Nova Chamber – Morning
The team gathered in the training hall, stretching into formation—but Lyra wasn't there.
Kael (checking comm): "She said she'd be here."Rayna: "She hasn't answered since last night."
Elsewhere – Lyra's Apartment
Lyra sat alone in her room, curtains drawn, canvas untouched.Her hands trembled, paint half-dried on her fingers.
The vision hadn't left her. It lingered—whispering through mirrors, crawling across the edges of silence.
Synkris (inside her mind): "You bring beauty to a dying world. Does that make you brave… or foolish?"
She looked at a photo of her team. Smiling. Hopeful.
Synkris: "When they fall—and they will—you'll survive. But what will you have left to protect?"
Later – Nova Chamber
Lyra finally arrived—late, quiet, distant.
Kael (gentle): "Hey. You alright?"Lyra (quietly): "Fine."
But in training, she hesitated. Missed her mark. Almost took Jett out in a sparring drill.
Veyra (watching): "She's slipping."
Rayna (approaching Lyra): "We can't help if you shut us out."Lyra (sharply): "You don't know what she showed me!"
The room went still.
Lyra (softer): "I saw a future where I'm the only one left. A world without color. Without you."
No one had a quick answer.
Then Kael stepped forward.
Kael: "If that's what you saw… then fight to prove her wrong. We need your heart, Lyra. I need it."
Lyra met his eyes—and slowly nodded.
Lyra: "Okay. I'm not done yet."
Elsewhere – Synkris's Ship
Synkris stood over a new corrupted shard, pulsing with unstable energy.
Synkris: "She resists. Good. That makes her worth breaking."
To Be Continued...