The Black Hawks flew across the skies for hours.

Below them, forests stretched endlessly beneath the afternoon sunlight while rivers cut through valleys and hills like silver veins across the land. From inside the helicopter cabin, the medieval world looked strangely peaceful again.

No burning ruins.

No machine gun fire.

No screaming brigands.

Just wilderness.

The steady vibration of the rotors filled the cabin while Atlas personnel sat along the sides resting after the operation in Falmouth. Some cleaned rifles. Others leaned back with eyes closed, catching sleep whenever they could.

The mission was over.

At least for now.

Marcus sat near the side door while staring outside quietly. His headset rested around his neck while the wind occasionally rattled faintly through the cabin whenever the helicopter shifted direction slightly.

Across from him, Rolf stretched his shoulders with a groan.

"I swear my back hurts more from sitting in helicopters than combat."

One of the infantrymen nearby snorted.

"You complain too much."

"No, seriously. The machine guns were fine. Sleeping on wooden floors inside Falmouth was fine. But these seats?"

He slapped the side bench lightly.

"Designed by demons."

A few soldiers laughed quietly afterward.

The atmosphere inside the cabin had finally relaxed.

The tension from battle slowly faded now that they were heading home.

Tomas looked toward Marcus afterward.

"You think the contingent in Falmouth will manage fine?"

Marcus nodded once.

"They’ll manage."

The stay-behind squad was experienced enough.

More importantly, fear alone would protect Falmouth for a while now.

The surviving brigands would spread stories faster than any messenger system could. Tales about thunder weapons, flying steel beasts, and entire mountain strongholds erased overnight would move across taverns and criminal circles for months.

And criminals feared unknown things.

Especially when those unknown things hunted from the sky.

Rolf leaned back against the cabin wall afterward.

"Still can’t believe those idiots attacked twice."

Marcus glanced toward him.

"They thought numbers mattered."

"They didn’t."

"They mattered fifty years ago."

That shut Rolf up briefly.

Because Marcus was right.

The brigands fought like medieval raiders.

Mass assault.

Close-range pressure.

Fear tactics.

But Atlas fought with reconnaissance, thermal imaging, automatic weapons, and air superiority.

It was not merely a difference in strength.

It was a difference in eras.

Outside the cockpit, the world continued passing beneath them.

Villages.

Roads.

Forests.

Small rivers.

And eventually—

Far in the distance—

Atlas Base.

Even from kilometers away, the compound stood out immediately against the surrounding terrain.

Concrete walls.

Watchtowers.

Large structures made from steel and reinforced materials completely foreign to this world.

And near the landing zone, several helicopters and vehicles were already visible beneath the afternoon sun.

Rolf looked outside and grinned faintly.

"Home."

The Black Hawks slowly descended toward the base shortly afterward.

Rotor wash blasted dust outward across the landing zone while ground personnel moved into position below. Several Atlas soldiers standing near the perimeter looked upward as the helicopters approached.

The aircraft touched down one after another.

THUMP.

THUMP.

THUMP.

The engines remained running while personnel immediately began unloading equipment and supplies from the cabins.

Marcus stepped out onto the landing zone first.

The familiar smell hit him immediately.

Fuel.

Oil.

Hot metal.

Concrete.

The organized noise of the base surrounded him almost instantly. Mechanics worked near one of the hangars while forklifts moved supply crates nearby. Soldiers crossed between buildings carrying equipment and documents while radios crackled constantly across the compound.

Structured.

Controlled.

Home.

Marcus removed his headset while looking around the landing area.

And then he saw her.

Elaina.

She was already walking quickly across the landing zone toward him.

Actually—

Almost running.

Her brown hair moved slightly with the wind from the helicopter rotors while her office jacket fluttered behind her. Several personnel nearby noticed immediately and quietly pretended not to watch.

Marcus honestly didn’t care.

The moment Elaina reached him, she wrapped both arms tightly around him without hesitation.

Marcus caught her instantly.

For a second, neither of them spoke.

The noise of the helicopters faded into the background while Elaina buried her face against his chest.

"You’re late," she muttered quietly.

Marcus almost smiled faintly.

"We destroyed a criminal syndicate. That takes time."

"I was worried."

That answer came immediately.

No teasing.

No sarcasm.

Just honest worry.

Marcus rested one hand gently against the back of her head.

"I’m fine."

Elaina pulled back slightly afterward just enough to look up at him.

Her eyes searched his face carefully first.

Checking.

Making sure.

Marcus already recognized the look.

Then finally, visibly relieved, she grabbed the front of his jacket and kissed him.

Not briefly either.

A proper kiss.

One that immediately caused several nearby Atlas personnel to look away awkwardly while others smirked openly.

Rolf quietly elbowed Tomas beside him.

"Told you."

Tomas sighed.

"You owe me ten military credits."

Rolf grinned.

"Worth it."

Meanwhile Marcus finally pulled back slightly while Elaina still held onto him.

"You done embarrassing me in front of the entire base?" he asked quietly.

"No."

Fair enough.

Elaina finally stepped back properly afterward, though one hand still remained holding onto his arm like she wanted physical confirmation he really returned safely.

Her eyes moved briefly across his gear afterward.

"You’re not injured?"

"Nothing serious."

That answer did not fully satisfy her.

"You look exhausted."

Marcus honestly was.

The operations in Falmouth escalated far beyond simple defensive contract work. Between the brigand attacks, drone surveillance, and A-10 deployment, he had barely rested properly for days.

Still—

Seeing Elaina again made the exhaustion feel lighter somehow.

Elaina noticed several other Atlas personnel unloading equipment nearby afterward.

"How bad was it?"

Marcus looked toward the helicopters briefly.

"Worse than expected."

That immediately made her expression more serious.

"You found something bigger."

Marcus nodded once.

"A regional criminal network. Organized infrastructure."

Elaina blinked slightly.

"That serious?"

"We destroyed their central base."

Rolf walked past carrying equipment crates and casually added:

"With an A-10."

Elaina froze.

Then slowly looked back toward Marcus.

"...You used the Warthog?"

Marcus rubbed the back of his neck slightly.

"Yes."

That honestly explained everything.

Elaina exhaled slowly afterward.

"No wonder communications teams kept hearing rumors from the Falmouth contingent about a mountain exploding."

Several nearby infantrymen laughed quietly.

Because honestly—

That description was not entirely inaccurate.

Elaina folded her arms afterward while still staring at Marcus.

"You escalated from city defense to close air support in less than a week."

Marcus shrugged slightly.

"They escalated first."

Again—

Fair point.

The two eventually began walking together across the base while personnel continued unloading helicopters behind them.

Elaina stayed close beside him the entire time.

Very close.

Marcus noticed.

Honestly—

He liked it.

As they passed through the compound, several Atlas staff members greeted Marcus respectfully.

"Commander."

"Sir."

"Welcome back."

Marcus returned simple nods while Elaina quietly updated him on the base situation.

"Supply inventories increased again while you were gone."

"Good."

"The new fuel storage area is finished too."

"Any problems?"

"Nothing major."

Then she glanced toward him briefly.

"Though rumors about Falmouth are already spreading."

Marcus sighed quietly.

"Of course they are."

"You left machine gun positions on medieval walls and then erased a mountain stronghold with an A-10. What exactly did you expect?"

Honestly—

Fair.

Several mechanics near the vehicle bay were already discussing the operation openly when Marcus and Elaina passed nearby.

One of them noticed Marcus immediately and straightened.

"Sir."

Marcus nodded once.

The mechanic hesitated briefly before asking:

"...Did the Warthog really collapse the entire mountain entrance?"

Rolf answered before Marcus could.

"Brother, parts of the mountain stopped existing."

The mechanic looked horrified and impressed at the same time.

Marcus kept walking.

Elaina looked amused now.

"You know morale around the base skyrockets every time you return from operations like this."

"That’s concerning."

"No, what’s concerning is the fact half the infantry now talks about CAS strikes like religious experiences."

Rolf overheard that while following behind them.

"To be fair, the Warthog does sound divine."

Marcus shook his head quietly.

Idiots.

Eventually the group reached the central administrative building where Atlas operations were coordinated.

The atmosphere inside immediately felt calmer than the noisy landing zone outside.

Maps covered the walls.

Operational reports sat stacked across tables.

Radio operators worked near communications equipment while several logistics personnel moved between offices carrying documents.

Elaina led Marcus toward her office upstairs. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

The moment the door closed behind them, the atmosphere changed completely again.

Quiet.

Private.

Finally.

Marcus exhaled slowly while removing parts of his combat gear and setting them near the wall.

Elaina watched him silently for a moment before speaking again.

"You really worried me this time."

Marcus looked toward her.

"The operation?"

"The fact you sounded calm while requesting an A-10 strike."

That actually made him laugh quietly.

Elaina stepped closer afterward.

"When the communications officer told me you requested close air support, I genuinely thought the situation became catastrophic."

Marcus rested against the edge of the desk slightly.

"It was under control."

"Eliminating an entire underground syndicate with air support is your version of ’under control?’"

"...Yes."

Elaina stared at him flatly for several seconds.

Then sighed.

"I hate that I understand what you mean now."

Marcus smiled faintly.

That alone told him how much Atlas had changed both of them already.

Elaina eventually moved closer again before resting her forehead lightly against his chest.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The silence felt nice.

Outside the office windows, the base continued operating normally.

Helicopters shutting down.

Vehicles unloading.

Personnel returning from deployment.

Life continuing.

Elaina finally looked up at him again afterward.

"So."

Marcus raised an eyebrow slightly.

"So?"

"You survived another insane operation."

"Apparently."

She smiled faintly this time.

"Then you’re taking one day off."

Marcus immediately frowned.

"No."

"Yes."

"Elaina—"

"You disappeared into a medieval warzone, fought brigands with machine guns, summoned an A-10, and returned looking like you haven’t slept properly in days."

Marcus opened his mouth slightly.

She pointed directly at him.

"One day."

Marcus sighed quietly.

"...Fine."

Elaina immediately smiled afterward like she had just won a military campaign herself.

Honestly—

Maybe she had.

Then she wrapped her arms around him again quietly.

And this time, Marcus held her back just as tightly.