Aaron's eyes fluttered open, his head pounding as the remnants of the battle swirled around him. The air was thick with smoke and the stench of burning wood and flesh. He pushed himself up from the dirt, his body aching with the strain of the fight. His vision was blurred, but he forced himself to focus.
The cottage, what was left of it, lay in ruins. Charred remnants of what had once been home. His heart pounded as his mind raced. Serena? Mia?
He staggered toward the remains of the building, each step slower than the last. His body felt like it might collapse at any moment, but the thought of the girls kept him moving. He needed to find them. They couldn't be…
As he stumbled into the clearing, he saw her. Serena.
She was barely alive.
Her once-pristine skin was covered in burn marks, the heat of the explosion having scorched her body. Her hair was a matted mess, singed at the ends. Her clothes were gone, completely incinerated by the flames, leaving her only in the remnants of her bra, the fabric hanging in tatters. Her pants were completely incinerated, however her bush completely hid her vagina.
Aaron's stomach turned, the sight of her suffering burning his insides. She wasn't moving, but he rushed to her side, his heart in his throat. "Serena!"
She coughed weakly, her eyes barely opening. "Aaron…?"
He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, his hands trembling as he gently shook her. "Please, stay with me. Don't die."
Serena's voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. "I'm… I'm fine. Just… tired." She winced as she tried to sit up. Her body groaned under the effort. "Where… where's Mia?"
Aaron's heart sank as his gaze shifted.
Mia's body lay a few feet away, motionless. Her once-vibrant eyes were dull, her face frozen in a peaceful yet haunting expression. The glow that had radiated from her was gone, leaving her a lifeless shell.
Serena's face twisted with grief as she caught sight of Mia's body. Her breath hitched in her chest, but despite her pain, she managed to sit up fully, leaning on Aaron for support. Her voice was steady, but it held the weight of a truth she'd already accepted. "She… sacrificed herself, didn't she?"
Aaron nodded, his throat tight. He could hardly speak.
Serena's hands trembled as she reached out toward Mia, her voice soft. "She made a vow. A resonance vow. She gave her life to become a guardian… a nightmarish creature to protect me."
Aaron's heart skipped a beat as he looked around. There was a stirring in the air, a shift. The ground trembled slightly as a strange force drew near. He turned, eyes wide, as he saw the creature that rose from the ashes.
It was made of magma, its form flickering with molten heat. Four massive arms, each ending in sharp, deadly claws, were positioned as if to strike. The creature's bull-like head loomed ominously over them, its eyes blazing with fiery rage. The creature's enormous form shimmered with heat, and the smell of burning earth permeated the air.
Aaron recognized it instantly: the nightmarish creature Mia had become.
"She's gone," Serena whispered, her voice low. "But she's still here, in this form… She'll always protect me." She clenched her fists, her body shaking with the effort of holding herself together.
The creature floated above them, its molten body pulsing with the remnants of Mia's essence. It wasn't a guardian in the traditional sense—it was a living nightmare, a weapon forged from sacrifice.
Aaron stood still for a moment, taking in the sight. His mind was a whirlwind, grief and rage crashing together inside him. He turned to Serena, his voice low but firm. "We'll get stronger. We have to. For Mia, for Seth… for all of them."
Serena met his gaze, her eyes hardening. Despite the pain, there was a new resolve in her. "I'll go west," she said, her voice steady. "There's a place—The Elder Forest. They say there's a tree there, a tree that enhances resonance. If I meditate under it, I'll reach enlightenment."
Aaron nodded, his heart heavy. "That's good. You'll be unstoppable when you come back."
But there was something in his eyes—something darker. "I don't know where I'm going. I'll let the wind take me. But I won't stop. I'll master my resonance, and I'll tear through this world. I'll avenge Seth. I'll make them all pay."
Serena reached out to him, her hand resting on his shoulder, her touch steady despite everything they'd been through. "I'll come back for you, Aaron. I know you'll be fine. We'll meet again."
Aaron smiled faintly, though the bitterness in his heart was impossible to ignore. "Yeah. I'll be waiting."
They shared a silent moment, both of them understanding what the other needed. Their paths had diverged, but the bond they shared would remain unbroken.
As Serena stood, gathering what little strength she had left, the magma creature floated behind her, a silent sentinel in her wake. She turned toward the west, her steps slow but determined.
Aaron watched her go, feeling a pang of loneliness settle deep within him. He clenched his fists.
The winds of fate were calling him, and he would answer.