The guild hall was uncharacteristically silent, the usual hum of activity repced by a somber stillness. Ethan stepped into the chamber, his boots eg softly against the polished floors. Holographic pedestals lihe room, each dispying a flickering image of a fallen merary. Lyra's hologram, her face set iermined fideood among them.

  At the far end of the hall, a t memorial wall etched with names reflected the soft amber glow of the room's lights. Ethan's gaze lingered on Lyra's name, freshly inscribed alongside others who had fallen in service to the guild.

  Guild members filled the chamber, standing in silent clusters or seated in the few rows of chairs. Some clutched personal mementos, while others simply bowed their heads. Ethan moved to the back, his presenobtrusive as he observed the se.

  The Branch Master, Darrik Voss, stood at a tral podium, his weathered features illuminated by the holograms. His deep voice broke the silence, anding attention.

  "Today, we gather to honor those who gave their lives in the fight against the Syndicate," Voss began, his toeady but heavy with emotion. "They were more than just meraries. They were friends, rades, and protectors of those who ot protect themselves."

  He gestured to the holograms behind him. "Eaame on this wall represents a story, a life cut short but not fotten. Their sacrifices remind us of the stakes we face, and their ce fuels our resolve to press on."

  The room remaiill as Voss spoke, his words resonating with those present.

  A veteran merary stepped forward, his armor polished but worn with the marks of tless battles. "Lyra," he began, his voice steady, "wasn't just a skilled fighter. She was someone who stood for the principles we all strive for, proteg the i and never bag down, no matter the odds. She inspired those around her, and her loss is a reminder of why we fight."

  Etha a pang of guilt as the words echoed in his mind. He'd only known Lyra for a few days, but her death weighed on him heavily. He thought of her st moments, urging him to finish the mission, her life cimed by the mind-trol ohar had unleashed.

  As the ceremony cluded, the room began to stir with quiet versatiohan lingered by the back wall, his gaze fixed on Lyra's hologram. He felt a presence beside him and turo see Kael, the guild's secretary. The older man's lined face was calm, his sharp eyes carrying the weight of years of experience.

  Kael folded his arms, speaking in a low voice. "Loss like this... it doesn't get easier, Ethan. But it's part of what we do. We fight because someone has to, and sometimes that means burying the people we fight beside."

  Ethan nodded slowly, his throat tightening. "I know. I just-" He paused, searg for the right words. "I keep w if I could've done more. If I'd been faster or smarter, maybe she'd still be here."

  Kael shook his head. "As i told you before, you'll drive yourself mad thinking that way. Lyra made her choice to fight, just like we all do. She khe risks, and she faced them head-on. The best way to honor her isn't to dwell on what could've been, it's to keep fighting for what she believed in."

  Kael's voice softened. "Her name's on that wall now, but her legacy? That's in you and everyone else who tihis fight. Don't let her down by losing yourself in guilt."

  Before Ethan could respond, Zyrix joihem, his presence as steady as ever. The psma sniper rifle slung across his back glinted faintly in the room's light.

  "Kael's right," Zyrix said bluntly. "Grief's part of the job, Walker. I've lost more allies than I care to t. But you don't let it drown you. You use it. Turn it into focus, drive, whatever keeps you sharp. The minute you let it e you, the Syndicate wins twice."

  Ethan gnced betweewo men, their words sinking in. "I hear you," he said quietly, though the weight in his chest remained. "I'll keep moving forward."

  Zyrix cpped him on the shoulder, a gesture of solidarity. "Good. You've got what it takes to make a difference. Just remember, this fight isn't about one person. It's about everyone who 't fight for themselves."

  As the others moved ohan found himself alohe memorial wall. He stepped closer, his eyes trag the ched into the etal. Lyra's ood out, a painful reminder of how quickly lives could be lost in this unfiving universe.

  His mind wao his past life oh, a world of monotony and safety. He'd been a simple saryman, tent with the muil fate had torn him from that life. Now, standing in a hall dedicated to those who'd fallen in battle, he felt the full weight of how far he'd e.

  Ethan pced a hand on the wall, the etal grounding him. "I won't fet," he murmured, his voice steady. "And I won't stop."

  The memories of the outpost civilians who'd been experimented on, Lyra's final moments, and the Syndicate's cruelty all sharpened his resolve. Reveill burned within him, but it was no lohe sole reason he fought against the Bck Sun Syndicate. Proteg those who couldn't protect themselves, that was his purpose now instead of just survival in a new world.

  Kael approached him once more, holding out a datapad. "Your mission briefing," he said. "Ve Drasik's supply lines are the target. You'll want to study this carefully."

  Ethan took the datapad, his grip firm. Kael pced a hand on his shoulder. "You've made it this far because yood at what you do. Trust yourself and trust the guild. We're behind you."

  As Kael walked away, Ethan stepped outside the guild hall. The night sky above Valeris was vast, the stars scattered like distant beas of light. He stood in the cool air, the weight of grief mingling with a quiet determination.

  He wasn't the same man who had first arrived in this universe, and he never would be again. His path was clear, and his resolve was strohan ever.