The second wave of evacuation began at noon, though the sun never truly showed itself. It remained hidden behind thick, sluggish clouds. The snow had slowed, but the biting wind never stopped, brushing against exposed skin like a warning—move fast or freeze here forever.
Ashen walked with his hood low, his boots crunching in the iced-over slush that lined Athen's streets. Around him, Unit 9 moved with quiet purpose, guiding civilians to the assembly zones. The second wave was slower, more disorganized than the first—children were easier to manage. Now came the weak, the elderly, those whose steps dragged and whose eyes seemed too tired to hope.
Ashen supported an old man whose hands trembled more with each breath. The man looked up at him through sunken eyes.
"You one of the soldiers, boy?"
"Yes, sir. We're here to get you out."
The man gave a hoarse chuckle. "Took your time. This city's been dying a long while."
Ashen said nothing. What could he say? That they hadn't known? That he hadn't known? That even now, they might be too late?
Lin came up beside him, offering a thermos of lukewarm broth. "Here, grandpa. Sip this."
The man drank slowly. His pale, bony fingers grasped the container like it was a relic. "Tastes like life," he muttered.
Ashen looked at Lin. She met his eyes, then glanced away.
"We're doing what we can," she said softly.
Nearby, Sera was helping a young woman with a limp. Her posture was stiff, but her voice was calm.
"Careful there. You're favoring your left leg."
"It's old. Not from the cold," the woman replied.
Sera adjusted her grip without speaking.
Kerr stood a few paces ahead, waving at a group of frightened children and their grandmother. "Come on, we've got blankets waiting! And cookies, if we can get Lin to share."
"I heard that!" Lin snapped, not unkindly.
They chuckled, and the tension in the air eased slightly.
Raynar wasn't smiling. He stood at the checkpoint, his eyes sharp and alert. He checked identification, verified family counts, and spoke in clipped tones to the soldiers filtering the crowds.
"He's been like that all morning," Elira murmured to Ashen as she passed.
Ashen followed her gaze. "Focused."
"Or disturbed. He's not used to this kind of mission."
"None of us are."
She gave him a look. "You're handling it well."
He wasn't sure if it was praise or pity, so he said nothing.
---
By the time the third transport was loaded, the snow had begun to pick up again. Tiny white flakes stuck to their eyelashes, melted in their hair. Civilians stood wrapped in mismatched furs and blankets, forming a quiet line stretching through the square.
The boy from before appeared near the front again, this time helping his mother walk. Her face was pale, her steps labored.
Kerr jogged over and took her other arm. "Hey there. Still being a hero, huh?"
The boy grinned. "She wanted to come. Said she's not leaving without me."
Ashen stepped forward. "We'll get you both on the next truck. Just hold on."
The boy looked at him seriously. "You're the quiet one, right? You look like someone who sees everything."
Ashen was caught off guard. "Maybe."
"Then you see how cold people are. Not just from the snow. From giving up."
Ashen nodded slowly. "I do."
The boy smiled faintly. "Then don't give up either."
He walked off with his mother. Ashen stood still, the boy's words lingering like frost on his skin.
Elira appeared beside him again. "You alright?"
"Yeah. Just thinking."
"You've been doing that a lot lately."
He didn't deny it.
---
Inside one of the trucks, Unit 9 warmed up briefly. A mobile heater was installed at the rear, and Lin sat closest to it, eyes closed, face upturned toward the warmth.
"If I make it through this," she mumbled, "I want a bath. A hot one. With scented oils. And maybe someone to scrub my back."
Kerr laughed. "You can have my ration cookies if you find that bath."
Raynar sat apart from them, arms folded, deep in thought. He hadn't spoken much since General Veron had arrived.
"Your brother is here, right?" Ashen asked.
Raynar's jaw tightened. "Yes."
"What kind of man is he?"
"A weapon with skin. Don't speak to him if you can help it."
Sera raised an eyebrow. "That bad?"
Raynar didn't reply.
The silence grew, but not an uncomfortable one. A shared weight pressed down on them. The knowledge that the city they were in had already been lost in all but name.
"It was rich once, wasn't it?" Ashen asked suddenly.
They turned to him.
"Athen. It had food. Trade. Culture. You can still feel it beneath the snow."
Sera's voice was quiet. "It was one of the crown's pride cities. Gardens. Art halls. Grand winter festivals."
"And now?"
She didn't answer.
Lin opened her eyes. "Corruption rotted it from inside. Not all at once—slowly, like mold growing on bread. They stopped sending supplies. Or they did, but only the nobles saw them."
Ashen looked at her. "You've seen that before?"
"My hometown wasn't much, but... yeah. Different scale. Same sickness."
Raynar added coldly, "Sometimes, nobles seal the doors and pretend the rot is gone."
Ashen stared at his reflection in the metal wall. For a moment, he didn't feel like a soldier. Just a boy with questions.
"Do we really make a difference here?" he asked.
Elira stood up. She met his eyes.
"We are the difference."
---
Later that day, General Veron appeared in the square.
He was flanked by armored soldiers. His presence was like winter manifest—a walking glacier with eyes of ice. People quieted as he passed. Even the wind seemed to hush.
He didn't speak much. Just watched.
Ashen noticed how people didn't meet his gaze. How even officers seemed to shrink around him.
"Is that how power works?" Ashen asked aloud.
Kerr glanced at him. "What do you mean?"
"Everyone looks at him like he's not a person. Like they can't even imagine talking to him."
"That's what power does sometimes. It separates."
Ashen said nothing.
The boy was watching too. But his gaze wasn't afraid.
When the general passed, the boy looked at Ashen. "He's strong. But I'd rather follow you."
Ashen blinked. "Why?"
The boy shrugged. "Because you look like you care if I live."
---
Evening fell slowly. The last groups were being prepared. Snow coated the rooftops like thick sugar. The lights of the convoy glowed faintly through the mist.
As Unit 9 stood at their next post, Ashen found himself watching his own breath.
Elira stepped beside him. "Tired?"
"Not in the body. Just... inside."
She nodded. "That's the kind of tired that doesn't go away easily."
He didn't answer. But he knew what she meant.
Behind them, Lin and Kerr were chatting softly, sharing dry bread. Raynar kept his eyes ahead. Sera stood in silence, her face unreadable.
They weren't just a team. They were a piece of something bigger now.
And they were all changing.
Slowly, the wind picked up again, carrying the sound of engines, boots, and fragile hope.
And the snow began to fall once more.