The hill sloped into the horizon, the city of Viloan glowing in the sunset below. Seven years had passed, and behind them, the open sanctum stood silent: a ring of stone pillars circling empty air, the sky stretching endlessly above. Wind carried the faint scent of incense and burnt crystal from the shrines that dotted the cliffs below.

  Axel sat near the edge, arms draped over his knees, eyes on the fading light of the city.

  Lea dropped beside him, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

  "Didn’t know you were such a dreamer. What’s eating at you?"

  "Yesterday," Axel said. "Listoria."

  Lea snorted. "That old woman with her creepy visions? She nearly put me to sleep."

  A voice came from behind them, calm and low.

  "Careful," Prius said. "Her visions don’t lie. What you saw was real."

  Axel glanced back at him with a half-smile.

  "I still can’t wrap my head around it. You really kept a drop of Giola’s blood from all those years ago?"

  "It wasn’t by choice," Prius replied. "But it’s the reason you saw what you saw."

  Axel leaned back on his hands, watching the city glow.

  "It felt like my whole body got crushed. Like I was actually there. Didn’t stop hurting until this morning."

  "That’s the toll," Prius said quietly. "A day of pain for a glimpse."

  Lea smirked and poked Axel in the side.

  "He’s pretending. Bet if I tap him anywhere, he’ll squeal."

  She jabbed his shoulder. Axel hissed.

  "Okay, fine, I’m still sore. You win."

  Lea laughed, shaking her head. Even Prius allowed himself the faintest smile.

  Then his tone changed, quieter now, almost detached.

  "Pain’s the easy part," he said. "Living through their deaths… it takes something out of you. You won’t see it. You’ll just feel it."

  Axel blinked. The words landed heavier than he wanted to admit. He tapped his chest, over his crystal.

  "If it’s in here, I’ll deal with it. Nothing I can’t handle."

  "You say that now," Prius replied. "Just don’t treat your heart like it’s invincible."

  Axel grinned faintly. "You sound like my mom."

  Lea smiled. "He’s right though. Next time you wake up crying, I’ll remind you."

  Prius crouched, planting his crystal staff into the dirt.

  "Enough talk. Ready to try meditating again?"

  Axel sighed. "The only thing I can do with this body right now."

  "Just don’t snore this time," Lea teased.

  Wind brushed over the grass, bending the flowers that grew among the ruins. The city below hummed quietly but uneasy.

  The streets glowed faintly under violet lamps. Vendors packed up in silence as two figures walked side by side. Giola, crimson coat brushing the cobblestones, and Dragora unreadable.

  "Since that day," Giola said, "I haven’t felt anything close to excitement."

  Dragora didn’t answer. He already knew which day he meant.

  "Tyron," Giola continued, a small grin twisting his face. "That bastard fought like he wanted to take the world with him. I still feel the cuts sometimes"

  "Our job is to keep Solaris compliant," Dragora said evenly. "Nothing more. As long as we do, Ordine pays well."

  "You can’t put a price on certain things, Dragora."

  Giola’s gaze drifted forward, eyes narrowing. "Speaking of which, did you find his little brat?"

  "I did," Dragora said. "Took persuasion, but his name is Axel."

  "Axel," Giola repeated, tasting the name. "Fitting. What about his scores?"

  "Exceptional. Too exceptional. I saw him myself during evaluation, he was holding back."

  Giola smirked. "Think he’ll make a strong opponent?"

  "Hard to say," Dragora replied. "But with Prius training him, his ceiling is… uncertain."

  Giola’s grin sharpened. "Then that’s the best news I’ve heard in years."

  They passed a bakery just as a robber burst out, clutching stolen pies. The crowd froze when Giola appeared in front of him, blade already drawn.

  "What do we have here?" Giola asked.

  The robber dropped the pies, trembling.

  "P-please, sir, I didn’t mean…"

  "I asked what you have there," Giola said, his tone hardening.

  "Some pies," the man stammered.

  "And you bought them?"

  "No, sir, I…"

  Giola tilted his head. "Do you believe in gods?"

  The robber blinked, unsure.

  "Then pray," Giola said softly. "Ask them to save you."

  The man whispered a few broken words, then gasped as Giola’s blade drove through his chest.

  "Guess the gods were busy," Giola said as he pulled the weapon free.

  He wiped the blood on the man’s coat before letting the body drop. The crowd didn’t dare to scream. Somewhere, a child dropped a loaf of bread. A woman stifled a sob. No one moved.

  "Your fixation with gods grows tiresome," Dragora muttered.

  "Why?" Giola replied. "If they cared, they’d intervene."

  He looked down at the corpse, his voice dropping to a cold whisper.

  "Next time he’ll remember to beg the one who actually decides his fate."

  They walked on. Only when they turned the corner did the street exhale, a quiet, collective breath of terror.

  The air around the sanctum hung still. Axel sat cross-legged on the grass, sweat tracing his neck, the dull ache of meditation still burning in his limbs. A faint hum rippled across the horizon, an unnatural heat pressing faintly against his skin.

  Prius opened his eyes. "You felt that just now, didn’t you?"

  Axel exhaled, still facing forward. "That heat coming from the city? Yeah. Hard to miss."

  "Giola," Prius said. "He’s at it again."

  Axel frowned. "He’s unstable. His energy control is nonexistent. I’m shocked he wins fights like that."

  "Just because it’s not the optimal way doesn’t mean it’s ineffective," Prius said. "Tell me, how would you fight him?"

  Axel hesitated. "I’d have no idea how to fight him."

  "That’s what Giola wants," Prius said quietly. "He wins before his opponents get an answer."

  He paused, gaze falling to the dirt between them. "Your father failed to beat him because Giola was the worst opponent for him. Discipline against lack of. Tyron memorized every move; Giola turned to unpredictability."

  Axel stood, brushing the grass from his pants. His eyes drifted toward the tree nearby, where Lea slept in the shade.

  "Would Father forgive me if I didn’t seek revenge?"

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  Prius looked up sharply. "What do you mean? What’s this change of heart?"

  Axel’s voice softened. "I was just thinking… nothing would please me more than killing Giola. But lately, I’ve been realizing I spent all these years training to avenge him, and in doing that, I forgot I also have something to protect now."

  For a heartbeat, Prius froze. The look on Axel’s face mirrored Tyron’s perfectly. He looked away, the memory cutting deep.

  "Well, I’ll be damned," Prius said quietly. "You’re starting to sound like your old man. He always said fighting should be about protecting the ones you care about."

  He stopped. Silence filled the air between them, broken only by the wind.

  Then Prius asked, barely above a whisper, "Do you really believe that’s possible? To protect others while monsters like Giola are still out there?"

  Axel turned toward him, calm but defiant. "Why should I make it my life’s goal to kill people like him? What if I don’t want to become you, or follow your path?"

  Something in Prius cracked. His breath left slow, then came back sharper.

  "Why?" His voice rose. "Let me explain how this world works."

  He stepped closer, eyes burning. "We live in a ruthless world, bound by one law: kill or be killed. Ideals clash every time. Your will to protect others is a beacon to monsters like Giola. You think both of you can exist without crossing each other?"

  His tone broke through the still air. "Then you’re a fool!"

  Axel flinched. The fury in Prius’s voice didn’t sound like anger directed at him, it sounded like grief that had never found a place to go.

  Prius caught himself. His hand trembled slightly before he steadied it. When he spoke again, his tone softened, reluctant.

  "You and Giola are destined to fight," he said quietly. "Your ideals won’t allow otherwise. One of you will die."

  He let out a slow breath. "So tell me, Axel… whose ideals do you want to reshape the world once the fight is over?"

  Axel didn’t answer. His gaze fell, shadow hiding his eyes.

  Prius placed a hand on his shoulder, firm but not unkind. "That’s enough for today. Go get Lea and head home."

  The wind rolled through the open hills, brushing past them both. Axel turned toward the tree where Lea still slept, her hair catching the light. For a brief second, he wished it could stay that way forever.

  The streets glowed under soft amber lamps. Warm light spilled from closing shops, and the air carried the mixed scent of baked bread and cooling metal. Axel and Lea walked side by side, the quiet hum of the city around them.

  "You seem off," Lea said. "What happened while I was asleep?"

  "Just thinking back on what Prius said."

  "See? Good stuff always happens when I sleep."

  "Then stay awake next time."

  They both laughed softly, their voices blending with the evening breeze.

  "Prius… old scars must’ve reopened when I questioned the purpose behind my training," Axel said. "Last time he got like that was our first day together."

  "You told me about it," Lea said. "You don’t even remember what happened, just that he looked on edge."

  "Yeah," Axel replied. "We should probably go meet up with those three."

  A loud voice echoed down the street.

  "I’ve been practicing my new technique! Watch this!"

  "What? No! Don’t you dare, there isn’t enough space here!"

  "Relax, will you?"

  A deafening boom erupted from a nearby store, shaking dust from the awnings. Smoke filled the air, thick with the sharp scent of burnt oil.

  "You imbecile!"

  Lucio stumbled out, coughing hard. "Are you trying to kill us?" He coughed again, waving at the smoke. "Actually… don’t answer that."

  Panic spread through the street. People ran for cover while shopkeepers tried to smother the flames.

  Then a soot-covered figure stepped out behind him, satchel clinking with metallic spheres.

  Felix grinned. "Okay, so maybe I overestimated the ventilation. Just a little. Oops."

  The furious shopkeeper charged forward, the broom raised like a weapon.

  "You’ll pay for this, brat!"

  Felix darted away laughing, but the owner turned his glare on Lucio.

  "You were with him, weren’t you? Get back here!"

  Lucio groaned. "How am I getting dragged into this? I told him not to"

  The owner lunged. Lucio sidestepped, muttering, "Unbelievable." Then he sprinted after Felix.

  From a distance, Axel and Lea watched it all unfold.

  "Looks like we found them," Axel said.

  Lea sighed. "How did I end up surrounded by a bunch of idiots?"

  "Stop pretending. You love us," Axel said. "Besides, it’s usually us putting up with you."

  Ash drifted in the air, the faint smell of smoke clinging to the walls. Felix’s coat was half-burned, his sleeves still warm.

  Axel grinned and broke into a run toward the chaos. Lea rolled her eyes, laughing softly as she chased after him.

  Lucio finally caught up to Felix down a narrow alley.

  "I will end you myself if you pull another stunt like that," he snapped.

  Felix smirked. "Oh, you crybaby, you’re still alive, aren’t you? Still alive to complain."

  He stuck his tongue out, soot streaking his cheek.

  Lucio growled. "That’s it"

  Before he could strike, Axel dropped from above, landing beside them with a sharp thud and a swirl of dust.

  "Always so uptight, Lucio," he said. "Take a breath."

  He folded his arms and turned to Felix, pretending to scold him. "As for you, Felix…" He paused, squinting. Then his entire face lit up. "That was some explosion! New technique?"

  Felix’s grin widened instantly. "Yep! Did you see that? I just overdid it a bit."

  "Do not encourage his behavior," Lucio muttered.

  Lea appeared at the alley entrance, hands on her hips.

  "Help me out here, Lea, these idiots are at it again,"

  "I have to help you? You were there! How did you not stop him?"

  Felix laughed. "He was too busy flirting with the cute waitress."

  Axel and Lea both turned to Lucio.

  "What? No, I was just ordering food before you blew everything up!" Lucio protested.

  Felix grinned. "Sure. Well, she’ll remember you now, made quite the bang."

  "I didn’t make the bang!" Lucio shot back. "And you just ruined any chance of that happening."

  "Ha! Got you. You were flirting," Felix said.

  Lucio raised his hand, energy humming in the air. A translucent blue cube snapped around Felix’s head, cutting off sound.

  "E-Zone, Version 1," Lucio said flatly.

  Felix’s mouth moved furiously, but not a sound escaped. His glare only made it funnier.

  Lea groaned. "Oh, come on. Poor Felix."

  "He’s lucky I’m not using Version 2," Lucio said.

  Axel and Lea burst into laughter. Felix pounded his fists against the invisible field, frustrated but still grinning.

  "Aww, you care about him," Lea teased.

  Axel smirked, glancing down the smoky street. "By the way, where’s Miria?"

  "Last I remember," Lucio said, "she saw some dog limping and went to check on it."

  Felix mumbled something inaudible. Axel laughed.

  "Let’s go find her," Lea said with a sigh.

  Lucio smirked and flicked his hand, undoing the silence.

  Felix took a dramatic inhale. "For someone who claims he doesn’t like laughing, you’ve got a wicked sense of humor, Lucio."

  Lucio raised his hand again, and Felix instantly covered his mouth.

  They walked toward the outskirts of the city. The streets thinned, the noise fading until only wind and the glow of fireflies remained.

  They found Miria kneeling in a small clearing, a faint green aura blooming from her palms as she healed a limping bunny. Cats and dogs sat around her like quiet witnesses.

  "There you are," Lea said gently. "We were worried about you."

  Miria didn’t look up. "You know I can’t watch anyone in pain and do nothing."

  The bunny hopped away, leg whole again.

  "You’ve gotten much better at that," Axel said.

  Miria finally turned, her eyes glowing faintly. "Sit down."

  Axel blinked. "What?"

  Her tone sharpened. "Sit. Let me check your injuries."

  Axel sighed but obeyed, dropping onto the grass. Miria placed her glowing hand near his chest. Her eyelids faded, replaced by faint green circles spinning in her irises.

  She could see inside him: bone, muscle, energy flow, all painted in shifting shades of light. Small fractures lit up like stars. Then she froze.

  Her breath hitched. "Axel… your heart.. your crystal."

  Everyone turned toward her.

  "It has a small tear," she said softly.

  Axel looked down, calm but distant. "Don’t worry, Miria. I’ll be fine."

  "Please don’t push yourself for a few days," she said. "Overworking could make it permanent."

  "You got it, doc," Axel replied. He tried to smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

  They began walking back toward the city, laughter fading into dusk, until a sharp noise cut through the air.

  Up ahead, two soldiers were shoving a homeless man against a wall.

  Lea’s face hardened. She started forward.

  "Lea, wait… not again," Axel warned.

  "Stop it, you brutes! Unhand him!" Lea shouted.

  "And what’s a scrawny brat like you gonna do about it?" one guard sneered.

  Before they could strike, Felix, Lucio, and Axel stepped in front of her.

  "R-Zone!" Lucio yelled.

  A shimmering field flashed, the soldiers’ fists froze mid-swing.

  Axel lunged, striking one soldier. Felix went for the other, and got slammed to the ground instantly.

  "Okay, you’re asking for it," Felix groaned. "Have a taste of my bombs!"

  Lucio and Axel shouted at once, "No, Felix, wait!"

  He threw the bomb anyway. It burst with a loud pop, filling the alley with thick gray smoke. The soldiers collapsed instantly.

  Axel coughed. "Felix… What bomb did you use?"

  "Something safe!" Felix grinned. "A sleeping bomb!"

  "Why would you use…" Axel started, before collapsing mid-sentence.

  Lucio groaned. "You dumb…" and fell beside him.

  Felix blinked once. "Sorry…" Then he dropped too.

  Lea and Miria stood at the edge of the alley, staring at the three unconscious heroes.

  "I refuse to believe these idiots are some of the best prospects from the academy," Lea said flatly.

  Miria tried not to laugh. "I mean, they did beat the soldiers."

  Lea rolled her eyes. "We should just leave them here. Let them get arrested."

  "Lea…" Miria sighed.

  "Ugh, alright," Lea muttered. She knelt beside the homeless man, slipping her bracelet into his hand and placing a few coins beside it. "Never lose hope, okay?"

  The man nodded weakly. Lea smiled before standing.

  "So," she said, glancing at the sleeping trio, "who carries who?"

  Miria sighed. "You take Felix. He’s lighter."

  Lea looked down at him and groaned. "Barely."