Chapter 17: The Weight of Silence

Chapter 17: The Weight of Silence

The echoes of Amizu's final breath seemed to hang in the air, and the reality of her death settled like a shroud over the island. Enkidu stood frozen, his hand still gripping the hilt of the blade that had ended her life. The realization of what he had done hit him like a crashing wave, but he could not pull himself from the trance of shock.

In the distance, the sound of soft footfalls on the stone path grew louder. He turned his head slowly, his face pale, as the figures of Gustang and Khun Eduan came into view. Gustang's calm, calculating eyes took in the scene, while Eduan's face was a mask of fury and disbelief. Behind them, Arie Hon's blade shimmered faintly in the fading light, though he remained as silent and unreadable as ever.

Eduan was the first to speak, his voice a low growl that reverberated through the air like thunder. "What have you done, Enkidu?"

The words cut through Enkidu's haze, forcing him to confront the reality of the blood on his hands. He stepped back, his hands trembling as the blade clattered to the ground. His voice cracked as he spoke, struggling to find clarity. "It... it was V," he muttered. "He told me to do it."

Eduan's expression darkened, his usual playful demeanor vanishing. "V? You're going to blame this on him?"

Gustang stepped forward, his face a mask of cold logic. "Whether or not you were under V's orders, this changes everything." His eyes moved to Amizu's still form, her once lively and vibrant presence reduced to a pale shadow of what she had been. "There will be consequences."

Enkidu opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He could see it in their eyes—his betrayal was complete. Whether Traumerei had ordered it or not, the truth would be buried, and the outcome was inevitable.

Arie Hon, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward, his gaze passing over the scene with a detached air. "She's gone," he stated flatly, as though remarking on a distant event rather than the loss of one of their closest companions. His silver blade gleamed faintly in the dying light, though he made no move to draw it.

Gustang raised a hand. "We don't need more bloodshed. This situation is already out of control."

As the realization that he was outnumbered sank in, Enkidu didn't resist. He knew there was no escaping the consequences of his actions. Gustang was already moving to handle the fallout, his mind calculating each step, while Eduan stared daggers at him, visibly restraining the urge to act.

"Eduan," Gustang began, his tone stern, "we will deal with this. But not now. Not here."

Eduan's fingers twitched, his lightning-infused Shinsu barely contained as it sparked faintly around his fingertips. "Fine," he muttered, his voice thick with frustration. "But this isn't over."

Gustang gestured to the vines that had already begun to grow from the island's core. "Seal him," he commanded softly, his voice heavy with finality. The ground trembled as the vines wrapped around Enkidu, twisting tighter and tighter until his form was obscured. Enkidu made no move to resist; perhaps, in some way, he believed this was what he deserved.

"Gustang... wait," Enkidu managed to say, his voice muffled by the encroaching vines. "I never wanted this... I never wanted her to die."

The vines continued to constrict, until finally, he was gone from sight, sealed away in a living tomb, condemned to remain hidden in silence.

The somber atmosphere of the floating island weighed heavily as the party disbanded. Guests, once jovial and celebratory, now departed in silence, their faces etched with sorrow and confusion. The music had long since stopped, replaced by the quiet murmur of hushed conversations. Whispers of Amizu's fate spread like wildfire, and though many speculated, none dared to confront the truth outright.

Traumerei retreated to his private quarters, unreachable and inconsolable. His grief was a storm that raged behind closed doors, far from the prying eyes of his companions. He refused to speak, even as Khun Eduan and Arie Hon exchanged looks of silent understanding. Whatever had transpired between Amizu and Traumerei was now lost, buried beneath layers of secrecy and denial.

Yeon Yirang, consumed with fury, had left the party early. Her fiery temperament had always been her defining trait, but now it was fueled by an anger she could not control. She paced the halls of the ship, muttering curses under her breath, her flames flickering dangerously as she struggled to contain her emotions.

Ariel stood alone by the balcony, her gaze fixed on the empty sky. She had not known Amizu well, but in the brief moments they had shared, Ariel had sensed a deep sadness in her—a sorrow that could only come from someone who had been trapped for far too long. Now that sadness had reached its inevitable conclusion.

Far away, in the depths of the Zahard Empire, Jihad sat alone in his throne room. The news had reached him quickly, though he had expected it long before it arrived. Amizu's death, though tragic, was not entirely unexpected. The wheels of fate had been turning for centuries, and this was but another inevitable result of the long climb.

The vast, empty hall echoed with the quiet drip of water, as Jihad sat motionless, his expression unreadable. His eyes were half-closed, as though contemplating something far beyond the scope of the immediate tragedy.

He had always known that this day would come. The bonds that had once tied them all together—the Great Warriors, the Family Heads, their companions—were fraying, unraveling as the years turned into millennia. Amizu's death was simply the first thread to snap.

As the shadows of the throne room deepened, Jihad allowed himself a moment of reflection. There was no going back now. The lines had been drawn, the alliances made. He had long since resigned himself to the role of observer, watching as the Tower's endless cycles of tragedy and conflict played out.

And so, as the world outside his throne room moved on, Jihad remained seated in his vast, lonely chamber. Waiting. Watching. Alone.

With Amizu's death, the Tower's history was forever altered. Traumerei would never be the same, nor would any of those who had loved her. But for now, the weight of silence prevailed, as the story of their climb continued onward, carrying with it the echoes of a love that had been lost to time.