Reiden had found himself being escorted by two members of Spire, their footsteps echoing in sync as they sprinted through dim corridors and hidden passageways, escape routes designed for this exact situation. The faint red glow of alarms bathed the walls, the sound of chaos still humming in the distance, but Reiden himself carried no hint of worry. In fact, he chuckled.

"Hahaha… I must say, Kestrel, you truly are a stubborn one." His voice came out smooth, steady, as though he were enjoying a leisurely walk rather than fleeing a collapsing fortress.

The man beside him, Kestrel, smirked without breaking stride, his loyalty unwavering, his eyes flicking back to his superior. "Thank you, sir. I'll take that as a compliment. I'll see you out of here safely, I swear it. As for before…" His smirk dipped slightly. "Let's just say it won't happen again." Kestrel looked forward, getting a flashback from what Shogo had done to him, with his boxers hanging on a tree from his boxers, and he was stuck there for three days on the island before eventually being found by Velza.

The third Spire operative running alongside them frowned, noticing a glaring absence.

"Sir, Miss Velza. Should we regroup with her first?" His voice carried hesitation; Velza was too important, too dangerous to be left behind.

Reiden only smiled, his steps unhurried even as they emerged from the final stairwell into a secluded hangar. The helipad loomed ahead, blades of a waiting helicopter already spinning lazily in anticipation. The pilot, spotting them, jumped from the cockpit and saluted sharply.

"Don't worry," Reiden said, his voice calm, his smile sharper than ever. "Whatever Velza is doing, it is better we don't interfere. To rush to her side would only weigh her down with our protection. No, she knows what she's doing. I trust her to bring results."

The hesitant soldier gave a stiff nod. The doors of the helicopter slammed shut, sealing them in. With a low rumble, the craft lifted from the helipad, rising into the crimson morning sky.

To most, this operation would look like a failure. To Reiden, it was simply one of two possible outcomes. In his mind, the plan was far from broken; it was alive, adapting, exactly as he intended.

Leaning back in his seat, he allowed himself a final glance at the shrinking HQ beneath him, its silhouette swallowed by smoke and flame. His lips curled into a low chuckle, eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

"We'll meet again… Kentaro Takamiya."

*

Back down on the Containment level, Kentaro and the group, now with Aria safely by their side, were running full tilt back the way they had come. Unlike Reiden, they had no secret passages or shortcuts; every step forward was one they had to carve themselves, blade against blade.

As they burst through the first corridor, the blare of alarms met them alongside the sight of Spire soldiers already waiting, seven of them, long swords raised, their armour shining in the crimson emergency lights. The soldiers wasted no words. The moment their eyes locked with Kentaro's group, they charged.

The Halcyon team were exhausted, their borrowed suits shattered and cracked from their earlier battles. Even worse, Aria had no disguise at all; stealth was no longer an option.

Kentaro clenched his fists. "Guess there's only one way to get out…" His voice rose, raw and commanding. "FIGHT!"

Shogo and Serica surged forward, steel clashing against steel. Yura and Yumi hung back, blasts covering their advance. Kentaro stayed with Aria, holding her close, feeling her body tremble, not from fear this time, but from something else.

Aria looked up at him, her green eyes flickering with something unspoken. Then, gently, she pressed forward, her chest brushing against his. The unexpected contact made Kentaro freeze, his breath caught as he looked down at her flushed cheeks.

"You okay? Not dizzy or anything?" He asked, voice tight, more worried than he wanted to show.

Aria shook her head quickly. "No. I'm fine. I just… I want to help. You've all fought so hard for me, and I've only been standing here, crying. Please, let me do something. I've got strength left."

Kentaro stared, torn between shielding her and listening. Tenka's voice cut through the comms like steel.

"Unideal… but useful. We can study her power in the field. Let her."

Kentaro sighed, then smiled at Aria, softer than she expected. "Fine. But promise me you'll be careful."

Her eyes lit up as she nodded, clutching the strap of her guitar. "Hmm!"

Aria stepped forward, her Sublimation flaring to life. She slung her guitar into position and strummed, the first chords ringing like light cutting through shadow. The sound wasn't just music; it was warmth, strength, resolve. The Halcyons felt it surge through them like fire in their veins, exhaustion peeling away as though their bodies were being reborn.

On the other side, the Spire soldiers staggered, gripping their helmets as if the melody was ripping through their skulls. The corridor was too narrow to retreat; they were trapped with her sound filling every inch of air.

"DAMN IT! IGNORE IT, TAKE THEM OUT!" One soldier screamed.

Serica blinked, staring at her own hands. Her arms felt light again, her blood alive. "What is this…?!" She gasped.

Aria smiled, fingers still dancing over her strings. "This is Echo Requiem. I can share my strength with the people I choose." Her eyes flickered toward Kentaro as she said it, her voice soft.

"Ohhh, I see… hmmm, hmmm. This feels good!" Serica grinned, springing back into the fight with renewed energy, her strikes twice as sharp.

"That's… Actually, really useful," Tenka muttered.

"Damn right," Kentaro smirked, watching Serica cut down a soldier with ease.

But then, a wild-eyed Spire soldier, maddened by the sound, broke through the defensive line. He barreled forward, sword raised, charging straight at Aria.

Kentaro's eyes widened. "ARIA!" He lunged, but before he could reach her, Aria's voice rang out, commanding, layered with an echo that wasn't entirely human:

"Stop. Drop your weapon."

The words weren't loud, but they carried weight. The soldier froze mid-stride, his eyes going blank. His sword slipped from his hand, clattering against the floor, before his entire body collapsed at her feet.

The corridor went silent for a breath.

"What the hell was that?" Tenka asked.

Aria strummed another gentle chord, steadying her breathing. "When someone's weak-willed… My voice can control them. But it only works if their mind is already fragile. Otherwise, nothing happens."

Kentaro blinked, stunned, then grinned, clapping his fist into his open palm. "Ohhh, so while you play, you're also cracking their minds open, so you can command them?!"

Aria nodded with a big grin. "Hehehe, pretty cool, right?"

Kentaro couldn't help but laugh, flashing her his trademark over-the-top smile, a sparkle practically glinting off his teeth. "Hell yeah, it is!"

The last of the Spire soldiers fell soon after, leaving the group to push forward as they entered the room. Serica had met the pink-haired girl. But as they slowed their pace, Serica tilted her head, remembering something.

"Oh, right, the pink-haired girl…"

"Who?" Yura asked, as she tilited her head.

Serica tapped her chin, her expression thoughtful. "When I distracted Reiden's troops, it wasn't me doing most of it. A girl helped me. Pink hair, mask, said she knew Rin. She helped because she was bored, or something?"

The team glanced at each other, their exhaustion momentarily replaced by curiosity.

"Hmmmm," Tenka mused.

Haruka's voice crackled through comms. "Knowing Rin is quite rare. Hmmm..."

Kentaro frowned. "Why help us, though? Especially Serica. Strange."

Serica shrugged with a small smile. "Doesn't matter. I'm just glad she did, or else I wouldn't have made it to you in time, Kentaro."

Kentaro rubbed her head affectionately. "And I'm glad you did. Thanks, Serica."

She ducked her head like a flustered puppy, cheeks red. Yura, watching, puffed her cheeks and kicked Kentaro lightly in protest.

"Hmph!"

Kentaro blinked, then chuckled. He reached out and patted Yura's head, too. "You too, Yura. Without either of you, I wouldn't have made it this far." His tone softened, warm and sweet.

Yura's pout melted instantly, her face burning red. She turned away quickly, but a small smile betrayed her.

Aria watched all this quietly, her chest tight, and thought: Maybe one day… I'll get that too.

But before she could drift too deep into her thoughts, Shogo barged ahead, slinging an arm around Yumi, barely holding himself up. "Tch, lovebirds. You should be making Kentaro suffer that sweet, sweet pain instead, huuuuuhhh!" He hugged himself with a creepy grin.

"Gross," Yumi muttered, shoving him off.

The group glanced at each other, then burst into laughter all at once, even Aria. Her laughter rang clear, genuine; it had been so long since she'd laughed like that.

"Shogo, you're the worst," Kentaro managed between laughs, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Keep saying that!" Shogo declared. "One day you'll understand the power of being dominated!"

The group laughed harder, shaking their heads as they pressed on.

Finally, they emerged into the massive space they'd first entered, the arena-like chamber. Yumi gasped, spotting her beloved van still wedged into the wall.

"MY VAN!" she cried, running to check it. Miraculously, it was still intact.

Aria glanced up at the towering walls, but before she could take in the sheer size of the space, Kentaro grabbed her hand gently, pulling her toward the van.

"Wha-!" she squeaked, flustered, her face reddening as his hand stayed firm in hers.

Kentaro smiled at her, soft and warm. "Let's get moving. Who knows how long this peace will last?"

Aria's face flushed brighter, almost matching her hair. "S-s-sure! I-I was just looking at the building, that's all!"

Kentaro chuckled, the sound easing the tension in the air. "Yeah, it's huge. Too bad this place will only hold bad memories." His smile faded a little, his eyes heavy.

Aria's heart squeezed. She reached for his arm, her voice soft but certain. "Bad memories, maybe… But Kentaro, I met you here. And you saved me. That's a memory I'll always be grateful for."

Kentaro froze, blindsided by her words. His face went red, and he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "W-well… y-you make a good point… hahaha."

"Kentaro," Tenka's voice came through sharply. "Time is short. Move."

Still holding Aria's hand, Kentaro looked away, trying and failing to hide his blush. "Y-yeah, I know…"

The group piled into the van, Yumi slamming it into reverse. As they drove out, the sunrise painted the sky in gold and crimson. They had survived. They had won.

And for the first time in a long while, every single one of them was smiling.

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