Chapter 29: Rebuilding and Departures.

Weeks bled into months as Green Arbor slowly mended its wounds. The town was alive with the sounds of construction—hammers, saws, and the laughter of children chasing each other through the market square. Amid the rebuilding, a new tavern rose from the ashes of the old one, its foundation a symbol of the town’s resilience, much like its people.

Despite the turmoil, the community stood strong. There had been whispers of Miko taking up the mayoral mantle, but the Sentinel stood firm. “I’m honored by the trust you’ve placed in me,” he told the gathered crowd in the square. “But Sentinels serve by protecting, not governing. My place is out there, ensuring the safety of Green Arbor, not behind a desk.”

A round of nods and quiet murmurs followed, the townspeople understanding his choice, even if some were disappointed.

As the town found its footing again, Ava prepared for a necessary departure. She had always been restless, a Ronin by nature and name. The distant communities and trade posts under Sentinel watch needed protection, and it was time for her to walk those roads again. Unlike most, she chose to leave on foot, eschewing the comfort of a vehicle for the steady rhythm of her own two feet.

At the town’s edge, she found Eli waiting, his face a mixture of concern and sadness. His arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace, as though he feared letting go would mean losing her forever.

"Stay safe, Ava," he whispered against her hair, his voice thick with emotion. "And come back to us."

Ava, feeling the weight of the moment, placed a hand gently against his chest. "I will. You know me, Eli. I always come back." Her tone was firm, but there was a trace of something deeper, something she wasn’t ready to admit. After a final, lingering look, she turned away, her footsteps steady as she headed toward the horizon. She didn’t look back.

Talon, meanwhile, had thrown himself into the task of renovating the cabin he and Ava had been gifted. Each swing of the hammer was both an act of creation and a release for the frustration that had been building inside him. Sentinel Command had ordered him to stay close, officially to oversee the Arbor Defense Force, but he knew the real reason—they wanted eyes on him. His familial connection to the Syndicate made him both a valuable asset and a potential liability.

One evening, as the sun dipped low in the sky, casting the world in hues of gold and crimson, Lucas returned to Green Arbor. His jeep rumbled into the square, its tires kicking up dust as he parked. Talon was there waiting, his arms crossed over his chest, impatience etched into the lines of his face.

"Did you get what I asked for?" Talon asked, moving to help Lucas unload the gear from the back of the vehicle.

Lucas nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah, but it wasn’t easy," he replied, handing over a weathered folder. "The location you were curious about is off the beaten path—untouched, unpatrolled. Just like you thought."

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Talon took the folder, flipping through its contents with a frown. "And Ava?"

Lucas hesitated, his eyes shifting to the ground before he handed over a second, thinner file. "She’ll want to see this, but... it won’t be easy for her. It's about her past—places and secrets she’s avoided for years."

Talon’s jaw tightened as he took the file, his thumb brushing over the worn edges of the papers inside. "She deserves to know, even if it’s painful," he muttered, tucking the file into his pack. His eyes drifted to the horizon, where Ava had disappeared weeks earlier. "When she gets back... we’ll deal with it."

While Ava was away, Miko made sure Eli received regular letters from her. Each letter was filled with her encounters along the way, descriptions of the distant outposts she visited, and reassurances that she was safe. But the letters, while comforting, carried a subtle undertone of distance. There were things Ava wasn’t saying, and Eli could feel the weight of it in her words.

One afternoon, as Eli read her latest letter under the shade of the old oak tree, Miko approached, sitting down beside him. "How’s she doing?" Miko asked, his voice light, but with an edge of concern.

"She says she's fine," Eli replied, folding the letter carefully. "But... I don't know. I can feel something’s off. Like she’s keeping something back."

Miko nodded knowingly. "She’s carrying a lot, Eli. More than any of us realize. But if anyone can handle it, it’s Ava."

Meanwhile, Ava’s journey took her deep into the wilderness, through forests thick with shadows and valleys blanketed in mist. Each outpost she visited was a reminder of why she chose this path. The people welcomed her with open arms, offering food, shelter, and gratitude. But Ava was always restless, moving quickly from place to place, never lingering too long. Her mission was clear, but her heart was heavy with thoughts of Green Arbor, Talon, and the battles still to come.

Back in Green Arbor, Talon remained focused on the renovations, though the weight of the folder Lucas had given him never strayed far from his thoughts. He knew that the peace Green Arbor was enjoying was fragile—like the surface of still water before a storm. The syndicate’s shadow still loomed, and now, with the secrets about Ava’s past tucked away in that folder, Talon knew that their personal battles were far from over.

One evening, as the sun set behind the cabin, casting long shadows across the clearing, Talon sat on the front steps, the folder resting on his lap. Lucas stood nearby, watching the horizon.

"You think she’s ready to face this?" Lucas asked quietly.

Talon didn’t answer right away, his eyes distant as he stared at the fading light. "She’s stronger than anyone I know," he finally said. "But even the strongest have limits."

Lucas sighed and shook his head. "You know how she is about her past, Talon. Are you sure this is the right thing to do? This... could push her further into something she might not want to face."

Talon’s jaw tightened slightly before he nodded at Lucas, his grip tightening on the folder. "She has the option now. As far as she knows, her village is gone. Maybe... this will be something for her. For once, it won’t just be about loss."

Lucas leaned against the railing, looking at Talon thoughtfully. "I get it. She’s lost so much along the way—more than any of us know. Ethan hit her the hardest, even more than Ren. I just hope... I just hope this is something she really wants to face. We’ve seen what happens when she can’t handle it."

Talon’s expression softened as he thought of his sister. "She’s always carried more than she should have," he said quietly. "But at least this time, it’s her choice. Whatever she does with this information, it's up to her. I just want her to have the chance to choose."

Lucas nodded in agreement, glancing at the folder one more time. "Let’s hope it’s the right choice, for all of us."

The two men lapsed into silence, the quiet of the evening settling around them. Talon’s mind lingered on the folder in his lap, the weight of its contents heavy not just on the paper, but on his heart. Whatever decision Ava made, it would change things for all of them.