Havyn forced a reassuring smile, though the strain was etched across her face. "It’s okay, Andreas," she whispered, her hand trembling as it gently caressed his cheek.

Reach’s heart raced, but his body moved instinctively, hurrying to Havyn’s side. He had known this moment was coming, but he hadn’t known how to prepare. His voice, firm yet laced with concern, tried to anchor her. "Don’t worry, love, we’re here."

Andreas clung to his mother’s arm, his heart pounding. "What do we do, Mr. Reach?!" he asked frantically.

"Andreas," Reach said, crouching to meet his eyes. "I need you to be brave right now. Your mother needs us both."

Havyn’s breathing grew labored, her body tightening as another wave of pain surged through her. She gritted her teeth, her focus shifting to Reach’s steady voice. "Reach, please... stay with me," she murmured, her grip on his arm tightening.

"I’m right here, Havyn," Reach said, his voice calm even though his mind raced. "We’ll get through this together."

Andreas’ wide eyes darted between his mother and Reach. "Is Momma gonna be okay?"

"She’s going to be just fine," Reach said with all the calmness he could muster. "We just need to help her through this."

Havyn let out a sharp breath as another contraction rippled through her body, her face twisting with the intensity. "It’s so close," she gasped, her entire body tremoring.

"Almost there," Reach encouraged, his voice a low murmur as he guided her. "Breathe, Havyn. Focus on your breathing."

Andreas watched, his awe mixing with fear as his mother’s struggle continued, his small hands gripping her arm tightly.

"Keep pushing!" Reach urged, his voice filled with determination.

With one final, intense cry, Havyn gave everything she had left. The room was suddenly filled with a new sound—a sharp, piercing wail. The tension shattered, giving way to an overwhelming sense of relief.

Andreas’ eyes went wide as he looked at the tiny bundle in Reach’s arms, a newborn with a shock of orange hair and a small, glowing red lacryma embedded in her chest. "Momma... it’s a baby," he whispered in disbelief.

Havyn, tears streaming down her face, let out a breathless laugh as she reached out to hold the child. Cradling the newborn close to her chest, she gazed down in wonder. "Our baby girl... look at her, those beautiful brown eyes." Her voice cracked with emotion.

Reach, still catching his breath, stared down at them, pride swelling in his chest alongside something deeper—a feeling he hadn’t known in years. "You did it, Havyn," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "You both did."

Havyn, barely able to take her eyes off the baby, looked up at Reach with a tender smile. "So... what do we name her?" she asked soft and tired.

"Up to you," Reach replied, brushing a strand of damp hair from her face. "You did all the work… except when—"

"Reach!" Havyn cut him off with a playful grin, despite her exhaustion.

He chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. Andreas squinted, clearly not understanding the joke.

"Alright," Reach said, his tone more serious now, as his face softened. "How about... Chee?"

Havyn looked down at their daughter, whispering the name as though testing it. "Chee... yes, it’s perfect. Chee Alethi."

The baby let out a tiny sound, as if agreeing with the choice, Havyn’s heart swelled even more.

Reach moved in closer, wrapping his arms around Havyn and their newborn daughter. He pulled Andreas in too, holding them all tightly as the room settled into a peaceful silence, broken only by the soft breaths of the baby.

"This little one..." Reach murmured, gently touching Chee’s lacryma, his voice full of quiet awe. "She’s going to be something special."

Havyn, her eyes heavy with exhaustion, nodded. "She already is. Just like Andreas," she whispered, her gaze drifting lovingly toward her son. "And you’ll protect her too, won’t you?"

Andreas nodded eagerly. "I promise, Momma!"

***

Reach and Andreas collapsed onto the ground, sprawled out in exhaustion after everything that had just happened.

"Man, that was intense," Reach muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. Andreas let out a long, relieved sigh, his eyes half-closed as he lay beside Reach.

"Thank you for being there for Momma, Mr. Reach," Andreas said. "I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had to help her by myself."

Reach chuckled, glancing over at Andreas as he ruffled the boy’s hair. "Well, none of this would’ve happened if I wasn’t here in the first place."

Andreas blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Reach lightly scratched his cheek, searching for the right words. "Uh... well, you see, when a man and a woman really like each other, the woman gets pregnant," he said awkwardly.

Andreas nodded thoughtfully, his brow furrowing in concentration. "Oh, okay, I see."

Then, his eyes widened, and he shot upright in a panic. "Wait! This didn’t happen until you lived here! Does that mean Momma doesn’t like me?!"

"No, no! That’s not how it works" Reach quickly corrected, sitting up and waving his hands. "Shoot—uh, no, it only happens between grown-ups. It’s a different kind of liking."

Andreas tilted his head, still thinking it over. "Ohhh... like Lila and Andor from my book, right?" he said with a grin, satisfied with his explanation.

Reach smiled, shaking his head. "Yeah, sure. We can work with that."

***

The soft light from the single lantern flickered gently, casting warm shadows across the room, adding to the peacefulness that had settled after Chee’s birth. Havyn lay in bed, her breath steady, Chee tucked safely in her arms. Andreas and Reach, still on the floor, slept soundly.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

The sudden, jarring thuds shattered the silence like a hammer striking glass. The room froze. Everyone’s eyes flew open, their pulses roaring in their ears. Havyn stiffened, her fingers clutching Chee. Reach quickly stood up, his mind racing.

“W-what was that?” Andreas whispered.

Havyn’s face drained of color as her wide, terrified eyes darted to the door. She reached out, pulling Andreas close and shielding him with her arm. Her breaths came in sharp gasps, and she cast a desperate look at Reach.

"Who’s there?!" Reach shouted, his voice sharp. He took a step toward the door, his posture braced.

The door creaked. Slowly. Agonizingly.

The sound scraped against their nerves, stretching out the seconds into what felt like minutes.

The crack widened, and what lay beyond was an abyss of black. No light poured in, no shadow fell across the threshold.

A voice broke the silence. Soft. Calm. Unnaturally calm.

"Please, forgive my intrusion. It wasn’t my intention to frighten anyone.”

The voice was higher-pitched yet carried a chilling cadence that made the hair on the back of Reach’s neck stand.

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Reach stiffened, his fists clenching. “Step out where I can see you!” he barked, but his words wavered.

From the void, two figures emerged. Their movements were slow and deliberate, unnervingly in sync. Reach could feel his stomach twist.

"Who the fuck are you!?" Reach demanded, his voice strained as he fought back both fear and anger.

The two figures were human, but their appearance was anything but ordinary. They wore identical white, single-breasted jackets, each fastened with golden buttons and secured with black belts. Their trousers were tucked neatly into polished boots, and silver gauntlets gleamed on their forearms. Their faces were completely hidden beneath blank, white masks, the shadows of their hoods casting eerie darkness where their eyes should be.

Havyn, Andreas, and Reach stood frozen, paralyzed by shock and terror.

"Sereth Knights...." Reach muttered, his voice low, recognition setting in. His eyes narrowed.

"Not quite," the voice responded, calm yet chilling.

The man stepped forward, his cloak rustling as he moved. Havyn instinctively tightened her hold on Andreas, pulling him closer, her body trembling.

"My, my," the man continued, his voice smooth and unsettling. "So invoked with fear... but that’s expected when faced with the unknown."

Reach’s fists tightened as he held back his anger, a growl deep in his throat. "Yeah, well, it’s been some time since we’ve seen anyone. I’m sure you’d understand if you were held captive for so damn long."

The man seemed unphased, scratching his head absently. "Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Timor—"

"Please!" Havyn’s voice cracked as she interrupted, her desperation overflowing. "Please, whatever it is you want... just let us go. We’ll do anything—please, just let us be free."

Her voice faltered, tears streaming down her face as she clutched Chee and Andreas close, her fear and desperation palpable.

Timor ignored her plea entirely, continuing as if she hadn’t spoken. "It’s come to our attention that a potential candidate has not quite lived up to the standards we deem acceptable."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Reach snarled, his anger barely restrained.

"Momma, what’s happening?" Andreas whispered, his voice shaking as tears welled up in his eyes.

The figures remained silent, their presence looming and suffocating.

Timor's voice remained calm and cold. "We bring news of a rather fortuitous nature. We’ve been instructed to handle the disposal of the candidate ourselves. You needn’t concern yourself with it any longer."

"Disposal?!" Reach’s body vibrated, his nostrils flaring. His muscles coiled as he was ready to spring into action, but he held back, unsure if his magic had recovered enough to help. His jaw clenched. "Whatever it is you need, take it and get the fuck away from us."

Timor chuckled, "That’s our intention, Mr. Nuri."

The use of Reach’s name sent a shock through him. His eyes narrowed in disbelief and rage as a sense of impending dread settled deep in his chest.

In an instant, everything stopped.

The air in the room became heavy and suffocating, as if time itself had frozen. Havyn, Reach, and Andreas stood paralyzed, their breaths shallow, hearts racing. Each second stretched unbearably, twisting their insides in a knot of agonizing anticipation.

All of Reach’s instincts flared to life, adrenaline surging as he assessed the situation in a split second. He spun towards Havyn. His heart hammered in his chest. With a voice booming with raw urgency, he shouted.

“ANDREAS, NOO-”

But it was too late. The world seemed to shatter in slow motion. One moment, Andreas was there, and the next, he vanished, his small form dissolving into thin air. Reach's pulse pounded in his ears, eyes wide in disbelief.

Havyn’s face twisted in sheer horror, her mouth forming a silent scream, her wide eyes fixed on something beyond Reach.

And then he saw it.

The masked man had moved with unnatural speed, faster than Reach could comprehend. Timor now stood across the room, holding Andreas by the neck in a brutal, unyielding grip. The boy dangled helplessly, his small body tremoring, his face twisted in panic and pain.

Havyn dropped Chee onto the bed, the baby letting out a wail that cut through the thick silence. She lunged forward, but her movements felt sluggish, as if the very air around her had thickened, slowing her down. Reach, too, was caught in the same nightmare, moving in a haze as time itself fought against their desperate attempts to save Andreas.

Chee’s cries pierced the air. Tears streamed down Andreas' face, his wide, pleading eyes meeting his mother’s as fear and agony overtook him. His trousers darkened with urine, a stark, pitiful reminder of his abject fear. His small hands clawed desperately at Timor’s gauntlet, but the unfeeling metal refused to budge.

His voice. A hoarse, desperate whisper.

"Momm—!"

And then, the sound.

That sick, twisted noise.

A sickening crack.

Timor twisted his hand. Andreas’ head snapped violently to the side, the sound echoing in the silence.

The boys’ life, once filled with pleading terror, now stared vacantly into the void, devoid of life. His tiny hands, which had clawed so desperately at Timor’s gauntlet moments before, now fell limp at his sides.

Havyn’s scream ripped through the room, a guttural, raw cry of pure devastation. Her body crumpled, drained of every ounce of strength. She collapsed to her knees, reaching out in desperation, her hands grasping at nothing but the cold, empty air. Her wails echoed off the walls, filled with a grief so deep it seemed to suffocate her.

Reach's mind fractured. In an instant, rage consumed him. His muscles coiled, and with a roar, he launched himself at Timor, his fists flying, blinded by rage.

“I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!” he screamed, tears streaming down his face. His body was a blur of motion, all pain and anger directed at the man who had taken Andreas’ life.

Timor stood unmoved, his figure still and unfazed by Reach’s desperate charge. In one swift motion, Timor caught Reach’s arm mid-swing. The sound of bone snapping echoed through the room, the crack sharp and merciless.

"My, how fragile," Timor whispered, his voice calm.

Pain shot through Reach’s body, but it barely registered. He swung his other arm, trying to summon what little magic he might gather. But Timor was faster, slapping away Reach’s hand with ease. Before Reach could react, Timor’s armored fingers plunged deep into his mouth, the gauntlet tearing into the soft flesh inside his cheeks.

Reach’s eyes shot red.

The pressure was unbearable, Timor’s thumb pressing up against Reach’s jaw, slowly squeezing. Blood pooled in his mouth, spilling from the corners of his lips as he gasped for air, his vision blurring from the pain. He pounded against Timor’s chest with his free hand, his blows weak and useless.

Havyn could do nothing but watch, her arms wrapped around Andreas’ lifeless body, sobbing in agony. Chee’s cries filled the room, a haunting melody of despair.

Timor released his grip and threw Reach to the ground as if he were nothing. Reach hit the floor hard, his broken arm sending waves of pain through his body, his mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood. He lay there, gasping for breath, tears mixing with the blood smeared across his face.

“I’m… going to kill you,” Reach rasped, broken but filled with a desperate vow. His eyes glistened with pain and rage, but the two figures stood still, their masks revealing no hint of emotion.

Timor glanced at his companion. “I’ll take the boy,” he said calmly. “Escort Mr. Nuri to the infirmary. His time has come.”

Without hesitation, the other figure seized Reach by his arm and began dragging him across the floor. Reach was too weak to resist, his body limp. His head lolled to the side, and with the last bit of strength left in him, he muttered.

“Havy… I’ll save you…”

His voice faded as consciousness slipped away, leaving the room in deafening silence.

Timor turned his gaze to Havyn, who knelt on the floor, her arms wrapped tightly around Andreas’ lifeless body. Her sobs echoed in the suffocating silence, a visceral sound of grief and desperation as she rocked back and forth.

“No, please... please stop!” she cried, her voice cracking. “Don’t take my boy! Leave us alone!” Her tears flowed freely, her words tearing through the air.

Timor’s steps were deliberate and slow. Havyn looked up, her body shrinking in terror as he approached. She shifted to shield Andreas with her body, her fingers turning white as she clung to him. But Timor gripped the boy effortlessly, prying him from her embrace.

“No-no-no-no—please!” Havyn screamed, her voice shattered, her nails digging into Andreas’ leg as she was dragged along the floor, unwilling to let go. Her feet scraped against the hard surface as she clung to her son with all she had left.

Timor halted and turned to her, his masked face revealing nothing, but his voice a cold whisper that froze Havyn.

"I don't understand," he began, each word cutting deeper than the last. "The boy was ineffective from birth, a mere byproduct. Yet you cling to the husk of this worthless contrivance, as though it were something more. As if you believe it will return to you... as though there’s… hope."

He paused, his words lingering in the air.

“It is no more than a lie, a tool for you… weak humans. You’re all so desperate, wasting your time on things which don’t exist. The sooner you accept that the natural state of this world is despair, the closer at which you’ll be at peace.”

Havyn’s breath came in ragged sobs, her fingers faltering as she held on.

"He’s... my son..." she whispered, her voice a faint echo. Her tears dripped onto the floor as she refused to release her grip.

In one swift motion, Timor lifted Havyn by the neck, her feet dangling helplessly above the ground as her breath was stolen from her lungs. She clawed at his gauntlet, gasping for air, her vision blurring from the pressure.

With a flick of his hand, Timor flung her aside. Havyn crashed against the floor, the impact knocking the wind from her lungs. She gasped, struggling to get back to her knees, her eyes wide with panic as she watched Timor walk away with her son’s body.

“Please... no, don’t leave me!” Havyn’s voice broke as she crawled after them, her hands outstretched in a desperate attempt to reach Andreas, but it was too late. The heavy door slammed shut behind them with a resounding, final thud that echoed through the room.

The room was still, the silence now suffocating. Havyn sat up slowly, her arms quivering as she wrapped them around herself. The sobs faded into hollow, heart- wrenching whimpers. Her body rocked back and forth as she stared blankly ahead.

“Andreas...” she whispered, her voice cracking.

"Andreas..." she repeated, the name spilling from her lips over and over, her words growing weaker with each passing moment.

Her grip on reality unraveled, slipping between the lines of memory and despair.

Chee's cries pierced through the haze, but they sounded distant, as if coming from another world. Havyn’s gaze never left the door.

“Don’t worry, Andreas,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

“I’ll come for you.”