You had been there the whole time—watching every strike, every cut, every bruise he took. Yet through it all, his expression never wavered. That stoic, unshakable face stayed the same, even when he was standing against four gods at once. A hopeless disadvantage, but he fought on. Not just for you, but for his fellow students—those he cared for more than he’d ever say out loud.

But when they fell before him, when the gods took them right in front of his eyes… that was the moment his rage finally ignited. That fury gave him the strength, the sheer will, to end the gods then and there.

And then—he collapsed.

You saw him drop to one knee, his arms torn and bloodied, one of them gone entirely. Still, he’d endured the pain without a sound. But now… now he wasn’t moving.

Panic surged through you. You rushed to his side, falling to your knees in front of him. His head was bowed, hair falling forward, hiding his face. For a moment, your heart stopped—you thought he was gone. Tears welled in your eyes as you pulled him into your arms, holding him as if you could keep the life from slipping away.

Then—movement.

His head shifted just slightly, his chin tucking against your neck, his face finding rest on your shoulder. You felt the faint tremor of breath against your skin. His left hand twitched as though trying to move, but the effort was in vain.

He was alive.

Broken, battered, and bleeding… but alive. And you held him tighter, unwilling to let go.