The wind felt different. Real. Not controlled. Not watched. Not forced into patterns. Free. Kael stood at the edge of a cliff, staring out at the endless horizon. Mountains stretched into the distance, sunlight breaking through soft clouds. A perfect world. And he hated it. It's too quiet, he muttered. Behind him footsteps approached. You have been standing here for hours. Noah. Alive. Unbroken. Kael didn't turn. I'm waiting. For what? Noah asked. Silence. Karl's jaw tightened. For her. The wind passed between them. Empty. No answer.
Three weeks. Three weeks since the world changed. Three weeks since Elara disappeared. No resets. No voices. No watchers. Just life. People lived in small towns now. They laughed. They talked. They existed without fear. Like nothing had ever been wrong. But Kael remembered. Noah remembered. And that was the problem. You need to stop doing this, Noah said quietly. Kael finally turned. You forgot her already? Noah flinched. That's not fair. Then what is? Kael snapped. Silence. Noah looked away. I'm trying to live, he said. Kael stepped closer. She died for this. The words hit hard. She didn't die, Noah said firmly. Kael laughed. Cold. Then where is she? Noah didn't answer. Because he didn't know.
A sudden gust of wind swep through the cliff. Stronger than before. Different. Both of them felt it. At the same time. Kael froze.
Did you feel that? Noah's eyes narrowed. Yeah. The air shifted again. And for a split second time stuttered. Not stopped. Not reset. Just glitched. A voice. Faint. Broken. Kael's heart stopped. No, the wind rose again spinning around them. Noah stepped back. That's not possible. Kael moved instantly. Say it again! He shouted into the air. Silence. Then a whisper. Closer this time. Kael everything froze. His breath caught. That's her. Noah shook his head or something pretending to be her. Kael didn't care.
The sky flickered. Just for a second. And in that moment, they saw it. A crack. High above. Thin. Glowing faintly. Like something was trying to break through or come back.
Kael's voice dropped to a whisper. She is not gone. Noah stared at the sky. Then what did she become? The crack pulsed once. And this time, it answered. Elara is everywhere. Silence. And then the wind screamed.