Sera led the group down the old, rusted stairway that spiraled into the depths of the landship. The creaking steps echoed beneath their feet as they descended into the cargo bay, the large, open space that had been transformed into their temporary living quarters. Despite its rundown appearance, the cargo bay was the most livable area they had uncovered so far, though Sera and her crew had recently found the dormitories, still uncleaned and untouched.
Dmitri, walking behind her, marveled at the size of the space. It's much larger than I would have thought, he mused. The cargo bay could easily house them all, perhaps for an extended period of time. They didn't even need to explore much further to make it functional as a base. Yeah, this could work, he thought, relieved that at least some of his worries seemed to have been solved. But he knew things weren't over. Not until he could convince the masked woman—Sera—to accept them fully.
For a group their size, the landship's vastness was a double-edged sword. While it provided shelter, they would need more hands to gather food and explore its uncharted sections. The sheer scale of the ship, combined with their current numbers, made it impossible to fully utilize without assistance. Dmitri sighed, knowing their fight for survival wasn't over yet.
As they entered the bay, a familiar voice rang out.
"Bossu! You brought more friends!" Ava's voice bounced through the room as she appeared from behind a stack of crates. "Mm! A group of felines and Lupo's. Not bad, Bossu!" She grinned widely, waving energetically at Dmitri's group. This time, she restrained herself from tackling Sera, though the glint in her eye suggested that the urge was still there. Dmitri, however, found himself unsettled by the sight of her. When was the last time I saw someone so full of energy? he thought, bewildered by her carefree attitude. Most people kept their distance from his group, given the state of some of their members. But Ava seemed completely unfazed as she walked around them, eyeing them like a curious child.
What caught Dmitri's attention most was the bear cub perched on Ava's head like a fuzzy hat. Koda blinked lazily, his little paws resting on her shoulders. Is that a good idea? Dmitri wondered. What if it tries to eat her later? Yet, the rules of Terra II didn't seem to apply to the creature.
"We needed the extra hands anyway," Ava chirped, nodding to herself as if affirming her own thoughts. "But we haven't found the engine room yet, Bossu," she added, her tone suddenly more serious. "And based on what I know, it's only going to get harder from here."
"Sigh... calm down, Ava. We'll talk more tomorrow and decide what to do," Sera said, her voice heavy with fatigue. She reached up and began removing her mask. The hiss of the air escaping the seals echoed in the silence of the cargo bay as the mask slid free from her face.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Several of Dmitri's group stiffened, their hearts beating faster as they watched in tense silence. The air felt thicker, more charged, as they saw her true face for the first time. Sera's white hair fell around her face, framing her cold, gray eyes. A thin scar ran beneath her right eye, a mark from a life spent in countless battles. Her expression was distant, worn down, devoid of any of the youthfulness one might expect for someone her age. She looked tired—so incredibly tired. Dmitri had seen faces like hers before. It was the face of someone who had endured more than they should have, who had fought too many times and survived when they shouldn't have.
As the hoodie covering her head retracted, Dmitri's group got their first full look at her. Sarkaz. A banshee, no doubt about it. But then Dmitri's eyes widened in surprise. A tail? Banshees didn't have tails. No one had both traits from two different races. In Terra II, it was a fact that children born of parents from two different races would always take on the dominant traits of one or the other, never a mix of physical features. But here Sera stood, a contradiction to that very rule.
Even Zyra, also a banshee, had her typical banshee traits. But Sera's was a strange blend of black and brown, colors that didn't match even the Ten Banshee Caire Lords. A chimera? Dmitri wondered, his mind racing with possibilities. No one has traits from both parents like that. Not even a Sarkaz.
And there was something else that gnawed at the back of his mind. I'm lucky we're still alive, he thought, his skin crawling. We supposedly heard her name... or did we? Either ways hours passed as the tension lowered for a bit until later.
Time passed slowly as night fell over the landship, and the groups began settling in for the evening. Four members of Dmitri's group, however, didn't seem as content. Huddled together near the edge of the camp, they whispered among themselves, their discontent growing.
"Fucking demon," one of them—a nameless Lupo—grumbled, his voice low but bitter. "Who put her in charge? I knew we should've gone to the Vanuo Union instead of following this mess."
The group exchanged nods and murmurs of agreement, but one of the felines spoke up next. "We could just take some of the resources from here and go to V.U. We'll wait until everyone's asleep; that'll make it easier."
The other two remained quiet but listened closely. Their frustration was growing, and the promise of a safer place, even if it meant betraying the group, was too tempting to resist.
"If you want to leave, then leave," a voice cut through the night, sharp and cold. The four members jumped, their heads snapping up to see Sera standing atop a container, her silhouette barely visible in the dim light. Her eyes, however, were clear—cold, hard, and burning with barely contained anger. "But don't think for a second I won't take your hand if you steal from me."
The Lupo's heart hammered in his chest, but as his companions faltered, he found a burst of adrenaline. Who is she to order us around? His hands shook as he pulled a sword from his side, the blade gleaming faintly in the low light.
"Who are you to order us around?" he shouted, voice shaking with fear and adrenaline. "And who put you in charge!?"
Sera's gaze bore into him, unflinching, unwavering. "Because one, you need my help," she said, her voice as cold as steel. "And two... because I fucking said so."
The words sent a ripple through the camp, drawing unwanted attention as others turned their gaze toward the confrontation. The tension was palpable, hanging in the air like a suffocating fog.
Koda whimpered from behind a small chair, his eyes peeking out as he watched the scene unfold. Ava stood nearby, her hand resting on the cub's head, her usually bright demeanor replaced with a tense stillness.
"The fuck are you doing, Leon?" Dmitri's voice cut through the tension as he strode toward the group, his expression dark and unwelcoming. Leon, the Lupo who had drawn his sword, stiffened at the sound of Dmitri's approach.
"I... I..." Leon stammered, lowering his weapon slightly but still gripping it tightly.
"Put that sword away before you do something you'll regret," Dmitri growled, his eyes locking onto Leon with an intensity that left no room for argument.
Leon's face twisted in frustration and fear, but he reluctantly sheathed his sword, his body trembling with pent-up rage.
The others in Dmitri's group shifted uncomfortably, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken threats and lingering tension. Sera remained silent, her gaze never leaving Leon, her presence a constant reminder of who held the power in this fragile alliance.
As the group slowly settled back into their preparations for the night, Dmitri glanced over at Sera once more. A banshee with a tail, he thought. What are you really, Sera?
But that was a question for another time. For now, survival was all that mattered.