There was something wrong, and Dyne knew it.

Laughter from the brush ahead. Not uncommon in Burg, but intuition had taught him the difference between coy bliss and malicious mockary.

He slinked through the tall grass to investigate. Upon his arrival at the clearing beside the spring, he found a collective of the older children in a semi-circle around a smaller boy, tossing him to one another like a game of hot potato. Dyne recognized the victim. His friend Noah.

"Hey Noah, why you been gettin' so cozy with Ellin?" said the oldest of the boys before shoving him into the dirt. His cohorts cackled at Noah, who now lay face first in the soil.

"We're just friends, " Noah muttered, wiping a stream of blood from his cracked lips.

"Not no more you're not."

The boy prepared to lash out at Noah once more and Dyne barreled through the mob to aid his friend. Dyne caught the boy's glance, sheer horror, before he set him on his back with a right hook.

Silence now washed over the crowd. Dyne clenched his fists, and everyone got the message. They scampered off quickly, leaving their leader on his back in defeat, blood caking below his nose.

"Now that the odds are balanced, do you care to try your luck again Luke?" Dyne hovered over the boy. He stood warily. Blood dripped from his nose like a font.

"Whatever, Dyne." Luke wiped the blood on his sleeve before sulking toward the forest.

Dyne turned to Noah and extended his hand. Noah grabbed it with a smile. Dyne found no trouble lifting him to his feet. Sure, he was strong, but Noah was rather small, even for a fourteen year old. And he wasn't the only one who knew it either. Luke had obviously gotten wind of it.

"Thanks Dyne," uttered Noah, brushing straw from his gaunt arms with a sigh.

"Thanks? I thought you'd sock me for getting involved. I'm sure you could've pummeled them all yourself."

Noah laughed and shook his head. "Dyne, you know as well as I do that my face would look like a Slime if you didn't come along. You're too humble. If you showed a little confidence every now and then, you'd probably be out of Burg by now."

"Why would I ever want to leave Burg? Who else is going to watch your back?"

"Althena watches over me."

"Althena? Give me a break, Noah. Maybe if you'd stop believing in fairy tales, you wouldn't get beaten up so much."

"You'd better hope Althena doesn't hear you say that. You know she comes to Lunar as a human every so often."

Dyne scoffed, throwing his arm around Noah's shoulders. "And if that ever happens I'll slink to my knees and confess my undying love for her!" Noah laughed along with him, but Dyne could see in his eyes that he really believed all the stories. It was understandable. Noah was without a mother and his father was no bet. He needed someone to watch out for him. Dyne wouldn't count on Althena ever doing it though, which is why he liked shadowing Noah from time to time. He probably thought Althena had sent him herself, and if that was enough to keep his spirits up, then he was glad to do it.

Trouble was rare in Burg. There was nothing in this village but weeds and corn. Yet as it always seemed to do, trouble had found its way. But it was gone for now at least. And when it manifested again, he'd be waiting. He'd always be waiting for it.

The shimmer of the Blue Star had begun to bathe the meadow in its aqua penumbra. Dyne enjoyed the sun sets. The Blue Star had always looked more beautiful shedding a light of its own. He traced the blotches of green with his eyes, desperate to unearth some hidden mystery within. Nights like these made him yearn for life outside of Burg even more.

"I'd better get home before my Dad kills me," Noah said, beginning to saunter through the meadow. Dyne joined him at his side as always, ensuring no matter of man or monster would dare cross him again.

His friend.