Couldn''t find any fitting music today

    Mid Afternoon - Late Winter - Year 24 : Eastern Bahamut

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    *WOOOOSH* Looking out into the stars beyond the veil of the bright afternoon sky, I made my way south through the uppermost reaches of the atmosphere, filling my lungs with space''s frigid emptiness in hopes that the endless expanse of stars and nebulae would bring forth the comfort they normally did.

    But no matter how deeply I drew the emptiness into my lungs and bathed my mind in the starry map, my anxiety remained firmly anchored.

    It hadn''t been long since I left the inn at that point, but with every wingbeat, my thoughts twisted more and more. For the first time in years, genuine doubt gnawed at my resolve. My strength, once something I believed to be just shy of absolute, now felt limited—barely enough to guard those within reach...

    And lately, even that had been thrown into question.

    Every oracle.. every hint gleamed through glimpses of the infinite branches of fate showed the same harrowing image—a world left barren, crumbling into ruin after I had either lost to Jormungandr, or simply couldn''t stop the destruction that was set to spread the moment fate made up its whim.

    Of course, I had no faith in the illusions of oracles.. they were single leaflets on a broader canopy.—a single possibility of billions...

    But I couldn''t deny their signs.

    I wasn''t enough—not nearly...

    I needed strength—not only from within myself, but from the allies whose presence could extend my reach.

    Issue was.. with the exception of Hera, those strong enough to entrust were beyond my grasp. -Dagr and Ilios are still reincarnating, Grace is tied down to Elizabeth, Skuld isn''t much more than an alarm bell, and my own strength has stagnated...-

    I was left standing at a crossroads with nowhere to turn, refining my techniques and submerging myself in enriched mana, desperately praying that Odin or the Leviathan wouldn''t show up before I was ready.

    But while I needed time, it wasn''t in my favor. I couldn’t be everywhere at once—and seeing the impending storm gathering on the horizon, my stomach knotted with dread.

    It made me want to take advantage of the calm and strike... To end things before they began...

    But I couldn''t.

    Deep down, beneath all my stubborn bravado and wishes to nip the bud, I knew the bitter truth. If Grace''s warnings held even a fraction of truth, then in my current state, I stood no chance against the combined might of Odin and Freya, and with the Holy Kingdom rapidly advancing toward nuclear capabilities, the fight was quickly getting too big to contain in my paws.

    The struggle was no longer simply a battle between gods wanting to resolve old hatred. It had become a war that was going to engulf everything I knew.

    A war that was ready to spark the moment the pressure settled on the landmine.

    Feeling frustration slowly giving way to the resolve, I tightened my wings, briefly shifting into the void before returning to reality in the sky above the Cabinet.

    I had one loose thread left to follow, and if I could trace its origin, there was a chance I could snuff the burning fuse before it could ignite anything.

    Though, it still made me unusually hesitant—cautious. "Hooh..." Letting out a heavy breath, my unease settled with a swirl of divinity—a solidification of resolve. -I''m getting ahead of myself... I just need to take things one step at a time...-

    After a short pause, I looked down over the Cabinet with a slowly steadying gaze before diving down.

    Making my way inside, winding through the endless hallways, I found my way to the room where the researchers were being held before plucking out Chioni without so much as a word—bringing her to an adjacent interrogation room for some.. ''initial questioning''.

    But unlike I hoped, her knowledge was spotty at best.

    Only recognizing the insignia as what her brother sealed his letters with, she had no knowledge of the organization behind it, only able to take educated guesses at her brothers connection to them. "He was always good with numbers. Even after being pressured by our father to study mana, he wanted to be a banker or a merchant''s manager." Her tone was shaky, nervous but honest and true.

    "I see... So you assumed he’d simply found employment overseas managing finances?"

    Nodding, her anxiety visibly rose. "Y-yes. He was a gentle boy—cautious. He wouldn’t..." Her voice halted uncertainly. "He hasn''t done anything dangerous, has he?"

    I hesitated, unsure how much truth to release. "I can''t say for certain yet. But a letter he sent you, the insignia and the timing, it sounds.. suspicious..."

    Her eyes widened with panic, the gentle shifts in her tail ceasing. "Wh..What letter?"

    Pulling it out, I gently laid it before her. "It sounds like he was discouraging you from investigating the anomaly, not out of idle worry, but because he knew what was really happening, and knew the consequences that would greet those that tried to look into it because the organization behind the terrorist attack is the very same one he works for."

    Watching the neurons in her mind explode with a mass of emotions and memories, she simply froze, her gaze becoming distant.

    "The timing is too damning for coincidence... Your brother knew something was going to happen, even if this isn''t the full story."

    Her mouth opened, struggling to find words. "But that’s- He wouldn’t... He’s gentle," her whispers ended in stutters, desperation fighting rationality. "He’d never knowingly hurt people... He couldn''t hurt a mouse."

    My voice stiffened, hoping to pierce the wall of emotions encompassing her mind. "All he necessarily knew was that something was going on.. but that doesn''t make him any less guilty."

    She eventually lowered her gaze with hesitancy, hoping to weather the storm of denial clashing with reason in her mind. "The organization behind the insignia.. the one my brother used..." Drawing in a slow, shaky breath, her gaze steadied. "What are they doing for a god to deem them such a threat..?" Looking into my eyes, she saw not some stranger, but the towering figure of a fenrir before her... A god... But her tone didn''t waver. "Why are you getting involved with us dragons..?"

    "Because the organization behind that insignia is developing a weapon smaller than a barrel of alcohol that can reduce every city on this planet to a pile of rubble." My tone turned cold as the room was coated in frost—my dense aura purging the heat from the air. "If I let them finish making it, world order will collapse." Watching her eyes widen further, her breath hitching in her throat, I tried to soften my gaze. "It''s possible your brother just doesn''t know what he''s tangled in, but regardless of that, I need to investigate the organization."

    Nodding faintly, Chioni tried to swallow her dread to steady her voice. "R..Right... If he really is managing their finances.. he must know names, or locations.. or something..." Her eyes darted around the room as if searching for an answer before finally, they snapped back to me with a frightening determination. "If I arrange a meeting between you two.. can you promise he will be spared..?"

    Pausing, a gentle flick passed through my tail. "I can''t." The light in her eyes instantly faded as I continued more softly. "If he has been corrupted like others I have seen, I can''t promise he will be able to return to a normal life, though I will let you try to reform him..." As I paused, her eyes widened. "If he truly is only there for the job, I will offer him a far greater position—whatever he wishes, understood its withing reason."

    Her relief was palpable, but conflicted, her tense posture loosening while her tail stiffened. "Then I''ll send him a letter right away." With her worry being drowned with determination, her thoughts accelerated. "Could I possibly return home to send it through my family? If the letter is from Mother, he''ll surely come."

    I was quick to agree. "Where is your estate?"

    "The outskirts of Emporio," she responded swiftly. "It''s a.. modest home—again, my family isn''t particularly well off.. so they may not be able to.. accommodate someone of your stature." She looked me up and down with some uncertainty.

    But I was quick to wave her worries aside. "I understand, don''t worry." Giving some momentary reassurance, we spoke for a moment longer before finally leaving, taking her to the Cabinet''s space rune and jumping to Emporio.

    *Vwoom* Finally being released from the gate''s comforting resonance, the chaotic streets opened before us, bustling with the activity of young dragons and opportunistic merchants alike. Compared to Ampelos, it seemed far more populated. -Perhaps its because the city is smaller...- After all, it was trying to accomodate a crowd from Atlas.

    But it seemed to handle the crowd just fine.

    Alive with chatter, the air was rich with the scent of spices and charcoal, gently lit by rows of warm street lamps under the waning sunlight.

    A seemingly nostalgic scene for Chioni.

    Seeing her visibly relax with a heavy sigh, she was quick to motion us along with a slightly anxious smile. "It''s this way, please follow me."

    Her tension was still ever-present, but with every step down the narrowing cobblestone street, it eased, if only slightly.

    But before long it returned in a wave. With the towering draconic structures lining the streets shrinking to a more human size, stress intruded the warmth in her voice. "My family''s home is just around the corner." Her voice was quiet, layered with uncertainty as if embarrassed. "Again, it''s small... I apologize if-"

    "You don’t need to apologize," I gently interjected. "I’m not here on vacation. Comfort is irrelevant."

    She gave a slight, relieved nod, her pace quickening as if a burden had been momentarily lifted.

    But the ease didn''t last forever.

    Eventually, we reached her family''s estate: a cozy, stone-walled building adorned with ivy, surrounded by a humble yard like a modest, lower noble human''s home.

    Simple, but welcoming—a home with a charm that wealth couldn''t replicate.

    "P..please come in..." Motioning me through the small iron gate barely capable of holding back a human child, we stepped toward the entrance and knocked, waiting for hardly a breath before the door opened to reveal a stunningly young-looking woman, her grey, almost blond hair and rosy clear skin completely embracing the warm glow of the lantern in her hands.

    "Chioni!" She gasped, her expression a mix of joyous surprise and relief as she hung the lantern on the door and jumped out to hug her daughter''s feathery snout. "Thank Bahamut, you''re alright! We were worried sick!" Pulling herself away, she moved to look over Chioni''s body, only to freeze as her gaze snapped to mine.

    Chioni hastily drew back to clarify. "Mother, this is..." She immediately hesitated, searching for the most respectful phrasing. "...Someone from the upper echelons of the Cabinet."

    The dragoness instantly straightened, her expression becoming formal, trying to mask her fluster with anything she could. "O-Oh! Please, forgive my rudeness! I am Diane Psychros, Chioni''s mother." She bowed respectfully, her extremely casual clothes turning formal with a flurry of spells. "We weren''t expecting visitors today.. much less one of your stature.. but please- uhm.. come in!"

    Feeling her frantically waving her aura around to clean up inside, I couldn''t help but crack a smile while I shrank down to my humanoid form and followed Chioni through the halls, into a modest yet inviting living room—a comforting warmth emanating from its comparatively tiny hearth roaring a proud flame. -How cozy...-

    But while the home was warm, the air around Chioni was cold and tense. "Mother," as soon as we got into the living room, Chioni''s anxiety finally had enough. "We need to send a letter to Nikos. I need to speak with him..."

    Diane''s eyes instantly sharpened with caution and concern. "I-I see..." Looking at me, she forced down a gulp before nodding. "W-Well you have good timing.. he''s actually home, just out running some ''errands''. He should be back soon."

    "What?" Chioni froze instantly. "What is he doing here?"

    "He was getting ready to go look for you in Ampelos... He''s worried sick."

    The flickering fire instantly exposed the color draining from her complexion. "Nikos.. was coming to find me?"

    "Y..Yes," Nodding anxiously, Diane looked at me, nervously smoothing out the fabric of her magically conjured attire. "He arrived here a few days ago, unusually tense and insistent saying he needed to reach you. He was afraid you were involved in some incident..."

    A heavy silence instantly fell over the room, punctuated only by the faint crackling of the fireplace and the muffled bustle of the street outside.

    But it was a silence I relished. Instead of having to delicately tug on a taut string, hoping to follow it before it snapped under the strain, I stumbled across a spool of slack. -It really must be my lucky day...-

    It was the perfect opportunity to see what was on the end of the string, be it an empty hook or one stuck in the side of a monster.

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