Kara's ankle wobbled beneath the weight of her body and she was forced to sink back against the crutches she'd hoped to leave behind weeks ago. Gritting her teeth, she tried to push herself back up, but her arms shook and nearly sent her toppling onto her back. Glauca frowned and the doctor chewed her lip.

"Well, progress is progress." She pushed her glasses up with the back of her pen. "Sit down a moment, Kara. Give your body a break."

"It's had its break," Kara protested, standing stubbornly. Glauca raised an eyebrow over a scarred eye and she quieted, sitting on the edge of the infirmary bed.

"Progress isn't coming fast enough," the commander replied, shooting the doctor a disapproving look. "How long will it be until she can fight? Years? We don't have the time for that."

"It won't be years," the woman sniffed, unafraid of the hulking man's irritation. She eyed Kara with a sympathetic smile. "Months, more like. Once her bones have properly healed and her muscles have knit back together."

Glauca sighed, shaking his head. "And then what? Weakness for another few months?"

"Perhaps. However, she was chosen for a reason, was she not? It seems she's worth keeping around." She turned her face upward to meet the commander's eye. "Besides, the chancellor has taken a liking to her and I doubt you want to make many moves outside his favor, Titus."

Kara smiled to herself, biting her lip to make her expression less visible. Her ankle was throbbing and her muscles ached to be used, but she knew she had to remain seated. They were pushing her too early and they knew it. Absently, she ran her fingers up and down the short, shaved hairs along her head where the surgeons cut away her hair to patch her skull back together. She hated missing large chunks of the long hair she'd been growing out for so long, but Kylinn insisted the shave made her look badass. At least she still had the other half.

"I won't be if her progress continues, I just wish it was at a faster pace." Glauca crossed his arms and a gentler look overtook his features, one that Kara had come to associate with respect for her leader. He was an Imperial bastard, certainly, but a kind and admirable one. "You've tried the healers? The potions?"

"Of course we have, but there's only so far those can go." The doctor crossed her arms, cocking her head to the side. Her ponytail swung with the motion, brushing her coat quietly. "Don't worry too much about weakening muscles. We've been doing exercises to prevent too much atrophy, and it's not like she'll lose the memory of the motions."

"I know." Glauca glanced toward Kara's crutches. "Do you think she could take a wheelchair outside for some fresh air?"

"Now or in general?"

"In general." The commander eyed Kara. "She looks like she could use some sunlight."

"We'll put it on the agenda," the doctor replied with a nod. "Now, if you're finished evaluating, she has visitors on the schedule and I have other patients to attend to."

"Of course."

Glauca nodded toward Kara and held open the door for the doctor. The two of them left in silence, leaving Kara alone on the edge of the bed. Sighing, she heaved her legs back up onto the mattress with a grimace. Those exercises aren't doing shit. I'm weaker by the day. She slumped against her pillow and stared up at the ceiling. And closer to dying of boredom every second. Because everyone was so busy picking up the slack of the missing soldiers Ardyn dismissed, she hardly got to see anyone and spent most of the passing days staring at the ceiling and lifting tiny dumbbells. Today, though, she finally had a visitor, and it was someone she'd been missing for a long time.

Just when she thought her visitor had decided not to come, the door opened and in walked Aloc with a grin on his face and a handful of sylleblossoms in a jar. Kara couldn't help but laugh as she accepted the gift, flicking a bug off one of the vibrant purple petals and pulling Aloc into a one-armed hug.

"I hope you like them. Had to 'em out of the cemetery."

"I love them," she replied, unable to wipe the smile off her face. "What's new in your world? Anything exciting?"

Aloc shrugged, falling into the chair beside her bed and crossing his ankle over his knee. "I dunno. I've learned a lot." Laughing nervously, he touched his glasses and ran a hand through his unruly hair. "I, uh, might be getting moved to the Zenautus Keep lab."

"Whoa, what?!" Kara's eyes went wide. Zegnautus Keep was where the big leagues researched for the Empire. "For what?"

"To help improve the magitek soldiers. They're having a few technical difficulties and a few of us younger guys thought of a few ways to fix 'em."

Kara's jaw was slack with awe. Aloc, who they all feared was going to be working with the top Imperial researchers because of an idea that he was surely downplaying. "Aloc, that's amazing! Congrats!"

"Yeah…" His eyes lowered and he sighed. Her heart sank. "It's not that I don't want to go, it's just…" He motioned toward her. "You and Mairi and Leo are all I have in this entire world, and I'd have to leave you behind. I don't even know when I'd ever get to see you again."

Kara reached out a hand to rest on his knee and flashed an understanding smile. "I know. But this is a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Aloc. You can't give that up for the rest of us. You know Mairi would hit you right now if she knew what you were thinking."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, I know."

"So, tell me. What's this genius idea?"

Just as quickly as his smile came, it disappeared. "I can't say."

"Afraid I'll steal it?" she teased.

He forced a half-hearted smile. "There's a lot you don't know about what goes on behind the scenes here, and I hope you never have to know." Frowning, Kara watched him shake his head to clear his thoughts. "But enough sad talk. I want to know about you."

"Well, I can get around with crutches. I lift tiny weights and eat pudding for most meals." Kara forced a laugh and rubbed at her head. "And they took my hair away."

"Yeah, some of it. I wasn't going to say anything." Aloc grinned and cocked his head to the side. "It doesn't look half bad, though. Makes you look tougher."

Kara snorted. "I look like a member of a heavy metal band."

"A little."

Rolling her eyes, she smacked his knee and pushed herself upright. Her head was starting to hurt from suppressing her worry over Aloc's vague words. What goes on behind the scenes that he can't tell me? Will they kill him for it? The thought of saying goodbye without a set date for seeing each other again made her sad, but she was proud that he'd made it to that point from his previous position as a failed foot soldier. Perhaps I shouldn't be proud if he insists that his work is no good, though.

"That's not all I came to talk to you about, though." Aloc perked up quickly, standing. "You can walk with those crutches, right? I bet it would be nice to see the others."

Kara felt immediate relief. Seeing the sun, her brother, and her friends would make her life. "Do you have permission to kidnap me?"

"Of course." Aloc laughed, handing her crutches to her as she carefully set her feet on the ground. "When have I ever broken rules? It was you of all people that broke more than anyone else."

"Don't remind me," she scoffed, forcing herself upright and adjusting the uncomfortable rests underneath her arms. "What are they doing today?"

"Funny you should ask." Aloc held open the door and closed it carefully behind them. "We'll miss all the boring speeches and applause, but I'm sure you'll be excited to hear the news everyone will dump on you."

"News?" Kara frowned, searching her mind for any reason for news, but she found none. Something must have changed drastically in all the time she was away. Perhaps that's why Glauca was so concerned; she was missing everything.

"You'll see."

Aloc led the way out of the infirmary and helped her hop down the stairs one by one. By the time they reached the outdoors, Kara was sore and sweaty. But she wasn't about to skip out on this opportunity if it meant that she'd learn something important and get stronger. Aloc waved an arm over his head to catch the attention of the gathered soldiers that stood together along the training grounds below. Mairi was the first to look up and she took off immediately once she saw who they were, followed by Leo.

"You're alive!" Mairi squealed, resisting the urge to crush Kara into a hug and opting for an arm squeeze. Kara laughed, nodding. The two watched as Leo and Aloc shoved each other, making up for all the lost time they could have been picking on one another.

"What's happening out here?" Kara asked once they were paying attention. "Aloc says you should have news?"

Mairi's eyes sparkled. "Oh! I'll leave the important bits for Wyn and Ravus, but we all get to do our first duties on the front lines!" Leo chuckled when she squealed again at the sight of Kara's shock. "The stalemate is over, and the Empire needs something to really give a good push into Lucis territory."

"We'll miss you out there," Leo continued, raising his arm to block a playful punch from Aloc. "But we know you have to take the time to get all put back together."

Mairi nodded eagerly, grabbing Kara's shoulders. "Right! Next time we head out, you'll be with us. You deserve to be."

Kara took a breath to respond, but she caught sight of her brother and Ravus making their way over. They both absolutely beamed with pride, and Wyn's grin was only stretched further when he caught sight of her. Mairi stepped to the side and smiled as he every so gingerly rested an arm across her back and drew her into a careful hug.

"Does this hurt?"

"A little," she teased, pulling away. "Be careful, you might shatter me."

Laughing, he stepped back to Ravus's side. The Oracle's brother raised an eyebrow, hands clasped behind his back and lips tracing the faintest smile. Confused, Kara shot Mairi a look.

"Guys," Mairi sang out, kicking Wyn's shin. "Don't you have something to tell her?"

"Oh!" Wyn stepped back, and with a grand gesture, opened his arms to motion toward Ravus. "This is the new commander-in-training of our class!"

"No!" Kara gasped, mouth gaping with shock. Pure joy flooded her heart. Everything Ravus wanted was steadily falling into place, and she couldn't be happier. "Congratulations, Commander Nox Fleuret."

"Not yet," Ravus replied. With a bit of mocking dread, he motioned toward Wyn with his head. "He's my second. Not sure why."

"You're kidding!" Kara could hardly believe her ears.

Wyn laughed and shook his head. "Yeah, I don't believe it either."

"You both deserve it," Leo said, resting an arm across the back of Mairi's shoulders. "In that order."

"Shut up," Wyn scoffed, grinning as he pushed Leo's shoulder. "Although, it does work in my favor. He gets to be a dick and I get to pretend I don't agree with him."

Ravus raised his eyebrows and glanced up toward the sky, as close to rolling his eyes as Kara had ever seen. "Pretend."

Kara sank back on her crutches, ignoring the soreness in her arms from resting so much weight on them. It was hard to understand how everything changed so fast in the few weeks she'd spent recovering. Glauca was making a new leader for their unit, and he gave that leader a second-in-command at that. Everyone from Kylinn to Leo was being sent out to Lucis territory to assist in efforts to expand Imperial control and to prove their worth to the emperor and his chancellor. Aloc was leaving them to live across the world and assist the Empire from the laboratories of Zegnautus Keep.

And there was Kara, slouching into her crutches, aching from head to toe and unable to walk more than a few feet at a time. It made her feel entirely useless beneath her shining joy and beaming pride. As they all left to carry the weight of the Empire's crown, she laid in bed and wiggled her toes to prove she could still feel, stagnant as the world turned around her. All she could do was pray that they didn't forget her in the wake of all their victories. She still had a home to avenge.

SORRY THAT THIS IS ANOTHER SLOW CHAPTER!

IT'S SETTING UP ALL THE FUN STUFF THAT'S COMING IN PART 2 (!) OF THE STORY THAT'S STARTING IN THE NEXT CHAPTER :P