[POV: Ruvan]
It hadn't even been a full twenty-four hours since Ruvan, Thalos, and their elite squad had left the Citadel, and he was already missing Solenne terribly.
You shouldn't have left her. Kairas' voice echoed in his skull.
"Shut up," Ruvan scoffed.
The members of his squad exchanged concerned glances at their Alpha's random outburst, but ultimately decided to remain quiet.
I can't shut up. Without her, you leave me alone to fight the godfire.
"I won't let it take over," the Alpha grumbled.
How can I know that for sure? You haven't fought the voices since you were a teen!
"Because it's for her!" Ruvan snapped. "I can do it, damn it…"
Thalos cleared his throat loudly. The Beta addressed their squad to distract them from Ruvan's ramblings, "Have the rest of you noticed anything strange so far? Besides the Alpha."
"It feels… colder the further we go," the tallest one, Boe, noted. "Not in the normal way, though—like magically."
