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Chapter 13 - Epilogue - Light After Shadows

Months had passed. The city of Kagura had begun to heal. Buildings were repaired, markets reopened, and people moved through streets that no longer felt haunted by the shadows of the past. The Ethereals lingered still, but as gentle glimmers, no longer harbingers of chaos but reminders of memory and growth.

Ren walked quietly along the riverbank, violet light now a subtle glow around his palms. He paused to watch children play, their laughter like sunlight on water. Every echo he had carried, every sorrow he had felt, now existed in harmony, part of the city's story rather than its destruction.

Aira approached, hands tucked into her coat.

> "You've changed more than the city," she said softly.

"You've changed us too."

Ren looked at her, a small smile on his lips.

> "We all had a part in it. The city, the memories, even the rain… it guided me as much as I guided it."

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In the distance, a faint ripple shimmered across the skyline, a reminder that echoes never truly vanish. Ren knew the Choir's remnants still existed somewhere, but now their power was limited. He had learned the lesson of grief and understanding: that sorrow is not a weapon, but a story to be carried forward.

> "So… what's next?" Aira asked, tilting her head.

Ren looked up at the brightening sky, sunlight scattering across puddles and rooftops.

> "We listen. We protect. And when the next storm comes, we'll face it together," he said.

She smiled, the weight of past battles lifting.

> "Together," she agreed.

Ren extended his hand toward the river, watching the ripples spread outward. Every drop seemed to carry a whisper: a laugh, a tear, a memory finally at peace.

> "Kagura City…" he whispered.

"You've endured. You've survived. And we'll make sure the future is worth it."

The wind picked up gently, rustling the leaves. The sun fully broke free of the clouds, golden light spilling across the city. Somewhere in the distance, a child's laughter echoed, and a faint shimmer of violet glowed against the horizon.

It was not the end, it was the beginning.

Epilogue ends.

Thanks, if you read it till the end.

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