Aftermath

The Defender glided silently through the cold expanse of space, its engines a low and quiet hum. Inside, tension clung to the air like smoke—thick, heavy, and suffocating.

In the dimly lit medical bay, Aika sat curled up on one of the narrow beds, knees pulled tightly to her chest. Her small frame trembled. Tear-filled eyes stared blankly at the wall, hollow and unblinking. The light in her that had once shone so brightly—gone. Shattered by what they'd witnessed.

Kai leaned against the wall nearby, arms crossed. His jaw was tight, breath uneven. Finally, he pressed a shaking hand to his face.

"This can't be real..." he muttered. "It can't be real. It's just... a nightmare. I'll wake up. We'll all wake up."

The lie rang hollow.

Footsteps echoed in the corridor.

Arnik entered, looking like he'd aged five years in a day. His face was drawn, his movements heavy but purposeful. He stepped forward and knelt beside Aika, placing a hand gently on her shoulder.

"Aika..."

His voice was low, steady—barely holding its weight.

But she flinched at his touch.

"Positive?" Her voice was sharp, cracking like thin ice. Her head snapped up, tear-streaked face twisted in anguish. "Did you see what happened?!"

Her words lashed the room.

"People died, Arnik! Families—innocent people… my mom!"

He flinched.

"I don't even know if my family made it out. Mom… Dad… my little brothers. I hope they're alright, but…" She swallowed. "I don't know."

Aika turned her gaze to Rose, who stared at the floor, tail limp and fists clenched.

"I hope they're somewhere safe," Rose whispered.

"I just…" Aika's voice broke again. "…Me too."

Arnik slipped his hand away and sank to one knee, facing her directly. "I don't know how we win," he admitted. "But if we lose hope now... we've already lost. And you…"

He paused, then spoke softer. "You're stronger than this. We all are."

Aika didn't speak. But then she collapsed into him, sobbing, her hands clutching at his jacket. He held her firmly, letting her break.

The door thundered with pounding fists.

"OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR ALREADY!" Rose's voice was raw.

Kai snapped.

"STOP that, Rose! You're just making useless noise!"

The banging stopped.

A beat of silence.

Then her voice came again, sharp. "It's better than standing around acting like this is normal!"

Kai pushed off the wall and stormed toward her, glaring. "You think I haven't lost anything either?! How selfish can you be?"

Rose's mouth opened, but Kai cut her off.

"I lost just as much as you! I'm just not panicking!"

He pointed toward the bed. "Look at Aika! She needs her best friend. That's not me. That's you."

Rose's fists shook. Her legs gave out and she crumpled to the floor, burying her face in her hands.

Kai's anger simmered into something steadier. He crouched beside her. "Be strong. For Aika's sake."

She peeked through her fingers at Aika, still trembling in Arnik's arms. Guilt pierced her.

"I'm sorry," Rose whispered. "I was being selfish."

Kai nodded. "You're not alone. But she needs you."

"I get it…" Rose wiped her tears. "You're right… I just—"

"It's okay to break down," Kai said gently. "Just don't shut us out when you do."

He hesitated, then awkwardly offered a hug.

She slapped his hand. "Don't touch me, four-eyed perv."

Kai blinked. "I was trying to be nice!"

She laughed weakly, wiping her eyes. "And you're awful at it."

Kai huffed. "Well, excuse me."

Arnik sighed. "You two are unbelievable."

Without another word, Rose rushed to Aika and shoved Arnik aside.

"Hey—ow!" Arnik winced as his head hit the wall.

Rose threw her arms around Aika. "I'm so sorry, Aika. We'll get through this. I promise."

Aika stiffened, then melted into her.

Kai crossed his arms. "At least she's doing something useful."

Arnik grumbled, still rubbing his head.

Then Kai looked up.

…Arnik. Why didn't you tell us you were a mutant?"

Arnik froze.

His shoulders dropped. "It's not that I didn't trust you. I just… wasn't ready."

He looked away. "It's about my dad."

Kai frowned. "You mean Andrew? The Baron?"

Arnik's voice was quieter now. "After my mom died, my mutation awakened. I showed him. I thought maybe... maybe he'd see me differently."

He paused. No one interrupted.

"He didn't. He told me never to show it to anyone. That I'd become a target."

He looked down at his hands. "A few days later, he told me I was leaving. No warning. No goodbye. Just gone."

Arnik's jaw clenched.

"I begged him to explain. All he said was: 'You're going to live your life without me.'"

Aika's eyes welled again. Kai looked stunned. Even Rose was quiet.

"Not long after, news came out that I'd died in a car crash." Arnik's voice cracked. "He erased me from his life. After he sent me away, he declared me dead to the whole world."

Kai was speechless.

The med bay doors slid open with a hiss.

Andrew Handerfall stepped in, his presence immediately heavy.

He scanned the room. "So… you all survived."

The air froze.

Arnik's body locked tight. His fists curled.

Andrew's eyes flicked briefly to him. "If you've got something to say, say it."

Arnik stepped forward, fire behind every word.

"Yeah. What the hell just happened? Our Sovereign—he was a demon."

Andrew nodded, calm. "Correct. There's much to explain. Come with me, Arnik."

Arnik didn't move. "NO. Why am I so important?! Why did you hide me?! Why did you abandon me?!"

Andrew's voice didn't rise. "Because if Lionel knew what you were, he'd have killed you long ago."

Arnik's voice dropped. "Then answer this first." He took a step closer, trembling.

"Where is Markus?!"

Andrew's face twitched, just for a second.

He turned to a nearby terminal and typed in a command.

The screen flickered to life.

A containment chamber filled the display. The interior was cold and sterile, lit by harsh white lights. Markus lay strapped to a medical bed, his limbs bound by reinforced restraints. His body jerked violently, muscles straining against the bindings. Blood streaked his face, some dried, some fresh. His golden eyes—once full of fire and stubborn loyalty—now glowed with unrelenting, feral rage.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Markus screamed, his voice raw and ragged. "I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!"

Aika gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Rose recoiled, her tail stiffening. Kai's knuckles turned white as he gripped the frame of the bed. The room was silent except for Markus's muffled screams coming from the speaker.

Arnik stared.

Frozen.