The forest seemed to have swallowed them whole in its darkness.
Moonlight filtered tremulously through the branches; in Auren's eyes, every shadow grew into a monster.
Lysera clasped her brother's tiny hand tightly within her palms.
Auren's breathing was ragged; he stumbled repeatedly, looking as if he might collapse with every step.
Auren's voice emerged as a hoarse sob:
Auren:
"S–Sister... Sira... is Sira dead?"
Lysera's heart stopped for a moment.
Tears began to stream from her eyes once more, but she turned her face toward the darkness so Auren wouldn't see.
Lysera (in a trembling whisper):
"No... no, Auren... don't think about it now, okay?
We have to run... just run."
But Auren was a child; when a child's heart breaks, their legs and breath break with it.
He stopped abruptly and tugged at Lysera's arm.
Auren (weeping):
"I... I can't do it!
Don't let Sira go... don't let him leave us!"
Lysera dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around her brother.
Auren's small body was shaking with sobs.
Lysera's insides were burning.
She, too, wanted to scream, to howl.
But for Auren, she had to remain standing.
Lysera (in a stifled voice):
"Sira... protected us, Auren.
He... sacrificed himself... to save you."
Auren's eyes looked like two broken stars shining with tears.
Auren:
"I... I didn't want this...
I was angry at him, but I never wanted him to die..."
Lysera shook her head quickly and cupped his cheeks.
Lysera:
"No! Don't you ever think that.
Sira wanted to do this.
He loved us... he loved you very much."
A wind blew.
Ashes from the explosion behind them were still floating in the air.
Auren sniffled and hugged Lysera tighter.
Auren:
"Sister... I'm scared..."
Lysera pulled him into her embrace and stroked his hair.
She tried to suppress the fear inside her with her breath.
Lysera (whispering):
"I'm scared too...
But I will protect you.
I promise, Auren.
I will never leave you alone."
Auren buried his head in Lysera's chest.
His steps began to tremble again; but this time, Lysera took him by the arm and gently lifted him up.
Lysera:
"Come... we must find a place to go... just a little more... let's walk a little more..."
As the two ventured deeper into the forest, the silence between them was now solely the silence of grief.
At the same moment, back in the forest...
In the clearing where the flames were still fresh, Rrnaun walked with heavy steps.
The scent of war hung in the air: burnt flesh, blood, and ash.
Sira's lifeless body lay face down on the soil.
Rrnaun crouched beside his head.
A scornful, cold smile appeared on his lips.
Rrnaun (in a mocking tone):
"So this is it... The rumors about you were exaggerated."
He reached out, grabbed Sira by the hair, and lifted his head.
As the head fell back, he watched the light in his eyes vanish completely.
Rrnaun:
"All this fuss... all this trouble... and the result? Such a pathetic end."
Just as he raised his sword to sever Sira's head from his body, the sound of running footsteps came from behind.
Luxaris guards, with dried bloodstains on their white armor, approached him.
Guard 1:
"Sir! The area has been cleared. The rebels have been destroyed; no one remains."
Rrnaun lowered his sword with a heavy breath but did not let go of Sira's head.
He acted as if he didn't care in the slightest.
Rrnaun:
"Good. Clean up this filth."
As Guard 2 leaned toward the corpse, he opened his mouth to say something; but Rrnaun raised his hand to silence him.
Rrnaun:
"Wait a minute..."
His gaze was fixed on a dark corner behind Sira.
There was a burnt body lying in the reddish glow left by the flames.
At first glance, it appeared completely dead.
But...
Crusts evaporating on the skin crackled, and fresh, hot skin began to reform underneath.
It was as if someone was knitting back together a body cooked in fire.
Rrnaun stood up slowly.
His eyes narrowed; they shone not with threat, but with curiosity.
He began to approach slowly.
Rrnaun (in a cold whisper):
"Now... what is this?"
The guards tensed, their hands going to their weapons.
The fingers of the burnt body trembled.
Then, it moved slightly.
The skin between the ribs was regenerating completely, muscle fibers knitting together.
Guard 1 (in fear):
"Sir... is this... human?"
Rrnaun:
"Human bodies do not heal like that."
The body took a breath. Very faint... but audible.
Rrnaun moved even closer without changing his expression; for him, this was like examining a wild animal.
But there was something he did not know:
This person... was Lysera and Auren's older sister.
But Rrnaun did not yet know who she was.
Rrnaun lifted the body's cheek with the tip of his sword.
The skin was slowly taking shape, facial features forming.
Rrnaun (whisper-like):
"Who might you be?"
The burnt body suddenly took a deep breath.
Her eyelids fluttered.
The guards retreated.
Rrnaun, however, did not take a single step back.
He was like a child discovering a new toy.
The body was now close to fully healing.
Muscle fibers were merging, wisps of steam drifting over the new skin.
The body was still smoking like a piece of iron pulled from the fire.
She took a deep, cracking breath.
And her eyes opened.
Even with her first breath, the surrounding air vibrated.
A heavy aura spread—not as crushing as before; the Ket Curse was chaining it—but it was enough to make the knees of the surrounding guards tremble.
Guard 2 (stepping back):
"This... this thing is not human!"
The woman slowly sat up.
The skin newly settling on her flesh was still red, but it was slowly normalizing.
She looked at her hands and arms as if weighing herself.
The Woman (to herself, in a low but confident tone):
"Yuria... you were right.
This body... I truly have been reborn, thanks to you."
Rrnaun raised his eyebrows.
He was curious, but his attention was not easily distracted.
Rrnaun:
"So you can speak.
And so you are still alive."
The woman raised her head; her eyes lit up.
She scanned the surroundings.
Flames.
Ashes.
Blood.
And her eyes stopped at one point.
Sira.
On the ground... silent... dead.
The woman's face froze for a moment.
Her reborn body was seen trembling; this trembling was not from power, but from pain.
Her lips twitched.
Breath knotted in her throat.
The Woman (in a broken whisper):
"Sira... my little crow...
What... have they done to you?"
The coldness in her eyes vanished for a moment; a dark mourning settled in its place.
Her fingers trembled, as if to reach out to Sira... but the weight of the Ket Curse seemed to pull her back.
Rrnaun took a step, narrowing his eyes.
Rrnaun:
"You know him, then?
Good. Then stop stalling me.
Tell me who you are now—"
When the woman turned her head to look at him, the expression on her face was the disdain of a ruler.
As if Rrnaun were a mere insect.
The fire in her eyes flared for a moment.
Even if she couldn't use her power, her authority was still within her.
The Woman (with a cold smile):
"Are you questioning me, child?"
Rrnaun's face tightened.
The guards dared not even breathe.
The woman stood up; she didn't even stumble.
As if she had been the owner of this new body for years.
She approached Rrnaun step by step.
With every step, the chains of the Ket Curse crackled, trying to hinder her—but she walked nonetheless.
The Woman:
"You speak without knowing who I am.
How... ignorant."
Rrnaun raised his sword, but the woman showed not the slightest sign of fear.
On the contrary, she smiled.
The Woman:
"Listen then.
I am Devranna, one of the 12 Elders.
Sira and Thalos... were once my loyal servants who carried out my orders."
She tilted her head slightly to the side.
Devranna (with arrogance):
"Now tell me, child...
Who do you really think you can question?"
Rrnaun's expression cracked for the first time.
This woman...
This aura...
These words...
Everything was dangerously familiar.
Rrnaun, the head of the Luxaris guards and one of the most loyal aides to Valerith, who had wiped out everything related to the Elders; despite this, he was seeing an Elder with his own eyes for the first time in his life.