Raika staggered through the debris-strewn streets, her steps unsteady as she dragged her aching body forward. The once-pristine cityscape was now a war-torn wasteland, with shattered glass crunching beneath her feet and the acrid smell of smoke filling the air. Her clothes were torn, and her skin bore the bruises and cuts from the battle, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the turmoil raging inside her.
She tried to steady herself, but each step felt heavier than the last. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and with every exhale, she felt the weight of what she had done pressing down on her. "Oh man, what a drag," she muttered, her voice trembling. But then, as if some switch had flipped inside her, she suddenly threw her head back and laughed—a wild, unhinged sound that echoed through the desolate streets.
