When we parted in the trenches, I couldn't stop thinking about Naoko. There was something in her eyes that worried me, as if she was on the verge of breaking down. Zein had always had unwavering faith in her, and although he tried to keep a calm expression, I could see the weight of concern on his face. He and I are very different when it comes to hiding our feelings, but in that moment, we were in sync. We were both restless.

At the end of the siege, when I saw Naoko again, something inside me shattered. It wasn't just the deep dark circles under her eyes or the subtle tremor in her hands; it was her gaze. That spark that had always defined her, even in the most difficult situations, was simply gone. At first, I attributed it to exhaustion, but soon I realized there was something deeper. Something that couldn't be expressed in words.

While Zein and I had no hesitation in finishing off every enemy in our path, Naoko took a different approach. She tried to save lives, even in the middle of chaos. Three prisoners were the only ones who survived, and in the end, only one spoke. What he said confirmed what Zein and I had already suspected, but at that moment, my mind was elsewhere. It was on Naoko.

When we gathered for the interrogation, I couldn't stop looking at her. I wanted to ask her how she felt, if she was okay, but the words got stuck in my throat. Maybe I was afraid of hearing what she had to say, or maybe I didn't want to admit I didn’t know how to help her. But in the end, I gathered the courage.

—Naoko, are you okay? — I asked, trying not to sound too worried.

—Yeah… I'm fine. I just need to rest a bit, — she replied with a weak smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

She sat down next to me, and before I knew it, she rested her head on my shoulder. Seeing her fall asleep like that, so vulnerable, my chest filled with a mixture of relief and sadness. Relief because she was finally resting, and sadness because I knew something inside her was broken.

Later, we left Naoko in her bed at the small shelter we found in the nearby village. Although I should have slept myself, sleep didn’t come. My mind wouldn’t stop spinning. Finally, I decided to look for Zein.

When I entered his room, I found him sitting by the window, staring at the starry sky. His silhouette, illuminated by the soft moonlight, seemed calm, but I knew that look well. He was as restless as I was.

—Oh, you’re awake, — he said when he noticed my presence. —Can’t you sleep? —

—No,” I answered, closing the door behind me. —What about you? —

—I can’t sleep either. —

We sat in uncomfortable silence for a while. The sound of the wind softly hitting the window was the only thing filling the emptiness.

—So, what’s keeping you awake? — Zein finally asked, breaking the stillness with a tone that showed both curiosity and concern.

—It’s about Naoko, — I said, sitting on the edge of the bed. I fiddled with my hands, searching for the right words. —I’m worried about how she’s been acting these days.—

—Yeah, I’ve noticed, — he replied as he got up and walked over to me. He sat down beside me, and a warm smile appeared on his face. —I’m worried too, but you know what? —

—What? —

—I know she’ll be fine, — he said with that certainty of his, as if his words could change the course of things.

—How do you know? —

—Because she’s strong, she’s joyful. And if she can’t get through this, she has us, — he replied, gently draping a blanket over my shoulders. His gesture, though simple, made me feel an unexpected warmth, as if for a moment everything was okay.

His words lingered in my mind. It was true. Naoko had always been full of energy, a spark in any situation. No matter how dark the storm she was facing, I believed she could overcome it.

—But something still nags at me... Was it right to bring her with us? —

Zein paused before answering. His eyes searched for something in the vastness of the night sky.

—I ask myself the same question. —

The night was incredibly clear. The stars shone with unusual intensity, and the full moon illuminated the room with its silver glow.

—Look at the sky, — he said suddenly, pointing toward the window. —Those are the Northern Lights. I read about them once. They’re beautiful, aren’t they? —

I looked in the direction he was pointing. The dancing lights colored the sky with greens and blues, like a dream come true.

—Yeah... they’re really beautiful. —

I got up and grabbed the same blanket Zein had used to cover me. Without thinking much, I draped it over his shoulders, making sure he was warm too.

—Do you think we’ll be okay? — I asked, resting my head on his shoulder.

He didn’t answer right away. When I turned to look at him, his expression surprised me. There was a silent fear in his eyes, a distress he couldn’t hide.

—As long as we’re together, nothing will happen to us, right? — I tried to say firmly, trying to comfort both him and myself.

—You’re right, — he replied, forcing a smile. But there was something more behind those words, something I couldn’t ignore. —That day, when Naoko asked to come with us, I couldn’t say no. Something she said really hit me. If what’s happening to her now is my fault, I... —

I placed my hand over his, stopping him before he could say anything else that might hurt him.

—Don’t torment yourself over it, Zein. You’ve done the right thing. You’ve taught her more than you think, and I’m sure she knows that. Even though she still has a lot to learn, she’ll be there. —

I looked at him as I spoke, hoping my words could reassure him. For a moment, his expression softened. His eyes met mine, and the weight we both carried felt a little lighter.

—I’m glad you’re by my side, — Zein said softly, carefully resting his head on mine.

—Me too, — I replied, feeling how his warmth and closeness eased some of the night’s unease.

We stayed like that, looking at the starry sky, not saying anything more. The silence we shared wasn’t uncomfortable; on the contrary, it was a refuge. Neither of us could sleep that night, but it didn’t matter. We were together, and that seemed enough.

The next day, after resting as much as we could, we went out together for lunch in the cafeteria of the complex. The atmosphere there was different. The soldiers greeted us enthusiastically, thanking us with genuine smiles. They seemed relieved, happy that the siege had been a success.

Zein responded to the soldiers’ words with a serene but proud expression. It was clear that he was pleased things were improving, although a part of his mind remained worried.

However, while everything seemed to be slowly returning to normal, Naoko remained the exception. Her face still carried the same deep dark circles and a lost look, even after resting. Every time I looked at her, I couldn’t help but feel a knot in my stomach.

As we ate, several soldiers approached Naoko. They showered her with compliments and thanks for what she had done during the siege. She tried to smile, to respond politely, but something in her expression seemed broken, incomplete. Zein, on the other hand, looked proud of her. To him, this was proof of how strong she had become.

It was then that Naoko placed her hands on her head, murmuring something we couldn’t understand. Her face reflected a pain that seemed to be consuming her.

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—Naoko... — I started to say, reaching out to touch her arm gently, but as soon as my hand brushed hers, she pushed me away with a sudden force.

—Naoko? — I asked, a mix of concern and fear in my voice.

Her face left me speechless. She was filled with terror, desperation, as if she were seeing something we couldn’t perceive. Her eyes were moving frantically, and her breath was irregular.

—I’m sorry... — she murmured, her voice breaking.

Suddenly, she stood up from the table and hurriedly left. Zein and I exchanged alarmed glances before getting up to follow her.

—Naoko! — Zein shouted, but she didn’t stop.

The more we ran after her, the faster she seemed to get away. We chased her all through the complex, turning down hallways and climbing stairs. Every time we thought we were close, she disappeared from our sight.

That’s when we saw it. Small spots of blood marked the floor, creating a trail that made us run even faster.

—Naoko! — I screamed, my voice breaking with desperation.

The anguish grew in my chest. What had happened to her? Why was there blood? Was she injured? Questions piled up in my mind, but none had an answer.

Finally, we found her. She was sitting on the floor of a dark, cold hallway, hugging her knees tightly. Her body was shaking, and her sobs were barely audible.

—Naoko... — Zein murmured as he slowly approached. —What’s going on? —

—I... I... — she stammered, her voice broken and on the edge of tears.

I knelt beside her, carefully placing a hand on her shoulder, afraid she would push me away again.

—Come on, Naoko. Whatever it is, you can tell us, — I said in the softest voice I could muster, though my heart was pounding, hoping she would trust us.

Her tears began to fall as she pressed her face against her knees, as if trying to hide her pain. Something inside her was breaking, and I only wished I could help her before it was too late.

—They... they were supposed to be from another planet, right? Right?! — Naoko said, her voice trembling with fear and confusion. —I killed... I killed someone, but... he wanted to kill me! He tried to kill me... So, it’s not a problem, right?! —

Her words came out in a rush, full of desperation. Her face, twisted by panic, was almost unrecognizable. There was something in her eyes that scared me. I didn’t want to see her like this, so broken, so lost.

—Why? Why was he supposed to be human? — she continued, her voice breaking as her trembling hands covered her face. —Why were they all like that? I took someone’s life... I’m no different from them. Still, he wanted to kill me, I was just defending myself. What I did wasn’t wrong, was it? —

She grabbed her head, as if she wanted to tear out the thoughts tormenting her.

—His cold hands... I can still feel them. Why? — she whispered, her voice heartbreaking as the tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Before I realized it, my arms were already around her. It was instinctive, something I hadn’t planned, but I felt like I had to do it.

—Shh... shh... — I whispered, trying to calm her as her sobs grew louder. —It wasn’t your fault, Naoko. You’re not to blame for anything. —

—But... — she could barely speak, her voice choked by her sobs.

Zein stood still, unmoving. His eyes reflected a mix of pain and guilt, as if he wanted to do something, but didn’t know how. His inability to act made him seem smaller, more vulnerable.

With a gesture of my hand, I motioned for him to kneel and join the embrace. He hesitated for a moment, but then slowly approached, wrapping his arms around her.

There we were, the three of us, kneeling on the cold floor, hugging her as we tried to hold back her tears. Time seemed to stop.

In my mind, an old wound began to reopen. I remembered the first time I took a life. It was different for me. I didn’t feel the weight that now crushed her. My hatred and thirst for revenge had muffled any remorse. But Naoko... she wasn’t like me. She hadn’t meant to do it. She didn’t know what or who she was fighting against.

Her pain was pure, real. And that hurt me even more.

Some time passed in that silence, broken only by her sobs, until quick footsteps and small voices interrupted us.

—We’re back, miss! We brought bandages! — shouted two children, panting from the effort. They were small, no older than five or six, but their faces were filled with determination.

When they saw us, they stopped abruptly, clearly surprised.

—Good thing someone came to help her! — one of them said with a nervous smile.

—Kiomi... — Zein murmured suddenly, pointing at me with his face.

I looked down and noticed something I hadn't seen before. A stain of blood spread across my side. One of my wounds had opened during the chase, but in my concern for Naoko, I hadn't even noticed it.

—Can you help her? — one of the children asked, his eyes pleading.

—Of course, — Zein replied with determination, taking the bandages from the child's hands.

With quick but careful movements, we made an improvised dressing to stop the bleeding. He didn’t say anything while working, but his expression was tense, filled with worry.

—We need to take her to the infirmary, — he finally said, his tone leaving no room for debate.

I nodded, struggling to rise as Zein took Naoko in his arms. She seemed exhausted, too weak to protest, but her eyes were still moist, as if the tears hadn't finished falling.

The two children followed closely behind us as we headed to the infirmary. Their small voices tried to cheer us up, as if they understood the seriousness of the situation and wanted to help in any way they could.

Every step hurt, both physically and emotionally. But I knew we couldn't stop. Naoko needed us. And above all, we couldn't let her sink into that dark abyss that was beginning to devour her.

After a few hours of waiting, they finally allowed us to see her. Naoko was lying down, with a clean bandage covering her wounds, but her expression reflected more shame than relief.

—I'm sorry... — she murmured, avoiding looking directly at us. —I'm sorry for all of this. —

—You don’t have to apologize, — I replied firmly, sitting beside her.

—I’m so glad you're better, miss! — the older child exclaimed with great enthusiasm, while the younger one nodded shyly behind him.

—Thank you so much to you as well, — Naoko said, giving them a weak smile.

I took advantage of the pause to direct my attention to the children.

—Well then, who are these little ones? — I asked kindly, leaning slightly toward them.

—I am Maxim Sokolov! — the older one replied, puffing out his chest with pride. —And this is my brother, Viktor Sokolov! —

—A pleasure... — Viktor murmured, hiding slightly behind Maxim.

—Thank you so much for taking care of our friend, — I said, gently petting Viktor's head, which seemed to relax a little under my gesture.

Zein, with a curious smile, asked them a question.

—By the way, how old are you? —

—We, the Sokolov brothers, are five great years old! — Maxim exclaimed enthusiastically, raising his hand as if announcing something important.

It was impossible not to smile at his contagious energy. Maxim radiated joy, while Viktor seemed to share it, though he preferred to stay in the background, shy but attentive.

The following days were calm, although Naoko couldn't leave the infirmary. The wound that had opened during the fight had worsened, and the doctors insisted she stay on strict bed rest to avoid complications.

However, despite her condition, Naoko began to regain her spirit. The Sokolov brothers were a huge help in that. Every day they arrived with new stories, games, and questions, filling the infirmary with the sounds of children's laughter. They spent hours with her, doing everything they could to brighten her day.

We also stayed by her side. Zein and I took turns to make sure she was never alone. Although she didn't say it out loud, Naoko appreciated our company, and little by little, her demeanor lightened.

When the doctors confirmed that her recovery was on track, Paul decided it was time to return home. Before we left, the Sokolov brothers said their goodbyes to Naoko, tears in their eyes.

—Promise us you'll come back someday! — Maxim said, his eyes full of emotion.

—I promise, — Naoko replied, leaning down to hug them. —When all this is over, I'll come visit you. —

—We'll take care of the village until then! — Maxim declared with a determination that seemed too big for someone his age. Viktor, for his part, simply nodded, but his gaze reflected the same resolve.

The journey back was peaceful. When we arrived, Alexander, Mei, and Lyra greeted us with warm smiles. After so many days away, feeling at home again was an indescribable relief.

Lyra ran towards me, clinging to my arm with a mix of joy and relief.

—You're finally back! — she exclaimed, while Mei approached to quickly check if we had any new injuries.

—It's good to be home, — Zein murmured, letting out a sigh that seemed to carry away the weight of the past few days.

And so, although our minds were still occupied with the memories of what we had lived through, there was a sense of peace in being surrounded by those who mattered most to us.

Someone else was at the place: Aiko, Mei and Alexander's daughter. She had been away during the holidays visiting her grandparents. From what I could see, she had become very good friends with Lyra during the time we were gone.

Months passed, and Aiko slowly began to get used to us. At first, she seemed shy, but over time, her attitude became more relaxed.

This period was surprisingly peaceful. Despite our initial concerns, there was no trace of EDI troops approaching or any other suspicious incidents. From time to time, Paul stopped by the café to update us on the situation, but everything seemed to be under control.

We continued with our daily activities. Naoko showed remarkable improvement in her health; over time, she reached the point where she seemed completely recovered, as if nothing had ever happened.

One afternoon, while we were working, the television aired a live program.

—Well, our special guest today is the Red Ranger. Let's give him a warm welcome! — the host announced enthusiastically.

—Who is that? — Zein asked, frowning as he looked at the screen.

—Oh, right, you don’t know them, — Naoko replied, sitting next to us. —He's part of a group called 'The Rangers.' They're basically like superheroes. They appeared about 12 years ago and became famous for their help to the population. —

—Wow, — Zein murmured, intrigued.

—And where were they when that ogre or whatever it was appeared? — I asked, crossing my arms with skepticism.

—You know, I ask myself the same question, — Naoko replied with a frustrated grimace.

Suddenly, a deafening rumble shook the ground, followed by an explosion. The impact was so strong that the windows trembled, and the people in the café looked at each other in panic.

—What's happening?! — Zein exclaimed, immediately standing up.

We ran toward the door and rushed outside to see what was going on. The street was in chaos: people were running in all directions, screaming in terror, while a thick cloud of black smoke rose in the distance.

In the middle of the commotion, we saw Paul approaching at full speed. He stopped in front of us, breathing heavily as he tried to catch his breath.

—Guys, guys! — he panted. —It's the EDI troops... they're here. And not only that... they've come with the boss the prisoner told us about. —

A chill ran down my spine. I couldn't believe it. Had they really arrived so quickly? I had hoped we had driven them off, that my optimistic thoughts were true. But they weren't. They were here, and the worst was yet to come.