Silence came slowly.
Not all at once—but in pieces.
The alarms cut out first, their screams replaced by a dull ringing in the ears. Smoke drifted low across the courtyard, carrying the sharp scent of scorched stone and broken enchantments. The attackers were gone now—driven off or unconscious—but no one moved to celebrate.
Because no one could.
Kaito knelt where he had fallen, one hand pressed against the ground to keep himself upright. His breathing was shallow, uneven. The blue light was gone, but its absence felt worse—like something vital had been ripped out of him.
Blood soaked the front of his shirt.
Too much.
His vision tunneled, edges darkening. Every heartbeat sent pain lancing through his chest, his ribs, his head. His limbs felt distant, numb, like they no longer belonged to him.
He tried to stand.
Failed.
The courtyard swam.
Aria groaned.
The sound barely reached him—but it mattered.
She lay on her side, arm twisted at an unnatural angle, blood streaking her temple. Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused, then slowly found him.
"Kaito…" she rasped.
Relief flashed across her face—then fear.
She saw the blood.
So much blood.
"Kaito, don't—don't move," she whispered, dragging herself forward inch by inch. Every movement sent pain through her body, but she didn't stop.
Around them, the others lay scattered.
Ryo was unconscious, one leg bent wrong, chest rising in shallow, uneven breaths. Mira hadn't moved at all—her hand limp, fingers still curled as if she'd tried to reach someone. Liona lay face down, blood pooling beneath her shoulder.
Dex whimpered softly, crawling closer to Kaito, nudging him with his nose.
Kaito tried to speak.
Nothing came out.
Aria reached him at last and pressed a shaking hand against his chest, trying to slow the bleeding. Her hands slipped, slick and red.
Her breath hitched.
"Oh gods…" she whispered.
Her other hand fumbled at her belt. The communicator crystal was cracked, flickering weakly. Her fingers trembled so badly she nearly dropped it.
"Emergency," she croaked, forcing the words out through pain and panic. "Academy courtyard. Multiple injured. We—we need help now."
The crystal crackled.
"Repeat—signal unstable—"
"Please," Aria whispered, voice breaking. "People are dying."
She pressed the crystal closer, blood smearing across its surface.
There was a pause.
Then: "Units dispatched. Hold on."
Aria let out a broken sob and slumped forward, resting her forehead against Kaito's shoulder.
"Stay with me," she begged him quietly. "Please. Just stay."
Kaito's vision dimmed further.
The night pressed in, heavy and cold.
He had won the fight.
But victory felt distant.
Small.
Fragile.
As darkness crept in, the last thing Kaito felt was Dex curling against him, warm and solid, refusing to let go.
And the last thing Aria saw before her strength finally failed—
Was how close she had come to losing him.