Darkness surrounded David.
He couldn't remember how long he had been there.
There was no ground beneath his feet, no sky overhead, and no sense of time passing. Only an endless darkness that seemed to stretch in every direction.
At first, there was nothing.
Then he heard a voice.
It was faint, almost too distant to recognize.
Someone was calling his name.
"David..."
He tried to turn toward it, but his body wouldn't respond.
Another voice followed.
"Come on, D. You've kept us waiting long enough."
Castiel?
David struggled to focus.
The darkness began to shift.
Fragments of memories appeared around him.
A battlefield covered in broken stone.
The crimson glow of Vireth's weapon.
A terrible pain tearing through his shoulder.
And Nyra.
Her silver-white hair lay across his arm as he held her against his chest. Blood stained her uniform, and her breathing had grown frighteningly weak.
He remembered her looking up at him.
Remembered the words they had exchanged.
The confession he had waited too long to make.
Then her eyes closed.
David reached toward her.
"Nyra..."
The memory began to fade.
"No..."
He tried to move, desperate to reach her before the darkness swallowed everything.
"Nyra!"
His eyes flew open.
"NYRA!"
David jolted upright.
A sharp pain exploded through his shoulder, forcing a strangled gasp from his throat.
The room around him was bright.
White walls.
Medical equipment.
Sunlight pouring through a large window.
For a moment, he couldn't understand where he was.
He tried to move again.
"Nyra!"
"David!"
Someone grabbed his uninjured arm.
"D, stop! You're going to hurt yourself!"
David turned.
Castiel stood beside the bed, his gray-white hair disheveled and his face drawn with exhaustion.
David stared at him.
"Cass?"
"Yeah. It's me."
Castiel carefully guided him back against the pillows.
"Easy, D. You're safe."
David looked around.
Lucian stood near the foot of the bed, already moving closer.
Mira rose from a chair beside the window.
June sat upright so suddenly that he winced and grabbed the injured area near his shoulder.
All four wore bandages.
David could see the signs of injuries beneath their uniforms, along with the exhaustion in their faces.
But they were alive.
He looked from one to another.
Then his expression changed.
"Where's Nyra?"
Nobody answered.
David searched the room.
There were chairs scattered around the bed, blankets draped over their backs, and personal belongings resting on a nearby table.
But Nyra wasn't there.
"Where is she?"
Castiel's grip loosened.
"D..."
David looked directly at him.
"Where's Nyra, Cass?"
Castiel's expression tightened.
Lucian lowered his eyes.
Mira stood motionless beside the window.
June looked away.
The silence frightened David more than anything they could have said.
"No."
He shook his head.
"No, she's..."
His voice faltered.
He remembered the battlefield.
The blood.
Her hand slipping from his.
But some desperate part of him had hoped those memories were wrong.
That perhaps he had dreamed them.
That he would look toward the door and see Nyra walking into the room.
David stared at Castiel.
"Please."
Castiel sat on the edge of the chair beside him.
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"She didn't make it, D."
David stopped breathing for a moment.
The words seemed impossible to understand.
He looked toward Lucian.
Lucian's eyes were wet.
Then toward Mira.
She lowered her head.
Finally, David looked at June.
For once, June had nothing to say.
David slowly shook his head.
"No..."
His chest tightened.
He could still feel Nyra's body against him.
Still hear her voice.
Still remember the way she had looked at him when she told him she loved him.
"No, I was holding her."
Castiel reached toward him.
"D..."
"I was right there."
David's voice broke.
"I was holding her, Cass."
Tears filled his eyes.
"I couldn't..."
He tried to finish the sentence, but the words wouldn't come.
His shoulders began to shake.
Castiel moved closer, carefully placing a hand against David's uninjured shoulder.
David lowered his face into his hand.
"I'm sorry, Nyra."
The words escaped between uneven breaths.
"I'm so sorry."
Nobody tried to stop him from crying.
Lucian stood quietly beside the bed.
Mira wiped at her eyes.
June stared at the floor, his jaw clenched.
Castiel remained beside David, offering what little comfort he could.
For several minutes, the only sound in the room was David's grief.
Eventually, his breathing began to steady.
He wiped his face and leaned back against the pillows.
His shoulder throbbed painfully.
He looked around the room again, trying to make sense of everything.
"Cass..."
"Yeah, D?"
"What happened?"
Castiel leaned forward.
David rubbed his forehead with his uninjured hand.
"Everything's a little fuzzy. I remember fighting Vireth, and then..."
He stopped.
The memories came in scattered pieces.
The crimson rapier.
A Fallen soldier standing over him.
A blinding white light.
A sky that had somehow turned blue.
David looked toward Castiel.
"How long have I been here?"
Castiel exchanged a glance with Lucian.
"Two weeks, D."
David stared at him.
"Two weeks?"
"You've been in a coma since they brought you back from Kharos Vale."
David looked toward the window.
Fourteen days.
He had lost two entire weeks.
"And you've all been here?"
June shifted in his chair, then winced as the movement pulled at his injured upper back.
"Every day. Although I should point out that the Academy apparently doesn't believe visitors deserve comfortable furniture."
Lucian gave him a tired look.
"You could've gone back to the dorm."
"And leave you idiots here without supervision? Absolutely not."
Mira shook her head.
"We weren't leaving until you woke up."
David looked at them.
He struggled to find the words.
"Thank you."
Castiel leaned forward.
"You don't have to thank us, D."
David lowered his gaze.
For a while, he remained quiet.
Then he looked toward Castiel again.
"Cass, there's something I don't understand."
Castiel leaned forward.
"What is it, D?"
David tried to organize the scattered memories of his final moments on Kharos Vale.
"I remember Whitefall happening. I saw the planet change, and I heard the Celestial announce that Kharos Vale belonged to humanity."
He paused.
"But I don't know what caused it. The last thing I remember before that was fighting Vireth."
Castiel nodded slowly.
"Well, that's where things get interesting."
David looked at him.
"What happened?"
Castiel settled back in his chair.
"I found the last Green-tier creature."
David stared at him.
"You found it?"
"Yeah. But getting to it wasn't exactly easy."
David leaned forward slightly.
"Tell me what happened, Cass."
Castiel rested his elbows on his knees.
"After you went after Vireth, I headed toward the last known location of the remaining Green-tier creature. Our scanners had picked up its movements near the northern ridge, but the Fallen were still holding that area."
He paused.
"There were at least a dozen soldiers between me and the ridge. I tried to avoid them, but one of their patrols spotted me before I could get through."
June glanced toward him.
"You're leaving out the part where you nearly got yourself killed."
Castiel gave him a sideways look.
"I was getting to that."
He turned back toward David.
"They had the higher ground. Three of them came down the slope while the others tried to cut off my escape. I used Shadow Veil to break their line of sight, but they started attacking the entire area once they realized I was still there."
David listened carefully.
"I managed to get behind the first group and took them down before they could regroup. The others pursued me into the rocks, and I had to fight my way through."
Castiel glanced at the bandages covering his forearm.
"One of them caught me with a blade. Nothing serious compared to what you went through, but it slowed me down."
Lucian crossed his arms.
"He's making it sound easier than it was. We heard the fighting over the comms. He was surrounded."
"Temporarily," Castiel replied.
June raised an eyebrow.
"That's an interesting word for being attacked from every direction."
Castiel ignored him.
"Eventually, I reached the ridge. The creature had moved into a ravine on the other side."
David leaned forward slightly.
"What was it?"
"Something I hadn't seen before. Four powerful legs, a long armored body, and a pair of curved horns extending from its skull. Its back was covered in overlapping dark plates, and it had a thick tail with a heavy bone growth at the end."
Castiel's expression tightened.
"It was fast, too. Faster than something that size had any right to be."
He continued.
"The moment I entered the ravine, it charged. I barely got out of the way before it slammed into the rocks behind me."
David could almost picture the creature moving through the narrow ravine.
"I tried using my Shadow Blade against its armor, but the plates were too thick. Every time I got close enough to strike, it turned and forced me back."
"So how did you kill it?" David asked.
Castiel looked toward the window for a moment.
"I noticed the armor didn't completely cover its underside. There were gaps near the joints of its front legs."
He rested his elbows on his knees.
"I waited until it charged again. Then I used Shadow Veil to disappear from its sight and moved beneath it as it passed."
June leaned forward.
"That's the part where he decided getting underneath a charging monster was a reasonable idea."
"It worked."
"That's not the same thing as reasonable."
Castiel gave him a faint smile before continuing.
"I drove my Shadow Blade into the gap beneath its shoulder. It stumbled, but it didn't go down. The thing spun around and caught me with its tail."
He glanced toward his bandaged side.
"That hurt."
Lucian shook his head.
"You're lucky it didn't break you in half."
"Believe me, I noticed."
Castiel turned back toward David.
"I knew I wasn't going to get another chance. When it charged again, I waited until the last moment and used Shadow Requiem."
His voice grew quieter.
"The strike went through the opening I'd made beneath its armor. It collapsed a few feet away from me."
David watched him closely.
"And that was it?"
Castiel nodded.
"The final Green-tier creature."
He paused.
"At first, nothing happened. I thought maybe the scanners had been wrong or there was another one somewhere."
He looked toward David.
"Then the ground started shaking."
The room grew quiet.
"I felt this enormous surge of energy moving through the planet. The clouds above the ravine began breaking apart, and light started coming through."
Castiel's expression changed as he remembered the sight.
"Not the dull light we'd been fighting under for months. Real sunlight."
David stared at him.
"The entire sky was changing. The rocks around me started shifting, plants were growing through the ground, and the wind became so strong I could barely stand."
Castiel paused.
"Then the white light swept across everything."
David's fingers tightened around the bedsheet.
He remembered that light.
The overwhelming brightness.
The powerful wind.
And the impossible transformation of the battlefield.
Castiel continued.
"When I finally got my bearings, the ravine was covered in grass. There were trees growing along the slopes, and the sky was completely blue."
He gave a small shake of his head.
"I'd never seen anything like it."
David looked down at his hands.
"So you did it."
Castiel frowned slightly.
"We all did, D."
David shook his head.
"No, Cass. You finished it. You killed the last creature."
He paused, his expression growing distant.
"And I think you saved me."
Castiel leaned forward.
"What do you mean?"
David closed his eyes.
For several seconds, he tried to remember.
"Right before Whitefall, I was starting to come to. I couldn't move. Vireth's rapier was still through my shoulder, and there was a Fallen soldier standing over me."
The others grew silent.
David continued.
"I remember looking up and seeing his sword coming down toward my chest."
His breathing quickened slightly.
"I couldn't stop him. I couldn't even lift my arm."
He opened his eyes.
"Then I blacked out again."
Castiel stared at him.
David looked directly at his friend.
"When I came to, everything had changed. The ground was covered in grass, the sky was blue, and the Fallen were retreating."
He swallowed.
"There was a Celestial above the battlefield. I heard it announce that Whitefall had been achieved and Kharos Vale belonged to humanity."
Lucian nodded.
"That's what the reports said. The Celestial ordered every Fallen soldier off the planet."
David looked back at Castiel.
"If you hadn't killed that creature when you did, Cass, I don't think I'd be here."
Castiel remained quiet.
David's voice softened.
"You saved me, Cass."
For a moment, Castiel seemed unable to respond.
Then he lowered his gaze.
"I was just trying to finish the mission, D."
David shook his head.
"You did more than that."
Castiel looked at him again.
David managed a faint, exhausted smile.
"Thank you."
Castiel's expression softened.
"You're welcome, D."
For a while, nobody spoke.
The sunlight continued pouring through the hospital window, illuminating the chairs, the scattered blankets, and the four wounded soldiers who had refused to leave their friend's side.
Then David's gaze drifted toward the empty space beside his bed.
The smile disappeared.
They had completed Whitefall.
They had survived Kharos Vale.
But the one person he wanted to share that victory with would never see it.
Nyra.
David lowered his eyes.
The room grew quiet once more.
After a while, David turned toward Lucian.
"What happened to everyone else?"
Lucian looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"The soldiers. The ones who were still fighting when Whitefall happened. Did everyone make it back?"
Lucian's expression grew serious.
"The evacuation teams recovered everyone they could find. There were casualties, David. A lot of them."
David lowered his eyes.
"Some of the wounded are still being treated," Lucian continued. "Others have already been released. The Academy's been helping coordinate the recovery efforts since we returned."
"What about Commander Vance?"
"She's alive," Mira answered. "She's recovering."
David looked toward her.
"How badly was she hurt?"
"Badly enough that the doctors made her stay in the hospital for several days," June replied. "Which, considering how stubborn she is, probably required an entire medical team to enforce."
Lucian glanced at him.
"June."
"What? I'm not wrong."
June's attempt at humor faded as he looked toward David.
"She's doing better now. Still bandaged up, but she's been coming by to check on you."
"Almost every day," Castiel added.
David looked toward the door.
He remembered Vance standing against Vireth on Kharos Vale.
The strength of the Fallen Lord's attacks.
The way she had continued fighting even after being wounded.
"I'm glad she made it," he said.
"So are we," Lucian replied.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
Before anyone could answer, a physician entered, accompanied by a nurse carrying a diagnostic tablet.
The physician stopped when he saw David sitting upright.
"David Wyn. It's good to finally see you awake."
David nodded.
"Thank you, Doctor."
The physician approached the bed and examined the readings displayed on the monitor beside him.
"I've reviewed the information from your initial examination. Your vital signs have remained stable, and the fact that you're awake and speaking clearly is encouraging."
He glanced toward the four members of Gamma Squad.
"I see your friends are still here."
June leaned back in his chair.
"Someone has to make sure he doesn't escape."
The physician gave him a faint smile.
"Considering how long you've all been occupying this room, I was beginning to think you intended to move in permanently."
"Believe me, Doctor, the accommodations leave a lot to be desired."
"Then perhaps you'll be pleased to hear that we may finally be able to send everyone home."
David looked toward him.
"Home?"
"Back to your dormitory, provided your remaining examinations are satisfactory."
The physician set his tablet aside and carefully examined the bandages around David's shoulder.
"Your injuries were extensive. The blade that pierced your shoulder caused significant damage to the surrounding tissue, and its removal was considerably more difficult than we initially anticipated."
David remembered the crimson rapier.
The cold metal passing through his shoulder.
The unbearable pressure as Vireth pinned him to the ground.
He glanced toward the thick bandages.
"How bad was it?"
The physician's expression grew more serious.
"The weapon had passed through a substantial portion of the shoulder. We had to stabilize the surrounding tissue before attempting to extract it, and the blade's unusual construction complicated the procedure."
He carefully tested the movement of David's arm.
David winced.
"Pain?"
"A little."
"That's to be expected. Fortunately, the wound has made excellent progress over the past two weeks."
The physician examined the readings again.
"Your body has recovered from the blood loss, and the damaged tissue is healing. You'll need to avoid strenuous activity, especially anything involving that shoulder, but I don't believe continued hospitalization will be necessary if the remaining tests confirm what we're seeing."
David looked toward Castiel.
Castiel gave him a small nod.
"Sounds like you're getting out of here, D."
David turned back toward the physician.
"When?"
"Today, most likely. We'll complete a neurological assessment and a final scan of your injuries. Assuming those results are satisfactory, I'll authorize your discharge this afternoon."
David nodded.
"Thank you."
The physician studied him for a moment.
"There's something else you should understand, David. You've been unconscious for two weeks. Even though your injuries have been healing, your strength and endurance won't immediately return to normal."
"I understand."
"Take your recovery seriously. No combat training, no unnecessary physical exertion, and absolutely no attempts to test that shoulder before you're cleared."
June glanced at Castiel.
"He's talking to the wrong person. You should probably write those instructions on the wall."
Castiel folded his arms.
"Or just assign someone to follow him around."
Lucian looked toward David.
"We can manage that."
David managed a faint smile.
"I'm sitting right here."
"We noticed," June replied. "It's a significant improvement over the last two weeks."
The physician finished recording his observations.
"Good. We'll have the nurse arrange your final examinations. Until then, try to rest."
He looked toward Gamma Squad.
"And the rest of you should consider doing the same. Recovering soldiers need sleep, not two weeks of hospital chairs."
June raised a hand.
"I've been saying that since the first night."
"Then perhaps you should listen to your own advice."
The physician departed with the nurse, leaving Gamma Squad alone once more.
David settled back against his pillows.
He glanced toward the chairs arranged around the bed.
Blankets had been folded over their backs, and several bags of personal belongings rested beneath the nearby table.
"You really stayed here the whole time?"
Castiel looked at him.
"Yeah, D."
"All of you?"
Lucian nodded.
"We took turns getting food and changing clothes, but someone was always here."
"Usually more than one of us," Mira added.
June carefully adjusted his injured shoulder.
"Which explains why I now know every crack in that ceiling."
David followed his gaze upward.
There were several faint lines in the painted surface.
For some reason, the sight made his chest tighten.
While he had been unconscious, his friends had spent two weeks waiting for him to open his eyes.
He looked back toward them.
"I don't know what to say."
Castiel leaned forward.
"You don't have to say anything."
David swallowed.
"Still... thank you."
Lucian rested a hand on the foot of the bed.
"We're Gamma Squad, David. We look after each other."
The words settled heavily in David's chest.
*We look after each other.*
He turned toward the window.
He had been their leader.
The person responsible for making decisions when everything went wrong.
And despite everything they had accomplished, Nyra was dead.
David's fingers curled slowly against the blanket.
He remembered her lying in his arms.
Remembered begging her to stay.
Remembered how helpless he had felt as her breathing grew weaker.
*I was supposed to protect her.*
He closed his eyes.
For a moment, he could almost hear her voice.
Then the memory faded.
A knock sounded at the door.
Castiel looked up.
"Come in."
The door opened.
Commander Elara Vance stepped into the room.
David immediately noticed the injuries.
One of her arms rested in a dark medical sling, secured carefully against her body. Thick white bandages covered the shoulder beneath it, disappearing under the collar of her uniform.
Her opposite shoulder was also wrapped in bandages, although she could still move that arm with some care.
Several smaller dressings covered healing cuts along her neck.
Her movements were measured, and there was a faint stiffness in the way she walked.
She had clearly suffered far more damage on Kharos Vale than David remembered.
Yet she stood before them wearing her Academy uniform, her expression composed despite the exhaustion visible in her eyes.
Gamma Squad immediately straightened.
"Commander," Lucian greeted.
Vance acknowledged him with a slight nod.
Then her gaze settled on David.
For several seconds, she simply looked at him.
"David."
He tried to sit straighter.
"Commander."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"It's good to see you awake."
David lowered his eyes.
"Thank you, ma'am."
Vance approached the bed.
"I was informed as soon as you regained consciousness. I wanted to come sooner, but I had a few matters to attend to."
She glanced at the medical monitor.
"How are you feeling?"
David considered the question.
His shoulder hurt.
His body felt weak.
And every time he closed his eyes, he saw Nyra dying in his arms.
"I'm all right," he answered quietly.
Vance studied him.
She knew the answer wasn't entirely true.
But she didn't challenge it.
"The doctors tell me your recovery is progressing well. They expect to release you this afternoon."
"Yes, Commander."
"Good."
Her gaze shifted toward Castiel, Lucian, June, and Mira.
For a moment, she examined their bandages and exhausted expressions.
"You four have been here every day."
Lucian nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
"I know."
Vance looked back toward David.
"There's something I need to discuss with you."
David raised his eyes.
"Of course, Commander."
She paused.
"Privately."
Castiel glanced toward David before rising from his chair.
"Sure."
Lucian moved toward the door, followed by Mira.
June pushed himself upright, careful not to strain the injury across his upper back near his shoulder.
"Guess that's our cue."
He looked toward David.
"We'll be right outside."
David nodded.
"Okay."
Castiel lingered for a moment.
"You need anything, D, just call."
"I will."
Castiel gave him one last look before following the others into the corridor.
Lucian closed the door behind them.
Outside, all four members of Gamma Squad remained nearby, unwilling to go any farther than necessary.
Inside the room, Commander Vance waited until their footsteps had stopped.
Then she turned back toward David.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Vance carefully approached the chair beside his bed and lowered herself into it, adjusting the sling supporting her injured arm.
"I imagine you have a lot of questions," she said.
David nodded.
"Yes, Commander."
She regarded him thoughtfully.
"Then before we discuss anything else, there's something I believe belongs to you."
David frowned slightly.
Vance reached toward a long, dark case she had brought into the room and placed beside the chair.
She opened it.
Inside rested a crimson rapier.
Its slender blade gleamed beneath the hospital lights, the dark red metal decorated with intricate patterns that resembled veins running along its length.
Beside it lay an equally elaborate sheath.
David's breath caught.
He recognized the weapon immediately.
Sanguine Thorn.
The rapier that had pierced his shoulder.
The weapon Vireth Kael'tharyn had used to pin him helplessly to the battlefield.
Vance looked at him.
"It took the medical team a considerable amount of effort to remove this from your shoulder."
David stared at the blade.
For a moment, he could almost feel it again.
The terrible pressure.
The cold stone beneath him.
Vireth standing over his body.
Vance continued quietly.
"It was recovered with you after Whitefall. The Academy secured it while you were unconscious."
She carefully lifted the sheath from the case and laid it beside the weapon.
"Given what happened on Kharos Vale, I thought it was only right that you decide what becomes of it."
David looked up at her.
"You're giving it to me?"
Vance nodded.
"Yes."
He remained silent for several moments.
Then he reached toward the weapon with his uninjured hand.
His fingers closed around the hilt.
The crimson metal felt strangely cold.
He examined the blade before carefully sliding it into its sheath.
A soft metallic sound filled the room as the weapon settled into place.
David rested the sheathed rapier across his lap.
"Thank you, Commander."
Vance inclined her head.
"You're welcome."
Silence settled between them.
David stared at the weapon.
Then his expression changed.
"Commander?"
"Yes, David?"
He tightened his grip around the sheath.
"There's something I need to tell you."
Vance waited.
David lowered his eyes.
"I don't think I should be leading Gamma Squad anymore."
Commander Vance studied David for several moments.
The crimson rapier rested across his lap, its dark sheath held loosely in his uninjured hand.
"That's a serious decision, David. You've only just awakened after two weeks in a coma. Are you certain this is something you want to discuss right now?"
David nodded.
"Yes, Commander."
"Then tell me why."
He lowered his gaze toward the weapon.
For several moments, he struggled to find the words.
"When we first became Gamma Squad, I didn't really know what it meant to be responsible for other people. I thought if I trained hard enough and became strong enough, I could handle whatever happened."
He paused, remembering the countless hours they had spent training together.
The arguments.
The laughter.
The missions that had slowly transformed six strangers into something resembling a family.
"I thought I was getting better at it."
"You were," Vance replied.
David shook his head.
"Not enough."
Vance remained silent, allowing him to continue.
"On Kharos Vale, every decision seemed to lead to someone getting hurt. No matter what we did, we were always fighting just to survive."
His fingers tightened around the sheath.
"I kept telling myself that if I could become stronger, I could protect everyone."
He swallowed.
"But when Nyra needed me..."
His voice faltered.
Vance watched him carefully.
David stared at the crimson weapon across his lap.
"I couldn't save her."
The words hung between them.
He could still remember the weight of Nyra's body in his arms.
Her silver-white hair falling across his hands.
The warmth slowly leaving her fingers.
And the terrible helplessness of knowing there was nothing he could do.
"I was holding her, Commander. She was right there, and I couldn't do anything."
His voice grew quieter.
"I begged her to stay."
Vance lowered her eyes briefly.
She had witnessed the devastation left behind by Vireth's attack. She had seen the strength of the Fallen Lord and understood how hopelessly outmatched they had been.
But understanding the circumstances did little to lessen the pain in David's voice.
"David, what happened to Nyra was not your fault."
He looked away.
"You don't know that."
"I was there," Vance replied gently. "I fought Vireth myself. I know exactly how powerful he was."
David said nothing.
"He was Level Forty-Five. You were Level Ten. None of you should have been expected to defeat someone with that kind of strength."
"But I should've done something differently."
"Such as?"
David opened his mouth.
No answer came.
He had spent the moments since waking replaying the battle in his mind, searching for a decision that might have changed the outcome.
There were so many possibilities.
If he had attacked sooner.
If he had stayed closer to Nyra.
If he had recognized the danger before Vireth struck.
But he couldn't know whether any of those choices would have saved her.
That uncertainty was almost worse than the memories themselves.
"I don't know," he admitted.
His eyes began to burn.
"That's the problem. I don't know what I should've done."
Vance leaned forward slightly.
"David, being a leader doesn't mean you can control everything that happens to the people under your command. Sometimes you make the best decision available, and the outcome is still terrible."
David looked at her.
"Then maybe I'm not the right person to make those decisions."
"That isn't what I'm saying."
"I know."
He paused.
"But I can't keep doing it."
Vance studied him.
David took a slow breath.
"I want Lucian to take command again."
Her expression remained thoughtful.
"Lucian was Gamma Squad's original leader. He was also the one who recommended you to me after the tournament."
David nodded.
"I remember."
"He believed you were the right person to lead Gamma Squad."
"I know."
David looked toward the closed door.
"And even after I became leader, he never stopped looking out for everyone. He stays calm when things go wrong. He thinks about the whole squad instead of just the person standing in front of him."
He lowered his eyes.
"He's always been the leader Gamma needed."
Vance listened without interrupting.
"He knows how to make difficult decisions, Commander. And the others trust him."
"So do they trust you."
David's expression tightened.
"Maybe they shouldn't."
"David."
He looked up.
"Don't confuse losing someone with failing everyone."
His eyes filled again.
Vance continued, her voice steady.
"Gamma Squad survived situations that would have destroyed far more experienced units. You fought enemies beyond your training, crossed a battlefield filled with Fallen soldiers, and helped bring your squad through an impossible mission."
She paused.
"Nyra's death doesn't erase what you accomplished."
David lowered his head.
"It doesn't bring her back either."
Vance fell silent.
There was no answer she could give that would change that truth.
After a moment, David spoke again.
"Maybe if Lucian had stayed our leader, things would've been different."
His voice trembled.
"Maybe Nyra would still be alive."
Vance felt a heaviness settle in her chest.
She had known Nyra as a cadet, watched her grow into a capable soldier, and seen the bond she shared with David.
Now she was looking at a young man who had survived an extraordinary battle but could find no reason to forgive himself for surviving it.
"David, I won't pretend to know what would've happened if someone else had been in command," she said. "But I won't agree that Nyra died because you were her leader."
He remained quiet.
"She made her own decisions on Kharos Vale. She fought for her squad, for her friends, and for the people she wanted to protect. Those choices belonged to her."
David closed his eyes.
He remembered Nyra standing beside him.
Her twin Wind Crest Swords glowing with blue energy.
The determination in her eyes, even when she was afraid.
Vance waited until he looked at her again.
"Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
David nodded faintly.
"I understand."
"But you still want to step down."
"Yes, Commander."
Vance regarded him for a long moment.
Then she slowly nodded.
"All right, David."
He looked at her.
"I accept your resignation as Gamma Squad's leader."
For a moment, David simply stared.
Vance continued.
"You've carried responsibilities that would have been difficult for soldiers twice your age. After everything you've endured, I'm not going to force you to remain in command when you've made it clear that you no longer feel able to carry that responsibility."
David swallowed.
"Thank you, Commander."
"Lucian Bloodthrone will resume command of Gamma Squad, effective immediately."
David lowered his head.
A complicated feeling passed through him.
Relief.
Shame.
And the painful realization that stepping down would not change anything that had happened.
Vance seemed to understand.
"David, I want you to remember something."
He looked up.
"You're still a member of Gamma Squad. That hasn't changed."
"I know."
"And stepping down doesn't mean you're abandoning them."
David glanced toward the door again.
Vance followed his gaze.
"Those four have spent the last two weeks refusing to leave your side. I don't think they're particularly concerned about who holds the title of squad leader right now."
A faint, sad smile touched David's face.
"No. I guess not."
"They care about you. Let them."
David's expression softened.
For several moments, neither spoke.
Then Vance looked toward the sheathed rapier resting across his lap.
"There's one more thing."
David followed her gaze.
"Sanguine Thorn belonged to a Fallen Lord who believed strength gave him the right to take whatever he wanted."
Her eyes returned to David.
"He used that weapon against you. He nearly killed you with it."
David remembered the cold pressure of the blade through his shoulder.
Vance continued.
"But it doesn't belong to him anymore."
David studied the intricate crimson patterns decorating the sheath.
"You survived him, David. Whatever you choose to do with that weapon, don't let it become another reminder of something you believe you failed to accomplish."
He looked at her.
"What should it remind me of?"
Vance considered the question.
"That you're still here."
David lowered his gaze.
He wasn't certain he wanted that reminder.
Not yet.
But he nodded.
"I'll remember that, Commander."
Vance carefully rose from her chair, adjusting the sling supporting her injured arm.
David noticed the brief tightening of her expression as she moved.
"Commander, your injuries..."
"Are healing," she replied. "Although I suspect the medical staff would prefer I spent less time walking around the Academy."
David managed a faint smile.
"June would probably agree with them."
"June has been complaining about hospital furniture for two weeks. I'm not sure he's qualified to offer medical advice."
For the first time since waking, David let out a small, genuine breath of laughter.
It lasted only a moment.
But Vance was glad to hear it.
She stepped toward the bed.
"Your final examinations should be completed shortly. If the doctors clear you, you'll be returning to your dormitory this afternoon."
David nodded.
"Yes, Commander."
Her expression grew more serious.
"And David?"
"Ma'am?"
"Nyra's funeral will be held in two days."
The faint smile disappeared.
David looked down at the rapier.
"Two days?"
"Yes. She'll receive full military honors."
He swallowed.
Vance continued gently.
"She earned them."
David's eyes grew wet.
"I want to be there."
"I know."
He looked up at her.
"I need to be there, Commander."
"You will be."
For several seconds, he struggled to speak.
Then he nodded.
"Thank you."
Vance rested her movable hand briefly against the edge of his bed.
"Get some rest, David. You've got people waiting for you."
She turned and walked toward the door.
"Commander?"
Vance paused.
David looked at her.
"Thank you. For everything."
She gave him a small, tired smile.
"Take care of yourself, David."
Then she opened the door.
Outside the hospital room, Castiel, Lucian, June, and Mira stood in the corridor.
None of them had moved far from the entrance.
Castiel leaned against the opposite wall, his arms folded loosely across his chest. Lucian stood beside him, while Mira occupied a chair near the door.
June had claimed another chair, sitting with his back carefully supported against a folded cushion. Bandages covered his upper back near his shoulder, and he winced slightly whenever he shifted his position.
All four looked up when Vance emerged.
Castiel straightened.
"How is he, Commander?"
"He's doing as well as can be expected," Vance replied. "The doctors are completing his final examinations, and he should be released later today."
Lucian nodded.
"That's good to hear."
Vance looked at him.
"Lucian."
He immediately straightened.
"Yes, Commander?"
She regarded him for a moment.
"Congratulations."
Lucian frowned slightly.
"Congratulations?"
"You're now Gamma Squad's leader again."
For several seconds, he stared at her.
Then his expression changed.
"Wait... what?"
June sat upright.
"Hold on. What did we miss?"
Mira looked toward David's closed door.
Castiel's eyes narrowed slightly, his attention shifting between Vance and Lucian.
Lucian stepped forward.
"Commander, why? What happened?"
Vance glanced toward the hospital room.
"I'll let David explain that to you."
Lucian followed her gaze.
Concern replaced his confusion.
"David asked for this?"
Vance didn't answer directly.
Instead, she looked at all four of them.
"He's been through more than any of you should have had to endure. And although his physical injuries are healing, there are other wounds that won't disappear simply because the doctors release him."
The corridor fell quiet.
Vance continued.
"Take care of him. He's going to need every one of you to get through this."
Castiel looked toward the door.
Lucian's expression grew serious.
Mira lowered her eyes, while June slowly settled back into his chair.
Lucian finally nodded.
"We will, Commander."
Vance studied them for another moment.
Then she inclined her head.
"I know you will."
She turned and walked down the corridor, her injured arm resting in its sling as her footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
The four members of Gamma Squad remained outside David's room.
June was the first to speak.
"Well, that wasn't exactly what I expected her to say."
Lucian barely heard him.
He was still staring at the door.
Castiel stepped beside him.
"Guess we should hear what D has to say."
Lucian nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
He reached for the handle.
For a moment, his hand rested against it.
Then he opened the door and stepped inside.
David was sitting quietly against his pillows, Sanguine Thorn resting in its sheath beside him.
He looked up as his friends entered.
His eyes settled on Lucian.
And from the expression on his face, Lucian knew that Commander Vance had told him the truth.
Lucian entered the hospital room first, followed closely by Castiel, Mira, and June.
David looked up from the crimson rapier resting beside him.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Lucian closed the door and approached the foot of the bed. His expression was unusually serious, and David could already guess what Commander Vance had told him.
"David, what's going on?"
David glanced at the others.
Castiel pulled his chair closer to the bed, while Mira stood near the window. June lowered himself into another chair, carefully keeping his injured shoulder from pressing against the backrest.
David looked toward Lucian again.
"Commander Vance told you?"
"She told me I'm Gamma Squad's leader again."
Lucian paused.
"She didn't tell me why."
David lowered his eyes.
"I asked her to give you command."
Lucian stared at him.
"You asked her?"
David nodded.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
The question was simple, but David found it difficult to answer.
He had spent the last several minutes convincing himself that he had made the right decision. Now, with Lucian standing in front of him, he realized how much harder it would be to explain.
"Because I think you should be leading Gamma Squad."
Lucian frowned.
"David, do you remember how you became our leader?"
David looked at him.
"Of course."
"Then you remember that I was the one who recommended you to Commander Vance after the tournament."
David lowered his eyes.
"I remember."
"I didn't do that because I wanted to get rid of the responsibility. I did it because I believed you were the right person to lead us."
Lucian stepped closer.
"I watched you during the tournament. I saw how you fought, how you made decisions, and how you refused to give up even when things looked impossible."
He paused.
"That's why I went to Vance. I told her you should be Gamma Squad's leader."
David stared at his hands.
"And look what happened."
Lucian's expression softened.
"David, I don't regret recommending you. Not for a second."
"But Nyra—"
"Nyra's death doesn't mean I was wrong about you."
David looked up.
Lucian continued.
"I believed in you then, and I still believe in you now. If you need me to take command because you're not ready to carry that responsibility anymore, I will."
He paused.
"But don't ever think I gave you that position by mistake."
David swallowed.
"Even after I became leader, you kept looking out for everyone. When things went wrong, you were always the first person trying to figure out how to get us through it."
He looked toward the others.
"I think Gamma Squad needs that again."
Lucian studied him.
"David, you've led us through things none of us could've imagined when we first came to the Academy."
"And Nyra still died."
The room fell silent.
David's voice had been quiet, but the words seemed to fill every corner.
Lucian's expression softened.
"David..."
"I know what you're going to say."
"Then let me say it anyway."
David looked up.
Lucian moved closer to the bed.
"Nyra didn't die because you became our leader."
David looked away.
"You can't know that."
"No. I can't."
Lucian's answer made David turn back toward him.
"But neither can you," Lucian continued. "You can't know what would've happened if I'd been leading instead."
David's fingers tightened around the blanket.
"I keep thinking that maybe you would've made a different decision."
"Maybe I would've."
Lucian paused.
"Maybe I would've made a worse one."
David stared at him.
"We were fighting a Level Forty-Five Fallen Lord, David. Commander Vance could barely hold him back, and she was stronger than any of us. There wasn't some perfect decision waiting for us to find."
David lowered his head.
Lucian continued more gently.
"I would've given anything to bring Nyra home. All of us would have."
Mira stepped away from the window.
"Lucian's right."
David looked toward her.
She rarely spoke at length, and when she did, everyone listened.
"We followed you because we trusted you. We still do."
June nodded.
"Yeah. Being leader doesn't mean you're supposed to be able to punch every problem until it disappears."
He paused.
"Although you've made a pretty convincing attempt at that strategy."
Under different circumstances, David might have laughed.
Instead, he managed a faint smile that disappeared almost immediately.
Castiel rested his forearms on his knees.
"D, you don't have to carry all of this yourself."
David looked toward him.
Castiel's expression was serious.
"Nyra was our friend too. We were all there. We all made decisions, and we all wish we'd done something differently."
He paused.
"But none of us are sitting here blaming you."
David's eyes began to burn.
He turned toward the window before anyone could see the tears gathering.
"I just don't think I can do it anymore."
The words came out barely above a whisper.
"I can't be the person everyone looks to when something goes wrong. Not right now."
Nobody answered immediately.
Outside, sunlight illuminated the Academy's distant training grounds. Cadets moved along the walkways, and a transport passed above the buildings.
Life continued as though nothing had changed.
David stared at the scene.
"I need some time where I'm not responsible for making those decisions."
Lucian watched him for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
"All right."
David turned back.
"What?"
"If this is what you need, then I'll take command."
David's shoulders relaxed slightly.
Lucian continued.
"But I want you to understand something."
David waited.
"I'm not taking Gamma Squad away from you. I'm taking responsibility for leading it because you're asking me to."
He glanced toward Castiel, June, and Mira.
"And nothing about that changes who belongs in this squad."
Mira nodded.
"Agreed."
June raised his uninjured hand.
"Also agreed. Although I would like to request that our new leader consider fewer missions involving giant monsters and murderous Fallen Lords."
Lucian looked at him.
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Excellent. My shoulder appreciates your leadership already."
June shifted to get more comfortable, then winced when the movement pulled at the injury across his upper back.
Castiel noticed.
"Still hurting?"
"A little."
June carefully adjusted his arm.
"When I first woke up on Kharos Vale, I thought the thing was broken. Turns out my arm survived, but my shoulder's been making sure I don't forget what happened."
"Then stop moving it so much," Mira said.
June looked at her.
"That's surprisingly difficult when your arm is attached to the rest of you."
A faint smile touched Lucian's face.
For a moment, the familiar exchange eased the heaviness in the room.
David watched them.
These were the people who had fought beside him, argued with him, and refused to leave his side for two weeks.
He had been afraid that giving up command would somehow mean losing his place among them.
But Lucian was looking at him exactly as he always had.
Not as a former leader.
As a friend.
"Thank you, Lucian," David said.
Lucian extended his hand.
David looked at it for a moment before reaching out with his uninjured arm.
They clasped hands.
"You don't have to thank me," Lucian replied. "You'd do the same for me."
David nodded.
Lucian released his hand.
"Now, as your newly reinstated squad leader, I have one order."
David raised an eyebrow.
"Already?"
"You're going to listen to the doctors and recover properly."
June pointed toward Lucian.
"See? That's leadership. Clear instructions. Sensible priorities."
Lucian glanced at him.
"That order applies to you too."
June lowered his hand.
"I withdraw my endorsement."
Even Mira smiled.
David let out a quiet laugh.
It wasn't much.
But for a few seconds, he felt like he was sitting among his friends again instead of lying beneath the weight of everything they had lost.
***
The remaining examinations took less than an hour.
A nurse escorted David through a series of neurological assessments, checking his balance, coordination, and responses. A final scan confirmed that the damaged tissue around his shoulder was healing without complications.
By midafternoon, the physician returned with the results.
"Everything looks good, David."
David sat on the edge of the bed, his feet resting against the floor.
"So I can leave?"
"You can."
The physician handed him a discharge document.
"Your shoulder still needs time to recover. Keep the dressing clean, avoid combat training, and don't attempt to lift anything heavy with that arm."
David nodded.
"Understood."
"You'll return for a follow-up examination, and if you experience unusual pain, dizziness, or weakness, I want you back here immediately."
"I will."
The physician glanced toward Lucian.
"You're his squad leader?"
Lucian nodded.
"Yes, Doctor."
"Then make certain he follows those instructions."
June leaned toward Castiel.
"He's been leader again for less than an hour, and the doctors are already giving him assignments."
Castiel smiled faintly.
"He's going to be busy."
Lucian ignored them.
"I'll make sure he takes it easy."
The physician seemed satisfied.
"Good. You're cleared for discharge."
David thanked him.
Once the physician departed, Castiel helped gather David's belongings while Mira collected the blankets and personal items the squad had accumulated during their long stay.
David changed into a clean Academy uniform.
The simple act took longer than he expected.
His injured shoulder protested whenever he tried to raise his arm, forcing him to move carefully.
Castiel waited nearby, ready to help without making a spectacle of it.
When David finally emerged from the adjoining washroom, Castiel looked him over.
"Not bad, D."
David adjusted his uniform collar.
"I feel like I've forgotten how to get dressed."
"Two weeks in bed will do that."
David glanced toward the hospital bed.
The blankets had been straightened, the medical equipment disconnected, and the chairs returned to their original positions.
It was strange seeing the room empty.
For two weeks, it had been the center of his friends' lives.
Now they were leaving it behind.
Lucian approached carrying the long case containing Sanguine Thorn.
"Commander Vance said this belongs to you?"
David nodded.
"She gave it to me."
Lucian glanced at the case.
"That's Vireth's weapon, isn't it?"
"Yeah."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Lucian seemed to understand that David wasn't ready to explain why he wanted to keep it.
"I'll carry it," he offered.
David hesitated, then nodded.
"Thanks."
Lucian took the case.
Castiel stepped toward the door.
"Ready?"
David looked around the room one last time.
Then he nodded.
"Yeah."
***
The Academy looked different in the afternoon sunlight.
Not because the buildings had changed.
The familiar towers still rose above the training grounds, their polished surfaces reflecting the blue sky. Cadets moved between classrooms and training facilities, and transport vehicles followed their designated routes overhead.
Everything appeared much as David remembered.
But the atmosphere felt different.
He noticed it almost immediately.
Conversations grew quieter as he and Gamma Squad passed.
A few cadets stopped walking altogether.
Others glanced toward the bandages visible beneath his uniform collar before looking away.
David recognized some of them from the tournament.
Others were unfamiliar.
One cadet standing near a courtyard entrance whispered something to a friend.
Both turned toward David.
He lowered his eyes.
Castiel noticed.
"Don't worry about them, D."
David glanced at him.
"What?"
"The staring."
David looked toward the cadets again.
"Why are they looking at me?"
Lucian answered quietly.
"News about Kharos Vale spread pretty quickly."
David frowned.
"What news?"
"The Whitefall. The battle. What happened to Gamma Squad."
Lucian paused.
"And Nyra."
David's expression changed.
He looked toward the pathway ahead.
Castiel moved a little closer.
"You've been unconscious for two weeks, D. People have been talking."
David nodded faintly.
He wasn't sure what to say.
As they crossed the central courtyard, he noticed a group of cadets standing near one of the Academy's memorial displays.
Several small bouquets of flowers had been placed beneath the names of soldiers who had died during recent deployments.
David slowed.
Among the flowers were white blossoms with pale blue ribbons.
He stared at them.
Mira followed his gaze.
"People have been leaving flowers since the casualty reports came back."
David swallowed.
"Are those for Nyra?"
"Some of them," Mira answered.
David looked at the bouquets for another moment.
He wanted to approach.
To read the messages attached to them.
But he couldn't bring himself to move closer.
Not yet.
Castiel rested a hand briefly against his uninjured shoulder.
"We can come back later."
David nodded.
"Yeah."
They continued walking.
***
Dorm Building 1 came into view shortly afterward.
David recognized the broad entrance, the windows overlooking the courtyard, and the familiar arrangement of pathways leading toward the training facilities.
He had walked through those doors countless times.
After classes.
After exhausting training sessions.
After arguments with June about whose turn it was to clean the common area.
And after evenings spent with Nyra and the rest of Gamma Squad.
For a moment, he could almost imagine her walking beside them.
Her silver-white hair moving in the breeze.
Her voice joining the conversation.
David slowed.
Castiel looked toward him.
"You okay?"
David stared at the entrance.
"Yeah."
He paused.
"Just remembering something."
Castiel didn't press him.
They entered the building.
The familiar sounds of cadets talking and moving through the corridors greeted them. Somewhere farther down the hall, someone laughed.
David glanced toward the sound.
He remembered how often Gamma Squad had filled these same corridors with laughter.
Now every familiar place seemed to hold something he had lost.
They reached the corridor leading toward Room B-17.
Lucian stopped outside the door.
"Are you sure you don't want us to stay for a while?"
David looked at him.
"I'll be okay."
Lucian studied him.
David managed a small smile.
"Really. I just need to rest."
Lucian nodded reluctantly.
"All right. But if you need anything, call one of us."
"I will."
Mira stepped closer.
"We'll see you tomorrow."
David nodded.
"Thanks, Mira."
June carefully adjusted the strap of the bag hanging from his uninjured shoulder.
"And remember, if Castiel starts snoring, you're allowed to throw something at him."
Castiel looked offended.
"I don't snore."
June raised an eyebrow.
"You absolutely do."
"Name one time."
"Every time I've been unfortunate enough to fall asleep in the same room as you."
Lucian shook his head.
"Come on, June. Let's get you back before you hurt that shoulder again."
June looked toward David.
"See you later."
"See you, June."
Mira gave David a small nod before following Lucian and June down the corridor.
David watched them go.
Then he turned toward Castiel.
For a moment, the two friends stood outside their shared room.
Castiel reached for the handle.
"Welcome back, D."
He opened the door.
***
Room B-17 looked almost exactly as David remembered.
Two beds stood against opposite walls, separated by a narrow stretch of floor. Their desks occupied the spaces beneath the windows, and the shelves above them held books, equipment, and personal belongings.
Castiel's side of the room was relatively orderly.
David's was much the same.
His training equipment remained where he had left it. A jacket hung over the back of his chair, and several books rested on his desk.
Nothing had been disturbed.
David stepped inside slowly.
He looked toward his bed.
Months had passed since Gamma Squad left the Academy for Kharos Vale. When David had last walked out of Room B-17, he had expected to return with his entire squad.
All six of them.
He had never imagined how much would change before he saw this room again.
Now, after months of fighting on Kharos Vale and another two weeks unconscious in the hospital, he had finally returned.
But Nyra hadn't.
And no matter how familiar everything looked, the Academy would never feel quite the same without her.
Castiel entered behind him and placed David's belongings on the desk.
"Nobody touched your stuff," he said.
David nodded.
"I can see that."
"I figured you'd want everything the way you left it."
"Thanks, Cass."
Castiel looked toward the case containing Sanguine Thorn.
"Where do you want this?"
David hesitated.
Then he pointed toward the space beside his desk.
"Over there."
Castiel carefully set the case against the wall.
David stared at it for a moment before turning away.
He sat on the edge of his bed.
The mattress shifted beneath his weight.
For the first time since waking, he was somewhere familiar.
Somewhere that should have felt safe.
But the room seemed strangely quiet.
Castiel sat on his own bed.
"Feels good to be back?"
David looked around.
"Yeah."
He paused.
"I think so."
Castiel watched him.
David rested his uninjured arm against his knee.
"Everything feels different."
Castiel lowered his gaze.
"Yeah."
David looked toward the window.
The afternoon sunlight stretched across the floor, illuminating the familiar furniture.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then David broke the silence.
"Cass?"
"Yeah, D?"
"Do you ever think about what would've happened if we hadn't gone to Kharos Vale?"
Castiel's expression changed.
He took a moment before answering.
"Sometimes."
David looked down.
"If we'd stayed here, Nyra would still be alive."
Castiel didn't immediately respond.
He understood why David wanted to believe that.
But he also knew neither of them could change what had happened.
"Maybe," he said quietly.
David turned toward him.
Castiel continued.
"But we didn't know what was waiting for us out there. None of us did."
David lowered his eyes.
"I keep going over everything."
"I know."
"Every time I close my eyes, I see her."
Castiel watched him.
David's voice grew quieter.
"I can still hear what she said to me."
His fingers curled against the edge of the mattress.
"And I keep thinking about all the things we were supposed to do when we got back."
Castiel looked away for a moment.
He remembered Nyra laughing with the others.
The way she would challenge June whenever his jokes went too far.
How she had slowly become more comfortable around David.
And how much happier David had seemed whenever she was nearby.
"She really loved you, D."
David closed his eyes.
A tear slipped down his cheek.
"I know."
He swallowed.
"I loved her too."
Castiel remained silent.
There was nothing he could say that would make those words hurt less.
After a while, David wiped his face.
"I'm sorry."
Castiel frowned.
"For what?"
David looked toward him.
"For making everything so depressing."
Castiel shook his head.
"D, you don't have to apologize for missing her."
David lowered his gaze.
Castiel leaned forward.
"She mattered to all of us. You don't have to pretend you're okay just because we're back at the Academy."
David nodded slowly.
"Thanks, Cass."
"Anytime."
The room grew quiet again.
Outside, the afternoon gradually gave way to evening.
David remained seated on his bed, watching the sunlight fade from the window.
He had returned to the Academy.
He was no longer Gamma Squad's leader.
And in two days, he would stand beside his friends as they said their final goodbye to Nyra.
For the first time since waking, the reality of everything that had happened began to settle over him.
He was home.
But the world he had returned to would never be the same.