Silence hung in the air like fog.
No one spoke. No one moved.
Aria stood in the center of the ancient chamber, the glowing moon symbol beneath her feet slowly fading, but her presence still pulsed with power. Her silver-blue eyes, now with a faint violet shimmer, scanned her friends.
Dax knelt by her side, his gray eyes fixed on her like he was seeing her for the first time.
"You…" he said softly, his voice shaking, "You remember everything?"
Aria nodded slowly. Her fingers brushed against her chest, the exact spot where he had once stabbed her in another life. "I saw it all," she whispered. "The meadow. The war. The love. The betrayal."
Dax's hand hesitated, then gently reached for her wrist. "And… me?"
Aria didn't answer with words. Instead, her hand reached out, cupping his jaw softly. Her thumb brushed over a thin, faded scar beneath his ear. Her eyes filled with emotion.
"I remember the night you got this," she murmured. "You were protecting me."
