Kenji watched the moon. From the ramparts of Eden's largest castle, the vantage beheld a great view of a vibrant and well-lit city. Of course, it wasn't real, not fully—outside of Eden was the perpetual glass sandstorm, one of many Veils in this world. Yet whatever magic shrouded Eden from the storm provided him a beautiful projection of a celestial sky.
"What happened to your sword?"
"Can't you just enjoy the view?"
"Answer me, Kenji Runaan."
He drew it from its scabbard, revealing a crack that ran through the blade, near its hilt. If it was a normal blade, it would have already shattered—but this was his Needle, and the red symbols running through its body kept it whole.
The crack itself pulsed with life, sending sudden flares of energy throughout the ramparts.
"You could say I used it to bet on the future."
The figure stepped out of the shadows, donned in robes and a wide-brimmed hat, both whiter than the moonlight. Her eyes narrowed, pallid pupils staring down at a man a head taller than her.
"How crude."
"I was born a crude man."
"Two more Adjudicators have accepted the bounty request. On completion, two million–"
"Yeah, yeah, I know," he scowled. "Why else are you here?"
"...That is all," she said, with a hint of a smile.
He took in the view once more, and headed back inside. His city would be very busy, very soon.
*****
Zora rushed forward through the vestibules, passing the cross section where the paths diverged in order to find the kids. Some days, she'd be thankful for her unique physiognomy, as it allowed her to locate her siblings in a way no one else could. To her, they smelled distinct, with a hint of her own presence stuck to them due to the proximity they shared.
She soon found Talin in another of the many forges decorating the Iron Palace, quenching a blade he no doubt made himself. To be specific, there were five forging chambers, including Tesson's office. The other four were separated throughout the wings of the palace, distinguished by mastery.
He was so immersed in his process that he didn't even notice her walking up. Though, to be fair, most wouldn't either.
"Hey, bedbug."
"Zora!" His excitement shined through his voice. This was his second time ever at the palace grounds, and his curiosity was self-evident, not diminished at all since the last time.
"Look!"
"I see it. Good job, little man."
He held up the blade with immense pride, before squinting and frowning at some apparent flaw he found.
"Do you want to stay here, Talin?"
"I don't know. I wanna go where you go."
The sound of Talin's hammer was even smaller than hers and her father's. His story, after all, had just begun. Zora couldn't tell whether it was naivety, at his young age, or conviction, that drove his nonchalant answers.
"I… can't stay here for long, little man. If you want to stay, I'll tell Klead to look after you, cause it's safer here-"
"It's okay. I wanna go with you. They do have a lot of books here, though."
She ruffled his short hair and chuckled. In her presence, Talin was just another kid– so distant from the visage he had to set up for himself in the Webs.
This boy was previously the head of an entire vagrant syndicate of sorts, scouted by the Spiders and then by her. It was strange how docile he became when he otherwise hunted like a feral beast. Like an Ashin.
When they returned, she'd have to ask the Spiders for a new place for them to live in. At the very least, she'd have to immediately pay a visit to the headquarters of the organization, which they called the Nest. If there really was a bounty on her head, though, she'd practically be jumping out of the pot, straight into the fire.
Unwilling to express these feelings, she smiled for Talin.
"Do you want to find Mei and Li with me?"
He nodded, but pointed at the unfinished sword, so she leaned against the wall as she watched him, despite feeling a little hint of fear in the very bottom of her heart, and waited.
It was very soon that he finished his process and cleaned up. As he did, Klead appeared as if teleporting, providing the boy with a neatly-fitting sheath, which Talin proudly attached to his hip, looking like a longsword when compared to his small body.
"Lady Zora. Mind if I have a word?"
"...Can we talk a bit later? I'm looking for the kids."
She hoped he couldn't feel her guilt, but his eyes showed the futility thereof.
"Very well. Please don't forget to consult me, before you leave."
"Always," she smiled. She and Talin left the servant behind, not looking back as his figure was swallowed by the breadth of the palace.
***
Litost was easy to find as well. After a ten minute walk through the main body of the palace, Zora and Talin entered the training grounds, where an assortment of dummies and weapons were scattered and broken throughout the dusty floor. Only one person stood atop the dust, breathing heavily and soaked in sweat.
"Hey, Li. Too grown to be a bedbug now, aren't you?"
His hands were clenched around his sword, though she noticed a broken spear laying on the ground near him, amongst wooden shards of various armaments.
"Do you need something? I'm training."
"I'm leaving tonight. Are you coming home?"
"Of course," he swung again. The standing dummy bent unnaturally from the blow, but ultimately returned to its former shape. The wooden sword had left a rugged scratch across the dummy's chest, leaving sand pouring from the wound in a slow and tiny stream.
"I'll find you later, so leave," he heaved, as sweat shone across his adolescent muscles.
"You don't want to see Mei with us?"
He ignored her with a huff, returning to his training. There was obviously an image in his head that he couldn't cut down, not yet.
She stood there, for a minute, watching as he tried to cut down a ghost. But obviously, he couldn't, and he grew increasingly frustrated each time. Yet, he never screamed, and merely gritted his teeth, a guttural cry building up in his throat but held down by both anger and fear.
With a sigh, she looked at their youngest, gently urging him to follow.
"Come, Talin. Let's go."
The boy nodded and gripped his sword's hilt, sending a longing glance at the desperate man that he called brother.
***
Mei was farther away, beyond the training hall and nearing the end of the main chamber. From afar Zora could hear music escaping from behind the door, which only got louder as she approached. It was soothing, like what spring would sound like, if it had a sound.
Even as Zora knocked, the music didn't budge, and it was only when she opened the door that the music finally died.
"Hey, bedbug. Sorry if I caught you at a bad time."
"No, it's fine…"
"Are you busy?"
"No, no, I just… it's been so long since I've seen an instrument, Zora."
"Did you miss it?"
"A lot. But what can I do?"
She held a violin in her hand, the bow in her other. Callouses in her hands chafed against the instrument, as her hands were forged to hold weapons, not to be gentle enough to hold these tools.
"You still play like you used to."
"Do you mean that?"
"Of course," Zora grabbed the girl's hand, wrapping around both her and the instrument. There was turmoil in the girl's heart: she was at the brink of a decision, one that might change her entire life. And though Zora would love to keep her around, it might mean clipping her wings so that she could run beside a beast.
She heard it in the girl's music, a connection to something greater that she had just uncovered. What more could Zora teach her? Ashin could not know the magic.
As Zora rubbed her thumb over Mei's knuckles, she felt the young girl's hands grow firm with conviction as they clenched the body and bow of the violin with breakneck strength.
"I'm going to stay here."
Zora nodded.
"Okay."
"Not gonna ask why?"
"I have an idea."
"You were going to leave soon, right? That's what Mr. Klead told me."
"Tonight," she smiled at the old servant's cunning. "Your Tether's related to music?"
"Yes. He told me I'd learn best here, at the Palace training grounds."
"Good job, Mei," Zora smiled, taking the girl's small hand in her own. "I knew you could do it."
Zora gave Mei a hug, though the girl only came up to her chin. Talin joined too, knowing in his heart this meant it would be the last time in a while he would see her.
"Can I come back, later on?"
Her voice was muffled by Zora's body,
"Anytime. It's your home, too."
Zora squeezed a little tighter, unwilling to let go so easily.
"Did you talk to Klead about this?"
"He's the one that found it, actually. He offered to make me his direct disciple," Mei smiled sadly.
"I'm proud of you, Mei," Zora swiped some hair from the girl's face. Holding Mei's face tenderly, she reached for her necklace and plucked off what used to be her right-hand bead, her knife. It was the first successful weapon she made, never endeavoring to make more and instead spending sleepless nights repairing and improving its design and functionality.
"Take this. It'll be useful, I hope, 'cause it sure was useful for me."
Mei nodded, holding the bead with her bow hand and clutching her violin in the other.
"I'll see you soon, guys. Tell Litost… tell him to hurry up," she smiled, hiding the tears in her eyes.
"I'll surpass him in no time!"