The towering gates of Royal HQ groaned as they slid open, the heavy steel grinding against the concrete. Outside, the citizens of the Boston settlement—those who had found safety under Ethan's banner—lined the streets. At first, there was a wave of cheering. The common folk, seeing the familiar blue and silver emblems of the Royal army, began to wave and shout in celebration.
They didn't understand the atmosphere. They only knew their protectors were back.
But as the convoy rolled deeper into the city, the cheers began to die down, replaced by a suffocating, hollow silence. Those who remembered the departure—the thousands of polished armored vehicles, the endless lines of proud soldiers, and the sheer opulence of a superpower on the move—now lowered their heads in bewilderment.
