The observatory slowly grew quieter after the discussion about Gandiva ended.
The golden celestial mechanisms overhead continued rotating beneath the open night sky while Vijaya rested calmly in Arin's hands now, its earlier violent resonance fading into something steadier. Controlled. Watching.
But despite the silence filling the chamber, nobody's thoughts were calm anymore.
Too much had been revealed tonight.
The truth about the cycle.
The different versions of Karna.
The first one who escaped.
The System hunting him across timelines.
The Fractured Expanse waiting ahead.
And now—
Gandiva.
Even Riven, who usually found some way to joke through tension, remained unusually quiet while staring absentmindedly toward the observatory floor.
Liora stood beside Arin silently while processing everything herself. Every revelation tonight only made one thing clearer—
their future would not remain peaceful for much longer.
The System was moving now.
The Entity was coming.
And the final fragment of Vijaya waited in a place where reality itself had collapsed.
Elyra quietly studied the group for several moments afterward before finally speaking again.
"You should rest."
Her voice echoed softly through the observatory.
The others immediately looked toward her again.
"The journey ahead will not resemble the previous ones."
Another pause.
"The Fractured Expanse breaks people long before it kills them."
The atmosphere darkened slightly afterward.
"Entering it exhausted would be suicide."
Arin remained silent while listening.
Because deep down—
he already understood she was right.
Even now the final fragment's pulse continued distorting strangely through his mind. It felt unstable. Dangerous. Almost alive in a way the previous fragments never were.
And somewhere beyond all of that—
the Entity was approaching.
The Regent slowly turned toward the observatory exit afterward.
"I'll have rooms prepared for all of you."
Riven immediately exhaled heavily afterward.
"Finally. A kingdom with actual beds."
Selene rolled her eyes slightly.
"That's your main concern after everything we just learned?"
"Yes."
"…fair enough."
Despite everything weighing over them, faint amusement finally returned to the group again for the first time tonight.
Elyra quietly watched them before speaking one final time.
"You are safe here for now."
The phrase for now did not go unnoticed by anyone.
Then slowly—
the Regent left the observatory.
The enormous chamber fell silent again afterward beneath the stars overhead.
For several moments nobody moved.
Then Kael quietly broke the silence.
"…I miss when our biggest problem was getting lost in forests."
"Same," Darin answered immediately.
Riven crossed his arms dramatically afterward.
"Remember when weird dreams were considered dangerous?"
Selene looked toward him flatly.
"We literally fought monsters inside a death maze."
"…yeah but this feels emotionally worse somehow."
That finally earned small laughter from everyone.
Even Arin smiled faintly.
And somehow, after everything revealed tonight, that brief normal moment felt more important than any of them realized.
Because they still remained themselves despite everything.
Still friends.
Still human.
Not merely pieces trapped inside some endless cosmic cycle.
Eventually guards escorted them through the massive temple corridors afterward. The deeper they moved into the kingdom's upper levels, the quieter the atmosphere became again. Ancient halls lined with glowing golden symbols stretched endlessly around them while distant lantern light illuminated the black stone pathways beneath their feet.
The kingdom at night felt strangely peaceful despite everything hidden beneath it.
Eventually the guards stopped before enormous double doors carved with celestial patterns.
When the doors opened—
everyone immediately froze slightly.
The room beyond looked more like an entire residence than simple guest quarters.
Massive windows overlooked the illuminated kingdom below while warm golden light filled the enormous chamber. Several beds lined opposite sides of the room while bookshelves, couches, tables, and even a fireplace occupied the center area. A balcony extended outward overlooking the valley beyond the temple itself.
Riven stared blankly afterward.
"…okay this is definitely royalty-level hospitality."
Aira slowly looked around the room too.
"This place is bigger than some villages."
The guards bowed slightly afterward before leaving silently, closing the doors behind them.
And for the first time since arriving inside the kingdom—
the group was finally alone again.
Silence settled softly through the room afterward while everyone slowly began relaxing slightly now that the tension of the observatory had ended.
Selene immediately dropped herself onto one of the couches dramatically.
"I refuse to think about timelines or cosmic systems for at least one hour."
"Agreed," Kael answered quietly while sitting nearby.
Riven wandered toward the balcony afterward before staring out toward the glowing city below.
"…still can't believe this kingdom actually exists."
Darin stretched slightly afterward.
"At this point I'd believe almost anything honestly."
The others slowly settled around the room while conversation became lighter again.
But Arin remained standing quietly near the windows overlooking the distant night beyond the kingdom.
Vijaya rested against the wall beside him now while moonlight reflected faintly across its black-and-gold surface.
And deep inside himself—
his thoughts remained heavy.
The final fragment.
The Fractured Expanse.
The Entity moving closer.
This journey would be different.
Dangerous in ways the others still didn't fully understand.
Arin slowly lowered his eyes afterward while another realization settled through him.
He could survive it.
Maybe.
But dragging everyone else into a collapsing distortion of space and time itself…
No.
The thought alone already felt wrong.
Liora quietly noticed his expression changing from across the room.
Without saying anything, she slowly walked toward him afterward while the others continued talking nearby.
"…you're thinking too much again."
Arin glanced toward her briefly before looking back toward the city lights outside.
"…probably."
Liora leaned lightly beside the window afterward.
"You always do that when something's bothering you."
A faint silence followed between them.
Then finally—
Arin spoke quietly.
"The journey ahead…"
His gaze remained fixed outside.
"…I should go alone."
The room instantly became silent.
Everyone looked toward him immediately afterward.
Riven blinked once.
"…absolutely not."
Selene crossed her arms instantly.
"That's the dumbest thing you've said all week."
"Which is impressive," Kael added quietly.
Arin sighed softly afterward.
"The Fractured Expanse isn't like the mountain or the maze."
His voice stayed calm.
"Reality itself breaks there."
Another pause.
"If something happens—"
"We know," Aira interrupted immediately.
The atmosphere tightened slightly afterward.
Arin looked toward them carefully now.
"This isn't about trust."
Liora finally stepped directly in front of him afterward before he could continue further.
Then—
without hesitation—
she grabbed him tightly.
Everyone froze slightly.
Liora buried her face against his chest while holding onto him firmly enough that even Arin went still for a moment.
"If you're going…"
Her voice came quieter now.
"…then I'm going too."
Silence filled the room afterward.
Not awkward.
Warm somehow.
Arin slowly looked down toward her while his arms instinctively moved around her shoulders.
"…Liora."
But she didn't let go.
"You already said it yourself."
Another pause.
"If one of us dies…"
Her grip tightened slightly.
"…the other follows."
The room fell quieter afterward.
Because beneath the warmth of the moment, everyone remembered the truth behind their connection again.
Arin slowly exhaled afterward while resting one hand gently against her hair.
"…you really don't make arguments easy."
"Good."
That answer immediately made Riven groan dramatically from across the room.
"Oh my god you two aren't even trying to hide it anymore."
The atmosphere instantly shifted afterward.
Selene smirked slightly.
"He's got a point."
Even Kael looked mildly amused now.
Liora immediately realized everyone was staring afterward and slowly looked up from Arin while her expression turned slightly embarrassed for the first time tonight.
"…ignore them."
Riven pointed dramatically afterward.
"See? That right there. That's exactly what couples say."
"We're doomed," Darin muttered quietly.
The room filled with faint laughter afterward while Liora glared slightly toward the others.
But then suddenly—
Arin spoke again.
Completely calm.
"At least we're honest."
Everyone blinked.
Arin looked toward the group now while one arm still rested loosely around Liora.
"Unlike every single one of you."
Silence.
Then immediate confusion.
Riven frowned slightly.
"…what's that supposed to mean?"
Arin's expression remained completely serious afterward.
"It means we have eyes too."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Selene slowly narrowed her eyes.
"…Arin."
"No seriously."
For the first time in hours, genuine amusement crossed his face properly.
"You all hide your feelings terribly."
The room collectively froze.
Kael immediately looked away suspiciously fast.
Aira crossed her arms defensively.
"…I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes you do."
Riven stared blankly afterward.
"…wait hold on."
Then slowly—
realization hit him.
He pointed dramatically toward the others.
"WAIT ARE WE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW?"
Liora finally laughed softly against Arin's chest afterward while the others immediately started talking over each other.
Selene looked horrified.
"Absolutely not."
Darin looked equally panicked now.
"Why is this becoming a discussion?"
"Because apparently none of you can confess properly," Arin answered calmly.
Kael sighed heavily afterward while rubbing his forehead.
"I hate that he's probably right."
Riven looked betrayed now.
"YOU KNEW TOO?"
The room erupted completely afterward.
And for the first time since learning the truth about the cycle—
they felt normal again.
Just friends sitting together late at night.
Laughing.
Arguing.
Embarrassing each other.
Pretending the future waiting beyond the kingdom walls wasn't terrifying.
Because for tonight—
that fear could wait until morning.