The soil under them is strewn with the remains of the deranged animals they had fought off, and by nightfall, they are gathered on the edge of a rock overlooking the battlefield. There is a little smell of dust and rain in the thick air. Above, a dark, cracked canvas that extends to eternity is created by the faint blinking of stars through rolling storm clouds. The world is silent for the first time in days, a rare respite from the unrelenting mayhem.
Arin's eyes stray to the sky before settling on Cassiel, who is sitting a few feet away with his back against a rock and his eyes closed while he takes a deep breath. Arin only lowers their defenses during times like now, when they are not surrounded by chaos, feeling the weight of their anxieties pushing in. Even though they've kept a lot from Cassiel, they feel compelled to let go under these stars, using quiet as a disguise.
"Occasionally... With a voice hardly audible above a whisper, Arin mutters, "I dream of a world that's not falling apart." They assume Cassiel will be preoccupied with his own thoughts and miss it. However, his eyes open and they meet theirs with a silent determination that motivates them to keep going.
"I see myself in these dreams with a family, leading a peaceful, loving life." The words catch as they turn back to the sky, and Arin's voice quivers a little. However, I am aware it might not be feasible at this time. Not at least not for me.
As Cassiel listens quietly, his eyes soften and his own darkness is hidden; his eyes begin to hurt. After taking a deep, calming breath, he says in a quiet voice that sounds almost like a confession to himself, "Arin, I was assigned a mission. My kind—we were guardians, intended to contain the chaos and maintain the world's equilibrium. His hands are clenched in rage as his fingers sink into the earth next to him. And I didn't succeed. We are reminded of that failure by every monster we battle.
With a timid gesture of support, Arin reaches out and delicately places her fingers on Cassiel's shoulder. They remark in a soft yet strong voice, "You haven't failed." "Not while you're still engaged in combat."
With the burden of his history bearing down on him, Cassiel turns to face them, his eyes displaying a mixture of appreciation and regret. However, a little ray of hope breaks through the layers of his grief as he turns to face Arin.
They sit there for a long time, the quiet growing between them, bearing unspoken words and unrealized feelings. They discover a tenuous serenity in one another's company at that precise time, a lone beacon of light in the encroaching gloom.
They stay together as the first raindrops fall, clinging to the warmth they have discovered—a bond forged not by fate but by a common will to defend, to live, and maybe even to hope.