Shadows Watched in Silence

The air in the command tent was thick with tension as Felix paced back and forth, his boots scraping against the dirt floor. The journal lay open on the table, its pages filled with Wei Long’s musings and philosophies. Around him, the team watched in silence—David, Kiran, Eka, and Mayang—each carrying their burden of hope and doubt.

Finally, Felix stopped, placing both hands on the table and exhaling sharply. “I’ve been doing this all wrong,” he admitted, his voice low but steady.

David looked up from the journal. “What changed?”

Felix met his gaze. “You did. And them.” He gestured toward the village, where people worked tirelessly to rebuild their homes, their community, and their lives. “We’ve been so focused on tearing the Nine Dragons down that we forgot what we’re fighting to build.”

Kiran leaned forward, her notebook in hand. “So, what’s the plan, Felix? Because if we keep going the way we are, we’ll burn out before they do.”