Edrin hesitated.
That alone told him how serious this was.
Because usually—
He acted first and regretted it later.
Now—
He wasn't moving at all.
"…I don't know what I'm doing," he said quietly.
"Good," Ronan replied. "That's your specialty."
"This is not the time!"
Lyra stepped closer, her voice low. "Edrin… you don't have to do this."
He nodded slightly.
"…I know."
But he didn't pull his hand back.
The figure in front of him remained still.
Its hand trembling—
Not reaching further.
Not retreating.
Waiting.
Edrin swallowed.
"…It really is waiting."
Kael spoke, calm and steady.
"Then the choice is yours."
Edrin let out a slow breath.
"…I hate that."
A pause.
"…Fine."
He moved.
Slowly.
Carefully.
His hand reached forward—
Closer—
Closer—
Until—
Contact.
The moment their hands touched—
Everything changed.
Not the world.
Not the sky.
Not the others.
Just—
Edrin.
His breath caught.
"…What—"
Images.
Not clear.
Not complete.
Fragments.
Voices.
Places.
People.
Falling apart.
Breaking.
Forgetting.
Edrin staggered—
But didn't pull away.
"…It hurts," he whispered.
Lyra stepped forward. "Edrin—!"
"I'm okay," he said quickly.
"…I think."
The figure's grip tightened slightly.
Not forceful.
Desperate.
"…remember…"
Edrin's eyes widened.
"…You want me to remember?"
The images surged again—
Stronger—
But still broken.
He saw a village—
Or something like one—
Ruined.
He saw people—
Running—
Then stopping—
Then… fading.
He saw the sky—
Cracking—
Just like now.
Edrin gasped.
"…This world…"
Lyra's voice was tense. "What do you see?"
Edrin swallowed.
"…It broke."
A pause.
"…And they didn't leave."
The figure in front of him shook.
Its form flickering slightly.
"…we… stayed…"
Edrin's chest tightened.
"…You didn't become Invaders."
The figure didn't respond.
But something in its expression—
Shifted.
As if that mattered.
Ronan frowned. "What are they, then?"
Edrin looked at the others.
Then back at the figure.
"…They're what's left when a world doesn't fully fall."
Silence.
Lyra whispered, "…Echoes."
Edrin nodded slowly.
"…Yeah."
The figure's grip weakened.
Not losing strength—
Letting go.
The images faded.
The connection thinned.
Edrin exhaled shakily.
"…You're not trying to hurt me."
The figure spoke again.
Clearer.
Still broken.
But… softer.
"…stay…"
Edrin blinked.
"…Stay?"
Lyra stepped forward. "They don't want us to leave?"
Edrin shook his head slowly.
"…No."
A pause.
"…They don't want to disappear."
Silence.
Ronan scratched his head.
"…I don't know how to punch that problem."
Edrin gave a weak laugh.
"…Yeah."
Kael looked at the figures surrounding them.
"…Then we don't treat it like a fight."
Edrin nodded.
"…No."
He looked at the one in front of him again.
Its hand still hovering near his.
Not grabbing.
Not forcing.
Just… there.
"…You're holding on," Edrin said quietly.
The figure didn't answer.
But its trembling eased slightly.
As if being understood was enough.
Lyra stepped beside Edrin.
"…Can we help them?"
Edrin hesitated.
Then looked up at the fractured sky.
At the cracks.
At what was beyond.
"…I think…" he said slowly.
"…they're tied to this."
A pause.
"…If the world fixes… they might too."
Ronan frowned. "And if it doesn't?"
Edrin didn't answer immediately.
Because he already knew.
"…Then they fade."
Silence.
The figures around them didn't move closer.
Didn't press.
Didn't attack.
They simply… remained.
Waiting.
Edrin looked at his hand.
Then at the figure.
Then sighed.
"…New rule."
Ronan groaned. "Of course."
Edrin smiled faintly.
"…We don't leave things behind if we can help it."
Lyra's expression softened.
"…I like that one."
Kael nodded once.
"…Agreed."
Ronan crossed his arms.
"…Guess I'm in."
Edrin looked at the figure again.
"…We'll try," he said.
A pause.
"…I don't know how yet."
The figure didn't respond with words.
But its form steadied slightly.
Just a little.
And for the first time—
Edrin felt something different.
Not fear.
Not pressure.
Not confusion.
Responsibility.
He swallowed.
"…Okay."
A breath.
"…That's new."
He turned toward the path ahead.
The broken world.
The fractured sky.
And whatever waited beyond.
"…Let's fix a world," he muttered.
Ronan grinned. "Now that's a goal."
Edrin shook his head.
"…I was hoping for something easier."
Lyra smiled softly.
"…Too late."
Edrin sighed.
"…Yeah."
One last glance at the figures—
Still watching.
Still waiting.
Still… there.
Then he stepped forward.
Not running.
Not escaping.
But choosing—
To carry them with him.