After the funeral crowd started thinning, Aria approached James, Finn, and Kael near the church parking area.
Her face was still red from crying, but her voice was steady when she spoke. "I need to tell you something."
Finn looked at her while waiting.
"I'm done climbing the Tower."i
The words hung in the air for a moment before Finn responded. "You're retiring?"
"Yes."
Aria looked at all three of them while continuing. "I made enough money from the Tower to live comfortably for a while, but that's not the real reason. The real reason is I can't watch a friend die, attend the funeral, and then step into the next floor like that's normal."
She did not sound weak when she said it because she sounded honest instead. She had survived the Tower, fought beside them through nine floors, and knew exactly what she was walking away from when she made this decision.
