Two of the six have died. The plan failed disastrously—painfully and at immense cost. The strange lion devoured both Yolan and Kolten down to their very bones; not a single piece of them remained. Dustin watched in grief and helplessness—their dear companions had just perished—and tears streamed down his cheeks in an unbroken line.
Raven stood stunned and powerless; he could not protect his students. He clenched his fists, ground his teeth, and vowed revenge. As for Sword of the Sky, he was utterly shattered—he had been the primary cause of their deaths, sending them straight to doom. Yet even he recalled his wife's promise that he would be alright, so he feigned strength and tried to move past it.
Zain, who had been running without direction or destination, finally found a hiding place. Amid the rubble of ruined houses was a small cavity that barely contained him; he squeezed himself in until he vanished from sight. The strange lion, having finished its meal, looked left and right, found nothing further, and decided to depart. It shook its wings and soared into the air until it disappeared from view.
They all exhaled in relief and emerged slowly from their hiding spots. Their heads lifted toward the sky as they watched the monsters retreat one by one through the portal until none remained. Dusk was already settling, and the creatures were streaming back into the gateway.
On the distant horizon beyond the Western Desert's mountain range, the sun's dark halo faded and returned to its pure golden glow. But it did not last long: in a single moment, gold merged with copper, and the sun's halo turned a fiery red-orange.
In the midst of this horizon stood Sword of the Sky, erect and contemplative, watching a dusk that carried him back to memories of brighter days amid the current misery and despair. One by one, the other companions joined him, observing a sunset that had once been ordinary in times of peace but now felt unique and profound, instantly transporting them to their happiest memories.
Longing appeared on their faces—a yearning for freedom, peace, and a normal life. They stood there until the sunlight vanished completely, the sky turning jet-black as the first stars emerged. The moon cast its gentle light from behind thick gray clouds.
Sword of the Sky raised his head and said softly:
"The day has become harsh reality;
The night is now the longed-for wish.
Day is hell,
And night is the ice that quenches its fire."
Though the cold of night briefly lifted some of their sorrow, a spark of hope remained as long as peace endured. "We may die—who knows?—but future generations will live on. They will grow up amid this catastrophe; perhaps they will adapt, perhaps they will be born with strength in their very nature. Such is humanity: we have existed since time immemorial and will continue until the final day."
All eyes turned to him in surprise and wonder. Silence fell again, heavy with renewed grief. Raven patted Sword of the Sky's shoulder and said, "Every word you spoke is true in this vast world. We have failed once, and perhaps it will happen twice or even thrice—but the determination in our hearts is unbreakable. Do not worry; everything will be fine."
Sword of the Sky looked at him and asked, "Shall we return?" Raven nodded, and they set off back to their hideout, their faces still marked by longing.
Oran paused and added, "Chapter Three, Part Three."
They all returned to the hideout, grief etched on their faces. The other students, who had learned of their return, waited eagerly in front of the main hall. The weary returnees stood opposite them.
"How did it go? Did you succeed?" someone asked, sadness in their voice.
A whisper spread: "Wait—some are missing. What's happening? Why are you all silent?"
Amid these murmurs, a girl pushed through the crowd and approached Raven. It was Maya, Raven's daughter.
"How did things go? Where are Yolan and Kolten?" she demanded.
Everyone fell silent, their gazes fixed on the ground. Maya repeated, "Why are you silent like this? Tell me—where are Yolan and Kolten?" Raven, grief-stricken, shook his head and could not speak. Shock registered on Maya's face before sorrow overcame her and she bowed her head—she, too, understood the meaning of their silence.
Finally, Raven spoke: "Unfortunately, we lost two of our members—Yolan and Kolten. They died." He pressed his hand over his heart and continued, "But they live on here,"—he tapped his chest—"in our hearts. We will never forget their sacrifice. We failed this time, but we will keep trying until we succeed. Their deaths cannot be in vain; they must have meaning."
Sword of the Sky stepped forward and said firmly, "They have died, and we are still alive. We must forget them and move forward. That is surely what they would want us to do. We cannot neglect our food because of their deaths—that would weaken us and slow our progress. I am certain they would never wish that upon us from the heavens." He raised his hand toward the girls and added, "Girls, start cooking—I'm starving."
Shock rippled across every face, including Raven's, Maya's, and Zain's—they had never expected such cold detachment.
Raven stepped in and gripped Sword of the Sky's arm. "What are you saying all of a sudden? Don't you see the situation? At least show some sorrow in your words. You seem as though you don't care who lives or dies." Sword of the Sky lowered his hand and bowed his head. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean it that way. I'm upset too—they were my friends. I only wanted to say that life does not stop with their deaths. We must eat and drink and try to forget—it can sometimes be a blessing."
The tension began to ease. Raven turned to the group and said, "He's right; we must forget and heal." Then he addressed the girls: "Do as he said—let's eat despite the circumstances. Tomorrow, we try again. We must be ready. Return to your seats."
No one objected. They spread out at the table
s and sat down, waiting for the food to be ready.