Chapter 196 - 196: Shattered!

Words : 1190 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

The team soared steadily through the sky atop Grey's majestic Wind Bird, the creature's vast wings slicing through the cool air with rhythmic grace. After the chaotic collapse of the dungeon, their escape had been a narrow one — a desperate scramble against the raining rocks and crumbling walls that nearly buried them alive. Behind them, the dungeon had vanished without a trace, swallowed whole by the earth. Now, they glided above the sprawling borderlands, the fading battlefield nothing but a memory etched into their hearts. The group remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts, the somber mood weighing heavily over them. Seated near the rear, Dante sat hunched over, his gaze locked onto Kael's lifeless, headless body that Selene had solemnly withdrawn from her shadow space. His fingers trembled, and his throat tightened as memories flooded him with brutal clarity. It felt like only yesterday when he and Kael had first met during the Academy's assessment, a random grouping that fate had destined to be far more. Back then, Kael had saved Dante's life, pulling him from the jaws of death when no one else would. From that day onward, they were inseparable — partners in missions, comrades in battle, and brothers at heart. Whenever missions were assigned, Dante refused to go without Kael by his side, a bond so visible that even Captain Amir made it a habit to pair them together. No matter how dangerous the task, they always returned victorious, stronger than before. But today... today was different. Dante's hands clenched into trembling fists as bitter tears blurred his vision. The sight of Kael's motionless body shattered something deep within him. With a choked sob, Dante suddenly threw back his head and screamed, a raw, anguished cry that split the heavy silence and startled everyone aboard. Charlotte, her heart breaking at the sight, moved towards him and pulled him into a tight embrace. Dante collapsed into her arms, his sobs racking his body as grief poured out of him. "It's okay, Dante. Let it all out," Charlotte whispered soothingly, stroking his back as he cried harder. "Why... why did he have to die?!" Dante screamed, his voice cracking under the weight of his pain. "This was supposed to be an easy mission! Kael wasn't supposed to die!" His cries echoed across the skies, a chorus of grief that pierced even the coldest hearts. "We all feel the pain of his loss, Dante," Lyra said quietly, her own voice tinged with sorrow. "He wasn't just a squad member... he was our friend." "ARGHHHHH!" Dante roared, falling to his knees beside Kael's broken body, pounding the surface of the bird with clenched fists. None of the others knew how to console him — they had never seen Dante, the unshakable pillar of the second years, crumble like this. Though he and Kael bickered often, their bond had been unbreakable. And now, that bond lay shattered. A few feet away, Grey remained standing at the front of the Wind Bird, his gaze fixed ahead, the wind whipping his hair. His voice, when it came, was low but carried across the bird with surprising clarity. "Dante," Grey called out, still without turning. "I can't imagine how much it hurts... but you have to pull through. For Kael." His words floated through the heavy air like a lifeline. Sёarᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Do you think he'd be happy seeing you like this? Crushed, broken, drowning in tears?" Grey continued. "You're not dishonoring his memory by grieving... but if you stay here, in this pain, you'll trap him too. Let him rest. Let his spirit soar free." "You... you're saying I should just forget him?!" Dante snapped, anger flashing through his tears. Grey turned his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with something deeper — experience, pain, and growth. "No," Grey said firmly. "I'm saying honor him. Carry him forward." He paused, his voice lowering even more. "I lost my dad, too. Someone who meant everything to me. That kind of loss doesn't leave you... it becomes part of you. But instead of letting it destroy me, I chose to fulfill his dreams. To protect the ones he left behind. To become someone he would be proud of." Grey's hands tightened at his sides as his voice dropped to a near whisper. "Think about it, Dante. What would Kael have wanted for you? What dreams, what hopes did he leave behind?" Dante froze, Grey's words stirring memories buried deep within him. He flashed back to a conversation — a simple walk to the Academy's canteen, laughter ringing between them. --- "So, why did you even enroll at the Academy?" Dante had asked, tossing an apple into the air. Kael had scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Reason, huh? Well... I guess it's because Captain Amir saved me once when I was younger. I've always dreamed of becoming someone he could be proud of. Someone strong enough to protect the weak, just like he protected me." Dante had scoffed back then, throwing a mocking glance over his shoulder. "Saving the weak? Sounds pathetic. If they're weak, they don't deserve saving." Kael had only smiled, his voice filled with quiet conviction. "One day, you'll understand, Dante. You'll find something... someone worth fighting for." --- The memory shattered, and Dante found himself staring at Kael's body once more, his chest heaving. A new fire ignited within him — not of anger, but of purpose. "I promise you, Kael," Dante whispered hoarsely, wiping the tears from his bloodshot eyes. "I will carry your legacy. I'll make you proud, dear friend. You'll never be forgotten." Grey smiled faintly. "That's the spirit. As long as you live for him, as long as you carry his dreams, Kael will never truly be gone." Ahead, Lunaria Academy's familiar towers began to emerge over the horizon, the setting sun bathing them in a warm, golden glow. Charlotte found herself staring at Grey's back, her heart trembling slightly. 'Grey… he's changed so much. He's no longer the hotheaded boy I knew a year ago. What happened to him? How did he grow so much, so fast?' she wondered silently, a strange ache blooming in her chest. Grey's own thoughts drifted inward, his hands tightening into fists at his sides. 'Dad... I swear to you, I will become someone you can be proud of. I'll protect the Dawn family with everything I have. No one will ever take from us again. I'll become the greatest mage the world has ever known. That's my promise to you... and to myself.' The Wind Bird let out a soft, mournful cry as it began its descent, landing gracefully before the towering gates of Lunaria Academy — carrying with it not just the battered team, but the weight of promises yet to be fulfilled.

Chapter 196 - 196: Shattered!

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