"I can't believe they caught up to us… We were so close."
Sansa sat beside Mele on one of the couches, absent-mindedly tugging at a strand of her hair.
Lauri frowned, his gaze sweeping across the rest of his team.
Danse had taken over driving to give Lucky a break, so the young man was currently sitting beside Katrina.
Vick sat alone, quietly adjusting her hair.
Shaking his head, Lauri spoke.
"They haven't caught up to us. That was only the Whispering Legion's scouts."
"How can you be sure?"
Katrina's words slipped out before she could stop them.
Her eyes widened slightly, and she quickly covered her mouth.
The revelation that the Whispering Legion was so near had unsettled the Irregulars; even their Captain was daunted at this realisation.
Lauri was silent for a moment before answering.
"I'm sure, because of the reports Command gave us. They described siege engines, which there were none of. In fact, there wasn't even a legion. Just three figures."
He exhaled softly.
"And they ran the moment I noticed them."
Vick tensed.
"I don't get that part, Nightmare Creatures don't just run. They try and tear us apart until they've snuffed out our souls, or until we've snuffed out theirs… So what gives?"
Lucky lifted a hand to his lips, thinking aloud.
"Could it be the lingering influence of the Fallen Titan?" he murmured. "What if it left something behind… something that allows the remnants to act with coordination?"
His voice trailed off.
"There's only one other possibility…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to – everyone was already thinking it.
Lauri's jaw tightened.
"The only other explanation… is that the Whispering Legion is being directed by a Tyrant."
Mele gritted her teeth, scowling.
"Another damn Tyrant, and here I thought we were supposed to be lucky."
Lucky flinched at that, his expression dimming as he sank further into the couch.
Lauri leaned back slightly, looking up at the ceiling before shaking his head.
"If it is another Tyrant, we'll crush it. Just like we crushed the Festering Alpha and its pack of fetid pups."
Vick glanced at him, one brow raised.
"Oh? Was that its name? Festering Alpha? You never mentioned it."
Lauri looked back at her, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Didn't I? Yeah… that was its name."
His expression shifted slightly, the smile fading just a touch.
"Come to think of it…"
He frowned.
"I feel like I've forgotten something important about that… something I meant to tell you all."
Lauri drummed his fingers against the arm of the couch for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.
"I'm sure it'll come back to me."
He pushed himself upright.
"Alright. Next on the to-do list."
His gaze moved across the group, settling on Lucky, Katrina, and Mele.
"You three – Dream Realm. It's your rotation, I don't care if you're not feeling sleepy, I want you to go rest now before another seven Nightmare Gates open on top of our heads."
Lucky straightened slightly. Katrina blinked, then nodded. Mele let out a quiet breath but didn't argue.
Lauri's expression hardened just a touch as he addressed Mele directly.
"When you're in there, get in touch with Command. Update them on our progress."
A brief pause.
"And find out everything you can about the Whispering Legion. Especially anything that could be coordinating their behaviour."
Mele's brows knit together.
"You think Command knows something? I thought those documents Danse brought back had everything they knew about the Whispering Legion?"
"I don't think they're hiding information from us or anything like that, just double check in case any of the Government seers have learnt any new information,"
Lauri replied evenly, his gaze flicked briefly toward the front of the Rhino.
"You should be back before we reach the next bridge. If not… I'll have to bring the bridge down myself; we have no time to spare."
Katrina nodded, more serious now.
"Got it."
Lucky gave a small, determined nod as well.
Mele leaned back slightly, already preparing herself.
"Alright. I'll see if Command has learnt anything new since we were given our instructions."
Lauri gave a final nod.
"Good and everyone… take this time to relax, it might be the last time we get to relax until we reach the seventh bridge."
Vick stood up, heading in the direction of the pilot's cabin.
"I'll let Danse of the plans."
The team split, Lucky, Katrina and Mele heading toward the sleep pods. Vick headed towards the pilot's cabin. Leaving Sansa alone in the living space.
Lauri moved to the back of the Rhino, toward the communications suite. Swiping the documents Danse had brought back off the table, he scowled, reading the first line.
Operation: Dismantle Pass. The Irregular Company, led by Ascended Lauri, has been tasked with the destruction of a series of bridges spanning a deep ravine. This is to impede the progression of a horde of Nightmare Creatures, which are the remnants of the Fallen Titan: Whispering Legion.
Running a hand down his face, Lauri dropped onto one of the seats beside the terminals.
'Who could have thought these couple of lines would give us such a headache?'
Resting the back of his hand against his forehead, Lauri groaned.
"Such a damn headache."
"Are you busy, Captain?"
Lauri almost jumped out of his skin hearing Sansa speak behind him. Turning around in the chair, his moment of shock gave way to a broad smile.
"Sansa, I didn't hear you move over here."
Lauri's smile dimmed a little seeing Sansa's expression.
Since the Irregulars had first met at the port – before the First Evacuation Army departed the mainland for Antarctica – Sansa had stood out as one of the more lively members of the group, matched only by Mele.
Danse was as stoic and silent as they came – a government veteran, only rarely ever stepping out from beneath his facade of stoicism, save for in the heat of battle.
Vick, like Danse, had spent most of her adult life serving under the Government, though where Danse held a cold composure. Vick was more open to the other members of the group, often teasing the younger members, primarily Katrina.
Katrina was often the quietest of the group, content to keep her thoughts to herself – at least until Lucky came up with a plan so preposterous that she couldn't keep her emotions from bubbling over.
Lucky, on the other hand, was lively. Out of everyone on the team, he seemed to be the one who smiled the most – second only to Lauri.
Sansa and Mele had known each other since before their Winter Solstice, having met in the Awakened Academy. It seemed the Nightmare Spell had been feeling benevolent, putting the two ladies within the same region of the Dream Realm, allowing them both to travel together until a Master happened to come across them.
And again, they were lucky enough to both be selected by Lauri as members of his team.
In all that time, Lauri had noticed one thing.
Sansa was most resilient to the worries that were given to her by the Nightmare Creatures when she had Mele by her side. But when Mele travelled to the Dream Realm, when Sansa was without her. Sansa's worries seemed to slip through her defences, as if Mele was the only thing that held her defences together.
Lauri's eyes narrowed.
"Sansa, can I ask you a question?"
Sansa nodded.
Lauri continued, asking:
"Your Flaw, I've had a faint idea about what it is. But… does it have something to do with Mele?"
Sansa flinched, turning away, she rubbed her arm.
"How did you know?"
Lauri leaned back in his chair, placing the document on the holographic table. He gestured for Sansa to sit down, which she did.
"It was more of an educated guess than anything concrete. But I guess your reaction says all that needs to be said"
Dryly laughing, Sansa sighed.
"Yes, it is my Flaw. My Flaw makes me weaker when I'm not around someone I love, weaker physically, mentally, and my essence regenerates slower. Even if I try to stab someone with a Memory that has an enchantment to make it extremely sharp, my Flaw will cause the blade to seem dull…. But you guessed my Flaw, didn't you? That's why you've always paired Mele and me together?"
Holding his hands up, Lauri smiled.
"As I said, it was just an educated guess…"
Lifting up a page of the document, Lauri tapped his tongue against his top teeth a couple of times.
"Soo… Your Flaw makes you weaker when you aren't around someone you love? That would mean you love Mele?"
Sansa almost squeaked as Lauri spoke, shaking her hands, she quickly shook her head.
"It's not only romantic love, it can be platonic. I love Mele, she's like the sister I never had… Although at first I hated her."
Lauri's brow raised in surprise.
"You, Sansa, hated Mele? Now that's not something I would have seen coming."
Touching her hair, Sansa faintly smiled.
"When we met in the Awakened Academy, I just – imagine it. Sixteen-year-old Sansa, practically wetting herself at the thought of her Winter Solstice. Already weakened by her Flaw since she is separated from her family… and then she meets the unserious Mele."
Lauri laughed.
"Mele was so unserious even during the build-up to her Winter Solstice? Now that part doesn't surprise me."
Sansa's worried expression softened into something lighter, something closer to her usual bubbly self.
"Dead Gods, you wouldn't know that girl was about to face a life-or-death situation if you bumped into her in the hallway. Not the way she was laughing and joking. Looking back, I think I hated her because… I envied that, that ability to be calm in the face of my own impending death. All I could think about was what would happen to my brother if I died."
"Your brother? Oh, right, from your file, you and your brother, you… Only have each other, right?"
Sansa's expression grew a shade darker as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest.
"Yes, it's just my brother, my mother… died during a gate incident, and my father was an Awakened working for the Government, but… I don't need to explain the mortality rates for Government Awakened to you."
Sansa shifted in her seat for a moment, holding on to the edge of the holographic table.
"Actually, Captain, my brother is why I wanted to talk to you."
Lauri sat up.
"Your brother? Is something the matter with him?"
Shaking her head, Sansa focused her gaze on the table, unable to look Lauri in the eye.
"No, no. The last I heard of him, he was fine. He was living with me before I went to Antarctica, but when I had to leave. One of his teachers actually stepped up and said they would take care of him. Last I heard, he was as happy as could be…"
Tilting his head, Lauri asked:
"It's good to hear your brother is fine, but then why did you want to talk?"
Sansa hesitated for a few moments, as if she were trying to decide what to say.
"I… I know this is a lot to ask, too much to ask, but if I die. Would you make sure he is taken care of?"
Taken aback, Lauri took a second to respond. He shook his head.
"That won't be necessary."
Sansa's eyes narrowed.
"You can't be-"
Lauri raised his hand to quiet Sansa.
"I know I can't be sure, I'm rarely sure about things. It's next to impossible to be sure about something in the world of the Nightmare Spell. But this, this I am sure about. I am the most sure person in the world. Because I will risk my life to make sure you all make it home. That is the oath I took as your Captain, you put your trust in my hands."
Lauri clenched his fist, his eyes glowing faintly with his unwavering resolve.
"And I will protect you, Lucky, Danse, Mele, Vick and Katrina. Even if I am left bloodied, battered and on the verge of death, as long as you six are able to walk away, that's something I can die for."
Sansa watched Lauri for some time. In the silence, the rumble of the Rhino and the howl of the Antarctic wind were all they could hear.
She smiled.
"You know, Lauri, you can be kind of intense sometimes. But, I appreciate knowing how far you'll go for us."
Looking at the documents lying on the table, Sansa motioned to them.
"What were you doing before I interrupted you?"
Sliding his hand to the documents, Lauri lifted them up.
"I was just going to go over what we know of the Whispering Legion, just… in case, Spell forbid, we do cross paths with them at all. It wouldn't hurt to make sure we know anything and everything. Here."
Taking a few pages out of the document, Lauri slid them to Sansa.
"Two eyes are better than one."