To Sin Is Divine

"When a war ends, all that's left is what you protected."

—Kael Draven

The moon hung low over Velharem.

Its light touched the cracked rooftops and silent battlefields, now blooming with the first signs of regrowth. The seven Bearers stood around a dim campfire in the cathedral ruins, their armor shed, weapons laid aside.

Tomorrow, they would march north.

Tonight… they remembered who they were fighting for.

Zayne

Zayne sat cross-legged, quietly healing a stray kitten that had limped into the firelight.

"Think we'll all make it back?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Ten grunted. "No."

Zayne blinked. "…Cheerful."

"But," Ten added, "that's what makes it worth doing."

Zayne smiled faintly. "You're getting more poetic. That's a bad sign."

Serah & Ren

Serah was sharpening her sword. Again.

Ren leaned against a pillar beside her, spinning his coin.

"You ever think about what you'll do if you live?" he asked.

Serah didn't look up. "Try to live."

Ren chuckled. "Maybe I'll open a bakery. Sell truth-flavored cookies."

She paused.

"Call it 'The Generous Bite.'"

Ren grinned. "That's… better than I expected."

Serah finally smiled. "You're better than you expect."

He blinked, stunned for once into silence.

Ten

Ten stood apart from the others, watching the stars.

Kael approached him, offering a drink.

Ten took it without a word.

"You ever stop moving now?" Kael asked.

Ten shrugged. "Still trying."

Kael nodded. "That's enough."

They didn't speak again.

They didn't need to.

Elyan

Elyan sat by the fire, rosary in hand.

But he wasn't praying.

He was listening—to the others, to the wind, to the future creeping in like frost.

"I used to think peace meant silence," he said quietly. "Now I know it just means everyone else gets to speak."

Kael looked at him.

"And what do you want to say?"

Elyan smiled.

"Thank you. All of you. For not letting me disappear into obedience."

Kael

Later that night, Kael stood alone at the balcony of the ruined cathedral, staring toward the north—toward Lucien.

Serah joined him.

"You afraid?" she asked.

Kael nodded. "Every minute."

She leaned against the railing.

"You should be."

Kael looked at her.

"What if he's right?" he asked. "What if I'm just another version of him?"

Serah stared out at the stars.

"You aren't him," she said. "Because when we broke… you carried us."

Closing Scene

As the fire burned low, the seven gathered together—just as they had on the first night after fleeing the Church.

No speeches. No battle cries.

Just presence.

Kael broke a piece of bread and passed it around.

They each took a bite, in silence.

Then Kael stood, blade in hand.

"Tomorrow," he said, "we face the last Mirror."

"The one that isn't just meant to kill us…"

"It's meant to replace us."