Nox got up, animated by a new determination. He was no longer a broken man, but simply a bruised man. He put on light clothing and headed for the conference room.
There he found Johan, Jack, and the other survivors, their faces grim, gathered around a table.
"Nox! You're here," said Johan, relief visible in his eyes.
Nox entered the conference room, his gaze sweeping the room. He saw the familiar faces of Johan, Jack, and the other survivors, all marked by fatigue and worry. He felt a surge of gratitude toward them for holding strong despite the ordeal.
"I'm here," he said, his voice firm and resolute. "What did I miss?"
Johan stood up, his face serious. "Nothing, but why this meeting? Shouldn't the priority be to go to the imperial palace to report and request reinforcements..." he said, his voice tinged with sadness.
Being sad was normal, after all: out of about thirty Guardians who left to close that gate, nearly half had perished.
