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The trek back to Lloyd’s house had been far quieter than their usual journeys. The forest path, once familiar and full of idle chatter or playful banter, was now steeped in an exhausted silence, broken only by the crunch of boots against dirt and the occasional rustle of wind through the trees. Evening had settled into the landscape, casting long shadows that stretched lazily across the trail. The air smelled of pine, damp earth, and the faint remnants of battle- sweat, singed clothing, and blood.
Anyone who had the misfortune of laying eyes on the party at that moment would have come to the same conclusion: they were a sorry sight. Lloyd, usually overflowing with boundless energy and ever the optimist, now dragged his feet like they weighed a ton while Colette leaned into him for support, her angelic glow much dimmer than usual. Genis was uncharacteristically quiet, sticking close to Presea, who walked with that same determined but mechanical precision everyone had grown accustomed to seeing from her. Sheena, trailed closely by a rarely-quiet, hands-shoved-in-his-pockets Zelos, had her arms folded tightly across her chest, her lips pressed in a taut line. Regal, by the grace of the gods, still managed to maintain his posture despite his disheveled appearance and haggard expression.
And then there was Raine.
Her hair, usually neat and accurately styled, was matted and tangled, clinging to her damp skin. Bloodstains marred her sleeves and the edges of her dirty orange coat, though she didn’t seem to notice– or care. Her gait was steady but lacked its usual grace, and every so often she would press a hand against her side as if to soothe an ache.
Despite how obvious her state was, no one seemed to take much notice. Whether it was because they were too drained themselves or because Raine had always been the one they looked to for stability, the fact remained: no one questioned why the woman, who had spent the entire battle tending to their wounds, was still standing. She had made herself small, a background presence, her injuries masked beneath layers of professionalism and restraint. Even as she murmured yet another soft incantation in a futile attempt to ease the throbbing pain, not a single pair of eyes lingered on her long enough to see the struggle.
They crested the final hill and Lloyd’s residence came into view, nestled snugly against the rocky hillside. Warm light spilled from the windows, casting a welcoming glow that contrasted with the cold night slowly creeping in around them.
The sight of home was a strange contradiction– both comforting and foreign all at once. They had spent so long chasing the idea of peace, of an ending, that now that they were standing at the doorstep of it, it hardly felt real. The humble cottage promised rest, safety, and familiarity, yet none of them moved faster, their minds and muscles too tired to do anything more than they already were.
“Almost there,” Lloyd reassured, his voice hoarse but laced with palpable relief. He squeezed Colette’s hand as he trudged forward with his weary pace, eager to reach the comfort of home and hold his father tight.
As they approached, the door swung open revealing Dirk, his sturdy frame silhouetted against the light. His expression shifted instantly from anticipation to concern the moment he saw the state the team was in. “Ya lot look like ya’ve been through hell,” he muttered, stepping aside to let the travellers into his home. “Come in before ya freeze yer asses off ‘r pass out in the fields.”
Behind him, Kratos lingered in the entryway, his gaze sharp as it swept over each member of the party, lingering just a moment longer on Raine before moving on. To everyone’s surprise, a tight-lipped Yuan stood around in the living room, his expression unreadable, but there was a tension in his shoulders, as though he was bracing for bad news.
“Who needs treatment first?” Kratos asked, his voice calm and authoritative, leaving no room for discussion. His own injuries may have still been healing, but he wouldn’t let that stop him from lending a hand where he could.
“No one is in critical condition,” Raine replied before anyone else could speak. She stepped forward, her posture rigid and composed as ever despite the bone-deep fatigue that plagued her. “Just a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing that I can’t handle after some rest.”
Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly, his scrutinizing blue gaze assessing her closely. “And you? You definitely don’t look fine.’”
“I am,” she insisted, the words cutting sharper than she’d intended. She softened her tone with a sigh, “Really. I just need a moment to sit down.”
The Cruxis angels exchanged a glance, unspoken conversation passing between them clear as day. Neither pressed further– not yet. If there was one thing everyone knew about Raine, it was that the more she was pestered about something, the more she would stubbornly dig in her heels to prove her point otherwise.
“Alright,” the purple-clad mercenary said with a resolute nod. “But if anything worsens, we do expect you to speak up.”
The half-elven woman hummed in agreement, though her eyes didn’t quite meet his.
Dirk interrupted further conversation as he motioned toward the living room, where the warm scent of hearty meat and vegetables wafted in from the kitchen. “I’m not lettin’ a single one a ya head out before mornin’, so get yerselves settled in for the night. I’m makin’ a big ol’ pot-a stew that’ll be ready soon and there’ll be plenty ta go ‘round.”
The promise of food and lodging seemed to be exactly the pick-me-up that the team required, and they quickly filtered into the living space. Weapons were discarded in a haphazard pile by the door, and armour was shed with heavy sighs. While the more sensible members of the team took a few minutes to change into more comfortable clothing before settling in, the others lounged around, letting their exhaustion get the better of them.
Lloyd plopped down at the kitchen table, pulling off his gloves and tossing them half-way across the room (pointedly ignoring Genis’ look of ‘Really?’) before running a hand through his hair. With a sigh that seemed to come from his toes, he mumbled, “I can’t believe it’s over.”
“Feels surreal, huh?” Zelos said as he slid into the seat across from him. He stretched his legs out and leaned back, tilting his head toward the ceiling. “Saving the world and all that. Not exactly something you do every day.”
“I thought I’d feel happier about it.”
“We’re just tired,” Colette said gently, slowly massaging the tension out of her best friend’s shoulders. “I’m sure it’ll sink in soon enough.”
Tethe’alla’s Chosen precariously balanced his chair on its two back legs as he glanced toward Regal, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "So, big guy. Do you think after all this, we’ve earned a lifetime supply of free hotel stays? Because I kinda feel like we more than deserve it."
Regal gave a small chuckle, shaking his head. "If only it worked that way."
The laughter that followed Zelos’ pout was light, tired, but genuine– a necessary contrast to the weight that still lingered in the room. The conversation meandered into easier topics, and for a while, it almost felt like a normal evening.
Meanwhile, Raine sat at the far end of the table, her chair positioned slightly away from the others. She cradled a cup of lukewarm tea that Genis had graciously prepared for her, its warmth doing little to ease the ache in her bones or the pounding in her head. Her hands trembled faintly, but she hid them beneath the old wooden surface, clenching them into fists to steady herself.
Small talk ebbed and flowed around her– Regal asking about Dirk’s latest project, Sheena and Zelos trading lighthearted jabs, Lloyd and Colette quietly discussing what to do next– and she found herself nodding along to the conversations, offering up an occasional one-word response or a small smile where appropriate, but for the most part, she kept to herself.
That was, until Presea’s sharp gaze flicked toward her. The small girl’s expression, though as unreadable as ever, held a weight to it– one that Raine recognized all too well. She had given it to others many times in the past few months. Scrutinizing, incredulous, slightly distrusting.
“You are hurt,” the young woman stated plainly, her voice quiet but unwavering.
Raine blinked, caught off guard by the sudden observation. “Everyone is to some extent,” she replied smoothly, taking a careful sip of her drink as if that might distract from the interrogation.
“You more than the others.”
There was no accusation in her tone, no judgment. It was a simple fact, as clear as the night sky outside. But something about hearing it spoken aloud made Raine gnaw at her lower lip in contemplation.
“I’ll be fine,” she assured after reflection, a tight-lipped smile forming as she forced her shoulders back, her posture perfect as always. “As I said earlier, I just need some rest.”
The axe-woman studied her for a moment longer before giving a small nod, accepting the answer but not necessarily believing it. “Then you should retire soon.”
It was as close to an order as Presea ever gave, and Raine, for once, had no argument.
The moment the younger woman was pulled back into conversation with Regal, Raine pressed her fingers lightly against her temple, suppressing the urge to wince. The dull throbbing that had settled into her skull since the battle was becoming harder to ignore, each pulse of pain making her vision blur at the edges.
She was almost certain she had a concussion. The persistent headache, the lingering dizziness– it all pointed to the same conclusion. And if she had a concussion, that likely meant she had internal injuries as well. Surely they couldn’t have been life-threatening, or they would have taken her out by now.
But what exactly were her injuries…? Even she couldn’t say for certain. That sudden realization was horribly troublesome, and she began to take stock of herself, hoping a mental checklist may help clarify things.
Her arms ached terribly– especially her right shoulder– and she knew that if she stopped healing them, the gashes would begin to bleed once more. Her ribs were in bad shape too. Bruised at best, fractured at worst. Her foot–
No, not her foot. Her knee –
What about her knee?
Her thoughts felt slippery, like trying to hold water in her hands. Every time she locked on to one injury, her focus unraveled, snagging on fragments of memory and background noise.
She forced herself to start over. Head injury. Pain level…?
Her brow furrowed and she resisted the urge to scream. Why couldn’t she just finish the damn sentence?!
It was at that moment that Dirk called everyone to the table, startling her from her haze. Whatever she had been trying to figure out, it didn’t matter anymore. The brain fog would surely evaporate after some good food.
The dwarf set a large pot of stew in the center of the table, and the remainder of the large group quickly made their way to their seats, filling their bowls to the brim, the rich aroma of vegetables and spices momentarily lifting everyone’s mood. The clinking of spoons against ceramic and the soft hum of conversation created a comforting backdrop, but Raine could feel herself slipping.
The low-grade healing spells she’d been maintaining throughout the day were no longer enough to keep her injuries at bay. The cuts on her arms throbbed, the bandages soaked through with fresh blood. Her vision blurred, and a sharp pain shot through her ribs with every breath. She shifted in her seat, hoping to ease the ache, but the movement only made it worse.
The room seemed to spin slightly, the voices around her blending into an indistinct hum. She tried to focus, to steady her breathing, but invasive black spots danced across her eyes, and her grip on her spoon faltered. Her head dipped forward, her silver hair falling like a curtain to obscure her face as her chin bobbed against her chest.
“Raine?” A voice called out, distant and muffled, but clearly concerned. She couldn’t even begin to make out who it belonged to. For all she knew, it could have been a ghost.
She tried to respond, to reassure them, but the words wouldn’t come. Her body swayed and her head lolled to the side, and the next thing she knew the world tilted violently as she slipped off the chair.
Darkness swallowed her whole.
Kratos moved faster than anyone expected, catching her just before she hit the ground. “Raine!” His voice, usually so composed, cracked with urgency.
The room immediately erupted into chaos. Chairs scraped against the floor, footsteps thudded, and voices overlapped in panic.
“What happened?” Lloyd’s voice was frantic.
“She passed out,” the auburn-haired angel said, his tone tight as he cradled Raine’s limp form. He gently brushed her hair away from her face, revealing the pallor of her skin and the sheen of sweat coating her brow. “She’s burning up.”
Yuan knelt beside him, his fingers ghosting over Raine’s pulse point. “Her mana… it’s horribly unstable. She’s been overexerting herself.”
“Damn it,” Zelos muttered, shifting his weight from foot to foot as if that would somehow make things better. “She was healing us the whole time, wasn’t she? Even after the fight was over, I mean.”
“She always puts everyone else first,” Colette whispered, tears welling in her eyes.
Seeing that she wasn’t springing back to her feet any time soon, Genis clambered over, nearly tripping over himself in the process, his pleading cry of “Sis, wake up!” practically shattering every heart in the room.
Sheena was forced to catch him mid-step as he tried to push himself through the crowd, pulling him back with a firm grip. "Let them work!" she hissed, knowing that the young boy was unlikely to listen to her otherwise.
The younger of the siblings struggled, his breath coming in short, panicked bursts. "She’s not– She won’t wake up–"
"She will, but they need space to tend to her!"
His hands trembled as he clenched them into fists, his heart hammering wildly in his chest. The healers were already gathered around his sister, working quickly, voices overlapping in hushed urgency. But Genis felt like he was trapped outside of it, utterly useless.
Colette reached for his arm, comforting him with a light squeeze. “She’s in good hands, you know this,” she whispered, her expression full of quiet reassurance.
The child swallowed hard, forcing himself to nod, but he didn’t move. He couldn’t– not while Raine was still so eerily still.
Kratos adjusted his grip on the woman, his expression dark as he took in her pained expression. “We need to get her stabilized.”
“To the couch,” Yuan instructed. “Basic healing artes only. Anything more could push her deeper into mana exhaustion.”
“Huh?” Lloyd piped up, “What’s that?”
“I’ll explain later.”
Regal and Zelos made themselves useful, clearing a path of discarded bags and weapons for Kratos to carry the unconscious woman to the sofa on the far end of the room. Within moments, she was lying on the cushions, her head resting on a folded, tweed blanket. The room fell into a tense silence, broken only by the sound of the half-elf’s shallow breathing.
Anyone with a decent level of knowledge of healing artes surrounded the injured woman, taking up determined posts in the fight to save her from succumbing to her wounds.
Zelos, for once, had no quips, his usual smirk absent as he hovered near Raine’s side, fingers twitching like he wanted to do something but didn’t quite know where to start.
Regal, despite still being shackled, nodded resolutely as he got straight to work, his hands steady as he unwrapped one of Raine’s soaked bandages with ease. The wounds beneath were angry and raw, and the fresh bloom of red that spread into the fabric made him exhale sharply. “We’ll probably need to slow the bleeding before all else.”
Kratos hummed in agreement as he placed his hands gently against the woman’s head, slowly mending the gashes and cuts that had opened back up on her scalp. How had she even gotten those in the first place?
Dirk quickly approached with a worn, but well-stocked, medical kit, placing it on the coffee table beside them. “Dunno how much help this’ll be, but I’ve got clean bandages, alcohol, and whatever herbs and gels I had lyin’ around.”
“Perfect,” Regal said, gratefully. “Sometimes natural remedies are the best. This will certainly come in handy.”
Yuan ignored him, already channeling a soft glow of healing energy over her abdomen, carefully controlling the flow so as not to overstimulate her already fragile state. “Steady,” he murmured, more to himself than anyone else.
“How bad is it?” Lloyd asked from behind them after some time, his voice tense.
“Bad, but probably not irreversible,” Kratos replied, not looking up. His hand hovered over one of Raine’s open wounds, the blood seeping through her clothing steadily. “We definitely caught it at the right time.”
The room had shifted into quiet efficiency.
Yuan knelt at Raine’s side, his hands hovering just above her ribs, where deep, unseen wounds still bled beneath her clothing. His healing spell was slow, careful, a controlled trickle of mana rather than a flood. Kratos mirrored his caution, his touch light as he worked to stabilize the energy flickering erratically within her.
"She’s dangerously close to mana depletion," the half-elven angel murmured, his brow furrowing. "We have to be careful. If we push too much magic into her, it’ll only make things worse."
Zelos sat cross-legged on the floor near the foot of the couch, his hand aglow as he worked over the deep gash along Raine’s thigh. “Gotta say, Professor, for someone who lectured us daily about avoiding unnecessary injury, you sure picked a dramatic way to prove a point.” The smile in his voice faded as he looked up. He leaned in slightly, his amusement fully replaced by worry. “Hey… guys? She’s looking really pale. Like– paler than usual.”
Kratos’ gaze flicked to the half-elf’s face, noting the way her expression contorted with pain despite the gentle care they were providing her. Her brow furrowed, and a faint whimper escaped her lips. Her breath hitched, coming in short gasps the moment the next wave of healing magic seeped into her wounds. At first, it was just a tremor in her fingers, a barely noticeable twitch of discomfort. Then, without warning, her entire body arched off the couch, her mouth opening in a sharp, broken scream.
Immediately pressing down on her shoulders to keep her still, the auburn haired angel’s expression tightened. “Raine–!”
Her hands scrabbled at the fabric beneath her, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “No– Stop, stop–!” she choked out, her voice raw with pain. Tears streamed freely down her face, her entire body trembling as though she were being torn apart from the inside out.
“Why is she reacting like this?” Lloyd’s voice was panicked, but Yuan’s face had gone pale with realization.
“Her mana–” Yuan’s jaw clenched. “It’s turning against her.”
Before anyone could stop him, he cast another healing spell, stronger than before. The moment it hit her, Raine’s scream was so piercing that even Dirk winced. Blood began dripping steadily from her nose, her wounds reopening even as they tried to mend.
“Yuan, stop!” Kratos barked.
The Renegade leader jerked his hand back, looking shaken. “This doesn’t make sense. She should be getting better, not worse–! What the hell happened to her out there?”
The room fell silent, even Zelos, whose knuckles were white from gripping Raine’s thrashing legs, for once, wasn’t cracking a joke. All eyes turned to Lloyd and the other members of the travel troupe.
The young man swallowed hard. “We… ran out of healing items,” he admitted. “She did everything she could to keep us all on our feet.”
“She kept fighting when the rest of us went down,” Sheena added quietly. “Mithos nearly finished us off, but she– she somehow took him down on her own.”
Yuan’s expression darkened. “And none of you thought to check on her after that?”
“She seemed fine, even to me,” Genis murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “I mean– she was exhausted, but she healed us. She didn’t say anything–”
“That’s probably because she didn’t want you all to worry.” The angel's tone was sharp, accusatorily sarcastic. His gaze flicked to Raine’s little brother, and something in his expression hardened. “But you, of all people, should’ve noticed the signs. You should have known.”
Genis flinched. “I—I was…” His voice wavered, his hands curling into fists by his sides.
Sheena stepped in, placing a hand on his shoulder. “He was grieving the loss of a friend,” she said simply. “We all were.”
The tension in the room was suffocating. No one had the energy to argue, not after everything. They refocused their attention and energy on Raine, working in silence to stabilize her.
The chaos of earlier had faded into something quieter, steadier. The sharp light of healing magic no longer clashed in frantic bursts but glowed in slow, pulsing waves that bathed the room in a faint, silvery sheen. Soft murmurs replaced overlapping commands. The blood-soaked towels had been quietly traded for clean cloth, the scent of antiseptic and crushed herbs rising gently in the warm air.
Raine lay still amidst it all– no longer thrashing, no longer tense. Her brow, once deeply furrowed, had smoothed. Her breathing, though faint, had taken on a steady rhythm, like the soft pull of the tide.
For the first time since she collapsed, she looked like someone who might actually make it through the night.
“She should be alright for now, but she won’t fully recover without proper rest,” Yuan said at last, leaning back and exhaling quietly.
Kratos brushed Raine’s damp hair away from her face, his expression softening in a way that few had ever seen. “Worry not, she will pull through.”
Lloyd, who had been pacing near the kitchen table, stopped and looked over. “Should we move her somewhere more comfortable? I don’t mind giving up my bed for the night.”
“No,” Yuan said quickly. “She’s fine here for now. We need to monitor her closely.”
Zelos nodded and draped a blanket over Raine’s slumbering form, tucking it gently around her. “We’re not going anywhere,” he said quietly, as if promising her directly.
Kratos’ gaze lingered on the woman a moment longer before he stood, nodding to Yuan. “Let us take turns keeping an eye on her while the others rest.”
The younger man agreed silently, and, as the others shifted to quieter conversations or resumed their meal, the weight of the room remained palpable. The air was heavy with worry, but for now, she was stable.
Lloyd shifted uncomfortably in his seat that he’d reclaimed, eyes glued on the still-fragile professor. “I still don’t really get it. I mean, she’s taken hits before, so why was this one different?”
Yuan didn’t sigh, but he certainly looked like he had the urge to. “I told you earlier: she’s suffering from mana exhaustion.”
“But what does that even mean?”
“She depleted her mana reserves,” Kratos explained. “More accurately, she forced herself far beyond them.”
Yuan nodded, elaborating before anyone could ask, “For someone like Raine– someone with elven blood who is highly attuned to magic– that’s especially dangerous. Her body prioritized casting over self-preservation. That’s why her wounds kept opening and why her mana turned against her.”
“But she couldn’t have been that bad,” Genis mused. “I felt her casting a few times during the evening.”
“She was, yes. Just enough to keep going, and probably to prevent anyone from noticing how bad it was.”
“You believe she was masking it in some way?” Regal asked, brow furrowing in thought.
“Yes,” Kratos replied. “When someone uses continuous healing artes on themselves, especially the way she was, it can delay external symptoms. Bleeding slows, swelling is reduced... But it’s a surface fix, like painting over a crack in the foundation.”
“That explains why she didn’t look that bad…” Sheena murmured. “But why wouldn’t she say something?”
“She always overdoes it,” Genis muttered from his place at the table, idly pushing his food around his plate, appetite lost. “Why does she always have to take care of everyone else before herself?”
“She’s your sister,” Zelos replied, casting a brief glance at him. “It’s kinda her thing.”
The young boy didn’t respond, but Colette reached over and squeezed his hand, her touch grounding him as he sighed hard.
Yuan’s expression remained passive, but the tension in his posture eased into something more resigned. “In my opinion, she was aware of the risk and thought she could rest once everyone else was safe.”
Kratos folded his arms. “Her logic may have been sound under normal circumstances. But with her injuries– and what we suspect is a concussion– her ability to judge her limits was likely compromised.”
Presea tilted her head, puzzled. “But if she was so badly injured, why is it that she was in so much pain while you all were healing her?”
The two Cruxis angels exchanged a look before providing more answers.
“Because her mana system was already destabilized. Severely,” the Renegade leader replied. “When someone reaches that level of depletion, the body starts misfiring, fighting against incoming mana instead of absorbing it. Even healing spells can feel like an attack.”
“Too much becomes not enough,” Kratos added. “You flood the system and it shuts down. That’s what we nearly triggered when we tried to help.”
Lloyd looked pale. “So… if she hadn’t passed out?”
“She could have burned through every reserve she had until her organs began shutting down,” his father replied bluntly.
Yuan’s voice was quieter this time. “It’s rare, yes, but very real. We saw it often during the war– mages who pushed too hard, too fast, trying to keep their units alive. Their bodies would burn out before the battle ever ended.”
There was a long pause.
Zelos, who had been crouched near the couch with his arms resting on his knees, muttered under his breath, “Damn… ”
No one responded, but the sentiment hung in the air.
A long silence settled over the team, broken only by the occasional yawn, clearing of a throat, or shifting in a chair. No one suggested it outright, but one by one, the group slowly began to surrender to exhaustion. It was late, and they did deserve some rest after all.
Presea and Sheena retired first, slipping into the guest room, their voices barely above whispers as they exchanged quiet words before shutting the door. Regal stretched out near the hearth, the warmth of the embers casting soft shadows across his resting form. Colette made her way up the stairs to Lloyd’s room, said young man in tow, and for a brief moment, Genis hesitated before following after them.
But his steps faltered, and instead, he turned back, his gaze flicking toward the couch where his sister lay.
Colette, already noticing his hesitation, placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Do you want to stay with her?” she asked softly.
Genis shrugged in contemplation, but ultimately nodded.
The blonde Chosen smiled, pulling him into a comforting goodnight hug before slipping inside the room after Lloyd, leaving the boy to return to his older sibling’s side. He didn’t say anything as he sat down on the floor beside the couch, just close enough that his fingers could brush against hers as he slept. He wasn’t sure if she would even know he was there, but that didn’t matter.
Across the room, Yuan leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as his piercing gaze flicked toward Kratos, who had yet to move from his place near Raine. “You should get some rest as well,” he murmured, his tone more neutral than usual.
The older man, ever the stubborn one, didn’t even glance his way. “I’m fine.”
His friend exhaled, shaking his head slightly before a smirk tugged at his lips. “She’s certainly gathered quite the fanclub. Between you and Zelos, I’m not sure who her twerp of a brother would approve of more. You’re both terrible options.”
“Don’t start.”
Yuan let out a quiet chuckle but didn’t push the matter. Instead, he stood, stretching his shoulders slightly. “I’m going for a walk.”
Kratos didn’t reply, but his gaze followed the other angel as he stepped outside, the door clicking softly shut behind him.
For a while, the room remained still. The fire crackled gently, the faint shifting of bodies against blankets the only sign of life.
After a moment, Kratos let out a slow breath through his nose and, with one last glance toward Raine, decided to follow his friend outside. Zelos– lazily sprawled across the floor with his arms folded behind his head– was there with her, and could handle any issues that might arise.
Said redhead shifted on the floor, muttering under his breath, “Could’ve at least left me a care guide or something…” He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes flicking to the couch. "Not like I’d be her first pick for this kind of thing anyway."
His gaze lingered a moment longer before he exhaled, laying back with a soft thud against the rug. The fire’s glow flickered across the ceiling, and though his eyes remained open for a while, sleep crept in slowly, slipping past his guard before he could talk himself out of it.
The house fell silent. The only sound that remained was the steady, rhythmic breathing of those who had fought for their world– and, at long last, found a moment’s rest.
The night was still, the kind of quiet that seemed to wrap around the world like a blanket. Outside, the crickets chirped their familiar tune, and the faint rustling of leaves swayed in harmony with the gentle breeze. The moon, a pale crescent, cast a faint silver glow over the surrounding forest, and the air smelled of damp earth and pine. Within the house, the warmth of the hearth had dulled to a low ember, casting faint flickers of light across the room where Raine lay on the couch, her breathing steady but shallow.
She stirred, eyes fluttering open to the dim room. For a moment, she was disoriented, her mind foggy as she tried to recall where she was. The ache in her body quickly reminded her. Wincing, she adjusted her position and found Genis sitting on the floor beside her, his head resting on the cushion near her hand. His face was squished awkwardly, mouth slightly open as he snored softly.
Despite the discomfort she was in, a small smile graced her lips. She gently ruffled his hair, pressing a soft kiss to the top of his head. If he were awake, he would have grumbled, complaining that he wasn’t a child anymore– but right now, he was just her little brother, holding her hand even in his sleep.
Raine carefully untangled her fingers from his and swung her legs off the couch. Her muscles protested, and for a moment, she had to steady herself by gripping the armrest. Once she felt stable enough, she stood and made her way to the door, moving as quietly as she could to avoid waking anyone.
The cool night air hit her like a balm, soothing her flushed skin. She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with the crisp scent of pine. The forest around Lloyd’s house was serene, a welcome contrast to the chaos that had consumed them over the past few hours. Her bare feet padded softly against the wooden porch as she stepped down onto the grass, heading toward the clearing just beyond the house.
She didn’t expect to find anyone outside at this hour, but as she rounded the corner, she saw them– Kratos and Yuan, standing side by side beneath the large oak tree near the edge of the stream. Their conversation was quiet, their postures relaxed, though the tension in their shoulders hinted that neither had fully let their guard down.
They noticed her almost immediately. Kratos’ eyes narrowed, not in suspicion but in concern, as he stepped toward her. Yuan followed, scanning her from head to toe in thorough assessment.
“You should be resting,” the taller man said, “There’s absolutely no reason for you to be up right now.”
“I was,” Raine replied automatically, though her voice was hoarse and unconvincing.
Yuan crossed his arms, his brow furrowing. “Are you insane? You nearly died. You’re in no condition to be wandering around like this. Have any of your wounds reopened?”
“I’m fine–” she faltered, blinking slowly in hopes of dispelling the dizziness that suddenly seemed to plague her. “I’m not doing anything wrong. It’s just too stuffy inside…”
Her gaze slid away from them as she wrapped her arms around her midsection, as if realizing for the first time that the night air was cold. She didn’t seem aware of how pale she looked, or how unsteady her steps had been.
Kratos exhaled through his nose, clearly unconvinced. With a hand on the small of her back, he guided her to a nearby bench. “Sit. Just for a moment.”
Raine hesitated but ultimately relented, knowing fully well that there was no point in arguing with the two Cruxis angels. With a groan, she sat down, as though only now feeling how badly her body ached.
“I know what you’re going to say,” she began, preempting their scolding. “And you’re right, I overdid it. But I couldn’t leave anyone untreated, not after what we’d been through. How would we have gotten back home if people were unconscious anyway?”
“You were not thinking clearly,” Kratos said calmly. “You still aren’t. You need to rest.”
“I can’t rest when people are hurting,” she snapped, then immediately winced, her own voice startling her. “Sorry. I didn’t mean–”
“You’re not invincible, Raine,” Yuan’s voice was steely as he spoke. It was clear that he was tired of her nonsense. “You just proved that to yourself by pushing yourself too hard.”
She lowered her gaze to her lap, picking absently at a loose thread on her tattered coat. “There wasn’t any other option. And, besides, one person down is a lot easier to manage than seven.”
“You can’t carry the world on your shoulders, as much as you try. No one expects that of you.” Kratos assured.
“Maybe not, but if I don’t, who will? The others depend on me. I did what I had to as the group’s healer.”
Yuan’s eyes darkened, his jaw tight with frustration. “You didn’t just push yourself too hard— you nearly killed yourself. Do you have any idea what would have happened if we hadn’t been here? Or if you had collapsed miles from shelter?”
Raine bristled, her weariness momentarily overridden by stubborn defiance. “I knew what I was doing. I was healing myself and I was getting on top of things. I would have been fine.”
“Not with that head injury, you weren’t! You were gambling with your own life! You’re not some martyr, Sage. You don’t get to decide that your survival is worth less than everyone else’s.”
Anger flashed across her face as she doubled down, “I did what I had to do.”
Kratos sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Enough.” His voice carried just enough authority to cut through the tension. “Yuan, you know as well as I do that scolding her into submission won’t work.”
Yuan scoffed but said nothing, crossing his arms as if to signal that he was done with the conversation. The silence between them stretched before Kratos spoke again, his tone quieter this time.
“You’re troubled,” he observed. “What else is on your mind?”
Raine blinked slowly, as if it took her a moment to process the question. “Mithos.” She said it without thinking, the name falling from her lips like it had been waiting there. “He’s dead because of my actions. Our actions. But mostly mine… I think.”
She rubbed at her temple, wincing slightly. “I– I keep remembering how he looked when he fell. So broken and… and just like a little boy who needed to be held and loved. And I think that somewhere in there he regretted his actions. I know he said he didn’t but…” She trailed off with a sigh. “I closed his eyes.”
Yuan’s expression softened. “He made his choices, Raine. You did what you had to do.”
“But he wasn’t always like that, was he?” she whispered, the words tumbling out in fragments. “There was a time when he wanted the same things we did– peace, equality. I could feel it. When he spoke, when he looked at us, the way he interacted with Genis… There was something there. Or maybe I just wanted to believe there was.”
“You’re not wrong. There was something there… centuries ago.”
Kratos chimed in with a nod, “There was nothing that any of you could have done. Even we couldn’t stop him. His grief consumed him– it twisted everything he believed into something unrecognizable.”
“Remember: we knew him before any of this,” the blue-haired angel added. “There was a time where we wanted to believe he could bounce back. But we all saw what happened.”
Raine drew in a shaky breath. “It just hurts. That someone who started out wanting to do something good… ended up like that. I know we made the right choice. I know that. But I still wish… something had been different.”
A long pause followed, filled only by the sound of the stream bubbling in the distance.
Her gaze fell to the ground. “At least now… maybe he’s not alone anymore.”
“I hope he’s with her,” Yuan said. “I hope that’s enough.”
Kratos nodded solemnly, “Yes, I agre–”
He was promptly cut off by the sound of the front door slamming open, and a panicked voice shattering the silence like a rock through stained glass. “Raine?!”
The woman flinched at the sound, hands shooting up to cradle her head. The sudden spike of pain behind her eyes made her stomach churn, and for a moment she was certain that she would be sick.
Zelos barreled out onto the porch, shirt wrinkled, hair a mess, eyes wide and searching. It didn’t take him long to find her just a few paces off, sitting on a bench facing the two most imposing men he knew. “Oh, thank Martel,” he breathed, practically stumbling toward them. “I woke up and you were gone and I thought–!”
“I’m fine,” Raine cut in, her voice tight with pain. “Lower your voice, please.”
Kratos placed a hand delicately on her shoulder, gently enveloping her in a brief spell of Healing Wind.
The Chosen crouched beside the bench, still catching his breath, very much rattled. “Next time, maybe… I dunno, leave a note?” His grin was forced, clearly trying to lighten the mood, but it didn’t quite land.
Her gaze drifted down to her hands. “I didn’t think anyone would notice.”
The words slipped out before she could stop them, brittle and too honest.
Zelos blinked. “Of course I noticed. You were literally almost dead, Professor.” A beat. “You still kinda look like crap, no offense.”
“None taken,” she muttered, managing the ghost of a smile.
He tilted his head, trying to read her. “You okay? Like, really okay? You look…” His voice softened. “Like something’s eating at you.”
She blinked slowly, as though considering how honest she wanted to be. She’d never liked burdening others with her troubles. It never felt fair. But now, with three sets of eyes watching her in the dark, the weight felt impossible to carry alone.
“What do I do now?” Raine asked finally, her voice breaking. “The home Genis and I had in Iselia is gone. My work there isn’t guaranteed anymore either. I don’t know if they’ll even let me return after all that’s happened. And even if they do, what then? How do I go back to normal, everyday life with everything we’ve just lived through?”
“You take it one step at a time," Kratos replied. "You don’t have to decide everything tonight, or tomorrow, or even next week. Give yourself time to recover, to process what you’ve been through. Perhaps even to grieve, if you feel that would be appropriate. You’ve earned that much.”
Yuan nodded in agreement. “You and Genis have each other. That’s a start. And you have all your friends as well. Don’t think for a second that you’re alone in this.”
The tears she had been holding back finally spilled over, and she wiped them away quickly, embarrassed. “I hate feeling this lost. I told myself when we finally settled down in Iselia that I would never feel like this again, but it seems I’m bound to experience this every few years.”
“We all do,” Kratos said. “But it’s not permanent. You’ll find your way again. You always do.”
Raine managed a small, watery laugh. “You sound awfully sure of that.”
“Because I am."
Yuan rolled his eyes at their banter, “Enough with the flirting, you two. Sage, take tonight to cry if you need to. Tomorrow, you can start figuring things out. But right now, for the love of Martel, let yourself rest.”
She nodded, her shoulders relaxing for the first time in what felt like centuries. The weight of their words settled over her, not as a burden, but as a comfort. For the first time since the battle, she allowed herself to believe that maybe things would be okay.
Zelos stood quietly, watching her for a moment longer. The moonlight traced the edge of her profile, softening the sharp lines of exhaustion that were still etched into her face. Beside him, Yuan and Kratos had gone quiet too, as if collectively sensing that the moment was drawing to a close.
She slowly pushed herself up from the bench, her limbs heavy and uncooperative. But the moment she took a step, the world tilted sideways. Her knees buckled, vision swimming–
The Chosen was grabbing onto her before she could fall, steadying her against his chest. “Whoa, hey! Easy there.”
“I’m not that fragile,” she muttered, breathless.
“You kinda are right now,” he said, sweeping her into the cradle of his arms before she could even think to protest. “But I won’t tell anyone if you don’t.”
Kratos opened the door as Zelos carried her inside, and Yuan simply took over the bench with a tired shake of his head– though the corner of his mouth twitched like he was suppressing a smirk.
Inside, the house was quiet save for the low crackle of the fire. Zelos padded across the floor, lowering the woman gently onto the couch and tucking the blanket back around her with surprising care.
“Get some rest,” he murmured. “You earned it.”
He hesitated a moment longer, then held out one hand. A faint pulse of warm light shimmered over her as he cast a soft healing spell– nothing too strong, just in case she still had something she wouldn’t admit to.
Raine managed a small, grateful smile before her eyes fluttered closed. Her last thought, as the world faded into the hush of early dawn, was that maybe– just maybe– she didn’t have to carry everything on her own anymore.