After the meeting, Lena was left to contemplate the decisions she had made—and those still to come. She knew that regaining the trust of the Alliance wouldn't be easy. The core had been a tool that gave her power, but it had also made her feel like she was becoming something different, something that wasn't entirely human.
She had to prove herself—without it.
The first step was to show them her commitment. To show that she could lead without relying on a power that was beyond her control. She had to rebuild their trust, one decision at a time.
The path ahead was uncertain. But Lena had been through far worse. She had lost everything before. This time, she wouldn't let it happen again.