Things feel… different, when I wake up. I can feel my halo, but not like the old one. I guess Victoria was right, it's different. I feel like I'm… really in control of myself, in a way I haven't in years. Not even when I was between halos. It's nice, I think. I just lay there for a while, eyes shut, basking in it. It's more than I thought I'd ever get. More than I thought I deserved. I can really do anything I want at this point.

When I open my eyes, I'm greeted by the familiar sight of one of the maintenance bunkers. It's quiet, quieter than it's been in weeks. Jackie is sitting at a desk, fiddling with his gear. Victoria looks to be asleep. Penny is sitting on her cot, with a cast on her injured leg. I don't know where they got the medical supplies, but I'm glad they did.

"How long was I out?"

She turns toward me with a slight start. "Oh, you're up. Not that long. A few hours maybe. I don't know, I'm… I've been a bit distracted."

"Yeah, you seemed… I get the impression that doll was pretty important to you."

She nods. "They were a friend. One that I was trying to help. I thought I was doing a good job, but… apparently not. I don't know what to do with that information. And I'm in no state to figure it out right now, it all just hurts too much."

I sit up and nod. "Grief takes priority, I think."

She gives a dejected nod, wiping tears from her eyes. "How are you feeling? You probably put a lot of strain on yourself back there."

"I'm… I'm good, I think. Better than I've been in a while." We sit in silence for a few moments before I speak up again. "So… about what that combat demon said. About our sabotage being… ineffectual…"

"Yeah, I heard her. I've rethought our approach."

"Oh? What'd you land on?"

She sighs. "I'm taking the information public. About how to make combat dolls. How to convert humans. It's undeniably dangerous information, but I don't think we have any better options. Based on the information I have, it seems like the value of the strategy is that no one else was going to be doing it. If everyone can build an autonomous army, then the balance will still be maintained, and it won't be worth the investment, setting up a whole supply chain and everything just to break even. I've put out the information through various magical info sharing channels. Soon it'll be common knowledge. It's far from ideal, but we don't really have a better option. We'll just have to deal with the consequence of people knowing how to do this. At least it won't upend out civilization."

I raise an eyebrow. "So that's it? Just give the power to the people, and hope they do right with it?"

"It's all we've got, unfortunately. I think it'll be a pretty niche practice, anyway. It's resource intensive, and those who have the resource to do it at scale aren't likely to want to. Maybe we'll see a handful of combat dolls here and there from independent witches. They should be few and far between, if all goes well."

I grimace. I don't love the idea, but I don't have any better suggestions. And from the sound of things it's already done. "Well, I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

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Penny nods. "On the bright side, I don't think you or Victoria will be wanted anymore. You no longer have valuable secrets, it's all public. Once you're rested up, you should be free to go where you like."

That's certainly an idea. Free. I'm not used to free. It's a luxury I haven't been able to afford. "And what if they just want petty revenge?"

"These are major institutions, Alice. They got where they are by not worrying about such things. The bottom line comes first, and killing you now would hurt that bottom line. Besides, you seem quite capable of handling yourself now, even if they try it."

I give a soft smile. "I think I need a little more training before that's the case."

"Then train away. There shouldn't be any more ways to track us, and the demon on our case is dead. We should be able to stay here as long as we need. And once you're up to it, you can go back to the surface, rejoin the world at large."

I grimace again. "So she's dead, huh?"

"You impaled her with a flaming sword, of course she's dead."

I can't argue with that logic, but it's still a bit of a surprise. I suppose it just still doesn't feel real. So much of that day is a blur, especially after my halo started blinding me. Is that something I'm going to need to worry about moving forward? Could my halo impair me again, could it even take the wheel? Something tells me no, at least not in such a straightforward way, but… Well, I suppose I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. That's the idea, isn't it? Take ownership of my circumstances, roll with the punches, stay resolutely flexible? I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. Honestly, I am. I'm not used to feeling this self-assured, it's kind of nice.

Anyway, I've spent enough time in bed. Time to move around a bit. Immediately I head over to Jackie and see what he's up to. Unsurprisingly, he's working on his gauntlets.

"Routine maintenance?"

He glances up at me, squinting through his goggles. "Something like that. Adjustments and the like."

"Do you expect to keep getting use out of them? From what Penny was saying, it sounds like we're kind of in the clear here."

He nods and turns back to his work. "We should be, yeah, but there's always more to do. Lots of people in this city misuse cosma, I figure it's better to have one more who'll put it to proper use."

"I suppose so, yeah." He's certainly driven. Doesn't need a halo for it either. For a brief moment I wonder what that says about me, but I quickly discard the thought. I've gotten a hold of myself now, even if it took me years to manage it. There's no point in dwelling on the past, it's not gonna change it.

I turn toward Victoria next. "How about you? Any big plans moving forward?"

"I'm gonna survive," she replies tersely.

"Right, of course." I let silence fall between us for a few moments before speaking up again. "Any chance you'd want to get some sparring in between jobs, or something? I think I'll be a better partner now than I was before."

She fixes me with one of her unfathomable gazes. "Planning on sticking with it, huh?"

I almost reflexively reply that I don't really have a choice, but that's not really true anymore. "Yeah, I think so. Last thing I wanna do is backslide to where I was. I need to at the very least maintain this."

She nods. "I'll be seein' you, then."

I nod back, then turn to leave. This room is beginning to feel stifling. I've spent far too long underground these past months, I miss the sky. I never thought I would, I always used to hate how the skies over Karnassus tend to look, but it's true, I miss it. It doesn't take long to find my way to an exit I can take back to the surface, and when I arrive the midsummer sunset is painting the clouds and contrails in the air a bright, warm orange. I still haven't decided where I'm going, but for once that feels like a benefit rather than a risk. I stretch, then spread my wings and take flight.