44. Arcady: Promises Broken

Summary

• The protagonist regains consciousness feeling broken and disoriented, tasting blood with the sensation of someone holding their head, assisting them with a drink of ambrosia. As they regain strength, they realize they are alone in a cave and remember they had been starving.
• They speculate on past actions they may have committed while in a state of starvation-induced frenzy and acknowledge that rather than dwell on this, they need to move forward. An unfinished task awaits them so they crawl out of the cave, still wounded.
• They realize they have been betrayed by Everen, who had intended to steal their magic, and Larkin, who had let someone they cared about die. Positions and actions now matter more than emotions or intentions and they exit the cave.
• A fight is taking place in the sky with dragons, and people dressed in black fighting monsters who appeared from a dark rip in the Veil. These fighters do not notice the protagonist.
• As Everen had given the protagonist some of his magic, they also received knowledge of his intentions with it, and what they must do in return. Understanding his part, they shout for Everen's attention.
• The protagonist uses a seal stone and casts a potentially dangerous experimental spell, first to cause pain to the wraiths, then to close the rip in the Veil, causing the warriors to resume their fight with increased vigor.
• As the protagonist fuels more magic into the spell, they question their own survival but decide the risk is acceptable.
• Unlocking their power, they are able to break their bond with Everen, and cause the dragon to fall. After a moment of regret and consideration of what had once been, the protagonist pulls more of Everen's magic, severing their bond fully.
• Energized by the settling magic, the protagonist manages to fend off incoming black-clad fighters before escaping into the forest.
• Despite developing a sense of deep loneliness and immense emotional stress, the protagonist acknowledges that their survival instinct is still strong and the magic within them is surging.
• The protagonist later returns to the barrow hill where dead bodies still lay. Without belief in gods, they silently apologize to the deceased for indirectly leading them to their deaths.
• Guiltily, they take what little valuable items remain with the bodies, wondering who took the rest and if there were other casualties.
• Retreating into the forest to find a resting place, they manage to keep warm thanks to their magic and finally allows themselves to relax.