The Silent Burden

Location: Gaia HQ – Medical Wing, East Tower

The cold lights of the medical bay flickered with a steady hum as Hikari stood beside a stasis pod. Within it lay a young knight—barely 17, his body riddled with corruption burns from a failed Abyss encounter.

He was one of the trainees from Unit Delta.

She clenched her fist.

"He was smiling before the mission," she murmured. "He thought it would be his first real chance to prove himself."

Eun-Ha entered behind her, footsteps silent. Her serene aura, as always, was calming—but tonight it carried weight.

"You blame yourself," Eun-Ha said.

"I do." Hikari turned, her gaze hollow. "I led that mission."

"The Abyss adapts. None of us could've predicted a Rank 3 showing up at the breach."

"But I froze. Just like before."

Eun-Ha reached forward and gently touched her shoulder.

"Then learn from it. Not to punish yourself—but to protect better next time."

"I'm afraid if I get too close to anyone… they'll get hurt."

"And if you don't, they'll still get hurt. The question is whether you'll be there to shield them when it happens."

The silence hung, heavy but grounding.

Location: Gaia HQ – Central Command War Room

Meanwhile, Thea and Astron stood over the digital map as breach activity indicators pulsed violently in the northern quadrant of Eurasia.

"The Abyss patterns are growing more erratic," Astron muttered, shadow flickering under his eyes.

"And the Orion generals have begun moving under its cover. It's no coincidence." Thea traced a line toward the area near Kazakhstan. "Valtros Ir and Ygra Telan were both spotted near this Rift two weeks ago."

"They're testing our limits."

"Or preparing to break them."

Below, Cyg reviewed the strategic deployments, eyes shifting rapidly across screens.

Sylvia approached with her arms crossed, watching his hyper-processing mode kick in.

"Don't overthink, Commander Icecube."

"That's rich, coming from Miss Overanalyze."

She smirked. "Still. You're not the only one in this war. We'll hold together, like we always do."

Cyg looked up, meeting her gaze. "...I hope so."

Location: Hikari's Training Grounds – Late Evening

Sanguira hummed quietly in her hands. Hikari sat cross-legged, meditating under the ether lanterns that swayed in the wind.

The scythe was calm—too calm. It hadn't stirred since the mission three days ago.

"Are you sleeping again?" she whispered to it. "Or just waiting for me to fall apart?"

"Maybe it's waiting for you to trust it," came a voice behind her.

Cyg.

He stepped forward, wearing his training gear, Aetheron slung behind his back in blade form.

"Your artifact—Sanguira—it responds to emotion, doesn't it?"

She nodded slowly. "When I'm calm, it's steady. But when I lose control…"

"It takes over," Cyg finished. "That's how it was for me, too. At first."

He took a seat beside her. The air was cool between them, but not cold.

"Do you ever think of stopping? Leaving all of this behind?" she asked.

"No." He paused. "But sometimes… I wonder what I'd be if I didn't have to keep pretending I don't care."

She turned to him, surprised.

"You pretend?"

"More than I should." He gave her the faintest smile. "But I don't want to make that mistake with you."

Her heart skipped.

"Why me?"

"Because when you cry… you make silence feel loud."

She said nothing at first. Just stared at him, eyes wide, touched by something tender and unfamiliar.

"Then maybe… I'll let you stay beside me a while longer."

They sat together under the lights, two broken pieces learning how to mend without shattering.

Location: Gaia Archives – Deeper Sector

Elsewhere, Mia and Charlotte snuck into the restricted section, searching for older records on Sanguira.

"I told you this was off-limits," Charlotte whispered, adjusting her goggles.

"And I told you she needs our help," Mia insisted, levitating her grimoire. "If that artifact is a Vampire's Vessel… we need to know everything."

"Let's make it quick. If Thea catches us—"

"She won't. Not tonight."

The lights flickered ominously as a file glowed red.

"Here," Mia gasped. "Sanguira… forged in the Crimson Eclipse War… last wielder: Ayane Synthesis—deceased in Divine Assimilation."

Charlotte's eyes widened.

"Divine Assimilation... killed her?"

"No. She died fighting herself."

Closing Scene: Hikari's Room – Midnight

The revelation came hours later. Mia handed the document to Hikari in silence.

As she read, tears formed—not of sorrow, but of recognition.

"She died… because she couldn't reconcile the power inside."

"You don't have to be her," Mia said, placing a hand over hers. "You have us."

Hikari nodded slowly. She turned to Sanguira, gripping the scythe with renewed steadiness.

"Then I'll fight it. Not alone this time."

Her eyes glinted—tired, but full of fragile, blooming light.