The city of Exohorizon, once vibrating with the chaos of the Grand Finals, had begun to settle. The streets, which had been flooded with roaring crowds just hours ago, now returned to their normal rhythm. The colossal holographic screens still flickered with highlights of the championship—Blaze's final battle replaying for anyone who dared to relive it.
Even as life moved forward, the echoes of the past still lingered.
The morning sun filtered through the transparent glass of Serena's room, casting a warm golden glow over her face. Her breath was slow, steady—still caught in the remnants of sleep. Instinctively, her hand reached across the bed, searching for warmth.
Her fingers met only cold emptiness.
A flicker of confusion passed through her half-conscious mind. Where is he?
A soft sigh escaped her lips.
"He probably went for training…" she murmured groggily, stretching her arms. "...even after he promised me we'd talk about marriage."
The thought made her smile—just a little.
Pushing away the faint unease creeping into her chest, she ran a hand through her hair, brushing off her lingering doubts.
"He'll come back. He always does."
Stepping into the shower, the cold water jolted her awake, momentarily silencing the nagging feeling growing inside her. After freshening up, she slipped into a light outfit, pulled on her boots, and made a decision.
She'd go to the spacehub—that's where she'd find him.
She always did.
The Diamond Spacehub was alive with morning energy. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and warm bread filled the air as people gathered at the Diamond Restaurant, enjoying their breakfast. Above them, the massive holographic screens continued replaying the Grand Finals.
Serena walked in, rolling her shoulders, her eyes immediately scanning the crowd.
Then she saw them.
Jasper, Dante, Flame, and Talon sat at their usual table, laughing softly as they watched the final match highlights—reliving the battle as if Blaze hadn't fallen apart before their eyes.
Her stomach twisted.
But Blaze wasn't there.
Her steps slowed. She swallowed hard. That's… strange. Blaze never missed breakfast, not after training. And he always trained.
Something felt wrong.
Pushing away the discomfort curling in her gut, she approached them with a forced smile.
"Hey, guys…" Serena slid into the seat next to Jasper. "Did anyone see Blaze this morning? Is he still training?"
Dante glanced up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Nah, didn't see him. Talon and I were training since early morning. No sign of him there either."
Her heart skipped a beat.
"What…?"
Jasper leaned back, his tone casual. "Don't worry, Serena. He's probably still in his room resting."
Serena nodded quickly, forcing herself to believe it. "Yeah… probably."
But inside, her chest tightened. Something was wrong.
The conversation drifted to future tournaments, but Serena barely heard them.
Her thoughts spiraled.
"Where is he?"
"Why didn't he tell me he was going out?"
"He promised me last night…"
"Calm down, Serena." she scolded herself, "You're overthinking."
But was she?
Flame's voice suddenly cut through her thoughts.
"Brother Jasper, when will we leave for the Emerald Spacehub for the next championship?"
Jasper chuckled. "Your brother is coming today to take you home. You'll stay here until then."
Dante turned to Serena. "By the way, ask Blaze if he's interested in joining the Emerald Championship. We're moving out today for it."
Serena swallowed. Her throat was dry.
"Y-yeah… I'll ask him."
Her fingers gripped the edge of the table. The unsettling feeling refused to leave her.
Something wasn't right.
Blaze was nowhere to be found.
And for the first time in her life… she wasn't sure if he would come back.
"I'm going to check his room."
Serena's voice was steady, but inside, she was unraveling.
Her feet carried her swiftly down the corridor, but with each step, the dread in her veins deepened. Something felt wrong—horribly, irrevocably wrong—and no matter how much she tried to rationalize it, the feeling only grew stronger.
By the time she reached Blaze's room, her breath was uneven, her heart hammering against her ribs. The door slid open with a soft hiss.
And what she saw made her stomach drop.
The room was… empty.
Her eyes darted around.
The bed? Untouched.
His training gear? Gone.
His sister Rose and Bolt? Nowhere in sight.
Her throat tightened painfully.
"He's… not here?"
She forced a hollow laugh. "Maybe he went for a walk… yeah, that's it."
Her gaze flickered toward the pet corner. "Rose and Bolt must be in the gaming section… he's probably with them."
But if that were true…
Why didn't he leave a message?
Slowly, she stepped inside, sitting on his bed. Her fingers traced the sheets.
Still cold.
Her chest ached, her thoughts spiraling.
"He promised me… he said we'd talk about marriage today…"
The minutes stretched into an hour.
The silence pressed in, thick and suffocating.
Her hands started trembling.
9:00 AM.
Still no sign of Blaze.
"Enough."
Serena sprang up from the bed, her breath ragged. The unease bubbling inside her twisted into something far worse. Panic.
"He must be outside… training or something."
She bolted from the room, her pulse pounding.
The garden. He had to be there.
The moment she burst into the open air, her eyes searched frantically.
Nothing.
Her heart slammed against her ribs, the first drops of sweat forming on her forehead. No Blaze. No Rose. No Bolt.
Her breath hitched. "Where are you…?"
Then, she saw them.
Jasper, Dante, Flame, and Talon stood near the exit, their bags packed, ready to depart for the Emerald Spacehub.
Her legs moved before she could think, her voice cracking as she shouted:
"Guys!!"
The group turned to her, brows furrowing as they took in her pale face and the panic shaking her body.
"Blaze isn't here!! Neither are Rose or Bolt!!"
A beat of silence.
Jasper frowned. "What do you mean? He's probably still in his room."
Serena's chest heaved. "I already checked. His room is empty. His stuff… his pets… everything is gone."
A cold, heavy silence fell over the group.
Dante was the first to break the silence, stepping forward. "Wait… you mean he left without telling anyone?"
Serena's eyes burned. "Please… help me find him. I know something's wrong."
Jasper nodded immediately. "Alright. We'll spread out. We'll find him."
No hesitation. They moved.
Serena's pulse roared in her ears as she bolted toward the training fields. Her legs burned, her vision blurred, but she didn't stop.
She couldn't stop.
Neo Rooftop? Empty.
Training Field? No sign of him.
Gaming Section? Silent. No Rose. No Bolt.
Secret Garden? Nothing.
Her lungs burned from running.
Her voice cracked with agony. "Where are you, Blaze?!"
An hour passed.
One by one, the group reconvened near the entrance.
Jasper's face was grim. "Nothing."
Dante wiped sweat from his brow. "We covered every inch of this place. No sign of him."
Talon stood silent, unreadable—but even he looked unsettled.
Serena's knees buckled.
Then the tears came.
She gasped, clutching her chest as if something inside her had cracked wide open.
"He promised me…" Her voice barely escaped her lips. "He promised we'd get married after the finals. Why would he leave without telling me?"
Flame, who had remained quiet throughout the search, stepped forward. His young voice trembled, but there was an unmistakable determination behind it.
"Blaze wouldn't just leave us like this." His fists clenched at his sides. "Something isn't right."
Serena's breath hitched as she looked at him.
And deep down… she knew he was right.
Something was terribly, terribly wrong.
An hour had passed.
The once-lively Exohorizon Spacehub, usually buzzing with movement and chatter, now felt suffocatingly still.
Serena stood with Jasper, Dante, Talon, and Flame, her face pale, her expression void of emotion.
Her mind, however, was screaming.
"He's gone."
"He left me."
"He took Rose and Bolt and just… disappeared."
Jasper, ever the optimist, placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his voice steady.
"Don't worry, Serena. He'll come back. Maybe he just needed some time alone."
But she didn't respond. Her lips trembled slightly, her eyes distant.
In her mind, dark thoughts clawed at her sanity.
"He promised me… he said he'd never leave me…"
Her vision blurred. Tears burned behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
"I'm overthinking. He'll come back."
Then, a loud roar shook the hangar.
A spacecraft approached, its metallic frame gleaming under the artificial lights. The golden flame insignia on its side made Flame's eyes widen.
It was Rash's ship.
The ship landed smoothly, its engines hissing as the boarding ramp descended.
A tall, broad-shouldered figure emerged—Rash, Flame's older brother. His face was warm, his posture relaxed, but his sharp gaze immediately took in the tension hanging over the group.
He approached Jasper, nodding in gratitude.
"Thank you for watching over my little brother."
Jasper offered a small smile. "No problem. He's a good kid."
Rash turned to Flame, ruffling the boy's hair with a grin. "Time to go, little brother."
Flame hesitated, his gaze shifting to Serena.
She hadn't moved. Hadn't spoken.
Flame's voice was quiet, almost uncertain. "I hope Blaze comes back soon. Don't worry, Serena."
Serena forced a weak smile.
"Yeah… he'll come."
But in her heart, she knew she was lying.
"He's not coming. He left me."
Rash and Flame boarded the spacecraft, the doors sealing shut behind them. Within moments, the ship ascended, vanishing into the endless expanse of the sky.
The moment they disappeared, a tense silence settled over the group.
Dante checked his digital clock and sighed.
"Jasper, we need to head for Emerald Spacehub now. Talon and I will leave first. Find Blaze and bring him, okay?"
Jasper hesitated. "Are you sure? Maybe we should wait a little longer—"
Talon, who had been watching Serena carefully, cut in, his voice eerily calm.
"No. She's not okay."
Jasper blinked. "What?"
Talon's sharp eyes never left Serena, who now stood staring into the sky. Her fists clenched tightly, her breathing ragged.
Talon's voice was quiet, but firm. "Look at her. She's not fine. She's already breaking."
Jasper followed Talon's gaze, his stomach twisting at the sight before him.
Serena wasn't crying. She wasn't panicking.
She was just… empty.
Jasper's throat tightened. "I'll stay with her. You two go ahead."
Dante nodded, his expression grim. "Alright. Don't be late. And… take care of her."
With that, Dante and Talon disappeared toward the hangar, leaving Jasper alone with Serena.
Then, suddenly—
Serena laughed.
A sharp, cold laugh that sent a chill up Jasper's spine.
"That idiot…" She chuckled bitterly, wiping at her face. "He's probably still training somewhere. Yeah… just training in another place."
Her voice cracked in delusion.
"I'll pack his stuff… he'll come back."
Jasper's stomach twisted painfully. "Serena, are you sure you're—"
"I'M FINE!!" she snapped, the forced grin on her face far too wide, far too unnatural.
"I'll go pack his things! Just wait here, okay? He'll come back any minute now!"
Without waiting for a response, she turned sharply, storming back toward her room.
Her laughter echoed through the hallway.
Jasper watched her go, his jaw clenching.
Talon was right.
Something in Serena's mind was beginning to break.
Serena stormed into her room, her forced laughter still bubbling under her breath.
"He'll come back. He'll come back…"
Her fingers trembled as she reached for the closet.
The door slid open—
Her heart stopped.
His clothes—gone.
His shoes—gone.
His belongings—completely vanished.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"W-What…?"
Frantically, she ripped open drawers, searching.
Nothing.
No clothes.
No gear.
No trace of him.
Her vision blurred, her body shaking.
Her hands scrambled through the shelves, the desks, the corners—
Nothing.
Her pulse roared in her ears.
"No… no no no no!!"
She stumbled back, crashing against the wall.
Her knees buckled.
Her breath came in sharp, ragged gasps.
Her hands flew to her hair, gripping it as if she could physically keep herself from falling apart.
"No… he wouldn't… he wouldn't just… leave me…!"
The reality hit her like a blade to the chest.
Blaze wasn't training.
Blaze wasn't resting.
Blaze wasn't coming back.
He had left.
And he hadn't even said goodbye.
The sob finally tore from her throat, raw and broken.
Her entire body collapsed to the floor.
The room—so empty, so unbearably empty—felt like it was swallowing her whole.
And for the first time in her life, Serena truly understood what it meant to be alone.
Time had lost meaning.