Leaving the base, everyone was now faced with this unfamiliar place. They stood outside the base and stared into the distance.

"So what do we do now?" Aiden asked.

"It's a massive city, I'm sure there is a lot to do, you just have to find it," Aren replied, then started walking, "but the first and most important thing to do is searching for somewhere to eat."

The others followed behind. "And where are you planning on going?" Kira asked.

"Oh, to the bronze section," Aren calmly replied.

"Tch, I already knew you had no interest in the silver section," Aiden said.

"Can't blame him, this place is too calm paced, especially for us that came out of battles recently," Rade chipped in.

Kira frowned. She didn't like that he always threw himself into danger so casually.

"We were warned not to go there, Aren," she said.

Everyone paused. In their minds, they already believed all of them would go there. It's not like they ever planned to listen to any instruction. It wasn't just their way, even the quiet Athena wanted to go there.

"Kira, what's up?" Aren asked, walking toward her. He could see that she was tensing up right there.

"Why do you do it?" she asked in anger. "Why is it so hard for you all to keep your lives safe? I get it, you are all strong. I'm the weakest in the group, so maybe I don't see it how you do. I don't see the constant thrill in the risks.

Because someone might die. You almost died, Aren. You lost everyone, Athena. You have a mission to keep yourself alive, Zero, and you are far too impulsive, Aiden.

All of you live like you have some second life tucked away somewhere and you can do whatever you want. For once, for once take into account that your lives are not infinite, and you could die at any moment, for once.

Just stay where it is safe and stop this adrenaline rush you call an adventure you are all on." Tears streamed down her face. Her anger roared out as she clenched her fists tightly and yelled at them. Everyone stood there listening, not knowing what to say or do.

"I just wish you all wouldn't try to get yourselves killed every single time and stay safe, if not for yourselves, for me, because you are a family I don't want to lose."

After she said that, she turned around and ran.

"Kira!" everyone yelled, but she had already gone. Aren stared in confusion and shock.

"What the hell are you waiting for, go after her," Aiden barked, snapping Aren out of it. Instantly, he rushed ahead, running as fast as he could through the streets.

'I should have known from when we spoke. She hasn't been the same for a while. Her emotions are in havoc. I should have seen it. As someone that has been riddled with all sorts of emotion, I should have noticed it long before.

Tch, what was I doing? How did I let it go this far? I'm sorry, Kira, I really am.' Aren thought as he ran, when suddenly another memory jerked alive in his mind, and instantly he saw himself running in the snow.

He was crying while running, tears streaming down his little face, heart racing. He didn't even feel the cold because of how much he was running.

And when finally he came to a spot on the snow, there it was, the body of a girl his age, lying there in a puddle of blood, her head cleanly decapitated.

Aren froze at the sight. His breathing started shaking, his eyes trembled. He took a step back in fear.

"No, no, no, no," he yelled, holding his head and shaking it.

"I should have stopped you. I should have warned you. I knew you were on the edge and I left you." Aren collapsed to his knees, tears bursting from his eyes as he buried his head into the snow. "I'm sorry, please forgive me." As he uttered that last line, his mind was thrown back into his real body where he was still chasing after Kira.

Aren noticed tears in his eyes caused by that memory. He didn't know why, but that memory pushed him. He immediately increased his speed and rushed ahead faster.

He found Kira running through an alley and moved even faster. She could hear him coming. She stopped, turned around, and attacked with a small ice lance. Aren didn't dodge. He allowed it to hit him. His armor didn't allow it to hurt him, though.

Before Kira could do anything else, he stepped in and hugged her. Her extended arms, ready to attack, froze in place as she felt Aren's hands around her.

They stayed that way for a few seconds before she finally hugged him back and buried her head in his chest.

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

"Don't be. None of that was your fault," he said. "I should have seen how much this affected you, rather than being busy doing whatever I was doing.

I understand you, Kira, and I'm sorry for what I have put you through. None of us, especially me, wanted to put you through all of that. I would never want to hurt you in any way.

After all, I love you." As the words left his mouth, for the first time in a very long time, Aren felt something change inside him. A shadow that had loomed over him all his life shifted a little.

Kira looked up when she heard those words, her eyes wide with shock. She stepped back from him, looking at him with utter disbelief.

"What did you say?" she asked, wanting to be sure that she didn't hear things.

"I love you, Kira, and I've fought the thought of it, being scared of the feelings I have, but I realize that I do. And I would never try to hurt the person I love.

That's a promise, which means I'd never allow myself to get hurt or any of the others get hurt as well, because it would hurt you." He finished speaking, not knowing what else to say. He looked down.

Kira rushed forward, grabbing his head and pulling him down. She planted a kiss. Their lips locked for a moment before she pulled back.

"We need to get you better clothes. Your armor is uncomfortable to hug," she said.

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