"A kingdom is secured not by the walls of its capital, but by the resolve of those willing to leave it."
The thunderous, metallic groan of the Silver Citadel's gate sealing behind us felt less like a final cut and more like the start of a deep, familiar vibration, the synchronicity of our bonds. Leaving Elias, my Omega twin, was the primary tear. His distant, low thrum of safety was just enough to allow me to focus, but the absence was a constant, dull ache.
It was the close, potent reassurance of my two mates that truly balanced the scales. I sank into the rear seat of the Heavy Armoured Utility Vehicle (HAUV), 'Spectre-1,' allowing the thick electro-reactive glass and kinetic plating to block out the harsh world. The custom vehicle was our temporary den, and the air was already heavy and comfortable with the interwoven scents of our triad: my own sharp, disciplined Omega scent; Nyra's warm, intellectual musk; and Valehart's grounded, authoritative High Alpha cedarwood.
