The clanging bells shook Natsumi from her intoxicated stupor. She brushed her head, the world spinning to its normality. Four-legged creatures assaulted the edge of the city en masse while she took a swig of water. “Ugh… My head. This might be a sign that I should stop drinking so much. Climbing this tower while hungover probably wasn’t a good idea, either.” Through her crusty eyes, she could see other drakes surrounding the sides of the city and tore at the walls. “Drakes, drakes, and more drakes. If there were any older dragons here, we’d be in a lot of trouble. The pirates are capable enough. They do nothing but fight. We should have plenty of time to find Tsuna.” Ears twitching to the shrieks in the distance, she tapped her foot to ease her mind. Turning her attention for a moment, pulling it back seconds after. “Stay calm, Natsumi… Rylen ordered you to stay put! But! Why should I!? These monsters are after Tsuna! And he’s out there alone, probably waiting for me to come rescue him! Once I do, he’d be all grateful and stuff! Yeah! Forget that idiot, Rylen! I’m going!”

“You sobered up fast. Was it the water or your hormones that did the trick?” Rylen said, standing beside her.

“Yah!” Natsumi jumped, practically tumbling off the building. “When did you get there? You didn’t hear any of that, did you? Especially, the last part.”

Swiveling a colorless pellet on the tip of his fingers, Rylen slid it into his pocket. “For a moment now. I’d asked you for a report on what’s happening out here, but you ignored my calls. So, I decided to look for myself. I had no idea you were so attached to Tsuna already. He must’ve left a good impression.”

“Well… if I had to put it into words.” She gazed up at the moon. “He’s a lot like Zio, but less cold. Sometimes Zio can be nice and warm, but it’s rare when he does. He pushes me away, when I’m only being who I am.”

“And what does Tsuna do?”

“That’s the thing. He’s just as hotheaded as Zio, but he’s bold and sentimental. While we were gone, he announced at a local Minhki joint that he’d find the tools to fix their community. He might have just been blowing smoke, but there was sincerity in his words.”

Rylen scanned over at the sea. Pirates released the sails to their ships, leaving crewmen behind who weren’t on the boat by the time they raised anchor. He laughed and turned to her. “You’ll be happy to know he kept his word.” A twinkle lit in Natsumi’s eyes. “After he went missing, I found him wandering the streets. He went to Titania’s with a sack full of tools he stole from a blacksmith and left without it.”

Natsumi canines showed through a smile she tried to contain. Shortly, her eyes widened, as she stroked her ears and perked up. “And you just let him!?”

“He’s an adult and not our responsibility yet.” Rylen said with a dismissive wave. “What's a better way to learn about someone than to follow them for a few hours?”

“Eh… you should rephrase that.”

“Unimportant. Natsumi, you form attachments fast, perhaps too fast. Often burned because of it. Zio, I understand. He was the one who found and raised you. Your devotion to him is nothing to question.” He unbuckled a pouch on his waist, shifting between the colorful pellets inside. “However, it’s becoming harmful. You’re relying on him or someone to replace him to fill a void in your life. The year we’ve been gone must’ve been lonely. Am I correct in that assumption?”

“This isn’t the time to be talking about stuff like this!” Natsumi said, turning her head.

“With the way things are looking, now may be the best time.” Rylen crossed his arms and close his eyes. “This is something I’ve been wanting to address, but could never find the best time.” He cleared his throat. “Zenith, the organization, is a team. Though, As you’re aware, we stay out of each other’s personal lives. You look at me and see your boss. This eighty-eight-year-old Elf, with a mild obsession with ethertech.” He held tight to his pistol and pulled it from its holster. Caressing the barrel with a slow stroke of his fingers. “You wouldn’t know that I’m married to the woman who created ethertech. Whom is also the one who kicked started my obsession. Or why I left Yggdrasil and gave up my immortality. Personal things that shaped me into the person I am today. We’re a group of outcasts. Continuing our lonely habits in the presence of our partners. And I think I want that to change. What do you think? Should the two of us be the start of that?”

Natsumi stared at him, quickly averting her eyes to the gate and back. “You’re that old?”

Rylen shot her a side eye. “That was the most important thing you took from my speech?”

Natsumi sighed. “I heard what you said. Being me is just… It’s embarrassing. Twenty years old and no one cares for me more than being an acquaintance. It’s like I don’t exist. I… just want to be loved. Unconditionally.” Natsumi sat down, her legs tucked to her chest. “The orphanage is all I remember from my childhood. I saw children come and go. Families taking someone else’s kid, a total stranger who they never met as their new family. Not once did anyone consider me, or even speak to me. Ten years ago, when the village burned, I sat in the orphanage while the fires burned around me because it was the only thing I knew. Prepared to die unwanted and unloved.” Her hands wrapped around her knees and she tucked them closer. “Until Zio came through the smoke and nursed me to healthy with this constant look of concern on his face. I thought it was cute. From then on, I chased him, wanting to be by his side as he fought whatever he had to. How damaged of a person he is flew over my head and a when I found out what had broken him, it scared me to mention anything of it. Now I know he might never return my feelings, but I keep hoping.” Silence came between them until Natsumi sniffled. “Maybe I should give up.”

“As your mentor, I take offense to that. Let’s say you’ve gotten hurt. I’d be upset. If you died, I’d mourn. There are people who care about you, Natsumi. Now might be the time to look inward and find a purpose.” Roars at the gate drowned out the sound of screams, making Natsumi’s ears twitch. Rylen turned his attention back toward the dock. “The ships cleared out. Clearly, some pirates have no will to fight. It won’t be long before the city falls.” He rested his arms on the grips of his two pistols. “Don’t you worry about Tsuna. He’s alright, I’m sure of it.”

“Rylen, is it really a good idea for me to stay here? Leora could easily defend Infinity. Without our help.”

“Not with that hole in her floor. Leora is skilled, but she relies on Yggdrasil’s power that runs through that building. You’ll see. If luck benefits us, her plan will work.” He walked to the edge of the tower. “I’m counting on you to secure the skies. If you see any dragons that can fly, I want you to distract them until I give you the word.”

Natsumi shot to her feet. “But I could spot a dragon anywhere from the ground and catch it in the air! Seeing one is not the problem! Fighting one is…” She bit her bottom lip. “I’ve never fought a dragon before. Zio took care of them when we traveled together and he’s not here. I don’t think I can handle one.” Natsumi felt his hand press her ears flat, followed by several pats.

“Do you remember the time where it was the two of us against a horde of enraged kobolds? I recall it was a time you startled yourself and held over three dozen back on your own? When I look at you, I reflect. Often to when you joined Zenith. It was inspiring to hear the story of a brave orphan, ignorant of the world outside of her small town, wanting to fight and save the world she never knew. Out of our the core members of Zenith, I believe you will be the one to surpass me in time. To take my place as the Gale of the Zenith. Believe in yourself, as we all believe in you. You’ve got this, Natsumi.”

Natsumi’s lowered head rose as she recomposed herself. A confident grin formed as began fixating on the gate. “I’ll do my best!”

“I wouldn’t expect any less!” Rylen waved two fingers as he walked. “Cassandra and Alecsander will lookout for Leora, while Leora herself focuses on saving as many civilians as she can. I’ll sweep the streets to find something that could substitute for a piece of Ygg and clear the streets of drakes that head in this direction. Leave Tsuna to Zio, if he hasn’t found him already. Expect them to return soon. We’ll rendezvous and get out of here with the skin on our backs.”

“Zio?!” Stars lit in Natsumi’s eyes. “Zio’s still here!?”

“Well, of course. He couldn’t have gone far in a few hours. Knowing him, he never left.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m counting on you, Natsumi. It’s showtime!”

“Yes, sir! And thank you for the talk, Rylen. I think I needed that.”

“No problem.” Rylen dropped off the tower. A gust of wind kicking up around his feet, softening his landing. “A source powerful enough to replace a piece of Yggdrasil.” He searched his pocket for the transparent pellet and held it in his palm. “I sensed dark ether close by. Starting my search there would save time. If it comes to it, I may have to…” Clutching his fist, he placed the pellet back in his pocket. “It’s too soon.”

***

“Sir!” Alec said. Upon seeing Rylen, he snapped to attention with the spear in his hand. “Welcome back! Did you find any luck in your search?”

“Not yet. I only came by to check morale and make sure everyone’s clear on their duties.” Rylen peered at Alec’s cheek. Almost fully healed from the burn. “You’re recovering well, Alecsander. I see an inconvenience won’t stop you from carrying out the job.”

“It’s all I ever dreamed of, sir. Fighting the evils hidden from the rest of the world. Saving countless lives before they even know they're in danger. It’s what I believe a hero would do.”

The charisma brought a smile to Rylen’s face. “Excellent! Does Cassandra share that same vigor?” Rylen said as he looked around. “Is she inside?”

“She said she would set up an ambush for drakes that come this way. She had that pissed off look on her face, so I didn’t bother asking.”

“Isn’t that how she looks normally?”

“No sir. There’s this look she gets in her eye that… nevermind. It’s too much to explain.”

“Very well.” Rylen looked towards the sky. “Should Leora need me, remind her she can connect to my communicator. I adjusted her frequency to include my channel when she makes a call, so I’ll always be in the loop.” He bent his knees, a storm kicking up around his ankles before he launched into the air. “Stay vigilant, Alecsander!”

“Yes… sir.” Alec’s expression turned sour, running his hand where the burn was on his cheek.He grit his teeth, tightening his grip on the spear. “Why?”

***

The jump landed Rylen on the roof of a warehouse, and a glance to his left led him along a trail of buildings that passed by the dock. Upholstering his pistol, he jumped across the buildings. He shifted directions, sliding along the grates of the building, as the scream of a woman reached him. “One in the chamber.” Below, he spotted the woman and a drake slithering toward her. He dove at it, pressing his foot forward and into the drake’s head. A gust of wind blew from his foot, flipping him in the air and thrusting the drake in the ground. Rylen landed on his feet, waving the woman to away. “Those are scales are quite tough. Not the typical malnourished drake, I see.” The drake stagger back on its limbs, roaring at Rylen as he pointed his gun. “Seems like Tsuna was right. Someone powerful is behind this attack. If they’re the source that the dark ether is resonating from… Astraea protect me.”