The platform was quiet, the air vibrating with a subtle hum that pulsed like a living heartbeat. Hine stood still, her gaze fixed on the looming silhouette of the Astral Express as its sleek frame shimmered under the fractured lights of the cosmic rails. Every second that ticked by was deafening, the weight of what was about to happen pressing down on her chest like a storm.
The doors had yet to open, but the faint mechanical hum in the distance whispered that it would be any moment now. And then she heard it — a familiar, quiet voice that stopped her in her tracks.
"Hine."
She froze. The timbre of that voice was unforgettable. Calm, low, carrying that edge of quiet strength that had anchored her countless times before. Slowly, almost fearfully, she turned, and there he was. The Silent Soul.
His figure was as ethereal as the night they first met, shadows wrapping around him like a second skin. His eyes, deep and unreadable, held her still.
"You came," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I thought… you wouldn't."
The Silent Soul tilted his head slightly, his expression a rare mix of serenity and something deeper, something almost human. "I would never let you leave without saying goodbye."
For a moment, the world stilled. Even the hum of the Astral Express seemed to fade, like the universe itself wanted to grant them these fleeting seconds.
"You do not belong to Teyvat anymore," he continued, stepping closer. "Not as you are now. What lies ahead for you is something… greater, and far more dangerous."
Hine swallowed hard, her fingers curling into fists. "I don't want to leave without… without knowing—"
"You will see me again," the Silent Soul interrupted softly, but firmly, his voice carrying that quiet authority that could steady even her restless heart. "This is not the end for us. The threads of fate between us are not so easily cut."
Hine blinked rapidly, fighting back the sting in her eyes. "You promise?"
The faintest curve of a smile touched his lips. "I promise. There are paths that will bring us together again. When that moment comes, you will not be alone."
Her throat tightened, the words tangling inside her. "Why… why does it feel like goodbye then?"
"It is not," he said, stepping close enough that the edges of his presence brushed against her like the whisper of cool air. "It is… a pause. Nothing more."
His hand hovered near her shoulder, as though he wanted to touch her but couldn't quite bring himself to bridge that final distance. His gaze softened, as if searching for the right words to leave her with. Then, in that quiet, steady voice, he said, "There is something else you must know."
Hine's brows furrowed slightly. "What?"
"I am one of the Captain's comrades," the Silent Soul revealed, his words calm but heavy with meaning. "When the time comes, wherever in the vast multiverse Mavuika may be, the Captain will find his way to Natlan. His methods may not align with yours. His mind, his choices, may feel distant. But his loyalty… his help… will come when you need it most."
Her breath hitched, the gravity of his words settling deep in her bones. "The Captain… will help?"
"In his own way," the Silent Soul affirmed. "You will not always understand him. But he is a force you can trust, even when you cannot see the full path."
Something in Hine shifted — a spark of hope, sharp and fragile, flickering in her chest. She had heard whispers of the Captain, stories wrapped in myth and legend, but to know there was a thread connecting them now… it changed everything.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice raw. "For everything."
His gaze lingered on her, a quiet intensity that said everything words couldn't. "Stay alive, Hine. No matter what happens beyond those doors, no matter the trials the Astral Express brings you… stay alive. That is how you will find your answers."
Hine blinked, and for the briefest moment, she thought she saw something in his eyes — a glimmer of something unspoken, a weight he carried alone.
And then it happened. The deep, melodic chime of the Astral Express resonated through the platform, a low, thrumming sound that made the rails themselves vibrate. The doors began to slide open with a sharp hiss, glowing light spilling out onto the platform like dawn breaking through the night.
This was it.
Hine's heart pounded against her ribs. She turned back to the Silent Soul, her voice catching in her throat. "I don't want to forget this. I don't want to forget you."
"You won't," he said simply, almost gently. "No matter how far the Astral rails take you, no matter how many worlds you cross… some bonds don't fade."
The light from the Express caught the edges of his figure, making him look almost unreal, like a phantom carved from shadows and starlight. He stood there, still and quiet, as if memorizing her one last time.
The hum of the Express deepened, signaling its readiness. The platform trembled beneath her feet, urging her forward.
Hine took a step toward the open doors, then paused, looking back one final time. "I'll find you again," she said, her voice trembling but steady. "I swear it."
A faint nod, almost imperceptible, and then his voice — quiet, unwavering — followed her as she approached the gleaming entrance. "And I will be waiting."
The light of the Astral Express bathed her as she reached the threshold. The air was charged with energy, the portal between worlds stretching wide before her. Behind her, the platform seemed to dissolve into silence, the Silent Soul's presence lingering like a shadow that refused to let go.
The rails hummed louder, vibrating with infinite possibilities, and the doors of the Astral Express stood wide open, waiting for her to step inside.