The air inside Base One’s council chambers felt different after the funeral.
It was calr, quieter, though everyone’s eyes still carried shadows.
Aamir sat with his friends in one of the side halls. No soldiers. No leaders. Just them.
For the first ti in five years, they could simply talk.
Raj leaned back against the stone wall, arms crossed. His eyes narrowed as he studied Aamir like he didn’t quite believe he was there.
"You know," Raj said, his voice low but sharp, "we had to survive five years without you. You think that was easy?"
Aamir tilted his head, a faint smile touching his lips. "I never thought it was easy. That’s why I ca back."
Raj exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "We buried friends, Aamir. We fought battles where every breath felt like the last. And through it all..." His fists clenched. "...we kept waiting for you to show up. Hoping. Every damn day."
Aamir’s smile faded. He lowered his gaze, guilt flickering in his crimson eyes. "I know. I’m sorry, Raj."
Raj’s expression softened, if only slightly. "Sorry doesn’t fix five years." Then his lips twitched into the faintest smirk. "But seeing you walk in here like so teor falling from the sky... maybe it’s enough for now."
Aamir chuckled quietly. "Guess I like dramatic entrances."
Kunal, who had been leaning casually against a table, pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. The fras glinted faintly under the lantern light.
Raj eyed him and snorted. "Oi, Kunal. Why the hell are you wearing glasses indoors? You planning to look smart for once?"
The others laughed, tension breaking. Even Seenu’s lips curved slightly.
Kunal smirked and adjusted the fras with deliberate slowness. "Because, Raj, it looks good on . Admit it. I pull this off."
Raj shook his head, grinning. "You look like a professor who forgot his books."
"Professor of beating your ass, maybe," Kunal shot back, smirking wider.
The banter eased the heaviness that had lingered between them.
Aamir tilted his head curiously. "What about your eyes? I thought..."
Kunal’s smirk softened into sothing more serious. He lifted the glasses slightly, showing faint golden patterns flickering across his irises.
"Well," Kunal said, his tone casual but proud, "I can pretty much fully control them now. The rage, the visions, all of it. Took years, but I don’t lose myself anymore."
Aamir’s crimson gaze sharpened. "That’s incredible."
Kunal shrugged. "You’d be proud of if you saw the ss I was five years ago. Honestly... I almost gave up once or twice."
The room grew quiet. The weight of his words hung in the air.
Aamir leaned forward, voice steady. "But you didn’t."
Kunal looked at him, eyes behind the glass lenses glowing faintly. "Yeah. Because sowhere in my gut, I knew you’d co back. Couldn’t explain it. Just... believed it."
Seenu, who had been sitting quietly with his sword resting against his lap, finally spoke. His tone was calm, matter-of-fact, but there was steel underneath.
"Belief isn’t the word. I knew you’d return. That’s why I never broke."
His gaze lifted, eting Aamir’s without hesitation. "If you had truly been gone, I would’ve felt it. But I didn’t. So I kept fighting. Every day."
Aamir’s lips curved faintly, respect shining in his eyes. "Seenu... you’re still as stubborn as ever."
Seenu allowed the faintest smirk. "Takes one to know one."
The atmosphere lightened again. era, who had been listening with her arms crossed, finally stepped forward. Her sharp eyes softened as they landed on Aamir.
"You have no idea what you left behind, Aamir. But also..." She paused, her lips twitching. "...no idea how happy it makes to see you again."
Aamir blinked. "You too, era."
Raj chuckled. "She cried the day we thought you weren’t coming back."
"Shut up, Raj!" era snapped, cheeks flushing.
Everyone laughed.
Riya hadn’t spoken yet. She sat close to Aamir, her staff leaning against the wall, her long black hair falling around her shoulders. She watched him silently, her chest rising and falling with quiet breaths.
Aamir turned slightly, crimson eyes eting hers. "And you, Riya? Nothing to say?"
Her lips parted, but no words ca out at first. She looked down, gripping the edge of her robe tightly. Then, slowly, she whispered:
"Five years... and I never stopped waiting."
The hall went quiet. Even Raj and Kunal looked away, giving her space.
Aamir’s throat tightened. He didn’t speak—he couldn’t. Not yet.
Raj, sensing the heaviness, clapped his hands together suddenly. "Alright, enough of this emotional stuff. Next one of us to cry buys drinks for everyone."
Kunal snorted. "Then you better start pouring, General."
Raj pointed at him, smirking. "Still can’t out-drink ."
"Maybe not, but I can out-handso you," Kunal replied, adjusting his glasses again.
era rolled her eyes. "You two never change."
But their laughter, their voices—it filled the hall again.
For a brief mont, it felt like the old days. Before the war, before the losses, before five years tore them apart.
And Aamir, sitting in the middle of it all, let himself breathe.
Then, softly, another voice broke the stillness.
Riya.
She had been sitting close, silent until now. But her hands trembled faintly as she folded them on her lap. Her eyes were lowered, hiding the storm within them.
"I envied them, you know."
Everyone turned toward her.
Her voice wavered at first, then steadied as she lifted her gaze. Her green eyes shimred, brighter than the lanterns above.
"Raj, Kunal, Seenu, era... all of them fought, led, survived. And —I stood with them. I carried my people. I beca their Magus, their shield."
Her throat tightened, but she pushed on.
"But inside..." She glanced at Aamir. "...inside I was just waiting. For you."
The air thickened. No one dared interrupt.
Riya’s breath ca faster. Her cheeks flushed as she finally let the words she had buried for five years spill free.
"Not as a leader waiting for her comrade. Not as a friend waiting for her friend. But as soone who..." She swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "...as soone who loves you, Aamir."
Aamir’s eyes widened.
Raj stiffened. era’s hand flew to her mouth. Kunal muttered sothing under his breath, then smirked faintly to hide the tension. Even Seenu’s eyes softened, though he said nothing.
Riya didn’t stop. Tears welled in her eyes, but her voice was firm now.
"Five years. I told myself every day to forget. To move forward. But I couldn’t. Because no matter how much I tried... my heart only beat for you. I believed you’d co back. I knew you’d co back. And I was right."
The silence was unbearable. Every heartbeat in the room pounded like a drum.
Aamir opened his mouth but no words ca. His throat was dry, his mind spinning.
He had faced beasts, generals, and monsters from beyond worlds. But nothing had struck him harder than the way Riya’s eyes pierced into his soul now.
He whispered finally, "Riya..."
She shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Don’t say anything yet. I just... I needed you to know. I waited, Aamir. And I’ll keep waiting—even if you leave again. Because I don’t care where you go, or how long you’re gone. My heart will always be with you."
Her voice cracked. "Always."
Raj looked away, his jaw tight. Kunal scratched the back of his head awkwardly. era blinked back her own tears. Seenu just nodded slightly, as if acknowledging her strength.
But Aamir... he reached out slowly, his hand trembling. His fingers brushed against Riya’s hand.
She flinched at first, but he didn’t let go. His crimson eyes glistened, softer than they had been in years.
"...I thought I lost everything," he whispered. "But you... you were still there, waiting. For ."
Riya nodded quickly, her tears falling faster. "Always."
The hall was silent again. But this silence was different. It wasn’t heavy—it was sacred. A bond, raw and undeniable, had just been laid bare in front of them all.
Raj finally cleared his throat, trying to break the tension. "Well... I guess that settles it. He didn’t just co back to fight monsters."
Kunal grinned faintly. "Yeah. He ca back to break hearts too."
"Shut up," Riya hissed, her cheeks burning.
But Aamir only smiled softly, his hand still holding hers.
And for the first ti since his return, he felt sothing he thought he had lost forever.
Hope.
The laughter slowly faded again, leaving behind a quiet warmth.
Raj stretched, cracking his knuckles. "Alright. Enough heavy talk for one night. We’ve got work tomorrow, and so of us still need beauty sleep."
Kunal snorted. "Then you should sleep a week, Raj."
"Keep talking and I’ll throw you out the window."
era rolled her eyes, tugging Raj toward the door. "Co on, idiot."
Raj let himself be dragged but still smirked at Aamir. "Don’t disappear this ti, alright?"
Aamir gave him a faint smile. "Not without saying goodbye."
Kunal lingered a mont longer, tapping his glasses. "We’ll talk later. I’ve got things to show you. But for now—" His lips curled into a half-smirk. "—don’t break her heart."
Aamir blinked. "...Kunal."
But Kunal only chuckled and walked out.
Seenu stood, sliding his sword into its sheath. His sharp eyes locked onto Aamir’s for a mont, unreadable, then he gave the faintest nod. "Don’t waste what you just heard tonight."
Aamir nodded back. "I won’t."
Seenu turned and left without another word.
The door shut quietly.
Silence filled the hall once more.
Only two remained.
Aamir and Riya.
She sat close, her hands folded tightly in her lap, her breath uneven. The firelight from the lanterns painted her face in shades of gold and shadow.
For a long mont, neither spoke.
Aamir’s hand still held hers. Warm. Steady.
Her eyes lowered, staring at their joined hands as if afraid it was just a dream.
Finally, she whispered. "They all moved forward. Raj, era, Kunal, even Seenu. They found their strength without you."
Her fingers tightened slightly on his. "But ... I only had hope. I only had you."
Aamir’s chest tightened. He wanted to speak, but no words ca.
She turned her head, green eyes shimring with tears. "Do you know how many tis I hated myself for it? For waiting like a fool? For believing when even others doubted?"
He squeezed her hand gently. "...Riya."
She shook her head. "Don’t pity . I don’t regret it. Not once. Because you ca back."
Her tears slipped free.
"You ca back to ."
Aamir reached up slowly, brushing one of her tears away with his thumb. His hand lingered against her cheek, trembling faintly.
His voice was low, raw. "I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve you waiting for ."
Riya leaned into his touch, closing her eyes. "Then don’t waste it. Don’t waste ."
The words pierced him deeper than any blade ever had.
For the first ti since his return, Aamir let his guard fall completely. No storm, no crimson blaze—just a young man who had lost too much, holding on to the one thing left that was certain.
He whispered, barely audible. "I’m here now."
Riya opened her eyes, tears glistening. "Then don’t let go."
He didn’t.
The hall remained silent, the fire flickering softly in the corner.
Two souls, scarred and tired, sat together in the quiet.
And though war still raged outside, in that mont—
It felt like peace.
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