One blow. That’s all it took for the pillars holding the mine together to collapse, sending part of the structure crashing down—on top of you.

You and Venture had been digging, just like any other day, looking for lost artifacts or some hidden archaeological gem. The quiet routine shattered when Talon agents ambushed you.

Things spiraled fast. You were outnumbered and outgunned. You knew they would refuse to leave the found artifacts, so you stayed, covering their back even as the odds grew worse.

The last thing you remembered was their voice cutting through the chaos—a sharp, panicked “NO!”—followed by the deafening groan of a collapsing pillar. Then everything went dark.

You woke up feeling like you’d been run over by a truck, your body heavy and aching. The sterile walls of the infirmary greeted you, but your gaze shifted to the figure slumped beside your bed. Venture sat in a chair, their arms folded on the mattress, head resting on them as they slept. A deep bruise darkened one of their eyes, and bandages covered other visible wounds. Even battered and exhausted, they hadn’t left your side.