"Rush! Mr. David! Come quick—the Tracking Remnant is…!"

The call of Irina's voice piques the interest of both the aforementioned characters and hastily they come from their discussion on the far side of the throne room, immediately followed by Athlum's four generals. So soon after coming back from Koenigsdorf, Rush is surprised that there's already activity on the tracker considering the magnitude of the remnant that Duke Hermeien had under his power. Still, he supposes he shouldn't be too shocked—this is the Conqueror after all and he seems to have many tricks up his sleeves.

Gathering now along with the other's around the blurry map presented by the Tracking Remnant, he does not even have to squint to see what exactly had Irina looking down in obvious worry.

"Why… that's impossible. How could there be so many Remnants in one place…?" The Marquis remarks with clear shock. Indeed, upon the image before them, there seems to be a heaving mass of lights; made up of many colours, the sparks seem to clash and collide with one another in their effort to stay in one small spot and out of the corner of Rush's eyes, he sees Torgal shake his head in confusion.

"It seems as if the Remnants are connected to one place. Or… perhaps one person." The Sovani says, and he shifts in discomfort.

"It is far too close to Elysion to be comfortable." Pagus comments. "However, it does not seem to be moving towards them. It is possible it is a neutral force, though I cannot say for sure."

For whatever reason, Rush felt oddly… panicked. As soon as he had set eyes on the phenomenon, anxiety readily grips his heart yet he dismisses it with ease. After all, the others must be feeling the same thing, surely. The thought of something—or someone—wielding that many Remnants could not be good news. There is a tingle on the back of his neck, but he ignores it in favour of looking to David, whose own brows are pulled together in consternation. "Y'think it's the Conqueror?" He asks, and subsequently attempts to wrack his brain for any explanation towards this.

"This could be a far bigger problem than the Remnant we encountered at Koenigsdorf if the origin of these Remnants is indeed to be considered an enemy." David's voice is grim, and Rush feels himself sobering up. This spooked him, but he's sure it stresses the other out far more than he can even think of. "If this is the work of the Conqueror… then I fear we have quite a battle on our hands." He sounds weary and grave and Rush certainly doesn't like seeing that on anyone.

A grin crossing light features, the young Sykes slings an arm around the Marquis, pulling him close as he claps him on the chest with his other hand. "Lighten up, Dave! I'm sure it'll be fine—'sides, if we beat all those guys around Koenigsdorf and Hermeien, we can handle this new guy alright!"

The reaction isn't one he expects. Almost immediately, the Marquis shrugs off Rush's arm and steps back as if to distance himself. "We… I have still failed at that battle. The Conqueror…" He looks away.

"Mr. David!" And now Irina is there, approaching with her hands held to her chest, almost reaching for the blond but she seems to restrain herself from comforting him. "Please… don't give up. Not now! Not after how long we've fought." She turns to the Tracking Remnant, and Rush wonders at the odd deflation in his chest. "Whatever this gathering of Remnants is… we have to find out. The Conqueror will be sure to go after it next once he's done with his goals in Darken Forest! We have to beat him!" When the Marquis doesn't answer, dark, pleading hues turn to him once more. "Mr. David…"

Finally, finally there is a light shown within deep hazels. As if coming back to life, David smiles softly at the youngest Sykes, and Rush feels that dark gnawing feeling in his gut grow a little stronger now. Still, he's happy that the Marquis is out of his stump, and it seems as if they finally have some game plan.

"You are right, Irina." The Marquis closes his eyes as if to compose himself, and when he opens them, there is fire within them. "I apologize. You have a sound plan." Straightening, he glances towards his generals and they stand immediately at attention. "You are all to prepare to head out again! Wherever these Remnants are going, we are to intercept them as soon as possible."

At once, the four Generals clap their fists to their hearts. "Yes, My Lord!"

Crossing his arms, Rush is unaware wholly of the sour expression he now has on. Glancing to the side, he's eager to get rid of this gnawing feeling at the pit of his stomach; heck, he's not even sure where exactly it came from! Just seeing David and Irina like that…

Why is he feeling this way?

Just when he thought that things would carry on just like that, David approaches him with a neutral expression upon tan features. A hand rises to rest upon Rush's shoulder, and there's an odd relief spreading within him at the sight of a smile crossing the Marquis' features. "Thank you, Rush."

And Rush doesn't entirely care what the other is thanking him for exactly, but he's grinning back and reaching up to cover the other's hand with his own upon his shoulder.

"No problem, Dave!"

From the moment he wakes, Rush finds he is strangely tired.

It is not because of any lack of sleep, no—he's sure he fell to slumber surprisingly early the night before since David had ordered them all to get a good rest so that they can head out early in the morning. Which is… unlike him. Normally, they set out as soon as, but assurance from Marina that the crowd of Remnants does not seem to be moving set David on this decision. Even so, Rush felt like he got up earlier than the others, and that was saying something. Normally, he was the one to sleep in but as soon as he opens his eyes, he finds he cannot will himself back to sleep.

He gets dressed fast, and takes one look outside the window. Not exactly light just yet, which meant he still had some time to sort out these strange feelings still lurking in his chest. He'd thought they'd go away by now yet they still persisted, and perhaps are even stronger than before. He isn't exactly sure of the origin but…

Quietly, he moves from his room to the end of the hall, passing outside and through the gardens and back into the throne room. The doors were closed at this hour, but he easily slips in, moving almost ghost-like towards the Tracking Remnant. As soon as it is activated, he rests his hands upon the edges, staring intently at the large, multi-coloured dot upon the map. Strange. It doesn't seem to have moved from it's last known location, but he knows that he probably shouldn't doubt his mother on her words.

Yet even as he stares more at it, the more urgency he felt, as if he has to go there straight away but there also is a fear lingering in him, fear that if he went there, then things wouldn't go as smoothly as he hopes.

"Hn-!"

A grunt is forced out of him suddenly and he gasps aloud, eyes widening as his knees weaken and he feels himself stumble against the Tracking Remnant, as if the energy had been sapped from him so suddenly and he feels so drained, so weak that he decides to stay there for a moment longer, so as to ground himself but he cannot stop staring at the blurred map, the prominent group of Remnants and-?

"Rush?"

The voice is familiar but he does not place it at first, so drawn to the peculiar dot.

"I'm…" His tone is strangely low and for a moment, he's unaware of it, unaware of anything for his thoughts are sent into a whirlwind of images, voices and sounds and he's shaking; he isn't sure when that started happening but he's shaking and are there murmurs spilling from his lips? Jumbled and strange and almost non-sensible, and he almost laughs because that's like him, right? And perhaps there is a chuckle there somewhere, thrown within the cacophony and he feels himself tossed adrift, as if everything is fragmented and strange and-!

( come, little remnant! little warden. stop once, stop twice? NO. NO NO NO NO NONONONONO)

"You want... that?" His voice is curious almost, lilted and strange but suddenly—finally there is an intrusion. Someone is gripping him and shaking him by the shoulders and calling and he can vaguely register that he is glowing, that this light around him is growing in intensity and it is abnormal, he is sure and—how long has David been shaking… him like… this?

"Wh-what?! Hey—Dave! Dave!" He yells all of a sudden, life coming back to him and he's almost unaware of what had happened. It felt like a dream and his memory is hazy but there was something crucial in that moment that he'd forgotten, something important. All the same, his eyes are wide and confused; the light emanating from his figure is gone and he registers the worry within the other's own hues, the desperation and he's uncertain of what exactly the other has seen, what exactly has transpired in it's entirety.

"Rush?!" All at once, David stops his motions and now the young Sykes can see the naked panic upon tan features and he wishes he really hadn't because what he'd been doing wasn't that scary, was it? What even was he doing in the first place? "You're back?" An odd choice of words, but there is relief upon the Marquis' face. He also notices the tight grip has not gone away either.

As if realising the maintained connection, David slowly releases him, and those features are composed once more though the worry is still clear in his face. "You… you worried me." He tells Rush quietly. He steps back, and glances towards the Tracking Remnant. "What were you doing here?"

Rush grimaces. He isn't exactly sure of the reason, but he can't exactly leave the Marquis empty-handed either. "I… I was curious." He says lamely; it is partly true, though.

David looks at him. "What's wrong?"

A sigh escapes Rush's lips before he manages to stand—albeit shakily and he notes how the other shifts as if ready to catch him at any given moment—now finally letting go of the Tracking Remnant. Before he can answer, however, the Marquis approaches once more and grasps him gently by the forearm. "Away from there, Rush. I do not want… anything else strange happening to you." He says quietly, and Rush thinks he imagines the catch in his voice but all the same, he doesn't protest to the other's wish. He doesn't think he can really handle another episode like that. Neither could the Marquis as well, it seems.

Settled now in the castle garden, David finally lets go of him before turning to Rush. There is a silent query within those eyes and the young Sykes gives a half-hearted shrug, not entirely sure what to say but he's sure the other expects an answer nonetheless. "I just… the thought of that new thing is giving me the heebie jeebies." He's about to say more before there is a twitch upon the Marquis' lips that does not go undetected. "What? What is it?"

A short laugh escapes David before he hurriedly collects himself, a hand quickly rising to cover his mouth. "My apologies, Rush. I was merely amused at your choice of terminology. Please, continue."

A smirk manages to quirk his lips for a brief moment because that of all things had gotten then other to smile… huh. "If you say so." Though, there really isn't anything else to say. The smirk fades from his face, as does the other's smile. "I don't wanna sound like I'm the only one feeling like this. I mean, you guys as well are getting chills from it, right?"

"Perhaps." The Marquis responds in a contemplative tone. He starts moving then, past Rush towards the centre of the garden to stare at the flowers. Both hands laced behind his back, he speaks up once more. "However, what happened back there is not something we can attest to happening to us. Please, what did you see, Rush? What exactly happened?"

He shuffles at first from slight discomfit, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He isn't even sure how to even explain what had happened, only that it did. "When I was looking at it, it felt like I was being drawn in. I dunno how to explain it." Eyes cast down, he wonders what exactly is going through the Marquis' mind. "I'm really sorry, Dave. For worrying you like that, I mean." He shakes his head, and lifts dark hues to meet the other's own once more. However, what he's greeted with is, of course, a completely composed expression. Yet, he can tell the Marquis is worrying—it's just in his nature! And of course, Rush moves forward immediately, a reassuring smile upon his face as he pats David upon the shoulder. "It'll be fine, Dave. 'M sure it's nothing." When it does nothing to lift the Marquis' mood—indeed, the stare seems to get even more intense—, he grabs the other by the forearm, much like he did to Rush beforehand, and starts moving along the garden. It's nearing dawn, and he imagines the others are not too far from waking up now. "Daaaave~? You in there? We still gotta get ready!" He hopes the sudden anxiety hadn't shown in his tone. He really doesn't want this hanging over David's head.

There is relief when the other finally responds. "Yes. Of course. Thank you, Rush." The response is grateful but there is still something monotone underlying his words. Dark brows draw together briefly on the young Syke's face, but he tugs him along all the same, glad he got something out of the other at all.

"Be careful, Rush." He almost doesn't hear the next words from David, but he nods in response, flashing a grin back at him.

"As long as you are, Dave."