Chapter 7 — One Year Later (Part 2)
Flying above the shattered ruins of the city, Razan carried Loona in his arms while the wind sliced against his face and whipped through his hair. The air was cold and sharp, filled with the distant smell of smoke and old destruction—reminders of battles long past. Below them, broken rooftops and collapsed buildings stretched across the horizon like the skeleton of a forgotten war.
Razan tilted his head slightly toward Loona, his expression relaxed despite the harsh landscape around them.
"Loona, what's our target this time?" he asked, raising his voice just enough to be heard over the rushing wind.
Loona unlocked her phone with a swift motion, her clawed fingers gliding across the screen as she opened the dossier she had assembled earlier. The light from the device illuminated her face, highlighting the seriousness in her eyes as she read the information in silence.
After a few seconds, she raised her head.
"Well… seems like it's a gang of idiots who stole some weapons from a Sovereign," she replied calmly, as if she were announcing the weather. "And now she's put a bounty on their heads. Two hundred thousand per head. So we need to get there fast, because half the underworld is already drooling over that prize."
Razan's face twisted instantly.
"A Sovereign who deals with weapons… don't tell me it's Carmilha Carmine. Seriously?!" he complained, irritation dripping from his voice. "Of all people… the Carmine? That woman is pure trouble. Are we really going to mess with Sovereigns now?"
Loona smirked, her tail flicking once in amusement.
"I'm honestly surprised you're 'afraid' of a Sovereign… coming from someone with an ego the size of a continent."
Razan let out a short, almost mocking laugh.
"Afraid? Me? I'm not afraid of any of them." He spoke casually, as if commenting on what he wanted for dinner. "If we actually fought… I could wipe her out without a doubt. My power grows from death and destruction. And in a fight against a Sovereign, there'd be plenty of both."
Loona blinked, genuinely caught off guard. It was the first time he had spoken so openly—so honestly—about the nature of his power. His tone wasn't arrogant, nor was it boastful. It was simply the truth.
She stared at him seriously.
"Then… why don't you want to fight her?"
Razan finished her sentence before she could.
"Because I don't want to fight. Simple." His voice lowered, losing all previous sharpness. "Unlike other beings with complicated abilities or chaotic powers, mine was made for absolute destruction. Once I start fighting for real… people die. A lot of them. And not just enemies… innocents too."
He looked directly into Loona's eyes, his expression firm and unshakable.
"And more importantly… I could end up hurting you in the chaos. And that's something I will never allow. If I can avoid pointless fights, then I will."
Loona froze.
For months, she had assumed Razan's reluctance to fight Sovereigns came from fear—fear of their power, fear of losing, fear of being overpowered.
But it wasn't fear of them.
It was fear of hurting her.
Her chest tightened unexpectedly, and she felt her breath hitch. Loona wasn't the emotional type, nor someone who liked admitting when something affected her. Yet in that moment, words failed her completely.
She turned her face slightly away, letting the wind brush against her cheeks as she quietly absorbed what he said.
After several silent, tense seconds, Razan descended smoothly toward a rooftop. His landing was gentle, almost careful, as if he wanted to make sure Loona felt absolutely no impact. He placed her on her feet with delicate precision, as though she were something fragile—something irreplaceable.
Razan then pointed toward a building across the street: a massive block of cracked concrete, shattered windows, and faded graffiti. The structure leaned slightly to one side, threatening collapse.
"Loona… that's where our targets are hiding?"
Loona scanned the building from top to bottom, analyzing the shadows, exits, and faint traces of movement. After a moment, she nodded firmly.
"Yes. They're all inside that building."
Razan rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck, joints popping as he prepared himself.
"Then let's begin the operation."
His eyes sharpened, glowing faintly with a cold, focused intensity. The air around him shifted, as if anticipating the violence that might soon unfold.
Loona stepped to his side, her heartbeat unexpectedly loud in her ears. She wasn't sure if it was excitement, adrenaline, or something more complicated altogether. She only knew one thing:
Whenever she stood beside him like this…
Her heart beat faster than it should.
And she wasn't sure how to stop it.