Episode 8 — Echoes

Rain fell in quiet sheets over Delpolis.

For the first time in days—Agira wasn’t training.

No fire.

No control drills.

Just silence.

And memory.

---

Aria.

Time hadn’t faded her.

It had sharpened her.

She used to laugh softly—like she didn’t want to disturb the world. Her hands were always cold, no matter the season. She’d complain about it, then hold onto him anyway.

Like warmth was something she could borrow.

---

The night she died—

never came gently.

No chaos.

No miracle.

Just a hospital that refused to treat her.

Payment first.

Life second.

---

He remembered holding her hand.

Feeling it grow colder.

Watching her eyes lose focus—

while the city outside kept moving.

---

No alarms.

No outrage.

Just another life—

that didn’t matter enough.

---

Everything after that—

the heists.

the precision.

the name Agira—

had been built over that moment.

Not to move forward.

But to avoid looking back.

---

Then—

a sound.

Sharp.

Violent.

Wrong.

---

Agira’s head snapped up.

Outside.