"Even secrets have shadows—they linger in the hearts that must keep them."
The convoy hummed through the wastelands, tires hissing over dust-cracked roads. The morning light cast long, shimmering lines across the dunes.
Inside the armored transport, Elyra, Lana, and Rayon sat together—each lost in thought as the barren horizon rolled endlessly by.
Rayon absently polished his rifle. Elyra was reviewing encoded mission logs on a flickering screen.
Lana just stared out the window, her reflection caught against the sunrise.
She'd been quiet most of the trip, but her thoughts were loud.
Kaen… I hope you're okay.
She didn't even realize she'd whispered it until Rayon looked up from his weapon. "You're worried about him."
Lana crossed her arms defensively. "No. I'm just… thinking."
Rayon smirked faintly. "You always say that when you care."
"Please," she scoffed. "I'm not the one who worries."
He tilted his head. "You used to say the same thing about me."
That drew a small, reluctant laugh from her. "Yeah. And look where that got us."
The laughter faded into soft silence. The convoy rattled over another bump, and Lana's gaze softened. "He's reckless. Like someone else I know."
Rayon grinned. "You mean you."
"Shut up," she said, smirking before sighing. "It's just… he's been through so much, you know? I can't help but feel like if I blink, he'll disappear."
Rayon leaned back, folding his arms behind his head. "That's exactly how you used to talk about me when we were kids."
Her eyes flicked toward him, curious. "You remember that?"
"Every word," he said softly.
Flashback — 11 Years Ago
The desert sun was a kinder gold then. The training fields outside the village were filled with laughter and dust.
A younger Rayon, small for his age, sat in the dirt clutching his arm, tears streaking down his face. A group of older boys stood nearby, laughing, tossing small pebbles toward him.
"Go on, cry some more, defect," one of them sneered. "You'll never even touch the Source!"
Before he could say more, a streak of fire-red hair and fury came crashing through the group. Lana, younger but already fierce, slammed her practice staff into the ground with a crack that silenced everyone.
"Pick on someone your own resonance level!" she shouted.
The boys hesitated, then laughed nervously—until she flared her resonance. The air shimmered with heat.
They ran.
When it was over, she turned to Rayon, kneeling beside him. "You okay?"
He nodded, wiping his eyes. "Why'd you help me?"
She smiled—a bold, defiant grin that didn't match her small frame. "Because no one else did. And because from now on…"
She reached out, ruffling his hair. "…you're my little brother. Got it?"
Rayon blinked. "But we're not—"
"Doesn't matter," she said firmly. "Big sister's job is to protect you."
He smiled for the first time that day.
Back to the Present
The convoy hit a small dip, shaking them from the memory.
Lana exhaled, her gaze soft but distant. "Funny how that never changed."
Rayon looked at her with a small smile. "No. You still act like my big sister. Still scaring away my bullies."
"Guess old habits die hard."
The vehicle slowed. Elyra stood, signaling the driver. "We're stopping here."
Outside, the air shimmered with heat as the convoy came to a halt beside a canyon ridge. The three of them stepped out, boots sinking into sand.
Elyra waited until the soldiers had spread out for perimeter checks before turning to Lana and Rayon.
"There's something you both need to know before we reach Central," she said quietly, lowering her voice so only they could hear.
Lana frowned. "This about the scientist?"
Elyra shook her head. "No. That's what Cael wants the others to think. Our real mission… is to find the spy."
Rayon's expression darkened. "The spy inside Central Base."
Elyra nodded grimly. "Cael suspects someone's leaking our movements to the Dominion. The last three raids failed because our enemies knew exactly where we'd strike. He needs confirmation—and he trusts us to get it."
Lana's jaw tightened. "So we're not guarding a scientist. We're walking into a den of snakes."
Elyra met her gaze evenly. "We're hunting one."
The wind howled through the canyon, scattering sand around them.
Rayon slung his weapon onto his shoulder, sighing. "You realize if we're wrong, this could fracture the entire rebellion."
Elyra looked back toward the rising skyline of Central in the distance — the towering spires shimmering against the heat.
"I know," she said. "But if we're right… we'll save it."
"Some bonds are forged in fire. Others are tested in silence."