Warmth.
That was the first thing she felt. A soft breeze brushed against her cheeks. The distant scent of medicinal herbs lingered in the air, along with the faint crackling of healing magic. Her consciousness slowly clawed its way back from the abyss.
Theresia's eyelashes fluttered, the white ceiling of the palace's infirmary swimming into view. Her head throbbed in a dull rhythm as she forced herself to turn. That's when she saw him.
Leonhard sat by her bedside, hunched over, his calloused hands trembling as he covered his face. His breath hitched, the weight of unshed tears forcing his broad shoulders to quiver. He hadn't noticed her yet.
For as long as she could remember, her father had always stood tall. An immovable mountain. A man who carried the name of Sword Saint with dignity and power. But now, that mountain was crumbling right in front of her.
"Father…" Her voice cracked, weak but enough to pierce the silence.
His head snapped up. His tear-streaked eyes widened in disbelief as if she were a ghost he wasn't allowed to see again.
"Theresia…" he whispered. Then, without restraint, he crushed her in his arms, his body trembling against hers.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry," Leonhard's voice wavered, thick with guilt. "I was reckless… I shouldn't have let this happen. I should've known the Church was more dangerous than I assumed… I failed you. I failed to protect you."
His arms tightened around her as if letting go would make her disappear.
"Please… please forgive me."
Theresia's heart sank.
This man—her father, her protector, her entire world—was breaking in front of her. Seeing him like this, so vulnerable, so human… it shattered something inside her.
"Father, stop…" She tried to compose herself, to be strong for him. "The last thing I ever want to see… is you crying like this. You've always been my shield. Please… don't crumble now. I'm here. I'm alive. That's all that matters."
His grip loosened, his breathing ragged. Slowly, reluctantly, he pulled away, brushing her hair with a shaking hand.
But something gnawed at her.
Where is Asrial?
That question clawed at her chest with each heartbeat.
"Father," she whispered, her voice trembling. "What about… Asrial? Where is he?"
Leonhard's gaze faltered. His jaw tightened. His silence screamed louder than words.
Her stomach dropped.
"Tell me," she demanded, her pulse rising.
Still no answer.
"Tell me!" she shouted, forcing herself to sit up, ignoring the pain ripping through her ribs.
When he remained silent, her heart snapped. She leaped from the bed, her bare feet hitting the cold floor as she bolted from the infirmary. The pounding of her heartbeat drowned out the voices of the healers and guards calling after her.
She ran through the long hallways of the estate until she found the room.
Please, please let him be alright…
She slammed the door open.
Her breath caught.
There he was.
Or what remained of him.
Asrial's body lay on the bed, stripped of his former humanity. Scales crept along his arms and chest, fractured wings lay limp at his sides, their structure incomplete, as if frozen mid-transformation. His skin was littered with fresh scars, some still bleeding, others barely starting to heal.
Around him, a group of magicians tirelessly deployed healing spells, their faces strained and drenched in sweat. Despite their best efforts, his recovery was excruciatingly slow. The foreign energy within him resisted their magic, as if something ancient and untamable pulsed beneath his skin.
Theresia's legs buckled. She gripped the doorframe to steady herself as tears welled in her eyes.
How did this happen to you? For me… for my sake… you became this…
She bit her trembling lip, desperately holding back her sobs, but the dam soon broke.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stumbled away from the door, fleeing down the hallway, unable to face what she had seen.
When she finally collapsed against a cold stone pillar, she buried her face in her hands, shaking violently.
It was me… It was always me… I'm the one who's weak. I'm the one who couldn't fight. I'm the one who was just a burden. He carried everything… while I stood frozen, waiting for him to protect me again and again.
Her fists clenched tightly, her nails digging into her skin.
Why… why did I always rely on him?
"I swear…" she whispered, the words barely audible. "I will become stronger. I will no longer stand behind you. I will no longer let you bleed for me. I'll stand beside you. I'll become your equal."
Her breathing steadied. Her resolve hardened.
"And when that day comes… when I've finally earned that place by your side… only then will I tell you how I truly feel."
Her fingers gently touched her chest, where her heart still beat violently for him.
Unseen, unheard, she stood and walked away from the pillar, her determination burning brighter than ever.
Back in the infirmary, Asrial's eyelids quivered, his breathing slightly deepened.
Somewhere within the depths of his fading consciousness, perhaps he had heard her vow