Chapter 66

The ancient ruins cast long shadows in the dying light, their weathered stones telling silent stories of civilizations long forgotten. Kaden rummaged through his bag. His fingers found the small package Mia's mother had given him that morning, and something tightened in his chest. The moment he unwrapped it, the sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies danced through the air, cutting through the perpetual dust and grime of Nethira Prime.

He turned one of the cookies over in his hand, studying the intricate pattern pressed into its surface. Such a simple gesture of care—it reminded him of mornings long past, when his own mother would bake treats for him and Lira. His little sister had been too young to remember their parents, just a toddler when the beast portal had torn their family apart. Six years felt like an eternity and yesterday all at once.