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Chapter Text

It took her a very long time to push open the door. Her small frame barely made the huge frame shift, so she secretly utilized her energy Evol. Turning her head side to side, ensuring that the coast was clear and she hadn’t been caught, she slipped inside the room.

As she walked in, the motion activated lights came on. The walls were lined with glass cases, each showcasing a variety of firearms. They were in all sorts of sizes and colors, and as she walked past them, made her feel very small. She doubted one would fit within both her hands, and she looked down at her palms dejectedly.

Sorrow quickly made way for wonder, as she saw more displays, this time on tables. Like on the walls, the tables were covered in protective glass. Unfortunately for her, she was too small to look inside, so she looked around for a chair she could use to gain some height.

“You should not be here.”

A deep voice resounded behind her, freezing her in place. It was then that she realized that in excitement to explore, she had not noticed the door opening.

The tall man standing behind her leaned along the wall, hands in his pockets. He kept a stern gaze on her, red eyes following her every move. A normal person would have fainted at the sight.

Yet, she held her arms out as her face broke into a smile. “Daddy!”

Sylus chuckled. Holding a stern façade was proving to be impossible. So, he gave in, walking over to the child and picking her up. Safely nestled in his arms, she threw hers around his neck.

“Is this your way of pacifying me?” he asked. “That means you know what you did wrong.”

The child simply nuzzled into his neck, eliciting another sigh from him. She knew that despite how stern he looked; he was soft enough to let her get away with nearly everything. It was how she had gotten by this far without getting into trouble, and why she continued to make more mischief.

“This is the fourth time this week you’ve run away,” Sylus said, using two fingers to gently pull her away from him. With this, they were finally eye to eye. “You’re beginning to become quite mischievous. I wonder what we’ll do with you.”

“How did you find me?” she asked, a bit miffed that her escape attempt had been spoiled before she could truly enjoy.

“You forget I have eyes everywhere in this base, little dragon,” he stated, wiping some dirt off her nose with his thumb. “There is not one move you make that I don’t know of.” His eyes flitted down to her palm. “Speaking of which…”

The child began to panic. Inheriting her father’s energy manipulation Evol had been both a blessing and a curse. Due to possible complications arising from its use, she had been expressly forbidden from using it, at least until she was old enough that her father would train her himself.

Seeing the child’s eyes widen, he laughed. “It’ll be our little secret,” he whispered, chuckling as she let out a breath of relief. Now they were both accomplices.

The child secured in his arms, he walked out of the room. As he crossed the threshold, the lights flicked off, dousing the room in darkness. The child frowned at the sight as she peered over her father’s shoulder. She had not been able to explore to her content, and there was something about dark rooms that just rubbed her the wrong way. She didn’t like them. In fact, when she was younger, she insisted on every room in the base to be lit up. Of course, they obliged, none of them could really say no to her.

Sylus noticed her discomfort. “If it unsettles you, then don’t look.” His giant hand gently pushed her face into his shoulder, blocking the dark room from her sight. She let herself be moved, taking comfort in her father’s gentle stroking of her silver hair.

“You’re lucky your mother is at work, you know,” he said as he walked down the hallway. “She would not be nearly as forgiving as I am.”

The child pouted. “Will you tell on me?” she asked.

He chuckled. “Why? Does my daughter want to make a deal with me?” She turned away, embarrassed. “You should know by now that if you wish to make a deal, you need something equally valuable to negotiate with.”

She thoughtfully held her chin. She was just a seven-year-old, and was facing the person who controlled the entire area. What did a child have to negotiate with that the leader of Onychinus didn’t have?

Eventually, she held up three fingers. “Three kisses,” she declared. “And…I’ll give you my piggy bank!”

He turned his head away, fingers resting across his mouth. His daughter was just too cute, and he knew just who to blame for that as well. After all, she resembled a miniature version of her, just with his white hair and red eyes.

“Tell you what,” he turned back to her. “How about you keep your piggy bank? But, you score high in your upcoming tests. And, you’re fast asleep in your bed before your mother comes home.”

She considered it. For all intents and purposes, it was a good deal. She wouldn’t have to part with her dear piggy bank. Her savings weren’t much, but they were hers, and she treasured them. “Deal.”

She was about to ask him to put her down, but was stopped when he gently grabbed her hand. “Now, now, I never said I wouldn’t accept the kisses.” He turned his head. “We had a deal.” He tapped his cheek.

She huffed indignantly. “Daddy’s being mean again,” she complained. Nevertheless, she placed a peck on his cheek. “That’s one,” he counted. She leaned up to kiss his brow. “That’s two.”

Before she could place the third kiss, he turned his head towards her, startling her. He surprised her by instead placing a kiss on her forehead. “That’s three.”

She shook her head. “But, I didn’t do it!” she exclaimed.

“Ha, trivial matters.” It was then she noticed they were at a familiar door. “Look at you,” Sylus said. “You’re already half asleep.”

True to his words, the child’s eyes were falling as she struggled to keep them open. Just as he spoke, she stifled a yawn. Normally, she would have protested that she wasn’t tired, but she did make a deal to get to bed early tonight. So, she stayed silent and allowed her father to carry her into her room. The bed looked quite inviting, if she were to admit.

He tucked her into bed, stroking her silky hair as she drifted off to sleep, clutching her favorite crow plushie. Only when he was certain she was knocked off did he remove his hand and get up.

The light fluttering of wings drew his attention. The mechanical crow Mephisto had flown in and found his perch, regarding the child with a robotic eye.

“Watch her,” Sylus commanded as he entered his room through the connecting door.

A year prior, the child had suddenly begun to demand her own room. The reason being that kids in her class had said that you had to have your own room to be grown up. Not wanting to be left behind, she wanted hers. A whole lot of convincing led Sylus to give her the room connected to his, one that was originally slated for the Hunter he had grown so fond of.

Having them kept apart by a connected door gave the parents peace of mind. This was still the N109 Zone, and there had already been numerous kidnapping attempts of the heir to Onychinus. The best way to keep their daughter safe had been to have her sleep with them, but if she demanded a piece of independence so much, it was best that she stay within reach.

The room had changed quite a lot. Colorful wallpaper decorated with characters covered the old color. Similar characters adorned the bedsheets and pillowcases, with character nightlights gently casting a warm glow in the room. The child had taken after her mother by developing an affinity for plushies, so now plushies adorned the shelves of the room, as well as being sprawled out on the bed.

Sylus sighed and got into the shower, letting the hot water work out the aches in his muscles. He didn’t know if the aches were age related. He had assumed he couldn’t die, but could he age? Or was it just the weariness of raising a child, especially one so willing to get her grubby fingers into everything? He doubted he could ever figure it out.

He had just stepped out after finishing his shower and tying a towel around his waist when a figure sitting on the bed drew his attention.

His soulmate. His other half. His lover. Wife. Mother of his child.

The corners of his lips turned up as he walked to her. “If you had already arrived, you should have joined me, kitten,” he said, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to her lips. “You know I love it when you do.”

She chuckled. “If I did, you’d never have left.”

“You know me well.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him kiss her deeply. The sigh that escaped her betrayed her weariness. “Long day?” he inquired.

“Managing people is exhausting,” she said. “I have so much respect for Chief Jenna.”

“Hm, I can imagine.”

She turned towards the door leading to their daughter’s room. “How is she? I was under the impression something happened?”

Sylus grinned. “I can’t tell you. You see, I made a deal, and I never go back on my word.”

She gently shook her head. “You two are impossible.” Pushing him so she could get up, she made her way to the connecting door. He followed after her, leaning against the door frame as she went over to the sleeping child.

Sitting down on the bed, the mother gently caressed her daughter’s bangs, pushing them aside so she could place a kiss on her forehead. The child mumbled and turned over in her sleep.

“Good night, my little dragon.”

Sylus watched the scene unfold. At times like this, it was easy to forget everything. His nearly 2000-year imprisonment, his death, his curse, his imprisonment once again, his experiences in the N109 Zone and across Deepspace…it all dissipated into thin air. Right now, he was simply a man, a man watching his family.

These thoughts were at the front of his mind when she left the child’s bed and walked over to him. Her brow furrowed when she noticed the look in his eyes. “Sylus?” she asked, reaching out to touch his face.

He smiled. “I’m alright, kitten,” he said, placing his hand on hers where it rested on his wet skin. “I’m just…grateful.”

“Grateful for what?”

For being his salvation. In all lifetimes. For allowing him to be human. For allowing him to love.

“For everything.”

She didn’t press it further, because she knew exactly what he meant. Closing the door behind her with her foot, she pulled him down to kiss him. He let her linger on his lips, as she threaded her hands through his wet hair.

Lifting her up, he allowed her to wrap her legs around his waist. “You had a long day, right?” he murmured as he walked them over to their bed. Once there, he dropped them down on it, hovering over her.

“Allow me to relax you.”

Chapter Text

Sylus found working at his desk stifling. While it often served its purpose, there were times, like now, when the stack of papers on the brown furniture seemed like a world of pain was waiting for him. So, he decided to work from the couch in his office, looking over stacks of papers pertaining to the variety of businesses he handled as leader of Onychinus.

He adjusted the glasses on his nose before addressing the newcomer. “You should move more quietly,” he said, putting his documents down. “I could hear you from the moment you opened the door.”

He turned his head to look at the small child, clutching her school bag in her hands. The bag was pink, white and blue, with cartoon crows on it. He had thought it made no sense to have black crows on pastel colors, yet he had eventually paid for it himself before Solana started school.

“I didn’t want to disturb you,” she said, looking embarrassed that she had been caught trying to sneak.

He chuckled. “Come, child.” He moved the papers to clear space, allowing her to climb onto his lap. “Now, tell me, why did you come here?”

She showed him her bag. “I have homework,” she said. “But it’s boring.”

“So you want to do it together?” Sylus guessed. When she nodded, he gave a smile. “I suppose I could keep you company. I have work to do as well. We can both be productive today.”

He placed her on his side, moving his papers to the other. She set her bag down and removed her worksheets, glancing back at her father, who had resumed looking through his documents.

“What is it, Sol?”

Normally, she would have turned away, but it seemed her curiosity could not be contained this time. She pointed to the glasses resting on his face. “Daddy, why do you wear glasses?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’re curious about my glasses?” When she nodded, he took them off, considering them. “I don’t really know myself,” he admitted. “I suppose they help me concentrate.” It wasn’t a total lie. Wearing glasses had become a habit for him when reading for many years, and now it just didn’t feel right to not wear them when tackling a task that required intellectual power.

“Kids in my class say you wear glasses when you can’t see anything.”

“That’s one use of glasses, yes. Others wear them when they can see but have trouble reading.”

“Can you not see, Daddy?”

He grinned. “I can, very well in fact.” He placed his glasses back on his face. “People also wear them for fashion purposes.” Once again, he caught her staring at them where they rested on his nose. “You sure are curious about them. Then again, you always were.”

“I was?” This was news to her.

“I remember every pair of mine you broke from the time you were a baby. In fact, you broke my favorite pair the day we brought you home from the hospital. We didn’t think it would be possible, but somehow you proved us all wrong.”

He laughed when she threw herself at him, burying her face in his chest, red as a beet. “Daddy! Stop teasing!”

“Alright, alright,” he suppressed his laughter, looking down at his daughter. “But seriously, tell me why my glasses fascinate you so much.”

The child pulled away from him, reaching up her hand to touch the thin metal frame. “I…I wanted to be like you…” she trailed off, cheeks flushed pink.

It brought a wide smile to Sylus’s face. Picking up his phone, he dialed a number as Solana watched curiously from his lap.

An excited voice rang out after a couple of rings. “Yes, Boss?”

“I need a pair of glasses that suit a seven-year-old child,” Sylus spoke into the phone, glancing down at his daughter. “They should look like mine.”

“You got it, Boss!”

“Also, send them through Mephisto. It’s urgent.”

“Absolutely, Boss!”

“One pair of glasses for a child coming right up, Boss!”

He cut the call. True to his word, within ten minutes, Mephisto flew into the room, dropping a small rectangular box into Sylus’s hand, before flying over to his perch.

“Here,” Sylus handed the box to the child sitting next to him.

She took it, opening it with a bit of hesitance. However, her eyes glowed with excitement as she removed the pair of children’s glasses from the case.

“Daddy! They’re just like yours!”

He smiled, nodding. “They are.”

She put them on her face. They fit perfectly, settling on her nose and not budging. Luke and Kieran had chosen well. After all, they showered her with so many accessories that by this time, they knew which size fit her best, even if they picked something off the rack.

Solana turned to him. “Daddy! We match!”

He chuckled, ruffling her hair. “That we do, my little dragon.” He gestured to the worksheets, lying sadly abandoned next to her. “Time to get to work now. Let’s hope your mother has praise for both of us when she returns.”

Solana nodded profusely, attacking her homework with a zeal that made Sylus think she was going into battle. Just like her mother. It made him laugh.

Time ticked by as the two worked, and it was only a knock at the door that drew their attention.

“Well, isn’t this just sweet, seeing the two of you studying together.”

“Mommy!”

The child leapt off the couch to run to her mother and give her a big hug, who returned it with a gentle squeeze.

“What’s this? You’re wearing glasses?”

Solana nodded, showing off her new accessory. “Now I look like Daddy!”

Her mother laughed. “You sure do!” She raised her head as Sylus walked over to her, pressing a kiss to her head as his arm wrapped around her waist.

“Welcome home,” he said against her skin.

“You two worked very hard today,” she said, patting the child’s head. “How about we go out for a treat? We can take a walk in a park and see the autumn leaves as well.”

“Yay!” The child cheered and rushed to clean up her finished homework.

Sylus took advantage of the child’s distraction to pull his wife closer. Before he could steal a kiss, she coyly placed her hand on his chest. “Where’s my pair?”

“Hm?”

“You and Sol have a matching pair of glasses. I want my own.”

Sylus chuckled. “You can take mine. You always used to steal mine anyway.”

“But I want my own pair now! We should match as a family.”

“What sound logic.” He pulled her flushed against him. “Alright, I’ll have a pair ready for you by the time you wake up in the morning.”

She grinned, gently sliding the glasses off his face. “That’s good to hear.”

He glanced down at them. “You’re removing them? I thought you liked them.”

“They get in the way.”

Saying so, she pulled him down for a proper kiss.

Chapter Text

It was when she had wandered aimlessly into the boxing gym that she found the video.

In her defense, she was just exploring, and not without supervision. Rather she was following Mephisto, who seemed to lead her to this particular boxing gym. Judging from the equipment and the wear and tear on them, it seemed this one was her father’s favorite.

She knew her father boxed, but had never had the chance to attend any of his matches. Her mother went in her stead. However, she hadn’t even seen videos yet. Earlier, she would have said it was because she wasn’t interested in boxing, but after talking about it with the kids in her class, who were slowly beginning to get into sports, it made her curious about her father’s chosen sport.

The remote lay at her feet and she nearly tripped over it. She wondered what video might have been playing as she switched it on, and then the video made her eyes widen.

It was a video of her father’s loss.

She gasped when she saw her father being forced down, her heart thumped as the long count began. Unable to watch it to the end, she immediately switched it off, chucking the remote at the ground, as if that would wipe the offending video from existence.

Just then, the door opened.

“Solana? What are you doing here?”

Her mother came up to her, but Solana was too shaken to say anything other than, “Daddy lost?”

The older woman’s eyes went to the blacked-out screen, to the remote on the floor, as she connected the pieces. “Oh, did you watch your father lose a match?”

Solana nodded, casting her eyes on the ground. “Daddy was hurt,” she said, wrapping her arms around her body. “He was pushed to the ground.”

Her mother sighed, pulling her into an embrace. “Daddy is just fine; it was just a match!” she tried to reassure the child. “He’ll be fighting again, you know? He’ll win this time.”

“What if he doesn’t?”

Solana looked up at her mother with watery eyes. “What if Daddy gets hurt even worse next time? What if…something really bad happens to Daddy?”

Her mother sighed. She would have to have a talk with her husband about leaving videos of his loss playing in the base, or at least ensuring their wandering child didn’t get into places she shouldn’t be getting into.

Solana began to act differently around Sylus.

At first it was innocent, even adorable, when she tugged on his jacket when he was about to leave. “Hm?” he asked.

“Are you going out?”

“Yes, I have to work.”

She tugged at his jacket and looked at him with big eyes, eyes that normally melted his resolve and made him do whatever she wanted. “Please don’t go. Stay home.”

Unfortunately, he’d not been able to give in to that particular demand, but he found it amusing. So all he’d done was ruffle her hair and tell her he’d be home soon, and that he’d bring something for her.

Then it happened again and again.

Every time he had a mission and had to leave the base; she’d plead with him to not leave her alone. Eventually, it passed the point of cute and amusing and began to be annoying. He still held his tongue around her, but his patience was wearing thinner and thinner as this continued.

Sooner or later though, he knew he’d snap.

He distracted himself by preparing for his revenge match, punching a sandbag in his gym. The exhilaration kept him from thinking about the annoyance his daughter was beginning to draw out of him.

He stopped when the door opened, and his wife walked through. “Sylus?” she called him over.

He jumped over the ropes and went over to her. “Yes?”

“We need to talk.”

He leaned forward, taking the towel and bottled water she offered him. “Is something the matter?” he asked, running the towel over the back of his neck.

“Solana found the video of your loss.”

His eyes widened as he paused. “She did what?”

“She found her way in here, saw the video, and now she’s worried about you constantly getting hurt.”

He sighed. “So that’s why she’s been acting strangely around me.”

She nodded. “The child is terrified you’ll get badly injured on a mission.”

He folded his arms across his chest, frowning. “Just because she saw me lose?”

His wife took his hand. “Try to understand, my love,” she said. “To Solana, her father is invincible, unbreakable, unshakable. Seeing you lose really shook her.”

Sylus scoffed. “So just because I’m her invincible father, I’m not allowed to lose? Are the strong never allowed to falter?”

She sighed, memories of a similar conversation rising. He’d said similar words to her then too. “She’s a child, Sylus. She can’t understand such nuance yet. So to her, who has never seen her father fail, to suddenly see him undergo such a crushing defeat? She must be convinced you’ll die if you leave the base.”

Sylus scoffed. “While the idea of quitting everything and becoming a stay-at-home-dad is appealing, at this rate, she’ll have me living in a padded cell.” He uncrossed his arms. “This can’t go on.”

“I agree with you,” his wife nodded. “Which is why I want to bring her to your revenge match.”

He raised an eyebrow as she stepped closer, taking the towel from his hand and wiping the sweat clinging to his forehead. “She needs to see her father win, and win definitively.”

Closing his eyes against the movement, he sighed. “She accepts a loss from a video, but she needs to see me win in person?”

She shrugged. “We accept loss much easier than victory,” she stated, wiping more sweat away from his face. “Victory needs to be experienced in order to be believed.”

“Hm, wise words. Wonder where you heard that from?”

His hand travelled up her arm to her own hand, capturing it within its embrace. Letting the towel fall, he held her hand against his face, where it began to caress his cheek.

“I promise then, I won’t lose.”

Solana once again snuck into the boxing gym, this time, when Sylus was working out.

She watched her father repeatedly punch the sandbag in strong, precise strokes. It felt different to the video, but it still stirred fear within her heart.

Her father paused his workout. “You’ve been staring at me for a while,” he noticed. “Worried I’ll lose?”

She turned away from embarrassment. “N-No.”

He chuckled, gesturing for her to come closer. “Come here.”

Regardless of anything, Solana always did what her father told her, especially if he called her to him.

She went up to the boxing ring as he leaned on the ropes. From this angle, her father looked even larger than he normally did. “Do you want to learn?” he asked.

“Huh?”

“How to box? I can teach you.” He extended his hand out to her. “Maybe you’ll be less scared if you can learn to throw a good punch.”

She didn’t seem convinced, but allowed her father to lift the ropes so she could climb into the ring. Once she was in, he let the ropes go and removed his gloves, dropping them on the floor.

“Throwing a good punch is easier than it looks, but its also easier to injure yourself if you don’t know the right technique,” Sylus lectured. “Keep your shoulders squared, legs parted, fists up to protect your face.”

He walked around her, helping her adjust her position until he was satisfied. Finally, he adjusted the position of her fists (which were so tiny both fit in a single one of his hands) and took a position on his knees in front of her. He was tall enough that even while kneeling, he was only a bit shorter than her.

He held up his palms. “I want you to hit me as hard as you can, just the way I taught you.”

Her eyes widened. “Hit you? Why?”

He chuckled. “Don’t worry, you couldn’t hurt me even if you tried.” He clapped his hands together and held up his palms again. “Hit me with everything you have. Show me you’re a Hunter’s daughter.”

The last statement seemed to do it, lighting some internal need to prove herself. She took the stance her father showed her, shifted her weight and threw all her energy behind a punch that landed on his palm.

He smiled. “Good. Now that’s what I’m talking about. Again.”

He made her throw punch after punch, until she found herself in a frenzy. No longer was she thinking about getting injured, rather, she focused on the practiced motions and threw the punches her father asked of her.

In the meantime, her mother had entered the room, electing to sit on a bench so as to not disturb this impromptu training session. Luckily, the child didn’t last long before she was panting hard.

“That’s enough for today,” Sylus stated, getting to his feet. He walked over to her and picked her up in his arms. “You’ll make a fine Hunter one day.”

She blushed at his compliments.

He turned to see his wife had walked up to the ring. She reached out, asking her husband to give her daughter to her. Carefully, Sylus lowered the child over the ropes of the ring and into her mother’s arms.

“It seems you two had fun today,” she commented.

The child pouted. “My hands hurt more!”

Her mother laughed. “That would be because your father is way too strong,” she said. “You have a long way to go before you can take your father on.”

The child yawned. “I’m tired.”

Sylus watched as his wife placed their daughter on the ground, giving her instructions to go to the kitchen and get a nourishing snack and refreshing drink before taking a nap. She walked the child till the door, releasing a heavy sigh as the door closed.

Soon enough, Sylus came up behind her, gently rubbing her arms and letting his lips hover on her neck. “You’ve started to train her?” she asked.

“Just showed her how to throw a punch.” His warm breath, even warmer post his exercise, tickled her neck. “She’s still a bit young for me to properly start her training. If she tried wielding a gun or her Evol right now, she could get seriously injured. I know, because it happened to me, when I used my powers when I was younger than her.”

He pressed a kiss to his wife’s neck before wrapping his arms around her. “I will train her though. That child will face many dangers in the world, and I won’t let her go out there unprepared.”

His wife smiled. “You’ll make her as good as us, huh?”

“No,” Sylus’s voice grew deeper as he whispered into her ear. “She’ll be better than us.”

“Oh my! Is that Crow’s daughter?!”

“She’s so cute!”

“She looks so much like him!”

“Is she here to cheer her father on?”

“Crow’s so lucky he has his family to support him!”

They found their seats fairly quickly, as the seats had been pre-booked. The match had yet to start, and they had drawn the attention of onlookers when Solana had pointed to the big screen when they played a clip of Sylus and said “Daddy?” They were now crowded by Crow’s fans, mostly female, as they cooed over the small child.

Even closer to the back, Crow’s male fans had taken notice. One elbowed his friend. “You made a mistake betting against Crow today. There’s no way he’ll lose this match.”

His friend scoffed. “What makes you say that with such confidence?” he demanded.

The fan gestured with his head towards Solana. “His daughter’s here, so there’s no chance in hell he’ll lose. Dads want to look cool in front of their daughters, you know? They want to be seen as the strongest.” He chuckled. “That’s just how fathers are.”

The crowd’s attention was drawn to the brightly lit ring as the competitors walked up and climbed into it, as the announcer called out the names of the challengers and explained about the Champion’s Ring, which had been fought over for decades.

Sylus climbed into the ring and scanned the audience. His eyes quickly found his two girls, and he chuckled. Walking to the ropes, he gestured for them to go up to him.

Solana clutched a small box in her hand as she and her mother went up to the ring.

“This is a surprise,” Sylus said, glancing between the small child and the box in her hand. “Just what are you guarding so closely?”

Her mother patted her back. “Go ahead, give Daddy your gift.”

“Gift?” Sylus couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he took the box given by his child. “I’ll gladly accept it.”

He opened the box to find a pair of brand-new boxing gloves.

“Solana wanted to help you in some way,” her mother explained. “Buying you a pair of gloves was what she thought of. Sorry we couldn’t get here in time to give it to you backstage.”

Sylus chuckled. “You got here in time anyway.” Pulling off the gloves he already wore, he threw them onto the floor behind him.

“Daddy?”

He pulled the new gloves on. “I don’t need those anymore,” he explained to her. “These are all I need.”

Once they were securely fastened around his palms, he leaned down to place a hand on his daughter’s head. “Thank you,” he said, a gentle gaze in his eyes. “I won’t lose, little one, so cheer for me.”

The child nodded. Her father pulled back. “The match is starting. Get back to your seats.”

Gift given, her mother ferried her back to their seats. They had just gotten comfortable as the bell announcing the start of the match rang.

Solana was on the edge of her seat. She flinched when her father dodged a punch, gasped when he landed a hit and squeezed her eyes closed when he took a hit. Despite all that, she found herself transfixed by the fighting.

Her father was all lean, lithe muscle. He reminded her of the panthers she saw in documentaries, with the way he struck fast and precisely. His opponent wasn’t a pushover either. Between the two of them, Solana felt she was watching a choreographed fight between two beasts. Even then, Sylus had the advantage.

The long countdown began, the bell rang, and the referee lifted Sylus’s arm into the air, declaring his victory. The crowd erupted in a sea of chaos and passion. Solana let out a huge breath of relief and sank back in her seat. Opening her eyes, she found her father watching them, giving a chuckle at her relief.

Her mother urged her off the seat, grabbing the bouquet of flowers in one hand as she guided the child to the ring with the other. Sylus was already there with a smile, waiting for the both of them.

Underground reporters surrounded them, curious about the secret to his win. After being asked that question at nearly every match, Sylus chuckled. He leaned over the ropes, extending his hand to his child, who took it instantly. He then picked her up and sat her on the ropes next to him, steadying her with his arm.

“You asked for the secret to my victory,” he stated to the reporters. “Here she is!”

The child blushed and protested as the reporters followed up with many more questions. Eventually, the crowd began to disperse, and Sylus declined any more questions. With no more words from the Champion, they left too, until it was only a few people remaining in the large hall.

Turning to the child next to him, he pulled off the Champion’s Ring. “Daddy?” she asked. “You won that ring. So why are you removing it?”

He rolled the ring between his fingers, a light laugh playing on his lips. “I’m giving this to the real champion,” he said, taking her hand and putting the ring in it. “I once gave this ring to your mother, now I’m giving it to you.”

“Why? I wasn’t the one who fought.”

“But you were why I won. The gloves you bought helped me win.”

He placed a kiss on her head. “Told you I’d win. So you can stop worrying about me so much.” Sylus then noticed his wife had held up her phone, taking a photo of the two of them.

His wife walked up to the ring then, the bouquet in her hands. She chuckled as Sylus leaned over so the three of them were closer.

“This brings back memories,” she stated.

“It certainly does. Which brings me to what I meant to do.”

Grinning, he reached out for her, to which she moved towards him and gave him her phone.

“Let’s commemorate this with the three of us.”

Later that night, she’d dig out the photo she and Sylus took at this very venue when they were very early in their relationship, the one he had snuck a head kiss with. The one next to it was taken earlier, with her holding the bouquet, Solana holding the ring on her thumb and Sylus holding his two ladies close.

Chapter Text

The door flung open.

“Guess who’s here!”

“Uncle Caleb!”

“There’s my little pipsqueak!”

He engulfed the child who ran into his arms in a big hug, lifting her in the air and spinning her around, delighting in her squeals and laughs. The child’s mother laughed along, and even Sylus let a small smile grace his lips.

Caleb held the child close. “You and I are going to have so much fun!” he declared to her.

“Yeah!”

He placed her down. “Go ahead and get your things ready, I’ll join you in a bit.”

She scampered off to her room, likely to bring over all the detailed plans she’d come up with when she heard her uncle was visiting. Caleb turned to the parents, who had moved towards the door.

“Caleb, thanks a lot for doing this,” her mother said.

He grinned. “Don’t mention it. I’m always ready to see my niece.”

She pulled the strap of her handbag over her shoulder. “We’ll get going now.”

“Yes, go, both of you, shoo!” Caleb made a show of shooing them out the door. “Don’t even think of coming back before midnight.”

Sylus raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What would you do if we did?”

“Simple, I’d lock you out.”

Sylus considered him. He had originally been apprehensive of the other man, especially after realizing he had feelings for his lover. His connection to Ever hadn’t helped his case either.

However, things had changed over the years. Following Ever’s downfall, Caleb had relaxed, as if a giant weight had been lifted from his soul, which it most likely had. He had calmed down, and had been happy settling into the role of a doting uncle.

Sylus had begrudgingly accepted his wife’s pleas to make Caleb Solana’s godfather. While he thought it was just because she considered him family, he came to realize it was a good decision. Caleb was smart, protective and proactive, and he had come to adore his niece. Sylus was certain that if anything ever happened to him, Solana would be safe in Caleb’s hands.

He had developed a certain respect for the Colonel.

Just as his wife turned to leave, Caleb stopped her, grabbing her upper arm. “Is that all that’s there to it?” he asked. The smile had fallen from his face, replaced with a more serious look.

She blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Did you really think I’d buy that you asked me, of all people, to babysit, on such short notice, just so you two could have a date night?” Caleb asked. “You’re at this out-of-the-way and hard to find safehouse instead of any of your usual residences, and I couldn’t see any of your people around.” He folded his arms across his chest. “What’s going on, you two?”

Caleb was quick on the uptake. Sylus respected that.

“You’re right, it’s not entirely a date,” he said. “Some annoying flies were buzzing around our home, and despite our efforts, they seem to have followed us here.”

Caleb glanced at the closed door of the child’s room. “And what does she think is happening?”

“She thinks we’re on a spur of the moment vacation,” Sylus informed. “And that her mother and I needed a night out together.”

“We’ll actually be drawing them away,” his wife supplied.

“But just in case any of them stay back…” Sylus trailed off.

“I’m there to hold down the fort,” the smile had returned to Caleb’s face. “I got it.” He looked between the two parents. “Don’t worry, no one will get past me tonight, so do what you two need to do.”

The child’s mother gave him a thankful glance before walking out of the door. Sylus made to follow her, pausing for a moment and glancing back at Caleb.

“Protect her.”

“You know I will.”

Satisfied, the father closed the door behind him. Caleb let out a breath before forcing his usual, relaxed smile on his face. Turning around, he called for the child.

“Alright! Time for the best night ever!”

The two sat cross-legged on the floor, a variety of cards splayed out between them. Their arms were crossed, and both had intense, thoughtful looks on their faces.

“Alright, so this is what we can do to pass the time,” Caleb opened his eyes. He held out a finger. “One, we can go stalk your parents. But that plan has a high rate of us being found out, and then me ending up in the river.” He gave a comical sigh. “So, I guess that plan’s out of running.”

“Two,” he held up another finger. “We can sneak out and go to the arcade. But, it would mean us going into town, which means we bump into your parents, and I again end up in the river.”

The child laughed at his exaggerations. “Daddy won’t do anything to you,” she reassured him.

He gave a mock scoff. “You think I’m worried about your father? Nah, it’s your mother I’m scared of.” He shuddered. “She terrifies me.”

“They don’t say anything to me!”

“Of course they won’t say anything to you, they’re your parents and they’re highly partial to you. But it’s my neck on the line here!”

He shook his head. “Guess we’ll have to stay in tonight,” he clicked his tongue in mock resignation. “Any ideas?”

The child frowned, thinking deeply. Caleb couldn’t help but give a light chuckle, and his eyes quickly flitted to the window.

How many were out there? Two? Three? He couldn’t get a precise count. And he didn’t dare make a move in case the child caught onto the danger. They seemed to be lying low anyway, so he elected to wait.

Keep the playfulness, keep her distracted, and maybe we’ll get through the night in one piece.

The child finally raised her head. “Mommy says you’re a great cook!” she exclaimed.

“She’s right about that,” Caleb grinned. “Never failed to get me into cooking for her every time we met.” He looked around the empty house. “Do you guys cook often?”

She shook her head. “Mommy doesn’t have the energy to cook after coming home from work,” she said. “And Daddy just has the chef cook for us.”

“I see, I see,” he pursed his lips and nodded. “What about baking?”

She shook her head once again. “We don’t get the chance.”

“Great,” Caleb said. “So that’s what we’ll do tonight. A nice, home-cooked meal, and we’ll bake dessert.” He held his chin thoughtfully. “How does apple pie sound?”

“Yes!”

They moved to the kitchen, which Caleb was pleased to see was fully stocked. He mentally ran through a list of ingredients as he opened the various cupboards and shelves, identifying all he’d need to make dinner and bake the pie. Everything he’d need was there, and even the well-sized oven worked well.

“When your father says he’s the best in the business, he really means it,” Caleb gave a low whistle as he picked up an apple from the shelf. “These are really the best apples I’ve ever seen.”

He grabbed a few in his arms before closing the door behind him. “Can you grab the spices from the bottom shelf, Sol?” he asked. “You know which ones to look for, right?”

“Right!” The child obliged, obediently going over to the shelf and returning with three small bottles of spices.

They collected the rest of the ingredients needed for both the dinner and the pie, but they began work on dessert first, as it would take time to bake and settle. Caleb used his Evol to grab the needed ingredients, making a show of them spinning around in the air as he added them, smiling as the child laughed and clapped. He even brought out a small stool so she could stand on it and see, and let her handle small tasks such as mixing, though he made sure she stayed away from any fire.

Finally, he slid the pie into the oven and closed the door. “Now all we do is wait,” he told Solana. “Shall we get started on dinner?”

At her agreement, they returned to the counter. Caleb made sure she stayed away this time, as he’d be working with a lot of fire for his stir-fry, despite her protests that she was old enough to at least watch. To keep her occupied, he had her watch the rice as it cooked in the digital cooker, even if she would have to do nothing.

The oven beeped, and Caleb pulled the child behind him as he grabbed the oven mitts. “This might be really good, or really bad.”

Hot air washed over them when he opened the oven, filling the kitchen with the delicious smell of apple and cinnamon. The pie itself let out tendrils of steam that made Solana’s mouth water.

Caleb chuckled. “This needs to set before we can indulge,” he said. “Plus, we haven’t even had dinner yet.”

The pie safely setting on the side, he finished up the rest of the side dishes. Setting the table fell mostly to him, as the dishes were hot and might scald her fingers. They dug in, and Caleb laughed at her exclamation that this was the tastiest meal she ever had.

“I think your chef might feel bad if he heard that,” he grinned. “But if you want me to cook for you more, you’ll have to convince your parents to have me over more often.”

Dinner finished quickly, and the table was cleared. Solana wanted to dig into the pie at once, however it still needed more time. To cheer her up, Caleb took her back to her room for a few rounds of Kitty Cards At Home.

She peered over her cards at him. “You’re letting me win, aren’t you?” her voice dripped with suspicion, which made me chortle coming from her sweet tone.

“Whatever made you think that?” he asked coolly. “You’re outsmarting me fair and square.”

Of course, he actually was letting her win. At least, in her delight and excitement to play more rounds, she wouldn’t realize that figures had begun to move in the shadows.

“I’m bored now,” she complained, putting her cards down.

“Really?” he raised an eyebrow. “Even with your win streak?”

“Even winning gets boring.”

He chuckled, patting her head. “Then let’s find something else to do, shall we?” He glanced at the window as something moved, subtle enough that she didn’t notice as she cleaned up the board.

“Hey, Sol?”

Caleb went over to her where she sat on the bed, kneeling down so he was at eye level. “Do you want to hear a song?”

“A song?”

He nodded, pulling it up on his phone. “It was a song your mother liked when she was your age, so I think you’ll like it too.”

Removing his noise-canceling headphones from around his neck, he placed them on the child’s head, covering her ears. “I want you to listen to it exactly six times, alright?”

“Six times?” She clutched the headphones to prevent them from falling off.

He nodded. “Six times. And then you’ll tell me all about how much you love it. I won’t accept anything less than it’s the greatest song ever and you want to listen to it on repeat forever.”

He felt lucky that Solana could be quite obedient at times, as she gave a small hum. Turning on the song, he stood.

“I’ll be right back, alright? Just gonna go check on the pie.”

Whether she heard him or not over the loud volume, she gave no indication, electing to sit on the bed and look down at the bar moving across the screen, swinging her legs.

He stepped out of the room, taking a deep breath. Turning the knob, he heard a click as the door locked, as well as a slight gust as the security protocols placed on the door kicked in. Now, only he, Sylus or the child’s mother could open the door.

In case anyone managed to slip past him, they wouldn’t be able to reach her.

“Let’s get to it then, shall we?” he said into the air.

He moved over to his jacket where it hung. “Good thing I had a hunch and brought these.” Caleb reached into the internal pocket and removed his pair of pistols.

“I should finish up quickly. I only have five and a half songs left.”

The door opened just as the sixth round of the song finished, drawing Solana’s attention. Caleb peeked in, smiling when he caught her eye.

“Oh? Is it done already?”

“Uncle Caleb, what took you so long?!”

As he entered the room to sit next to her, she noticed that he seemed a bit winded, his breathing heavier than when he had left her a short while ago.

“Uncle Caleb, why do you sound like you ran a marathon?”

His eyes widened as he gasped. “How did you know?” he exclaimed. “I actually ran around the house ten times.”

She laughed. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I’m an adult and I can, duh!”

As she giggled at his silliness, he bent down in front of her. “The pie’s done. Let’s try it.” He took the headphones back and put them around his neck again.

She looked at the dark sky outside. “It’s late, I’m not allowed to have sweets this late.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t.”

“Deal.”

They linked their pinkies together with a solemn vow. Satisfied, she followed him into the kitchen, where he cut out a slice of the steaming and delectable treat just waiting to be consumed.

Forks in hand, both of them took a bite. He pursed his lips, eyes widening. “This is really good,” he admitted. “Didn’t know I had it in me.”

“It’s the best pie I’ve had!” Solana exclaimed.

They dug into the pie more before she eventually said she couldn’t eat anymore. Assured by Caleb that he’d finish it so she wouldn’t have to worry about the slice going to waste, she let her uncle put her to bed.

Caleb sat on the couch, feet on the table and the plate with the unfinished pie slice in his hands. He had to admit, even if he knew he could make a good meal, a pie this good was unique. Perhaps he should learn to bake more, so he could bring more for Solana.

He had just put another piece in his mouth when the door opened and the child’s parents let themselves in. “Good timing,” he called to them.

The child’s mother had a slightly worried look in her eyes as she came up to him. “Is Solana-?” the question hung in the air for a moment as Caleb finished his mouthful.

“Tired out and fast asleep.” He gestured to the closed door. “Feel free to check on her.”

She nodded and quickly made her way towards the door. “You guys should try the pie,” Caleb said. “It’s really good. We baked it together, you know?”

As the child’s mother disappeared behind the door, Caleb looked behind him to see that Sylus was standing next to the counter, his hand next to the two pistols belonging to the Colonel. “So, they…”

“All taken care of,” Caleb completed with a grin, getting up to place the empty plate in the sink.

“I noticed.”

Caleb stretched his arms out behind him with a groan. “Well, I should get going now.” He grabbed his guns and his jacket, walking towards the door.

“Leaving so soon?” He paused as Sylus crossed his arms.

He grinned. “I’d better head out now as I have work to do.” Caleb then let the smile fall from his face, lowering his voice. “The people I handled? I recognized them.”

Sylus raised an eyebrow. “Did you now?”

Caleb nodded; his gaze drawn towards the closed bedroom door. “There’s still much danger out there,” he said. “Ever might be gone, but they left behind a world in shambles.” He sighed. “I just want to make the world safer for them. It’s why I stayed in the Fleet even after everything.”

Sylus hummed. “I heard the Fleet was looking into some people,” he said.

A smile returned to Caleb. “You heard right. I was looking into some people who had old connections to Ever. And the people I took down gave me just the evidence I need.” He chuckled. “I suppose the Fleet will be making some key arrests very soon.”

He glanced at Sylus. “Although, if I don’t want to be accused of being partial to Onychinus…” he trailed off.

Sylus chuckled. “There are a couple of people who’ve become quite the pain in my neck,” he said. “You’ll know in the morning.”

“I’ll be expecting a package then.” Caleb opened the door before pausing.

“You know, you really should be inviting me over more. Even without imminent danger present.”

Sylus gave a silent laugh. “We shall see,” he said. “It’ll depend on how much Solana likes your pie.”

Caleb saluted goodbye with two fingers and stepped out, letting the door close behind him.

Chapter Text

Sylus raised his head from the book he was reading when a knock sounded on his door. “Enter.”

Solana peeked her head in, looking a bit shy. At his gesture, she walked up to him and sat on the edge of the bed.

Sylus studied his daughter. She seemed uncomfortable. “What’s wrong, child?”

“I can’t sleep,” she slowly admitted.

“Hm.” He had an inkling as to what the cause was. To confirm his thoughts, a crack of thunder sounded outside the window. Despite being muffled, she still flinched a little.

“It’s the storm, huh?” he asked.

She nodded. “It’s less…intense here.”

“Is it? I’ll have the soundproofing in your room checked in the morning.” He patted the empty space next to him. “Until then, feel free to rest here.”

She was quick to follow his advice, moving over to his side. But before she crawled into his bed, she paused. It was as if she were fighting her instincts. “Don’t you think I’m too old?” she hesitantly wondered.

Sylus gave a small chuckle, holding out his hand. “You’re never too old to seek comfort.”  Finally, she crawled into the space next to him. “Besides, with your mother away, it would be nice to have some company myself.”

Solana settled herself by lying down and resting her head on the pillow. However, it seemed she was far from sleep as another crack of thunder sounded, making her grimace.

“Hm, how do we put you to sleep now?” Sylus asked out loud.

She thought about it for a moment. Perhaps it was the storm making her feel vulnerable, but she was asking for things she had been attempting to grow out of recently. “Could you read to me?”

Sylus smiled softly. “Right, you used to have me read to you a lot when you were younger,” he stated. “As a toddler, you wouldn’t even sleep unless I read to you.” She flushed with embarrassment, making him laugh and get off the bed. “What should I read to you today?”

The book he was reading was a no-go; it was just too complex for a preteen. He was about to go to the shelf stocked with children’s books, a shelf he specifically installed when Solana was born and seemed to soothe with his voice, when he stopped.

“Oh, this is new.” On a table next to the shelf, resting on Solana’s textbooks, was a book he didn’t recognize. He picked it up, regarding the mahogany cover, lacking a title or any other information of what it was about. “Did you bring this?” he asked his daughter.

“Oh, yes,” she nodded. “My friend from class gave it to me. Apparently it’s a popular reimagining of a fairy tale.”

“A fairy tale, hm?” He flipped open the book, considering the pages. It wasn’t very thick. In fact, he could finish it this very night, or within half an hour if he tried.

“Could you read it to me, Daddy?”

He was never one to refuse a request from his daughter, especially when she looked so forlorn like that. “Of course.”

He himself comfortable on the bed once again. Solana adjusted herself so she could lean against her father’s arm, listening intently.

“A long time ago, a noble kingdom faced an unbeatable danger. A monster, a dragon, terrorized the kingdom for decades. Even as brave knights finally sealed the dragon away in his lair, the people waited with bated breath for the monster to break free and take his revenge on them all.”

Sylus frowned. This…was…

“Eventually, what the people feared came true. The winged monster broke free of his restraints and reached the castle. He kidnapped the youngest princess on a dark and stormy night. The princess was a weak and sickly thing. She had been kept in a tower for her own safety, but had been taken when the monster attacked.”

He found himself stopping. The direction this story was taking…

“Daddy?”

His daughter’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. Clearing his throat to cover up his momentary surprise, he continued to read.

“The monster kept the young princess imprisoned in his lair. Over the months, many brave heroes attempted to rescue the princess, but only walked to their deaths.”

He paused when his daughter shifted. “I…don’t think I like this story…” she said.

“I don’t think I do either,” Sylus agreed. “Should I stop reading?”

She shook her head. “We started it. Might as well finish it.”

Sylus gave a sigh, reluctantly looking back down at the book.

“The seasons changed, and the monster showed no signs of being defeated. The king and queen, stricken with grief, made a deal with a nearby kingdom; if their princes could save the princess, then they would give one of them her hand in marriage.

“The courageous princes mounted a rescue mission, using a storm as their cover to sneak into the fiend’s lair. There, they defeated and trapped the monster after a brutal fight, and set the princess free. Only, the princess did not wish to leave.

“The fiend had manipulated the child to believe that she cared for him. She had come to think of him as family, even a father.” The words felt heavy as they left his throat, as if this story shouldn’t be said. “They had come imagining gratitude, but what they received was the princess begging for mercy…for a monster.”

Sylus swallowed. His throat felt very dry right now.

“The brave princes took her away from her prison, despite her pleas and cries. The monster, furious about the loss of his prey, broke free from his restraints and-“

He snapped the book shut. “That’s enough.” Turning the thin book in his hand, he considered it with a scowl. “Is this what kids are into these days? I’m not sure I approve.”

Solana shrugged. “I had no idea,” she said. “I was just lent it by a friend.”

“Well, return it.” He tossed the book on the side table with a scoff. “Humans have such…active…imaginations. Just what kind of stories are they letting children read…”

“Daddy?”

It was then that he realized that Solana had reached up to touch the side of his brow. While he was glaring at the book like it had committed a crime against him, she pressed her fingers on his furrowed brow.

Feeling her touch brought him back to reality. With a sigh, he gently put her hand down. “I’m fine, Solana.”

She moved so that she was once again lying on the pillow and not on her father. “The ending is sad, isn’t it?” she asked.

“Hm?” Sylus was only half-listening.

“The story has a sad ending, which is why you didn’t want to finish it.” She sighed. “That means it must be true, right?”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Just where did you get that idea?”

She turned her face more into the pillow. “I don’t know. It just feels like most sad stories end up being true.”

The anger disappeared from his face entirely. Somehow, she looked very small, very hopeless. Was it only the storm that was the reason she was acting like this? Regardless, he didn’t like it.

“That’s nonsense,” he said, placing a hand on her head. “It doesn’t always happen that way.”

She peeked out from under his giant hand. “Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes.” He stroked her head. “Now, stop thinking nonsensical thoughts and go to sleep. You don’t want to be late in the morning.”

She nodded, accepting it begrudgingly. Turning her face into the pillow, she closed her eyes. Sylus continued to stroke her hair, making sure he covered her ear, blocking out what little sound of the storm made its way through the walls. Soon enough, her breathing had steadied as she drifted off into a deep sleep.

With an exasperated sigh, he withdrew his hand. Despite himself, he found himself glancing at the offending book on his side table.

If only the book belonged to them, he’d have it set on fire. Sadly, it was only a loan from a friend. But at least he wouldn’t have to see it ever again.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he settled down too. He felt off as well. Perhaps he too just needed rest.

He was plagued by dreams…that felt unfamiliar, yet all too familiar…

“I didn’t spare your life so you could annoy me. Leave.”

“Why did you set me free then?”

“I don’t believe in sacrifices. Now go.”

“Where should I go? My own family threw me into your lair. Would I ever be welcomed anywhere?”

“Hmph.”

“You’re the only one who’s shown me even a bit of kindness. Could I just stay here for a while?”

“Haaah, do whatever you want.”

“Careful, you’ll fall.”

“You’ll catch me anyway.”

“Seriously, have more regard for your own safety. Without me, would you walk straight into the ocean?”

“I think I twisted my ankle.”

“Haah, climb on my back. I’ll take you home.”

“Do you think my existence was unwanted?”

“What gave you that idea?”

“I was locked up my whole life. In fact, the only time I even saw my father’s court was during my trial. And the only time I left the castle was when they took me to your lair.”

“Very sad.”

“I swear, though. I didn’t do it! How could I? I never even saw the main castle; how could I have caused someone’s death?!”

“Calm down, child, I believe you.”

“You do? Why?”

“Well, you have no reason to lie to me. Also, you were an unfortunate scapegoat for human politics. You did nothing wrong.”

“It feels like it was wrong for me to want things. I thought I wasn’t asking for much, even if I wouldn’t be loved, I hoped at least to be heard.”

“Like I said, you did nothing wrong. It’s natural for a child to wish to be heard and believed.”

“My own father wouldn’t listen to me…Even when I begged and pleaded…”

“Tch, its easy to be a sire. Being a father is a whole different matter.”

“You’re crying over such a small scratch? It’s already healed.”

“How did this happen?”

“It seems they found out you’re still alive, so they’re interested in finishing the job. Don’t worry, I won’t let them near you.”

“I’m sorry. Because of me…”

“Don’t waste your tears on a monster like me. Save them for someone you truly care about.”

“I don’t like seeing you get hurt, especially because of me.”

“Fine, I won’t let you see me with blood.”

“Will you tell me a story?”

“Why should I?”

“Come on, it’s customary to tell stories in a happy place like this!”

“Are you sure? The stories I tell are not all happy.”

“I still want to listen.”

“Fine.

“There was once a monster who underwent numerous struggles. He had been cursed to not die in a past life by his lover. In his new life, however, he vowed to change things. He found her again, and he finally managed to feel happiness.

“However, misfortune would strike once more. The monster was unable to save his lover…and their unborn child.

“Overwhelmed by grief, he allowed himself to be imprisoned. He could not die, but he stopped living. He did not eat, he did not sleep, all he could do was barely breathe, even if it was against his will.

“One stormy night, a princess showed up out of nowhere. A child not even of age in human terms, she had been thrown to him as a sacrifice. However, the beast could not bring himself to take the child’s life. After all, he had lost his own child, so how could he take the life of another? Instead, he removed her bonds, hoping she would leave. Yet, she surprised him; she chose to stay.

“He was never alone anymore as she followed him everywhere. His lair was filled with the sound of constant chatter. He was constantly worried about her getting into trouble. It annoyed him at first, but eventually it stopped being so.

“He was…beginning to forget the silence of isolation, and beginning to enjoy the child’s company. She removed his chains, and showed him how to live. It made his mind go to dangerous places, places where he considered happiness again.

“Even if it wouldn’t do him any good, he let himself believe that he had been given a second chance. He let himself believe that…perhaps…his child had returned to him. That perhaps…he had been given a chance to atone for his sins, to learn to breathe again.”

“How does this story end?”

“Hm, storytellers would have you believe that because of the dragon’s curse, the fiend would eventually go mad and kill the child he had grown to love and care for as his own. But I doubt that.”

“Then which ending do you prefer?”

“Who knows. The story’s still being written. Call it the delusion of the monster…who began to believe that one could rewrite their own fate.”

“I think I know what you’re doing.”

“Do you, now?”

“You’re punishing yourself for what happened to your lover and child, aren’t you?”

“Well…aren’t you bold?”

“I’m serious, Sylus. I think you’re too hard on yourself.”

“Hmph, if you figured things out this far, then you would know I could never be forgiven for my actions.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“How do you suppose so?”

“You always tell me that, so I’m telling you now. What happened back then wasn’t your fault. They made you do it, so why punish yourself?”

“You speak as if you know everything about me, child.”

“If it’s forgiveness you seek, I can’t give that to you. No one can, unless you start forgiving yourself. All I can say is that I know that if your family were here, they’d want you to forgive yourself too.”

“So, you’d never want to go back?”

“Why would I? That man betrayed me when I needed him the most. What did I do wrong, except exist?”

“He’s still responsible for your existence.”

“Unfortunately. I can’t even bring myself to call him Father. I’m much more comfortable calling you Father instead.”

“Heh, a fiend being referred to as Father. This is a first.”

“Please, you have to believe me, I didn’t bring them here! I didn’t lead them here! Please!”

“I believe you, child.”

“Please, stop hurting him! I’ll do whatever you want, so please, just…let him go. Set him free, and I’ll go with you all wherever you want…

“He’s like a father to me, so please, just don’t hurt him. This is my final plea to the ones determined to rescue me.”

“Child…”

“I’ll have to go with them, or they’ll kill you. I’m doing this for you.”

“Child, please…”

“Goodbye, Father.”

“Stay strong, my child. I will find you.”

Chapter Text

“No. Absolutely no!”

Sylus faced the child. In her arms, she held a little, dark puppy, a layer of wet mud covering its fur. It looked at him with large brown eyes, and his lip curled when he realized it was the same look as his daughter was giving him. His dirty, muddy daughter…

“But, Daddy, he has nowhere to go!” she complained. In her arms, the puppy whined a little. “He was the one who followed me, so how could I leave him behind?”

“My answer is still no.”

They faced off against each other, Sylus with his arms crossed on his chest, and Solana clutching the puppy. As she held her father’s gaze with a determined expression, he was beginning to see her resolve fade. As well as a trace of tears dampen her eyes.

His wife chose that moment to step in and diffuse the situation. She placed a hand on his bicep, making him turn his eyes to her.

“Sylus, you should go.”

“You’re actually siding with her?” he asked in a baffled tone.

“Sylus…”

Sometimes, his wife’s voice held a tone of authority. Normally, he enjoyed fighting back against it, but tonight, he just wasn’t up to it. He was annoyed and irritated, and he belatedly realized that he was on the road to saying something truly harsh to the child.

He let out a deep breath, turning to leave. “Clean yourselves up,” he snapped at the child. “You’re tracking mud in my house.”

His steps landed heavier than usual, and he closed the door with a bit more force than necessary. Before he disappeared into the room, he heard the muffled voice of his wife telling their daughter to change her clothes and ordering Luke and Kieran to give the wet puppy a bath.

He exhaled heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. This was the sharpest tone he had ever spoken to his daughter with, and it was nowhere close to how he could speak to his enemies. He hadn’t even yelled at her, yet guilt was beginning to claw its way around his heart and settle over it like a rain cloud.

Going over to the bar, he poured himself a glass of whiskey. He was going to need alcohol tonight.

Sylus had settled into the red leather armchair, gaze set on the golden liquid swirling around in his glass. Soft hands snaked their way around his shoulders, and a sweet breath tickled his ear as his wife leaned on him from behind.

“Sylus…” she said, her voice soft and soothing. “My love. My crow. My dragon.”

He sighed, resting the back of his head against the headrest and looking up at her. “I know what you’re trying to do.”

“Is it working?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” In these few moments, he already felt a lot less angry. His annoyance, though, stayed.

She moved around to his front, sliding onto his lap with her legs hanging off the side of the armchair. He steadied her with a hand on her waist. Glancing at the glass in his hand, she gently pried it from his grip and placed it on the small table behind her.

“She’s ten, and you’re already drinking? Will you become a raging alcoholic by the time she’s an adult?” She wrapped her arms around his neck.

He scoffed. “Should I stock up to prepare?” His hand empty, he placed it on his wife’s waist to mirror the other, pulling her closer.

“My love, please consider.”

He resisted the urge to click his tongue in frustration. “There is absolutely no reason to keep that dog.”

“It could be very good for Solana to have a dog, you know?” His wife said, placing her hand on his chest. He followed the motion with a raised eyebrow.

“Good? How?”

“It could teach her responsibility.”

“She’s ten. You actually think she’s responsible enough to care for a dog?”

She pursed her lips, considering her arguments.

“The dog is a German shepherd, you know. I heard that breed is very protective. It can protect Sol.”

“Any better than Mephisto can?”

“Alright, you made a good point. But it can really help her not feel so lonely as an only child.”

“A matter easily remedied by more children.”

His wife gasped as his hand slid up her waist a bit. “Sylus! We agreed no more children!”

She was cut off by his deep chuckle. “I was talking about adoption. I wonder what you had in mind?”

Shaking her head, she turned to him again. “Sylus, I’m serious.”

The teasing glint fell from his eyes, the corners of his lips dropping. “I am too,” he said. “Do you actually have any good arguments for us to keep that dog?”

A few moments passed, after which his wife sighed deeply. “I don’t,” she admitted. “All I can say is that I know spending time with that dog will be good for Solana. And I can’t bring myself to leave it out on the streets again. You and I both know it won’t survive.”

Sylus gave a reluctant grunt. Yes, the puppy had been pure skin and bones, in areas not covered  in a thick layer of dried mud.

“Would you consider a compromise?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Do tell.”

“The dog stays, but only until we find another family to take it in,” his wife suggested. “At least you can allow that, can’t you?”

Sylus considered it. While he wanted to push back, he knew either his wife or his daughter would wear him down and he’d eventually give in. He recalled how she had stood under his gaze and met it with her own determined one, a feat only a couple of people in the world could achieve. Any normal person would have fainted under his glare, yet that small child had stood up to him.

For a moment, he had been faced with himself. Whatever annoyance was left in him faded away, only to be replaced with respect for the child’s bravery.

All because of that stray…

He sighed deeply, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “It seems my daughter has taken to bringing home strays,” he lamented softly.

His wife laughed. “I seem to remember you too had a habit of picking up strays.”

“And look how well that turned out for me.”

She ran her hand through his short hair. He sighed, leaning into her touch and closing his eyes.

“So, can the puppy stay?”

He exhaled lightly. “Sure, it can stay until we find it a new home.”

“Great!”

She began to pull away when he caught her hands, preventing her from leaving.

“So, you’re done with me now that you made me agree to your terms? Don’t you know that if you start something, you should properly finish it?”

“The dog can stay.”

Seeing the child’s eyes widen in happiness served to do nothing but poke a spear of guilt through his heart. Even if she seemed to have completely forgotten their fight with just those four words, he still felt guilty. It was enhanced when she cheered and threw her arms around his neck where he sat on the sofa.

“Thanks, Daddy! You’re the best!”

Well, there went his guilt once more.

At least she was freshly bathed and wearing clean clothes so he wouldn’t be covered in mud. On the floor, the puppy sat, also having been bathed and gently wagging its tail. Now that it was clean, he could get a better look at it, and like his wife said, it seemed to be a young German shepherd on the cusp of adolescence, with a black coat and tan socks. Two tan dots hung over its eyes, reminiscent of eyebrows.

“But only for a short time, until we can find it another home.”

Whether she heard him or not, it seemed it wouldn’t dampen her spirits now. Quickly detaching herself from her father, she dashed to the puppy, sitting down on the ground and pulling it into a hug. The puppy responded with a happy bark and a quickly wagging tail.

“Did you hear that, Ash? Daddy said you can stay!”

Ash?

Did she already name the dog?

He sighed, sending a look of exasperation towards his wife. Unfortunately it seemed she found his struggles amusing.

He’d get her back for it later.

She moved to sit next to him on the couch. “Ash is a cute name, don’t you think?” she asked, leaning against his side.

Of all the things running through his mind, including the realization that since she had named the pup, it would make it even harder to separate from it, one question stood out. “Why ‘Ash?’”

“Apparently she thought his coat reminded her of a fire’s aftermath.”

He stopped the words that came to his tongue. Especially the ones about how ash was grey, and the black dog was more resembling of coal or ember. He replaced it with a defeated sigh.

“Daddy, look, Ash is so smart!”

He raised his eyebrow at his child. “Is he now?”

“Yes!” Solana turned to the dog. “Ash, sit!”

Obediently, the dog planted its bum on the floor, looking at her proudly. The child turned back to him. “See?”

His wife squeezed his arm slightly. “Good luck,” she simply said, turning back to praise the child on training the dog herself.

Sylus pressed two fingers against the side of his head. He was sure he was going to develop a migraine at this rate.

Sylus was about to open the door to the room containing his record collection when he stopped, turning around. “You’re not allowed in my collection rooms,” he told the dog, who sat calmly and expectantly. “You’ll get fur everywhere.”

Due to the nature of his business, most of his deals and such could be closed without him having to always move around. Hence, he found himself at home most of the time, apart from those few events he’d have to go back to the base in the N109 Zone. Thus, with his wife at work at the Hunter’s Association, and his daughter at school, Ash had decided to spend his time with the person at home.

Which meant following him around the house at his heels.

The dog tilted his head inquisitively. Sylus shook his head and sighed. “What am I even doing?” he wondered out loud. Opening the door, he stepped in, closing it behind him. He paid special attention to ensure that the dog stayed outside.

Finally, he was alone in his collection rooms, his place of peace and quiet. Taking a deep breath, he decided to get some cleaning done while he was here.

Picking up a feather duster, he moved around the shelves, humming a song. He had to pause when something caught his eye.

He put the duster aside and picked it up. It was a thin strand of hair, not very long, but decidedly a familiar black in color.

“Tch.”

How did dog fur get into this room? He ensured to keep it clean, and the dog out of it. His collections were precious, and he didn’t want to risk them being damaged by the animal.

Wait, did it come from him?

He looked down at himself. He gave a frustrated sigh when he saw that he had worn his dark shirt today. How would he ever tell apart dog hair now?

Despite it all, he found something poking out, a thin strand of dog fur. And then another came up. And another.

Like stars in the night sky, every time he found a hair on his shirt, he’d end up finding more.

How in the world had he ended up with so much hair? Unlike his daughter and wife, he wasn’t particularly affectionate with the dog. In fact, he rarely interacted with him, preferring to keep to himself. Did he perhaps get the fur on him when he hugged his wife and daughter?

Or did he get it just being in the same vicinity of the dog?

A sense drew him to the door. Opening it, he found Ash, sitting patiently and looking up at him.

“Why are you still here?” he asked, annoyance growing. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”

The dog didn’t respond, just gazing at him with big, expressive brown eyes.

Sylus felt irritated. Just before he could say anything, the door opened. Immediately, Ash’s ears turned towards the door. With a light bark, he got to his feet and trotted off towards the front door.

“Ash! I’m home!”

Sylus held his tongue as his daughter returned, listening to her laughs as she greeted the dog. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

If dog hair everywhere was going to be his new normal, he wasn’t sure what to feel.

He noticed a decided lack of a young girl when he walked into the room. “Where’s Sol?” he asked his wife, who was sitting on the couch and reading a book.

“In her room,” she supplied. “Said she had homework to do and wanted some quiet.”

He turned to Luke and Kieran, also hanging around in the living room for some inexplicable reason. “I assume you two were the reason she closed herself in her room?”

Luke grinned. “We might have played a bit too much, Boss,” he admitted.

“But we weren’t the only ones thrown out,” Kieran spoke up. “She even made the dog leave.”

It was then that Sylus noticed that the black dog was on the rug at his wife’s feet, looking dejected. He raised an eyebrow.

This was odd…Sol never separated herself from the dog since she brought him home… But then again, if she had been falling back on her homework because of the excitement of having a dog, then it wasn’t out of the ordinary to seek quiet to work in peace. He decided he’d drop in on her after a while with a snack and drink to refresh her.

At that moment, the dog jumped to his feet and ran to the closed door of Solana’s bedroom. He began to paw and scratch at it, barking and turning around in circles anxiously.

“Ash? What’s wrong?” His wife closed her book and placed it aside. She patted the couch. “Come here. Sol’s busy, so don’t disturb her.”

Her words didn’t seem to reach the dog, who continued his pawing and barking. His movements were becoming more erratic, as if driven by a rising desperation.

Something clawed at the back of Sylus’s mind, and he went to the door, opening it without knocking.

“Solana!”

The child had collapsed on the bed, nearly unconscious. The child’s mother exclaimed in worry, running to her side and helping her against the pillow. She was pale, her flushed skin soaked in sweat. Her chest rose and fell heavily, as if every breath was cumbersome for her.

“Sylus, she’s burning up!”

He turned to his henchmen. “Get the med-kit. Now!”

They obliged without a word. Within minutes, his wife had prepared a cold compress and was pressing a damp towel to the child’s feverish forehead.

“I think it’s a viral,” she said as Solana let out a hoarse cough. “She must have caught it at school. The other moms did warn me that something like that was going around, and then it must have manifested when she over exhausted herself today…” she trailed off with a sigh.

Sylus forced himself to stay calm, ignoring the coldness settling in his stomach. The very real possibility that his daughter might have suffered in silence until he or her mother decided to check up on her weighed heavily on his mind.

She shook her head. “How could this have happened?” she lamented. “She hid it from us so well. Didn’t anyone notice anything?”

Luke and Kieran both shook their heads. “Not at all, Mrs. Boss.”

Someone did...

Sylus looked at the dog out of the corner of his eyes, where Ash settled on the bed at Solana’s feet, whining softly.

He was looking through some documents at his desk when Kieran walked in. “Hey, Boss, about-“

“Shh.”

Sylus silenced him at once, gesturing with his eyes towards the window. Kieran followed his look to find that nearby, on a comfortable rug, Solana had fallen asleep. Ash was next to her, being used as a pillow by the child asleep in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the penthouse residence. The dog had his head on his paws, eyes open and watching the new arrival, though he did not move or disturb the sleeping child.

“Ah, sorry, Boss.” Kieran dipped his voice to a whisper. “This is about those ads you wanted us to post about the dog.” He handed Sylus a tablet showing a list of profiles. “We ran it in the N109 Zone and got some hits, and…well…you’re not gonna like it.”

Sylus frowned as he went through the names. Like his henchman said, he didn’t like this one bit. The names were very few, but he recognized each one of them.

The top name belonged to someone known for running a dog fighting ring in the N109 Zone. He was prolific enough that his people were known to even steal pets from the City. Known for his horrendous practices, he was directly responsible for the stray dog populations within the Zone. It disgusted Sylus enough that he refused to do business with him.

No wonder he had put in a request to see Ash…

The other names weren’t any better. It made sense. The N109 Zone was a wasteland. People struggled to care for themselves and their human families. No one had the time or ability to care for a pet. The ones who did? Rich moguls or businessmen who wished to have a “strong” breed to “protect” them. Some of them had even acquired dogs before and discarded them after they had been turned into anxious, aggressive, killing machines.

Sylus let his eyes wander to the pair sleeping nearby. Despite his grievances with the dog, he had seen just how he had brought a smile to his daughter’s face. The puppy itself seemed incredibly happy to be with her, cuddling with her, following her around, licking her face.

Could he bring himself to condemn that happy pup to a life of chains and abuse?

“Absolutely no one from the N109 Zone qualifies,” he declared, letting the tablet fall onto his desk with a quiet clatter, the screen turning black.

“We could run the advertisement in the City,” Kieran suggested. “Or even in Skyhaven. Things are much better, so it’ll be much more likely to find a good family for the dog.”

Sylus was only listening half-heartedly, his gaze lingering on Ash and Solana. The dog had his eyes closed now, yet his ears still tilted in their direction.

“Don’t run it just yet.”

A flicker of irritation ran through Sylus as he looked back at his henchman. Behind the crow mask, he was sure he was wearing quite the smug smile.

“Now get out.”

Kieran was quick to take his leave, scooting out before his boss vented his frustrations at him. With him gone, calm once again descended upon them. Ash gave a deep sigh and adjusted his position.

With a couple of flaps, Mephisto landed on Sylus’s shoulder. He eyed the black dog with a red mechanical eye, giving an indignant caw.

“I know,” Sylus said. “But control yourself. Sol likes that dog, so don’t bully him.”

When did he end up with a dog bed in his office?

That was his thought as he watched the dog stroll into his office and plop himself on the pastel purple bed, sighing deeply.

“Don’t sound as if you’ve been abandoned,” Sylus scoffed. “Sol and her mother have just gone shopping. They’ll be back for dinner.”

At the mention of the word, Ash lifted his head, tilting his head at him. His tail also began to wag behind him.

The leader of Onychinus sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Bad choice of words, hm?”

He and the dog considered each other. Now that he thought about it, had he been walked that day? He didn’t seem to think so.

Well, no matter. Sol or her mother would do the walk when they got back.

But then again, after spending hours shopping, they might be tired and not wish to walk. Which would cause them all a lot of trouble, as they had discovered that Ash could get a bit antsy without his walk.

Sylus exhaled. “Fine, I suppose I can take you for one walk.”

The word ‘walk’ was another trigger, as Ash jumped to his feet and moved to the door, tail wagging like a piston.

Sylus took the dog to the park that neighbored their building. It was one of the reasons they liked this residence, apart from its view of Linkon City and its closeness to the shopping district and Solana’s school.

As they walked the trail, the dog took the chance to move around unleashed. He paused often, sniffing the dirt, rocks, trees and bushes. However, he always ended up coming right back to Sylus. It was almost as if he wore an invisible leash giving the dog a certain radius of movement.

He didn’t want to admit it, but this was nice. Sylus wasn’t one for walks, especially alone. Normally, he liked going on them with his family or his wife. But if he had time, wandering in a park wasn’t his choice of activity. He’d rather tend to his collections or listen to some music.

But this wasn’t so bad.

The dog stopped all of a sudden, his lithe black body tense. Lowering his head, Ash curled his lips back, showing his gleaming jowls, partnered with a low growl. His upright ears moved like radars, pinpointing the locations of figures moving in the shadows.

Sylus let the corner of his lip curled up. “I see you found them too,” he said. “I try to avoid this, but it seems there are still some vermin who try to follow me from the N109 Zone.” A dark chuckle escaped him. “Would you call it bravery or foolishness?”

The dog continued to snarl, the growls growing in volume slowly. Sylus lifted his hand. Dark red and black mist curled around his long fingers, like waves crashing on a dark beach.

“Let’s finish this and return before they get home, shall we?”

Sylus sat in the car outside the white school building as he waited for Solana’s activities to finish. In the backseat, Ash put his head outside the open window, tongue lolling out of an open mouth as he awaited his favorite human with the patience of a saint.

He also sported a shiny new red collar. A silver, engraved tag hung from the collar, glinting from the late evening sun.

He had no idea what possessed him to do so, but Sylus on that day had decided to take a family evening together. And finding he couldn’t leave the dog behind, he got Ash into his car (despite some gripes about his fur getting all over the leather seats even with the covers) and drove off to pick Solana up. On the way, he had paused at a pet store, choosing a new collar in bright red and getting a new tag engraved for him.

The dog seemed to like it. Sylus could swear he was puffing his chest out, as if to show off how good he looked in his new collar and tag.

Following the bell, children poured out of the school doors. Sylus found Solana quickly, waving to her from the driver’s seat to get her attention. Her face erupted in a bright smile when she saw that he wasn’t alone.

“Daddy! You brought Ash!” She squealed as the dog whined, licking her face.

Sylus gently laughed. “I thought we could surprise your mom today,” he told her. “We can spend an evening together and have dinner later. What do you say?”

She nodded profusely. “That sounds perfect!” she said. She then seemed to notice something different about Ash. “Wait, is this a new collar and tag? It looks so nice on you, Ash!”

Sylus smiled softly. “Get in, let’s go pick up your mom.”

Solana slid into the backseat, greeting the dog happily. Ash whined and nuzzled her, settling down next to her when she asked. Daughter and dog secured, Sylus started the car and drove off to the Hunter’s Association.

Picking up his wife, they made their way to a nearby park. A local festival was currently being held, and a path was lined with stores selling all sorts of delectable treats, snacks and gifts.

Solana held onto a leash attached to a harness on Ash. Sylus kept a close watch on it, even letting her know to give him the leash in case Ash pulled. Not that he ever did. Ash was a sensitive dog who seemed to know not to pull when his leash was in the hands of the child.

They walked in front, exploring all the shops while the parents trailed behind.

His wife wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning into his side. “So, I noticed you bought Ash a shiny new collar and tag?” she chuckled. “Did you get the engraving done yourself?”

He let a small laugh escape his lips. “I know what you’re about to say. Don’t say it.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “It’s only temporary. I’ll get a proper one engraved later.”

“Then, can I assume the dog will be staying with us?”

Sylus watched his daughter walk ahead, the dog at her heels with an ever-wagging tail.

“Was he ever going to leave after she brought him home?”

Chapter Text

“What do we do? What do we do?”

“Alright, first things first, don’t panic.” Kieran’s attempt to calm his frantic twin wasn’t going over so well. Luke was pacing around in circles, and he was certain he’d wear a hole in the carpet soon.

“How can I not panic?” Luke exclaimed. “Oh, if Boss finds out, we’re so screwed!” He ran his hands down the front of his crow mask.

“Boss won’t find out,” his twin said.

“How are you sure?”

“It’s an easy fix. We just need to find and rescue her before Boss gets back.”

Luke took several deep breaths, carefully considering his twin’s words. Yeah, he had a point. Maybe they could pull this off before their employer returned. Otherwise they were in some hot trouble…

“Good news is we know who took her,” Kieran pointed out. “We can track them down like that.”

Luke brightened up. “Yeah, that’s a good plan! I’ll track them now!”

“Track who now?”

The twins froze from the sharp voice behind them. Turning in slow motion, they silently prayed that the voice they heard didn’t come from the person himself but maybe like a hologram, something they could use to conceal the truth.

Unfortunately, they weren’t very lucky.

Sylus walked into the room, hands in his pockets. At his side, Ash trotted inside as well, his tan limbs the only sign he wasn’t made of pure shadow. With the mechanical crow on his shoulder, the large black dog seemed to add to his owner’s image, resembling a hound from hell.

He trained his crimson eyes on the twins, and they faltered under his gaze. Somehow, they felt like they’d already been found out.

“I’ll repeat; track who?”

Their carefully devised plans and diversions went straight down the drain. Kieran was the first to speak, clearing his throat. “Well, Boss…you see…there’s a bit of a…situation…” He fiddled nervously with his fingers.

Sylus raised an eyebrow. “A situation?” he repeated. “What situation?” Mephisto gave a caw from his shoulder, adding his demand to his master’s.

“Mini-Boss got kidnapped!” Luke blurted out.

Silence descended upon the room as the twins flinched, waiting for the inevitable explosion from the father. Sylus watched them closely, eyes going between the two, brows knitted.

“Kidnapped?” he finally repeated, his voice frozen like a desert. “By whom?”

Good. This was good. He was asking for details. Maybe they could divert some of his fury if they did their work as henchmen now.

“I-It was Georgie!” Kieran said.

“Georgie?” The news seemed to surprise the Onychinus leader, some of his anger dissipating to be replaced by…curiosity?

Luke nodded. “He and his men got Mini-Boss right after she finished school, so not too long ago,” he offered. “It seems he didn’t like that you got the deal and he didn’t.”

Sylus gave a small hum. “What else do you know?” he asked, his words careful.

Kieran moved to the computer monitors behind them. “We managed to track their vehicle, so we can go after them,” he said, bringing up a digital map of the city on the screen. “They’ve stopped as well.”

Sylus rubbed his chin for a moment, thinking. After a tense moment in which the twins quickly wrote out their wills mentally, he spoke. “Have they reached the N109 Zone yet?”

Luke shook his head, pointing to the map, where a dot blinked and beeped in the background. “They’re in the Warehouse District, on the other side of the City.” He then frowned as he looked at the data. “That’s…strange…” he trailed off.

Kieran turned to him. “Huh? What’s strange?”

“Check out how long they’ve been stationary,” Luke pointed to the numbers on the screen. “And yet there’s been no ransom calls, demands or any sort of communication.”

Kieran nodded. “That is very strange.”

The only one who hadn’t been affected was Sylus, who maintained his stoic composure. But after that confirmation, he turned, his dark blazer moving behind him like wings of shadow.

“Let’s go,” he commanded.

The twins looked between each other. “Go where?” they asked in unison.

“Where else?” their boss shrugged. “To get my daughter back.”

Finding the black van was easy where it was parked in front of a small warehouse. Small, inconspicuous, likely abandoned, perfect to be used as a kidnapping base.

The twins found the lack of guards a bit of a concern, as well as the fact that it was quiet. Almost too quiet.

Sylus stepped out of the car, adjusting the cuff of his shirt where it was rolled up at his elbow. “You two stay outside,” he commanded the twins.

“Aye, aye, Boss!”

Time for them to take a backseat and let their employer do what he did best. However, they couldn’t deny that they were also worried for the child.

Was she hurt? Scared? Trembling somewhere in a dark corner, waiting for a rescue?

Sylus walked up to the small door of the warehouse. He lifted his arm, and a burst of dark energy threw the door open with a bang.

Despite themselves, the twins peeked behind him, bracing themselves for the scene they were about to witness. However, nothing could have prepared them for what they saw.

In the middle of the room were four men, dressed in all black, on their knees with their hands bound behind their backs and sitting on the ground. Bruises littered their faces, as if they had been in some sort of cage fight.

Next to them, on a ledge by the wall, sat Solana. The fifteen-year-old looked strangely calm and collected for someone who’d been kidnapped, as well as pretty lacking of injuries, save for some dust on her face and uniform. She sat on the ledge and let her legs swing back and forth, scrolling through a device that looked like someone’s phone in her hands.

“This is awful,” she grumbled. “Who doesn’t have internet these days? How do you plays games to entertain yourselves? Not even a phone connection? Can’t even make any calls with this.”

The small group’s heads turned when the door was blasted open and Sylus walked in, albeit with wildly differing reactions. The teen’s face brightened with a smile, while the men whimpered and shrunk.

“About time!” she exclaimed. “What took you so long? I was getting bored!”

Sylus chuckled as she jumped off the ledge and ran over to him. “Sorry. I got caught in traffic.”

Solana wrapped her arms around her father’s middle in a quick hug, showing him the phone. “These people are awful,” she told him. “They have no games, no internet, nothing to contact anyone! How did they think they were going to reach out to you for my ransom?”

Sylus let a smirk pull at his lips. “How indeed.”

“It gets worse, I don’t think they had any plan at all! They were so disorganized; I felt so sorry for them! They spoke badly about you too!”

“Did they, now?” The tied-up men flinched as Sylus glanced at them over his daughter’s head. It was as if they’d just glimpsed the grim reaper.

The reaper disappeared as quickly as he appeared as Sylus looked back down at his child. As she continued to talk and complain, he gently lifted her chin, tilting her face a bit to one side and then the other. Satisfied that she was safe, he placed a hand on her head.

“Luke and Kieran are outside,” he told her, wiping some dust from her cheek with his thumb. “Go to them and wait. I’ll clean up here.”

“Okay!”

She strolled out of the warehouse to where the twins waited. Behind her, black mist closed the door.

If the twins didn’t have their masks on, she could have seen their mouths open the whole time. Kieran was the first to break the silence, his words coming out chopped and broken.

“H-how did…?”

Solana looked up at him. “How am I not harmed?” she supplied helpfully. The twins nodded. She shrugged. “Like I said, they were very disorganized. They talked a big game about all they’d do to Dad, but they really had no plan or even knew what they were doing. It was easy to disarm them once I got out of my restraints.”

Luke and Kieran were stunned to silence. Wasn’t this kid fifteen? Still in middle-school?

But then again, she was Sylus’s child.

The two looked at each other, a silent conversation moving between them. They knew power when they saw it, and they survived this long by allying themselves with the ones with true power.

They nodded in sync.

“Mini-Boss, if you ever need us to do anything for you, we’re here!” Kieran exclaimed.

“Yeah, we’re your faithful servants from today!”

The closing door engulfed them in near darkness as the black energy took out all other light sources, leaving only a single small swinging bulb over the tied men. It placed them in the spotlight, right in sight of the predator lurking in the shadows.

Sylus walked over to stand in front of one of the men, a man in his sixties, with a plump belly and gray hair. One side of his lip curled in a small smile as he looked down on the man. "Georgie, Georgie, Georgie,” he gently shook his head. “I’d say something, but I think being beaten up by a little girl is enough of a blow to your pride.”

The man looked away, trying to hide how he and his men trembled under the overbearing red gaze of the Onychinus leader. “This is still beneath you,” Sylus stated, bending down to pick up a small knife, long abandoned in the conflict and swinging it between his fingers. “Even if you were angry you lost the bid fair and square to me, going after a child was quite desperate.”

He flicked the knife open and close. “Tell me, what was your plan? You’d kidnap my daughter and then demand the rights to the bid in exchange for her?” The man paled as Sylus turned his eyes to him. “Not only would you get your revenge, you’d see your enemy humbled as a tearful parent, am I wrong?”

Georgie’s eyes were open in fear, as Sylus detailed his every thought. “S…Sy…Sylus…”

“You chose the wrong child,” Sylus told him. “But even if she wasn’t capable of handling herself, you’d make a grave mistake by crossing me.” He sneered. “Not like anything will be different now.”

He bent down as black and red mist began to swirl, like a storm from hell, choking the little light out and dousing them in deeper darkness, until all they could see was a single glowing red eye from a face that had dropped the condescending smile.

“Now, which one of you laid a hand on my daughter?”

Chapter Text

Sylus paused in front of the stairs leading up to the doors of the school building. His phone was pressed between his ear and shoulder, as he carried items in his arms.

“Yes, kitten, I’ll make sure to pass it onto her.”

His wife chirped from the other end of the phone. “And what else? You didn’t forget to take the gifts for the other moms, did you?”

Sylus sighed. “No, love, I didn’t.” He resisted the urge to chuckle. “This isn’t my first rodeo, you know?”

Since Sylus worked a lot from home, it made sense that a majority of the childcare fell to him once his wife went back to work being a Hunter. Of course, that also meant keeping up with the necessary obligations, especially once Solana began school and he began needing to show up for class events.

Normally he wouldn’t even entertain such an event. Schools were loud, overly bright, and the desires just confused and befuddled him. However, when he had stood in for his wife at one fundraiser back in elementary school, he’d become more and more involved with such events, whether he liked it or not.

His wife continued to talk away as he walked up the stairs and opened the door, entering the building. “Are you absolutely sure you didn’t miss anything?”

“I am,” he assured her. “Don’t you have a Wanderer to take care of? Focus on that. I’ll deal with our daughter.”

Eventually, she relented. “Fine, I’ll leave you now. Just call me if anything happens.”

“I won’t.”

He cut the call before she could protest. Sliding it back into his pocket, he made his way down the hallway to the room the PTA had picked out for the tiny class party they had planned for the children.

He was greeted by the other mothers when he stepped into the door. “Oh, Mr. Sylus! You made it!”

He placed the bags in his hands on one of the tables. “My wife is sorry she couldn’t make it. She sent along gifts.”

One of the mothers nodded. “And did you bring the snacks?” she asked.

Sylus blinked. “Snacks?”

She nodded. “Yeah, you were in charge of snacks, right? A treat for the children?”

He frowned. “I don’t remember anything like that,” he said. “I was told I’d only have to help out with serving…”

“Oh dear, looks like age is bringing with it memory loss!”

Sylus stiffened at the honey laced voice behind him. Turning around, he saw her.

“Susan?” the corner of his lip curled. “Heh, I should have known it was you.” He murmured the last part so none of them could hear.

“We should give Mr. Sylus a break, after all, he’s incredibly busy with his fruit business,” Susan continued. “However, luckily I had the idea to make spicy rice cakes last night!” She brandished bags full of the delectable treat.

One of the other moms gave a sigh of relief. “That’s great, Susan! You’re a lifesaver!”

She placed a hand on her heart. “Oh, don’t mention it. Anything for the children!”

They collected the rice cakes and left to set the tables up, leaving Sylus and the newcomer behind. Between them, the electricity crackled like a waiting storm.

“You were behind this, weren’t you?” Sylus asked in an accusatory tone. “I was not told to bring any food.”

She scoffed. “That’s quite the accusation. It’s not my fault you keep slipping up.” She raised her chin haughtily. “I can’t keep covering for you, you know?”

He looked her up and down. Even where he leaned on a table, he still towered over her. Even with his casual sweatshirt and glasses, he still looked terrifying to a normal person. Yet whether this woman thought she could take him on or genuinely was blind, he didn’t know.

He had walked the Earth for thousands of years. Conquered planets. His enemies trembled before him. He wielded unfathomable power the likes of which normal people could never dream of.

Yet, somehow his worst enemy was this plump, bored, middle-aged housewife.

How could a single woman be so…aggravating?

The children had begun to arrive, and his eye caught Solana just entering. She paused at the door when she recognized her father and his nemesis, her expression turning into one of exasperation. He raised an eyebrow at that before turning back to the woman.

“It’s quite convenient, isn’t it? That you suddenly had the idea to bring the snacks I so conveniently forgot?”

She huffed. “That’s because I care about the children so much!” She clutched at her necklace of (fake) pearls. “They work so very hard, you know? Studying hard to get into good schools? It is our duty as parents to ensure they are motivated enough to achieve their dreams.”

Sylus’s lip curled dangerously. Oh, this woman thought she was fit to give him a lecture?

On the side, Solana spied something in her father’s hand. A single coin, that he began to roll between his fingers.

Oh no. Whenever her father began fiddling with things, it normally didn’t end well.

Susan eventually left him to go and be praised by one of the other mothers, leaving Sylus to release a deep sigh. Raising his head, he saw his daughter coming up to him, a concerned look on her face. It made him chuckle. “You look tense,” he said. “Worried about something?”

She huffed slightly. “I’m worried you’ll get me expelled before I even finish middle school.”

He lightly laughed. “I promise, if I try to get you expelled, it will be when you’re in high school.”

She gaped, considering whether her father really would do something that bad. Laughing, he placed a hand on her head. “I’ll be right back. Hold down the fort.”

“Before we start, we’d like to give thanks to Susan, who went above and beyond in making sure this lovely treat was arranged.”

“Aw shucks, the children matter to me most of all!”

The middle-schoolers moved around the room, loading plated up with goodies and taking cups of drinks. Being in their last year and preparing for high school entrance exams, they were grateful for the brief respite from the constant drone of sitting in class.

The speaker screeched to life as an announcement went over.

“Attention, all students of all classes and grades may proceed to the grounds for free spicy rice cakes, courtesy of Mr. Sylus!”

Solana choked on her drink.

“Yay! Thanks, Mr. Sylus!”

“Mr. Sylus is the best!”

The halls were filled with excited students making their way to the grounds, where multiple food trucks were parked. Sylus leaned against a bench, awaiting the curious and astounded women.

“I hope this makes up for my earlier fluke,” he said, gesturing to the trucks.

“It certainly does!”

“How did you even think of this, Mr. Sylus?”

“Actually, Susan gave me the idea.” The woman in question bristled at his gesture. “You were right. The children do work very hard, all of them. So I thought we could let all of them get a treat, and not only our class.”

“That’s so generous!”

“How selfless!”

“What a lovely gesture, don’t you think so, Susan?”

Susan didn’t look as pleased as the other moms, clenching her jaw and fists tightly. However, she was quite trapped. “Y-yes,” she managed, turning away from the smug smile on his face. “Very lovely.”

“Dad, you should really stop letting her get to you like this.”

The pair of father and daughter watched the plump woman stew, unable to say anything due to the elation of the children around her.

“I think I acted in the perfect manner,” he defended. “After all, this is a matter of pride.” Solana scoffed as he stole a rice cake from her plate before she could protest. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

Popping it in his mouth, he was met with instant regret, as his tongue burned. He turned his face away, forcing himself to swallow.

“Dad, they’re spicy rice cakes. It’s in the name.”

He glanced at her; at the small smirk she wore. “Getting cheeky, are we?” he asked, knowing that she had ordered cakes with the highest level of spice as she knew he’d steal from her, and it annoyed her.

Solana ate one piece. “Why do you hate her so much anyway?” she gestured with her head towards Susan. “Don’t you think she’s beneath you? I mean, you literally run the N109 Zone.”

Sylus folded his arms across his chest. “When you were in elementary school, she made a snide comment about your mother.”

His daughter’s mouth fell open. “Since then? That’s such a long time!”

He chuckled. “Oh, sweetie, you have no idea how long I can hold a grudge.”

She looked around the school grounds again. “Still…”

Eventually, he relented. “Fine, I’ll admit it was a bit…much.”

Solana gave a hum of agreement. Then, she linked her arms with her father’s elbow.

“I bet it was super satisfying though.”

He laughed.

“Absolutely.”

Chapter Text

It had started when a TV show the child had been watching took the characters to a horse ranch. Sylus had observed her staring at the screen with wide eyes and mouth open, as the majestic beasts on the screen trotted and galloped to an epic soundtrack.

“Mommy, can we go the fair this weekend?” she’d asked her mother, who was also watching the show from the couch, resting against him. “I want to see a horse.”

Sylus chuckled. “If you want to see a horse so bad, we could always go down to the ranch.”

The revelation that he owned a horse ranch had sent the five-year-old into a frenzy, accusing her father of keeping things from her. He’d retorted that she never asked, so he didn’t see the need to take her there before. He had then spent thirty minutes comforting the sulking child, who seemed to want nothing to do with her lying father.

Hence, the family found themselves packing up for a weekend and pulling into the driveway of the ranch. Solana had barely waited till the car was parked before she leapt out, yelling “Horsies!” at the top of her lungs when she spotted the large, fenced paddock, and the majestic creatures trotting around within.

“Sol! Wait! Don’t run!” Her mother’s pleas fell on deaf ears as the child scampered away to the white fence. “At least wait for your father…” She trailed off, releasing a deep sigh.

Her husband, on the other hand, seemed to find it quite amusing. “For one so small, she’s certainly fast,” he observed, getting out of the driver’s seat. He moved around to the other side, opening the door and offering her his hand. “Reminds me of a chipmunk.”

“Hmph,” his wife huffed, taking his hand. “Just so you know, she takes after you.”

“Oh really? I’d say she’s more like her mother when she runs around like that.”

He laughed as she playfully pushed him. Turning around, he gestured to the worker who had come outside to greet them, letting them know to take their luggage inside.

She looked around at the ranch. “This brings back memories, doesn’t it?” she asked.

“It certainly does.”

“It’s so nice and peaceful out here. Remind me why we didn’t come here again?”

He grinned. “You never asked to return, did you?”

She huffed once more, turning her attention back to her wayward child, who had begun to climb the fence to get a better look at the horses within. “Solana! Get down from there this instant!”

The few horses within had noticed the newcomers, especially the little one climbing on their fence. They changed their path, moving towards her. As the horses came into clearer view, she recognized one of them.

“Sylus…” She gripped her husband’s arm. “Is that…?”

He nodded. “That black Akhal-Teke you attempted to tame all those years ago?”

It worried her. Her memories of that horse weren’t all roses and daisies. She specifically remembered the horse attempting to buck her off numerous times. “It’s not safe for her!” she exclaimed. She attempted to pull away only to have Sylus hold onto her a bit more tightly.

She cast an indignant glare at him, which he met with a smug smirk. He gestured with his head towards the horses once more. When she looked back, she saw the black horse, the same one who had caused her so much mental distress back in the day, leaning over to gently sniff their child. It even went as far as to softly bump her cheek with its nose, keeping an appropriate distance between them.

It seemed like a completely different horse.

“Wha-what happened?” she stammered.

Her husband laughed. “There were a lot of changes since you last visited,” he said. “Mainly, that we found out why he was so hard to tame.”

“Why?”

“Turned out, its previous owner was so enamored by his new, expensive horse, that he didn’t want it to be hurt, scarred, or otherwise…ruined.” He stated that last word with a bit of malice. “He kept the horse locked in its stall day in and day out, and far away from other horses. The only time it stepped out was for training.”

He checked his nails. “Sure, the horse got the most expensive feed, a fancy stall and the highest quality medical care, but-“

“It was still a prison,” his wife completed. He nodded. “No wonder he threw off multiple trainers.”

“Do you see that mare?” She followed his line of sight, catching sight of a beautiful horse with a white stripe down her face, her dark brown coat glistening in the mid-morning sun. “I bought her soon after your visit. She was a horse I couldn’t pass up at the auction. However, she got along well with him, even becoming his bonded companion.”

She watched as the mare leaned down to sniff Solana. “Those two even had a foal a few years ago,” he said, pointing to a third horse, much smaller in size. It had the black coat of the Akhal-Teke, and the white stripe of the mare.

She couldn’t help but smile. “That’s wonderful…” she murmured.

“Turned out, what he needed wasn’t to be tamed forcefully, but rather freedom and a chance for companionship and connection.”

She glanced up at him. His usual smirk had been replaced by a genuine smile, eyes a bit wistful. She squeezed his arm slightly. “Reminds me of a certain someone,” she chuckled. “I always thought that horse resembled his owner too much.”

He matched her chuckle. “Either way, he took very well to training after that, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“So, he’s safe around children?”

He nodded. “Come now, kitten. Did you really think I’d let a wild animal around our child?”

She pursed her lips. Despite how permissive Sylus tended to be in his parenting, even he wouldn’t put his daughter in such danger.

“I suppose you’re right,” she relented.

He smiled. “I should probably go,” he gave a small laugh. “Otherwise she’ll climb the fence and fall on the other side.”

She unwrapped her arm from his, giving his back a gentle push. “Yes, go, handle your daughter.”

“So bossy.”

Sylus covered the few steps to the paddock fence, peeling his child away from it like she was a baby monkey. “Daddy! The horses are so nice!”

“They certainly are.” He adjusted her so she was more comfortable in his arms, and at a better height to see the horses. All three of them seemed to have recognized him, greeting him with puffs of air and reaching out to push their noses into his free hand.

The child was mesmerized by how her father handled the horses; a sight that made him laugh. “Here, you pet them like this.”

A small distance away, she leaned against the fence, watching the two of them and letting her mind wander.

Who’d have thought that the same person who’d spoken to her about needing spirit to tame a wild animal was now gently coaching his child on the proper way to pet a horse. She, in his arms, imitated his every move, patting the black horse’s neck, giggling when he grunted lightly.

Sylus raised his head to meet his wife’s gaze, and she couldn’t help but think how different this Sylus looked.

Not tamed. No. The leader of Onychinus could never be tamed.

However, he was free, and he was at peace.

She loved this in him.

For a child who detested waking up early, Solana woke her parents up at the crack of dawn the next day. She especially focused on getting her father awake, despite his attempt to pull her into a cuddle so she could sleep longer. Her mother was a light sleeper anyway, but her father could be quite stubborn in his insistence he wasn’t a morning person.

However, childcare had forced him to change his routines years ago, so even he couldn’t fall back asleep once she’d awoken him with her chirping.

He cast an exasperated look at his wife, who simply shrugged. “You’re the one who got her all excited.”

The child had found the previous day that apart from the dining room within the manor, there was also an outdoor pavilion that could be set up with tables and chairs. She insisted they take their meals there, particularly because it had a good view of the paddock, and she could see the horses running around.

Her mother had by then given up trying to get her to eat her food on her own, as Solana stared at the horses with enough attention that she forgot the fork in her own hand. She took to simply feeding the child her breakfast, otherwise the meal would long be over, and she wouldn’t have gone through even one dish.

As the servants cleared out their empty breakfast plates and replaced them with cut fruit, Solana noticed that they had visitors.

“Look, the horses are here!” she pointed to the three who had walked up to the fence, tails swishing behind them.

Her mother laughed. “Must be because of the fruit.” She cast a look at the black stallion. “I know that one in particular likes apples.”

Solana turned to her father. “Daddy, can I feed the horses? I’m not hungry anymore!” She picked up her plate as if to demonstrate she was willing to sacrifice it for the poor animals who were clearly famished.

Sylus gently shook his head, sharing a look with his wife. “Sure, go ahead.” The smile didn’t leave his face as she scampered off, plate of cut fruit in hand, to the fence where her new friends awaited her.

“You should go too,” his wife said, propping her chin on her hand. “It’s her first time feeding an animal. She could get bitten.”

He playfully sighed. “I suppose I won’t get to enjoy this fruit either, then?”

She shook her head. He chuckled, picking up his own plate and pushing his chair back, when she stopped him. “Wait, take mine too.”

He raised an eyebrow at the plate she offered him. “Aren’t you spoiling those animals too much?”

“It makes Sol happy.”

He exhaled dramatically. “All the work I do to get good quality fruit here and we give it away to mere animals.” Regardless, he took her plate too and went over to the paddock fence, where Solana was currently attempting to figure out how to feed the brown mare.

“Wait, you’ll get bitten. Here, keep your palm flat.”

The next morning when she awoke, she was surprised to find herself alone in their bed, her daughter and husband missing.

She sighed, rubbing her shoulders. Perhaps she really had been working hard at the Association. This vacation was just what she needed, especially since for the first time in a while, she’d slept like a log.

She ordered a cup of coffee, casting a look outside while she waited for it to be delivered. It was early enough that the sky was still tinged pink. It was way too early for her to be awake, yet she felt incredibly refreshed.

But it was also not anywhere near time for breakfast, so once again, she wondered where her husband and daughter had disappeared to.

It was the servant who brought her coffee who helpfully guided her, pointing towards the track opposite the paddock. Thanking him, she took her cup and stepped outside, watching the horses within the paddock move around and graze lazily.

Going over to the track, she found her husband and daughter within. The black horse had been tacked up, Solana sat on his saddle, while Sylus guided them from the ground, a lead rein in his hands. The child wore a pair of cute riding boots and a matching helmet, her eyes shining when she raised her head and noticed her mother.

“Mommy, look! I’m riding a horse!”

Sylus grinned, catching her eye, turning the horse’s direction, walking them towards the fence.

“You’re finally awake.”

She gestured at the child’s getup. “When did you get these made?” she asked.

He shrugged. “When she expressed an interest in coming here,” he simply said. “They only arrived yesterday.”

“Well, you look very cute,” she turned to the child, reaching out to pinch her cheek. Beside them, the horse stood calmly, not making any sudden moves out of consideration for the little one on his back.

“Alright, time to get off,” Sylus declared. “Feet out of the stirrups, now.”

While the child seemed a little sad her early morning riding lesson was about to end, she followed her father’s orders, especially when promised they’d ride again later that day. With her feet not locked into the stirrups anymore, Sylus picked her up and pulled her off the horse, who let out a relaxed huff and shook his neck.

“Did you enjoy your ride, little one?” her mother asked.

She nodded profusely. “Yes! Can’t wait to do it again.”

Sylus chuckled. “Alright, time for you to wash up.” Exiting the arena, he placed her on the ground. “What, did you expect to eat when you’re all dirty? Go, ask the servants for help.”

She pouted a bit, but followed the servant Sylus asked to escort her anyway. The slight grumbling from her stomach added to her obedience.

Sylus gestured for a groom to take the black horse away, leaving him with his wife, a rare moment since they’d added a third member of their family.

“I was surprised you didn’t wake me,” she said, leaning against the fence.

He chuckled. “You were fast asleep after working so hard. We wanted to let you rest.”

She met his smile, turning her head to watch the horse’s retreating form. “Still, making her ride a full-grown stallion? Even if he’s well trained…”

“She was the one who wanted to ride him, you know,” Sylus stated. “And besides, you saw, he’s very good with her.”

She nodded. “If only he gave me even a fraction of the consideration he gave her years ago…” she trailed off with a slight huff.

Sylus laughed. “Well, you weren’t a cute child then, were you?”

“That’s your excuse, huh?”

She sipped her coffee while Sylus leaned his back against the fence next to her. The early morning breeze was pleasant, the air fresh and crisp. It lifted the collar of his shirt slightly, ruffling through his hair.

“Hey, Sylus?”

“Hm?”

“There was one reason I never asked to come back here.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Do tell.”

She rubbed the back of her neck. “It got…awkward.” He stayed silent, just watching her, so she continued. “The last time we came here, and I stayed over, I had a…very…strange…dream of sorts.”

“A dream?” his voice held the slightest tinge of curiosity. “What was it about?”

She shook her head. It was too much! “I can’t tell you, it’s too embarrassing!” She patted her flushed cheek, hot against the cool morning air.

He gave a light laugh. “Did it have something to do with you attempting to tame me?” Her blood chilled. “Doing…things…with a riding crop?”

Her mouth dropped. “H-how?”

He chuckled. “Sweetie, our souls are bound. You should know by now that we share dreams.” He bent over, a playful smirk on his infuriating face. “So, yes, I knew the whole time.”

She rubbed her temple, her face burning like she was a teenager, not the mother of a five-year-old. “Seven years and a child,” she shook her head. “And you never thought of mentioning this to me?”

He casually checked his nails. “You didn’t seem to want to acknowledge it, so I didn’t.”

“Just how many of my dreams have you peeked into?” Another realization made her face redden even more. “Just how many of my dreams were mine, and not yours??”

Of course, he found her distress amusing. “Do you really want to know?” he retorted. “Should I have kept a journal of every one of our dreams together?”

“On second thought, I don’t want to know.”

“Why not? I thought you enjoyed them.”

He laughed as she shoved his arm. “Alright, I’ll stop.” He cast a glance at the sky, growing brighter with every minute. “But, your dream came true in the end, didn’t it?”

“Huh?”

“In the end, you managed the impossible.” There was a light smile on his lips. “Even an outsider watching us this weekend would be able to tell I’m well and truly tamed, thanks to you.”

She thought back to the Sylus she’d known for years, particularly the man she’d seen the last couple of days. Recalling his gentle smile and caring gaze, she shook her head.

“No, not tamed,” she said. “Free. Just like that horse.” She glanced at the barn the groom had taken the horse into. She assumed it wouldn’t take long before it was turned out in the paddock with the rest of its family soon.

“Free…” Sylus smiled, not his usual playful smirk, but one that reached his eyes. He closed them against the daybreak breeze. “I like your version a lot better.”

She liked it too.

Finally, he pushed away from the fence, wrapping an arm around her waist to guide her back to the mansion. “Let’s go, before our daughter feeds all the fruit to the horses.”

Chapter Text

She folded her arms, her foot tapping the ground with impatience.

“Hey, you’re still here?”

She turned to see Tara had come up to her, seeming surprised. “Yeah, they’re saying my results will take longer.”

Tara tapped her chin. “That’s odd. Normally you ace these physicals.”

She couldn’t agree more. On any other day, a routine physical examination at the Hunter’s Association led to her getting in and out within half an hour. Yet, here she was, the hour nearly done, and still awaiting her results.

She had to admit the procedural delay wasn’t the only reason for her impatience. She had work to do, and then she had a date planned with her husband; a lovely dinner at a new restaurant both of them had been wanting to try for a while now.

The more this delayed, the more likely she’d have to work overtime. And she really didn’t want to cancel.

She chatted with Tara a bit more when the door opened and the in-house physician stepped out, walking towards her. While originally relieved it was finally done, the look on the physician’s face made her pause.

“Is…everything alright?”

The physician nodded. “Mostly, but I’d recommend you go to the hospital immediately and see your doctor.”

Her eyes widened. “I thought you said it wasn’t anything to worry about!”

“I said it was mostly alright.”

Before she could retort at the physician’s words, she handed her the report. Passively she flipped through it, pausing when her eye caught something.

“Uh…right.” Her voice felt shakier than she thought. “I…I’ll go to the hospital then.”

The physician nodded. “I’ve already signed your leave. You’re off for the day.”

“Come on, Yvonne, is there no way I can see Dr. Zayne?”

The nurse shook her head. “I’m really sorry. He’s got surgeries back-to-back today.”

“Even if it’s an emergency?” Her pleading seemed to not be able to pierce the indomitable wall that was Akso Hospital’s nurse at the reception.

“I’m really sorry, it’s just too short on notice. I can get you in to see Dr. Greyson instead. Would that help?”

She paused. It shouldn’t matter which doctor saw her, right? Plus, Dr. Greyson knew her as well and had examined her in place of Zayne many times before.

But why did she hesitate?

“Is something the matter?”

The steady voice behind her made her turn, and she let out a sigh of relief.

“Dr. Zayne, you’re here,” Yvonne said.

He nodded. “My surgery finished early.” His eyes found her, concern flashing within his hazel eyes. “Why are you here?”

“She came for an emergency consult,” Yvonne supplied when her voice failed her.

Zayne checked the ticking clock in the reception. “I’ve got time before my next patient. I can squeeze in an emergency consultation.”

“Thank you, that would be very helpful.”

His lips turned in a slight smile as he turned, walking down the hallway to his office. She followed behind, letting him keep the door open for her to enter.

“Alright, what seems to be the problem?” he asked once the door shut behind them.

She clutched the report to her chest. “W-we had our quarterly physicals at the Association today. And…well…” She held out the file, watching as he took it.

He flipped through the pages while she studied his expression. As usual, however, his gaze betrayed nothing of his feelings, bar a bit of surprise here and there. Eventually, he hummed. “I see, I’ll draw some blood then.”

She stayed silent while she took a seat, letting him prep her vein and stick a needle within, filling up a small vial with red liquid. “You’re quiet today,” he noticed.

A small breath escaped her. “I…suppose it hasn’t sunk in yet,” she admitted.

“Perhaps it won’t unless you get a confirmation,” Zayne surmised, pulling the needle out and placing a small Band-Aid on the red dot in her arm. Sample collected, he stood up, moving towards the door, likely to get to Diagnostics.

“Um.” He stopped. “How long will the result take?”

“Instantaneous,” he supplied. “You’ll have an answer soon enough.” He gave her a reassuring smile before leaving the room, and her, with her own thoughts.

As Zayne had said, it didn’t take too long, for within fifteen minutes he was re-entering the room, holding a fresh report in his hand. “We got the results.” He handed the paper to her.

“My heartfelt congratulations.”

Status: Pregnant

Her hand flew to her mouth as her heart swelled. A tornado of emotions blew through her enough that she couldn’t pinpoint what she actually felt. Was she happy? Overjoyed? Or maybe even scared?

How had this even happened?

In hindsight, it felt inevitable. In the aftermath of Ever’s defeat, and the sheer relief that those who had caused her and her loved ones so much pain would never do so again, along with the joy of finding her dragon again in this life and making up for thousands of years of lost time, perhaps she and her new husband had been unable to keep their hands off each other. Why wouldn’t their unending nightly activities result in a child?

A child…her child…their child….

Ever…

The swirling emotions within her stomach took a turn for the worse. She had wanted to cry out of joy. Now, she wanted to cry out of terror.

Zayne seemed to have noticed where he stood. Immediately, he bent down to her level. “Hey, it’s alright. Breathe.”

Perhaps it was his calm and stoic demeanor, but she managed to wring herself out of her thoughts and back to reality. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“W-will something go wrong?” she asked.

He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t see why it should. It’s not the first time a baby would be born to a parent with Protocore Syndrome.”

“But do those babies have parents who share two Aether Cores between them?”

Zayne opened his mouth to respond, but then closed it, holding his chin while he considered it. “I’ll give you that one,” he conceded.

“Or what about a parent who was endlessly experimented on?”

“I get the point.”

He stood up. “But I still urge you to breathe and take it slow.” He began to make his way over to his desk.

She changed the subject. “H-how far along would I be?”

“Only an ultrasound can tell you that.” Zayne slid into the chair, booting up his monitor. “I’ll schedule you for one.” He gestured for her to move to the seat opposite the desk. “I’m referring you to a colleague of mine. She’s an award-winning gynecologist, and she specializes in helping mothers who have Protocore Syndrome.” He typed away, the clacking of the keys the only sound that broke through the silence between them.

Finally, she spoke again. “D-does she know? About me?”

“About the Core?” Zayne peered at her over the rim of his glasses. “No, that will be confidential.” She released a breath. “That’s why I want to see you more often, so I can monitor your condition closely. Pregnancy is hard enough without Protocore Syndrome getting in the way.”

She nodded. “I’ll schedule you a follow-up with me after your ultrasound. I recommend you bring your husband for this. You’ll need his support more than ever.”

Her husband.

Oh.

“What’s wrong?” Zayne truly had the patience of the saint to be dealing with her panic attacks one after another today.

She placed a hand on her forehead. “I just realized we didn’t even talk about kids.” Saying it out loud just made the flurry of emotions within her turn into a bottomless pit, like she was falling from a building into a black hole.

Zayne let out a small sigh. “Do you want this child?”

It was a simple, single question. But the answer seemed almost instantaneous. Despite the fact that she had never thought about having kids before. Despite the fact that she had convinced herself she could never have them after what Ever had done to her. Despite the fact that she thought she should never have them, for she would be busy as a Hunter and not be as present as she would have wanted to be.

“Yes.”

He smiled. “Then that settles it.”

He pushed the reports to her. “Go home,” he ordered. “Talk to your husband, celebrate. Come for the ultrasound. Then you can make any other decisions you wish.”

She nodded. “Thank you, Zayne.”

“Anytime.”

She noticed that this time, when he withdrew his hand, there were two wrapped sweets on the report.

She walked through the dark hallway of the base. While she had first found these long corridors to be intimidating when she first arrived here, now, they were just as comforting as home to her. Of course, that was thanks to the person within.

At the moment, her steps felt heavy, and her palms felt clammy. What would he say? How would he react? She paled even more when she realized she had no clue how he’d react to the news.

Luke and Kieran met her as she walked, greeting her.

“Mrs. Boss, you’re back!”

“Boss is in his office if you’re looking for him.”

She gave them a grateful smile. “Thanks, you two.” Moving past them, she couldn’t help but catch stray whispers shared between them.

“Did she seem…off…to you?”

“Eh, must have eaten something wrong. It’s not our concern.”

She found her way down familiar corridors to the mahogany door of his study. It was quiet within, so it didn’t look like he was in a meeting or such. She exhaled. Perhaps it wasn’t the worst time to spring the news on him.

Opening the door, she was greeted with the sight of her husband at the desk, dressed in his signature dark suit, blazer discarded on the sofa and sleeves rolled up to the elbow. His glasses perched on his nose as he considered various documents with a furrowed brow, a furrow that disappeared the moment she entered and he raised his head to meet her gaze.

“You’re home early.” He gave her that soft smile that melted her heart, reaching out his hand. She didn’t know whether it was the new life within her, but she couldn’t help but reflect on how just a year prior, she had vehemently refused his touch. Now, she practically ran to his open hand, craving his touch, his scent, his strength, to steady her wavering heart.

She let him pull her onto his lap, pulling off his glasses and placing them on the table. He gave a final, cursory glance at the documents before pushing them away, allowing him to devote all his time to his lover.

“Were you that impatient for tonight?” he lightly teased, placing a kiss on the top of her head. “And here I thought I could be the valiant husband picking you up from work.”

“I’d have come home anyway to change,” she shook her head, his teasing making her laugh. “Unless you wanted to take me to a 5-star restaurant in my Hunter uniform.”

“Why not? You look lovely in it.”

A breathy laugh slipped from her lips. She leaned against him, closing her eyes and letting herself be enveloped in him, his scent, a mix of his cologne and something uniquely him. He didn’t say anything, simply wrapping his arms around her to bring her closer.

Eventually, she found the courage to speak. “Sylus?” He hummed. “What do you think about kids?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I think kids are…kids.” He tilted his head slightly. “Why? Am I supposed to have a particular opinion about them?”

Her heart felt tense. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to hear. Did she want to hear that he loved kids? Or disliked them?

“Why are you curious?” he asked. “Thinking about a little mini-me running around?” His tone was light, joking, and he gripped her hip ever so slightly.

Her face paled, and the playful smirk fell from his face. “What happened?” he asked, his voice replaced with concern.

She opened her mouth to speak, but the words failed her once more. So instead, she took his hand that was resting on the back of her neck, slowly guiding it down to rest on her heart for a moment, before guiding it lower, lower, to rest on her stomach.

His eyes grew wider as his hand went lower, letting out a shaky breath when it covered her abdomen. “I’m pregnant.”

For a single moment, time stopped. All she knew was her beating heart in her ears, the feeling of his large, warm hand covering her stomach, and the wide-eyed look on his face matched with shaky breaths. In the back of her mind, panic began to set in, a small thread that pushed through her rationality.

He’s going to hate it! He won’t want the child! Worse, he’s going to ask you to get rid of it!

She gulped, the saliva doing nothing to help her dry throat, before speaking again. “W-we had our physicals today, and I was recommended to go to the hospi-“

She found herself crushed against his solid chest, knocking the wind right out of her lungs. “S-Sylus?”

His arms wrapped around her, squeezing her so tight she could swear he’d break her. He buried his face in her shoulder, his own shaking. It took her a long moment to realize he was laughing.

“What…wonderful news.” His voice had the slightest tremble in it, as if it couldn’t contain the entirety of his emotions.

He pulled back, his eyes filled with absolute joy. It was a look she rarely saw in him, a look of bare suppression simply because he was feeling the emotions that much. “You’re…not mad?” she asked.

He laughed, hearty and jovial. “Why would I be?” he asked. “This is the best thing that could have happened today.” He chuckled, running the back of his fingers against her cheek in a gesture known only to them. “In hindsight, I’m surprised it took this long, considering all we’ve done.”

“Sylus!”

One joke, that was all it took for all the apprehension in her heart to disappear.

“So, you want this child?” She needed to hear him say it, to say the words that would finally put her heart at ease.

“Of course,” he nodded. “This is our child; how could I not want them?” He caressed her stomach, his touch warm over her clothes.

Her heart tightened as she glimpsed the look in his eyes. After all they’d been through, multiple lives, multiple centuries, his past and experiences…How could she have ever thought he never considered having a child? Especially with her? A product of their love?

She had seen everything, seen his envy when he glimpsed families walking along the pier, seen his wistful glances at normal couples…

How could she have ever doubted him.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him in for a kiss. It was deep, passionate, filled with all the emotions neither of them were able to express. When he finally pulled away, he buried his face in the crook of her neck, where she felt his light laughter and wide smile.

“We’re going to be a family,” he mumbled against her skin.

She wanted to say that he was already her family. Had been, way before he slid that ring on her finger. But, she knew exactly what he meant. So she pulled him closer and echoed his words back to him.

“We’re going to be a family.”

Dr. Evelyn was a stout woman in her late fifties, wearing a kind smile that put any apprehensive person at ease. Her voice was soothing as she guided her through the set-up for the ultrasound, asking her about her profession, what new Wanderers she had fought, praising her for her bravery, and even asking about her husband.

In a way, she reminded her of her Grandma.

“Dr. Zayne speaks very highly of you,” she said, applying the cold gel on her exposed stomach. She winced, feeling Sylus give her a reassuring squeeze where he sat by her side. “He says you saved his life countless times.”

“I’m certain he’s exaggerating,” the young Hunter said. “He’s much more capable than he looks.”

“I’m sure,” Dr. Evelyn gently laughed. “But in all the years I knew him, Zayne has rarely spoken of someone with such praise. He’s not someone who just dishes it out, you know?”

She nodded. That sounded like Zayne to her.

The doctor ran the machine over her abdomen, the sensation strange and unsettling. The only thing getting her through this was how sweet the doctor was, and her husband’s constant presence.

“There we go!” Dr. Evelyn straightened up as a black and white image formed on the screen. “There’s your little one.”

The shape was barely formed, but it was there, twitching and moving every once in a while.

“It looks like you’re around eight weeks along,” the doctor continued. “That’s good, that’s very good.”

Her eyes had been glued to the screen, and the shifting shape. This was real. That shape was growing within her currently. That was her child.

She was going to be a mother…

“And do you hear that? I bet you can guess what it is!”

It was then that she noticed that along with the image, a sound could also be heard. A small, rhythmic pulsing, barely noticeable, but impossible to ignore once noticed.

A dulcet heartbeat.

Life.

At her side, Sylus gripped her hand within his two tighter. He brought it up to his lips, his gaze fixed on the image on the screen.

“Where’s Sylus?” Zayne asked when she entered his office and took a seat across from him.

“His meeting’s running a bit long,” she explained. “He said he’d be here soon.”

Zayne nodded, giving a hum of acknowledgement. “Report.”

She handed over the folder, watching him purse through the various documents. Leaning back in her chair, she cast a glance around his neat and orderly office, that doubled as his consultation room.

It had been a few visits now. Apart from meeting her after her ultrasounds with Dr. Evelyn, Zayne had also met her more often. It seemed he was truly doing his due diligence, not that he didn’t, but he was getting more testing, more examinations. Covering as many avenues as possible.

She turned back to him, only to find him paused on the report, a slight frown marring his face.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, as a familiar panic began to set in. “If there’s something wrong you need to tell me. If anyone’s going to panic between the two of us, it’s going to be me!”

“No one’s panicking,” he exhaled lightly. “It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“Your maternity leave? You should take it now.”

Her eyes widened. “I thought you said no one was panicking?”

“We’re not. It’s a precaution.”

“Why?”

He turned the report on the table to face her, pushing it across his desk. He tapped it, drawing her attention. Following where his finger rested, she saw various vitals, and her eyes widened when she saw that despite them technically being within range, they seemed to hug the borderline too close to be comfortable.

“Like I said, pregnancy is hard enough without Protocore Syndrome interfering,” Zayne said. “Apart from that, we can’t forget all that has happened to you. In addition, you’re also a Hunter, and you’re exposed to more Metaflux than a normal person would reasonably experience in their lives.”

She swallowed thickly, nodding. “But…if I take my maternity leave now, won’t I have to return before I’m ready?” She ran the numbers in her head to find that yes, taking leave now meant she’d be returning to work earlier than planned.

“I’m familiar with the Association’s policies,” Zayne assured. “I’ll recommend you for an extended leave. You’ll get to return on schedule.”

He began scribbling on a piece of paper before noticing that she had once again fallen silent, her gaze not looking at anything in particular. “What’s wrong?”

She looked up at him. “Dr. Zayne, are you absolutely sure everything will be fine?” Her voice was soft, barely concealing all her worry and fears.

He sighed, putting his pen down. “Do you want me to be honest?”

She nodded. “Yes.” She’d rather hear the truth than a well-crafted lie, especially if it had to do with the small life growing within her.

“The truth is, we don’t know,” Zayne admitted. “Your case is unique. We don’t know how this will affect you, or even how this will affect your child. Whether your condition will affect them now, or even later in life. Even the earliest children born to mothers with Protocore Syndrome only recently started high school, so we don’t know what will happen in a few decades.”

Her palms curled in her lap, a thread of anxiety slowly wrapping itself around her heart, like a boa constrictor.

“However, we will do our best.” The tone of his voice had changed to be softer, gentler, reassuring. “You can have my word that you’ll be safe, both of you. We learn more everyday about your condition, and more people have families despite it. All you need to do is trust us, trust me.”

“I do trust you.”

He smiled. “Good.”

“Zayne? What do you think I should do?” She resisted the urge to place her hand on her stomach, where a small bump had begun to form. “What can I do to protect my child?”

He looked back at her from his monitor. “I think you should lean on your husband, surround yourself with the people who love you, and listen to doctor’s orders.”

It sounded so simple when he said it like that, despite his expression letting her know it was anything but. He knew her well, after all. “I know it’s your instinct to do everything yourself, but this is one thing you can’t do on your own.” He leaned back in his chair. “Have you heard of the proverb; ‘it takes a village to raise a child?’”

She nodded.

“Well, that’s my advice as your doctor. Build that village, and don’t let yourself think you have to do it all on your own.”

“I really hope your application goes through,” Tara chirped at her side.

She nodded. “I really hope too.”

“Don’t worry, I think you qualify perfectly!”

Her best friend’s assurances were helpful, but they didn’t do much to stem the tide within her heart. She sat at her desk at work, absentmindedly rubbing her wedding ring, turning it over and over just to have something to do.

“Well, if it doesn’t, perhaps you could borrow my leave?”

She looked up to see Xavier standing in front of her desk. Her partner had shown up without a mission on this day, a rare occurrence.

“Would that really work?” Tara asked, eyes widening as she hadn’t even considered it a possibility.

“I don’t know,” Xavier admitted. “But if it can be of help…”

She couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you, Xavier.”

He shook his head. “Don’t mention it. It’s not like I need it more than you.” He shrugged, giving her a soft smile. “Besides, we’re partners, aren’t we? We watch each other’s backs.”

“You can keep your leave, Xavier, although we appreciate your noble sacrifice.”

Jenna walked into view, going over to her desk. “We just processed the documents from the hospital,” she informed. “Your extended maternity leave has been cleared.”

Relief washed over her, relaxing back in her chair. “Thank you,” she said.

Jenna gave her a sympathetic smile. “Take it from me, it won’t get any easier.” Of course, she spoke from experience. After all, her oldest would be starting middle school that year. “Take care of yourself first, and then you’ll be able to care for those who depend on you.”

She nodded. “I will.”

Tara took her out for ice cream on her last day. After all, it would be a year before they’d see each other again at work, and she wanted to treat her best friend.

“You absolutely have to call me over when the baby’s born, alright?” she insisted as she dug into her scoop. “I won’t be able to hold back my curiosity before then!”

She nodded. “Of course, Tara. I will.”

Tara grinned, sitting back in her chair. “I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I find it so funny how you denied Skye meant anything to you when you introduced him to us the first time, only to end up marrying him.”

Her cheeks flushed. “Please don’t remind me,” she groaned, rubbing her temple. Her blunder years ago had ended up her eventually telling her colleagues at the Association that she was marrying Skye, because how could she tell them she was about to marry the leader of Onychinus and the most wanted criminal in the country?

Bringing Sylus over was an even more exhausting affair, especially when he met her hunting partner for the first time. Xavier had always been quick on the uptake, so it had taken him not more than three minutes before he realized the fearsome ruler of the N109 Zone was standing in front of him. However, he also found it utterly amusing how the rest of his colleagues knew him as simple Skye, the humble fruit vendor. Whether to protect her happiness or out of his own amusement, he had refrained from saying anything that could hint at Sylus’s true identity.

A part of her would wish he did. Perhaps if she got it out of the way and helped him clear his name, she wouldn’t have to put up with this farce for the rest of her life!

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t totally believe you when you said Skye was just a friend back then.”

She blinked, looking up at the short-haired girl. “Really? How come?”

Tara looked at her ice cream, looking almost guilty. “To tell you the truth, I was worried about you. You’d been through so much by then and you were acting different, I wanted to help you but couldn’t.” She leaned forward on the table a bit. “So I did a tarot reading for you.”

“You did?” She didn’t know whether the swell of emotion within her came from her heart or her eyes.

Tara nodded. “It said that you’d meet someone special, someone who’d help guide you towards the future, help you heal from your past.”

She stopped mid-bite. It hit close, way too close.

“And then, not long after, you introduced us to Skye.” Tara had a knowing smile on her face as she took another bite of her dessert. “And I could tell the difference after you met him, you know? You seemed a lot happier, a lot more relaxed, despite all the work you put in to take down Ever.”

She stared down at her ice cream. Was the change in her that obvious, even to the people around her? She let a small smile pull at her lips.

“Tara, if the Hunter thing doesn’t work out or you get tired of it, I really do think you have a bright future as a Tarot reader.” She shuddered. “You’re scarily good.”

Tara laughed. “Anything for my friend!” she exclaimed. She raised her head then, recognition flashing in her eyes. “Oh, and speaking of Skye…”

The two Hunters turned to find a car had pulled up, the mentioned silver-haired man leaning against it as he waited for them to notice him. Upon their notice, he held up his hand, waving to Tara.

The expecting mother pushed her chair back. “I should go now,” she said. “Thank you so much, Tara. This was lovely.”

Tara shook her head. “Not at all! Remember to invite me over for the baby shower!” She called after them.

She went over to Rafayel’s in order to inform him that she wouldn’t be able to do her duties as a bodyguard for the moment. While she had expected some playful whining and pouting, he’d surprised her by being absolutely elated. He even dragged her down to Whitesand Bay to walk along the beach, insisting the ocean air would be good for her.

No matter how she wouldn’t admit it out loud, he was right. The calming breeze, paired with the sound of the waves and the warm sand her feet sank into seemed to be exactly what she needed to clear up the headache that had been taking root as her pregnancy progressed.

They walked on the sand in a comfortable silence, broken by idle chats about his new art piece Thomas was getting on his head to finish, a new material he was using to make paint, his Aunt Talia’s latest concert, just anything and everything.

Perhaps it was the mood, but she felt vulnerable. The breeze picked up, and she unconsciously rubbed her arms.

Rafayel noticed. “Oh, are you cold?” His brow furrowed a bit with concern. “Do you need to go back inside?”

She shook her head. “No, it’s not the weather.” She sighed, somehow feeling her urge to fight back wane. “I’m just…worried for my child.”

He frowned. “About their safety?” He then gave a laugh, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t worry about that. You’re super strong, and so’s Sylus. Between the two of you, no one’s getting within twenty feet of that baby.”

She smiled. “Thanks, but I’m not worried for their safety.” She looked down at her belly, growing with every passing week. “I’m worried about their health.”

“Oh?”

“After everything that happened to me, how can I be sure the child will be healthy? That they won’t suffer from some illness or condition for the rest of their life?” The familiar anxiety pressed on her chest once more.

Rafayel said nothing, simply listening to her concerns. He then bent down, picking up a small shell that had washed up near his foot. Holding it within his closed palm, he spoke a few words in an ancient language, as she felt the familiar waves of magic curl around her.

“Here,” he said, placing it in her palm. “It’s a Lemurian blessing for new mothers,” he explained. “It signifies that your baby will be healthy and strong.”

Her heart swelled once more. All these people around her, doing their best to comfort her and help her in their own ways…

She had to hold herself back from crying.

“Thank you, Rafayel,” she said, trying to keep her voice from wavering. “How can I ever thank you?”

He shook his head. “Don’t mention it.” He scratched his head then, turning away slightly. “Just…don’t become a stranger.”

It took her a moment to process his words.

Oh.

Rafayel was anxious too, although it was a different anxiety to hers.

Sylus was her husband, now the father of her child. Zayne was her doctor. Xavier her partner. Caleb her family member. All of them fit perfectly into the puzzle of her life.

Yet, Rafayel? Where was his place?

She took his hand within both of hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Rafayel, you know you’ll never be a stranger to me, not after all we’ve been through.”

He sighed. “I just don’t want to be forgotten again.” The blues and purples in his eyes swirled to make a mournful sunset.

She couldn’t help but laugh. “My overdramatic fishie.” She reached out to pinch his cheek, letting her hand linger there. “I promise, I won’t ever forget you.”

He let out a breath, smiling softly. His fingers went up to hover over hers, grazing her own lightly. “I’ll hold you to that one this time.”

Chapter Text

Pregnancy hit her like a truck the more it progressed. Zayne and Dr. Evelyn had warned her it might happen, but it did nothing to prepare her for when it actually happened.

Morning sickness, extreme fatigue, constant nausea, even fevers.

It was as if her body was unable to handle the baby within her.

Despite it all, Sylus was there the whole time, whether it meant holding her hair out of the way so she could throw up into the toilet, dabbing her forehead while her body was wrecked with fevers, or even indulging every single one of her cravings at any time of the day. All he did was wave his hand and whatever irrational request she’d make would be delivered right to her.

He hadn’t even complained when they stopped being intimate due to her feeling like absolute shit.

She felt guilty, like she was a burden on him. He was taking such good care of her, treating her like a treasure, showing how much he looked forward to meeting their child too. Yet all she’d done was complain and riot and be sick in bed.

The intrusive part of her whispered that he’d eventually get sick of her, or become annoyed by her constant whining.

However, those thoughts stayed silent when he’d caress her belly, whispering sweet nothings into her skin about how happy he was, how he’d be there, how he couldn’t wait to meet their little one. Then he’d trail kisses down her body, and all thoughts would fade when he’d give her that look.

He always made her feel beautiful, both with his words and his actions. She’d already known he was not a man to hold anything back, and it seemed her pregnancy had unlocked something within him, something that drove him to shower her with affection.

It was almost as if he could read her thoughts, and the fact that the changes to her body had been making her uneasy.

It was both reassuring as well as not.

As she walked along the corridors to Sylus’s study, she couldn’t help but cast a glance out of the window. The dreary sky of the N109 Zone swirled above, a constant reminder of the wasteland they were in.

It made her frown.

Coming up to the door to his study, she knocked on it a couple of times, entering when she heard him call her.

He was on the sofa, documents in hand he was flipping through. When he noticed her presence, he immediately put them away, reaching out to pull her next to him. She lay her legs across his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. His hands immediately went to lightly pressing her feet, massaging out the knots that had been popping out of nowhere lately.

She took a deep breath. She had to bring it up now or later. Might as well be now.

“Sylus?”

He hummed, raising his crimson eyes to meet hers.

“What do you think about…moving into Linkon City?”

She waited for him to say something, unconsciously holding her breath. Sylus, however, seemed to notice that she had more to say.

“Go on,” he urged gently.

She exhaled deeply. “Well…the N109 Zone…isn’t the right place to raise a child, you know?” she began, feeling apprehensive. Yes, her words might be true, but this place was still his home. Would he not take offense to it? “You said it yourself; it’s a cutthroat wasteland where people have to fight to survive on a daily basis. Not to mention all the pollution. Is this…really where we want our child to grow up?”

She searched his face for any sign of dissatisfaction, even anger, at the thought of leaving what had become his home for decades. Yet, he seemed strangely calm, even leaning back against the headrest, a pleasant smile playing on his lips.

“Sylus?” she asked.

He gave a nod towards the table in front of them. “Take a look,” was all he offered.

That was when she finally turned to purse at the documents splayed out on the table. Her eyes narrowed when she found photos of properties on them. “Real estate?” she wondered, reaching out to pick them up, scanning the details below the photos. “In…Linkon City?”

Sylus nodded, leaning towards her and resting his head in the crook of her neck. “This place is close to the hospital, so it’s good for emergencies,” he said, pointing to a penthouse. “There’s also a good daycare nearby. This place,” he pointed to another penthouse in a tall building, “is closer to Downtown, but it has access to good services and is close to parks. There’s also a good elementary school in the vicinity.”

He pointed to another paper showing a mansion in a calmer looking neighborhood. “This place is in a residential area, but has good schools in the area.” He pointed to another mansion. “This place is close to one of the most prestigious high schools in Linkon. Students from there go on to being scientists, politicians, artists…impactful people.” He turned back to the previous one. “Although, even if they didn’t wish to move, the school is accessible within ten minutes by train from here. And even if they didn’t wish to go to that particular high school, there are other good schools they could go to.”

For a moment, her voice left her speechless. She gazed at the various properties, noticing details underlined, specific things circled, and notes scribbled in the corners in his immaculate handwriting.

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Have you planned out our child’s entire life?”

He chuckled, his gaze softening. “I’m simply being prepared,” he stated. “Pick one,” he gestured to the real estate.

“Thinking of buying a place?” she asked.

“We already own them.”

Her eyes widened. “Wait, you have properties in the City too?”

He grinned. “Of course I do,” he said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. In hindsight, why wouldn’t he? He’d even taken her to a few of his residences within the city before, a fact she had forgotten as she had more or less settled into the N109 Zone after moving in with him. “So you don’t need to stress about the choice. We could even move between residences, as we do now.”

“I think it might be overwhelming for a baby.” She couldn’t help it, but she constantly felt like laughing.

“Fine, we can move as needed.”

He moved his head from her shoulder to lean against the headboard while she gave the few papers a once-over. “These can’t be all your places, right?” she said. “Cause I don’t recognize the apartments we stayed in before.”

“Of course they aren’t,” he shrugged nonchalantly. “I simply picked the places most appropriate for raising a family.”

She let out a shaky breath. “Why?”

“You said it yourself, didn’t you? The N109 Zone is no place to raise a child.”

While she’d been stressing over even suggesting to him that they move out, he’d not only thought the same thing she did, he had also gone the extra mile to filter through his residences to find homes for them. Places where their child could live healthy and happy, grow well and experience the world.

It made tears well in her eyes. Not knowing what else to do, she buried her face in Sylus’s neck. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He placed his hand on her head, gently stroking it. “My home is where you are,” his voice, heavy with tenderness and fondness, reminded her. “If it means moving, I’m more than happy to move, especially if its for our child.”

“So don’t forget we’re in this together.”

Just why had she been trying so hard to do everything by herself? When she had someone who would unconditionally support her in everything?

He chuckled. “Go ahead and choose, kitten,” he urged.

She turned in his arms, back to his chest. Emboldened by their conversation, she began to look through the papers in more detail. Sylus stayed silent, fingers twirling a lock of her hair as he waited patiently.

Eventually, she paused at one. “This is…”

She recognized this place all too well.

He hummed, the vibration going through her body. “The place you visited last winter for the first time,” he clarified. “My Linkon suburban estate.”

The safehouse he’d taken her to the first time. Where they’d given themselves to each other. Where he’d come often when he needed to get away from the Zone. Where he’d planted that garden of datura.

“What’s it doing here?” she wondered, looking through the page, scanning his notes.

He chuckled. “Surprisingly, it’s a good place to raise a family,” he said. He reached out a finger to point to his notes. “There’s daycares and kindergartens in the neighborhood. One of the best schools is there, a combined elementary and middle school. It’s close enough to bus stops and the station that high schools are all within reach. There’s plenty of space, plenty of natural light, and because its my safehouse, safety is assured.”

She turned to him. “You didn’t plan this, did you?” Her eyes narrowed slightly.

He laughed. “Even I don’t have that much foresight, kitten,” he admitted.

She turned back to the page. At first, she tried to reach for the other pages, but her fingers hovered. Her heart had already made its choice.

“This one,” she said, handing the page to Sylus. “This will be our home.”

Sylus didn’t even question it, simply nodding. “We’ll have to renovate it again in that case,” he said. He reached over to grab a tablet. With a few swipes, he had brought up the floor plan of the mansion. “We’ll have to do some redecorating. And I’ll change the collection room into a nursery.”

Her eyes widened. “Your biggest collection room? Isn’t that where you keep all your items?” She glanced at it. It did make sense, considering how close it was to the master bedroom. But still.

He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “A collection room is meant to contain one’s most precious treasures,” he said. “What’s more precious than my wife and child?”

She couldn’t help but laugh as he continued.

“I’ll move the collection room here. And get proper locks.”

Renovations on Sylus’s (no, theirs) suburban Linkon estate took less time than planned. Sylus wasted no time in making proper plans, hiring more staff, getting the place set up for a permanent move. He gave her free reign to choose the crib and anything else pertaining to the baby.

As the sun dipped over the horizon, it filled the house with warm light. She stood in the middle of the living room, just looking out into the garden, taking in the sunlight, crisp air. Her hand moved over to touch her stomach unconsciously.

Their home. Not just a residence, a temporary haunt, until they packed up and headed to the next place.

This was where they’d live out the rest of their lives. Where they’d raise their child.

Their child would run through these halls, feel the grass in their garden under their tiny feet.

Her throat began to clog up when Sylus showed up from behind her, running his hands down her arms and pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

“You’re deep in thought,” he murmured against her skin.

She sighed softly. “Just…letting it sink in that this is our home now,” she said.

“Hm,” he hummed. “Our home. I like the sound of that.”

Then, before she could think, he scooped her up with one arm under her knees. She let out a squeal, throwing her arms around his neck to hold on.

“Sylus! What-!”

“It’s late,” he chuckled, his free hand helping her kick off her slippers. “I’m taking you to our bedroom.”

“Am I not heavy?” she asked.

“You’re light as a feather.”

He closed the door to the bedroom behind him, taking her to the bed and setting her down on the sheets with a softness that bordered on reverence, as if he was being careful not to disturb the baby within. He pressed his hands on either side of her head, hovering over her.

She couldn’t help but think about the very first time he put her on this very bed.

And now?

This was their room. Their bed.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

“Our home,” she murmured as he pressed his lips to hers. “Our bedroom. Our bed.”

“Our life,” he responded, before engulfing her fully.

They ended up not having much to buy, after the stack of baby items and supplies they amassed after she felt confident hosting a baby shower. She was able to finally hold one, now that the residence on her documents and her actual residence matched, unlike before, when she had to fake a home address since she couldn’t say she lived in the N109 Zone.

The final thing to do on her list after the event had been to call Caleb.

He’d been hard to catch a hold of, a string of missions keeping him so busy he hadn’t even been near his personal phone for weeks. Hence, she felt guilty that he had been the last to know of her pregnancy, especially this far in.

However, he didn’t seem to mind, simply laughing out in joy.

“That’s amazing!” his laughter was joyous, a sound she hadn’t heard in years. It warmed her heart. “Truly the best news I could have received.”

“So you’re not mad you ended up being the last to know?” she asked, still a bit concerned.

He shook his head. “Not really, since a lot of it was my fault anyway for going months without much contact.” He exhaled, his sigh laced with weariness. “These missions are annoying, but the sooner they get done the better.”

His purple eyes flicked to the side. “Hey, Pip-squeak, when are you due?”

His brows knotted together when she told him the date, giving a frustrated exhale. “Damn it,” he cursed lightly. “I’ll be off on another mission then. Looks like I won’t be back until…” He turned his head, reaching for something, likely a calendar. “A couple months after you deliver.”

She tried not to let her disappointment show. While she hadn’t been insistent on Caleb being there when the baby was born, it seemed to hit harder with a formal confirmation that he wouldn’t.

He ran a frustrated hand through his dark hair. “I’m really sorry about this,” he said, turning back to her. “You’ll be fine, won’t you? Without me?”

The worried look in his eyes made her smile. “Yes, I will be,” she said. “I’m not alone.”

His face broke out into a relieved smile. “That’s good to hear.” He leaned back in his chair. “When I return, invite me over,” he grinned. “I want to meet my new family member.”

“You’re nearly there, stay strong!”

“It’s almost over! Don’t give up!”

“I can see the head!”

“Almost!”

Sylus leaned against the observation window, peering into the room where his wife slept on the bed. Closer to the window sat a crib, a red-faced baby fast asleep within, wrapped in pastel-colored blankets, having exhausted herself entirely from crying.

He released a deep sigh as soft footsteps came up behind him. “This isn’t the cardiac ward.”

Zayne chuckled. “I was on standby just in case,” he said. “You two aren’t the only ones who welcomed new life today.”

Sylus nodded. The last day had been utterly exhausting, even for him. A long labor had taken all of their mental and physical energy. Throughout the process, he had even noticed Dr. Evelyn being mildly concerned, once even sending out a nurse, catching her saying something regarding Dr. Zayne.

He cast a glance at the doctor. His lab coat and clothes seemed new, as if he’d only recently changed into them. He wondered whether Zayne had changed into his scrubs at some point, and how long he’d waited before being allowed to change back.

The doctor went up to the window, peering in. “Have you two thought of a name for her yet?”

Sylus nodded. “Solana.” He nodded towards his sleeping wife. “She came up with it.”

“Solana, huh?” Zayne’s lips pulled into a smile when he looked at the sleeping baby, fondness in his gaze. “It suits her.”

He turned his eyes to Sylus, watching as the other continued to look inside the observation window. “I came here to tell you she’s safe, they both are,” Zayne said. “In addition, the baby is healthy. No Protocore syndrome, no signs of illness, nor any indication she might develop anything in the future.”

Sylus let out a deep exhale. Zayne smiled softly. Despite how unbothered he had looked, he’d been worried as well. Why wouldn’t he have been?

“It’s also likely she has an Evol,” Zayne continued.

Sylus finally glanced at him. “Do you know what it is?”

Zayne shook his head. “We’ll have to wait till she’s older and it manifests.” He slipped his hands into his coat pockets. “Whether she inherits one of yours, or develops her own entirely, I have an inkling it will be a powerful one.”

Sylus hummed in agreement. “Did you speak with Dr. Evelyn?” Zayne further questioned.

“Yes.”

“And what did she say?”

Sylus took a deep breath. “She said any more children…would negatively affect her health.”

Zayne exhaled. “That sounds about right,” he said. “It’s something I wanted to talk to you about as well.”

Sylus leaned on the windowsill. “Go on.”

“Any more children would put a lot of pressure on her heart,” Zayne explained. “This one already did, and we were lucky nothing serious happened this time. Another time? I’m not so sure.”

Sylus nodded. “I’ll talk to her when she wakes.”

Zayne opened his mouth to say something more when he heard someone call for him behind them. After telling them he’d be right there, he turned back to the new father.

“Once again, my congratulations.”

Sylus stepped into the room as quietly as he could, being careful not to disturb the sounds of sleeping within. He stopped by the crib, peering in, letting a smile rest on his face as he watched his sleeping daughter.

On the bed, his wife stirred. “Sylus?”

He went over to her. “Shh, I’m here.”

She blinked groggily up at him as he took a seat on the chair beside her, caging her hand in his and bringing it up to kiss her knuckles. “Where’s Sol?” she asked.

“Asleep,” he reported. “How do you feel?”

She groaned, leaning into his side. “I never want to do this again.”

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, letting her curl and rest against his chest. “Then don’t.”

She glanced up at him. “Sylus…”

“I’m serious,” he said, pressing his lips to her head. “You heard what Dr. Evelyn said.”

“But…won’t you want more children?”

“I have no intention of sacrificing your health for a child I’ve never met,” he murmured against her skin. “Especially not when our daughter is already perfect.”

His wife smiled. “That’s…kind of a relief…” she admitted. “Don’t get me wrong, I love our daughter. But…” She shuddered slightly in his embrace. “It was absolutely awful, and I never want to go through this again.”

He hummed, his voice like a gentle, reassuring motor that reverberated through her body. It wasn’t much, but it eased the pain ever so slightly. “Then don’t.” He squeezed her slightly. “I’m just glad you’re safe, both of you.”

The two nursemaids Sylus hired on Dr. Evelyn’s recommendation were truly the best of the best. Two middle-aged ladies, they had clearly supported hundreds of new mothers, aside from being mothers themselves. They worked on a level unlike anything she’d seen before, stepping in to take care of the baby when she began fussing, knowing what to use, when to use it, how to use it. It was as if they were telekinetic, knowing exactly what the baby wanted when even she, the baby’s mother, struggled.

Of course, they reassured her that it was their job. They’d handled hundreds of babies, so it was all routine for them.

In addition to caring for the baby, they also spent enough time caring for her. They helped her bathe, dress, wrapped her, gave her massages, kept up with the medical recommendations given by her gynecologist and cardiologist.

She felt truly pampered and spoiled, and it worried her.

All the accounts she had read of new mothers talked about how tiresome it was, the constant weariness, some even talking about giving up. Sure, she felt constantly tired, but she was sure she was meant to feel even more tired.

She never had to worry about cooking or cleaning normally, thanks to the servants who worked in their home. Sylus had even hired more help once they brought Solana home. And then the nursemaids seemed to efficiently handle everything related to the baby between them.

Sylus was there the whole time as well, allowing the nursemaids to guide him through holding the baby, changing diapers, feeding her, learning her moods and what she asked for. He was a man who gave his all in everything, soaking everything up like an eager sponge. It seemed it transferred over to being a father as well.

It garnered a lot of praise from the nursemaids.

“It is such a big help to have a partner be so involved in this early stage,” one of them said as she washed her hair while she soaked in the tub. They had been insistent that she not push herself more than necessary (apparently even washing one’s hair was considered pushing it), assisting with her bath. Outside, Sylus handled soothing their baby and putting her to sleep for a bit.

“Not only will it help you recover, but the baby will bond with her father this way,” the other agreed, massaging an oil into her arm. It smelt herbal and heavenly, easing her headache.

The nurse’s statement made her frown slightly. “Then what about me?” slipped out before she could help it. “I feel like I barely do anything.”

The two of them shared a look between them, a look full of sympathy and kindness. “You’re not the first mother to feel that,” one of them reassured her.

The other nodded. “The truth is, you do so much more than you realize. No matter how much we work to take care of the child, the child will always recognize you as her mother.”

Their words were true, yet, they did nothing to stem the worry in her heart.

They helped her dress and guided her out of the bathroom where Sylus had just put Solana down to sleep. Their duties for the day done, the two nursemaids excused themselves for the night, returning to their quarters until their next shift would begin.

Sylus brought her into his embrace when she crawled into bed, pulling her up to rest her head on his chest.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind, Beloved,” he murmured to her. “Care to share?”

As usual, he seemed to know her better than she knew herself.

She shook her head. “It’s nothing much.”

“Still, talk to me.”

She took a deep breath.

“I just…feel like I’m not doing much to help with the baby,” she finally admitted. “You and the nursemaids do so much, yet all I do is sit and get waited on.”

“As you should,” he said. “You need to recover after your labor.”

“But still, to do nothing?”

He pulled her a little closer. “You don’t complain this much when recovering from a major injury. What makes this any different?”

Her gaze fell to the collar of his shirt, so that she could avoid his crimson eyes.

“I’m worried I won’t be able to bond with her.”

He scoffed. “Nonsense.”

“Why is it nonsense? I worry that with so many people handling her, and me not doing enough, will she even know that I’m her mother?”

Sylus closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly. She knew that expression of slight exasperation on his face. It was the same one he gave her when she insisted on heading out after being injured by a Wanderer, or when she’d persist on doing something without relying on him because she had something she needed to prove.

Before he could say anything, however, soft crying filled the air. She jolted up, about to throw off the blankets, when she felt his firm hold on her wrist.

He got out of the bed, picking her up from the crib. Despite being in her father’s arms, she still cried. He cast a glance at her. “No matter how many people are around her, she only has one mother,” he stated.

She stayed silent, watching as Sylus slipped into the bed next to her. Without saying much more of anything, he simply passed the mass of blankets into her arms. The baby’s cries quietened near instantaneously, collapsing into calm gurgles.

Sylus wrapped his arms around her middle, resting his chin on her shoulder.

“See?” he pointed out. “She recognizes her mother.”

She lounged on the bed, brow furrowing as she scrolled through her phone while she waited for her husband to join her. He’d gone to grab a quick and much needed shower while their daughter dozed in her crib.

The Moments post about Solana she’d put up had replies flooding in from all of her mutuals, the congratulations and well wishes coming in waves. She’d even been messaged privately by Rafayel, Xavier and Zayne that they had gifts that were on the way for the new baby. Tara had blown up her phone about how cute her daughter was.

Messages and replies from everyone she cared about. All except…Caleb.

It had come as a surprise to her, when she’d received a single message that morning from him, letting her know he would be back the following week and stating that he wanted to come over for dinner on a particular day. Her reply confirming the dinner had gone unread, and there was no interaction on her social media.

“He’s had to have seen it, right?” she vented to Sylus when he emerged from the bathroom and got into bed. “You don’t just send a message and then go offline.”

Her husband sighed, leaning back on a pillow. “Or, he’s on a mission in an area without proper internet service.” He placed an arm behind his head. “He probably used what little time he had to let us know when he’d arrive.”

She hummed. It sounded plausible, and Sylus sounded like he had experience with this.

Anyway, now that her husband was here, it was time to talk to him about what had kept her occupied in her thoughts for a week.

“I want Caleb to be Solana’s godfather.”

His eyes, previously peacefully closed, shot open. “What? Why?”

She moved so that she faced him, straddling him. “I’ve thought about this a lot,” she explained. “Solana deserves to know him, to have him in her life.”

“But a godfather?” His brows were knitted together. “Need I remind you how he almost got you killed, numerous times, just because of his twisted notion that he was the only one capable of protecting you?”

She huffed lightly. “He asked for help in the end, didn’t he?” she protested. “And besides, you believe in him too. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even give him the time of day, forget supporting him like you’re doing now.”

“I do it for you,” he said. “Because you care about him.”

She sighed. “I know what you feel about him,” she said. “But, I really do know Caleb. He’ll take good care of her, even treat her as his own, you know that.”

He seemed to bite back a retort about how he didn’t want another man to consider his daughter theirs, considering her. “Besides, aren’t you the one who always prepares for everything?”

He released a long, deep exhale. She smiled a bit, knowing she’d finally worn him down.

“Fine, I’ll talk to him at dinner.”

The following week saw them setting the table up on a mundane weekday, and opening the door to let Caleb in. He greeted her with a side hug, his arms full of plastic bags, mouth watering scents emanating from them.

“You made food?” she asked as he placed them on the counter. “Caleb, you shouldn’t have!”

He chuckled. “I couldn’t very well come empty handed now, could I?”

He was all smiles and grins, yet there was a weariness in his voice that Sylus noticed, as if he had gone days with bad sleep. It was likely not too far from the truth either.

Caleb looked around once he had finished unloading his gifts. “Now, where is she?”

Sylus watched from his seat as his wife picked their daughter up from her crib and brought her to her childhood friend. She then placed the baby in his arms, gently guiding him to steady her head and hold her properly.

His eyes were wide, mouth open in awe. Here, in the dimly lit living room, the Colonel of the Farspace Fleet looked like he might just burst into tears. “Wow,” he finally said, releasing a sharp exhale. “What’s her name?”

“Solana,” she offered. “We call her Sol.”

“Sol, huh?” His lips curled into an even wider smile. “It’s a lovely name.” He turned to the baby, now awake and staring at him with big eyes shining like garnets.

“Hey, Sol. I’m your Uncle Caleb.”

He continued to rock and coo at the baby as she gurgled slightly, still unsure what to make of the newcomer. Eventually, her eyes caught something swinging from his neck. Before he knew what was happening, she had grabbed hold of his necklace and put it in her mouth.

“Hey, hey, not that!” he mildly panicked, attempting to pry his necklace out of her mouth, but for such a small baby she seemed to have an iron grip. After a few moments of unsuccessful bargaining, he gave a resigned sigh, looking up as the child’s mother laughed.

“I’ll go inside for a bit,” she looked between them.

Sylus gave her a nod, while Caleb hummed. “Go ahead, we’ll handle things here.”

She dropped a grateful kiss on her husband’s cheek before disappearing into their bedroom. Silence fell over them for a few moments while Caleb gently pried his necklace out of the child’s mouth.

“Let go now,” he said, his voice soft. “My necklace is not a pacifier.”

This time, the baby relented, her eyelids already drooping. Caleb walked her over to her crib and set her down within. As he pulled away, he felt a small grip on his fingers.

The baby had grabbed hold of his fingers, her small hand barely able to wrap around two fingers of his right hand. He exhaled shakily, a smile forming on his face as he rested against the crib, letting her hold onto him just a little longer.

“You’re really lucky, you know that?” he spoke to Sylus.

The other man hummed from his seat. “I’m well aware.”

Caleb sighed. It seemed he was feeling emotional enough that he was ready to confide in someone, even if that someone was Sylus. “It feels like we can finally move forward now,” he murmured.

“What do you mean?”

“All this time, it feels like we’ve just been bandaging the wound, you know? But now…” He looked down at the child, her grip on him lost as she fell into a deep sleep. “The wound is finally beginning to close.”

Sylus considered his words. “I know what you mean,” he replied. “We’ve gone through enough.”

Caleb hummed. “Hey, Sylus?” he eventually raised his head to look at the other. “I want to thank you. Not just for inviting me over, but…everything.”

“For what?” Sylus shrugged. “You did a lot of the work in taking down Ever.”

“You know that’s not right,” Caleb responded. “You did something even bigger for me than helping me stop them. You gave me back my freedom. Got that damn chip out of my head.” He took a deep breath. “It’s a debt I’ll never be able to repay.”

Sylus had been observing him the whole time. Even though he wouldn’t admit it, watching him with Solana led him to a realization, a realization that his wife had been right.

“Maybe there’s a way you can,” he said, getting up from his seat to walk over to the crib.

“Be Solana’s godfather.”

Caleb’s amethyst eyes went wide as dinner plates. “Y-you know what you’re asking, right?” As if making sure that he hadn’t misheard the other, and that Sylus knew exactly what it meant, everything it entailed.

“I do.”

Caleb glanced at the baby. “But, why?”

“Because I trust you.” If Caleb’s eyes could go wider, they did. “Because if anything ever happened to me and my wife, I know you’d take care of her.”

Caleb gave a dark chuckle. “If anything ever happened to you, that would mean the world was about to end.”

“If it was, would you take care of her?” Sylus asked. “Would you take care of her child?”

Caleb looked conflicted, like the thought of something happening to them was running through his mind. He seemed like he wanted to retort, to fight back against the idea that after all they’d been through, tragedy could still find them again.

Yet, when he saw Sylus’s gaze, he knew there was only one answer he sought.

And the answer was obvious.

“Yes, of course.”

Chapter Text

It was during the height of winter that he received a call from her, encouraging him to visit her where she’d gone for a Hunter’s symposium.

“There’s a Winter Festival in the town,” she told him over the phone. “Many of the other Hunters are also bringing their families over. I thought you and Sol could also come.”

“If it’s about a festival, then we could just attend the one in Linkon,” he replied coolly. “After all, that’s what we do every year.”

She hummed in begrudging acceptance. “Yeah, but the festival here is different, more local. It would be good for her to experience different cultures.”

“Name one thing that’s different to the Linkon Festival.”

She paused for a few moments before giving a defeated sigh. It made him chuckle. “Alright, fine. I just want to experience this with you two. Can’t you make an exception?”

“I’m just joking, kitten,” he laughed. “I don’t mind visiting this festival. After all, you’ve dragged me to enough now that I don’t look out of place anymore.”

Thus, he found himself on his private jet, flying to the location of his wife’s business trip, an over-excited five-year-old in the seat next to him. While he flipped through the in-flight magazine, she stared out of the window, badgering him about the clouds and their names and various colors.

“If you don’t rest, you won’t have energy to play with your mother once we land,” he warned in a sing-song voice.

Yet, all it did was make her turn her attention entirely to him, sitting back in her chair and peering at the colorful pages in his hand. “Daddy? What’re you reading?”

He let himself smile at that. “You have no intention of resting, do you?” he asked.

She shook her head, giggling. “Nope!”

“Then let’s keep you busy, shall we?” He waved his hand. A few moments later, the flight attendant returned with a coloring book and crayons.

The child dug into her task with a ferocious concentration, coloring in a cartoon teddy bear in bright, mismatched colors. It was quite the sight to behold, her vision something no one could comprehend, her fingers stained with traces of wax crayons.

Traces.

He’d been thinking about them lately. Especially with the festival…

 It was a funny thing, that his private jet now stocked coloring books and crayons alongside wines and premium dishes. Not something he ever thought would happen, yet here he was, ordering finger snacks for her to keep her busy.

All traces that a child had been here.

After they disembarked, the flight would be cleaned, and all these traces would be erased. As if she never occupied this space.

Yet, there were also more permanent signs.

Scratches in the door from when she knocked over something, bumps on the walls from when she threw something on them, scuffs on the floor from all her falls…

Every single one a trace, one that he began to miss as they moved between residences. Hence, in a complete change to his previous lifestyle, they maintained one main residence, their mansion, while heading into the inner-city penthouses once in a while.

It was…unusual for him. He’d lived his life moving between his various residences. It was easier then, since he rarely left behind anything of his existence. Moving like a specter.

Then he’d met her.

At first, she matched his lifestyle when she moved in with him. However, she had begun leaving traces of herself around the base. A side of his wardrobe filled with her clothes. Cosmetics on the dresser. Plushies slowly decorating his dreary residence. A previously unused sandbag in his gym showing wear and tear. Her heart medications on the nightstand.

And then the child had been born.

Sylus found himself treasuring every scrape, every scuff, every stain in his residence. Enough that when the servants had asked whether they should get someone in to take care of a bump marring the hardwood floor, he had denied it, letting it remain. It had shocked them, coming from a man known to want everything pristine.

Yet, those were traces of his child, traces that she had lived.

And in a way, traces of him too.

They landed not long after, the child holding onto his hand as they exited the airport. Scanning the heads of people outside the terminal, he found his wife, leaning over the railing and waving once she’d caught sight of them.

“Mommy!” the child attempted to pull away from her father to run away, only to find his grip firm and unyielding.

“No running,” he told her. “You’ll fall.”

She accepted it, although she complained the entire ten seconds it took to cover the distance to the exit. Once they were out of the narrow door and away from the filing crowd, Sylus finally let go of her hand.

She instantly ran to her mother, who greeted her with open arms. “There’s my sweet baby girl!” she exclaimed, lifting the young girl into her arms, albeit with a bit of a grunt.

Solana threw her arms around her mother’s neck. “I missed you, Mommy.”

Her mother laughed. “I missed you too, my little dragon.”

Sylus, dragging their suitcase, reached them at that point. “And what about you?” she asked, turning to her husband. “Did you miss me too?”

He chuckled. “You know I did.” He pressed a peck to her lips, making their daughter giggle and hide her face.

His wife set their daughter down as they began to walk towards their hired vehicle, Solana gripping her hand. Sylus raised an eyebrow at how fast she had abandoned him for her mother, a fact he’d be sure to tease her with once they reached their hotel.

“I already checked out of the hotel the Association booked for us,” his wife relayed to him as he wrapped an arm around her waist. “The Festival has already started, but I think the best time to go would be the day after tomorrow. Not too many crowds and the events are much more local, less…touristy.”

He hummed. “It’s a good plan,” he agreed. “Would give us some time to rest.”

“Rest? Why? I would have assumed you slept on the flight.”

“Someone didn’t.” He glanced at the child walking between them.

His wife’s mouth dropped. “Don’t tell me she stayed awake the whole flight?”

Sylus grinned, making her shake her head with a laugh. “And I’m guessing you didn’t get any sleep either, then?”

“What? And subject the poor flight attendants to a five-year-old’s ramblings?”

The hotel Sylus had booked for them was lavish, the massive suite the size of an apartment. His wife had cast him an exasperated glance once they opened the door, silently asking him if this wasn’t a bit of an overkill for a three-day getaway. He had simply shrugged, giving her a smug smirk before letting their child in before him.

Solana found the bedroom first. “Woah! The bed’s so big!” She jumped into the large, sprawling Family bed, messing up the carefully decorated bedding and sheets. “It’s bigger than the one at home!”

“It is, isn’t it?” Her mother kicked off her shoes, dropping into the bed beside her. “And oh, it’s so comfortable!”

“Can we stay in bed today?” Solana asked, turning into her mother. “I don’t want to leave.”

Her mother looked at Sylus, who was in the process of taking off his jacket.

“Hm, shall we?” he pursed his lips, considering it. “I’ll order room service.” He climbed into the bed as well, so that the child was sandwiched between her parents. “The three of us can rot in this bed the whole day.”

For such a large bed, the three of them occupied such a comically small part of it together. It made the child laugh, turning on her side to clutch onto her father’s shirt. Within moments, she had drifted off to sleep against her wishes, likely a result of spending an eight-hour flight wide awake.

The steam curled around the spacious bathroom as he stood in front of the mirror, checking his jaw for any signs of stubble. When the door opened, letting some of the steam out, he lazily raised his eyes to hers in the reflection of the foggy mirror.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, kitten?” he asked, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lip.

She closed the door behind her, leaning against it. “Jet lag’s hitting her quite hard,” she informed. “I think she’ll sleep for hours straight.”

He gave a light laugh. “Just like yesterday, then.” The child, absolutely exhausted from the long flight and dysregulated by the sudden change in time zones, had slept like a log. Long enough for her mother to be concerned for her, only to be reassured when she wasn’t sick, just tired out.

“Good,” Sylus said. “The sooner she gets it out of her system, the sooner we can get to the sightseeing.” They had extended their stay an extra day to go around the place, so that their trip wasn’t only restricted to the festival.

“But…” He turned around, walking over to her. “That’s not all you wanted to talk about, is it?”

Years ago, she would have let him back her into a corner. Now, she walked forward, meeting him halfway, placing her hands on his wet forearms. “I missed you,” she said, looking up at him from under her lashes.

He exhaled lightly. “I know, you told me at the airport.”

“Not just like that,” she said, her voice lowering slightly as her hand moved up his arm. “I missed you. I missed us.”

He raised an eyebrow, smirking as he caught onto her meaning. “So, for that, you ambush me in the shower?”

This time, she let him back her up to the wall, letting out a soft breath when her back met the cold tile. “Now that I think about it,” he continued, lifting her, allowing her legs to wrap around his waist, around the hem of his towel. “You’re certainly not dressed for bed.” His eyes swept over her negligee, not even attempting to hide his lust.

He gave a chuckle, pressing himself against her. If she had any objections to getting wet from him, she certainly wasn’t showing it. “Kitten,” he whispered in her ear. Water droplets fell from his hair and jaw, running down her neck and disappearing into her lingerie. “If you missed me so much, you should have just asked me to come alone. We could have taken our sweet time, especially since it’s been a while.”

It certainly had been. With Solana getting older and more inquisitive and mischievous, most of their time not working had been spent wrangling her. It had also become quite hard for them to sneak around. Ironically, it had been easier when she was a baby for them to take some time for themselves. Now, she was just too attached to them, and much too naughty.

That, along with a string of deals for him and assignments for her had led to them not being intimate in many months now.

“I know,” his wife said as he leaned forward, pressing kisses against her throat. “But…I prefer to experience this with all three of us.”

She felt him smile against her skin, gasping when he nipped at her pulse. “I feel the same way.”

“When we get back, we should organize a night alone,” she said, her mouth falling open as Sylus ran a hand along her thigh.

He hummed, and the vibrations travelled right through her body. “We should,” he agreed. “But for now, let’s focus on this, shall we?” He pulled away to glance at the door. “How long do you think we have before our wayward daughter wakes up?”

She chuckled. “I’m certain we have more than enough time.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and bringing his attention back to her. “Or are you doubting your skills?”

“Sweetie, you know my…skills…better than anyone else.” He pressed kisses along her jaw, relishing the mewls coming out of her mouth.

“Sylus,” she breathed. “Will…will she hear?” She belatedly realized that in her quest to jump her husband, she had forgotten one key detail.

He laughed lightly. “Don’t worry, I always choose showers with good soundproofing now.” She shuddered slightly at the memory from seven years ago. “However, to be on the safe side…”

He leaned over, reaching out to turn the knob of the shower on. Hot water began to pour into the cubicle, filling the bathroom with new steam.

“Didn’t you already shower?” she asked, when he pulled away from the wall and began walking towards the spray.

He shrugged. “I don’t mind taking another one.”

When she returned from handling a final few items from the Association, she came upon what she thought might have been the cutest scene ever.

The climate control shield had gone up in the balcony, keeping out the cold and snow outside. Inside, the temperature felt like it was early summer, warm but not too hot, just right.

Sylus and Solana were fast asleep on a hammock set up across the balcony, the child resting her head on his chest and his arms wrapped around her. It made her chuckle, pulling out her phone to capture this moment, one she was sure she’d treasure for years to come.

It took her a few seconds to align it just right, capturing the peaceful sleeping faces of her husband and daughter. Even she had to admit this might just be one of the best photos she’d taken, enough for her to want to put up a Moments post and show it off to all her mutuals, and not just store it in her phone.

“There’s room for three, you know?”

She raised her head to find Sylus awake, red eyes gleaming with amusement as he glanced at the phone in her hand. “Sneaking photos?”

She grinned. “Well, it was so cute, how could I resist not capturing the moment?”

He held out a free hand. “Show me.”

She handed him the phone, watching the gentle smile on his face, eyes twinkling with adoration.

He scrolled down her photo gallery, finding many more candid photos of the two of them. Photos of him feeding Solana, her curled up at his side as he read aloud to her, her putting a pink hairclip with a plastic bow on him.

Every single one a trace.

He looked up at his wife. “Send that to me,” he said. “I’ll make it my wallpaper.”

She nodded, listening to the soft ding as his personal phone received the photo she sent. He smiled softly upon opening his phone to see it. “I noticed you don’t have a lot of photos of yourself,” he said to her, as he tapped away on it.

“Oh right,” she realized. “I suppose I just prefer taking pictures of the two of you.” A part of her did hurt though, when she realized that she might regret not having enough photos with Solana as a child as she grew up.

As if he could hear her thoughts, he chuckled. “Take a look,” he said, turning his phone over and holding it out to her.

To her surprise, his phone gallery was filled with candid shots of her with their daughter. Moments she never thought he’d take the time to capture, yet did.

Moments. Memories. Traces.

“Guess we both had the same idea, huh?” she chuckled.

He gave a small laugh. “Between the two of us, we’ve got photos covered,” he agreed. “Although we definitely need more with all three of us.”

“We’ll make up for it at the festival,” she nodded. “Although, we’ve still got a lot of time.”

Sylus raised an eyebrow at her, smiling when she flicked her eyes down to his chest. Turning his head slightly, he found their child peeking through a single red eye.

“Sneaky child,” he murmured. “If you were awake, you should have told us.”

His wife pulled off her shoes. “Alright, scoot over,” she declared as the child laughed. “Mom’s getting in too!”

Night had already fallen by the time the three of them arrived for the festival. Even if it meant it would be chillier, also with a light snowfall, the festival grounds were alive with bright lights, laughter and music.

As usual, Solana wished to run away and explore to her heart’s content, only to be restrained by her father. She made sure to complain and squirm, despite his amused chuckle as he tightened the muffler around her neck.

“Hold still,” he said, his voice filled with mock sternness. “If you catch a cold, it’ll be us who have to deal with you.”

She pouted at his assertion that she would cause trouble if she ever got sick. Nevertheless, she calmed down, letting Sylus finish setting her right. “All right,” he finally said, adjusting her woolen cap. “You’re set to go.”

That brought the smile back to her face, turning on her heels as if ready to dash off. Only, once more, her excitement was dashed when her mother grabbed her hand, keeping her from racing off into the night. “Don’t run, you’ll get lost in the crowd.”

The child pouted for a few moments, but eventually the thrill of being at the festival overcame her indignation at her restraints. The colorful stalls, the street performances, all captured her attention, her parents following along as she went from one event to another.

“One of these days we’ll have to get her a leash,” her mother laughed.

Sylus grinned. “Or I can just carry her until we get home.”

“For how long? Won’t it hurt?”

He shook his head. “Nonsense,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes glinted with mirth as his daughter found a small pond with fish. “The day I can’t carry either of you is the day I retire.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but he shushed her with a quick glance. “Hold that thought. I’ll go check on our girl.”

With that, he left her side to go over to Solana, who was knelt down beside the pond. “Find anything interesting?” he asked, kneeling down as well.

She pointed to the colorful carp swimming around. “Can we get a fish?” she asked, fixing him with those big, red eyes that almost always made him give into her demands.

He laughed. “Sorry, little dragon, but not today.” He chuckled at her crestfallen face. “Unless you had a plan for taking the fish on the flight home.”

Utterly speechless at her father’s challenge, she turned away with a little pout. He lifted his head, scanning the nearby stalls before his gaze fell on one. “How would you feel about a compromise?” he asked.

In a few minutes, the pair walked back to her mother, the child holding a deep-fried snack on a stick, shaped like a fish. She seemed happy enough, walking a little in front of her parents while they hung back, eyes on her.

“Honestly, I’m impressed,” his wife told him as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I certainly wouldn’t have thought of it.” She pursed her lips for a moment, deep in thought. “How long do you think it’ll take for her to realize that she basically is eating the representation of her new friends?”

Sylus laughed. “She’ll be mortified when that happens.” He held his chin, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I’ll look forward to that.”

She gently pushed his shoulder. “You’re just like her!” she exclaimed as he laughed, pulling her closer to his side. Casting a glance at the sky, she turned to him. “The fireworks should begin soon, should we go find a spot?”

He gently shook his head. “We’ve got time. Let her walk a bit more.”

“Seems she’s found something.” His wife pulled away from him to go to their daughter, who had found a shop selling handmade bracelets and all kinds of trinkets.

Sylus hung back, letting himself rest in the moment, watching the sight of his wife and daughter picking out charms together. Someone walked by him, nearly bumping into him, something that had startled him.

It was unlike him to lose sight of his surroundings. Especially in places filled with people like a festival. He had always been light on his feet, leaving no trace of himself behind.

Yet, this night, he had all but forgotten the people around him.

He glanced around at the crowds. In them, he spotted young couples in love, families with young children, teens out for a night, old couples remembering fond times. Like other festivals he had visited, he could see no twisted greed, no twisted desires, just peace and calm. It had been what drew him back again and again to observe humans, despite the pain it caused his heart to see happiness that would never belong to him.

Now, when he spotted a couple with a young child, he finally saw himself.

“Sylus!”

He turned his head back to his wife, who had lifted their daughter into her arms. On their wrists glinted matching bracelets with shining silver charms. Solana grasped an extra one in her hand, that she held out to him.

He couldn’t help but smile at that.

“Aren’t you coming?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’m coming.”

They found a nice spot with a great view of the river. It had been up the road where the festival was taking place, hence fewer people were around, the majority of them still hanging around the stalls and watching the last few performances. Either way, it was calmer and a great spot to watch the fireworks.

Solana attempted to reach up, failing when she found she was too short to grab onto the railing. She then squealed when Sylus lifted her up by her middle, setting her on the railing (after brushing away the dusting of snow that covered it, of course).

“Daddy!” she exclaimed.

“What?” he chuckled. “Weren’t you the one who wanted to sit here to watch the show?”

He proceeded to rest his chin on the top of her head, despite her cries of indignation. Casting a glance at his wife, he laughed lightly when he noticed her phone in her hand once more, capturing another timeless moment.

“Look, it’s starting,” he whispered to the child.

The dark sky lit up with bursts of flowering colors that drew visions across the black canvas. The child’s eyes sparkled as she laughed, pointing out various shapes and colors from the display.

Her parents shared a quick look of happiness and warmth between themselves. His wife moved closer to them, leaning on his shoulder.

Sylus himself watched the fireworks with a relaxed smile. After all, he had his daughter in his arms and his wife leaning against him.

As the display continued, he couldn’t help but think about how perfect moments such as these left traces as well. Perhaps not physical ones, but certainly ones in his heart.

Chapter Text

Solana was surprised when she walked into the living room to find Caleb standing by the door, dressed in his black uniform and pulling his gloves on.

“Uncle Caleb? Did something happen?”

He looked up at her. “Urgent call from HQ,” he informed her. “All the commanders have been called in. Seems the Deepspace Tunnel’s acting up again.”

“Oh,” her eyes widened.

A holographic screen popped up from his silver armband, likely orders from the Fleet. His purple eyes scanned the neon lines as they appeared. “There’s a Metaflux storm going to last a few days. The Hunter’s Association has installed a curfew.” He raised his eyes to her, then to his ward, sitting on the couch reading a book. “There’ll be more Wanderers out for a bit. You two should stay inside.”

Gray nodded from where he sat, briefly glancing up from his book. “Got it.”

Solana followed his lead and nodded too. “We will,” she promised.

Caleb gave a relieved sigh and opened the door, pausing for a moment. “I’ll be back soon,” he told them, leaving once he was satisfied the two teens would listen to him.

However, once the door shut behind him, Solana’s lips curled mischieviously.

She gave it half an hour before turning to Gray. “You know what this means?” she asked.

The boy regarded her with a suspicious glance. “That we’re spending a quiet night in?”

She shook her head. “Time to sneak out.”

Gray gave a heavy sigh. “Why?” he asked, voice filled with exasperation. “Why now?”

“Because we were told to stay inside.”

He groaned. “So just because you were told something, you do the exact opposite of it?”

“Absolutely.”

He shook his head. “Do what you want, but you’re not getting me involved.” He gave her a dismissive flick of his wrist. “Go if you want to, but you’ll have to go alone.”

She pouted. “Sourpuss.”

With that, despite her uncle’s warnings, she opened the door and stepped out onto the streets of Skyhaven.

She was barely out on the street before she ran straight into a Metaflux surge.

The air dipped and changed around her with crackling energy, a Wanderer’s roar shaking through her bones. The monsters materialized in front of her, two Venators and a Knave, growling and stalking towards the first sign of human life they sensed; her.

Solana gulped. It was alright. She could take them. She’d been trained to fight.

However, she’d never taken on three Wanderers at the same time, especially all by herself. Nevertheless, she stood her ground and fought, her Evol sparkling around her fingers as she threw blasts at them while dodging their lunges.

Before long, she had made quick work of the Venators, watching them disintegrate into floating particles.

The Knave was still a problem, however. And she had already exhausted herself by overusing her Evol.

She made a fatal mistake. She stepped backwards and lost her footing, stumbling onto her behind.

The Wanderer lunged, its arm raised to strike.

Solana raised an arm in defense.

Suddenly, the Wanderer was stopped in its tracks by an unseen force. It then crumbled to the ground as the full weight of a thousand planets was dropped on its head.

It was enough for her to let loose an energy blast, finishing it off.

However, as it faded away into nothing, the true danger revealed himself.

Her uncle. Standing there. Arms crossed and looking utterly unamused.

She gave a shaky laugh. “Lovely night for a stroll, huh?”

He didn’t react.

“Inside. Now.”

She didn’t protest.

She sat on the couch, looking anywhere but at her uncle standing in front of her. His expression made it known that he wasn’t happy in the least.

“What part of ‘it’s dangerous, stay inside’ did you not understand?” Caleb demanded.

She pouted, unhappy at getting caught. “I was just taking a walk,” she murmured.

“During a Metaflux storm, while there’s an enforced curfew, and ran straight into a Wanderer.”

She huffed. “If you’re going to put it like that…”

At her side, Gray lifted a hand. “Question. I had nothing to do with this. Why am I still getting chewed out?”

Caleb looked at his ward. “You didn’t stop her. You’re equally complicit.”

“Why am I responsible for her?!”

Caleb sighed, running a hand through his hair. “This isn’t a game, Sol,” he turned back to his niece. “Don’t force me to take more drastic measures.”

She seemed to see that as a challenge. “Oh really? What will you do?”

“I can lock you both up.”

Protests arose from them.

“You can’t do that!”

“I’m literally not a part of this!”

“That’s a violation of my rights!”

Caleb rubbed his temples. “So just listen to me for once!” He did his best not to raise his voice at the kids.

“You can’t keep me here! I’ll sneak out anyway!”

That made him pause.

He raised his eyes to her. “You really think you can take me on?” he asked.

She glared at him. “I’ll make it! You’ll see!”

Caleb watched her, this young child who glowered at him with overconfidence and pure determination.

It made his lips curl. Challenge accepted. “Alright,” he said. “Let’s see how long you’ll last.”

Oh, it was on!

Before Solana could execute any of her plans, she needed a partner-in-crime.

So, she cornered Gray on the couch in the morning.

“Gray, let’s sneak out tonight.”

He gave her a look of utter exasperation and disbelief. “Why?” He said it like it was the last thing he wanted to hear.

“You heard Uncle Caleb. He wants to lock us up!” she exclaimed. “Are you content to be locked up like some zoo animal?”

The boy sighed heavily. “Did it ever occur to you that by keeping us in, it also keeps them out?” He gestured towards the window, sunlight still streaming in but the air crackling with Metaflux.

She scoffed. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of a few measly Wanderers?”

“Yes, I am,” he said without missing a beat.

She pouted. “You say that but I literally saw you crush a Wanderer into nothing with thorn vines not too long ago.”

He looked up at her. “Why do you want to leave so badly?” he asked. “Is it so hard to stay inside for a few days until the storm has passed.”

“It’s about the principle!” she insisted. “I refuse to be held against my will!”

Gray sighed. “Is it just because Caleb told you to stay put? Or do you keep sneaking out even at home?”

She grinned. “My home can’t hold me. I sneak out under my dad’s watch all the time!”

He leaned an elbow on the armrest of the couch, raising an eyebrow. “Really? And how well does that work out for you?”

Answer? Pretty badly. There was still a scoreboard in Sylus’s study to document it, divided into two columns; “Dad” and “Solana.” The number under “Dad” was in double digits while the number under her name was simply a big red “0.” A constant reminder that she had yet to outsmart her father, and would probably never.

“Okay,” she admitted reluctantly. “I haven’t been able to get past my dad yet. But I’m confident I can take Uncle Caleb on!”

He exhaled. “Solana. He’s a decorated Fleet General. Not only that, but he’s also a one-in-a-century genius! You’re just fifteen! What do you have?”

“Willpower, determination and the spirit of revolution?”

He groaned. “Come on, Gray! I have a plan! Just trust me!”

He shook his head fervently. “Nope, I refuse to get dragged into your schemes again.”

However, she ignored him, continuing to detail possible plans for her escape, simply because she had been told not to do something.

He ran a hand through his dark hair. “I’m getting dragged into this, aren’t I?”

Solana simply smiled.

Unwilling accomplice? Acquired.

Attempt 1: Through the Front Door

“So this is your grand plan? Just leaving through the front door?” Gray shook his head.

She nodded. “It’s foolproof!”

They padded through the hallway in the dead of the night, the perfect time to execute her master plan.

Or so she thought.

Upon reaching the door, she paused. “Something’s…different.”

He leaned forward to take a closer look. “The handle looks different,” he noticed.

“Wait,” Solana said. “Did he change the door handles?”

Gray, inspecting the lock, nodded. “Probably the codes too,” he said.

She groaned. “It’s been one day. How could he change the very door handles in that time?”

Regardless, she immediately dropped down to start fiddling with it. “Don’t just stand there!” she hissed at him. “Help me pick the locks!”

“Why do you know how to pick a lock?”

“Important life skills. Now are you gonna help me or not?”

Gray watched with mild horror as Solana attempted to actually pick a lock, like something out of a detective show. However, as the minutes ticked by, she made no progress.

Eventually, her arms fell to her sides. “I can’t believe this!” she said. “This lock is actually lockpick-proof.”

“It’s lovely, isn’t it?”

The two teens yelped and turned around just as a lamp switched on, illuminating Caleb just sitting on the couch, phone in his hand. Like it was perfectly normal to sit silently in a room in absolute darkness.

“It’s a handy little device I bought a while ago,” he continued to explain. “Perfect for keeping out thieves, and for keeping in little troublemakers.”

“Who the heck buys lockpick-proof locks???” Solana demanded.

Caleb didn’t react like she hoped, simply quirking his lips. “I do,” he stated, like it wasn’t the absolute weirdest thing for a person to own.

“That’s not weird at all,” Gray grumbled.

Caleb leaned back in his seat, purple eyes twinkling with amusement. “Now, are you two going to return to bed peacefully?”

They decided to return peacefully.

Attempt 2: Brute Force

Solana pushed up her sleeve. “Alright,” she said, “if stealth won’t do it, then the only option remaining is to force through.”

Golden mist curled around her fingertips as she raised a hand. Gray, in the meanwhile, stared at her with disbelief.

“That’s your plan? Brute force?”

She nodded. “It’s great, isn’t it?”

No, it wasn’t great.

Energy collected in her palm, coalescing into a small pulsing ball. However, when she launched it at the lock, nothing happened.

The lock remained where it was, pristine and pure.

“I wouldn’t bother. There’s an Evol suppressor on that lock,” said a voice behind them.

The two jumped, turning around to find Caleb leaning against the shelf with a smile on his lips.

“An Evol suppressor? What’s that?” Solana had never heard of such a device.

Her uncle grinned. “Proprietary Fleet technology.”

Her eyes widened. “You put a device that’s not even in wide use on your door?”

“Isn’t that a bit much?” Gray asked.

“I’d say it’s the perfect response to your challenge,” Caleb shrugged. “Now, back to bed, you two.”

Attempt 3: The Vents

“This is a bad idea,” Gray said.

Solana was currently hanging off the ground, attempting to pull herself into an air vent in the house.

“It’s a great idea,” she insisted. “Trust me, I’ve studied the blueprints. If we just follow this vent, it’ll lead us straight outside!” She turned around to glance at him. “Now, are you going to help me or not?”

Gray didn’t want to. Yet he did, pushing her up into the vent. In return, she turned around and offered him her hand, pulling him into the vent with her.

The two crawled through the surprisingly spacious vent.

“Are you absolutely sure you know where you’re going?” Gray asked for the thousandth time. All these walls were starting to look the same to him.

“Absolutely,” she assured. “I memorized the plans. We should be out soon.”

She was right, as soon they came up to a grate. From within, she could see green grass outside.

She pushed the grate open, but just before she could hop down, a voice from below made both of them still.

“Havin’ fun, you two?”

They peeked over the ledge to see Caleb standing there, hands on his hips as he looked up at them expectantly, amusement in his eyes.

“How are you everywhere?” Solana demanded. “Don’t you have a job to do?”

He shrugged. “Bold of you to assume I can’t multitask.”

“How did you even know we were here?” Gray asked, more curious now than mortified at being caught, again.

Caleb turned his phone screen towards them. “I monitored the vents,” he simply said.

“Who monitors the vents in their house?” Solana exclaimed.

Her uncle grinned. “I do.” He turned back to them. “You both have two minutes before I drop the vent and bring you down myself.”

They scrambled to turn and scooted back the way they came.

Attempt 4: Ransack the Study

Caleb wasn’t home.

She made absolutely sure of that. Had lurked when she noticed him putting on his uniform, hung around while he left through the door, even waited until the drone of his personal craft faded into the distance until she could hear nothing.

Perfect time to ransack Caleb’s study.

Gray at this point had given up.

“Why are we here again?” he asked, the vexation in his voice evident. “I thought we were trying to go out.”

She rifled through his drawers with increasing frustration. “This home has a smart security system,” she explained. “Which means, there has to be a security override of some sort. If we can just find it, we’ll be able to leave.”

“Have you checked the computer?”

Her head shot up. “Great idea!”

However, just as they booted up Caleb’s personal computer, a voice crackled from the speakers.

“Looking for this?”

Caleb’s face popped up on the screen.

Solana screamed. Gray made a sound that sounded like a strangled animal.

Caleb chuckled, leaning back in his chair. Holding out his hand, he revealed a dongle. The manual override for the security system.

“Do you just carry that thing around with you?” Solana questioned.

“Absolutely.”

“How does it even work? Doesn’t it have to be within a certain range to work?”

He laughed. “I designed the home security system.”

Solana groaned as another of her grand plans was squashed. In the meantime, Caleb stretched his arms out behind his head.

“Now, are you two going to leave or should I keep you locked up until I return?”

Gray, ever the responsible(?) one, grabbed Solana’s arm and dragged her out despite her protests. “We’re leaving!”

Caleb nodded, pleased. “Smart lad.”

Attempt 5: Over the Roof

Solana had learned her lesson.

She made Gray go first this time.

Gray didn’t want to, but was forced into it anyway.

Their plan? Go out the skylight, over the roof, and towards freedom.

Well, Solana’s plan at least. Gray wanted no part in this whole charade.

Yet, as he climbed onto the skylight and turned around to offer her his hand, even he seemed a bit exhilarated. “We might actually make it this time,” he said, his voice a bit excited as he pulled her up.

However, just before she could climb onto the roof, the sound of a throat clearing scared the living daylights out of them.

Because there, sitting on the roof, a can of beer in hand, was Caleb.

“How?” Solana demanded, absolutely baffled.

Her uncle nodded towards the sky. “It’s a nice night,” he chuckled. “I’m appreciating the view.”

“You knew we’d try this,” Gray said, more of a fact than a question.

Caleb nodded. “Now, are you two going back to bed or should I give you a hand?”

Solana opened her mouth to argue about the injustice of it all when Gray shoved her back down. “We’re going, we’re going.”

Caleb nodded at him.

“Good choice.”

Attempt 6: Out the Window

Solana made a delightful discovery.

The doors were locked. But the windows weren’t.

Which led to her latest scheme; jumping out the window.

Gray shook his head. “This is the worst idea you’ve had yet.”

Solana had already opened the window and had swung a leg over the sill. “Which means it’s bound to work!”

“What kind of logic is that?!”

“Come on, Gray, this is the fastest way out!”

“It’s a two-story drop!” he exclaimed. “How on earth do you plan on not having your ankles crushed?!”

She shrugged. “Drop and roll.”

Gray stared at her in absolute bewilderment. “You’re insane,” he finally concluded.

With that declaration, she swung her other leg over and dropped down.

Right into Caleb’s waiting arms below.

She blinked, her brain taking a moment to process how her uncle seemed to have materialized out of thin air.

Her uncle, on the other hand, wore another triumphant grin. “Nice of you to drop by.”

She flushed, hiding her face. “I don’t know whether I’m more embarrassed that I got caught, or because that was such a bad joke,” she groaned.

Gray leaned over the windowsill. “At least he didn’t suspend you in mid-air this time,” he called down.

Yeah, at least.

Caleb looked up at him. “Would you like to join us down here?”

Gray stepped away from the window and retreated.

Caleb hummed. “Good instinct.”

Attempt 7: Natural Charm

Alright, so trying to outsmart her uncle wasn’t working.

But perhaps she could try another tactic. She knew he had a soft spot for her, indulged her in everything she asked, as long as she asked a certain way.

Maybe she could charm him into lowering his guard.

She slid up to him while he sat on the couch. “Uncle Caleb. Best uncle. Bestest, strongest, handsomest, wisest uncle…”

He glanced at her, raising an eyebrow at her sudden flattery. “What do you want?”

“I promise I’ll behave, so would you consider-“

“No.”

“But I didn’t even-!”

“No.”

She stomped off in a huff, passing Gray in the hallway.

“To be fair, that was desperate, even for you,” he admitted.

“Shut up, I’m going through something!”

Attempt 8: Reverse Psychology

She sat down on the armchair opposite the couch, sighing dramatically. “I guess I’ll just stay in tonight,” she declared to the ceiling. “Since I won’t be able to leave anyway.”

Caleb, sitting on the couch, didn’t even look up from his reports. “Good.”

She blinked. “You heard me, right?” she asked. “I said I’d stay put tonight.”

“That’s nice, love.”

This wasn’t going as she expected.

She stood up with a huff and stormed off. Gray blinked at her as she passed him where he sat on the other end of the couch.

“Just what in the world made you think that would work?”

She gave a frustrated exhale. “I was trying reverse psychology!” she exclaimed. “Normally it works on people!”

“You thought Caleb was normal?”

Defeat

Solana, utterly defeated, was going through something. Gray sat on the couch opposite her and watched her hunched over in the armchair, murmuring incessantly to herself.

“This is impossible. There’s no way he could have figured me out every time!”

“It makes no sense! I can’t believe I lost!”

“Perhaps if I go a few days without pulling anything he might relax his guard…”

“Nothing matters anymore. Reality is a nightmare.”

“I really lost, huh?”

Gray watched the proceedings with an open mouth. “You just…went through the five stages of grief…”

At his side, Caleb hummed. “Fascinating, isn’t it?” he asked, sipping his coffee.

Solana gave a long groan, throwing her head back against the headrest. “I give up,” she finally sighed. “I’m done.”

Caleb hummed. “You finally admit it.”

“Ugh, I hate you,” she grumbled.

Caleb chuckled, reaching over to ruffle her hair. “Love ya too, kiddo.”

Solana walked out into the living room, suddenly stopping near the main door.

The handles had been changed back.

Glancing back towards the couch where Caleb sat, she hesitantly reached out, keeping an eye on her uncle. However, despite her expectations, he didn’t move to stop her, nor even acknowledge her actions.

She turned the knob.

The door creaked open.

She turned to him. “Uncle Caleb?” she asked.

He raised his head, looking between her and the open door. “Oh? You can go if you’d like.”

She blinked. “What?” The more she stood, the less she believed it. “That’s it? No tricks? No strangely complex military tech?”

He shook his head. “Didn’t you hear? The Metaflux storm is over. Hunters took care of the Wanderers. They’ve lifted the curfew.” He adjusted the newspaper in his hands. “You can go out if you’d like.”

She looked back at the open door.

Then, she slammed it shut. “Where’s the fun in that?!” she exclaimed.

Gray, watching this from the couch as well, had a bewildered look on his face. “What the heck are you talking about? Why’d you spend so long trying to escape if you’re just going to stay inside?” he asked as she strolled over to take a seat opposite him.

“Like I said, it was about the principle!” she insisted. “There’s no point in sneaking out if you can just walk right through!”

Gray groaned, running a hand down his face as he processed her words. “That means you’re going to try and sneak out again, aren’t you? And drag me right into it?”

The smile on her face was pure evil. “Absolutely.”

Chapter Text

Sylus leaned against the shopping cart, watching as his wife and daughter, standing further ahead, perused the shelves with a ferocity that made him think they were equipping themselves for battle. But no, they were just shopping for stationery.

With summer coming to an end and a new semester about to start, the three of them had been out getting Solana fitted for new uniforms. She was currently going through a growth spurt, growing out of her uniforms so fast she needed new ones more frequently. His wife had originally suggested getting them made a size or two bigger so she could grow into them with time. Sylus shut it down almost immediately, stating that it was undignified to wear anything but clothes that properly fit.

Besides, getting new uniforms tailored every few months was barely something to glance at.

After that, they had decided to walk to the mall, taking advantage of the Back-to-School sales happening to stock up on discount items.

He watched them move through the shelves, selecting notebooks and other items. His chest felt tight, had been feeling tight since he watched her get measured and the tailor declaring that she’d grown a couple of centimeters in a few months.

His baby girl was growing up.

And he wasn’t sure he was ready for it.

He’d already noticed it in other areas too. She was running to him less. Asking him to carry her less. Even the way she referred to him was slowly beginning to change, from “Daddy” to “Dad.”

Soon there would come a day when she would stop asking him to carry her. A day when he’d become just “Dad.” Maybe a day when he’d stop being her closest confidant, as her world expanded beyond her parents.

His wife seemed to have noticed his internal dilemma, coming over to him and placing a hand on his cheek. “You’re quite morose,” she commented.

“Just thinking,” he murmured, closing his eyes and leaning into her touch ever so slightly.

She chuckled. “She’s nine,” she said. “It’s too early for you to mope.” She gently patted his cheek. “You can mope when she’s older.”

He exhaled lightly, grinning down at her. “Wouldn’t you rather I get my moping out of the way now?” he asked.

“Trust me, you’ll continue to mope.”

He was sure he would.

She then decided to tease him a bit. “This is quite the sight, isn’t it?” she asked. “The leader of Onychinus shopping at a Back-to-School sale? What will your associates say?”

He chuckled. “Let them talk.” Calm, precise, just like he always did whenever she’d tease him like this. “If anyone has anything to say about me spending time with my family, they’re welcome to say it to my face.”

She laughed. “Sylus, no one is brave enough to say anything to you directly.”

“Exactly,” he grinned. “I don’t trouble myself by considering those who can’t face me.”

Solana trotted up to them at that point, dropping a stack of notebooks with cute covers into the shopping cart. “I want these!” she declared.

Sylus peered inside. “Isn’t that a lot?” he asked. “How many do you even need?”

“Oh shush, it’s a good deal!” His wife had already picked up the books and was checking the prices on them.

He sighed softly. “Why are you even bothering to check the prices?” he asked, picking up one of them. “Especially for something so cheap.” He pursed his lips disapprovingly at the item, made of cheap materials that would disintegrate at the slightest wind, not at all like the custom, proper items he used that could withstand a storm. In the meantime, their daughter had already scampered off to find more items.

His wife patted his cheek. “My love, children should wear and use cute things,” she said. “Besides, bargain hunting is a family tradition.”

He gave a fond scoff. “Since when?”

“Since I said so.”

He laughed lightly, shaking his head. Moments like these were precious, where he was away from the doom and gloom of the N109 Zone, away from the constant physical and psychological warfare, away from the twisted desires and greed. It was just him and the two people he treasured most in the world, just existing calmly.

Solana’s voice rang through the aisle, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Mom! Look! There’s new plushies in the machine!”

His wife gave him one last pat on the cheek before stepping away, walking over to the excited nine-year-old who was pointing to a Twinkle Toys arcade section, a line of claw machines hugging the wall.

“There certainly are!” her mother said, placing a hand on her shoulder and leaning down. “How about we try to get some?”

Sylus gave a laugh, gently shaking his head.

“Kitten, you know I’m not opposed to coming to the arcade,” Sylus stated. “But remind me again why we had to bring our child along?”

Solana was two then, perched upon her father’s shoulders, peering over his messy silver hair. Her large, ruby eyes stared excitedly at the flashing colors in the claw machine they stood in front of. Her mother was leaning against it, inserting tokens to start up the machine.

“It’s a rite of passage!” she declared. “Solana needs her own plushie!”

Sylus sighed, steadying the child a bit more on his shoulders. “You already have a collection,” he reminded his wife. “She already uses them.”

“Exactly, it’s my collection. Solana needs to start her own!”

Sylus sighed, shaking his head lightly. He never could go against his wife when she dragged him to catch plushies for her.

He glanced up at his child. “So? Which one do you like?”

His wife turned back to them, nodding. “Let us know which one you want, dear. We’ll try to get it!”

Solana carefully studied the stuffed toys sitting in the machine. After a few minutes, her little arm rose, small stub of a finger pointing.

“That one,” she declared.

It was a stuffed crow, released as being inspired by Grumpy Crow. It was plump, nearly the shape of an egg, its velvet coat white in color. Around its neck hung a blue bandana, its eyes shining purple.

Her mother nodded approvingly. “I see my daughter has good taste.” Her voice held pride within.

Sylus chuckled. “All right, let’s get you that one.”

The child cheered as Sylus stepped forward, intending to give it a try. “Let your father show you how it’s done.”

His wife found it highly amusing, thinking it was because he wished to show off to his child. He didn’t (he wouldn’t admit it).

He lay his hands on the joystick, planning out a strategy.

As the machine came to life, he pushed the joystick, moving the claw so that it approximately hovered over the plushie. On his shoulders, Solana watched with wide eyes, tiny hands gripping his hair to steady herself. At his side, his wife gave pointers.

“More to the right.”

“A little to the back.”

“A tad bit to the left.”

Sylus raised an eyebrow. “Would you like to take over, my love?” he asked.

She grinned. “Give it your best shot,” she said, patting his arm. “I’ll try later.”

He gave a light scoff, adjusting the claw’s position before the timer ran out. Once he was satisfied with where it hovered, he tapped the big red button to send it down.

The claw opened, reaching down.

And promptly sidestepped the plushie.

Silence fell over them.

His wife was the one to break the silence.

“Sylus,” she sighed. “You’re as terrible at this as ever.”

On him, Solana hummed. “Daddy’s bad,” she commented.

“I’m bad, huh?” he glanced up at the child sitting happily on his shoulders. “Let’s see if I let you ride on my shoulders again.”

With a swift movement, the child had been relocated from atop her father’s shoulders to his arms. In the meantime, his wife sighed and bumped him aside.

“Let me handle this.”

Sylus was more than ready to step back and let the expert be.

He watched as she started the machine up again, hand moving the joystick with a precision only made through countless hours playing claw machines. The ever-growing collection in their home was but a testament to her persistence and skill.

The claw was moved to hover over the stuffed crow, and finally sent down.

This time, its appendages gripped the toy, lifting it off the ground.

They held their breaths.

Only for the toy to slip past and fall to the ground on its side.

His wife coughed. “Well, that didn’t go the way I expected.”

Sylus couldn’t stop the smug smile from tugging at his lips. “Who’s the expert here again?”

She elbowed him. “I’m calling in a substitution,” she said, turning to him and reaching out to pull their daughter into her arms.

He laughed lightly, but hummed in agreement. Besides, he’d watched her deal with the machine enough to study her technique.

When plushies were on their side, they were easier to pick up.

The machine started up again, and he moved the claw once more. His wife, as usual, gave her support and tips, which he followed.

The claw hovered over the toy, and Sylus tapped the red button to send it down.

This time, the claw securely wrapped its ends around the toy, lifting it up and moving over to the chute. The plushie was dropped, and the machine chimed with bells and colorful lights as it disappeared into the chute.

A moment later, Sylus was taking out the stuffed crow from where it had emerged from the machine.

“That was a lot easier than I imagined it could have gone,” his wife laughed, delighted at their victory.

“I didn’t even have to use my Evol,” Sylus agreed. He turned to Solana, nestled in her mother’s arms, looking at the toy with large, curious red eyes.

“Here, child,” he said, handing it to her. “This is for you.”

Her hands reached hesitantly for it at first, as if she couldn’t believe it was real. But once she touched its plush surface, she squeezed it in a hug, laughing lightly.

Sylus smiled at that, placing a hand on her head and smoothing down her silver hair.

His wife grinned. “Wanna go a few more rounds?” she suggested.

He laughed, shaking his head lightly. “Sure, anything you want.”

Since then, Solana had developed a similar love for plushies as her mother did. Her own collection had grown.

Yet that stuffed crow remained on her bed throughout the years, with her even refusing to replace it with a new one, insisting on washing it and mending it when it inadvertently tore.

Currently, his child was perusing the claw machines, pointing out new toys and variations of old plushies she didn’t yet own.

He let out a mock sigh of defeat. “Maybe I really should open that arcade.”

His wife at his side laughed. “That’s a bit overkill, don’t you think?” she asked. “Besides, Twinkle Toys makes the best in the City!”

“Who said its for you?” he raised an eyebrow at her. “It’s for me to practice.”

“Practice?”

He nodded. “After all, I have two plushie-obsessed girls in my life to provide for, don’t I?”

Chapter Text

It happened completely by accident.

She had been returning home after walking Ash when she passed by a row of cars parked outside her home. It wasn’t unusual for operatives to sometimes drop by for something, although most never made it past the front door. The low-level operatives had likely never even seen Sylus in person, taking orders outside random places before taking off.

Ash trotted at her side, utterly happy with his place in the world, when she heard the whispers.

“Did you hear? The leader of Onychinus has acquired a wolf!”

Her head whipped around at the mention of her father. This was news to her.

Another low-level operative nodded. “Not just that,” he insisted. “Apparently the wolf is special. It only listens to him.”

“He brings it to meetings to threaten people.”

“It nearly killed the leader of a rival syndicate at the last one. The only reason he’s still alive is because Sylus gave him mercy and called the beast off.”

Their words collapsed into hushed whispers before they got into their cars and drove off, leaving her behind.

Huh.

That was strange.

She looked down at Ash, who had somehow acquired a stick, and was holding it in his mouth like it was the most precious thing he ever found.

“Let’s go find out what that was about, shall we?” she asked.

He gave a muffled woof.

She walked into her father’s office at the base, Ash at her heels, still carrying the stick he found on their walk.

A wolf? It sounded strange.

But then again, it wasn’t like it was out of character for him. She still remembered the time she walked into her father’s office only to find a large cage with two black panthers sitting within, apparently having been rescued from wildlife traffickers. Her father sat on the couch, like having two big cats in your office was just another Tuesday, which it probably was.

It wasn’t too much of a stretch to think he’d somehow acquired a wolf.

But without telling her?

She opened the door to his office, stepping inside. “Dad, did you somehow get a wolf without telling me?”

Sylus sat at his desk, going over something on his datapad, glancing up at her. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“I heard some strange rumors,” she said, going up to his desk. “Apparently people think you have a wolf you use to threaten people with at your meetings?”

He raised an eyebrow, thinking for a few moments. “Oh,” he said as he connected the dots. “They must be talking about Ash.”

“Wait,” Solana thought she had heard him wrong. “Ash?”

He nodded. “I took him to a couple of meetings with me.” He returned to scrolling through his tablet. “They must have seen him then.”

Her eyes widened. “Dad! When did this happen?”

“When you went on that trip with your friends, didn’t you ask me to take care of Ash for you?” He glanced at her over the rim of his glasses. “I figured it was better to just take him with me to a few meetings.”

“Did you make him attack anyone?” She was growing livid with every passing second.

He scoffed. “Of course not. All he did was sit in a corner and chew his toy.”

“Then why are people calling him your personal attack wolf?!”

He lowered the pad to look at her. She didn’t miss the small smile curling on his lips.

He was enjoying this.

“Rumors rarely make sense,” he said, as if he was giving her important life advice. “You shouldn’t give them much thought.”

She looked over at Ash. The dog had gone over to flop onto his pastel purple dog bed, one of several all over the base and their multiple residences. He then proceeded to chew on his stick that he had carried across districts.

She sighed. Perhaps her father was right, and this was just a rumor that would blow over.

It did not blow over any time soon.

Instead, things began to spiral.

“I heard he just picked it up from the woods.”

“I heard he tamed it by staring into its eyes.”

“It only listens to him. Would absolutely kill for him.”

“That wolf? It’s no ordinary wolf. It’s made from pure shadow.”

Solana turned to her side, where Ash was currently rolling on the ground, light tummy raised to the ceiling. His paws moved in the air, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

The feared shadow wolf of Onychinus was asking for belly rubs.

She decided to confront her father once more.

He barely raised an amused eyebrow when she leaned on his desk, glowering at him.

“You’re encouraging this, aren’t you?” she accused.

Before her very eyes, his lips curved into a smirk. She knew it very well; it was the one he’d always have when playing a very amusing game or toying with his prey. He leaned back in his chair, arms behind his head.

“Whatever could you mean, my dear daughter?”

Her eye twitched. “Dad, please stop it before it gets out of hand,” she pleaded.

He gave a soft chuckle. “I don’t think its that bad,” he said.

“They think Ash is some kind of monster you created from your Evol!”

Sylus pursed his lips. “Hm, I could see how him sitting in the dark would make someone think that,” he nodded appreciatively.

She felt her stomach drop. “What was he doing there?”

“Eating a cookie.”

She sighed deeply. “Dad, I swear to God-“

He cut her off with an amused laugh. “Does it really bother you that much?” he asked. “Why not just sit back and enjoy the show?”

She turned to look at the couch, where Ash was currently attempting to crawl into her mother’s lap, with no regard to the fact that he was not at all lap sized.

“Because, the ‘Wolf of Onychinus’ is a 45 kilo fluffball who thinks he’s a lapdog!” She gestured with exasperation.

All it did was make her father laugh harder. She left the room.

Solana thought she finally caught the culprits of this chaos.

She had spotted them, her father’s twin enforcers, in a secluded corridor of the base. They were hunched over, whispers passing to a wide-eyed servant.

“Is it true that the wolf was created in a lab to serve the Demon King?” the servant asked, voice a hushed whisper, as if the beast he feared would show up out of nowhere to judge his soul.

Luke and Kieran nodded solemnly.

“Absolutely.”

“Boss created him himself.”

“He’s tied to him, you know?”

“Decided everything about him, from his powers to his loyalties.”

She sighed deeply, coming up behind them.

“I should have known it was you two,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

They jumped slightly.

“Ah, Mini-Boss!”

Keiran rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re getting good at this, Young Miss. Just like your father.”

She rolled her eyes at their obvious attempt to placate her with flattery. “Did my father put you up to this?” she demanded.

They shook their heads.

“Boss hasn’t told us to spread any rumors,” Luke told her.

“But…he didn’t not tell us to do anything,” Keiran added.

She exhaled heavily. “So, the two of you are spreading ridiculous rumors about my dog, for what? For the laughs?”

The twins looked at each other. Then they turned back to her and nodded.

“Yup.”

“Pretty much.”

She wanted to scream.

Turning her head when she heard scuffling, she found Ash currently in the middle of serious zoomies. He was running around in circles, chasing his own tail, grumbling when it remained out of reach. When he finally closed his jaws around his tail, he tripped on a section of the floor, and proceeded to face-plant into the ground.

Her mouth dropped open.

Behind her, the twins hummed appreciatively.

“I see. How terrifying.”

“Truly the most ferocious being.”

“I’m shaking in my boots.”

Solana threatened to show a rock at them before storming away.

THREAD: Theories about the Wolf of Onychinus

ZeroWillow: Has anyone heard anything about the Wolf of Onychinus?

KingLoven: I heard that it was not just made in a lab, rather it is a creature of legend.

Horrayal: I heard that too! They say it’s a Guardian of the Underworld!

BlueCat: It feasts on souls apparently!

AbandonedRave: I heard that if you cross Sylus, it shows up to judge your soul!

ImmerseDevil: It’s always prowling in the N109 Zone. Always watching, always waiting for its next victim…

“Unbelievable,” Solana muttered as she scrolled through the dark web forums.

Somehow, the rumors about Ash were spiraling even more. As she continued to scroll through even more unhinged takes, such as Ash feasting on pure Wanderer flesh or her father controlling him because he made a pact with the devil, her mouth dropped in silent disbelief.

She turned her head slightly, looking out into their garden. Ash, originally running around in circles, had now sat down as a small blue butterfly settled on his nose. He trembled slightly, but refused to move so as to not disturb his new friend, giving gentle, nearly imperceptible whines of happiness.

Solana ran a hand down her face.

Somehow, a poster showed up in the Farspace Fleet HQ.

It featured a very blurry image of Ash mid-yawn, enhanced through image manipulation to look bigger than he really was. The words underneath were in bold letters.

WARNING: DO NOT ENGAGE! UNIDENTIFIED EXISTENCE IN THE N109 ZONE! SEEK COVER IMMEDIATELY!

Caleb frowned at the photo, tilting his head. A lower ranked Fleet officer came up to stand beside him.

“Are you aware of the Shadow Beast of the N109 Zone, sir?” he asked.

“Huh?” Caleb turned to him with absolute confusion. “That’s not a beast. That’s my niece’s dog.”

The officer blinked. “A dog?”

Caleb nodded. “He sat on me. Didn’t move unless I let him lick peanut butter off my spoon.”

Somehow, later that day, another rumor showed up on the forum.

Even the Farspace Fleet’s General submitted to the Shadow Beast.

When she found out about it, Solana called Caleb and ranted to him for three hours.

In the meantime, Ash had found a little duckling wandering about, and proceeded to gently herd it to the safety of a nearby pond, reuniting it with its mother and the rest of its siblings.

“Alright, this has to stop!”

Solana had absolutely had enough of this. She stood in her father’s study, slamming her palms down on his desk. All the while he remained all to casual and all too amused, lips quirking into a smirk at her rage.

“Dad, please do something!”

He chuckled. “What would you have me do?” he asked innocently.

“You’re perfectly capable of stopping this!” She crossed her arms over her chest. “So stop it!”

He tilted his head. “Does a harmless rumor really bother you that much?” he asked.

“There’s a shrine!” she exclaimed in desperation. “People are leaving steak slices, engraved water bowls and dog treats!”

Sylus nodded. “Good form, though the treats aren’t the brand Ash likes.”

“SOMEONE BOWED TO HIM IN THE HALLWAY AND BEGGED HIM TO SPARE THEIR LIFE!”

“Hm, they could have presented tribute.”

Solana put her face in her hands, letting out a sound that was somewhere between a scream and a groan. “Dad, there’s a reason you’re letting this get out of hand, aren’t you?”

Sylus, laughing lightly, leaned back in his office chair. “It’s good for business,” he stated simply. “It’s also hilarious to watch.”

Solana groaned once more.

At that moment, Ash trotted into the study, carrying his duck stuffy in his jaws, the toy he’d had since he was a puppy. The toy had a tear in the belly, fluffy stuffing poking out.

Ash walked right up to Sylus and dropped the stuffy in his lap. He then proceeded to place his large head on his lap, looking up at him with large brown puppy eyes.

The being feared by the entire restricted zone and a criminal syndicate was asking for his stuffed duck to be mended.

Solana threw her hands up in defeat, walking away while her father laughed, picking up the toy to sew it up behind her.

Chapter Text

The bell on the door chimed softly as patrons entered and left the antique store. Shelves were littered with baubles and trinkets of all kinds, behind a backdrop of mahogany wood. Dust motes hung in the air from where the light streamed in from the large window.

Rafayel leaned against the windowsill. “I still don’t understand why we needed to come all the way here,” he grumbled lightly. “Or why its taking so long. Aren’t we here to buy a gift?”

Solana picked up a gold-plated frog figurine from a shelf, pursing her lips as she inspected it. “Precisely because we’re buying a gift for my dad,” she declared, shaking her head as she returned it to its place on the shelf. “It has to be perfect.”

Her father was turning forty-five in a week, and the fifteen-year-old was scrambling to get him something. 45 was something to be celebrated, right?

Besides, for her own birthday earlier that month, he had arranged a two-day whale watching expedition for them. He had stayed by her side the whole time, even if it meant standing on the deck in biting cold winds, with a pair of binoculars and listening to her identify whales from the shape of their blows, dorsal fins and tails.

She wanted to get him something special, something meaningful.

Her art teacher shook his head gently. “You’re thinking too much,” he told her. “Your father treasures anything you make for him, even if it’s a small card.”

“That’s why I need something good!” she insisted. She picked up an antique brush, rolling the barrel between her fingers. “I don’t just want to get him something and have him like it because I gave it to him, you know? I want to get him something he’ll actually like, something for his collections that he’ll treasure.”

“And a homemade card is out of the picture?”

She shook her head. “Mom’s got the monopoly on homemade stuff.” It was true. Her mother had always given Sylus gifts she made by hand, and always baked a cake for his birthday. Solana couldn’t compete with that, nor did she want to. She wanted her gift to stand out.

Rafayel sighed. “Of course she does.” He sounded accepting, knowing her well for over a decade and a half now.

Gray returned to them by then. “Still haven’t found something?” he asked. He’d already selected his gift for Sylus; an antique fountain pen with an obsidian body with delicate gold detailing.

Solana shook her head. “Nothing feels right,” she admitted. Her eyes went to a painting leaning against the wall. “How about that?” she asked, pointing to it.

“Nah, that’s a fake.” Rafayel didn’t even need to move from his position by the window to do so. “I know the original artist. He wouldn’t leave such thick brushstrokes.”

Several people behind them who had been eyeing the painting paled.

Seeing Solana’s frustrated eye twitch, the artist sighed. “Listen, there’s still time. Paint something for your father. I’ll even help you finish it in time. Trust me, he’ll love it.”

She sighed. “I don’t want him to love a gift just because it came from me,” she said softly.

Rafayel looked ready to argue more when the elderly shopkeeper emerged from behind the register and went up to them.

“Um, excuse me,” he said to the three of them. “If you’re looking for good items, there’s an auction being held this weekend that might interest you.”

Solana’s eyes widened. “An auction?” she asked.

The shopkeeper nodded. “Online. Anonymous. Invite-only. Lots of hard to come by artifacts going up for sale.” He fiddled about in his drawers before extracting a folded piece of paper, a catalogue. “Here’s the items for sale,” he said, handing it to them. “If anything interests you, I could get you an invite.”

She flipped through the pages, eyes going over the various antique items and weapons. The selection was much better than in the store, and she nearly paused over a few pieces before continuing to skim. Gray peered over her shoulder, curious. Rafayel too had left his post to peek at the items.

An item made her pause on the last page.

It was an antique pistol, with silver barrels. Ivory grips with gold detailing. Perfectly preserved, as if it had walked right out of the pages of history. Below the image was written “Revolving 3 Barrel Flintlock pistol, circa 18^th century, authentic, perfectly preserved.”

“I know this item,” she murmured, her finger hovering over it. “Dad talked about it. He kept trying to acquire it from the original owner, but they never sold it to him.”

The shopkeeper nodded mournfully. “That makes sense. I heard the original owner fell on hard times. That’s why they’re putting their most priceless treasure up for auction.”

In the meantime, Rafayel skimmed the details of the auction on the pamphlet. “No capped bids, entirely online?” he murmured. “A very…unique way of conducting an auction, I see. Someone wants people to fight.”

Gray looked at him. “Is it really that deep?” he asked.

Rafayel nodded. “Absolutely. Someone wants to incite a war and watch.”

Solana had heard none of her teacher’s musings, simply staring at the printed image as if everything had fallen into place. She could picture it in her mind, sitting in one of her father’s various armories, or even his personal collection room in their house. In a glass case, maybe even as the centerpiece?

“This is it,” she said, a little breathlessly.

The other two turned to her as she lowered the paper. “I know what I’m getting my dad!”

A few days later, Solana and Gray plopped themselves on the couch in Rafayel’s studio in Whitesand Bay. Ash, who had accompanied them, curled up at Solana’s feet with a heavy sigh, resting his head on his large paws.

Rafayel sighed, shaking his head. “And why exactly are you two here?”

Solana shrugged, opening her laptop. “This is supposed to be a surprise,” she said. “If I do it at home then Dad will find out.”

“I get that. But why my place?”

The two teens were immediate with their answers.

“Better natural light.”

“Very aesthetic. Perfect for bidding.”

Rafayel groaned lightly, his eyes flicking to the black dog on his floor. “You know the only reason I let that dog be is that he’s well trained and won’t knock over my paints, right?”

Solana hummed, leaning down to pet his large head. “He’s a good boy!”

Rafayel grumbled something about fish-flavored dog food under his breath, but didn’t protest anymore. Instead, he leaned on crossed arms against the couch, peering over Solana’s shoulder as she made her account on the auction’s site and entered the relevant data.

Finally, she sat back, looking pleased. “Well, we’re all set!” she said.

Gray peeked at her username. “SunDagger, huh?” he asked. “Suits you.”

“Look alive, kids,” Rafayel said, bringing their attention back to the screen. “The auction’s about to start, and we’re ready.” He cracked his fingers like he was preparing for a war. “We’ve got our details ready, a full bank account, an expert in auctions, even an emotional support plant boy.”

Gray threw a mildly offended glance at him. “I don’t know whether I should be flattered or offended.”

“Yes,” was the answer both Rafayel and Solana gave in unison.

Solana scrolled through the auction page until she found the image of the pistol. “Here it is. Lot 214.”

Rafayel leaned forward as she clicked, getting in line, along with a string of other users waiting. “Alright, let’s get that gun, shall we?”

Sylus was on the leather couch in his study, laptop open on his lap. His wife came up behind him, placing a cup of coffee on the table in front of him. As she drew back, she let her hand rest on his shoulder, letting him give it a gentle squeeze.

He smiled softly. “How are the preparations for my party going?”

She gave a mock huff, going over to slide onto the couch at his side. “At least pretend you aren’t already aware of what I’m doing.”

He chuckled. “Kitten, you always do this, so I’ve just come to expect it.”

She pouted lightly. “I didn’t always. Remember your 30^th?”

He grinned. “That certainly was something,” he admitted, rubbing his chin. “I never expected to spend my 30^th birthday ankle deep in diapers and formula.” He exhaled lightly. “But you didn’t have to do anything that year.”

“How could I not?” she asked.

“You gave birth just a couple of weeks prior and still insisted on having a cake delivered,” he chuckled lightly. “And, I meant it when I said you didn’t have to do anything for me.”

“Why?”

“Because you had already given me the greatest present; the chance to have a family.”

She paused for a moment, watching the look in his eyes, that soft, vulnerable look that he only had in her presence. She curled up against his side, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her to him like she always fit there. Like two puzzle pieces.

He looked around as a thought occurred to him. “Speaking of which, where is our little troublemaker?” He had realized the house was quiet, too quiet.

“She and Gray are with Rafayel today,” his wife informed. “Field research, he called it.”

Sylus sighed. “He indulges them too much.”

“And you don’t?”

He gave a small chuckle as he relented to her point. She glanced at the laptop screen. “What’s this?” she asked, adjusting her grip on her own cup of coffee.

He adjusted the screen so she could see more clearly. “Online auction,” he said. “They’ve got an item I have my eye on.”

The screen was on Lot 214, showing the classy antique pistol. “Oh, I remember you talking about this!” she recalled with a nod. “The original owner refused to sell it to you, right?”

He hummed. “He fell on hard times, so put it up for auction.”

She gave him a look with a raised eyebrow. He gave a small laugh. “Don’t give me that look, kitten. I wasn’t involved this time.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

Turning back to the screen, she went over the auction rules, pursing her lips in deep thought. “No capped price, huh? Guess you’ll actually have to bid this time.” Her eyes scanned the list of names waiting for the bidding to start. “There’s already people waiting.”

He gave a silent chuckle. “I look forward to the fight,” he said. “But, of course, I’ll win.”

The auction finally opened, with an opening bid of 1 million.

Solana’s fingers hovered over the keyboard. “I’ll bid 1.2,” she said. “It’s a good start, right?”

Gray nodded. “Sounds good to me.” He sounded like he was trying very hard not to curl inward at the price, which was likely more than he’d ever see in his lifetime.

“No, wait,” Rafayel cut in. “Wait for all the other bids to come in first.”

She decided to listen to the actual expert, considering Rafayel had been dealing with auctions since before either of them had been born. She watched the screen as more bids came in, each one increasing the price.

And then, a final bid came in.

“5 million,” she read aloud. “From user ‘ObsidianWing.’”

Rafayel gave a small hum. “Aggressive, are we?” he commented. “Someone’s used to getting what they want.”

Gray glanced up at him. “You can tell all that just from a single bid?”

Rafayel nodded. “Take a look,” he gestured to the screen. In front of their eyes, the list of people waiting to bid began to drop steadily as they exited the auction. Before long, only three names remained on the list.

“Alright,” the elder said, placing a hand on Solana’s shoulder. “Bid 5.3.”

“Got it!” she said, typing in the amount and sending it off.

Sylus scanned the three names on the side of the page, one him, and two unknown. One of them had just bid 5.3 million.

His lips curled slightly. “Someone’s not backing down,” he murmured.

His wife watched, curled into his side. “Will you be making a bid?” she asked.

“Not yet.”

The third user bid 5.6 million.

Sylus placed his cup of coffee down as he typed in his bid.

7 million.

The user who bid 5.6 dropped out.

He raised an eyebrow. There were still two people remaining in this auction, him and one other user. He had expected them to drop out as well, but they remained.

Then, another bid came in from them.

7.1 million.

The corner of his lip twitched. “Not bad,” he murmured. “This might get interesting.”

Gray scowled at the screen. “This guy just doesn’t know when to quit!” he complained, partly out of despair as he looked at the current bid; 9 million.

Rafayel chuckled. “Someone really wants this pistol,” he said.

Solana shook her head. “Not as much as I want it,” she declared, already typing in her new bid. “It’s for my father. I can’t afford to lose.”

“We won’t,” Rafayel assured her.

She glanced at him. “You’re quite interested in this.”

“I’m as much a part of this as you are now,” he shrugged. “Plus, I’m invested. This is too good to miss.” He leaned forward a bit. “Bid 9.3.”

She did.

Sylus’s brow furrowed as he saw the new bid.

“Seems like someone wants this just as much as you,” his wife commented, sipping her coffee.

He gave a small chuckle. “I doubt it,” he said. “But, they’re starting to annoy me.” He rubbed his chin. “They should have given up by now.”

He put in his new bid: 10 million.

“Let’s hope it ends here,” he murmured.

It didn’t.

The price kept going up.

10 million.

10.5.

13.

14.1.

15.6 million.

However, neither showed any signs of backing down.

The bidding continued.

When it reached 18 million, Sylus leaned back on the couch, brow furrowed. “This is irritating,” he grumbled.

His wife frowned at the price. “Darling, I know you spend a lot on your collection, but don’t you think that’s too much?” she asked.

He shrugged. “It’s something I want, and I have the money for it.”

“It’s not the money I’m talking about,” she said. “Don’t you think this fight has gone a bit too long?”

He glanced at her over the rim of his glasses. “What do you want me to do? Give up?”

“I’m not saying that,” she assured him. “I’m just saying…maybe this needs to end at some point, because it won’t be worth it anymore.”

Sylus pursed his lips and turned back to the item on the screen. What she said swirled in his head.

Yes, he wanted this piece. But was it truly worth this much?

In a regular auction this would have been capped at 13 million. Yet now they were nearing 20.

It made no dent in his fortune, but again, he had come this far knowing the true worth of things.

While he thought, he didn’t realize the screen had shown the latest bid from his mysterious competitor.

20 million.

By the time he returned to his senses, the countdown had begun.

He reached over to type in his new bid, but as his fingers hovered over the keys, he paused.

For the first time in his life, Sylus hesitated.

And in that moment of hesitation, the timer ran out.

The screen flashed a congratulatory message:

User SunDagger has won Lot 214!

Sylus blinked.

“I…lost…” he mumbled.

His wife seemed equally surprised, setting her cup aside. “Well, that certainly is a first.”

Eventually, surprise made way for anger and irritation. “I refuse to accept this,” Sylus grumbled.

At his side, his wife sighed and placed a hand on his forearm. “Sylus, let it go. You said it yourself, didn’t you? It wasn’t worth this much.”

“It’s not about how much it’s worth,” he insisted. “It’s about the principle.”

His wife went silent for a moment. Turning his head, he found her blinking at him with wide eyes. “What?”

“You really are Solana’s father,” she commented. “She said the exact same thing when she punched that vending machine for stealing her coins.”

He sighed. He couldn’t even deny it. “Still, there must be a way.” He turned back to the screen. “This person fought me this hard, they clearly desire it that much. Where there’s desire, there’s a deal to be made.”

She sighed, squeezing his arm and bringing his attention back to her. “Sylus…” she said. “I know you aren’t going to stop just because I asked, so can you do it after your birthday party? Let’s not tarnish a lovely occasion with threats and blackmail.”

He wanted to argue back, but seeing the look on her face made him sigh and give in. “Alright,” he said. “I never could say no to you.”

She smiled, leaning up to press a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. Then, she picked up her cup and left the room, likely to continue her preparations for the party the day after.

As the door to his study closed, he turned to Mephisto. The mechanical crow had been perched on his stand, watching the whole thing with a keen, ruby eye.

“Tell Luke and Kieran to acquire the list of identities of everyone involved in this auction.”

User SunDagger has won Lot 214!

“YES!”

The euphoria was real as Solana leapt out of the couch. Rafayel gave an impressed clap and even Gray stared at the screen with an open mouth.

“I can’t believe we actually did it…” he trailed off.

Solana threw her arms around Rafayel’s neck. “Thank you! I couldn’t have done it without you!”

He laughed, patting her back. “It was fun,” he admitted. “And of course, anything for my favorite student.”

“I’m your only student.”

“And you should take that as the highest honor.”

Her phone made a soft ding; an email confirming that the pistol had been boxed and shipped, along with a tracking link.

She couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “I can’t wait to see the look on Dad’s face when I give him this.”

The party was a small affair, just Sylus, his wife and Solana.

His wife had set up a table in their sprawling backyard, amongst the trees and bushes, making it look like their own little garden paradise. She had even baked a cake, decorated with multiple toppings, sitting on the middle of the table. Ash ran around after butterflies, after a failed attempt at getting to the cake.

The gifts were few. One from Gray, one (begrudgingly) from Caleb. Neither had been able to come, which worked out well for Sylus. He preferred his birthday to be spent with only his two most precious people.

Which was why he was mildly annoyed when his twin enforcers show up.

“This had better be important,” he told them with an irritated sigh.

“It is, Boss,” Luke insisted.

“Remember how you told us to find that ‘SunDagger’ person?” Kieran asked.

Sylus gave a frustrated exhale. “Thanks for reminding me,” he grumbled.

“There’s something important you should know,” Luke said.

Before Kieran could take over and continue, Solana skipped over to him, a carefully gift-wrapped box in her hand.

“Dad!” she exclaimed, almost shoving it into his arms. “This is from me!”

He turned to her, his attention diverted. “I see, thank you very much, little one,” he said with a gentle smile.

It wasn’t enough for her, apparently, as she kept bouncing on her heels. “Open it! Open it now!” she insisted.

He raised an eyebrow. “That eager, are we?” he asked with a chuckle. He raised his eyes to glance at his wife, who gave a small laugh.

“Indulge her, Sylus,” she said. “It must be good if she’s that excited to give it to you.”

Behind him, Luke and Kieran shared a look, but decided to eventually keep silent as Sylus wasn’t even looking at them anymore. Instead, they watched as he placed the box on the table and carefully unwrapped the gift to reveal a black rectangular box.

He opened it, and froze.

There it was, lying on a bed of red velvet. Silver barrels, ivory grip, golden carvings. It looked even better than it had on the image, as if it had been polished one final time before being wrapped.

Kieran tapped his shoulder, but he didn’t move. “That’s what we wanted to tell you, Boss.”

“It was her.”

Sylus slowly turned his head to his daughter, who seemed absolutely delighted by his shocked expression. “What do you think? It’s cool, right!” she giggled. Behind her, her mother had stilled upon seeing the pistol.

“You have no idea what I went through to get it,” she continued, oblivious to her father’s shocked look, and how he seemed to be piecing a puzzle together behind his crimson eyes. “There was this guy who just. Wouldn’t. Give. Up! I ended up having to pay so much more than I thought!”

“20 million,” Sylus said, not taking his eyes off her.

She stilled. “That’s…right,” she said slowly. “But how did you…?”

She paused for a moment. The auction was entirely online and invite-only. Which meant the only way anyone would know what happened was if they were in the auction themselves.

“Wait,” she said. “’OblivionWing’ was you?” She pointed an accusatory finger at him.

The shock slowly dissipated from his face, to be replaced by a curling of his lips. He nodded.

She turned away. “Then, that means…” She held her head. “Oh my God, I cannot believe I fought my father for his own gift!” she lamented.

Sylus then did something no one expected.

He threw his head back and laughed.

Loudly.

Everyone stilled as Sylus wiped the corners of his eyes. “Well, this is certainly something,” he said, his voice still heavy with laughter. “But, if I had to lose to someone, it’s fitting that it’s you,” he told his daughter.

She looked up at him with confused eyes. “So, you’re not mad?” she asked. Behind her, her mother had let out a sigh of relief, letting a smile rest on her face as she sipped her tea.

He laughed again. “Why would I be?” he asked. “I’m proud.”

It sent a wave of warmth through her heart. “Why?” she asked.

“My daughter fought so hard for my gift,” he said, stepping forward. “And she did it while thinking of me, and then won.”

Heat rushed to her cheeks at the absurdity of the entire situation. He leaned down to gently pat her head. “You should fight me more often, my little wildfire,” he said, lowering his voice slightly. Yet, it did nothing to cover up the pride in his words. “It was quite fun to go up against you.”

“So…you like it?” Solana asked, a smile returning to her face. “I wanted to get you something you’d like, something for your collection!”

He laughed softly. “I love it,” he said, ruffling her silver hair. “It’ll be my most priceless treasure.”

Chapter Text

She sat on the couch in their living room, blanket pulled up on her legs, nursing a cup of soothing tea where it rested right on top of her swollen belly.

It had been less than a week since they had found out that their soon-to-be-born child would be a girl. And with her due date approaching slowly, it was time to pick a name.

Only, her husband seemed to be taking this a bit too seriously.

There was a board involved.

Sylus stood in their living room, a holo-board pen in his hand, tapping his foot and rubbing his chin. The board had been divided into several columns: Atmospheric Names, Powerful Names, Dark Names.

The columns were empty for the moment, but somehow, she began to dread them filling up.

“Sylus,” she called out gently, getting his attention. “Is all this really necessary?”

He turned to her, nodding. “Of course it is,” he said with the kind of grim determination reserved for drawing up battle plans, not naming a baby. “Our child deserves the best name.”

She sighed softly. “Then why is there a column called Names That Would Make Caleb Cry?”

He shrugged, unbothered. “I’m covering all my bases.”

She gave a slight groan, dragging a hand down her face. “I am not letting you bring our child into your petty feud with Caleb.”

Sylus hummed, but made no move to wipe it off. The cursed column stayed.

In the meantime, he added a name to the board with confident strokes of his pen. “Lilith,” he suggested.

She leaned forward, frowning slightly. “Darling, don’t you think that’s a bit too on the nose with your whole…” she gestured to him, “persona?”

He considered it for a moment, giving a small hum. “You’re right.” He then added another name: Morgana.

She paused. “Are you just picking the names of demons?” she asked.

Sylus looked at her with a smug smile pulling at the edge of his lips. “She’s my child. She deserves a powerful name, one that will make others fear her.”

“She’s going to kindergarten, not war.”

“Same thing.”

She slumped back against the sofa, letting out a frustrated exhale. In the meantime, Sylus added another name to the board. “Lucy.”

She sat up. “That’s actually not that bad…”

“From Lucifer.”

“Stop trying to name our child after demons!”

“Alright,” Sylus offered. “Beretta.”

Her eyebrow twitched. “Isn’t that the model of one of your antique pistols?”

He blinked innocently, completely ignoring her question. “No?” He rubbed his chin. “Then, Joslyn.”

She clutched her cup of tea tighter, resisting the urge to roll on the floor and give up.

“Fine,” he relented. “Ari.”

She perked up. “That’s not bad…” she started before something clicked. “From Arisaka?” she asked suspiciously.

He nodded, looking far too proud of himself.

She released a tired exhale, taking a sip of her tea. “You’re banned from picking names from your gun collection.”

This time, she took the lead. “How about…Aria?” she suggested. “It’s cute, elegant, related to music. You like music, don’t you?”

Sylus considered it. “I do,” he admitted. “Isn’t it a bit…soft?”

“She’s a baby, Sylus. She’s going to be soft.”

“She needs a name that makes her enemies fear her.”

She let out a breathless laugh. “What enemies? Is she going to smack someone up the head at daycare?”

“She might.”

They argued for a few more minutes. Eventually, Sylus did end up adding ‘Aria’ to the board, with a question mark next to it.

“I know!” Sylus piped up as he handed her a fresh cup of morning coffee.

Silently, she braced herself. This debacle had been going on for days at this point. The board, frankly, looked like the musings of a madman.

What was he going to come up with this time?

“Myst!” Sylus stood proudly, crossing his arms with a smug smirk.

She blinked. “Sylus, that’s a Wanderer,” she reminded. In her heart, she hoped he remembered that it truly was a Wanderer, considering he’d recently fought one as well.

He nodded, completely unfazed. “A strong Wanderer,” he said approvingly. “A strong name for a strong child.”

She groaned. “Sylus, you are not naming our daughter after an interdimensional monster!”

He scribbled a name on the board.

‘Corvina.’

She looked at him in disbelief. “’Corvina?’ Seriously?” she asked. “You want to name our daughter after a crow?”

He nodded. “It’s a good name, isn’t it?”

On his perch, Mephisto gave a caw. It was laced with approval.

“See? Mephisto likes it.”

She lay back down on the couch, hugging a pillow. Somehow, a mechanical bird was now weighing in on her child’s name. “You’re never allowed to name anything ever again.”

She decided to text Caleb for his opinion. With him being off on his mission, reception was spotty, so it took a while before the message was sent. Very soon, it showed as ‘Read’ and three dots appeared underneath.

Caleb texted back with a list of his own name suggestions.

• Valkyrie
• Blitz
• Delta
• Sabra
• Stryka
• Mirage
• Skyra

She stared at the list as if it had personally destroyed her faith in humanity. Which it probably had.

All of them were derived either from military or planes.

“I’m going to block him,” she deadpanned.

Sylus peeked over her shoulder. “He’s got a point with some of these,” he hummed in agreement.

She stared at him in horror. Of all the things for him to agree with Caleb upon, this was the last, and worst, thing they could team up for.

“I’m going to block you too.”

Sylus proposed a fresh batch of utterly unhinged names.

• Oblivienne
• Obsidienne
• Ravenne
• Infernelle

His wife was absolutely done at this point, her hope dissipating with every name he wrote down.

“Are you naming a baby or a video game’s final boss?” she asked. At this point, she was genuinely concerned that he didn’t know which was which.

“Yes.”

She exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. “I don’t get it,” she said. “You named Onychinus. You named Mephisto. Why is naming a baby so hard for you?”

“Well, none of them were my child, were they?”

“If this is how you’ll be, you are never allowed to name a living being ever again.”

He simply shrugged and added another name to the board.

“Tempest.”

She threw a cushion at him.

She sat in Zayne’s office, groaning, her head in her hands.

The doctor raised an eyebrow. “You alright?” he asked.

“Just wondering what the hell I married.”

He leaned back in his chair, setting the report in his hand aside. “Still no luck on the name, I’m assuming.” Of course Zayne knew; she had been venting to him over text since Sylus had started his ridiculous campaign.

“He wanted to name her ‘Myst.’ ‘Myst!’”

Zayne blinked. “That’s a Wanderer.”

“I know!” She let out a strangled sound half-way between a groan and a sigh, running her hands down her face. “I swear this child is going to come out needing therapy.”

“I’ll prepare her psychological intake forms then,” Zayne said dryly.

They finally lay in bed together in peace. No chaos, no ridiculous names, no urge to throw him off a high rise. Just her and her husband in a rare moment.

As she lay curled into his side, his arms around her securely, her eyes fell on the windowsill. Pale moonlight streamed in, highlighting the edges of the two datura blossoms resting in a small vase.

A memory of the dream they shared in another life. A reminder that in this one, it was all real.

One she didn’t intend to take for granted.

She placed datura blossoms around their home in many ways. One vase was in Sylus’s study, on his desk, where he could see it as he worked. She had even worked them into her wedding, a few of them in her bouquet and in various parts of the décor.

As she watched the dark petals sway in the light breeze, her thoughts drifted. To the family they belonged to; nightshade.

Solanaceae…

“Solana,” she murmured.

The sound lingered in the quiet room for a moment.

She felt Sylus still, the thumb tracing absent patterns on her skin coming to a halt. “What did you say?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

She turned her head slightly so she could see him. His crimson eyes were on her, slightly wide in surprise, as if he hadn’t heard her clearly the first time.

“Solana,” she repeated, her voice clearer now. “From the family name for nightshade. For…”

Her voice trailed away, shooting a glance back at the blooms in the moonlight.

The surprise very quickly faded from his face when he noticed where she was looking. Instead, it was replaced with a tender smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

“Do you know what it means?” he asked, voice low.

“Huh?” her attention returned to him.

He leaned to press a kiss to her temple, his hand finding the swell of her stomach. His fingers ran over her skin, his touch reverent, almost worshipful.

“It means ‘sunlight.’”

A few weeks later, he stood in the delivery room. His wife lay on the bed, exhausted entirely, but also glowing, chest rising and falling from the exertion. Around them, doctors and nurses ran around. But as he watched her, the rest of the world fell away, leaving just the two of them.

A nurse walked up to Sylus and placed a bundle of pastel blankets in his arms. From within the bundle, a small face peeked out.

So small…

She was barely the length of his forearm.

She then opened her eyes, blinking up at him.

Crimson, just like his. Only, on her, it reminded him of a red sunset.

He swallowed heavily, his finger trembling lightly as he adjusted the blanket around her face. She turned into him slightly, tiny fingers reaching for him and curling into the fabric of his shirt.

He let out a shaky breath. He’d lived for centuries, across time and space, and yet, this was the first person to not be scared of him or try to kill him. The first one to actively reach for him from the moment they met.

His lips parted and he whispered the name her mother had chosen for her.

“Solana.”

The name, as it was whispered, made his chest twist. It was right. It was the one.

He let out a small laugh. “Never thought I’d come to love the sun,” he murmured. “Yet, look at me now.”

Leaning down, he pressed a small kiss to the baby’s forehead. His sunlight. His hope.

Chapter Text

April 25, 2059 – Redwood Private Elementary School

Lunchtime.

Students spilled out of the doors into the spacious courtyard garden, taking advantage of the pleasant spring weather to get some sun.

Solana plopped herself in a nice cool spot under a tree, unwrapping her lunch box with glee. The chef had made sure to arrange it in cute shapes, and she’d been looking forward to eating it the whole day. Around her, the lively chatter of her peers filled the air with a peaceful ambiance.

Then the sky cracked open.

Swirling Metaflux coiled in the sky, heralding a jagged tear in the air, a Wanderer’s roar piercing the peaceful sound. Alarms blared. Teachers yelled for the children to run inside and barricade the doors. Children screamed in terror.

Solana felt frozen as the monster appeared, large, grotesque, Metaflux curling off its surface like smoke. Her legs refused to move.

It was her mother’s voice in her head that made her move.

“Solana, if you ever see a Wanderer, run and hide. Don’t think about anything else.”

She gave her this warning every time they went in public, downtown, anywhere a monster might show up. Solana never had to heed that advice.

Until now.

Her lunch box discarded, she ran towards the doors of the building. All thoughts exited her mind, except one; she needed to get inside at once.

A scream made her stop just before she crossed the threshold.

She turned around.

One of her classmates, a young girl, had been left behind in the stampede. Tripped and on the ground, she wailed as the Wanderer locked in on her, approaching menacingly.

Her legs began to move without thinking. Solana planted herself in front of her peer, palm outstretched, grasping her wrist with her other hand.

Golden energy flickered around her fingers and then grew into larger swirls, coalescing into a ball. As she summoned more and more energy, her arms ached. Then the pain sharpened, searing through her limbs. A great pressure settled over her chest, as if a building was pressing down on her heart. The glowing band of the suppressor beeped red in alarm around her wrist.

She pushed through it.

The Wanderer advanced.

The suppressor shattered, and she unleashed a storm of golden energy.

April 25, 2059 – Hunters Association, UNICORNS Division, Alpha Team

Something felt off.

She sat at her desk, fingers steepled beneath her chin, eyes fixed on the screen but unfocused. A pressure curled in her chest like a storm on the horizon; low, electric, and impossible to ignore. Instinct whispered that something was wrong.

She stretched her Evol outward like a net, scanning for fluctuations in the city’s ambient energy. Nothing. Not a single spike, no ripples in the current.

Then why couldn’t she shake this feeling? Why did her legs feel coiled, ready to spring?

“Still feeling wrong?”

She looked up, eyes locking on her Hunting partner standing by her desk. She exhaled slowly. “I can’t think of why,” she admitted, leaning back in her chair. “Maybe I’m just paranoid.”

“I doubt that,” Xavier said without hesitation. “Your instincts are usually right. Maybe we just haven’t heard of it yet.”

Right before she could answer, maybe chide him for feeding her paranoia, an alert lit up her screen, chiming through the quiet office hum. Her brows furrowed as she scrolled.

“Wanderer appearance…in a residential district?”

Xavier leaned in, frowning slightly. “That’s quite unusual.”

She scanned the rest of the alert, coming to the exact location of the surge.

She stood up in a hurry, palms slamming on the table. Around her, others jumped, disturbed from their work.

“What happened?” Xavier asked.

“That’s my daughter’s school!”

April 25, 2059 – Redwood Private Elementary School

The energy storm faded, golden tendrils still flickering in the air.

The Wanderer had been pushed back, but not entirely destroyed. It staggered backwards, then pushed itself up to its feet once again before advancing.

Heat pulsed through Solana’s veins like lava. Her limbs had been drained of strength and she crumpled to the ground, her head throbbing like it was about to erupt.

Through her blurry vision, she saw the Wanderer continue its move towards her.

A single thought remained in her mind, through the pain and the dizziness.

She had failed.

And now she was going to die.

The Wanderer loomed closer.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

“Xavier!”

“On it!”

A slice of light. The sound of two gunshots.

The Wanderer dissipated into particles that floated away in the wind.

And there stood-

“Mom…” The words barely escaped Solana’s lips before she tilted to the side.

Warm, familiar arms caught her.

“It’s alright, baby. I’m here. Mommy’s here now.”

Her eyes closed, and the world went black.

May 31, 2053 – Akso Hospital, Pediatric Ward

Sylus sat in the hospital room, hands clasped and resting on his knees, head bowed. Just a few feet away, his daughter lay in bed, eyes scrunched in a restless sleep. Golden energy still crackled around her fingertips, as if her body was struggling to contain its very essence. Her mother sat by her bed, brushing her sweaty hair off her forehead as the monitor beeped steadily beside them.

He couldn’t bring himself to look at her, couldn’t bear to see that little face, normally so bright and happy, twisted with hurt. Especially one he couldn’t punch or otherwise take away.

The only time he looked up was when the door opened, and Zayne stepped inside.

The doctor’s gaze swept over the two worried parents. “It’s good news,” he assured them, moving over to quickly check the vitals. “She’s responding well to treatment.”

Her mother let out a deep sigh of relief. Sylus too, felt some of the tension leave his shoulders. Not enough, but a little.

Despite the good news, the room was still filled with the tension of two worried parents. Zayne was quick to pick up on it, releasing a small sigh. “If it makes you feel any better, the same thing happened to me too,” he said, his tone softening.

The child’s mother raised her head, curiosity in her eyes. It was something she hadn’t known about Zayne. “Really?”

He nodded. “It’s what happens when you have a truly powerful Evol. When it manifests, it can be quite…spectacular.” He rubbed his chin. “At least Solana’s taking it well. When I first manifested, I kept freezing the equipment. They had a hard time stabilizing me.”

Glancing back at the reports in his hand, he looked back at the parents. “She’ll stabilize within the hour. We’ll keep her overnight for observation, and you can take her home tomorrow.”

Sylus and his wife nodded, still keeping quiet. “There’s more, isn’t there?” Sylus was the one to break the silence next.

Zayne took a breath. “Normally, when a child manifests an Evol, our recommendation is to enroll them in Evol training classes.” He paused.

Solana’s mother spoke up next. “But that won’t work for Sol, will it?” Her voice was small, as if she already dreaded the answer.

Zayne gave a resigned hum. “She has your Evol.” He glanced at Sylus. “You take an ancient power like that and put it in the body of a three-year-old child…” He exhaled lightly. “Let’s just say, she might burn out from within before she ever gets to truly wield it.”

Her mother exhaled shakily, pressing her forehead to clasped palms. Sylus’s brow furrowed, his eyes barely able to mask the storm within.

But he couldn’t show it just yet. Not when his family needed him to be strong.

“Is there a solution?” he asked Zayne.

“A suppressor,” Zayne replied. That got the attention of both parents, expressions a mix of confusion, disbelief and curiosity. “It’s not one we recommend. In fact, I haven’t recommended it to anyone else.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “But Solana’s body is not strong enough to handle her Evol. She could easily lose control, or have something worse happen to her.”

They stayed silent, expressions still concerned. However, they trusted Zayne enough to listen when he spoke. “It’s something the hospital has been developing. A temporary measure, until she’s able to properly wield the energy. She’ll still be able to use it, but not to its full potential. However,” he sighed, “my recommendation is that she refrains from using her Evol at all until we can remove the suppressor.”

Sylus and his wife exchanged a look. The last thing either of them wanted was to chain their daughter up, whether literally or metaphorically. However, if the choice was between that or losing her entirely…?

She turned to Zayne. “What do you think we should do?” she asked.

The doctor’s eyes softened with sympathy. “You’re Solana’s parents,” he said gently. “That’s a decision you’ll have to make. All I can do is provide advice.”

He turned around. “I’ll be outside. Take your time.”

With that, he left the room. The sound of the door closing hung in the air as silence fell over them, heavy with an unspoken weight.

Sylus ran a hand through his hair, letting out a restrained grunt of frustration. It was all he was able to express, his crimson eyes swirling with emotions he was unable to name.

His wife noticed, of course. She moved over to where he sat on the couch, sliding in next to him. Her hand found his, linking their fingers together. Her touch brought him back, grounded him, reminded him of what was actually important.

“I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not your fault,” she told him softly.

He closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath. “She has my Evol,” he said, trying to keep his voice from shaking. “How could I not be responsible…?”

“It’s not like you could choose what Evol she got, you know?” his wife reminded, squeezing their interlocked fingers. “She just…is.”

Sylus stayed silent, letting her words linger. He leaned back against the headrest, closing his eyes for a moment.

His daughter had been born with the sun in her veins, and it was threatening to burn her out from within.

“I’m not comfortable restraining her,” he murmured, voice barely above a whisper. While he didn’t say it, his words held his memories of being chained, locked up, restrained, for centuries.

“Neither am I.” His wife leaned against his side, letting him pull her closer while she rested her head on his chest. Her eyes fell on the sleeping child, the crumple between her brows easing as she fell into a deep sleep. The energy swirling around her fingers had dissipated as well, leaving only the echoes of what might have happened, and what might still be. “But I don’t want to lose her. Anyone but her.”

Sylus hummed in agreement. “Only because its temporary.”

She nodded. “Only because it’s temporary,” she echoed his words.

April 25, 2059 – Akso Hospital, Pediatric Ward

The young mother sat beside the bed, clutching the child’s hand in hers, thumb running over feverish skin. Solana lay unconscious, but stable. The monitors she was hooked up to beeped gently, breaking the silence within the room.

She blinked back tears, biting her lip.

“Why didn’t you listen?” she whispered, voice trembling. “Why didn’t you run?”

Solana’s chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, the one thing she clung onto to maintain her sanity.

The doors flung open. Her head snapped up.

“Sylus…”

The sight of her husband made her nearly crumble into tears, but she swallowed. Because he too, looked two seconds away from losing his mind.

Crimson eyes found the little girl lying in the bed. With a shaky breath, he moved over to her side, reaching out to touch her flushed skin. His fingers trembled where they rested on her cheek.

“I was too late…” he murmured.

She shook her head. “You were on the other side of the city,” she reminded.

“Still, I should have been there.” He sat down on a chair, but it was more accurate to say he fell into it. “I should have known. I should have…”

His wife exhaled slowly. She knew exactly why he was beating himself up so much about this.

Normally, Mephisto shadowed Solana daily as she went to school, perched on a branch outside her classroom. Even if the school reassured them that they had state-of-the-art security systems, it was an extra source of comfort for Sylus to know the mechanical crow was watching over her when he couldn’t.

But that day, Sylus had an important meeting on the other side of Linkon City. A meeting where appearances were crucial to establish the tone of events. For that, he’d taken Mephisto with him, to sit intimidatingly on his shoulder and provide real time dirt on the buyer.

One day.

And this had happened.

Not to mention, even after he’d have found out, he was a city away. Even his teleportation couldn’t cover the distance fast enough.

“She’s alright,” she reassured him, rubbing his shoulder. He glanced at her with a look she’d never seen in his eyes, wrecked, guilty, absolutely demolished. “She’s sleeping. Zayne said she’d wake up soon.”

He said nothing, only giving a small nod. Gently, his large fingers brushed damp strands of hair from Solana’s sleeping face. As he did, fury slowly crept into his eyes, simmering like a volcano about to erupt.

“This shouldn’t have happened,” he murmured. “Schools are safe zones. Wanderers shouldn’t be able to attack.” He withdrew his hand from his daughter’s face to rest it on his knees, leaning forward. “Someone let this happen.”

His wife squeezed his shoulder. “The Hunters Association has already launched an investigation,” she informed. “Xavier is on site looking into it.”

“It’s not enough.” He raised his eyes to her. They were filled with barely controlled rage. Around his shoulders, the black-red mist of his Evol curled lightly. “I’ll look into it myself.”

She sighed. Even if she attempted to reason with him, he couldn’t be reached, not in this state. Silently, she wished good luck to whatever poor soul had caused a lapse in the safety field, for they would soon be visited by an enraged Sylus.

“We need to talk about something else,” she said, bringing his attention back to her.

“What?”

“The fact that she broke through her suppressor. And that it happened because she defended a classmate.”

Sylus let out a weary sigh. “I know,” he murmured. “She shouldn’t have had to.”

“She still did,” his wife pointed out. “And we can punish her, ground her, anything. But we can’t protect her forever.”

Sylus leaned his head back, casting his eyes to the ceiling. His wife’s words hung in the air.

He didn’t like it. Not one bit.

But, she was right. There was no guarantee this wouldn’t happen again. No guarantee that Solana wouldn’t end up facing even worse threats in her life. And no guarantee that she’d stand by.

He looked down at his daughter. His little girl, so small, so fragile, yet with a heart bigger and braver than he’d ever known. Just like her mother…

His hand clenched as he looked at his wife.

“It’s time then,” he said. “Time to properly train her.”

She nodded. Her hand, still clutching her daughter’s, squeezed it gently.

“It’s time.”

Chapter Text

Late evening. The setting sun cast purple shadows across the house. Inside, the dusk lights had just turned on, allowing the small child’s drawing to go uninterrupted.

Solana lay sprawled on the ground, seriously coloring in a page of a cartoon menagerie of animal companions. Crayons lay scattered around the floor, forgotten.

Caleb sat on the floor as well, leaning his back against the couch as he watched over her.

The five-year-old’s parents were away for a few hours taking care of something, so he’d offered to babysit. He was all too happy to do so, to take the chance to spend time with his beloved niece. He wouldn’t say it in those many words, but he always looked forward to the call asking him to come over.

Solana raised her head from her coloring for a moment and paused.

Caleb was looking at the setting sun. The violet light danced on his features. For once, he wasn’t smiling or joking. He just looked…weary of the world.

Sometimes, her uncle just looked very tired and sad.

She watched for a few moments before crawling over to his side, her coloring page abandoned. He startled for a moment before looking down at her.

“Hey, sunbeam,” he said, a gentle smile replacing the earlier look on his face. “Done already?”

She nodded, climbing into his lap. She then proceeded to curl up like a cat on him. “M’sleepy,” she mumbled, pushing her face into his shirt.

A warm hand came to rest on her back. His left, the real one.

“I’ll take you to bed then,” he said, voice low and quiet.

She shook her head, her little fingers curling into his shirt. “Here,” she insisted.

He seemed surprised, but then sighed and accepted his fate. He let her be, curled on him like a sleepy kitten, his hand rubbing soft circles on her back while he pressed his lips to her silver curls. Within moments, she was off in dreamland, nestled within his warm and safe embrace.

Caleb didn’t move for a long while, watching the sky turn from dusk to night.

Solana thought about it for a long time.

She was too young to understand the true complexity of what went on in his mind, but she could tell that he was sad. So, obviously, she needed to cheer him up!

“I want to get Uncle Caleb a gift!” she declared one day at the table.

Her mother raised an amused eyebrow at that. “Oh? Why so?” she inquired.

“Because he looks sad sometimes, and I want to make him happy!”

She paused, swallowing down a lump that threatened to form in her throat. This child, still too young to comprehend the complexity of emotions, yet empathetic and wanting to help…

She nodded. “Alright, let’s do it,” she agreed, bending down to Solana’s eye level. “What kind of gift do you want to give your uncle?”

Solana held her chin with tiny fingers, like she had seen her father do on many occasions. Her mother chuckled at the resemblance.

Solana’s thoughts went to the necklace Caleb always wore, never taking it off, always jingling. The engraved dog tag with the silver apple charm. She was very familiar with it, having attempted to eat it many times as a baby. When she had once asked him about it, he had chuckled, looking down at it with a fond smile (she missed the quiet sadness that lingered in his expression).

“Your mom gave it to me when we were young,” he had told her. “It’s a reminder to always return home.”

A reminder in the form of a gift…

She nodded, her little face filled with determination. “A necklace!” she declared. “Like the one you gave Uncle Caleb!”

Her mother stilled, mouth open in surprise. Eventually, she nodded. “Okay, let’s do it.”

It was the night before Caleb’s deployment. He’d be away leading an extended mission into the Deepspace Tunnel.

So naturally, he ended up hosting Solana and her parents. The child had wanted to spend some time with him before he left for years. It was only two weeks, but in a five-year-old’s timeline? She’d obviously finish school by the time he returned!

The evening continued on. Dinner was done, and the dishes being cleared away by Sylus and his wife. Caleb focused on clearing the living room, hoping to put some order in his house, since he wouldn’t have time to clean come morning.

The sound of softly padding feet made him look up.

“Hey, Sol,” he smiled softly at the little girl. “Something up?” He noticed that she seemed a bit bashful, holding something behind her back.

Her mother came up behind her, smiling widely. “She has a gift for you.”

Caleb raised an eyebrow, purple eyes glinting with amusement and anticipation. “Oh?” He knelt down in front of Solana. “A gift?”

She nodded, bringing out a small box from behind her.

His heart already ached with emotion, yet when he opened the box, it nearly shattered.

Sitting on a bed of plush velvet, there was a necklace. It was very similar to the one he was already wearing; a silver engraved dog tag on a simple chain. Only, instead of an apple charm, there was a small pendant in the shape of a cartoon sun with a smiley face.

On the tag were engraved the words “Not Alone.”

“So you’ll be happier!” Solana exclaimed as he picked up the tag, eyes scanning the cursive script. “And you’ll always keep me with you wherever you go!”

Caleb’s heart swelled so much he swore it would break out of his chest. He released a shaky breath, turning away so she wouldn’t see how his eyes had misted ever so slightly. “This is…” he trailed off to avoid a sob.

Oblivious, she tilted her head. “Do you like it, Uncle Caleb?” she asked eagerly.

He finally turned back to her, nodding. “Yeah, I love it.” His eyes rested on the tag in his hand briefly, thumb brushing over the smiling sun charm.

Not Alone.

Two simple words. Yet they meant the world to him.

This child. This small girl…had somehow broken through every single one of his darkest thoughts and doubts. Gave him the reminder he needed, that he had a family waiting for him. Maybe not the one he thought he’d have, or the one he’d fantasized about when he was young. But one that he wouldn’t trade the world for.

Then, he held it out to her. “Why don’t you put it on for me?” he suggested, bending his neck.

She jumped in excitement at that. Too small to reach easily, she had to circle back around him to get the clasp. It took her a few tries, but the necklace was finally secured, the tag clinking against the old one. The past and the future, side by side, shiny apple sitting beside the smiling sun.

Caleb pulled her into a tight hug, and she laughed as the breath was knocked out of her for a moment. His hand rested on the back of her head as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“You’re something else, sunshine,” he said, his voice trembling.

From then on, he wore both chains, never taking either one off. With them, he kept his most precious people close to his heart. “When U Come Back” and “Not Alone.”

One to remind him to return. One to make him stay.

Chapter Text

The air was thick in the training room, humidity and sweat coalescing to form an intense ground.

The mechanical dummy was in the shape of a Knave, a nearly perfect copy of a Wanderer. It clunked towards her with terrifying accuracy to the real one. Black-red mist swirled around it as her father controlled its movements from where he watched from the back of the room.

Solana gripped the hilt of her training sword. It was pretty much a replica of a Hunter Sword, edges sharp, form lithe.

The dummy ran forward, its massive sword arm raised. She sidestepped it easily and swung the sword, her strike crackling with golden energy.

It thundered through the room as it connected with the enemy. The dummy crumpled to the ground, the mist around it fading. Wiping the sweat from her brow, the fifteen-year-old turned to where her father was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.

He nodded. “Good form,” he commented. He pushed away from the wall, going over to her. “Although, you put a little too much force into that strike. Remember, heavy strikes will only hold you back when wielding a sword.”

She let out a huff, tinged in frustration. “I know,” she murmured, looking down at the sword still clutched in her hand. “It just doesn’t feel as…natural.”

Sylus nodded. “That’s understandable. It’s not your weapon.” He shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. “You already know how to use it. But it doesn’t have to be the one you choose.”

She swallowed slightly as her father handed her a water bottle.

“You’re nearly there,” he told her softly. “You’ll find the weapon that feels like yours soon enough.”

Solana lined up the pistol with her line of sight. Beside her, Caleb watched over her, mindlessly fiddling with one of his pistols.

She squeezed the trigger like he’d taught her. The gun fired off with a crack. The bullet landed squarely towards the center-right on the target.

“Not bad,” Caleb commented.

She sighed. “I was aiming for the center.”

“You were too tense for that,” Caleb replied. Placing his pistol aside, he turned to properly look at her. “What’s on your mind, sunbeam?”

Solana’s gaze fell to the pistol in her hand. Slowly, she put it on the table and removed her goggles and ear protection.

“Uncle Caleb, why do you use guns?”

He seemed a bit stunned by her question, but nevertheless lightly shook his head with a smile. “It just…felt right,” he said. “It helps me focus my attacks, and my mind.”

“But you can just control the entire battlefield. Why do you need focus?”

He thought about it for a moment. “Never really considered that,” he admitted, rubbing his chin. “It just always felt natural for me.”

“Is that how you knew guns were your weapon?”

He nodded with a soft chuckle. “Yep.” And, noting the silent question, he continued. “That’s how it’ll feel for you too.”

Solana cast her eyes down, leaning her palms on the table. “It doesn’t feel that way for me,” she said, her voice low.

“Give it time,” Caleb advised. “The first pistols I used? I hated them. It took me years before I found ones that I actually liked.”

She met that with a heavy sigh. “So I’ll have to wait years?”

“Well, I also didn’t have access to your dad’s armories.”

She gave a small laugh, the tension in her shoulders lifting ever so slightly. Caleb smiled, placing a hand on her head.

“You’ll find your weapon,” he assured her. “But for now, try again. And make sure to hit that bullseye.”

She did.

“Hnnnngh…”

Her mother raised an eyebrow as her teenage daughter flopped forwards on the table like a deflated balloon. “Anyone would think you lost all reason to live,” she said, amused, as she sipped her tea.

Solana, face down on the table, turned her head so her cheek rested against the wood. “I wish I was like you,” she murmured.

“Like me?” her mother echoed. “What do you mean?”

“I wish I could pick up any weapon and use it,” Solana grumbled.

Her mother laughed. “Are you still hung up about that?” she asked.

Solana raised her head slightly, eyes shining with frustration. “It’s been weeks!” she complained. “And I don’t even know what’s wrong! I know how to use them, it’s just…”

“Nothing really seems to click?” her mother finished. “Like you’re borrowing someone else’s power?”

Solana closed her mouth, nodding. Her mother had put into words exactly what she had wanted to say.

“Mom, do you think I’m being too picky?” she asked. Her voice had dropped, taking on an air of confusion and hesitation. Without thinking, her fingers began to play with the hem of her sweater sleeve.

Her mother watched her for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. She set her cup on the table and leaned forward to place her hand over her daughter’s.

“Not at all,” she said. Solana raised her eyes to meet hers. “I think you’re just one of those people that bonds with a weapon and then uses it forever. And you’re not the only one.” She began to list off on her fingers. “There’s your uncle, Rafayel, Xavier…and those are just off the top of my head. It’s a lot more common than you think!”

“Isn’t that inflexible?” Solana asked.

Her mother shook her head. “It’s alright when you’re training to learn to use all weapons. Because you’re just mastering the basics. But in the actual field? Rather no weapon than a weapon you’re uncomfortable with, because you might need to rely on it to save your life.”

She gave her daughter’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Patience, little one. You’ll find your weapon soon.”

Solana looked down, and her mother didn’t miss the small smile on her lips.

She sat on the bench, swinging a leg mindlessly as she watched her father wrap his knuckles. As he did so, her gaze followed the small crackles of black energy that danced along his skin every once in a while.

“Should I just fight with my Evol?” she asked aloud.

Sylus paused, looking back at her. “Hm?”

“I mean, do I even need a weapon?” Solana asked, leaning back on her palms. “You and Gray just fight with your Evols. Dr. Zayne does too.”

Her father chuckled, shaking his head lightly. “And does it feel right for you to not have a weapon?” he simply asked.

Solana opened her mouth to answer, but then shut it as she began to consider his words.

Eventually, she shook her head.

“You have your answer,” Sylus said.

Solana exhaled heavily. “It just feels like I’m never going to find my thing,” she admitted. “It’s been weeks and nothing feels right.”

“You’re in quite the hurry,” he commented, voice tinged with smug amusement.

“It’s not that,” she said quickly. “It’s just…” She trailed off, releasing a heavy breath. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I am being impatient.”

Sylus hummed. He walked over, sitting on the bench next to her.

“You’ll find it,” he said calmly, his voice firm and determined.

“You’re sure?”

He nodded. “Weapons are my thing, you know,” he grinned. “We’ve barely gone through a single armory. I’ve got dozens.”

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to make me go through a dozen armories.”

“You underestimate me.”

That earned him Solana doubling over in laughter. Smiling softly, he threw her a pair of gloves, which she caught mid-air.

“Wrap up.”

She blinked in confusion.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to fight with your Evol?” he asked, adjusting the straps of his gloves. “You should at least be able to stand against me.”

She entered the training room a little morose, her footsteps lacking that usual jaunt that accompanied her. It wasn’t that she disliked training, she just wasn’t that enthused about another day of wielding weapons that felt like someone else’s.

That was when she saw it.

Her mother’s old Hunter Claymore. Leaning on a stand near the back of the room. Long, sleek, white with silver accents. It’s edges were a bit rusty, dented slightly, a little chipped here and there from usage.

Her mother had long replaced this one with newer models, so clearly this one had gone into storage. But why was it out? She belatedly recalled her mother mentioning that she was going to do some spring cleaning and throw out some stuff she wasn’t using anymore.

So that explained why this was here…

Solana looked at the weapon, her eyes narrowing slightly.

She had yet to train with a claymore. Her mother wanted her to master the sword before she touched a claymore, and also felt like she wasn’t yet ready for one. It was the last and only weapon she had yet to try.

An insane idea began forming in her mind.

If this was the last one left…

She stepped forward, reaching out. Her fingers curled around the hilt of the large blade.

Instantly, she could feel the difference. There was something different about this weapon from every weapon she had ever tried.

She lifted it.

It was heavier than she expected, yet she didn’t stumble. Rather, the weight was what felt unique.

This was a weapon with raw power, raw strength, raw skill.

It was sturdy, weighted.

She turned around, eyes finding a nearby training dummy. She lifted the blade and swung it.

The blade cleaved an arc above her head, landing on the dummy with a crack that could have split walls.

She let out a shaky breath. Her fingers trembled, heart beating fast.

It wasn’t the sleek slash of a sword. Or the evasiveness of a gun. It was a heavy cleave filled with power, the power to shatter bones.

This was it.

This was her weapon.

She let out a breathy exhale, unable to keep the smile from tugging at the corners of her mouth. The claymore stood at her side, steady and ready to be swung once more.

Unknown to her, she had an audience.

Sylus leaned against the open door, arms crossed over his chest. His lips curved in a proud smile as he watched his daughter click with the weapon.

“There she is,” he murmured under his breath.

“Try this one,” Sylus said, as he placed another long box and opened it, showing a long claymore within.

Solana furrowed a brow as she picked it up from its cover. This one was heavy and broad, with a slate blue and grey blade.

It had the familiar weight of a claymore she had come to enjoy. However, the weight just felt a little much.

Still, she tried a swing on the nearby practice dummy.

The weight slowed her down, making her arms ache.

She shook her head. “Not this one either,” she said, turning back to her father.

Behind them, an increasing pile of discarded claymores rested in an abandoned heap. The newest blade in her hand joined them soon enough.

She slumped back in the stool next to the table. Her eyes went over all the empty boxes. There must have been dozens…

“Are we overcomplicating this?” she asked. “I could just use Mom’s old claymore, you know?”

Sylus glanced at her like he’d been personally offended.

“Do you think I’d let my daughter wield one of those sub-par Hunter weapons?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Aren’t you the one who funds the Hunters Association?” she deadpanned.

“And look what they did with my money.”

Sylus let out a small breath. “I know you’re frustrated, little dragon. But you’re almost there. You’ve found the kind of weapon you like. It’s only a matter of time before we find the one for you.” He sat down on the other stool, pulling out a datapad and a notebook.

“Let’s do this properly, shall we? Tell me which ones you liked and what.”

Solana couldn’t help but smile. With the way her father and everyone in her life were helping her out, she couldn’t really bring herself to complain. She pulled the datapad towards her, scrolling through the archive of all claymores she had tried.

“I like the shape of this one, but it was too light. This one had a good shape, but was too heavy. This one had the right shape, but the balance felt off…”

As she continued to point out what she liked and didn’t, Sylus made notes on the side, mentally scrolling through every claymore he had ever acquired to try and match it with his daughter.

“Sylus, what is this doing here?”

He folded his arms across his chest, brow furrowed. For the first time, she saw him unsure, even a bit shaken, though he did his best not to let it show. “I don’t have an answer for that,” he admitted.

Sylus and his wife stood in one of his weapon vaults, his most secured one. In front of them, on a long display, lay the Fiend Reaper. The same dark red blade, glimmering with suppressed malice. The very weapon that had bound him for nearly 1700 years, the same blade she had pushed into his chest to take his life, in another lifetime.

She gripped his arm lightly. “Is this why you went to that auction?” she asked, softly.

He nodded. “I don’t know why it showed up in this world,” he said. “But I couldn’t let anyone else get their hands on it.” He turned to look down at her. “It’s our history, our past.”

“It’s your prison,” she reminded. “The weapon that took your life.”

He exhaled, his breath coming out shakily.

She turned back to it. “What will you do with it? Destroy it?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I’ll have to think about it.”

His wife stepped forward, drawn by the curiosity of seeing the blade she wielded in another lifetime appear right before her. Her fingers ran along its edge before gripping the hilt.

And just like that, his sorceress stood before him once more.

The blade’s energy flickered, as if it recognized its past owner.

And then, it faded away.

She blinked in surprise. “It recognizes me…” she trailed off.

“But its not yours anymore,” Sylus completed. “You’re not the same person anymore.”

Truly, she wasn’t. Not the same scorned sorceress, heart brimming with vengeance, soul twisting with insatiable desires, greed and lust.

She was a mother now. A wife. With a home, a family, a job she loved. She was happy and fulfilled in this life.

She was complete.

She released a breath. “No wonder it stopped responding to me,” she let out a small laugh. “It would be worrisome if it still wanted me to wield it.”

Sylus hummed. He too was no longer the fiend it once bound. He was a husband and a father. A different existence.

“But…” his wife said. “If it didn’t show up for me, then why?”

He didn’t have the answer to that either.

Solana had been explicitly told not to go in her father’s most secure vault. It was holding something dangerous, they had told her, something they had yet to contain.

So, obviously, she snuck in.

She keyed in the code she had seen her father use (sneakily, of course) and slipped in. Clearly, the lack of a retina scanner or biometrics meant they wanted her to get in here.

There she saw it.

In the center of the dimply lit room, a single concentrated light above it.

A claymore. Dark red with inscriptions in a language she couldn’t read. The hilt twisted with power, a dark, dangerous power.

Every instinct of hers told her to stay away from it.

Yet, she stepped forward.

Her fingers curled around the hilt of the blade and she lifted it.

Immediately, it responded to her. The dark energy along its edge flared and swirled in a dark dance of joy.

Solana let out a breath. Her Evol crackled along her skin in tandem with the blade’s dark energy, creating a perfect harmony between darkness and light.

Was this what it felt like to be chosen by a weapon?

She swallowed, her pulse thrumming in her hands.

Behind her, without her knowing, her parents stood by the door, staring.

“It chose her…” her mother muttered.

Her father crossed his arms and leaned in the doorway. “I guess we know why it showed up again.”

She turned to him. “Sylus, we need to get it away from her,” her voice was determined, laced with concern. She had wielded the weapon once, knew just what it needed, what it took from her soul.

And yet, her husband didn’t budge.

“Sylus…”

“I don’t think that’s necessary.”

She blinked up at him in confusion. “Sylus, why…”

“It showed up in this world, and chose her.” He lifted his chin in his daughter’s direction. “That means that despite its past, it wants a different life.” He sighed. “Why else would it choose to be wielded by sunlight.”

“But we can’t let her wield it as is.”

“You’re right, we won’t.”

She saw the look he gave her. A silent, can I?

She breathed. “Sylus, you never need to ask me, you know that.” Her palm moved to rest against his cheek.

“You were its original master,” he said softly. “It’s only right I ask you before doing anything to it.”

She paused, the weight of his suggestion sinking in. “You’re really going to do it?”

He nodded, turning back to look at Solana, who was placing the blade back on its perch.

“It wants a different fate, it must be prepared to change,” he stated.

“Just like I did.”

The morning of Solana’s sixteenth birthday, Sylus sat down on the armchair opposite her, placing a long box on the table between them.

“Open it,” he urged.

Her gasp echoed through the living room when she opened the box. “Dad! This…is…”

She pulled out a claymore. Only? This was clearly a modified version of the one in the weapons vault.

Its blade was slimmer and sleeker, the same dark red as the original. Golden channels ran down the edges, flaring with her Evol when she held it. The weight, the balance, everything had been changed to suit Solana’s body type and her preferences perfectly.

Golden energy crackled along the blade as her hand gripped the hilt. She looked up, eyes falling on her father, who was leaning back in his chair. His lips curved up in a smile that was both smug and proud.

“Give it a swing,” he urged.

The words not able to get past her throat, she nodded. Standing up, she gripped the hilt of the sword and swung it in the empty area of the living room.

The sword crackled with her Evol, a perfect resonance, a perfect match.

She breathed, adrenaline thumping in her skin and her limbs jittery.

“Dad…it’s…perfect,” she finally managed out, her voice almost breaking.

Sylus chuckled softly. “It needs a name,” he said. “A new name for a new form.”

Solana looked at the massive blade in her hand, wheels spinning behind her intense crimson eyes.

Finally, she turned them towards her father.

“Radiant Fang,” she declared.

And Sylus? He leaned back in his chair, a cup of coffee in his hand, smirking proudly.

“It suits you.”

Chapter Text

The clinking of hangers and the shuffle of clothes were her only companion as Solana rifled through her parents’ massive walk-in closet.

She wasn’t snooping.

This time.

No, she actually had a reason to be here. A jacket missing from her own closet that her mother had mentioned might be in theirs. She was in here with their full knowledge. Focused. Searching for the thing that belonged to her. Moving aside her mother’s jackets, dresses and uniforms.

Sighing, she stepped over to the opposite side, her father’s. She began looking through the line of tailored suits, leather jackets, sweatshirts, and all the other things her father apparently called clothes.

It was there that she found it, in the back, hidden by everything else.

An unassuming garment bag.

She assumed it must be one of her father’s many, many suits. But it made no sense why it was at the back, rather than set with his other suits.

Was it something important to her father?

She couldn’t help herself. She needed to take a peek.

Solana slowly pulled the zipper down a little to expose only a bit of the garment within. She didn’t know what she was expecting, but she wasn’t expecting to find this.

A dress. A white gown, lace patterns, ivory and pearl detailing. Elegant, timeless, classy.

Her mother’s wedding dress.

Solana stood there, fingers just barely brushing over the preserved fabric. In her mind, she attempted to imagine it, her mother wearing it, walking down the aisle to her father waiting at the end.

Just then, her mother poked her head in. “Find what you were looking for, sweetie?”

Solana turned around. “Nope, but I found this!” Her voice was gleeful.

Her mother stepped in, curious as to what her nosy daughter had found now. However, her steps stalled when she saw the dress in her daughter’s hand. “Is that…”

“Mom! Did you really wear this when you married Dad?” Solana interrogated, voice trembling with excitement.

Her mother’s eyes remained on the dress, a fond smile pulling at her lips. “Yes, Solana. I did.”

Solana bounced on her heels at this point. “This is incredible!” she chirped. “I’m gonna go tell Dad!”

Before she could say anything, her daughter had already disappeared, leaving her mother behind in the closet, holding the white dress.

She turned back to it, noting how well it had been preserved, like it was a sacred relic. Unable to help herself, she pulled it out of the bag, letting it flow to the floor in all its glory.

She moved to the mirror, holding the dress up against her body as the memories began to flood in.

“Yeah, Tara, everything’s going fine over here. I’m really sorry you couldn’t be here. Skye…its…he’s shy. We wanted to have a very small ceremony, only family. Xavier’s here representing the Hunters, so you don’t have to worry! I’ll see you at the reception!”

Caleb hesitated outside the door, hand hovering over the handle. He had spent the last handful of months since the wedding was announced in his own feelings, wondering whether he should attend, whether he’d even be allowed to. Was he strong enough for this? Would it just be better for him to put distance between them? He had even considered taking an assignment elsewhere, so she wouldn’t have to see him again.

Maybe, the best thing for both of them was for them to never meet again.

He’d done his part. Grew up with her. Protected her. Came back from the dead for her. Loved her.

But she ended up marrying someone else.

Someone who Caleb hated to admit, was the best for her. Who would protect her, the way he couldn’t. Someone she was genuinely happy with.

He wasn’t an idiot. He knew his time was up. So maybe it was time for him to just leave, so she could enjoy this new chapter of her life without him interfering.

And yet, he couldn’t.

Because he couldn’t just walk away.

So here he was, in a tailored suit, about to go in and meet the bride right before the ceremony began.

Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand to knock. When he heard her call from within that the door was open, he stepped in, and froze.

“Wow.”

She looked up from where she sat, eyes widening when she saw him. “Caleb…” She got to her feet as her voice began choking up.

“Hey, hey, don’t cry,” he said softly, closing the distance between them. His palms came up to cradle her face, thumbs brushing just under her wet eyes. “Wouldn’t want to ruin your makeup this early. We still have the rest of the night.”

She let out a small, wet laugh. “I…I’m really glad you’re here, Caleb. I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

“I didn’t plan to,” Caleb admitted in a low voice. “But…it didn’t feel right to leave things like they were.”

She nodded. “I wanted to call you,” she said. “It didn’t feel right to have this day without you.”

Caleb gave a soft smile as her eyes fell to his collar. “You’re not in uniform,” she murmured, placing a hand on his heart.

His hand moved to cover hers. “I’m not here as the Fleet’s Colonel. Just Caleb. Your Caleb.” His amethyst eyes gazed at her once more, in her dress. “God, you’re beautiful,” he breathed. “You’re truly all grown up now.”

His heart swelled with a multitude of emotions. Pride, happiness, as well as heartbreak. Because this dress wasn’t for him.

“Caleb? Are you okay?” she asked.

He shook himself out of his thoughts, turning back to her big, questioning eyes looking up at him. “Yeah,” he said, voice thick. “I’m just processing the fact that you’re really going to marry Sylus.”

She sighed. “Please don’t start again,” she pleaded. “I know you two aren’t exactly amiable with each other, but he respects you. Supports your reforming the Fleet. Heck, didn’t you say he gave you back your life?”

Caleb gave a dark chuckle as his thumb swiped over her cheek. He could feel the heat of her skin under his fingers, truly feel it. His mind ran with multiple emotions, but there was no other presence lurking in the back of his mind, assessing his emotions, judging them as useful or not, talking about suppressing his emotions or rewriting his memories. He could feel, breathe, live. All returned to him by Sylus.

“Yeah,” he said. “He gave me back my life. But he took away my reason to live.”

Her breath hitched at that. “Caleb…”

He shook his head. “No,” he said. “It’s fine. I understand.” His smile was soft, mournful. “He loves you in a way I never can. I’m your past, but he’s your future.”

She swallowed at that. “It…doesn’t have to be that way.”

Caleb raised an eyebrow.

“Walk me down the aisle.”

He almost choked on air. “Wh…”

She stepped forward, determination rising in her gaze as she became ever convinced of her absolutely hare-brained idea. “Please, Caleb. I have no one else.” She held his gaze. “And I don’t just want us to go our separate ways. Not when we only have each other in this world.”

Caleb let out a dark chuckle. “You really asked the bastard who confessed his love for you to walk you down the aisle?” It was more a statement than a question, a tinge of self-loathing, his hatred at how pathetic he was.

She shook her head, grabbing his hand. “I asked my only family,” she clarified. “You’ve always been there for me, ever since we were kids. I want you to be by my side now, as I start this new chapter of my life.”

He looked at her. Despite her determination, there was worry in her gaze.

He knew exactly what she was asking him, and also doing. Drawing a clear boundary between them. Closing a chapter of their lives forever. And yet, inviting him into her new one.

And she was worried he’d refuse.

He let out a shaky breath. “Sure, pip-squeak.”

Her eyes widened. “You…you’d really do that?”

Caleb nodded. “I already made my choice when I decided to come,” he said. “And…” He held out his hand for her. “I’d rather be in your life as family, than never see you again. I already tried, and it tore me apart.”

She placed her hand in his, his fingers tightening around her smaller palm. “If family is the role I must be to stay in your life, then so be it.”

Her eyes welled with tears once more, and she quickly blinked them away. Caleb offered her his arm, and she held onto his elbow as they began to walk towards the doors to the chapel.

“Stay frosty,” he said. “This is your big day.”

Her throat was tight, heart beating loud enough that she swore he could hear it. Unconsciously, she gripped his arm ever so slightly.

“Still,” Caleb leaned down slightly to whisper to her, “if he doesn’t stop breathing when he sees you, I’ll kill him myself.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity, feeling it dispel the tension wound around her heart as she approached the giant doors. Tension and anxiety eventually made way for anticipation.

The doors to the decorated chapel opened. The few heads within turned, rising as the bride appeared, clutching onto Caleb’s arm.

Zayne, standing at the top of the platform, raised a curious eyebrow upon seeing her on Caleb’s arm. He shot them a look of “we’ll talk about this later.”

Somehow, they had gotten Zayne to agree to officiate. It had come as a surprise to them that Zayne was legally authorized to do ceremonies, but apparently he was. And he agreed, in return for her giving him free use of her loyalty card to the dessert store round the corner from Akso Hospital, since he had long maxed his own out.

At the bottom of the stairs, Sylus awaited them. At first, he had turned to stare at the décor, at the stained-glass windows, the pipe organ on the raised platform, the venue transformed into a paradise just for them. Datura blooming along the walls, mingling with other flowers, their sweet scent providing a truly heady experience to this occasion.

But when the doors opened and he turned? He didn’t even notice that she was on Caleb’s arm.

No, his gaze was on her.

For a moment, it looked like he had lost the ability to breathe.

It took less than a minute to cross the chapel to him, but for her, it felt like years. Years that couldn’t go by fast enough, so she could be in his arms again.

They finally reached him, and Caleb placed her hand in Sylus’s. He leaned forward, his voice low.

“Protect her.”

Sylus nodded. “You know I will.”

And with a bittersweet smile, Caleb stepped back, heading to his seat.

As for Sylus, his fingers squeezed hers quickly, before he began to lead her up the stairs to where Zayne awaited them.

Along the way, he leaned down to her slightly. “This was your idea, wasn’t it?” he asked.

She grinned. “I wanted to surprise you.”

He gave a fond shake of his head. “When you asked to take over planning for the ceremony, I’ll admit I was curious as to what you’d come up with.” He cast a look around the place, a reimagining of their past, yet holding their future within.

“So you like it?” she asked.

He gave a chuckle. “I love it.”

She beamed. It had taken weeks of planning, of convincing him to let her take over the ceremony itself, of pulling details from her memories and trying to recreate it down to the last piece of painted glass. To know it had all been worth it, just to see that look of gratitude and wonder in his eyes, made her heart skip a beat.

By that point, they had reached the top of the platform, their forms silhouetted by the light flowing in through the stained glass. They faced each other, hand in hand, hearts aligned.

Zayne took this as his sign to start.

“It’s been a long road, for all of us gathered here,” he said, looking between the two of them. “We’ve experienced the end of the world, and come out stronger. And nothing is more a testament to that strength, than the weight of this union.”

He turned to Sylus. “You’ve prepared your own vows?”

Sylus nodded. For the first time since she’d met him, the look in his eyes was vulnerable, nervous, yet undeniably happy. Gone was the ruthless crime lord, leaving behind a simple man.

“When I first came to this world, all I could do was survive,” he said. “I never really lived, until I met you.” His crimson eyes softened, his gaze unflinching from her.

“You did the unthinkable. You gave a monster the chance to be human. And I’ll spend the rest of my existence being thankful that I met you.”

He took a deep breath. “I once said I wanted more memories of us, until they outnumbered the memories without. Now? I want to cherish every second we spend, our past, our present, our future, until doomsday itself arrives.”

He lifted her hand to press his lips against her knuckles. “Every moment in the now, every second yet to come, I’ll spend them all grateful that I get to love you.”

She let out a shaky breath. All the hours of preparing the words to say to him dissipated like they were nothing. And honestly, she wasn’t sure she could even talk anymore.

“Even the end of the world couldn’t end our story,” she replied to him. “There is one truth I know; I choose you, Sylus. Every day, for the rest of my days, I will wake up and choose you again and again. Because that’s how I get to love you.”

She didn’t even recognize the tears that had begun to run down her cheeks, for even they didn’t dare blur her vision.

“I’ll choose you, every day, every second, until time itself comes to an end.”

The look on his face was one she had never seen before, a mix of utter love, gratitude, and just emotion.

“Marriage is an important step in a relationship,” Zayne said, looking at them both. “It means waking up every day, and choosing to spend it with your person. It means being each other’s partners, not just spouses. It’s in the mundane moments as much as in the exciting ones.”

He held out the ring box, watching them as they removed them from their velvet resting place. “Do you take each other to be your partner not just in love, but in life?”

Sylus held up her hand, sliding the ring onto her finger. “I do.”

She, in turn, slid the ring onto his. “I do.”

Zayne nodded. “You may kiss.”

When Sylus’s lips found hers, the rest of the world fell away. It was just them, and this promise now etched into their hearts, their forever.

A few hours later, they stood in a large garden, fielding well wishes and congratulations from friends and acquaintances who only knew Sylus as Skye.

She certainly did not enjoy telling Zayne this.

“So, all your colleagues believe you’re marrying a fruit vendor…” he trailed off.

“Yes!” she exclaimed. “So please don’t tell them anything!”

Zayne pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head in disbelief. “You owe me.”

Meanwhile, Rafayel was somewhere, grumbling, “I can’t believe someone actually asked me whose side I’m from. Clearly I’m from the bride’s side!”

Xavier had found the snack station and was helping himself to a generous quantity of food.

After what felt like hours of being hugged by Tara and congratulated by all of her colleagues, her friends from college and school, other acquaintances, her legs felt ready to give up. She was about to sink into a chair when Sylus stepped forward, holding his hand out to her.

“You’re not off the hook yet, kitten,” he chuckled lightly.

Before she could ask what he was talking about, light music began to fill the venue. He took her hand and led her towards the clearing set aside for dancing.

It took her a few moments, but she realized she recognized this song. “Sylus! Is this…?”

“The song that played that night at the auction?” he supplied, a smug smile pulling at his lips. “Our first dance?”

She blinked, then threw her head back and laughed.

He leaned in. “You’re not the only one who had a surprise planned.”

She recalled the memory of that fateful night. When he had promised her the Aether Core’s location, but only after a dance. What had he said to her back then? “Refuse me all you want.”

She had been so hesitant to take his hand back then. And here she was now, taking his hand like it always belonged there.

They swayed in tune to the music, eyes locked on each other, their feet taking the same steps as a year prior. Only now, they were actually married, a new chapter in their lives. For that moment, the past and the present collided, preserved in the memory of this dance they shared.

Just as the second song started, Sylus stopped. He tilted his head towards Caleb, leaning against a table and watching the happy couple dance. “Go on,” he told her.

She reached up to place a grateful kiss on his cheek before going up to Caleb.

Her childhood friend placed his glass of champagne aside. “You okay, pip-squeak?” he asked.

She nodded. “Never better.” She cleared her throat. “Will you dance with me?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You sure?”

She hummed. “You walked me down the aisle. So now I get to demand a dance from you.”

He laughed lightly, holding out his hand. She took it, pulling him along onto the dance floor.

They danced in silence, yet their gaze spoke volumes. It was pride, happiness, yet also sadness at the final closing of a door.

She was almost immediately dragged away by Rafayel the second the song ended, demanding his turn. He spun her in wild circles, making her laugh.

“I’m really happy for you, you know?” he told her, voice serious. “After all you’ve been through, you deserve it.”

“I wouldn’t have done it without you.”

He sighed softly. “I’m glad I get to be a part of your story.”

The song came to an end, and the clearing of a throat behind him made Rafayel turn. Xavier stood there, adjusting his tie.

“If you’re done?”

Rafayel pouted, but stepped away, grumbling about how he was entitled to at least two more dances with the bride (for what reason no one was sure.) Xavier held out his hand to her.

“Might I request a dance with the bride?”

She obliged. They spun in gentle circles, until the song came to an end.

She stepped in front of Zayne, who had been standing by, watching her silently. Holding out her hand, she asked, “Well, aren’t you going to ask me to dance?”

He gave a fond shake of his head, taking her hand and repeating the question, even if the answer was obvious.

“I’m proud of you, you know?” he told her as they danced.

She took a breath. “You are?”

He nodded. “You’ve been through a lot. And after everything, I’m glad you found someone to share your life with.”

She glanced down for a moment. “Thank you, Zayne,” she said, sincerely. “For always being there.”

He smiled softly, then spun her, to her surprise. Especially when he let go of her hand.

She understood why when her back met a solid force, a very familiar one.

“Finally,” she heard Sylus’s voice in her ear. “I was getting tired of seeing you dancing with other men.”

Her throat clogged up again.

Zayne, her oldest friend, the one who literally cared for her heart, had sent her into the arms of the man she chose to make a life with.

She turned to face Sylus.

“You’re mine for the rest of the evening, my beloved,” he said. His arm snuck around her waist to pull her closer to him. “Any objections?”

“And for the rest of your life,” she added.

He chuckled. “Yes, from now on, until forever.”

“Until time itself comes to an end.”

As the memories finally lifted, she took a wistful look at the dress once more.

“Still as radiant as the day I first saw you in it.”

She turned around.

Sylus leaned against the open door, arms crossed, a fond smile on his face. He had barely aged since then, the only difference a handful of extra wrinkles around his eyes that she had to go looking for. He was dressed in his casual grey sweatshirt, glasses resting on his nose. His eyes twinkled with love and memory.

“Sol told me you were here,” he offered, pushing off from the wall and walking up behind her.

“I can’t believe you kept this,” she said. In the mirror, she saw the image of herself holding the dress up, with her husband behind her. His arms came to wrap around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

“I told you, didn’t I? I wanted more memories of us.” He gave a light chuckle. “Did you really think I was going to let you return this dress? Of course I bought it.”

She shook her head lightly. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet, you married me.”

“I did.” She turned her head slightly to catch his gaze. “I still can’t believe it’s been nearly fifteen years.”

Almost fifteen years ago, she stood in a cathedral, an echo from another life where they had been torn apart, and had pledged her life and days to him.

“Time certainly flies,” he murmured. “Yet, I can still remember it like it was yesterday.”

He took the dress from her. “And, I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing you in this dress again.”

She laughed. “Are you suggesting we renew our vows?”

“Is there a need to renew something that would never expire?” he raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know about you, but I’ve kept up my vows.” He pressed a soft kiss to the side of her neck. “I wake up every day utterly thankful that you’ve given me the chance to have a family.”

She shivered lightly.

“Although, I don’t think another ceremony would be such a bad idea.” She squealed as he lifted her, clutching onto his shoulders. “Solana can be the flower girl.”

She laughed. “She’d decide on special effects and probably burn the place down.”

“We’d get to have the most memorable event in that case.”

She shook her head, laughing.

This was her life. The man she chose. And she never regretted a second of it.

“You said you wanted to preserve our memories,” she said as he set her down. “Is the dress all you kept?”

He held out a hand. “Why don’t I show you?”

Chapter Text

She was 2.

The rain poured down around them, blurring the streets and the lights. Solana skipped happily, one hand clutched in her father’s palm. She was dressed in a little red raincoat, though her father did still have an umbrella, especially since she seemed to be tugging free every few minutes to go jump in a puddle.

It made their route home twice as long, but Sylus didn’t mind, since she seemed to be having fun.

Suddenly, she skidded to a stop, giving a gasp.

He paused in his step. “Solana?”

“Daddy! Look!”

He followed her finger to find a small fish in a puddle. Likely from an outflow, now stuck, flapping uselessly in shallow water. A futile attempt at clinging to whatever remained of its life.

But Solana clearly didn’t see it that way. She bent over and plucked a leaf off a nearby plant. Moving to the puddle, she squatted, holding the leaf over the flopping fish.

“So he won’t get wet in the rain!” she exclaimed, beaming at the thought of helping out.

Sylus gently shook his head, releasing a deep sigh. He could see the fish was nearing its end, the life slowly ebbing from it. However, he didn’t try to drag Solana away, or explain to her it wouldn’t last much longer. He stayed silent.

Instead, he moved closer to her, tilting the umbrella over her to keep her dry.

Even if it meant that it left him exposed to the elements instead.

The rain soaked through his jacket, right through his clothes, and yet he didn’t move. Eventually, Solana got up, beaming. “He’ll be fine now!” She skipped back to her father.

He smiled. “He sure will.”

When they returned home, his wife was met with a very drenched husband and her daughter rambling about protecting a fish from the rain. She raised an exasperated eyebrow at Sylus, looking like he’d taken a dip in the ocean with the way the rainwater dripped off his soaked jacked he removed.

“You knew the fish was going to die, and yet you still did this?” she asked, once Solana had hopped off to her room to warm up.

“She wanted to help, who was I to stop her?” he chuckled. His wife retrieved a towel and began running it through his dripping hair.

As she did, his eyes softened, the smug and menace ebbing out, replaced only by pure honesty. “She cares,” he said simply. “I won’t teach her that’s wrong.”

His wife stilled. “Oh, Sylus…” she trailed off.

For a man raised in a world where empathy meant one’s death, where the cost of caring was your own life…It made perfect sense that he would do all he could to ensure his child didn’t end up hesitating to show concern. It had been part of the whole reason they moved out of the N109 Zone, why they lived a fairly normal life away from the wasteland. Because they’d wanted to raise her with everything they didn’t get to have.

Her heart wavering, she grumbled. “Still, umbrellas are meant to keep you both dry,” she scolded lightly, rubbing his hair with a tad bit more force than necessary. “Or did you think it was just a prop? I don’t want my husband to return looking like he took an impromptu swim, you know?”

Sylus then tilted his head, crimson eyes focused on his wife, mirth twinkling within them. His lips curved into a smug smile.

“Why? I thought you liked me wet.”

Face going a deep shade of red, she swatted him with a rolled towel.

Solana was 4.

It had been one of those unfortunate situations where nothing lined up; his wife on a mission, Caleb busy with an op and not available to babysit, Zayne in a long surgery, Rafayel at an exhibition, Xavier accompanying his wife, even Luke and Kieran were busy in the N109 Zone taking care of some business on his behalf. So Sylus had no choice but to bring Solana along to his meeting with a black-market vendor at his sprawling estate on the outskirts of Linkon City, and leave her in the care of one of his underlings.

Which meant it was only a matter of time before she’d gone missing.

Sylus emerged from the meeting room after finalizing the deal, only to find a sheepish and frankly terrified young man trembling from head to foot. “B-boss, I tried…but…”

He sighed deeply. “I’ll deal with you later,” he told the other.

Luckily, he already knew where she was.

He stepped outside the opulent mansion. He found her sitting on a stump, eyes fixed on someone standing in the garden area a few meters away. The man wore a thick leather glove, holding it up as a massive falcon landed on his outstretched finger.

Sylus’s lips curved into a small smile, noting how she hadn’t even noticed his presence yet.

He leaned down. “Are you curious?” he asked.

Solana nearly jumped in surprise, but her composure returned when she saw it was just her own father. The eager glint returned to her eyes as she nodded.

Sylus gave a soft chuckle before giving a whistle. The falconer immediately heeded his call, heading to them and bowing. Sylus exchanged a few words with him and the falconer took off his glove and handed it to him.

He slipped the padded leather glove on, blowing the whistle the falconer had given him to summon the bird of prey.

It swopped down from the sky with a shrill call, landing perfectly on his finger. It fluffed its chest feathers lightly before accepting the piece of meat Sylus offered it, regarding him with intelligent golden eyes.

Sylus bent down, lowering his hand so Solana could see the bird up close. Her ruby eyes were wide open, tiny hands covering her mouth in excitement at seeing such a specimen up close for the first time in her life.

“You recognize the species, don’t you?” he chuckled. “Tell me what it is.”

“It’s a Linkon Black Kite!” she exclaimed. Then she proceeded to rattle off information she’d learned about the bird from watching nature documentaries.

He laughed lightly. “Good girl.”

She was 6.

Sylus had wandered out towards the garden in their home. Solana had been outside longer than usual, and the house had been too quiet. While at first he’d been thankful for some quiet so he could finish his business, his dad senses had been tingling when it was too quiet.

He found her standing right outside the sliding glass doors, soaked and dripping, a cardboard box in her arms. High pitched chirping emanated from the box as she looked slightly sheepish at being caught sneaking back in her current state.

She tilted the box towards her father at his raised eyebrow. Within the box sat four tiny chicks, damp and fluttering about, too young to be able to fly. “I found them in the garden with the nest destroyed,” she explained. “I…I don’t think they have a mom. And…I wanted to help.”

Sylus let out a deep sigh.

Solana expected to be scolded, but instead her father reached out and ruffled her wet hair.

“Let’s see what we can do,” he said. “But first, get inside and dry off.”

Her shoulders eased as she let out the tense breath she’d been holding.

Over the next few hours, Sylus identified the chicks as belonging to a rare species of bird that had nested in their garden, but were unfortunately targeted by a predator. In no time, he’d contacted the Wildlife Protection Society, and they dropped by to move the chicks to a facility where their trained handlers would raise them, and eventually set them free in a sanctuary.

“Did I do good?” Solana asked him after everything was done, and she was curled up on the couch under a warm blanket, sipping hot milk.

Sylus, under the blanket with her curled into his side, gave a soft smile. “Yeah, you did good, little dragon.” His large hand smoothed her silver hair down, a reflection of his own.

Months later, he took her to visit the facility to check on the chicks. They’d grown well, downy fluff giving way to sleek, vibrant feathers. They weren’t old enough to fly just yet, but they were already hopping around and flapping their wings like they were ready to take off at any moment.

Solana watched them with soft laughter, and Sylus, in turn, watched her with pride in his eyes.

She was 7.

Ever since he’d taken her to the ranch two years prior, she’d been getting regular riding lessons. And all things considered, she was pretty good. Of course she would be; Sylus trained her himself.

He watched as she dismounted off the horse she’d learned to ride on, who happened to be the mare bonded to his black stallion. The Akhal-Teke stallion himself lingered by the paddock fence, keeping a watchful eye over the proceedings, like a king watching over his kingdom.

His young foal came up to stand by him. In the past few years, it had really filled out. While not as big as its father, it was now less like a leggy adolescent and more like a proper horse.

As the groom took the mare away to get her untacked and released into the pasture once more, Solana scampered up to the fence, reaching out to pet the young horse, who greeted her with a delighted snort.

Sylus chuckled, leaning against fence next to her. “You like Nocturne’s foal that much?”

Solana nodded. “I do! She’s really pretty!”

“She’s yours.”

She stilled, her hand still petting the horse’s sleek nose. Her eyes were wide as she turned to her father. “Really?”

Sylus nodded. “You’ll care for her, feed her, groom her, and when she’s trained, you’ll ride her.”

She gave a laugh, turning back to the horse. “Hear that? You’re mine!”

The horse responded to her infectious energy with a soft neigh.

Sylus gently chuckled. “It also means she’s yours to name.”

Solana turned to him. “She doesn’t have a name yet?”

Sylus shrugged. “I didn’t bother giving her one yet, not when I always knew she’d find her true owner soon.”

She flushed at that. “W-well, what did everyone call her till now?”

“The grooms called her Little Red till now. I have no idea how it stuck,” Sylus admitted. “But you’re free to pick a proper name for her.”

Solana turned back to look at the young horse. Her coat black, shining like midnight oil. The white blaze down her face, tinting her nose a baby pink. Soft brown eyes that shined when locked on her.

A name materialized in her mind.

“Lumi,” she said.

Sylus raised an eyebrow. “Where did you get that name?”

“From my book!” she exclaimed. “The main character was a black unicorn named Lumi! And this Lumi resembles the Lumi in the book!”

Sylus chuckled softly. He remembered the illustrated book well. He’d read it to her cover to cover when she was younger, and even now she often asked him to read it to her, despite being more than capable of reading on her own. He’d read to her, noting how her eyes shined with amazement at the illustrations that popped up every few pages.

“It suits her,” he grinned.

On the side, the black stallion himself gave a snort, as if he too approved of the name Solana had chosen for his daughter.

She was 10.

She returned home from school only to find the estate in chaos. Loud barking and growling wafting through the walls. Solana followed the sound till she ended up in the backyard.

There, chained up and behind a fence, was a massive dog. Large, bulky head, wide jaws open in a permanent snarl, spittle flying from sharp dagger-like teeth as it lunged at the figure standing by it. At Sylus.

Solana went up to her father. “Dad, what’s this?” she asked.

The estate workers behind her made to move, but Sylus stopped them with a wave of his hand. The look in his eyes was obvious; let her approach.

The large hound threw itself at its restraints, its jaws snapping shut close to Solana. The child jumped a bit and clutched onto her father’s sleeve.

“Dad? What’s going on?” she asked.

He glanced at her. Despite the look of the nearly rabid dog, her eyes didn’t hold much fear. Rather, they were filled with curiosity, and pity.

“A rescue,” he explained to her. “They wanted to make him a guard dog. But they didn’t give him a reason to protect. Instead, they sowed fear in him.”

“So, he’s scared?” she asked, her grip on his sleeve tightening ever so slightly.

“He’s terrified.”

She looked back at him, the hesitance in her gaze replaced by determination. “What can we do to help?”

His lips curved. Just as he expected of his little girl.

“We wait.”

Saying so, he sat down with a grunt. Solana followed his movements, settling down next to him. The two waited in silence as the minutes passed, the sun continuing its journey across the sky.

With time, the dog’s barking lessened until it came to a proper stop. Solana made to move towards it, but Sylus caught her arm.

“Not yet,” he told her.

She sat back on her heels.

Eventually, the dog stopped cowering behind the fence to slowly creep towards it. Its nose twitched as it sniffed them through the bars. Its body was still wound tight, still unsure if they were enemy or ally. However, curiosity had begun to overcome terror.

Sylus reached a hand out. At first, the dog shrank, its upper lip drawing back slightly with a small growl. However, Sylus didn’t move.

Slowly, the dog reached over and sniffed his palm.

Solana’s face erupted in a delighted smile, though she kept quiet so as to not startle it and erase the progress they’d made.

“See?” Sylus told her gently. “Give them respect, and they’ll return it to you tenfold.”

Sylus leaned against the door, watching his family curled up on the couch together.

Solana was 14 now, back after a long day. She leaned against her mother, wrapped up in a cozy blanket, dozing off with her head on her shoulder. Her mother tucked the blanket around her tighter, continuing to scroll through reports on her tablet. On the ground, Ash curled up at their feet, his big head on his paws. Mephisto perched on the headrest behind them like a tiny grumpy gargoyle.

Sylus sipped his tea, eyes resting on Ash.

Of course, a part of him had always known that when his child stood in front of him holding that muddy, wet puppy, that the dog would not be leaving their home. Sure, he’d resisted, but it had been a futile endeavor. That dog was always meant to be a part of their family.

And maybe, it wasn’t so bad after all.

His wife looked up from her work, catching him. Raising an amused eyebrow, she patted the spot on the couch beside her. Sylus responded with a short chuckle, pushing away from the door to go over to them.

He slipped onto the couch, wrapping his arm around his wife and daughter. Solana mumbled something in her sleep, shifting slightly when she felt her father’s touch. His wife leaned into him as he exhaled softly, relishing in this peace he never thought he’d be able to have.

At his feet, Ash moved, giving a large yawn before setting his head on Sylus’s foot.

Chapter Text

When she got off the plane after a trip to Goldwood City for a week, she wasn’t greeted with her husband waiting to pick her up. Rather, she picked up a call from a very irritated Solana.

“Mooooom,” Solana complained, and she could have sworn the pre-teen’s voice could be heard by every one of her teammates. “Dad’s being troublesome again. Come back and talk to him. I won’t because I’m mad at him.”

She cut the call before her mother could ask any further questions, leading her to sigh and look through her phone. She found it odd that there were no messages from Sylus, but only a voice message from Caleb.

“You might want to check on Sylus,” he said. “He asked me to take Solana for the week so she could spend time with Gray, but then showed up the next day to take her back. And he didn’t look too well either.”

If even Caleb had noticed something, it certainly was big.

She frowned softly at her phone.

Some fluctuations in the Deepspace Tunnel had ended up causing a unique disturbance: Metaflux storms in Goldwood City. She, along with the rest of Alpha Team (minus Xavier), had been sent there to assist the Hunters. It had taken a few days, but as the fluctuations subsided, so did the Wanderer waves, and they had been allowed to return.

Before she left, Sylus had assured her that he and Solana would be fine.

Well, clearly he wasn’t.

Of course, he had sent someone to pick her up, even if he couldn’t be there himself. On the way to the estate, she ran her mind over their last conversation before she left for the airport. He’d seemed fine, his usual smug, self-assured self, telling her to go do her best because he’d hold down the fort at home.

Maybe whatever afflicted him happened after she left.

When she opened the door, she was tackled by Solana, the child holding on tightly. “You’re finally back!” she exclaimed.

She smiled, patting her daughter’s silver hair. “Luckily I didn’t have to stay longer,” she said. As Solana pulled away from her, she looked around, expecting to see Sylus waiting to greet her with a kiss like he always did whenever she got back from a trip. “Solana, where’s your father?”

“Hmph!” The eleven-year-old crossed her arms, lips pursed in an annoyed pout. “I don’t know, and I couldn’t care less!”

“Solana,” she said, a slight warning in her voice.

The child turned away. “He’s been avoiding me all week,” she said, and her mother didn’t miss the way her voice trembled. “First he tells me to go play with Gray in Skyhaven, then brings me back, but locks himself away and won’t talk to me. He won’t play with me, won’t help me with my homework, but he won’t let me go anywhere either!”

Her mother sighed, pulling her into a hug. “I’m so sorry, sweetie,” she murmured into her hair. “Why don’t you go to your room? I’ll talk to your father and find out what’s going on.”

Her daughter smooshed her face into her chest, wriggling slightly. “Is he mad at me?” she asked softly.

“I don’t think so, sweetie,” her mother assured her instantly. “You know your dad doesn’t get mad at you, right? There must be something else.” She pulled away and pressed a soft kiss to her hair. “Now go. I’ll handle things.”

Solana stayed quiet, eyes a bit wet as she turned and rushed upstairs to her room. Her mother looked down at Ash, the german shepherd waiting patiently for a pat and his turn to greet her.

“Be with her,” she told the dog with a pat. “Don’t let her be sad.”

Almost as if he understood her, the dog got up and trotted upstairs after the child. Alone, she let out a deep sigh before going to find her husband and sort this mess out.

The butler led her to the familiar door of Sylus’s study. “Mr. Sylus is in there, though he has instructed us to not disturb him at any cost.”

She nodded. “Thank you. You can go now.”

With a bow, the butler left. She raised a hand to knock. “Sylus? It’s me.”

The sound of shuffling came from the other side, then the mechanical click of a lock being undone. She raised an eyebrow as the door opened.

Her husband stood on the other side, looking worse for wear. Sweat clung to his forehead, damp hair clinging to his temples. Dark circles under his eyes. His chest heaved with deep breaths.

“Sylus?” she gasped, panic filling her. Instantly, her hand shot up to feel his forehead. “You’re burning up!”

He chuckled softly. “You won’t even let me welcome you home?” he asked, though his voice was languid, even a bit pained.

She stepped inside, closing the door behind her. “What happened?” she asked, pushing his wet hair off his forehead, the heat radiating off his skin. “Are you sick?”

He shook his head. “Not this time.” His arm came up to wrap around her waist, bringing her closer to him while she continued her fussing.

“Then what?” she demanded. Nothing seemed to make sense. If Sylus was sick, then why did he send Solana to Skyhaven and then proceed to bring her back the next day?

“It’s the problem.”

Her gaze flicked to his right eye the moment he said that. And true to his words, there was a faint red glow emanating from it.

“Your Aether Core is acting up again…”

He nodded, letting her lead him to the couch in his office and sitting him down. She took his face in her hands, examining it carefully.

“This makes no sense,” she murmured. “Why is it flaring now? If its responding to the Deepspace Tunnel fluctuations, they’re causing storms all the way in Goldwood City, not here. Why are you being affected when you’re so far away from it?”

“Because…” he sighed, his hand rising to cup hers where it rested against his cheek. “The object of its desire is here.”

The object of its desire?

“What does it want this time?” she asked carefully. She was more than familiar with his insatiable Aether Core and how it would act up. Though, she had to admit, she had let her guard down, since it hadn’t acted up in years. At least not like this. Till now, most of its demands had been simple to meet, just a meal or a rare item.

She racked her brain, running through countless possibilities. What was in this house that the Aether Core could want this bad that it had reduced Sylus to this state? To make him act so out of character even someone like Caleb had noticed?

Her mind went back to the last time she’d seen him in a similar state. Somehow, it had been over a decade ago. And back then? The Core had wanted her.

“Does it want me again?” she asked, then immediately shook her head. It didn’t make sense. She’d been away the whole week. Sylus had said it wanted someone in the house.

A possibility arose in her mind. “Does it want Solana?” she asked, eyes narrowing at the suggestion.

Her heart sank a bit when he nodded. The idea that the Aether Core had latched onto her daughter? That was not a comforting situation.

“What does it want from her?” she asked.

“To protect her.” It seemed that it had thrown him so off his balance that he wasn’t spending time letting her chase shadows, and going straight to the point.

Upon seeing her confused gaze, he continued. “Remember when I told you about three basic desires?”

She nodded. “The desire to kill, the desire to conquer, and the desire to protect.” Sylus had told her about it multiple times through the years. “So, the Aether Core wants to protect Solana?” she wondered.

When his only response was a pained sigh, as if the revelation from her caused him pain, she sat up. Straddling him, she placed a palm on his chest.

“Let me,” she said. “Show me, so I can help you.”

His eyes widened slightly. “Don’t-“

Too late.

The resonance flared between them as she closed her eyes. The normal warmth of his embrace felt like a furnace, leaving her feeling like a slow cooking frog in a pot. But what swept over her wasn’t the normal desire she often felt from him.

It was intense, hot, desperate. The feelings collided against her. She felt like she was barely standing upright in a storm, waves of intense emotion threatening to sweep her away any second.

If she concentrated, she could hear a dim voice, but it wasn’t the familiar voice she’d hear before, the one that was an echo of hers. This one was different.

“Protect her…Don’t lose her again…”

“Stop.”

She snapped out of her trance. Below her, Sylus watched with steady yet pained crimson eyes. He had interrupted their resonance by pulling her hand off his chest. It now lay limply in his hand, as they both exchanged heaving breaths.

For some reason, she felt tears pricking her eyes. “Sylus…it wants to protect her that much…”

He nodded. “It wants to go even further,” he explained, his voice low, soft, as if even speaking was painful. Somehow, their resonance this time didn’t seem to help him. In fact, it seemed to have made him worse. “It wants to keep her here, close to me. To lock her up so she can’t go anywhere. Where I can keep an eye on her at all times.”

That intense desire still fluttering through her skin, she swallowed thickly. “And you disagree with it?”

He smiled despite the pain and discomfort. “I’m her father, not her jailer,” he said simply. “I’m not here to keep her like some princess locked up in a tower. That’s not what I want for our girl.”

The emotion clogging her throat was different now. “And what’s that?”

“I want her to live. To fly. To see the world in all its colors.”

Something clenched around her heart, though it didn’t feel like hers. Somehow, it felt like she was experiencing an echo, an echo of his own emotions.

She raised a hand to wipe some more sweat off his brow. He’d been fighting against a desire that intense, because he didn’t want to compromise his morals, his ideals about how to raise her. He knew what it was like to be trapped and caged, and the last thing he wanted was for his little girl to go through even a bit of the same thing. He’d objected to the suppressor at first for the same reason as well.

“Is that why you’re trying to keep her at a distance?” she inquired.

He gave a hollow laugh. “Trying to,” he murmured. “I thought I could send her to Skyhaven until I was better, but I got worse. So I brought her back.”

Her brows furrowed, recalling the message Caleb left her. “So you need her in the vicinity, but you’re still keeping her away from you. Why?”

His hand rose up to brush a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Because…” he said, voice barely above a whisper. “I’m worried I’ll do something to her that I’ll regret.”

That made her still. “Do you really think your Aether Core would make you hurt her?”

“Is it really that hard to believe?” he asked. “You know better than anyone that the worst hurt can come from the ones who love you the most.”

Her voice died in her throat. As usual, he was right, right about everything. Yet, she couldn’t believe it. The idea that the same man who waited eagerly for that child to be born, whispering words of devotion when she was still in her belly, could potentially harm her…

He breathed softly, running the back of his knuckles against her cheek. “You sound so surprised,” he commented. “Have you forgotten what I truly am?”

The words hung in the air between them as she stared at her husband. The way he had said it…His voice had been filled with resignation, as if becoming a monster was just something inevitable for him.

She frowned. “No,” she said. Grabbing his face, she forced him to look at her, eye to eye. “Have you forgotten what you are? Because I know exactly what you are.”

“And what’s that?”

“You’re a father. And fathers don’t hurt their children,” she replied with an air of finality. “Especially not fathers like you, who fight against themselves to the extent of making themselves sick, because they love their children that much.”

She leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together. “Even if you’re a monster, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re a father. And I don’t think you could hurt Solana even if you tried to.”

He gave a gentle huff. “You really want to take that chance?”

She studied him once more. All she found, hidden within the depths of his jewel-encrusted gaze, was fear. Fear of himself. Fear of being unable to control himself. Fear of hurting the child he loved more than himself.

Letting out a deep sigh, she relented. “Fine,” she said. “Get some rest. I’ll tell her you’ve come down with something contagious and that’s why you’ve been keeping her at arm’s length.” She grumbled slightly. “She’s going to ask why you brought her back from Skyhaven if you’re contagious, but I’ll think of an excuse.”

Sylus nodded, raising their intertwined hands to press his lips to her fingers. “Thank you.”

“You know she thinks you’re mad at her, right?” she informed.

His eyes widened. “How could I?”

She shrugged. “Well, that’s what it looks like to her.” She sighed. “But it’s alright. I’ll handle it.”

With that, his wife finally stepped off, allowing him to lie down on the couch, since he didn’t want to head to the bedroom just yet. She draped a blanket over him, pressed a kiss to his damp brow, and left the room, thinking of what excuse would work on an inquisitive yet sharp child who might see through the lies at once.

Lying down didn’t help to ease the throbbing in his skull, nor the ever growing pressure behind his eye. He sought relief in attempting to fall asleep, yet the heat, the pain, the voices in his head, all kept him awake. It was all he could do to stop himself from tearing out his own eye.

He exhaled heavily, eyes closed, arm thrown over his face.

Still, he was alert enough to hear the door creak open.

“You shouldn’t be here, Solana,” he murmured softly, not even moving from his prone position.

Even without opening his eyes, he could imagine her cute little pout. “How’d you know it was me?” Her voice sounded indignant.

“I’m your father. I know everything,” he replied.

“Hmph.”

He forced his eyes open, turning his head. Solana crouched next to the sofa, concern in her ruby red eyes, oh so similar to his own.

A fresh wave of heat pulsed behind his right eye. He fought the urge to grimace, forcing himself to focus on his daughter, trying to ignore the voices that grew increasingly louder in his head.

Keep her close…Protect her…

“Mom told me you’re sick with something contagious,” Solana said. She raised her hand, almost as if to reach out and touch his sweaty forehead. But she stalled, hesitant.

He hummed. “Yeah, you’ll catch it. You should go.”

Protect her…Don’t lose her again…

She huffed. And then climbed onto the sofa, wedging herself under her father’s arm.

“Solana, wha-?”

“You’re the worst, Dad,” she said, hands clutching at his shirt as she pressed her face into his chest. “You couldn’t just tell me you were sick? You had me thinking I made you mad.”

No, never.

“You’ll catch it,” was what he said instead. The pain in his head increased, the throbbing behind his eye getting worse and worse. He wanted to scream, to tear his flesh open for some kind of relief.

“Then you’ll just have to take care of me,” she replied, settling in, utterly unaware of his state. “Serves you right.”

Don’t fail her this time…Don’t lose her again…

At an utter loss, Sylus could only bring his hand to rest on the back of her head, fingers running through her silver hair. His other hand rose to rest against her back, bringing her closer to him.

He felt her hair running through his fingers. Her breath against his skin. The sound of her small heartbeat against his hand.

And then, the pressure behind his eye eased. The pain in his head began to fade. His thoughts began to clear, as did his vision.

He pressed his face into her hair. Somehow, she had eased his pain. His little girl had been the answer all along, and he was just too tired to think of the implications of it all.

Don’t fail her this time…

When she peeked into the study later, she was met with the sight of her daughter, curled up against her husband’s side, chest rising and falling slowly. Sylus was sitting up, head propped on an elbow, his other hand gently stroking his daughter’s head as she rested with her head smushed into his chest.

“You look better,” his wife commented, keeping her voice a whisper so as to not wake their daughter.

His crimson gaze flicked to her, a gentle smile playing on his lips. “The fluctuations stopped?” he asked. His wife nodded, confirming his suspicions. He gave a small chuckle, turning back to Solana. “She didn’t care if she caught something from me,” he said softly. “She’s truly something else.”

The child’s mother gazed at them with soft eyes, coming over to crouch next to the sofa. Her slender fingers gently brushed Solana’s fringe out of her eyes.

“We need to talk,” she said, looking up at her husband.

Sylus nodded. His wife smiled. “It’s kind of funny. At the end of the day, all it wanted was a cuddle,” she joked.

He gave an amused huff, though the humor quickly dissipated from the air.

“Sylus, that feeling when we resonated. What the Core felt…”

It was familiar. Too familiar.

She had felt that intense sensation before. It was the same feeling she had the many months she thought Caleb was dead. The same feeling when she discovered he was alive. It was that indescribable feeling of grief, of losing someone you loved, combined with the relief of getting them back, along with the anxiety of losing them once more. The urge to keep them close, to do anything, lest you turn around and they were gone once more.

“It was grief.”

Sylus kept silent, only giving a nod. She looked up at Sylus, her tone filled with worry. “Sylus, why was your Aether Core grieving?”

He sighed. “For once, I don’t have the answers,” he admitted in a low voice.

“If the Core remembers your past, is it reacting to us losing each other?” his wife tried to reason. She then shook her head. “No, it makes no sense why it focused on Solana then.” She turned back to him.

“Sylus, did you lose someone before?” she asked softly. “Did you have a family?”

He shook his head. “In all my lives, all my memories, my only family has ever been you,” he said. “I don’t know why it reacted like that, nor why it latched onto Solana.”

“Does it think Solana is in danger, by any chance?”

For once, he had an expression she had never seen on him before. He was always the man with the answers, always ten steps ahead of everyone, garnet-like eyes glinting down at her like he knew something she didn’t.

But now? His face only had helplessness. The kind one has when they just don’t have any answers, nor even a lead.

“I don’t know,” he said. He clutched Solana closer ever so slightly. “But I’ll be damned if I let her get caught up in it. I’ll find a way to deal with the Core; you have my word.”

His wife nodded. Sylus never made statements like that, and it was a testament to how much this had shaken him. How close he had come to thinking he’d harm his child, and his resolution to never put her in such a situation ever again.

He pressed his lips to the crown of Solana’s head. In the back of his mind, the strange voice pulsed one last time, like a faraway echo in an endless cavern.

Don’t fail her this time…

Chapter Text

She moved around the enormous kitchen, setting things up for when Solana would get home from school.

It had been one of those unique days when she had no missions available for her and she’d completed all her work early. It would be a nice surprise for her daughter, she thought, making plans for when even Sylus finished his calls and the three of them could gorge on snacks and hang around together.

The door opened and she raised her head, expecting the sound of running footsteps, loud exclamations of returning home, general chaos.

But what stepped through the door was silence.

Solana closed the door behind her softly, as if slamming it like she usually did would get her in trouble. She kicked off her shoes quietly, moving to put her bag down on the couch and sit down.

No loud yelling, no jumping into her mother’s arms, no flinging the bag onto the couch, no giggling, laughing.

Her little sunbeam had dimmed.

Solana’s shoulders hunched, her head bowed, gaze set on the floor as she sat on the couch.

Her mother quickly made her way over to the small child, noticing that her eyes were red-rimmed.

“Sweetie? What’s wrong?” she asked, sitting down next to her. So much for the excitement she had been waiting for.

Solana stayed silent. Her mother didn’t force her, just placing a hand on the back of her head, stroking her hair as she guided her face towards her.

Solana buried her face in her mother’s chest, shoulders shaking ever so slightly.

“Sweetheart, you can tell me when you’re ready,” her mother softly told her.

“It’s nothing.” Solana’s voice was small, trembling. “Just something dumb at school.”

“If it’s something dumb, then why do you look so sad?” her mother countered gently.

Silence fell over them for a few moments. Eventually, Solana peeked up, crimson eyes big and wet.

“They said…my hair and eyes were weird…and creepy,” she said, voice so light it was almost non-existent. “They said…I looked like a vampire.”

Her mother stilled for a moment as waves of righteous anger flowed through her. She pushed them all down as she pulled her daughter closer. “Oh baby,” she said, pressing a kiss to her head. “You’re not weird or creepy.”

“But I’m different,” Solana’s tiny voice emerged from her mother’s embrace. “I don’t look like the others.” A small sniffle. “They’re just saying what everyone is thinking.”

Her mother’s heart hurt. For an eight-year-old child, there was already so much pain, so much awareness of how much she stood out compared to her peers. She hated it, hated that as an adult, there was only so much she could do.

All she could do was hold her daughter close.

She sighed. “Your father is not going to be happy about this,” she murmured.

That got a reaction from Solana.

“Dad’s…home?” she asked.

Her mother’s brows furrowed. “He’s in an extended meeting,” she explained. “That’s why he isn’t here to welcome you home like he always does.”

Solana’s little fingers tightened around her mother’s shirt. “Mommy,” she said, her voice seeming choked. “Please don’t tell Daddy.”

“Why? He should know, then maybe we can do something about this.”

Solana buried her face in her mother once more.

“Because…he’ll be sad.”

She could feel her heart breaking in real time. Hugging Solana and pressing kisses to the top of her head, she helplessly wondered how she could convince her to tell her father.

For such a small child, already knowing that she got her features from her father, and those very features that made her stand out in school, in life…

“You’re incredible, sweetie,” her mother told her. “But we still have to tell your father.”

Solana shook her head.

“Tell me what?”

Her mother turned her head. Standing behind the couch was Sylus, fresh from his meeting, eyebrows cocked in suspicion and curiosity. Probably wondering why it felt like sadness and not the usual upbeat chaos.

His eyes landed on Solana, buried in her mother’s arms, frame small.

Immediately, he moved around the couch to kneel down in front of her. “Firefly, what happened?”

The child curled up further into her mother. Sylus cast a raised eyebrow at his wife, silently asking what was going on, why his daughter was acting so unlike herself. His wife sighed, petting their daughter softly.

“It’s alright, baby. You can tell him.”

Sylus stayed silent, waiting patiently. Eventually, Solana peeked one crimson eye out to look at her father.

“They called me a vampire,” she said softly before turning back into her mother.

Sylus’s brows furrowed. “Who?” he asked.

His wife sighed. “Mean kids at school,” she said, stroking her daughter’s hair. “They made fun of her hair and eyes, made her feel weird and different for it.” The anger had begun to seep into her tone by the end.

And she was not alone.

Sylus was quiet, too quiet, but there was no mistaking the flare in his eyes, the hard set of his jaw. The look that was him holding back. She could almost imagine him repeating “they’re just kids” over and over in his head to calm himself.

His wife shook her head. “You know what? We won’t stand for this.” She looked down at her daughter. “Solana, I want names. Every one of them who said mean things about you, and everyone who stood by and did nothing. Those kids learned from someone, so we’re going to get all the parents together and have a word with them.” She looked to her husband for support, expecting him to stand up and start making the calls.

Only…he seemed deep in thought.

“Sylus?”

That got his attention.

“We should call a meeting with the parents,” she repeated. “Make those kids apologize and teach them the value of words.”

To her surprise, Sylus shook his head. “Let’s do something else,” he said. “Remind me again when the school’s costume party is again?”

His wife scrunched her brows suspiciously. “This Saturday,” she supplied. “But why?”

Her husband turned back to their daughter. “They called you a vampire, huh?” he murmured.

Solana nodded a little.

The corner of his lip curled in that way that made his wife’s heart drop, because it was clear he was about to do something very dramatic and over the top.

Saturday rolled around with nothing really eventful happening. Solana rolled out of bed, not looking forward to the party later that evening.

She’d gone to school the rest of the week as per her parents’ behest, and just kept to herself so as to not attract any attention. Normally, she would have been relieved because of the weekend, but this blasted costume party was bringing her right back to school in the end, right to her bullies and everyone else who just stood by.

The costume party was something the PTA organized every year, bringing kids and parents together for a fun evening and allowing parents and children to dress up for once. Solana normally looked forward to the parties, because she got to dress up and all. Last year, she’d gone as a fairy with her mom, and it had been the most fun she had had.

But this year? She knew they would be there. And the last thing she wanted was to see them.

She didn’t even have any ideas for costumes. She just didn’t want to go as anything, because she knew they’d poke fun at her no matter what she went as.

Her mother had told her that she didn’t have to go if she didn’t want to.

But the place served free snacks.

And that was a temptation.

Eventually, she dragged herself out of bed, out of her room, and went downstairs. Her costume this time around seemed to be a surprise, and she presumed it was time to change. Probably one of her parents would have come to collect her anyway, so she might as well go down.

But when she reached the bottom of the stairs, she paused, mouth dropping open.

Her father stood there, dressed like he had walked out of a Victorian painting and was disappointed in the modern world’s aesthetic.

Long white tailored coat with red embroidery, ruffled cravat, expensive pants, polished shoes, a CANE. His silver hair was styled back, allowing his crimson eyes to glint in the evening sun.

“D…Daddy?” she asked, finding it hard to believe the man standing in front of her was actually her father.

He turned, tapping his cane. It made a hollow thunk against the wooden floor.

“Good, you’re here, Solana,” he said. He produced a box from somewhere behind him, holding it out to her with one hand.

She approached it slowly. “What’s this?” she asked.

“Your costume.”

Solana opened the box, and gasped.

Inside was a gothic Victorian dress that matched her father’s outfit. As she took it out, she marveled at the white and red dress, the high collars, the elegant cut. It also came with a plumed hat and polished little boots.

She looked back up at her father. “Are we…vampires?” she asked, her voice trembling with excitement. This had been beyond her wildest dreams, better than anything her tiny mind could have come up with.

Her father chuckled, tapping her forehead with a gloved finger. “Go get changed,” he said.

She scurried away, trying to keep from hopping like a bunny. Her mother followed to help her into the dress, shaking her head in fond exasperation.

When she returned, she was decked out in the entire dress, boots tapping against the floor as the plume in her hat bounced from her excitement. When Sylus saw her, his eyes softened.

He kneeled in front of her.

“Vampires? That’s so small-minded,” he chuckled. “Do you know what an Archfiend is?”

Solana nodded her head vigorously. “A very big vampire!” she declared. “A ruler of all in the Underworld!” She then gasped. “Are you an Archfiend, Daddy?”

He chuckled again, tapping her nose. “And you are my heir.” His voice took on a more serious tone. “You are mine, Solana, never forget that. If someone made you feel small, embrace it and turn it on them instead.”

She nodded, getting at what her father was telling her.

“Now then,” he said, getting to his feet, tapping his cane against the floor. He held out his hand to his daughter.

“Shall we, my tiny heir?”

The school grounds had been transformed into a party venue. All through the place, kids milled about, dressed as various characters or creatures. Their parents, reluctantly wearing something matching, watched from the sidelines as the children gorged on snacks or met up with friends and in general caused chaos.

Then the doors opened.

In stepped Sylus, all regal aristocrat menace, silver hair and crimson eyes catching the setting sunlight and making him look positively otherworldly. Like a being ascended from the depths of hell to grace this flimsy costume party at a school.

Holding his hand was Solana, dressed in a matching dress. And she held her head high.

The gasps and looks were something else as they walked in, but rather than fear, it was awe and admiration.

“Is that…Solana’s dad?”

“Are they…vampires?”

“That is so genuinely cool!”

Solana absolutely beamed and soaked up all the whispers. Eventually, kids began approaching her, telling her how awesome her costume was.

“Are you a real vampire?” one kid asked.

Solana cast a look back at her father. Then she turned back.

“I’m something much cooler!”

In the corner stood a group of kids positively quivering in the shadows. They’d come dressed as princes and knights, but next to Solana and her dad? They looked like cheap pretend.

Sylus caught the in the corner of his eye. Immediately realized who they were.

“Are those the boys who made fun of you?” he asked Solana.

She followed his line of sight, nodding. “Yeah, that’s them.” With her father by her side, her boldness had quadrupled.

Sylus’s lips quirked, and he took a step in their direction. “I’m Solana’s father,” he said, voice steady. “I want you to know that she doesn’t appreciate being teased, and I hope you all can help each other out in the future.”

His words were kind, yet the tone of his voice and the way his eyes glinted…

The kids nodded fervently, spelling apologies.

Meanwhile, Solana was crowded by other kids, awe swimming in their eyes. In one short moment, she had become the coolest kid at school. They began to drag her off to eat snacks and play games.

Sylus smiled as his daughter’s laughter once again rang through the halls.

And later…of course they won ‘Best Costume.’

Sylus carried a sleepy Solana back home. His cane had been left in the car in lieu of carrying his dozing daughter inside. She curled into him, resting her cheek on his shoulder.

He softly laughed. “Get out of the dress and then you can sleep, little one.”

She mumbled something sleepily as Sylus set her on the couch, bending down to untie and remove her boots.

Once her boots were off, Sylus lifted her chin with a finger, so she was looking at him. Two eyes that mirrored each other exactly, the same gem-like shade.

“Solana, you don’t need to hide yourself when others make you feel different for who you are,” he said softly to her. “People will always fear what they don’t understand. But that’s their problem, not yours.”

He ran a hand through her silver hair.

“The sun doesn’t hide just because some people don’t know how to bask in its radiance.”

Tears welled up in her eyes again and she launched herself at her father, burying her face in his shoulder. He caught her with a laugh, standing up with her in his arms.

“Let’s get you to bed, shall we?” he said.

It wasn’t long before Solana was out of her costume, into comfy pajamas, and safely tucked into bed with a kiss. Sylus turned off the light in her room before stepping out, finding his wife waiting for them, face looking like she was both moved as well as exasperated.

“You know, you could have just talked to the parents,” she said.

“And what would that have accomplished?” he replied. “All it would have done was make a scene that would have led to the bullying ramping up even more. And Solana wouldn’t have told us this time, because she wouldn’t want us to worry.”

It stung, but he was right.

He sighed, looking back at the closed bedroom door.

“Because of her fiend’s inheritance, the world will never stop reminding her that she’s different.” He exhaled. “And there’s nothing we can do to stop it, not unless we dye her hair and make her wear contacts. But all we’d be teaching her is to hate what she was born with.”

His wife sighed.

“So, if she’s going to be different anyway,” he shrugged, “I’d rather she learn to bask in it.”

A moment passed before his wife laughed, pulling him closer. “You’re so dramatic,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

His lips curved in a smirk. “You married me anyway.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I married you.” She leaned up, pressing her lips to his for a moment.

“But seriously,” she said, pulling away. “Don’t you think this whole thing was a bit on the nose?” She gestured to his costume lying on the couch in their bedroom.

He shrugged. “I didn’t have time to get a wig or wings made,” he chuckled. “Otherwise I’d have those too.”

She placed a hand on his chest, resting over his heart. “It didn’t…bring back painful memories?” she asked carefully.

Sylus placed his hand over hers, lifting it to press his lips to her palm. “No,” he said, his tone firm. “Because every single life…led me to this one.”

He kissed her wrist. “We get to live this boring, domestic life together. Only, we have a tiny extra around to make it interesting.”

He kissed her knuckles. “I start my day with you, and end my day with you. We squabble and argue over nothing, and make up before we know it. We get to be disgustingly romantic whenever we want.”

He kissed her wedding ring, ever so slightly scuffed from being constantly worn for nearly a decade. “I get to see the world with you. I get to share all these experiences with you. I get to raise a family with you, a child who resembles the both of us.”

He lifted his eyes; his gaze locked on hers. “All the suffering, the torment, everything I went through, I can only believe it paid off in the end, because everything led me right to you, and to this life.”

She swallowed, her throat thick as he pulled her closer. “And is this life everything you ever wanted?” She knew the answer to it, yet she asked anyway.

He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers.

“It’s beyond even my wildest dreams.”