The Final Push

With the core no longer a temptation, Lena refocused on the battle. She issued orders with precision, coordinating the fleet with an unwavering clarity that only a leader who had wrestled with the cost of victory could possess. The Alliance fought harder, rallied by her renewed strength. The Rhytil were beginning to falter.

But the war was far from over. The Alliance had won this battle, but the war itself was still a long and uncertain road. The Rhytil would regroup, and Lena knew they weren't finished. The hardest part was yet to come.

As the final Rhytil ships retreated, Lena exhaled, the weight of the moment settling over her. She had made the right choice—not just for the Alliance, but for herself.

But as the battle ended and the dust began to settle, one question remained in her mind: could she continue fighting without the core? And if not, what price would she pay for her own humanity?