As if hearing him, the pages of the ancient book opened by themselves. Golden letters appeared—visible only to Kaivan.
"When you threw me, I transferred my consciousness. I took control of your body while you were falling… because I could not allow your body to die. I forced it into Breaker Mode."
Kaivan's eyes widened. A chill crawled up his spine. His weak fingers gripped the edge of the blanket.
"Breaker…? Then… what did you do to my body?" he thought. "And… can I ever become normal again?"
The page turned once more. The next lines seeped into his mind like whispers:
"I made contact with Lyra while you were unconscious, exploiting a bug in her system. Now, she is your loyal follower. Your body… will be replaced with more advanced equipment. Don't worry. This is all for the sake of your revenge against Vella."
Kaivan's pupils narrowed. The world seemed to tremble.
While everyone believed he was unconscious, the Tome had acted—binding Lyra, modifying her body, even taking control of her.
He stared blankly ahead, his thoughts spinning wildly, his body far too weak to resist. The only sound was the soft creak of the wheelchair's wheels.
They stopped in front of a massive iron door labeled REST AREA A-07.
Levan stood there, his exhausted face still carrying the firmness of a true leader. He stepped forward, opened the manual door, and warm air brushed against their faces.
Before entering, Kaivan stopped Elara with a small nod. He looked at Levan—pale, gaunt, yet with eyes lit by fragile hope.
"Levan," his voice was hoarse, "how long… will my recovery take?"
Levan let out a slow breath. "I can't say for sure, Kaivan. It could be months, even years. You'll have to get used to your temporary prosthetic body. There will be a lot of pain… and many setbacks."
Kaivan nodded faintly. There was no shock—only bitter acceptance.
After a long pause, he spoke again. This time, his tone was steady.
"Then… Levan, I have one request."
His gaze pierced forward, no longer seeking sympathy—carrying something far deeper.
In the frozen depths of night in the Caucasus Mountains, a hidden bunker stood in silence like a metal grave.
Inside the main control room, Kaivan sat in his wheelchair, wrapped in a thin gray blanket. The heaters struggled against the cold seeping through the steel walls. Bluish light from holographic screens reflected the shadow of his no-longer-whole body. Only the hum of generators and the hiss of air proved that the place was still alive.
Behind him, Levan operated the control panels.
One by one, the faces of Kaivan's friends appeared on the floating screens:
Radit with his messy hair, Zinnia with sharp yet gentle eyes, Felicia bathed in warm light, Thivi holding back tears, Frans standing firm, Raphael silent but alert, Ethan wearing a calm smile, Isabel looking soft and kind, and Livia clutching her doll tightly.
Kaivan took a deep breath. His prosthetic shoulder clicked softly as he inhaled. He looked at each screen in turn.
"Thank you," he said quietly, yet clearly. "For still being here… even though I can't meet you yet. Maybe for months… maybe for years."
Radit was about to speak, but Felicia stopped him. Zinnia only watched in silence, while Livia hugged her doll even tighter.
"But I believe," Kaivan continued, "we will meet again. This world is not what we think it is. Gog and Magog are real. They are the ones who made me like this."
He looked at his prosthetics, his face tense, yet his eyes burning.
"Don't let them take anything else from us. Keep training. Strengthen your hearts. Because the things we can't explain… truly exist. I won't stay silent. I will come to you myself."
Silence filled the room. Time seemed to stop.
Radit stood straight. "Yes, Captain! I'll become crazier than ever!"
Zinnia lowered her head, her voice low. "You'll see. I'll be much stronger."
Felicia closed her eyes. "No matter what happens, I will come back to you."
Thivi smiled through tears. "I won't be a crybaby anymore. I'll become the most dangerous woman… for you."
Frans nodded firmly. "You'll be proud of us, bro."
Raphael spoke calmly. "I'll make sure no one lays a hand on us before you return."
Ethan chuckled softly. "Relax, bro. The world isn't going to end."
Livia whispered, "Livi will keep training."
Isabel placed a hand over her chest. "When you come back, you'll be proud to have us."
Levan stood behind them, staring at the screens with eyes that had begun to glisten. Kaivan looked at their faces for a long time, as if trying to memorize every detail.
"Thank you…" he finally whispered. His voice was so soft, as if he were speaking more to himself than to anyone else.
One by one, the screens went dark. The blue light faded, leaving only darkness—and Kaivan, with a small, unextinguished flame in his eyes.