Rusk found himself with a million thoughts that night as he lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling of his cramped little room. A room he’d soon be moving out of—he was being relocated to the same floor as the twins, Galene, Veladonna, and Bayren.

  Hi Mom, Rusk here. I think I got a promotion. A really personal and incredibly private one. I don’t think I’ll be able to visit anytime soon, but I’ll try to get some vacation time at some point. Though… His mind flashed to Kaela. I need to talk to you…

  Rusk’s duties didn’t particularly change at first, though he had a couple extra hours on the clock now where he would visit Galene with the twins. All things considered, it was rather uneventful. He simply sat by her side watching the two play around, draw, or nap under the faux sunshine. Though internally, Rusk felt a little embarrassed having such a pretty woman stare at him for hours on end for no real reason.

  And so, his work week came to an end. On the ever-chilly, dark morning of his date with Kaela, he ran out of the Starglider with a huge smile on his face, savoring the brief respite of freedom. But there was a quiet uncertainty lingering in his heart.

  Rusk made his way through the dimly lit streets, letting the crunch of the ice be his only company as numerous mechanoids cleaned the walkways. He took a deep breath as he checked the time. He was early. About an hour early, but all things considered, he needed the time to ponder. But—

  “Rusk?” Kaela asked, confused, her face buried behind a muffler.

  “Kaela!?” He nearly jumped.

  Kaela checked the time on her crystalcomm. “We’re not supposed to meet for another hour.” She gave him a warm smile.

  “Wanna get a warm drink?” Rusk asked, returning one of his own.

  The two walked quietly next to each other, enjoying the inexplicably pleasant silence between them. The softness of daily life spilled into mellow chatter and complacent shuffling as their steps fell into rhythm. They reached a small, quaint shop and stepped inside, finding a small corner of the world to make their own.

  With steaming cups in their hands, they looked into each other’s eyes as they shared innocent memories—mundane echoes of their time together. Whispers and recollections melded into a gentle melody. Eye to eye, they offered small pieces of themselves, trading warmth in quiet sips.

  But the longer they spoke, the more Rusk felt the truth rising in his chest. He knew that if he truly did feel any real love for her that he had to be honest—here and now. He reached across the table, taking her hand, and looked into her icy blue eyes.

  “Kaela.” He said softly, but weighted. Her eyes flickered with subtle realization as his tender gaze strained to hold back his emotions. “I’ve been looking forward to this date all week, and the more I talk to you, the more I realize how hard I could fall in love with you. And sitting here with you… it made me wish we could be like this forever. But my life isn’t simple anymore.” A sad smile touched the corner of his mouth. “It hasn’t been for a while. And it’s about to get even less so. Life has taken some pretty insane turns for a guy like me.”

  Kaela’s confusion deepened. “Rusk… what are you saying?”

  “It wouldn’t be right for me to start something with you.” He squeezed her hand—just once, then let it loosen. “You deserve someone that can be consistently with you. And I wish that could be… but Calamity has taken hold of my life. There are two little girls who are going to rely on me for a long time. They need everything I have.” His breath trembled. “I genuinely care about you. Which is why if I can’t give you my all, then I’d rather snub this flame here before it burns us both.”

  He exhaled slowly, as he let go of her hand.

  Kaela had already been crying for a while—first in confusion, then disbelief, and finally a soft, slow-breaking sorrow. She buried her face in her tired hands. The makeup she’d used to hide her sleepless nights smudged and streaked under the weight of rejection.

  “So…that’s it?” Her voice was barely a whisper. She wasn’t angry. She looked up at Rusk through blurred lashes, forcing a pained, uneven smile. “I always liked how honest and straightforward you were—” tears welled again “—but damn it, why couldn’t you lie to me just once?”

  Rusk’s expression wavered. “Kaela… I—”

  She shook her head and looked down again, tears falling onto her hands. “I don’t want to lose our relationship,” she choked out. “I–I can’t lose anyone else.”

  “And you won’t.” Rusk practically blurted out. “You won’t lose me.”

  Kaela teary-eyed, looked into his hazel eyes, looking for something.

  “I can’t be your partner. I can’t truthfully give you that. But I can remain in your life. I can still be your friend. I can still care about you.” He leaned forward, voice low, earnest. “It’s not enough. I know. But I’m not leaving you alone. I promise that much.”

  She stood first, smoothing the front of her coat as she buried her face in her muffler. She took a deep breath as she pressed her hand against her heart.

  “I guess this is where we part ways then,” she said softly, stepping towards the door.

  Rusk scrambled out of the seat and followed her to the door. The air outside was colder than before.

  “Kaela…”

  She turned around, offering him one last gentle, bittersweet smile.

  “See you around, Rusk.”

  Rusk stared at her tender smile, memorizing this moment in case life never brought them back together.

  “...See you around,” he whispered.

  And so their symphony mellowed into a whisper.

  Rusk returned to the Nordos Starglider, his eyes red from tears, his heart stinging as he made his way back to his uncertain new home. He wondered right then and there if he’d been too hasty—if perhaps there was still a chance. But he knew Lord Bayren’s whims. He knew his time in Aeburgh would eventually come to an end. And he knew he couldn’t spare the space in his heart for sweet Kaela—not the way she deserved. She was his respected senior. She had withstood the trauma of the Hy’Kyyrian. She was strong.

  Rusk wandered back inside, climbing those winding stairs until he found himself being greeted by the confused twins.

  His days aboard the Nordos Starglider carried on in a monotonous but enjoyable manner, each one drifting into the next with a gentle, numbing rhythm. But this ease and pattern would soon face an upheaval of violence as there was a soul aboard the Nordos Starglider who was on the very edge of collapse.

  ámon Pax had been thinking, and thinking, and thinking—his nerves in a constant haywire of emotion as he snuck into Galene’s garden on an almost daily basis just to stare. His mind strained with thoughts of her beauty alone: her scent, the gentle rise and fall of her breathing. He could not keep away from her. But there was a line, a mark he didn’t cross, for there was a lingering scent that twisted his nerves and sent him swerving into a psychotic bloom of cackling.

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  Bayren.

  His presence alone was a wall—an impassable barrier that kept the ever-aroused Pax from breaking his voyeuristic tendencies. Yet even with the dread of his oh-so precious Lord Bayren. He desired with every member of his body to approach the ghostly Galene. So Pax watched and watched, making sure to do it only when there was absolutely no one but them.

  He would crawl to her side and speak to the unresponsive woman, sharing his deepest, most deranged thoughts—the things he would do, the delusions he imagined of the two of them. He would talk and talk, fishing and searching for any form of connection. For a glimmer of response. For affirmation. But there was only ever silence.

  Even when he was apart from her, he could think only of her scent, driving him into a maddening search for perfumes, shampoos—anything that might bring him closer to her. But it was never enough.

  It was never right.

  Months went by with Rusk and Pax brushing past one another, their fates quietly intertwining beyond their knowledge—converging toward a day that would change everything. A day that would mark a violent shift in the unstable heart of ámon Pax.

  Rusk, as usual, had joined the twins on a playdate with their mother. And like usual, his main task was simply to try to interact with Galene. What had initially been a pretty awkward situation for Rusk had, in a strange way, become a surprisingly enjoyable part of his day. He simply sat on the ground next to Galene, talking to her about anything that came to mind—from mundane memories to quiet regrets. He was speaking calmly as he watched the twins play around, but his attention spiked when Mera tripped and stumbled, her mask flying off her face as she scrambled blindly for it.

  The little crystalline mask had vanished into the underbrush of the synthetic flowers. In a pained panic, Mera blindly fumbled through the synthetic growths. Rusk’s instincts kicked in as he ran over and began helping her search for the mask.

  Lamia joined them too, but the growths were thick, and with Mera wincing in pain, the two focused on blindly searching.

  Mera stumbled back in pain—the ever-bright shine of Kyyr stung her head. Little Mera turned toward Rusk, her face twisted in a painful plea as she tried to reach for him. She squinted harder, her gaze finding the only pleasing light among the splendor, the warm, wonderful color of Rusk’s soul. Her fear eased for a beat before she panicked as she saw something new.

  Next to Lamia and Rusk, another figure approached. Her eyes went wide as she recognized the silhouette, her voice catching in a gasp as the Kyyr light tore into her painfully.

  “Aha!” Rusk announced. “I fou—woahwhathe—huh?!” He panicked as he felt someone embrace him from behind. Rusk glanced down only to find—“Lady Galene?!”

  To everyone’s shock, Galene was tenderly holding onto Rusk, looking up at him with conscious longing.

  “D-don’t leave me… please…” She whispered softly into his ear, causing Rusk’s mind to short-circuit. Her embrace was tight, her voice quiet and her body soft, causing Rusk to freeze in the moment.

  “Mom?!” Lamia cried out as she ran over to Galene. “Mom?” she repeated, more desperate this time.

  Galene blinked as she looked down at the little figure beside Rusk. She tilted her head, her long hair fluttering in the synthetic breeze. “Mom?” she asked, bewildered.

  Lamia began to tear up. “Mommy!” She threw herself around Galene and a stunned Rusk, sobbing.

  Mera, meanwhile, squinted painfully as she began to create a new Kyyr Retina in her hands.

  Galene, still confused, tenderly patted Lamia while clinging to a completely stunned Rusk.

  “Uhhh… L-Lady G-Galene, why are you hugging me?” Rusk asked, flustered out of his mind.

  Galene turned toward his voice, her eyes narrowing softly as she made out Rusk’s general features—his gentle eyes, his refined cheeks, and, to her vision, his literally glowing skin. She pressed her head against his back. “Because you’re warm… and your soul is gentle,” she whispered, sending a chill up Rusk’s spine.

  Mera, who was quietly whimpering nearby, managed to create a new jagged mask that she pressed against her face, shutting off the effervescent splendor of the Kyyr around her.

  Rusk, who’d been staring into Galene’s eyes, watched the color fade gently into a soft sway as her hands tightened around him—the brief conscious clarity slipping back into a quiet hum of whimpering. Lamia clung to her mother, crying, while Mera curled up on the ground, pressing the mask painfully into her face.

  Rusk found himself trapped, with both Galene and Lamia tightly holding onto him.

  Mera nearby writhed on the ground until the pain dissipated, her vision returning as she gathered her bearings. Spotting the frazzled Rusk, she scrambled to her feet and ran over to him. With worried eyes, she looked at him through her mask, unsure what to do.

  Rusk noticed her and asked, “C-could you hand me my crystalcomm?” he gestured toward his back pocket.

  Mera ran around and pulled the device from his pocket, and handed it to him. After awkwardly messaging Veladonna, Rusk turned his attention to Lamia, who had finally begun to settle down. He exhaled, then shifted his focus to the bigger issue. Galene was struggling to stand, her legs shaky as she clung to Rusk. And for some reason, she had completely stopped responding—at least verbally. Her hazy eyes were still staring into him, like always, but now her entire body was fixed on Rusk, holding onto him dearly.

  Rusk sighed as he pulsed some Kyyr into his body, gently patting Lamia on the head and offering her a small smile. With a gentle prod, he slipped out of her grip and moved his hands under Galene’s shaky legs as he lifted her into his arms.

  Lamia sniffled, “Mom? It’s me… Lamia,” she struggled to say, but there was no response.

  Galene had reverted to her hollow state, though she still held tightly onto Rusk, her eyes piercing deeply into him.

  What changed? Why now? He glanced over at Mera, his gaze drawn to her mask. It has to be tied to Mera. Their Kyyr must be interwoven somehow… it has to be. Her mask slipping was the only abnormality. But still, why is she clinging to me? What did I do?

  Down in the lower flight, a sharply dressed woman with white hair tinged with cyan streaks was running through the hallways as she hurried up toward Lady Galene’s garden. She passed numerous workers, rushing ahead with a worried look on her face. Impatiently, she climbed a specific set of stairs—stairs that caught the attention of a particular man.

  ámon Pax, who spent most of his day fantasizing about the beautiful woman in the garden, recognized Veladonna instantly. He knew she was Galene’s caretaker. He knew that flight of stairs. And the look on her face filled him with dread.

  Muting his Kyyr, he followed.

  Veladonna arrived shortly after, shocked to find Lady Galene clinging onto Rusk as he tried to put her back on her chair.

  The door behind her didn’t fully shut as a chitinous tendril held the descending door partially open—just enough for Pax to peek under.

  “By all that’s Gold, she’s moving her body!?” Veladonna exclaimed as she rushed over to Rusk and the twins.

  Rusk smiled awkwardly. “Yeah, it seems that looking at me isn’t enough anymore.” He stood stiffly beside Galene, who had her arms wrapped around his torso.

  Veladonna approached, struggling to pull Galene away from him. Galene’s arms flailed as she moaned like a child, reaching out desperately to grab onto Rusk.

  “What caused this?” she asked, trying to hold Galene back.

  “I have an idea, but…” He glanced down at Mera, who was painfully gripping her mask. “I have to consult with Lord Bayren first—before I say anything stupid.”

  Veladonna looked at him with concern, but she nodded, trusting him. “Very well, I’ll contact him. In the meantime…” She loosened her grip on Galene, who immediately lunged at Rusk, causing him to stumble back as he caught her in his arms.

  “What do I do?” Rusk panicked.

  Veladonna sighed. “Hold her?” she said with a shrug.

  As the two continued to talk not far away, peering from under the doorway, a poisonous purple eye looked on with unfurling hatred. The pupil shuddered as the whites reddened with rage, his pupil blending with Kyyr as a yellow tinge warped the enraged gaze into a monstrous, toxic anger. Pax compressed hatred on hatred as his silent Kyyr began to tear at the seams. He bit into his own lip, blood pouring from his mouth, his tendrils convulsing under his skin as he stared.

  A black hole of nothing but toxic jealousy glared at Rusk.

  ????? ?????? ?? ????

  A warbled thought crossed his mind. I know… he answered.

  ???? ??? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ?????

  I’ll do anything.

  ???????????

  The thought warbled in a disjointed tangle of vowels as, somewhere far across the Curved Sea, a weave of metal blades orbiting a crimson orb spiraled in glee.

  Threnody of the Depths.

  Steel Dragon, also yes, this arc is indeed important for Steel Dragon. My weird little brain planned out trust.

  -L. Osric can now go to the grave...