#rpglit

The halls they moved through were that of the ancient tunnelling. The path unilinear. Often curling from left to right, the ground beneath their feet would dip up and down at random intervals. Old, disused torches lined the walls.

And they weren’t the only things. Ancient cave paintings and carvings were etched in other side of the tunnels. The deeper they moved through the passageways, the more prevalent the paintings on the walls became.

There was one in particular that caught Eishirou’s attention. Enough to pull him to a stop to stare. It was similar to the one he came across before. However, the figures painted purposely as dark and black as possible were in the form of large, hulking humanoids. Yet, they appeared to move on all fours. They towered over the dark brown human figures who held spears and torches of fire as they battled the creatures.

Those creatures…they looked like the ones he saw from his recordings.

Both of them. But it was the one attached to the Elite team that had him the most concerned. Could a ShadowDweller they’ve yet to encounter have followed them?

“Eishirou?” Zayne asked him, worry in his tone.

Eishirou decided not to divulge his concerns with Zayne in the bleakness of the tunnels. “Sorry, got distracted. Just examining a painting. I’ll muse more on it later,” he said as he used his tablet to take a photo.

He couldn’t help but stay close to Zayne as they continued on their way, though. The more he thought about that recording with that humanoid shadowy figure scurrying after the Elite team, the more unnerved he became. There was something undeniably creepy about a humanoid figure with long spindly legs walking on all fours.

No, scurrying on all fours.

A low glow of light in the distance caught everyone’s attention. And they all tensed and fell silent in preparation for a possible confrontation. They couldn’t hear anything, though. Eishirou was fairly confident that a ShadowDweller wasn’t the origin of the light. ShadowDwellers were darker than shadows, so they were incapable of producing light.

He had to remind himself that his preconceptions were from their current research. And as a researcher, he was taught to never say never.

Zayne instinctively grabbed Eishirou by the elbow and pulled him toward him as they moved as a group toward the distant glow.

Eishirou was incredibly surprised to find a small side room through a crack in the wall. And it was filled with low, glowing lights. And those lights originated from patches of mushrooms and fungi. They glowed with neon green and blue lights. Shimmering, but steady. So bright that they didn’t need torches to look around the small room like area.

“Glowing mushrooms?” Eishirou was surprised, but excited by the find nevertheless. After all, he had only read about such things!

“They look pretty,” Rinka admitted with genuine but restrained awe in her voice.

“They also look toxic,” Zayne added, undeniably cautious.

Eishirou couldn’t deny either observation. “They certainly do.”

He slipped out of Zayne’s grip to take a step forward. Toward the closest grouping of mushrooms on the ground. Blue and green mingled together. The lights were gentle, reminding him of fairy lights that would be hung during Christmas or other celebrations.

He crouched down, making sure that he didn’t touch the mysterious discovery. “Luminescent fungi. I’ve never seen one in person before.”

He obviously needed to take a photo and check it against the database. Jacob would be interested to see pictures of them, too. So, he took a couple of pictures. And took another of the whole room.

“Hm,” he murmured as he tapped at the screen of his tablet. “No matches. I’ll need to take a sample.”

“Is that really necessary?”

Eishirou stifled a sigh at the bored, yet exasperated voice of none other than Tatsu.

“We are on a research investigation, Tatsu,” Ernesta chided quickly.

Eishirou didn’t hear a response, but he could feel a pair of eyes on the back of his head. He could also feel some of the tension that was in the air. He couldn’t help but wonder if Tatsu was simply agitated that he was on such a lowly mission. Or if he was actually worried about that other Elite team. He was the one to discover that badge, after all. And he appeared to be a lot more irritated than usual.

But he may just be looking too deep into it.

“This will only take a second,” Eishirou promised as he pulled his bag to his side and rifled through it. Luckily, he had picked up a couple of specimen jars with him. Not to mention some gloves. He couldn’t be too careful. Fungi was notorious toxic in general.

Picking out two of the largest mushrooms that could fit in the specimen jars, Eishirou carefully dug at the ground near the roots and pulled out the entire plant system. With both mushrooms chosen, he carefully set the two into their separate jars. He then set them in a separate pocket in his bag.

“There, done.”

Eishirou pulled out his tablet and instinctively moved toward Zayne as they all moved as a group out of the small room. He concentrated on jotting notes down on his tablet as Zayne guided him through the tunnels with a hand on his elbow. He also took a moment to check their map and quickly noted that they had already moved at least a kilometre. Not in a straight line, but they had travelled some distance and the paths of the tunnel spiral outwards.

He hoped that they would reach an exit soon. They had been fortunate not to encounter a ShadowDweller so far. He could only hope that their luck held out until they at least found a way outside.

As they rounded a slight bend in the path, they were greeted with a dim light in the distance. It was different from the lucent glow of the mushrooms. It was the low light one would associate with the sun. The air felt fresher, too.

“There’s a light ahead. Be ready,” Ernesta commanded.

They fell into silence once more as they walked toward the light. The path began on an incline as they moved, giving the sense that they were indeed heading toward an exit of some kind. Whether or not it they would be able to use the exit was still up in the air.

It took them a moment or two to allow their eyes to adjust to the bright light as they stepped out onto a rocky landing.

After the glare had faded from his eyes, Eishirou scanned their new environment. They appeared to be in a natural bowl, surrounding in steep mountain cliffs. The foliage was as green and lush as the forest Flutterlight Forest. But there was a slight difference; there was a tall white building in the distance. He didn’t recognise it, but it did feel familiar.

“Ah, it’s the lighthouse! I saw that in a recording.”

Of course, it looked slightly different to the one he saw in a recording. It was a mosaic in his vision. But it was still a lighthouse. And he was certain that it was important. It was sure to led to an interesting discovery.

The members of Elite Team 3, however, obviously didn’t feel the same.

“I can’t see the other Elite team,” Tatsu stated, his tone as brisk and terse as ever.

“No, neither can I,” Ernesta replied.

It was extremely obvious where their thoughts were centred on. Not that he could blame them. Elite teams all knew each other. Just like researchers did. If a researcher was lost somewhere, Eishirou would be worried, too.

“You guys should go search for that other Elite Team,” Eishirou suggested firmly.

Ernesta turned to him with a surprised expression on her face. That soon dissipated into a placid expression, though it was obviously a forced one. “…We have our own assignment.”

Yes, he understood that. But it didn’t sit right with him forcing them to do something they weren’t entirely focused on.

Eishirou sighed at gave the Elite leader a pointed gaze. “Look. I’m going to be busy inspecting the lighthouse and surrounding area. If you want to search for your fellow Elites, it’s fine. I know you’re worried.”

Zayne took a step forward and clasped his hand on Eishirou’s shoulder. “I’ll stay with him while the rest of you look.”

Eishirou turned to look at Zayne and nodded his head in acceptance. Yeah, he found that perfectly fine with him. Zayne actually seemed interested in his research, so he was likely interested in learning more about the lighthouse, too. Especially after Eishirou had told him about the recording he had witnessed.

Ernesta didn’t appear all that convinced, though. Torn, maybe, but certainly not wholly convinced. She had been given the task of escorting Eishirou through the Flutterlight Forest at the request from Jacob himself. She was dedicated to her role.

But as an Elite, it was understandable that she was worried about her fellow Elite Teams.

It wasn’t like she was going to abandon him. They lighthouse stood out like a sore thumb. And unlike their previous dealings with the lush forest, this particular area had an open canopy. Allowing for Elites to use their mana wings at will.

“Jacob would understand,” Eishirou added. “In fact, I’m sure he would be far more insistent that I am right now.”

That seemed to helped Ernesta to make her decision. And maybe even put her mind at ease. “We’ll escort you to the lighthouse and secure the area first. After that, we’ll conduct a surveillance of the area further.”

Ok, that sounded reasonable.

Eishirou turned his attention back to the view before them, this time intent on searching for the best possible route to the lighthouse. The foliage of the woods was as dense as ever, but there was a natural trail along the steep cliffs. And it led straight to the tall white structure.

Ernesta took the lead once more as they moved in single file along the path. And they walked in silence, waiting for a noise or disturbance in the environment. Be it ShadowDweller or the other Elite Team.

Thankfully, their trek to reach the base of the lighthouse was an uneventful one.

The lighthouse itself was in a small peak that overlook the basin. With stone steps spiralling toward it. The steps were covered in moss, and broken in some instances. But appeared sturdy enough to be scaled.

Ernesta turned to regard both Eishirou and Zayne with a pointed look. “Do not wander from this area without alerting me.”

“Easy, I’ll be sure to keep him safe,” Zayne replied, both dismissive and reassurance. “I’ve done it before.”

He had. And, honestly, Eishirou couldn’t imagine trusting anyone else to keep him safe.

A placid smile finally appeared on Ernesta’s lips. “Yes, that is true. Very well. We will return, soon.”

The four Elites called out their mana wings and took into the air in order to get a higher perspective of the area. Eishirou saw them off, hoping that they would find some kind of evidence that the other Elite Team had somehow made their way to this area, too.

If not, they were still somewhere in those tunnels.

And he certainly hoped they weren’t trapped or lost somewhere in there.

“Right, let’s see what this lighthouse has for us,” Zayne said as he turned toward Eishirou.

Eishirou nodded. “Right.”

They both turned to face the lighthouse. It was a relatively simple structure. A tall building. It appeared about five stories tall. And made from white stone. Not paint as there was no obvious peeling. Though, it was most certainly had patches of moss dotted across the outer façade.

Oddly, though, there was no windows. He couldn’t see the very top of the structure, but as they walked along the stone pathway that spiral along the peak toward the white structure, he couldn’t see a port or window anywhere.

“It’s the one from the runestone recording?” Zayne asked

“Well, the recording I saw was that of a mosaic, but I’m certain that the mosaic was actually pointing to this structure,” Eishirou replied. “Besides, it’s in the middle of a forest. It’s suspicious, right?”

Zayne stifled a snort. “No kidding.”

After a few more minutes, they finally reached the top of the stairs. They led to a small grassy landing that, in turn, led to the entrance of the lighthouse. However, the door to the structure was not what he had been expecting; the door was large, set within an archway made from old grey stone. The door itself appeared to be made from old stone, too.

“That’s quite the door,” Zayne commented sarcastically.

It most certainly was.

Eishirou quickly approached the door while Zayne moved at a more cautious pace behind him.

There was nothing to be seen on the door. Just a small hole within the very centre. It was likely they keyhole. Though, it wasn’t shaped as normal key, it was quite obvious that something indeed fitted in that slot.

So, since that slot was there…

“It’s likely locked,” Eishirou mused aloud.

“Not jammed?” Zayne questioned as he stepped forward. “Let me try opening it anyway.”

Zayne placed his hands upon the door and steadied himself. He tried pushing it in first before attempting to shift it to the left. There was suddenly the distinct sound of rock grounding against rock.

Had he managed to open it after all?

Unfortunately, the door moved no further.

And Zayne pulled back. “It moved a little. But something is preventing me from moving it further,” he explained.

“I’m going to assume there’s a locking mechanism here,” Eishirou continued to muse aloud. He walked closer to the door and laid his hands upon it and closed his eyes. He soon furrowed his brow. “There’s…also a bit of mana, yet…I can’t access it.”

“Can’t access it?”

“Y-yeah,” Eishirou stuttered, both unnerved and puzzled as he pulled his hands back and opened his eyes. “There’s…something blocking me from accessing it.”

He could feel the mana. It was there. So close. And yet…there was something stopping him from reaching out to it.

“That happened before?” Zayne asked.

Eishirou shook his head, still obviously unnerved. “No…”

It was just…really unnerving to be able to feel something, but unable to reach out to it. Though, it could be because the door itself wasn’t complete. The key or item that fitted into that slot might be the very thing needed for him to reach that mana.

Yeah, that made sense.

Well, he supposed there was little he could do about it. Getting unnerved wasn’t helping anyone. The door might not allow him to access the mana stored within at the moment, but maybe something else would?

“Hm,” Eishirou murmured as he held his chin in thought. “If there is a locking mechanism, then there’s got to be a hint of how to open it around here somewhere. If I can find a runestone or mosaic, then maybe I can pull another recording.”

“You’re reading ability is quite useful,” Zayne unexpectedly commented, causing Eishirou to turn toward him with a subtle expression of surprise. “Can you do that with any object?”

Eishirou shook his head. “No, just objects with mana of intent. Basically, someone infusing mana into an object with the sole purpose to document something.” He paused and rubbed the back of his neck. “W-well, that used to be the way. But I was able to get a recording from that badge. From the badge’s point of view.”

He couldn’t really imagine the owner of said badge purposely infusing mana into their badge just to show something from the object’s point of view. Maybe it was completely unintentional. But that would mean…the owner of said badge had a spike of powerful emotion.

…Like fear.

“From the badge’s point of view?” Zayne questioned with a curious tilt of his head.

“Yeah. Just like that.” Eishirou shifted on his feet as he took a moment to find a way to explain further. “From the point of view of the badge as it laid on the floor. That was honestly a first for me. As is that blockage. I wonder if that has something to do with me or…”

“It might just need a key,” Zayne interrupted.

Eishirou turned his face toward Zayne and gave a small smile. “I think so, too.”

A loud explosion in the distance suddenly erupted and echoed around the basin. It was so loud and sudden that it caused Eishirou to jump. And for Zayne to immediately pull out his mana holsters, move to stand in front of Eishirou in a defensive stance, and attempt to search for the source of the sound.

He soon narrowed in on an area within the forest where birds fluttered into the air in a giant flock. And right behind them was a plume of smoke.

“That sounded like Tatsu,” Zayne murmured. “They must have encountered a ShadowDweller.”

“Wh-what should we do?” Eishirou asked as another explosion was heard.

Before Zayne could answer, Eishirou himself witnessed four figures dart into the sky. Their mana wings and weapons fully materialised. They were quite a distance away, but Eishirou knew that they were the other members of Team 3.

Ernesta’s voice issuing commands was another reminder of the situation they found themselves in. A simple investigation mission had turned into a search and rescue one. Two Elite teams were missing. They had discovered one member in critical state. So, there was nine more Elites out there at the very most.

And they were forced to camp for the night in a forest potentially filled with three different types of ShadowDwellers.

Not the best position to be in. Definitely put a damper on Eishirou’s discoveries.

There was little more that Eishirou could do for Mikiel in his current state. And in their current situation. So, after reassuring that he didn’t have a fever and his swelling hadn’t returned, Eishirou turned and shuffled out of the tent.

“Do you think the fire is a good idea?” Tatsu asked, agitation in his voice once more. “We’re like a beacon here.”

Ernesta didn’t seem bothered by him, however. She simply smiled placidly; her arms folded loosely. “Better than being blind in the dark,” she retorted. “It’s also quite cool tonight. We need to keep both Eishirou and our injured charge safe and warm.”

Tatsu drew in a sharp breath, but didn’t respond. He did glance over in the direction of the tent. And ultimately at Eishirou himself.

Eishirou subconsciously dropped his chin to his chest and quickly made his way over to Zayne who sat on a log close to the campfire. He sat down on his left as Rinka sat on his right. Zayne straightened his back and slipped an arm around his shoulders to pull him toward him. There was a sense of protectiveness in the touch and the side-glance he made while doing so was likely aimed toward Tatsu.

“How is he?” Zayne asked as he motioned toward the tent with a tilt of his head.

“Still unconscious, but comfortable,” Eishirou answered with a sigh. “He’s not in any pain.”

If he didn’t regain consciousness soon, though, Eishirou was going to get really worried. Sunrise couldn’t come soon enough.

“I just remembered that we have rations,” Zayne unexpectedly stated. “Anyone hungry?”

The question was completely out of the blue. So much so that Eishirou knew that the change of subject was on purpose. He saw his worry and decided the best way to help was to distract him. Even if just for a moment.

And, now that he mentioned it, he was rather hungry. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

Rinka and Leon both voiced their agreements and quickly moved to gather the necessary materials.

The act of cooking and eating did offer a momentarily distraction for the entire team. Distracting them from the darkness around them. From the knowledge that there were several missing Elites. From the possibility of ShadowDwellers hiding in the shadows around them.

After food had been eaten and the sky had darkened further, it was obvious that it had grown late. It had also grown a lot cooler and Eishirou was grateful for the campfire that remained raging at the centre of camp.

Despite the bright flames of the fires, their surroundings remained ominous and dark. The lighthouse, however, was illuminated by the campfire. The shadows that danced across white façade made the structure look more mystical and mysterious.

He wondered what was inside. He could only speculate. Something important to some degree if the lock and the thick stone walls were any indication.

He also couldn’t help him muse about that mosaic he witnessed in that recording from the Stone Rune. The mysterious white figure in front of the lighthouse. A beam of light pointing to the distance. The same direction the figure in the foreground stared in.

Who was that figure in white? Was the light just a symbol of some kind? Or was it actually indicating to something? To somewhere?

Eishirou resisted the urge to sigh. The only way to get the answers to his questions was to find a way into the lighthouse. But to do that, he needed to find a key. And that could be anywhere.

“It’s grown late.”

Ernesta’s voice pulled Eishirou from his musings and he turned his attention back to the campfire. And to the blonde-haired woman who stood before it.

“We’ll take turns keeping watch,” she commanded before her gaze flickered in Eishirou’s direction. And she issued an order directly to him. “Not you, Eishirou.”

Eishirou blinked. “Huh?”

Ernesta gave him her well-known placid smiles. The one she would give when she anticipated potential disagreement. And would not hesitate to retaliate if necessary. “We need you to concentrate on the injured.”

Well, that made perfect sense. Though, even if it didn’t, he didn’t have the courage to argue back. Not that he feared that Ernesta would, well, do something physical like attack him. She only retaliated against other Elites, especially if they tested her patience.

Her glare was withering, though.

Zayne nudged his shoulder with him own. “You take the tent,” he said as he indicated toward the tent with his chin. “And try to get some rest.”

Eishirou didn’t see how he could. But he knew better than to argue. He wanted to check in on Mikiel, anyway. And it was possible that Ernesta wanted to speak with her teammates in private.

Best thing for him to do was to head into the tent. And wait until the first ray of light so they could evacuate.

“Alright. Tell me if anything happens out here,” he requested as he pushed himself to his feet.

Crawling into the tent, he took a moment to check on Mikiel. His condition hadn’t changed either way, so he was still stable but unconscious. Probably for the best. He would be far more comfortable that way.

Eishirou busied himself by setting out the other sleeping bag. He didn’t necessarily see himself using it. But it was something comfortable to rest on and muse to himself. At least his tablet could help distract him. And he could work on his report for Jacob.

He wasn’t going to look at that cave painting photo, though. It just creeped him out a little bit too much. And he didn’t want his imagination to get carried away.

He really wished that he had his violin. Playing always helped him to relax.

Eishirou wasn’t sure how much time had passed as he worked on his report. It wasn’t until he heard a light, almost inaudible groan that he lifted his gaze from his tablet. He immediately set it aside and sat up, his gaze toward the other sleeping bag in the tent.

He crawled over on his knees to rest next to the Elite and set his hand upon his chest to do an inspecting. There was activity within his brain. He was starting to wake up.

Mikiel’s eyes flickered, though they remained shut. His face creased into a look of pain as he pressed his lips together into a thin line.

“Hey,” Eishirou said softly as not to alarm him or alert the others outside the tent just yet. “I need you to open your eyes now.”

Issuing a command to an Elite was usually the best option. They were the doers, as Jacob liked to say. They needed instructions and orders. It gave them something to do. Something to focus on.

Sure enough, Mikiel’s eyes flickered once more before they snapped open completely. It was a little disconcerting, but Eishirou pushed aside his surprise to concentrate on offering the Elite more of his healing mana.

“Shh, you’re safe,” Eishirou said in a hopefully comforting mana as he kept his hand on his chest. “Don’t try to move.”

Mikiel started up at him with wide, unblinking yellow eyes. Yet, they were dim and dazed. It was like he couldn’t quite see him, yet he could comprehend that there was someone there attempting to talk to him.

“What happened?” Eishirou asked as he shuffled closer and moved to lean over the Elite. He did so in order to grant Mikiel a sense of reassurance. He could feel his heartrate increase. He was uneasy. Anxious.

More importantly, though, Eishirou could sense that his brain activity was going haywire. Something else he couldn’t quite discern was wrong. Emotionally and mentally.

“I need you to tell me everything,” Eishirou issued another order. “Who did this to you?”

Mikiel continued to stare up at him, having not blinked once. He swallowed thickly and licked his lips. He finally uttered in a raspy, shaky voice; “…T-they did…betrayed…to the ShadowDweller…”

Eishirou felt his breath hitch in his throat. Betrayed? That…wasn’t delirious rambling. His words were forceful despite the breathlessness of his voice. He chose that word specifically. And it resounded to Eishirou.

He felt something like that in the badge’s recording. The fear. The uncertainty. And something he couldn’t quite pinpoint at the time. But it made sense now.

Betrayal.

“Who? You’re teammates?” Eishirou asked.

Mikiel’s eyes threaten to close, but he forced them to remain open as he continued to murmur quietly. “…don’t let…them hear…attracted…to sound…”

“Who?” Eishirou found himself asking. He likely meant the ShadowDwellers. And yet….there was a possibility that he wasn’t.

If he was betrayed…

Mikiel suddenly raised his left hand. The one that had been curled into a tight fist ever since he was found. Shakily, he raised his hand toward Eishirou, prompting him to lift his hand to touch his.

As he did, Mikiel finally unclenched his hand. Though his fingers and palm had flakes of dried blood and dirt, it was the strange white object, no bigger than a pencil, that caught his attention.

“What’s this?” Eishirou asked as Mikiel firmly pressed the object into his hand.

It was a simple thing. A white elongated triangle. And it suddenly pulsated with mana in his hand. He hadn’t felt anything before, but it was so intense.

“…key…” Mikiel murmured.

It…was the key for the lighthouse.

Why did he have it? Why did he protect it so fiercely?

Mikiel’s eyes suddenly rolled to the back of his head and he fell limp on the sleeping bag.

“H-hey!” Eishirou stuttered in surprise as he quickly pressed the palm of his hand in the centre of Mikiel’s chest. He was still breathing. His heartrate while high was steady. His brainwaves, however…

He had fallen into a coma…

Eishirou winced. Not good. To put it lightly.

There was…little else he could do for him now. Not under these circumstances. Only watch over him and ensured that he kept breathing. That blood and oxygen kept circulating. And that he didn’t swallow his own tongue.

It was…going to be a long night.

Eishirou uttered a sigh as he leaned back on his heels. He raised his hand and unfurled his fingers around the white object. The key to the lighthouse.

So many questions ran through his head that it made him feel physically nauseous.

Had Mikiel been betrayed by his own teammates…to a ShadowDweller? What ShadowDweller? Why? And who or what was attracted to sound? His teammates or that ShadowDweller he mentioned? And the key; why did he have it? Why did he protect it so fiercely in a clutched hand?

And what made Mikiel give it to him?

Just what was going on?

Eishirou uttered another sigh as he pressed his other hand to his forehead. He was starting to get a headache from all the thinking and over-thinking. He needed someone to talk to. Usually he would talk to Jacob. Or Neriah. Or Misaki.

But…this was something he didn’t want to be talked about through their communicators. He needed to talk to someone face to face. Someone who understood the situation he was in.

…Zayne would listen, right?

Eishirou placed the lighthouse key into the back pocket of his trousers before he spent a moment checking on Mikiel once more and offered him a gentle burst of healing. There was little more he could do for him, yet it still felt wrong to turn away. Even briefly.

But he really needed to talk to Zayne. Either warn him about potential trouble. Or have his unease alleviated.

Quietly, Eishirou slipped out of the tent. He tugged at his blue hoodie and pulled it up around his neck and shoulders. The night air was cooler than it was a couple of hours ago. Thankfully the fire was still blazing.

And it appeared to be Zayne’s turn to keep watch as the other four members were in numerous places around the campfire in attempts to get some sleep. While Zayne himself was pacing back and forth, his gaze directed out to the dark wilderness around.

He soon turned around to face him, no doubt drawn by the noise of the tent.

“Hey,” he said with a smile. “Can’t sleep?”

Eishirou folded his arms around himself as he gave a slight shrug. He quickly made his way over to him. “It’s…not that,” he admitted.

A frown immediately made its way onto Zayne’s face. “Something happen?”

Eishirou nodded his head once. “Mikiel woke up for a bit. He said something…” he unconsciously lowered his voice. “about being betrayed.”

Unsurprising, Zayne’s frowned deepened. “Betrayed?”

Eishirou gave another short, quick nod and tightened his arms around himself. “During that reading with the badge. I felt…emotions. I think that badge belongs to him.”

Zayne abruptly moved closer toward him. Even reaching out to place a hand on the small of Eishirou’s back and tilted his head toward him so that they could talk more quietly. And to just each other. “What did you feel?”

“Fear. Confusion. Wondering…why they were doing this.” Eishirou abruptly shook his head to hide a wince. He abruptly realised how…bad everything he just said truly was. Mikiel could just be suffering from delusions. And a recording was subjective at best.

“I know it sounds strange. I don’t know what I’m saying…”

“No, I believe you,” Zayne stated firmly as he took a moment to quickly scan their surroundings with a narrow stare. “Something is going on here. Let’s…keep it between us for now. And stay close to me, whatever happens.”

Eishirou felt intense relief that Zayne believed him. It was a surprising weight off of his shoulders. And to see and feel his protectiveness eased his concerns immensely. He felt safe with him.

“Sure,” Eishirou replied as he gave Zayne a grateful smile. He soon remembered that there was something else that Zayne needed to know. He turned away from Zayne briefly to reach a hand into his back pocket.

“There’s something else,” he said as he pulled out the key. He kept it tightly in his palm and positioned himself so that if one of the others should awaken, they wouldn’t immediately see it. “This was in his left hand. It’s the key for the lighthouse.”

Zayne was obviously surprised by that revelation. “Are you sure?” he asked, though it felt out of habit and not out of doubt toward him.

“Yeah,” Eishirou said as he wrapped his hand around it tightly one more and shoved it into his back pocket. It felt wrong to have it out in the open. And the way that Mikiel held onto it so tightly and for so long, it was almost as if he shouldn’t let anyone else see it. Or see him with it.

“What should we do?” Eishirou asked as he motioned forward the lighthouse with a tilt of his head.

Zayne was silent as he mused over that question. He opened his mouth to respond when the sound of a twig snapping prompted him to immediately shut his mouth and turn in the direction of the noise.

Eishirou fell silent also and unconsciously pressed himself against Zayne’s back as he peered around him. The noise seemed to resonate from somewhere beyond them. From the path that led up to the lighthouse.

Unfortunately, all they could see was darkness. The campfire’s light couldn’t extend that far.

Another sound was soon heard. Another snapping of a twig. It almost sound purposeful. As if whoever was responsible wanted to be heard. Yet they wanted to do that ominously.

“…What was that?” Eishirou asked in a hushed voice.

“Hey,” Zayne said, prompting Eishirou to turn toward him once more. “What did you mean by giving me your healing skills?”

Eishirou rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Just that. I used the Red Lily to channel my healing mana to you.”

He didn’t know how else to explain it. He wasn’t fully sure how he did it. He just…did? He would like to know how, honestly. Maybe he could do it again, if the situation called for it?

An unexpected frown appeared on Zayne’s face. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he went on to scold. “What if it killed you?”

Eishirou blinked, inwardly surprised. He, however, felt his brow furrow in slight irritation. “You were taking attacks meant for me. What if that killed you?”

“I’m an Elite,” Zayne returned. “It’s my duty to protect you.”

“By allowing your blood to spill across the ground?” Eishirou asked sarcastically as he pivoted slightly from where he sat on the bed in order to face Zayne more directly.

Zayne snorted dismissively. “If that’s what it takes. What was I supposed to do? Let you get hit instead?”

The vision of those spikes piercing Zayne’s arm, with blood beading and dropping to the ground like rain appeared in Eishirou’s mind. And it made him feel instantly nauseous. “Better me than you!”

Zayne’s head reeled back ever so slightly, an incredulous expression on his face. “How so? You’re the medic!”

“What good is a medic if he can’t do anything other than heal?” Eishirou swiftly retorted. “It’s not like I can pick you guys up and carry you out!”

“Well, what good is an elite other than fighting?” Zayne snapped.

That caught Eishirou by surprise. His own irrational frustration and anger dissipated quickly. It dawned on him that his anger and frustration was born from fear and concern.

And Zayne was just the same.

There was pure bitterness and self-hatred in his voice. It hurt Eishirou to see Zayne receive such terrible, potentially life-threatening injuries because of him. Why wouldn’t it be any different for Zayne to see him succumb to mana depletion so suddenly?

It scared him.

Eishirou turned and sat back against the pillows behind him. Zayne himself leaned back into his chair and turned his head away to stare at the floor. There was an expression of self-loathing mixed with guilt on his face.

They fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Despite the short, abrupt fight they just had, Eishirou couldn’t help a smile from slipping across his lips. What a pair of idiots. Getting irritated because they were worried. How utterly stupid.

Yet, somehow Eishirou found it endearing.

“I’m glad you’re ok,” Eishirou uttered, breaking the silence.

“Yeah,” Zayne murmured quietly. “You, too.”

“You scared me, you know?”

“…You, too.”

Yeah, that was actually pretty obvious now.

Eishirou returned his gaze to Zayne. “Sorry.”

Zayne turned to look toward him, too. His expression was solemn, apologetic. “Me, too.”

“I’m really all right,” Eishirou insisted as he pivoted his upper body to face Zayne direction.

Zayne leaned forward to gently press his forehead against Eishirou’s. “Don’t do that again.”

A blush made its way to Eishirou’s features, but a gentle smile remained on his lips. And he made no attempt to pull away. “It’s not something I’m striving for. But, you, too.”

As he sat there, his forehead resting against Zayne’s, he felt lightheaded yet comfortable. While he did feel a sense of guilt for worrying him, he did find his concern for him sweet and endearing. His concern for him was so blatant and unapologetic. He hadn’t met anyone quite like him before.

He had only known him for a few days. But it felt as if he had known him for years.

“Ahem.” A forced, awkward cough caused Eishirou to return to reality and he jumped back in surprise. He immediately turned to look over at the door where two very familiar figures stood.

Misaki stood there with an eyebrow arched toward his hairline while Lyvia leaned out behind him with her hand over her mouth. With an obvious expression of amusement on her face.

“Are we interrupting?” Misaki asked coolly.

“O-oh, hey,” Eishirou stuttered, his face no doubt a deep red. “What are you guys doing here?”

Misaki walked into the room and to the other side of Eishirou’s bed, Lyvia right with him. “Well, some idiot had to deplete his mana and end up unconscious for a couple of days.”

Eishirou winced and rubbed the back of his neck. He spared a glance with Zayne, who of which leaned back in his chair, looking as though he wasn’t moving anytime soon.

“Ah, I bet you know all about that, then…”

“Well, I was working at the time,” Misaki explained as he sat down on an empty chair.

Oh, right. He must have been the one to receive the call for assistance and evacuation. It must have come as a surprise to him, too.

“Here, I smuggled this in for you,” Misaki said as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a familiar object.

Eishirou immediately brightened. “Ah, my tablet!” he quickly took the tablet into his hands. “Thanks!”

Lyvia sat on the edge of the bed. “Don’t let Professor Neriah find you with it,” she warned just as Eishirou was about to turn it on.

“And don’t think you can start researching off of it,” Misaki sternly added.

“Fine, fine,” Eishirou said in surrender as he slid the tablet under his pillow. “Don’t start sounding like Neriah or we’ll all be scared.”

Lyvia sniggered into her hand as Misaki narrowed his eyes in disgruntlement. But he didn’t make any attempt to dispute it. Instead, he shook his head and gave Eishirou a subtly worried look.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Ah, I’m fine,” Eishirou said in the most reassuring voice he could muster. “Just a little bit tired. Getting restless, though.”

Misaki nodded his head in understanding. “I can imagine.”

Lyvia lightly patted the sheets draped across Eishirou’s feet. “How long are you trapped here?”

“Only for the day, surprisingly.”

“Lucky,” Lyvia said after a whistle. “Neriah must be in a good mood today.”

Eishirou had to laugh at that. The way he was bickering with Jacob indicated as much. But then again, the two were friends, and their bickering may have been their attempt to ease the worry and tension they both felt.

The smile on Eishirou’s face slipped. As he thought back, where he sat in a hospital bed, it made him realise how dangerous the situation was. And how badly it could have turned out. Those ShadowDwellers were something else. They moved so quickly and knew who to attack, and when. They were intelligent. And that made them dangerous.

Eishirou’s hands tighten on the sheets folded on his lap. They could have…All of them could have been seriously hurt. Or killed.

If the Red Lily didn’t appear when it did, they may not have made it out alive. Not all of them.

“Eishirou?”

Eishirou snapped his head up and turned toward the direction of the voice. He found Misaki and Lyvia looking at him in concern. He blinked before a sheepish smile appeared on his lips.

“S-sorry, was just lost in thought.”

It wasn’t uncommon for survivors of traumatic events to experience intense feelings of fear and shock hours or days after. Eishirou was likely to experience several more episodes in the coming days. He would have to remind himself that he was fine. Everyone was fine.

They were the lucky ones.

“Hey. Any news about those missing Elite Teams?” Eishirou asked.

Misaki appeared reluctant to answer the question. He had no doubt picked up on the shock that Eishirou had experienced. But he eventually sighed and shook his head. “There’s isn’t much, I’m afraid. They’re keeping it on the quiet, but they haven’t found any evidence of their presence. The island is quite primitive.”

“Passives, especially researchers, are currently forbidden from venturing to the island, though,” Lyvia added. “Veteran Elites are currently patrolling the island.”

Eishirou simply nodded his head. That didn’t surprise him one little bit. He was curious to go back to that white tower simply because of his need to know more about that stained-glass mosaic. But that was the only reason. He didn’t wish to encounter those Humanoid ShadowDwellers again.

He had photos. And he had the Red Lily itself. He had projects to work on here, in the relatively safety of Silverleaf Academy and the museum. There was no other reason for him to return. And he found a sense of comfort in that. Especially with the fact that no one else needed to go back either.

He would like to return to Flutterlight Forest one day, sure. He would not deny an opportunity to do so. He was curious. There were a lot of secrets and mysteries to be found and discovered.

But only after they had discovered what happened to those missing Elites. And after they figured out how to deal with those ShadowDwellers to ensure they wouldn’t be ambushed again.

He hoped that they would find those who were missing soon.

A sharp knock prompted everyone to turn their attention to the door. Who stood there was someone completely unexpected; Ernesta and Rinka. Ernesta stepped into the room with confidence, unconcerned that she was the centre of attention. Rinka trailed behind her, though far more self-conscious.

“I thought I would find you here,” Ernesta said, her comment directed toward Zayne.

Zayne continued to lounge back in his chair and arched a questioning an eyebrow at her. “Yeah?”

“Hi, Rinka!” Lyvia greeted cheerfully.

Rinka flushed a light pink, but gave a small wave of her hand in response. “H-hi.”

Ernesta’s expression was placid, as always, as she turned to look over in Eishirou’s direction. “Good to see you’re doing well, Eishirou,” she said politely.

“Ah, you, too,” Eishirou said sheepishly in response as his hands toyed with his bedsheets once more. “Sorry for the hassle.”

Ernesta simply smiled. “Not at all.” However, her expression soon shifted into seriousness as she glanced around at the other occupants within the room.

“Eishirou,” she started as she rested her gaze upon him once more. “I would like to speak to you in private, if I may?”

“Oh?” That was certainly a surprise. “Ah, sure, of course.”

As if he would decline. Or could. Ernesta was quite intimidating. It was extremely difficult to say no to her.

Misaki didn’t seem all that intimidated, however, as he frowned deeply at the request. He appeared as if he wanted to argue in some way, but thought better of it. Instead, he sighed and pushed himself to his feet. “We need to get back to work, anyway,” he said, light resentment in his voice.

Lyvia nodded her head in agreement as she slipped off the bed and to her feet. “We’ll visit again later, ok?” he promised.

“Sure,” Eishirou replied with a comforting smile. “Don’t work too hard.”

The two Chroniclers bid their farewells and left the room. Ernesta watched them until they were out of sight before she turned her attention to Zayne. The blue-haired man defiantly returned her gaze with a dismissive one of his own, and the two of them simply stared at each other for a few drawn out seconds.

“You, too,” Ernesta finally stated.

Zayne uttered a childish, drawn out “fine” as he let his head flop back over the back of the chair. That drew a surprising giggle from Rinka and a roll of the eyes from Ernesta. He finally, and sulkily got up off the chair. He then shoved his hands into his pockets as he headed for the door.

“I’ll catch you later,” he called out as Rinka followed him out of the door.

“Sure,” was all Eishirou managed before he disappeared from view.

He had to admit that he felt nervous when the door to his room closed and Ernesta sat herself down on the chair that Zayne had just vacated. She leaned back, crossed her legs and folded her arms under her bust. Looking all too serious for his likening.

“Is something wrong?”

“Professor Chryses explained to me that you had used this Red Lily relic,” Ernesta answered, thankfully getting straight to the point. “He said that you channelled your healing mana to Zayne. Is that all?”

Eishirou couldn’t help but feel as if there was a silent accusation hidden in that short question. Her sharp gaze certainly felt that way. “W-well, I think so. I don’t really remember.”

“I see.” Ernesta’s expression was unreadable. “Do you suppose it is possible that this relic also channelled its mana to Zayne?”

“Well, that could be a possibility.”

Hmm. That might actually explain the pain Eishirou felt during the channelling. The Red Lily may have used him as a vessel to reach out to Zayne. Using him as a link between the two. Given him both his and the relic’s mana.

Yet, that didn’t quite make sense. If the relic wished to grant Zayne its strength, why not go directly to him? Was he not open for such a link? Did it first have to be channelled through him?

Interesting.

Ernesta continued. “Zayne exhibit some…interesting skills after you had collapsed. I’m just…curious, I suppose you could say.”

Eishirou tilted his head to the side in curiosity. “Skills?”

“Zayne defeated those ShadowDwellers all on his own. And no matter the attacks he sustained; he received no injury.” She turned her sharp eyes to look directly, and pointedly, at Eishirou. “You could say he was practically invincible.”

Invincible?

That…he remembered something about that. He wanted that, didn’t he? He had thought that very word in his mind. He transferred that intention to the Red Lily. And to Zayne himself.

Make Zayne invincible so that he could ensure that everyone got out alive.

Did…did that actually work?

How?

“Well, never mind all that now,” Ernesta suddenly stated as she uncrossed her legs and took to her feet. She presented him a placid smile. “I’m simply curious. Perhaps, from further investigation, we will learn more?”

Eishirou blinked. “Ah, yeah.”

“I best leave you be now,” Ernesta continued as she turned to head toward the door. “I’ll need to take Zayne now. So, try to get some rest.”

“Yeah, ok,” was all Eishirou could utter before he fell back into the pillows behind him and stared up at the ceiling.

He soon became lost in his thoughts. He had a lot to muse about and consider. A lot of questions ran through his head. A lot of questions but only speculation for answers.

Eyelids gently closed, hiding his golden eyes. Soft, light pinks parted ever so slightly to offer the softest of breaths into the oxygen mask. Soft brown hair against stark white pillows. Skin a washed-out, unhealthy pale. Yet, colours were starting to return to his cheeks.

White sheets. A silently beeping heart monitor. The methodical drip of saline IV fluid.

All Zayne could think was that Eishirou didn’t deserve to be in such a state. In such a place.

But he was.

Zayne sighed and ran an agitated hand through his hair. He wanted to get up and pace. Get up and do something. But he didn’t want to leave his seat, leave Eishirou’s bedside.

So he sat. And as he sat there, he started to think. He honestly couldn’t remember much of what happened at that tower. Fleeting images. Possibly like the ones that Eishirou saw in Recordings. There was a blinding white light. There was Eishirou on the ground, clearly in agony. And after that, as ShadowDwellers continued to gather around, he saw red.

Those ShadowDweller bastards did something to Eishirou. They had to be responsible.

Zayne had felt an absolute fury. One he had never felt before. Elites were trained to be cool and calculating in battle. Show intelligence and skill in all attacks.

But Zayne pretty much lost his shit.

He’d admit it. He lost it. Who wouldn’t in his position?

Other Elites. Of course.

…Who gave a shit what they thought? Surrounded by ShadowDwellers. Their healer in unknown agony. Trapped in an ancient tower. An injured member of another team unconscious and in the crossfire. Let those other Elites claim they could have done better.

They couldn’t have. Had it been another team, they’d be dead. He was certain of it.

Zayne huffed an irritated sigh and leaned back into the hospital chair. He tilted his head back to stare up vacantly at the ceiling for a moment. He soon tilted his head back down and raised his left arm.

And he stared down at his forearm.

There were no marks. Not a wound. Not a scar. There wasn’t even any swelling. Absolutely no sign that he had received any injury.

Yet, that was the arm that was penetrated by three or four steel-like bards. An attack by a ShadowDweller. One that tried to attack Eishirou.

He had moved instinctively.

His whole life, he had been trained to focus on defeating ShadowDweller first and foremost. Anything, everything else came second. But back then, in that tower, Zayne’s first priority was Eishirou’s safety.

And he was going to use any means necessary to ensure it.

Eishirou needed it. He deserved it.

Eishirou…

He was unlike anyone he had met before.

Zayne remembered their first meeting. How Eishirou cheerfully greeted him. How Zayne was slightly taken aback by how…cute the guy was. Despite having just met the guy, he was somewhat startled by how immediate his protective instincts were.

And he remembered how Eishirou had subtly winced, unconsciously backing away from him ever so slightly when his golden eyes landed on Zayne’s Elite badge. He managed to maintain his smile, yet it had lost some of its warmth. Replaced with trepidation and resignation.

It was then that Zayne knew the guy was a Passive.

There was a moment where Zayne thought the guy would turn and flee. Like other Passives in the past. Yet, he stayed. Smiled apologetically when he revealed Zayne’s team was escorting them on a mission. Continued to engage with him, even after knowing he was an Elite.

It might have been because of Zayne’s dismissiveness of he being a Passive. But that wasn’t it. Not fully.

There was no reason for him to indulge Zayne’s curiosity. No reason to talk openly about anything but work and ShadowDwellers. No reason to speak with him so informally.

But he did.

And it was in those short conversations that Zayne’s protective instincts heightened. Something in him just decided; Eishirou was adorable and delicate, and he had to protect him no matter what.

It was an odd feeling, he had to admit.

But he trusted his instincts. Not in the way he was taught. But he trusted his gut all the same.

Zayne had never met anyone so genuinely…excited about, well, anything before.

The way his eyes lit up; his amber gaze practically shimmering. The smile on his lips was broad and genuine. How his prattled on and on, almost to the point of breathlessness.

And how…happy he looked when Zayne expressed interest.

Zayne reached forward to idly touch a lock of Eishirou’s hair, allowing the soft brown strands to fall between his fingers and back onto the pillow.

Passives were…fragile.

Zayne needed to be more cautious. Be more careful.

And be far more protective.

The sound of sharp footsteps prompted Zayne to pull his hand back and push himself back into his chair. He turned his head toward the door to the small ward and noticed a member of medical staff.

The blue-haired professor, Neriah if he wasn’t mistaken, stepped into the ward once more. His glasses sat on the edge of his nose as he concentrated on the tablet in his hands. He idly glanced up, likely to check up on Eishirou, only to do a subtle double-take. He was obviously surprised and startled that Zayne was still there. By Eishirou’s bedside. Still dressed in his bloodied clothing.

“You should get some rest,” the professor stated, not suggested.

“Elites are trained to stay awake and alert for up to four days,” Zayne responded without much thought.

Neriah, however, arched an eyebrow. He was surprisingly not intimidated by him, by his words or presence. He simply nodded his head as he walked around him, unconcerned, and stood by the foot of Eishirou’s hospital bed.

“Oh, I know,” he responded. “Unlike Researchers who do it because they’re surprisingly stupid.”

The corner of Zayne’s mouth twitched into a smirk but chose not to otherwise respond. Eishirou had mentioned previously that he, along with other researchers, had the habit of forgetting to eat and sleep.

Still, it was nice that the Professors of this academy weren’t afraid of Elite students. Not like the one he transferred from…

“Though, since you’re still here; remember anything previous to the evacuation?” Neriah suddenly asked. Likely just wanting notes for his files.

Zayne huffed up a breath to blow a strand of hair from his eyes. “Nah. I remember losing my shit. And then doing what it takes to get out of there.”

Neriah nodded his head idly as he tapped at the screen of his tablet. “Running on adrenaline and instinct, then.”

Protectiveness and rage, too, probably.

“As the adrenaline declines, you may begin to remember more,” Neriah continued as he sighed something off with his tablet.

Zayne nodded his head absentmindedly as his gaze shifted back toward Eishirou. Disappointed that he was as still and as pale as before. Only the steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathed quietly.

“He has extreme mana depletion and exhaustion,” Neriah unexpectedly explained. “He’s unlikely to awaken for a day or so.”

Zayne was unable to prevent a frown from appearing on his lips as a twinge of guilt gnawed at him. Mana depletion. Through the continuous use of mana. Was his condition from the numerous Recordings he had pulled? Or was it because he had healed Zayne of his injuries?

No, it had to be both.

“He’s in stable condition and I’ve got my rounds,” Neriah said as he walked toward the door. “Shout if you need anything.”

“Sure,” was all Zayne uttered as he watched the professor walk out the door. The sound of his footsteps fading away.

Back in that stifling silence, Zayne leaned his head back against his chair and stared up at the ceiling.

What happened? What actually happened in that tower?

A bright light. Blinding. And when it faded, Eishirou was…on the ground, clutching his chest with blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. There was something else. Something red floating before him. He…regarded it. He seemed to know what it was.

And after that…?

Eishirou had…healed him. Somehow. Without touching him. But Zayne knew, beyond doubt, that it was Eishirou that had healed him. That gentle, warming presence. He felt it before. When he battled against that Centipede ShadowDweller.

Only the healing was far stronger than before.

And he felt intense anger after that.

It was protective. Primal in a way.

The ShadowDwellers had swarmed him after his wounds had healed. He…remembered that part. After…after Eishirou fell to his knees, blood trickling from the side of his mouth, the ShadowDwellers suddenly reacted differently. Instead of focusing on Eishirou, like they had done previously, they turned on Zayne.

And he slashed the shit out of them. They attacked him in return. Some managed to land, yet…he didn’t feel any of them.

He remembered feeling a sense of satisfaction when they circled him. Slopping and scurrying about. He remembered thinking; “good, now I can kill you all at once.”

The sooner he killed the bastards, the sooner he could get to Eishirou. And get him to safety.

That was all that mattered.

Zayne was pulled from his musings upon another presence entering the room. He instinctively looked over and watched as Professor Chryses, or Jacob, Eishirou’s godfather, entered the room. His face was drawn, his expression sombre.

It was a tight expression. One used when they were reigning in their worry and concern. He had that same expression when he met them in the helicopter bay with the medical team.

Eishirou looked so…small when Jacob hastily took him from Zayne’s arms and held him in his own.

He really was a mountain of a man. Even by Elite standards. He looked like he could be an Elite. But he was a Passive. He definitely was a Passive. He didn’t act like an Elite. Didn’t walk around with a sense of superiority. Or had his head shoved clean up his own ass.

More importantly, he didn’t treat Passives like shit.

Jacob was Eishirou’s godfather, but Zayne had to admit that he was surprised that the man was so openly affectionate about the kid.

As Jacob walked into the room, his attention was forced entirely on Eishirou. It actually took him a moment to realise that Zayne was also present. When he did, he was momentarily surprised.

“Oh, you’re still here, Zayne?” he questioned, curiosity in his voice as he walked over to stand on the other side of Eishirou’s bed. “I’d figured Sigmund would have snared you by now.”

Zayne shrugged, deciding not to mention that he hadn’t told Professor Sigmund where he was. The stoic Elite professor could find him on his own if he needed him so badly. Though, he had to admit he was surprised that Earnesta hadn’t hunted him down.

“You did a good job bringing Eishirou home,” Jacob suddenly said. “And you protected him the best you could. You have my thanks.”

Zayne snapped his head toward him, unable to prevent a frown. Thanks? What for? Eishirou was lying pale as a ghost on a hospital bed. He hadn’t moved for hours. Unlikely to do for hours more.

He had done nothing to be thankful for.

“Not the ideal condition, sure,” Jacob said with a forced half grin. But his expression soon took on a sullen, nostalgic hue. “As long as he’s home. We can deal with anything after that.”

…Eishirou was truly cared for, wasn’t he? Yet, his own godfather seemed to trust him. Trust him to protect someone so important to him.

Despite everything that had happened, Zayne felt his resolve strengthen. He had been given the position of ensuring Eishirou’s safety. And he was going to see to that.

No matter what.

… … … … …

Eishirou was in that strange state of semi-consciousness. Where he was awake, but too tired and too comfortable to move. His bed was warm and soft, and his body felt too heavy to attempt to move. He was conscious enough to know that he wasn’t dreaming and to have the coherent thought that he should get up and be productive. But tired and lazy enough to simply roll over and go back to sleep.

Hmm. He couldn’t remember if he had any dreams last night. He must have been exhausted and just fell into bed.

“Eishirou? Can you hear me?”

Huh? Jacob? What was he doing in his room? Why did he have to wake him up? He was tired and comfortable, and just wanted to go back to sleep.

“Come now, Eishirou, I need you to wake up now.”

Strange. There was a sense of urgency in Jacob’s voice. He had better wake up and see what he wanted. It must be important.

It was a struggle to open his eyes, surprisingly. His eyelids felt heavy and could only muster to weakly flutter them open. He found himself staring up at a while ceiling. A ceiling he wasn’t all that familiar with.

A movement from the corner of his eye prompted Eishirou to roll his head to the side. Though his vision was blurry, he could make out the form of someone familiar.

“…Jacob?” Eishirou murmured as he squinted his eyes. His throat felt unexpectedly dry and tight.

Jacob looked undeniably haggard; dark rings under his eyes, hair a mess, and rather pale. He, however, managed a smile as he ran a hand through his short hair. “Christ, kid, you had me age ten years.”

He was…worried?

Eishirou furrowed his brow and swallowed thickly. “Where am I…?”

A movement from the right side of the bed immediately prompted Eishirou to roll his head to the other side. He was surprised to find that Neriah was there, too. Sat on the right side of his bed. A stethoscope around his neck and a medical clipboard in his hand.

“You’re in the infirmary,” Neriah was the one to answer. “You’ve been here for twenty-four hours.”

Infirmary? He was back at the academy already?

Wait, a day? He had been sleeping for the entire day? Wow. He hadn’t done that before!

“Ok, kid, I need you to tell me what happened,” Jacob said, his tone serious. “Ernesta told me as much as she could, but I need to hear it from you now.”

Eishirou rolled his head back to blink up at the ceiling. What happened…?

He was on an assignment, wasn’t he? To Flutterlight Forest. To investigate the forest and the underground chamber. He remembered walking through tunnels. A cave painting. A recording. And then…

Missing Elites. They found one.

A white tower. A small key. A puzzle on the door.

Inside the tower was a stained glass mosaic.

They were then ambushed by ShadowDwellers. Humanoid ShadowDwellers.

And then…

Eishirou’s eyes widen and he sprung up in bed. “Wait, the Red Lily!”

His vision abruptly blurred and his hearing was drowned out by his pulse throbbing in his head. His world tilted, and so did he. He had to desperately grasp at the bedsheets to prevent himself from toppling out of the bed.

“Easy!” Jacob immediately scolded as he reached out to grasp him by the shoulder and guided him to stay upright. “Your blood pressure is low so no sudden movements.”

Eishirou dropped his head forward to his chest and he grasped at his forehead with his right hand. His hearing was still slightly impaired by the throbbing in his head. He felt somewhat nauseated, too.

He pushed all that aside as he grasped at Jacob’s arm and looked directly at him. “Where’s Zayne?”

“He’s been here,” Jacob pacified. “Neriah here had to kick him out so that he could get some rest himself.”

“He wasn’t hurt?”

“No, not an injury to be found,” Neriah was the one to answer, which prompted Eishirou to turn to in his direction in time to note a half smile on his lips. “From what I understand, he had been by your side the throughout the entire ordeal.”

Eishirou uttered a sigh of relief. Good, he wasn’t harmed.

“But, what about Mikiel?”

Neriah unexpectedly rolled his eyes. Yet there was a sense of fondness in the motion. “Full of questions as always. He’s alive. His injuries have been largely healed. Yet, he still lies in a coma.”

Eishirou couldn’t supress a wince at the memory. “He had swelling of the brain.”

“And a skull fracture, I know,” Neriah replied as he nodded his head idly. “He’s stable. You did what was necessary. You kept him alive.”

That was honestly the best Eishirou could do with the circumstances he was given. At least Mikiel was alive. He was sure they would be able to handle anything that followed.

But that led to a few more questions. He was in a bed. In a medical bay. In the infirmary. His last memory was ShadowDwellers and the sudden appearance of the Red Lily. Nothing after that.

“How did I end up here?” Eishirou asked as he motioned idly to the room around him. “I don’t remember the journey back.”

Jacob leaned back into his chair that had been pulled close to the bed. “Team 3 contacted Communications requesting an emergency evacuation,” he explained as he folded his arms across his chest. “Zayne was the one to ensure your safety. I know about the white tower and the stained glass. Zayne informed me. I haven’t had the chance to inspect the report or photos, but I’ll get to those later.”

Didn’t have the time? That meant he had stayed by his bedside for the entire time, didn’t it?

“Now, lie down and relax,” Jacob ordered lightly. “I need your side of the story. What happened when those ShadowDwellers attacked?”

Eishirou allowed himself to sink into the mattress and pillow. He found himself staring up at the ceiling as he became lost in thought.

Right, what did happen?

“I’m…not sure,” he admitted. “I just remember fragments. The ShadowDwellers were unbelievable. Zayne was protecting me. He got hurt. And…there was a bright light. And the Red lily suddenly appeared. It was just…there.”

Had it been inside the tower the entire time? Why did it appear when it did? More importantly, how did it appear suddenly like that?

Did it react to something? To him?

Eishirou uttered a sigh and clutched at his forehead. He had so many questions. One thing was clear to him, however, that the Red Lily did appear. And it appeared during a desperate moment.

“I…used the Red Lily to give Zayne my healing,” Eishirou continued. “I think. I can’t remember.”

Jacob sat forward in his seat. “Used?”

“I heard a voice. It asked me what I wanted to do.”

It called him something, too. Something soul. Something else he didn’t fully remember.

However, he certainly remembered how it felt to have his energy drained from him. That was exactly what it was; his healing skills and mana were drained from him. And given to Zayne.

It hurt. A lot.

…He shouldn’t tell Zayne.

Eishriou uttered a sigh as he dropped his arm listlessly to his side. He licked his lips and swallowed thickly. It was difficult, though. “Can I have some water? I taste copper. Was I coughing up blood?”

“You were,” Neriah answered as he reached toward the bedside table where a water pitcher sat. “You were clutching your chest, too.”

As Jacob helped Eishirou to sit up, he barely supressed a grimace. He couldn’t imagine how unnerving that sight would have been. Especially if it happened just after encountering the Red Lily.

“How bad am I?” Eishirou couldn’t help but ask as Neriah handed him a cup of cool water.

Neriah’s answer was thankfully brief. “Better than when you first arrived. Severe acute exhaustion and mana depletion. Now, drink slowly.”

Eishirou grasped the glass with both hands. The urge to gulp it down was there, but he resisted. He sipped at the water slowly until he drank the entire glass. It felt so good against his dry, terse throat.

“What happened to the Red Lily?” Eishirou asked as Neriah retrieved the glass from him.

Jacob leaned forward in his chair to rest his elbows on his knees. “It’s at the museum. You had it clutched tightly in your left hand. It took a while for us to coax you into letting go.”

Eishirou blinked. “The Red Lily is here?”

Jacob abruptly raised his hand to silence any further questions he had. “Never mind that now. How are you feeling?”

It honestly took Eishirou a moment to figure out how to reply. He didn’t feel all that bad. “Just a little dizzy and tired.”

“That’s to be expected,” Neriah said as he idly adjusted his reading glasses. “And those symptoms are likely to linger for the next couple of days. Less, if you actually take it easy.”

Eishirou frowned. Whenever a doctor would say “take it easy” what he really meant was to do absolutely nothing. And he didn’t like doing absolutely nothing. Especially if there was a relic around for him to help investigate!

“What about classes?” he asked.

Neriah sighed aloud and immediately snapped his gaze toward Jacob. “He has inherited your inability to take it easy,” he stated, sounding surprisingly bitter.

“Hey now.” Jacob immediately threw his hands up in front of him in both a surrender and pacifying manner. “Don’t try to pin that on me.”

“I really shouldn’t expect a man who forgets to eat for an entire day to instil a sense of self-preservation in his apprentice.”

“It is perfectly natural for researchers and chroniclers to possess a determined work ethic.”

“Work ethic? Working until you collapse from exhaustion isn’t exactly what I would call a healthy work ethic.”

“Now you’re just being overly dramatic. I haven’t passed out from exhaustion for years.”

“What about last month?”

“That doesn’t count.”

“Yes, it does!”

Eishirou had to snigger quietly to himself at the two professors as they bicker back and forth across his bed. They had been friends for years. And it was easy to tell.

Over the continuous bickering, Eishirou heard the sound of rapid footsteps in the hall just outside the room. He turned his head in time to watch the door to his room fly open and a certain blue-haired Elite stood on the threshold.

“Eishirou?”

Eishirou immediately perked up. “Zayne!”

Zayne used the door frame as leverage to push himself into the room and Eishirou raised his arms, outstretched toward the Elite. As Zayne reached him, he crouched down next to his bed and allowed Eishirou to wrap his arms around his neck. While he slipped his own arms around Eishirou’s waist.

Eishirou rested his chin on Zayne’s shoulder and hugged him back as tightly as Zayne held him. Neriah did tell him that Zayne was fine. No injuries whatsoever. But he still felt relief seeing him with his own eyes.

After a lingering moment, Zayne finally pulled back. He kept his hands on his shoulders, however, as he knelt on the floor next to his bed. “You’re ok?”

Eishirou nodded. “I’m all right.”

“Did those ShadowDwellers do something to you?” Zayne asked him with a brow furrowed in concern.

Eishirou shook his head this time. “It wasn’t the ShadowDwellers. It was the Red Lily.”

Zayne’s concern soon turned into confusion. “That relic?”

“I…used it to heal your injuries,” Eishirou explained the best he could. “It took a lot of energy. That’s why I’m exhausted. I’m all right, though.”

Zayne didn’t appear all that convinced. He also looked confused, which was hardly a surprise. Eishirou himself didn’t remember how he used the relic. He barely remembered much of what happened after those Humanoid ShadowDwellers ambushed them.

Speaking of which;

“What happened to those ShadowDwellers?”

Zayne hesitated for a moment, his expression blank. Yet there was a sense of…something in his eyes. “They were…defeated.”

There was something he wasn’t telling him. Eishirou had to admit that he was curious. But he was sure Zayne had his reasons and it would do no good to anyone to demand answers here and now.

Eishirou was just relieved that Zayne was ok.

And the rest of the team, too, of course.

The thought of Elite Team 3 reminded him of Mikiel, and ultimately of the condition they found him. And how he was alone.

“What about those missing Elite Teams?” Eishirou asked.

“They’re still searching for them,” Jacob was the one to answer, abruptly reminding Eishirou that he was indeed still there. “They’ve sent several veteran Elites to investigate the island and to deal with those ShadowDwellers.”

Veteran Elites?

They were Elites who were in their mid-thirties or older. They didn’t move in teams, but rather worked solo. They were more than capable of handling things by themselves. As the name indicated, they were warrior Elites who had decades of experience.

Administration must be worried to send those harden fighters to explore the area.

“Needless to say, the Midnight Islands and Flutterlight Forest are off limits for a while,” Jacob continued. “Which means-”

“Which means I won’t be going back to inspect the tower, huh?” Eishirou interrupted with a disappointed pout.

Jacob nodded his head solemnly while Neriah sighed in exasperation and pinched the bridge of his nose. Zayne, however, looked somewhat baffled. No doubt wondering why he would want to return to that place after such a close encounter. To him, returning to inspect the stained glass wouldn’t be worth the time or effort.

And Eishirou couldn’t really blame him for feeling that way. A part of him felt the same. He didn’t want to head back in if it meant putting Zayne and his teammates in danger again. Yet, the other part of him wanted to out of sheer curiosity and wanted to learn more about the Red Lily.

Never mind any of that, though. It wasn’t like he could be rebellious and go back on his own. He’d doubt they would let him out of the hangers. And he certainly couldn’t walk to the destination. Swim, more like it.

He’d muse about the Red Lily later. First, he needed to sweettalk his way out of the infirmary. The mood that Neriah was in, he suspected it wasn’t going to be easy.

“So, anyway, since I’m awake and all that, can I go back to my room?” Eishirou asked.

Neriah picked up his medical chart and replied in a matter-a-fact manner; “I want you to stay for one more day.”

“I can’t just go back to my room? I promise not to do anything strenuous,” Eishirou pleaded, even going as far as clapping his hands in front of him in a further pleading motion.

Neriah narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. The movement was subtle, but Eishirou knew exactly what it meant. He had lost this conversation long before it even started.

“We’ve already established that Chroniclers are incapable of taking it easy,” Neriah said as he poked Eishirou in the middle of his forehead. “Personally, I want you to stay a week. So, I’m being nice. Don’t push it.”

Don’t push it indeed!

“Zayne will just have to keep you company,” Neriah continued. “Until lights out, of course.”

“Thanks.” Zayne kept his gaze forward as he reached around to retrieve the binoculars from him. He whipped them around and stuck them in front of his eyes. He fell silent as he scanned the area before a frown marred his lips. “Yeah, figured. They have one of the missing Elites with them. They look hurt.”

Well, that would explain their hasty movements.

Zayne abruptly handed the eyewear back to Eishirou. “We better get ready.”

Eishirou winced but nodded his head nevertheless. “R-right.”

He shoved the binoculars back into his bag and tugged at the medical kit. If the other Elite was hurt, then it was up to Eishirou to help him. He couldn’t begin to speculate what kind of injuries the other Elite had sustained, so he had to steel himself for the worst-case scenario.

Just as Eishirou pulled out the medical kit and pressed it against his chest, the other members of Elite Team 3 became clearer in view. He could see that it was Rinka who was leading the way, her pink mana wings easily seen against the blue sky. Behind her was Leon, and with him was the limp form of an Elite he did not recognise. Ernesta and Tatsu took the rear, glancing front and back, keeping a cautious eye on the rising plumes of smoke behind them.

Zayne pulled Eishirou away from the edge of the ledge where they stood in front of the lighthouse, giving the quickly approaching Elites room to land. He, too, materialised his mana wings, just as his teammates reached them.

“E-Eishirou!” Rinka stuttered as she and Leon land on the grass before them. “He’s hurt!”

“He’s one of the missing Elites,” Leon explained as Zayne moved forward to help him lay the injured Elite on the ground. “He’s breathing but completely unresponsive.”

“Ah, right!”

Zayne and Leon took a step back to allow Eishirou to kneel next to the unnamed Elite. He didn’t recognise him, though it might be partially due to the dirt and scuff marks on his face. He had short black hair and a mole under his left eye.

He rolled him onto his back and placed his hands upon his chest to do an inspection. Airway clear. Heartrate high but steady. Fractured ribs, on the right side. Torn ligament in right shoulder. Fractured right arm. Concussion. Unconsciousness. No internal blessing, thankfully.

But it was the small fracture in his skull and swelling on the brain that has him the most concerned.

In short, he wasn’t in the best shape!

It would be best to get him back to the Academy and into the infirmary. Eishirou could help ease his injuries, but not cure them completely. That concussion needed to be monitored. And that fractured skull was also not something he could help in the middle of the field like this.

“I don’t recognise him, who is he?” Zayne asked Leon as Ernesta and Tatsu joined them.

“Mikiel. Team Eight.”

“Where’s the rest of the team?”

“We don’t know,” Ernesta was the one to answer. “He’s the only one we found.”

Before Ernesta could explain further, a loud shriek reverberated around the basin.

In a flurry of leaves and tree limbs, a large centipede reared up, holding its head high over the treetops. Large pincers. Legs flailing angrily, clawing at the air. It then reared its head back and screamed an ear-piercing shriek. So loud that Eishirou winced and instinctively covered his ears with his hands.

“And then this bastard intervened,” Leon muttered bitterly.

Zayne tisked, just as annoyed. Perhaps more so. “Another damn centipede.”

Eishirou couldn’t help but stare, though. It looked just like the one they battled before.

That…wasn’t what he saw chasing the Elites in the recording. Did that mean that there was another ShadowDweller out there somewhere? Was that the reason why the rest of the Elite Team weren’t found?

A hand suddenly clasped Eishirou’s shoulder, pulling him from his thoughts. He lifted his head, subconsciously tensing his back.

“Just concentrate on healing.”

Unsurprisingly, it was Zayne. But his voice prompted Eishirou to remember their last encounter with ShadowDweller of that size and shape. Or more specifically, how it sent Zayne crashing to the ground with a shape of its head. “B-but…”

“It’ll be different this time,” Zayne interrupted and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. “There’s more of us. I’ll make sure you’re safe. Trust me.”

Trust him? That was quite easy to do, honestly.

Eishirou nodded his head. “Right. Be careful anyway.”

Zayne gave his shoulder another quick squeeze before he removed his hand. And showing that he did indeed trust Zayne and the members of his team, Eishirou shifted his position where his turned his back toward the ShadowDweller and impeding battle. And concentrated on offering much needed healing to Mikiel.

It was difficult to ignore as Ernesta issued her commands and sounds of the Elite materialising their mana weapons. It was especially difficult to ignore the shriek from the ShadowDweller as it, too, prepared itself for battle.

Eishirou shook his head to clear it. He needed to focus on the task at hand. He had a role to play and he needed to complete to the best of his ability.

With his hand against Mikiel’s chest, Eishirou focused on slowly and carefully siphoning healing mana toward the areas that needed medical attention. He couldn’t heal the fracture in his skull, and he was honestly reluctant to due to the pressure building in his brain. And that was his greatest concern. If he could reduce the swelling…

He hadn’t done anything remotely like it before, but he had to try.

One small burst of healing at a time. Gently. He couldn’t afford to be hasty. The brain was sensitive organ. If he could prevent any brain damage, he was damn well going to try.

He became so focused on his task that he didn’t hear or take notice of the battle that continued behind him. And slowly, the pressure withing Mikiel’s head began to ease.

Eishirou breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled back his healing.

Finally, he could turn his attention on Mikiel’s other injuries. But first, he wanted to make sure that Zayne and the others were ok.

He turned slightly to look behind him. As he did, the chaos and noise of battle quickly struck him. It wasn’t as chaotic as their first battle against the Centipede ShadowDweller. Due to the open area, allowing for the Elites to attack from above and afar. They were also able to keep the ShadowDweller distracted. And away from him.

Zayne looked to be fine. Movements flawless and agile. Striking at the ShadowDweller’s head quickly before darting back. He was being cautious. As was everyone else.

…Yeah. This battle was different from last time.

Confident that Zayne and his team would eventually win the battle, Eishirou shifted his attention to his medical kit and pulled out the antiseptic and bandages needed to dress Mikiel’s wounds.

But his injuries…they looked strange. They didn’t look like they were inflicted by a ShadowDweller. Not that he had much experience with ShadowDweller injuries. And they did come in many different shapes and forms.

Still…something about them were too accurate. Too clean. Too précised.

Oddly, his left hand was clutched tightly into a fist. And no matter how much Eishirou coaxed and pulled at his fingers, his hand would not unfurl. He could see that he was grasping onto something, however. So tightly that his knuckles were white.

That…thing must be important. Whatever it was.

He shook his head. He didn’t have time to ponder the origin of the wounds. He needed to heal them.

Eishirou had just finished wounding bandages around Mikiel’s right wrist, he heard a telling shriek behind him. And knew immediately that it was the ShadowDweller’s final death cry.

The relief he felt was profound.

Eishirou turned in time to witness the mysterious black mist that would signify a ShadowDweller’s demise drift into the sky before dissipating completely. The sight caused Eishirou to breath another sigh of relief.

One less concern to worry about.

Zayne is the first to return and promptly lands close to him. A light layer of sweat shimmered across his brow. But there were no other injuries to be seen.

Even so…

“Are you all right?” Eishirou asked as Zayne dismissed his wings and placed his holsters back to his sides.

“Of course,” Zayne replied dismissively and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. “Piece of cake.”

Eishirou would have to take his word for it. Though, his response did bring a smile to his lips.

Ernesta, on the other hand, was far from smiling as she approached. “How is Mikiel?”

The smile on Eishirou’s lips soon disappeared and he sighed. “Not good. He’s gone into shock. He won’t respond.” He would keep his concerns about the origins of Mikiel’s injuries to himself for now. “Did you find him like this?”

“Yes. He was alone. No sign of his teammates,” Ernesta explained briefly, her concern and unease palpable in her voice. Which was beyond reasonable.

“What should we do now?” Leon was the one to ask.

Ernesta sighed and folded his arms tightly under her bust as she turned to look at the horizon. That prompted Eishirou to glance over, too, and he was honestly startled to note that an orange hue was already beginning to stain the sky. Sunset won’t be too far away now.

“It’s grown late,” Ernesta stated. “It would be too dangerous to attempt to evacuate now.”

Rinka visibly winced. “We’re camping here?” she asked meekly.

Again, Ernesta sighed. “We do not have a choice.”

They had provisions, so Eishirou wasn’t entirely worried about setting up camp. He was worried about their injured companion, however. And the missing Elites. Something was definitely wrong here.

Eishirou placed his med-kit back into this bag and pulled out his tablet and communicator. Thankfully, he had coverage being on a tall peak in the basin. But the distance would prevent a face-call. Still, he had a voice. He could convey what was happening easily enough.

“I can get into contact with Communications,” Eishirou said as he tapped at the screen of his communicator. “I’ll alert them to our situation. They should be able to send transport by the morning.”

Leon turned back to Ernesta to ask her; “Should we search for another campsite or stay where we are?”

Ernesta spent a moment to survey the area. “I suggest we stay here. If the situation escalates further, we can escape by air. And we may need to evacuate by helicopter. This lighthouse will act as a marker and landmark.”

Ok, good. Eishirou would remember to tell everything to Communications.

It took a few, drawn out seconds for a connection to be made. Finally, the connect symbol popped up and a familiar voice resounded from the communicator.

A smile immediately made its way to Eishirou’s lips. “Ah, Misaki!”

Unexpectedly, there was a brief sigh of relief heard on the other end. “Are you all right?”

That wasn’t exactly the first response one should expect from Communications. Especially when it was asked in a blatantly concerned manner.

“We’re fine. Why? What’s going on over there?”

There was another sigh from Misaki. “We’ve lost contact with two Elite Teams who were sent to Midnight Islands,” he explained bluntly. “Lyvia is trying to raise one while Professor Jalen works to find the other.”

T-two teams?!

Eishirou shared a quick glance with Zayne who had crouched down next to him. In Zayne’s eyes were a sense of concern, too, though his expression was stoic.

“We…found one member of a team,” Eishirou began to explain. “We don’t know what happened to his teammates. He’s stable, but in serious condition. Unfortunately, we’re too deep within Flutterlight Forest and it’s too hazardous to conduct an evacuation. We’re setting up camp for the night before withdrawing in the morning.”

“Understood,” Misaki responded professionally. “Can you send coordinates? If the situation deteriorates further, we may be forced to conduct a night flight evacuation.”

Eishirou balanced his tablet on his knee and quickly sent the coordinates. “Visual landmarks will include a white tower that is similar to that of a lighthouse.”

“Understood,” Misaki responded instinctively before he paused. “A building?”

“Yeah, it’s on a peak in the middle of a basin. It’ll be difficult to miss, I imagine. I’d explain more, but we need to prepare for camp.”

“Understood,” Misaki responded once again, returning to his professional role. “Keep me updated whenever possible.”

“Roger,” Eishirou replied before he shut down communications.

As he placed his communicator and tablet back into his bag, he accidentally caught sight of Tatsu. His expression was blank, as it usually was. But his eyes were narrowed slightly, and his jaw clenched tightly.

It…was just tension. He didn’t like the situation they were in. Understandable, really.

“Ok, we need to move quickly,” Ernesta stated as she took on a commanding role once more. “Leon, set up a single tent. Tatsu, we will need a campfire. Rinka, help me to gather wood and kindling. Zayne, keep watch over Eishirou and the injured.”

“Roger!”

Eishirou didn’t need to be told what his role was; he needed to keep watch over Mikiel. Though, he did wish he had something to do, but he understood that it was the Elites themselves that did the physical labour. He was just the guest.

As the Elites completed their tasks, Eishirou leaned forward on his knees and placed his hands upon Mikiel’s chest. His breathing was steady, his heartbeat strong. There was still minor swelling on the brain, but for the most part he was stable. He would be far better in the infirmary, but Eishirou was fairly confident that he wasn’t going to, ah…expire on him.

His injuries, though…

Eishirou sat back on his heels and turned his head toward Zayne. The Elite had taken to his feet to survey the area, on alert for any kind of threat. He was clearly busy, but Eishirou had the need to talk to him. To at least tell him a certain titbit he witnessed a previous recording.

“Can I talk to you?”

Zayne immediately turned his face toward him and nodded. “Yeah. Are you worried?”

“A little.” Who wouldn’t be when they were camping in an unmapped forest with ShadowDwellers? But that wasn’t all. “It’s…when I pulled a recording from that badge, I saw something else.”

A slight look of confusion appeared on Zayne’s face. His expression soon cleared and he lowered himself into a crouch next to him. “What?”

“A ShadowDweller had followed the team into the tunnels,” Eishirou revealed as he reached into his bag and pulled out his tablet. “But the ShadowDweller wasn’t a centipede or scorpion. It looked like this.”

He pulled up the photo he had taken of the cave painting they encountered in the tunnels a few hours ago. He showed Zayne a close-up of the tall, black figures that were the main focus of the mural.

“Humanoids?” Zayne questioned, a hint of surprise in his voice. He turned his gaze away from the photo to look over at Eishirou again. “Are you thinking that these guys are responsible for the missing Elites?”

Eishirou nodded as he dropped the tablet onto his lap. “Yeah.”

A frown tugged at Zayne’s lips. “I see.”

Zayne’s expression was stoic, but Eishirou could tell that he was unnerved by the possibility of a new type of ShadowDweller being out there somewhere. And the possibility that it was responsible for the missing Elite Teams.

If…if it could take out two Elite teams, they were in danger, too.

Zayne suddenly reached out and wound an arm around Eishirou’s shoulders and pulled him toward him so that their foreheads touched gently. “I’ll make sure you’ll get out of this, I promise.”

Eishirou felt his cheeks flush and his eyes widen at the admission. The determination in Zayne’s voice was resolute. And endearing. He meant that. He truly did.

And yet…

“You’re…going to have to stay close to me to do that.”