It was a seemingly young girl, though the aura within spoke of power greater than any Guardian I had met, yet less focused, or perhaps weaker and more focused? I couldn't quite tell, it was enough that I barely registered her appearance while fully taking in that feeling that was both light and yet not, close enough to feel the same, yet different enough to be uncanny.

"Are you... Okay?"

The question shook me out of my fugue, I shook my head a bit to get back into gear.

'Oh? Like what you see Guardian? Didn't take you for the type?'

'Now now, no need to be jealous Sirius.'

'Jealous? Me?'

'Of course, you don't look half as good as I do. Now run some discreet scans, I'm sure you've noticed.'

'I have.'

"Ah, I'm... fine, probably." I responded rather eloquently.

Now that I was paying attention, the girl looked very unusual. Her hair was a bright gold blonde, but her eyes were also a rich gold colour, something I hadn't seen before.

But more than that, her clothes and armour weren't just lacking in protection, they looked like props. The clothing didn't look like it was made from artificial fibres, and there was no composite, plastic or carbon fibre in the armour or anything more exotic. Not even a paint, it looked just like plain forged steel, as if it was straight out of the medieval era. It was also very light, it only covered her chest and the outside of her shoulders and arms, as well as her knees and neck.

Suddenly the girl bowed, which felt a bit off. To see someone that looked almost like a knight make such a gesture felt surprising somehow, even if she wasn't quite as well dressed as Zavala for instance.

"I apologise, because of me a Minotaur reached this far above the middle floors, if you hadn't killed it people could have died. Thank you."

I didn't have a clue how to react to that, was this thing not meant to be here?

"Lady, there's no need to apologise, nothing bad happened after all, but I do have a few questions if you don't mind..."

Unfortunately, before we could get anywhere, someone else arrived.

Just as quick as the girl had no less. A young man a bit older than her, with amber eyes, grey hair and... Were those ears on the top of his head? Wolf ears?

He wore an open leather jacket over a vest that looked like it had been cut down to a piece of cloth, weirdly enough. Though his armour didn't cover his chest or shoulders, his gauntlets and greaves did cover both sides of his limbs. He also had a tattoo on his face as if he didn't need to look any more... 'unique'. Which, from the arrogant smirk on his face was probably deliberate.

"You finished up quick Ais huh, that should be the last of 'em. Ha, to think their were so scared of you, they ran all the way up to the sixth floor hahahahaha."

The man completely ignored me, which was a little irritating, but I was a Hunter, I'd dealt with rough sorts before.

'ahem' I made sure to cough 'politely'.

The man finally noticed me and looked at me, his eyes narrowing as his brows furrowed, and his ears even twitched, breaking my last shred of hope.

So I looked him straight in the eye, in the way one could through a helmet after years of practise, and spoke.

"No, I killed that Minotaur." I spoke briefly and sternly, without elaborating.

The man merely looked at his companion, and at her brief nod, his smirk widened. Huh, I expected more doubt, maybe I misjudged him?

"Oh, so we got someone strong on the upper floors do we, good, I'm tired of all the weaklings around here? New to Orario?"

The girl glared at him for that comment, but... continued bowing.

"Actually I'm just a bit lost, but before that I've been awfully rude, I've forgotten to introduce myself haven't I?"

The girl - Ais, looked at me, still bowing and tilted her head as if thinking. It was rather cute...

"Lost? In the Dungeon?"

"No, lost on this planet."

At that both of them looked surprised, as if I had said something odd.

'No point hiding it huh?'

'If we hide it, we'll just waste time Sirius, we need to get back ASAP, the Last City needs every single Guardian on hand.'

'So me as well?'

'Are you feeling shy?'

'Shut up you.'

I reached out with a palm after planting my sword in the dirt. Light sparkled at my fingers, and with a flash, the symmetrical geometric shapes of my ghosts body returned to normal space, his orbiters spinning around his central body in excitement.

"Helmet please."

The sleek helmet, (more of a mask than a helmet really) I had bought from Dead Orbit, Sojourn Cover disappeared into flecks of light as Sirius dropped in storage.

With a bow and a flourish of my cape, I proclaimed proudly.

"Greetings fellows, I am Liam Rust, Hunter and the soon to be greatest Guardian of the Last City on Earth. This here is my Ghost, Sirius. Now, do you two mind telling where the hell we are? They don't call it the last city for nothing you know?"