"Garvin!!!"
Scarlett’s eyes widened in alarm as Garvin’s body went limp in her arms, his face pale and clammy. Cradling his head gently, she shook him slightly, desperation creeping into her voice.
"Garvin!" she cried, her voice trembling with panic. "Stay with , please."
The others quickly gathered around her, their faces etched with a mix of fear and worry.
"What’s happening? Why did he suddenly vomit blood?" Ryder asked, his voice tight with anxiety. His gaze dropped to Garvin’s abdon, his black top dripping with blood and his breath hitched. "Oh no... Was he stabbed?!"
Scarlett’s eyes followed Ryder’s and she quickly raise Garvin’s top up, and her heart sank at the sight of the deep wound which was bleeding. Without wasting a second, she pressed her hands over the injury, summoning her fire and water elents. Flas flickered at her fingertips as she tried to burn away the toxin, while the water worked to soothe and suppress the wound.
"I told him not to co with us," Scarlett whispered, her voice thick with tears. "I knew sothing like this would happen!"
’My eyes were on you despite how I was fighting monsters. How co you were stabbed this deep and you didn’t even make it known? You choose to continue fighting instead. Are you a fool?! Scarlett thought to herself as tears continued to roll down her cheeks.
Her hands glowed brighter, her energy pouring into Garvin, but the more she worked, the less progress she seed to make. Blood continued to pour from his mouth, his eyes dull and unfocused as they threatened to close.
"Scarlett, it’s not working!" Kato growled, his tone urgent. "The monster’s toxin here is too strong. His body won’t respond to treatnt as long as we’re in this domain."
"If we don’t move, he’s going to die anyway," Kato snapped. "Let’s get the hell out of here before it’s too late!"
Gritting her teeth, Scarlett nodded reluctantly. Slinging Garvin onto her back with her enhanced strength, she pushed herself to her feet. "Let’s go!"
Kato and Ethan flanked her as they bolted toward the cetery’s exit. Behind them, Larry barked out orders.
"Hunter! Ryder! Go get the others! We’ll regroup outside!"
Hunter and Ryder nodded and dashed toward the forest, their figures quickly disappearing into the gloom.
As Scarlett and the others reached the cetery exit, the open gates lood ahead, and without hesitation, they darted through.
But instead of arriving at the stadium as expected, they found themselves in a dense forest, thick with gnarled trees and eerie shadows. Scarlett barely registered their surroundings.
"Just stay with Garvin," she muttered, kneeling and laying Garvin down.
Once again, she began channeling her fire and water elents, desperation fueling her efforts. But no matter how much power she poured into him, the blood kept coming. Garvin’s breaths grew shallow, and his skin turned ghostly pale.
"Why isn’t this working?!" Scarlett scread, tears of frustration blurring her vision.
Ding!
{Host’s emotional state is affecting her judgnt. Host must calm herself to ensure optimal decision-making.}
"What the hell are you talking about, system?!" Scarlett shouted, her voice cracking. "This isn’t the ti for your lectures!"
Her tears fell harder, and no matter how much she tried to suppress her emotions, they overwheld her. Her hands trembled as she worked, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Finally, she whispered a spell under her breath, cloaking herself, Garvin, Kato, and Ethan in invisibility.
Ding!
{Host must be calm to effectively use her elents. Monster toxins are extrely potent. Garvin’s body is not strong enough to withstand them. Normal humans are not ant to enter the monster domain, let alone fight. Even chosen ones struggle to recover from such injuries.}
Scarlett’s body shook as she sobbed, her hands still glowing with her elents. "If I keep treating him, he’ll wake up... right?!"
The system remained silent for a long mont before responding.
Ding!
{It depends on his will to live. He may survive... or he may not.}
"Don’t you dare give that!" Scarlett scread, punching at the holographic screen in front of her. Her fist passed through the translucent projection, her fury unabated. "You’re supposed to help ! What the hell is the point of this system if you’re just going to let everyone die?!"
Kato placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice steady but soft. "Scarlett, listen to . You need to calm down. Your power won’t work if your mind is clouded."
"I am calm!" Scarlett yelled, her voice breaking. "Why isn’t he responding?!"
"He’s running out of ti," Ethan muttered grimly, though Kato quickly elbowed him in the ribs, a silent warning to stay quiet.
The growls in the distance grew closer, the unmistakable sound of monsters closing in.
Scarlett’s tears blurred her vision as she looked down at Garvin. "I won’t let you die. Do you hear ? You’re going to live, Garvin. You have to!"
Her voice wavered, but her determination didn’t falter. Though her heart was breaking, she forced herself to focus, trying once more to save him.
"If you keep crying, then we’ll have to face another army of monsters soon," Ethan warned, his voice strained. His heart pounded in his chest as his gaze darted nervously around the forest. "Your invisibility spell can’t cover everyone once the other survivors arrive. You’re going to put us all in danger."
Scarlett clenched her fists, struggling to calm herself, but her tears refused to stop. She looked down at Garvin, whose face was pale and bloodied, lying limp in her arms. The thought of losing him tore at her heart.
Just then, Ryder, Hunter, Larry, and the other survivors erged from the shadows, their expressions tense and wary.
"Where the hell are we now?" Hunter muttered, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. His brow furrowed as he turned to Larry. "And where are they? I don’t see Scarlett or the others."
Before anyone could answer, Scarlett, her face a mix of anguish and resignation, released the invisibility spell. A shimr passed through the air, revealing Scarlett, Kato, Ethan, and Garvin to the group.
"Oh, thank goodness," Hunter exhaled, relief washing over him as he spotted them. But his relief was short-lived. His eyes fell on Garvin, lying motionless on Scarlett’s lap, blood splattered across his face and Scarlett’s dress. Hunter’s stomach twisted as dread set in.
Kato’s voice broke the silence, his tone firm but steady. "Scarlett, we need to keep moving. We can’t stay here. We’re too exposed, and the monsters are closing in, your tears are practically leading them straight to us."
Ethan nodded grimly. "We need to get back to the cave now. If we don’t, these people are going to die for real."
Scarlett took a deep, shaky breath, trying to rein in her emotions. Kato and Ethan were right; she couldn’t let her grief and fear endanger everyone else. She had to focus.
With a flash of determination in her eyes, she activated her teleportation skill. In an instant, the group were transported to the cave where Louise and Maya were waiting.
As the survivors looked around, their expressions shifted from relief to confusion as they all lose their mories instantly.
"Wait... what happened?" Ethan was the first to speak, his voice laced with uncertainty. He glanced down at his hands and clothes, now stained with monster fluid. "Why am I covered in... this? What is this?"
Larry stepped forward, his brow furrowed as he examined his own bloodstained clothing. "What the hell happened here? And why can’t I rember a damn thing about it?"
Ryder, Hunter, and the others exchanged bewildered glances. They looked at Scarlett and her group as though they were strangers, their eyes clouded with confusion and mistrust.
"I don’t even recognize any of you," Hunter admitted, his voice low but tinged with suspicion. "Where are we? What’s going on?"
Scarlett remained silent, her expression calm despite the turmoil raging inside her. She had expected this, she knew their mories of the monster domain would be erased. Still, it hurt to see their confusion and mistrust.
But what surprised her wasn’t their reactions. It was the sight of Louise, lying unconscious in a pool of blood on the cave floor. Maya sat beside him, her head bowed, her shoulders shaking as she wept uncontrollably. Her hands and gown were drenched in blood.
Scarlett’s heart sank further. What the hell happened here while we were gone?
But there wasn’t ti for questions. Garvin’s labored breaths pulled her attention back to him. She gently laid him down beside Louise, determination etched on her face. She had two lives to save now.
As Scarlett summoned her elents to begin Garvin’s treatnt, Kato stepped closer, his voice soft but resolute. "You can’t handle both of them at once. If you try, you’ll collapse before you even make any progress."
Scarlett’s eyes widened in surprise as she turned to him. "Kato...?"
He smiled faintly. "You’re exhausted, Scarlett. We just fought off an entire horde of monsters. Let help."
Her confusion deepened. How does he still rember everything? She studied him for a mont, searching his expression for answers.
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