The house burned.
Red and yellow flames crawled over the wooden planks—
ruins of what used to be a home.
Kael groaned.
His left leg was completely burned.
He forced himself to look up, squinting through the smoke.
A black silhouette approached.
With each step, the firelight revealed her more.
Lily.
His breathing turned ragged.
"Long time no see," he whimpered.
Her hands trembled.
The gun lowered.
Her face twisted—disgusted, hurt…
and something that looked like she missed him.
Then—
WHAM.
Aira slammed into her with a pan.
The metal was still hot.
It burned Aira's hand instantly, skin blistering—but she didn't let go.
Lily staggered.
Tried to resist.
Then collapsed to her knees.
Unconscious.
"We're… even now," Aira whispered.
She turned to Kael, hooked his arm over her shoulder, and dragged him through the wreckage—
toward what was left of the kitchen.
"Here."
She tossed him a bottle of water.
"Drink."
Kael stared at it.
In the warped plastic, he caught a faint reflection—
Noir.
Standing behind him.
"We didn't plan it," Kael whispered.
"But it's working."
Noir's voice came calm. Distant.
"Don't forget a Plan B, Kael."
"Got it."
---
Lily woke up.
Sunlight burned her eyes.
A warehouse
She tried to move—but ropes bit into her wrists.
A broken chair. One leg missing.
"Hey…"
Nila stepped into the room.
Lily stared straight through her.
She knew exactly who she was.
"Kael couldn't talk to you," Nila said softly.
"Raegal's… drinking more and more. So I came."
"I'm going to ask you some questions. I have no intention of harming you."
"My head still hurts."
"We'll get you a painkiller."
Lily nodded.
"So," Nila continued, "did Ryuzaki send you?"
"I escaped."
"…Didn't expect you to be so qui—"
"I remember you."
Nila froze.
"You were in the lab."
"You saw those children."
"Why didn't you do anything?"
Her voice cracked.
"Why!?"
Her eyes twitched as she strained against the ropes.
"You know what we went through…"
"I—I tried to—"
"If you had…"
She swallowed.
"…he wouldn't have been there."
Silence.
Kael entered the room.
"Can I handle it?"
Nila stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Good luck," she whispered, wiping her tears away.
"Hey there… sister."
"Is your head okay?"
"…It's fine."
They sat in silence.
Only the low rattling of the fan filled the room.
"How's your… leg?" Lily asked, forcing the words out.
"It's healing," Kael replied quietly.
"Two more days."
"Look, Lily… I know why you came back."
"Raegal—he didn't sell you."
"I know he's a drunk bastard," he exhaled,
"but he wouldn't do that."
"The video?"
"It was forged."
"He's probably hitting his head against the wall right now. I stop him every day."
"He was more than sad when he lost you."
"We all were."
"…."
"I missed you, Lily."
His voice broke.
He sat down.
"Can I… get some time alone, please?" Lily whispered.
"Sure. No problem."
Kael left the room, wiping his tears.
"Well done."
Noir's voice slipped into the silence.
"Another pawn captured."
"She's my sister."
A pause.
"Even better."
A whisper at Kael's ear—
"You're doing great, Kael. I'm proud of you."
"Also Kael—the tears." She wiped them away with her gentle hands.
"Hm?"
"How did you cry..?"
"Onions."
"You know...those things are pretty hard to get nowadays, the riots, people are going crazy."
"Riots caused famines..?"
"Yeah.."
He layed down on the sofa.
"Ryuzaki?"
"Probably, check the news."
"Our house exploded."
"...Right."