Chapter 13 - CHAPTER 13 – ASHES OF THE FALLEN

The battlefield didn't feel real anymore. The screams were gone, the rift had closed, the sky had returned to its normal color—but the silence left behind was worse than the chaos. Kael knelt on the cracked ground, holding Lyra tightly in his arms, his hands trembling despite how hard he tried to steady them. "…Lyra… hey… wake up…" His voice broke slightly, barely above a whisper, like if he spoke too loudly she would slip further away. There was no response. Her body was light. Too light. Her breathing was faint. Too faint. Blood had dried at the corner of her lips, a thin line that refused to disappear no matter how many times his thumb brushed over it. "…please…" Around them, the others moved like shadows. Mira dragged herself up from the ground, her arm wrapped around her side as she reached Ryden, who was barely conscious. "…hey… idiot… don't die on me," she muttered, trying to keep her voice steady as she pulled him up. Ryden winced, coughing slightly. "…I'm… not going anywhere…" His voice was weak, but he forced a grin. "…not before I beat you in training…" Mira scoffed softly, though her eyes didn't match the sound. "…you wish." Not far from them, one of the surviving teenagers sat on the ground, shaking uncontrollably. His hands clawed at his own hair as tears streamed down his face. "…I don't want to die…" he kept repeating, his voice cracking over and over. "…I don't want to die again… I don't want to see it again…" No one knew what he meant exactly—but everyone understood enough. The scientists arrived quickly, along with Dr. Elara and several others, their expressions tight, controlled, but not untouched. They moved through the field, checking bodies, scanning what remained, confirming what everyone already knew. Some of the fallen weren't even whole anymore. Some had simply… disappeared. "…confirming casualties…" one of them muttered, voice low. "…hybrid signatures lost…" Another added, "…no recovery possible…" Dr. Elara stood still for a moment, her gaze sweeping across the field, lingering for a second longer on where the teammates had fallen. "…collect what remains," she said finally, her voice calm—but colder than usual. "…we return immediately." The transport back was silent. No one spoke. No one had the strength to. Kael never let go of Lyra. Not once. Even when they told him to place her on the stretcher, he hesitated before finally doing so, his hand lingering on hers like he was afraid she would disappear if he let go completely. Mira sat nearby, her head lowered, her fists clenched tightly on her knees. Ryden leaned back against the wall, eyes half-open, breathing uneven but steady enough. The others… some stared blankly, some cried quietly, some just sat there—empty. The funeral was held sooner than anyone expected. There wasn't time to delay it. There never was anymore. The field inside the facility was prepared quickly, rows forming, names being spoken one after another. Teammates. Students. Civilians. Even those whose bodies were incomplete… or missing… were honored. Kael stood beside Mira and Ryden, Lyra absent—still unconscious in the infirmary. The air was heavy. No one looked at each other. When the final name was called, silence fell again. Not respectful. Not peaceful. Just… heavy. "…we didn't just lose people," one of the directors said quietly from behind, during a briefing nearby. "…we lost hybrids as well." Another voice followed, sharper. "…their souls are gone. Completely erased." "…and the D2s…" "…they're evolving." "…faster." "…stronger." "…more aware." No one had a solution. Back in the infirmary, Kael sat beside Lyra again. The machines beside her beeped steadily, the only sound in the room. He leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on his knees, staring at her face. "…you always do this," he said quietly. "…you scare me… then act like it's nothing." No response. "…I don't like this one…" His voice dropped. "…this one feels different." He swallowed. "…I'm scared, Lyra." The words came out before he could stop them. Raw. Honest. "…I don't know what's happening anymore." He reached for her hand again, holding it gently. "…so… wake up, okay?" Silence answered him. Then— *BOOM.* The entire room shook. Kael's head snapped up. Another *BOOM* followed, louder this time, deeper, like something massive had just struck the ground. The door burst open as Mira and Ryden rushed in. "…Kael!" "…are you okay?!" Kael stood immediately. "…what was that?" No one answered. Because outside—chaos had already started again. Scientists ran through the halls, voices overlapping, confusion clear even through their attempts to stay composed. "…the readings are spiking—!" "…this doesn't match any known pattern—!" "…stabilize the system—!" Another *BOOM* shook the facility. The lights flickered. Then steadied. Then flickered again. Kael moved toward the window. And froze. "…what… is that…" The sky above the facility wasn't normal anymore. It wasn't a rift. Not exactly. It was… splitting. Energy twisted unnaturally, like something was forcing its way into existence. And then— She appeared. Floating. High above. Still. Silent. The same girl. The one in the tube. The one who had once been at 35%. But now— She didn't look human anymore. Not completely. Her presence alone bent the air around her. The pressure dropped instantly. Anyone outside felt it. The seniors arrived quickly—Leon, Drake, and the others stepping out, their expressions shifting the moment they saw her. "…no way…" Drake muttered. Leon's eyes narrowed. "…it's her…" One of them stepped forward slightly, voice low but filled with disbelief. "…Astra…" The name echoed. The air trembled. Kael stood frozen. Because for some reason— Looking at her— Felt familiar. Wrong. And terrifying all at once. And somewhere deep inside him— Something responded. Quietly. Like it had been waiting.