The field was empty by the time training ended.
Only the fading light remained.
Liebe stayed.
He didn’t know why.
Maybe— he was waiting.
“…You’re late to leave.”
Aurelion’s voice.
Behind him.
Liebe didn’t turn.
“…You said I fight tomorrow.”
A pause.
“I don’t know how.”
Silence.
Steps.
Aurelion stopped рядом.
“Then you learn now.”
No hesitation.
No comfort.
Just truth.
Liebe exhaled slowly.
“…You said you’ve seen it before.”
Aurelion didn’t answer immediately.
For once— he didn’t look at the field.
“…Yes.”
A pause.
“There was someone.”
Liebe turned slightly.
“Someone… stronger than me.”
Aurelion’s gaze shifted.
Far.
Past the present.
“My brother.”
The word hung in the air.
“…He was everything the Order wanted.”
“No hesitation.”
A short pause.
“And I still lost him.”
Liebe frowned.
“…How?”
Silence.
Then—
“Because I didn’t understand the enemy.”
Aurelion’s voice dropped.
Not softer.
Just… heavier.
“There are things in this world that don’t fight like us.”
A beat.
“They don’t follow rules.”
A shadow crossed his expression.
“…She was one of them.”
Liebe’s chest tightened.
“Who?”
Aurelion finally looked at him.
“Her name is Alice.”
The air felt colder.
“She doesn’t kill the way others do.”
A pause.
“She takes.”
Liebe didn’t move.
“…Takes?”
“People.”
Simple.
Cold.
“Strength.”
“Light.”
“Will.”
Aurelion’s hand clenched slightly.
“My brother didn’t die.”
“He was taken.”
The words landed harder than anything before.
Liebe felt it.
“…And you couldn’t stop it?”
A pause.
“No.”
That was all.
But it said enough.
Aurelion turned away.
“She appears where the weak hesitate.”
His voice hardened.
“Where control breaks.”
A beat.
“And she doesn’t leave anything the same.”
Silence.
Liebe looked down at his hand.
At the faint memory of light.
“…If I lose control…”
Aurelion cut him off.
“You won’t lose.”
Not comforting.
Certain.
“Because I won’t allow it.”
A pause.
“Tomorrow decides if you’re worth teaching.”
He stepped away.
“…Don’t hesitate.”
And then— he was gone.
Liebe stood alone.
The field quiet.
But now— he understood something else.
This world wasn’t just dangerous.
It watched.
And it took.