“What happened here?” Yuriko asked incredulously while the two of them stood on the sidewalk and stared at the ruins of the Old Sweet Shoppe’s al fresco dining area. The little wooden fence and the round tables were gone and the doors were closed. The sign on the door indicated that they were open but they hadn’t seen anyone enter in the last five minutes they were standing there.

More damaged buildings flanked the Sweet Shoppe. There were scorch marks on the walls, rubble from where the buildings had collapsed, and the road itself had a ton of potholes and there were scorch marks on the walls, if not rubble from where the buildings had collapsed.

The two broke from their reverie when the door opened and Millie Morgan Keryn, one of their yearmates and friends, poked her head out and glowered at them.

“If you’re gonna enter, come in already. Don’t block the way!”

“Ehehehe.”

“What happened here?” Yuriko asked once they were inside.

“What do you think?”

“Swarmlings?”

Mille rolled her eyes. “And the militia, and the legion, and the city reserve. Most of the collapsed buildings weren’t caused by the swarmlings directly. It’s when they started using exploding runestones or other spellwoven weaponry.”

She led them to a table. “You both want parfaits?”

“If there’s any, yes,” Krystal answered eagerly. “We had nothing to eat except ration bars and whatever we managed to hunt the entire time.”

“I feel for you.” Millie shuddered. “Even at the outpost we were mostly fed ration bar porridge. I heard you fell into a coma, Yuriko. I’m happy to see you up and about.”

“I don’t remember much of how it happened.” Yuriko sighed.

A waiter soon arrived with three glass tumblers filled with the confection. Yuriko and the other two dug in.

“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Millie said. “We’re running out of supplies and it might not be until the end of Season before we get more. So what happened with you anyway?” Millie continued. “Most of us, except Braden, were evacuated to Northwold. Then we had to run when the swarmlings broke through that village’s defences. We only made it back here after everything was over.”

“Well,” Krystal started, “we actually encountered the Will of the Wave. Armsmaster Byrne and Leader Yoran fought it. It turned out that the Chaos Lord was after Avos Shillogu all along. Bad luck, wasn’t it? The entire first team was stuck in the middle of the battlegrounds and we couldn’t even make it out of the woods.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Hmm, yeah. Well,” Krystal glanced at Yuriko before she continued. “We helped put down the Will and we were brought back here afterwards.”

Yuriko opened her mouth but Krystal elbowed her just before she could say anything. Millie gave both of them an odd glance.

“What are you planning now?” Yuriko asked instead.

Millie shrugged. “There’s not much call for me to remain here. I originally planned to continue my education here and help out in the Shoppe while I’m at it but the old man said he’d rather I go to an Imperial Academy.”

“Which one are you trying to get into? I want to go to…”

“Agaza, of course. As with the rest of your family. What about you, Krystal?”

“The same,” Krystal answered over a mouthful of sweets.

“I reckon I’ll try for Aneurin Academy. Trade and economics and all that.”

Yuriko nodded while Krystal protested. “But your Facet?”

“I know, I know. But after everything that’s happened, it only cemented my desire to be in the support group, you know? I think I risked my life enough, for you know, my lifetime.”

“Huh,” Yuriko grunted, shoving another spoonful into her mouth. The confection practically melted on her tongue, sending shivers of pleasure all over her body. The haunted look on Millie’s face said it all. “Well, everyone contributes to our well-being.”

“Right…”

They continued in silence until, “Oh, hwat did ya wanna talk about, Yuwi?” Krystal said, again speaking around a spoonful of parfait.

“Krys. Ew.”

“Hwat?”

“It’s about, well, Fri’Avgi.”

“Oh, that?”

“What’s that?” Millie asked.

“My new weapon,” Yuriko said. “I’m not sure if I should keep it or go back to my old style.”

“Go with what you’re comfortable with, of course,” Millie said, “but, then again, if you don’t push your boundaries, you won’t grow. At least that’s what mum always says.”

“Do you have a choice?” Krystal asked.

“I don’t know yet.”

“Why wouldn’t you have a choice?” Millie gave her a strange look. “It’s your weapon, isn’t it? Are you sticking with swords instead of Plasma Casters?”

“It’s pointless to worry if you don’t know,” Krystal shrugged.

Yuriko sighed as she only grew confused trying to keep the nature of Fri’Avgi a secret. “I suppose I’ll find out later. I’m due at the Temple in a couple of hours.”

“Oh, oh!” Krystal squealed, then she poked Millie’s side. “We’ve got trouble.”

“What?”

“Yuri’s finally got it!”

"Got what?"

Krystal stared at Millie pointedly.

"Oh? Ooh!"

"Krys! You don't have to tell everybody!" Yuriko protested.

"On the contrary, I have to. If only to warn them."

"What, why?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Well, it's not as if we could do anything other than ready our hearts," Millie snickered, "and it's a good thing you're leaving for the City. Fresh meat over there."

Yuriko blinked in confusion. "I'm pretty sure that meat is fresher over here in the countryside."

Krystal and Millie giggled but didn't elaborate. The three of them finished their sweets, with Yuriko and Krystal leaving a couple of silver pennies each. Millie saw them to the door.

"So, what did you really want to talk about?" Krystal asked once they were a couple of blocks away.

"Same thing. I'm not sure what to do with Fri'Avgi. The laws are clear, I have to turn it in, but…"

"I understand it's hard to give up something so powerful." Krystal hummed, "Is that what you have to deal with later?"

"The summons was for a debriefing. But it was the Legion's Tribunus who wrote the letter."

"Isn't that a good thing? At least you can make your case directly."

"I suppose. But, but, it's Vagaris!" Yuriko squealed.

"I know. Well, that's the Legion both of our fathers were members of in their youth. Hmm, I want to join, too," Krystal shrugged. "Well, try not to act like a lovestruck fool when you actually meet them. They're people, too."

"If you say so. Come with me?"

"Of course."

They arrived at Yuriko's house. She decided to change into something a bit more formal than a shirt and shorts. Krystal knocked her hands off a pair of trousers and firmly closed that part of Yuriko's closet.

"Wear a summer dress."

"...fine."

Krystal picked out a modest green dress for Yuriko and laid it out on the bed. She then stared at the artefact resting on the floor.

"I still don't get how you can just wave this thing around as if it weighed nothing."

"It doesn't ‘weigh nothing’," Yuriko called from the bathroom where she freshened up. "It's just lighter for me."

"When you hit something with it, does it weigh as much as it should?"

"Yes."

"Then why does it not weigh the same for you? It doesn't make sense!"

"Don't ask me, I don't know either."

"Can you open that rift in space and summon obsidian cranes again?"

"Uh, what?"

"You mean you can't?"

"No, I mean what are you talking about?"

Krystal peeked at her and shrugged. "That's how you defeated the Chaos Lord."

Yuriko frowned. "I don't remember that at all."

"Huh, I guess that's understandable."

"Why, what happened?" Yuriko asked anxiously.

"I'll tell you later, after your debriefing."

Despite her reservations, she nodded.

Yuriko picked a pair of brown sandals to go with the dress and the two of them made their way downstairs. Yuriko picked up Fri'Avgi, of course. She couldn't disobey the request.

After spending about an hour getting ready and settling her nerves, it was time to head to the Temple. Krystal walked beside her and Yuriko struggled to find a comfortable way to carry the greatsword. She eventually settled on placing it over her shoulder, using the cross-guard as a kind of hook to keep it in place. The blade stuck out above her though but at least she wouldn’t accidentally hit anyone behind her.

“Watch out for low ceilings,” Krystal said drily.

The square was just as busy this morning as it was the afternoon before though more of the decorations were in place. Once she and Krystal arrived at the Temple, Yuriko shifted her grip and carried Fri’Avgi point down and by its cross-guard.

They were met by an attendant, a young, familiar-looking woman. “Are you here for your appointment with the Vagaris Tribunus, Miss Davar?”

“Yes, of course.”

“This way please.”

She led the two of them down a hallway. The woman glanced at Fri’Avgi every now and then but so did any of the people they came across in the hallway. After several turns, they arrived at an office. The woman knocked and a second later, opened the door and led them in.

The chamber was starkly painted grey. A single table was in the centre with chairs on either side of it. The panel on the ceiling glowed with a warm, yellow light, giving the windowless chamber a cosy feel instead of a more claustrophobic one.

“Wait here please, though I must insist your companion come with me to a different waiting room. Standard protocol is for debriefing to be conducted with only the relevant personnel.”

“But Krystal was with me at the time.”

“It’s fine, Yuri,” Krystal answered, “I was debriefed alone too.”

“Oh, well, see you later then.”

“Bye!”

The woman led Krystal out and closed the door behind her. Yuriko sighed and looked for where she could place Fri’Avgi. She settled for leaning it against a wall and no sooner had she done so that the door opened again, this time letting in a dark-haired woman with piercing green eyes who was just a bit taller than Yuriko.

“Have a seat.”

Yuriko sat down while the woman placed a few crystal devices on the table. A flare of purple Animus from her finger drilled into a bluish octahedron which gave off a small flicker.

“Our conversation will be remembered on this memory stone, please state only facts, the truth as you know it.” After Yuriko nodded, her mouth suddenly dry, the woman continued. “I am Maruko Haru Manuella, Tribunus of the Legion Vagaris. On duty to control the high category Wyldling Wave which occurred on the twenty-third Day of Fire. Cadet Yuriko Mishala Davar, please narrate your circumstances during this period of time.”

“Uhm, yes ma’am,” Yuriko gulped. “It all started when…”

She spoke for a time, recalling events as objectively as she could. They went hunting for a Wanderer as part of the training camp activity, they were cut off by the Wave of swarmlings, and every day after mostly staying alive. It was when she started speaking about Shillogu that the Tribunus cut her off.

“Thank you for your narration, Cadet Davar. This concludes the debriefing.” Tribunus Manuella stopped her Animus input and the device powered down. “The official portion anyway,” she muttered.

Yuriko frowned. “Excuse me?”

“Possession of pre-Shattering artefacts is a heavily regulated matter in the Empire, Cadet Davar, and until you decide on your course of action, it’s best not to record anything prematurely.”

Yuriko nodded reservedly.

“Don’t worry,” The Tribunus smiled, “I’m not here to demand you turn over custody of the artefact, quite the opposite, actually. You see, you have accomplished a full attunement with it and that’s not a common thing. More importantly, it means that the artefact itself will not allow anyone to wield it while you are so attuned.”

“But that means…”

“Yes, it means that. Wars have been fought over such weapons and here you find yourself with one. I’m not asking you to relinquish it but I am asking you to lend it to the Legion for study. It is an unknown weapon and much could be learned if you lend it to the Legion.”

“I…”

“Of course we will recompense you for it.” The Tribunus smiled.

“My Da…my father is lost in the Tidelands. I...”

“Say no more.”

Yuriko nodded.

“In any case, the laws of the Empire state that any and all per-Shattering artefacts belong to the Imperial Crown but that the current bearers may keep custody of it as long as it is registered and its abilities and functions noted. Vagaris can accomplish both the registration and the identification of its properties.”

Tribunus Manuella continued. “You don’t have to decide right now, although the Legion is set to leave Faron’s Crossing after the Wave has been dealt with. I’ll call on you again at that time.” She stood up and nodded to Yuriko, “Have a nice day, Cadet Davar, thank you for your statement.”

She left the room quickly leaving Yuriko staring at the woman’s disappearing back.

‘Why didn’t she ask about the Chaos Lord?’ she thought. ‘They’re interested in Fri’Avgi but seem…reluctant to just take it from me. They have the law on their side.’

Yuriko gathered her thoughts, and Fri’Avgi, then left the small chamber. Krystal was waiting for her down the hallway. She barely heard what Krystal was saying. That the legion would help look for her Da and they were asking to study the artefact were the only things going through her mind.

‘Why were they so accommodating?’ She tried to clear her head. The important thing was that there would finally be efforts to search and that they were giving her the choice on what to do with Fri’Avgi. If only she didn’t get the feeling that the waters she was swimming in were deeper than she could imagine. And that the things hidden in its depths wouldn’t pull her under.