The sterile white light of the Xenocides Central Medical Wing hummed quietly, casting long, pale shadows across the floorboards.
Elias sat frozen on the edge of his medical berth, his fingers trembling slightly as the full weight of his guilt pressed down on his chest.
Before he could spiral any further into the dark corridors of his own mind, the pneumatic seal of the doorway hissed open with a soft, sliding breath.
Footsteps echoed softly against the linoleum.
Elias looked up, blinking through the haze of his exhaustion, to see a familiar face stepping into the room.
It was Lyra. As a member of the 9th Division.
"Elias..." Lyra said, her face instantly lighting up with a warm, genuine smile that reached her eyes. "You're finally awake."
Elias stared at her, his throat tightening. "Lyra..."
"I was really worried," she continued, walking closer to the bedside and dropping her bag down on the side table. "You've been completely out cold for two whole months."
The words hit him like a physical blow.
"What...?" Elias whispered, his eyes widening in sheer disbelief. "Two months...?"
"Yeah," Lyra nodded, pulling up a chair and sitting down beside him. "You burnt through your evo-energy to the extent you didn't have any left. The medical corps said it's an absolute miracle you're even breathing right now. Once word gets out that you've opened your eyes, everyone is going to be so relieved."
As if on cue to break the heavy tension hanging in the air, a loud, cavernous rumble echoed from deep within Elias's midsection.
Elias flushed slightly, pressing a hand against his stomach as a sudden, ravenous wave of hunger hit him. "Huh... well, I guess my body remembers how to feel things. Looks like I'm starving."
Lyra let out a soft, relieved laugh, her expression softening. "Well, talk about good timing. I brought some snacks on my way here ".
She unzipped her bag and pulled out a neatly wrapped container, handing it over to him. "Here. Fresh sandwiches."
"Oh, thanks," Elias said, taking the package eagerly. He unwrapped it and took a massive bite, the savory flavors instantly hitting his taste buds. His eyes lit up. "Damn, these are so good. Did you make this yourself?"
Lyra's cheeks dusted with a faint, sudden pink, though she quickly tried to play it cool with a bright grin. "Yeah, I did. And... you're welcome."
Elias chewed thoughtfully, swallowing the food, but the brief moment of levity began to fade away as his mind drifted back to the dark memories lurking just beneath the surface. His gaze dropped to the half-eaten sandwich in his hands, his expression turning hollow.
Lyra watched him closely, her smile faltering as she noticed the shift in his demeanor.
"Elias... is something on your mind?" Lyra asked gently, leaning forward a fraction.
Elias blinked, caught off guard. "Why are you asking?"
"Well, you just seem so... off," Lyra said, her voice dropping to a softer, more hesitant tone. "And I couldn't... I mean, everyone is talking about it. Forget about the fight between you and Malkor for a second. You look like you were in pain".
Elias stopped chewing entirely. The sandwich felt like lead in his hands. He set it down slowly on the tray, staring blankly at the metal surface.
"It's just..." Elias started, his voice cracking slightly as the bitter truth clawed its way up his throat. "It's got me thinking about everything. All I wanted... all I could focus on was revenge. I wanted nothing but revenge,I pushed myself to the absolute breaking point, and drowned out everything else just to make him pay for what he took from me"
He clenched his fists tightly in his lap, his knuckles turning white.
"But in doing so... I made someone else suffer," Elias whispered, the memory of sinking his teeth into Zane's neck flashing vividly behind his closed eyes. "I made the person I've always looked up to suffer and I even attacked him , Malkor is dead earth is safe but still, would I call this victory?"
Before Lyra could find the right words to comfort him, the heavy door to the medical bay hissed open once more.
A wave of loud, familiar voices spilled into the sterile room, instantly shattering the heavy, melancholic silence.
"I'm telling you, if the sensors picked up he's readings, he's awake! Move your boots, Cipher, you're blocking the doorway!"
"Shut up, Sloane, I am walking as fast as humanly possible!"
The rest of the 10th Division flooded into the medical quarters, filling the stark room with warm, chaotic life.
NYX was the first to step fully inside, her sharp, usually guarded eyes scanning the room until they locked onto Elias sitting up in bed. Behind her came Sloane, followed closely by Vela was eating chips as she took Elias sandwich from he's tray.
Cipher and Mikasa squeezed through the gap in the doorway, chattering back and forth, while Jaxen, Kealen, and Rook where running towards the room
For a moment, the entire squad froze, staring at Elias sitting upright with color returning to his cheeks.
"Well, look who finally decided to rejoin the land of the living," rook broke the silence, flashing a lopsided grin as he leaned against the wall. "Starting to think you were just going to sleep through the entire reconstruction phase, Elias."
Vela stepped forward sitting on the bed "damn this sandwich are delicious, let me try it with the chips"
"Good to have you back, Elias." Cipher added, giving him a crisp, mock salute. Mikasa elbowed him in the ribs, grinning from ear to ear.
Elias looked around the room, taking in the familiar faces of his squadmates—the people who had bled with him, fought with him, and survived the impossible.
A genuine, albeit tired, smile finally broke through the heavy fog of his guilt.
"Hey, guys," Elias said, his voice thick with emotion. "It's... good to see you all in one piece."
"Same here, man," Jaxen said, walking over and clapping a heavy hand onto the foot of the bed. "The base has been way too quiet without you passing out every other day."
Elias nodded, his eyes scanning the group one by one, counting heads. Then, a sudden realization hit him. The chaotic warmth in his chest cooled just a fraction as he noticed a glaring absence.
He looked toward Rook, then back to Nyx, frowning slightly.
"Wait a minute... guys, where's Renji?" Elias asked, his voice dropping into a note of concern. "He's not here."
The room's lighthearted chatter dimmed instantly. A collective, subtle shift passed through the squad.
"He's fine, Elias," Rook answered steadily, though his tone was unusually guarded. "Don't worry about him."
"Where is he, Rook?" Elias pressed, narrowing his eyes slightly. "I asked where Renji is."
Rook let out a slow breath, scratching the back of his neck. "He sa
id he had some personal business to take care of."