In the car
The engine roared through the night.
City lights blurred past, fast and distorted.
Emron ran a hand through his hair, tense.
"This… this is freaking me out."
Silence.
"Caden… this isn't normal. That guy is insanely powerful. He can't just… collapse like that."
He clenched his jaw.
"I'm telling you, Ren… ever since that girl showed up—Nova—everything's been going downhill."
Ren didn't even turn his head.
His hands stayed firmly on the wheel.
"Emron."
His voice was calm. Too calm.
"That's not the issue."
A beat.
"What matters is getting to the Grand Master. Everything else can wait."
Emron stared ahead, frustrated.
"I can't… you don't get it," he muttered. "Because of all this… we lost Leila… and now we're seen as cowards…"
Ren slowed down slightly.
Not out of doubt.
Out of control.
"I understand."
Silence.
Then, firmer:
"But if you lose your head now… you'll be useless."
Emron closed his eyes.
Breathed.
Slowly.
"…You're right."
His voice dropped.
"Damn it…"
Meanwhile — At Caden's place
The calm felt wrong.
Too quiet.
In her room, Nova lay on her bed, headphones on.
Music played faintly, but her thoughts were elsewhere.
Heavy.
Confused.
Then—
A scream.
Sharp.
Human.
Her eyes snapped open.
She ripped off her headphones and jumped up.
"Aera?!"
She rushed out—
And froze.
The world seemed to stop.
Caden.
Standing.
His hand wrapped around Aera's throat.
Lifting her.
Her feet barely touching the ground.
His eyes—
Empty.
Completely empty.
"Caden…?"
Aera clawed at his hand, struggling to breathe.
"R-run…"
Nova didn't listen.
She charged forward—
But—
A force.
Invisible.
Violent.
BOOM.
Her body slammed into the wall.
The air knocked out of her lungs.
"Ngh…!"
She slid to the floor, dazed.
Aera, with the last of her strength:
"Don't stay… run…!"
But Nova lifted her head.
Her eyes changed.
Determination.
Raw.
"No."
She forced herself up.
"I'm not leaving you."
She grabbed a chair.
Ran forward.
Swung—
But Caden turned his head.
Too fast.
Too precise.
He released Aera.
And looked at Nova.
Silence.
Heavy.
Aera collapsed to the ground, coughing violently.
"NOVA! RUN!"
But Nova threw the chair.
With everything she had.
"I CAN'T!"
Caden raised his hand—
Stopped it.
Mid-air.
Effortlessly.
It dropped to the floor.
CLANG.
A freezing silence filled the room.
Then—
Aera screamed, desperate:
"CADEN, STOP!! IT'S NOVA!"
Nothing.
"Remember us! It's us!"
Still nothing.
Her voice trembled.
"We're not Ared…!"
A shock seemed to ripple through Caden.
His eyes flickered.
"You wanted revenge… I know…" Aera gasped.
"But not like this… not against us…"
A beat.
His pupils shifted.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Awareness returned.
But—
Something else burned beneath it.
Anger.
Dark.
Unstable.
Nova tried to stay standing.
But her body gave in.
Pain.
Everywhere.
Her vision blurred.
The world tilted.
"…Caden…"
Her legs gave out.
She fell.
Into darkness.
Final moments
"NOVA!!!" Aera screamed.
Then—
BOOM.
A loud crash.
The door.
Someone had just entered.
Next episode on Saturday