they continued walking.
"Yes. I remember my visions from when I was sleeping very clearly," Milan replied. As he spoke, he suddenly stopped and looked up.
"Why did you stop?" Ayanna asked.
"We're here." Everyone raised their heads.
Standing before them was an enormous mountain that stretched high into the sky.
"Now all we have to do is climb this damn mountain," Milan said.
Everyone stared upward in complete disbelief.
"You've got to be joking," Zero groaned.
"That mountain is enormous. It'll take us the whole day just to climb it."
"We can just use our powers," Nutaila said confidently. She summoned her darkness and attempted to climb using it. Nothing happened.
She tried again, Still nothing.
"My darkness… it's gone." Nutaila spoke in disbelief
"This place has been sealed by the Wise, No power can break this spell. It's a simple spell, yet completely unbreakable. If you want to meet the Wise, you must climb the mountain with your own strength. That's her rule. Whoever comes before her must come clean."Milan explained.
Dr. Patel sighed, sat on a nearby rock, and took out a bottle of water before taking a long drink.
Ayanna watched her with irritated eyes. Raven walked over to Scarlet.
"What about you? Can't you use the Crimson to climb up and help us?" Raven asked.
"No. I don't even know how to summon it," Scarlet answered honestly.
"She can't, The Crimson doesn't choose sides. It is the world's only true balance. It only appears when Scarlet is about to be harmed or killed. It doesn't fight over personal conflicts or appear whenever she wants it to. It comes only when it decides to. So we can't rely on her."Nutaila explained.
"Well, you guys can go. I'll gladly wait for you down here," Dr. Patel said.
"No, All of us have to go. Every one of us has a role to play. That's why the Wise told me that once we were all gathered, we should come together to see her."Milan replied firmly. He looked around at everyone.
"Take five minutes to rest. Drink some water, stretch, and prepare yourselves. We're about to climb this damn mountain."
Milan walked away to freshen up. Scarlet quietly followed him.
"Hey… is everything alright?" she asked.
"Yeah," Milan replied with a small smile.
"I'm just a little nervous, that's all."
Scarlet smiled softly and stepped closer to him.
"I don't think you've noticed this," she said,
"but your sister and Dr. Patel… I think there's some kind of misunderstanding between them." Milan listened quietly.
"If you get the chance, please talk to both of them and help sort it out. The road we're walking together is dangerous, and we all depend on one another. Survival doesn't need ego—it needs teamwork and people who have each other's backs." As Scarlet finished speaking, Milan wrapped his arms around her.
While holding her, he glanced toward the group and noticed Dr. Patel silently staring at Ayanna from a distance.
"You're right," Milan admitted.
"Something definitely feels off between them. I'll talk to both of them."
Without hesitation, Milan kissed Scarlet in front of everyone.
"Gosh… I miss you so much, my love. So, when can we meet again?" he asked with a grin.
"Never," Scarlet replied with a playful smile as she gently pulled herself free from his embrace.
She turned around and walked back toward the others. A few minutes later, Milan returned as well.
"Is everyone ready?" he asked. Everyone stood up.
"Let's go," Nutaila said. They lined up in pairs.
Milan with Ayanna, Scarlet with Raven, Zero with Dr. Patel. Nutaila walked alone at the back.
Slowly, step by careful step, they began climbing the enormous mountain.
It towered above them, as though reaching into the heavens themselves.
On the other side of the road, the van continued moving through the quiet countryside.
Inside, Zara, Ben, Layla, Emma, Ivory, and Lucy were all asleep in the back. Nadia remained behind the wheel while Velmora sat beside her, calmly watching the road ahead.
Nadia kept stealing glances at her as she drove.
"I believe there's a rule about driving that says, 'A driver should keep her eyes focused on the road,'" Velmora said without taking her eyes off the road.
Nadia smiled.
"You know… sometimes when I look at you, I forget what you really are. You just seem like an ordinary human being to me. You must really love humans if you're willing to help us." Velmora's expression immediately changed.
"I don't like humans, I hate them."she replied coldly.
"Then why are you helping us? Why have you been following us and protecting us while everyone else was asleep?" Nadia asked.
Velmora remained silent for a moment before answering.
"It's because I believe in the cause." She paused.
"I hate humans because of what they did to me. I was once an ordinary human being, just like you. I had a family, friends, and loved ones." Her voice grew quieter.
"I used to possess an unusual gift. I could see things before they happened. One day, people discovered my ability. They believed I was cursed. They captured me… tied me up… betrayed me… and locked me away. They sealed me inside walls, hoping to erase me from existence. But their ritual failed. The walls gave me a new purpose. They turned me into… something else."
As she spoke, a single tear rolled down one of her eyes. Nadia noticed it immediately.
"I'm so sorry. I—" Before she could finish, Velmora interrupted her.
"Don't. I don't need your pity. Just keep your eyes on the road and keep driving. I'm only helping you because of the mission. I don't want to be friends with anyone… especially humans." Her expression became emotionless. Slowly, her body leaned back into the seat.
Then, as if the seat itself had swallowed her, her body merged into it until she completely disappeared.
"Where are you going? I don't know the way," Nadia asked nervously.
"I'm still here," Velmora's voice echoed from within the seat.
"Just keep driving forward until you hear my voice again." Nadia nodded and continued driving.
Back at the mountain, Milan and the others continued climbing higher. They had already reached an incredible height. Looking down made the ground seem impossibly far away. Dr. Patel struggled to catch her breath.
"Guys… I don't think I'll be able to make it. It's too far," she said between breaths.
"Come on, Doc! Keep going! We're almost there!" Milan shouted. He looked upward. The summit still seemed impossibly distant.
"We're not going to make it, brother," Ayanna said, exhausted. Milan turned toward her.
Sweat covered her face, and both of her hands were bruised and bleeding from gripping the sharp rocks.
"Don't give up, Ayanna. Stay with me, please," he pleaded. Below them, Nutaila continued climbing.
Dr. Patel's strength was fading rapidly.
"Please… just go without me," she said weakly.
"I'm sorry, guys… my journey ends here."She loosened one of her hands. Zero quickly climbed closer to her.
"Come on, Doc. Pull yourself together. We're going to make it through this. This team has survived far worse than a mountain. You just have to trust us."
Raven nodded in agreement.
Dr. Patel's hands were badly bruised, and blood trickled from her fingers.
Zero climbed directly above her, shielding her with his body as he leaned closer.
"You don't have to give up, Doc. We need you, Ayanna needs you.So please… stay with us. We're almost there." Dr. Patel nodded.
Without warning, dark clouds gathered overhead.
Rain began pouring down. Within seconds, the mountain became dangerously slippery.
"What now?!" Scarlet shouted.
"We keep climbing!" Milan yelled back.
"We don't have any other choice!" Dr. Patel reached for a rock above her.
The instant she grabbed it, her hand slipped.
She screamed as she fell.
"No!!" Zero shouted. Everyone watched in horror.
As Dr. Patel fell past Nutaila, Nutaila instantly bent backward and caught her with her feet.
Dr. Patel grabbed onto her legs desperately.
"Hold on!" Nutaila shouted.
Milan tried climbing down to help.
At that exact moment, Ayanna slipped as well.
Milan caught her before she could fall and quickly pulled her onto his back.
"Hold on to me," he told her. To his surprise, Ayanna began laughing.
"Do you remember the last time you carried me on your back?" she asked.
"It was the first day I took you to the hospital," Milan answered.
"The same day I brought you that teddy bear."
"Did you bring it with you?" Ayanna asked softly.
"I did, It's inside my backpack. But if you let go now and fall, you won't get to see it. So just hold on, okay? I promise I'll get you to the top." His eyes began filling with tears.
"Funny, isn't it?" Ayanna smiled sadly.
"Even when you lie… I can still sense it." She looked around.
"Look at us, brother. Do you really think we can climb this mountain?Look at your friends. They're exhausted. We're not going to make it. And you know it. You're just stubborn enough not to accept the truth." Milan looked around. Scarlet's hands were shaking with exhaustion. She was barely holding on. Raven forced a hopeful smile, but even she was reaching her limit.
Zero's clothes had been torn apart by the rocks.
Then Milan looked at Nutaila. She was using every ounce of strength she had left to hold Dr. Patel while continuing to climb.
"You see?" Ayanna continued.
"It's over. You just have to make a decision. If we're truly the ones destined to restore the world…then we won't die today."
Slowly…Ayanna began letting go of her brother.
Milan desperately searched for a solution.
Then…He remembered something.
During one of his visions while asleep, he had fallen from this very same mountain…and awakened safely on the ground below.
"This is only a test," Milan whispered to himself.
"The Wise's hut isn't at the top of the mountain. It's somewhere in the middle. The only way to reach it…is to let go." Ayanna heard every word.
"Then…I trust you." She smiled.Without another word…She let go.
Everyone watched as she disappeared into the endless fall.
"No! Ayanna!" Zero shouted.
Scarlet prepared to jump after her, But Milan stopped her.
"No!, Let her fall!, Everyone…Let go of the mountain!" Ayanna vanished into the mist below.
"What are you trying to do?" Scarlet shouted.
"Just trust me!, Let go!" Milan yelled once more.
Without hesitation, he released his grip on the mountain. His body began falling. Scarlet followed.
Then Raven. Zero let go next.
Nutaila released her grip while holding onto Dr. Patel. One by one… They all surrendered to the fall.