CHAPTER 24: AFTERMATH ARC: Wounds of War

The air was thick with the lingering scent of scorched grass and blood. Black Smoke curled from the ruins fraying in the wind towards the sky as the echoes of battle still seemed to whisper through the wreckage. The Deviants Insurgence had only been going on for about 13 hours, but a lot had happened in that time. The Dome was entirely recognizable – once a fortress of safety from the outside world, now was a shell of its former self. The Dome was back to its transparent colour being barely visible with the naked eyes but that was the best part.

The outergate of the Founders was completely destroyed after Frank’s ice melted away. Rin, Chester and Felicity were finally arriving after Jace slingshot away from them. They walked in, their boots crunching against the blackened ground into the devastation. What they saw stopped them cold. Adelle’s body laid motionless on the ground, her arms covered in deep burns, flesh charred so badly that it was a wonder she had survived at all. Frank laid beside her cooling ice over her wounds tears flowing from his face, yet his clenched jaw revealed the emotions raging underneath. Across from him was Emma trying desperately to heal the damage but it wasn’t working. The burns were too deep her powers weren’t at full strength.

Rin took a sharp breath, her hands trembling. "What the hell happened here?"

No one dared answer or look at her.

Felicity pressed a hand over her mouth, her eyes welling up. Chester, usually the first to crack a joke, was uncharacteristically silent. He knelt beside Adelle, his fingers grazing the edge of her ruined sleeves, as if hesitant to touch something so fragile.

“We need to get her to a hospital or something,” Chester said frantically.

“The Elite House is really far. I don’t think we can carry her all the way there,” Rin remarked.

Phoebe, Michael and Jace were further away discussing their options. When they returned Michael spoke first.

“We’ll take her through the Gates of Azulon.”

“Azu-what?” Chester echoed.

Frank sniffed, wiping his face as he stood. “It’s the gate to the Founders House, where the Four live. There’s someone there who can help her.”

“How many gates are in the Founders?” Rin asked, brows furrowed. “I thought this was the Four’s compound.”

“This… is where their families live,” Emma clarified. “The actual Four are much deeper inside.” She turned to Frank. “She’ll be fine as soon as we take her to my mother.”

That’s what they did. With help from the guards and residents of Sweet Haven including Mr. Kulisevski and Trystan, they carefully carried Adelle through the ruins toward the gate Emma, Michael, and Frank walked closely behind, watching over her.

The rest of them turned back towards their houses. The walk back was silent. It was then, stepping through the ruins that the weight of the battle settled in. The ivy-covered stone manor that once stood proud was half-collapsed, a living sign of a battle hard fought. Everywhere, people were mourning. Some were searching the wreckage for loved ones, others simply stood frozen in grief. But for most, only their cries of anguish could be heard. The guards of the Founders House had been torn apart—some had missing limbs, others barely recognizable.

They passed by the wooden sign that read Sweet Haven, heading toward the gate, feeling more dejected than ever. Jace glanced at the once-grand structure, then shifted his gaze leftward toward the Hall in the near distance. He exhaled slowly. He couldn’t believe that 5 months and 6 days ago, he was going through the procedure. It seemed like a such long time ago, back when things were simpler. When they reached the outer gate, the group exchanged quiet goodbyes before parting ways to check on their families.

The Founders' House had suffered the worst in the Deviants’ attack, but the Glades were a close second. Positioned closest to the outermost barriers of the Dome, the Glades had taken the brunt of the assault. If not for the relentless efforts of top-ranked operatives—including Rebel, Constantine, Ava, and Juni—the damage would have been far worse.

The Elite House, however, had fared slightly better. Home to doctors, engineers, teachers, and other essential professionals, the Elite House boasted the most advanced technology within the Dome. Futuristic buildings lined the streets, their sleek surfaces glowing faintly with embedded energy lines. Schools stood as towering structures of blue marble, their shattered windows the only indication of battle. Hospitals were equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities and automated lifts were still functioning despite the chaos.

Of Course, the Elite was well protected by taskforce X members and the special treatment initiates, although it was at a cost. Inside the hospital's waiting room, four figures sat on a blue bench—Oliver Obed, Diana Novak, Hector Cruz, and Chance Pinkman. Their clothes were torn, stained with soot and blood. Their expressions were hollow. All around them, bodies were carried through the halls, some wrapped in white blankets. The Elite were conducting a headcount, identifying the fallen by their names and respective houses.

A procession passed before them. The final bodies —six of them—covered in white blankets. The names were called: Rita Showerhandle. Damian Wallace, Ibram Kulisevski, Crispin Logan, Elise Maddox and Finn Maverick. Gasps echoed through the room.

It was the rest of the special treatment initiates, the ones who hadn’t made it. Hector’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, his shoulders shaking. He had watched Damian die in front of him and he was powerless to stop it. That image replayed in his mind like a broken record. Chance stepped beside him, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder, his own face lined with grief. Diana wiped at her eyes, but the tears kept coming. Even Oliver sat stiffly, his jaw locked tight, his usual sharp confidence nowhere to be seen. They followed the bodies as they were taken for purification to prepare them for the Luminara rite, a cremation ceremony meant to ensure that their souls would not be forgotten.

Two Days Later…

For two days, the Dome stood still. No training, no missions—only mourning.

Today the Luminara rite was to take place at the Glades. It was a tradition after a loss, family and friends would gather to celebrate their honor the lives lost. Today’s turnout was the largest in history. The Founders head would be leading the ceremony.

Jace arrived alone, scanning the crowd. He still hadn’t seen his father, but his mother had received a message from him, saying he was okay.

The seating was arranged by rank. The Four sat at the very front, followed by high-ranking officials Jace didn’t recognize. Rebel, Constantine, Ava, and Juni sat together, their presence commanding but unassuming. The initiates sat in the back, the bottom of the food chain.

As Jace walked past Rebel, she gave him a silent nod. He spotted his friends in the back row.

Rin was the first to step forward, and before Jace could say anything, she wrapped her arms around him. “We stopped by your house, where were you?”

“I-I was helping the twins out,” he muttered.

Then came Felicity, hugging him tightly. “I-We missed you.”

Chester, standing slightly apart, exhaled and ran a hand through his hair before stepping in and slinging an arm around Jace’s shoulders. “Damn, you look like hell.” He smirked, though his voice cracked at the end.

Jace huffed out a small laugh. “You too.”

Chance and Hector were sitting between Oliver and Diana. He walked toward them, weaving through the seated initiates. The moment they saw him, Hector and Chance rose to their feet. For a moment, no one spoke. No words felt enough.

Then, almost instinctively, the three of them pulled into a tri-hug, gripping each other tightly. Hector’s breathing was uneven, his shoulders trembling, but he didn’t let go.

Jace swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I should have been there," he murmured, his voice barely audible.

Hector shook his head. "None of us should have had to be there." His voice was raw, thick with emotion. He pulled back slightly, wiping a hand over his face.

“I can’t believe they are really gone. Damian, Rita…I-I wasn’t strong enough.”

Chance inhaled sharply through his nose, jaw clenched so tightly it looked painful. "And Rita—she saved my ass before—before—” He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to finish.

Jace didn’t know what to say. Nothing he could say could erase the horrors they had seen. But still, he met Hector’s gaze and said, “They fought until the end.”

Hector exhaled shakily and nodded. "Yeah...They did."

Jace reached out, clasping Hector’s shoulder firmly before stepping back and going to his seat. The weight of everything they had endured was pressing down on them, but for this moment, they carried it together.

Oliver and Diana nearby could feel their emotions rising. Diana gave Jace a smile as he passed through then wiped her eyes with a handkerchief as her tears welled up. Oliver simply nodded in acknowledgment. Jace took his seat between Michael and Phoebe as the ceremony began.