The sun climbed higher over the city, washing the streets in pale gold light. Sirens still echoed in the distance, but they were fading now, moving farther away. Smoke hung low over rooftops, thin and tired, like it had no strength left to rise. People stood on sidewalks and balconies, watching in silence. Everyone felt it. Something had ended, even if they did not yet understand what it was.
Kai and Aria sat inside the back of a quiet medical transport van. The doors were closed, shutting out the noise and chaos outside. The space smelled of clean cloth and antiseptic. Kai leaned back against the wall, his eyes closed, his chest rising and falling slowly. The fight was over, but his body still acted like it was not.
Aria sat beside him, holding his hand tightly. Her fingers trembled jus
