[Riven's POV]
Two hours.
The sun was halfway down now, the Scar Zone's twisted landscape throwing shadows that made the dimensional distortions look even worse. Like the world was melting at the edges.
Riven's legs were numb from sitting on the roof's edge, but he hadn't moved. Couldn't move. Every time he tried to make a decision, his brain circled back to the same arguments.
Go: prove yourself, stand out, get Vale's attention, maybe get real training.
Don't go: you're not ready, you'll die, dead people don't save their families.
Go: playing it safe hasn't worked for anyone else in provisional housing.
Don't go: playing hero without skills is just suicide with extra steps.
The math wasn't working. No matter how many times he ran the numbers, they didn't add up to an answer that felt right.
