CLICK! CLICK! BAM!
Evelyne's eyes snapped open.
The ceiling above her was a blur, but the echo of the gunshots clung to her like smoke.
Her chest rose and fell in uneven waves, skin damp, white hair sticking to her temples.
She sat up slowly, the silken sheets sliding off her shoulders.
The king-sized bed felt too large tonight — empty, cold.
A tear slipped from her right eye before she even realized it. She wiped it away with the back of her hand and stood, bare feet pressing into the chilled floor.
The mirror across the room caught her in its frame.
She froze.
"Evelyne! Evelyne!"
The voice — a woman's voice — rang in her head, tangled with screams and gunfire.
Her gaze fixed on the hollow where her left eye should have been. She reached up, fingertips brushing the puckered skin.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
The sound shattered the memory.
"Report to the war room. Now." Raito's voice, low and steady, came from the other side.
Evelyne exhaled sharply, snatched her black eyepatch from the nightstand, and fastened it with practiced precision.
By the time she opened the door, the tears were gone.
"Is he back?" Evelyne asked, adjusting her white vest that matched her hair as she opened the door.
"No," Raito replied, leaning against the wall, calm but alert.
CLANG CLANG.
Footsteps echoed through the vast red-and-purple halls. Raito led the way, his presence commanding. Maids in purple garments froze, bowed, then resumed their duties as he passed.
"What could it be about?" Evelyne asked softly.
"That prick. Thinks he can boss me around because Father isn't here," Raito growled.
"Could be from Father. Perhaps he needs our help," Evelyne offered.
"We both know Father doesn't need our help. We need his. Always do," Raito replied, his voice low, controlled but edged with tension.
They stopped before a massive metallic door.
"Don't," Raito warned, halting Evelyne.
"He doesn't deserve a knock," he added, pushing the doors open.
"Raito! Knock next time," a man's voice rang out. A well-dressed figure in a tuxedo appeared, his neatly combed white hair and beard gleaming under the hall's red and purple glow, flecks of gold catching in the light.
"William. What do you want?" Raito snapped.
"Well, good morning to you, Raito. And to you, Eve," William replied smoothly.
"Morning will—"
"Only I can call her Eve!" Raito cut in sharply. Evelyne blushed, turning slightly aside.
"To answer your question," William continued, settling on a black couch, computer screens glowing behind him, "it's not about what I want. It's time."
"The fall of Therma," Raito muttered, anger lacing his tone.
"No way… he found the heart of Therma?" Evelyne asked, eyes wide.
"Three, to be precise. You're going to raid the first one, then meet up with him at the second, and finally destroy H.O.T together. Like father and son," William explained.
"Like father and son," Raito echoed, voice low, before turning on his heel. Evelyne followed.
"I can't believe Father did all this in such a short span… he's truly amazing," Evelyne murmured.
"Yeah, tell me about it," Raito replied, smirking faintly.
---
Outside, the massive gates opened. Convoys of armored trucks rumbled forward, engines growling. Raito climbed into the lead vehicle, Evelyne sliding in beside him. The early evening sky bled orange, painting the road ahead with firelight and shadow.
As they rolled toward the first Therma base, Evelyne leaned slightly toward him.
"When we get there… maybe we can ask about Haruka?" she said quietly, glancing at Raito.
Raito's eyes tightened, jaw flexing. He didn't answer immediately, but his hand drifted toward his axe, a silent acknowledgment.
The convoy pressed onward, engines roaring, carrying them into the storm of what was to come.