''Rosa..."
"Rosa..."
"Rosa..."
The moment those words had echoed in his mind, Ice lost consciousness, swallowed by the void.
Now, as he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the middle of a massive crowd. People were packed tightly together, shouting the same name in unison, "Rosa," their voices echoing into the night.
'What is this? A concert or something?'
He could see far away on the stage a young girl who was singing and dancing on stage in a strange dress.
He quickly shifted his attention away from her and turned arround to check on the others. Ray and Celestia were there too, a few steps away, half-hidden by the crowd. Their eyes met briefly, and then came the explosion of emotions.
Celestia dropped to her knees, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. Ray, meanwhile, screamed like a madman, his voice getting lost in the roaring excitement of the crowd.
Ice watched them in silence, his gaze blank. Then he closed his eyes and lifted his face to the sky.
It was finally over.
They had escaped.
He couldn't remember what the world outside the prison looked like. He had no idea what to expect. But whatever it was, it had to be paradise compared to where they came from.
He stepped closer to Ray and Celestia. Celestia had already recovered and was slowly getting back to her feet, but Ray, despite no longer shouting, was still euphoric. He was probably the one who had spent the most time in the prison among them, so it made sense that he was the most overwhelmed by their escape.
"Let's go outside," Ice called out to them.
They nodded and began heading toward the exit.
"I think it's this way," Ray said, pointing toward an area where even more fans seemed to get in.
They pushed through the crowd as best they could and finally emerged into the open.
The moment he stepped outside, Ice was struck by the sight that greeted him.
Towering buildings reached for the sky. Lights illuminated the streets, making the night feel almost like day. Vehicles moved in every direction, and people chatted and laughed all around them.
But most importantly, even though it was still night, they now had the guarantee that the sun would rise again tomorrow and the day after.
"So what now, Celestia?" Ice asked.
Celestia titled her head, then widened her eyes as if something had just come back to her.
"Oh, right. Candice gave me an address we were supposed to visit," she said, pulling a small piece of paper from her hair.
'How the hell did that survive after everything we have been through?'
She handed them the paper, which had an address scribbled on it.
"Do you know where this is, Ray?" Ice asked.
Ray shook his head. "No idea."
"Let's ask someone, then." Ice turned and approached two girls walking nearby.
"Excuse me, sorry to bother you. Do you happen to know where this address is?"
As soon as he got close, both girls gave him a look of pure disgust, like he was some kind of filth approaching them.
'Right. I forgot.'
He glanced down at himself. His hair was wild and tangled, his clothes were ripped in several places, and he probably smelled awful on top of it.
"Sorry for my friend's rough approach, ladies," Ray stepped in smoothly, gently taking the paper from Ice's hand. "Would you happen to know where this place is?"
'Approach? I didn't even get the chance to speak properly.'
But the girls' reactions changed completely. They were... blushing.
"Yes, it's a-about thirty minutes away by taxi," one of them said, her voice unsteady.
"Thank you very much," Ray replied with a radiant smile that made the girls squeal.
"Could you maybe cover our taxi fare? We need to go see our parents," Celestia added, eyes wide and sparkling.
'Parents? What are we now, beggars?'
"So cute." One of the girls exclaimed and quickly flagged down a taxi for them.
And just like that, they were already on their way to their destination.
"Don't be so gloomy," Ray teased. "Wasn't your day."
Ice didn't respond. He just glared at him. At them.
'I mean, I get it for Ray. His face is unnecessarily handsome. But Celestia? We literally almost share the same face.'
He sighed and decided to stay quiet for the rest of the short ride.
"Hey, Ice," Celestia said hesitantly. "Can you explain what happened with Miss Natasha?"
Ice licked his lips, thoughtful. He had expected that question...
He couldn't just say he had abandoned a companion without a solid reason. But the truth was, even he wasn't sure why he did it. In that moment, it simply felt like the best option.
He didn't exactly regret the decision. What he regretted was how things unfolded. If he could go back in time, he knew he would make the same choice.
"Celestia," he said. "Now that we've escaped the prison, what do you think it makes us?"
Celestia tilted her head. "Survivors?"
Ice smiled faintly. "No. We're fugitives now. And we don't even know who's after us." He looked away. "So tell me. Could we really risk trusting someone who didn't deserve it? Could we leave our future up to chance?"
"But she really seemed..."
"We've arrived," the driver interrupted.
Ice and Ray stepped out of the car, while Celestia took a few seconds to collect herself before following on their steps.
'This is it?'
The building was in a pretty isolated area, not very densely populated. It looked old, even a little abandoned.
Even the receptionist was asleep when they walked in. They ignored him and headed straight for the third floor, stopping in front of a door at the end of the hallway.
"I think this is the place," Ray said before knocking.
They waited a few seconds.
Then the door opened.
A tall man stood before them with sharp features, black hair, and a less-than-welcoming face. He looked like someone who didn''t slept in days.
"What do you want?" he asked with a yawn.
"Elpis sent us," Celestia replied, which earned her another sharp glare from both Ice and Ray.
She might have just blown their cover, and they hadn't even stepped inside yet.