Collide: The Memory of Stars

Third Person's POV

The battle was over. The air hung thick with the stench of scorched earth and blood, the remnants of magic still crackling faintly in the distance like dying embers.

The ground beneath them was shattered, broken stones and debris scattered across what had once been sacred land. Smoke curled from the ruins, rising into the dull, gray sky.

There was no victory in the silence that followed—only loss.

Selene stood motionless, her gaze locked onto the lifeless form of Aldric. His long beard was matted with dust and blood, his once-proud robes torn and burned, yet his face was peaceful, as if he had merely fallen asleep.

But he wasn't asleep. He wasn't going to wake up.

No one spoke. The weight of grief had stolen their voices.

Tyra sat on a broken pillar, one arm wrapped around her stomach, her face shadowed with exhaustion.

She stared at nothing, her fingers absentmindedly gripping a loose thread from her sleeve. Near her, Khael stood stiffly, his small hands clenched into fists, golden eyes dull with something deeper than sorrow.

Even Axel, who was always composed, seemed lost in thought, his silver hair rustling faintly in the breeze.

Selene knelt beside Aldric, her trembling fingers hesitantly reaching out to touch his cold hand. She never knew death. It was her first time witnessing someone close to her die. Aldric had guided them, stood beside them, fought for them. And now he was gone.

"He didn't deserve this…" Her voice was barely a whisper, lost in the ruins around them.

Axel stepped forward, his boots crunching against the dirt and rubble. His usual unwavering presence felt… subdued. He lowered himself beside her, his expression unreadable as he gazed at Aldric's still form.

"None of us did," he murmured.

Selene turned to him, her eyes searching for something—an answer, perhaps. A reason.

"It doesn't feel like we won, Axel."

His blue eyes met hers, quiet and heavy with something unspoken. He didn't offer empty reassurances, didn't try to tell her that everything would be fine.

Instead, he simply sat beside her, shoulders barely brushing against hers, and sighed.

"It never does."

She swallowed, the lump in her throat tightening.

"I don't know what to do next."

Axel was silent for a moment before he placed a hand on her shoulder—firm, steady. A small comfort in the emptiness.

"You don't have to figure it out right now. Just rest, Selene." The exhaustion weighed on her like chains. The battle, the loss, the uncertainty—they all pressed down on her, threatening to crash her.

And for the first time, she allowed herself to lean into the quiet comfort Axel offered, if only for a moment.

A short distance away, Tyra watched the scene unfold but said nothing. Her own thoughts swirled too chaotically for words.

Beside her, Khael sat on a broken stone, his small fingers tracing patterns in the dirt. He had been uncharacteristically quiet since the battle ended. His usual energy, his defiant spark, had dimmed.

"You alright, kid?" Tyra asked, though she already knew the answer.

Khael's golden eyes flickered up to her. "I'm not a kid," he muttered, but his voice lacked conviction.

Tyra sighed. "Yeah. I know."

Silence stretched between them, heavy and uncomfortable, before Khael finally spoke again, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't feel like myself."

Tyra frowned but let him continue.

"My body… my thoughts… They don't feel like mine anymore. I remember things, but they feel distant, like they belong to someone else. And…" His hands tightened into fists.

"I should've done more."

Tyra shifted closer, resting her arms on her knees. "You did plenty."

"I should have protected him," Khael whispered.

"Aldric. He—" He sucked in a shaky breath.

"He shouldn't have died."

Tyra hesitated for only a moment before reaching out, placing a hand on his head.

"No one's blaming you, Khael."

He didn't respond, but his shoulders tensed beneath her touch.

"You're still you," she continued, her tone softer now.

"Even if it feels weird, even if you don't remember everything, you're still here. And we still need you." Khael said nothing, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he sat with her in silence, allowing himself, just for a moment, to be the child his body made him appear to be.

After resting for the night, they pressed forward.

The land was eerily quiet as they walked, their footsteps the only sound among the ruins. The sky was an endless gray, the air thick with the remnants of destruction.

Though they had won, the world did not feel saved. It felt… broken.

There was no clear direction, no plan beyond taking the next step. That was when they encountered the stranger.

A lone figure stood at the edge of the ruined path, draped in a dark, hooded cloak that concealed their face.

They did not move, did not speak, only watched as Selene and the others approached.

A cold shiver crawled up Selene's spine.

As they neared, the stranger finally spoke.

Their voice was calm, almost hollow, as if carried by the wind itself.

"You've come this far," they said. "But your journey is not over." Axel's stance tensed, his hand instinctively moving toward his side despite having no weapon. His sharp eyes flickered with suspicion.

"Who are you?"

The figure did not answer. Instead, they tilted their head slightly, as if studying them.

"Vherezoth was only the beginning. You did not return to Eldoria to defeat her. You returned because the land calls for restoration." Selene's breath hitched.

"Restoration…?" The figure turned slightly, glancing toward the distant, ruined horizon.

"This land is broken. And you are the ones who must fix it." Before they could question further, the stranger stepped back, vanishing into the mist, as if they had never been there at all.

Silence followed, thick with unease.

Selene exhaled, her chest tightening.

"Restore Eldoria…"

Tyra crossed her arms, scowling. "That's not much of an answer."

Axel exhaled, deep in thought. "But it's a start."

None of them knew what lay ahead, but one thing was certain—Eldoria's true fate was yet to be decided.

To be Continued.