​​Anthony and Aegir sat shoulder to shoulder atop a jagged piece of rubble. Anthony draped his arm around Aegir, whose cheeks flushed a soft pink. Around them, the remaining survivors huddled in the ruins of their world. Vin stood before them, his watchful eyes tracking every movement. The crowd had thinned; the healers had finished with everyone else. Now, it was finally their turn.
​Vin cleared his throat with a fake cough. The pair smiled almost in unison, prompting Vin to arch an eyebrow. "O... kay. I think something good happened here," he remarked with a smirk. Anthony’s ears turned crimson, fueling Vin’s grin.
​"Nothing... I’m just happy Aegir and the cats are safe," Anthony murmured. He looked fondly at Aegir and the two cats dozing in Aegir’s lap. Aegir bit his lip, trying to dodge Anthony’s gaze, though a smile betrayed him anyway.
​Vin’s expression softened into one of total understanding. With a weary sigh, he raised his hands and channeled his mana. In a flash of light, their wounds vanished. The physical pain evaporated, though the bloodstains and jagged tears in their clothes remained as grim souvenirs of the fight.
​"Thanks, man," Anthony said.
​Nearby, Saint moved among the victims, offering words of consolation. Afterall,  most of the victims knew him.  A famous romance novelist.  He even had some of his novels turned into films. 
Although they were quite shocked to know that he has some special kind of ability.  He even joked around the victims that he didn't get it from his dead father,  Mr.  So,  they don't have to worry. 
A strange glow radiated from him—a light he never possessed when he was purely human. He approached the group, his face bright. As if he was born to be a vampire all his life.  That he yearned for the mystery rather than to live an ordinary human life. 
​"The enemy seems to have vanished," Saint noted. It was true; once the monsters realized Hale had retreated, they fled. They left behind nothing but ruins, the fallen, and those lucky enough to still be breathing.
​Vin’s face darkened. "They left a path of devastation. And Artemisia is gone, too."
​Anthony frowned, confusion clouding his face. "Where did she go?"
​Vin shrugged. "She’s with your sister. Alucard said it has something to do with the final war."
​At the mention of his sister, Anthony bolted upright. He opened his mouth to speak, but Saint stepped forward and gripped his shoulders firmly. "Don't worry. They’ll be back soon." Saint spoke with the chilling confidence of a man who had already seen the end of the story.
​Aegir studied Saint closely. "You knew exactly where to find me. Is that part of your magic?"
​Saint nodded proudly, clearly relishing his new abilities. He had always been a fan of magic; now, he was the source of it. Yet, a shadow crossed his face as the weight of that power settled. He cleared his throat. "When I was... asleep... I saw all of you. It wasn't a good dream. It felt like a nightmare." He let out a dry, humorless laugh.
​He looked at Aegir first. "I saw you die."
​Aegir flinched. Fear flickered in his eyes, followed by a grim sort of acceptance. He knew how close he had come to the end during his duel with Hale.
​Saint then turned to Anthony. "And you lost it. You became more evil than that bastard—curse his soul." Anthony hung his head. He remembered the blinding rage that had consumed him when he thought Aegir was gone. He knew he was capable of that darkness.
​"You were the one who awakened that evil God," Saint whispered, his body trembling at the memory. "It was terrifying."
​Saint offered a bitter smile. "An unknown voice spoke to me then. It offered two choices: try to change what I saw, or go back in time to fix... personal things. But the past is set in stone. Only the present can influence the future. That’s what I chose to believe." He gestured toward the victims, who were weeping and embracing in the corners of the ruins.
​Guilt swelled in Anthony’s chest. Aegir sensed it and gripped his hand firmly. "Everything is okay now. See? Don't beat yourself up."
​"We can help these people," Saint added, nodding. "I'll help. Even Vin will help."
​Vin snorted. "Fine. As long as you aren't asking me for money."
​Saint laughed and tapped his chest. "That’s on me."
​Anthony’s lips curled into a small, genuine smile. Aegir leaned into him. "We will end this war," Aegir said softly. "We might be weak alone, but we’ll do it together."
​"The protectors will be here too," Saint promised. "I've already spoken with that vampire dude."
​Vin stared off into the distance, his voice laced with dread. "It feels like we're headed for Mount Carion sooner or later."
​"Mount Carion?" Anthony asked.
​Vin nodded. "Yeah. To exterminate a pest. I just hope we stay alive long enough to see it through."
​Aegir pouted. "I really hate the thought of dying, you know?"
​"I just came back from the dead!" Saint argued. "I'd like to stay this way for a while."
​Anthony looked up at the orange-streaked sky and smirked. "A guy with death powers being afraid of dying? That’s ironic."
​Laughter broke out among the four of them, punctuated by the shimmer of tears. Vin and Saint began to tease the couple, drawing the eyes of the survivors. The people watched these young warriors—these children who had fought to save them—and felt a flicker of kinship.
​Small ripples of laughter began to spread through the camp. It wasn't the laughter of joy, but the raw, honest sound of survival.
​The sun dipped below the horizon, and the stench of death still clung to the air. They had no plan and no guarantee of victory, but they held onto the hope that, together, they could overturn fate.