As Asher and Keal walked out of the Squad Zero headquarters, Joshua spotted Asher from a distance, and a wave of relief washed over him. His eyes lit up with joy as he saw Asher safe and sound. Mika and Bran wasted no time, sprinting toward him and throwing their arms around him in a tight embrace.
"Asher! We were so worried about you!" Mika cried, her voice trembling as she clung to him.
Bran, though more reserved, gave him a firm clap on the back. "Yeah, man, don't scare us like that. You had us thinking the worst."
Keal, standing off to the side, watched the reunion with a small smirk. Joshua stepped forward, eyeing Keal with gratitude but also curiosity. "Thank you for bringing him back safe. I'm Joshua Starline, Asher's father."
Keal nodded, assessing Joshua with a playful grin. "Captain Keal Arcturus. Pleasure to meet you. Your boy here fought well, I'll give him that. But he'll need more than raw talent if he wants to make it through the Ranger exam."
Joshua's smile wavered as he nodded. "I understand. We'll be ready."
Keal's eyes flicked to Mika and Bran, who were still buzzing around Asher. "These two are brave for sticking with him. A monster showed up, and your son held his own. That's not something just anyone can do." His tone was casual, trying to gloss over the full reality of Asher's rampage to protect his friends from the truth.
Joshua smiled warmly and said, "Thank you, Captain. I'm just glad he's safe." Keal grinned back, a little mischievous, and handed Joshua a memory card and a letter. "This has everything you need to know. Asher's got potential. Let's see what he can do in the exam. Three days from now."
Joshua took the items and nodded. "He'll be there."
As they were talking, Mika spotted Keal and ran up to him, her phone already in hand. "Captain, can I get a picture with you? It's for my Instagram!"
Keal chuckled, always ready to play along. "Sure, why not?" He stood beside Mika, giving her his signature playful grin as they snapped a few pictures together. Bran laughed at how excited Mika was, but Asher couldn't help but smile too. It was good to be surrounded by his friends again.
After the photoshoot, Bran turned to Asher, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Man, we're so glad we found you. Don't ever disappear on us like that again."
Asher nodded, feeling a little overwhelmed by the warmth of their concern. "Thanks, Bran. I won't."
Soon, a group of medics wheeled Elara out of the medical wing. She looked weak, but peaceful. One of the medical staff approached Joshua, "She's recovering well, but she'll need to rest for the next few days. Make sure she doesn't overexert herself."
Joshua nodded, gently lifting Elara into his arms as the medics provided a few last instructions. Mika waved goodbye to Keal, already looking forward to another encounter, while Asher, Bran, and Joshua started their walk toward a nearby hotel. Mika decided to head back home for the night, but Bran insisted on staying with Asher and Joshua, wanting to keep the group together.
As they walked through the dimly lit streets, Bran joked, "Guess we're having a sleepover tonight, huh?"
Asher smiled, grateful for his friends and the strange twist his life had taken. The road ahead was unclear, but for now, he was surrounded by the people he trusted the most.