Chapter 2: Return of Lucas.

The air was alive with the sounds of new recruits settling into Green Arbor. The young cadets were fumbling with their gear, awkwardly trying to make sense of the new surroundings. Their inexperience was almost endearing—if it hadn’t been a reminder of how raw and untested they were.

Lucas, ever the calm in the storm, leaned against one of the jeeps, a knowing smirk on his face as he watched the cadets bumble around. “First lesson, kids,” he called out to them. “Look like you know what you’re doing, even if you don’t. Confidence is half the battle.”

One of the cadets, a young girl with wide eyes and a face still round from youth, muttered, “Yes, sir!” as she fumbled to adjust her pack. The others quickly followed suit, trying to make themselves look a little more put together.

Ava, standing nearby, stifled a laugh. She leaned toward Lucas, lowering her voice so only he could hear. “You know they’re all terrified of you, right?”

Lucas grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Terrified? I was hoping for ‘mildly inspired.’”

Ava chuckled, crossing her arms. “Mildly inspired, sure. Last I heard, you were over on the eastern frontier trying to teach some crazy wastelanders.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow, a laugh escaping his lips. “It wasn’t *that* bad.”

Ava shot him a skeptical look, her smirk widening. “Lucas...”

“Alright, alright, it was that bad,” he admitted, shaking his head. “You try teaching algebra and basic history to people who think a G36 is an ancient relic from the gods.”

Ava laughed, her tone softening. “At least you're out there trying. Someone has to try educate these folks.”

Lucas shrugged, his tone light. “That’s what they pay me for. Traveling, teaching small communities, helping build schools... it’s not glamorous, but it’s needed. These kids will need more than guns if we’re ever going to rebuild properly.”

As they bantered, Talon’s voice cut through the noise of the camp, barking orders at the recruits on the training grounds. His tone was sharp but not cruel, filled with the kind of authority that came naturally to him. Ava turned her head slightly, watching her brother in action. The recruits, already exhausted from hours of drills, looked ready to collapse.

“Think they’ll survive Talon’s boot camp?” Lucas asked, nodding toward the training grounds.

Ava smirked. “Barely. But they’ll be better for it.” Her eyes softened for a moment as she watched her brother. “He’s hard on them because he knows what’s coming. He always does.”

Lucas followed her gaze, his expression turning thoughtful. “Yeah, well, some of them might need a bit of a softer hand.” He turned to the cadets and called out, “Alright, rookies, gather ‘round! Let’s see what you’ve got.”

The cadets, eager to please, hurried to form a ragged line in front of Lucas. Their faces were a mix of nerves and excitement.

Lucas clapped his hands together. “Alright, let’s start with something simple. Who can tell me the most important rule of being a Sentinel?”

A young boy, no older than seventeen, raised his hand hesitantly. “Uh... stay alive, sir?”

Lucas grinned. “Good! Points for practicality. But wrong.” He pointed to another cadet, a girl with dark hair pulled back in a tight braid. “You, what’s your answer?”

“Trust your team,” she answered confidently.

Lucas nodded approvingly. “Now we’re getting somewhere. But you’re still wrong.” He glanced at Ava, who raised an eyebrow, clearly curious where he was going with this.

“The most important rule,” Lucas continued, pacing slowly in front of the cadets, “is this: Always know where the nearest exit is.” He paused for dramatic effect, and the cadets looked at him in confusion. “Because if things go south, you’ll want to be the first one out.”

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The cadets stared at him, unsure whether to laugh or take it seriously.

Ava shook her head, amused. “You’re supposed to be teaching them how to fight, not how to run away.”

Lucas shot her a playful grin. “Sometimes, knowing when to run is the best kind of fight.”

The cadets glanced at each other, some of them beginning to relax in the presence of their instructors. Lucas had a way of breaking the tension, and for that, Ava was grateful. She’d seen too many young cadets crumble under the weight of pressure in their early days. Lucas, with his dry humor and calm demeanor, had a way of reminding them that they were still just cadets learning the ropes.

But the playful mood shifted slightly when Lucas’s tone dropped, more serious now. “Alright, kids, jokes aside... you’re here because you want to make a difference. But this life isn’t easy. The world out there is dangerous, unpredictable. You’ve gotta be sharp, quick on your feet, and trust the people around you with your life. If you can’t do that, then you won’t last long as a Sentinel.”

The cadets listened intently, the weight of his words settling in.

Ava nodded, stepping forward to stand beside Lucas. “He’s right. We’ve all had to make hard choices, take risks... and sometimes, we’ve lost people along the way. But if you trust your team, and trust yourself, you’ll make it through.” She looked at the cadets, her blue eyes sharp. “Remember that.”

One of the cadets, visibly nervous, raised his hand tentatively. “Ma’am, if I may... what’s the hardest thing about being a Ronin?”

Ava paused, considering the question for a moment. “The hardest thing? It’s not the fighting, or the missions, or the training. It’s knowing that sometimes, you have to make decisions that won’t sit right with you. But you make them anyway, because it’s your job to protect the people who can’t protect themselves. That weight... that responsibility... it’s not easy. But it’s what we signed up for.”

Lucas gave her a nod of respect, knowing full well how much those words meant coming from someone like Ava.

"Come on ," Lucas said to the cadets, who picked up there gear. " Let's get you signed in and settled."

Ava’s gaze shifted toward Talon, who was still barking orders at the recruits, his voice carrying across the grounds. The storm clouds of the past were still there, lingering just beneath the surface.

For now.

The village of Green Arbor was buzzing with life as the sun warmed the streets, signaling the return of spring. The scent of blooming flowers mixed with the distant hum of work as townspeople went about their day. Children played in the square, their laughter echoing through the air like a long-lost melody. It didn’t take long for them to spot Lucas and the group of cadets making their way toward the Sentinel post.

“Lucas! Lucas is back!” one of the kids shouted, and soon a small crowd of children had swarmed around him, their faces alight with excitement and curiosity.

Lucas grinned, kneeling down to greet them. “Alright, alright, calm down, you lot. Miss me already, did you?”

One of the boys tugged on his jacket. “Are you here to open the school again?” the boy asked, eyes wide with hope.

Lucas chuckled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small bag of sweets. “Not this time,” he said, handing out the treats. “This time, I’m here on some very important Sentinel business.”

The kids leaned in closer, their curiosity piqued.

“Top secret stuff,” Lucas continued, lowering his voice to a dramatic whisper. “We’re on a field trip to explore some ruins and find relics from the old world.”

The children gasped, their imaginations running wild with the thought of ancient treasures and mysterious discoveries.

Lucas pressed a finger to his lips, adding, “But don’t tell Sentinel Ava—she doesn’t know why I’m here yet. It’s a surprise, alright?”

The children nodded vigorously, their little faces beaming with the thrill of being part of a secret. But as kids often do, they couldn’t hold it in for long. Within seconds, they were sprinting toward Ava, shouting at the top of their lungs, “Ava! Ava! Lucas is taking you to find relics! He’s here on a secret mission!”

Ava, who had been casually leaning against the Sentinel post with her arms crossed, watched the children rush toward her with a mix of amusement and exasperation. As they reached her and spilled every last detail, she couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking her head.

With a mock-stern look, she called out to Lucas as he approached with the cadets in tow, “Oi, bookworm! What have you gotten me into this time?”

Lucas, pretending to be entirely innocent, raised his hands in surrender. “I don’t know what you’re on about, Blondie.”

Ava gave him a playful punch on the arm. “Uh-huh, sure. That’s why the kids are telling me all about some relics and a secret mission.”

Lucas grinned mischievously. “Just a small adventure, Ava. Thought you might enjoy a break from the usual patrols.”

Ava raised an eyebrow but couldn’t suppress the smile creeping onto her face. “You left that out of your last message, though. How convenient.”

“Because I knew you’d try to wiggle out of it,” Lucas called back, still grinning as he turned to the cadets.

Among the cadets, a young girl kept stealing glances at Ava, her shyness evident. Ava noticed and offered her a kind smile, which only made the girl blush and look away quickly. Ava couldn’t help but smile more at the sight of a nervous cadet—it reminded her of her early days.

“Come on,” Lucas said to the cadets, “let’s get you lot signed in and settled. We’ve got important ‘field trip’ business to handle.”

As they started heading toward the Sentinel post, Ava called after him, her voice laced with playful sarcasm, “Dinner later, at our new cabin. And don’t think you’re getting out of that.”

Lucas turned back with a grin. “Wouldn’t miss it, Blondie. Haven’t seen the new digs yet.”

As the cadets followed Lucas inside, Ava stood there for a moment, shaking her head, still smiling. She glanced back at the kids, who were now running off, their pockets filled with sweets, still buzzing with excitement. Life in Green Arbor was peaceful, at least for the moment.