Ren barely reacted. He was stunned for a moment, then turned stiffly to look at the mutant who had fallen nearby.
"There's a healing pod here," Kaworu on the ground repeated, "It's close. I can take you there."
In an instant, Ren grasped all the implications of those words.
This used to be a bustling town, heavily fortified with military presence, and thus, equipped with medical facilities like the healing pods. Now, as the Polluted Zone had collapsed, everything here had reverted to its state from four centuries ago. If the healing pod was nearby, and they could find it, then there might still be a flicker of hope for Kestrel.
Ren quickly turned his head to look at Kestrel in his arms. In that moment, his heart pounded so hard it felt like it was about to explode out of his chest. He tore off his glove and touched Kestrel's face with his bare fingers, fearing she might have already turned cold, into a lifeless body.
