The clearing never fully settled after the argument. People drifted into small clusters, voices hushed, eyes darting towards Alya and me whenever they thought we weren’t looking. Fear. Curiosity. The fragile hope that someone else would handle their problems for them. I recognised the look.

  I wiped gored blood from my hands with a torn scrap of cloth, which still smelled like rot, then made my way towards Tom. He was pacing more than usual, fingers twitching at his sides like he wanted something to hold but couldn’t decide what.

  “Got a minute?” I asked.

  Tom stopped, worry already tightening his face. “Yeah. Elias, look… today was—”

  “I’m going back to the gorg’s cave.”

  He froze mid-breath.

  Then blinked. Twice.

  “You’re what?”

  “I’m going,” I repeated calmly. “The leader is still there. As long as it lives, we’ll get hit again. What if the next attack comes in the middle of the night, when we’re unprepared?”

  Tom stared at me like I’d sprouted antlers. “Elias, I understand your concerns, but that’s a no. No. We just had a fight. We have been injured. We need water, food, and shelter. Stabilisation. We’re not ready for another expedition.”

  “I want to go with a small group,” I said. “I wanted to ask you if you were willing to come – me, you, probably Quinn, and any person who wants levels. We’ll clear any gorgs on the path, and I’ll take the boss alone.”

  Tom’s eyes widened as if I’d said I’d fight a dragon with a toothpick. “Alone? Elias, this isn’t smart, and you know it. The leader for sure will be stronger; if you get overwhelmed, if you have to run, they’ll follow you back. We’ll be worse off than before.”

  “We’ve killed thirty of them already,” I said. “They’re already angry.”

  “Yes,” Tom snapped, “but you didn’t go for the leader. That’s different.”

  “Even if I don’t kill it,” I countered, “I will have you as backup.”

  “That’s not a guarantee!” Tom said, throwing his hands up. “We don’t even know how strong it is! We need to build defences first. Shelter. We lost five people yesterday, Elias. Five. I’m not losing more for something we can postpone and prepare for.”

  Before I could reply, a sharp voice cut through.

  “We need to move on; we can’t start building shelters and sit on our laurels. There is a countdown everybody seems to have forgotten about.” Alya said.

  She’d approached from behind, sword still in hand, blood still marring her sleeves. Her expression didn’t waver as she joined us. “Either they die and we gain the strength to proceed, or we do. Better to attack than sit here waiting to be eaten.”

  Someone nearby murmured agreement. Someone else muttered a protest. Another argument threatened to spark right there.

  Tom rubbed his face. “Alya, we can’t keep picking fights we’re not ready for.”

  “We’re never ready,” she shot back. “We weren’t ready the first time. Or even the second. Do you really think you would have avoided more deaths if Quinn and Elias didn’t take on most of the gorg?”

  Tom looked towards me for backup.

  I didn’t give it.

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  Instead, I spoke to the small cluster gathering around.

  “Everyone, you know the situation we are facing,” I said evenly. “We are surrounded by enemies and have a long road ahead, and to reach that pillar of light, we need the strength and the power to do so. We are going to die if we don’t adapt; many have already died, so if we want to take shelter until we are strong enough to proceed, I won’t say no, but there is a threat just an hour away from here. I’m not dragging the whole camp with me. I only ask for volunteers, fighters who want levels and aren’t afraid of pushing themselves. Together we will take down any gorgs in our way. The boss will be my concern.”

  A wave of murmurs rolled through the group. A few people stiffened. Others stepped back, suddenly finding excuses to check supplies or sharpen uselessly dull knives. Some grouped up in three or four to discuss.

  Tom exhaled miserably. “This is too risky. We just got our wounded patched up. People are still shaken. We need stability, not another life-or-death gamble.”

  At that I looked him straight in the eyes and just told him. “Tom, come with me. You are one of our best fighters; if you manage some levels, the whole group will gain in safety for it, but staying here all the time will not do anyone good. We are chock full of crafters; they will deal with any shelter-building project, and the other warriors and mages can deal with some threats in your absence.”

  “I am still not fully healed,” he said while nodding towards his leg. “And even if I was, going into enemy territory without any kind of intel except that there is a big bad guy in a cave is not a good idea. Please, Elias, reconsider.”

  “We dealt with many already; even if the boss is much stronger, I have a plan for taking it down. The risk is not that high, but the safety we will gain will make everyone sleep better, me included,” I finished.

  Many nodded at my words, but no one stepped forward; many took the silence that followed as permission to walk away. One by one they retreated, returning to chores or simply pretending to be busy. In less than a minute, nearly all had dispersed.

  The ones who stayed behind watched me with mixed emotions: admiration, fear, and hesitation.

  I saw Sara; she looked me in the eyes, gave me a small smile but then shook her head. I nodded. I knew she wasn’t a fighter, still I expected someone to at least try.

  None volunteered.

  Until Alya stepped forward.

  “I’ll come,” she said.

  She didn’t shout it. Didn’t puff up. She just stated it with quiet conviction that hit the air harder than any screaming could.

  After a moment’s pause, Marcus, the old timer who wasn’t so old anymore, crossed the space and joined us.

  “I’ll come too,” he said simply.

  Mary looked between them, sighed loudly, then raised her hand. “If you’re doing something that reckless, someone needs to patch you up afterwards. I’ll be there.”

  Rhea lingered at the back, studying the still glowing crystal in her hands.

  “I’d like to come too,” she said softly while looking at me. “But right now… I’m not much use. I have no reagents left, and my rituals aren’t really fit for direct combat. I’d be more of a liability.”

  I nodded. “Thank you. And I understand.”

  Relief softened her shoulders.

  I turned towards Marcus, meeting his steady gaze, dark eyes meeting my own. “Thank you too,” I said, then added. “I made a mistake yesterday; apparently an iron will is more powerful than any class or skill.”

  The older man considered me for a moment, then gave a curt nod. “Just call me when we’re heading out.” He turned and left without another word.

  Mary too went for tending to her preparations.

  Alya stayed besides me, arms crossed, jaw firm.

  Tom watched the three of them go with increasing despair.

  “Man,” he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck, “you’re pushing too much, too fast. This is dangerous. We could all rise in levels together, slower and more safely. Then move towards the light beacon when we’re strong enough.”

  “You’re right,” I said.

  Tom blinked; he wasn’t expecting it, apparently.

  I met his gaze evenly. “But I’m not leaving a threat like the gorg alive besides our camp when I have the means to remove it. The people need a safe place to grow. I’m going to give it to them.”

  Tom stared at me for a long moment, searching my face for something – fear, doubt, anything that might slow me down.

  He found nothing.

  “…Just don’t get yourself killed,” he muttered finally.

  I gave him a small smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “I don’t intend to.”

  He left, still shaking his head.

  As soon as he moved away, the polite fa?ade slipped from my thoughts like a discarded coat.

  Yes, the curse pushed me, making me dread the very thought of not being useful for anybody. But in this place, I’d found a way to turn that pressure, to bend it towards something useful.

  Towards something I wanted.

  These people needed someone to wipe their asses and stop them from getting slaughtered.

  And I needed forward momentum.

  Finally, after stumbling around all my life without knowing, without a way out, I had a path forward.

  I wasn’t letting complacency trap me here.

  I wasn’t letting fear dictate my pace.

  I certainly wasn’t letting any of these people stand between me and the future I intended to carve out.

  I turned towards Alya and jerked my head. “Come with me.”

  20 chapters ahead!