Without its sun relic, the city of Eno was left to heal on its own. Both teams, with the guardians and sun staff, made the quiet flight back to the Bresnian Celestial Base.
The sun had almost completely set by the time they returned. Although many people stood outside the hangars to congratulate them, the operations room was much less enthusiastic.
As they entered, Maeyune saw silver and red streak across the room's monitors. The screens were replaying a very familiar scene: the battle between Moon God and Sun Goddess.
She stared in shock. Had someone been recording her and Reo the entire time?
Even as she watched, it was a duel that at moments had been too quick to capture. Beside her, Reo watched with wide eyes. He looked away as the recording exposed him lunging at Deric, with Maeyune almost too late to stop him.
General Soras pushed a single button on one of the panels. The recording paused precisely on the moment when Maeyune had placed her hands on Reo's head to enter his mind.
Silence consumed the room. Deiyu's eyes traveled to her. There was little concern in his bearing, only heavy disappointment.
The facility director regarded her with mild interest.
"Both Saber and Aegis Teams are grounded until further notice," General Soras began, his demeanor assertive. "Neither of you are allowed to leave this base."
Both teams stirred with commotion.
"But without us, the Iron Prophet will get their hands on more sun relics!" Reo disputed.
"We risk more damage with all of you running around out there like children!" the general berated. "You two have done enough."
Reo was ready to offer reproach, but stopped when he noticed the manner in which everyone watched him. As if he were a liability. Everyone, save one. Maeyune had cast her dark eyes to the ground, her expression incomprehensible.
"You can't stop us," Reo said to the general, his voice low.
A dark shadow crossed Soras' face. "Is that a threat, Mr. Castell?"
Reo did not reply, but his face said it clearly. Yes.
"I suggest you practice some self-restraint, Mr. Castell," Deiyu remarked calmly.
Reo took a menacing step toward him. "Or else what?"
Despite having seen Reo's powers for himself, Deiyu stood tall and unfazed. "Or else," the Suolani commander continued, "you will place everyone here in jeopardy and force Miss Ereni's hand again."
Reo looked over his shoulder. Maeyune met his eyes squarely. There was no hostility, only warning.
"You are dismissed," Soras declared stoutly.
Without a word, Maeyune bowed and exited the room. Her team, a distinguishable sight of agitation, followed afterwards.
In the hall, Clover could no longer contain his irritation. "They're blaming us for this?" he exclaimed. "We weren't the ones who started it!"
Behind them, Oren stormed out of the operations room. He overheard Clover's raised voice. "You were the ones who interfered!" he yelled back. He pointed an accusing finger. "We don't need your help to defend Bera!"
"You were the ones who-" Clover started, but Maeyune placed a hand on his arm to stop him from saying any more.
Reo and the rest of Saber Team emerged into the hall, fully aware of the rising tension. As the doors to the operations room closed, Reo turned to Maeyune, his brows furrowed.
"They can't keep us here while the Iron Prophet continues to attack," he asserted.
As he approached her, Aerylis and Clover instinctively slid in front of her. Reo stopped in his tracks. He stared at them, momentarily surprised at their protective stances.
Through her friends' bravado, Maeyune could see their angst. She quietly commanded them to step aside. Their protection was beyond unnecessary, and although done with good intentions, it was unwanted.
"They are right. We have done enough damage," she spoke carefully. Despite returning with the temple guardians and the sun relic, their teams had destroyed the temple and many parts of the city.
Never had she failed before. And never had she faced such humiliation, in an allying country no less.
Reo frowned at her. "You're just going to allow the enemy to destroy our relics? We are the only ones who can stop them!"
Her annoyance spiked, her eyebrow twitching upward. Had he already forgotten what happened?
"After what happened today, we are causing more harm than good," she reminded him, voice straining to remain calm.
Clover wanted to speak, but she silenced him with a terse mental sting. He was not going to help.
She should have prevented it all from happening. She should have seen it coming. It was her fault to have trusted Reo and his team. She had been naive to have thought they would get along after the alliance signing.
No, she refused to fail again.
"The Iron Prophet will continue to destroy innocent lives!" Reo continued.
Forgetting herself, she retorted, "And having to stop you every time will cost even more!"
Reo's eyes darkened, but he made no response. She saw his jaw clench. At least he was not foolish enough to refute the truth.
"Your actions almost cost the lives of my team and yours," she said, her low voice carrying an inflection of warning. "You have done enough killing."
Reo stared back at her, incredulous. "I do what needs to be done," he quarreled. "What do you know about sacrifice? You have never actually killed anyone, have you?"
Maeyune stood her ground. "I have never had to. We should never have to."
"So what," he said, "you take all the prisoners you can? Save their lives, is that it?"
"Yes!"
"Right, I get it now." He tilted his head back so that he looked down his nose at her. It gave him the air of pompousness, and she had to fight the urge to slap him.
She realized that Clover had been the only one who had ever looked at her like that, and it had been years since that mistake.
"You forget," Reo went on. "We were never graced with the telepathic abilities of the moon. Not even torture can get Prophet soldiers to speak. But now that you're here, I'm sure we can help the enemy repent."
For the longest moment, they stood glaring at each other with silent animosity. The reminiscent tension of their battle hung over them like a stormcloud, and she was ready if he wanted to relive it again.
Her fists inspired nails to dig into her palms. He was confident and unwavering in his stance, and it irked her to no end his outright lack of respect.
The complete insolence! her mind fumed.
Reo spoke again. "If you would rather spend your time waiting on orders instead of protecting the magic that made us, then stay out of my way."
He pushed past her with Saber Team on his heels. Both Deric and Jaysek sent her an apologetic glance before they hurried after their captain.
After they rounded the corner down the hall, Meera sighed. "You know, Sun Prince or not," she said, "he's a jerk."
Maeyune could only stare ahead, Reo's sarcasm ringing in her ears. "He's right."
"About what?" Meera asked, appalled.
Maeyune took several meditative breaths to quell the angry knot in her chest. She then unclenched her fists, forcing calm upon herself. "We cannot stand by while the Iron Prophet continues their attacks," she replied. "But if Reo does the same thing he did today, he will kill innocent people. I have to stop him."
Clover crossed his arms and scowled. "They said it themselves. They can handle it. We were, after all, in their way."
"So what happens when someone else gets in their way?" Trix said. "Maeyune's right. We're the only ones who can stop them."
They all waited for Maeyune to move. But she could only stand there, eyes shut as she wondered how it all could have gone better.
This alliance was going to be more difficult than she had ever imagined. Whatever partnership she and Reo had shared twenty years ago was now nonexistent.