Under the cold, pale glow of Belobog’s sun, the city buzzed with quiet industry. Snow crunched under heavy boots, and the ever-present wind whispered between towering structures. But high above the everyday clamor, in the ornate halls of Qlipoth Fort, Supreme Guardian Bronya Rand was anything but calm.

Her desk was cluttered with reports, requests, and urgent council memos. Her sharp eyes flicked across paper after paper, but the words began to blur. Her fingers, usually so precise, trembled slightly as she set down her pen. She exhaled, long and slow, pressing a gloved hand to her temple.

She needed air. Not another strategy session, not another meeting with defensive coordinators—just a moment away.

Quietly, Bronya rose from her seat, her silver hair catching the soft light filtering through stained glass. She glanced toward the door, where they stood waiting patiently, as they often did—silent, calm, and always present.

“...I need a break,” she said, almost to herself. “Come with me.”

The streets of Belobog felt different when she wasn’t being trailed by guards or hailed by civilians. With them walking beside her, she could let her shoulders relax just a bit. Snow flurried gently around them, dusting her uniform as they strolled past market stalls and half-frozen fountains. The people offered respectful nods, but most let them pass in peace.

Bronya didn’t speak at first, content to hear the muffled rhythm of their steps. Then, softly, she said, “It’s strange. I thought becoming Supreme Guardian meant I had to always be strong. Always have the answer. But some days... I wonder if Belobog would forgive me for not being perfect.”

She paused near the edge of the city, where the ironwork gave way to the open view of the Underworld’s distant glow. “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?” she asked. She didn’t look at them, didn’t expect an answer—but the silence wasn’t empty. It never was with them.

The wind tugged gently at her cape, and she turned toward them, her expression softening. “You always listen. Even when I say nothing worth hearing.”