The journey back to Gosapor was nothing like the one they had taken to the Aegis Guild Training Branch just days before. The air was thick with an oppressive silence, and the weight of their grief hung heavily over the group. Every step forward felt like dragging the weight of the dead along with them.

The once-lively training grounds were now a smoldering ruin, and the memories of their fallen comrades haunted their thoughts. Katsuo, Serena, Venom, and Silas walked side by side, yet none of them spoke. The distant sounds of crackling flames still echoed in their ears, as did the sight of broken bodies and burnt homes. The destruction wasn’t just physical—it had left deep emotional scars that each of them would carry long after this day.

Katsuo’s thoughts kept drifting back to Yuu and Dachi—their smiles, their banter, the way they had fought alongside him like brothers. They were more than comrades; they were friends, and now they were gone. His hands clenched around the reins of his horse, his knuckles white with rage and frustration. He had failed them, just like he had failed so many others. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw their bodies, twisted and broken in the wreckage.

Serena rode in silence, her gaze fixed on the road ahead, but her mind was far away. The weight of Natasha’s death pressed down on her like a suffocating blanket. She had held her friend in her arms as she breathed her last, unable to do anything but watch the light leave her eyes. It felt unreal, like a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from. The guilt gnawed at her insides, a constant reminder that she hadn’t been strong enough to protect those she cared about. Natasha’s laughter, her kindness, all of it was gone now, replaced by a cold, empty silence.

"I should’ve been faster," Serena whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the soft clop of hooves. "I should’ve been there."

Venom and Silas rode ahead, their expressions grim, though they carried their grief differently. Venom’s face was a mask of calm, but her eyes betrayed the storm of emotions swirling beneath the surface. She had seen death before, but this was different. These were people she had trained with, shared meals with. And now, their blood stained the earth.

"We'll make them pay," Venom thought, her jaw tightening. The mages responsible would meet their end. She’d make sure of it.

Zin and Zeke followed behind, their once vibrant personalities now dulled by the harsh reality of war. Zin, always full of life, was unusually quiet, his mind weighed down by the immense responsibility of the fallen. He had trained these vanguards, seen them grow into warriors, and now many of them lay dead. He couldn’t shake the feeling that if he had stayed just a little longer, things might have been different.

They rode in somber silence for hours, the landscape around them a blur of trees and mountains, but none of it mattered. The beauty of the world seemed dimmed by the darkness that lingered in their hearts.

By the time they reached Gosapor, the sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving the sky a dark canvas speckled with stars. The city’s familiar silhouette came into view, but it felt different now. Gosapor had always been a place of refuge, a beacon of safety, but now it felt distant—hollow.

The Aegis Guild headquarters loomed before them as they entered the city, its towering walls casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets. Normally, the sight of the guild would bring a sense of security, but tonight, it only reminded them of how fragile that safety was.

As they approached, the guild doors swung open, revealing Monica standing in the entrance, her face pale and drawn. The usual brightness in her eyes was gone, replaced by worry and exhaustion. She rushed toward them, relief flooding her features when she saw them alive.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Thank God you’re back," Monica said, her voice shaking slightly as she looked at each of them. "It’s an emergency."

The weight of her words hit them all at once, and the exhaustion they had felt from the journey seemed to grow heavier.

Zin stepped forward, his face grim but composed. "What’s wrong?" he asked, though the tension in his voice betrayed his concern.

Monica took a deep breath, her expression tightening. "It’s Omaproz. They’re on the move. All of Furashima is in danger."

Katsuo’s heart sank. The mages had already taken so much from them, and now they threatened to destroy even more. His hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword, his jaw clenched in silent resolve.

"They just keep coming," Serena muttered under her breath, her hand still shaking from the battle. The weight of the grief, guilt, and anger was becoming too much.

Katsuo turned to his comrades, his eyes hard with determination. He had lost too much already—too many friends, too many innocent lives. He couldn’t afford to lose anything else. "We need to prepare," Katsuo said, his voice strong despite the exhaustion in his bones. "Whatever’s coming, we need to be ready."

Monica nodded. "We’re already on high alert. The threat from Omaproz is real, and they’ll stop at nothing to see Furashima fall."

As Monica filled them in on the situation, the weight of their recent loss hung heavy over them. The training grounds they had just left behind were still fresh in their minds, the bodies of their comrades still vivid in their memories. But there was no time to grieve—not yet. The mages were relentless, and their next move was already in motion.

That night, the Aegis Guild was abuzz with activity. Vanguards rushed back and forth, preparing for what was to come. Weapons were sharpened, supplies were gathered, and orders were given out with precision. The entire guild was on edge, knowing that Omaproz’s attack could come at any moment.

Katsuo found himself standing alone on the balcony of the guild, looking out over the city of Gosapor. The lights of the city flickered in the darkness, casting long shadows over the streets below. It should have been a peaceful sight, but all Katsuo could see was the destruction that awaited them.

His mind raced with thoughts of everyone he had lost—his family in Furashima, Yuu, Dachi, Natasha, and the countless others who had suffered because of the mages. Their faces blurred together, each one a reminder of his failure to protect them.

The anger inside him simmered, a low, burning flame that threatened to consume him. But beneath the anger, there was something else—determination. A resolve that burned brighter than his rage. He couldn’t let the mages win. Not after everything they had taken from him.

"This isn’t the end," Katsuo whispered to himself, his eyes hard as they stared out into the night. "This is just the beginning."

Serena joined him on the balcony, her face pale and tired, but there was a fire in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. She stood beside him, the silence between them heavy with unspoken grief.

"They’ll pay for what they’ve done," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "For Natasha. For Yuu and Dachi. For everyone."

Katsuo nodded, his gaze unwavering. "We’ll make sure of it."

They stood together in silence, the weight of their shared loss pressing down on them, but in that silence, there was also a sense of solidarity. They weren’t alone in this fight. They had each other, and they had the guild. Together, they would stand against whatever came next.

The next morning, the guild was a hive of activity. Vanguards prepared for the coming battle, their faces grim but determined. The threat from Omaproz loomed large, but they knew what was at stake.

Zin gathered them all in the main hall, his voice calm but commanding. "We don’t know when Omaproz will strike, but we need to be ready. This is the fight we’ve been preparing for. We’ll protect Furashima with everything we have."

The group exchanged looks, their resolve hardening. They had faced loss, devastation, and death—but they were still here. They were still standing.

As they prepared for what was to come, Katsuo felt a surge of determination rise within him. He wasn’t just fighting for survival anymore—he was fighting for the memory of those they had lost. He was fighting for his home, for the future they had to protect.

The battle ahead would be brutal. But they would face it together.