"You look like you're trying to bore a hole in that stone with your mind," a voice called out.
Edelgard took the hand, a rare, genuine smile breaking through her fatigue. "Then let’s go. There’s a new path to carve, and I’d rather have your blades beside me than anyone else's."
"Just thinking about the last skirmish," Shez replied, catching the stone. "Arval says I’m getting faster, but the shadows in the woods... they felt different today. Heavier."
As they walked toward the stables, the moonlight caught the edge of Shez’s dual blades. The war was far from over, but for the first time, the hope in the title didn't feel like a lie. It felt like a promise.