Lylia returned home after the long chat with Hanz and Freya, back again alone in her quiet, dim apartment. She glanced around the room—her home for years—and sighed. Despite the warmth of nostalgia and the joy from seeing her friends again, loneliness lingered in the air like a shadow she couldn't shake.
"I'm so envious of Hanz and Freya," Lylia murmured with a wistful smile, holding an old photo of the three of them. "They finally found happiness with each other."
She rubbed her eyes and yawned.
"I should take a rest to get ready for tomorrow's shopping."
She took a warm bath, then collapsed into bed. Her eyes shut as the lonesome night swallowed her thoughts.
Morning came. A shrill alarm echoed through the room.
Lylia groaned and rolled face-first into her pillow. "It's already morning? I'm beat."
Fumbling blindly, she missed the alarm clock twice before finally shutting it off. Still laying flat, she let two more minutes pass before dragging herself upright.
She trudged to the sink, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and stumbled back into the kitchen.
"What should I eat for breakfast..."
Her gaze wandered to the glowing numbers on the alarm clock.
"Wait—what?!" she exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief. "It's 11:17 AM?! June 4, 3007?!"
She stared at the screen.
"Did I set the alarm wrong, or has it been snoozing this whole time?!"
Opening her fridge, she found only a few remaining ingredients.
"Still got some eggs... and ham. Bread's close to expiring. It'll have to do."
She fried two eggs, toasted the bread to a crisp, and assembled a simple scrambled egg toast sandwich. As she ate, she turned on the news.
"Breaking News: Two legendary Gifted are revealed to be married," the news anchor declared.
"That's a first."
"This just in from the Impact Bulletin—Affia the Walking Hurricane and Rick the Immovable Golem have announced their marriage, which they kept secret for a year..."
Lylia stared at the screen, raising an eyebrow.
"They really kept that hidden. What made them suddenly announce it?"
She took a bite.
"What's with the world throwing married couples at me?"
With her breakfast finished, she prepared to leave the house. Because of teleport gate prices, she opted for the more affordable bullet train. At the market, she circled the aisles with care.
"Protein... fish, beef, eggs. Grains—rice is good. Maybe pasta. I'll make carbonara tomorrow. Milk and cheese... ham's already at home. Fruits and veggies—"
She sighed as she watched her total climb.
"It's better to survive than save money for anything else," she muttered, crying inside.
Upon leaving, the night sky greeted her.
"Already night? Took longer than I thought." She checked her watch. "5:42 PM. I better get home."
As she passed a quiet alley, a faint cry caught her ear.
"A baby...?"
She turned toward the sound and found a cardboard box in the shadows. Alarmed, she looked around. Nobody else seemed to notice. She approached the box and peered inside.
What she saw froze her in place.
Wrapped in cloth was a newborn baby, barely days old. Inside the box was also an envelope.
Hands trembling, she opened it. Inside were a few bills and a letter.
If you ever see this, please just take the baby and the money inside the envelope. I don't want to accept that this was my child.
—Affia.
Lylia's breath caught.
"Affia...? The Affia from the news?"
Shocked and outraged, she scooped up the box.
She had only one thought: get the baby somewhere safe.
She ran to the gate teleportation station and handed over her last budget.
"Where to?" asked the staff.
"Auravale," she said, breathless.
"That'll be—"
Before he could finish, she shoved the payment into his hand. "Here. Keep the change."
The gate opened. Lylia stepped through.
She reached her apartment at last. Gently, she laid the box down.
"You're safe now. I'm here," she whispered, smiling.
The baby stopped crying. He looked up at her with wide, glistening eyes and giggled.
"He's... happy, right?" she said, tears forming.
She embraced him. In that moment, the weight of loneliness lifted from her chest.
"You're my family now," she whispered.
She looked at him, glowing with warmth and tenderness.
"Your name will be Lumiel... the one who saves people from the darkness and becomes their light."
The baby closed his eyes and drifted into sleep, resting safely in her arms.
"I will forever protect this light," she promised, voice steady, even as her own heart trembled, "even if death hunts me."