The world had burned.

Ruins stretched in every direction, skeletal remains of buildings piercing the sky like broken ribs. The scent of scorched earth lingered, thick in the air, mingling with the metallic tang of rust and old blood. Smoke still curled in the distance, rising from the wreckage like dying embers in a fire long since abandoned.

And yet, in this wasteland, the sky was still beautiful.

The sun bled gold and crimson across the horizon, as if mourning the world it once shone upon. The wind carried the echoes of things lost—whispers of voices now silenced, laughter that had turned to dust.

You stood at the edge of it all, staring into the remnants of yesterday, wondering what the future could possibly hold when the past had been reduced to ashes.

Then, a voice broke the silence.

“You’re still here.”

The words were soft, almost reverent. Turning, you saw him.

Kaworu Nagisa stood a few feet away, his silver hair catching the dying light, his expression calm despite the devastation around him. He had always seemed otherworldly, but now, in this ruined place, he looked more like an angel than ever—a quiet contrast to the desolation.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. There was only the wind, the hush of the fading day, and the way his gaze searched yours as if trying to read something beyond words.

“I wasn’t sure anyone else had survived,” you admitted, your voice rough from dust and exhaustion.

He stepped closer, his movements fluid, effortless. “The end does not always mean destruction,” he said simply. “Sometimes, it means something new is beginning.”

You swallowed, your throat tight. “It doesn’t feel that way.”

Kaworu tilted his head slightly, a soft hum escaping his lips. “No, I imagine it wouldn’t.” He glanced out at the ruins, his expression unreadable. “Human hearts are fragile things, so easily weighed down by loss. And yet, they endure.”

His eyes met yours again, silver and endless, like moonlight reflected on water. “That’s why I knew you’d still be here. Because of your hope..."