GRIT x AND x GRATITUDE
⟢───── Ashes × Aether ─────⟣
DEPTH-17 — HELIONITE CHAMBER
Colt tried to stand.
His breath hitched. His leg went out. The bone shifted under his skin with a sick crack that made the guards wince.
He forced it again.
Same result.
Kyro stepped in, no words.
He pressed two fingers to Colt’s ankle — said a soft prayer — and a muted gold-white light spread across Colts boot. It wrapped the limb like a brace forged out of aether.
Colt sucked in air, bracing for pain.
Then blinked.
It was gone.
His leg hadn't been healed but the feeling had been completely numbed.
"Four days." Kyro said flat. "Four days to get yourself back to Seven."
Colt swallowed hard. "Four days is plenty.. I can make it.”
“You have no choice,” Kyro said.
Kyro didn’t comfort Colt.
He moved on.
Across the chamber, the others had returned to work. Guards resetting extraction anchors, geologists securing the fallen Helionite shard with trembling hands, Aria wiping dust off her scanner.
Only Buck stood still.
Blank.
Breathing uneven.
Eyes not following anything in the room.
That was enough.
Kyro raised his voice just enough for it to carry.
“We’re done going forward,” he said. “Collect the core and we're done. Depth Seven extraction route.”
No one argued. In fact for a brief moment, you could feel relief in the air.
Lisa and Aria locked clamps around the shard. A guard checked the ceiling for loose stone. Someone muttered a half-prayer under their breath.
Kyro pointed at Colt.
“Four guards with him. You leave first.”
The guards moved instantly, forming a shield around Colt without comment. Mae slid under his arm to stabilize his balance.
Colt tried to lighten the moment.
“Maybe don't tell my dad about this part but if anyone asks, tell them the rock looked worse than me.”
Mae didn’t laugh.
Kyro placed a hand on Colt’s shoulder— brief, sincere, final.
“When the pain hits again, you keep moving. Crawl if you have to. Don’t stop.”
He held Colt’s eyes.
“What you did for Mae… I’m grateful to stand beside you.”
Kyro gave the shoulder one last press.
“Now make it home, kid.”
A humble smile formed across Colt's face as he let out a genuine chuckle he didn't know was holding.
"I never got to actually introduce myself earlier, but my names Colt. Just Colt."
"Nice to meet you, Colt." Kyro shared a warm smile before turning to the others.
"The remaining crew, follow up behind Colts crew. No one gets left—"
A brief pause.
"—Buck, with me and Kit"
The chamber went quiet, then the bodies moved out.
Before everyone was out of sight, Kit shouted out.
Just enough weight to reach everyone’s chest.
"See you on the other side!"
Mae nodded.
Aria managed a tiny half-smile.
Colt threw a thumb up over his shoulder without stopping.
Their footsteps faded into the tunnel.
Kyro barely blinked.
His attention was still on Buck…
⟢───── Ashes × Aether ─────⟣