Nephis POV
The living room, once a sanctuary of warmth and calm, had turned heavy.
The air didn't move. It hung like mist before a storm—thick, suffocating, silent.
Every tick of the old grandfather clock in the corner sounded like a scream.
Every creak in the walls was a whisper of something terrible.
It had been over an hour since Julius had vanished into the cold night.
He hadn't told them where he was going.
Just a single look.
A breathless whisper—"Wait here."
Now, that waiting had teeth.
Nephis stood by the frost-touched window, her arms wrapped around herself, eyes staring out into the dark. Her pale white hair clung to her cheeks where sweat—or maybe tears—had stuck it.
She paced, slow circles that never led anywhere, her bare feet brushing against the polished floor like falling snow.
But her breaths betrayed her.
Short. Jagged. Uneven.
She couldn't still her heart.
Not when Olivia was gone.
Not when her father's body still lived in her mind like a fading ember.
And every time her gaze slid toward Sunny—it hurt.
He sat on the edge of the couch, elbows on his knees, eyes staring into the floor as if trying to burn a hole in it.
He hadn't spoken.
Not a word.
And it wasn't like him to be silent.
It wasn't like him to shut her out.
But he was.
He was gone somewhere far behind his own eyes.
Jet moved like a phantom down the halls, her boots clicking softly.
She was tearing through Olivia's maps. Her handwritten notes.
Her travel logs. Her weapons ledger.
Looking for anything. A clue. A goodbye.
Anything at all.
Her expression was unreadable—but her hands shook when she thought no one was looking.
Rain sat closest to the fire, curled in a green blanket like she could disappear into it. Her tiny arms cradled her plushie like a shield.
Her wide eyes flicked from one person to another, trying to understand why the house felt like it was breaking apart.
Then, Nephis stopped pacing.
She stared at Sunny. Her jaw trembled as she took one step forward.
"You're not saying anything," she whispered, her voice paper-thin and strained.
Sunny didn't move.
She stepped closer. Her shadow fell across him.
"Why are you just sitting there?"
Still nothing.
Nephis's chest rose and fell like she was trying to breathe underwater.
"Say something, Sunny."
He looked up slowly.
His dark eyes didn't blaze with anger.
They held something worse.
Cold. Blunt. Empty.
"You were the last one to talk to her."
Nephis blinked. "What?"
"You knew something was wrong," he murmured, voice low and almost trembling.
"Didn't you? You could've told someone. You could've told me."
Jet stopped moving. Her fingers clenched around Olivia's map.
Rain flinched and pulled the blanket tighter around her.
"I—" Nephis stepped back. "I didn't know she'd go alone—"
"She always goes alone!" Sunny exploded to his feet, the words shattering the fragile air.
His voice cracked like a whip.
"And she always comes back! Every. Single. Time."
His fists were clenched at his sides now, knuckles white.
"But not this time," he said, his voice breaking like glass. "Not this time…
She didn't even say goodbye."
Nephis stood frozen, eyes wide, lips parted.
"You think this is my fault?"
"I don't know!" Sunny shouted, his voice raw. "But someone should have stopped her!"
"I didn't ask her to fight for me!" Nephis shot back, her voice rising, her eyes wet.
"I didn't want her to get hurt either! But she did it because she loved you!
All of you!"
She stepped toward him, breathing hard.
"I would've gone instead if I could—!"
"You always say that!" Sunny yelled, his eyes burning now.
"But you didn't! You're still here!"
He looked at her like he hated himself for saying it.
"And she's not."
The silence that followed was cruel.
Even the fire in the hearth seemed to pull back.
Jet closed her eyes, pain written across her face, but she didn't interrupt.
Nephis swallowed thickly, her voice now shaking. "Sunny, please…"
But Sunny stepped back.
He looked like a glass doll about to shatter.
"I need air," he muttered, voice low and broken.
He stormed down the hallway, his footsteps heavy, vanishing into the dark.
"Don't follow me."
Rain pulled her knees up to her chest and hid her face.
Nephis didn't chase him.
She just stood there, trembling, lips parted, wishing she could rewind time. Wishing she had been faster. Stronger. Smarter. Wishing she had said something—anything.
Jet stared into the fire.
The flames danced on the walls.
But the house felt colder than ever.
Sunny's POV
The garden was quiet.
Too quiet.
The kind of quiet that swallowed every sound except the ones inside your chest—the thumping heart, the ragged breath, the grief that couldn't be spoken.
Sunny stumbled out into the pale winter garden, his hands trembling at his sides. The frost-kissed grass crunched beneath his feet, and the wind tugged at his hair like cold fingers. The stars were out, watching him, silent and uncaring.
He stopped beneath the ancient oak tree at the center of the garden.
The same one where his father used to train him.
The same one Olivia used to sit beneath while reading battle records and sipping tea, pretending she wasn't watching over her son.
Now… the tree looked like a grave marker.
The cold wind burned his eyes, but the tears came anyway.
He fell to his knees.
His small hands clenched into fists, trembling against the frozen ground.
"I hate this," he whispered. "I hate this…"
His voice cracked.
"I hate not knowing…"
A choked sob escaped his throat, one he couldn't hold back even if he wanted to. He buried his face in his arms, shoulders shaking.
"I didn't say goodbye…"
He tried to breathe, but it felt like the air itself refused to stay in his lungs.
He was the heir of the Shadow Clan. The son of Olivia.
He wasn't supposed to break like this.
But he was only eleven.
And this pain—it didn't care about bloodlines or titles or strength.
He stayed there, curled into himself like he could disappear into the earth.
Then—
Footsteps.
Soft ones, deliberate but hesitant, approaching from behind.
He didn't need to look to know it was Jet.
She didn't say anything at first.
She just knelt beside him, her long black coat brushing the grass. She sat cross-legged, a careful distance away, and waited in silence—like one storm recognizing another.
"…I don't know what to do," Sunny finally choked out, his voice barely audible. "What if she never comes back?"
Jet's voice was soft, gentler than it had ever been. "She will."
"You don't know that…"
"I don't," she said. "But I believe it."
He turned to her slowly, eyes red and wet, full of a child's helplessness.
"I should've said something. I should've stopped her…"
Jet's eyes flicked to the frost on his knuckles.
"She didn't want you to stop her," she murmured. "She wanted to protect you. That's what mothers do."
Sunny looked away. "But I wanted to protect her too…"
Jet finally reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder.
Her fingers were warm.
"You're not alone," she said. "You have me. You have Rain. You have Nephis."
Sunny gave a bitter, broken laugh. "I yelled at her. I blamed her. I… I shouldn't have done that."
"She understands," Jet whispered. "She's grieving too. We all are."
He stared at the grass.
Then, quietly, like a confession: "I'm scared."
Jet didn't answer right away.
Then: "So am I."
Sunny looked up.
Jet's voice was calm—but her eyes shimmered with tears she didn't shed.
"Do you know what I saw when I came back from the Dream Realm?" she asked. "I saw you—trying to hold everyone together. You were smiling for Rain. You sparred with Nephis. You pretended everything was okay."
She leaned in slightly.
"But you don't have to pretend with me."
Sunny's lower lip quivered.
For a long moment, he didn't say anything.
Then he leaned into her, burying his face into her shoulder like a lost child, and Jet simply held him.
No judgment.
No pressure.
Just warmth, and quiet understanding.
The wind passed over the garden like a lullaby.
Above them, stars shimmered faintly through the mist.
And in the quiet, something inside Sunny—something fragile and storming—finally began to breathe again.
A few minutes past like this
The garden still held its silence.
Sunny remained curled into Jet's side, eyes swollen from crying, her arm wrapped around his back like a shield. Neither of them moved. They didn't notice the subtle tremble in the air, the distant vibration beneath the earth—like the world had exhaled a deep, grim breath.
Then—
The front gate creaked open.
Jet's head snapped up, sharp instinct flaring.
She stood.
Sunny followed her gaze, blinking through blurred vision.
Footsteps.
Fast. Heavy. Urgent.
Through the frost-lined path of the garden, a silhouette emerged—tall, cloaked in motion, moving with the speed of desperation.
Julius.
And in his arms…
Sunny's heart dropped.
Jet froze.
In his arms was Olivia—her body limp, strands of dark silver hair spilling over his shoulder like melted shadow. Her face was pale. Bloodied. Her uniform torn at the edges, soaked in crimson and black.
She wasn't moving.
"No…" Sunny whispered, his voice trembling. "No—no—no!"
Julius didn't speak. He didn't have the breath to.
He was panting, soaked with sweat, his coat shredded at the sleeves—scorched from battle and speed. The look in his eyes was worse than fear.
It was grief barely contained behind duty.
He dropped to one knee, gently laying Olivia down on the frost-kissed grass.
Rain and Nephis came running from the house—Rain barefoot, clutching her stuffed fox, Nephis wide-eyed, her face turning ghostly pale at the sight.
"Mom!" Sunny dropped beside her, grabbing her hand.
It was warm.
Too warm—unnaturally so.
"She's alive," Julius said, voice rough. "Barely… her soul sea is damaged. If we hadn't gotten her when we did…"
He couldn't finish the sentence.
Nephis fell to her knees beside Sunny, tears already brimming. "What happened?! Who did this?"
Julius looked up, expression grim.
"Anvil."
Jet's hands clenched into fists. Nephis stared at Olivia, her lip trembling.
"She… she went alone," Nephis whispered. "To protect me."
"She knew," Julius said softly, his voice breaking. "She knew she wouldn't survive the battle. She didn't care."
Sunny clutched Olivia's hand tighter, resting his forehead on her shoulder. "You said you'd come back…"
Julius looked around at the children—Rain, who stood paralyzed by fear; Jet, who had turned her face away to hide her shaking; Nephis, who reached out and brushed Olivia's hair from her face with trembling fingers.
Olivia lay still.
The once-indomitable woman who had stood against Titans and monsters alike… now looked small. Fragile. Her chest rose and fell faintly, like each breath was borrowed.
The blackened streaks of soul-burn traced along her neck and arms, shimmering faintly with the strange iridescence of dream realm damage.
Sunny hadn't let go of her hand.
"Why isn't she waking up?" he asked, barely louder than a whisper.
Julius took a slow breath and looked away.
Rain stood frozen a few feet behind him, clutching her plush fox with white-knuckled fingers. Nephis had fallen to her knees beside Sunny, her hand resting gently on Olivia's arm. Jet stood at the edge of the garden, her fists clenched, knuckles pale, biting her lower lip hard enough to draw blood.
"I said she's alive," Julius murmured, "but… her soul sea is damaged."
Sunny blinked. "Her what?"
Julius finally turned, kneeling beside him, voice low, pained—each word costing more than the last.
"She didn't just get injured, Sunny. Anvil didn't just attack her body. He… targeted her soul. The very thing that holds her together."
Sunny's breath hitched.
"Her strings—her fighting style—it's all connected to her soul sea," Julius continued. "It's where your power lives. Your memories. Your spirit. When it's wounded… no healer can fix it.
Rain's tiny voice, trembling, broke the silence. "S-So… she's not going to wake up?"
Julius looked down.
The silence was his answer.
Sunny's grip on Olivia's hand trembled. "No…"
His chest ached. The world blurred again. He shook his head. "There has to be something. Please, Julius. What do we do? Tell me—tell me how to fix this."
Julius hesitated.
Then, slowly, painfully, he said the truth.
"There's only one way."
Everyone looked up.
Julius exhaled. "If you had a Memory. Not just any—a powerful, soul-bound one. An enchanted. If it was attuned to protection… if it was powerful enough… it might stabilize her soul sea."
Nephis's mouth fell open. "A Memory?"
Jet spoke hoarsely. "But a memory like that is impossible to find ."
Rain began crying. Quiet, but steady. Her little frame trembled as she sank beside her mother's still form, hugging her arm.
Julius's jaw tightened. "I've seen one. Once. But it was years ago—and I don't know where it is now. It may be lost forever."
Sunny leaned forward, forehead pressing to Olivia's hand. His tears fell freely now.
"Why did you go alone, Mom?" he whispered. "Why didn't you take me with you…?"
Jet finally stepped forward, her voice cracking. "Because she didn't want you to get hurt. Because she knew what kind of person you'd become if she didn't come back. And she wanted you to stay you."
Nephis nodded, barely able to speak past the lump in her throat. "She did this for all of us."
For a moment, none of them spoke.
Only the soft wind blew.
Only Olivia's faint, ghostlike breathing filled the space between their heartbreaks.
Sunny lifted his head.
"I'll find it," he said, voice rough, broken. "I'll find a memory strong enough to bring her back. I don't care where it is. I'll tear open every realm if I have to."
Julius didn't stop him. He just placed a hand on Sunny's shoulder, heavy with both pride and sorrow.
—-
The mansion was silent.
Not the peaceful kind—but the kind of silence that clung to the walls like dust after a battle. No one spoke as Julius gently carried Olivia up the stairs. Her body, wrapped in a protective cocoon of his coat and inner ki, looked weightless in his arms… but to the four who followed him, every step felt unbearably heavy.
Sunny walked just behind them. His eyes never left her.
Nephis and Jet followed side by side, close but silent, eyes fixed on Olivia's still form.
Rain held Nephis's hand tightly. The little girl's cheeks were stained with dried tears, her lips trembling with every step.
The door to Olivia's private quarters opened with a soft hiss.
It was a large room—more sanctuary than bedroom. Moonlight filtered through the tall windows, catching on the silver runes carved into the stone walls. A lone sleeping pod stood at the far end, sleek and obsidian-black, gently humming with power.
Julius approached it and laid Olivia down with careful, reverent hands.
Sunny stood just at the threshold of the door.
He hadn't stepped inside.
As Julius adjusted the pod's position, he reached into a small drawer embedded in the wall, revealing a crystalline shard—pale violet, softly pulsing.
An Awakened Soul Shard.
He inserted it into the terminal on the pod's side. Runes flared to life, dancing in the air above the device, scanning Olivia's vitals and soul wave.
The pod hissed. Then exhaled.
The stabilizer activated.
A soft glow enveloped Olivia's body, cradling her in ethereal strands of protective energy. Like strings of moonlight trying to hold her together.
"She'll be safe… for now," Julius murmured, turning to the others. "The shard will keep her soul sea from tearing apart. As long as it holds, she'll remain stable."
Jet stepped forward. "How long will it last?"
"As long as we keep feeding it," Julius replied. "We have enough Soul Shards in the vault to keep her here for years."
"But that's not living," Nephis whispered, her eyes glistening. "That's just… floating."
Julius said nothing.
Even Rain understood. She reached up and placed her small hand on the pod's glass cover.
"Mama…" she whispered.
A beat passed. Julius turned away from the pod and gently ushered the others out.
"Come on. Let her rest."
Jet nodded. Nephis, slow and hesitant, turned too. Rain let go of the pod with a long look before following.
But Sunny didn't move.
He stood at the threshold, unmoving. His fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight.
Julius turned back, pausing by the door. "Sunny—"
"I know," Sunny muttered, eyes locked on Olivia.
Then he turned on his heel and marched off, wordless, disappearing into the hallway that led to his room.
The door closed behind him with a muted thud.
The others remained in the hallway, watching his shadow disappear.
A silence followed—thicker than the one before.
The pod hummed steadily in the room behind them. Olivia slept within, caught between light and dark.
And Sunny walked alone with the firestorm in his chest.
——
The room was dark, lit only by the pale glow of moonlight spilling in through the curtains. Outside, the world slept, but Sunny didn't.
He sat at the edge of his bed, hunched over, his hands limp in his lap. The weight in his chest hadn't eased. It only grew heavier with every breath.
His thoughts churned.
Seventeen.
That was the age when most people felt it—the pull of the Nightmare Spell. When the world marked them, and the dream realm cracked open for the first time.
Some didn't awaken. Most didn't survive.
Unless they triggered it early—by shattering a Soul Shard and forcing the seed to root.
He had always known. One day, he would face it too.
But now, with his mother dying in her pod, everything felt closer. Sharper.
He thought of Rain's trembling voice.
Of Jet's quiet fury.
Of Nephis's broken scream.
And he thought of Olivia—strong, unyielding, invincible… now fragile and still.
"Everyone I care about," he thought bitterly, "dies or suffers."
His father.
Now his mother.
He clenched his fists.
Maybe I'm the reason. Maybe it would be better if no one loved me at all.
The door creaked open.
He didn't look up.
Nephis entered softly, barefoot, her silver hair draped over her shoulders like moonlight. Her eyes found him immediately—his outline in the dark, still as stone.
She stepped closer. "Sunny…"
He didn't answer.
She took a breath and came to stand in front of him.
"What are you thinking?"
He turned his face away.
"I don't want to talk."
Her eyes narrowed with worry. "Please. Don't push me away."
Silence.
He refused to meet her gaze. The room felt colder.
"I asked you a question," she said again, voice firmer now.
Sunny finally looked up at her.
And said, with quiet bitterness, "Why do you even want to know?"
That hit her like a slap.
She frowned, her breath catching. "Because I care."
"Don't," he muttered.
"What?"
He stood up sharply, brushing past her, his voice suddenly rising.
"Don't care! Don't get close to me. I'm not worth it!"
Nephis stared at him in disbelief.
"You think I'm not scared?" he shouted. "Everyone I care about ends up like this! My dad died because of me! My mother is—she's—" His voice broke. "You'll die too."
She stepped toward him, trembling now.
"You think I'd rather lose you," he growled, "than never have had you at all?"
Sunny turned away, but Nephis wouldn't let him go.
"Enough," she whispered.
In one motion, she grabbed his wrist and pushed him gently back. He fell to the edge of the bed, surprised—his breath caught. Nephis stood between his knees.
Then she knelt over him, straddling his lap, and pinned his shoulders to the mattress.
Her white eyes burned with anger and something else—something deeper.
"I love you," she said, firm and raw.
Sunny froze.
Her hands shook against his chest. "I don't care if the world is cruel. I'm not afraid of death."
She leaned in. Her voice cracked.
"I'm afraid of losing you."
Sunny looked up at her—eyes wide, lips parted.
He was trembling. "Nephis…"
"I don't want to be protected from your pain. I want to share it." Her fingers slid from his chest to his jaw. "Let me carry it with you."
His vision blurred.
"You are not the reason this world is broken, Sunny. You're the only good thing in it."
Tears slid from the corners of his eyes.
And then, she kissed him.
It wasn't gentle.
It was real. Messy. Raw. Her lips trembled against his, but her grip on him didn't falter. She poured all the grief, love, and fear into that kiss—everything she'd held back since the day they met.
And Sunny—
He kissed her back.
His hands lifted, shaking, one cradling the back of her neck, the other clutching her waist. His lips met hers with the same desperation—the same aching need to feel alive.
The kiss deepened, slow and full of promise.
For the first time in days, the hole in his chest didn't feel so wide.
When they finally pulled apart, both breathless, foreheads pressed together, Sunny whispered:
"…I'm scared."
Nephis stroked his hair.
"So am I."
He closed his eyes, voice thick with emotion. "But I love you too."
A long silence. The kind that made you feel safe.
"I always have," he added, voice shaking.
She leaned into his chest, burying her face there.
And for once, Sunny didn't push anyone away.
He held her like she was the only thing keeping him grounded.
And maybe… she was.
———-
The pale winter sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting soft gold on the walls. The world outside the mansion was still cold and silent, but inside—inside something fragile and warm had begun to take root.
Sunny sat upright on the edge of the bed, arms around Nephis, who was curled gently against his chest. Her breathing was slow now. Peaceful. Her head rested just over his heart, and his chin tucked into her hair. Neither of them had said anything for a long time. They didn't need to.
After last night's tears and confession, the silence was no longer unbearable.
It was healing.
But peace never lasted long in this house.
The door creaked open.
"Sunny?" came Rain's soft voice.
Then she froze in the doorway.
Behind her, Jet stepped in—and immediately stopped, her silver-blue eyes taking in the sight before them.
Sunny, shirt wrinkled, hair tousled, still seated on the bed.
Nephis, resting soundly in his arms, her hand curled over his chest.
Two broken souls that had, for one night, leaned into each other to stay whole.
Jet raised an eyebrow. "Well," she said flatly, crossing her arms. "Didn't expect that."
Rain blinked. "…Are you two okay?"
Sunny didn't move. He just looked at them—calm, a little sheepish, but not ashamed.
"She had a nightmare," he said simply, his voice soft. "And… I guess I did too."
Jet sighed and walked further in, glancing between them. "You could've told me. I wouldn't have barged in like I was walking into a love drama."
Rain giggled. "You're the one who opened the door."
Sunny smiled faintly, brushing a lock of Nephis's hair from her face. "She helped me calm down ."
Jet gave him a long look.
But it wasn't disapproval in her eyes. It was something else.
Understanding. A kind of older-sisterly protectiveness. She'd seen how much he'd been hurting. How lost he'd been. And now, seeing him like this, she felt something unclench in her chest.
"She is deep asleep?" she asked, quietly now.
"I guess " Sunny murmured.
Nephis stirred at his voice. Slowly, she blinked awake, her eyes adjusting to the soft light. Then she looked up, still nestled in his arms.
Jet smirked. "Well, well. Sleeping Beauty awakens."
Nephis looked around groggily. "…I didn't realize I fell asleep here."
Sunny gave her a small smile. "No problem."
She looked at him. A flicker of warmth passed between them again, quiet and unspoken.
Rain trotted over and hopped up onto the bed beside them. "You two looked cute."
Nephis flushed just slightly and tucked her white hair behind her ear.
Jet rolled her eyes and leaned against the doorway. "So, now that everyone's had their fairytale moment, we've got one problem left."
Sunny met her gaze. "Mom."
Jet nodded. "We need to talk about what comes next."
Nephis sat up fully now, still close to Sunny. "We need a memory strong enough to restore her soul sea."
"Then we need to find it," Sunny said, voice steady now.
Rain nodded solemnly. "Let's find something to help Mom."
Jet smiled faintly. "Now that's the Sunny I know."
Sunny looked around at them all—his sister, his best friend, his new family.
And he realized, even if the world was cruel… he wasn't alone.
Not anymore.
—-
The pale winter sun filtered through the frost-tinted windows, spilling gentle light across the living room where five figures gathered in hushed intensity.
Sunny sat with Rain curled beside him on the sofa, her head against his shoulder.
Nephis stood near the fireplace, hands clasped tightly behind her back, eyes distant.
Jet leaned against the wall, arms folded, her shadow long on the floor.
Julius stood at the center of the room, like an anchor amid a slowly shifting tide.
No one had spoken in a while—not since Olivia was placed into the soul-stabilizing pod. The hum of its energy still echoed in their minds. The weight of the coma. The stillness of her body.
It was Jet who finally broke the silence.
"I'm leaving," she said, her voice calm—but not cold. "I've made arrangements to join the government. I've earned enough credibility during my Awakening Trials. They won't suspect a thing."
Sunny's head snapped up.
Jet looked at him. "I'll use the position to monitor movements. Learn how deep the Great Clans' corruption runs. If they make a move against you… I'll know first."
Rain blinked up at her. "But… you'll be gone?"
Jet softened. She knelt before Rain, brushing her dark hair gently behind her ear. "Not forever, little shadow. Just long enough to make sure the world doesn't swallow you and I will visit you in the weekends."
She ruffled Rain's head and stood.
Julius took a breath. "I'll remain in the academy. Monitor the Sleeper awakenings. The government's not stupid—they're watching everyone, especially the ones who survived their first Nightmare and then their winter solisce."
He looked to Sunny. "You, Rain, and Nephis will continue training with me. I'll teach you wilderness survival, how to endure on your own in the dream realm , how to blend in. We don't know what's coming."
Then he turned to Nephis.
"But you can't stay here."
Her eyes narrowed. "Why?"
Julius hesitated—but only for a moment.
"Because this house is a ghost," he said. "Sunny and Rain's existence is hidden from the world. If anyone finds out they're alive, every clan on this continent will come hunting."
Nephis didn't speak. But her fists clenched at her sides.
"The remnants of the Shadow Clan are rebuilding your estate," Julius continued. "You'll return to them. They'll protect you."
Nephis' voice was soft. "I don't want to leave."
Julius's gaze softened. "I know."
He looked to the others. "From now on, any meetings between Nephis and Sunny must be in secret. Disguises. Detours. We take no risks."
Sunny looked down at the floor. Disappointment flooded his chest like ice. He had already lost too much. Too many walls between the people he loved.
And now this.
A beat of silence passed.
Julius turned to Sunny and Rain. "You two will go on as usual. School. Sparring. Morning routines. The world must see you as ordinary. Or it will try to destroy you."
Rain looked up, eyes glistening. "But Mom…"
Sunny raised his head slowly.
There was steel in his eyes now. Wounds had carved something sharper into him.
"I'll do it," he said.
Everyone looked at him.
"I'll act like everything's normal. I'll train. I'll get stronger."
Julius exhaled, pride in his expression.
Sunny met her gaze—and then Nephis's.
"I swear," he said softly. "No matter what, I'll protect all of you. Even if I have to become a monster to do it. I will bring her back."
Rain whispered, "You'll bring her back, Sunny. You always keep your promises."
Jet crossed her arms. "Then we'll all do our part."
Nephis stepped closer. "Together."
Julius nodded.
Five shadows stood in that room. Wounded, grieving, uncertain.
But unified.
And behind each of their eyes burned one truth:
They would never stop fighting.
End Of Volume 1
[Falling Stars, Rising Shadows]