The briefing room emptied, leaving only the faint hum of ventilation and the fading echo of boots against metal.
Nura sat motionless, staring at nothing.
General Halsten's words kept repeating in his head—You can live here in peace, or fight under the Moon Kingdom's banner.
Peace.
The word tasted like dust.
In the darkness behind his eyes, the past came rushing back.
Valkiron City—alive and bustling one moment, swallowed by hell the next.
The sky turning crimson as Gundam Tristan descended, a white-and-gold knight with piercing blue eyes that glared down like a god passing judgment.
He saw it.
He could never unsee it.
The funnels surrounding Tristan, aligning in the air.
Energy building.
Light swelling into a single massive beam that roared like a sun collapsing.
The blast tore through the city in an instant.
Buildings dissolved into dust.
The streets where he grew up ceased to exist.
And in front of him—
His parents.
He reached for them, screaming, but the light swallowed everything.
When it cleared, there was only ruin, fire, and the silhouette of Tristan standing untouched amidst the destruction.
Nura's fists clenched until his knuckles ached. His jaw trembled, not from fear, but from the fury that never stopped burning.
A voice pulled him back.
> Kaedin: "Nura."
He turned.
> Kaedin: "What're you gonna do?"
Nura hesitated, the heat in his chest clashing with the emptiness in his head.
> Nura: "…I don't know."
> Nura: "What about you?"
Kaedin's expression was hard, resolute.
> Kaedin: "I'm gonna talk with Halsten. See if there's another route—something besides just bending the knee to the Moon Kingdom. If there isn't… I'll enlist here. Soldier, pilot, whatever it takes."
He looked away for a moment, then back.
> Kaedin: "I'm not letting Camelot keep their grip on Earth. Not while I'm alive."
Nura nodded faintly, but his mind was already spiraling again. The image of Tristan, the flash of that beam, his parents' faces in their last second—
It wasn't something he could let go.
Not ever.
Somewhere above them, the Moon Kingdom's great spires stood silent against the black sky, but down on Earth… Camelot was still moving.
And Tristan was still out there.
---
The meeting had ended, but the weight of it stayed heavy in Nura's chest. He lingered at the edge of the camp until General Halsten approached him.
> Halsten: "Nura."
Nura: "Sir?"
The older man's expression was softer than usual, though his voice still carried authority.
> Halsten: "I can see it written all over you. You're choking yourself trying to decide right away. That's no way to think clearly."
Nura didn't respond. Halsten stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.
> Halsten: "Take a walk. A day away from the noise. Go breathe the air here, see the city. You'll be surprised how much it clears your head."
The general reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a slim pouch, pressing it into Nura's hands.
> Halsten: "Allowance. Enough to eat, wander, buy something if you feel like it. Don't argue—call it an order."
Nura gave a small, unsure nod.
> Halsten: "When you've seen the city, when you've had a moment to yourself… think about what you want to do. No one can make that choice for you."
The words stuck with him as he stepped out of the camp gates and into the city of the Moon Kingdom.
---
It was unlike anything he'd seen before.
The streets gleamed with pale stone, the air clean and thin, humming faintly with hidden energy lines beneath the ground. Graceful spires rose overhead, arching toward the black sky, their tips catching the glow of the lunar lights.
He walked aimlessly, letting his feet take him wherever they wished. He bought strange food wrapped in soft paper, a drink that shimmered faintly under the light, and even a small moon-shaped trinket from a smiling vendor.
For a while, the war felt far away. The Moon Kingdom was alive, peaceful, untouched.
But as the day turned to evening and the city lights began to bloom, Nura's thoughts darkened again. He found himself in the central plaza, sitting on a stone bench near a fountain shaped like a crescent moon.
The water glimmered under the plaza lights, and above, the Earth hung like a blue gem.
Then the memories came, unbidden.
Tristan's Gundam—white and gold, eyes glowing blue.
The massive laser cutting through Valkiron City.
Buildings, streets, and people—gone in an instant.
His parents… standing in front of him, swallowed by light.
His squad's screams.
Graven's pale face as blood loss took him while Nura fought desperately in a crippled Scorpio against Bors and Bedivere.
He clenched his fists.
What now? Live quietly here? Or fight again?
> ???: "You look like you've been staring at the same spot for hours."
He blinked, snapping out of it.
A young woman stood beside him—beautiful, with long blonde hair that shimmered under the city lights and sapphire-blue eyes that seemed to pierce through him.
She gave a small, curious smile.
> ???: "Mind if I sit?"
---
The girl sat beside him without waiting for an answer, the faint perfume of something floral drifting in the cool lunar air. For a moment, she just watched the fountain with him in silence.
> Girl: "Are you… hesitating on something?"
Nura's head snapped toward her, eyes narrowing slightly.
> Nura: "…How do you know that?"
She turned her gaze to him, her sapphire-blue eyes catching the light like glass.
> Girl: "Your face."
Nura: "My face?"
Girl: "Sometimes, when people hesitate over a decision, they get this… faraway look. A little sad, a little lost—like you're standing in one place, but your heart's somewhere else."
Nura's lips parted slightly, but he didn't answer. He looked back at the fountain, the sound of the water suddenly louder in his ears.
> Nura (muttering to himself): "Hesitated, huh…"
The girl tilted her head, as if she hadn't caught all of his words.
He gave a short exhale and spoke a little louder.
> Nura: "Maybe you're right."
The girl's lips curved into the faintest of smiles—calm, knowing, almost like she had been expecting that answer.
---
The girl's gaze lingered on him, almost studying him.
> Girl: "Are you… thinking about the past?"
Nura turned his head slightly, caught off guard by the accuracy of her question. After a short pause, he smirked faintly and decided to tease.
> Nura: "Are you a witch or something?"
Her sapphire eyes widened for a moment before she crossed her arms with a small pout.
> Girl: "What? No! I'm not a witch."
The slight indignation in her voice, paired with that puffed expression, made him chuckle—then laugh for real.
It was the first time in a long while that sound had left his lips without the weight of grief behind it.
> Nura: "Alright, alright. I believe you."
She rolled her eyes but a tiny smile escaped her, as if she'd decided to let it slide.
And for the first time since Valkiron City, Nura felt the corners of his mouth lift—not forced, not guarded, but a genuine smile.
---
Nura sat quietly on the bench, the glow of the Moon Kingdom's streets painting everything in silver and gold. The air was cool, calm—yet his mind wasn't.
> Girl: "Are you thinking about the past?"
He glanced at her, surprised at the accuracy.
> Nura: "That obvious?"
> Girl: "It shows. People wear that look when they're caught between moving on and holding back."
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
> Nura: "You read people well."
> Girl: "I just… notice things. Especially when someone's carrying too much."
Her sapphire eyes met his, steady and warm.
> Girl: "Sometimes, you don't need to figure it all out at once. Just take the next step, no matter how small."
He looked away for a moment, letting her words sink in, the sounds of the bustling city fading into a distant hum.
> Nura: "…Maybe you're right."
It was the first time in a while his voice carried something lighter—almost like a release.
---
The girl's sapphire-blue eyes didn't waver. She spoke softly, her tone neither demanding nor distant.
> Girl: "You can tell me… if you want. And if you don't, that's fine too."
Nura leaned back on the bench, staring at the glowing white arc of the Moon Kingdom's palace lights. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.
> Nura: "…I'm from Earth. What's… left of it, anyway."
Her eyes flickered with interest, but she didn't interrupt.
> Nura: "I used to be a soldier. A pilot. I had a squad… friends I trusted. People I'd fight for without hesitation. And then…"
He clenched his fists slightly, voice dropping.
> Nura: "…Camelot's Gundam Tristan came. He fired one beam—just one—and Valkiron City was gone. My parents… were there. I watched it happen right in front of my eyes."
The girl's lips parted slightly, but she stayed silent.
> Nura: "After that… I kept fighting. I lost more people. Comrades who trusted me. Some died protecting me. Others… bled out while I kept fighting. And now…"
He trailed off, staring at the plaza's marble floor beneath his feet.
> Girl: "…And now you're here."
He nodded slowly.
> Nura: "Yeah. The General says I can stay here as a civilian. Live in peace. Or… I can join the Moon Kingdom's military. But…"
> Girl: "You're not sure which path to take."
> Nura: "…I don't know if I should keep fighting. Or if I should stop before I lose everything again."
She tilted her head, watching him for a moment.
> Girl: "What are you afraid of more? Fighting… or living with the choice you didn't make?"
That made him look at her.
> Nura: "…I don't know. Maybe both."
She smiled faintly, not in mockery, but as if she understood.
> Girl: "Then maybe the answer isn't choosing right now. Maybe it's… letting yourself breathe first. People make better choices when they're not still bleeding inside."
Nura gave a short, dry chuckle.
> Nura: "…That's… actually not bad advice."
> Girl: "Of course it's not. It's free."
For the first time in what felt like forever, a small, genuine smile tugged at his lips.
---
Nura leaned back against the bench, letting her words settle in. The city lights shimmered like scattered stars around them.
The girl tilted her head with a small smile.
> Girl: "But if you do choose to be a soldier or pilot for the Moon Kingdom… you should join me."
Nura raised a brow.
> Nura: "Join… you?"
She gave a playful shrug.
> Girl: "Mm-hm. I'm actually a pretty important person in the Moon Kingdom."
Before Nura could ask what she meant, she discreetly lifted her hand and gestured toward the far end of the plaza.
Nura followed her gaze—and froze.
Two heavily armed, armored guards stood a short distance away, eyes sweeping the crowd with precision. Their armor bore the silver-and-blue crest of the Moon Kingdom's royal guard. One of them had a long ceremonial spear slung across his back, the other a high-powered rifle.
Nura blinked, his voice dropping.
> Nura: "…Those are your bodyguards?"
She smirked, leaning forward slightly as if sharing a private joke.
> Girl: "Mhm. Told you… I'm important."
He stared at her for a moment, then chuckled under his breath.
> Nura: "…I didn't expect to be talking to someone with royal-level protection while sitting in the middle of the city."
She laughed softly, the sound light against the cool evening air.
> Girl: "Guess you never know who you might meet when you go out for fresh air."
Nura shook his head, still a little stunned.
> Nura: "…You're full of surprises, you know that?"
> Girl: "So are you, Nura. So are you."
---
Morderia's gaze drifted toward the two armored figures waiting at the far edge of the plaza. The moonlight glinted off their silver breastplates, a silent reminder that her time here was running out. She let out a quiet sigh.
> Morderia: "I should go. If I don't, my mother will be furious."
Nura tilted his head, curious.
> Nura: "She sounds… strict."
A faint smirk crossed her lips.
> Morderia: "Strict is putting it lightly. She's the type you don't keep waiting."
She stepped back, but her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer. Something in her expression made it feel like she didn't want to leave just yet.
> Nura: "At least… tell me your name before you go."
She paused, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
> Morderia: "…Morderia."
Nura quietly repeated it, as if memorizing it.
> Nura: "Morderia…"
Her smile grew softer.
> Morderia: "Don't forget it. One day, it might be important."
> Nura: "Important? That's a strange way to put it."
> Morderia: "Maybe. Or maybe it's just the truth."
From across the plaza, one of her guards called her name sharply. She turned slightly toward them, then back to Nura.
> Morderia: "I hope you find the answer to whatever it is you're searching for."
> Nura: "…You don't even know what I'm searching for."
> Morderia: "I can see it in your eyes. You're carrying something heavy."
Nura looked away for a moment, caught off guard by the accuracy of her words. When he turned back, she was already taking slow, graceful steps toward her guards.
Before she reached them, she looked over her shoulder one last time.
> Morderia: "Goodnight, Nura."
And with that, she disappeared into the moonlit streets, leaving him sitting in the heart of the city, the name Morderia echoing in his thoughts long after she was gone.
---
That night, Nura lay on the bed in the Moon Kingdom's guest housing, staring at the ceiling. The silver glow from Earthlight bled through the window, casting faint shadows across the room. Sleep felt like a distant luxury.
Morderia's voice still lingered in his mind.
"I hope you find the answer to whatever it is you're searching for."
He let out a sharp breath and reached for the remote on the nightstand.
"Let's see what's happening… maybe it'll clear my head."
The holoscreen flickered on, filling the room with its faint electronic hum. At first, it was the usual Moon Kingdom evening news — calm voices, market reports, ceremonial events.
Then the tone shifted.
> Anchor: "We interrupt this program for an emergency interstellar announcement from Camelot."
The feed cut to an image that made Nura's pulse spike.
A grand throne room, walls draped in deep crimson banners bearing the sigil of Camelot. At the center sat Arthur King, clad in gold and silver armor, a crown resting proudly on his brow. To his left and right stood five towering figures — the Five Roundtable Knights.
And there he was.
White and gold armor. Cold sapphire eyes. The image seared into Nura's mind like a brand — Tristan.
> Arthur King: "To the colonies… to Mars… to the Moon… and to what was once Earth — hear my decree. Earth is no longer yours. Earth… is Camelot."
His voice was deep, resonant, and carried the kind of confidence that bent nations.
> Arthur King: "The age of chaos is over. The age of the Round Table has begun. Those who resist will be destroyed. Those who kneel… will live under my protection."
The broadcast cut to grim footage — cities across Earth swallowed in flames, Camelot banners unfurling over toppled government buildings, armored units patrolling streets, soldiers surrendering with hollow eyes.
Nura's grip on the remote tightened. His heart thudded painfully in his chest. Then the feed focused briefly on Tristan, standing motionless, gaze fixed forward like a man who felt nothing.
Nura's breath grew ragged.
That same cold stare. That same machine. The same pilot who erased Valkiron City… who slaughtered my parents… who left my comrades to die.
> Anchor: "All remaining Earth territories have fallen. Camelot now holds total control of the planet."
Arthur King leaned forward on his throne for the final words.
> Arthur King: "Remember this day. This is the day Earth became Camelot."
The broadcast cut to black.
Nura sat frozen for a long moment, the silence of the room pressing in on him. Then he shut the screen off, his reflection faintly visible in the dark glass.
Slowly, his clenched jaw loosened, replaced by a grim, unshakable resolve.
"…I have decided my path."
His voice was quiet, but every word carried the weight of iron.