The Council chamber was quieter than it had ever been.
Not the calm of peace—
but the suffocating silence of dread.
Screens still showed fractured images from across the globe. Smoke rising from Rio. The ruins of Berlin. Paris trembling beneath broken bridges. London scarred by firelight. And now, Moscow—snow falling over Dmitri's solitary figure.
But one screen was dark. Dead.
---
The First Death
Arashi stood at the front, his expression carved from stone. He didn't turn as he spoke.
"…We've lost Amélie."
The words froze the room.
Ishita's breath caught in her throat.
"What?"
Arashi finally turned, his gaze heavy.
"Transmission ended fifteen minutes ago. Her aura signal… vanished."
Silence fell again.
Rehan's fists tightened at his sides. "Vanished means—"
Li Wei finished softly, eyes closing.
"It means she is gone. A wielder's aura does not fade unless death claims them."
Ishita shook her head violently.
"No. She was strong. I saw her fight in Paris, she—she held the entire river back by herself! She can't just—"
Her voice cracked. The scarlet glow at her fingertips flickered like sparks.
Akira's voice cut in, sharp as steel.
"Strength does not guarantee survival. Even the sharpest blade dulls if struck enough times."
---
Breaking Points
Ishita spun toward him, anger rising.
"Is that all you have to say? She died, and you sound like it doesn't matter at all!"
Akira didn't flinch. His face was unreadable, but his hand rested on the hilt of his blade.
"I've buried more wielders than I can count. Rage won't bring her back."
The words struck Ishita harder than any blade. For a moment, she wanted to scream back. But Rehan stepped between them, his hand firm on her shoulder.
"Enough."
His voice was steady, but there was fire in his eyes.
"We don't have the luxury to fight each other."
---
The Weight of Loss
The Council members whispered among themselves, fear spreading like cracks through glass.
"She was one of our strongest—"
"If even water fails, what chance do we—"
"Should we… retreat?"
Arashi raised his hand. The whispers died.
"There will be no retreat. If we falter, humanity ends here. Every wielder knew this when they awakened."
His eyes swept over Rehan, Ishita, Akira, Li Wei.
"And so must you."
---
Ishita's Doubt
Ishita sat back down, her body trembling. She pressed her palms into her eyes, trying to hold back the sting of tears.
Amélie's calm smile flashed in her memory—the Paris wielder who had stood by her side after her first scarlet training session, who had reassured her that "control comes like water—slow, but steady."
Now that smile was gone.
If she can die… what about me?
The thought lodged itself in Ishita's chest like a shard of ice.
---
Rehan's Resolve
Rehan watched her silently. He saw the cracks forming, the fear creeping in. For a moment, he remembered himself years ago—broken, powerless, watching someone he loved vanish.
He clenched his fists tighter.
Not again.
"Ishita," he said quietly. She looked up, eyes wet.
"You're not alone. Don't forget that."
His words were simple, but the fire behind them steadied her heart. Just enough.
---
Li Wei's Warning
Li Wei finally spoke, his tone grave.
"Her death means more than grief. Every wielder lost strengthens them. The demons don't just kill—they harvest aura. Amélie's power may already be in their hands."
The Council members stiffened.
Rehan's jaw tightened.
"So we're not just losing allies… we're feeding the enemy."
Li Wei nodded.
"Yes. And when the balance tips far enough… the seal will shatter."
Ishita swallowed hard. "The seal… on the Upper Demons?"
Li Wei's gaze was like stone.
"Four of them. Each one stronger than any foe you've faced. And if they awaken together—"
He let the silence finish the sentence. The weight was heavier than words.
---
End of Chapter
The chamber grew cold. Ishita's scarlet aura dimmed into a faint flicker. Rehan stood tall, fire in his eyes. Akira's hand rested on his blade. Li Wei's expression was unreadable, but his aura was calm, like a river before a storm.
Above Geneva, unseen to mortal eyes, the rift pulsed stronger, hungrier.
The Upper Demons stirred, inching closer to awakening.