His body—already cold—lay on the ground, a macabre scene with his blood scattered across the surrounding area.
A heroic death that had transpired before their very eyes—yet for some, it signaled the beginning of their own demise.
The cries of the civilians filled the air as they understood what was to come next.
Children trembled as they clutched their fathers and mothers in fear.
Some simply stared blankly, having already accepted their fate.
"Y-You've got to be kidding me, man… H-How could Jinn…" Verhedyn's voice stuttered as he struggled to speak while staring at Jinn's lifeless state.
"I-If only I s-stayed quiet earlier!" Kain's hands balled into fists as he struck his own head repeatedly—tears running down his face, dripping onto the dirt below.
Meanwhile, Ophelia collapsed to the ground, her body frozen as she stared blankly into the void.
A storm of emotions—anger, sadness, and despair—brewed deep within her, wrapping tightly around both her heart and mind.
Her entire body trembled—not because of what was about to happen, but for the friend she truly cared about.
The friend she cherished.
The area continued to erupt with a haunting, despair-inducing chorus of cries and screams, as the soldiers stood motionless in formation—their energy rifles already primed and ready to fire.
Amid the anarchy, Venedix stood beside the body of the child she had just slain.
*flap... *flap...!
Her cape flapped with the wind as she held a long, lingering gaze upon Jinn's motionless form.
Thoughts swirled within her mind—his expression, his final moments, his unwavering will to defy what fate had laid out for him.
Was she impressed by this boy?
Or was it just another day?
Another death in the endless cycle of war that she had grown used to?
Venedix had slain many in her long journey—countless battles fought in the name of her House and for the Empire.
Yet, the very fact that she was even attempting to make sense of this situation puzzled her.
Normally, she would've scoffed and moved on without a second thought.
Standing in that moment of silence, she processed the chaos of thoughts circling in her mind—until she caught movement at the edge of her vision.
Jinn's group of friends—no, his family—ran toward his body.
Their faces twisted in despair and anguish, and Venedix watched them.
Their small and frail bodies stumbled as they rushed to reach the one who had tried to protect them.
Some of the soldiers acted quickly, blocking most of them—grabbing at their clothes and standing like solid walls.
But Ophelia managed to break through.
Instead of her clothes being grabbed, it was her backpack.
Slipping her tiny arms out from the backpack straps, she tripped and fell, scraped her knees—but she forced herself up and kept running, sprinting toward Jinn.
"Hic… J-Jinn!" Ophelia cried as she ran.
Her heart pounded in her chest while tears and snot ran freely down her cheeks.
Memories flashed across her mind—precious moments she shared with Jinn.
His laughter, his soft words, the way he smiled, and the promises he made—now shattered fragments, slipping through her fingers.
And there he was—motionless, cold, and long gone.
Ophelia's legs weakened and gave out beneath her at the sight of him.
Her trembling arms wrapped around his body as she pulled him close to her chest.
"Jinn… you're so cold…" she whispered, her thin arms holding him tightly as her tear-filled eyes turned toward Venedix—burning with fury.
"You monster!" Ophelia screamed, her voice full of grief and rage.
Venedix—still lost in thought—wore an apathetic expression, which only made Ophelia's anger burn hotter.
Unable to contain the fury rising within her, Ophelia slowly lowered Jinn's body to the ground, then lunged at Venedix, her hand clenched into a fist, ready to strike.
But before her fist could reach its target, a soldier suddenly grabbed her neck—the grip was tight, making her choke as her breath caught in her throat.
*gurhk!
Ophelia gasped and struggled to breathe, using her nails to claw at the soldier's hand—her vision beginning to fade into darkness, her body weakening.
Then, in an unexpected turn of events, Venedix turned toward them and spoke—breaking her silence.
"Let the child go, soldier."
Without hesitation, the soldier obeyed, loosening his grip and releasing Ophelia's neck, allowing her to breathe once more.
Still, with a heavy
*thud!
Ophelia dropped to the ground, completely exhausted.
Her hands and knees pressed into the dirt as she slowly lifted her head and looked at Venedix with confusion in her eyes.
With a sharp motion, Venedix flicked her sword to the side, cleaning Jinn's blood from the blade.
She then reached down and retrieved her other sword—the one that had fallen beside Jinn's lifeless hand.
Ophelia turned her head and saw another figure approaching them.
The person wore armor that was different—more ornate, more authoritative—clearly not just a regular soldier.
The stranger briefly looked at Ophelia before returning his attention to Venedix and offering a salute.
"Shall we proceed with the executions, Battlemaster?"
"No. Wait for further instructions—Commander." Venedix replied,
*shhhk!
sheathing both swords into their proper straps on her belt.
She then reached into the pocket of her cloak with one hand.
After rummaging around for a moment, she pulled out a small crystal.
It glowed brightly, its surface swirling with a deep and powerful crimson hue.
"Your Excellency… is that—?" The commander's eyes widened as they locked on the object in her hand.
"Bring me Amaron—as soon as possible," she commanded, her gaze fixed on the crystal before shifting it back toward Jinn's body.
"At once."
*fwoosh!
The soldier nodded and dashed toward one of the nearby drop ships, which took off the moment he boarded.
Wasting no time, Venedix turned toward Ophelia, who was still clutching Jinn in her arms.
"W-What do you want now!?" Ophelia exclaimed, her voice shaky.
"Move, girl." Venedix stared at her with narrowed eyes—sharp, unwavering.
Clutching her fallen friend even tighter, Ophelia shouted through her sobs, "I won't let you defile him any further, you monster!"
"I said move—girl," Venedix repeated, her tone even more serious than before, her glare firm. "If you want to save your friend—move."
"W-What? You can save Jinn?" Ophelia asked, loosening her grip and slowly backing away.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest as she clung to that tiny, fragile hope—that maybe, just maybe, she could see her best friend again.
As Ophelia moved aside, Venedix proceeded with the procedure—not to heal, but to resurrect Jinn.
She unsheathed one of her swords and made a small, clean cut on her own palm.
*slice!
A significant amount of blood dripped from the wound.
With her other hand, she placed the crimson-glowing crystal directly against the wound.
As soon as her blood touched the surface, the crystal's glow intensified—pulsing red like a heartbeat.
*tssssss!
Smoke rose from her hand as the crystal sizzled against her skin.
The burning sensation was sharp and painful, but Venedix didn't flinch.
Hundreds of years of battle had taught her how to ignore even the worst of pain.
Minutes passed.
The crystal grew even brighter—its light becoming so strong that it was visible to the civilians, and of course, to Jinn's friends.
"H-Hey! What do you think they're doing over there!?" Orin shouted, trying to peek past the soldiers holding them back.
Hector leaned forward, his voice tense. "I don't know, but Ophelia might be in danger!"
With her blood-soaked hand, Venedix crushed the crystal in her grip—
*crack! *BANG!
causing it to explode in a brilliant flash of light.
Without hesitation, she placed her palm against Jinn's chest.
Closing her eyes, she began to speak in the Zerafhon dialect, her voice calm yet commanding.
"Ekar li vokez, aratex in gokan veo kin arkan—everen!"
Everen, which meant reborn.
As soon as the words left her lips, a powerful light burst from Jinn's body.
His limbs convulsed—his soul forced to feel once more.
"Urgh!!"
And so, he felt again.
Jinn's remaining eye opened wide as he gasped, the immense pain surging deep within him like fire.
His body convulsed violently.
"J-Jinn—You're alive!" Ophelia cried, her voice shaking with relief and worry.
She was overjoyed that he had come back, but terrified by the agony he was now in.
Jinn's heart burned like a furnace as his body thrashed.
His fingers clawed at the ground, nails breaking and bleeding as he screamed in agony.
"Fight if you want to live!" Venedix's hair flared a brighter red as she pressed harder on him.
"Struggle. Rebel. Claw your way through the pain!"
"It burns!" Jinn screamed, blood spilling from his mouth as he writhed—his vision darkening.
"He's going to die at this rate," Venedix thought grimly, scanning for a solution—until she found one.
A new aura surrounded her body—unlike the violent crimson from earlier.
This was golden, radiant… noble.
Venedix gathered that noble energy into her hand, still pressed on Jinn's body, before releasing it into him in a single powerful burst.
A flash of fire, a deafening—
*BANG!
The energy surged into Jinn, flooding every orifice, every wound.
It traveled rapidly and violently until it reached his heart—where it gathered and pulsed.
The energy vibrated in his chest before bursting outward in an explosion.
It flooded his bloodstream, spreading through every inch of him.
The burning sensation worsened, but the combined energy from the crystal and Venedix allowed Jinn to endure a little longer.
As the two forces intertwined within him, his hair turned crimson red, and his body began to change—reborn through pain.
Cracks of energy formed across his skin.
The internal pressure worsened his injuries as his blood had nowhere to go but out—spurting from amputated limbs and gaping wounds.
"WHERE ARE YOU, AMARON?!" Venedix shouted, frustration growing in her voice.
She then noticed movement at the edge of her vision—Amaron was running, sluggish but fast enough.
"A-Amaron has arrived, Your Excellency!" he cried.