The medical bay of the Command Base was silent.
Samantha slept, stabilized.
The wound was deep, but Patricia and Amina had managed to stop the infection and close the bleeding with the help of League-issued resources.
Claudia and Camila took turns at her bedside.
Helena kept the communication channels with Marco Norte open.
Marie carefully cleaned the dried blood from weapons and cloaks.
—
Kael, alone in the Investigation Room, examined the fragments recovered from the profanos.
Ordinary clothing.
Crude weapons.
But there was something in their eyes… even after death.
A trace.
A strange ember.
Something not of this world.
—
He activated the advanced scanner.
The response was immediate:
> "Anomalous residue detected.
Type: Extradimensional interference.
Level: Medium risk, expanding."
Kael closed his eyes for a moment.
Then recorded a new log.
—
> "Day 8.2.104.
Entry: Post-Combat.
Patterns of Abyss influence now detectable in profano bodies.
No doubt: the enemy has begun to contaminate mortals.
Motive still unknown.
But we won't wait for the next strike."
—
At the end of the day, Kael entered the infirmary.
He stood silently beside Samantha, who slept under a sedative.
He sat next to her bed.
And whispered:
— You fought like the ancients.
— And you lived like one of us.
He didn't speak as a commander.
He spoke as someone who had started it all alone.
And now… was no longer alone.
—
The silent war was now personal.
And Kael, the Stone, would not let time give way to forgetfulness.