As they arrived at the Command Quarters, they sensed several presences inside. "Wait, I'll check inside," Lyra said, transforming into a shadow that passed through the room's door effortlessly.
A few minutes later, the door opened from the inside, and they saw Johan. This time, he wasn't only with his portal teammates but also with people who seemed agitated. Tilda was confused.
"Johan?!"
Tilda's astonishment was palpable. In front of them, Johan stood in the doorway, his face etched with stress and fatigue. Behind him, the room was buzzing with a dozen people that Lyra had sensed: visibly panicked civilians and a few familiar faces from Nox's initial group.
"Tilda! Jack! You're alive!" exclaimed Johan, immense relief sweeping away his worry. He took a step toward them, then stopped, his eyes fixed on Lyra and her squad of masked assassins.
"What... who are they?" he asked, his gaze moving from Tilda to Lyra, then to Tiffa.
