As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

7- Devonian

Despite Duke's professional demeanor, the interior of his home was in disarray. The small group could barely make it to the kitchen table without stepping on a book or a collection of feathers and leaves or another partially finished landscape painting with the dirty palette and brushes still sitting beside it. The table had only one chair, so Duke pulled over two wooden crates for his guests and a large stack of what looked like encyclopedias for himself. It was makeshift, but it would do.

Raven took over making the tea while Duke read the book chapter dedicated to the Great Flood. Judith was sitting pleasantly at the little table, examining the way his expressions changed, but Kida seemed nervous and was fidgeting with Anzu's charm. Raven finally poured the tea into four mismatched cups and set one down in front of Kida first to give her something to focus on. As he distributed them to Judith and Duke, Duke looked up from the book and nodded in thanks.

"This book is intriguing. Though the legends have been adapted for the benefit of young readers, it is still a generally accurate account of the tales recounted to me by Elucifer."

"So it's true?" Raven asked. "All that stuff about Utnapishtim and the Great Flood actually happened?"

"According to the Entelexia, yes." Duke closed the book and placed it back down on the table. "This version of the tale, however, places an inordinate amount of focus on the actions of so-called 'gods.' The flood of aer and the development of the Entelexian ability to metabolize aer were both natural occurrences."

Kida's grip on her mug handle tightened. "The planet flooded with aer naturally?"

"Tell us Elucifer's version of the story," Judith added, "please."

Duke closed his eyes to think it over, and for a moment Raven was afraid he was going to refuse. However, it seemed that he was just collecting his thoughts, as he jumped right in without any preface.

"This tale, Elucifer said, is one so ancient that it comes to us from the time of Pangaea, the Kingdom of Monsters."

"Kingdom of Monsters?" Raven repeated, and Judith nodded.

"It's said that before the Entelexia emerged, Terca Lumireis was ruled by powerful monsters who inhabited a single great kingdom known as Pangaea," she explained.

"Correct," Duke answered, and then continued. "Our planet's surface, both the land and the rocky floor of the seas, is merely a solid crust sitting atop a tumultuous interior of liquid aer. Today, the only evidence of this interior can be found at aer krenes, where gaseous aer is produced and emitted into the atmosphere. But in ancient times, a massive string of volcanic eruptions pulled aer from deep within the planet and sent it spilling out onto the surface unregulated. Those eruptions, not the work of vengeful gods, is what Elucifer claimed was the cause of the Great Flood."

"A volcano…" Kida murmured, and then picked up her charm. "Anzu remembers a story that Astal once told him about a giant volcano, but he didn't recall the details until now."

"The effects of those eruptions were felt around the world. Massive amounts of aer were pumped into the atmosphere, clouding the sun and killing the plants. Terrestrial food chains collapsed as herbivorous monsters starved, leaving those who preyed on them to starve as well. Those that did not starve were either suffocated by the aer or frozen to death by the plummeting temperatures. Liquid aer that made its way into the sea poisoned the water, and large swaths of the great ocean became uninhabitable as aquatic monsters succumbed to the poison. Ninety-nine percent of all life in the kingdom of Pangaea became extinct."

The little cabin fell into silence as Duke's words sunk in. Raven was the first to speak up, letting out a low whistle.

"Well now, I can see why they had'ta gloss over some'a that fer the kids' sake."

"That's why the Entelexia were so frightened of the cataclysm brought on by the Adephagos," Judith murmured. "The Entelexia knew in great detail the kind of destruction that happened in the past and didn't want to risk repeating it."

Duke gave a nod. "The Great Flood at least left one-percent of life remaining. The Adephagos would not have been so generous."

"So I'm guessin' that," Raven broke in before Kida could ask any question that might derail the conversation, "accordin' ta the legend, Utnapishtim was one'a the lucky one-percent who survived the Great Flood?"

"Yes. A small, burrowing monster was just the kind of organism that was equipped to survive such a catastrophe. Smaller monsters with lower metabolic needs had a better chance of subsisting on the few plants that could survive the low levels of sunlight, and the specialized lungs of deep burrowers helped them to breathe the otherwise poisonous air." Duke flipped through the book to find the illustration for the Great Flood story, showing a tusked creature navigating a tight burrow. "However, for all their advantages, they were not immune to the rapid genetic mutations that are caused by concentrated aer. The creatures left after the Great Flood mutated rapidly, often to their detriment. It was by luck alone that one of the random mutations resulted in the ability to metabolize aer and concentrate it into apatheia. The first Entelexia, therefore, developed the same way that all living species have: through the success of a random genetic mutation."

Raven cracked a smile. "No gods necessary, huh?"

"Not in a traditional sense, but we should not discount the possibility that all such natural processes are merely the means by which a higher power manipulates this world. Many natural processes still operate beyond our realm of understanding. Is it not conceivable that they are the machinations of beings that themselves exist beyond our realm of understanding?"

Judith put a hand over her chest. "Why, Duke, I never took you for a religious man."

"I am not. But I see no reason to discount such possibilities just because of my own lack of understanding."

The group went quiet again. Kida glanced around and then cleared her throat. "Um, speaking of religion… we, uh…" She seemed to lose her nerve and looked to Raven and Judith with a plea for help in her eyes.

"Yes, speaking of which," Judith continued, "we have some further questions regarding the Entelexia Utnapishtim. Our friend Kida has stumbled into a Krityan cult whose leader claims to be in contact with Utnapishtim, and we were wondering if you could evaluate his claims."

Duke's expression was unreadable. "His claim of contact?"

"Well, I suppose that's a good place to start, yes."

Without replying, Duke stood up and made his way across the cluttered floor to the other side of the room, where he rifled through a box of papers and notebooks until he found the one he was looking for. As he carried it back to the table, he spoke up again, flipping through it as though searching for a certain page.

"Before the Great War, an Entelexia named Nabu was responsible for guarding their legends and sacred relics. He was killed during the war and it is likely that the relics were destroyed, but if what you say is true, there is one piece that may still exist." He set the notebook down on the table and turned it to face the others. The page he'd found had a technical drawing of an elaborately carved ring or bracelet, and some writing in a language they didn't recognize. "This," he continued, "is a drawing I completed based upon Elucifer's description of the legendary Ring of Utnapishtim. It is believed to be a ring of Krityan design, carved from an ancient fragment of one of Utnapishtim's tusks. If a Krityan had this ring in his possession, he could theoretically communicate with Utnapishtim. But I fear there is a significant obstacle that would prevent this."

"Obstacle?" Raven repeated, leaning over the notebook to get a better look. "What's that supposed ta mean?"

"The legend of the Great Flood is not the only Entelexian tale that features Utnapishtim. Another story provides an account of an ancient meteorite impact and the effort put forth by Utnapishtim to save the world from a second Great Flood."

"Huh. Lotta natural disasters happenin' in these stories, aren't there?" Raven muttered.

"These legends date back hundreds of millions of years," Duke replied. "It is only logical that multiple global disasters have occurred since then, and that such catastrophic events would be recorded in the oral history of those who experienced them."

"Oh… yeah, I guess that makes sense."

Duke sighed and set his hands on the table, lacing his fingers together. "By this point, Utnapishtim had evolved to become an Entelexia of great size and power. In order to prevent the disturbed aer within the planet from flooding the surface once again, he burrowed deep into the planet and erected a barrier that separated the liquid aer from the solid surface. This barrier would almost certainly prevent communication between Kritya and Entelexia, and-"

Judith's eyes lit up. "Wait. Are you talking about the Mohorovicic Barrier?"

"The what?" Raven demanded. "Wasn't Moho...ro...chick… that guy a famous blastia researcher?"

"Yes," Judith nodded. "Mohorovocic stumbled upon the underground barrier during his study of aer krene. He discovered that beneath the planet's surface lies a sea of liquid aer separated from the solid surface by a barrier, and that aer krenes are located in specific areas where the barrier is weak and plumes of this aer can escape into the atmosphere. It was by studying this barrier that he created new and more effective barrier blastia."

"Yes, he did, in fact, discover the barrier put into place by Utnapishtim. You are well informed on the history of blastia research," Duke observed, and Judith shook her head.

"My father was a student of his work, that's all. Please, continue your story."

Duke sighed, but he nodded and continued anyway. "The creation of this barrier prevented the flood of aer onto the surface as had happened millions of years before. However, it also trapped Utnapishtim himself inside the planet. The Entelexia considered this a heroic sacrifice because they assumed that exposure to such a concentrated amount of aer would eventually turn Utnapishtim into an adephagos. But perhaps this is not the case. He was, according to legend, one of the most powerful Entelexia to ever live. He may have found a way to survive his imprisonment within the planet."

Raven and Judith looked over at Kida, whose face had turned pale. "It… it's just as Enki says…" she murmured. "He says that Utnapishtim is the most ancient and powerful Entelexia and that he lives deep below the planet's surface. Enki also has a ring that looks like the one there. It's true… it's all true…"

She sounded like she was about to cry, and Judith reached over to place a comforting hand on her back. "What about the predictions? The Great War and the abandonment of blastia?"

"Predictions?" Duke asked.

Kida sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Enki says… that Utnapishtim predicted both the Great War and the conversion of blastia to spirits. Utnapishtim said that these events were necessary to usher in a new world order, one where humans and Kritya work together to surpass the successes of the Geraios civilization."

"Predictions, hm…?" Duke murmured, resting his chin in one hand. "I have never known an Entelexia to have the power of prophecy."

"Well, this Enki guy is only sayin' so after-the-fact," Raven pointed out. "We don't actually have any proof that these predictions were made before the events happened, right?"

Kida looked up again. "W-well, no, but… he predicted Bell's birth before it happened."

"And what was that prediction?" Judith asked. "What were Enki's exact words?"

"He said that… that…" Kida closed her eyes. "...that soon the Atrahasis would appear before us, taking the form of a creature neither human nor Krityan. As long as we chose to follow it, this creature would bridge the two races and lead us into the new age."

"Sounds ta me like that could mean anything," Raven commented. "I mean, he called this thing a creature, not a person. 'Neither human nor Krityan' could literally mean any animal at all. Enki could'a pointed ta a dog if he'd wanted to, and then talked 'bout it bridgin' the two races because it's called 'man's best friend.' I think Bell's birth was just a coincidence, and Enki latched onta her because she was the first thing he found ta fit his bullshit prophecy."

"You…" Kida wiped the tears away from her cheeks. "...you really think so?"

Duke placed his hands back on the table. "I concur with Raven. The power of prophecy is not one that Entelexia naturally possess. I cannot imagine that any Entelexia would have chosen to do nothing if faced with prior knowledge of what the Great War would bring."

The tone of his voice darkened, and the others glanced uncomfortably at one another. No one wanted to say anything- there wasn't much they could say. Raven cleared his throat and changed the subject, hoping that Duke wouldn't perceive it as rude.

"So, as best we can figure, this Enki guy may be tellin' the truth about bein' in contact with Utnapishtim, but that's unlikely because'a the barrier, and he sure as hell isn't tellin' the truth about these so-called prophecies. What I'm thinkin' is, he's probably makin' up the whole thing fer his own personal gain and usin' Utnapishtim's Ring as an explanation fer it all. The only questions now are, what does he want and how d'we use that against him ta call his bluff?"

"Those are questions I cannot answer," Duke replied. "But I am sure you are capable of determining the rest yourself."

Raven laughed. "Thanks fer the confidence, buddy! We've handled these kinda things before- no reason we can't now."

"You've given us more information than we had hoped for," Judith added. "Thank you."

Duke just nodded. "It is not unpleasant, on occasion, to have visitors who respect the relationship between Entelexia and humanity. I encourage you to visit again, should the need arise."

"For real? Ya mean we can visit more often?"

Duke shot Raven a glare, and Raven drew back.

"R-right… we'll, uh, try not ta push it."

Kida picked up Anzu's charm again and held it up. "Um, Anzu says… that there's a big storm coming. He says he and Ba'ul are going to fly somewhere to get away from the lightning."

"Afternoon storms are common here this time of year," Duke said. "It may not die down until late in the evening. If you feel it is too dangerous to leave, you may spend the night."

"What? Really?" Raven flinched. "You're okay with us sleepin' over?"

"I do not want to force Entelexia to fly in dangerous weather. You three may reside here until the storms have passed and there is enough daylight to travel safely." He stood up from the table, taking his notebook and closing it again. "I will clear a space for the three of you to sleep and provide you with blankets and pillows. I hope this will be sufficient."

"Of course," Judith assured him. "We've camped outside on the ground enough times, having a roof over our heads is an improvement."

Raven patted his shoulder. "It'll be hell on this ol' back, but I guess I can handle it fer a night if it means I get ta spend it with these lovely ladies."

Judith rolled her eyes, but Kida giggled and then stopped as she realized he wasn't joking. "Oh, uh…" she began, "...I don't mind sleeping on the floor. Thanks for looking out for Anzu."

"Thanks is not necessary for something that should be natural," Duke said, stepping back toward the bedroom. "But considering how rare it is to find respect for Entelexia in this world, I will accept your thanks."

The storm continued long into the evening and finally subsided a few hours after dark. Duke had cooked a small dinner for them and retired to bed at sunset, encouraging the others to stay awake as long as they liked. Judith produced a deck of cards and suggested they play a few games, and while Kida didn't know any of them, she was eager to learn. After a few games won by Judith and Kida, Raven decided to throw in the towel and get some sleep, leaving the two women to their own devices.

It had stopped raining, so Judith stepped outside for some fresh air and Kida followed. The two stood on the front porch, leaning against the railing and looking up at where the moon was peeking out through the gaps in the clouds. Kida spoke up first, still looking out at the sky.

"It's clearing up. Do you think we should call Ba'ul now?"

"No." Judith shook her head. "He needs his rest as much as we do."

"Oh. Right." Kida paused and then asked, "where does an Entelexia his size sleep?"

"Wherever he wants," Judith answered with a laugh. "But really, he usually finds a place like this. Somewhere large and uninhabited, with plenty of rocky crevices to hide in."

"I see." Kida nodded. "Anzu likes caves too. They remind him of being in Baction with Astal."

"Was Astal his father?"

"No." Kida shook her head. "Entelexia don't have parents like people do-"

"Some do," Judith corrected. "It is possible for a powerful Entelexia to stimulate the development of a new Entelexia from the aer. Elucifer had a daughter. But she confirmed that it was a very rare phenomenon."

"I see. But no, Anzu is not Astal's son. He was born near Baction several years before the start of the Great War, so Astal took him in and protected him."

Judith smiled. "So Anzu is even younger than Ba'ul is."

"Yeah. I wonder if Anzu will be that big when he evolves."

"Perhaps he will."

The two were silent again. Kida propped her elbows up on the railing, resting her face in her hands. "Judith," she began again, "I… I want to say thank you."

"Thank you? For what, exactly?"

"Well, for…" Kida began and then sighed. "...for showing me that Kritya and humans really can work with another. I remember, back in Myorzo, humans were just a curiosity, a strange race of people clinging to archaic ways. I thought that once I came to live on the surface, I could be closer to them. I thought Axis Mundi would help. But despite what they say about bridging the gap between the two, Axis Mundi doesn't consider humans equals. My brother, who used to be curious about humans and the surface, now considers them weak and inferior. He says that Axis Mundi is going to be a hero to humanity, lifting them up out of their ignorance. I never liked that. I… I'm fond of humans."

There was a pause. Judith smiled again.

"I get the feeling you're more than just fond of humans. At least, certain ones."

Kida blushed. "My… my brother said it was foolish to fall in love with a human. That humans could never meet the complex emotional needs that we Kritya have. But I've never met a human who wasn't just as complex, if not moreso, than the Kritya I know. And especially…"

Her voice trailed off, and Judith gave her an encouraging pat on the back. "Especially one in particular?"

Kida closed her eyes and took a long breath of the warm, damp air. "He's incredible. My friend Molly says he's too moody, too quiet, too brooding, but I don't see it that way at all. He just considers things very deeply. He enjoys dwelling on his experiences, considering how events in life fit together in strange and sometimes unexpected ways. He's experienced tragedy in his life, and yes, it still colors his view of the world sometimes, but…" She let out a laugh and shook her head. "Because of that, he has a strong will. He can't ignore injustice or abandon those he cares about. He considers his actions thoroughly and executes them with confidence. Compared to the happy-go-lucky Kritya I grew up with in Myorzo, he's truly unique."

"You love him very much."

"...yes." Kida squeezed her eyes shut. "So much."

Judith looked out at the landscape again, where the sky was beginning to clear and a few stars were peeking through. She knew Brave Vesperia was still far below the horizon, however, so she turned back to Kida and continued the conversation.

"I used to be a loner no matter who I was with. I didn't seem to fit in with humans or Kritya. But it turned out that I just hadn't found the right group of people yet. The right people are always out there for you, and once you find them, it's like nothing else in the world."

"That's true." Kida agreed. "No matter what happens with my brother, I'll always be grateful to him for convincing me to come live on the surface. If he hadn't, I never would have met Harry."

There was a pause.

"Harry, hm? Harry Whitehorse? Now that explains a lot." Judith smirked, and Kida blushed again.

"Oh! That's, um… that's…" She shook her head and cleared her throat. "R-Raven seems very strong-willed too. You wouldn't know it from his relaxed sort of speech, but he does take charge when he needs it."

"Yes, this is true," Judith replied with a nod. "He acts like a doormat because he generally likes being walked on, but as soon as it becomes unpleasant or dangerous, he has no qualms about biting back."

"Do you prefer walking on him or being bitten?"

Judith snorted and put a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. "What in the world does that mean?"

"Oh! Um, I'm sorry, I just… well, I got to talk about Harry, so I figured I'd ask about… um, I mean, your metaphor kinda sounded like…"

Judith finally allowed herself to laugh and patted Kida on the head. "I see. If you must know, he's never bitten me personally. But I think I would enjoy that just as much." She paused and winked. "Still, I think you might be misinterpreting things. I see old Raven as more of a plaything than anything else. Certainly not the way you see Harry."

"Yes, I did get that feeling. But… playthings must be taken care of, otherwise they'll break. Isn't that right?"

Judith perked up. "I've never thought about it like that. But yes, I should take better care of my playthings, shouldn't I?"

The porch went quiet again, Kida looking out at the sky in awe of the stars scattered across it.

"Harry taught me some of the constellations while I was with him at Altosk's new training outpost near Aurnion, but they look different from here in Yurzorea. Where is Brave Vesperia?"

"You can't see it from here," Judith explained. "It's below our horizon right now and won't appear again until the early morning hours. But if you don't mind waking up early, you'll be able to see it then."

Kida smiled. "I'd like that very much… it's comforting knowing that it's still there even if we can't see it, huh?"

"Yes," Judith replied, "it certainly is."

After being dropped off at the capital, Rita and Estelle went right to the hospital to retrieve the forms. The receptionist was friendly and helpful, and it only took a few minutes, so they had the rest of the day to spend at their leisure in Zaphias. Rita suggested that since they'd be taking care of Bell for another two weeks, they should go buy some more clothes and toys for her. Estelle was delighted at the prospect of going shopping together for baby supplies, just the two of them. It felt like something a family would do.

The shops in the capital had so many cute toys- stuffed animals, rattles, blocks, even small wooden facsimiles of everyday objects like keys and food. All the baby clothing was cute too, the pastel colors, the embroidered patterns, the lace trim… Estelle went a little overboard from the excitement of it all. Rita was more prudent with their choices, carefully discerning between what they needed and didn't need- at least for the moment. Estelle had picked out a particularly cute toy and shown it off, only for Rita to turn it down.

"That's a teething ring, Estelle. Her teeth aren't going to come in for another five months at least. We don't need that yet."

"Oh, r-right," Estelle murmured, setting it back down. She then considered what Rita had said and turned back around. "Yet?"

"I-I mean-!" Rita stammered, and Bell let out a cry at her sudden outburst. Rita bounced her up and down to calm her as she continued, "I just mean… well, you never know."

Estelle giggled and moved onto a different section of toys, but part of her felt still felt oddly empty.

The conversation she'd shared with Yuri the night before still weighed on her mind. It was nice enough to spend time with Rita like this, but the idea that Rita viewed it very differently than she did worried her. Part of her didn't want to say anything that might be misconstrued, just to keep Rita comfortable. But another part of her couldn't forget what Yuri had asked. Why couldn't she say it first? What did she have to lose?

No, that was the wrong question. The real question to ask was, what might she lose if she didn't say it?

They had dinner at the castle, and Estelle took over feeding Bell for the evening while Rita looked over the forms and filled out what she could. They decided that Karol should do most of the signing, considering Bell was legally under the care of Brave Vesperia. They put the forms away for Karol to look at the next day and then retreated to Estelle's room for the evening. Like before, they decided to bunk together so that they could take turns attending to Bell during the night. But without Judith there, it felt... different.

Rita tucked herself into one side of the bed, reading a book about atmospheric phenomena that she had been using to help develop wind- and water-based spirit magic. Estelle watched from the other side, admiring the way Rita's expressions changed as she moved from section to section. She wanted this- she so desperately wanted this. Just the two of them lounging in bed together for the evening, casually enjoying each other's company while a baby slept peacefully alongside them. Not Bell specifically, but… still. This was everything she could ever want in life, to love, to be a family, to be together. Was that so wrong?

Estelle noticed Rita flip the page to a new chapter heading, and decided that was as good a time to speak up as any. "...Rita?" she began, and Rita turned to look up at her.

"What is it?"

"I, uh… well, there's something I wanted to ask you. It's about something you said last night."

Rita seemed to notice the seriousness in Estelle's voice, and she marked her place so that she could set the book down in her lap. "I don't totally remember all the conversation, so you'll have to tell me what you're talking about."

"It's, um…" Estelle fidgeted with her hands. "...it's about what you said to Yuri… what you said about hating romance."

Rita ventured forward a little more cautiously. "And what about it?"

"Are you sure you don't want anything to do with romance?" Estelle shifted so that she could face Rita directly. "Ever? In your whole life?"

"You talk like romance is the be-all-end-all of everything," Rita scoffed. "It's not for everyone, you know."

"I know. But I'm not asking about everyone. I'm asking about you."

That made Rita uncomfortable, and she avoided looking Estelle in the eye. "Does it matter?"

"It matters to me." Estelle inched closer. "Rita, I love you."

"E-E-Estelle!" Rita scrambled backward and tumbled off the side of the bed. Estelle gasped and crawled across the bed to extend a hand to help Rita up. Rita eyed it for a moment and then finally grabbed Estelle's hand, pulling herself to her feet. "Look, I won't deny that I… I… care for you. But romance is different." She sat down on the bed beside Estelle, still holding her hand. "Romance is messy. It's dangerous. You saw what it did to Judith and Karol."

"That was because the people they loved didn't love them back," Estelle replied. She squeezed Rita's hand. "When two people feel the same about one another, it's completely different."

"I…" Rita began, looking away. "...I think it's more complicated than that. Romance can lead to unique conflicts. It can destabilize solid relationships by altering the foundation that those relationships are built upon. I don't want anything to happen to what we have, Estelle. That's why I don't want to… to… y'know, change things."

"So you're saying," Estelle began, "that you don't want to be my girlfriend because you love me too much?"

"W-well… love is a touchy word too. You value what we have, don't you? You don't want to ruin that, right?"

Estelle closed her eyes and sighed, letting go of Rita's hand. "It didn't ruin what Yuri and Flynn had."

"Are you kidding? Every time they see each other, they act like goddamn rabbits in heat! I don't want to be like that!"

"They don't, really." Estelle shook her head. "You're just repeating what Raven says. And even if they did, I don't see what's so bad about having enthusiasm for physical intimacy. It means they're comfortable with each other."

"Enthusiasm for…?" Rita covered her face to hide her blush. "This is all stuff that I'm just no good at handling."

"Then you can practice."

"Practice…?" Rita lowered her hands. "I don't think this is something I can just practice-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Bell began to stir, her restless groans pitching upward into a screech and then a sob. Estelle and Rita both jumped to their feet, then looked at one another with a slight blush.

"I-I'll take care of it," Rita said, approaching the bassinet and leaning over. "I'm the one who was yelling. Sorry, Bell. Sorry, sweetie. That's it- everything's okay. Nothing's going to hurt you. Everything is-"

Without warning, the room was plunged into darkness as all the lights turned off. Estelle yelped and Rita hugged Bell close.

"I-it's okay," Rita explained, looking around. "It's probably just a normal power outage. They've been having problems with the power station recently."

Estelle forced a laugh. "I suppose it's just the universe's way of telling us that we should go to sleep."

Rita frowned. "We… we weren't done with our conversation yet."

"No, I think you said all you needed to say."

"But-"

The sound of the door's lock clicking grabbed their attention, and they both turned to look. The door swung open and they watched as the figure of a young man stepped in. It was hard to see him in the low light, but they could clearly make out his close-cropped hair, his slender figure… and his long Krityan antennae.

"What are you doing here?!" Rita demanded. "How did you get the key to-?"

"Please, don't be afraid," the man interrupted, holding up a hand. "I'm a friend."

Estelle relaxed a little, but Rita didn't. She kept her tight hold on Bell despite the girl's cries. "A friend who breaks into the princess' room in the middle of the night?"

"My apologies, but I couldn't locate you while you were moving around the city earlier. Our equipment is not particularly accurate over such small distances."

"Your… equipment?" Estelle murmured. "You're not talking about Bell's tag, are you?"

"Bell?" the man questioned, and then seemed to understand. "Ah. That's the name you've given to Atrahasis. Humans are always so eager to give their own names to things."

"You're-!" Estelle gasped, and Rita finished the sentence for her.

"You're one of those Axis Mundi freaks. Tell me, how did you get the key to this room? How did you even make it into the palace?!"

The man shook his head and stepped forward, holding out his hands. "I'm grateful for the care you've taken with her. We've been worried about her since she was kidnapped, but I can sense that she's in good health. You need not worry any longer. Axis Mundi will take over from here."

"Take over…?" Estelle repeated, and the man took another step forward.

"That child is the property of Axis Mundi. You will return her to us immediately."