The Captain's eyes darted to the two large bodies lying lifeless on the cold floor. He rubbed his forehead, struggling to find the right words to use.
"How long do you think it'll take you to... acquire the Ringleader's Stone?" he asked hesitantly. "We need to get our hands on it as fast as possible. The truth is, I just can't get what the Ringleader's said out of my mind."
"We shall take care of it at once. It shouldn't take us more than a few minutes, so rest assured. We'll also bury the corpse while we're at it. I'll have Arago bring the Stone to you once we're done." Gull stood up and clasped its hands behind its back. The creature let out a yawn.
"That's right, I almost forgot. What are we supposed to do about East? We did bring it with us, but..." Karabell didn't finish the sentence. There were so many things he needed to take into account. The apprentices, the Aberrations, his team, East, the Ringleader...
"The body will eventually rot, leaving behind only a small fragment. That fragment will then slowly turn into the new East. That's it," Gull pointed out. "It's important to know when to rest, Karabell. It's not my place to tell you what to do, but don't wear yourself out. That is my humble request. Do it for your friends. You're the only one who can lead them."
Karabell bobbed his head in agreement. He pivoted on his heels and started towards the large doors. He'd always been prone to overworking himself, and he was aware of that. But he couldn't sit idly.
There were only a few stars in the sky. A rapid wind blew over his skin, and the Captain found himself wondering if it would rain soon. It looked like Dante and the others had finished carrying the wounded inside. Ono's wagon had been covered with an enormous piece of cloth, but the horses were nowhere to be seen. The guards had probably brought them inside as well. Karabell stiffened, and utter terror overtook his features. Alice was awaiting him in front of the entrance, tapping her foot. The Captain gulped. Was it too late to run away?
"You. Bed. Rest. Now," the girl ordered as she grabbed his wrist. "I'll drag you down those stairs if I have to."
He stared at Alice's pouting expression for a moment. For some reason, it amused him beyond compare. Karabell chuckled, trying his best to hold back his laughter. Taken aback, Alice let go of his arm. It'd been a while since she'd last seen Kar laugh so sincerely, and she hadn't expected that kind of reaction from him. Her face dropped into a soft smile.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing, nothing." Karabell wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "More importantly, how're the others feeling?" he inquired as they descended the stairs.
"Kei and Een went straight to sleep. Everyone else was taken to the infirmary, and their wounds aren't that bad. The medics said that it could've been way worse. Lyra and Ono are helping Dante look after them. As for Shono and Annie... I think they'll both make it. But right now, we all need to get some rest. Needless so say, that applies to you as well, Kar." Alice's eyes flashed with concern. They'd had too many back-to-back fights. He was trying not to let it show, but she could tell that Kar was exhausted. Between defeating the Ringleader and his battle against Frederick, he hadn't been able to catch his breath.
"That's reassuring. Sorry, Alice, but I can't rest yet. I feel like I've had a smiliar conversation with Dante earlier. Anyway, the Aberrations have agreed to help. They'll get the Ringleader's Stone for us, so that's a load off my mind. Now I just need to ask Dante to lend us a hand. Don't worry, I'll go straight to sleep after I have a chat with him. I promise."
Alice didn't try to stop him. She nodded silently and entered the dorm room. Creating that device was their top priority. Alice leaned against the door and let herself slide to the floor. She'd promised to give Kar an answer once the battle was over, but they hadn't won yet.
Karabell's hand froze on the doorknob. He took a deep breath and entered the infirmary. It was significantly bigger than what he'd seen back at Base Tau. A bunch of beds were neatly aligned along the walls. A few men and women, all wearing long white coats, were running back and forth between them. Lyra was changing a girl's bandages. The Captain looked around the room, but failed to locate Dante. The scientists and doctors were all too preoccupied to so much as notice his presence.
"Alright, this should do it. Just make sure you don't move around too much." Lyra affectionately patted the girl on the head. Out of a sudden, she turned towards Karabell. "Looking for Dante, are you? Come, I'll take you to him."
The Captain followed her out of the room. They walked down the main hallway, then turned right. Lyra was uncharacteristically quiet. Well, it wasn't that weird. Karabell didn't even want to imagine what horrible things she'd been forced to witness during the battle.
"Commander Frederick is gone for good, right?" she finally broke the silence.
Karabell grimaced and started, "I'm sorry. I tried to stop him, but I wasn't fast enough."
"It wasn't your fault. Alice told me what happened. I just... I guess I just wanted to hear you say it. There was nothing you could've done. I didn't care for him that deeply, to be honest. He just happened to be the first person I met after I woke up. I don't know why he attacked Een, nor why he chose to take his own life. All I know is that Commander Frederick was an eccentric man. But... he wasn't necessarily a bad person. I can't help but think that. So, if I had to guess, I'd say he realized that his dream of eliminating every last Aberration would never come true." They stopped in front of a large wooden door. "Which reminds me... What were his last words?"
"He apologized. He said that he should've treasured you more, and that he had no regrets," the Captain answered immediately, like he'd anticipated her question.
"I see. Well, that's that. Don't let it get to you. Finish whatever business you have with Dante, then go to sleep. Now that the Commander's gone, you're our only leader. We're counting on you, Captain," Lyra said, emphasizing the last word. A cocky grin pulled up the left side of her face.
Karabell's eyes followed her as she left. Everyone was trying to cheer him up. And maybe he really did need a good night's sleep. Just as he was contemplating that idea, however, the door slammed open to reveal none other than Dante.
"There you are!" he shouted, absolutely elated. "Get over here!"