Days had passed since the flames died.
The night was heavy again, the wind whispering low across the barren outpost.
The Seventh Division was nothing but ruins now, though the scent of smoke and blood still clung to the air.
At the oil station, faint light flickered from repaired bulbs.
Kane was cleaning his rifle; Lane checked his remaining rounds.
Elena bent over Suri's wounds, her hands moving fast but gentle.
Lynne sat nearby, saying nothing, just watching.
The silence was thick—too heavy for words.
Finally, Suri exhaled softly and set down the bandage.
"Lynne… there's something I need to tell you all."
---
Truth
They gathered around the oil lamp, orange light trembling over weary faces.
Suri looked up, her gaze calm but tired.
"I went back to E.DEN not to betray you—but to uncover their final plan."
Her voice wavered slightly but didn't break.
"If I hadn't returned, they would've sent Hunter Flame to wipe us out."
Kane frowned. "You carried that risk alone."
"This is what I owe the world," Suri said quietly.
"The Ash Project—it's their endgame. They want to merge all gifted beings into a single mind, controlled by the main core."
Lane froze. "You mean—"
"Yes." Suri nodded. "Once linked, every gifted will lose their will. They'll become weapons."
Lynne raised his head, fire flickering in his eyes.
"They were planning to use me, weren't they?"
"Yes," Suri answered without hesitation. "They've always wanted your power."
The air turned brittle.
Suri drew a slow breath, meeting his gaze.
"I went back to find the core data.
I was afraid… that one day you'd end up like the monsters I once saw in their labs."
Lynne was silent for a long time. Then he murmured,
"You could've told me."
"I was afraid you'd act rashly."
"And now? Are you still afraid of me?"
Suri smiled faintly.
"Not anymore. You're no longer the boy I taught to shoot."
---
Reconciliation
The wind slipped through the broken window, making the lamplight tremble.
Kane set his weapon down and stepped closer.
"This time, we move together. No one's left behind."
Suri nodded. "I'm not alone anymore."
She looked around the room, her tone steady.
"I'm sorry… for making you all worry."
Elena smiled gently. "You're here now. That's what matters."
Lane chuckled, breaking the tension. "So… we can finally stop suspecting each other?"
Yuna nodded. "The Flame Unit is whole again."
Lynne glanced around at them, the fire in his eyes softening.
"Thank you—all of you. From now on, we have one goal."
He stood, his voice low but firm.
"Destroy E.DEN's Ash Project."
The others spoke in unison:
"Yes!"
---
Fire of Confession
Night deepened.
The others had gone to rest, leaving Suri and Lynne outside beneath the quiet sky.
The wind carried the faint crackle of fire across the metal walls.
"Lynne."
He turned slightly. "Yeah?"
"There's something I never said."
She stepped closer until their breaths nearly met.
"I like you."
Lynne froze, a small flame flickering at his fingertips.
He looked into her eyes for a long moment before answering quietly:
"I know.
Because I never stopped thinking about you."
Suri smiled—soft, tired, but free.
She leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Finally… I don't have to pretend to be cold anymore."
He chuckled. "And what about me?"
"You've always burned too bright."
The wind rose, scattering ash into the sky.
For that brief moment, every wall between them turned to smoke.
---
Elena's Choice
Outside the window, Elena stood quietly, watching the two by the fire.
The half-empty vial in her hand was still warm.
Yuna approached softly. "You okay?"
Elena smiled through faint tears. "Yeah."
"Really?"
She nodded. "He found his answer. And I… should move forward too."
Yuna touched her shoulder gently.
"Sometimes, the bravest thing isn't holding on—it's letting go."
Elena took a deep breath. "Starting tomorrow, I'm just the Flame Unit's medic. Nothing more."
She turned away, her silhouette lonely yet unshaken against the night wind.
---
Dawn
Morning came.
Sunlight spilled through the cracked glass, warming the dust and ash.
Lynne, Suri, Kane, Elena, Lane, and Yuna stood together once more—
their weapons ready, their eyes resolute.
Suri looked eastward. "Three days until the Ash Project activates."
Lynne tightened his grip on his weapon.
"Then we make sure E.DEN disappears from the map in three days."
The wind rose again.
The Flame Unit's banner unfurled under the morning sun—
a symbol reborn from fire and ruin.