Part 19

When they arrived back at the safe lands, Kathi was waiting for them. She had stayed behind since the group had first left, hoping they would return. At first, she smiled, relief washing over her when she saw them approaching. But then she saw Moki, limp and lifeless in NaïKu’s arms. Her smile faltered, fading into a deep, painful silence. She said nothing. What could she say? Words were useless now.

Luciole and Elsa were there too, and even Luciole—always so strong, so unfazed—looked devastated as he laid eyes on Moki’s body. Shaya stepped in quickly, explaining what had happened, her voice tight with grief. Kathi nodded slowly, her gaze drifting to Eucalyptus, who was standing off to the side, unable to look anyone in the eye. She couldn’t. The weight of Moki’s death pressed down on her like a suffocating fog, drowning her in guilt.

No one said it out loud, but they all knew—there would be no time to mourn. The War was looming over them like a shadow, drawing closer with every passing moment.

Two months later, things had changed. Eucalyptus had forced herself to get stronger, to become the Boss again, reclaiming her role and giving Shaya some space to breathe. Zephyr’s teasing personality had resurfaced, and for a brief moment, they all managed to laugh again. But underneath it all, the pain lingered. Every smile was fragile, like glass waiting to shatter.

NaïKu was seen nowhere. He had disappeared with Moki’s body, leaving no trace behind. Days passed, and Eucalyptus was slowly losing hope of ever seeing it again. She tried to focus on the War, on everything they still had to do, but the thought of NaïKu's absence kept gnawing at her. It felt like he was gone for good, and with each passing moment, that hope she clung to began to fade, bit by bit. 

It was on a bitterly cold day that Eucalyptus decided to make contact with someone from the Cross, hoping to gather information about the Rebellion Kumo had sparked months ago. Days of searching finally led her to one. It was on the outskirts of a ruined village, under the twisted branches of long-dead trees, that Eucalyptus finally found her next lead. A local informant had whispered to her about a group passing through a nearby forest—a woman and a young girl. They hadn’t been seen in the village itself, but the locals said they bore the markings of the Cross. Eucalyptus didn’t waste any time. She knew this could be a trap, that Asael’s forces were always prepared to strike down anyone from Liberty. But she was desperate. 

"Uh... hello?" Eucalyptus managed, caught off guard.

"Hello!" the little girl chirped, her voice light and full of laughter. But then, a voice cut through the air like a knife, cold and threatening.

"What do you want, Liberty?" It was a woman, standing protectively behind the child, her eyes dark with suspicion. Eucalyptus raised her hands, showing she meant no harm—yet. She had confronted members of the Cross before, always hoping they were part of the Rebellion. But this time, she wasn’t sure. And if they weren’t, if they were loyal to Asael, Eucalyptus would have no choice. She would have to kill them.

Even the child.

"You know who I am, don’t you?" Eucalyptus said cautiously, her voice steady but wary.

"Yeah. Everyone knows who you are. The plus sign on your clothes, that green crystal... You’re Eucalyptus, the Boss of Liberty," the woman replied, her hand resting on the child’s shoulder. The girl seemed confused, but curious. Then, the woman’s tone darkened, filled with menace. "And my boss told me to kill you."

Eucalyptus remained calm, but she was watching the woman closely. Something felt off. "Your boss?" she asked, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You know Asael personally? That’s rare for someone who isn’t a Sub-Boss."

"We don’t call them Asael," the woman snapped, her voice sharp with warning. "It’s Kimi and Nao. Their soul is split."

"I know," Eucalyptus responded, her grin fading as the tension between them thickened, like the air before a storm. Both women knew that one wrong move could trigger a fight to the death. But then, the child spoke, her voice cutting through the hostility like sunlight breaking through clouds.

"That’s sad, because I really like the name Asael," the little girl said innocently, smiling up at the woman.

The woman looked startled, her hardened expression softening. "Estrela... I told you not to say that," she scolded gently, her voice full of warmth, so different from the way she spoke to Eucalyptus. Estrela hung her head, mumbling an apology. "I’m sorry, Aeris."

Eucalyptus couldn’t help but chuckle softly. "You two are cute together," she said, her tone light, though her eyes remained sharp. Aeris turned, surprised by the unexpected comment. "I mean, you’re like her mother, aren’t you? I think it’s sweet. I wish I had met someone like you," Eucalyptus added, her voice growing softer.

Aeris blinked, stunned by how easily Eucalyptus seemed to understand. "I don’t want to kill you, Eucalyptus," Aeris whispered, her earlier bravado slipping away. "I’m not here for that."

"You’re with the Rebellion, then?" Eucalyptus asked, her smile returning.

"No!" Aeris snapped, her voice hardening again. "I will never betray Kimi and Nao. They saved me. But... but I—" Her voice wavered, cracking under the weight of what she was about to say. "I’m here to ask you for something. If you have to destroy the Cross... please, do it soon. Kimi and Nao are furious right now, and I don’t know what they’re planning, but it’s not good. They’re bringing their Sub-Bosses with them. You’ll die if you don’t act. Eiji and Rune are too strong, and... things are bad inside the Cross. Really bad."

Aeris was terrified. Her voice shook as she spoke, and she pulled Estrela closer, as if the child was her only anchor in this storm.

Eucalyptus’s heart raced, fear creeping in. "Asael doesn’t know about the Rebellion yet? Why haven’t you told them if you’re so loyal?" she asked, trying to understand.

Aeris looked away, biting her lip. "It’s complicated," she muttered, refusing to meet Eucalyptus’s gaze.

"And what about Kumo? One of the Sub-Bosses—why didn’t you mention it?" Eucalyptus asked, a flicker of concern for her old friend flashing in her eyes.

"Kumo... is fine. I don’t think Kimi and Nao will bring it to the fight. Not in the state it's in. Its mental state..." Aeris trailed off, looking back at Eucalyptus with a sadness that made Eucalyptus’s chest tighten.

"Okay," Eucalyptus whispered, her voice barely audible. "I’ll do my best to end this soon."

Aeris nodded, her eyes full of a sorrow too deep for words. She turned and walked away, holding Estrela close. The child waved back at Eucalyptus, cheerful and innocent, completely unaware of the darkness surrounding them. Eucalyptus could barely bring herself to wave in return. Her mind was already spiraling with worry about Kumo, and the nightmare of the war that was just beginning.

Part 20