The Commander rarely had time to sit with his thoughts these days, but when he did, he always came to the same spot.
A window from his bedroom provided a wide view of the harbour, always lively and bustling, but the sea itself was calm today. A murmur of wind brushed it's way into Astera, and waves lapped gently at the shore. Despite the picturesque vista, the Commander could smell the onset of a storm, something in the air that told him it would rain soon. He stared into the horizon, looking for black clouds, and trying to ignore the spot where he had last seen his daughter.
One day, I'll come home. He thought to himself. But not today. There was much to be done. The Field Team had left yesterday with the Anjanath, and the Commander was already formulating plans for the newcomers once they got back. He trusted his grandson to keep the newcomers safe, but even so, doubts nagged at his old mind. The girl reeked of a sheltered city life, the boy almost as bad, and Hirio…
By the Sapphire Star, I've never met a hunter like that. He was like a caged beast, ready to be set loose. The Commander didn't know what sort of history the man had with Leopold, but he gathered it wasn't pleasant, and the fact he had travelled all the way to the New World to find him spoke of its import.
In the end, the Commander allowed him to visit Leopold as soon as he was able. Soon, there would be little time for such trivial matters. The Elder Crossing was upon them again, and the Commander would need every able body to contend with the chaos it brought.
A knock at his door interrupted his thinking. "Who is it?" The Commander asked.
"Sir, it's the Analytics Director!" His voice was high and shrill, and though the Commander was used to his eccentrics, he sounded a little more on edge than usual.
"Come in." The Commander ordered.
The wyverian almost fell through the door, clutching a scroll and panting heavily. "Commander, you need to read this!"
The Commander stood, calm as ever, and took the scroll from the Directors shaking hands. "More reports on the Elder Dragons making the crossing this time around?"
The Director nodded frantically. "Yes sir, we've had activity from the volcanic regions, though, it could be they where simply displaced by Zorah Magdaros leaving. Pokke Village claims another Kushala Daora has left the mountains. No word from the desert yet, but somethings bound to show up sir…however, sir, something, a-at, the end of the report you see, it references…"
The Commander ignored his prattling and skipped straight to the end. He read the last few lines of the report. He then read them again.
The Commander managed to maintain a calm demeanour, and placed the scroll on the table next to him.
"Send a message to all our field teams, instructing them to return to Astera as soon as possible. Call an emergency meeting, and take an inventory of our current supplies and manpower, we may have to requisition more from the Guild."
"And, what reason should I give to the field teams for returning, sir?" The Director quivered.
The Commander paused for a moment before speaking. "Tell them what the report says. A Fatalis has left Castle Schrade, and is coming our way."
The Director nodded and quickly rushed out the door. As soon as it shut, the Commander sat down heavily in his chair, and allowed some worry to show on his face. In forty years, never had any of the Three made the Crossing, for which the Commander was extremely grateful. Of the hunters in the New World, one had faced a Fatalis before and survived. But only the Sapphire star could see him right now. Old friend, where have you gone?
The Seeker had disappeared deep into the New World almost forty years ago, and no one had seen him since. Some days, the Commander questioned if he was even still alive. Did I let him go to his death that day? He didn't know.
The Admiral, bless and damn his adventurous soul, had not been seen for some time either. The only one of his old friends the Commander had any information on was his Tracker, but even that was flimsy at best. As far as he knew she was operating in the Coral Highlands, but that intelligence was months old, and she could well have moved on by now.
I am, alone. The Commander mulled over the thought a while. His grandson, Kenichi, was not ready, not for this. So few of the First Fleet hunters remained, their experience and expertise was spread desperately thin. This, will certainly be a challenge. The one silver lining the Commander held on to, was that his daughter had already left the New World, and would not be present to witness what the Black Dragon would do to it.