Chapter 89: The Aftermath

Chapter 89: The Aftermath

Silvia's POV

The battlefield was eerily silent. The fires still burned, their embers drifting into the dawn sky like fallen stars. The stench of blood, smoke, and death lingered in the air, but the sounds of battle had ceased. Titan's forces were shattered, their leader slain. Victory had been won, but the cost was etched into every broken wall and every fallen soldier.

Silvia stood in the center of the ruined courtyard, her sword still clutched in her hand. She had fought battles before, but none like this. The weight of leadership pressed down on her shoulders, heavier than her armor.

Dragon approached, shifting back into his human form. His dark hair was matted with blood and sweat, his golden eyes filled with exhaustion yet still carrying that mischievous gleam. "We did it."

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "It's over."

Garrik limped toward them, his face smeared with dirt and dried blood. "Barely. We lost too many. But the city stands."

Silvia turned her gaze to the remnants of her people—soldiers tending to the wounded, medics rushing from one fallen comrade to another, citizens emerging from hiding places to survey the damage. The cost of war was never measured just in the bodies of the fallen. It was in the sorrow etched on the faces of the survivors.

Tarren approached, her bow slung over her shoulder. "Scouts report the enemy forces are retreating. What's left of them, anyway. They're scattered, leaderless."

Silvia nodded, feeling the full weight of her exhaustion settle in. "Then we have no time to waste. We rebuild. We heal."

Tending to the Wounded

The makeshift infirmary was overflowing with the injured. Silvia moved from cot to cot, lending a reassuring word to every soldier who had fought for their home. Some would recover, others… others would never rise again. The weight of their sacrifice gnawed at her.

She reached a young soldier, no older than eighteen, who clutched a deep wound on his side. His face was pale, his breaths ragged. He looked up at Silvia, his eyes filled with admiration despite his pain. "Did we win?"

Silvia knelt beside him, gripping his hand. "We did. And you helped make it happen."

The boy managed a weak smile before the healers ushered her aside to tend to him. Nearby, the cries of the wounded echoed through the tent, some filled with pain, others with final breaths. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to move forward, to help where she could, to be strong for those who could not be.

She felt Dragon's presence behind her before he spoke. "You can't save them all."

Silvia exhaled. "I know. But I'll never stop trying."

He studied her, something unreadable in his gaze. "That's why they follow you."

A City in Ruins

The damage to the city was extensive. The outer walls were nearly destroyed, homes had been reduced to rubble, and the streets were littered with remnants of the battle. But the people—those who had fought and survived—had already begun to rebuild.

Blacksmiths worked tirelessly to repair broken weapons and armor. Carpenters began constructing new barricades, reinforcing structures that had barely withstood the assault. Children, despite the horrors they had witnessed, helped gather fallen bricks and supplies, their hands small but determined.

Silvia stood on the balcony of what remained of the command tower, looking over the city. This was not just a victory—it was a beginning. A chance to reshape their future.

Garrik joined her. "We need leadership, Silvia. You've proven yourself. The people look to you now."

She clenched her fists. She hadn't fought for power—she had fought for survival. For the people. And yet, here she was, standing on the precipice of something much bigger than herself.

Dragon leaned against the railing, his smirk returning. "Well, looks like you're in charge now, Queen Earthstar."

She shot him a look, but there was no malice in it. Just exhaustion. Just understanding. "I'm not a queen."

"You might as well be," Tarren added, stepping forward. "The people will follow you."

Silvia looked back at the city, at the people rebuilding their lives despite everything they had lost. They didn't need a queen.

They needed hope.

And she would give it to them.

A Night Under the Stars

Later that evening, they sat atop the repaired watchtower, looking out over the city. Fires flickered below as people settled in for the night, the faint hum of laughter and conversation filling the air.

Dragon shifted closer, his warmth radiating against her shoulder. "You did this," he murmured. "You gave them a future."

Silvia turned to him, her heart swelling with something unfamiliar. "We did this. Together."

He reached for her hand, fingers curling around hers. "Whatever comes next, you won't face it alone."

Silvia hesitated, then leaned into him slightly. It wasn't an act of exhaustion this time, nor of relief—it was a choice. Dragon stilled for a moment, then with a low chuckle, he reached up to brush a stray strand of hair from her face.

"You keep surprising me, Earthstar," he murmured.

She met his gaze, her heartbeat steady despite the closeness. "And you keep proving you're more than just an annoying beast."

He grinned, but the amusement softened as he lifted her chin slightly. "Then let me prove something else."

His lips met hers, slow at first, testing, searching. But as she responded, the kiss deepened, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the weight of the world lifted. There was no battle, no war—just them, in this quiet moment under the stars.

When they finally parted, Dragon smirked. "So, does this mean you finally admit I'm irresistible?"

Silvia rolled her eyes, though her cheeks were warm. "It means I'll let you think that. For now."

He laughed, wrapping an arm around her. "I'll take what I can get."

As they sat together, the city resting below them, Silvia knew one thing with certainty—this was just the beginning of something new, something worth fighting for, something worth living for.