Ren was still.

  Elly knelt there, arms wrapped protectively around him, his weight resting fully against her. His breathing was shallow, steady... but he hadn't opened his eyes. Not yet.

  Then-rushed footsteps through melting snow.

  "Ren!"

  "Elly!"

  Rica came sprinting, frost melting beneath her boots. Queen bounded beside her in a flurry of white, while Vultherin landed hard with a guttural grunt, still panting from the earlier clash.

  Rica dropped beside them, face flushed and wet with relief.

  Rica: "Is he...?"

  Elly: "Still breathing. He's alive."

  Elly's voice was soft now-no more shouting. Just calm. Just tired.

  Rica placed a hand over Ren's chest, feeling the faint thump beneath her palm. She let out a shaky breath, then glanced at Koirin-still glowing faintly in its massive form, floating above them, serene.

  Rica: "Koirin... what even-how...?"

  Elly looked up at the Starbeast, awe lingering in her eyes.

  Elly: "I don't know. It just... answered."

  She looked down, then added with a quiet smile:

  Elly: "Like it always does."

  Rica sat beside her, Queen curling up behind them both. For a moment, the two girls just... rested. Silent. A circle of warmth in a once-frozen battlefield.

  Rica: "You charged straight through his storm. You know how insane that was?"

  Elly: (chuckling weakly) "Yeah. Guess I was tired of being left outside his door."

  Rica: "You're more than brave, Elly. That was..."

  (She paused, trying to find the words.)

  "...heroic."

  Elly wiped her eyes, her laughter trembling.

  Elly: "I just couldn't watch anymore. I made a promise... and so did he."

  Then-suddenly-

  A stir.

  A twitch.

  Ren's hand moved.

  Elly froze. Rica gasped.

  Ren's eyelids fluttered... slowly, heavily... until slivers of warmth peeked through.

  He blinked-confused, as if waking from a deep, dark sleep.

  Ren: "...Elly...?"

  His voice was raspy. Weak. But it was his.

  Elly smiled, eyes misty again.

  Elly: "Hey, sleepyhead."

  Ren looked around slowly, vision blurred, processing the lights, the colors, the people around him.

  Ren: "...Did I... do it again?"

  Elly nodded, placing her forehead gently against his.

  Elly: "Yeah... you did. But this time, I broke through."

  Rica: (teasing, but teary) "With help. Lots of it. But you still almost killed us too, you idiot."

  Ren let out a soft, broken laugh-more air than sound.

  Ren: "...I'm sorry."

  Elly gripped his hand.

  Elly: "Then don't be... just don't do it alone next time."

  Koirin let out a low hum above, as if echoing that promise.

  The auroras overhead danced brighter-ribbons of hope painting the aftermath.

  The sky was still bathed in auroras when the eastern horizon roared with thudding steps and panicked voices.

  Iver: "IS ANYONE ALIVE?!"

  His voice echoed, half-command, half-despair.

  From the trees, Iver burst through first-goggles cracked, armor scratched, his breath heavy in the frigid air. Behind him came Marian, sprinting at full speed, Rej wheezing but pushing through.

  Then-

  A giant shadow emerged from behind them.

  Horny the Minotaur, towering and covered in frost and blood, trudged forward-Josh slumped over his shoulder, barely conscious, blood dried on his torn tunic.

  Scruffler padded behind, Jonax limp in the saddle of leaves, unmoving-but breathing. Her fingers twitched faintly.

  Glint soared low to the ground, Cedy and Lily clinging tightly, both bruised and cut up, their cloaks tattered from battle.

  And finally-at the rear-Lucien arrived, silent and composed, Rhogar the Humanoid Wolf striding beside him like a silver shadow, eyes scanning everything.

  They all slowed when they saw them-Ren, lying unconscious in Elly's arms, Rica beside them, and Koirin, glowing like a moon above.

  Iver: (sliding to a stop) "What the hell... happened?"

  Marian: (breathless) "Is... is he okay?"

  Rej: "We saw the sky... and that thing-that Whale? What is that?!"

  Elly looked up at them, her face still damp with tears-but smiling now, exhausted but proud.

  Elly: "He's alive. We got him back."

  Iver: (eyes scanning the injuries) "...At what cost?"

  Horny gently laid Josh down. The athlete winced, clutching his chest, trying to speak-but only coughed.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Rica: (standing, taking charge) "Everyone, sit. Rest. We'll explain everything."

  Lucien moved beside her, nodding.

  Lucien: "Well this is quite a reunion, I'll leave you guys for now, I'll set up a perimeter. Rhogar and I will keep watch."

  Jonax: (groaning faintly) "Thank you. I am not doing anything else today..."

  Scruffler let out a tired bark, nudging her gently.

  Cedy limped toward the group, Lily followed, one eye swollen, but trying to smile.

  Cedy: (to Elly) "Did you... really go in alone?"

  Elly gave a small nod.

  Elly: "Someone had to. I just... couldn't wait anymore."

  Lily: (softly) "...Thank you."

  The group gathered now, forming a loose circle. Starbeasts curled beside their bonded, forming a strange and silent moment of unity. Aurora light still cascaded across the sky like a lullaby.

  Rica turned toward everyone, kneeling beside Ren again.

  Rica: "We were atttacked by the 7 Aequinox, Ren turned cold and started attacking anyone in his sight, Koirin evolved. No-returned. It became one of the Three Starbeasts just like the legend. It cast a dome that cleared Ren's storm... it saved us."

  Iver: (processing) "...You're telling me that chaos we felt from miles away was... him?"

  Rej: "What kind of final boss nonsense is this guy even made of..."

  Marian elbowed Rej.

  Marian: "Not the time."

  Josh, coughing but trying to smirk, muttered:

  Josh: "Told you... Ren's drama would get us killed someday."

  Everyone let out soft chuckles-tired, broken, but relieved. It was the first laugh since the storm began.

  ...

  The wind had calmed. The snow no longer howled.

  They gathered in a scattered circle-injured, breathing, alive. The battle was over. For now.

  Then the laughter faded.

  The silence became heavy.

  Iver: "Guys..." (eyes narrowing) "Where's Kristie?"

  Rica and Elly froze.

  Their smiles vanished in an instant-replaced by dread. Both of them looked away, eyes glistening with something they hadn't dared voice yet.

  Elly: (barely a whisper) "...Umm."

  Rica: (shaking her head) "Please... not now..."

  Iver: (starting to panic) "Kristie...? Kristie, hey, stop hiding already. We're here, okay? It's over! You can come out now!"

  His voice cracked on the last word.

  Rej: (walking quickly, scanning the trees) "Kristie? You there? Come on, you always yell back!"

  Marian: (running) "Maybe she's just knocked out somewhere-we'll find her!"

  Then-

  A glimpse of red in the snow.

  Half-covered, like the storm tried to hide its shame.

  Iver's boots froze mid-step. His breath caught.

  There she was.

  Kristie.

  Lying still.

  Face tilted toward the stars, lips slightly parted as if to speak one last joke she never got to say. Her coat was soaked red. A sword-pierced through her chest, deep and final.

  Her eyes... blank. Glassy. Lifeless.

  Iver: (stumbling forward) "Hey... what kind of prank is this?"

  His voice was cracking. Denial fighting reality.

  Iver: "This isn't funny, Kristie... come on!"

  No answer.

  The group froze. All eyes locked on her still form.

  Josh: (hoarse) "...No."

  Cedy: (falling to her knees) "Kristie..."

  Iver dropped beside her, shoving snow away with his bare hands, digging, shaking, desperate. He scooped her up into his arms, ignoring the blood.

  Iver: "Kristie... It's time to wake up."

  His tears hit her cheek like warm rain.

  Iver: (voice trembling) "Stop joking around... we're here..."

  But Kristie didn't move.

  She wouldn't ever again.

  Everyone stood frozen-caught between the miracle they had just witnessed... and the price they hadn't noticed until too late.

  And the snow began to fall again.

  The snowfall whispered around them, quiet and soft-mocking the storm now brewing in their hearts.

  Iver trembled, cradling Kristie's body as blood stained his gloves. His breath hitched-then broke.

  Iver: (voice cracking) "Hey... what happened here!? Explain it to me!! Why is she like this!?"

  No one answered.

  The air tightened.

  Then his eyes landed on him.

  Ren-still half-conscious, resting weakly in Elly's arms. His face pale, eyes unfocused, body limp from exhaustion and frostbite.

  But alive.

  Iver's grief twisted into fury.

  He stood. Then he marched.

  Elly: "Iver, wait-"

  He grabbed Ren by the collar and yanked him up, dragging him from Elly's arms.

  Iver: "REN!" (shaking him violently) "What happened here!? Tell me!! Why does Kristie have a sword in her chest!?"

  Ren's lips parted-but no words came out.

  His body weak.

  His mind blank.

  The memory... still lost within the storm.

  Rica tried to explain to Iver but, before she could speak, Iver's fist slammed into Ren's face.

  Then again.

  Iver: (shouting through sobs) "Where were you!? When she needed you most, where were you!?"

  Ren didn't fight back.

  He just took it-each strike, each scream.

  Because somewhere in his shattered soul...

  He was asking the same thing.

  Where was I?

  What happened to the promises I made?

  Why... wasn't I there?

  Iver's fists kept coming-fueled by pain more than anger.

  Iver: (screaming) "You said you'd protect her! YOU PROMISED US!!"

  He struck again.

  And again.

  Rica rushed forward, shouting.

  Rica: "IVER, STOP!!"

  Rej: (pulling at his arms, tears in her eyes) "That's enough-Iver, please!!"

  Marian: (choking on her cries) "You're hurting him-STOP!"

  Iver: "She trusted us!"

  Iver: "...She trusted you, Ren!!"

  Ren, bruised and bleeding, just lay there-silent.

  Unable to answer.

  Because the guilt hurt more than any punch ever could.

  Snow continued to fall-but it no longer brought peace.

  Iver's hands trembled as he hovered over Ren, fists clenched, teeth grinding. The others tried holding him back, but he snapped free like a force of nature.

  Iver: "You worthless bastard! You're just lying there! You should've done something-anything!!"

  He threw another punch-Ren's head snapping to the side. Blood now mixed with the snow beneath him.

  Rej: "IVER, STOP-YOU'RE KILLING HIM!!"

  Iver: "Maybe I SHOULD!"

  He surged forward again, knocking Marian and Rej away. His fists rained down on Ren.

  Iver: "All that talk-'Trust me. I got this.' WELL LOOK WHAT YOU GOT-LOOK AT HER!!"

  Each word slammed like thunder.

  Iver: "YOU PROMISED TO BRING US BACK! YOU PROMISED HER!!"

  Then-

  Lily: (through sobs) "Iver... please..."

  Her voice-quiet, broken.

  He froze mid-swing.

  Lily: "Look at him..."

  Iver's breathing slowed-shaking, ragged-as he turned his head.

  Ren wasn't even defending himself. Face swollen. Body twitching. Not from pain-but guilt.

  His eyes weren't angry.

  They were empty.

  Then Iver looked around.

  Scattered across the snow... the corpses of the Aequinox.

  Some split in half.

  Some still frozen.

  Pierced on ice pillars.

  These were the monsters they feared.

  The monsters they thought were invincible.

  Now... just meat in the snow.

  It wasn't victory.

  It was carnage.

  And there was no one left to blame.

  No one left to punish.

  Iver slowly let go of Ren's collar, then shoved him down.

  Iver: "Tch..."

  He turned-walking away, jaw clenched, fists trembling.

  He stopped in front of a tall tree.

  Then punched it.

  CRACK-

  The tree collapsed from a single blow, trunk shattered.

  But Iver didn't stop.

  Iver: "DAMN IT!!"

  He fell to his knees and started pounding the ground.

  Over.

  And over.

  Iver: "Damn it! Damn it!! DAMN IT!!"

  His knuckles tore open. Blood smeared the snow. His voice broke with each hit.

  Because no matter how hard he hit it...

  She wasn't coming back.

  Iver knelt in the snow, fists bloodied, breath ragged.

  Iver: "Why... Why the hell do we have to experience this!?"

  His voice cracked.

  Iver: "Why were we summoned here!? What the fuck is this world's problem that it had to drag us in!?"

  He slammed his fist again into the ground-snow, blood, and soil scattering.

  Iver: "Why are we forced to fight our way home-WHEN WE DIDN'T EVEN CHOOSE TO COME HERE!?"

  He screamed it into the wind, into the heavens-into nothing.

  Iver: "If there's a god in this world-then he's a PIECE OF SHIT!"

  Iver: "Why!? Why!? WHY!?"

  Behind him, the others could barely hold themselves together.

  Cedy was crouched low beside Glint, silently sobbing into her hands.

  Lily clutched her arm, biting her lip hard, trying not to scream.

  Scruffler whined softly as Jonax remained limp on it's back-her eyes blank, numb, like her soul had shut down.

  Marian was holding Rej's hand, trembling, tears streaking her dirt-covered face.

  Lucien stood silently beside Rhogar, head bowed, gripping his weapon like it was the only thing anchoring him to reality.

  Horny the Minotaur slowly laid Josh down beside a tree-his wound still bleeding. The Minotaur's hand trembled, not from exhaustion... but despair.

  Iver: "We... we managed to save Jonax!"

  Iver: "The Shepherd was heavily injured! The Aequinox-those monsters-we KILLED them!"

  Iver: "We were supposed to WIN!!"

  Then his voice shattered into a scream.

  Iver: "SO WHAT THE FUCK!!!?"

  He broke down.

  Chest heaving. Arms limp. Head bowed.

  There were no answers.

  Only silence.

  Only loss.

  Only the sound of people trying to breathe through pain they didn't know how to carry.

  Then-

  A voice, soft... but clear.

  Elly: "Guys..."

  They turned to her.

  She stepped forward, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, still trembling from everything she had seen, everything she had endured.

  Elly: "...Let me try something."

  burns itself into your mind—and you just know, this is it. This is the reason I’m writing this story?

  Yeah.

  This one was mine.

  Bondforged.

  It’s this: the aftermath. The shaking hands. The guilt that doesn’t fade. The people who stay anyway.

  That was the cost I could never write around. It’s the kind of moment that takes something from everyone—characters, readers, even me.

  that’s what grief sounds like when the world gives no answers. Because sometimes there’s no lesson—just the echo of why.

  The moment where “heroism” turned into something real.

  Elly steps forward.

  The storm may have passed—but the weight it left behind?

  That’s only just beginning.

  Your support, your comments, your stars—they’re what keep this story breathing, even when its world falls silent.

  Rein Silvers ?????

  "For the ones who stayed in the snow."