Day thirty-two.

Owen and Yalira had been hunting together for three days. Their rhythm was good. Better than expected.

She moved like a predator;silent, patient, always finding the weakest point. While He moved like a battering ram; direct, overwhelming and crushing whatever stood in his way.

Together, they were efficient.

Today’s target: A cave system in Zone 12’s eastern edge. Yalira had heard about it from another independent prisoner, rumored to house a Tier 4, three-star apex predator. Worth maybe 90,000 credits if they could kill it.

They approached the cave entrance at midday.

"You sure about this?" Owen asked.

Yalira shrugged. "Sure-ish. Information was secondhand. Could be empty. Could be something worse than a Tier 4."

"Well, that’s Comforting."

"Prison World yunno."

The cave entrance was massive. Twenty meters wide. Pitch black inside despite the bright desert sun outside.

Owen extended his CE sense.

Something was inside. But the signature was weird. Faint. Suppressed somehow. He couldn’t get a clear read.

"You sense that?" he asked.

"Yeah. Weird signature. Could be the predator hiding its CE." Yalira’s tail flicked. "Or could be ambient interference from the cave structure."

"Or it could be something else entirely."

"Yeah."

They activated their gauntlets. CE flared.

"Standard formation?" Owen asked.

"You take point. I’ll cover the flanks." Yalira pulled out two small light sources. Bioluminescent crystals. Crude but effective. "I’ll handle illumination."

They entered the cave.

---

The interior was vast.

A massive natural chamber stretched ahead. The ceiling lost in darkness above. Stalactites hung like teeth. Stalagmites rose from the floor in clusters.

Yalira’s crystals cast pale blue light. Created shadows that danced as they moved.

Owen’s CE sense pulsed. Searching.

The signature was deeper in. Toward the back of the chamber. Still suppressed. Still unclear.

"Whatever’s in here, it’s not moving," Owen whispered.

"Wounded maybe?"

"Maybe."

They moved deeper. Cautious. Weapons ready.

The chamber narrowed into a corridor. Then opened into another, smaller chamber.

And there, against the far wall, was a figure.

Slumped. Unmoving. Wrapped in tattered robes.

Owen’s heart stopped.

He knew that silhouette.

He knew those robes.

"Gor...Gorvax?"

The figure didn’t move.

Yalira tensed. "Owen. That’s not possible. He’s dead. The notification confirmed—"

"Gorvax!"

Owen ran. Crossed the chamber in seconds. Dropped to his knees beside the figure.

The robes were bloodstained. Torn. The covering over Gorvax’s face was gone—shattered during the fight with Raxka. His real face was exposed.

Blue skin. Sharp features. Eyes closed. Energy faintly pulsing beneath the skin.

His chest rose and fell. Barely. But it rose.

Alive.

"Gorvax. Hey. Hey, it’s me. It’s Owen, it’s Dragon."

Gorvax’s eyes flickered open. Slowly. Pain visible in every movement.

He looked at Owen. Tried to speak. Coughed. Blood spilled from his lips.

"D-Dragon..."

"You’re alive." Owen’s voice cracked. "How are you alive? I saw the notification. They said you were dead."

Gorvax winced. Tried to sit up. Failed. Owen helped him lean against the wall more upright.

"Raxka," Gorvax rasped. "Spared me."

"What?"

"She... I fought her. Hard. Gave her... actual challenge. She respected it." Gorvax coughed again. More blood. "Right of Offering... ancient Nullborn tradition. When prey fights well... hunter can choose mercy."

"And she chose mercy?"

"She had me beaten. Dying. But she... stopped. Said I’d earned my life. Then she..." Gorvax struggled to breathe. "Used Nullborn tech. Hacked the system. Made it look like I was dead. Said it would let me hide better. Recover."

Owen’s mind reeled. "Why would she do that?"

"She wanted to focus on you. Said... a faked death meant other prisoners wouldn’t hunt me. I could heal in peace. Get strong again." Gorvax managed a weak smile. "Said it was ’the kindest cruelty’ a Nullborn hunter could offer."

Yalira had approached. Stood at a respectful distance. Her eyes wide. "Holy shit."

Owen looked at Gorvax’s body. Damage was extensive. Multiple broken ribs. A massive wound across his chest—poorly healed. His left arm hung at a wrong angle. Probably broken in three places.

"Why didn’t you contact me?"

"Couldn’t. No way to send messages. And..." He looked at Owen with tired eyes. "Honestly... I thought maybe you were better off thinking I was dead. Less complicated. You’d grieve... and move on."

Owen’s jaw tightened. "You’re an idiot."

Gorvax actually laughed. It became a cough. More blood. "Yeah. Probably."

Owen looked at Yalira. "We need to help him."

"Owen, I don’t know any healing magic. And his injuries are severe. He needs Tier 3 medical equipment. Maybe Tier 2."

"We don’t have that."

"We don’t."

Owen’s mind raced. "What about RCT? Restoration-Cultivation-Technique. He can heal himself if he has time and energy."

Yalira nodded slowly. "Yeah. RCT works for healing. But it’s slow. Days. Maybe weeks for injuries this severe."

"Then we protect him while he heals."

Yalira hesitated. "Owen. Gorvax has a price on his head. If anyone finds out he’s alive, half the Lifers will come for the bounty."

"Then no one finds out."

"That’s hard to manage when we’re being broadcast twenty-four-seven."

Owen looked at the cave. The drones hadn’t followed them inside. The interior was dark. Hidden.

"How long until the drones come looking?"

"They sweep cave systems randomly. Could be hours. Could be days."

"Then we move fast." Owen turned to Gorvax. "Can you walk?"

"No."

"Can you stand?"

"No."

"Okay. We carry you."

Yalira raised an eyebrow. "We?"

"You and me. Take turns."

"Owen, that’s going to slow us down massively. We’re talking about weeks of carrying him through hostile territory."

"Yeah."

"That’s a huge risk."

"Yeah."

Yalira sighed. Looked at Gorvax. Then back at Owen. "You really care about him, huh?"

"He saved my life. Multiple times. He’s my partner."

"Was your partner. He’s not in any condition to fight right now."

"He will be. With time."

Yalira was quiet for a moment. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay. I’ll help. But we’re going to need a real strategy. Not just ’carry him and hope.’"

Owen nodded. "Strategy meeting. Now."

---

They sat in the cave. Gorvax slumped against the wall. Yalira and Owen across from him.

"First problem," Yalira said. "Hiding Gorvax from the broadcast. The drones will eventually find this cave. When they do, the galaxy sees Gorvax alive. Bounty hunters come."

"Can we deactivate the drones?"

"No. They’re shielded. Tier 3 tech minimum to disable."

"Move locations regularly?"

"Better. But still risky."

Gorvax’s voice rasped from the wall. "I have... an idea."

They looked at him.

"Drones... track CE signatures. Mine is distinctive. Tier 4, five-stars. Recognizable." He coughed. "If I... suppress my CE completely. Make my signature so faint it reads as background... The drones might miss me."

"Can you do that?" Owen asked.

"I’ve been doing it. Last six days. That’s why my signature was so weird when you sensed me."

Yalira frowned. "But that means you can’t use CE for healing. RCT requires CE flow."

"I can... do bursts. Heal a little. Suppress. Heal more. Suppress." Gorvax’s eyes closed briefly. "Slow. But possible."

Owen processed this. "How long until you can fight again?"

"At this rate? Three weeks. Maybe four."

"That’s right around the next hunt."

"Yes."

Owen looked at Yalira. "We need to find a permanent shelter. Somewhere truly hidden. Off the broadcast grid."

"I might know a place," Yalira said slowly.

"Where?"

"Underground river system. Beneath the ruins in Zone 18. Goes for kilometers. Has natural air pockets. Water source. Almost impossible to track CE through that much rock and water."

"Why haven’t you used it before?"

"Because I work alone. Solo prisoner doesn’t need that much hiding. But for a wounded ally? It’s perfect."

"How far?"

"Three days travel from here. Carrying Gorvax, maybe five."

Owen nodded. "Let’s go. Tonight. After dark. Less drone activity."

Gorvax shook his head weakly. "Owen. This is... insane. You shouldn’t risk yourself for me."

"Shut up, Gorvax."

"I’m serious. The smart play is... leave me here. Continue your hunt for credits. I’ll heal on my own or die trying."

"Not happening."

"Owen—"

"I said no." Owen’s voice was firm. "You sacrificed yourself for me. I’m returning the favor. We’re partners. Partners don’t leave each other behind."

Gorvax looked at him for a long moment. Then quietly: "Thank you."

"Don’t mention it."

Yalira watched the exchange. Then spoke. "Okay. I’m going to ask the obvious question. Why am I helping with this? I just allied with Owen. I don’t know Gorvax. He’s a dead weight risk for me."

Owen turned to her. "Fair. What do you want?"

"Honestly? I don’t know yet." Yalira leaned back as she eyed Owen. "But I do know that helping you with this earns major loyalty points. And I’d rather have a Tier 4, five-stars partner who owes me his life than not."

Gorvax looked at her. "Smart."

"I try."

Owen nodded. "Then we have a plan. We move tonight. Get Gorvax to the underground river. He heals. We continue hunting in shifts. One of us always with him."

"Works for me," Yalira said.

Owen looked at Gorvax. "You good with this?"

"I’m good with whatever keeps me alive long enough to see Seri again."

Owen smiled. The first real smile in days. "Then let’s get you healed up."

---

That night, they moved.

Owen carried Gorvax on his back. Yalira scouted ahead. Through the desert. Avoiding patrols. Avoiding open ground.

Above, the drones searched. But they searched for active prisoners hunting. Not for shadowy figures moving through the night.

The journey would take five days.

Five days of risk. Of close calls. Of careful navigation.

But for the first time since Gorvax’s "death," Owen felt something he hadn’t felt in weeks.

Hope.

His partner was alive.

For now, that was a secret worth protecting.

Owen glanced down at Gorvax. The Sower’s eyes were closed. Conserving energy. But his breathing was steady.

"Hold on, Gorvax. We’re getting you somewhere safe."

Gorvax didn’t respond.

But he squeezed Owen’s shoulder weakly.

They kept moving.

The desert stretched ahead.

And beyond it, the ruins. The underground river. Safety.

For a little while, at least.