The Aftermath

S5E9: Forgiveness

The intense standoff commences as the group collectively protrude stares of animosity, tempted to act out their hidden desires. They all want nothing more than to see Eleanor's head on a spike, but they need answers. They want an explanation for her crude behavior.
Simon's frustration has reached its peak. He's been on a mental downward spiral ever since his mother returned, and now, she is barely interacting with him. It's important for her to see him as his true self, not this false persona of Paige. He wants nothing more than to prove his mother wrong.
Eleanor must always have things her way. If she's not benefiting at all, then the system is flawed. Simon wants to silent this radical belief that his tyrannical mother contains. He wants to humble her, allowing Eleanor to finally notice him.
"Look at me," Simon mutters in a serious tone, the group glancing over.
He looks like he's about to crack, filled to the brim with anger and sadness. It looks like he's about to cry. This marks a crucial point in his life, finally standing up to his mentally abusive mother. He needs this victory to get him through the rest of this tiresome journey.
Eleanor sheds no attention to Simon, solely focusing on Chris in front of her. She doesn't want to give them the time of day. In her eyes, Paige doesn't deserve forgiveness. This Simon character is simply a mere stranger.
"I said look at me you ungrateful bitch!" Simon shouts furiously, tears streaming down his face.
The sudden breakdown shocks the group, thinking that Simon was solely out for blood. No one expected him to bawl uncontrollably due to his mother's harsh treatment. This form of ineptitude is absolutely baffling and belittling to him.
Eleanor's clearly bothered by this sudden outburst, causing her to glance over at this "untouchable". However, she chooses not to speak, despising the thought of acknowledging this peasant as her own blood.
Tara grows weary at Simon's saddened state. To think that they both share the same problem with their selfish, authoritative mothers is mind boggling. It's infuriating to see a parent reject their own child, it's barbaric.
Shutting others out is what Laura does best. This just simply serves as a painful reminder for her dysfunctional family. Before this apocalypse, her father was never around, leaving her perplexed about his whereabouts.
She wanted nothing more than to communicate with a loving family. However, her parents had different plans. Laura was once engaging, but now, she's stuck up and selfish. Tara believed that it had to do with impressing her own husband.
All the memories of Laura's desperate attempts to save her marriage is absolutely paining for Tara. That was the reason for her irrational behavior of killing Ryan. A sin that she will never live down.
Tara gathers up the courage to give this abusive woman a piece of her mind. She knows how alienated Simon feels. She can relate to him. He can't bare this immeasurable amount of disdain for another second. Eleanor needs to pay for this maltreatment.
"How could you?" Tara begins promptly, giving Eleanor a disgusted look.
Eleanor chuckles a little at Tara's expression, brushing her comment aside as if it were nothing. Despite all the judgmental stares along with this atmospheric tension, Eleanor still isn't affected. Her authority and ego is on a pedestal compared to the entirety of this group's existence.
"What's with that look dearie? Is there something on my jacket?" Eleanor states jokingly, further raising Tara's frustration.
She wipes off the specks of dust and dander from her leather coat, showcasing more care into her appearance rather than her own child. This only reveals how selfish Eleanor tends to be. This psychotic woman has completely infiltrated their lives, like a tick on skin.
"How do you live with yourself? How could you treat your own son like this? By the way, don't you dare attempt to correct me. Simon's not your daughter, he's your son," Tara states boldly, giving off a menacing look.
Simon gazes at Tara intently, shocked at this sudden uproar. He never expected someone like Tara to stand up for him during a heart wrenching moment. After all he's been through, Tara's aura provides a more comforting presence than it ever did before.
       Although Eleanor has always secluded her true emotions deep down, Simon can tell that Tara's words ran deep. She tries to tune out Tara's voice but to no prevail. It's almost like this tough exterior is fake when it comes to Simon.
       Skyy watches as Eleanor grows frazzled, desperately craving for information. She needs to figure out her enemy's true intentions. However, in order to do that, they all need to bombarde Eleanor with questions about her past.
       After gaining the incriminating piece of knowledge that Eleanor kickstarted majority of this apocalypse, it only enticed the group even further. How could this one figure cause an outbreak of mutants, leading to the fall of humanity?
       "Why are you doing this to us?" Skyy asks curiously, not once breaking eye contact.
       "She has a point. Did you think that letting out lethal mutants would solve this supposed Cold War you were in?" Matthew asks aggressively.
       The rest of the group follows this bandwagon, desiring to hear about Eleanor's motives to this apocalypse. Only Simon would know if Eleanor was always this deranged. However, one factor is uncertain. Was Eleanor's psychotic behavior caused by Admiral Johnson's lack of attention, or did the apocalypse change her tenfold?
       Eleanor sighs as the group unfolds a series of questions and assumptions her way. She's never met such curious souls. However, in her eyes, their curiosity will lead to their demise. She'll play along, for now.
       "Okay, fine. I'll reveal all the motives of my supposed rash decision making," Eleanor cuts them off.
       Their rowdy behavior comes to a halt as it becomes replaced with a lingering silence. The cause of this life changing apocalypse was always in the back of their minds. They wanted a reasoning behind Eleanor's decision making.
       Now, they can finally get what they want. The group will no longer feel clueless and out of the loop. Adaptation is finally within reach. They thought that peace and freedom was finally achieved with this sanctuary, but life isn't perfect. They have learned to not grow too comfortable.
       "I was running on absolute power and vengeance, desperately craving that satisfaction to conquer our opposing nation. In order to win back my husband, I needed to enact a plan, a reckless one at that. I had the money necessary to end this Cold War, and I spent it on mutants!" Eleanor states proudly, barely expressing any remorse with her actions.
       Her motives were completely unjustifiable. It's almost like she has no empathy for anyone other than herself. All that matters to her is her well-being and personal gain. This only confirms how unhinged Eleanor truly is.
       Chris can't handle this anymore. He longs to see Eleanor lying on the floor lifelessly, suffering as blood slowly oozes from her body. Ryan's scared yet peaceful look still haunts him. It leaves a scar in his soul that simply won't fade away, he's stuck in the past.
       She's unapologetic for all the widespread pain and misery she caused in her lifetime. She serves as a contribution to the near extinction of humanity. For if she's able to live a manageable life, all else doesn't matter. Her existence is bliss compared to anyone else's; she's all that matters.
       Chris's anger builds up to a point beyond repair. He raises his pistol, aiming it directly at Eleanor's head. For once, he's in control. It's so satisfying to have the upper hand on your enemy, who knew that this moment could happen with little effort.
       "C-Chris! What're you doing?" Ricky states frantically, barely getting through to him.
       It's almost like Chris has a fire in his eyes, determined to kill this tyrannical leader who has disrupted their way of life. They went from living a peaceful life to fighting out of their own home. The sanctuary isn't safe anymore, Ryan's death proved that sentiment.
       "Chris! Don't you dare do anything drastic now," Jeannie spits furiously, anger mixed with fear.
       The last thing she wants is to lose her brother. Her entire family has been viciously taken away. God knows the level of torment they're all facing. That vivid, excruciating scene of Rosie's motionless body dragging on the floor while Lily wears a petrified expression on her face is engrained in Jeannie's mind.
       She can't escape that horrid moment from this escape attempt. All she could do was watch her sister and niece get kidnapped. Guilt and anguish is what encompasses her thoughts. The only person she has left is Chris; she needs to keep him alive.
       Chris ignores Jeannie's words, finger inching closer and closer towards the trigger. All he wants is to see his family again, to see Myracle again. He failed to protect them, so now he must protect his sister. She's all he can share his sorrows with.
       He needs to protect her until everyone reunites. They're all in need of a joyful resolution for once in this pitiful world. This chance to unleash his anger and take out this tyrannical figure is too great. He needs justice for the entirety of his family, not just his immediate family, but his allies like Myracle and Ryan.
       "If I'm being honest, I don't give a damn about your reasonings. I already know how bad of a person you are, this information only further proves it. I want nothing more than to pull this trigger," Chris growls, causing the knights to act frantically
       Eleanor's posse aims their weapons while others whip out their swords. Chris is on the verge of ending this woman's reign of terror. It's at this exact moment where Chris knows who the true threat to humanity is. It was never the mutants, it's the humans, specifically Eleanor.
       Jess tries to slowly descend Chris's extended arms, trying to convince him to lower the gun. Her eyes are watery, her face alone revealing all the pleads in her mind. This decision won't benefit them down the road.
       "Chris! Please think this over," Jess's voice cracks, the immense stress overtaking her calm nature.
       Chris doesn't budge, shutting out any outside forces. He's running off of pure revenge and animosity. There's never been such hate in his eyes. This will forever change the way Chris thinks and acts. Ryan's death is already stating to slowly affect his judgment.
       "I wouldn't do that if I were you Chris. If you pull that trigger, then your entire family will die, including the child," Eleanor smirks sadistically.
       Everyone's eyes peer onto Chris like glue, witnessing his response. That's the last thing he wanted to hear. The group can practically see his heart shattering before their very eyes. It's completely disheartening to see their leader buckle under the pressure like this.
       "Chris, please make the right decision. I'm begging you!" Jeannie pleads desperately, tears streaming down her face.
       Chris hesitates at first, conflicted on his personal desires along with his levelheaded mindset. He finally lowers the gun, gasping from that exhausting decision, Jeannie and Jess comforting him while he recollects himself.
       At that, Eleanor suddenly starts to move, knights loading up their supplies and equipment in the trucks just outside the exit. The group looks around in bewilderment, wondering about their frantic movements.
       The trucks rev up their engines, clearing out from the hospital's parking lot, driving over the toppled fence and defenses. The sanctuary's safety mechanism was taken out a while ago. That's the reason for this high amount of crawlers.
       Eleanor resides back in her carriage, just about to close the door as most of the knights have already departed. Simon buckled up the courage to speak once again, bewildered about this sudden action.
       "H-Hey! Where are you going?" Simon shouts nervously.
       Lord behold, Eleanor turns around, looking directly at Simon. She's finally acknowledged their existence for the first time in awhile. However, her motives are still unknown. It's looks like she's about to speak.
       "Don't worry Paige, I'll be fine. For you however, well, let's just hope you can outrun the bombs," Eleanor reveals just before an explosion commences.
       The remaining C4 Eleanor placed at the front entrance goes off, blocking their closest exit. Just like that, she's gone. The group is stranded inside as mutants' snarls reverberate through the halls from the blaring noise.
       "What are we going to do?" Tara asks frantically, the fear slowly setting its way in.
        Although Eleanor and her kingdom have fled this cursed, infested compound, there's still a multitude amount of threats within this hospital. They aren't out of the woods yet. The fight hasn't stopped yet, it's just begun.
       "Now, we fight," Chris says pridefully, gathering up the confidence for another epic battle.
       The group darts towards the ominous hallways, showcasing their undeniable determination. Mutants run free while the group tries to evade the explosion. They fight all varieties of mutants, blood splattering while in unison with one another.
       Their dynamics are perfectly in sync. Willpower is fueling this intense drive to escape despite all these terrifying obstacles they're up against. After Ryan's death, mutants don't affect them as much.
       Adrenaline rushes through them as gunshots harmonize with the deafening sound of weak skulls crushing. They're acting like a machine, the amount of creatures dwindling in the blink of an eye.
       Just as Jeannie finishes off her last mutant, she glanced over at Chris longingly, desperately wanting to end this pitiful feud in this moment. She walks over the rotten corpses, disregarding the fact that this sanctuary has transformed into a battlefield.
       "Chris, I just want to say I'm sorry," Jeannie begins, quickly getting cut off.
       "I should be the one to apologize. I treated you poorly like an idiot. You're all I have left at the moment, and I can't stay mad at you anyways," Chris says with a comforting smile. 
       For a moment, he finally thought about something other than Ryan's death. He thought about his sister and how important she is to him. They might've gone through a rough patch, but that will never take away their sibling bond.
       He can finally rely on her again for support, something that he truly needs. There's been too many share of hardships throughout this grueling experience. What he needs now is a distraction from the negatives that this world has to offer.
       Although a huge part of his life just got brutally taken away, he still has other people. He can't lose them too. If Chris loses someone else who's important to him, he'll officially deteriorate. His goal now is to keep on living for Ryan.
       "That's a relief. I care about you so much Chris. You know that right?" Jeannie asks nervously.
       Chris was the reason why Jeannie was able to battle through these circumstances in the first place. Her determination to keep her brother both sane and alive is overwhelming. Ever since she first laid eyes on her brother, she knew that protecting him was the main goal.
       She's the older sister. She needs to be the one who puts her life on the line. This world would merely be a hellhole without Chris by her side. He is her rock, her motivation during this extreme crisis they're facing.
       "Don't worry Jeannie, I know," Chris says reassuringly as they maneuver their way through the hallways in silence.
       Simon sneaks a couple of glances over at Chris, realizing his faults from the past. He acted out rashly whenever his friend would risk his well-being for the group. However, he now recognizes Chris's tenacity.
       He battles his inner thoughts, contemplating on whether or not to confront Chris. This is significant before they embark on this treacherous battle. Simon should talk to Chris before it's too late. There's no telling what this world will offer.
       Simon moves closer towards Chris, his nerves building up. All this pettiness and stubborn attitude should be left in the past. It's time for him to open up and grow comfortable around Chris. For once in his life, Simon has found someone who he can completely trust.
       "Sorry," Simon says abruptly, giving off an awkward, fake smile.
       Although he didn't say much, that moment meant a lot to Chris. Knowing all the torment and dread that Simon's endured, it's touching to watch him grow more vocal. He has finally let his guard down. He's vulnerable.
       "It's fine," Chris responds with a soft smile.
       Their conversation isn't in depth, but they're aware as to how much they care for one another. Safety is their top priority. It's agonizing to watch one another slowly lose their morale, completely demolishing their mental state.
It's extremely important for everyone within the group to have some sort of positive outlook during a difficult situation. For if one person is mentally unstable, it'll lead to the group's collapse, resulting in fatal casualties.
"We gotta keep moving guys! The exit should be just around this corner," Matthew says with enthusiasm, killing a mutant in the blink of an eye.
The group rounds the corner, enthralled as they lock their eyes on the backdoor. The sunlight reflects off the glass, showcasing their soon to be brighter future. As soon as the group forced their way through the door, this nightmare will be over. They need to escape.
They haul towards the exit as if it were a finish line for a marathon. Sweat drips down their faces as the endorphins kick in, the group smiling at the thought of ending this grueling quest. Bombs are cyclically going off behind them, time slowly dwindling.
The times for these bombs seem to be varied. There's no telling when one will go off around their direct vicinity. However, this is the home stretch. All they have to do is fight their way through the few remaining crawlers.
"Let's do this!" Ricky says confidently while cocking the pistol.
"Right behind ya!" Jess says excitedly, longing for open land.
Ricky's wrists are starting to ache from the recoil, but he doesn't care. He's far too focused on escaping this dreadful "sanctuary". There's nothing that he wants more than rest. After a few more gunshots, he should be free.
Jess and Ricky run ahead, killing the remaining few mutants. Their smiles are from ear to ear, celebrating this premature victory. Although they lost a dear friend, they managed to fulfill his promise by staying alive amongst all this endless mayhem.
However, their excitement quickly evaporates as the door gets knocked off its hinges, revealing three superhuman tank-like mutants. The creatures give off an almighty roar, bashing both Jess and Ricky, leaving a hard impact as they reach the wall.
"Jess! Ricky!" Skyy yells worriedly as they aggressively hit the wall.
Jess groans in pain, clearly dazed as Ricky stumbles over himself from the impact. She glances over to her left, jumping from shock. Her head inches away from this razor blade-like metal from the doorframe.
It sticks out like a sore thumb, a health hazard for anyone who embarks on it. If the trajectory off her body was off, she would've been dead on impact. She remains there for a moment, frozen in fear.
They got too comfortable, letting their guard down and acting recklessly. Their freedom was viciously ripped away by these terrifying mutants. More crawlers start flooding towards the exit, the demonic-like screeches attracting them.
"Get ready to fight!" Chris shouts tenaciously, tightly gripping
"We all have to be on high alert," Matthew states blatantly, taking care of the first wave of mutants.
The group works in harmony as mutants encase their every move. They've never been so focused, even Simon is getting in on the action. Throughout this whole battle, this is the most unity they've felt. The tension and awkward silence has finally faded, replaced by teamwork.
       Jeannie uses her pure strength, the swing of her baseball bat crushing the crawlers' rotting skulls. However, this process has become extremely taxing for her body. She can feel her powerful swings start to dissipate.
Suddenly, Jeannie gets yanked to the floor by an unknown force, instantly fighting back. She glances at the creature, eyes widening as she recalls its abnormal figure. It's the same mutant that Karma viciously cut in half. The large centipede-like creature that spits projectile acid.
       She quickly rebuttals, jabbing the mutant with her pocket knife before it could spout its toxic acid. However, Jeannie shudders, exhaustion setting in. There's a hot, searing pain on her leg, making her immobile.
       The blood rushes to her head, affecting her hearing as Chris looks down in fear. She finally glances down her body, noticing a deep, clean laceration on her calf, desperately trying to get up.
       "Jeannie! Come on you have to fight for me!" Chris says worriedly, trying to bring his sister to her feet.
       While Jeannie struggles to stabilize, Ricky thinks of a plan, disregarding the immeasurable pain he's endured. Although he's absolutely petrified, this is a task he has to do. If he doesn't distract the tank-like mutants, it'll endanger Chris and Jeannie.
       "Jess I got a plan! Just follow along," Ricky says reassuringly, raising his handgun at the mutants.
       "You got it!" Jess agrees, awaiting his first move.
       Ricky fires his gun, attracting all the attention on to him and Jess. This may seem reckless, but it'll ensure the others' safety. If this plan works, time to escape will be guaranteed.
       "Over here dimwits!" Jess shouts obnoxiously, clanging her katana against the wall.
      Three of the four super-humans chase after Jess and Ricky, leaving the others to fend off the rest. Everyone is showcasing an act of bravery. They can't lose another group member, it'd be too demeaning.
        Matthew and Tara both gawk at the tempting clearing. There's a possibility for everyone to escape. Perhaps, this fight could finally come to a halt. They both jump at the opportunity, calling out to the others.
       "Guys! There's an opening!" Matthew calls out quickly, dashing towards their new lives.
       "Right behind you!" Tara says gleefully as the rest trail behind.
       Once they make it through this battle, they can start anew. This will motivate them to chase after their group members, reestablishing a stable team. They desire that tendency to create new memories with the people they're close with.
       They walk over the demolished door, practically frolicking amongst the open air. All they have to do now is wait for the others. If they can all persevere through this, they can take on any challenge that comes their way.
       However, a conflict soon arises just as Matthew and Tara escape the madness of the sanctuary. They both glance back at the group, noticing the sudden wave of mutants merging with their allies.
       Chris struggles to maintain Jeannie's balance, making him easy prey for the remaining superhuman. The creature swings, hitting Chris with all its might. His body propels a bit in the air, slamming against the wall.
       While their leader endured that heavy hit, Skyy gets jumped by a crawler, the razor sharp nails inching closer to her neck. She's completely caught off guard by this attack, leaving her defenseless.
       In Simon's case however, there's been no activity of mutants around him. This leaves him with a tough decision to make. That decision being to help Chris or Skyy. He despises mind games like these, falling under the pressure.
       The superhuman wails on Chris repeatedly, it's like watching a puppet on strings, being tossed around uncontrollably. He has absolutely no liberty to move as this superhuman sticks to Chris like glue.
       Simon gets lost in thought, thinking about all the consequences he'll face. There's only one topic on his mind, the question being, Who should I save? He finally musters up the courage firing his rounds at the superhuman, giving Chris a chance to help his injured sister.
       Although Skyy is battling with her own handicap of a prosthetic leg, she's still rather crafty. Whenever she has her mind set on something, it'll always be achieved. Her tenacity is admirable.
       Matthew can't take his eyes off Skyy. Even if he doesn't want to resort to his overprotective nature, his feelings for Skyy are too great. He would never forgive himself if his longtime ally were to get hurt; he's already damaged from Ryan's death.
       If only he had stopped Ryan and Tara from walking out that door, then maybe he would've still been alive. It's a mistake that he'll have to live with for the rest of his life. This is a mistake that's not about to reoccur.
       "Be careful," Tara says with a soft smile, preemptively knowing Matthew's intentions.
       "I will," Matthew says reassuringly before dashing back into the hellhole.
       She admires how bold Matthew is; there's even some envy involved. If only she had fired her arrow sooner, perhaps her significant other would've lived. She needs traits like Matthew's. It's a necessity if she wants to keep on living in this world.
       The group takes notice of the periodic explosions, realizing how close it actually is. They're officially in the danger zone, struggling to avoid attacks while also evading these unpredictable bombs.
       Matthew instantly rushes over towards Skyy, ignoring any possibly hazards in his way. She can't die, not like this. He still has so much to talk to her about. He longs for every moment alone with her. Skyy needs to live.
       He rips away the crawler effortlessly, releasing his anger onto the sole crawler. Skyy watches her ally demolish the creature in seconds, instantly growing agitated at her own abilities. She'll absolutely hates feeling helpless, like a liability.
       She longs for the day where she can finally showcase her level of fight and determination. However, it's not such a simple task. This prosthetic leg has only gotten in the way, working against her. If Skyy wants to accomplish her goal, she'll need to adapt to this  new leg, fast.
       Meanwhile Simon stands around aimlessly, frozen in shock as to what he just accomplished. This is something he never would've dreamed of. He's defeated a superhuman.
       The muscular frame lays lifelessly on the floor, filled to the brim with bullets. Clearly, Simon made the right choice. This level of satisfaction never felt so undeniable. Who knew that fighting could light a fire inside his soul to keep on moving in this cruel world.
       He glances over towards Tara, motioning him to come over. An experience like this one coming to end seems so surreal. This level of grit never seemed immaginabile to Simon before. He can finally call himself a survivor.
       However, this isn't over yet. Half of the group still remains in the compound. Jess and Ricky start to return from the ashes, a horde of mutants trailing behind. It's too close to call. There's no telling what's about to happen.
       Jeannie finally gets up, Chris trying to hold his own while grasping at his wound that got repeatedly beaten by the superhuman. Simon grows skeptical, feeling like the timer is about to go off. There's no way of knowing if the rubble would crush them all or not.
      They struggle to stay afloat, desperately trying to push themselves. Jeannie's absolutely empty, her senses barely responding. Fear is all she feels, knowing that she's on the verge of death.
       Chris glances at his sister, noticing her pale complexion. That look is haunting. It serves as a reminder to Ryan's death, watching him slip away in his arms. He can't allow this to happen again. She needs to be motivated to keep on pushing.
       "Come on Jeannie, please push a little harder," Chris says hoarsely, clearly emotionally destroyed by this journey.
       Suddenly, he collapses, completely out of energy. Simon and Matthew respond quickly, dashing inside the ticking time bomb of the sanctuary. Jess and Ricky finally catch up, holding Jeannie's body up as they slowly trudge towards the exit.
       Simon knew that he was going to enter the hospital sooner or later. For if Chris were to obtain one more major injury, it would've been fatal. The others have a chance at survival. Chris wouldn't have if Simon and Matthew hadn't intervened.
       Matthew and Simon glance at each other, revealing their trust for one another. Although they don't necessarily see eye to eye, they do express such care for the group's well-being. In reality, they're alike.
       Chris starts to grow reluctant, trying to resist their help. He grunts in dissatisfaction, desperately craving to be next to his sister. That's the last person who he wants to leave alone.
       "No! Let me go! I have to help Jeannie!" Chris shouts furiously, lacking the strength to merely scream.
       "She's in good hands Chris," Simon says reassuringly as they walk outside.
       Jeannie watches her brother exit the facility, smiling brightly at the sight. Although he's clearly fighting the help, she's glad that he's safe. The thing that matters most is family, and family is forever.
       She limps toward the exit, her body completely numb. Jess stabilizes Jeannie while keeping an eye on the wound, getting worried by the minute.
       "You're almost there Jeannie! Just keep moving!" Chris's voice cracks.
       Jeannie chokes up, realizing how much Chris cares for her. When this apocalypse first started, she acted like it solely affected her. However, she's come to a realization. Jeannie was a lucky one.
       Being surrounded by family was a part of her everyday life. Clearly, she took what she had for granted. All she's received was undeniable love and support. It's baffling that she got a chance to grow even closer to her family throughout an apocalypse.
       Skyy watches dangerously close to the deteriorating hospital like this is a suspenseful horror movie. The temptation to barge through the hospital is extreme, but Matthew won't let her; it's too dangerous.
       Chris breaks free from Matthew and Simon's grasp holding out his hand for the others. However, just before they reach one another, the bomb goes off. The impact sends his body backwards, the others getting affected in their own way.
       Everyone felt that impact, even Tara was affected although she was distanced. Even though they made it out, there still no guarantee that anyone's alive.
       Oddly enough, Chris is the first one to stabilize, a high pitched ringing piercing through his eardrums as he gazes at the demolished sanctuary.
       He glances around for his group members, not yet noticing the ones who were stuck in the thick of the blast. Fortunately, the others have recovered rather quickly, but there's no telling what damage that blast had on their bodies.
       Simon and Matthew lock eyes with Chris, all sharing a similar panicked look. The other three are missing. They have no clue where they could be located. Their conditions are completely unknown.
       Nobody knows what to expect. They all overexerted their energy. Another negative result will change the group's dynamic drastically. If they have to encounter another dead ally, there's no telling what they'd do. There's no telling what Chris will do.