The sky cracked open with the roar of a collapsing world. The laboratory, their sanctuary of hope, crumbled before their eyes in a violent explosion of flame and rubble. Smoke billowed upward, painting the horizon in hues of destruction.
Years of research, plans, and relentless effort — gone in an instant.
Hanz hovered in the air beside Moros, his face etched with sorrow. He clenched his fists, fighting the trembling in his hands.
"That's... hard to see," he murmured, voice heavy with grief.
Moros's gaze remained locked ahead, cold and unyielding.
"Yes," he replied flatly. "But we don't have time to mourn. We need to save Misa."
With that, Moros surged forward, cutting through the crimson sky like an arrow, leaving Hanz to follow.
As they flew, the city below unraveled into chaos. Buildings crumbled under the weight of monstrous assaults. People screamed, their cries echoing through the streets. Flames consumed everything in sight, casting grotesque shadows across the ruined streets.
A part of Hanz wanted to stop — to help those below. But he knew their mission.
Still, he couldn't shake the ache in his chest.
"Would you ever have thought it would come to this?" Hanz asked, his voice carrying a bitterness he couldn't hide.
Moros didn't even glance at him.
"Never."
The silence between them stretched as they flew deeper into the heart of the dying city. Every familiar landmark was unrecognizable, twisted by destruction and chaos.
Finally, they reached the outskirts of the slums — the part of the city long forgotten by its rulers, left to rot even before the world fell apart.
Hanz abruptly halted in midair, his gaze fixed on a crumbling rooftop below.
"What is it?" Moros asked, irritated by the sudden pause.
Hanz descended, landing softly on the roof. He stood there for a moment, staring at the shattered skyline, lost in thought.
"You remember this place?" Hanz finally said, his voice distant.
Moros landed beside him with a sigh of frustration.
"What are you talking about? We don't have time for nostalgia. Misa is waiting for us!"
Hanz ignored him, sitting down on the edge of the roof. His eyes remained fixed on the red sky above, the hue of it reminding him of old wounds.
"This... this is where you saved me," Hanz said quietly.
Moros crossed his arms.
"And?"
Hanz took a deep breath, steadying himself.
"You've always asked me what happened before you found me. Why I was alone in the slums. Why I never talked about my past."
He glanced at Moros, his eyes dark with memories.
"I'll tell you now."
"I was born into a rich family. My parents had everything — wealth, status, influence. And they loved me.
For the first few years of my life, it was like living in a fairy tale. I had everything a child could want. Toys, friends, parties... and most importantly, love.
But fairy tales always end, don't they?
One day, when I was playing with a toy car, I accidentally pushed it too hard. It rolled to the edge of the staircase. My father was walking up the stairs, holding some important documents. He didn't see it.
He stepped on it."
Hanz's voice trembled as he recalled the moment, the sound of his father's fall echoing in his mind.
"I can still hear it. The sound of his foot slipping. The thud of his body hitting each step on the way down.
At the bottom of the stairs, there was a statue. It was supposed to be a symbol of strength and protection.
But when my father fell... he hit the statue. It crushed him."
Moros said nothing, letting Hanz continue at his own pace.
"After his death, everything fell apart. My father's company was torn apart by vultures — greedy business partners who didn't care about anything but their profit. They dismantled everything he'd built.
We lost our home. Our fortune. Everything.
My mother... she was the most beautiful woman in the city. Everyone adored her. But after we lost everything, she had to marry someone else.
A monster."
Hanz clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.
"He was cruel. He hurt her. He hurt me. But she endured it all for my sake.
She used to smile at me and tell me everything would be alright. That we just needed to be strong."
His voice broke, and he wiped at his eyes, his vision blurring with tears.
"But one night, I came home, and she was... gone.
The man she married — that bastard — was standing over her body. He was drunk, holding a bloody kitchen knife was landing on the floor.
He killed her.
And he laughed."
Hanz fell silent for a moment, his breath shaky.
"I lost control. I grabbed the knife from the floor and stabbed him in the back. Over and over.
He tried to fight back, but he was too drunk to stand properly. He fell. And I kept stabbing. I didn't stop, even after he stopped moving."
Hanz lowered his head, his shoulders trembling.
"When I finally came to my senses, I was covered in blood.
I took my mother's body and buried her beside my father.
After that... I wandered. For months. Alone. Lost."
He glanced at Moros, a faint smile tugging at his lips despite the tears in his eyes.
"And then... you and Misa found me. You saved me. Gave me a new family."
Hanz wiped at his tears, his expression softening as he looked at Moros.
Moros stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Hanz's shoulder.
"I'm glad you told me."
Hanz managed a weak laugh.
"Guess it took the end of the world to finally get me to open up, huh?"
They sat together in silence for a long moment, the red light of the sky casting their shadows across the rooftop. Below them, the city burned, but up here, it felt like time had stopped.
When Hanz finally stood, he seemed more at peace.
"Thank you, Moros."
Moros gave him a nod.
"Are you ready to move?"
Hanz took a deep breath and straightened his posture.
"Yes. Let's go save her."
Without another word, they took to the skies once more, flying toward the heart of the chaos. Toward Misa.
And as they flew, the bond between them felt stronger than ever — two broken souls, bound by shared loss and unwavering loyalty.
In the crimson light of their burning world, they carried the hope of salvation.
For Misa.
For each other.
For what little remained of their family.