Echoes of Darkness and Hope

Four hours had passed since the confrontation that had nearly jeopardized their mission. In the apartment, Kael leaned heavily against the window frame. His breathing was uneven, and cold sweat dotted his forehead. Lyria, who had been reviewing the Codex with a focused expression, looked up, immediately noticing the change in him.

LYRIA: (worried) "Kael, what's wrong?"

Kael tried to smile, but his body visibly trembled. He took a step forward, but his legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the couch with a strained gasp.

KAEL: (struggling) "This body… it wasn't built to withstand even a fraction of my power."

Lyria quickly approached, her eyes reflecting a mix of concern and anger.

LYRIA: (frustrated) "What did you expect? I told you to use your brain before your powers. We're on Earth, not Solarys. Everything here has a price."

KAEL: (closing his eyes briefly) "I know... but at that moment, there was no other choice. If I hadn't acted, the consequences would have been worse."

Lyria let out a deep sigh, running a hand through her hair. She stared at Kael, now vulnerable—a rare sight.

LYRIA: "How long do you need?"

KAEL: (weakly) "My essence will heal this body, but I need at least a week... maybe more. I can't afford to push it further."

LYRIA: (crossing her arms) "Then the university and those families will be my responsibility this week. Got any brilliant plans before you're completely out of commission?"

Kael tried to straighten up on the couch, his gaze fixed on her.

KAEL: "Keep gaining the trust of the Blackmour, Bauman, and Veltran families. Stay close to Selena, Amelia, and Adrian. They're key, though we don't yet know exactly how. And... be careful. If the Angels have already detected us, it's only a matter of time before something worse appears."

Lyria nodded, though a shadow of doubt crossed her face. Kael rarely admitted weakness, and seeing it firsthand unsettled her more than she cared to admit.

The next morning, students received an official announcement: classes at the university would resume after the conclusion of the kidnapping case. While security would be reinforced, the atmosphere remained heavy with distrust and tension.

Before Lyria left, Kael, lying on the couch, called out to her.

KAEL: "Lyria…"

She turned, already with her bag in hand.

KAEL: "I trust you. Don't overdo it, and make sure they trust you."

LYRIA: (with a faint smile) "I will. Rest and don't do anything reckless while I'm gone."

Kael offered a weak smile and closed his eyes as Lyria left. At the university, students murmured among themselves, still trying to process recent events. Amelia and Selena quickly approached Lyria when they spotted her.

SELENA: "Lyria! Where's Kael? Is he okay?"

LYRIA: (casually) "He's sick. He'll be absent for a week. Nothing serious, he just needs to rest."

AMELIA: (crossing her arms) "Rest? Seems like he's not so invincible after all."

Lyria raised an eyebrow, keeping her expression calm.

LYRIA: "Invincible? He's human, just like you. But unlike most, he knows when to step back and recover."

Amelia fell silent, surprised by the firmness in Lyria's voice, while Selena seemed to reflect on her words.

ADRIAN: (appearing behind them) "And what about you, Lyria? Don't you need a break after everything that happened?"

LYRIA: (with a sarcastic smile) "I rest just enough, Adrian. Unlike some, I don't have time to waste on trivialities."

Adrian let out a nervous laugh while Amelia and Selena exchanged glances.

Meanwhile, in Solarys, darkness continued spreading like a cancer across the shattered world. Darkness, now with a more defined and feminine figure, walked through the ruins of an ancient city. Her footsteps echoed in the silence, and her manic laughter broke the stillness, reverberating through the destroyed buildings.

Before her stood the last bastion of resistance. Ten thousand Solaryan soldiers, along with a few citizens, had formed a perimeter around what little remained of their city. Though fear shone in their eyes, their stances were resolute.

DARKNESS: (with a sinister voice) "Why resist? Your king and generals have abandoned you. Your struggle is futile. Surrender to the darkness… and die."

Darkness' laughter echoed again, causing some soldiers to instinctively step back. But among the crowd, a woman stepped forward.

FEMALE SOLDIER: (yelling) "We won't let you take what's left! We still have hope!"

Darkness tilted her head, her smile widening.

DARKNESS: "Hope? Do you think something so insignificant can save you? I've already won. What's left here is just a spectacle before the end."

Before she could take another step, a soft yet firm voice echoed from the distance.

FEMALE VOICE: "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Darkness slowly turned toward the direction of the voice, her eyes gleaming with a mix of interest and menace, as the soldiers parted, making way for the approaching figure.

TO BE CONTINUED…