The Outpost felt strangely quiet in the early morning light. The fog hung low, blurring the edges of broken barricades and splintered gates. Here and there, guards picked through the debris, checking for wounded and counting the dead.
Inside Janzo's lab, Talon sat on a bench, head bowed, arms covered in cuts and bruises. Janzo hovered around her like a worried mother hen, dabbing at her wounds with a clean cloth soaked in a pungent herbal tonic.
"Hold still," Janzo mumbled, though his hands trembled slightly.
Talon winced but didn't pull away. "I'm fine," she insisted softly, though the exhaustion weighed heavy in her voice.
Janzo shook his head. "You keep saying that, but your blood says otherwise."
Talon gave him a small, tired smile. "Thank you, Janzo. Really."
In the corner, Tony sat cross-legged on the floor, methodically cleaning his blades. His hair was matted, and streaks of dirt marked his face, but his eyes stayed sharp, tracking every movement in the room.
Garrett leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching the scene unfold. He had already washed up, though a new tear in his cloak still dripped faintly onto the floor.
After a moment, Tony finally broke the silence. "You know, for a bunch of merchants and misfits, we put up a good fight."
Garrett snorted softly. "I wouldn't call us merchants anymore."
Janzo looked up from his work, eyes bright despite the dark circles underneath. "You should all eat something. The kitchen stores are still intact."
Talon shook her head, standing up slowly. "Later. There's something I need to do first."
Garrett's brow furrowed. "What is it?"
Talon glanced at him, her eyes fierce despite the fatigue. "I want to speak to the council. The people need to know the truth about last night… and what comes next."
Tony stood, slipping his last knife into its sheath. "You shouldn't go alone. You know how they twist stories."
Talon nodded, her gaze shifting to each of them in turn. "Then come with me."
Janzo hesitated but finally set down his cloth and gave a firm nod. "I'll stand with you."
Garrett pushed off the wall, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword. "I never thought I'd willingly walk into that council hall again… but for you, I will."
Tony simply gave a half-smirk, stepping forward. "Lead the way, Blackblood."
Together, they made their way through the battered streets. Villagers peeked out from windows and doorways, some pressing hands to their mouths in shock at the sight of Talon and her bruised companions.
When they reached the council hall, the guards at the entrance glanced at each other nervously before stepping aside. Talon didn't pause. She pushed open the heavy doors, the echo rolling through the chamber like a thunderclap.
Inside, the council members huddled in hushed argument, their robes as crisp as their fear. One of them, a stout man with a narrow face, turned sharply as they entered.
"Talon!" he spat, voice rising. "You have no right to barge in—"
She raised a hand, cutting him off. "Enough." Her voice rang through the hall, clear and unyielding.
The council fell silent, eyes fixed on her.
"You all saw what happened last night," Talon began, stepping forward. "You know they came for me. But it wasn't just me they would have destroyed — it was all of us. The entire Outpost."
A thin woman at the far end of the table opened her mouth to object, but Talon kept going, her words gaining strength.
"We fought because we had to. We defended every home, every child sleeping behind these walls. We are no longer just survivors hiding in the shadow of old threats. We are fighters. We are a community that stands together, or not at all."
Tony stepped forward then, his voice low but lethal. "And if you think you can keep manipulating from your cushioned chairs, you're wrong. Last night changed everything."
Janzo swallowed hard but raised his chin. "We saved this Outpost. We bled for it. You will not twist that into something ugly to serve your own fear."
The room fell into heavy silence, the council members glancing between each other like cornered prey.
Finally, Garrett took a step forward, his cloak sweeping behind him. "Talon speaks the truth. You can either stand with us and protect what's left, or step aside. Because from now on… we don't hide. We lead."
The council head shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his face pale. He opened his mouth to argue, but no words came.
Talon stared at him, her eyes hard as flint. "Decide now. Because this is the last time I ask."
A long, tense moment stretched. Then, slowly, the council head lowered his eyes. "Very well… we will stand with you."
Relief and pride flickered across Talon's face. She turned, looking at her friends. Tony gave her a small, approving nod. Janzo exhaled shakily, and Garrett let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.
As they stepped out into the early morning light once more, Talon paused on the threshold. She looked over the square, at the people gathering and whispering, at the guards fixing barricades and children peeking around corners.
She felt the warmth of her friends close behind her, felt the echo of her kinje deep in her skin.
"We're not just an Outpost anymore," she said softly, almost to herself.
Tony heard her and stepped up beside her, his gaze fierce and unyielding. "No. We're a force."
A new dawn spread across the valley, and for the first time in a long time, it didn't feel like a warning. It felt like a beginning. 😜