Fifteen years had passed since Leandro's death, and with each passing year, the survivors saw how time had ravaged everything they once knew. The land was no longer the home they had loved. The fight for survival had left deep scars on the few that remained, and the weight of their losses grew heavier each day.
Alex and Alexa, two of the strongest pillars of the group, were no longer with them. War had claimed them, and with their deaths, the resistance had weakened even further. Their names were now memories, fragments of a story that continued despite their absence. Fatigue was evident in all, but especially in Elena, who had lost not only her husband but also her closest friends.
Despite the scars of the past, Elena had managed to find a new purpose. Her daughter, now 16 years old, was the light that remained in this dark world. The love and protection she had received from Ethan had transformed her life, and today, she celebrated her birthday.
The small room where the family gathered was decorated with whatever they could find in the ruined world. There wasn't much, but there was love. An improvised birthday cake, with no candles since there had been no electricity for years, but the joy of the day was still present.
As Elena placed the flower crown on her daughter's head, she couldn't help but remember those who had passed. The faces of Alex, Alexa, and Leandro remained vivid in her mind. But it was especially difficult to think of them today because her daughter had grown up without the presence of her father, and that had always left a mark.
"I miss you, Dad," Elena's daughter whispered, touching the flowers on her crown. "I hope you're here watching."
Elena embraced her daughter tightly, unable to stop a tear from falling. "I know he's always with you, always in your heart."
But deep down, Elena knew that the absence of her husband and friends had left a deep mark on her daughter. Over the years, the girl had found comfort in Ethan. She saw him as a father figure, not because he had sought it, but because she needed him. Ethan, who had stood by Elena in the darkest moments, was now the protective figure the girl longed for.
"I want to call you dad," the girl said one day, approaching Ethan with a serious expression.
Ethan was silent for a moment. He knew what those words meant. Elena, who had overheard the conversation, looked at him, overwhelmed with mixed emotions. The love for her daughter, the loss of her husband, and the weight of what this new bond meant.
"It's okay, little one," Ethan replied with a warm smile, though his eyes reflected deep sadness. "You can call me whatever you like. I'm here for you, always."
As the years passed, the bond between Ethan and Elena grew even stronger. They married in a simple ceremony, but one full of love. Elena's daughter, now older, watched as their lives, though marked by pain, slowly rebuilt.
But life was still a constant battle. The hunters, although fewer in number, never ceased their search for new victims. The threat of their return always hung over them. It was during this climate of uncertainty that Elena's daughter, now stronger and trained in combat, began to show interest in joining the hunters.
"Elena," she said one day with determination. "I think it's time I join them."
Elena looked at her in silence, knowing the war had changed everyone. The need for protection, to find a purpose beyond survival, pushed her daughter to make difficult decisions. Although it wasn't what Elena had expected, she understood that the time had come.
"Is this really what you want?" Elena asked, trying to understand her daughter's decision.
"It's what I need to do," she replied firmly.
In that moment, Elena knew that her daughter was no longer the little girl she had known, but a young woman capable of forging her own path in this devastated world, ready to move forward, just as they had before her.
As the cycle of loss and new opportunities continued, Elena realized that although the pain would never completely disappear, life went on. The memory of Alex, Alexa, Leandro, and all those who had gone before, remained alive in the hearts of those who remained. And as long as there was strength to keep going, there would always be a new beginning, even in the darkest of circumstances.