Darkness slowly faded.
Igna opened his eyes.
The ceiling above him felt familiar.
Too familiar.
For a moment, he didn't move. His body felt heavy, weak, and burning with heat. His mind was still trapped somewhere between reality and memory.
Then—
It came back.
Everything.
The dungeon.
The rampage.
The blood.
Stela.
Maxe.
His breathing became uneven.
He sat up suddenly.
His vision blurred.
Sweat covered his body, and his hands trembled uncontrollably.
Beside him—
May sat quietly.
Her eyes were red.
Tired.
As if she hadn't slept at all.
She had been there the whole time.
Watching him.
Waiting for him to wake up.
Igna looked at her.
His voice came out broken.
Igna: "…Stela… Maxe…"
Silence.
That was enough.
Everything collapsed.
His face twisted in pain, and tears rushed down without control.
Igna: "They're… gone…?"
May's lips trembled.
Her eyes filled again.
But she couldn't answer.
She didn't need to.
Igna already knew.
His body shook violently as he covered his face.
Igna: "No… no… no…"
His voice cracked.
He couldn't stop it.
He didn't want to stop it.
Igna: "They died…"
The words felt unreal.
Heavy.
Impossible.
But true.
May clenched her fists tightly.
Tears rolled down her cheeks silently.
She moved closer.
But she didn't interrupt him.
She let him break.
Igna: "It's my fault…"
His voice dropped lower.
Filled with guilt.
Igna: "If I was stronger… if I was faster…"
His nails dug into his skin.
Igna: "They wouldn't have died…"
May's head lowered slightly.
Her shoulders trembled.
But she still stayed silent.
Then—
Igna said something that froze everything.
Igna: "I'm useless…"
His voice was empty.
Broken.
Igna: "It would've been better if I died instead…"
SLAP
The sound echoed sharply in the room.
Igna froze.
His head turned slightly from the impact.
May stood in front of him.
Her hand still raised.
Her body shaking.
Her eyes filled with anger.
Pain.
And grief.
May: "Don't say that."
Her voice trembled.
But it was firm.
Strong.
Igna looked at her, stunned.
May: "They died to save you."
Tears streamed down her face.
Unstoppable.
May: "They trusted you."
Her voice broke.
May: "They saw you as family."
She grabbed his collar tightly.
Pulling him closer.
May: "And now you're saying it would've been better if you died?!"
Her voice cracked completely.
May: "Then what does that make their sacrifice?!"
Silence hit like a storm.
Igna couldn't speak.
Couldn't breathe.
May pulled him into a tight hug.
Her body shaking.
Her voice weak now.
May: "If you say you're useless…"
Her grip tightened.
May: "Then you're saying they died for nothing…"
Tears fell onto his shoulder.
May: "And I won't accept that…"
Igna froze.
His mind shattered.
Those words—
They hit deeper than anything.
Slowly—
His arms moved.
Weak.
Shaking.
He held onto her.
Tightly.
Like he was afraid to lose her too.
Then—
He cried.
Not quietly.
Not holding back.
He cried like everything inside him was breaking apart.
May cried with him.
Holding him.
Not letting go.
Minutes passed.
Or maybe hours.
Neither of them knew.
They just stayed there—
Holding onto what remained.
After a long time—
Their crying slowly stopped.
Only silence remained.
Heavy.
But calmer.
May gently pulled back.
Her eyes still red.
Her voice softer now.
May: "We can't bring them back…"
She wiped her tears.
May: "But we can make sure their sacrifice means something."
She looked directly at him.
Her eyes steady.
---
May: "We'll get stronger."
A pause.
May: "We'll never forget them."
Another pause.
May: "And we'll keep moving forward."
Igna looked down.
His hands clenched slightly.
His body still trembling.
But something inside him…
Was changing.
He nodded.
Slowly.
Weakly.
But sincerely.
Igna: "…Yeah."
May gave a small, tired smile.
Then—
She reached out.
And gently patted his head.
Just like Stela used to.
Igna froze for a moment.
Then lowered his head slightly.
His chest tightened again.
But this time—
He didn't break.
May: "I can't replace them…"
Her voice was quiet.
Soft.
May: "But I'm still your sister, right?"
Igna looked at her.
His eyes still wet.
But clearer now.
He nodded.
Igna: "…Yeah."
Outside—
The world hadn't changed.
The dungeon still existed.
Danger still waited.
But inside that room—
Something had been rebuilt.
Not the same as before.
Never the same again.
But stronger.