The city buzzed around me, a symphony of light, sound, and motion.
Hovering cars zipped through the air, their sleek frames gliding effortlessly between the towering skyscrapers that pierced the sky like jagged shards of glass.
The streets below were alive with people, some rushing, some strolling, all absorbed in their own worlds.
Neon signs flickered and hummed, casting a kaleidoscope of colors over the metallic sidewalks.
It was a place of endless energy, a city that never seemed to sleep.
But today, the usual rhythm felt off, like a song playing just slightly out of tune.
I walked my boots clicking against the polished ground.
Edward was beside me, his presence a steady anchor amidst the chaos.
A few other members of our team trailed behind us, their voices low but animated as they talked among themselves.
I hadn’t planned to run into them, but fate, or maybe just the city’s labyrinthine streets, had brought us together on my way to the gate.
Now, we moved as a unit, our steps synchronized, our minds focused on what lay ahead.
But to me, it was quite better.
Walking with them, made me to be able to take my mind off worrying about our current situation.
The conversation started casually, as it often did before a mission.
Edward was the first to break the silence, his tone light but laced with an undercurrent of tension.
"Do you think it’ll be like the last ones?" he asked, glancing at me sideways. "The orc lord armies, I mean. You think they’ll go down easy, just like past battles we had fought?"
I didn’t answer right away.
Instead, I let my gaze drift over the cityscape, taking in the familiar sights, the glowing advertisements, the distant hum of machinery, the faint scent of ozone in the air.
It was hard to imagine what awaited us.
It was dangerous, very dangerous.
And it wasn’t going to be easy as the other battles and threats we have defeated.
But we couldn’t just use our own calculations to put fear in our hearts.
"Maybe," I finally said, my voice measured. "But we can’t assume anything. Every fight’s different. It cannot be determined."
Edward nodded, but I could see the doubt in his eyes.
It wasn’t just about the orc lords, it was about everything.
The uncertainty, the risk, the unspoken question that hung in the air like a storm cloud.
Would we make it out alive this time?
One of the others chimed in, their voice tinged with nervous laughter.
"Yeah, but come on. We’ve faced worse, right? We’ve got this. That is why we are called awakened, we got ourselves and our abilites to rely on."
I didn’t respond.
They were trying to reassure themselves, and I understood that.
But false confidence could be just as dangerous as fear.
Better to stay grounded, to keep our focus on the task at hand.
Edward, ever the one to push, turned to me again.
His expression was softer now, more thoughtful.
"Have you heard about that your little friend?" he asked, his voice filled with mockery.
The question caught me off guard, though it shouldn’t have.
Sky’s name had been lingering in the back of my mind, a quiet ache I’d been trying to ignore.
I shook my head, my gaze fixed straight ahead.
"No," I said simply. "But he’s strong. He’ll be just fine."
Edward’s brow furrowed, and for a moment, he looked like he wanted to say more.
His doubt was written all over his face, the slight frown, the way his eyes narrowed as if searching for something in my expression.
He didn’t believe me.
Or maybe he just didn’t want to.
"Yeah, it is easier said, than being true" Edward muttered.
I sighed, stopping briefly to face him.
"Edward," I said, my voice firmer now. "Sky knows how to survive. He’s out there doing what he does best, trying to tell me he is probably dead won’t help any of us. We need to focus on what’s in front of us. The mission. The team. That’s what matters right now."
He hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.
"Yeah. You’re right." But the doubt didn’t completely leave his eyes, and I knew it wouldn’t.
Not until we had answers.
Not until we knew for sure.
We continued walking, the city gate looming closer with every step.
The conversation shifted, the others throwing out theories and strategies, their voices blending into a comforting hum.
I listened, but my mind was elsewhere.
Sky was out there, somewhere beyond the wall.
Alone.
I told myself he was fine, that he could handle whatever the world threw at him.
But deep down, I couldn’t shake the worry.
He might have been really dead just as Edward was trying to tell me.
He might have been eaten by monsters already or Is injured by monsters probably suffering blood loss.
I didn’t know, and every thought that came into my head, made my headache.
Sky... Please be safe.
The gate came into view, its massive frame casting a long shadow over the street.
Beyond it, the world was a blur of motion and noise, soldiers preparing, vehicles being loaded, the occasional flash of light as someone tested their equipment.
It was a scene I’d witnessed before, but it never got easier.
The weight of what we were about to do settled over me, heavy and unyielding.
Edward fell into step beside me again, his shoulder brushing mine.
"We’ll get through this, Amber." he said quietly, his tone more confident now. "All of us, Let’s trust in our abilites."
I glanced at him, offering a small nod.
"Yeah. We will. Thanks"
But as we stepped through the gate and into the unknown, I couldn’t help but wonder if he truly believed that, or if he was just trying to convince himself.
Either way, it didn’t matter.
The mission was all that mattered now.
And whatever lay ahead, we’d face it.
We had to, we had no other choice.