That dream again. How many times this past year have I had the same dream? It’s quite unsettling, and I’d rather not dream it again. Although, when I don’t have that dream, I find myself in that place, filled with complete darkness, where the water is the only thing that glows. I wander around endlessly, but there’s simply nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Since we defeated Sora that day, a whole year has passed. A lot has changed. We became heroes of the city; apparently, the broadcast was seen by thousands of people around the world. By defeating Sora, the soldiers lost their invulnerability, allowing ordinary troops to take them down as if they were simple, ordinary soldiers.

Right where Sora was evaporated by Kiomi, a massive hole was created, and from it emerged a giant tree. That tree is now a symbol and a monument to all those who died and sacrificed themselves that day. It’s strange, though, because that tree seems to be more than just a symbol: its growth is anomalous, and its roots have started spreading far beyond what was expected. Some believe it’s a sign of hope; others fear that something more might be hiding within it.

The world has been relatively calm. Most nations have joined the New Republic, leaving the world with only two major countries: two great powers, the New Republic and the Arab League. Despite this, tension between the two continues to grow over time.

Technology has advanced significantly; by repelling the invasion, weapons and technology were confiscated, enabling the creation of new tools. Defense systems, advanced transportation, and revolutionary medical equipment have all been developed thanks to this. However, some of these inventions remain classified, raising questions about the true intentions of the major powers.

These years of peace have allowed me to train as much as I can. I could say that I’m finally at Sora’s level, although I still feel like I’m far from perfect. Even with the multiplier from the pact with Kio, improving my abilities is challenging. It’s even harder without a mentor like Thailon… His teachings guided me through the darkest moments, and now I strive to honor them, even if it means pushing past my limits time and time again.

Naoko has handled the loss of her grandmother fairly well. Though she didn’t show it at first, she was deeply grieved and hurt. We all supported her, just as we did Alexander, who lost Mei that day. We all lost so much during that time, but we’ve learned to move forward, each in our own way.

The café became even more popular after we became heroes, so now it’s much busier. Alexander had to rent a building next door to expand the business. Now, there are two additional floors to accommodate more customers, and it’s become a meeting place for people from all over. Among the workers, there’s someone who catches my attention: that young man Naoko brought back alive for interrogation while we were in Siberia. Miguel and Paul wanted him to reintegrate into society, and Alexander welcomed him into the job. At first, he seemed reserved and shy, but little by little, he has shown himself to be hardworking and kindhearted.

Kiomi, on the other hand, has been researching the tree that grew after the battle. She’s noticed that its energy isn’t entirely natural and suspects it’s connected to something much bigger, perhaps even to what we faced that day. That has us a bit unsettled, but for now, all we can do is speculate.

A year may seem like a long time, but sometimes it feels like everything happened just yesterday. Despite the progress and the relative calm, I can’t help but think this peace is fleeting, like the whisper of a storm yet to come.

In the meantime, Naoko ended up living with us at the café. The quarters upstairs are quite large and spacious, so it’s no surprise that there are many empty rooms. When she lost her grandmother, we didn’t want her to feel alone in such a big and empty apartment. Now, she has a warm and lively place to call home, though she sometimes complains that we’re a bit too noisy.

We’re all doing our part to move forward and live a good life. It amazes me how, despite everything, the entire world and its people managed to stand up again. It’s as if, after hitting rock bottom, humanity found a new reason to move forward. But that peace doesn’t come without scars; we all carry something from that day in our hearts.

In a week, it will be the memorial for everything that happened a year ago. It’ll be a big ceremony, and many people are planning to attend the tree monument. The city is preparing, and the streets are filled with flags, flowers, and lights. It’s a reminder of what we lost and, at the same time, what we managed to preserve.

—Come on, Lyra, it’s morning. Wake up, — I said to her as she stayed in bed.

—Five more minutes, — she replied, pulling the blanket over her head again.

I decided to pull the blanket off her and carry her to get her out of bed. As usual, she protested a bit, but I still managed to succeed.

—That’s not fair, Zein! You always do this! —

—It’s the only way to get you out of bed, — I replied with a smile as she crossed her arms in defeat.

As we left the room, I found everyone already up. It made me happy to be here, surrounded by the people I cared about most.

When we came downstairs, everyone was already getting ready to set up the café. Naoko was talking to Judas, the boy she had saved a year ago. At first, it was hard for me to trust him; after all, he had been part of the enemy. But he’s proven himself to be trustworthy, and his work at the café has been impeccable.

Alexander had gone to the adjacent building to prepare everything there, while Kio was still asleep in her special spot, a small improvised bed in a corner of the café where she always stayed.

—So, have you gotten used to your new apartment? — Naoko asked Judas.

—Yeah, thanks, Naoko, for helping me with that. It’s really nice, — Judas replied with a slight smile.

—I’m glad you like it. After all, it was my home for a long time. If you’d said it was ugly, I would’ve hit you. —

—Good morning, — I said as I approached the group.

—Good morning, Zein, — they all replied in unison.

—Put me down already, Zein! I can walk on my own, — Lyra protested, trying to wriggle free.

—Good morning, Lyra, — Judas said with a kind smile.

—Good morning, — she replied, adjusting her hair with a bit of embarrassment.

We opened the café as usual. Everything was as lively and cheerful as ever; laughter and chatter filled the air. Paul and Miguel always dropped by to visit. Miguel, with his ever-present big smile, seemed capable of brightening even the gloomiest day.

The café has become a special place, not just for us but for the community as well. It’s more than just a business; it’s a refuge for those seeking a moment of peace in their busy lives. Sometimes, while serving customers, I pause to take it all in. I see the lively conversations, the genuine smiles, and the little connections being made here, and I can’t help but feel proud of what we’ve built together.

When the rush hour ended, most of us working at the café could take a breather. As usual, Paul took the moment to approach us with something important to share.

—Guys, we need to show you something, — he said seriously, pulling a laptop out of a briefcase.

It was much better than just showing us papers in a folder; the screen lit up the table as he loaded the files he had prepared.

The first thing he showed us was a video of some streamers during a live broadcast. They had climbed to the top of a tall building, seeking adrenaline and viewers. But that wasn’t the strange part. In the background, the camera captured something peculiar: a silhouette on another nearby building.

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—Take a good look, — Paul instructed, zooming in on the frozen image.

Upon closer inspection, Sora’s figure began to stand out. The dim light of the sunset highlighted his contours, and his posture was unmistakable.

—Is that…?— Kiomi asked, being the first to recognize him, her voice trembling slightly.

—Exactly, — Paul confirmed. —This video isn’t from long ago. The government is already taking it down from the internet and releasing statements to prevent it from spreading. But even so, we decided to dig deeper. —

Miguel stepped in with a grave expression. —What we’re seeing is real. I went to verify the information myself, and sure enough, he was there. But… he’s different. —

Paul showed us high-resolution photos. In them, Sora, or at least someone who looked a lot like him—could be seen clearly. The most striking detail was a mask seemingly attached to his face, a rabbit mask that gave him a disturbing and eerie appearance.

—That’s not all, — Paul added, playing another video. This time, Sora wasn’t alone. Next to him was a little girl.

Silence filled the room as we processed what we were seeing. Finally, Paul broke the tension:

—We’re worried something bad might happen to the girl… and to the entire area if we don’t act quickly. But we can’t make a scene, especially with the memorial so close.—

Naoko, who was pouring tea for Lyra, broke the silence.

—And where do we come into this? — she asked, maintaining her composure as Lyra quietly listened, fiddling with the cup in her hands.

—I need you to get Sora out of there as discreetly as possible and take him to a government base, — Paul replied, gathering his belongings from the table and preparing to leave. —When do you think you can do it? —

We exchanged glances for a moment, and almost in unison, we turned our heads toward Alexander, who was washing dishes in the back.

—Why are you all looking at me? — he protested, foam on his hands and a frown on his face.

—Go, — he said with a resigned sigh, turning his attention back to the sink. —The other shop closes early, and we won’t have many customers today. And if we need help, we’ve got Lyra right here. —

—What?! Why me? — Lyra complained, but before she could argue further, Aiko cheerfully approached her.

—Come on, Lyra. You’ll be our brilliant strategist, right? — she said with a smile, while Lyra huffed, though a small curve on her lips betrayed that she didn’t mind as much as she pretended.

—Fine, — she said reluctantly.

We prepared to leave as Paul handed us earpieces to keep us connected at all times, making coordination easier.

When we arrived at the location where the video was filmed, we observed the apartment from a safe distance. There he was—Sora, in the flesh. Well, more like wood and whatever else he was made of now.

Next to him was the little girl, who seemed happy, though her presence worried us; we couldn’t rule out the possibility that Sora might harm her.

We planned to act at dusk, using the cover of darkness to move more stealthily and avoid drawing attention. When night fell, we began the operation.

Miguel and Naoko would enter the building peacefully. If Sora resisted, Kiomi and I would step in to neutralize him.

From a distance, we watched them. When they knocked on the door, I noticed Sora getting nervous; it seemed like he recognized their voices. Then, everything escalated.

...

We knocked insistently, but no one answered. Impatient, Miguel took the lead.

—Police! Open the door!” he shouted as he banged forcefully.

—Since when are you a cop?” I asked, unable to hide my disbelief.

—You’d be surprised how many things I was before becoming a red ranger,” he replied with a grin.

Still, we got no response. Finally, Miguel decided to kick the door down. As soon as he did, the sound of shattering glass echoed through the apartment.

—Sora’s gone! I repeat, Sora’s gone!” I shouted, frantically looking for the girl. But she wasn’t there either. “And he took the girl!”

At that moment, Zein bolted after them, while Kiomi quickly descended, flying down to where we were.

—Let’s go,” she said with determination.

—But how?! I can’t fly!”

—Zein hasn’t taught you yet?”

—No!”

—Well, bad timing, but it’s time for a quick lesson, — Kiomi replied as Miguel exited the building. She came over to me and began explaining. —Focus all the mana energy you can into the soles of your shoes. For now, imagine you’re creating steps beneath your feet. —

I tried, but my first attempts failed. Frustrated, I kept at it. Slowly, I could feel the energy taking shape, allowing me to stay in the air, barely.

—Good, now move the platforms simultaneously to propel yourself, — Kiomi instructed.

As I tried to move, I lost control and lunged forward. Fortunately, Kiomi reacted quickly, catching me before I fell.

—Now that you're in this position, focus the mana in your chest. Imagine you're creating a stable base to support yourself while flying. —

I did as she said, and to my surprise, it worked. I was able to stay in the air with more stability.

—Perfect! Now, let’s go. —

Kiomi took my hand, and we moved at full speed to catch up with Zein. The trail of Sora was clear: there were visible marks on the buildings where he had used them to swing.

—Don’t you think we’re going too fast?! — I shouted, barely managing to stay stable in the air.

—We’re fine, we’re almost there! —

Finally, we found Zein stopped in front of a building. On the rooftop, a wooden dome was visible, clearly built by Sora.

As soon as we arrived, Zein didn’t waste time and launched himself directly at the dome, breaking it easily. Inside was Sora, but there was no sign of the girl.

The confrontation started immediately. The clash of fists echoed across the rooftop, and it was impressive to see Zein’s skill level. His movements were precise and full of strength. I realized how much he had advanced in his training; he had made me believe I was on his level, but now I understood that he only said that to motivate me.

With every strike, Sora seemed to weaken more and more. Finally, he fell to the ground, defeated, cornered in a corner of the building.

—How? — was the only word that came out of Zein’s mouth.

—Do you really want to know? — Sora replied, with that same mocking smile on his face. But this time, something about him seemed different. His face, his gestures… everything about him looked more human. —Just before I was pulverized, I managed to extend part of my body beneath the rubble, just enough to survive. —

—Well, this time, I won’t allow that. —

Zein began charging energy in his arm, gathering it as if he were preparing to launch a devastating attack, powerful enough to eliminate Sora once and for all.

—Hey, Zein, are you really going to launch it here? — I asked, alarmed and trying to reason with him. —We were told to capture him, not to kill him. Besides, we’re in times of peace. We can’t cause such a big scandal. —

Zein didn’t seem to listen to me. His eyes remained fixed on Sora, his decision unshakable. But just before he launched the attack, I felt a slight push against my legs. I looked down, and to my surprise, there was the little girl. She had placed herself in front of Zein, arms outstretched, protecting Sora.

—Don’t do it! — the girl shouted, tears in her eyes but with a firmness that contrasted with her fragile appearance.

—Little girl... I told you to leave, — Sora said, lying on the ground, visibly weakened.

The tension in the air was palpable. No one dared to move, and Zein still had his arm raised, as if hesitating for a moment. Then, Kiomi approached and touched his shoulder.

—It’s okay…— Zein finally lowered his arm. —We’ll take you as a prisoner. —

At the sound of those words, the girl completely changed. A smile of relief lit up her face as she ran to Sora and hugged him tightly. No one present understood what was happening.