EPILOGUE IV

In the quiet hum of the medbay, the team gathered around the girl from the capsule. She lay motionless on the bed, her pale skin almost translucent under the dim lights, tubes and wires connecting her to a life support system.

The beeping of the monitors was the only sound, a reminder that she was still alive, even if barely. Dang stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes locked on the girl’s face. His expression was unreadable, but there was a tension in his posture, a heaviness in the air that the others could feel.

Wombat stood, arms crossed over his chest, and glanced at Dante, who was leaning against the wall with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. Tiger hovered near the head of the bed, their eyes filled with concern, while Daedalus adjusted the settings on the nearby machines, his gaze occasionally flicking to the girl.

“So, has she woken up yet?” Wombat asked, his voice breaking the silence.

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It was a question they all had, but no one had an answer. All they knew was that she had been in that capsule.

“No,” Dante replied, “She was in that thing for a reason, but hell if we know what it is.”

“Maybe she was used as some kind of weapon,” Tiger suggested softly, their voice tinged with unease. “After all, it was her powering the portal. Maybe that’s her power.”

Dang remained silent, his thoughts distant.

Remnants of the energy that had coursed through him during the fight still lingered, a reminder of the power he had absorbed. His mind was clouded with doubts and questions, but staring at the girl, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more, something important they were missing.

Daedalus finally spoke up. “We need more information. Until we know who she is or why she was in that capsule, all we can do is keep her stable and hope she wakes up.”

There was a collective nod, though it was clear that the lack of answers weighed heavily on them all. One by one, they turned to leave the room, each lost in their own thoughts. The door slid shut behind them with a soft hiss, leaving the girl alone once more in the dim light.

For a moment, the only sound was the steady beep of the monitors and the soft whirr of the machines. Then, without warning, the girl’s eyes fluttered open. Her gaze was unfocused, her breathing shallow, but there was a flicker of awareness in her eyes. She struggled to move, her lips parting as she tried to form a word.

“...Dang…”