The quiet of the abandoned lot pressed in on them, the faint rustling of wind cutting through the tension that crackled between Aera and Bael. Aera, her body still weak from her injuries, stood before Bael with a determination that made her seem far stronger than she truly was. She had come for answers, even if they were wrapped in bitterness and rage.

Bael stood across from her, his usual cold demeanor in place, but his eyes, dark and calculating, flickered with something else—something that Aera couldn't quite place. He crossed his arms over his chest, his posture relaxed but not welcoming.

"You know," Aera said, her voice unwavering despite the tightness in her chest, "you could've killed me. After what you did to Justitia, I'm surprised you didn't."

Bael's gaze shifted, something flickering behind the cold mask of indifference.

"What would killing you accomplish?" he asked, his tone a mix of sarcasm and something almost like... concern? Aera couldn't quite decipher it.

"You think this is some game?" Aera's voice was tight with restrained fury.

"You think you can just take everything from us and walk away like nothing happened?"

Bael uncrossed his arms, taking a small step closer. His gaze was steady, his expression unreadable, but there was a strange gravity to his words.

"You don't know what it's like, Aera. You don't know what I've had to do to survive. You don't know what it cost me."

Aera blinked, confusion briefly overtaking her anger. "What are you talking about?" She clenched her fists at her sides, trying to steady her voice.

"You took Justitia's powers. You're not some victim here."

Bael's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I didn't ask for this. None of this was my choice." His voice was quieter now, almost as if he was speaking to himself, but Aera caught the words, and they stung.

She frowned. "So what? You're blaming everyone else now?" Her voice was bitter, and she wasn't sure if it was the pain or the betrayal that made her feel this way.

"You still hurt people. You took everything from her."

For a brief moment, there was a flicker of something like guilt in Bael's eyes, but it was quickly masked. He stood taller, the weight of his actions seemingly returning to him all at once.

"You think it's easy? You think any of this is easy for me?" he snapped, his voice carrying an edge of frustration.

"You think I wanted to be the villain?"

Aera didn't back down. "Then why, Bael? Why did you take her powers?"

The question hung between them, and despite everything, Aera's voice softened a fraction.

"Why her?" Bael's eyes flickered to the ground for a brief second, and then back to her.

"Because I had no choice," he muttered, almost under his breath.

"She was too dangerous. Too unpredictable. And you—" He stopped, the words catching in his throat as if he wasn't sure whether he should finish.

Aera's brow furrowed.

"And me?" Bael sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You're not like her," he said, his voice surprisingly low, like he was struggling to put his thoughts into words.

"You're not as... reckless. I never wanted to hurt you, Aera."

Aera's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't let her guard down. "You still did," she said, her voice firm.

"You hurt all of us. Don't act like this is some noble cause. You did it because it benefited you."

Bael looked at her for a long moment, his face hardening once more. "Maybe," he said, his voice colder now.

"But that doesn't mean I'm your enemy in the way you think."

Aera's heart twisted at his words, but she refused to let it show.

"You've made yourself my enemy, Bael. And I'm not going to stop until I make you pay for what you did."

Bael's eyes flickered with something that resembled regret, but it disappeared quickly, replaced by the familiar mask of indifference.

He took a step back, his posture shifting as if the conversation had reached its limit. "Fine," he said.

"If that's how you want to play it." For a moment, the silence hung between them, thick with unspoken words, before Bael spoke again, his tone much softer than before.

"You've always been stubborn, Aera. Just like your sister."

Aera's breath hitched, the mention of Justitia's name making the pain in her chest flare up again. "Don't bring her up," she warned, her voice dangerously quiet.

Bael's lips twitched into something like a grimace. "I'm not trying to hurt you. I just want you to understand—things aren't always as simple as they seem."

Aera didn't answer. She simply turned away, her feet carrying her farther into the shadows. "You're a coward, Bael," she muttered under her breath, but she wasn't sure if he heard it.

Bael didn't respond. Instead, he stood there, watching her retreat into the dark, his figure a lone silhouette in the gloom. For a long time, he didn't move, his gaze distant and contemplative, as though he were still trapped in the weight of his own words.

Aera, however, didn't look back. She had heard enough. She had been given a mission by Bael before her injury—search for Kylum and uncover the truth behind the mysterious events surrounding the dark underworld that Bael had drawn her into

Meanwhile, back at the house, the others had begun to realize Aera's absence. Sable, who had been keeping a watchful eye on her, was the first to notice. His brow furrowed with concern as he scanned the empty space where Aera had been resting.

"Where's Aera?" Sable muttered to himself, pacing the room. His sharp eyes searched every corner of the safe house before settling on the door.

Justitia, sitting in the corner with her thoughts preoccupied by her loss of power, suddenly lifted her head. "Aera?" she asked, her voice soft but full of concern.

"She's gone," Sable replied, his voice tight with worry.

"She didn't say anything. We have to find her, now."

Sable moved quickly, gathering the others. Despite their strained relationships, the urgency of the situation called for action.

By the time she arrived at the doorstep, she had steeled herself for the questions, the worried stares, and the inevitable lecture she was about to receive. Still, nothing could have prepared her for the chaotic flurry of reactions that greeted her the moment she stepped inside.

"Aera!" Justitia's voice broke through the stillness, sounding like a mix of relief and anger. She stood near the door, arms crossed, eyes narrowed as she scanned her sister.

"Where have you been?! Do you know how worried we were?!"

Aera gave her a small, apologetic smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. She hadn't expected to feel guilty, but now, standing before Justitia, she couldn't help but feel the weight of her sister's concern.

"I'm fine, Justitia," she said with a shrug, attempting to downplay the situation.

"Just needed some air."

"Some air?" Justitia raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You're a grown woman, Aera, not some wandering child who needs to be told where to go!"

"Maybe I just wanted to avoid listening to your lectures," Aera muttered under her breath, though Justitia caught it.

"Excuse me?!" Justitia's tone was a mix of disbelief and exasperation. She stepped closer, fists clenched at her sides.

"You sneak out in the dead of night, go God knows where, and come back expecting me to just let it slide?! Do you have any idea what would've happened if—"

"Relax, Justitia!" Aera cut her off, holding up a hand. "You're acting like I was out there fighting some battle. I was just—"

"Fighting?" Aera heard a new voice join the conversation, and her heart skipped a beat. She turned to find Daon standing at the end of the hallway, his brows furrowed with concern.

He had been quiet before, but now that he'd spoken, the tension between them felt palpable. "What battle, exactly?"

Aera bit her lip, caught off guard by his presence. Daon's usual easygoing demeanor had been replaced with genuine worry. His eyes softened as he took in her appearance, and for a moment, she felt a pang of guilt again.

"It's nothing, Daon," she said quickly, trying to brush him off, but Daon wasn't having it.

"Nothing?" Daon took a few steps forward, his voice more intense than she had ever heard it.

"You vanish without a word, and then you come back acting like you just took a stroll in the park? I don't buy it. Where did you go?"

Before she could answer, Sable, who had been silently observing from a corner, raised an eyebrow, his tone dry as usual.

"I'm sure she was off doing something incredibly dangerous without telling anyone, as usual."

"Thanks for the support, Sable," Aera muttered, rolling her eyes. Sable didn't budge, though his lips twitched slightly, as if amused by her irritation.

Daon, not missing a beat, took another step closer. His voice softened, but the concern was still heavy.

"Aera, please. We were all worried sick. You know, you can trust us to help."

Aera hesitated for a moment, then sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I had to do something," she admitted, her voice quieter now.

"It was about Kylum."

At the mention of the name, everyone fell silent for a moment. Justitia's expression shifted, from angry to curious. Sable's sharp gaze flickered briefly toward Daon, and even he seemed to pause in his approach.

"Kylum?" Daon asked carefully, his voice guarded. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Aera hesitated, and for a moment, it felt as though the weight of the world was pressing down on her. The secrets, the lies, everything she had uncovered felt heavy in her heart. But now, with her family—and Daon—standing here, it felt impossible to keep it all to herself.

"I can't explain it all right now," Aera finally said, avoiding Daon's gaze. "But... I need to find Kylum. There's something— something bigger at play, and I think Bael knows more than he's letting on."

The room fell into a heavy silence, everyone processing her words. Aera could feel Daon's gaze on her, and she didn't need to look up to know the worry written all over his face. She could almost hear the questions running through his mind.

"You think Bael is involved?" Justitia asked, her voice calm but edged with suspicion.

"What exactly are you trying to uncover, Aera?"

"I don't know yet," she admitted. "But I need to find out. I need to understand what's going on."

There was a long pause before Sable spoke up, his voice low but firm. "We're not going to let you do this alone."

Aera's eyes flicked to him, and she gave him a grateful smile. He wasn't wrong; she didn't want to be alone in this. She'd been running in the dark for so long, but maybe it was time to let others in.

"But," Sable continued, "if you think you can just sneak off again—"

Aera held up her hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay! I won't sneak off anymore. I promise."

"Good." Sable's expression softened just a bit, though his usual stoic demeanor remained intact.

Daon stepped forward then, his eyes never leaving Aera. "Aera, I don't care about the mission or the secrets," he said, his voice low and intense.

"I care about you. Please, don't put yourself in danger like this again. You're not invincible."

Aera felt a lump form in her throat at his words. She had never realized how much his concern had meant to her—until now. But she couldn't tell him everything. Not yet. There were things she had to do on her own.

"I promise I won't," she said softly, though it was hard to meet his eyes. "I'll be more careful next time."

Daon seemed to study her for a moment, his expression unreadable. But then, to Aera's surprise, he stepped closer, his hand reaching out to gently place a strand of hair behind her ear. His touch was soft, almost tender, and it sent a shock of warmth through her chest.

"Good," he said simply, his voice low but genuine.

Aera didn't know how to respond. For a long moment, they just stood there, the air between them thick with unsaid things. But then Daon broke the silence, his voice teasing.

"But, just so we're clear," he said with a grin, "if you do sneak off again, I'm going to have to start locking you in your room. And trust me, I'm very good at picking locks."

Aera couldn't help but laugh, the tension breaking for a moment. "Is that so?" she said, smirking.

"I'll keep that in mind next time."

Sable rolled his eyes. "Oh, for heaven's sake. This is getting ridiculous."

Justitia, unable to hold her serious expression any longer, let out a frustrated sigh but couldn't suppress the small smile tugging at her lips.

"Next time, Aera, I'm tying you to a chair if I have to."