Glain's voice wavered for the first time, his composure slipping as old wounds reopened.
"After that… the city grew. We welcomed more survivors, forged alliances with wandering groups, and for a while, it seemed as though we were building something meaningful. Something worth the pain..."
He paused, swallowing hard. "But not long after, my friend… he was gone. He took his own life...."
His eyes lowered, shadowed with grief. "All I could do was stand there, staring at his lifeless body. I couldn't believe it. The man who dreamed of this city, who gave everything to keep it alive, was suddenly gone. And I… I wasn't there for him in the end. I wasn't beside him when he needed me most."
The night pressed in around them, heavy with unspoken sorrow. For a long moment, only the faint whisper of the wind moved between them.
