The ache of Kikaru's absence was still in him. So was Dot's silence. But the question wasn't just a distraction—it was a bridge, something to grab onto as the void pressed closer.
The godless crucifix squinted slightly, holding Elias's soul aloft in one hand. His silver eyes narrowed, that ever-present smile curling again at the corners of his mouth.
lining
The room didn't change.
But the air around his voice bent just enough to respond to the name.
"No," he said. "I'm not afraid of the sun."
The mist at his feet twisted once, curling upward like it wanted to grin with him.
"But I'll admit…" he continued, eyes narrowing with a distant glint, "the legends didn't come from nowhere."
He studied Elias's form for a beat, then tilted his head back slightly.
