Kiaria stepped onto the dandelion bridge with Diala resting against his back. The golden blossoms beneath his feet shimmered but did not bend, holding his weight as though they were forged from something far stronger than petals. The abyss below remained silent, and the night sky above stretched endlessly without moonlight.
"Dia," Kiaria asked quietly as he moved forward, "are you afraid?"
Diala rested her chin lightly against his shoulder. For a moment, she did not answer.
"Maybe… or maybe not," she said at last. "We have faced too much together. Right now, I cannot even distinguish fear from courage."
Kiaria allowed a faint breath to escape him. Perhaps that is what standing at the edge truly feels like, he thought. Not bravery. Not fear. Just awareness.
The other side of the cliff was only a single step away.
"Kia, stop."
Diala's voice was softer now, but firmer.
