Cain's breaths came in quick gasps, his chest aflame with each inhale as Skyler and the others dragged him away from the chaos. His body felt leaden, too heavy to even lift a finger. He loathed being carried, feeling like a burden. Merlin's grip on him was steady, but Cain could sense the strain in his own frame and the relentless thump of his weak heartbeat echoing in his ears.
The forest became a blur as they rushed forward. "Damn it… I can't even stand on my own. If this keeps up, I'll just be a burden," he lamented.
He could hear Skyler shouting and Orion battling behind them, but his vision flickered, dimming like a faulty lantern. He yearned to fight, to assist, yet the truth was unmistakable—his body was failing him.
Then something odd occurred. As they sped away, Cain sensed a faint pulse in his chest, as though someone's essence was intertwining with his own. The name Roy flashed through his mind uninvited. Roy… it clicked; he was one of them.
With gritted teeth, Cain forced his head up. Yami was running closely, his aura steady as ever. His voice broke as he called out, "Yami, teleport me!"
"Why!?" Yami replied, confused.
"Right now!" Cain demanded, pouring the last bit of his strength into that command. "Switch me with Roy. Do it!"
Yami hesitated for just a moment before raising his hand. Space around Cain warped, and for an instant, he felt himself being torn apart, his weight lifting as the world spun backward.
---
"Why does this body feel so light… who is this?" Merlin murmured, looking down before his eyes widened in realization. "This is Roy! But just moments ago, it was Cain, how did this happen? And why am I just now recalling that we had a friend named Roy?"
---
When Cain reopened his eyes, he was no longer in the forest. The air felt colder and heavier. He sensed it instantly, the overwhelming essence of Life pressing down on him. Ryuta stood at the center with Yami beside him.
Cain staggered as he materialized, his wounds throbbing, but a faint grin broke through his pain.
"So… this is where I'm meant to be," he murmured, forcing himself to stand tall despite the ache.