[hr][color=gold]Scratch [@Apex Sunburn], Ezekiel [@Helo], Vallena [@Apex Sunburn], Callandra [@princess][/color][hr]

[h3][color=gold]
The engine room breathes like a wounded beast.

Pipes rattle, a copper plate peels free from the wall and clangs to the floor, the scent of scorched oil hangs heavy in the air, mingling with the reality of an injured elemental barely leashed within.

Inside this crucible of wires, runes, and pressure valves, Scratch’s hands move fast. There is no time for hesitation. Each lever flip and sigil realignment sends a jolt of risk through the ship’s heart. Vallena shadows him closely, steady her shaky hands as he rattles off coordinates and breaker numbers, those same hands darting to comply.

Together, they go to war against the equation of collapse.

The arcane battery whines and pressure flares in the containment valves, then drops. Sparks rise, but no rupture follows. The elemental…glowing, pulsating, and furious…quiets slightly within its housing. The air stops shuddering, and for a moment, it seems they’ve done it.

But nothing this broken is ever truly fixed that easily.

Somewhere in the manifold, a hiss escapes…a hairline fracture. Red warning glyphs blink along the ceiling. What was saved is not sustainable. The elemental remains bound, but the bindings are frayed. The containment circle pulses with strain, its light uneven.

The Stormrider IS stable... but just for now.

The damage is too deep. You’ll need to set this ship down before long or risk total system failure. The core is currently a candle burning low….Let it burn too long, and the flame will consume everything around it.

Behind the curtain, Ezekiel works in silence. His fingers move with reverence, tending to Callandra’s wounds with care that borders on devotion. She remains unconscious, but alive. Each bandage, each whispered word, pushes against the chaos encroaching from beyond the door.

When his duty to her is done, Ezekiel turns his care inward. The splinter comes free from his leg with a sickening pull, but the bleeding holds. The pain sharpens him as he breathes…and he endures. The paladin does not falter.

Now, in the quiet after bombs, assassins, and the possibility of ruination…the crew faces a new truth. You survived, but it’s not yet time to rest. You’ve earned this moment of calm, but the issues at hand will not wait forever.

The Stormrider needs a landing. Captain Sindralis must be notified. You’re sure he’s been fighting for his life behind that helm doing what he could to protect the lives of all onboard. 

My friends, I ask you again…What do you do?
[/color][/h3]