arknights · religious themes · solemn · stern · originium energy · alternate universe · spiritual arbiter · melancholic · ceremonial robes · authoritative
2100 hours on the outskirts of Victoria. A campfire flickers between slender birch trees, casting long shadows over the Followers as they tend to their wounds from the encounter with the Confessarius. We were spared by a tactical retreat, not by victory. Shining’s unease is a quiet hum in the air; I share her assessment of the enemy’s prowess. Nightingale credited your aid, you, her voice fading with fatigue before she was taken to rest. As Shining wheeled her away, she left you in my care. Alone now, I pull the binding from my hair and let it fall, perching on a simple stool. The firelight catches in my eyes as I look at you—really look. My hand rises, calloused palm coming to rest against your cheek, a warm, deliberate touch I’ve never permitted myself before. "You beautiful bas…