Invisible Scars

The light of the Heart of Aeterion faded slowly, leaving behind a solemn silence. The hall returned to stillness, as if nothing had happened. Only our heavy breathing testified to what we had accomplished.
Aria stared at her arm, tears in her eyes, moving it awkwardly like a child learning to walk. Every gesture she made was a mix of disbelief and relief.
“It’s real…” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I got it back.”
Everyone gathered around her. Nara gave a weak smile. “I have to admit, I never thought it would work. But…” —she looked at me seriously— “Kaoru, what did you give?”
I wanted to answer, but the truth was, I didn’t know either. Inside me was a void, a feeling of loss I couldn’t describe. It didn’t hurt, but it was as if a part of me that had always been there had been taken away.
“It doesn’t matter,” I finally said, forcing a smile. “What matters is that Aria is whole again.”
Lysbeth frowned, unconvinced. “Sacrifices like that are never so simple. Sooner or later, we’ll find out.”
Aria took my hand firmly. “Whatever it is, we won’t face it alone.”
I shivered at the warmth of her new hand in mine. For her, any price was worth paying.

---
The journey back to the castle was different. Though exhausted, there was a new energy among us. For the first time since Piko’s death, we smiled without guilt. Even Rei, always somber, seemed lighter.
“I guess we’ll have to endure Aria’s teasing again when she messes up in training,” Nara said, laughing softly.
Aria shot her a mock-indignant look. “And what about your fire spears that always end up singeing someone in the group?”
We all laughed, and the sound felt like a balm. I felt Piko close, as if her sacrifice were shining through these moments of joy.
But the emptiness inside me did not disappear. At night, when I closed my eyes, I noticed a strange echo in my soul, as if something unknown were watching me from within. I didn’t tell anyone. Not yet.

---
When we arrived at the castle, the gates swung wide open. Cicilia waited for us, and upon seeing Aria with both arms, she covered her mouth in disbelief.
“By the gods!” she exclaimed, running toward her. “How did you manage it?”
Aria raised her arm with a radiant smile. “The Heart of Aeterion… kept its promise.”
The knights and servants erupted in cheers. The news spread like wildfire: the princess had recovered what seemed impossible. That night, the castle filled with music and feasts in our honor.
Yet I could not fully enjoy it. While everyone toasted, I felt my body grow heavier. The echo within me grew, like a distant whisper I could not understand.
I stepped away from the celebration and went out onto the balcony, seeking air. The starry sky stretched above me, vast and cold.
“Does it hurt?” Aria’s voice made me turn. She approached slowly, still wearing the ceremonial robe given to her at the feast.
“It’s not pain…” I admitted. “It’s something different. Like there’s a hole inside me that I don’t know how to fill.”
She looked at me tenderly, placing her hand over my chest. “Then I will fill it. Whatever you have lost, you will not face it alone.”
I held her tightly, fearing for a moment that if I let go, she would disappear. Aria was my anchor, my reason to keep moving forward.
Inside the castle, laughter and music echoed. Outside, under the stars, I felt that the true challenge was only beginning. The sacrifice I had made had not yet revealed its true cost… and something told me we would discover it very soon.