The night air was brisk and thin, brushing through the group like a whisper of something waiting to happen. A cool breeze rustled loose jackets and tousled hair, the city's distant hum floating beneath them like static.
Nina stood at the edge of the rooftop, backlit by the silver wash of the moon. Her hands rested on her hips, a grin tugging at her lips like she was about to unveil a prank. The team stood loosely gathered around her, some seated on the low stone lip of the building, others leaning against rusted pipes and HVAC units still ticking with leftover heat from the day.
"Alrighty," she said, clapping once, her voice cutting through the night. "Let's get down to the secret stuff."
Arthur raised an eyebrow, arms folded across his chest. Elowen adjusted the strap on her satchel with a quiet rustle. Clyde sat cross-legged on a steel grate, fiddling with something that looked suspiciously like a homemade signal jammer. Milo balanced behind them, precariously perched on a box of empty crates.
"We're splitting into two teams. Arthur, Elowen, Clyde, Milo—you're with me. We're heading downtown. The rest of you—Reid, Sosuke, Rin, Lyra—go north. Scope out anything suspicious. Look like tourists. Don't act like spies."
Sosuke gave a lazy thumbs-up, leaning against a rusted exhaust pipe. Reid saluted with exaggerated flair. Rin didn't bother responding—she was already halfway to the stairs.
Nina turned to the horizon, eyes gleaming. "Let's stir the pot a little."
⸻
The moon had climbed high and bloated, and the entire district below seemed dipped in silver-blue light. Neon signs flickered here and there, but most windows were shuttered and the streets eerily quiet. A low buzz of insects filled the air between pauses in the wind.
Sosuke sat with one leg stretched out and the other tucked in, his back resting against a raised vent. His binoculars dangled from one hand, a faint clatter as they tapped the roof. Reid lay flat beside him, arms behind his head, legs crossed like he was cloud-watching.
"Why do you think there's even a curfew?" Reid asked, squinting up at the stars.
Sosuke shrugged without looking at him. "Control. People are easier to handle when they're afraid. Sterling thrives on that."
"Sounds like a lovely guy. Ever met him?"
Sosuke hesitated. His gaze drifted toward the skyline, eyes shadowed. "Sort of. It was one of his clones. Sent it just to tell me something… personal."
Reid caught the shift in his tone and sat up slightly, brows creasing. "That must've been around the time with—ah. Yeah. Sorry, man."
Silence stretched. Then:
"Can I ask you something?"
"You already did," Sosuke muttered.
"Okay, another thing. What's the deal with you and Rin?" Reid asked, turning with a sly smile. "I mean, I've seen you two. You've got that… tension."
Sosuke stiffened and grabbed the binoculars again, holding them to his eyes a little too fast. "There's nothing going on."
Reid leaned closer, his grin widening. "Oh come on. You think I can't feel it? It's in the air when you two talk. Crackling tension. And don't think I haven't noticed Isabelle either."
"You're asking too many questions," Sosuke said, voice tight. "And if you're asking if it's romantic with either of them… it's not. It's complicated."
"I've got time," Reid said, chin in his hands, clearly enjoying himself.
Sosuke wiped his forehead, feeling a single drop of sweat trail down his temple. "N-no, we're on duty. We should be focusing."
"You want to talk about it though." Reid nudged him with an elbow. "Just say the word and I'll shut up. But you won't. You want to spill."
A sound below—footsteps echoing against cobblestone.
Sosuke immediately pressed a finger to his lips and gestured for Reid to crawl forward. They slithered across the rooftop silently and peered over the edge.
Down below, three soldiers stood in a narrow alley lit by a flickering streetlight. One of them lit a cigarette, the flame briefly illuminating his tired face.
"I'm so done with this," the man grumbled, voice muffled slightly by the wind. "I've got a family I haven't seen awake in days."
"Just chill," said another. "Tomorrow's the last day."
"Yeah," the first one scoffed, exhaling smoke, "until we get moved to the damn shipping yards. For a month. Over some stupid weapons."
The third one, older and quiet till now, finally spoke. "You enlisted. No one forced you."
"Oh, shut up. You think I had options? It's this or rotting in the slums. At least this gets food on my table."
Sosuke pulled back, his breath fogging faintly in the cold air. "We need to tell the others."
"About the weapons?" Reid asked, voice low. "You think they're moving them out?"
Sosuke gave him a look. "Was that not obvious? If they're placing extra security at the port, something's already there. We'll need to intercept before the shipment disappears."
Reid sat back and rubbed his jaw. "So we destroy the weapons, disrupt their supply line… maybe wreck the whole damn place?"
Sosuke nodded slowly, the city's cold wind pressing against his coat. "Exactly."
Reid grinned. "Now that's more like it."
———
A pale sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the rooftop. The wind had a bite to it, whistling between concrete and rusted metal. Nina stood at the center of the group again, bouncing slightly on her heels as she paced in a small circle.
"I found out that two different locations are stockpiling weapons," she announced, practically vibrating with excitement. "I'm actually getting a little excited." She let out a small squeal, eyes sparkling. "Same teams as last time—we split and take down both."
She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a rolled-up paper, flinging it toward Sosuke. "Here's the map. Don't get lost, alright?" she called out, already halfway across the rooftop. With a graceful leap, she disappeared onto the next building like a fox vanishing into snow.
⸻
Thick woods muffled the sounds of the world. The sky peeked between dense branches overhead, dappling the path with light. Dirt crunched under boots. A thin stream ran nearby, and the occasional bird call broke through the silence.
Sosuke walked at the front, map in hand, his other arm swaying with each stride. Reid jogged up beside him, brushing twigs off his jacket.
"Hey, man," Reid said, elbowing him. "Remember when you told me things were complicated with both of them? Yeah… I feel it now. That tension's real."
"I-I uh… well…" Sosuke stammered, eyes darting away. "If I talk to either of them about it, it'll just get more awkward. What if they figure something out?"
Reid raised a brow. "Hold on. Are you saying you're into both of them? Dude." He chuckled in disbelief. "You're cruisin' for chaos. You better figure out who matters more before this turns into a trainwreck."
"Noted," Sosuke muttered, rubbing his eyes with one hand. "I just—I don't know what to do."
Reid let the silence settle for a moment, then tilted his head. "Why?"
Sosuke exhaled, slow. "For a long time, I thought Rin was the one. She just… made sense. But when Isabelle showed up, it was during one of my lowest points. She's been there, y'know? Helping me feel better when Rin didn't."
Reid's grin faded. He stared at the trail. "Damn. She really left you hanging like that?"
"I don't know," Sosuke admitted. "Maybe I was throwing too much on her. Maybe it's on me."
Reid gave him a firm slap on the back. "Hey, don't beat yourself up. We all mess up. You're human. That's part of it."
Sosuke glanced at the map, eyes narrowing at the terrain. "We're about thirty minutes out!" he called behind him.
⸻
Leaves brushed their arms as the path narrowed. Lyra walked just ahead of the two girls, glancing sideways.
"You've been awfully quiet," she said to Rin. "Something on your mind?"
Rin looked up slowly. "Something just feels… off."
"You ever talk to that other girl yet? Isabelle?"
Rin shook her head. "Not once. She's always close to Sosuke, though."
Lyra raised a brow. "That bother you?"
Rin's brow furrowed. "A little, yeah. I mean, it's not like we're… anything. But still." She sighed. "It just gets under my skin."
Lyra shot her a pointed look. "So when are you going to tell him how you feel?"
"I don't know," Rin said, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "It never feels like the right time. We're always in the middle of something. Fighting, running, planning. It's not… normal."
Lyra folded her arms. "Is it ever gonna be the right time with you?"
Rin didn't answer.
"You not sure how you feel, or are you just scared?"
"I just want things to settle. Maybe once we're home, I can think clearly."
Lyra's gaze lingered. "Isabelle's not waiting. I saw her go to his room one night."
"What?" Rin's head snapped toward her.
"You don't have forever, Rin. If you wait too long, he might already be gone."
Before Rin could respond, Sosuke came to a stop ahead of them.
"We're approaching the target," he said quietly. He unrolled the map and knelt, laying it across a flat rock. His finger pressed against a red X. "We're no more than a kilometer out. The plan is to locate the shipments and destroy them. If we can avoid combat, we will. These weapons… they're dangerous. Even for us."
Reid crouched down beside him, whistling low. "Crazy how this new tech can give us a run. We've taken down monsters, gods, and now it's guns that got us cautious?"
Lyra stepped forward, gaze sharp. "All the more reason to move quick."
⸻
As they crested the final hill, the trees thinned, revealing a break in the land.
Below, nestled between sharp cliffs and old shipping crates, the port sprawled out like a forgotten scar. Stone walls ringed the site, guarded towers stationed at each corner. Soldiers moved in shifts, some unloading crates, others inspecting sealed cargo.
The team dropped low behind the ridge, hidden in the brush. The scent of oil and saltwater drifted on the wind. Somewhere nearby, metal groaned under weight.
"Let's split up. Reid, come with me to the building. You three—check the crates," Sosuke ordered, his voice clipped and urgent.
They all nodded. No questions.
Sosuke and Reid moved low through the shadows of the compound, weaving between stacked crates glowing faintly with enchantment seals and magic-fueled lanterns nailed to rusting poles. Arcs of blue mana pulsed through narrow copper channels along the ground—supply veins for the weapon stations. Footsteps echoed distantly, armored boots scraping stone.
They ducked behind a mana generator buzzing with faint static, then slipped past two patrolling soldiers whose weapons glowed faintly at the barrel. Sosuke kept his breathing measured, every sense sharp.
Inside the building, the air was thick with the metallic tang of raw ether. A lone officer stood in front of a cluttered desk, hunched over parchment and mana-inscribed schematics.
Reid moved fast—an arm around the officer's neck, the other hand muffling his mouth. The man struggled, but only for a second.
Sosuke scanned the documents, eyes darting line to line. Weapon transports. Mana conversion nodes. Schedules. Coordinates.
"There's stuff about other locations too…" he muttered, half to himself.
Then the door behind them slammed open. Hard.
Mana rifles were drawn, humming with violent potential. Half a dozen guards entered, weapons aimed steady. Reid turned, dragging the officer into view as a makeshift shield. Sosuke raised both hands slowly, tension coiled through his spine.
A man stepped forward, robed in white with thin armor plates beneath—barely thicker than leather. The Astorian crest gleamed over his chest. He walked with calm precision, stopping just short of the threshold.
"We wouldn't want you discovering the secrets to our technology so quickly," he said. A sigh escaped his helmet. "Peace is not easily attained. Some sacrifices have to be made, unfortunately."
"Who are you?!" Reid barked. "Are you an imperial knight? And how did you know?!"
The knight raised both hands in mock surrender, voice calm and practiced. "I am one of many imperial knights within Astoria's military." His gauntlet moved behind his head, releasing a mana lock. A hiss followed, and his helmet loosened.
Messy platinum hair spilled free, catching the lantern light. "Keeper of Peace, Yuri," he introduced himself. "I do not wish to fight the two of you. It's in my best interest to keep you alive." He returned the helmet to his head. A quiet latch sealed it in place.
"I don't believe you!" Reid snapped. "You'll kill us the second I let go of this man!"
"There's no need for this… anger." Yuri turned smoothly, boot scraping the floor. "I shall give you two the space necessary to relax."
He walked out without looking back.
"Sosuke, what do we do?" Reid asked, still holding the officer. No answer. "Sosuke?"
Reid turned—Sosuke hadn't moved. His eyes were wide, his breaths shallow. His hands trembled.
Too close. Too close. I'll end up in a cage again. I can't go back!
His body locked up. Panic surged through him like a drowning tide. His throat tightened. He couldn't breathe. The walls felt closer. The light too dim.
His fists clenched, nails carving red into his palms. Then, with a broken scream—raw, sharp, painful—Sosuke lost control.
Lightning exploded from his body in a violent arc. The building's interior cracked and blackened from the surge. Mana-charged lamps burst. The guards shouted, trying to retreat, but the storm overtook them too fast.
They fired their weapons—mana rounds whistling toward him—but the lightning vaporized them mid-air.
Reid threw up his arm, layering his skin with mana reinforcement. He shoved the hostage forward as cover. Still, the blast singed the air, blistering his sleeve. He grit his teeth.
The lightning ebbed. Sosuke collapsed to his knees, gasping, staring at his hands—burnt, bloodstained, shaking. Visions of corpses flickered in his mind, fast and violent. His pulse thundered in his ears.
"Sosuke!" Reid limped to him, crouched down. "Are you okay?!" He grabbed Sosuke by the shoulders and shook him. "Snap out of it! We have to move—now, or everyone dies!"
Sosuke lifted his head. His eyes met Reid's. Wet lines traced down his face. One hand rose to his scarred eye.
"What did I do?" he whispered, almost inaudible.
"You saved my life, alright?! Let's go!" Reid shouted, urgency lacing his voice.
"This is all my fault…" Sosuke muttered. He shoved Reid back and staggered to his feet. "These people could've made it out alive! I'm a monster! A murderer who feels no guilt—why do I feel like they deserved it?!"
He backed up until he hit the desk. Shame surged through his chest like bile.
My desire for revenge has caused nothing but harm…
Reid stepped forward, grabbed his arm. "You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and face what's really causing this! For now—you help me save the team."
He pulled Sosuke with him, and they rushed outside.
⸻
Lyra, Rin, and Isabelle ducked behind crates as mana bullets tore through wood and metal. Sparks flew with every hit.
Lyra clutched her head in frustration. "I knew it! I knew it! It had to be Nina's ID! She said they were already on alert—and she came back with the same goddamn pass!" She stood, conjuring a curved blade of mana shielding. "They know we're in Astoria."
"Sosuke…" Isabelle whispered.
"These crates won't hold forever!" Rin shouted. "The energy from the shots—if it overloads the enchantments—they'll explode!"
Suddenly, a crash thundered from the watchtower. The gunfire paused. Then redirected.
Reid moved through the upper level like a storm. He twisted one soldier's arm until bone snapped, then crushed the mana rifle beneath his heel. Another tried to aim—Reid spun, grabbed the rifle, drove a punch into his chest. The soldier flew through a window, his body crumpling on impact.
"No one is going to harm the people I care about."
Sosuke sprinted below, lightning sparking at his heels. "Come on!" he shouted. The girls followed without hesitation, breaking cover. They sprinted toward the exit. Reid leapt down and joined them.
"We're almost there!" he called.
Then—a flash of golden light carved through the air. A wall of radiant energy formed, solid and blinding. Sosuke was trapped on the other side.
Yuri stepped forward from the haze, one hand resting casually on the hilt at his waist. His sword—just a hilt now—sat idle. A crossguard shimmered faintly with magical runes.
Yuri shook his head slowly. "No one had to die, remember? But now, the only way to restore peace is to balance what was lost." His fingers wrapped around the hilt. "Killing you, Estrella… is the weight your lives have drawn."
With a breath, Yuri activated his light technique. A blade of pure radiance extended outward with a soft hum, forming from the guard to full length. Its edge pulsed with golden energy.
"Stop…" Sosuke muttered.
"You're in no position to fight me," Yuri said, voice calm, sure. "Your strength is fading. Your resolve—fractured. Make this easy. It's only a fair price for what you've done."
Sosuke couldn't reply. His legs felt numb. His chest heaved.
His hand drifted to his chest, clutching his clothes near his heart.
When did I grow so weak to fear? I used to burn with revenge. Now… it's gone. Without my star eyes, without the strength they gave me, I'm helpless. Empty.
But that's the truth. That revenge—was empty. All it brought was pain. If I lose myself to it now… if I kill again just to survive…
I won't grow. I'll stay that monster.
No more.
A sharp pulse struck deep inside his skull—like thunder behind his eyes.
Then—
Lightning cracked.
Not from his hands. Not from the sky.
From his eyes.
His scarred eye—shut for weeks—began to force itself open. Blue lightning danced across his iris, fracturing through the surface like a storm behind glass. The other eye blazed just as bright.