The heavy stillness in the air was broken only by the dying cry of the dream eater. Its mangled body collapsed to the frozen street, twitching once before dissolving into ash against the wind. The silence that followed wasn't peaceful—it was sharp, suffocating, like the world was holding its breath.
Ashen stood still, his dagger—The One Who Remembers—dripping with blackened residue. His eyes were unfocused, locked on nothing. The battle had been brief, but the tension had never truly faded since they arrived in Athen.
"...Is it dead?" Kerr asked in a half-whisper, scanning the rooftop where the creature had first emerged.
"It's gone," Sera said flatly, her crimson blade already sheathed. Her breath formed pale clouds in the air.
The civilians who had gathered began murmuring, unsure if it was safe yet. Lin stepped in, raising her voice gently but firmly.
"Everyone, it's alright now. Please stay calm. The evacuation will continue. We'll protect you."
An officer jogged toward them from the military side. He was young, windburned, and out of breath.
"The transports are prepped. We start loading the elderly and children now. Captain says weather will worsen again soon. We can't delay."
Ashen blinked, finally grounding himself in the present. He turned to Elira. "Are we helping with the first group?"
She nodded. "Yes. We're on direct escort. First wave's on us."
Raynar stepped forward, glancing at the line of military vehicles with their engines rumbling through the mist. "These machines look old. They'll freeze if we don't get moving."
Sera exhaled deeply. "Then we'd better get moving."
---
The convoy of military vehicles was lined up near the outer district. Snow had hardened into ice along the roads, and each step crunched beneath their boots. Soldiers moved briskly, organizing groups of civilians into lines.
Children clutched their mothers' sleeves. Elderly people leaned on rusted canes or wooden poles. Some wrapped themselves in thin, tattered blankets. Others wore nothing more than cloth layers, trembling in the morning chill.
A small boy with dark hair stood near the front of one line. He spotted Unit 9 and waved. Ashen recognized him instantly—the boy from before.
Kerr grinned and walked over. "Yo, little man. You ready to ride in a big armored car?"
The boy nodded eagerly. "It's warmer, right? I hope it's warmer."
Lin crouched down beside him. "Where's your mom? Still with the sick?"
He nodded. "She'll come later. A soldier told me she'll be with the next group."
Ashen watched quietly, then turned away. His thoughts drifted like the icy wind—slow and uncertain. A few days ago, he wouldn't have cared. Now, seeing the desperation in people's eyes did something to him.
"Ashen," Elira called. "Help me check the vehicle ahead. We need to make sure it's secure for the elders."
He followed her toward one of the transport trucks. Snow had been brushed off its exterior, but inside, cold still clung to the metal like frostbite. They checked the locks, the seats, the old heaters. Nothing modern, but still functioning.
Elira pulled her gloves tighter. "You've been quiet since the fight."
Ashen shrugged. "Just...thinking."
"About what?"
"This place. These people."
She gave him a long glance, then turned her eyes to the city. "Yeah. I never imagined things would be this bad here. You read about cold weather, snow cities, harsh winters—but seeing it like this..."
"It's not the cold that gets me," Ashen murmured. "It's the silence. The way they look at us, like we're just passing through, while their lives stay broken."
She paused, then offered a small, pained smile. "You're changing."
"I don't know if that's good."
"It is."
Nearby, Sera stood with Raynar and the officer from earlier. They were discussing escort formations.
"We'll deploy ten guards per vehicle," the officer explained. "Each squad from the main force will be assigned to a column. General Veron will take the central path."
Raynar's expression darkened. "General Veron is coming personally?"
"He arrived an hour ago. He'll oversee final waves of evacuation."
Ashen stiffened. He remembered the name. Elira had warned him.
Sera didn't react visibly. "Where is he now?"
"Setting up a forward command in the central building."
Kerr and Lin rejoined them. "Kids are ready to load."
Lin added, her voice soft, "Some are crying. But they're trying to be brave."
The boy from earlier tugged at Ashen's coat.
"Mister," he said. "Will you come with us in the vehicle?"
Ashen kneeled. "I can't. I need to stay and help more people."
The boy looked disappointed but nodded. "Then...you'll be okay, right?"
Ashen blinked.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "I will. And you will too."
---
Vehicles roared to life. Their exhaust spiraled into the cold air. The first groups were loaded in—slowly, carefully. Each person was checked by medics, wrapped in thicker coats, and given warm water.
Unit 9 stood near one of the trucks, ready to move with the civilians until they cleared the outer zone.
Raynar spoke up as they waited. "There's no glory in this. No grand battle or reward. But... this feels more real than any training."
"Because it is," Elira replied.
Sera's gaze swept the crowd. Her voice was lower than usual. "I always thought... being a soldier meant protecting people from enemies. But here, the cold is the enemy. Hunger is. Corruption."
Lin nodded, arms crossed. "That's why I joined. Not for war. For this. For people who don't have shields of their own."
Kerr leaned against the truck, smiling faintly. "We don't look like much... but today, we're something."
Ashen was silent. Then he asked, his voice almost lost to the wind, "Do you think we're doing enough?"
They all turned to him.
"We're trying," Elira said.
"Trying's not always enough."
"But it's where it starts."
The hum of approaching engines cut through the conversation. At the far end of the street, a sleek black vehicle appeared—more advanced than the rest, lined with armor and insignia.
"That's General Veron's unit," the officer beside them muttered.
As it passed, Ashen caught a glimpse of the man inside. Tall. Cold eyes. Stone-faced. He looked like he'd never known warmth.
Sera's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You know him?" Kerr asked.
"No," she said.
But Ashen wasn't so sure.
The convoy began to move. Slowly, steadily, the first trucks departed, leaving deep tracks in the snow.
People watched from windows, balconies, and doorways. Some waved. Others just stared.
As the last vehicle in the first wave disappeared around the bend, snowflakes began to fall again—soft, slow, like the sky itself wept quietly for what Athen had become.
Elira spoke. "Let's prepare the next group."
Unit 9 nodded as one.
And they moved.