EPS 28 The silence of the night

That night, the atmosphere in Spring Colony was still filled with sadness and despair. The survivors sat around the campfire, some still lying injured, while others looked pensive, thinking about the Horned Serpent attack that had destroyed their lives. Temporary tents were set up again, but the mood of the residents could not be repaired that easily. The physical wounds might be healed, but the wounds in their hearts were still gaping.

Primo sat blankly, still shaken by what had just happened. He felt the weight of responsibility too heavy for his age. Next to him, Dracko and Natali were silent, each musing about their role in the battle. Natali, who felt guilty for not being able to protect everyone, was still limp and shivering, while Dracko was trying to remain calm in the gloom of the night.

In the silence, Neved suddenly stood up, breaking the ice with his deep yet exhausted voice. 'Is it all worth it?' he asked, his voice echoing through the lonely night. 'We fight tooth and nail, but what do we get? More deaths, more losses. Even the higher-ups are barely able to resist. What can we expect from all this?'

Primo looked down, feeling Neved's feelings cut into his heart. He felt the same way. Despair began to creep up on him.

One of the other residents, an injured woman, whispered softly, 'What is the point of staying in this place if every day we are only haunted by fear and death? We can't even sleep peacefully, afraid of them coming at any moment.'

Dracko clenched his fists, his anger burning, but he knew there was nothing he could do to erase the suffering that had already occurred. He looked at Kreig out of the corner of his eye, hoping for something their leader could say. However, Kreig just sat silently, staring at the quietly burning campfire.

'Kreig...' Neved called his name in desperation, 'You said we would be safe, that we would find a safer place. But look at what happened! We haven't left at all and yet our tents are destroyed, our people are dead, and all we have left is misery!'

Kreig was silent for a while, letting the words sink into his mind. The other citizens began to murmur, their voices filled with anxiety and confusion. Amidst the darkness of the night, doubt enveloped the entire camp.

Primo finally spoke up, her voice weak but full of fear. 'I... I feel like a failure. I couldn't protect you. I wasn't strong enough. We're all... we're all probably over.'

The atmosphere became increasingly heavy. The residents looked at each other with despair. Natali looked even weaker than before, her face pale and her eyes empty.

However, just as the despair was beginning to peak, Kreig stood up. Slowly, he took a deep breath, looked up at the blazing campfire, and in a deep, firm voice, he said, 'I know you're all scared. I know what it's like to lose the people we love. I know we feel like there is no way out, that what we are doing now seems futile. But let me remind you, we are still alive. And as long as we are alive, we still have a chance.'

Everyone's eyes began to focus on him. Kreig stepped forward, his gaze sharp and full of conviction.

'You think this is the end? You think we've lost? No! This is not the end. It's just a challenge, a test. We have been through much together-we have survived invasion, destruction, stronger enemies. And tonight, we will survive again!'

Dracko looked up, slightly stunned by the energy suddenly radiating from Kreig.

'You think we're weak because we lost a part of us? No! We are stronger than this. Every wound we get, every loss we feel, will only make us stronger. Look around you. The survivors are still here. They are surviving. And they will continue to survive, just like we always have!'

Natali, who had been looking weak, was lifted up by Kreig's words. Primo gazed at Kreig with renewed hope.

'What sets us apart from our enemies?' Kreig continued, 'They attack us with brute force, but we have more than just force. We have unity, we have togetherness, and we have faith that we will win. We fight not just for ourselves, but for our future. For generations to come. And that's why we can't give up now.'

The mood began to change. The previously sombre residents began to look up, listening intently to Kreig's every word.

'You see destruction all around you, but I see opportunity. A chance to rise again. We will build again, stronger than ever. We will unite, and we will face our enemies with our heads held high. And tonight, we will start with one thing: we will celebrate that we are still here. That we are still alive!'

Instantly, the atmosphere began to change. Citizens began to look at each other with renewed hope in their hearts. Kreig smiled, then gave orders, 'Ima, Yin, Dann-prepare the food. Tonight we will not drown in sorrow. We will feast. We will eat together, like a big family that we are all a part of.'

Smiles began to appear on faces that had been full of sorrow. Dann hurried to prepare the equipment, while Yin and Kovacic began removing the foodstuffs from the remaining TankCargo. Kreig tapped Primo on the shoulder, 'Don't be too hard on yourself. You're still young, and you have great potential. This is just a small test on your long road.'

Primo looked at Kreig, a faint smile appearing on his face, 'Thank you, Kreig. I will learn from this.'

Not long after, the food began to be served. The aroma of grilling began to waft through the cold night air. The citizens began to gather around the campfire, slowly the atmosphere changed from sombre to warmer. Laughter began to be heard, and although the wounds had not fully healed, their spirits began to recover.

Dracko raised his glass, 'To the revival of Spring Colony!' he exclaimed excitedly.

Everyone followed suit, raising their glasses high.

Kreig smiled with satisfaction, seeing the citizens smiling again. The night that began with despair had now turned into a night of renewed vigour and hope. The party lasted until late into the night, with spirits rekindled, Spring Colony began to rise again from their slump.