Night draped the city in ink-black shadows, rain hammering against steel and glass. The fissure-clouds hung low and menacing, streaks of purple-black lightning occasionally slashing the darkness, painting the city with an eerie, fleeting glow. Xiao Huo and the Guardians trudged back to base, not as triumphant heroes, but as survivors—wounded, defeated, and carrying a weight that language could not ease.
Their failed operation was already the talk of the base. In the corridors, Guardians on patrol kept their voices low, anxious whispers threading the air. Some questioned the leadership's decisions, others worried that the fissure energies would soon spiral beyond control. But most simply hung their heads, cleaning their weapons in silence, as if wiping away the shadows inside themselves.
Xiao Huo, heavy with fatigue and self-reproach, entered the meeting room. Ning Wan was quietly wrapping a bandage around her injured arm. Lin Chuqiu sat at the projection table, her gaze fixed intently on the energy monitoring graphs. Shen Yuan stood by the window, arms folded, his face half-hidden in shadow.
No one spoke at first. The tension in the room felt like a living thing—thick, suffocating, unspoken.
"We could have saved that child…" Shen Yuan finally broke the silence, his voice raw with guilt and anger.
Lin Chuqiu's head jerked up, her voice trembling. "If the energy stabilizer hadn't failed, we wouldn't have been caught in that fissure net! I checked it three times—there was nothing wrong with the device. Someone sabotaged it!"
"What did you say?" Shen Yuan turned, his voice rising.
"Enough!" Xiao Huo's outburst cracked the air. He slammed his hand on the table, nearly dropping the Fissure-Sealing Staff. "Now is not the time for blaming each other!"
Ning Wan looked up at them, her voice soft but firm. "We're all hurting. We're all guilty. But right now, we need each other's help, not accusations."
Silence fell again. Outside, the rain intensified, as if the city itself wept for its wounds.
Later that night, Xiao Huo found himself alone on the rooftop. Rainwater pooled at his feet, mirroring the fractured sky above. He stared out at the distant fissure-lamps flickering uncertainly through the downpour, his heart gripped by helplessness. The memories would not stop replaying—the child's eyes as he fell, the panicked shouts of his teammates, the howling chaos as fissure energy exploded around them.
"Am I really strong enough to bear all this?" he asked himself, voicelessly.
Footsteps sounded against the wet concrete. Lin Chuqiu approached, holding an umbrella. She stood quietly beside him for a moment, then finally spoke in a low voice, "Do you ever regret becoming a Guardian?"
Xiao Huo shook his head. "I don't know. But I do know that if it weren't for us, no one would be able to stand against the fissures."
Lin Chuqiu took a deep breath, handing him the umbrella and stepping into the rain herself, letting it soak her hair. "I always thought I was strong. But today, I realized I'm just as afraid, just as doubtful… I even wanted to run away."
He glanced at her. "We all get lost sometimes. But we still have each other."
She nodded, tears glinting in her eyes. "Thank you."
Dawn broke, but the base remained shrouded in gloom. Shen Yuan was already in the training yard, venting his frustration with every punch and kick. Ning Wan led the rookies through a small memorial, laying flowers and leading a moment of silence for their fallen comrade. Lin Chuqiu hadn't slept a moment, obsessively re-examining the energy stabilizer. At last, she found a tiny, deliberate break in the device's circuitry—proof that someone had sabotaged the operation.
She brought her discovery to Xiao Huo. They locked eyes for a long moment before Xiao Huo finally said, "Maybe that's what makes the fissure so terrifying—it doesn't just tear the city apart, but people too."
Lin Chuqiu forced a smile. "Fissure energy corrupts the will. It amplifies fear and doubt. Maybe… we each have a fissure inside."
Xiao Huo gripped the sealing staff tighter. "No matter what, we can't let it devour our team."
That afternoon, the team convened for an emergency meeting. Lin Chuqiu shared her findings. Shen Yuan stared in disbelief. "Someone among us is a traitor?"
Ning Wan considered, then said quietly, "It might not be deliberate. Fissure energy can warp a person's mind—you could become its puppet without knowing."
Xiao Huo stood, looking each teammate in the eye. "We lost a friend today, but we cannot lose each other. If anyone is under the fissure's influence, we'll help them—not punish them."
The room was silent. Shen Yuan finally lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I was too harsh."
Lin Chuqiu's voice was gentle. "We're all hurting. But sometimes, cracks let us see each other more clearly."
After the meeting, the group agreed to regular psychological support and energy checks. This new honesty and care between them eased the tension, just a little.
Night fell again, and the fissure lights seemed brighter after the rain. Xiao Huo sat in the sealing chamber, staff in hand, seeking communion with the spirits of past Guardians. He saw visions: Guardians falling in fissures, new ones rising in their place, over and over—a cycle of sacrifice and resolve.
"What does it really mean to be a Guardian?" he asked in his heart.
"It's not that we're braver than others," a whisper seemed to answer, "it's that we choose to trust each other, even in the darkest times."
Calm settled over him. He realized the team's cracks were not just signs of failure, but the start of growth.
The next day, the base held a small memorial for the fallen. Each person lit a candle, sending hope and sorrow into the flickering flames. Ning Wan spoke: "The fissure took our friend, but it also reminded us how fragile life is, and how heavy our duty. As long as our hearts are together, this road is not in vain."
Lin Chuqiu finished quietly, "Let our scars give us the strength to move forward."
Xiao Huo watched the candlelight dance. In that moment, he felt deeply connected to every Guardian past and present.
As dusk fell, the team gathered again. This time, they were not just surrounded by failure and fear, but by a new sense of unity and bravery forged in pain.
Xiao Huo stood before them, his voice steady. "The fissure isn't just out there in the city—it's inside each of us. But as long as we choose to trust and protect one another, the fissure will never win."
The team nodded, determination in their eyes. Shen Yuan apologized to Lin Chuqiu, and they clasped hands in forgiveness. Ning Wan encouraged the rookies, "Don't fear your scars. They're proof that we're still alive."
The rain-washed city breathed easier. The fissure clouds parted slightly, and a handful of stars peeked through the night sky. Xiao Huo looked up and felt strength welling within him. As long as he didn't lose himself, as long as the cracks didn't swallow his belief, he could keep defending the city—no matter how many storms awaited.
That night, the fissure lamps shone brighter than ever, illuminating every scar, and every heart that still dared to endure.