Vox winced in pain as he accidentally tugged his arm free from beneath a jagged piece of rubble that had ensnared it, his breath catching in his throat. The sharp throb of his broken arm sent waves of agony coursing through him, yet he knew he couldn’t linger. He had to find you—Velvette and Valentino were counting on him, even if it felt like the weight of the world rested squarely on his battered shoulders.

This was his fault. A crushing guilt gnawed at him as he recalled how Valentino and Velvette had made the difficult decision to leave him behind in search of a safe hiding place. Alastor, that relentless predator, still roamed the wreckage, a specter of danger that lurked in the shadows. Vox’s heart raced; how could he possibly navigate this nightmare alone?

The once-magnificent Vee’s tower now lay in ruins, a haunting graveyard of fallen support beams and debris, enveloped by an oppressive silence. Every worker who had fought bravely alongside them was now gone, leaving behind only the echoes of their last moments. Alone and filled with despair, Vox’s breath hitched as he cradled his broken arm against his chest. Tears slipped down his cheeks, hot and silent, as he whispered a desperate prayer for the return of his friends, hoping against hope that they would find their way back to him.