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The sun rose over the horizon, light pouring over spawn—or, rather, what was left of it. Zam stood at the edge of a cliff, staring over the destruction, her stomach churning uncomfortably at the sight. Rocks broke off from the edge of the crater, racing down to the bottom and ending in a large bang that echoed throughout the region, kicking up a sizeable dust cloud before silence settled once more.
Zam's mouth was dry, and she swallowed thickly, mind racing. Just how many times had Apocalypse fired that canon? She could feel her heart beating fiercely, the pounding deafening in her ears. What was the point? What did they get out of doing this? It hadn't been even a week since the season started up, and spawn had been destroyed, left in ruin. It was a sight that she would expect from the end of a season, proof of war, a long-lasting conflict that was over. A serene scene that would have brought comfort, with the sun raising over it like a victory. But this? This was a sign of a war to come. A battle that had yet to happen.
And that made her nervous. She was alone, with mere allies by her side, individuals she could not afford to fully trust. Not with her plan, and not with her life: a thing too precious to wager, a heart, her very life force, something that she alone was to protect.
For the first time that season, doubt crept into her mind. Was going solo really the best idea? Was it worth it to be her own provider, protector, and team, if it left her vulnerable to the attacks that were sure to come? An orbital strike canon, a devastated spawn, and two sides marking their stance, making their mark. She couldn't be certain that she would be fully informed, she couldn't even be certain that she could fully trust them.
She had made an attempt on Woogie's life, a key member on WHAM, so would Hannah trust her? Would she backstab her once she stopped proving herself to be useful to stopping apocalypse? Zam shook her head free of the thought, she trusted Hannah, and she had said that she was chill after the fact.
Things will be fine, she reassured herself, she could trust Hannah, she could trust Yungy and Pentar, and Pili, all of them. She had no reason not to. Despite that, anxiety ebbed at her mind as she stared down at the cavity of stone and dirt, heartbeat ever present in her ears—something she would pay for later with a headache of equal magnitude.
Whatever happened, she couldn't afford to stand around, to wait at spawn like a sitting duck was dangerous. If a team could delete what was practically an entire biome at spawn in less than a week, they could kill her within an instant.
She took one final sweep of the land, gaze grazing across the lack of life. The only thing she appreciated out of the destruction was its being at the start, providing a distinct lack of memories to grieve the loss of.
Except for... She shook her head, dismissing the thought as soon as it entered her mind. They weren't teamed, she couldn't get attached. She was solo this season. And Mapicc was a person of the past. She helped them once, and that would be it. No more would her thoughts constantly be of them, she would be free of their torment and influence.
Whatever. She didn't have time for this, she had things to do and prepare for. She had a goal to achieve. Spawn being destroyed was the least of her worries when she had to keep the hearts balanced, keep everyone on as equal footing as possible. She was alone in this goal, so she had to lock in. Spawn wasn't involved in hearts. She took in a deep breath, and turned on her heel and left spawn without turning back.
With the end fight nearing, hearts being gained and lost would likely slow down as all began to prepare, so she would have time to gather herself and not worry about tracking counts, instead gearing up properly and working on her base.
Maybe she can even decorate her shield. That'd be nice, something for herself for once.