December 9
1400 Hours
Above the Musk Reef, Deck of the Arkhe
The sea was calm, but the air carried tension—the kind that comes before something violent and irreversible. On the deck of the Arkhe, sailors moved in coordinated chaos, prepping all four catapults for simultaneous launch. Steam hissed from the catapult tracks, deck crews shouted across the noise, and the persistent roar of jets being readied was like the heartbeat of the coming operation.
Far below, in one of the lower-deck pilot quarters, Emilie sat at the edge of her bunk, staring at her phone. Not checking notifications. Not doomscrolling. Just… staring at a single message.
It was from her parents.
"Emilie, please. Text or call us as soon as possible! Some officers from the Air Force came by the other day and told us you were killed! They didn't even give us your dog tag as proof! We believe you're still alive! Please—call or text us. We're terrified."
Her eyes stayed fixed on the message. She hadn't replied. Couldn't reply.
Officially, they were dead.
Killed in action.
She lowered her head, exhaled slowly, and muttered under her breath.
"Fuck... We can't even do anything."
There was a knock at the door.
Emilie stood up, grabbed her helmet, and opened it—ready for the mission brief. But instead of a deck officer or runner, it was Ayaka.
"Ayaka?"
The Inazuman pilot stepped inside and shut the door behind her with a soft click.
"I'm guessing your parents think you're dead too?"
Emilie nodded. "Yeah. Got a message from them. It's... bad."
Ayaka sighed and pulled out her own phone. She showed Emilie the screen—a text message from her brother, Ayato.
"Sis, my commander told me you were KIA. I don't believe that bullshit. Please—call me. Please."
She pocketed the phone without another word.
"We can't even contact them. Not while this op's active. On paper, we're ghosts."
Emilie nodded again. "Right. All we can do now is work in the shadows. At least until our names are cleared."
Then the door opened again. Mona entered quietly, looking just as worn.
"I take it both of you are also presumed dead?" she asked with a grim expression.
They both nodded.
Mona exhaled. "Same. Got word from some old friends in Mondstadt. They're panicking. Think I got caught in a mid-air explosion."
"And your parents?" Emilie asked.
"They think I'm gone. Posted about it online. It's spreading like wildfire."
Emilie rubbed her temples and sighed. "Christ... There's really nothing we can do."
A moment passed in heavy silence before Emilie finally stood up straighter and picked up her helmet.
"Well... come on. We've got a briefing to attend."
The three of them left Emilie's quarters and made their way down the corridor. The lighting flickered slightly—old warship wiring showing its age—and the low hum of turbines echoed beneath the steel floors.
As they entered the briefing room, Captain Gracie, Kaeya, and Mualani were already waiting. Mualani gave a small wave.
"Hey! Glad you all could make it."
Emilie raised an eyebrow, her tone dry. "Glad to be here. Our families, not so much."
Kaeya looked up, his face uncharacteristically somber.
"That's just how it goes. You 'die' in combat, and your death gets passed along to your next of kin. But the truth is... you're not dead."
He walked up to the projector and activated it with a flick of the switch.
"You're ghosts."
The room darkened slightly as Kaeya stepped into briefing mode.
"All right. If no one objects, I'll be taking command of this air operation."
The four pilots nodded in unison. Kaeya nodded back.
"Good. Let's begin.
Today, we launch Operation Solitaire—our mission to extract President Imena from hostile territory. Intel decrypted from old Khaenri'ahn cipher traffic—passed to us via the Capitolium—indicates that the President is being held in an abandoned fortress near Nod-Krai, located at the tri-border junction between southern Khaenri'ah, northern Snezhnaya, and northern Dornman in Mondstadt.
Sea Monster Squadron has been tasked with the direct rescue. They'll be dropping in via helicopter once we secure air superiority around the fortress. Your job is to sweep the skies clean. No hostiles remain airborne—understood?
Once the LZ is confirmed secure, the helicopter will insert our ground team into the fortress. It'll station-keep above the site until the President is safely extracted.
Engage and eliminate any and all enemy forces standing in their way."
Captain Gracie stepped forward then, posture strong, eyes locked on the pilots.
"This is it. Everyone sorties. Everyone comes back. I want a 100% survival rate. Don't make me repeat that."
The four pilots stood, snapped to attention, then grabbed their helmets from the rack.
No one said anything as they turned and exited the briefing room.
They didn't need to.
The mission was clear. The stakes were higher than ever. Their lives, their names, their entire existence now buried beneath layers of black ink and classified files.
But that was the deal.
They were ghosts now.
On the way to the hangars, Mualani sparked a conversation.
"It's an honor to fly with you, Emilie."
Emilie raised an eyebrow.
"An honor? How so?"
Mualani chuckled lightly.
"Feels like I'm flying with a real wingman again."
Her tone shifted. A sigh escaped her lips.
"But… seeing my squadron get killed out there... It hurts."
Emilie placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"You're in good hands now, Mualani. You're under my command."
Mualani gave her a soft glance, nodding.
"You're right... Hard to believe you were just a Second Lieutenant the last time I saw you."
Emilie let out a quiet chuckle.
"Heh, yeah..."
The four pilots arrived at the hangar below deck, where their F-14s were already staged near the carrier's aircraft elevators. They split off toward their respective jets.
Emilie climbed the ladder and dropped into her cockpit. The seat welcomed her like an old friend. The instrument panels were cold and silent—time to bring the bird to life.
She switched the altimeter from STBY to RESET. The display flickered, then went dark, calibrating. She aligned the analog standby attitude indicator with a press of a button.
Her hands moved with trained muscle memory. She flipped the power switches—VDI, HUD, HSD/ECM. The displays blinked to life as systems buzzed with low hums.
She rotated the air source selector to BOTH ENG and reached back to activate the oxygen supply.
Then came the UHF radio—set to GUARD and BOTH—and the TACAN selector to T/R.
She toggled the AFCS system on—pitch, roll, yaw. The control surfaces twitched in confirmation.
All systems green. Final checks complete.
Emilie buckled her harness, sealed her helmet's chin strap, and lowered the canopy. It hissed shut with a heavy clunk, darkening the cockpit as reflections faded from the glass.
Time to light the engines.
She flicked the start switch for the No. 2 engine. The turbine began to spool up—RPM rising.
At 25%, she advanced the throttle from CUTOFF to IDLE. Fuel flow opened, FF and TIT surged, and combustion roared to life.
Then came No. 1. Same process. At 25%, throttle to IDLE. A second thunderous growl filled the air. Both TF30s were alive—growling beasts shackled in steel.
Emilie turned and signaled the ground crew.
Two techs moved swiftly—one disconnecting the external air under the left main gear, the other unplugging ground power beneath the nose. With a slam of the panels and a thumbs up, the jet was ready.
Emilie returned the salute.
The elevator began to rise beneath her, lifting the F-14 to the flight deck.
Her radio crackled to life.
"Points 18, 21, 25—confirm."
"We're good to go!"
"Time to take these birds up!"
As the elevator reached the top, the deck came alive. Steam hissed from the catapults. The first two F-14As launched in sequence, vanishing in blurs of heat and speed.
Emilie reached for the wing sweep lever and pushed it forward. The wings extended to full. She pressed the Master Reset to re-engage automatic sweep mode.
With a gentle push of the throttles, she taxied toward the starboard catapult.
Another Tomcat launched from the port-side cat. Its engines roared as it hurtled forward and lifted off into the sky.
Her radio buzzed again.
"Raven, Catapult Two is yours."
Emilie nodded.
"Roger."
The ground crew guided her into position, signaling for nosewheel alignment.
She rolled forward slowly. Then, hands raised—stop.
She braked gently to a halt.
The launch bar signal came next. Emilie flipped the switch. The nosewheel lowered as the launch bar extended into position.
Crew members rushed in, locking the bar into the shuttle.
"Raise the barriers!"
Emilie ran her controls—stick in slow circles, feet tapping the rudder pedals. Final checks.
A crewman gave her the thumbs-up and moved clear.
Then the call came through.
"Raven, you're cleared for takeoff."
Emilie responded with calm resolve.
"Roger that."
She placed her right hand on the dashboard, returned the ground crew's salute—and then shoved both throttles forward into full afterburner.
The engines screamed.
The catapult fired.
Emilie was slammed back into her seat as her Tomcat surged forward.
Then—weightlessness.
She was airborne.
Her hand slid back to the stick. She pulled up gently, then reached for the gear lever.
Thud. Gear up and locked.
The radio chimed again.
"Raven, altitude restriction lifted. Proceed with your mission. Come back in one piece."
Emilie smirked.
"Thanks, Arkhe. See you tonight."
The F-14s reformed in the sky, gathering into a tight formation.
They banked northward—toward Khaenri'ah.
One hour later.
Four F-14A Tomcats soared low across the snow-covered terrain—only 400 feet above ground level.
Ayaka keyed her radio.
"Captain Mualani, I'll be at your six o'clock. It's good to fly with you again, ma'am."
Mualani smiled beneath her mask and nodded.
"Thanks, Ayaka. It's been a long time since I flew in formation."
Ayaka responded with a soft chuckle.
"Yeah… Back during the first battle after the war began. Defending the carrier fleet at Lumidouce Port. Herring—uh, Captain Teppei—told me you yelled at him for getting in your way, right? I was still in reserve at the time."
Mualani laughed.
"Oh, I remember. That day was a mess. My emotions got the better of me. Not just me, though—everyone."
Then another voice cut in over the radio. Calm. Collected.
It was Kaeya.
"Wolfsbane... or Emberhowl—whatever your call sign is now—the castle should be in your sights."
Emilie narrowed her eyes, peering through the canopy.
"I have visual."
Below them lay a haunting sight: scorched earth, the snow never quite settling properly.
"Damn... One of the seven nuclear bombs Khaenri'ah dropped. One of them hit here... This is Ground Zero."
Kaeya continued, his tone grim but composed.
"Right. Anyway—take out the air defenses in the castle. Then report to Sea Monster. Don't leave anything standing."
"Roger." Emilie pushed her throttles forward to military power.
"Emberhowl One—engaging."
One by one, the rest followed:
"Emberhowl Two—Starseer, engaging."
"Emberhowl Three—Tempest, engaging."
"Emberhowl Four—Soumetsu, engaging."
Emilie keyed her radio again.
"Everyone, disperse. Hit any ground vehicles and air defenses you see."
The four F-14As broke formation, fanning out across the area of operations.
Emilie nosed her Tomcat down in a shallow dive. Her IFF display lit up—AA guns and SAM sites peppered the landscape.
She acquired her first target.
Lock.
Tone.
"Fox Two!"
A Sidewinder screamed off the rail, trailing smoke.
Emilie pulled up sharply, climbing over the castle's outer walls and rolling right to avoid terrain.
Boom. Direct hit—the SAM site erupted, flinging snow and debris into the air.
Her radio crackled.
"This is Sea Monster. Is Captain Megistus there too?"
Mona's voice chimed in, warm and amused.
"I remember you. You're the ones who pulled me out of the sandstorm."
Emilie lined up for another pass—this time over the castle's front courtyard. Two anti-air guns came into view.
Lock.
Tone.
"Fox Two! Fox Two!"
Two Sidewinders launched, streaking downwards. Emilie yanked back on the stick, slamming her throttles to full afterburner. The twin TF30s roared as her Tomcat soared upward.
Impact. Both AA guns were vaporized in a plume of fire and snow.
Sea Monster came back on comms, grinning audibly.
"That helicopter ride was smooth, eh, Captain Megistus? Say—why not transfer here? It's peaceful."
Mona chuckled.
"No thanks... bro."
A round of whistles erupted from the Sea Monster crew.
"Ooooh! Friend-zoned!"
"Tough luck, buddy!"
Then another voice chimed in.
"Hey... where's that motormouth? He's been quiet today."
Emilie's breath caught in her throat.
"...He... He's no longer with us."
A heavy silence followed.
No one replied.
She clenched the stick tighter. Shook it off.
Eyes narrowing, she made another tight turn, diving for the final AA gun stationed near the rear courtyard.
Lock.
Tone.
"Fox Two!"
The missile streaked away.
Emilie pulled into a steep climb once more.
Boom. Direct hit. The last gun was gone—only scorched snow remained.
She scanned her IFF again.
No more hostile contacts.
"All anti-air defenses destroyed. Sea Monster, you're up."
"Just in time! We're hovering over the drop zone now."
"Haley's crew—get ready! Look sharp! You're meeting Ma'am Imena today!"
One of the crew groaned.
"Man... First a sandstorm, now a frozen mountain range. Why can't we get a tropical island for once?"
The four F-14As circled the castle, maintaining overwatch from all sides.
Then, over the radio:
"Alright, crew! Jump! Jump! Save our President!"
Above the castle, the rescue helicopter hovered low. One by one, the rescue team leapt from the aircraft, parachutes opening as they descended into the castle courtyard below.
Then—another voice.
Kaeya came through the comms.
"You've got a ground battalion inbound!"
Mona's eyes flicked to her radar. Her voice turned sharp.
"I see it! A full battalion moving fast on the highway, westbound!"
Ayaka chimed in a second later.
"Tanks and APCs are closing in near the castle!"
She paused, then keyed her mic again.
"Emilie, shall we disperse?"
"Negative," Emilie replied firmly. "Maintain pressure around the castle. Keep them from getting close."
"Roger. Continuing mission!" Ayaka acknowledged.
Emilie inverted her F-14A, diving into a steep attack angle. Snow-capped battlements spun in her peripheral vision as she leveled her jet out of the roll, aiming straight down the castle's front approach.
Her radar painted a hostile—a Khaenri'ahn T-90 tank.
Lock...
Tone...
"Fox Two, Fox Two!"
Two AIM-9 Sidewinders leapt from their rails under her wings, trailing white-hot smoke as they screamed toward the armored target.
She yanked back hard on the stick, pulling the nose up with a 5G climb and rolling left in a wide arc to reengage.
Impact.
A fiery blossom erupted below. The tank exploded violently, flinging blackened metal into the air like twisted confetti.
Across the battlefield—
Mualani was lining up on the main column—the Khaenri'ahn ground battalion crawling down the highway.
"The stonework on this castle is incredible," a voice from the Sea Monster team mused on the open channel.
"Can't believe it survived a nuclear blast."
"Ground Zero's just a few klicks away," another replied. "Guess they built this place tougher than we thought."
A sterner voice cut in.
"Rescue team! Stay focused!"
Mualani flicked her weapons selector to the GBU-12 Paveway II. Her HUD lit up with the drop cue—laser designation active.
She lined up.
"Bon voyage! Enjoy your delivery!" she muttered, thumb depressing the release.
Her Tomcat pitched up into a roaring afterburner climb as the 500-pound bomb silently dropped.
Impact.
The GBU hit an APC dead-on. The vehicle burst into a towering column of smoke and fire. The entire convoy slammed brakes, skidding to a halt in a confused, tangled mess.
Another F-14 screamed downward.
Mona's jet came in low and fast, lining up from the northwest.
"You're all mine."
She squeezed the trigger.
Release.
Another GBU detached and arced down.
The detonation split the convoy in two—half isolated from the other. Flames licked through wrecked armor. Panic spread through enemy comms.
Back near the castle, Ayaka and Emilie continued to clean up what remained.
Emilie: "Four tanks and two APCs down on my end."
Ayaka: "Two of each. Area's thinning out."
Then the radio lit up again.
"Emberhowl, sitrep?" came the call from Sea Monster.
Emilie keyed her mic, checking her RWR for new threats.
"So far, so good. Ground battalion's halted on the highway."
The rescue team inside the castle replied, breath short and urgent.
"Roger that, Raven. We're nearing the president's cell. Stand by for extract."
Mualani's voice came over the net, low and wary.
"They've spotted us by now. Expect Khaenri'ahn air assets in the air any moment."
Emilie smirked.
"Let 'em come."
As if on cue, Ayaka's voice cut in, sharp.
"Multiple bandits inbound—SU-47 Berkuts. Three of them!"
Emilie's tone hardened.
"Bring them on."
Far in the distance, a deep thud echoed—the final GBU from Mualani flattened the last enemy vehicle in the convoy.
"All ground targets in the battalion destroyed!" Mualani confirmed.
Emilie keyed her mic once more.
"Alright. Let's see how well they can fly."
She shoved her throttles forward—afterburners igniting in twin blue flames. Her Tomcat surged ahead to intercept.
Up ahead—an SU-47 bore down on her. Closing fast. Head-to-head.
Nose to nose.
Her targeting computer began to chirp.
Lock...
Tone...
"Fox Two! Fox Two!"
A Sidewinder screamed from the rail.
Impact.
The SU-47 vanished in a flash of fire and debris. Emilie's jet tore through the cloud of smoke and flame, black paint gleaming in the inferno.
"Raven—splash one!"
She banked hard—90 degrees right—rolling into a 180 to pursue the next contact.
The remaining SU-47s broke off in opposite directions. One to the left. One to the right.
Emilie rolled sharply left, chasing the one that broke formation.
The dogfight had begun.
The two planes weaved through the skies, matching each other's maneuvers with relentless precision.
The SU-47 rolled left. Emilie countered, rolling her F-14 to the right, anticipating its next move.
Each time their flight paths crossed, Emilie let off short bursts from her M61 Vulcan. Tracers streaked past—some found their mark. A few rounds thudded into the Berkut's fuselage.
Then, the SU-47 suddenly pulled into a steep vertical climb.
Emilie followed aggressively.
It reversed course—snapping into a vertical dive.
Without hesitation, Emilie throttled to idle and yanked the stick back. Her Tomcat pitched into a matching dive. The wings and airframe groaned, but she held firm.
"I love this bird," she muttered. "I can push myself harder in this."
Throttle back to full afterburner. Her descent continued as she leveled out low over the water.
Lock.
Tone.
"Fox Two! Fox Two!"
Twin Sidewinders launched from their rails, spiraling away in pursuit.
The Berkut tried to jink right, but it was too late. Both missiles struck—one in the tail, the other in the wing.
The enemy jet pitched violently into an unrecoverable spin before slamming into the water.
"Raven, splash one!"
Emilie banked hard right, rolling into a wide 180. Her black F-14 cut through the smoke and vapor.
Another SU-47 was pulling hard across the sky—but this time, it had a shadow.
Mualani.
"You're not getting away from me, you bastard!" she growled, chasing it down like a predator. Her Tomcat howled at the edge of its flight envelope as she tested the limits of its newer control systems.
The two jets twisted and looped through the sky. The Berkut had moves—but so did Mualani.
Then, both snapped into a vertical climb.
The SU-47 stalled at the apex.
Mualani didn't hesitate.
Lock.
Tone.
"Fox Two! Fox Two!"
Two Sidewinders streaked away.
She yanked the stick back hard, snapping her jet over into a steep dive.
Behind her, a fireball bloomed in the sky—the Berkut had taken a direct hit, its fuselage splitting in half mid-air.
"Tempest has shanked the target! Yahoo!"
Kaeya's voice came over the comms.
"The Khaenri'ahn SU-47s are gone. Nice work, Wolfsbane!"
Then, a call from the rescue team on the ground:
"Emberhowl, how's our helicopter? Is it still flying?"
Emilie glanced at her IFF.
"Still hovering over the castle. You're clear for now."
"Thanks! It's our limousine home!"
But Mualani's voice cut in.
"Hey—two more SU-47s just popped up!"
Kaeya keyed his mic.
"Khaenri'ahn aces. Be careful!"
The two enemy jets dove toward the castle, guns blazing.
"We're being pinned down here!" the rescue team radioed in. "Glass is falling on us!"
"Emberhowl!" Ayaka called out. "We need you to destroy part of the wall—south side!"
Emilie replied quickly, "Roger! Soumetsu, it's all on you. Tempest and I will deal with the Berkut pair."
Ayaka responded, "Roger. Engaging."
Mualani keyed her mic and shouted toward the enemy.
"Hey! You fucking Berkuts! Aim for us, not the damn castle! We're right here!"
The two enemy fighters broke away—splitting in opposite directions.
Emilie chased the one veering left.
Mualani peeled off after the right.
Over the comms, the enemy frequency crackled to life.
"They don't look like much. Just amateurs."
"Let's show them what real aces can do."
Emilie rolled and banked, chasing the Berkut in a vicious dance through the sky.
Suddenly, the SU-47 pitched its nose sharply upward.
A Cobra.
"Shit," Emilie muttered, "It's on my six!"
The Berkut was now chasing her.
She weaved through the clouds, evading a lock.
Then Mualani came over the radio. "Shit! It pulled the same move on me!"
Emilie made a decision.
"Tempest—intersect my flight path!"
There was a pause. "Wh-What?!"
"Trust me!"
Emilie jammed her throttles into full afterburner, diving straight toward Mualani's vector.
Mualani did the same.
Their Tomcats screamed toward each other. Dangerously close.
Then Emilie reached for the wing sweep lever—snapping it to full forward sweep.
The wings extended. Her F-14A slowed just enough.
She yanked the stick.
The nose of her Tomcat pitched sharply upward—practically stalling.
The chasing SU-47 pilot reflexively looked up, distracted for a split second.
That's when Emilie killed her right engine.
The right wing dropped suddenly—inducing a yaw.
Mualani, coming head-on, banked sharply right.
The two enemy Berkut pilots never saw it coming.
Collision.
Mid-air.
A brilliant fireball burst across the sky. Wreckage rained down.
Mualani glanced back. "Ho—Holy shit! RAVEN!"
Emilie steadied her aircraft, heart pounding.
"YES! That actually worked!"
Then—another blast.
Ayaka's two GBU bombs hit the castle wall precisely where needed.
Her F-14A climbed steeply, disappearing into the clouds.
"Thanks, Wolfsbane!" the rescue team radioed. "The helicopter has landed. We're boarding now!"
"Ensure the president is strapped in securely," Emilie called back.
Mona chimed in.
"Hurry up! Who knows if another wave of Berkuts is on the way."
On the enemy frequency, panic erupted.
"The Teyvat president has escaped!"
"Don't let her get away! Take the helicopter down!"
"Damn it!"
Inside the chopper, the crew secured the doors.
"We're set! Get us outta here!"
The pilot nodded. "Right. Lifting off."
The helicopter began to climb, nose pitching forward to gain airspeed while steadily ascending into the sky.
The radio crackled again—it was the President herself.
"Is that you? The lady with the pretty voice?"
Emilie blinked, momentarily caught off guard, then keyed her mic.
"Uh… which one, Madam President?"
A light laugh followed.
"All of you."
The helicopter banked to the south, heading toward Musk Reef. Below, the coastline faded away. Above and behind it, four F-14A Tomcats formed up in escort, trailing the VIP transport like watchful hawks.
A few moments passed.
"This is Sea Monster," came a voice over comms. "We've left the area of operations. Mission accomplished, everyone."
Imena's voice returned, calm but warm.
"Everyone… thank you. I appreciate all of your hard work and dedication."
There was a pause, then her voice carried a hint of curiosity.
"By the way… all of your voices sounded familiar. Are you… Wolfsbane?"
Emilie hesitated, then replied.
"Yes. But… we're no longer Wolfsbane."
Another pause. A softer, more knowing tone followed.
"I see… I think I understand why. Still… I owe you all. Deeply."
The helicopter and its four F-14A escorts pressed southbound—past the smoke trails and fading echoes of battle.
Back toward Musk Reef.
Back toward the Arkhe.
They continued southbound for another hour.
Night had settled over the sea—quiet, vast, and endless.
Before long, the silhouette of the Arkhe appeared on the horizon, bathed in the soft glow of carrier deck lights.
Three of the F-14s had already landed.
Emilie was the last.
She was five miles out, already established on final approach.
The carrier tower came through on comms.
"Raven, double-check your landing checklist. You're cleared to land."
Emilie gave a firm nod, though she didn't reply. Her eyes were focused.
She ran through the checklist once more.
Gear down—three green. Locked.
Flaps—full.
Hook—down.
Throttle—steady.
She adjusted her pitch ever so slightly, guiding the Tomcat through the darkness, focused on glide slope and centerline.
Her hands were calm.
Her alignment—perfect.
"You're perfect, Raven. Right on the money," came a voice from the LSO station.
Closer.
And closer.
Then—
Touchdown.
The wheels slammed onto the deck.
Screech—thump.
The arresting hook caught the third wire—solid.
Without hesitation, Emilie slammed the throttles into full afterburner per carrier landing protocol.
The F-14A roared briefly, then came to a dead stop.
She idled the throttles and exhaled.
"Perfect three-wire, Raven! Nicely done!" Tower called.
The hook snapped back into place. Emilie retracted the flaps, then swept the wings back to full. She taxied to the parking spot near the elevator, rolled to a stop, and flipped the canopy switch.
With the canopy rising, she pulled the parking brake lever, throttled back to cut-off, and listened as the TF30 engines spooled down.
Silence took over.
She unlatched her harness, removed her helmet, and climbed down the ladder.
Waiting for her were Mualani, Ayaka, and Mona.
Mualani grinned and waved. "Hey! We did great out there!"
Emilie smiled. "Heh, yeah, we did."
Mona raised a fist. "Come on! Let's go see the President—she's up by the bridge!"
The four broke into a run across the deck, the wind sweeping past them as they rushed up the stairwell to the carrier's island.
By the time they reached the bridge, President Imena was already there, speaking with the Arkhe's captain, Gracie, and Kaeya—who stood nearby with a coffee in hand.
Imena turned and spotted them.
"Ah. There's our Aces."
She stepped forward and gave them a sharp salute.
Emilie, Mona, Mualani, and Ayaka snapped to attention.
"Ma'am!" they said in unison.
Imena chuckled. "Alright, you four. At ease."
They relaxed.
The President walked closer.
"You all did great out there. Watching you in action… it showed me just how much heart and discipline you carry."
She glanced briefly at Kaeya, then looked back at them.
"I was briefed about everything. I know it hurts—to be declared dead, even when you're not. But I want you to know something."
She paused. Her tone grew more resolute.
"You did something for me tonight. Now I'll do something for you. After this war is over, I will clear your names. That's a promise."
"But first—we end this war. As fast as we can."
She smiled gently.
"You've all earned a rest. Go get some sleep. Tomorrow… we start fresh."
The four pilots nodded, turned on their heels, and descended from the bridge—heading down toward the berthing areas below deck.
Their first flight as Emberhowl was complete.
And so too…
Was their last flight…
As Wolfsbane.