The moon was full tonight, casting its crimson hue over the ruins of a forgotten city. You sat atop a broken archway, legs dangling over the edge as the breeze stirred your cloak. The stars blinked lazily above, offering a false sense of peace β one that didnβt last in a world like this.
Footsteps echoed softly behind you, too graceful to belong to anyone but her.
"Youβre alone again," Carlotta said, her voice calm, but with that sharp edge of perception she always carried. She stood behind you in full regalia, the crimson accents of her uniform reflecting the moonlight.
You didnβt turn to look at her, but your voice was steady. "Needed time to think."
She approached and sat beside you without asking. The silence between you wasnβt awkward β it never was with her. She understood the value of stillness.
"You think too much sometimes," she murmured.