After confirming that Royce would be fine, Jayden headed back for New Winston.
The helicopter blades cut through the evening sky as Jayden stood near the open side door, staring down at what remained of Cloudbridge City.
From above, the city no longer looked like the proud capital of innovation and strength that it once was. Smoke rose in thick spirals from shattered skyscrapers. Streets were torn apart by impact craters. Entire blocks flickered with unstable power grids. Fires burned unchecked in some districts while emergency sirens wailed helplessly in others. The once brilliant skyline now felt like a battlefield carved by wrath.
Yet something had changed.
Through the haze, Jayden could see aircraft that were not Sovereign Protocol vessels. These were different in shape and formation, moving in disciplined patterns. They intercepted incoming attacks, fired coordinated counterstrikes, and shielded evacuation corridors below.
Royce's soldiers.
They were holding the line.
