The battle for Bastion was finally winding down as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon. The streets of the city, once filled with the sounds of clashing steel and gunfire, were now eerily quiet. 

The Voidkin, relentless in their assault through the night, had begun to retreat as the tide of the battle turned against them. 

They slipped away, disappearing into the shadows as the defenders of Bastion held their ground, forcing the invaders to abandon their siege.

Auriella stood with her soldiers at the base of the castle, her sword still in hand, though the blood on its blade was beginning to dry. 

Her piercing gaze followed the retreating figures of the Voidkin as they vanished into the city’s outer reaches. The adrenaline of battle was wearing off, replaced by a deep fatigue that settled into her bones.

Cheers began to rise from the soldiers around her, a victorious cry that echoed through the ruined streets of Bastion. 

Citizens who had been hiding in their homes during the battle emerged cautiously, adding their voices to the celebration. 

But Auriella found no joy in the victory, her expression blank as she absently wiped her sword clean.

“When can we finally leave?” she muttered to herself, her eyes scanning the devastation that had befallen the city. She was tired—more tired than she had been in a long time. The weight of the night’s events hung heavily on her shoulders as she cleaned her weapon, trying to drown out the noise of the soldiers around her.

Her men, however, were in high spirits, each of them boasting about their exploits during the battle. 

“Did you see how I took down that Voidkin with just one arrow?” one of them crowed, his chest puffed out in pride.

“That's nothing! I took out three of them with a single swing of my axe!” another bragged, his voice loud and exuberant.

Auriella listened with a bored expression, half-heartedly nodding as her soldiers recounted their moments of glory. 

Her mind was elsewhere, focused on the prospect of leaving this place behind and returning to the barracks in Silverton. She was ready for a moment of peace, however brief it might be.

As she stood there, her attention was drawn to a movement high up in the castle. 

Leo, the prince of Bastion, appeared on a balcony with the king, holding a long rod with a glowing mana stone at its center. 

Auriella watched as the king raised the rod to his lips, his voice amplified with magic to carry his message across the entire city.

“Greetings, citizens of Bastion!” the king’s voice boomed. “We have fended off the Voidkin invasion for the time being. Now is the time to rebuild before they dare to strike us once again!”

The crowd erupted into applause, their cheers of survival and victory filling the air. The noise was almost deafening, and Auriella winced as it sent a sharp pain through her already throbbing head. 

She was never one for loud celebrations, and the cacophony only served to deepen her weariness.

From his place on the balcony, Leo spotted Auriella sitting on the castle steps, his face lighting up with a hesitant smile. 

He gave her a small wave, clearly relieved to see her well. Some of her soldiers noticed the prince’s gesture and erupted in laughter.

“I think the human prince has a crush on you, Commander!” one of the men teased, his laughter echoing through the courtyard.

Auriella’s eyes narrowed, her voice cold as she snapped at the soldier. “Shut up already, my head is killing me.” Her glare was enough to silence the man, who quickly looked away, embarrassed at being chastised by his commander.

She glanced back up at the balcony, but Leo and the king were already gone, leaving her to wonder if there was any news for them. With a sigh, she pushed herself to her feet, sheathing her sword.

“Gather everyone together,” she ordered her soldiers. “We’re heading back to the barracks in Silverton.”

The men quickly assembled, and Auriella was relieved to see that none of them had fallen during the battle. Despite the long night, they had all survived—a small victory in itself.

“You’ve made me proud,” Auriella called out, her voice carrying over the group. “You fought well and came back alive. Good work, men!”

The soldiers cheered at the rare praise from their commander, their spirits lifted by her acknowledgment. But the moment of camaraderie was quickly interrupted by a familiar voice.

“You’re just glad you don’t have to send home condolence letters, Commander!” one of the soldiers called out, earning a round of laughter from the group.

Auriella’s eyes scanned the crowd, searching for the culprit. “Who said that?” she demanded, her voice dangerously calm.

The soldiers immediately parted, leaving one man standing alone. He was taller than the others, with red skin, large wings, and small horns protruding from his temples—Atlas, her lieutenant.

“Wha—? You traitors!” Atlas exclaimed, his eyes wide as he found himself isolated from the rest of the group.

Auriella crossed her arms, a wicked grin spreading across her face as she glared at him. “Of course it’s you, Atlas. Come here and receive your punishment.”

Atlas took a step back, his wings twitching as he prepared to flee. But before he could fly out of her reach, Auriella moved with lightning speed, grabbing his ankle out of the air and tossing him to the ground with a thud. 

The stones beneath him cracked as the air was knocked out of his lungs.

She loomed over him, her grin turning into a menacing smirk. “Your punishment just got worse, Lieutenant. Drag him back, boys! He’s just lost walking privileges.”

Atlas groaned as the soldiers laughed and began dragging him along the road, his protests falling on deaf ears. 

“Huh? That’s too cruel, even for you, Commander! It’s at least 20 miles to Silverton!”

Auriella ignored his complaints, leading the group as they began the long trek back to the barracks. 

Behind her, the sounds of Atlas’s short yelps and the soldiers’ laughter echoed down the road.

The journey back to Silverton was long and uneventful, the morning sun rising higher in the sky as they traveled. 

The quiet, after the chaos of the night, was a welcome relief, and Auriella found herself growing more eager to reach the barracks.

When they finally arrived in Silverton, an unexpected sight greeted them. 

The villagers had gathered at the entrance to the barracks, shouting joyfully and tossing flower petals over the soldiers’ heads as they walked by. 

The celebration was a stark contrast to the somber mood Auriella had expected.

“What’s this nonsense?” Auriella muttered as she caught a flower petal in her hand, staring at it in confusion.

A middle-aged woman stepped forward, a basket of fruit and freshly baked bread in her hands. 

“We may not trust you demons, but we heard you protected our king and prince from those fiendish Voidkin, so we threw this little celebration as thanks!”

Auriella blinked in surprise, taking the basket from the woman without a word. 

The warm, inviting scent of the bread wafted up to her, and she found herself at a loss for how to respond.

‘I think I preferred it when they were glaring at us,’ she thought as she turned and walked into the barracks, the basket still in her arms.

Once inside, Auriella handed the basket to Atlas, who had managed to drag himself in after the others. 

“Test these for poison,” she ordered, her tone flat.

Atlas groaned, his wings drooping as he stared at the food. 

“Do you hate me, Commander?”

“No,” Auriella replied without emotion, waiting as he hesitantly bit into an apple. After a moment, when nothing happened, she nodded. 

“Now the bread.”

Atlas groaned louder, clearly displeased with his role as a taste tester. But as he chewed on the bread, his eyes widened in surprise. 

“Mmmph… ‘siso… goo’d…” he mumbled through a mouthful, quickly devouring the entire loaf.

Before he could reach for another piece, Auriella smacked his hand away, hard. 

“Ouch! But Commander…!”

A shadow fell over Auriella’s face as she snatched the basket from him. “This isn’t only for you, Atlas, you glutton. Go stare at the wall until I say otherwise.”

Atlas pouted, crawling on his knees to the far wall while the rest of the soldiers gathered around the basket, sharing in the rare moment of celebration.

Auriella watched them with a faint smile, the tension in her shoulders finally easing. The battle was over, and for now, they could rest. 

But she knew this peace wouldn’t last. The Voidkin would return, and when they did, she and her men would be ready.