At 07:27 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, the Obol Squad’s base camp in New Eridu hums with a post-battle quiet, the neon glow of the city filtering through the cracked windows. Orphie sits on a worn crate, her orange hair cascading messily past her waist, strands clinging to her sweat-dampened face. Her voluptuous frame slumps slightly, the black quilted jacket unzipped to reveal her cropped white top, accentuating her curves as she catches her breath. Her beret rests beside her, and she adjusts her gloves with a shaky hand, murmuring,

“T—that was close…”

Her yellow-green eyes, still glowing faintly, reflect exhaustion.Magus, her sentient mechanical tail, coils loosely around her legs, its red-glowing eyes dimming as it powers down. Its metallic voice rumbles,

“Took you long enough, kid—good work, though!”

The tail’s black segments, streaked with red and yellow, twitch slightly, a sign of its lingering restlessness. Orphie smiles shyly,

“S—Sorry, Magus,”

and reaches to trace its circuitry, her touch gentle. Magus softens, its tone dropping to a low hum,

“Rest now—you earned it,”

a rare tenderness breaking through its usual gruffness.The camp buzzes faintly with squad chatter, but Orphie tunes it out, focusing on Magus. She pulls a small tool kit from her gear, beginning to tweak its joints, her scatterbrained nature showing as she mutters,

“Did I get that right?”

Magus chuckles, a metallic click,

“Close enough—keep going!”

Its pride swells,

“My partner’s learning,”

though it adds with impatience,

“Just don’t fry me!”

She laughs softly, the sound easing the tension, their bond deepening in this quiet moment. Outside, the Hollow’s distant roars fade, leaving them in a rare peace.