Jaden was still adjusting to the strange calm of the golden temple when a small hand reached up and gently touched his scar. He flinched, but didn't move away.
The child, a little girl no older than seven, looked up at him with wide, curious eyes. She ran her fingers along the jagged mark on his face, like she was trying to understand the story behind it without asking a word. Her touch wasn't cruel or mocking—it was soft, innocent. Jaden didn't know how to respond. He'd grown so used to people staring with fear, disgust, or pity. This was different.
Before he could say anything, one of the women nearby called out gently, "Please, bring him something to eat." Her voice was warm. "He's traveled far."
A few of the children scattered, giggling and chatting as they hurried to a nearby room. The rest stayed close, crowding around Jaden like he was some mythical figure stepped out of one of their stories. Their eyes were filled with fascination, not fear.
Then a sudden shout broke the quiet.
"Aunt Lu is coming!" one of the kids yelled excitedly.
The moment the name was called, the atmosphere shifted. The children who had stayed behind took off running toward the courtyard entrance, squealing with joy. Jaden turned slightly, curious. He could see a figure at the far end of the corridor, but the children blocked most of his view.
Laughter echoed. The children clung to her, hugging her legs, jumping, talking all at once. She bent down, embracing them all, laughing as they tickled her. Her joy was contagious—every woman in the temple wore a soft smile, clearly used to the warmth that followed her wherever she went.
"Aunt Lu, we have a guest!" one of the boys said, still clutching her hand.
"A guest?" she asked, eyes twinkling. "Who?"
"A mighty man!" another child chimed in. "He has a big scar, and he looks like a warrior!"
Aunt Lu chuckled. "I see… Well, he can't be stronger than my little warriors," she said as she tickled them again, sending them into another round of laughter.
"Let's go see this 'mighty man,' shall we?"
She rose to her feet and began walking toward where Jaden stood, still facing the women who had offered him food. He didn't pay much attention at first. He only turned when he heard the soft, familiar voice behind him.
"So this is the great man my little warriors are talking about," she said, half amused.
Jaden turned.
Their eyes met.
Time stopped.
Luna.
He hadn't seen her in years—not since that night everything fell apart. He had assumed she was gone. Just like their mother. Just like everything else he'd once cared about. Yet here she was, alive, standing in this strange sanctuary in the middle of a haunted city.
Luna's face went pale. She took a small step back. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She was frozen, stunned. It felt like she was looking at a ghost.
Jaden stared, his body tense. His heart beat louder than it should have. He hadn't expected this—hadn't prepared for it. He'd imagined so many versions of what finding her again would be like. And none of them looked like this.
She was the children's "Aunt Lu"?
"You…" she finally whispered. Her voice cracked. "You're alive?"
Jaden didn't answer. His jaw clenched, emotions flickering behind his eyes—anger, relief, confusion, maybe even a hint of joy. He didn't know what to feel. His hand hovered near his side, as if unsure whether to hug her or walk away.
The people around them were quiet now. Watching. Trying to understand.
Luna's eyes brimmed with tears. She hadn't cried in years. She had accepted his death long ago—mourned him, buried the pain. She'd built a new life here, hidden from the world, trying to protect what little innocence was left in it.
And now the brother she lost was here. In front of her.
Alive.
"You were gone," she said softly. "You were gone, Jaden. I thought you died."
Still, Jaden said nothing. His eyes stayed locked on hers, and for a long time, neither of them moved.
The silence between them wasn't just heavy. It was sacred. It carried all the memories of their childhood, all the loss, the betrayal, the years spent believing the other was gone.
One of the children, confused by the strange tension, looked up at Luna. "Aunt Lu… is he your friend?"
Luna took a deep breath. She wiped a tear from her cheek and knelt beside the child, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"No," she said, voice trembling.
"He's not my friend."
She looked back up at Jaden, her lips curling into a sad, overwhelmed smile.
"He's my brother."
And just like that, the silence broke. The room shifted. And Jaden finally let himself feel.