Elio considered their words for a moment before slowly nodding. They were right; Zara and her team were more than capable.
He sat down in front of the crystal, preparing for the wait.
An awkward silence settled over the group.
The young people exchanged glances, unsure how to interact with Elio. Despite having worked together in the tunnel for weeks, their interactions had been mostly superficial or 'professional.'
He was, after all, the leader of the entire city, someone who gave orders even to Lucien and Selene.
It was Kai, surprisingly, who broke the silence. Despite his generally taciturn nature, he didn't seem intimidated by Elio's position.
"While waiting," he began, his voice calm but clear, "would you mind telling us about the challenge? Von Elio."
Elio turned to him, a small smile forming on his lips.
"First, you can just call me Elio. I've told you many times, I'm a young guy like you."