🩸 Scene: Temporary Field Hospital – Post-Halron Raid
The war was over.
But inside the ruins of an old Halron chapel, Kaien sat motionless beside a bloodstained cot.
Seris lay unconscious.
Breathing weak.Skin pale.A long, jagged scar now burned across her ribs—glowing faintly where Rhagur's cursed blade had torn through her.
Nikolai: "We removed most of the divine toxin. But the wound was laced with… something else. Something not from this world."
"She's stable. For now. But she won't wake up until her Crest recovers."
⚔️ The Squad is Fracturing
Aziel: "We lost fifty men holding that city. For what? A corpse fortress and a wounded heart?"
Monku: "Hey, she's not dead. Don't say it like that."
Donovan: "We're stronger than we've ever been. But we're tired. The troops need a real win."
Lyra stayed silent.But her hands trembled every time she looked at Kaien.
💬 Kaien Is Quiet—Too Quiet
He hadn't spoken to anyone in two days.
Not since the fight.
He just sat by Seris, cleaned her bandages, and stared at the flicker of her breath like it was the only thing keeping him together.
Reinhard was the one who finally said it:
"We're all waiting on you, Kaien."
"The world's changing. The gods are stirring. And your army doesn't follow a silent flame."
🌙 Private Scene – Kaien and Lyra
That night, Lyra entered the makeshift chapel.
She stood by the door for a while, watching him.
Then:
"You should rest."
Kaien: "Can't. Might miss her first breath."
Lyra stepped closer. Her glyph was dim, unstable.
"It's my fault."
Kaien didn't speak.
"I hesitated. Again. When it mattered. And she got hurt for it."
He turned finally—eyes hollow.
"No. This isn't your fault.This is mine.Because I let them believe we could win without bleeding."
🔥 Small Turning Point
Lyra reached out—her hand touched his.
"We bleed because we're alive.And you… you make people want to stay alive."
Kaien looked at her.
No smile. Just something real in his eyes.
"Then help me keep them that way."
⚠️ Meanwhile – The Divine War Shifts
In a floating monastery above the Sea of Dust, the God of Stone, Velron, was assassinated.
Not by Kaien.Not by war.
But by his own bishop, who defected after watching Kaien's speech through a crystal scry.
The bishop left behind only one note:
"We believed in chains.He believes in fire.And fire spreads."
🩶 Final Scene – Seris Breathes
Right as dawn hit the horizon—
Seris stirred.Her fingers twitched.
Kaien jolted awake, breath catching.
She whispered—barely audible:
"You were right…"
Kaien leaned in.
"About what?"
Seris: "Even broken things… can protect someone."