章 63: Love and duty.

Nila's trembling hand reached for Cyrus, her fingers brushing against his as she tried to steady her uneven breaths. Her once-radiant eyes now seemed dim, yet they still carried a faint ember of the divine light that marked her as the phoenix.

A faint smile graced her lips, though it was heavy with sorrow.

"Sol…" she began, her voice barely above a whisper, each word a fragile thread pulled from her breaking soul. Tears slid down her cheeks, mixing with the ash that clung to her skin. "I loved you... with all my heart, I still do..."

Cyrus shook his head violently, gripping her hands tightly as though his hold alone could tether her to life. "Don't say it like this," he pleaded, his voice cracking under the weight of his guilt. "You're going to be fine. We'll fix this. I'll fix this."