Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: The Cost of Victory

Elias woke the next morning to the sound of hammering. He sat up, wincing at the burn on his arm—it was wrapped in bandages, and the pain had faded to a dull ache. Mia was sitting beside him, sewing a tear in his flannel. "You're awake," she said, smiling. "How are you feeling?""Better," he said, stretching. "What's going on outside?""We're repairing the warehouses," Mia said. "Jax and Nova are checking the perimeter for straggler Wraiths. Lila's tending to the wounded. Leo's… well, he's telling everyone he defeated the Wraith King with a rock."Elias laughed, swinging his legs over the cot. He stood, walking to the window. Outside, the Guard was hard at work—some were patching the walls, others were burying the dead. The sight made his chest ache. They'd won, but at a cost: 17 Guard members had died, and 23 were injured. Among the dead was Kaden, who'd been killed protecting the civilians in the basement.He walked outside, joining Nova at the edge of the warehouse. She was staring at the graves, her sword hanging loosely at her side. "I knew Kaden since he was a kid," she said, her voice quiet. "His dad served with my father. He wanted to be a hero.""He was a hero," Elias said. "He saved lives. That's more than most people do."Nova nodded, turning to him. "We can't stay here. The Wraiths will be back—stronger. We need to leave Portland, find a place we can defend permanently. My father's old outpost in the Cascade Mountains—New Eden, you called it? That's our best shot."Elias agreed. "We'll leave in three days. Give everyone time to heal, to bury the dead. Then we'll head for the mountains."Over the next three days, the Guard prepared for the journey. They scavenged more supplies, repaired the trucks, and said goodbye to the fallen. On the morning of departure, they gathered around the graves, heads bowed. Nova raised her sword. "We honor those we lost today. May their names be remembered. May their sacrifice not be in vain. To New Eden—for them.""To New Eden!" the crowd echoed.Elias stood beside Mia, his hand in hers. He looked at the graves, then at his friends—Jax loading supplies into the truck, Lila checking on the wounded, Leo waving from the back of a bus. He knew the road ahead would be hard, but he also knew they'd face it together. The system pinged in his head.[Main Quest Updated: Lead the Eclipsion Guard to New Eden. Reward: 1,000 System Points + Ability Unlocked: Group Heal.]Elias smiled. They were ready.