Suffer Not The Radiant

Chapter 55: New Sides

In the aftermath of the firefight, the weight of reality was crashing upon them even harder, from this point on, no longer will they experience anything like what they had once had been before the war. After the fight, both sides came out with casualties. Both retreated to lick their wounds.

The agents faced a wave of emotions, their spirits dampened by the loss of a comrade who once had so much humor to their protocol. Killjoy, in particular, felt the sting of the defeat. She spent hours in mourning, kneeling beside the unrecognizable remains of their fallen agent, desperately wishing it was all just a bad dream.

Adding to the situation, numerous civilians had become casualties in the crossfire. Unfortunately, there was little the agents could do in the immediate aftermath.

the agents found themselves in a momentary standstill, grappling with the reality of their limitations. The situation, though disheartening, lacked the melodrama of a tragedy and instead settled into the uneasy acceptance of an unfortunate turn of events.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ugh..." Viper groaned, fingers clutching her throbbing head as dizziness enveloped her, the sensation akin to having undergone a grueling workout. Blinking away disorientation, she found herself not on a sterile hospital bed, but sprawled on the floor amidst chaos. Smoke lingered in the air, the building reduced to a state of unrecognizable disarray. Wires hung precariously from the ceiling, and flickering lights.

Amidst the eerie quiet, the only audible sound was that of someone weeping. Overwhelmed and fatigued, Viper's attempt to comprehend her surroundings proved futile, prompting her to shut her eyes once more with a deep inhalation.

"Viper is awake," Sova spoke.

Subsequently, heavy footfalls resonated, each step reverberating. Viper reopened her eyes, and there stood Ranesk, his helmet held by his side, his countenance as stern as ever.

"You are finally awake," Ranesk spoke.

Viper slowly sat upright, her body still sore. Her wounds had been tended to, she grasped the parts of her torso which had been wrapped in bandages.

'I suppose I am..' she weakly replied. She looked to her side, Brimstone was still unconscious.

"Is he alright?" she inquired, her concern evident in her gaze.

"Yes," Ranesk replied. "Rise, we have much to do."

Viper's eyes scanned the surroundings once more, revealing the remnants of their once-secure headquarters. The building, a mere shell of its former self, bore witness to the chaos wrought by the clash of wills.

"What the hell happened here?" Viper questioned, her voice echoing through the crumbled halls.

"Reyna came," Ranesk repeated.

Viper remained silent for a moment, absorbing the information, yet the complete picture remained elusive. The presence of Reyna, a formidable force in her own right, meant that the agents truly had a hellish struggle.

"I see," Viper finally responded, her mind churning with thoughts. She pushed herself up, standing on unsteady legs. The bandages wrapped around her torso served as a reminder of her being lucky enough to survive the mess.

"I'm fine, I can walk now," she assured Sova, her determination evident despite the lingering pain. As she turned to leave, her weakened legs betrayed her, causing her to collide with a wall metal.

Metallic clinks echoed as she stumbled backward, landing unceremoniously on the debris-strewn floor. Her gaze lifted, and there stood Tyberos, his helm casting shadows over her. His silent presence bore the weight of judgment, an unspoken assessment of her well-being.