Chapter 6: The Aftermath
Here's a polished and emotionally rich version of your aftermath scene from Ophira's POV, keeping her voice strong, guarded, and subtly vulnerable:
The battlefield still smelled like smoke and metal. My muscles ached, my lungs stung, and the high from adrenaline was slowly fading—leaving only exhaustion in its place.
Footsteps crunched softly over the broken ground.
"Ophira."
I didn't need to look to know who it was. His voice was steady, soft—almost hesitant. Different from the usual smugness he wore like armor.
Still, I looked up from where I sat, bruised and scraped, but not broken.
Ozaire.
Dressed like the rest of them—like a Prince out of a storybook. Only his was laced in bold orange and gold, vibrant and warm like the sun I hadn't seen in what felt like forever.
I didn't say anything. We'd already talked earlier. He'd already said sorry. I wasn't ready to revisit all that. Not yet. Not with my head this loud and my heart this tired.
He reached out a hand.
I stared at it for a beat too long.
Then, reluctantly, I took it.
Only to be pulled forward—and lifted.
"H-Huh?" My voice cracked in confusion.
He was carrying me. Bridal style.
I blinked at him, startled.
He didn't smile. Just looked straight ahead with a clenched jaw and eyes full of quiet frustration.
"Just stay still," he murmured. "You're hurt."
I wanted to argue. I wasn't some damsel.
But for once, I let myself rest. Just for a little while.
My arms folded across my chest, even as his warmth seeped through the thin fabric of my shirt. His heartbeat was steady against my shoulder. I hated that I noticed it.
"You didn't have to carry me," I muttered, avoiding his gaze. "I'm not made of glass."
"I know," he said softly. "You're made of steel. But even steel can bend when it's been through hell."
I blinked, caught off guard by the quiet sincerity in his voice.
"That's… surprisingly poetic of you," I muttered.
"I know," he said again, this time quieter. "But I'm saying it anyway."
For a few moments, we walked in silence, broken only by the distant hum of magic fading and the sound of our allies regrouping.
Then—
"Are you still mad at me?" he asked.
I scoffed. "That's a dumb question."
"So… yes?"
I sighed. "Ozaire, I just—I need time. You can't expect me to just flip a switch and forget everything."
"I don't," he said quickly. "I don't want you to forget. I just…" He trailed off, then sighed. "Forget it, it's not important"
I glanced at him. His jaw was tight, like he was holding something back.
Why is he acting like this?
...
The hot spring soothed the bruises, but not the bruised ego.
"Uhhh, what a humiliating defeat that is" Reese groaned.
I leaned deeper into the water, letting the heat crawl up my neck like a second skin. "Yeah, we almost died out there," I muttered. My eyes roamed across my sisters. All of us, battle-worn and half-dazed, soaking in silence… except for Valerie. She looked so far away, her eyes blank. "But looking at Valerie's state right now, I'm pretty sure she died and came back to life."
Yasha shot me a glare. "Hey, stop that, Ophira. That was traumatic—especially for Paicey."
I sank deeper into the water and let the heat silence my thoughts. "Thank goodness the boys saved us," she added.
I zoned her out. Yasha's overprotectiveness was starting to grate on me, even if she wasn't wrong.
Then Reese, ever the detective, raised an eyebrow. "Hey, did you know that the boys were like us?" she asked Yasha.
"Yuan's your boyfriend," she added, more accusing now. "Did you know they had powers like us?"
"What? No!" Yasha defended, voice sharp. "How dare you accuse me, Reese. I was as shocked as you were."
"Can we not fight right now?" Gaia sighed. "Paicey hasn't even woken up yet, and you're arguing."
My lips pressed together. "I wonder if she's alright..." My voice came out softer than expected. The memory of Paicey collapsing replayed in my head like a broken loop.
"I shouldn't have let her use her magic like that," Gaia whispered.
"We've been doing this since we were born," Reese said firmly. "This is the only time we've been defeated. We can't lose hope now."
I almost said something—almost. But before any of us could dig deeper into our guilt or trauma, Raiden's voice called out, "Girls! I put some clothes here for you. You can change after you're done."
"Thank you, baby!" Reese chirped, and I swear I heard a chuckle from the other side.
I raised a brow. "Hey, are you two really dating? You announced it so casually during dinner earlier."
Reese splashed water on her face. "Well, you heard him. We're not dating yet."
Yet, huh?
Eventually, we climbed out of the spring. Valerie swayed beside me, and I instinctively caught her arm. "Wait—are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, Ophira," she said, brushing it off like it was nothing. "Probably just the pain and… using my magic too much."
After changing, we walked into the living room. The sight was weirdly warm: boys lounging on the floor, eating snacks, controllers in hand. Paicey was up, sitting on the couch with Raiden. She smiled at us—voice still gone, of course. Her magic always took her voice as collateral.
Then Raiden pulled one of his signature moves. "Kitten," he said, wrapping an arm around Reese's waist, "you look good in my shirt."
The air changed. Reese blushed—blushed—but quickly escaped his grasp. She slid beside Paicey and checked on her, like the whole flirty moment didn't happen.
Then the questions came.
Raiden's voice turned cool. "Why were you girls fighting Selene earlier?"
Reese sat up straighter, business-mode activated.
"Why do you care?" she shot back.
"Because we were eating dinner, and the next thing we knew, you were gone—and then we saw you battling a witch."
"Don't we deserve an explanation from our girlfriends?"
That word stirred something deep inside me. Girlfriends. Since when? Since now?
Reese didn't flinch. "Fine, we owe you an explanation. But don't you guys owe us one too?"
Silence stretched.
Then Raiden laughed, like it was a joke. "Let's play."
Play? Seriously?
"One truth, two lies," he said. "Guess the truth right, or you have to do whatever the winner says."
Reese narrowed her eyes but eventually played along.
And that's my cue in going out of there and do my own business.
"Battle scars heal faster than the kind of chaos someone's eyes can stir."