Alonso's eyes flickered open.

A dull ache radiated from every inch of his body.

He tried to move. His muscles screamed back, stiff and heavy. His chest rose in shallow, uneven breaths, each one a struggle, raw and painful.

The room was a blur, the edges softened, colors muted. He blinked, but it barely helped. Everything felt distant, as if he were still half-dreaming.

Where… what…?

Just thinking felt heavy, hard, painful.

He took a deep breath and noticed a weird smell, something on his face.

He managed to raise a hand to touch it, finding it just beneath his nose. Black, dried blood.

He felt… he felt like back then, those glimpses of memory in the hospital after the accident, his body full of drugs to dull the pain, numbing his senses.

He tried to get up, but it proved harder than he thought. Bracing himself with one hand, he slipped, his arm giving out as he fell back down, landing hard.

The impact jolted him, rattling through his bones. He stayed there, breaths ragged, staring up at the ceiling. His vision swam, tiny flecks of black flickering in and out at the edges.

He needed to collect himself. What happened?

"Alo—"

A voice? Where was it coming from?

He looked around, but everything was white, spinning, blurry.

"Fu— onso… up."

Hmm? No, the voice was coming from inside his head. His head? Wait…

"Houston?"

"Yes… —alm… rest… ok."

Alonso frowned. He didn't understand. What was Houston saying?

He stared at the floor, but it only made things worse.

What… what happened to me?

"—lax, it's… fine. Rest… I… ok."

Alonso shook his head, the fragments of sound still muddled.

He let his gaze drift to the ceiling, then let his head fall back again. Slowly, he closed his eyes, letting the haze take him.

Chiara, Wang, and Lukas ran along the rocky path back to the Oasis.

It had been exactly two days since they left, and three and a half days since Alonso had set out on his own, never to return.

Nearly everyone in the Oasis had gathered on the other side, some standing close, others watching from a distance. But all understood the importance of this moment.

Unlike before, though, two questions lingered in their minds. Had they found the way out? And… what happened to Alonso?

Chiara walked forward, stepping ahead of Wang and Lukas, who gave her space.

As she approached the group, silence rippled through the crowd.

Eyes were fixed on her, some hopeful, some wary, all waiting.

She could feel the tension—a mix of anticipation and fear that settled over the Oasis like a heavy fog.

She cleared her throat, scanning the faces in front of her.

"We found a passage," she announced, her voice steady. "It's time we leave the Oasis."

Her words hung in the air as the crowd processed what she'd said. They were momentarily stunned, the silence stretching, like the calm before a storm.

Then, like a spark, the news ignited among them. A gasp escaped someone's lips. Shoulders relaxed, breaths released.

A wave of movement spread through the crowd—clenched fists loosening, hands clasping onto shoulders, eyes meeting in shared disbelief, then growing relief. Here and there, cautious smiles broke out, spreading like fire as they realized the truth.

Some let out cheers, muffled at first, but they grew bolder, laughter bubbling up, blending with murmurs of excitement and the low, disbelieving hum of voices. A few dropped to their knees, hands covering their faces, as if afraid that breaking this fragile reality would bring the walls back around them.

For the first time in what felt like forever, there was hope, not just in word but in action. They were finally getting out of here.

But… not all of them reacted in the same way. Some remained more composed, like Imani, while others, like Ishaam, kept serious expressions on their faces.

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Arjun took a step forward, his eyes locking onto Chiara's, and the murmurs in the crowd quickly hushed.

"Did you see him?" he asked, his voice steady.

Chiara looked at him and frowned. "No. But we have reason to believe he's on the other side. At the end of the passage, there's a set of white stairs, similar to the one we took to get here. We… didn't go through it. But Alonso… perhaps."

Arjun's fist clenched slightly. "If Alonso managed to pass, then he must have had information about the tunnels. Information we didn't—"

"Arjun," Chiara interrupted sharply. "We found the exit. We're leaving tomorrow. If Alonso is still alive, and on the other side, you're welcome to do whatever you want with him."

Chiara then walked forward, giving a quick nod to acknowledge Imani. We'll talk later, she sent him telepathically.

Arjun gritted his teeth, but another in the crowd, a slim young Indian woman, stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder.

This seemed to momentarily ease him, but he shook it off and left.

Chiara kept walking and spotted Ayu. She was near the shore of the lake, not far off, practicing her Muay Thai. Her movements were sharp and precise—elbows striking forward, knees driving upward, fists clenched as she flowed through each technique.

Ayu's face was focused, yet hollow. Her gaze was fixed, intense, but distant, as if looking past everything in front of her, ignoring it all.

Chiara paused for a moment, hesitating, but then decided to head in her direction.

As much as she wanted to avoid it, as much as the guilt gnawed at her, running from this would be worse—for both Ayu and herself.

Ayu kept practicing her moves but slowed her rhythm as she spotted Chiara, eventually finishing her routine with a smooth halt. She glanced at Chiara and, after a deep breath, forced a smile.

"I heard the chatter. So, we finally found the exit? My bad for not being there."

Chiara's heart tightened. "It's okay. Lukas kept things light. But yes, we're finally getting out of the Oasis. We'll head out all together tomorrow."

Ayu nodded, casting a glance around the Oasis. She watched as some began hunting sharks with renewed purpose, while others prepared their bags, checking gear and supplies.

"The Oasis," Ayu said with a heavy, almost sad laugh. "Such an unsuitable name. So much has been spilled here—blood of good and bad alike. Hatred, anger, defiance, goodwill, kindness… love. All mixed into this space in the middle of a nightmare, crawling with creatures out of hell. A gathering of the best and the worst. A cage. A cage full of everything that can drive someone to their limits. Maybe… maybe that makes it an Oasis in its own way, but not the kind anyone deserves." She looked at Chiara. "It's good that we're finally getting out."

Chiara stared at Ayu, slightly shocked by a tone of speech she'd never heard from her before.

"Thanks for everything, Chiara. I'll get ready for tomorrow." Ayu smiled, gave a slight nod, and then headed toward her cottage.

As Chiara watched her retreating figure, countless thoughts swarmed her mind. Was this the right choice?

"Alo—"

"Alonso!"

His eyes snapped open.

"Finally," Houston's voice, clear now, echoed in his mind. "How are you feeling?"

Alonso blinked, his vision sharp, then blurry, then sharp again. He took a breath. Chest tight, but steady.

"Like shit," he muttered, voice cracked and dry. He shifted, muscles aching, stiff like they'd been turned to stone.

"Yeah, I'd say you look the part," Houston replied, but there was a weight to his voice now. "That was a close call."

Alonso swallowed, feeling the rawness in his throat. "How close?"

"Close enough that we're going to take this slow." Houston's tone was firm. "Get some water. Eat something. We'll talk after that."

Alonso nodded, crawling over to the barrel. He dipped a hand into the water, splashing some on his face before taking a careful sip. Cool relief washed over him, easing the dry ache in his throat. He drank deeply, each gulp steadying him.

Wiping his face, he felt something strange—rough, dried patches on his cheeks and chin. He glanced at his fingers and saw dark, dried blood. Under his nose, near his lips… and when he reached up to his ears, he found it there too.

"Blood?" he murmured, frowning. His stomach twisted, the sight jarring. "Houston…?"

Houston paused, then replied, "Focus on getting yourself together first."

Alonso nodded, his hands still shaky as he tore a piece of bread from the table. He chewed slowly, letting the food settle, feeling strength return in small waves.

Bit by bit, he ate and drank, letting his mind settle. The ache in his muscles softened, his head clearing. Finally, he sat back, feeling something like himself again.

"So. How did I nearly die this time?"

Houston sighed. "Nearly is an understatement. I… I don't know how you're alive," he paused. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Alonso's face turned serious. But then he was confused. He tried to remember what they'd been doing, but… he couldn't.

"I… I remember practicing with my sword, and then… we moved on to practice with the waves, trying to get a feel for it using instincts instead of thoughts, but I failed… and then… and then… and then what, Houston?"

"Well, I suspected you'd have some memory gaps, a rather small price all things considered." Houston's tone was steady. "Alonso, I'll say this much for now: we'll be avoiding any Overdrive level above decoupling for a while."

Alonso's eyebrow shot up. "What?! But—"

"Alonso. You've been mostly asleep for nearly sixteen hours, with only a brief moment of awareness. Do you understand how much your body had to recover? Your brain was nearly fried. The fact you're still breathing is proof enough you're no longer human."

Alonso shook his head, trying to process. What could I have done?

"I don't know how you managed it, but during the 45% Overdrive, you tampered with every wave around you. The intensity was obscene; you even merged it with your blade, using magnetism to accelerate. But that wasn't all. For an instant, the power you wielded… it was like you reached an entirely different stage. But in doing so, you triggered a resonance effect. You didn't understand the magnitude of the waves you were controlling, and in the chaos of your mind, in that high… you interfered with the waves I'd been using to keep you in Overdrive. For a fraction of a second, you forced it higher… for that instant, you transcended the limits of your body." Houston's voice grew heavier. "But… your body wasn't ready. Your mind wasn't ready."

He paused. "Alonso, you pushed your body to a 79% Overdrive."

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