Whispers in the Dark

The Vanguard base was quiet under the blanket of night, but Tobi found little solace in the stillness. He sat in his tent, the faint glow of his mark casting eerie shadows across the canvas walls. 

Sleep evaded him; the Sentinel's words, Friend's warnings, and the ruins' secrets weighed heavily on his mind.

A sharp knock on the metal pole of the tent startled him. Before he could respond, Hannah stepped inside, her expression a mixture of concern and determination.

"I knew you'd still be awake," she said, sitting cross-legged across from him. "You've got that 'brooding hero' thing going on again."

Tobi managed a weak smile. "Just trying to piece it all together. Every answer we get just raises more questions."

Hannah leaned forward, her voice soft. "You don't have to figure it all out on your own, you know. That's what we're here for."