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your pov
Isha held my hand tightly as we moved cautiously toward the entrance. The sound of Vander's low growls rumbled through the air, muffled by the heavy cloak draped over him. It was a crude disguise at best, barely hiding his towering beast-like form.
I glanced down at Isha, and to my surprise, she reached out a small hand to rest gently on Vander's massive arm. Her touch was fearless, almost soothing, though I doubted it had much effect on the beast's barely contained frustration. I smiled faintly, her innocence a stark contrast to the tension all around us.
Vi led the way, her posture tense and purposeful, while Jinx trailed just behind her, fiddling absentmindedly with her pistol. The crowd thinned as we approached the gate to the sanctuary. A man stood there, calm and composed, greeting those who passed. His demeanor was serene, almost unnervingly so, and as we got closer, I noticed the pale, otherworldly glow of his white eyes.
He was different—transformed somehow from the figure I remembered. His appearance radiated an eerie sense of peace, but it did little to ease the bubbling unease in my chest.
Vi stopped abruptly a few feet from him, her fists clenched at her sides, gauntlets gleaming in the light. Her expression hardened, her usual anger flickering in her eyes.
"Vi," the man greeted, his tone soft and inviting, like they were old friends meeting under better circumstances. "I had hoped you might return."
Vi's lips curled into a snarl. "You filthy traitor," she spat, her voice sharp and venomous. Her gauntlets shifted slightly, her grip tightening.
The man didn't flinch. Instead, he inclined his head in acknowledgment, his calm demeanor unwavering. "Yes," he said quietly. "That was me at my worst. Simply awful." His gaze swept toward the sanctuary beyond, where people bustled about, some tending to others, others simply sitting in quiet contemplation. "But the Herald has freed me from my past self. He's given me a chance to make amends."
I stepped closer to Vi, wary of her simmering rage. She wasn't one to take kindly to speeches, especially not from someone she considered an enemy. I glanced at the man again, my curiosity grew by his transformation. His appearance was unsettling but intriguing—what had happened to him?
Vi's scowl deepened as her eyes followed the man's movements. He extended a hand toward the entrance, where a man with a limp approached. "All are welcome here," one man said, offering a small vial of water to the man before kneeling beside him. The gesture seemed genuine, but Vi wasn't buying it.
His tone grew firmer as he straightened to view us, "I must ask you to surrender your weapons. This is a place of peace."
"Peace?" Jinx muttered with a chuckle as I turned around to smack her on the shoulder. She gave me a look as she placed a hand on her arm, as if that light tap hurt her.
I now glanced at the scene behind the man. People moved about, some limping, others whispering quietly to one another. A few kids played on the pavement. For a moment, it almost seemed... normal. "I could get used to this," I muttered under my breath, unable to keep the faint grin from tugging at my lips.
