In the foreboding castle of the Demon Lord, I found him - the Hero. His left arm was missing, a grim testament to the fierce battle he had endured. His clothes were charred, his skin marred with burns, and a deep wound in his chest oozed blood onto the icy stone floor. Although he was missing an arm from the battle, he was far from death. What is going on? 

The Demon Lord was no more, that much was certain. Despite his grievous injuries, the Hero had emerged victorious. But the triumph was tainted. He was still well when I left to gather herbs, but in my absence, It looks like our party had turned on him. Now, he was teetering on the brink of death.

Our companions, stood over him, their faces devoid of the camaraderie we once shared.

The Hero, despite his injuries, managed to lift his head slightly, his gaze meeting theirs. "Why?" he rasped, his voice barely audible. "We were... friends."

There was no response, just silence. The Hero's question hung in the air, unanswered. His strength waned, and his head dropped back to the ground. His eyes fluttered closed, but not before I saw the confusion and hurt in them.

My gaze fell on the Wizard, the crown's jewels glinting ominously in his grasp. A symbol of power, of authority, now in their possession. But at what cost?

The silence was shattered by the Assassin's cold command. "His Divine protection is gone! Finish him off! ," she ordered, her eyes devoid of any warmth. The Barbarian stepped forward, his voice a low growl echoing in the chamber, "No. This is enough. We leave with the crown."

The Paladin turned to me, her voice softer, "Come with us," she implored. "We can explain everything." Her words only stoked the flames of my confusion and anger. "Why would I follow you after what you've done to him?" I retorted, my voice trembling.

The Paladin sighed, her gaze heavy with regret. "I'm sorry it has come to this," she whispered. Then, she raised her hand, a blinding light magic radiating from her. The castle quaked under the force of the magic, the roof beginning to crumble.

As the rubble began to fall, I shielded the Hero with my body. My mind was a whirlwind of memories - the laughter and camaraderie of our earlier adventures, the euphoria of our victory over the Demon Lord, and now, the bitter sting of betrayal.

I looked up to see them one last time. Their faces were etched with sorrow as they watched the castle crumble around us. And then, everything went dark.

When I blink my eyes open, we're enveloped in darkness. The debris from the collapsed castle has entombed us. I can feel the chill of the stones pressing against my body, yet, miraculously, I'm not crushed. I turn to see the Hero beside me, his body acting as a barrier against the rubble. His shield, once a symbol of his valor, now serves as our sanctuary.

He's teetering on the brink of death, his breaths shallow and ragged. I rummage through my pouch and retrieve my last health potion. I pour it into his mouth, praying it would be enough. But it's not. His condition remains unchanged, and despair engulfs me.

"Why is this happening?" I murmur, my voice barely audible in the stifling darkness.

I glance at the Hero, his face ashen and his body motionless. He doesn't open his eyes, but his lips part. "You... have to live," he rasps, his voice laced with a hope I can't share.

"We're going to survive together," I insist, my voice trembling. "We're going to escape this." I begin to search for an exit, my hands brushing against the icy stones, but I find nothing.

The Hero's voice halts my frantic search. "I'll... ensure you survive," he vows. Then, with a strength I didn't think he possessed, he thrusts against the boulders with his shield. There's a rumbling sound, and suddenly, light seeps into our small space.

The boulder has shifted, revealing that we're at the base of the Demon Lord's castle, the remnants of our betrayal towering above us.

With every ounce of strength I can muster, I assist the Hero out of the rubble. Despite his injuries, he's surprisingly light. I help him lean against the frigid stone walls of the castle, his breathing still labored.

I pause to survey our surroundings. The area is eerily dark, illuminated only by the unholy blue glow of scattered torches. The sight of human remains strewn about sends a shiver down my spine. The reality of our predicament sinks in, and a wave of despair washes over me. How did it come to this?

Tears well up in my eyes as I gaze at the Hero, his condition deteriorating with each passing second. I crumble to my knees, my sobs echoing in the silent castle. As I weep, a faint glow catches my eye.

The Lumina Spore, a rare luminescent mushroom renowned for its potent healing properties. I've read about it in my studies, but I've never seen one until now. A flicker of hope ignites within me. With this, I might be able to save him.

I dart over to the Lumina Spore, carefully plucking it from the ground. My tools are damaged from the collapse, but some are still functional. I quickly set to work, grinding the mushroom and mixing it with water from the sewer line. It's far from ideal, but it's the best I can do under the circumstances.

Once the potion is ready, I rush back to the Hero's side. His eyes are closed, his breathing even more shallow than before. I gently lift his head and pour the potion into his mouth. "Please," I whisper, more to myself than to him. "Please let this work."

As the potion takes effect, I watch in awe as the Hero's wounds begin to heal. His left arm is still missing, but he's no longer on death's door. For the first time since the betrayal, I feel a glimmer of hope.

The hours that went by felt like days, we remain in the gloom of the Demon Lord's castle. The Hero lies unconscious, but his breathing is steady, his pulse stronger. I tend to him, using my knowledge as an apothecary to keep him stable. I gather Lumina Spores and other edible plants, sterilize water from the sewer line, and do everything I can to help him regain his strength.

But our safety is precarious at best. From the darkness beyond our small sanctuary, I can hear growling. It's a constant reminder that we're in a dungeon, a place of danger and uncertainty. I feel a pang of fear each time the growling echoes through the silence, but I push it aside and focus on the Hero.

I'm an apothecary, not a warrior. I've never trained for combat, my skills lie in healing, not fighting. If a monster comes our way, I'm not sure I'll be able to protect us. But for now, all I can do is care for the Hero and hope that he wakes up soon.

In the dim light of the sewer, my mind drifts back to the day the Hero had found me in Cosmopolis City. He'd walked into my apothecary shop, his eyes sparkling with a lively energy that was infectious.

"Join my party," he'd asked, his voice filled with a confidence that was neither arrogant nor boastful, but simply sure.

I remember looking at him, surprised and a little skeptical. "Why would you want an apothecary in your party?" I'd asked, my curiosity piqued.

He'd laughed then, a hearty sound that echoed around my small shop. "Because every great party needs someone who can patch them up after a tough battle," he'd replied. "And I've heard you're the best."

I'd hesitated, torn between my comfortable life and the unknown. The idea of leaving my shop, my city, was daunting. But there was something about his optimism, his certainty, that was compelling.

"But I'm not a fighter," I'd protested, trying to find a reason to refuse.

He'd simply shrugged, his smile never wavering. "You don't have to be. We have enough fighters. What we need is a healer. Someone who can keep us on our feet."

The apothecary's mind snapped back to reality, her reminiscing interrupted as the Hero's eyes fluttered open. In the dim light of the sewer, she saw him stir, his sky-blue eyes focusing on her. His golden hair fell over his face, framing his features.

"Hey," he rasped, his voice weak but steady. "You have saved me yet again."

The Apothecary's eyes welled up with tears, relief washing over her. The tears spilled over, trailing down her cheeks and landing on the Hero's face. She couldn't contain her happiness, her relief that he had finally awakened.

The Hero reached up, his hand shaky but determined, and gently wiped away her tears. "Don't cry," he said softly. "I am here. Do not worry."

The Apothecary smiled through her tears, her heart swelling with relief. She tended to the Hero as he slowly regained his strength. His wounds began to heal, his strength returning bit by bit.

After a few hours that felt like an eternity, finally the Hero could move again. They were ready to resume their journey, ready to find a way out of the sewer. With renewed determination, they set off, ready to face whatever challenges awaited them.

With renewed strength, the Hero leads us through the dark dungeon. We encounter monsters along the way, but he fights them off, his single arm swinging with a force that belies his recent injuries. I stay close to him, my heart pounding as I watch him battle.

As we navigate through the labyrinth of the dungeon, I can't help but ask the question that's been haunting me. "Why did they attack you? Why did our friends do this?" I ask, my voice echoing in the dank corridors.

The Hero is silent for a moment, his gaze distant. I can see the confusion in his eyes, the pain of betrayal. "I... I don't know," he admits, his voice barely a whisper. "I felt something was off, but I chose to believe in them... I was caught off guard."

He pauses, his gaze focused on something unseen. "But I still believe in them," he continues, his voice firm. "I believe there's a reason, a good reason, why they did what they did. I just... I just can't see it yet."

His answer doesn't provide the closure I was hoping for, but I know it's not his fault. He's just as lost as I am. "Let's get out of here first," he says, his voice firm. "We'll figure everything out once we're safe."

As we near the end of the tunnel, he turns to me. "You've come a long way from being an apprentice," he says, his voice echoing in the dimly lit tunnel. "You're almost at your master's level now. You've saved us countless times during our journey. And you even saved me from death's door. I want you to know that I'm grateful for you."

I smile, a soft glow illuminating my face. "And I'm thankful for you too," I respond. "For the bonds we've made."

We continue our journey, reminiscing about our past adventures. "Remember when we fought in a place just like this sewer?" he starts, a hint of laughter in his voice. "When that fire spell was cast near some gaseous fumes, and we almost got burned?"

I laugh. "Or when we were chased by a horde of sewer zombies?" I add. "We ran for our lives, but we laughed so hard when we finally escaped."

He nods, his eyes twinkling with the memory. "Just like this," he says. "We'll make it out of here too. We'll survive this, together."

After our discussion, the Hero spots a light at the end of the tunnel. "

Relief washed over me as I saw the end of the tunnel. We could finally escape this dreadful place, the sewer, and the Demon Lord's Castle. We moved slowly but surely towards the exit.

However, the Hero seemed uneasy. He had a feeling that our ordeal was not over yet. As I stepped out to see what was outside, I froze. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath hitching in my throat.

We had thought we were free, but the sight that greeted us told a different story.