Skylar and Veyra headed east. Back toward the Hollow Expanse.
Silence stretched between them. Heavy. Uncomfortable.
Veyra flew her Aetherwave Glider ten meters above. Keeping her distance from Skylar, while also keeping watch for potential threats.
Skylar walked below. His pistols by the side. Eyes scanning the terrain.
Minutes passed with nothing but wind and sand.
Then Veyra spoke.
"Why did you do it?"
Skylar didn't respond. Just kept walking.
"I asked you a question, Skylar."
"I know what you asked" His voice was flat. "But I don't know what you're talking about"
"The scar" Her voice dropped lower. "Two years ago. During the training exercise. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
Skylar stopped walking. Looked up at her. "That was an accident, Veyra. You know that."
"An accident!" She laughed sharply, feeling bitter. "You threw a flashbang without checking your surroundings. I took shrapnel to the face. Nearly lost my eye. But sure. An accident."
"I reported myself." Skylar said. His voice steady. [I took full responsibility. I was demoted. Lost my top hundredth spot on the Bronze Tier ranking. What more do you want?"
"I want you to admit that you were careless." Veyra's glider descended slightly. "I want you to stop acting like the perfect soldier who just made one little mistake."
"I never said I was perfect."
"But you act like it." Her voice rose. "Walking around with that calm face. Like nothing bothers you. Like you don't care."
Skylar's jaw tightened. He was beginning to feel irritated. He took a deep breath, turned away and started walking again.
"We have a mission, Veyra. Personal issues can wait."
"Of course they can." She flew ahead. "Because that's all you do. Wait. Ignore. Pretend everything's fine."
The settlement within the Hollow Expanse had long been abandoned by the former inhabitants of Oblivion's Verge. Its structures were reduced to crumbling stone and twisted metal.
For three days, Skylar and Veyra searched through the ruins. But whatever had once thrived here was gone. Leaving behind only empty shells and dust.
They set up camp each morning. Set out with the hope of finding something useful to their search now that they were without functioning gadgets. Each evening, they returned with nothing but sore muscles and dwindling patience.
When they finally left, the landscape ahead was no more inviting. A vast, cracked plain stretched endlessly before them. The earth fractured as if split by some ancient force.
Sparse, brittle trees stood like skeletal fingers reaching toward the sky. Their roots barely holding onto the dry, sunken ground.
Heat shimmered in the distance. A faint wind stirred the dust. Carrying with it the distant echoes of a world that had long since collapsed.
Skylar adjusted his stance on the Aetherwave Glider. Feeling the familiar hum beneath his feet as it lifted him just above the surface. Veyra followed close behind. Her own glider flickering with unstable energy.
The journey across the wasteland was slow and tedious. Not because of the terrain but because of the constant need to replace the Primal Crystals powering the gliders.
Each time one died out, they were forced to stop. Rummage through their limited supply. Swap in a fresh one.
Skylar worked in silence. Methodically replacing the drained crystals while Veyra paced impatiently nearby.
Though, Veyra never did well with silence.
"So, you and Lyra," she started. Her voice casual but laced with something else.
'Here we go.' Skylar thought frustratingly, but he didn't answer. He secured the new crystal in place. Feeling the glider hum back to life.
Veyra huffed. "You're really not going to say anything?"
Still no response.
She kicked at a loose rock hatefully. As if visualizing someone's face. Watching it tumble into a crack in the ground. "I mean, come on. You two were always together back at the outpost. I just figured, you know... something was going on."
Skylar remained silent as he stepped onto the glider and pushed off. Leaving her standing there.
"Hey!" Veyra rushed to replace her own crystal. Fumbling slightly before taking off after him. "I'm just saying, she's always looking out for you. Always talking about you. Always—"
Skylar increased his speed.
"Oh, real mature," she muttered, catching up. She leaned forward. Her glider hovering right next to his. "What, is it a secret? You don't want to talk about it because it's complicated?"
Skylar's jaw tightened. His patience wearing thin. The wind carried her words away, but she kept going anyway. Filling the air with questions and half-formed accusations.
"She's pretty, you know. Maybe too pretty for someone like you."
He exhaled sharply through his nose but said nothing.
Veyra smirked. "Or maybe it's the other way around. Maybe you don't want to talk about her because she feels something, and you don't."
The flicker of an expression crossed Skylar's face. So brief that most wouldn't have noticed. But Veyra wasn't like most people.
"Oh," she grinned, tilting her head. "So, that's it, huh? She's all in, but you—"
Skylar suddenly veered to the right. Cutting off her path. Veyra had to jerk back to avoid colliding with him. Letting out a startled yelp.
"Alright, alright! I'll drop it," she laughed, holding up her hands in surrender. "For now."
Skylar glared at her for a good two to three seconds before he resumed controlling his glider.
The cracked plain stretched endlessly ahead. The horizon blurred by heat. He adjusted his stance on the glider. Gripping his weapon strap a little tighter.
Veyra fell back slightly but kept grinning to herself.
A few minutes later, a warning came as a soft chime in Skylar's exo-helmet. Followed by the artificial voice of his battlesuit's A.I.
[Oxygen levels at 30%. Danger Level—High]
[Radiation levels rising quickly beyond safe parameters. Recommend immediate replenishment with oxygen tubes or in nearest outposts]
Skylar's gaze flicked to the display on his visor. The numbers were dropping faster than he liked. He frowned and angled his glider downward. Bringing it to a slow hover just above the cracked ground.
"Hold position," he muttered to Veyra through the suit comms. "I need to refill my tanks."
Veyra groaned. "Again? We just stopped—"
Skylar ignored her. Stepping off the glider and reaching for a cylindrical tube strapped to his belt.
It was sleek and metallic. With a narrow edge designed for easy insertion into the suit's intake valve. He knelt and pressed it into place. Hearing the faint hiss as oxygen transferred into his system.
Veyra circled above him impatiently. "Well, since we're stopping, I'll scout ahead," she said, already shifting her weight to speed off.
"Stay within range," Skylar warned.
"Yeah, yeah," she called back. Her figure shrinking into the distance.