Chapter 67: Love

Naso

I looked over the mechas to make sure they were all in decent shape. My job was to ensure their quality. That had also been my job while working on Retas. Said job allowed me to get close to him and mess with his mecha.

As I surveyed the mechas, their metallic bodies gleaming under the harsh lights of the hangar, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride. Each one was a testament to my dedication, a marvel of engineering that I had personally ensured was battle-ready.

This wasn't just a job; it was my craft, my calling. Working on Retas's mecha had been a different beast altogether. The man was a prodigy in the ranks for his prowess in combat. To be assigned to his unit was an honor, but to be trusted with the maintenance of his personal mecha was something else entirely.

It was during those long hours, when the hangar was silent save for the occasional clank of tools, that I found my opportunity. I had tampered with his mecha, a subtle recalibration here, a minor tweak there. Nothing that would be immediately noticeable, but enough to ensure that Retas would crash on Soleon. It was a dangerous game I was playing, but the stakes were high.

I looked down and put a hand on my chest. Yet, why did I feel empty inside? Was it because I had tried to kill my childhood friend for power?

Retas was alive, somewhere on Edosia, his fate unknown. The bond we once shared, now severed by my own hand. I had achieved what I set out to do, to remove him from the Titanos political scene, but the cost was etched into the very fabric of my soul.

"Hey, Naso," a voice called out.

I gasped and turned to see Retas's sister, Azorosa.

Trying my best to smile, I said, "Hey, what brings you here?"

She blushed as she walked over to me. "I, uh. I was wondering if you wanted to eat out with me."

My cheeks warmed up. "You want us to eat together?"

Her grey eyes averted their gaze. "I... yeah. A-as friends."

I smirked. Really, now? Her reaction told me it wasn't only friendship she was after.

The invitation hung in the air between us, a delicate thread of possibility. Azorosa's blush was a splash of color against the monochrome backdrop of the hangar. Her eyes, a stormy grey, flickered with a light that spoke of more than just friendship.

I leaned against the cool metal of the nearest mecha, a barrier between my treacherous past and the uncertain future.

"Eating out sounds good," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil within. "There's a place on the edge of the sector. Quiet, away from the prying eyes of the rest of the base."

Her gaze met mine, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still. "I'd like that," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

As we walked out of the hangar, the weight of my actions felt distant, like a story from another life. Azorosa's presence was a balm to the wounds I had inflicted upon myself. She was the sister of the man I had betrayed, yet here she was, offering a semblance of normalcy, a chance at redemption.

The streets of Titanos were alive with the neon dance of signs and the hum of hovercraft. We found our way to the eatery, a little haven amidst the chaos. As we sat across from each other, the conversation flowed like the vintage wine we shared. Laughter, genuine and unexpected, bubbled up between us, filling the spaces left by unspoken words.

"I missed hanging out like this," she said, chuckling.

I leaned back on my chair. "Do you? If you did, why not invite Xilonem? I mean, Commanders Zolstein and Wilneth are doing their missions, and your brother is missing, but she's still around to hanging out with us like old times."

She sighed. "The queen is as busy as the commanders, if not more so."

My heart sank. I was trying to tease her for only having inviting me, but it seemed it backfired.

 She was Retas's sister, yes, but she was also so much more. She was strength and vulnerability, laughter and depth. I loved her. Yet, I had also betrayed her by attempting to kill her brother.

I sighed as silence washed over us. The neon glow of the signs cast a soft light over our table, the hum of hovercraft a distant melody.

Azorosa's laughter was a sound I hadn't realized I'd missed, a reminder of simpler times before the weight of my choices had anchored me to a solitary existence.

"I missed this too," I admitted, my voice a low murmur over the clink of glasses. "That said, I also enjoy spending time with only you. The universe feels smaller, quieter when it's just... us."

She smiled. "It's been too long since we've had a moment of peace like this," she said. "Just Naso and Azorosa, no titles, no missions... no war."

I nodded, the truth of her words settling in. "Peace is a rare commodity these days," I said, my gaze lingering on her face. "Especially for those of us who know the cost of it."

Her eyes met mine, a storm of emotions swirling within them. "You've changed, Naso," she observed, her voice tinged with a sadness I couldn't place. "There's a heaviness to you that wasn't there before."

I looked away, the remnants of my past deeds clawing their way to the surface. "Some changes are inevitable," I said, the words tasting like ash. "The war... it takes more than just lives. It takes pieces of who we are."

She gulped. "True. I feel like it's changed the others too. Well, maybe not Wilneth, but you, Zepheria, Lady Xilonem, and my brother. You all feel a tad more distant."

The soft clink of glasses punctuated the silence that followed Azorosa's words. I could see the concern etched into her features, a reflection of the turmoil that had swept through our lives and left us all adrift in its wake.

"It's the nature of war," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "It's like a black hole, pulling everything into its depths, changing it, reshaping it into something... different."

Azorosa nodded, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. "I worry about Retas," she confessed. "Wherever he is, whatever he's going through... I hope he knows he's not alone."

Her vulnerability in that moment was a stark contrast to the strength she always projected. "He's a survivor," I reassured her, finding solace in the thought. "If anyone can make it through, it's him."

We fell into a comfortable silence, the noise of the eatery around us fading into the background. It was a rare moment of connection, a bridge across the chasm that had opened up between us.

"I'm here for you, Azorosa," I said, reaching across the table to offer a supportive hand. "No matter how much the war tries to change us, some things remain the same."

She looked up, her eyes meeting mine, and in them, I saw a glimmer of hope. "Thank you, Naso," she said, her voice steady but soft. "That means more to me than you know."

I gave her a faint smile. My guilt kept eating away at me. I'd been the cause of some of her pain. Yet, I was too much of a coward to admit to my crimes.

As the evening wore on, our conversation meandered through memories of the past and dreams for a future—a future where war was just a distant memory. And as we shared stories and laughter, the bond between us grew stronger, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

The night grew old, and the stars of Titanos watched over us as we made our way back. The hangar loomed in the distance, a reminder of the life I had chosen. But for the first time, I allowed myself to believe that there might be a path that led away from the darkness.

As we parted ways, the sensation of her hand lingered in mine, a silent promise of more to come. I dared to hope for love.

Even in a universe as vast and unpredictable as ours, connections like these were the true stars, guiding us through the darkness. Maybe, that was the real key to defeating the darkness Queen Xilonem feared would engulf the world one day.

I slid my hands into my pockets and snickered. How sappy of me. Life wasn't some children's story. Yet, as I walked away, the sappiness felt right—hope, a newfound companion in the night. And with each step, the night's embrace felt less like a shroud and more like a canvas, painting a future where light could emerge and bring heat even to this frigid planet at the center of the Titanos Empire.