Scene 1: A Bond in Silence
The room was dim, lit only by the soft green pulse of the life monitors and the golden hue of the setting sun bleeding in through the hospital blinds. Marcus sat beside Lyra's hospital bed, his elbows on his knees, fingers interlocked. His usually calm demeanor had frayed after days of waiting. She still hadn't woken.
He reached forward slowly, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. Her face was serene—peaceful even—but too still. It gnawed at him.
"I don't know if you can hear me," he murmured, voice barely above a whisper. "But I needed you to know the truth. All of it."
And so he told her. About his lineage, the Obsidian Citadel, the monstrous expectations of Lord Leonard, the undercover mission... everything. The words spilled from him like a tide that had waited far too long. He admitted his uncertainty, his anger, and finally, his feelings.
"I didn't expect to care. I didn't expect you," he whispered. "You looked at me like I was just a boy… not a prince, not a spy. Just me. And now, I don't care about the mission. I care about you."
He leaned closer, pressing his lips gently to her forehead. Then, despite every logical restraint in his body, he kissed her—softly, reverently—on the lips.
And then he heard it.
"That's not fair, you know…"
Marcus froze, heart racing. It wasn't audible. It was inside his head.
He looked at her. Still unconscious… but her expression had changed.
"You're lucky I like you too, Thorne."
"Lyra?" he whispered, voice cracking.
Her lips didn't move, but her mind did. "I heard every word. You talk a lot when you think no one's listening."
Relief, disbelief, and something dangerously close to joy rushed through him. "You're in my head."
"You kissed me first," she said teasingly, her telepathic voice warm but weak. "So I guess I get to do this…"
And suddenly, images flooded Marcus' mind—her perspective of him from their first accidental meeting, the moment she bumped into him, the strange pull she felt, and how she'd been watching him from afar. The laughter he gave when Jax poked fun at him, the way he quietly absorbed every lesson. She had been fascinated… long before the coma.
They stayed like that—minds entwined in a new kind of closeness, their thoughts vulnerable and open.
"I'm scared," he finally admitted.
"Me too," she replied. "But you're not alone anymore."
And then, even while still unconscious, Lyra's ears turned red. She pouted faintly.
"I swear if you ever kiss me without warning again, Marcus Thorne, I will drop a whole building on you."
He laughed. For the first time in days, he laughed.
---
Scene 2: The Hilltop Promise
The sun was dipping below the skyline, painting the sky in streaks of gold, orange, and indigo. On a quiet hilltop overlooking the river, Katherine sat with Jeremiah, her head resting against his chest. He held her gently, arms wrapped around her, his chin nestled against her hair.
"I used to come here with my mom when I was little," Katherine said softly. "We'd sit and just… dream."
Jeremiah smiled, rubbing his thumb along her shoulder. "What did you dream about?"
"Flying. Being a hero. Changing the world. I didn't think the world would actually need changing this badly."
"It always needed people like you," he murmured. "It just… took too long to notice."
She tilted her head to look at him, eyes catching the light of the setting sun. "You think I'm meant for this?"
"I know you are," he said.
Then, without a word, he shifted beside her, reaching into his jacket pocket. Her brow furrowed—until he knelt down on one knee.
"Jeremiah—" she started, eyes wide.
"When all of this is over," he said, voice trembling just enough to betray his nerves, "Katherine Vance… I want a life with you. Not just battles and drills. A life. One where we can watch sunrises without worrying about war. Where we can be free."
He opened his palm. In it was a thin silver ring engraved with tiny, crystalline filigree. "Will you marry me?"
She gasped, hands flying to her mouth. Her heart fluttered like never before. "Jeremiah…"
He grinned nervously. "Is that a yes or are you preparing to throw me off the hill?"
She laughed, eyes glistening. "Yes. Yes!"
They kissed—slow and deep—before she threw her arms around him, the ring already slipping onto her finger. It wasn't just a proposal. It was a promise.
---
Scene 3: Food, Fire, and Friendship
Cheers erupted from behind them. Katherine turned to see Caleb and Leo standing a few paces away, grinning ear to ear.
"About damn time!" Caleb shouted, his arms crossed with pride.
Leo waved, hauling a wicker picnic basket in one hand. "Sorry we're late. I had to stop Caleb from burning the kitchen down."
"I only charred it slightly," Caleb said, mock-offended. "Anyway, Kat, I'm proud of you."
She smiled, cheeks still flushed. "For saying yes?"
"No," he replied, "for finding your center. For choosing your own path. You're not just powerful, you're purposeful. That's the Katherine I always believed in."
Then he turned to Jeremiah. "You—" he poked a finger into his chest "—if you hurt her, I swear I'll burn you alive."
Jeremiah raised both hands, laughing. "Duly noted."
They all sat in the soft grass, the picnic blanket laid out under the open sky. Sandwiches, pastries, and fruit were shared. Laughter danced in the evening air. For a moment, they weren't heroes or fighters. They were just friends. A small family formed in fire.
Katherine glanced at the ring on her finger, then at Jeremiah. Her heart was full.
---
Scene 4: The Crown of War
But elsewhere… on the edge of oblivion, war was stirring.
In the heart of the Obsidian Citadel, Veronica stood before an elite legion of soldiers. Their monstrous forms shimmered under dim starlight, their loyalty absolute.
"Earth has grown too bold," she said, her voice sharp and clear. "My brother has lost his way. But we will not falter."
A roar rose from the ranks.
She paced along the elevated platform, eyes gleaming with cruel fire. "The humans dare stand against us. Let them. Their cities will crumble. Their alliances will break. Their Sentinels will burn."
The air thrummed with anticipation. She raised a hand, then clenched her fist.
"I will lead this charge myself. And when we raze their defenses, when I hold their champions in chains, I will take my rightful place."
She turned, the red glow of the war banners illuminating her face.
"If I conquer Earth… Father will name me his heir."
She stepped forward, her cloak snapping behind her like thunder.
"And I will become Empress of the Obsidians."
The soldiers roared in unison, their war cry shaking the walls of the Citadel. War drums began to beat. The invasion… had begun again.