"Sitri, I have a favor to ask," Ryder said quietly, his tone heavier and more final than usual.
The night air was thick, carrying the distant, earth-shaking roars of Kaiju echoing beyond the smoldering hills. Smoke from burning rooftops lingered faintly, the flickering firelight casting distorted, dramatic shadows over his hardened face. Sitri, standing in front of him, looked at him with furrowed brows, her instincts screaming that something was dangerously off.
"More Kaiju will come," Ryder continued, his gaze sweeping over the ruined townscape. "This place will be attacked again—it's only a matter of time. That's why I want you and the townsfolk to cross the border. Head for the designated safe zones."
He straightened his back, the movement one of resolute finality, and placed a hand on the hilt of his massive blade. "I'll stay behind. I'll take care of anything that chases you. I'll ensure your path is clear."
Sitri's eyes widened in disbelief, the firelight catching the shock in their depths. "No way! That's not possible." She stepped closer, her fists clenched, the fear of his intention overriding her usual composure. "I will stay here with you. We face the threats together, Ryder."
Ryder shook his head, his expression calm but unnervingly firm. "What I'm about to do is too dangerous for anyone else to be near."
"What do you mean, dangerous?" Sitri snapped, her voice trembling with rising emotion. "I'm a Kaiju hunter too! This is my job, my life. I knew the risks the day I chose this path—we chose this path together." She glared at him, a raw defiance burning in her eyes. "So what noble, self-sacrificing act are you trying to pull here?"
"Sitri, that's not it," Ryder said, lowering his voice, attempting to pull her closer to a secret only he knew. "Listen to me… it's only for a short while, until the major threat is neutralized."
But Sitri didn't let him finish. The fear of his abandonment was too great, too sudden. "Shut up! Just shut up!" she shouted, her voice cracking, the sound utterly unlike her.
Ryder froze. He had fought countless colossal Kaiju, faced death more times than he could count, but he had never seen Sitri lose her composure like this. She was always the anchor, calm, collected—never once had she raised her voice at him in anger or fear. The sight of her breaking shook him to his core, nearly dissolving his resolve.
"So… you won't listen," Ryder muttered, the pain of the decision shadowing his eyes. He knew he had to cut the tie, and quickly, before his own heart failed him. "Then you leave me with no choice."
"What do you mean?" Sitri asked, confusion and a new, sharp wave of fear washing over her.
"I'm leaving the crew," Ryder said flatly, the words cutting the bond between them like a physical blade. "From now on, we can't work together anymore."
Sitri's face instantly went pale, the color draining away as if her life force had been stolen. "Why… why would you say that? Ryder, if you truly mean it, then—"
"You're all too weak," Ryder cut her off sharply, his voice turning cold and cruel, a calculated performance. His words struck her like daggers, aimed deliberately at the heart of her pride and commitment. "Too weak to help me accomplish my true goal. I don't need weaklings slowing me down."
Sitri's breath hitched, the devastating cruelty of his dismissal stealing her air. "Wait—no, wait!"
But before she could move, before she could reach out to him, Ryder acted. It was swift, precise, and professional. He struck her carotid artery with the rigid side of his hand. Sitri gasped softly, a single, choked sound, before her knees gave out. She collapsed into his arms, utterly unconscious.
"Sitri…" Ryder whispered under his breath, his voice almost cracking as he held her close for a final, agonizing moment. He laid her gently on the dust-covered ground and straightened up, his eyes hard and fixed on the darkness. "…Goodbye. It was nice knowing you."
From the shadows of a crumbling building, Scarlet watched the painful scene unfold, her crimson eyes gleaming with a mixture of sympathy and cold recognition in the firelight. She hadn't expected Ryder to go this far, to sever the ties with such brutal finality.
"You can take her now," Ryder said, his voice regaining its steel as he spoke without turning his head.
A tall, familiar figure emerged from the deeper darkness—Skype. "Thanks," he replied, his face etched with sorrow as he carefully lifted Sitri into his arms, treating her like precious, fragile cargo.
"See you," Ryder muttered, his gaze fixed on the burning horizon. His path was set—and it was one he had to walk alone.
The Weight of the World
When Sitri finally stirred awake, the first thing she registered was the gentle, rocking motion of a moving carriage and the sight of Skype's familiar, concerned face hovering over her.
"You're awake," Skype said with a small, relieved smile.
"Skype…" Sitri murmured, still groggy, her memory slow to catch up to the agonizing betrayal.
"Yeah, it's me," he said, trying to inject some familiarity into the terrifying moment. "What, were you hoping for someone else?"
Sitri's lips trembled, but the words were trapped in her throat.
"We all finally decided to leave the town," Skype continued, his voice steady but tinged with a profound sadness that matched the caravan's silent departure. "It's the only way to keep everyone alive. So we've chosen to leave the country once and for all. To find a true haven."
"Leave… the country?" Sitri whispered, the enormity of the decision sinking in.
"Yeah. Ryder was the one who convinced everyone to do it," Skype admitted, tightening his protective hold on her. "He spent the better part of the night coordinating the escape."
Her eyes widened again, this time with confusion. "Ryder… did?"
"That's right. He carried you back unconscious, then immediately took charge of the evacuation. You should've seen him—he looked like a man carrying the weight of the whole world." Skype sighed, his voice dropping to a somber whisper. "Sitri… I don't know what happened between you two, but he told us he was leaving the crew. He was adamant."