The dawn after the eclipse was tentative, its weak light battling against the lingering gloom. The scarred earth, pockmarked by recent battle, lay silent under a sky heavy with unspoken sorrow. In the quiet aftermath, Seraphine, Calix, Mariella, and Clara gathered on the edge of what remained of their battered world, each of them marked by the deep scars of sacrifice.
Calix broke the silence, his voice low and haunted. "Every step I take reminds me of what we lost… I thought the chains of guilt were behind me, but now they're etched into my very skin." His eyes, shadowed by memories, spoke of the price he had paid.
Mariella's gaze burned with both anger and regret. "We gave so much," she said bitterly. "Sometimes I wonder if our sacrifices were truly worth it." Her hands trembled slightly as she clenched and unclenched them, the weight of their loss evident in every gesture.
