The air hung heavy with unspoken fear. No one dared to step forward, to offer their hand in solidarity. The specter of death, a chillingly familiar shadow, loomed over them all.
No one was really ready to volunteer. Daniel. He, however, was different. He was Daniel, the one who always walked through fire unscathed, the one who seemed to have a charmed life.
That's exactly why he's people's beacon of hope, their symbol of resilience. But even Daniel couldn't defy fate forever. His mission, a perilous undertaking, hung over him like a sword of Damocles. They knew, deep in their hearts, that his luck wouldn't always hold. And that's why Tina were terrified of losing him, of losing their last ray of light, he could die in one of this dangerous mission some day, but however he is always lucky.
But the rest of them are not Daniel. They were ordinary people, with ordinary lives and ordinary fears. They had families, dreams, and a deep-seated desire to live. They wouldn't sacrifice themselves for a mission, no matter how noble. They had seen too much death, too much despair. Their hearts were weary, their spirits broken.
Daniel, sensing their reluctance, swallowed hard. His eyes met the gaze of his friend, Tina, who stood across the room, a mirror of his own apprehension.  
As he waited, no one was ready to volunteer, nodded, a silent plea for understanding. He knew they wouldn't volunteer, not now. But he also knew he couldn't let fear paralyze him. He had to go, he had to try. He had to save the girl, even if it meant sacrificing himself.
Daniel's gaze swept across the faces of his companions, etched with a mixture of fear and resignation. "It's okay," he said, his voice laced with understanding. "I know you're all scared. Most of you have families, people who depend on you. If you died, they'd be left alone. I wouldn't blame you for wanting to stay safe. I wouldn't be mad." He turned back to Tina, his heart heavy with the weight of their shared grief.
Tina's voice, choked with sorrow, broke the silence. "I told you," she whispered, her eyes brimming with tears. "None of them would go. They're not fools. They know the risks. And even if they weren't, even if it were my own sister, I wouldn't go. We barely escaped death ourselves. Do you think we're going to rush back into the jaws of danger?"
Her words were harsh, a bitter reflection of the despair that had taken root in her heart. She knew, with a chilling certainty, that no one would risk their lives for her sister. They had all seen too much, experienced too much loss. The city, a place of terror and death, held no allure for them.
Tina's tears flowed freely now, a silent testament to the pain she carried. It was as if she were condemning her own sister to a fate worse than death, a fate of abandonment. But it wasn't condemnation, it was the brutal truth. She couldn't bear to see her sister, her own blood, become another victim of the city's relentless cruelty.
She had tried to find a way, to find hope, but there was none. Time, she knew, would be her only solace. Time would dull the sharp edges of her grief, would soften the pain of her loss. But for now, she could only hold on to the fragile hope that her sister, wherever she was, would somehow survive. And that someday, somehow, they would see each other again.
"It's okay, Tina," Daniel said, trying to soothe her. "I never expected them to go. I told you, I'd ask for volunteers, but I knew the odds were against us. I'm going, whether anyone else comes or not."
Tina's voice cracked with despair. "And you think that's going to save her? You think she's going to be okay out there all alone?"
Daniel's gaze held hers, unwavering. "She's not going to die, Tina. I promise you."
"How can you be so sure?" she cried, her voice a raw, desperate plea. "How can you be so sure when we've seen what those old illiterate does to people?"
"Because I'm going to get her," Daniel said, his voice firm. "It's my duty to protect everyone, and your sister is one of them. I can't just stand by and let her suffer. I have to try, even if it means risking my own life."
Tina stared at him, her heart a tangled mess of fear and frustration. He wasn't listening, he wasn't understanding. He was determined to walk into the lion's den, alone, while they all cowered in fear. She couldn't let him do it. She couldn't let him sacrifice himself for a sister who might not even be alive.
The thought of him facing the central city alone, facing the authorities who had painted them as criminals, filled her with dread. The city, a place of fear and manipulation, was a monster they had barely escaped. Now, Daniel was determined to walk right back into its jaws. She had to stop him. She had to find a way. She had to convince him that there was another way, a safer way, a way that didn't involve sacrificing himself.
"Daniel, I've told you, I won't let you go alone," Tina said, her voice firm, her concern etched on her face. "It's not just about my sister, it's about all of us. The city's fate rests on your shoulders, the fate of humanity rests on your shoulders. You can't die out there for nothing. we are all doomed of anything happens to you"
She knew that her sister was in danger, but she also knew that Daniel was their only hope. He was the one who could stand against the authorities, the one who could protect them all. If he die, they were all doomed.
The authorities had been watching them, she knew it. They hadn't attacked yet, but it was only a matter of time. They were afraid of Daniel, of his power, his ability to fight back. But if he wasn't there with them, if he was out there alone, they would come for them all but that's after they have managed to get rid of him.
"Daniel, you're too important," she said, her voice trembling. "You're the only one who can stand up to them. You can't risk your life for one person, not when so many depend on you. If you die, millions will die with you."
Daniel's eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger crossing his face. "Are you saying your sister's life isn't worth anything?"
Tina shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "No, Daniel, that's not what I mean. I just... I can't bear to lose you. You're the only one who can save us all."