Aether faced Lumine, his breath tight in his chest.
"Do you still have any injuries?" she asked, voice casual, like they weren't standing in the aftermath of chaos and death.
Aether's fists clenched. "I want to know," he said, steady but burning, "how you knew about Paimon's death."
Lumine exhaled, barely amused. "Did you ever stop to wonder why your powers slept for twenty years?" she asked, walking in a slow circle around him.
"I don't care about riddles," Aether snapped. "Start giving answers before I lose my cool."
Lumine stopped. Turned.
And laughed.
"You? Lose your cool?" she said, tilting her head. "Even if you did, what would you do? Hit me?" She stepped closer, until their faces were a breath apart. "Let me be clear, Aether. Compared to me—you are nothing but a weak speck."
Aether's jaw tightened with rage.
She leaned in, whispering, "If you had nurtured your power… If you hadn't let it rot for two decades… you could've killed me with ease and perhaps saved Paimon."
The words were like knives.
Aether stared into her eyes—searching for the sister she was. But there was nothing there now except cold calculation.
He exhaled, forcing himself calm.
"Then tell me what's going on," he said. "Tell me what's happening. That much you can do , right?."
Lumine paused. Then raised her chin toward the cracked ceiling.
"Look to the skies," she said.
He blinked. "What does that even mean?"
But Lumine had already turned away.
"I don't have time," she said. "I have pressing matters—ones far more important than babysitting humans."
"Wait," Aether stepped forward. "Lumine—!"
"Dainsleif."
The silent knight raised his hand.
A shimmering blue portal opened behind her, rippling like liquid.
"Don't you walk away!" Aether shouted.
She stopped just before stepping through.
But she never turned.
"When you're ready," she said, "come find me."
And with that, she vanished through the portal.
Dainsleif followed without a word.
SHOOM.
It sealed.
Gone.
The abyss mage tried to get up but Aether run it through with his sword in rage.