Aethelos Pain and Blood

Eliana stopped and faced Zakrom without stepping back. · “Since when do I owe you explanations? · Have you considered that I want to use him for our side?” · Zakrom took a step forward, his voice low and sharp. · “The way you were looking at him didn’t seem theatrical at all.” · She let out a short breath and turned away. · “You know what? I’m going back to the base. · Are you coming or staying?” · Zakrom hesitated for a second. Then he followed her. The two of them disappeared among the trees of the park, side by side, in tense silence. · At Solaris, the air in the meeting room was heavy. · Nayb entered and immediately felt the tension between Joseph, Brock, and Violeta. · “What’s going on?” · Joseph sighed, arms crossed behind his back. · “What’s going on is that we need results. · We have no leads on the rebels’ next move. And the government is worried. They believe Jonas Dorp, with the charisma he has, may be recruiting members and manipulating them.” · Brock tapped the table lightly, confident. · “We’ll find the base. We just need to follow one of them. Nothing more.” · Nayb felt his stomach tighten. · “Maybe… they won’t do anything. Maybe it was just a phase.” · Violeta turned to him, her gaze hard. · “What’s wrong with you? · You, who always defended the government so strongly, are now passive toward the rebels? · You know they can replace us with another group. And then we’ll be a disgrace to Aethelos. · I can already imagine the headline: ‘From Heroes to Failure.’” · Nayb said nothing. · The next day, reports arrived of strange movements in Aldiana — a region that had once belonged to the Noxian kingdom. · Joseph gathered the three of them again. · “Our sources believe there has been movement in Aldiana. · There is a chance the base is there. And that Jonas Dorp is with them.” · Brock raised his head. · “Do we attack today?” · “No. · We don’t know how many there are. And we have to be careful. If there are nobility hostages, extreme caution is required.” · Joseph looked at each of them. · “For now, Violeta and Brock will do a stealth scan of the supposed base tomorrow. · Nayb… as soon as we have confirmation, we attack with everything. · Are we clear?” · “Yes, sir,” the three answered. · But Nayb’s voice came out lower than the others. · Later, unable to stay at the academy with his head full, Nayb returned to the park. · He needed air. Silence. A moment without thinking about Aldiana, orders, or newspaper headlines. · That was when he saw her again. · Eliana. · Sitting in the same place as before, near the lake. · Nayb stopped halfway down the path. His heart skipped a beat. · What is she doing here again…? · Is she planning an attack on the park? · His hand trembled slightly, caught between a soldier’s instinct and everything he could no longer ignore.