Uriel drank throughout the entire night. Behind him was a pile of completely empty beer bottles.
"They say this stuff is enough to get even a master drunk, but that's nonsense," he murmured, tossing the empty bottle onto another pile with a clinking sound.
Taking a look around, he checked the time on his communicator, noticing it would soon be ten in the morning.
"Hey, Soul, how many inhabitants are there total in this city right now?"
"About sixty million, approximately," came the voice in his mind.
"That's good. Just two more trips and that's it. Everything was a success."
Falling onto his back, he felt the cold ground.
Of the four hundred million inhabitants of Falcon Scott, about 98% had been evacuated to the safety of East Antarctica for relocation.
Uriel wondered what to do next.
First, he would sleep for a week in his wonderful b—
Uriel frowned.
"I hope Effie hasn't stolen my bed. Oh, if she has, I'll throw Gunlaug in her face," he murmured, somewhat annoyed.
Putting his annoyance aside, he thought about how he needed to catch up with Scarlet before she turned him into crispy fried chicken, then chat a bit, and of course, show off in front of Kai and see his always entertaining reactions.
And maybe after that, simply stay and read something with classical music in the background and a good wine.
Hearing footsteps, he turned to look at Jet.
"Good morning, Master Colonel Jet. How may this humble Ascended be of service?" he asked with a smile.
Jet looked at the empty bottles—she counted at least forty. Flipping one with her foot, she observed it was an expensive beer, capable of affecting even Ascended with just a few.
"You're drunk," Jet said.
"No, I'm not drunk. Just a little dizzy, hehe."
Jet sighed.
"How many of these did you drink?"
"About forty-something, I think. I still have about thirty or so left. Want one?"
"Yes." Uriel took out a bottle, handing it to Jet, who uncapped it and took a drink.
"I didn't think you could drink alcohol."
"On special occasions," the woman replied.
"I see." Uriel took out another bottle, removed the cap, and took a drink.
"You know, after you drink more than twenty, the taste changes to something saltier, and then when you reach thirty, it becomes sweet. It's a bit strange, honestly."
"Why were you drinking?"
Uriel shrugged.
"Nothing, really. I guess I just felt like having a beer, celebrating that everything is over and all that."
"About that..."
"I don't want another medal. I already have like five of them, and if I see another, I'm giving them all away."
"Medals are inevitable, Uriel. You know that's to boost morale."
"The government can shove their morale where the sun doesn't shine," he said with annoyance.
"I have to agree with you on that point." Jet took another drink from her bottle.
"This operation was a disaster from start to finish. It was destined to fail," Jet commented.
Uriel remained silent, listening to his superior vent.
"We expected countless casualties, that we would only be able to evacuate about one or two hundred million before losing this part of the continent. That's why the greater resources and Awakened were focused on the eastern part."
"I already imagined that," Uriel murmured, looking at the enormous Soul Tree.
"From the moment I read the report about more troops, the Awakened, and where they would be deployed, I knew they sent us to be nothing more than a temporary barrier to buy time and secure the eastern part. I suppose they chose the lesser evil, killing thousands and millions in the process."
Jet said nothing.
"However, that's what would have happened in another scenario. If you had refused to come, Antarctica would no longer exist. Category Four gates opening, abominations capable of killing Transcendents. I'm still amazed by everything that happened in just seven months."
"A lot of crazy things happened, but hey, in the end, we succeeded. Many lives were lost, but more lives were saved. Although the Nightmare Chain has barely begun, millions will live, hundreds of thousands will awaken, thousands will ascend, and hundreds of Saints will be born."
"That's quite optimistic."
"Why is it?"
"Currently, there are sixty million people in Falcon Scott, plus twenty thousand soldiers and five hundred Awakened. If we put it in perspective, even if something were to happen and something emerged that couldn't be eliminated, and all these people died, the evacuation would still be considered a success," Jet said.
"What do you mean, Master Jet?"
"I'm trying to say that, in situations like this, success isn't measured by saving everything... but by saving what you can."
Jet kept her gaze steady, her voice serene but heavy.
"Sixty million lives are already out of immediate danger. That's more than many worlds have achieved in worse circumstances. If something arises... something impossible to stop... and we lose this place, even everyone left here..."
She paused briefly.
"Then it will mean we did the right thing by prioritizing evacuation. That we gave humanity a chance to continue, instead of risking everything for pride or blind hope."
The silence became dense.
"In short... we've already won the most important part. What happens now... is just how much more we can preserve before the end."
Uriel looked at the Ascended with some amusement.
"It's a little funny. But well, the world is crazy, and you need a certain madness to live in it."
"Of everyone here, you're the craziest."
"I'm not crazy. The world is crazy," Uriel replied as a mysterious wind moved his hair, giving him a wise air.
He shook his head.
"I'll never understand where that wind comes from."
"By the way, Master Jet, what happened to the White Feather Clan?"
"They're withdrawing. They lost many members, and Saint Tirys needs recovery after the battle against the swarm. Bloodwave is also withdrawing to protect the vessel he's on. The high command is satisfied with the final result and, as always, will take credit for the entire operation and all that, without missing the opportunity to propagandize everyone's image, including highlighting yours."
"I hate government propaganda. Can I sue the government?" he asked, looking at Jet.
"I don't think so."
Uriel clicked his tongue.
"I suppose I'll have to conquer the government or form a new one. I have the resources and the support of hundreds of millions, so it wouldn't be difficult." A malicious smile spread across his face, making Jet sweat a drop.
"Whatever you say."
They both continued talking and drinking for the rest of the day.
The next day, of the sixty million, only less than ten million remained. The last ship would arrive in two days.
During the following days, Uriel walked carefree. He had dismissed Soul three days earlier since he was no longer needed. Instead, he let the Dark Knight kill the abominations. Sometimes he would join in out of boredom or simply limit himself to watching.
Sunny had left on the last ship, as had Jet. In the end, only he remained.
After the last ship departed with the remaining millions, Uriel was alone in Falcon Scott.
It took him some time, but he finally found it. Beneath a mountain of corpses, he found the bodies of his cohort. Their bodies were barely recognizable, missing one or two limbs. Although their bodies were dead, their souls were in their second nightmare. Once they overcame it, the spell would create new bodies for them upon achieving ascension.
Uriel summoned the Winter Beast after making a grave for his subordinates' bodies, just in case.
Uriel looked at the Winter Beast, whose presence began to change the weather, causing a light snowstorm that would cover everything and erase everything.
Uriel smiled, amused.
"I suppose the Demon of Repose was right: In the end, the cold covers everything, and the cold erases everything. The cold is not punishment... it is the end of suffering. Because in the end, repose is neither good nor bad... it is inevitable," he murmured, looking at the Transcendent titan.
Uriel walked away into the darkness.
"Cover everything and erase everything," he ordered mentally. Immediately, a fierce snowstorm began, freezing everything and erasing everything.
Uriel, after emerging at a great distance, summoned his black chair, watching as finally the darkness of night ended and with it, a new day arrived.
Uriel took a sip from his coffee cup, watching the beginning of twilight that would last several weeks until daytime arrived for the next few months.
Uriel sat there, enjoying the peace of being alone for a long while. From his dark storage, he took out his Rhino, where he showered, ate something, and slept completely without any worry on his face.
In the end, Uriel slept for three full days.