Serra's face crumpled. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked at her fallen comrades, at the warriors who'd fought and bled and died trying to slow The Reaper. "I'm sorry," she choked out. "I'm sorry for being weak. We couldn't even scratch him."
"You're not weak," Lilith replied firmly, her four wings folding back in a gesture of respect. "It's just that this is an opponent you can't handle yet. Your strength is still growing. His has been growing for three hundred years. It's not about weakness—it's about timing. You'll get stronger. You'll face opponents like this someday. But that day is not today."
The Valkyrie Squad nodded, tears streaming down their faces, pride and shame mixing in equal measure. "Thank you, Commander Lilith," Serra managed. "Thank you to all of you. Please... please win. Don't let him destroy our home."
"We'll try," Veronica said. "That's all any of us can promise. But we'll try with everything we have."
