"Open your eyes," a woman's voice, soft and calm, echoed through the depths of Ava's mind. "I have healed you to the best of my abilities."
"Who... are you?" Ava's voice was a whisper, tentative, as if the words were being pulled from the edges of her consciousness.
"Please find my love. Find him so that I may save him."
Ava's eyes fluttered open, and the blinding light of the sterile ceiling tiles made her blink rapidly. It took a moment for her to realize she was awake, another to remember where she was. Slowly, she turned her head, the edges of her vision sharpening, and saw Dan hunched over in a chair by her bedside, his shoulders slumped, lost in thought.
"Dan?" Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.
His head snapped up, disbelief crossing his face. "Ava?" He rushed to her side, his hand finding hers, his grip warm and steady. "You're… awake. You're really awake."
Ava tried to sit up, but her body felt heavy, uncooperative. Dan quickly adjusted the pillows behind her, his actions tender, as though afraid she might break. She glanced down at herself—hospital gown, the IV taped to her hand, the sterile blanket draped over her—but then her eyes caught something else. A silver ring rested on her finger, subtle but unmistakable, as if it had been waiting for her to notice.
The ring shimmered faintly, pulsing with a soft, warm glow that seemed almost alive.
"What… is this?" she murmured, turning her hand over, her fingers tracing the unfamiliar weight.
Dan's gaze followed hers, a quiet smile tugging at his lips. "So you nabbed it after all," he said with a light chuckle. "It's Volkov's ring. The one from his mansion."
Ava's eyes never left the ring. She didn't know how or why, but something about it felt… familiar. The warmth, the light—it stirred something deep inside her, like the echo of a memory she couldn't fully grasp.
Dan's voice broke her thoughts. "We've missed you, Ava. And… we could use you back with us."
At his words, her gaze lifted to meet his. "How... how's Elias?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with worry.
Dan's expression darkened, a shadow crossing his face. "He's… he's training with someone, trying to get stronger. He's determined, more than I've ever seen him. But he's also carrying a lot of guilt over what happened to you. He's still... lost, in his own way."
Ava nodded, absorbing his words. She could picture Elias—headstrong, haunted, pushing himself beyond his limits. "He's always been stubborn," she murmured, a faint smile pulling at her lips. "But he'll find his way. He has to."
Dan gave a small, knowing chuckle, though his eyes stayed serious. "Yeah. I think he will, too."
The door suddenly opened, and Naomi entered, her face a mixture of exhaustion and relief. When she saw Ava awake, her eyes widened in disbelief. "Ava…" Her voice caught in her throat as she approached the bed.
Ava managed a weak smile. "I'm back."
Without another word, Naomi leaned down and enveloped Ava in a fierce embrace. For a moment, the weight of everything fell away, replaced by the warmth of their reunion. When Naomi pulled back, her eyes were glistening with unshed tears.
"You don't know how much we needed this," Naomi said, her voice thick with emotion. "We all needed hope. And you—waking up… it changes everything."
Ava's gaze softened, her heart heavy with gratitude. "I'm just glad I'm here with you all."
But just as the relief of their reunion settled over them, Naomi's phone buzzed sharply, breaking the moment. She glanced at the screen, her expression shifting from warmth to alarm.
"Dan," she said, her voice tight. "We've got a problem."
Dan straightened, instantly alert. "What is it?"
Naomi's eyes darkened. "Ward Games… that's Elias's brother's company, right?"
Ava nodded, her stomach tightening.
"They're under attack. A Devourer… but not just any Devourer. It's talking. Giving commands. Markus's team is trying to hold it off, but they're struggling."
"What? Impossible!" Dan's voice was filled with disbelief. "The portal shouldn't be fully open yet."
Ava felt a chill run through her, her grip tightening around Dan's hand. "Dammit... Elias! If Markus is in trouble, he's gonna run straight into it."
Naomi nodded grimly. "And if he fights it, he'll lose. That thing's a class above what we've seen so far."
Dan turned to Ava, his face filled with concern. "Are you up for this? You just woke up, Ava. You don't have to push yourself."
Ava met his gaze, her resolve hardening. "Elias will be there. And when I find him, I'll give him a good old slap to get him back on track."
The ring on her finger pulsed brighter, filling the room with a warm, steady glow. For the first time, Ava felt the power within it—a strange, comforting strength.
Dan nodded, his expression resolute. "Alright. Let's go."
The three of them exchanged a look of determination, a renewed sense of purpose uniting them. Whatever awaited them outside the bunker, they would face it together—stronger than before, with Ava's return sparking the hope they so desperately needed.