Gwen stood unfazed-if anything, a little disappointed-as nine guards lay scattered on the ground. Some groaned, some crawled away in fear, and a few just stayed down, their faces wrecked, unable to move.

  The remaining four circled her, hands trembling around their weapons, soaked in a fear so thick it nearly rooted them in place.

  One of the fallen guards let out a pained scream. "She's a monster, man!"

  Gwen tilted her head, frowning. "Hey," she said, confused, "what do you mean, monster? I'm clearly a girl."

  One of the surrounding guards spat back, "Like hell you are."

  "And what's that supposed to mean?" Gwen asked, her tone dipped in mockery.

  The man pointed a shaky finger at the carnage around them. "What do you mean, 'what's that supposed to mean'!? You incapacitated six out of nine guys with a single hit each!"

  He gulped, backing up slightly. "And the worst part? You don't even carry a weapon!"

  "Hey, you guys attacked me first," she shrugged, waving off any guilt. "And I'm a girl, no less," she added with a grin-her tone playful, but somehow terrifying.

  Raising a finger as an idea popped into her head, she said, "Okay, how about this: the first one to surrender, I'll let them go."

  Before she even finished the sentence, all four guards threw their weapons to the ground.

  "I surrender!" they shouted in unison, dropping to their knees with their heads bowed to the floor.

  Gwen pouted. "Well, that's no fun if all of you do it. I said one." She let out a deep sigh. "And even if I let you all go, you'd just call for backup. Not that it matters if it's one or all of you."

  Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed one guard trying to sneakily tap his Echostone.

  "Seriously?" she said, voice dripping with disappointment.

  "N-no, it's not what you think!" the guard stammered.

  Gwen sighed. "Never mind. I was gonna knock you guys out anyway. You surrender after a threat. If I was your boss, I'd kill you all on sight."

  Immediately, all four began shivering. Gwen stepped forward and grabbed one by the collar. "Look up, loser," she demanded.

  But to her surprise, he had already passed out-from fear.

  Apparently... all four of them had.

  Gwen's face dropped in disappointment as she let go of his collar. "You sure you losers are guards?"

  With a heavy sigh, she stepped out from the corner where the fight had just taken place. It wasn't far from where they had split up-just around the bend. She hadn't made it more than a few steps before deciding to turn around and deal with the guards who followed her.

  "I wonder how that Damon guy is doing..." she muttered, brushing dust off her shoulder as she casually strolled down the corridor.

  Maybe I should just wait where we split up? she thought, counting her steps. But after a moment, she shook her head. "Nah. I hate waiting."

  Still, she wasn't too worried. If the guards are this weak, there's no way they're in danger.

  "Zephyr is strong," she muttered. "But Damon..."

  She paused mid-sentence, the memory surfacing-how he snuck up behind her at the front gate.

  "My danger sense flared like crazy-but he wasn't even going for the attack. Just stood there like a doofus.

  Before she could finish the thought, she felt a sharp hand chop on her head.

  "Where's Zephyr?" Damon asked, standing in front of her, casual as ever.

  "Oh, you're done with yours too?" Gwen asked, tilting her head.

  "Something like that," Damon replied with his usual calm.

  "Oh right-Zephyr!" Gwen suddenly remembered. "Yeah, Zephyr's dead. Told me to tell you... he loves you. No matter what."

  "I would... never say that," came Zephyr's voice, walking up right in front of them.

  Gwen's face dropped in discontent. "Well, you're no fun."

  "There they are!!!" a guard suddenly shouted, pointing straight at them.

  Gwen cracked her knuckles and grinned. "Yh, more losers for me to beat up."

  Before she could move, Damon grabbed her collar and yanked her back, hoisting her into his arms like it was nothing.

  "Yeah, no, that's not a good idea," he said, urgency in his voice. "If we stay and fight, more will just keep coming and who knows what'll happen next."

  "Yeah, we need to leave and fast. There's always another time," Zephyr added coolly.

  Still carrying Gwen, Damon darted through the sea of guards, untouched-knocking some out with a single kick, others falling to an unseen force the moment he passed by.

  Zephyr followed right beside, effortlessly taking down anyone in their path.

  Within moments, they were nearing the front gate. A quick glance back revealed what they'd left behind: a trail of unconscious guards stacked in heaps.

  Their pace slowed, but only after they made it past the gate they did stop.

  Damon finally set Gwen down-gentle and graceful, like setting a vase on a shelf.

  "That was so fun. We should do it again," Gwen beamed.

  "Fun? You caused a lot of trouble," Zephyr muttered, his disappointment deepening as he turned and spotted the unconscious soldiers she'd left in her wake.

  Totally ignoring him, Gwen turned to Damon with a curious look.

  "Oh, yeah-I forgot to ask. You came through the front gate, right?, before slipping in here, yeah?"

  Damon nodded slightly.

  "What brought you here, if I may ask?" Gwen asked.

  "In search of my sister," Damon answered.

  Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Why, does she go to the market or something?."

  Damon smiled, scratching the back of his head. "No... she was taken away by the so-called Demon Lord's army when we were little. Apparently, my source told me I could find her in Valtoria but didn't say much else after that. Then a nice man directed me here, said they usually find missing kids in the big marketplace, you know, since it's so huge."

  Gwen's expression softened for a moment. She gently nudged Zephyr with her elbow. "Hey... kinda lines up, huh? Our source pointed us here too."

  Zephyr kept a straight face, silently acknowledging it with a small nod, though he gave Gwen a side-eye for the nudge.

  Snapping back to Damon, Gwen asked, "Wait-you said your sister was captured by the Demon Lord, and you think she's here, right? What if-"

  She was immediately yanked back by Zephyr. "Enough questions. We need to start heading back," he said, his eyes fixed on the side entrance. "We'll return tomorrow to continue the search."

  Damon spoke up slowly, "Can I come too? I mean, if my source is right and it wasn't the main gate... then this is probably where I'll find my sister."

  Before Zephyr could say anything, Gwen jumped in. "Sure you can. Meet us here tomorrow morning."

  And just then, rain began to drizzle.

  "We should start heading back," Zephyr said, glancing at the darkening sky.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Why the rush? We hike out to a cave, it doesn't exactly sound like the kind of place normal people use the word 'HEAD BACK' to," Gwen teased.

  Damon, ever the kind-hearted optimist, felt a sudden surge of camaraderie. He grinned, thinking of his master, Grimm. "Why don't you come stay with me? At my master's place that is. I'm sure the old man wouldn't mind."

  Zephyr raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Dude, we met like... an hour ago. What makes you think we'll say yes?"

  Damon's eyes narrowed playfully. "Because I asked nicely."

  Zephyr scoffed and turned away, muttering, "You're out of your mind, moron." He glanced back over his shoulder and added, "Let's go."

  But Gwen was nowhere to be found. Zephyr froze, his eyes widening in shock. He turned around to see her and Damon skipping happily through the rain.

  Zephyr exhaled in disbelief. "How do I always get outmaneuvered?"

  As Damon led the way toward Grimm's residence, Zephyr muttered under his breath, "This is a terrible idea."

  Gwen, skipping beside Damon, smiled brightly. "No, it's not."

  Zephyr turned to her, incredulous. "We're walking right, into a stranger's home which literally screams danger, if, you know, have ears to hear it. But of course you don't listen, the same way, you didn't listen to me, and here we are."

  He let out a frustrated exhale, panting slightly, before shaking his head in disbelief. "Sorry, what am I even saying? I'm the one walking into a stranger's home, while you're out here... dancing in the rain like a kid, with a guy we met barely an hour ago."

  Gwen gave him a carefree grin, completely unfazed by his concerns. "Relax, Zephyr, you're gonna get real old, real fast, if you keep up this attitude of yours." She teased.

  Zephyr sighed, his eyes narrowing. "Your optimism is downright terrifying."

  Despite his complaints, the three continued their walk in the rain. After a while, they finally reached their destination.

  Damon immediately reached for the doorknob, attempting to sneak in with the stealth of a ninja... when a voice from within echoed, "Come on in."

  Damon's eyes widened, a grin spreading across his face. He swung the door open with a flourish, as if to say, "I meant to do that."

  Zephyr narrowed his eyes, giving Gwen a look that clearly said, What have I gotten myself into? before then following behind.

  Just a few steps in, Gwen froze. Her eyes locked onto a man standing at 6'5", with a slender yet delicate frame, the elegance of his posture almost ethereal. His vibrant emerald eyes, strikingly similar to hers, sparkled with wisdom. His sleek, glittering brown hair cascaded down his back in a flawless ponytail, secured by an emerald hairpin.

  His porcelain-like skin, with a subtle golden glow, radiated warmth, and his neck, balanced with both slender grace and masculine strength, rose from the folds of a flowing soft blue yukata. Gray accents and intricate wave patterns danced across the fabric, giving him an air of both refinement and calm. Both hands rested in the opposite openings of his yukata, exuding an aura of deep serenity and contemplation.

  GRIMM.

  Gwen's eyes remained locked on Grimm, her face a mix of shock and awe. "You said he was old?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She glanced at Damon, who was casually munching on cookies from a jar labeled Grimm.

  Damon nodded, his mouth full. "Yeah, he is."

  Gwen's gaze snapped back to Grimm, disbelief etched on her face. "I beg to differ."

  Grimm chuckled, his warm, welcoming voice filling the room. "Well, come on in, Gwendolyn and Zephyr."

  Gwen smiled and stepped forward, with Zephyr trailing cautiously behind, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

  After a few seconds, both Zephyr and Gwen froze, their eyes wide with realization. "Wait," Gwen called out to Grimm, "How did you know our names?" Her curiosity peaked, but her tone remained cautious.

  Grimm smiled, his emerald eyes gleaming with amusement. "Because, I'm a druid."

  Zephyr's face dropped, his expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. "That doesn't make sense... at all."

  Grimm's eyes flicked toward Zephyr and Gwen, a sly grin tugging at his lips. "What also doesn't make sense," he said, his voice laced with mischief, "is how I know that you, Zephyr, are a sylph, and you, Gwen, are a caladrius, and a-"

  Gwen and Zephyr's eyes locked on Grimm instantly. Their bodies tensed, their faces hardening. "Don't you dare say another word," Gwen commanded, her voice low and menacing, cutting Grimm off mid-sentence. In an instant, they assumed a fighting stance, their muscles coiled and ready for whatever came next.

  Grimm's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of amusement dancing in them. "Feisty, are we?"

  Zephyr whispered to Gwen, his voice full of unease as he darted a glance toward Damon. "I told you this was a bad idea. He probably brought us here so he"-his gaze fixed firmly on Grimm-"could kill us."

  Grimm's expression shifted, his aura darkening like a storm cloud. "Behave, kids. If you stay still, I'll end this quickly."

  Gwen and Zephyr's eyes flashed with a mix of fear and defiance. Grimm's words sent a chill down their spines, but their expressions remained hard, their resolve unbroken.

  Suddenly, Damon leapt forward, his hand coming down in a light chop to Grimm's head. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, his voice filled with exasperation.

  Grimm chuckled, scratching the back of his head, his emerald eyes glinting with mischief. "Whatttt... Can't a man have a little fun?"

  Gwen narrowed her eyes, her tone turning guarded. "What do you really want from us?"

  Grimm tilted his head, as if the question had come from somewhere far away. His gaze drifted to the side, lips parting ever so slightly in thought. Silence stretched, thick and heavy.

  Finally, he blinked. "What?"

  Gwen's suspicion deepened. "What do you mean what?"

  Grimm turned back to them, blinking innocently. "I mean, you're close friends with Damon, right? That's why you followed him here. I mean-it's not like you met him, what, an hour ago and just... blindly followed him home. That'd be, well... moronic."

  Zephyr didn't miss a beat. He turned his head toward Gwen with dead-serious eyes. "I hate you."

  Gwen snorted, covering her mouth, trying-and failing-not to laugh.

  Zephyr, sighing in defeat, loosened up. "Yeah... We literally just met today," he muttered. "Apparently, not even longer than an hour ago."

  Grimm's laughter rang out like a wind chime. "Well, you know what they say: trauma bonds quickly. And I'm sure Damon's talked me up enough to make you feel like we've known each other forever."

  Zephyr squinted. "That... is not what happened. Not even close."

  Grimm gave him a dazzling smile. "You really shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Even if the cover is this enticing."

  "That wasn't even," Zephyr said, his eyes darting between Damon and Grimm, "Actually, a lot is starting to make sense now."

  Grimm leaned in and ruffled both their heads with mock affection. "Welcome to the family.

  Zephyr shoved his hand away like it was on fire. "I am not," he hissed.

  Grimm didn't even blink, already gliding away with the elegance of a silk ribbon in the wind. His footsteps echoed down the hall, leaving the two of them in the weight of silence.

  Zephyr turned to Gwen with the look of a man who'd just signed up for a lifetime of regret.

  "I do. I really do hate you.".

  Night had settled in, and the rain outside painted streaks across the star-lit sky. After drying off and changing into soft, pine-scented yukatas lent by Grimm, Gwen and Damon joined him at the dining table. The warmth of the room was welcoming, the food aromatic and inviting.

  Zephyr, however, never approached the table.

  He sat alone on the couch, one leg tucked beneath him, arms folded, staring out the wide window. The distant rumble of thunder echoed softly as droplets tapped against the glass. Damon, ever kind, had called out to him once.

  "Zephyr," he said gently, "Come eat. There's more than enough, and Grimm's a great cook non the less."

  "Not hungry," came the curt reply.

  Gwen had looked back, concern flickering in her eyes, but Damon simply nodded. The three of them knew better than to push.

  They ate together while Zephyr remained in silence, a distant figure half-bathed in moonlight and shadow.

  ---

  The house eventually quieted, the last of the laughter fading into the hush of the night. Upstairs, Damon and Gwen had fallen asleep. Apparently, Grimm had created more rooms-something that left Damon scratching his head as he wandered the upstairs hall earlier, counting more doors than he remembered. It was subtle Veyra, gently bending space to his will, but just enough to ensure comfort-and privacy.

  Downstairs, Zephyr hadn't moved from his spot on the couch. He sat exactly as he had earlier, arms still crossed, eyes heavy but stubbornly open. The soft tapping of rain outside blended with the gentle creak of the house, but Zephyr remained still, guarding a silence only he seemed to need.

  Time passed slowly as footsteps descended softly from the stairs.

  Grimm appeared in the doorway again, arms loosely folded in his yukata. He regarded Zephyr with a thoughtful expression, then slowly walked over and took a seat beside him, not too close.

  "You know," Grimm began, voice low and calm, "for someone as stubborn as you, you really do seem to care about Gwen, you've been watching over her like a hawk."

  Zephyr didn't look at him. "You're reading too much into it."

  Grimm smiled knowingly. "Am I?"

  He leaned back slightly, eyes on the ceiling as he continued. "Letting her make her own decisions, even when you know they could lead to disaster... that's not easy. Most people would force her hand. You don't. You let her fall if she has to-but you make sure you're there to catch her if she breaks."

  Zephyr's brow furrowed, but he still said nothing.

  "You're a good friend to her," Grimm added, voice quieter now. "I know you hardly sleep watching over her but I bet she does the same too."

  Silence.

  "I know you've been out in the rain. Cold nights in caves. Probably haven't eaten in days."

  Zephyr's lips parted to protest, but just then-his stomach betrayed him, letting out a loud, miserable growl.

  "...That was the couch" he said flatly, glaring ahead.

  Grimm chuckled softly and stood up. He paused beside Zephyr, his voice softer now-more genuine.

  "I hope you become a good friend to Damon too, both you and Gwen" he said. "I know he's weird. Impulsive. Reckless beyond belief. You'll probably feel like you've got two Gwens on your hands."

  There was a small, almost imperceptible twitch in Zephyr's lip, like he was fighting a smirk.

  "But..." Grimm's eyes darkened just a bit. "He's been through a lot. A lot more than he lets on. So please-stay by him. Even if it gets chaotic. Even if he drives you crazy. He needs someone like you around."

  He gave Zephyr a small nod, a silent thank-you for listening, then walked off toward the kitchen. "I'll make something small. You can pretend not to want it while you eat it."

  Despite Zephyr's muttered protest, Grimm was already moving toward the kitchen with silent efficiency.

  A short while later, Grimm returned with a steaming bowl of broth and rice, paired with some light herbs and grilled roots. But when he reached the living room, he stopped.

  Zephyr was slumped sideways on the couch, head tilted back, arms slack, fast asleep.

  Grimm smiled softly.

  He set the food down on the side table, then knelt beside the boy. Gently, he adjusted Zephyr's position, slipping a folded blanket over him and tucking it around his frame.

  "For someone who doesn't trust anyone," he whispered, brushing back a stray lock of translucent hair," you sure do let your guard down fast."

  He stood, gave one last quiet glance, then turned off the lights-leaving only the sound of rain and the soft rhythm of Zephyr's breath behind.