(Chapter starts)
The mansion shook as broken pieces of the building fell. Fire burned in the distance, and smoke filled the sky. Outside, a group of people stood, watching the collapsing building with worry on their faces.
Alya walked back and forth. "Kairo hasn't come back yet," she said, clearly worried.
Raiven clenched his fists. "Then I'm going to get him."
Veiren stepped forward, unsure. "What if you don't come back either?"
Raiven gave a small smile, full of confidence. "I'll come back. I promise."
Without saying anything else, he ran toward the mansion and disappeared into the smoke and dust.
Just then, the loud sound of spinning blades filled the air. A military helicopter landed nearby, ready to pick up government officials. Soldiers rushed to help them get inside quickly.
Darius turned to the group. "We need to leave. Now."
Eldric shook his head. "Not until Kairo and Raiven return."
Darius looked annoyed but turned to Elsa. "Princess, you must come with us."
Eldric looked at Alya and Veiren. "You two should go too. Luca and I will stay. If they don't return, we'll go inside and find them."
Alya's eyes widened. "No! We're not leaving you behind!"
Veiren agreed. "If you're staying, then we'll—"
Eldric gently put a hand on Alya's shoulder. "I promise, we will bring them back."
After a few seconds of silence, Alya and Veiren slowly stepped onto the helicopter. The doors closed, and soon the helicopter lifted off, disappearing into the night sky.
---
Inside the Mansion
Raiven ran through the smoky halls, avoiding falling pieces of the building. It was hard to breathe. The building groaned like it could fall apart any second.
"Kairo!" he shouted, but his voice was lost in the noise.
Suddenly—CRASH!
The ceiling broke, and a huge piece of it fell right on him.
Pain shot through his body as he was crushed under the rubble. Blood pooled around him, and his breathing grew weak.
Damn it… Am I going to die?
Tears filled his eyes. He thought of Lyra.
"I'm sorry, Lyra… I couldn't protect Kairo…"
His vision became blurry. His fingers shook. His body couldn't move anymore.
Far away, through the smoke, he saw a shadowy person escaping from the mansion, carrying someone—carrying Kairo.
No… not again…
Guilt filled his heart. He had promised to bring Kairo back. He had promised to survive.
"I… I don't want to die…" he whispered, so softly it was almost silent.
His breathing slowed. The light in his eyes faded.
Then—nothing.
Silence.
A few moments later, someone walked up to him. A man knelt beside Raiven's body. It was Sirius. His face, usually hard to read, looked serious now.
He gently closed Raiven's eyes.
"Nobody wants to die, Raiven… But in the end, we all do," he said quietly. "Even Lyra had dreams she never got to fulfill."
He stood there for a moment, just looking at Raiven.
"Rest in peace. You've suffered enough."
Then he stood and walked away.
---
After the Explosion
Outside, the military had surrounded the whole area. Police were everywhere, arresting anyone they could find. Things had calmed down, but the air still felt tense.
Luca looked around and saw a group of officers walking toward them. "Why are the police coming toward us?"
Eldric's eyes narrowed. "They're probably going to arrest us too."
One officer stopped right in front of them. "We have orders to arrest everyone who was in the mansion—including you."
Eldric stood tall. "We're Prince Kairo's allies. We barely escaped."
"I don't care," the officer said coldly. He started reaching for his handcuffs.
Just then, a voice spoke up from behind.
"Stop."
Everyone turned to see Sirius walking out from the back gate of the ruined mansion. His face was serious and commanding.
The officer frowned. "We have orders—"
Sirius walked closer, his voice sharper. "Then that means you'll arrest me too, right?"
The officer looked unsure. He glanced at the others for support. "No matter who you are, my orders stay the same."
The other officers started whispering, recognizing who Sirius was. One of them pulled the officer aside. "It's best to let them go. We don't want trouble."
The officer looked angry but stepped back.
Sirius gave a cold smile. "Good choice."
Then, out of nowhere, he kicked the officer in the face. The officer fell to the ground.
Sirius stepped on his chest and looked down at him coldly. "Garbage like you doesn't belong in this country."
He looked at Eldric and Luca. "Let's go."
Luca looked unsure. "But Raiven and Kairo—"
"There are over two hundred people still inside," Sirius said. "The police will be busy. We'll find them at the station."
He took a police car and opened the door. Eldric and Luca got in. As they drove away, Eldric turned to Sirius.
"Give me your phone."
Sirius tossed it to him. "Why?"
"I have Alya's number. I need to call her."
Eldric quickly dialed the number. After a few rings, Alya answered.
"Eldric?" Her voice was soft and shaky.
"Alya, where are you?"
There was silence.
Then Alya spoke again, her voice trembling.
"Eldric… Raiven is dead. And Kairo is missing."
It felt like a knife to the chest.
Eldric gripped the phone tighter.
Luca's breath caught.
Sirius's eyes grew dark.
The car drove down the dark road, but now, everything felt heavier.
---
(Chapter ends)