The Sky Has Burned, But We’re Still Here

"Ugh..."

I groaned as my eyes slowly fluttered open. At that moment, the first thought that crossed my mind—and the first thing I uttered—was:

"I'm... still alive?"

My gaze wandered around the room. The surroundings felt oddly familiar. A space that radiated wealth and refinement—ornate paintings adorned the walls, sculptures sat quietly in every corner. An "expensive" room, no doubt.

"This is... my room in the Duchy..." I muttered under my breath, piecing the memory together.

But more important than where I was... was how I got here. My memories returned in vivid detail, as if the events had occurred mere hours ago. I remembered detonating two antimatter grenades in a desperate gambit—nearly killing Eva and myself in the process.

And then, Cassandra appeared. My backup.