The room was darker than usual, the single overhead light flickering as if it couldn't decide whether to stay alive or give up entirely. Cira sat on the edge of her cot, elbows on her knees, staring at the small, battered datapad in her hands. The screen displayed a schematic of the Godhunter base—a network of tunnels and hidden rooms that now felt more fragile than ever.
Her fingers hovered over the screen, but her mind wasn't on the map. The events of the past few months were a blur of mistakes and losses. Aren's scream. Liora's betrayal-filled gaze. The cold realization that life wasn't about being the strongest or the smartest—it was about being responsible when everything went wrong.
Her hearing aids buzzed faintly in the silence, a low hum that kept her grounded. She'd grown used to it, a constant reminder of her vulnerabilities, her humanity.
The door creaked open, and Sienna stepped in, her expression cautious.
«You've been in here all day,» Sienna said, leaning against the frame. Her voice was soft, but there was an edge to it.
«I'm reviewing plans,» Cira replied, her tone flat.
Sienna crossed her arms. «You're isolating yourself. That's not the same thing.»
Cira sighed and set the datapad down. «I'm trying to safe Our Friends, Sienna. Is that enough for you?»
«No,» Sienna said bluntly, stepping further into the room. «It's not enough if you burn yourself out in the process. We're a team, remember? Or did you forget that while you were busy planning to become the martyr?»
Cira shot her a glare but didn't respond. Sienna had a way of cutting through her defenses, and right now, it stung more than usual.
«Look,» Sienna continued, her tone softening. «We all miss them. We all feel like we could've done more. But sitting here and carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders isn't going to fix anything. Talk to us. Let us help.»
Cira rubbed her temples, the ache in her head intensifying. She wanted to snap back, to tell Sienna to leave her alone—but the truth was, Sienna was right.
Before she could respond, there was a knock at the door.
The room fell silent as the knock reverberated through it. Cira exchanged a glance with Sienna before muttering, «Come in.»
The door opened slowly, revealing Evran. His eyes were bloodshot, dark circles etched beneath them like bruises. He stepped inside with a heaviness in his movements, his normally confident posture replaced by something more withdrawn.
«Taros wants us,» he said, his voice hoarse. «There's a meeting in the main hall. He's calling everyone.»
Cira frowned, standing from her cot. «What's it about?»
Evran shrugged, though his expression gave away more than his words. «What do you think? The mission. What we're doing next. How we fix this mess.»
«Are you okay?» Sienna asked Evran, though her tone was cautious.
He gave her a hollow look. «Does it matter? We've got work to do.»
Cira's gut twisted at the sight of him. Evran had always been the steady one—the one who could keep his head even when everything else was falling apart. Seeing him like this was unnerving.
«Let's go,» Cira said, grabbing her jacket and pulling it on. The datapad still sat on the cot, its screen dim now, but her thoughts had already shifted. There wasn't time to dwell—not when Taros had called for them.
Evran lingered in the doorway for a moment, his gaze distant, before he turned and led the way down the hall. The faint hum of the heating system followed them, an oppressive backdrop to their silence.
Sienna broke it first, falling into step beside Cira. «We'll figure this out,» she said, her voice low. «Together.»
Cira didn't reply. Instead, she quickened her pace, the flickering overhead lights casting fleeting shadows as they moved through the base. Whatever Taros had to say, she wasn't sure she was ready to hear it.
The three of them entered the main hall, where a low murmur of voices echoed through the cavernous space. The room was dimly lit, the overhead lights casting long, flickering shadows. A few groups of Godhunters stood scattered around, their faces drawn and tired. Taros stood at the front of the room, leaning on the central table, his expression as stony as ever.
Cira, Sienna, and Evran moved to join Bran, who was standing off to the side with his arms crossed. He gave them a nod but said nothing. The atmosphere was tense, the kind of silence that only followed failure and loss.
Taros raised a hand, and the room quieted.
«Let's get straight to it,» he began, his voice sharp and unwavering. «You all know what happened during the last mission. We succeeded in retrieving Riel, but we lost Aren and Liora in the process. The cost was too high. It's clear we underestimated our enemies. That cannot happen again.»
Cira's chest tightened at his words, but she forced herself to stand still, her hands clenched at her sides.
Taros glanced around the room, his gaze lingering on each of them before continuing. «We've reviewed the mission data, and the truth is simple: we aren't ready to go back for Aren and Liora.»
Her chest tightened, her breath catching in her throat. She blinked, trying to focus, but the words reverberated in her head.
Not ready.
The phrase felt like a slap, a cold declaration that they were abandoning their friends—her friends.
Taros continued, his tone unyielding. «We don't have the manpower or the resources for another assault. The Ascended know we're coming now, and they'll be prepared. Rushing in will only get more of us killed.»
Cira's fists clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. She wanted to speak up, to argue, but the weight of everything—of failure, of loss, of guilt—kept her rooted in silence.
Sienna, standing nearby, shifted uncomfortably. Cira could feel her friend's eyes on her, waiting for her to say something.
Taros's gaze swept over the room, settling briefly on Cira. «This isn't a decision I made lightly. I understand what's at stake. But we can't save anyone if we're dead. For now, our focus is on rebuilding, regrouping, and preparing for the next step.»
Cira barely registered the murmurs of agreement—or disagreement—around her. Her thoughts were a whirlwind of Aren's screams, Liora's betrayal-filled gaze, and the cold, suffocating fear that they might never see them again.
The rest of the meeting blurred together. She caught fragments of Taros' speech, words breaking through the fog in her mind.
«…can't afford to act recklessly…»
«…still assessing the situation…»
«…focus on defending what we have…»
Cira's fists clenched at her sides. It was obvious where this was going, and it made her stomach churn.
Taros continued with outlined plans for bolstering their defenses, recruiting new members, and gathering intelligence on the Ascended's movements. He spoke of strategies, logistics, and timelines, but none of it sank in.
«So, that's it?» Evran voice cut through the quiet, sharp and filled with barely restrained anger. He stepped forward, glaring at Taros. «We're just going to sit here while they suffer? While they might be—»
Taros raised a hand, silencing her. His gaze was firm but weary. «You think I don't want to save them? You think I don't care? We all want them back, Evran. But rushing in without a plan won't bring them home—it'll just get more of us killed.»
Evran opened his mouth to argue, but Sienna put a hand on her arm, shaking her head. The fire in Evran's eyes dimmed slightly, though her jaw was still set in defiance.
Taros turned his attention to the rest of the room. «We'll keep gathering intel. And when we're ready—when we have a real chance at success—we'll make our move. But until then, our priority is survival. Is that clear?»
When the meeting finally ended, the others began to file out, their conversations low and tense. Cira stayed where she was, staring blankly at the maps on the table.
Sienna lingered by her side. «Cira?»
She didn't respond at first, her mind still caught in the echo of Taros's words.
Not ready.
«Cira,» Sienna tried again, her voice softer.
Finally, Cira turned to her, her expression hard. «We're going back,» she said quietly, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion.
Sienna's eyes widened slightly. «What?»
«We're going back,» Cira repeated, more firmly this time. «With or without Taros's blessing.»
Sienna hesitated, glancing toward the door where Taros had disappeared. «Cira, you can't—»
«I can't sit here and do nothing,» Cira interrupted, her voice rising. «Not while they're out there, suffering. If Taros won't act, I will.»
Sienna frowned but didn't argue further. Instead, she sighed and said, «You know I'm with you. Just… think this through, okay?»
Cira nodded, but her thoughts were already racing. Plans, possibilities, risks—she'd sort them out later. Right now, the only thing that mattered was finding a way to save Aren and Liora.
Even if it meant going against orders.