After that battle, we returned to the apartment.

  Niklas, with his "new" body, didn’t have a single scratch—while I could barely move from the pain.

  —Ouch! Be more careful, please —I groaned, wincing as he helped me sit down.

  —Sorry… still getting used to this body —he said with a crooked smile, that warm tone of his always managing to calm me.

  —I’m just glad everything turned out okay…

  —Me too… —he murmured, his gaze locked onto mine.

  The silence between us felt different.

  After finishing the last of my bandages, Niklas sat down beside me.

  Without thinking, I leaned my head against his shoulder.

  He was warm. Comforting.

  My heart pounded, but not from fear… from something else.

  Then, I felt his hand slowly move closer to mine.

  My breath hitched, but I didn’t pull away. I let him.

  His fingers brushed against mine, so softly it sent a shiver through me.

  It was a fragile moment, unique—one that would be etched into my heart forever.

  And then—

  Adrián’s voice shattered the bubble.

  —I know this isn’t the best moment, lovebirds, but I need to tell you something.

  We both jumped in surprise, instantly pulling away. My face burned with embarrassment, and when I glanced at Niklas, I saw he had no idea where to look either.

  Adrián crossed his arms with a smug grin.

  —No need to pretend anymore. I’m glad you finally took the next step —he said, grabbing the TV remote—. But now, watch this.

  The screen lit up with a headline that made my blood run cold.

  “EXECUTION OF THE HEROES OF EARTH: ZEIN RAVENSCROFT, KIOMI VALANDIL, AND MIGUEL CASTILLO—TONIGHT.”

  Time seemed to stop.

  My breathing grew heavy.

  Had time really passed that quickly?

  Just months ago, I had fallen from that plane—lost and alone. And now… the end of the year was arriving with the worst nightmare imaginable.

  The cold outside grew harsher by the minute, but what truly froze me was the thought of losing them.

  —We have to go —I said immediately, forcing myself to stand despite the pain and heading for the door.

  Niklas reacted instantly.

  —Naoko, you need to rest. You can’t go.

  —I have to.

  —Why? —His voice grew tenser, more serious—. Why do you care so much about the so-called heroes of this planet?

  I stopped in my tracks.

  Niklas was staring at me, waiting for an answer.

  I had never told him the truth.

  I took a deep breath, feeling my chest tighten.

  —Because… —I hesitated. What I was about to say would change everything—. Because they’re my comrades. They’re my friends.

  Niklas blinked, visibly taken aback.

  —What…?

  —Yeah… I was part of their group. We fought off the first invasion together, I traveled with them to the first planet we liberated… Zein is my mentor, and I respect them more than I can even put into words. That’s why I want to save them, but… —I swallowed hard, my voice shaking— but I don’t think I can…

  In that instant, Niklas pulled me into his arms.

  It was a gentle embrace, careful, as if he were afraid of hurting me.

  But in his warmth, there was something more than just comfort.

  There was understanding.

  There was guilt.

  And there was a silent, unspoken desire—to protect me.

  —I’m sorry… for not being able to help you with this…

  —No —I whispered, tightening my hold on him—. It’s my fault for never telling you.

  We pulled apart just enough for me to look into his eyes.

  Those deep blue eyes, now filled with concern.

  —But even so… I have to go. At the very least, I need to know I didn’t run away from this like a coward.

  Niklas held my gaze for what felt like an eternity.

  Then, he took a deep breath and nodded.

  —Alright… I’m coming with you.

  —I’m going too —Adrián chimed in—. We might be able to get you one of our suits. I know someone who could lend us one so you can blend in.

  —I’d really appreciate that…

  We moved immediately.

  We went to an apartment where one of Adrián’s friends lent us a suit and a fake ID.

  Time was working against us.

  With every passing second, my heartbeat quickened—like it was trying to warn me that something would go wrong.

  The day was fading.

  Snow kept falling in silence, blanketing the streets in white.

  The city lights flickered to life, some barely functioning, casting a dim, melancholic glow along the path.

  The execution was set to take place in a park, right beside the city’s most important building.

  By the time we arrived, a crowd had already gathered.

  There were Imperial soldiers, citizens of the planet… and others who had clearly traveled from faraway lands just to witness the spectacle.

  The stage was set.

  The air was heavy.

  Every breath felt thick, as if the very atmosphere was tainted by the cruelty of what was about to happen.

  And then—

  It began.

  The sky was completely dark when the floodlights illuminated the stage.

  The first figures to appear were the three generals:

  Eroberer, Stahlwand, and Krieger.

  Henker was gone.

  We had taken him down.

  That gave me a sliver of hope.

  Maybe… maybe without an executioner, they would postpone it. Maybe they’d find an excuse to delay it… or cancel it altogether.

  But no.

  They did the opposite.

  They moved the execution forward.

  And then, they brought them out.

  Zein. Kiomi. Miguel.

  The moment I saw them, it felt as if the ground had disappeared beneath my feet.

  That wasn’t them.

  It couldn’t be them.

  They were dragged onto the stage like discarded scraps. Their bodies were covered in bruises, wounds, dried blood…

  They didn’t even seem conscious.

  They were bound to three massive wooden crosses and left there.

  The murmurs of the crowd swelled—some whispering in anticipation, others laughing in morbid delight.

  And then, the announcer took the microphone.

  The spectacle was about to begin.

  —Your heroes! Look at them now! —his voice echoed across the entire venue, dripping with mockery and contempt—. Not so intimidating anymore, are they?

  With a single gesture, nine soldiers stepped onto the stage—each wielding a spear.

  —These so-called "heroes" are sentenced to die for being nothing more than enemies of the Empire! Let this be a lesson to all! —the announcer’s voice rang out, dripping with cruelty—. Anyone who dares to rebel against us will share the same fate!

  The generals simply watched.

  No one in the crowd dared to speak.

  The silence was absolute.

  Even the air itself seemed to hold its breath.

  And then—

  They gave the signal.

  The spears came down.

  Nine blades pierced through flesh.

  Zein. Miguel. Kiomi.

  Straight through the chest.

  To ensure there were no complications. To make death instantaneous.

  Their bodies convulsed in one final spasm.

  And then… nothing.

  Motionless.

  No breathing.

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  No reaction.

  No life.

  I felt the blood drain from my face.

  My hands trembled, clenched tightly against my chest.

  I couldn’t do anything.

  I couldn’t move.

  I couldn’t scream.

  All I could do was watch as my world crumbled before my eyes.

  A frozen void spread through my chest.

  It hurt.

  More than any wound ever could.

  Then, I felt hands wrap around mine.

  Niklas.

  His grip was firm, steady—comforting. He tried to pull me closer, to give me even a sliver of warmth against the ice consuming me.

  I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to steady myself.

  And then—

  Everything went dark.

  I opened my eyes.

  But I was no longer there.

  No screams.

  No people.

  No snow.

  Only… darkness.

  I turned, searching for answers.

  Nothing.

  Then, beneath my feet, something changed.

  Water.

  I was standing on a liquid surface—or at least, it seemed like water.

  Dark. Thick. Bottomless.

  Then, it began to glow.

  Faint flickers, dim reflections of something I couldn’t yet understand.

  But before I could figure out what was happening—

  The water swallowed me whole.

  From the waist down, my body sank into the abyss.

  It felt like I was floating.

  Suspended between two realities.

  And then, I saw him.

  Zein.

  Standing before me.

  His body covered in wounds, gaping holes in his chest—

  As if the spears were still impaling him.

  But his eyes weren’t empty.

  He wasn’t dead.

  And in front of him—

  A shadow.

  A tall, distorted figure, engulfed in black flames and swirling violet ashes.

  Its eyes… had no depth.

  They were hollow voids, abysses of impossible infinity.

  If you looked into them, you could see the universe itself—

  And feel it devouring you.

  —I’m glad to see you. —The shadow’s voice was a distant echo, as if it came from everywhere and nowhere at once.

  Zein didn’t flinch.

  —Yeah? Well, I’m not.

  The shadow tilted its head in amusement.

  —Still as arrogant as ever.

  Zein scoffed.

  —What did you expect?

  —You’re hardly in a position to be arrogant, you know?

  —Oh yeah? And why’s that?

  —Haven’t you realized? You’re on the verge of death, and yet… here you are, standing before me.

  Zein frowned, hesitating for the first time.

  —What?

  The shadow tilted its head slightly—almost in disdain.

  —You’ve returned to the limbo between life and death. But this time… your decision won’t change a thing.

  —The hell it won’t.

  The shadow let out a sigh, an amused smirk playing on its face.

  —I really hate that about you… but I’m not worried.

  The silence between them stretched on.

  They stared directly into each other’s eyes, as if measuring strength without the need for words.

  That’s when I noticed it.

  My body… was turning transparent.

  I blinked, confused. I tried to touch my own hand, but it passed through the other—

  As if I didn’t exist.

  As if I didn’t belong here.

  Zein still didn’t move, his gaze locked onto his other half.

  —I’ll do whatever I want —the shadow’s voice was amused, confident—. And do you know why? Because you’re about to die, and now I can do whatever I please. After all… I am going to save your life.

  Zein clenched his teeth.

  —I don’t need you to save me.

  —You don’t… but your friends do.

  The air grew heavy.

  —Are you just going to let them die? —the shadow continued, its tone now dripping with mockery—. Weren’t you supposed to be a hero?

  And then, it smiled.

  A twisted, nightmarish grin.

  It wasn’t a human expression—just a cruel, razor-sharp mockery.

  Zein didn’t answer.

  But for a split second—his gaze wavered.

  The shadow turned away, as if the conversation no longer interested it.

  But before leaving—

  It turned its face toward me.

  It looked at me.

  And in that instant—

  I felt a terror unlike anything I had ever known.

  It had no eyes.

  But somehow—

  I knew it was watching me.

  And worst of all—

  It smiled again.

  —I’m glad we had an audience this time.

  My entire body froze.

  In an instant, everything collapsed.

  An invisible force yanked me downward.

  I plunged into the water all at once.

  Darkness swallowed me whole.

  I tried to move, to swim toward the surface—

  But it was impossible.

  The water was too thick, too heavy. Every attempt to move forward was useless. It was as if I were trapped in an endless abyss.

  I was going to die here.

  I was going to—

  But then—

  I woke up.

  My lungs gasped for air.

  The blood still stained the ground.

  My friends’ bodies were still there—impaled by spears, motionless.

  The crowd remained silent, as if the entire world had stopped.

  And I…

  I was shaking.

  My breathing was erratic. My skin was ice cold.

  I couldn’t stop trembling.

  Niklas held me firmly in his arms, but his voice sounded distant.

  Everything was spinning around me.

  —We have to get out of here… —I gasped, barely able to speak.

  I moved toward the exit as fast as I could, with Niklas and Adrián close behind me.

  —Why? What’s going on, Naoko? —Niklas asked, his voice full of confusion.

  —Just listen to me. We need to get out of here as fast as possible.

  I couldn’t explain what I had seen.

  I couldn’t put it into words.

  I just knew we had to run.

  Once outside, I grabbed my communicator and gave an urgent order.

  —Listen up, everyone! Anyone inside the Empire who is on our side—remove any badges, uniforms, or insignias that identify you! Now!

  The communication channel erupted with confused murmurs.

  —What are you talking about? —a broken voice asked.

  —Just do it!

  I turned to Niklas and Adrián.

  —You two as well. Take off the suit.

  Without question, we stripped off our Imperial uniforms, leaving only regular clothes underneath.

  My heart pounded erratically.

  Something was wrong.

  I could feel it in every fiber of my being.

  That shadow…

  Every time it appeared, something horrible followed.

  In my dreams. In my nightmares.

  Behind us, soldiers began to follow.

  —Stop right there!

  —You three! Stay where you are!

  No.

  We couldn’t.

  We bolted into the trees, vanishing into the underbrush.

  The park was larger than it seemed. The thick foliage made it hard to see, allowing us to lose ourselves within the vegetation. We moved nonstop, weaving between the trunks, avoiding any trace of light.

  But something was wrong.

  After several minutes of running—

  We emerged from the trees…

  Only to find ourselves back at the same starting point.

  From the high branches, we could see the execution platform perfectly.

  The spectators were gone.

  Only the generals remained, speaking amongst themselves.

  Their stances were tense.

  They were planning something.

  And then—

  It happened.

  A small plume of smoke began rising from the platform.

  Something was burning.

  My chest tightened.

  For a moment, I thought they were incinerating the bodies.

  But the generals looked just as confused.

  And then—

  Zein’s body burst into flames.

  But these weren’t normal flames.

  They were black.

  Black and violet. But above all—black.

  The fire spread with impossible ferocity, engulfing Kiomi and Miguel’s bodies as well.

  The soldiers panicked.

  They ran in all directions, desperately trying to extinguish the flames—

  But their efforts were useless.

  The generals took cautious steps back.

  Even they knew something was terribly, terribly wrong.

  And then—

  Kiomi and Miguel’s bodies fell to the ground.

  Healed.

  Alive.

  And from within the flames…

  A nightmare emerged.

  That monster of fire.

  That shadow.

  The thing I had seen in my dreams.

  My nightmares had become reality.

  Every step it took left a trail of destruction.

  The ground beneath its feet blackened—cracking apart under its sheer presence.

  The world itself seemed to bend under its presence.

  I couldn’t breathe.

  I couldn’t look away.

  Terror rooted me in place.

  Zein… was he still in there?

  In the blink of an eye, the shadow appeared in front of Eroberer.

  —Well, well… you have gotten stronger. Did facing death give you a boost?

  No response.

  The creature simply drove its arm into Eroberer’s stomach with terrifying ease.

  No resistance.

  As if it were cutting through air.

  As if Eroberer was nothing more than an insect before its presence.

  The general coughed up blood—

  But even in that state, he smiled.

  His eyes gleamed with savage euphoria—

  A twisted pleasure.

  Power. Strength. War.

  Standing at the brink of death before a worthy opponent excited him.

  Eroberer tried to counterattack, throwing a punch straight at the shadow’s face—

  But it did nothing.

  No reaction.

  Not a blink.

  Not even a slight movement.

  The creature simply stared in silence before gripping Eroberer’s shoulders with overwhelming force.

  And then—

  The flames erupted.

  Fire devoured Eroberer’s body in seconds.

  The screams that tore from his throat were inhuman, gut-wrenching—filled with sheer agony.

  I wouldn’t wish that fate on anyone.

  But even as his skin blackened, as his flesh crumbled into ash—

  The smile never left his face.

  He wasn’t screaming in pain.

  He was screaming in ecstasy.

  When the fire finally died down, what remained of Eroberer was a charred, twisted husk.

  Barely anything of his uniform remained.

  Only faint traces—his signature mustache—a grotesque reminder of what he once was.

  And even in that state—

  He was still conscious.

  Still powerful.

  The shadow stared at him, utterly devoid of emotion.

  Then, without hesitation—

  It grabbed his jaw.

  Bones cracked.

  Charred skin stretched taut—

  And in one swift motion—

  It ripped it off.

  But it didn’t let go.

  With its other hand, it gripped his chest—

  And with a brutal yank, it ripped his head from his body.

  The spinal cord tore free with a wet snap, and Eroberer’s head hit the ground—

  Still wearing that damned smile of satisfaction.

  The remaining generals stood frozen—

  Unable to process what they had just witnessed.

  But their hesitation didn’t last long.

  Despite the fear etched across their faces—

  They attacked.

  Their final mistake.

  The shadow repelled their blows effortlessly—

  As if it were playing with them.

  Krieger was the next to fall.

  She barely had time to react before the creature tore her in half like she was made of paper.

  She didn’t die instantly.

  Her entrails spilled out, hanging from her mutilated body as she desperately tried to grab onto something, anything.

  She never had a chance.

  The shadow grabbed her own organs—

  And whipped them around Stahlwand’s head, ripping it off in a single motion.

  It wasn’t a clean decapitation.

  His jaw remained attached to his body—

  While the rest of his skull flew in another direction.

  Chaos erupted among the soldiers.

  Many couldn’t bear it—

  And tried to run.

  They didn’t make it.

  More shadows emerged from nowhere.

  They multiplied in seconds, each one moving with surgical, lethal precision.

  The soldiers were trapped.

  One of them let out a shriek as a shadow pounced on him—

  And tore his head off in a single bite.

  Another collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony as his abdomen caved in on itself—

  Something was devouring his insides.

  Slowly.

  Savoring every second.

  The shadows weren’t killing efficiently.

  This wasn’t execution.

  It wasn’t simple annihilation.

  It was torture.

  Some were torn apart like broken dolls, their mangled bodies hung from the remains of the execution platform—

  Crucified.

  Just like the prisoners they had condemned to die.

  The bodies piled up, one after another.

  At first, the shadows arranged them with macabre patience—

  But soon, there was no more space.

  So they threw them into heaps—

  Forming a grotesque mountain of flesh and blood.

  It was a massacre.

  No…

  It was something worse.

  The sky was a canvas of destruction. The Empire’s warships and conquest vessels burned, crumbling like blazing meteors over the city. Explosions above illuminated the darkness with bursts of orange light, each one marking the end of another ship.

  That was when I realized something terrifying.

  The shadow wasn’t just killing the soldiers on the ground… it was erasing every last trace of the Empire.

  It wouldn’t leave anyone alive.

  —That’s why you told us to take off anything related to the Empire… —Niklas murmured, eyes wide.

  I couldn’t respond.

  My body was paralyzed.

  Not from the cold.

  Not from exhaustion.

  But from horror.

  All of this—everything that was happening—was too much.

  Bad luck didn’t take long to catch up to me.

  The branch I was standing on creaked—

  And snapped.

  The ground rushed toward me. The impact rattled through my bones.

  But the pain was nothing compared to the panic that surged through me when the shadow saw me.

  In an instant—

  It was standing right in front of me.

  The air grew dense, suffocating.

  Breathing was difficult.

  My body trembled as if I had a fever, my muscles refused to respond.

  I was completely defenseless.

  The creature leaned in, watching me in silence.

  Its empty eyes bore into mine—

  As if it were staring straight through my soul.

  It didn’t move.

  It just looked at me.

  Then—

  It raised its hand.

  My heart stopped.

  This was the end.

  My mind screamed, but my body refused to move.

  I could feel death mere inches from my face.

  But…

  The blow never came.

  Instead—

  A touch.

  A burning hand brushed against my cheek with an impossible gentleness for a being like him.

  It wasn’t an attack.

  It wasn’t violence.

  It was… something else.

  The heat seared instantly.

  —Ouch! —I yelped, unable to stop myself.

  The shadow froze.

  For the first time—

  It seemed surprised.

  Its hand withdrew immediately.

  And without warning—

  It vanished.

  No sound.

  No trace.

  As if it had never been there at all.

  Only silence remained.

  But that silence brought no peace.

  It was the echo of the massacre.

  Around me, the ships still burned, the ruins still smoldered, the chaos continued collapsing in on itself.

  None of this felt real.

  I dropped to my knees, still trembling.

  Niklas leapt down from the trees and knelt beside me.

  A sharp ringing filled my ears—

  Endless.

  Vibrating.

  Like the whole world was collapsing inside my head.

  It took us a while to catch our breath.

  But the world wouldn’t wait for us.

  Everything had been broadcasted.

  Just like Sora’s battle—

  Just like the massacre on that planet—

  The execution and everything that followed had been seen by all.

  I couldn’t afford to stay in shock.

  I took a breath and, though my voice still trembled, I made a broadcast.

  —Good evening, everyone…

  My breathing was uneven.

  My hands still wouldn’t stop shaking.

  —The events of today… have cleared a path for us, in a way I wish I didn’t have to admit.

  My voice nearly broke.

  But I kept going.

  —From this moment on, we will give our absolute best efforts to restore the government and support everyone who has suffered.

  I clung to my own words as if they were the only thing keeping me standing.

  —I truly thank you all for enduring these past months. I promise you—things will be okay now.

  I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to steady my fear.

  —Our heroes, Miguel and Kiomi, are safe and in good health… though still unconscious. With them, we will keep everything afloat. You have my word.

  But Zein…

  The words stuck in my throat.

  Accepting the truth was even harder.

  —As for Zein… I can say that he is still alive, but our efforts to locate him will have to wait. The priority is the people.

  I swallowed hard.

  I didn’t want to say it.

  —Therefore… I am declaring Zein Ravenscroft Missing in Action.

  The final words weighed on my chest like a sentence.

  —That is all. Good night.

  I ended the broadcast.

  The war wasn’t over yet.

  But with all my heart, I hoped we could keep everything afloat.

  And with all my soul—

  I hoped Zein was still alive.