The thought of telling her about the debrief, about what Sergeant Rodrick had said, pushed him forward. He hadn’t seen her today, and even though it was only mid-day, the absence of her energy made everything feel a little quieter, a little more off. She was usually so easy to find, whether it was in the gym, the training hall or the barracks.

  Andy’s first stop was the gym, hoping she was there, working off some energy like she always did. But when he arrived, the room was empty save for a few other recruits. No Terra. He didn’t linger long, and hurried on to the training hall, then the lecture hall, hoping to spot her somewhere. Nothing. Every place he checked, she was absent.

  He asked around, tapping a few of the soldiers who were hanging around, casually making small talk, but no one had seen her since breakfast. It wasn’t like Terra to vanish without a word. She was always so full of life, always poking fun at him or challenging him to a sparring match. The silence felt strange, and the more people Andy asked, the more unsettled he became.

  As the minutes passed and he searched more urgently, Andy’s anxiety rose. Where could she be? He thought, trying to stay calm. Maybe she had some errand in town? That made sense at first, but even that felt wrong. Terra was never the type to just leave without telling him, especially not after everything they’d been through together since reconnecting.

  The thought of her missing, gone without a trace, sent a flutter of panic through him. He couldn’t help but think back to when they were kids, escaping the orphanage, when they’d been ripped apart and lost from each other for years. That feeling of helplessness had haunted him for so long—he couldn’t bear the thought of it happening again.

  No, he thought, clenching his fists. She’s not lost. She’ll be back.

  But as he walked through their usual hangout spots, each empty corner felt like another silent echo, amplifying his worry. He even checked the places they used to meet up after long days of training—near the training grounds, by the old, worn bench outside the barracks. But she wasn’t there either. The uncertainty gnawed at him, tightening in his chest.

  Forcing himself to calm down, Andy realized he needed to think this through. He couldn’t let himself spiral into panic. This wasn’t the same as before. Terra had always come back before, no matter what. She wouldn’t vanish like that again.

  Taking a deep breath, he tried to push his concerns aside for a moment. He knew that panicking wouldn’t help. His mind shifted to a new thought—maybe there was one place where he could get some space to clear his head. A place where he could stop pacing, stop worrying, and just relax for a moment.

  Lana, he thought. If nothing else, he could sit down for a coffee and sort through his thoughts without all the pressure of his usual surroundings weighing him down.

  He made his way to Café Rook; the journey giving him time to push the worrying thoughts to the back of his mind, at least for a little while. The familiar bell above the door chimed as he pushed it open, and the warmth of the café enveloped him immediately. The rich scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods greeted him, and for the first time that day, his shoulders relaxed.

  Lana was gone. The same barista from last time telling him she didn’t show that morning.

  Andy continued pacing the streets of Aurelia City, frustration, and anxiety mounting with every step. He couldn’t shake the gnawing worry in his chest. Where are they? He kept asking himself, but the answers didn’t come. His mind raced as he thought about Terra and Lana, trying to push away the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

  Suddenly, Elyra’s voice pierced through his thoughts, sharp and concerned.

  “Andy, stop,” she urged, her tone different from usual—no teasing, no jokes. Concern threaded through every word. “Your bio-markers are spiking. Your heart rate’s through the roof, and I’m seeing erratic patterns in your neural activity. This is... not normal. You’re reacting the way you do during a battle.”

  Andy’s footsteps faltered, and he took a deep breath, trying to force the tension from his body. “I’m fine, Elyra,” he muttered, but it sounded hollow even to him.

  “No, you’re not,” Elyra responded firmly, the worry in her voice unmistakable. “You’ve never reacted like this outside of combat. What’s going on, Andy? This is more than just not being able to find Terra and Lana. You’re on edge. You’re spiraling. And I’m not sure I can help you if you don’t let me in.”

  Andy’s frustration bubbled up again, but he fought to keep his composure. “I don’t have time for this. I need to find them. I can’t—” He cut himself off, feeling a lump form in his throat. “I can’t lose them.”

  There was a soft, almost heartbreaking pause in Elyra’s voice before she spoke again, her tone even gentler now. “You will not lose them,” she reassured him, but there was a distinct edge of vulnerability in her words. “But you need to calm down, Andy. I can’t help you if you keep pushing yourself like this. I’ve never seen you like this. The stress, the anxiety... it’s affecting you more than you realize.”

  Andy slowed his pace, guilt gnawing at him. He hadn’t realized how badly he’d been affected until now. The concern in Elyra’s voice, so out of character for her, hit him harder than it should have.

  “I... I don’t know what’s happening,” Andy admitted, his voice softer. “Everything feels off. Terra and I have always been able to count on each other. But now... I’m just — I don’t know.”

  “I know,” Elyra said quietly, a trace of sadness creeping into her words. “I know you two have been through a lot together. But you can’t carry all of this on your own. Not now. You’re pushing yourself past your limits. You need to breathe. Please.”

  For a long moment, Andy stayed silent. Elyra’s voice, calm and concerned, was the only thing cutting through the panic that had been building inside of him. He had always been the one to hold it together, but now he felt like he was falling apart.

  “I can’t let anything happen to them.” he whispered.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  “And you won’t,” Elyra replied, her tone steady but full of warmth. “But you need to focus. Let me help you. Just... take a step back. Take a breath. Think for a second. You’re not alone in this.”

  He inhaled slowly, trying to calm his racing heart. Elyra’s words settled into him, pushing the panic down just for a moment. She was right. He wasn’t alone.

  “You’re right,” he finally muttered. “I just... I just need to find them.”

  “And you will,” Elyra reassured him, her voice firm again, though still laced with concern. “But first, let me help you get back to a place where you can think clearly. I can’t be your backup if you’re falling apart.”

  Andy nodded, rubbing his temples, feeling the pressure lift just a little as Elyra’s calming influence worked its way through him. “Alright,” he said quietly. “I’ll try. I’ll take a breather. But I’m finding them. No matter what.”

  “Good,” Elyra replied softly, her concern still clear in her words, but there was a hint of relief in her tone. “Just... please, Andy. Take care of yourself too. You’re no good to anyone if you burn yourself out.”

  With a deep breath, Andy slowed his pace, forcing himself to take a step back. Elyra’s calming presence was the anchor he needed in that moment, and he realized that, for all his concern for Terra and Lana, he couldn’t lose himself. He had to stay grounded.

  “Thanks, Elyra,” he murmured.

  “Always,” she answered, her voice a little softer now, but still full of concern. “Now, go find them. And remember, I’m right here.”

  With her words echoing in his mind, Andy felt the weight on his shoulders lighten just enough to keep going. His next steps felt clearer, his mind steadier. He wasn’t alone in this, and for now, that was enough.

  Days passed, and the search for Terra and Lana seemed to grow more hopeless with each passing hour. Andy’s mind was trapped in a perpetual loop of worry and frustration, and the weight of it all pressed down on him. He couldn’t focus on anything. His friends noticed the change in him—the way he became more withdrawn, his normally sharp demeanor dulled by the tension. Tobin and Jorin tried everything to pull him out of his spiral, but their usual banter fell flat. Even Elyra, with her usual attempts at teasing and lighthearted comments, couldn’t reach him.

  “Come on, Andy,” she would say, her voice trying to cut through the thick fog of his anxiety. “You’re scaring me, you know? I can’t even get you to laugh at my jokes anymore.”

  But nothing seemed to work. His bio-markers remained erratic, and each time Elyra attempted to cheer him up, her words felt like they were lost in the noise of his racing thoughts. He knew he was worrying her too, but the gnawing fear of what might have happened to Terra and Lana was consuming him, and nothing could bring him peace.

  He spent hours pacing, running over every place he had already searched, asking everyone he knew if they had seen them. No one had. There was nothing left for him to do but wait and hope for some kind of breakthrough. His friends could see it, though—the way he was withdrawing into himself more and more each day.

  And then, on the day of the debrief, Sergeant Rodrick approached him in the barracks.

  “Andy,” Rodrick said, his expression serious. “I need to talk to you.”

  Andy turned toward him, feeling a knot tighten in his stomach. “What’s going on?”

  “Terra didn’t show up for her debrief today,” Rodrick explained. “She’s been gone for days. No one’s heard from her. I know you two are close, so... what do you know about this?”

  Andy’s chest tightened, and his immediate instinct was to snap back. “I don’t know,” he said, his voice sharper than he intended. “I’ve been looking for her. I’ve been searching everywhere—asking around, checking every place I can think of, and I can’t find her.”

  Rodrick didn’t flinch, but he gave Andy a stern look. “Calm down, Andy,” he said, pulling him aside slightly. His voice was low, but there was an unmistakable command in it. “I’ve seen you in action. You’re always calm, always collected. Use that big brain of yours. We don’t have time for this panic. You’re a soldier.”

  Andy took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady his racing heart. Rodrick was right. He couldn’t afford to lose control.

  Rodrick continued, his tone softening. “I’ll cover for you here. You take Tobin and Jorin and go look for her. You’ve got the brains to figure this out. Our motto is Humanity First, Andy. Don’t forget that. You’ve got a family here, and we’re not letting you do this alone.”

  Andy’s jaw clenched. The urgency in Rodrick’s words cut through the worry. Andy nodded, trying to focus. “I’ll find her, Sergeant. I won’t stop until I do.”

  Rodrick gave him a firm nod. “Good.”

  Andy quickly sought Tobin and Jorin, finding them in the training yard where they were working on their weapons. Both of them stopped what they were doing when they saw the expression on Andy’s face.

  “What’s going on, man?” Tobin asked, his voice laced with concern.

  “Terra’s gone,” Andy said, his voice low, almost in disbelief. “And I need your help. We’ve got to find her.”

  Jorin raised an eyebrow. “Gone? What do you mean, gone? Like... disappeared gone?”

  Andy nodded, his frustration clear. “She didn’t show up for her debrief, and no one’s seen her for days. I’ve checked every place I can think of. I need to search the city, but I can’t do it alone.”

  Tobin cracked his knuckles, his grin returning despite the gravity of the situation. “Well, you know we’ve got your back, Andy. What’s the plan?”

  Andy hesitated for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “We’re splitting up. Jorin, you take the northern district, the wealthy area. You know the people there. Tobin, you handle the markets. I’ll search the Church of Light.”

  As they headed in different directions, Andy paused, his heart tightening as he turned back to Tobin and Jorin. His voice came out quieter than usual, heavy with concern.

  “Wait,” he said, his gaze shifting between his friends. “There’s something else. It’s not just Terra. Lana—my childhood friend—she’s gone, too. She didn’t show up for her shift at the café a few days ago, and no one’s seen her since. I’ve been looking everywhere, and I can’t find her.”

  Tobin’s face immediately dropped its usual smirk, replaced with a look of concern. “Lana too? Damn, man... that’s not good. This is feeling like something’s going on, right?”

  “Got it,” Jorin said, his face serious now. “We’ll find them, Andy. We won’t stop until we do.”

  “Yeah,” Tobin added, his voice low but resolute. “We’re with you. We’ll cover all the ground.”

  Andy gave a brief nod, feeling the weight of his responsibility settle on his shoulders. “Thanks, guys. Let’s move fast. We don’t have time to waste.”

  Jorin nodded, his tone serious. “Yeah, that’s a hell of a coincidence. No way they’re both just gone for no reason.”

  Andy let out a breath, his shoulders tense. “Exactly. I’ve been checking every place I know, asking everyone I can. I can’t just sit here while they’re out there, disappearing. Something happened to them, I know it.”

  Tobin clapped Andy on the back, his usual grin still there, but it was softened by the seriousness of the moment. “Got it, man. We’re gonna find them.”

  Jorin gave him a reassuring nod. “You’ve got us. We’ll find Terra and Lana. Don’t worry.”

  The weight of their words settled on Andy’s chest, but at least he wasn’t carrying it alone. With one last shared look, the three of them split off, ready to search the city.

  Tobin gave a final comment, trying to lighten the mood a bit. “Let’s make sure we don’t get surprised, alright? We might need our weapons for this. Wouldn’t hurt to be ready for anything.”

  Jorin’s grin flashed. “Yeah, wouldn’t want to get caught in some shady business without being armed to the teeth. You never know what might lurk around here.”

  Andy couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, even as his mind stayed focused on the search. “Alright, alright. We’ll gear up. Let’s go find them.”

  And with that, the trio split up, each heading toward a different part of the city to begin their search. Andy’s heart raced, and though his mind was clouded with worry, there was a small flicker of hope now—he wasn’t doing this alone. He had his friends at his back, and they’d find Terra and Lana, no matter what.