For a moment, the world just… stopped.
The chaos, the shouting, even the roaring of Behemoth in the distance—all of it faded into a hollow silence as my gaze locked onto the broken figure lying on the bloodstained earth.
Roda.
Celeste, who had been clutching me only seconds ago, flinched and instinctively let go. She turned—and then she saw. Her body went rigid, her lips parting in disbelief as she stared at Roda's crumpled form.
I took a shaky step forward. Then another. My knees gave out and I collapsed beside her.
"…Roda…"
I reached for her, gently turning her limp body and cradling her head in my lap. Her skin was ice cold, her clothes soaked red. She coughed—a violent, wet sound—and fresh blood spilled from the corners of her lips.
Her face was pale, drained of life, and the light in her eyes was fading by the second.
That's when I noticed it.
