Silence of the Enemy

The sterile smell of the hospital filled the air as the cold fluorescent lights flickered above. Alea's vision blurred in and out, her body heavy and trembling, but she could still feel the firm grip on her arm—the way Ryzen and Kael each held onto her as they rushed through the halls.

"Stay with us, Alea," Ryzen muttered, his voice harsh but layered with concern. She could feel his warmth, but it was distant, like a memory that was fading.

Kael walked ahead, his shadow dark and silent, his eyes narrowed like he was already calculating the next move. Every step was purposeful, like they weren't even in the same moment, their worlds divided by more than just physical space.

Alea's breath hitched as they reached the emergency room. Nurses and doctors flooded in, taking over with practiced efficiency, pushing her onto a gurney, wheels screeching against the floor.

The world felt muffled as they wheeled her away, the last thing she saw being Kael's back turned toward her, his face unreadable, and Ryzen's rigid posture as he stood still, not following.

She was no longer their responsibility.

Inside the sterile room, the cold sheets bit into her skin as the doctor moved swiftly, his hands moving over her body, checking for injuries, speaking in a language Alea couldn't focus on. Her mind was a haze—her body screamed in pain, but she couldn't piece together the truth of what had happened, of how she ended up here.

Outside the room, Ryzen leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his eyes unfocused. He hadn't moved, hadn't even looked at Kael since they'd arrived. The tension in the air was thick—like a storm waiting to break.

Kael stood opposite, staring at the floor, his jaw tight. Neither of them spoke.

They were enemies. Always had been.

And yet, tonight, they both stood in silence, outside the one person who could shatter the fragile peace they both clung to. They didn't need to talk. The weight of everything was too much. The unsaid words—betrayal, guilt, anger—hung between them like a blade waiting to fall.

And neither of them knew what to do.