Ludlow was alive with color. Lanterns floated overhead, laughter echoed through the streets, and music drifted through the warm air like a dream. But to Gendai, it all felt distant—like she was watching it through glass.
She wandered the festival in silence, her cloak pulled low, her horns dimly glowing. Children ran past her with sparklers, and the smell of candied fruit filled the air. But none of it touched her.
Her boots tapped against cobblestone as she moved through the crowd, unnoticed.
Inside her chest, a storm brewed.
Gendai (thoughts):
They're all growing. All of them. Riah. Jessie. Even Neve. And me? I'm still stuck. Still weak. Still chasing his shadow.
She stopped by a fountain, the lights from the festival reflecting on the water.
Gendai (thoughts):
He doesn't need someone like me. Not with Riah at his side. She's stronger. Smarter. He trusts her. What am I even doing?
She looked at her reflection. Her tail twitched. Her horns pulsed once, faint.
Suddenly, the crowd noise dulled, fading into the background as a voice—her own—whispered inside.
Inner Gendai:
"You were never enough. You cling to them because you're afraid of being forgotten."
She flinched, jaw tightening.
Gendai (aloud, softly):
"Shut up."
Inner Gendai:
"You think being part of their circle makes you one of them? You're a tagalong. A footnote in someone else's story."
Her breath caught.
Gendai (thoughts):
No. That's not true. I've trained. I've bled. I've fought beside them.
Inner Gendai:
"And still, you feel invisible. Kazimir doesn't look at you the way he looks at her. Maybe he never will."
She gritted her teeth and stood abruptly, startling a nearby couple. She didn't care.
Gendai (aloud, fierce whisper):
"I'm not useless."
Inner Gendai:
"Then prove it. Stop hiding. Find your path—or be left behind."
The voice vanished, leaving only silence and the distant murmur of celebration.
She stared ahead at the flickering lights of the festival, her hands clenched.
Gendai (thoughts):
No more running. If I'm going to break this, it has to be here. In my own way.
From the shadows across the square, Tyrone watched quietly, his eyes unreadable.
EXT. MANSION BALCONY – NIGHT
The mansion was alive with the quiet hum of the night air. The sky above stretched out, vast and endless, stars glimmering like diamonds scattered over a sea of dark velvet. Kazimir stood on the balcony, his posture relaxed, but the tension around him was palpable. He wasn't surprised by the call from Tyrone. This was inevitable.
TYRONE (through comms, voice low):
"She's at the Ludlow Soul Festival. She's not speaking to anyone. Not engaging. She's… there, but not really. Something's off."
Kazimir didn't flinch. He simply closed his eyes beneath the blindfold, his gaze turning inward. The weight of his thoughts was heavier than usual tonight.
KAZIMIR (calmly):
"She left… Just like I expected."
RIAH, who had been quietly watching the stars alongside him, turned toward him sharply.
RIAH:
"You expected her to walk away? From all of us?"
Kazimir remained silent for a beat, staring into the distance.
KAZIMIR (softly):
"No. I expected her to finally step into the unknown. To find herself. She can't stay shadowed by me forever."
The wind picked up, tousling their hair. For Riah, it wasn't just wind—it was the pull of her own rising energy. Flames flickered to life, burning just beneath her skin, the air around her growing warmer, charged with the power she kept in check. Her eyes flicked toward Kazimir, then down toward her glowing hands.
RIAH:
"She's hurting. And you're just going to let her be alone? Kazimir… you've always been her anchor. You could go to her."
KAZIMIR (his voice low, steady):
"If I go, I'll be nothing more than a crutch. She'll never see herself for who she truly is. I won't keep holding her up. She needs to stand on her own."
The embers around Riah's body swirled, rising higher, her flames intensifying. The warmth around them was almost unbearable now, yet Riah's expression remained composed.
RIAH (eyes steady, burning with determination):
"Then let me be the one who shows her. Let me be the mirror she needs."
Kazimir's expression softened for a moment, but the weight of her words lingered in the air like a thunderclap.
KAZIMIR (with quiet respect):
"You've grown, Riah."
She met his gaze, a faint but confident smile crossing her face.
RIAH:
"I've been growing for a long time. But this… this isn't about me. It's about Gendai."
With that, Riah took a deep breath, and in one swift motion, she threw her arms out to her sides. A surge of flame erupted from her body, encircling her like a massive inferno. She rose, her form becoming one with the fire, her wings of blazing flame spreading wide as she ascended into the sky. The night swallowed her figure for a moment, but the streaks of flame left behind painted the dark heavens like a comet in motion.
RIAH (voice carried by the wind):
"I'll remind her of who she truly is."
Kazimir stood still, his blindfolded gaze lost in the direction Riah had flown. The night was quiet once again, but it was different this time—lighter, somehow. Riah had taken the first step toward being the one to help Gendai, and Kazimir could feel it deep in his bones: she would succeed.
KAZIMIR (whispering to himself):
"Find your light, Gendai… and burn."