At that very moment…
While the place was collapsing above their heads…
And while Araki was still attacking him…
Raym stood frozen in place.
He stared at Lonz's corpse…
without any reaction.
No words…
No movement…
No emotion…
Just two eyes fixed on a body without a soul...
He waited…
for any movement… any breath…
anything that would prove this wasn't real...
But the body remained still…
as if life itself had left the place along with him...
Everyone fled…
Everyone except him...
He had lost interest in the world...
The only thing he could see…
were memories of Lonz.
That man…
who had been nothing more than an innocent soul…
framed to divert suspicion from Zak…
and used for such a vile purpose.
Suddenly…
A strange man appeared, lifted Raym, and rushed out of the collapsing area.
The path ahead was blocked by falling debris,
but another man—large and heavily built—stepped forward…
With a single punch,
he broke open a passage...
The two men ran, carrying Raym with them…
until they finally reached safety.
There…
Vail and Lyra were already waiting…
along with a third person.
As everyone began to grasp what had happened…
the three men stepped forward.
The first appeared to be in his forties,
his face calm and wise.
The second was huge,
built for direct combat.
The third…
looked ordinary to a strange degree,
wearing a mask…
and speaking very little.
The first man stepped forward and said:
"I apologize for what happened back there…
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Lorian, and these are my companions...
We've been tracking those fools for quite some time…
Our leader led us here.
But they escaped… as usual."
He exhaled slowly.
"Members of that cult…
are quite skilled at hiding.
But not forever."
He studied them carefully, then continued:
"And you…
must be part of the army trying to overthrow the SI Army."
Vail cut in, surprised:
"Huh??! And how do you know that???"
Lorian replied calmly:
"Because I've been watching your movements for a while...
I wanted to lend you a hand.
I even sent a letter to your base…
but no one came."
Vail fell silent for a moment…
remembering Zak and his schemes.
His fist tightened slightly…
but he quickly regained his composure and walked toward Raym.
Lyra had already reached him.
But Raym…
was still the same.
Silent.
Still.
Like a statue.
Vail approached him slowly.
"Raym…"
But the words died in his throat.
He had nothing to say.
At last, Raym stood up…
then began walking without direction.
He turned away from Vail…
and walked alone.
Lyra tried to follow him.
"Raym… wait…
Lonz didn't regret protecting you…
Don't let his death be meaningless…"
But Vail placed a hand on her shoulder…
and lowered his head.
As if saying:
No… not now.
Lyra slowly stopped…
watching Raym's back as he walked away.
Before he could leave…
Lorian stopped him.
"I know what happened wasn't easy…
But if we encounter the Dragonic Cult again…
we'll need your strength."
He paused, then added:
"And perhaps…
you'll find the answers you're looking for."
Vail spoke in a low, sharp voice:
"If what you're saying is true…
then that cult is no longer just an enemy…
it's a debt we must repay."
Raym said nothing…
but his expression wasn't one of refusal.
Just… emptiness.
Raym returned to the base alone.
He spoke to no one.
He looked at no one.
He entered his room…
and closed the door behind him.
He didn't remove his weapon.
He didn't change his clothes.
He simply sat in the darkness…
As if he feared that moving even a little
would shatter whatever remained inside him.
A full month passed after the incident with Lonz…
But Raym…
didn't change.
He was the same as that moment.
Quiet.
Silent.
Distant from everyone.
One day…
Leo stood in front of his door.
He hesitated…
then knocked.
"Raym…"
No answer.
He slowly opened the door and stepped inside.
The room was dark…
the air heavy and still.
He saw Raym sitting on the bed,
his eyes empty.
Leo spoke softly:
"It's been a whole month…
and you're still like this."
Raym didn't move.
Leo took one step closer… then stopped.
"I know… you hate me now."
A short silence.
"And maybe… you're right."
No response.
Leo pulled out a letter and placed it on the table.
"This arrived for you.
From someone named Lorian."
He turned toward the door…
but before leaving, he said:
"Even if you hate me…
I'll still be here."
Then he left the room.
The letter remained on the table…
untouched.
Raym lay down on his bed…
staring at the ceiling for a long time…
Until the room itself began to feel suffocating.
He started whispering to himself:
"Why… does this keep happening to me???
Is this the price of my weakness???"
He paused.
"But I'm not weak…
I… I'm strong…"
His voice wavered.
"Maybe… not strong enough..."
He closed his eyes...
"How long…
will I keep watching the people I care about die…
while I can't do anything???"
He breathed slowly...
"I've already lost enough…
and now… I've lost Lonz too."
His tone changed slightly.
"But the blame…
doesn't fall on me alone..."
He opened his eyes slowly...
"No one believed me…
no one wanted to hear me."
A strange smile formed on his face.
"Yes…
the blame is on you, Leo…
and you too, Vail…"
His smile widened.
"I did everything I could…
didn't I???"
It wasn't a smile of happiness…
It was the smile of someone..
who had begun to lose the ability..
to tell the difference
between pain and calm.
Suddenly…
His smile faded...
He looked toward the table…
at the letter...
He slowly regained some composure…
and stood up...
He picked it up...
His hand was cold…
as if the letter were heavier than it should be.
As if it didn't carry words…
but a new fate...
He thought it was an apology...
from Vail or Leo…
But…
What was inside…
was shocking...