Maya spoke up: "Come on, tell me what happened."
For a moment, the Sword of the Sky showed no reaction, then his lips began to move.
"I don't know what to say or where to begin, but I'll try to keep it as brief as possible."
Maya stayed focused on every word he spoke. He sighed and continued:
"We were in a single group when we spotted one of the creatures—it was alone. That was our chance.
"We decided to sneak up and attack it, but then the unexpected happened: the monster noticed us.
"We didn't think much of it; each of us ran for our lives without looking out for one another. We scattered, and each of us hid among the rubble.
"But Zain was still running as fast as he could. He found no escape; the creature was closing in on him, about to catch him.
"I couldn't think of anything else. Yolan and Dastan were close by, so I had no choice but to send them to distract the creature from Zain. In short, I was the one who ordered them to their deaths.
"You might say it wasn't my fault, since I only wanted them to draw its attention. But I knew they would die the moment I sent them on that mission. I sent them knowing they would never return, and what tormented me most was that they were killed in the most horrific ways—I can't even describe to you how they were devoured alive."
He looked at Maya and said, "That's all."
Maya lowered her head and remained silent for a moment before replying:
"I won't tell you that your actions were wrong—first, because I've never been in the same situation you were in. But what I'm certain of is that you did what you thought was right, and I believe in what you believe. If Zain had died, everything would have ended."
The Sword of the Sky met her gaze and said, "Although I sent them to their deaths with my own hands, I feel no remorse at all. And if it happened again, I would do the same. Do you still trust me after I said that?"
Maya was silent for a moment before answering:
"In my opinion, what you did was the right thing. And as I told you, I believe in you and in what you do, so I will say that you acted correctly."
The Sword of the Sky offered a slight smile and said, "I truly appreciate you—for your stance toward me."
He bowed his head in helplessness and added, "Yet, even though I cannot express regret, I will always be the person who sent his friends to die—the one who sacrificed two of his comrades so that his remaining companion could stay alive. Isn't that ironic? I can't bear this burden at all, but I have no choice but to accept it and carry it."
Sorrow clouded Maya's features. She jumped up, took his hand, and said,
"If you cannot bear it, then let me share it with you. I am your wife—you can tell me everything that weighs on you."
The Sword of the Sky smiled gently, patted her head, and said, "I will make sure of that."
He raised both hands and let out a long sigh: "I am tired—may I lie down in your arms?"
Maya was surprised for a moment, her face flushing with embarrassment, but she bent her knees to make room for him to lie on her lap. The Sword of the Sky rested his head in her lap, and their eyes—filled with love and longing—met.
He reached out and gently stroked her face, turning it the color of a tomato from sheer embarrassment. But as time passed, the blush quickly faded, and she arranged a lock of hair on his forehead until his eyelids closed and he fell asleep.
They remained like that for several moments until Maya sensed he would not wake anytime soon. She gently moved his head, supporting it with her arm, then reached for his pillow and slipped it under his head without waking him.
Maya rose and calmly began tidying the chaos he had left behind. About an hour passed, and the room was in good order—except for a few items that could not be restored, like the bed frame, the wardrobe, and the shelf beside the bed. They had suffered severe damage and could not be repaired.
Maya slipped out of the room quietly, closed the door, and walked down the corridor to the main hall. To her surprise, it was almost empty—only the girls remained, cleaning away the remnants of food and dust from the floor.
Maya approached one of them and asked, "Where is everyone? Why is this place deserted?"
The girl replied, "Teacher Raven gathered all the male students and took them outside to hold a burial ceremony for the victims of the disaster. He said the outdoors has become like a swamp of the dead—the bodies have swollen and begun to decompose, which would attract more monsters; that's what we don't want."
Maya nodded in understanding—and even relief—because the city's inhabitants would bury their dead as humans have always done. She closed her eyes for a moment, wishing that the souls lost would find peace and tranquility.
Outside, three groups of trainees were at work. The first group—ten trainees—was tasked with lifting the corpses and handing them to the second group of twenty, whose task was to carry them farther to the third group of fifty. The third group's duty was to dig graves, waiting for the bodies while covering them with soil mixed with golden sand.
The work was grueling: the stench was unbearable, the bodies swollen, some already beginning to decompose. Some corpses were missing limbs, making them difficult to collect; others had been partially devoured. The students vomited continuously but returned to the task. Some trainees paused, overcome with grief—some had lost relatives and friends to the disaster.
Teacher Raven himself was among those digging and filling the graves. The students held their breath each time they lifted a body or came close to one. They panted constantly; some even choked and stepped aside to catch their breath before resuming. Even in the dead of night, the air was stifling—no breeze stirred at all.
Back inside, the Sword of the Sky had just awakened. The first thing he noticed was the change in his room. He smiled for a moment, then rose to leave and survey the situation. He closed his doo
r behind him and followed the same corridor Maya had taken.