Dynami had become an abandoned city. A vast gray sky struggled to cover the once bustling and vivid metropolis, now dead and devastated. Its streets and avenues were filled with exploded and overturned cars, houses in ruins, and most buildings completely collapsed.
The aircraft of the Tower and Alliance Special Forces did not stay long over the city. The initial objective of rescuing allies and survivors was no longer viable, as the city was destroyed and thousands of people had died due to the irresponsibility of these forces and their delayed action.
In the first hours after the devastation, every kind of aid imaginable arrived. No one knew exactly how the government would resolve this situation; after all, a major metropolis had been entirely lost, along with over 2 million lives. Nevertheless, according to the president, the Brazilian population had reasons to trust him.
"Comrades and friends," began the president, with a voice that seemed genuinely sad.
"Today, I come here with a heavy heart and deep sorrow for what happened in our beloved city of Dynami."
He paused, his eyes glistening with tears that threatened to fall, while silence filled the air at the Palácio do Alvorada.
"First and foremost, I want to offer my sincere condolences to the families who lost loved ones and to those who suffered indescribable injuries and traumas. This is a moment of great pain for all of us, and I am truly moved by the courage and resilience demonstrated by so many in the face of this tragedy."
The president continued his speech, masking his true personality with an expression of sorrow. He knew that the delay of the special forces' action was his fault for not issuing a federal permit in time.
The international media showed their commotion over the disaster that left millions dead. The White House and the Kremlin issued statements of support and cooperation with the Brazilian government, promising to reinforce the country in this moment of crisis.
Across Brazil, numerous protests and demonstrations erupted against the current government and the management of the Tower and Alliance in Brazil. In São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, and Salvador, the protests were especially intense and long-lasting, with thousands of people taking to the streets with flags, banners, and shirts. Anger and discontent were etched on the faces of the protesters, their voices echoing through the avenues in a clamor for justice and change.
The devastation of Dynami was not just a physical catastrophe but a profound blow to the nation's trust in its leaders. And while the president gave his speech, hiding his own guilt, the Brazilian people rose, determined to demand answers and accountability.
As the country was consumed in protests and debates on public avenues and social networks, the Alliance's Black Hawk military helicopter, carrying Koji and Tahiko to Brasília, approached its destination.
Inside the aircraft, there were few soldiers, all concentrated in the cockpit or nearby. Koji and Tahiko sat side by side in silence. The dirt and blood on their faces and bodies reflected the brutality of the battle in Dynami.
Their features expressed defeat, failure, and helplessness over the lost lives. The silence between them was deafening, and the feeling of wanting to scream and explode lingered in the air.
Koji looked up, fixing his gaze on the ceiling of the aircraft. Despite the injuries, bleeding, and dirt, he finally felt something he hadn't since the beginning.
"I'm tired of seeing a dark sky," murmured Koji, his voice bitter and weary.
Tahiko didn't react. He remained with his head down, but his expression wasn't of sadness but of restrained anger. Koji, noticing this, diverted his gaze from the ceiling and fixed his eyes on Tahiko, who was holding a necklace with a large pendant, lightly swinging it.
At a specific moment in the necklace's swing, Koji noticed the pendant bore the picture of a woman with a child. He then remembered the necklace he took from the pregnant woman who died on Port Avenue. Tahiko's necklace was extremely similar to the one he had received.
"Hey, Tahiko..." Koji hesitated.
"What is it?" Tahiko asked without looking at Koji, his curiosity unaroused.
"Can I see your necklace?"
Tahiko looked at Koji with some insecurity.
"What do you want?"
"I have one similar; it's practically identical," Koji replied, pulling the necklace from his pants pocket and extending his arm to show Tahiko.
Tahiko took the necklace from Koji's hand and placed it next to his own. They were essentially identical, both white with the same pendant.
"Wait a minute... I met that kid in the picture; his name is Riley, and he told me that woman in the pendant is his mother. Did you meet his mother?" Tahiko asked, still looking and comparing the two pieces, clearly surprised by the coincidence.
"Yes, I met her, but... she's no longer alive. And the kid, Riley? Is he alive?"
"One of those damned holders took him, but he's alive," Tahiko said, his face marked by an expression of dissatisfaction.
"A holder? So you met one of them too? I also faced one of them. He didn't tell me his name, but he controlled the Gyakus. I saw the guy responsible for the creatures' appearance, and it was this guy who killed the kid's mother."
Koji recounted, slightly surprised, to the point of feeling a faint animation in his eyes and a slight raise of his eyebrows.
"These bastards must be part of a group, or something, just a bunch of nobodies."
Suddenly, a soldier approached them and informed.
"We've arrived."
The helicopter descended and finally landed at the largest Tower military base in Brazil, located in the western region of Brasília.
As they disembarked, Koji and Tahiko immediately shielded their faces with their hands, protecting themselves from the intense sun and heat they felt. The contrast with the cold and windy climate of Dynami was overwhelming.
"It's been a while since I felt the warmth of the sun... why do I find this good?" Koji said, lowering his hands from his face, spreading his arms wide, and raising his face to the sun with his eyes closed in discreet relief.
"Look what all this disaster did to me; for the first time in my life, I prefer warmth over cold," Tahiko commented, perplexed by his behavior, looking at his own arms and hands, admiring the sensation of the heat.
The absurd immersion they experienced in the battles in Dynami was immense, but it had to become something normal for them. After all, they were holders, not mere humans.
The few soldiers inside the helicopter also disembarked and saluted a single man. Both Koji and Tahiko were behind the soldiers and couldn't see who exactly the man was, but he soon approached them and introduced himself.
"Good afternoon, are you Koji and Tahiko?"
"Yes, we are," they answered simultaneously, still trying to adjust their eyes to the bright sunlight.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Rod Sugg; I am the president of the Tower here in Brazil, and I ask you to follow me, please," he said, with a cordial smile, extending his hand in a welcoming gesture.
The Tower was an international department funded by the world's major powers, present in hundreds of nations on all continents. This presence naturally motivated a federal management of the Tower in Brazil, just as in Argentina and following the same example in other countries.
Koji and Tahiko followed Rod Sugg, feeling the weight of responsibility and the impact of recent battles. The path ahead was uncertain, but both knew the fight was far from over.