Felicia sat beside the bed, her long black hair covering her face. Her hand tightly held Kaivan's right hand. Her red eyes were wet, trembling with restrained sobs.
"Kaivan, wake up," she whispered softly, nearly drowned by the hum of monitors. "We're here for you. I… I'm here for you."
Radit stood by the doorway, silent without his usual grin. Raphael leaned against the wall, arms crossed, jaw tense. Ethan sat on the floor, an unlit cigarette between his fingers, staring at the steel floor. Livia, the innocent girl, stood with her hands on her chest, her face pale like a flower deprived of sunlight.
Days turned into weeks. They slowly learned to accept reality, without giving up. They kept coming, talking as if Kaivan could hear them—about shooting practice, strange food from the sponsors, or Radit's foolish mistakes that once made everyone laugh.
"Radit fell into a frozen pond because Felicia kicked him after his stupid comment," Ethan said during one visit. His voice was light, but his eyes held bitterness. "You'd laugh if you saw it…"
The snow slowly melted, dripping from the bunker roof, creating a gentle rhythm that slipped into the medical room.
Then, in the thirteenth week, a miracle came.
Lyra's voice echoed from the command room speakers, trembling in a tone never heard before. "There is movement in Kaivan's body."
Levan, the scar-faced man with eyes sharp as steel, froze instantly. Beside him, Fabrizio—messy-haired, eyes shining—jerked as if struck by lightning. Without a word, they ran through the bunker corridors.
Their footsteps echoed against the steel walls. Breath raced with heartbeats.
Fabrizio nearly slipped on the slick floor but kept running. The treatment room door opened with a hiss of pressured air.
Inside, Kaivan's body was still—but not like before. His breathing was steady now, his small chest rising and falling slowly.
And then—his eyes.
The lids that had been closed for thirteen weeks slowly moved. They trembled, then blinked, adjusting to the light.
The world seemed to stop, waiting for the first breath of a life that had almost been lost.
"Kaivan!" Fabrizio cried. His voice broke, echoing through the room. Tears streamed down his face as he rushed forward and grabbed the side of the bed.
Kaivan looked weak—terribly weak. His lips were cracked, and the voice that escaped was hoarse, like dry sand scraped by the wind.
"Is… Lyra… safe…?"
Silence.
Time stopped for a moment. Fabrizio stared at the speaker, his breath caught.
Then, the voice came—Lyra's voice. Not just digital data, but filled with warmth. There was a tremor in her frequency, something almost like emotion.
"Yes, Kaivan. I'm safe. Thank you… for saving me."
Kaivan tried to move his hand, but the motion stopped abruptly, like a gear losing its teeth. His head slowly lowered, his gaze falling to his own body. The blanket slipped aside, revealing his missing left arm, ending at a bandaged shoulder.
"My arm… why is it gone? I can't feel my right leg either…" His voice broke, echoing through the steel room.
Levan and Fabrizio stood silently at the side. Levan—his sharp eyes heavy with burden—watched without speaking. Fabrizio, with messy hair and reddened eyes, lowered his head. Regret and guilt clung to the air.
Levan stepped forward. His footsteps were heavy on the metal floor. He placed a hand on Kaivan's shoulder, his voice deep and sincere.
"Kaivan… listen to me. We'll explain everything. But for now, please rest. You're safe here."
Kaivan slowly raised his face. Though his body was fragile, his eyes burned with quiet determination, cutting through the haze.
"No," he answered softly but firmly. "I need to know. What happened? I remember being thrown into the air… and why I'm here… and… Lyra?"
The machines hummed gently before the speaker came alive.
"I'm here, Kaivan," Lyra said softly, her voice filled with concern. "I'm safe now, thanks to you. But… please… rest first…"
Fabrizio, who had been silent until now, finally broke. His shoulders trembled, his fists clenched, and silent tears fell onto the cold steel floor.
"Kaivan… I thought you were going to die…" His voice shook, nearly breaking, as he stepped closer and held the side of the bed.
Kaivan tried to lift his hand, wanting to hug him—or at least touch him. Only a small movement came out. He tilted his head and looked at Fabrizio with weak warmth.
"Fabrizio… why am I still alive…?"
Fabrizio wiped his face, holding back sobs. His breathing was heavy before he answered honestly—completely honestly.
"You're alive because you fought them all. You stood alone, wearing the gauntlet I made. Then you went with Lyra. You kept fighting until Levan arrived with the helicopter and brought you here."