Utopian System

As Elio finally separated from his mother's embrace, the weight of responsibility settled back on his shoulders.

The warmth of the reunion lingered, but the urgency of the situation demanded his attention. Micah, ever practical, was the first to break the moment of familial tenderness.

"Elio," he began, "what should we do about the core distribution? We suspended it temporarily, but people are growing anxious. They're hungry for change… and for the promised power."

Elio nodded. "We'll resume the distribution soon," he assured, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. "But first, I need to bring you all up to speed on what's happened and what's coming. There's so much you don't know yet."

Zara's gaze shifted to the unconscious form in Lucien's arms. "And what about Selene?" she asked, her voice laced with worry. "Will she be alright?"

Lucien's arms tightened almost imperceptibly around Selene as he answered, "She'll be fine. The armor is working its magic, but she probably needs rest to fully recover."

Elio's eyes swept across the faces of his friends, family, and the expectant crowd beyond. The air was thick with anticipation, fear, and hope. "We have so much to do."

♢♢♢♢

With Lucien's help filling in the gaps from when Elio was 'dead', they recounted the intense battle that led to Fathoran's demise.

The group listened in rapt attention, their expressions shifting from awe to horror and back again as the tale unfolded.

When the story concluded, a heavy silence fell over the room. Ivan, his face a mask of thoughtful concern, was the first to voice the question on everyone's mind:

"What do we do now, Elio? The city is in flux, hungry for direction. We can't leave them leaderless."

Before Elio could formulate a response, Lucien interjected, his voice carrying the weight of years of experience. "Our first priority must be maintaining the wall's defenses. We can't afford even a moment's lapse in our barrier. The monsters beyond don't care about our political upheavals."

Elio nodded gratefully, appreciating Lucien's pragmatic advice. "You're right. We can't neglect our wall, no matter what changes we implement."

He paused, considering. "How was the surplus mana from the turrets managed before?"

Lucien's face darkened slightly at the question.

"Estin and Mordred were in charge of that," he replied, a hint of sorrow in his voice at the mention of his deceased family members. "We'll need to secure control of the management systems as soon as possible."

After a moment of contemplation, Elio reached a decision.

"We need to make a general announcement," he declared. "The city is buzzing with rumors and fear. They need to know what's happening and what our plans are. I believe transparency will be key in building trust, since that's what I would have liked."

♢♢♢♢

Selene's return to consciousness was gradual, her senses slowly coming into focus.

As her eyes fluttered open, she found herself surrounded by Elio, Zara, and the rest of their friends. Their faces, etched with concern and relief, swam into view.

Disorientation gripped her as memories of the battle mingled with the confusion of waking. The first thing she registered was the feeling of strong arms holding her. Looking up, she met Lucien's worried gaze.

"Lucien," she murmured, her voice rough from disuse. "What...?"

"Shh," he soothed, his voice gentle. "You're safe now. The battle's over. We won."

Selene felt a flutter in her stomach, a mixture of the familiar comfort of his proximity and something more, something she'd always tried to ignore. They were cousins, after all, but in moments like this, it was hard to remember why that mattered.

Instinctively, she moved to brush a strand of hair from her face with her left arm and froze. Her left arm. The one she had lost in the heat of battle.

"It can't be," she gasped, sitting up abruptly in Lucien's arms.

Lucien's grip tightened slightly to steady her, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "It's Fathoran's armor," he explained. "Elio put it on you after the battle. It's... remarkable."

Selene's gaze dropped to her body, noticing for the first time that she was indeed wearing the Founder's armor. Her eyes met Lucien's again, and for a moment, she seemed to forget they were surrounded by others. The intensity of his gaze made her breath catch in her throat.

Zara, standing nearby and observing the scene, couldn't suppress a mischievous smile. "Well, well," she murmured, just loud enough for Selene to hear. "Looks like someone's 'checking the fabric' with their eyes."

A slight blush colored Selene's cheeks as she shot Zara a warning glance. "I don't know what you're talking about," she retorted, though a small smile tugged at her lips.

Elio, oblivious to the undercurrents of the exchange, stepped forward. "I'm glad you're alright, Selene. We were worried."

Selene noticed that Lucien took a moment longer than necessary to set her on her feet. As her soles touched the ground, she felt a pang of disappointment that she quickly tried to suppress.

"Thank you, Elio," Selene said, working to regain her composure. "For everything."

Lucien stood, removing the armor Elio had lent him. "I think it's time I returned this to you," he said, extending it towards Elio. "I'm sufficiently healed. The System will take care of the rest gradually."

Elio donned his armor, feeling the familiar weight settle onto his frame.

Selene, feeling adequately recovered as well, removed her borrowed armor and offered it to Elio. "Here you go, your trophy of victory."

Elio nodded in acknowledgment but made no move to take the armor. "Thank you, Selene. But I think you should keep it for now."

Both Lucien and Selene looked at him in surprise, eyebrows raised in unison.

"In fact," Elio continued, his voice steady and determined, "I want you both to manage these armors. I want them lent out to those willing to level up, starting with the highest and most dangerous levels."

An astonished silence filled the room, broken only by a few sharp intakes of breath.

"Elio," Selene began, her voice laden with concern, "this armor is incredibly valuable. If someone fails a challenge, we'll lose it forever. The risk..."

Elio nodded, understanding the gravity of his proposal. "I know. But from now on, people will be more valuable than things. I know that you two, and at least Zara, will want to take the risk. And with the invocations I'll give you, plus the armor, the risk should be minimal."

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