Chapter 7
The Doubt
“What the hell happened out there?!”
Raymond’s shout caused Meredith to cringe, either from the sickness inside her stomach, or from the sheer decibel level. The others on the bridge reacted the same, unable to form an appropriate response. The Defender had long left Lacardia, heading due east to Corps Castle, but Meredith couldn’t help feel they had lost whatever they had fought for in Lacardia. Not wanting to look at her brother, her eyes slid down to the Violent Staff, resting comfortably at her healed knees. Violet had said nothing since their flight from the magic state.
“Does it matter, captain?” Jay questioned. His face was dark, not at all happy about the events, himself. When Ray snarled at him, he sighed, pushing himself off from the wall to dust his robes off. “We got the staff and are on our way home, while having thrown off pursuers. What more could you ask for?”
“I want to know how the Order got there in the first place!” Raymond’s hand slammed against a wall, denting it. Here, Meredith realized her brother’s hand was bleeding, an injury incurred in the course of his battle with the Reaper. “Lacardia has one of the best defense systems in the world! They cut through it like butter, and under our watch no less!”
“Captain, calm down. Your hand is bleeding.” Emily stood, taking Raymond’s hand and cleansing it with a warming light. He reacted little to it, jerking away once he was healed, snorting every couple seconds.
“The core was frozen, that’s how…” Emil said from his place. Raymond now rounded on him, but calmed himself once he realized just who he was being scathing to. The dirty-blond tugged at his scarf, his voice muffled while he answered the captain’s question. “I’ve spent enough time with my parents to know that it’s the source of the wind wall, just weaponized, kinda. Someone had to have gotten through on credentials, likely that Winter woman.”
“Winter woman?” Raymond’s question, and the other looks of puzzlement made plain just how little they had interacted with other members of the Order. Meredith bunched her robes in her hands, frowning. Had the Corps really been this unaware of the Order for this long?
“She’s a priest with the Order,” Meredith said. The puzzlement didn’t abate. A beeping from a nearby console replaced it with another glare, though. Raymond walked over to it, and with a simple tap, the screen on the bridge lit up with a news report, and aerial shots of the houses in Lacardia.
“We’re here in Lacardia, where a battle between the Guardian Corps and the World Restoration Order has just taken place. Houses are burned, and streets are flooded,” the reporter said. Every shot was like a punch to the gut, showing just how much damage had been done in their pursuit and escape. Meredith bent low, touching the Violent Staff and wondering how she felt about her home being so ravaged. There was surprisingly little emotion. “Earlier today, the wind core was frozen at the heart of Lacardia’s Academy, showing an unprecedented breach. With it has come some of the Order’s manifesto, a stark contrast to the Corps. It leaves one asking: who is responsible for this latest failure of the Corps?”
“Damn it!” Raymond shouted. He banged the wall again and hit the switch that shut the screen off. Sounding like a winded bull, he stormed from the bridge, his robes whipping about as he did.
Meredith tracked him while he did, realizing just how emotional he was. She continued to mull that over when Emily and Jay gave pursuit to their captain, the door slamming behind them. Breathing out, Meredith realized one of her hands was clenching so tight it left indents on her clothing, and she sat back, getting a control on her own emotions. She could understand how her brother was feeling, but recognized he wasn’t in the same position as her. He was filled with doubt. Doubt about whether he’d done the right things. Whether he’d handled the situation well.
Whether the Reaper was right about things. That was a scary thought, itself, that he would even consider the words of such a monster. Yet it had to be there, the Order’s leader making such bold proclamations about fixing the problems of the world. With the news painting the Corps as a seeming problem, that confusion had to have intensified.
Meredith shook her head, refusing to believe in that notion. Even if the Corps had made mistakes in Lacardia, she had to think it was the right way. They didn’t want to cause destruction like the Order did. It wasn’t even a means to an end, but a mere byproduct of protection. Her nails dug further into her robes, those thoughts ringing hollow to even her ears. They wouldn’t dissipate, either, until Eddie put a hand on her knee and looked up at her curiously.
“Well, looks like we’re home again…though I don’t think the welcome mat is in order,” Kenny said. He had recovered, helping to man the Defender and bring her back into dock. Through the shattered window, Meredith could see Corps Castle approaching. No skyships were leaving, and the sea around the base appeared choppy, like someone was frothing angry inside. Meredith had a distinct feeling that Amelia had seen the less-than-happy news.
She stood, clasping the Violent Staff in hand. Time hadn’t allowed her to process all that had happened, and she vowed to Violet that she yet would, but as she began to think, that same old fear came back.
Weak! Worthless! Meredith wanted to punch a wall, herself, if only to get rid of those damnable emotions inside her. She hated it. Hated being scared. Hated needing to be saved. Hated that every time the Reaper showed up, she was just a little girl, cowering. They had proven so much more mastery, over their own emotions, over souls. The Reaper was a cut above them, to the point even Raymond couldn’t deal with them, allowing them to get away. How did they do it…? How did Rico and Ray stand against them…?
It was all further condemnation of her actions.
“Why do you look like you’ve swallowed poison?” Vivian’s leaning on her shoulder allowed Meredith to finally banish the thoughts from her mind. She brushed the girl off. “What’s it like, holding the Violent Staff?”
“You want to hold it?”
“Not really. I’ve got this one here. It’s just another Legendary Weapon.” Vivian shrugged. Meredith had to snort at how mundane she made it sound, and the two girls started to laugh. Emil and Eddie side-eyed them from where they stood, but neither joined in the laughter. It wasn’t like it was actually funny, but Meredith found herself grateful for that momentary ease of tension.
It helped when they pulled into Corps Castle and found a whole contingent of people waiting for them, from droves of Guardians to Marcus, Masters and Amelia. True to expectations, the latter didn’t look happy.
“I hear things didn’t go as well as expected, Raymond,” Marcus said, his voice booming in the hangar when they’d descended. Meredith, still clasping the Violent Staff tight, found herself next to her brother, avoiding Amelia’s eyes to escape remonstration. “The Order in Lacardia. How?”
“I’ve been told it was a freezing of the magic core. Though how they got in to do that, I couldn’t say, sir.” Raymond sounded as ashamed as he looked, his head bowed low in penitence. “We did manage to secure the Violent Staff and gain some information.”
“A small consolation if ever there was one…” The harsh words made Meredith take in the Chief Commander. His eyes were venomous, disappointment turning at his lips. For a man always so self-assured in his waking moments, a flawless leader, Marcus was showing emotion beyond those of his position. He inhaled, and Meredith thought he was trying to tamp down on those feelings. He wasn’t. “Captain Childs, Tempest Squad, please explain! Why is it my best squad allowed Lacardia to become so damaged?! I’ve already had calls from the ministers and President Parradyne. This puts not only our alliance at risk, but the entire status of the Corps!”
“I accept full responsibility, sir.” Meredith wanted to shrink in, feeling so much larger than her brother right now. “I was derelict in my duties at securing Lacardia. I thought Emily and Jarvis would be enough to handle the Academy’s exterior, but I failed to realize much else. I should have secured the perimeter before gaining information.”
“Well, thankfully for us, there was no loss of life in this instance,” Marcus said. There was almost certainly steam coming from the man’s nostrils as he relaxed. Not that it did much good. His face looked just as it did the day he’d incarcerated Gaius. “However, this is a very serious matter. The damages to Lacardia’s residents were severe.”
“The media’s been all over the place with scathing criticisms…” Amelia said. In the crowd that spread before them like a carpet, Meredith could hear the mutters and murmurs. Split between fear, amusement or general worry, she wasn’t sure which emotion was the overriding one. It didn’t help that none of it abated even with Amelia’s usual withering stare. “They’re calling for actions and reparations and speculation…Our friends in Lacardia are attempting to deter it, but…”
“But we can’t just let their criticisms slip idly by, regardless of relative success of the mission,” Masters finished. He was running a hand through his hair, the line receding, as if the stress of being back at base instead of managing the news like usual was taking its toll. “They’re calling for action, and no measure of apology tours will change that.”
“Thus, effective immediately, Captain Raymond Childs, you are temporarily relieved from duty pending further investigation.”
Marcus’s words floored Meredith, and from how Raymond had gone stock still, he couldn’t have taken the news kindly. His mouth didn’t make a sound, but Meredith hardly needed Soul Vision to know that Raymond was borderline-devastated at this. After all his dreams, and how hard he had worked, to be so callously removed by the man he admired most hurt. Meredith felt that pain, and would have reached for him, to comfort him, but she remembered where they were. Marcus, too, realized.
“Lieutenant Emily Swanson, you are in charge of Tempest Squad for the foreseeable future. No issues, I take it?” Emily’s salute, though hesitant, came quick enough to allow the chief commander to move on and place a hand on Raymond’s shoulder. “Don’t look at this as too much of a punishment. It’ll do you some good to spend more time at home as opposed to gallivanting off, Raymond. Think of it as an extended vacation while some things are worked out.”
“Sir…” Raymond concurred, nodding. Ever the professional, he straightened with his brave face, allowing Marcus to ascertain his compliance. Marcus liked what he saw.
“As for everyone else, beyond a PR stance, Lacardia has confirmed more than we knew before,” the chief commander bellowed. Every Guardian moved into formation, at least of those in the hangar, readying themselves for their leader’s words. “The World Restoration Order is after the Legendary Weapons, as we were aware, and it is paramount we find them first, and their base while we’re at it. The gloves must come off. Those not on security, you will search. We cannot allow the Order to continue sowing division and fear as they have done. Do you all understand?!”
Where Meredith expected affirmative cheers and salutes, she instead was met with ambivalence. Like being plunged in a freezing pool, the reality of what Lacardia…no, of what all the recent world events had done, hit her.
They were scared.
“Sir…doesn’t that…that mean we’ll get in more skirmishes with the Order along the way?” a brave Guardian spoke from the back. Some turned to look at him, and Meredith, amidst the shifting and shuffling, could see that a few weren’t even paying attention, watching the muted news on their tablets. “They’ve managed to destroy so many towns, we’d just be inviting failure.”
“They could take whole squads out! They’ve gotten so bold…”
“If even Tempest Squad couldn’t stop them from what they did at Lacardia…only the other elite squads would stand a chance,” another yelled. Her voice was higher-pitched, and a great many others agreed. Raymond was looking at them all, biting his tongue from the look of his cheeks. Meredith resisted the urge to do the same; their emotions were rioting, giving her trouble in breathing.
Fear. Worry. The myriad of negative emotions was settling over the crowd, each as palpable as the next. They didn’t want to do the duty instructed to them. They wanted to run. Far away. To safety.
“Are you Guardians or are you not?!” Masters yelled. His baritone silenced those with dissent. The Flame Commander took a step forward, that clomping boot burning into the floor. “Would you let the citizens suffer from cowardice? The Order is a threat, and we are best equipped to handle it. If they have a plan that involves the Legendary Weapons, then we stop it! If they plan to assault other towns, we strike them first!
“Have you not realized? We will create a chase for the Weapons that will drive the Order to reveal their base, where we will obliterate them in one fell swoop!”
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His proclamation rang over the hangar, silencing all but Amelia, who scoffed with good humor. The babblings of fear died down, and after a moment of deliberation, the gathered Guardians all saluted. Meredith unclenched.
“Well, now that that’s done…” Marcus said, rubbing the back of his head. The Guardians dispersed, the orders given. Many retreated further back inside the castle, but others split into squads, ready to depart. “Royston, can I ask you to handle media relations? And Amelia…”
“I’ll get our prize to the vaults. Don’t worry. Childs!” Meredith stepped forward, realizing her brother did the same. “Er…not the old one…uh, male one? Whatever, Meredith. Come with me. Raymond, you take a load off. Marcus, do you plan to…?”
“I think there’s no other way forward now.” Whatever the two commanders meant, Meredith didn’t know, but chose not to worry about it. She came forward with the Violent Staff, jogging after Amelia before she could leave her behind. “Tempest Squad, be on standby for future orders. In the meantime, I’ll need you on odd jobs around the castle. Give you a day or two until Commander Masters smooths things over with the public…”
His commands went out of earshot as Meredith turned a corner, keeping up with her own commander. Amelia spoke not a word, and whether she was angry or not, Meredith was afraid to to find out. That frosty sentiment remained as they boarded an elevator that would bring them to the lower floors, right past the prisons.
“I’m going back on prison duty right after this?”
“You catch on, Childs.” Amelia leaned against the elevator wall as it shuddered down, the ambient lighting growing darker and darker. “You and Lacroix will be removed from Tempest Squad. With your brother off for the foreseeable future, might be best to not draw attention to his absence. If Tempest Squad needs doing, I can always send Baroné or Montgomery. They’re as effective together as you and Lacroix.”
“And the search for the Weapons…?”
“I’m sure you can make use of time here to help for that. Maybe question some of our infamous prisoners.” The thought unsettled her, and Meredith shuddered at the thought of speaking with Caleb or Gaius for any length of time. The elevator’s ding prevented elaboration, and the doors opened to the darkest hallway in the castle, outside of the one that stored the two priests. “This way.”
Amelia was undaunted in the face of such darkness, as were the two standing guard at the end of the long hallway. On Meredith’s back, the Earth-Splitter shuddered, as did the Violent Staff, both reacting. Meredith swallowed; it felt like there was a great power here, and not just at the end, where the giant door sat, protecting the valuables inside. All around her, there was that same feeling, every step acting like it could draw that power out. Amelia either didn’t notice or was so used to it that she could make it to the end without staggering. Meredith tried to do the same, but was unsure at how successful she was.
“Open up. Special delivery.” Amelia announced to the Guardians at the end. Unlike those above, these two were unflappable, going about their job with prestige. The door hissed and opened wide, swinging on its hinges. The glittering light from within shined on Meredith’s face, and she saw stores of many things, from old artifacts, to dismantled weapons and gold, right down to the shining spear that had once belonged to Rico. Knowing what she had to do, Meredith walked forward and placed the Violent Staff right next to it, kneeling.
I’m sorry, Violet…but at least, I hope you’ll be with a friend for now.
She gave no response, but there was an assurance of acceptance in that. Meredith straightened and walked out, the door slamming shut behind her, dousing them once more in that cold darkness. When she looked up, Amelia had a finger to her lips. “Not a word to anyone, okay, Childs? We keep this place locked tight for a reason.”
Meredith nodded, and then followed the commander back to the surface.
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Things returned to a normal grind faster than Meredith expected. Even with, and despite, Masters’ big press tour, assuring people that Lacardia was an isolated incident and that they were getting close to a breakthrough, life at Corps Castle was affected very little. Guardians would leave a bit more often, or so Meredith felt, but a grand majority stayed holed up inside. The rallying cry the commanders had given did little to bolster work ethic. Not that Meredith was changed by it. Things were all rather secluded inside the prison block, something which Raymond remarked when he came to visit her, much to her annoyance, at lunch.
“If you feel so cut off, then don’t bother coming down here,” she snapped at him, preparing the plates to take into the darkened cells. Vivian was down the hall, doing whatever she did, while their warden shuffled about, keeping as far away as possible. “You’re starting to seem stir-crazy, and a dim cellblock is not the place to be. What is Tempest Squad up to anyway?”
“I don’t know!” Ray expressed, tossing his hands in the air as he fell against a stone wall. “Running tasks outside when they can, I guess. Some of the other squads are running more work. I’m stuck in here, training others up…if they even want to be trained.”
“Yeah, sounds real difficult,” Vivian said, approaching the group with her caustic tongue. “Didn’t they tell you to relax?”
“Have you seen the way the Corps is these days? Relaxation is the last thing we need.”
Meredith couldn’t argue that. Despite the salute, many were running scared. If she believed the rumors from Emil and Eddie, some had even jumped ship, fleeing to parts unknown and away from the Corps. No one stopped them from leaving. Of course, it was all baseless rumors at best, in which Meredith took little stock. Although, Raymond looked far more concerned about it, to which Meredith put a hand on her brother’s shoulder.
“Hey, cheer up, Ray. No need to act like you’ve seen the worst of humanity up there. That’s reserved for these two.”
“She likes them,” Vivian joked, hiding a giggle behind her sleeve. Meredith whipped a piece of chicken at the girl. “They’re so chummy lately, Mera and the priests.”
“Gaius likes to talk. The other one’s just crazy. Don’t listen to her.” Raymond didn’t find the joke funny. If anything, he was alarmed. “Hey, don’t worry, Ray. It’ll work out. We’re not done yet!”
“Hmm…yeah…I just want them to get their act together…” Meredith offered one last pat, leaving her worried brother behind to enter the cell that was now almost exclusively under her care, save for when she wasn’t on shift. Like always, it cast them in silence when she brought the plates over to the pair.
Caleb, as expected, sounded unhinged in his cackling, but Gaius was relaxed. Talkative, too. “I hear people aren’t happy above. Are they running scared?”
“Why does it interest you?” Meredith shot back, shoving his plate over to him and cleaning up the last one, caked with grime. The other Guardians hadn’t done their proper job, evidently.
“It doesn’t, I suppose. I just like knowing when sheep are running in fear.” Gaius accepted the plate with a bow of his head and beset his mouth upon it. Meredith remained, a frown twisting her features.
“Why do you follow them? The Reaper?” The question put a halt to all in the cells, including Caleb’s derangement. Gaius stared upward, his beady black eyes piercing her, watching her for motive.
“Promises of a better world. The next world.” The answer furthered her frown. “Not that I follow the Reaper, but the goddess, herself. They are just her emissary. Of course, our methods may differ from yours, but we seek to restore this world as it once was. That means finding the will of the goddess within us to bring that change. Rebuild. After all, are we in the world not of one body and soul?”
“If you say so…” Meredith stood, looking down at the portly man. He was thinner, owing to his time in prison, but still his body jiggled while he ate. “I just don’t think what you do is right. Nor will I ever.”
“Hmmm…curious indeed…” Gaius now looked far away, stuck in a rut of contemplation, like facts didn’t fit while he absentmindedly stuffed his face. Meredith didn’t care, turning away when he clanked against the bars with his finished plate. “Thank you for the talk. It’s nice, girl. I’ve not had such pleasant conversation. It’s usually interrogation, like that of your brother, or those other squads, searching about gleaming cities. I wonder if they’ll find anything…”
Meredith couldn’t tell if Gaius had let something slip, or if he’d just randomly spouted off meaningless mutterings. Either way, the riddle he spoke took hold in her mind. She nodded her head at him, and took off, closing the door to the cells behind her. Raymond was gone, and Vivian was back at work, leaving Meredith alone with her thoughts and the freedom to take lunch.
Placing the plates down, she rubbed at her head, ready to go for the breakroom when she put a halt to her steps. Her mind had been so stuffed with information, spending her free time mulling and ruminating over all that they’d learned in Lacardia, that she hadn’t realized when she’d pick up on things. From scraps of all that had happened in the past, to the rumors that flew about the base in the present, her mind was whirling with possibility. It didn’t help that no one seemed to get closer to finding anything, or that Terrill had said nothing in recent days. She had a feeling that his thoughts had turned towards the past, almost melancholy now that the majority of the truth had been revealed.
He didn’t need to say anything for her to process this newest bit of information. Gleaming city…and a message that dead-ended in the Metropolis…
Those stray thoughts began to come together as a cohesive whole in her mind, pointing her in a direction. Without telling anyone, Meredith’s feet spun around and began to walk upwards, out of the prison, through halls and over to the closest secured phone room, as if she was a girl possessed. Everything solidified, and she first wondered if she should contact the squads themselves, or perhaps Masters. Yet when she finally stepped foot next to the phones, she knew that would be unhelpful. They’d already been searching for weeks and found nothing.
But she knew someone who could. Someone who knew the Metropolis better than even the Corps did.
Stepping in the room, Meredith noted that few others were around, except for those calling their parents or loved ones. They were of little consequence to her, and made her feel far more assured as she dialed the number she had found among her things when they’d left the Metropolis a month ago. The line rang, feeling anxiously long before it finally picked up and displayed a welcome face on the screen.
“Mera, what a surprise! I wasn’t expecting a call!” Brynn Taylor looked as healthy as ever, Meredith noted, her bubblegum-dyed hair whipping around as she tied it up, placing a pair of rather large shopping bags on the bed in her dormitory. The sounds of exhausted groaning came from outside before the well-liked lieutenant of the Home Guard kicked her door shut. “Sorry if I seem frazzled. Just got back from a shopping trip.”
“I would ask if that’s code for surveying the city, but I know it’s not…” Meredith commented, leaning against one of the walls, but keeping her eye on the screen and camera. “How are things there?”
“Same ol’. I mean, unless you count all the issues at Guardian Tower…” Meredith grimaced, her mind’s eye imagining just what was taking place at that base. “It seems pretty difficult for you guys out here.”
“It’s difficult in here…” she sighed. Brynn sat down, scooting closer to the screen as she folded her hands.
“Anything you want to talk about?”
Meredith expelled another sigh, glancing over to the few Guardians in the room. One of them appeared shaken, and it brought to the forefront all that had been on her mind the last couple weeks. “I just…don’t know…
“I feel like, the more time I spend with the Corps, the further away I am from my dream. I saw my brother get removed from active duty because of Lacardia, and the people here are frightened to even engage with the Order. And I…I just find myself wondering…if that’s the right way to go. Not that I can do much as a lowly intern.”
“Mm…” Brynn vocalized, tapping her chin. Her silent thinking allowed Meredith to get a better glimpse at the girl’s room, decorated with pink and all manner of feminine things…barring the knives that sat in a rather discreet corner. “I think these doubts are a good thing. Means you’re thinking for yourself, Mera. Not just going with the flock.”
“I’m worried that others will make the flock completely run, though.”
“I can’t help you with that. But hey, if the Corps isn’t the right fit, you can always join me in the Home Guard. I’m sure the boys would love to see you again.” Her laughter allowed Meredith to crack a smile, thanking her in the end. “But…somehow, we never have conversations for giggles. What’s up?”
“Oh, right!” Meredith admonished herself for forgetting her initial purpose in coming here, and she stood directly in front of the screen. “I have a feeling that the Order is looking for stuff in the Metropolis. Or that they have some kind of link to it. Think you could take a look?”
“I can try, though I can’t promise much beyond some pamphlet people.”
“Just keep an ear open, Brynn.”
“Will do. On one condition.” The girl tilted back, fetching two sundresses from within her bags: a red one with stunning white flowers, and a blue dress with red poinsettias. “Which one looks better on me?”
“The blue one. Doesn’t offset your hair.”
“You’re amazing, Mera. Edgar had a mental breakdown trying to choose between the two.” Meredith shook her head, just imagining the state of the third-person speaking hulk of a man. Brynn threw the dresses back on her bed. “But I’ll keep my eyes and ears open, just for you. Let you know what I find. Or if any Corps member comes to call.”
“Thanks.” The call terminated and Meredith knocked her head against the glass, feeling both elated and troubled in equal measure. She hadn’t expected to voice thoughts she didn’t even know she really had, but now that she had, it made them all the keener. Giving one more knock, Meredith pulled back and left the room, running straight into Vivian, who had been dashing headlong down the hall. “Whoa, Viv, what’s the hurry?”
“There you are! I thought we were taking lunch together, but you vanished!” the blonde snapped, a bit more frazzled and irritated than usual.
“Sorry, but that doesn’t explain why you’re here.”
“Finding you,” she huffed, folding her arms around herself. Now that Meredith was out of the sequestered room, she realized just how loud the halls had become. Staring down the length of the hallway, it was evident there was a rather vocal surge of people streaming for the stairs that led upwards, to the hangar. “Commander Frigas is here.”
She blinked in rapid succession, not expecting to hear those words. When they finally penetrated her skull, everything around her made far more sense. “Well, what are we waiting for? We still have time!”
Meredith didn’t bother waiting for permission to grab Vivian’s wrist and begin dragging her into the crowd. They got lost in it all too quickly, and as they proceeded to the hangar, Meredith realized that most of the castle, itself, was planning to be in attendance for the last commander’s arrival. Not the least of these were Eddie and Emil, who happened to be pushed into them on the stairs before they emptied into the grand airship dock, its doors open.
Once they had been jostled enough, Meredith was finally stabilized to go on tiptoe and see what all the hubbub was about. Some familiar faces sprinkled the crowd, but none more recognizable than the commanders, with Amelia and Masters standing back, and Marcus at the very edge of the hangar doors, staring out at the sea. The heightened anticipation was soon cut across by the whining of a skyship, coming in to land. Marcus turned away, rejoining his commanders as the pure white skyship, flecked with bits of rust, streaked in. It came to a stop and hissed with steam as the older model landed. To Meredith’s surprise, the skyship was in remarkably good condition, though it didn’t appear to have had much use in ages, perhaps years, by her estimate.
The biggest surprise was yet to come when the ramp lowered, and the woman that made up the last third of the Corps’ mightiest force descended, her platinum hair waving behind her, and her glasses of ice slipping down her nose. Meredith felt her feet lower, and her eyes met her friends’ as all realized the same thing. The one thing no one else was aware of.
“Welcome back, Cynthia.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve been home, Marcus.” The voice sent chills, and Meredith now knew it for a fact, remembering the cold that had threatened to consume her whole being. Taking another second, Meredith once more looked at the arrived commander, but her eyes continued to confirm the same thing.
Commander Cynthia Frigas was the World Restoration Order’s very own Lady Winter.