The impact was colossal-the explosion sent debris and a brutal wave of energy in all directions. Broken held his ground, bracing himself against the chaotic force. Amidst the swirling dust and crackling energy, he saw fractures spreading through Elaine’s monstrous spider form, her body beginning to crumble and collapse.
Is this it? he wondered, preparing himself to strike again, but just then, a notification flashed before him:
[Mission Complete! You have successfully eliminated Eternal Flame Elaine Lv. 255.]
He exhaled deeply, a relieved smile breaking across his face.
Good for you, Elaine, he thought, watching as the dark energy around her dissipated.
As the chaos settled, he saw her true form emerging from the crumbling remains of her monstrous body.
There she stood, restored-a faery with pointed ears, long blonde hair, and a tattered dress. Her body glistened faintly, as if bathed in a soft light, and her eyes, now calm, gazed back at him.
“Elaine,” he murmured, stepping forward, until he was standing directly in front of her.
“Broken… you did it…” she whispered.
“Elaine…” Broken said, realizing with a surge of hope that she was still alive, she could be saved.
But as he looked closer, he saw her form beginning to dissolve, breaking apart into pixels that floated away like shimmering dust.
Desperately, he cast a healing spell, extending his hand toward her.
[Healing Touch (Active Skill) Lv. 11 activated]
“Elaine, you can hold on. I’ll heal you,” he said, pouring his energy into the spell, hoping to make a difference.
He’d seen Ivana do this once, she had managed to save Elowen from the brink of death.
“Ivana can help,” he urged. “You can survive this.”
He glanced behind him, scanning the area, searching for Ivana, desperate to bring her over before it was too late.
“Broken…” Elaine whispered softly. “No, Broken.”
Broken felt Elaine step closer, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her cheek gently against his chest.
“Elaine?” he murmured, turning to look at her. She was… silently crying, tears slipping down her face.
“It’s enough… it’s okay,” she whispered gently.
Broken hugged her back, still hoping this wasn’t a goodbye.
[Healing Touch (Active Skill) Lv. 11 activated]
But nothing happened.
“Elaine, we can save you. Ivana can do something, there’s still a chance.” Elaine shook her head.
“I’ve lived long enough. I’ve fulfilled my purpose, protecting the Moonlight Fae. And you’ve done what you needed to by ending my Eternal Flame form. It’s… enough. I’m sorry I couldn’t be here longer after making a bond with you.”
Broken’s hands trembled as he felt her body slowly disintegrating, pixel by pixel. Half of her form was already gone, fading into light.
“Elaine…” he whispered, his voice cracking.
“Thank you… for everything,” Elaine whispered. “You taught me so much in my final moments. Give my regards to those who survive. I saw some of them… they’re still surviving. They’ll stand by you and take my place at your side.”
Broken held her tightly, feeling her presence slipping away as her form continued to dissolve. His arms slowly closed around nothingness.
“Elaine! We can still save you!”
But her fading voice reached him one last time. “Goodbye, Broken. I… love you.” And with that, she vanished completely, her form dissolving into light, leaving him stumbling forward into the empty space where she had been just a moment before. “Elaine!” Broken gritted his teeth, shaking his head.
He stood there, motionless, a hollow stillness settling over him. The ache of sudden emptiness clawed at his chest, and for a long moment, he could do nothing but stare at the space she’d left behind.
“She’s truly gone…” Broken murmured, his voice barely a whisper, still unable to fully accept what had happened.
Yes, he had completed the quest. He had ended Elaine’s Eternal Flame form, lifted the curse, and freed the surviving Faes to return to their true forms. He had won, achieved everything he’d set out to do. But the cost… her sacrifice- it left an emptiness, a bitterness that victory couldn’t erase.
The weight of it sat heavy within him. This wasn’t the triumph he’d imagined.
He glanced down at his ring, The Unbreakable Heart Ring. Elaine’s name had vanished from the list of partners, a painful confirmation that she was truly gone.
But, to his surprise, the Eternal Flame form skill remained, a lasting gift from her.
Her final strength and power, entrusted to him, still resided within. The form he’d unlocked through their bond was his to wield.
Elincia, Alora, Ivana, and the others approached Broken slowly, stopping at a respectful distance to give him space.
They could feel the sadness radiating from him, the hollow ache of a victory that wasn’t entirely a victory. So they waited, standing quietly, giving him a moment to grieve before they celebrated this hard-won outcome together.
For Broken, this victory was a bitter one. He had defeated the main villain, ended the curse, and completed the quest. But in doing so, he had lost someone who had trusted him deeply, someone with whom he had built a rare bond. Elaine had been the first to reach an affinity of 82% with him—something not even Polly had achieved yet.
That level of trust and faith, the sacrifice she’d made, weighed heavily on him. This journey had led to betrayal, death, brutal choices, and ultimately, her sacrifice. It was victory, but not the ideal one he had hoped for.
And yet, in the end, they had achieved their goal: the curse was lifted, the Fae were freed, and peace was within reach.
Sometimes, the path to victory required sacrifices that would never fully heal.
Broken turned to the others, a faint but genuine smile finally breaking through his somber expression. Seeing this, they moved closer to him.
“We won,” Elincia said softly.
Broken nodded. “Yes, we did.”
They stood together in silence, letting the weight of the moment settle and slowly dissolve.
After a few moments, Melliandra let out a deep sigh and sank to the ground. “I’m so tired.”
Kingsley offered a nod of admiration. “That was truly impressive, Broken. You’re really
something.”
Ivana, standing by his side, gave him a warm smile. “You did it, Broken.”
Alora chuckled. “At this rate, the kingdom’s going to run out of resources trying to reward you
for every great thing you do.”
“Congrats, hero!” Elincia added, grinning. “Once again, you stole the spotlight in this grand battle. Too bad Tora wasn’t here to capture it all on record!” She giggled.
As the loot items materialized on the ground where Elaine had fallen, they glowed softly,
then levitated and shot toward Broken, merging into him. He turned, startled, as the objects
entered his inventory.
Elincia’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Did I just see that correctly?”
Melliandra looked equally shocked. “Two Soul Stones?! That’s impossible! How could that
happen?”
[You have obtained Eternal Flame Eye Elaine Lv. 255]
[You have obtained Fae Soul Stone Elaine Lv. 255]
[You have obtained Fae Soul Stone Elaine Lv. 255]
Broken stared, astonished, realizing he had actually received two Soul Stones. The outcome
was due to the powerful effects of Soul Stone-Harvesting and Bountiful Harvest working
together.
[A remarkable event has taken place, triggering a consequential reaction.]
Elincia suddenly spoke up, her voice tense. “Wait! This feels like déjà vu. Is the same thing
going to happen again? Do we need to run?”
Melliandra’s eyes widened in alarm. “Yeah, run! Run as fast as you can!” she shouted, already
taking a step back.
***
(Author’s Note:)
Raise your hand if you’re not emotionally okay after that goodbye. ×××
Elaine may be gone, but she left Broken with some seriously OP gifts… which he definitely
earned.
But now, two Soul Stones? That’s gotta mean something big, right? I mean, our boy is
practically magnetized to danger. []
Who’s ready to see what fresh chaos awaits our hero? Don’t forget to hit that Golden Ticket to send Broken some good vibes-he’s gonna need them!