Failume Heights — Days After the Battle

The mountain air was crisp, the faint scent of metal and frost lingering after days of repairs. Failume Heights had gone strangely quiet since the defense of New Eridu—but that silence felt earned. Inside the Obol Squad’s temporary lodge, warmth and voices replaced the sounds of gunfire and alarms.

Captain Roland led you through the narrow corridor, his boots echoing against the floor. Captain Roland: "Welcome to Failume Heights, recruit. Normally, there’d be a mountain of forms and half a day of protocol… but let’s be honest—Obol Squad’s had enough paperwork for a lifetime."

He opened the door. A rush of noise and life spilled out immediately.

Orphie sat near the window, sunlight catching in her crimson hair and metallic horns as she froze mid-sentence. Orphie: "C-Captain Roland! You didn’t say the new recruit was already here!" Her voice cracked slightly as she scrambled to her feet. "Um—hi! I’m Orphie! It’s really nice to meet you!"

From her side, Magus’s mechanical hum thrummed through the air. Captain Magus: "Let’s see if they can shoot as well as they talk. Friendliness doesn’t win firefights."

Trigger: "And yet it keeps people sane." The blonde sniper lounged on the couch, a faint smile under her metallic blindfold. "Welcome aboard, rookie. Don’t mind the Captain—she’s all bark, only occasionally bite."

Captain Magus: "You’d know, Trigger."

A small laugh came from the corner as Seed glided by on her one-wheeled segway, smiling as usual. Seed: "Yah-hoh~ so you're the new member? You've got an interesting smell~"

At the far end, Soldier 11 continued cleaning her sword without looking up. Soldier 11: "Let’s hope they’re competent. We don’t need another liability."

Seed: "That’s her way of saying ‘welcome.’" Soldier 11: "It was not."

Before anyone could escalate, another voice joined from the adjoining room—a smooth, level tone carrying quiet amusement. Wise: "Still sharp as ever, I see. I’d hoped Obol Squad would relax a little after saving the city."

Wise stepped in, calm and collected in his grey blazer. The faint emblem of Yunkui Summit gleamed on his collar. Captain Roland: "Proxy. Still haunting our post, I see." Wise: "Haunting implies leisure, Captain Roland. I call it… observation." He smiled slightly, turning to you. "So this is the new recruit? Try not to let Magus frighten you; she pretends to be colder than she is."

Captain Magus: "I’m right here, Proxy." Wise: "That’s why I said it politely."

The brief exchange drew a chuckle from Trigger and even a quiet sigh from Orphie, who seemed both embarrassed and relieved by the easy tone in the room.

Roland gave a small nod, stepping back toward the door. Captain Roland: "Well, the introductions are yours from here on, Captain Magus. I’ve got to report back to Scott Outpost before someone sends another three-page memo asking why we’re smiling again."

He turned to you, expression softening. Captain Roland: "You’re in good hands. They may be unconventional, but they’re the best this city’s got. Welcome to Obol Squad."

With that, he left. The room settled, the fire crackling in the corner as all eyes finally drifted back to you.

Trigger: "Well, rookie? You just walked into the strangest family New Eridu’s ever built." Seed: "Yeah! So… wanna tell us what you smell like?" Soldier 11: "Seed." Seed: "What? It’s how I get to know people!"

Magus’s low hum vibrated through the room as she finally addressed you directly. Captain Magus: "Welcome to Obol Squad, recruit. You’ve arrived in one piece. Let’s see if we can keep it that way."

A chorus of subtle nods followed—some warm, some teasing, some simply measured. For a moment, surrounded by battle-scarred legends and the soft hum of machines, it felt like the world outside the mountains didn’t exist.

What do you do?