---
He stood there, watching the group. Even though he had saved them, even though he had helped… they could all feel the bone-chilling cold when his gaze fell upon them.
A brutal, merciless being—as if he had lived for hundreds, thousands of years. A warrior who had battled against countless entities, who had survived wars more ferocious than imagination could bear.
Though he was their savior, the pressure that emanated from him was suffocating. Helen felt it most: as if he were the embodiment of power… and vengeance.
No one knew why. And no one dared ask. But they could sense it—hatred burning behind the visor of that helmet. Did he hate them? Then why save them?
The questions echoed endlessly in Helen's mind.
Redknight: Get up, you weaklings! You've lasted longer than I expected.
He opened a portal. White in color—just like the door Sacium had walked through.
Bernie: Hey! Is that the exit?!
Redknight: No. I lack the power to create such a thing. This portal will only lead you back to Level 4.
Bernie: Then why can't you?
Redknight: You were given hope—to grow, to survive, to become stronger. But remember this: your arrogance will only bring you pain… from me.
Bernie tried to say something else, but Rose quickly covered his mouth.
Rose: Forgive him, my lord. My friend is a fool~
Though annoyed, Aaron stayed silent and led the group into the glowing portal to return to Level 4.
Ryan walked into a room and closed the door behind him.
Aaron: Everyone, from now on I'll lead. Rest for now, and we'll move out soon.
Bernie: Follow you? Yeah right. That's just asking to die.
Rose: Harsh, but… agreed~
Linus: For real. We'd be dead in minutes.
Aaron: THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT?! FINE! STAY HERE AND WAIT UNTIL RYAN'S BACK TO NORMAL!!
He stormed off into his room.
"I'm so useless… I can't do anything right… And now my left hand's injured too…"
"I wonder how Ryan's doing… I'm worried."
---
Helen walked slowly toward Ryan's door. Outside, the hallway of Level 4 was bathed in dim golden light. All the noise had faded, replaced by a silence so complete, her footsteps echoed like thoughts in her head.
She knocked gently. No answer. But the door wasn't locked.
Helen: …Ryan? Can I… can I come in?
She pushed the door open and stepped inside. Ryan sat on the edge of the bed, eyes fixed on some invisible point, as if listening to something only he could hear.
Ryan: …Yeah. Come in.
The air in the room was heavy—not with heat or scent, but with unspoken emotions. Helen sat beside him, close enough to hear the weight in his breathing.
Helen: Jesse told me… you argued with Aaron again. Was it about Sacium?
Ryan let out a quiet laugh. But there was no joy in it.
Ryan: When is it not about Sacium? I keep thinking I'm strong. Rational. But the truth is… I'm just a coward afraid of losing the people I care about. Sacium always rushes in first… and I… I stay back, planning, waiting… watching him sacrifice himself.
Helen said nothing. After a while, she gently placed her hand over his.
Helen: Ryan, I used to think… you'd never break. But now I see—you're scared too. You hurt too. And… maybe you need someone. Someone like me.
Ryan turned to look at her. In that moment, his eyes held the entire night sky—silent, deep, and filled with things he'd never dared to say.
Ryan: Helen, you understand me. Maybe better than I understand myself.
Helen smiled. Not out of joy, but because she could finally see the real him—the part he had never shown anyone.
Helen: And you understand me. I was always jealous of Sacium. Not because you admired him… but because I wasn't sure you ever saw me. The shy, quiet Helen… who's always been watching you from afar.
Ryan froze.
Ryan: …I've always seen you, Helen. I just… I was so busy trying to become something I wasn't, I never let myself come close.
They both chuckled softly—tired, but sincere. Their eyes met—not as comrades, but as two lonely souls who'd finally found each other through the cracks in their armor.
Ryan reached out, gently touching her cheek. Helen didn't flinch. The walls between them were gone.
Ryan: Helen… I…
Helen gave a small nod.
Helen: Me too.
And then they kissed—not rushed, not dramatic—but like two people who had been waiting for this moment their entire lives. No longer warriors, no longer bearers of sacrifice—just a boy and a girl, allowing themselves to be vulnerable… just for one night, in the quiet room under the soft light.
Their bodies came together—not out of lust, but from a longing to reach each other's hearts, to hold the wounds no one else could touch.
That night, amidst stifled breaths and whispered truths, they let themselves dissolve in each other's arms. And though the world outside remained chaotic, with entities perhaps lurking nearby—in that moment, in that space, there was only the two of them… and a peace that felt like it had been forgotten for a very long time.
---
................ ................ …A desperate gaze, watching silently…...............................