After another hour of walking through the crumbling city, they reached the outskirts of the once-prosperous residential district.
Naomi's house stood in the distance ā surprisingly intact. Unlike the surrounding debris, its structure was untouched, as if preserved from the chaos.
"Itās still standing," Naomi whispered, a wave of relief washing over her.
Jim, however, remained cautious. "Thatās suspicious. Itās too intact."
They approached slowly, the eerie silence unsettling. As they stepped through the gate, Naomi instinctively reached for the hidden access panel by the door. But before she could activate it, the door creaked open.
Inside stood a tall, armored figure ā Barok the Vile.
Barok was one of the most ruthless outlaw leaders of Arcis. Towering at nearly seven feet, his muscular frame was clad in dented, rusted armor adorned with the insignia of numerous defeated enemies. His face, partially concealed by a jagged helmet, bore a wicked grin.
Behind him, the remnants of Naomi's robots were scattered, half-disassembled and twisted into scrap. Her research equipment had been crudely tampered with. Barok lounged as if the house were his throne room.
"Ah, the daughter of Edward," Barok sneered, his gravelly voice dripping with malice. "And the so-called hero of Soluna. I was hoping you'd come."
Naomi's fists clenched. "Get out of my house."
Barok laughed, the sound echoing ominously. "Your house? This is Arcis. No laws. No justice. Only strength."
Jim's glare hardened. "Then you should know how this ends."
Barok drew a massive battle-axe, its jagged edges glowing faintly with corrupted energy. "I heard the tales of you, Jim. The Grey Warrior. But letās see if you live up to the legend."
Barok lunged, his battle-axe crashing down with monstrous force. Jim sidestepped swiftly, his Solun Lance glowing with silver energy. The two clashed, the impact shaking the house's foundation.
Sparks flew as their weapons collided, each strike reverberating through the walls.
Jim's movements were fluid, blending the strength of Solar energy with the agility of Lunar energy. Barok, however, fought like a savage beast, overwhelming with brute force.
Naomi backed away, clutching her tablet. She activated the remaining systems in her home, scanning for any functional defenses.
"Jim! Heās using corrupted energy!" she warned, detecting the dark aura pulsing from Barokās weapon.
Jim gritted his teeth, pushing back against Barok's onslaught. "That wonāt be enough to stop me."
Focusing his energy, Jim leapt into the air, his lance glowing brighter. "Solun Spiral!" He unleashed a spiraling blast of light that struck Barok directly, sending him crashing through the wall.
Barok smirked rubbing blood from his lips. "Oh! Is that all you got?"
Jim grinned. "You are not even worthy enough to see my true power. Because you are an overconfident coward.
Barok charged a dark energy blast towards Naomi in frustration.
But Jim deflected it with his Solun Lance standing guard in front of her.
Barok trembled.
Taking that little chance, Jim pierced his Solun Lance on his chest making him cough blood.
Barok: "You...."
Jim: "Not my fault if you think cowardice can win."
Jim didn't just stop there, he followed up with Solun Strike, Solun Finish and finally finishing him with Solun Overdrive.
Barok groaned, struggling to stand. But before he could retaliate, Jim pointed his lance at him.
"Leave this house," he commanded, his voice cold. "If I ever see you again, you wonāt walk away. This is my last warning."
Defeated and humiliated, Barok growled, stumbling to his feet. "This isnāt over." With that, he fled into the ruins, vanishing into the shadows.
Naomi quickly ran to what remained of her robots. While many were damaged beyond repair, a few were still intact. Among them was a small, spherical robot with a single glowing eye ā Eddy-1, a personal assistant she had built.
"Eddy-1!" Naomi exclaimed, cradling the little robot.
It whirred to life, its eye flickering. "Naomi detected. Initiating greeting protocol. Welcome home."
Tears welled in Naomi's eyes. "Iām home."
Jim watched, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Letās get everything you need. Then weāll go."
Naomi nodded, determination renewed. With Jimās help, she gathered the remaining equipment and stored it in a hover crate. Together, they left the house ā a symbol of the past reclaimed.
As they made their way back to Jeromyās ship, the burdens weighing on Naomi's heart began to lift. She was no longer running. With Jim at her side, she had faced the shadows of Arcis.
They both went inside the ship after which it finally launched.
_ _ _
The massive ship of Jeromy lifted off from the scorched surface of Arcis, its engines roaring as it ascended into the darkened sky. The atmosphere inside was tense, but the air of victory and relief was undeniable.
Inside the medical bay, Naomiās friends ā the ones she had fought so desperately to save ā were lined up on recovery beds. A few Celestic Justice medics worked tirelessly, treating their wounds. The walls of the ship were lined with advanced medical equipment, though even with the best technology, the scars left on the survivors were visible.
Jim remained by Naomiās side, his expression stoic but protective. He stayed close, his presence grounding her. Every time Naomi glanced his way, she could see the lingering worry in his eyes.
"Naomi," came Timās voice, breaking the silence. He and Rei approached, both bearing minor injuries from the battle. Reiās crescent hatchets had faint traces of dried blood, but her eyes shone with curiosity.
"Now that weāre safe," Rei said softly, "Can you introduce us to your friends?"
Naomi nodded, though the pain in her heart was evident. She stood, taking a deep breath.
"Of course."
Naomi carefully walked toward the first bed, her eyes filling with sorrow as she gazed at the broken figure lying there.
The girlās short orange hair, though matted and tangled, retained a bright hue. Her pale face was streaked with dried blood, and her arms were wrapped in bandages. Despite the brutal treatment she had endured, a faint warmth lingered in her expression.
"This is Sarah," Naomi said softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her friendās forehead. "Sheās 20. We grew up together. She stood by my side no matter what the situation. She wasā¦ always smiling. No matter how bad things got."
Sarahās body trembled slightly as her eyes fluttered open. Her gaze shifted to Naomi, and for a brief moment, a weak smile appeared. She was the first one they spotted during the rescue.
"N-Naomiā¦ Youā¦ are really here?"
Naomi grasped her trembling hand gently. "Of course, I am."
Next, Naomi moved to the adjacent bed, where a young man with a gaunt face and hollow eyes rested. His once-toned body had been reduced to skin and bone. His black hair was barely distinguishable under the layers of grime.
"This is Eden," Naomi continued, her voice tinged with guilt. "Heās 23. He always wanted to be a pilot. He dreamed of flying through the stars, away from Arcis. He was one of the strongest among us, butā¦" She paused, lowering her head. "They broke him."
Jimās fists clenched at the thought of what they endured.
Eden slowly opened his eyes, his voice barely above a whisper. "Iā¦ still want to fly."
Naomi nodded firmly. "And you will. I promise."
They moved on, stopping at the bed of a slender girl with long, dirty blonde hair.
Her eyes were sunken, and the bruises covering her frail body told the story of relentless torment.
"This is Freya," Naomi said, her voice trembling. "Sheās 21. She was the one who tried to negotiate with the outlaws ā tried to reason with them. But theyā¦ they didnāt listen. They only hurt her more."
Freya opened her eyes slightly, her voice cracked. "I... just wanted peace."
Naomi stroked her friendās hair softly. "You will have it, Freya. No one will ever hurt you again."
Next was a muscular young man, though his physique had deteriorated significantly from malnutrition. His short brown hair was dirtied with dried blood, and scars lined his arms.
"This is Marcus," Naomi said, tears forming in her eyes. "Heās 22. He tried to protect us. Every time they came to hurt us, he stood in their way. But no matter how many times they beat him downā¦ he never gave up."
Marcusā cracked lips parted as he forced a weak chuckle, trying to act strong. "Stillā¦ standing, Naomi."
She gripped his hand tightly. "You always were."
Lastly, there was a petite girl with light brown hair, her body trembling even in sleep. She was barely 19, the youngest of them all. Bruises and fresh scars marred her body, and her breaths were weak and ragged.
"This is Laina," Naomi whispered. "Sheāsā¦ sheās just a kid. She didnāt deserve any of this."
Laina whimpered softly, her mind likely plagued with nightmares. Naomiās heart shattered further as she gently placed her hand on Lainaās forehead.
"Youāre safe now," she said. "I promise."
Tim and Rei stood in stunned silence, the reality of Naomiās friendsā suffering weighing heavily on them. Even Tim, with all his resilience, felt the burden of what these people had endured.
"You saved them," Rei said softly, her voice filled with admiration. "After everything, you still held onto hope. If not for you, I really don't know what they would have gone through."
Naomi nodded, though her eyes were distant. "I had to. For them."
Jim remained silent, his gaze never leaving Naomi. He could feel the pain she carried, the immense weight of the responsibility she bore. Despite everything, she still stood strong.
But even so, Jimās own demons stirred within him. The sight of their battered bodies reminded him of the countless lives lost in the battle against Goblin.
He clenched his fists, the guilt gnawing at him once more.