"Shut up and just observe. Do it," he shouted at Lyra. She stared at him with a hateful glare.

"You will regret it," she said, plunging her hand into the altar. Everyone held their breath.

One second. Two seconds. Ten seconds later, nothing had happened. "Why is it not working?" Jorah turned to Silvia. She stepped back. "I have no idea. It says... Amidst the stillness, a gentle thirst, the altar hungers, your magic immersed. Within its grasp, the truth unfolds, sacrifice runes, let destiny be scrolled," Silvia repeated in deep thought.

"Thirst? Magic? It's about rune magic," Amarok immediately guessed, but then said, "I think it's about being gentle and still." They all gazed at him.

Silvia's eyes flickered. She knew it was totally false but decided to stay quiet. "Amidst the stillness... That makes sense," Jorah thought to himself. "She needs to be calm and still. In her state, it's useless to force her. Anyone of us either," Amarok continued.

Jorah cast him a sharp gaze. "I hope you're right. Thirty minutes, that's all you have," he said and sat to the side, recovering his energy.

Silvia couldn't understand Amarok's actions. What was his plan? The more time they gave to Jorah to recover, the slimmer their chance of escape.

"Are you okay?" Amarok helped the two ladies to the side. Kinty was finally regaining consciousness.

"Thank you, Amarok," Silvia seated near him, suddenly rushed into his arms. Amarok was dumbfounded, to say the least. He could feel her soft body against his. "What are you doing?" an inaudible voice trailed in his ears. "I need time, that's all. I ask for a delay; him as long as possible. Once I am ready, we will find a chance to escape," he said.

Their voices were inaudible, but Jorah found something was off. "I finally understand why you keep defending them. One is not enough; you want both. I admire you for that, seizing the opportunity to get two beautiful girls even amidst the danger," Jorah laughed.

"You keep speaking of opportunity. Do you really think everything is an opportunity to deceive or not?" Amarok questioned. Silvia retracted, not embarrassed by what had transpired. She looked neutral, just staring at Jorah.

"Opportunity... that word contains the key to everything," he said. "When those around you are unable to secure it, all you are left with is regret. You keep asking yourself why you didn't do it?" he continued.

"Seizing opportunity without holding to your true self is worthless. It's more of a curse than anything. You're the perfect example," Lyra said with a hateful glare.

"He once said something like that," Jorah said with a nostalgic but bitter smile. "Yet look at where it ended. He loved to brag about his principles, but where did it lead him to?" Jorah said with a high voice. "Tell me where?" he screamed at them and stood up.

"You know what? I'm out. Now you're going to do it, whether you're gentle, still, or not. That's your business, make it work," Jorah said, holding his face.

"It..." Silvia tried to explain, but a sharp sound flashed, blood littered the ground. She held her stomach as she fell to the ground. "Do it," Jorah repeated.

"You like hiding behind your threads; why don't you face me?" Kinty stood up, but Amarok stopped him. Shaking his head, it wasn't the right moment. His hands were slightly trembling. He was battling inside not to let his anger erupt.

"Insulting me wouldn't change your situation. You will still have to do it. You better calm down and fast," Jorah said nonchalantly.

"Thirst... magic... You thought I wouldn't find out. Draw a rune in the altar now," he said, waving his hands. His threads flickered and blazed with ardent flames.

Lyra was forced to it. Very soon, she drew the most basic rune in the altar. It was a basic healing rune all rune warriors could learn even without a lot of rune magic.

The altar shook as if coming to life; the symbols spun and grew. They grew and retracted in succession, shimmering with rune light.

An opening melted into the walls ahead of them. "Good job," Jorah smiled, picking Amarok, Kinty, and Silvia with his threads, rushing for the exit.

Lyra tried to pull her arm out, but it was useless. Suddenly, she felt immense fatigue strike her body, so much that she couldn't even move anymore. She spat out blood continuously as her face turned pale.

"Lyra," Amarok cried out. She tried to raise her hand, a smile blooming on her face. Her eyes lost their luster as she fell back. The door shut with a loud boom.

Amarok's heart fluttered, his gaze lingering on the closed door. Suddenly, they were all cast to the side.

Jorah cast a gaze at the closed door. He hadn't expected things to escalate this far. He only wanted to use them to safely decipher the relic and explore the runes. Now, someone had been mortally injured. He just wanted to take the opportunity not like his father. He didn't want to have regret. Was he wrong? He shook his head. He moved forward. From now on, there was no turning back. He couldn't finish like his father, who refused to break his principles.

Ahead of them, a long bridge. At the end of the bridge, a round platform in the middle of the void. It had a sword floating at its center.

It was currently sheathed and had feathery features at the guard. It had a series of chains coiling around it, keeping it sealed to the platform. It looked like it was trying to flee.

Jorah rushed towards the bridge, his eyes sparkling. "You wanted to know why I value opportunity so much," he said as he moved forward.

"My father. He was my role model. Respected and admired by all. I hoped to be like him, hold myself to higher standards." He kept moving with determination.

Kinty was the first to give chase. "You have gone too far. You're exactly like him. You don't care about anything. You think you're right because you're stronger than everyone. Have armies at your knees, you can dispose of people how you want, as if they are nothing but waste. You need to be eliminated," Kinty's voice was hoarse, and his eyes shifted, leaving only golden lightning.