All night I spend working tirelessly to assist all those who were injured from the sonic pulse released into the crowd by that unhinged member of Wyetta's crew. Eadric has also begun to work alongside the troops to help them pack up and organize their gear as we prep to make the 180 mile trek across this half of the desert to reach the oasis. It is incredible how easily Eadric has taken to stepping down from his position of power, allowing Eerika to run a strategy meeting without his presence as he works to gain his people's trust the old fashion way. However, matters are still evidently tense as those Eadric attempts to directly converse with often respond with either one word answers or complete silence, their loyalties now completely devoted to Eerika. Maybe it is the lack of sleep talking, but Eadric and I making no moves to fight Eerika on stepping up to power seems to be somewhat a relief on my part given we are both a little out of practice, but Eadric... I can tell his attempts at leaving space between him and his closed off sister is becoming harder for him to tolerate by the minute.

I approach him near the discarded gate that used to mark the main exit out of Superior's camp to help him continue organizing the rations into packs as soon as all of the victims of the attack have been dealt with.

"Everyone okay?" He asks, handing over a pack for me to begin prepping.

"For the most part." I shrug, reaching for rations to stuff into it. "Although that one man who was blown to bits has clearly left the desired effect Wyetta was looking for. He's the only casualty so far."

"So far?" Eadric echoes, reaching for another pack to fill.

"You're sister is hours away from marching these people into a war to take place for your clan." I remind him. "More casualties are to be expected, Your Majesty."

"Right." He grunts, glancing back to the small room we talked in earlier that Apache, Einar, Eerika and some others continue to strategize within now.

I watch him closely for a moment before voicing, "If you want to be in there, Eadric, you have every right to be. You've planned several wars before. I'm sure Eerika could benefit from your expertise-"

"As of right now, my sister can barely look at me." Eadric states, shaking his head towards her ironfisted methodology. "It's like she's forgotten I spent six years ruiling over the nine clans, working through numerous territorial disputes, forging an alliance with your people, and leading the war against the Mountain before she took charge of them in that bunker. I may be a little rusty from all this time spent up in space, but I haven't forgotten who I was, who I am. I'm a King, and forcing myself to see both sides of a dispute does not make me a soft one."

"Not at all." I agree, nodding alongside him. "It makes you a smart one."

"Something she never understood." He angrily declares. "In all honesty, I don't think she understands what it takes to fight a war either. Keeping peace amongst the clans is one thing, but fighting a war that doesn't even need to be fought in the first place for a land that could get desecrated from the battle alone is another."

I spare a moment to look away and collect my thoughts in regards to this entire predicament when two hulking silhouettes pass through the remains of the main gate, heading out of the clan without even bothering to glance Eadric and I's way. It is because I recognise one of these figures that I decide to speak out.

"Olvir!" I call, rushing after is hooded form. It is hard to recognise him in this black, ashen and crimson variation of his old armor as he proceeds to walk away without even turning to face me. "What the hell? Olvir!"

"Want me to grab him?" Eadric offers, having rushed up to my side upon me stepping away from his.

"That won't be necessary." I mutter, clearing my throat and standing tall. It appears my tone has practically dropped an octave as I bark, "Olvir, vos mos subsisto et faciem tuam Regina nunc!"

Olvir stills then, slowly turning to look to me with narrowed eyes. Perhaps he recognizes the authoritative tone I used countless times in Lux Cantavit in line with commanding his troops. "With all due respect," he begins as Eadric I approach him and the scout beside him, "you are not my Queen anymore, Aurora."

"You said it yourself, Olvir, that once someone was Ambassador of Lux Cantavit, they would always be considered by the people to be their Queen, their mother."

"You formally forfeited that right upon not stepping up now to rule." He points out, disapproval clearly lacing his tone as he looks over Eadric and I coldly.

"What are you doing?" I press, anxious to change the subject.

"Wish I could tell you."

"My sister informed you not to?" Eadric presses, eyeing both men suspiciously.

It takes me all of two second to deduct Eerika's reasoning behind sending these two individuals out when I look to Eadric. "They're going to the village." I inform him.

He nods and proceeds to follow me over to her little meeting of sorts without needing to exchange another word.

"Aurora!" Olvir barks, his dark tone not deterring Eadric and I any from our new objective. "Aurora!"

I turn when he reaches for my arm, but not before Eadric has extended a hard fist into Olvir's armored sternum to force him back. He takes a couple challenging steps towards the alarmed guardsmen before seething, "No one lays a hand on my Queen."

Clearly this is a play on the phrase Olvir would often use toward anyone who disrespected my space the way he seems to have no problem doing now that I am not formally a Queen at the moment.

Regardless, Olvir recovers quickly, ready to argue us. "You two have no right to disrespect Sanguines Epistula."

"Bloodletter?" Eadric translates, astounded. "Is that what you lot are calling my sister now?"

"Apparently they've developed a little theme." I mock, drawing an amused huff from his lips as Olvir and the scout beside him bristle in offense.

"With all due respect, Aurora, you cannot do whatever you would like here. Not anymore-"

"I'm guessing you're moving ahead of the armies to scout forward terrain." I interrupt, impatient. "Which route are you taking?"

To this, Olvir and the scout exchange irritable glances, clearly not even sure themselves.

"It's sandstorm season." I inform the pair. "The wind moves in a predictable path. I've made the trip dozens of times, and whether you like it or not, your Bloodletter is going to need my help on this one."

Having sourced a table, Eerika is discussing her battle plans over a map with several troop leaders present, her blood red hood raised against the bright sun that is evidently taxing on many individuals due to the years they spent housed in the bunker. Upon closer observation, I realize all seven of these individuals used to be the previous Ambassadors of the nine clans. Einar and Apache are also stood beside Eerika. It appears they now have been upgraded to her personal guards of sorts, a not so subtle slap in the face towards the fact that they ironically enough used to fill the same role for Eadric and I.

"They don't know we're coming, so all three northern passes will be open." She summarizes when we approach. "But the village will be fortified. Where's their water source?"

"Here, My Lady." Apache indicates, pointing to a spot on the map.

"Why?" Einar asks, her brows furrowed skeptically as she steps up to the pair. "What are you thinking?

"My thoughts exactly." I interrupt, drawing all ten sets of eyes on Eadric and I.

"Olvir, what is this?" Einar asks, barely sparing us a glance in Eerika's presence. "Your orders were to-"

"I'm aware of my orders, cousin." Olvir grunts, irritable. "But I think we should listen to what Aurora has to say."

To this Eerika scoffs, her brows raised in demeaning shock as though I have never been prevalent during the planning and preparation of any war in my life.

"You can't take the northeastern route." I declare, looking to Einar.

"Why not?" She asks, at least willing to entertain my advice. "The plains are flat in these regions, and it is the most direct route to our enemies. Is the terrain passable or not?"

"It is, maybe," I relent, "but you have to understand-"

"Maybe's good enough for me. Let's move out." Eerika boldly declares, moving to exit the room without thought.

"Eerika, wait-" Eadric begins, that is until all troop leaders proceed to arm their weapons directly towards Eadric and I, causing our mouths to drop as we look to one another in shock. Only Apache and Einar are omitted from this foolish display of allegiance as the two individuals look to one another warily, Einar having to swallow her protests as Apache clenches his jaw to keep from speaking up.

Eerika actually narrows her eyes towards her brother in warning, as though his attention were beneath her before eventually commanding all troop leaders to, "Stand down."

Eadric only directs his widened eyes away from my own after all men have holstered their weapons once again. "You need to stop these foolish displays of power." Eadric declares, his patience waning. "Aurora has been mapping out these lands for four years now. You owe her ten minutes of your attention."

Eerika smirks demeaningly before drawing her laconic expression to me. "Explain." She orders.

I shake my head towards her condescending tone before moving past her to stand next to Einar as I used to with her as my right hand. "As I explained, you all chose the shortest route back to Nocte Cantavit, which theoretically makes sense." I begin, making sure to direct my eye contact to all seven troop leaders in the room. Eadric grins as I do this, knowledgeable of my intentions to ensure I am making every single individuals effort feel noted so as to not speak over them. "But what used to make up the dried up riverbed is hit by almost constant sand storms-"

"We have the tents from Superior's facilities." Eerika interrupts, clearly irritable I have not looked to her once since beginning my explanation. "Sand won't be a problem."

"Except it's not just sand." I clarify. "Some of the ground up sediment from the riverbed crystalized during the death wave. I'm talking shards of glass like razor blades. Your tents will be torn to shreds," I begin, momentarily raising a hand to the several strands of hair that have managed to escape the long braid trailing down the length of my back, "and if you're not careful, so will you."

Eadric steps forward as scrape back these sections to reveal the wicked scar traveling all the way from the tail of my brow in a jagged path down past the corner of my eye, marking the spot where my foolish travels once nearly cost me my eye. These injuries occurred when the rover ran out of power and, due to the fact that days of rainfall meant days of remaining stagnant in the middle of the wasteland, I decided to attempt to make the rest of the journey to the oasis on foot until I learned the dangers of doing so. There are several smaller scale lines on my nose as well, but these surface level injuries were luckily not severe enough to kill me that day as I could rush back to the rover to take shelter until the sun came out again to recharge the battery.

"I didn't even notice them." Eadric states after a moment, drawing my attention to him.

"You've hardly looked at me long enough to do so." I follow, finally commenting on his shifty behavior.

He presses his lips into a hard line before glancing down to swallow thickly.

"Regardless, Bloodletter is right." Olvir finally declares, evidently having thought little of my contributions during this time. "We can only carry rations for seven days. The route we have chosen will take six. The next shortest pass adds fifty miles to that which is two additional days if we are lucky."

"How do we know there won't be sandstorms on the longer routes-?"

"Enough!" Eerika shouts, cutting Einar off. "We're doing this. The hydrofarm is barely feeding us now, so if glass shards are all that's standing in our way, then we best get moving."

"Your leading your people straight into a trap." Eadric states as she turns around, his arms crossed and brows raised expectantly, demanding of an answer.

"You started this." Eerika hisses, projecting her faults onto him. "But if war is what it takes to finish it, then so we fight."

She and the others shove past us upon her finishing, only Apache and Einar lingering a little ways in the doorway to address us. Apache takes in Eadric's distressed state before offering, "Your sister needs you, Eadric. I'm glad you're here for her."

He looks to Einar who adds, "There are packs with the rations here by the door." The pair proceed to march out of the small space then, just in time for Einar to bark, "First battalion, mount up!"

Eadric looks to me as soon as they have walked out of earshot to practically growl under his breath, "Those Ambassadors who once pledged their loyalty to you and I just raised their guns to us. They were prepared to kill me, their King, for getting in my sister's way."

"It's like we were never in power." I mutter, still trying to recover from the overwhelming reality of it all.

"I know we have adjusted to more idle lifestyles over the years," he confesses, looking down to his casual attire as he takes in his unarmored silhouette somewhat longingly, "but that is the only reason I haven't stepped up to challenge my sister's ruling and she's even starting to make that logic seem miniscule."

"Are you sure that's the only reason?" I suddenly challenge, drawing his narrowed eyes to my own.

"What's that's supposed to mean?"

"I mean, are you refusing to formally request your sister step down in light of our idle states, or is it because of some sort of bias towards her?"

"There's no bias." Eadric declares a little too quickly. "Just because she's my sister doesn't mean I won't challenge her if circumstance finally requires it."

"What if she refuses to give up her power even after finishing up this war?" I ask, a sense of unease beginning to set in at the thought of it.

"Then the only option left for me would be to challenge her to a formal duel to the death in order to reclaim my throne by force as I did with the previous King of the Coalition," Eadric states, causing me release a sharp breath in response to this bold declaration of his, "and for relatively obvious reasons, I'm really not looking to have to take matters that far."

"So, what do we do?" I prompt, anxiously awaiting some form of a plan to stop this war.

He shakes his head, his obligations already clear in his eyes. "As of right now, Jackie and John are in trouble. I have to go with them."

My lips part as Eadric declares this, concern rising in my chest as I realize the danger Eadric is putting himself in.

But somehow, having always known the right thing to say, Eadric actually manages to ruefully summarize, "A six day hike through sandstorm regions with a gladiated cult... what could possibly go wrong?"

The black backpack he raises towards me I take with a low grin occupying my lips as I so generously offer, "After you."

He smirks before stepping out of the space, not sparing too long before nodding for me to follow after him.

Throughout the walk we opt to remain along the rear of the pack, deciding it would be best to stay out of everyone's way especially as the others proceed to set up camp upon nightfall. Apache wordlessly offers us a couple crates to sit on, but we start our own fire a little ways from the sector of Eerika's group as they begin to share their rations soon after we have gotten settled in for the night. Eadric and I watch their ritual of sorts closely as Eerika stands, addressing the individuals circled around her.

With her eyes closed and head ducked, she states, "We honor those who died, so that we may live." She takes a seat, handing a portion of her rations to the individual beside her. "Omnes me pro nobis omnibus."

"Omnes me pro nobis omnibus."

They all repeat the sentiment as they pass around their rations.

"All of me for all of us." I translate aloud, drawing Eadric's tired gaze to my own. "It's kind of beautiful, honestly."

Eadric scoffs, shaking his head a little. "How so?"

"They lost over 600 people in that bunker, nearly a fifth of all those who were inside while having no knowledge of whether or not they would ever get out again, and yet here they are. Strong, unified-"

"Diminished." Eadric cuts in, eyeing the ritual harshly. "All of that diversity and culture wiped away within four years all to be replaced by this folly."

"Perhaps once we don't have to fight anymore and we can learn to live in peace, our people will learn to respect us again."

"Do you not see, Aurora, they can barely even look at us!" Eadric suddenly hisses, causing me to look into the fire with a sigh. "Olvir thinks nothing of your opinion anymore and Apache, the man who raised me, is afraid to even hold a conversation with me! Something happened in that bunker to make all these people conform so closely to one another, and Eerika is exploiting that. She's changed."

"You don't know how severely." I counter, my answer haphazard at best.

With a sharp jut of his chin, Eadric motions to their conversation, to which we start to listen in on as Apache glances over to us from Eerika's side.

"Your brother loves you, Eerika." He states, doing all he can to vouch for the ruler he raised.

In answer, Eerika glances coldly our way before declaring, "Love is weakness."

To this Eadric rises at once, leaving his rations behind as he storms into the tent we have opted to share.

What a fool. Truly. How foolish she is to think that isolating herself and scaring her troops into submission in the only efficient way to rule. It is not an efficient way by any means, and I can only hope my harsh glare relays my shame I feel for the younger sibling as I rise, taking Eadric's rations for him before entering the tent for the sake of checking on him. He is lying on his back when I enter, his burly arms splayed haphazardly over his head and knees bent due to its smaller size as he likely relays Eerika's harsh words over and over again.

"She doesn't know what she's saying." I assure him, taking a seat beside him.

"She's been brainwashed." He states, his lips quivering towards the reality of it all. "I don't even know who she is anymore."

"She's your sister, Eadric. She'll be reminded of that in time."

"I should never have left her." He mutters, bringing a hand to his face to pinch the bridge of his nose.

I sigh, already shaking my head as I reach forward to pull his hand from over his eyes. "None of this is your fault, Eadric."

"The entirety of my people, everything we stood for has been destroyed because of my neglect." He mutters, allowing his other hand to drop to his side. "I let this happen by not being there to stop it."

"Eadric, you need to look at me." I order, reaching over to direct his chin towards me. "Whatever happened down in that bunker likely would've happened regardless of whether or not we were there to stop it. Because of this, everyone we know has changed considerably, yes, but just because they've repressed the memory of the years we were in rule, that doesn't mean our people are beyond saving. Einar and Apache will always believe in us, that I'm sure of, but that doesn't give us an excuse to be weak around her, Eadric. We can't risk that without Eerika trying to use it against us in order to stay in power."

"That's the problem, Aurora." He urges in hushed tones, abruptly sitting up to face me head on. "She likes the power. She's itching for the chance to spill more blood, to prove herself. This war... she wants it to happen, I can see it in her eyes, and I'm terrified that the only way to stop her will be by forcing her to step down from the throne."

Not being able to deny his dark remark as it was said in concern of the greater good of our people, I say nothing, allowing my gaze still locked on his to waver so I can remove all of my guns and tactical gear before lying back to consider his words with heavy thought.

In time Eadric sighs, slowly lying back to settle beside me.

"Eerika's not the only one who's changed, you know." I offer after some time, causing him to glance over to me. "You could've killed all 326 of those prisoners still sleeping in cryo, but you didn't."

"And because I didn't, Wyetta found a way around Jackie's security and now her army's awake."

"Wyetta would've killed me if not for you, Eadric. Maaike would be alone." I turn to face him, my expression hardening. "You got your people out of that bunker, Eadric."

At the mention of the bunker, Eadric grunts, raising a hand to rake it through his tousled waves. "Who knew it would amount to Pandora's box?" He grunts, frustrated.

"I'm serious, Eadric." I declare, growing tired of his pessimistic attitude.

"I know." He sighs, moving to prop himself up on his elbow to face me. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." I whisper, my expression softening. "Just, the heart and the head. Don't forget it."

"The heart and the head." He echoes, nodding. "I never have."

I smile as he retreats some to settle back again. "So, what does your head say about two armies fighting a war in the only green space left of your clan?"

"Same as yours." Eadric states without thought. "But you already knew that."

My response gets drowned out by a shout.

"It's coming this way!"

Eadric and I exchange irritable glances before rising at once.

"What's going on, Eerika?" Eadric asks, approaching her first.

He and the others flinch as a boom of thunder rings out, directing our gazes over to the wicked array of angry clouds heading our way, a harsh howling of the winds accompanying them.

I sigh, my eyes hooded as I duly note, "Sandstorm."

"It's blocking the way forward." Eadric grunts.

"Can we outrun it?" Einar asks, stepping up to my side.

"There is no running." Eerika seethes, answering before I can.

"These winds are dangerous, Eerika." I inform her, growing tired of her arrogance. "The last thing your men should do is rush into that storm."

"The wind hasn't met Unum Cantavit." With that she turns, Eadric right in front of her as she shouts to the crowd behind us, "We keep moving!"

"Keep moving?" Eadric echoes, his eyes narrowing angrily. "Thanks to you, we're about to be assaulted by razor-blade winds heading straight for us."

"Thanks to you, we're at war, Eadric." Eerika counters, her blood red paint accenting the angered arch of her brows.

"Only if you insist on fighting it."

"Fight or die, that's all there is."

With this statement, Eadric looks to me, rendered completely speechless by the offense in that statement. He takes a moment to breath deep, doing all he can to keep his temper in tact before muttering to Eerika, "You're really going to tell me that after I fought so hard for our lives to amount to more just than death and war? After Apache dedicated years of his life to train me and give me the skills I needed to protect you? After Lakote sacrificed-"

"You don't say his name!" Everyone is the space freezes as Eerika raises a knife to her brothers throat, nothing but fury driving her actions as she presses the blade to his skin. "Lakote is dead." She seethes, her eyes wide and lip trembling. "He's gone! And if you ever say his name again, that will be the last time you have a tongue!"

Oh my god. Lakote never made it out of the bunker. What... what the hell happened down there?

Eadric seems unable to voice such concerns as he clenches his jaw, willing his eyes to stop watering for this hollow shell his sister has become. Taking advantage of her moment of distraction, Eadric abruptly snatches Eerika's knife, grabbing a fistful of the fabric amounting to her hood before lurching her forward on her toes to press the blade to her throat.

Every man surrounding us proceeds to raise their guns to us.

"How dare you threaten our Queen!"

"Show some respect!"

"Drop the knife!"

"Eadric," I breathe, eyeing the pistol trained on the back of his head with utter terror clawing at my chest.

"I know." He remarks, his burning gaze not leaving his little sister's. Slowly, he sets Eerika down, flipping the blade so the handle faces her.

She says nothing but glares at him as if he were the enemy as she retrieves her knife to shove it back into her belt.

"Don't forget who taught you to handle a blade in the first place." Eadric warns, just like that, before shoving past all the men glaring down on us to grab our packs from our tent. "If they want to stay here to die, so be it. Let's move."

"I'm with you." I nod, retrieving my pack from him.

Howling halts our movements as sand and debris begin to swirl in the air before gradually growing more aggressive in our direction.

"Shit," I hiss as some particles get into my eyes. "It's already here."

"What can we do?" Einar asks, rushing over to my side.

"The only thing we can do. Pile bodies, create a formation. The larger the better-"

"Each battalion forms their own until the storm passes." Eerika orders, stepping up to glare at Einar disapprovingly.

"Eerika, this is only the first wave." I point out, raising my scarf to cover the lower half of my face. "It will get stronger and your men will be vulnerable."

"Each battalion is to stay in formation." She orders, raising the fabric hooded cape to cover her own.

Apache steps up to order, "Sanguinem Epistula takes the center! Each battalion pile up around one another by your rank!"

Eerika is shuffled in the middle of the first battalion that parts for Einar and Apache to follow. Apache looks to Eadric, tearing a large strip of fabric from the tattered length of his ebony tunic for the previous ruler to wrap it around his head protectively.

"Barons at the center!" Einar clarifies before reaching for my hand. "You are to remain in the middle with the Queen. If anything happens, she'll need the services of a Healer."

I furrow my brows, unconvinced this is the only reason Einar has ordered me in the safest space possible while this storm passes through. "Einar-"

"Please, Aurora, let me keep you safe." She mutters under her breath, confirming my suspicions.

"And I you, Your Highness." Apache adds as he finishes concealing Eadric's nose and mouth with the haphazard scarf of sorts.

Eadric and I exchange wary glances before he reminds the pair, "This places you in an impossible position with my sister."

"She can strike me down after the storm if she feels so offended having her sibling by her side again." Apache grunts, amusingly irritable in his remark.

Eadric smirks before setting a hand over his guardian's back. "I've missed having you by my side, Apache."

"You're here now, that's what matters." He insists before beckoning us forward. "Now let's move! We need to hold together if we are to survive this!"

We hustle to the center of the formation, linking arms with those beside us as Eadric laces my arm firmly through his own, squeezing tight as he leans down towards me. "We'll get through this." He assures me, his panting audible through the fabric wrapped over the lower half of his face.

I watch closely as Apache tucks his body protectively over Eadric's back, pressing close to his side to offer him far more shielding than the standard formation alots. My gaze is then directed to Einar as she wraps her arm tight over my shoulders, pressing her gloved hand to my neck to offer a layer of protection against the glass shards that are sure to follow soon. It makes my answer easy when I glance back to him again. "I know."

The white hot sun is just passing the horizon land by the time the storm has passed on. Eadric and I were luckily spared much of the hardship those on the outskirts of the formations suffered, but because of this, I dedicate much of the morning to tending to those injured. Olvir's formation, in particular, suffered the worst of the storm's wrath as six of his men were killed out of the eleven bodies dropped from the ordeal. Olvir himself seems to also struggle to rise as he grunts against the effort it takes for him to try to stand.

"Don't." I order, a hand over his barreled chest as I slowly ease him back down onto the sand again. "I need to take a look at this."

"I'm fine." He answers, curt. He refuses to make eye contact with me as I look to him with a sigh.

"Olvir, please." I insist, my expression softening.

He grunts before abruptly taking my wrist. He uses his other hand to momentarily move the armor over his chest as he presses my hand to the surface of his back. When he pulls my hand off, it comes away red.

"You went to the outskirts of your battalions formation despite your rank as Duke amongst Eerika's army, didn't you?"

He bristles before relenting, "It's my job to look out for my men."

"I know." I mutter, eyes burning. "I remember you doing the same for your old troops. Lux Cantavit troops-"

"There is no Lux Cantavit." Olvir scolds, still refusing to meet my gaze. "There is only Unum Cantavit."

I falter against this declaration, eyeing the roll to tape in my hands before finally shaking my head with a scoff. "Fine. I'll leave you to bleed, then."

He says nothing when I rise, turning my back on him to meet Eadric eyeing the row of victims taken by the storm with a bitter edge. "Perhaps we wouldn't have lost so many men had we created one formation instead?" He ventures, glancing down to me with his hands over his hips.

"There's no way to guarantee that." I shrug, looking to pacify him.

"Perhaps not." He grunts. His gaze darkens as Eerika approaches us.

"What's wrong with him?" She directs my way, motioning to Olvir.

"Best guess, just a couple shallow, surface level cuts over his back. Nothing to be concerned about. They'll heal eventually."

"Eventually?"

"He's not looking to be bandaged right now." I snap. "Someone else can attend to him back at the bunker."

"Fine." Eerika nods, bracing a hand over her belt. "I suppose we will have to sound for a retreat then until our troops have the time to recover." She relents, looking to Eadric for his thoughts on the matter.

He bristles but nods in agreeance.

To this Eerika hesitates as she glances between the two of us, taking a moment to clear her throat. "About what you did, Aurora, your idea about the formations... it was smart."

"She saved your men." Eadric snaps, a brow raised expectantly. "You owe her more than than a three word acknowledgement of her intelligence."

"You're right," she states a bit tensely, "but I wasn't talking to you, was I?"

Eadric scoffs, turning away from to dismiss himself from the conversation.

Eerika raises a hand towards me. "Thank you, Aurora."

I look into her ice blue eyes, in search of the witty, headstrong warrior who challenged her brother's decisions at every turn but for his sake once, not her own. Whether it is sincere or not, however, I eventually reach over to clasp Eerika's wrist as she does my own.

She excuses herself soon after with a nod.

Eadric grimaces, surging forward to take his sister's arm to pull her back towards him.

"What is it?" Eerika stammers, clearing having been caught off guard.

"You were right." He relents with a sigh, looking to the warriors marching out around us. "Unum Cantavit is strong, just like their leader. I know that."

Eerika presses her lips in a hard line as her eyes redden against the crimson war paint, her expression softening. Gently, she urges her arm free to set both her hands over her brothers cheeks. "I'm glad you're alive, big brother." She whispers, moving to press her forehead against his own.

Eadric closes his eyes, allowing himself to breathe deep and bask in the familiarity of his sister's presence for the first time since he freed her from the bunker.

Without warning, her grip abruptly tightens, however, drawing his eyes open as she pulls back some, her dangerous glare returning. "But if you ever speak out again Unum Cantavit again," she warns, her tone low, "then you are an enemy of Unum Cantavit, and you are my enemy."

With this, Eerika releases her stunned brother with a rough yank back, moving her hands back to her belt again. With her jaw clenched and chin raised defiantly, she turns her back on us to approach her Duke. "Olvir, sound the retreat!"

I am unable to form any words as a roaring sound suddenly emerges, starling all of those around us.

"What is that?" Eadric asks, looking around blindly as the others do, wary.

I merely smirk towards the confused group of warriors before taking his arm to direct his gaze towards me. "I'm surprised you could ever forget the sound of her purr." I tease, looking to him with a wry grin over my lips.

To this, Eadric stills, his thoughts starting to come together for him.

It looks as though he is just about to speak up again when the rover races into view, the risky drifting maneuver revealing exactly who is behind the wheel as my smile widens.

"It's the others." Eadric mutters, the color seeming to drain from his face as he swallows thickly.

"Which is a good thing." I tease, jutting an elbow into his stomach. I shake my head as he meets my gaze anxiously to glance back to the rover just as Maaike opens the driver's seat to leap out of it, her weapons and gear still strapped over her back.

Her widened eyes and nervous pout become diminished by her brilliant grin the second she has spotted me in the crowds. "Aurora!" She shouts, rushing up to me.

I find myself racing over to Maaike myself, relief and happiness of an inexplicable origin overwhelming my better judgement as the second she has leaped into my arms, I am spinning her around, holding tight to her waist as her light laughter lights up the dreary expanse of the wasteland. "Oh, how I have missed you, little rat!" I tease, causing her to release another round of laughter as I finally set her down before me.

"I've missed you too!" Maaike states, pulling me down for another hug.

I pull back soon after to begin expecting her closely. "You okay? Any injuries I need to know about? Gear missing?"

"I'm fine." Maaike scoffs, already growing lightheartedly irritable towards my prodding.

"Are you sure, or are you just saying that to make me feel better?" I counter, my brows raised expectantly.

"I actually replenished what I lost from my stash." Maaike remarks with a cheeky grin.

I smirk before looking past her as all the others pile out of the rover.

Just like when we were initially sent to the ground, better grooming and cleaner haircuts aside, all individuals before me pile out armed with their signature weaponry but still casually dressed nonetheless. John, in particular, seems to sporting a short, cleanly cropped haircut shaved along the sides and grown out some along the top. Brian has grown out his hair into a loose low ponytail while Carter has remained true to his cropped cut even after all these years. Cargo pants and bulky worn jackets accompany their new looks. Alice's braid has been simplified into a more relaxed variation, the softened look accented with her light wash thin fabric jacket to accompany it. Jackie's high ponytail is still intact, just understandably sleeker and better tended to now with a muscle tee under her synthetic bomber jacket. Ukaleq looks remarkably different with her wavy hair still containing an array of braids now shaved completely on the shallow side of her part line and chopped above her shoulders, her tight grey tank top partially concealed by the slightly darker synthetic vest overlayed on top of it. Iolana, however, with her tall stature and regal, icy blonde waves braided back into a half updo or sorts, makes a particular impression on me as she leaps out of the rover in a low cut, layered sleeveless top with a sword, one of Eadric's swords, strapped to her hip.

Her wild searching is only relieved when she spots him a ways behind me. I find myself freezing in place, however, as soon as she begins to rush towards Eadric as he walks up to her. She silences whatever he is about to say because as soon as she has reached him, she pulls him in for a deep, lingering kiss.

Eadric pulls back first, his hands braced over her elbows. "Iolana-"

"We rushed here as soon as we had an opening." She assures him with a hand over his cheek. "We were able to sneak the others out once Alice figured out how to remove their collars after they managed to separate from the group-"

"Iolana, that's great. It's just-"

"What, baby? What is it?" She asks, concern lacing her tone.

The awed scoff that escapes my lips towards her sentiment draws her icy gaze to me, where she regards me with an unreadable expression.

"Aurora," she begins, stiff, "you survived."

"Damn right she did." Maaike remarks, wrapping an arm around my waist to huddle into my side.

John and Jackie exchange sympathetic glances, having clearly not had the heart to inform Iolana of my survival before this point, though matters were likely too hectic cracking the two from Wyetta's custody to do so. Still, the war is not currently where my concerns lie as it all comes together for me. This... this is why Eadric showed me no sentiment since we were reunited. It is because he has another lover at his side now, his first lover.

Eadric seems just as tongue tied as I am, although not quite as pissed as he looks to me hesitantly.

With a clenched jaw and an angry flush heating my cheeks, I bristle, doing all I can to remain silent despite Eadric's arms being wrapped around another woman at the moment.

"Well, this is just fucking awkward now, isn't it?" John remarks, eyeing us anxiously.

Jackie juts a hard elbow into his gut in an effort to silence him.

Regardless, with my glare directed to Iolana now as she raises her chin towards me in consideration, I somehow manage to swallow the lump in my throat before nodding.