The news spread through the family.
Two children in the hospital now.
Mika, broken and bandaged, fighting for his life.
Astrid, physically healing but spiritually shattered, having mutilated herself in her desperate attempt to sever all connection to demi-humans.
The family gathered. They cried. They prayed. They held each other and tried to make sense of a tragedy that made no sense.
The mysterious batte angel, ever the pillar of strength, tried to reassure them.
"This is the worst part." She said softly, gathering the sobbing daughters into her arms. "This is the lowest point. But it will get better."
"When Mika wakes up. When Astrid wakes up. They'll heal. They'll recover. And we'll be here for them. We'll help them through this."
"Everything will get better."
She believed it.
They all wanted to believe it.
But she wasn't entirely right.
—
Mika woke up first.
And to everyone's shock, he was...fine.
