The crackling of the fireplace filled the silence that lingered after Neron finished speaking.
His words hung heavy in the air, a painful confession of the burdens he carried. Serah and Legris sat across from him, their faces etched with a mix of sympathy and sorrow. .net
"I never wanted any of this," Neron said softly, his voice almost a whisper.
He stared at his hands, the faint glow of magical energy lingering around his fingertips.
"The power, the fame, the blood on my hands... I only wanted to protect the people I cared about. But somewhere along the way, I lost sight of what that meant."
Serah placed her hand gently over his, her touch warm and grounding. She leaned closer, her blue eyes shimmering with emotion as she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.
"You've carried so much, Neron," she said, her voice steady but tender. "You did what you had to do to save lives. No one blames you for that."
Her words offered a flicker of comfort, but Neron shook his head.
"Maybe no one blames me, but I blame myself. I ended an entire race, Serah. The demons... they had homes, families, children. And I destroyed them all. How can I ever come back from that?"
Legris, who had been silent until now, spoke up. His tone was grave, his gaze fixed on the dancing flames.
"I've been thinking about that too. About everything we saw during the war."
He paused, his jaw tightening.
"The destruction, the bloodshed... all because of Magic. It's a force too powerful for anyone to wield responsibly. And the more I think about it, the more I wonder if the world would be better off without it."
Neron glanced at him, his brow furrowing.
"You're not wrong," he admitted, his voice low. "Magic has caused more pain than I can count. But as much as I wish for a world without it, I don't know how to make that happen."
Serah looked between them, her expression conflicted.
"But... Magic isn't all bad," she argued, though her voice lacked its usual conviction. "Think about all the good it's done. The lives it's saved, the advancements it's brought. Can you really say the world would be better off without it?"
Legris placed a hand on Neron's shoulder, a rare smile breaking through his usual stoicism.
"You're not doing this alone. I'll help you, no matter what it takes."
Neron gave a faint smile in return, though it didn't reach his eyes.
"Thank you. Both of you." He stood, his gaze turning toward the window and the sprawling city beyond. "This won't be easy. But I think I know where to start."
Legris raised an eyebrow. "Where's that?"
Neron turned back to them, a flicker of determination lighting his expression.
"I found all of these Arcanas in the hideout created by The Great Sage over a century ago. I was able to read some of the things he wrote, and they contain a history of his past with his friends..."
"So, you think a hint of this missing Arcana will be there?" Legris asked, causing Neron to nod.
"It's worth a shot, right?"
They all nodded in agreement.
"If we're going to do this, no one can know about our plan... Okay?"
The three of them exchanged nods, the weight of their decision settling over them.
Serah still seemed unsure about their actions, but Neron already appeared determined and she didn't want to lose him by refusing to help.
As a result, she chose to believe in him and accompany him on his journey for the moment.
Legris, on the other hand, was all for the plan.
It was evident in his expression.
"Okay, you guys! Let's do this!"