"Ah..."
A faint, broken sound escaped Azriel's lips as he stared at the figure standing before him.
A girl.
A young girl, no older than nine, with beautiful, flowing brown hair that fell to her waist. Her emerald eyes—once bright like stars in the night sky—had lost their light. Blood stained her cheeks and the front of her clothes.
"L-Lia..."
Void Eater slipped from his trembling fingers and hit the ground.
Strangely, it made no sound.
Standing before him was his little sister.
Lia Karumi.
He would've given anything to see her again. To hear her laugh. To watch her flash that big, mischievous smile she always wore when they fought over who got to sit in the front seat. To feel the warmth of those quiet moments when he helped her with her homework.
Now, faced with her once more, Azriel couldn't move.
He was paralyzed.
Deep down, he knew. He knew this wasn't his sister—not truly. That the creature before him was only wearing her skin.
But even so... it didn't matter.
The person he longed for most stood right there.
His lips parted, then closed again. Then again.
He couldn't find the words.
He wanted so desperately to speak to her. To apologize.
To tell her—
That if only he had been there, maybe the outcome of that day would've been different.
That if only he had asked them to stay home.
That if only—
Anything had been different.
She might still be alive.
If only he hadn't argued with them that day…
"Brother, why did you leave me?"
Azriel's eyes quivered as they met hers. Her voice was exactly how he remembered it.
"I..."
But nothing came out.
His voice caught in his throat.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her soft sobs grew louder, echoing in the mist.
"Why… why did you leave me?"
"Why did you let me die?"
"You were my brother... but you killed me."
"You pushed us away… and killed us!"
Her words stabbed into him like knives, twisting deep into his chest.
Azriel bit his lip, tasting blood.
"Lia..."
His voice cracked.
"I-I'm sorry... I swear."
The words scraped out of him, hoarse and broken.
His vision blurred with tears, but he never looked away from her.
"I'm so sorry... I would give anything to undo what happened."
"Please... believe me."
"I never hated you... not you, not Mom, not Dad. I swear."
Each word trembled as it left his mouth. His shoulders shook. Tears streamed freely down his face.
His eyes burned, but he still refused to blink.
"Liar!"
"Brother is a liar!"
"You hated us! You said it yourself!"
She screamed at him, over and over, each word tearing through his soul like a blade. The pain in his chest became unbearable.
"N-no... I swear I didn't. I never hated you, Lia!"
"I never hated you or Mom or Dad!"
"I would do anything—anything—to go back and save you!"
"I swear, not a day goes by where I don't regret what happened!"
"If I could trade my life for yours and Mom and Dad's… I would. Without hesitation."
His voice grew louder, more desperate, breaking apart under the weight of grief and guilt.
"Please... please believe me..."
He whispered at the end, his voice barely audible.
Then—
"Then... don't leave us anymore, Brother."
"Huh?"
She took a slow step forward.
Then another.
Until she stood right in front of him—close enough that he could reach out and grab her if he wanted to.
"Don't abandon me, Brother."
"Stay with me—with us."
"Don't leave us again…"
Her voice began to warp at the end, distorting slightly… though her appearance remained unchanged.
Something flickered in the corner of his eye.
Behind her.
Azriel's gaze shifted—
And he saw them.
Figures standing in the fog behind her.
Soldiers. Men in black military uniforms. All of them headless.
As if something had torn their skulls clean off.
They faced him in silence.
But he felt nothing.
No fear. No shock.
As if their presence had already begun to fade from his mind.
Like a fading dream.
His eyes returned to Lia.
She reached out her hand toward him, small and delicate, with a soft smile.
"Join us…"
"Brother."
"We can be together again."
"You, me, Mom, and Dad—all of us. A family again."
"All you have to do is accept me…"
"We'll be together forever. I promise."
Her voice was just as he remembered it again. Kind. Warm.
Genuine.
Slowly, Azriel raised his right hand toward hers.
'Could I really… be with her again?'
'Does that mean she forgives me?'
'If I go with her... would we really be a family again?'
He saw it so clearly in his mind.
Mom. Dad. Lia.
Sitting together at the table.
Laughing.
Eating.
Home.
Hope swelled in his chest like light in the dark.
His fingers hovered just inches from hers.
Then—
He paused.
Just for a second.
Something felt... wrong.
He didn't know why. He couldn't explain it. But something deep within him resisted.
Still—
He shook his head.
'No... she's my little sister. Of course I should be with her.'
And just as he began to reach forward—
She vanished.
The fog vanished.
Everything vanished.
The buildings, the broken cars, the debris, the void wolves—gone.
Like they'd never existed at all.
Only Void Eater remained, lying on the ground beside him.
And before him stood the tall, solemn monument, gazing down in silence.
Realization crashed over him like a wave.
His chest tightened.
His throat closed.
"Lia... no."
"Please..."
"Don't go..."