"Dad, are you there? Hello? Dad?!” Lena’s voice cracked in desperation as she shouted into her Crystalcom. Only a faint, hazy static crackled in response, Damnit ,dad! she cursed inwardly, panic tightening around her chest. She skidded to a halt, swinging off her motorcycle in one swift motion, the eerie glow of the shattered sky bathing the land in its blood-red gloom. It reminded her of the weeping night sky from her childhood. Shaking off the rising dread, she sprinted toward the Ranger Guard building, her ID clutched tightly in one hand. She slammed it against the reader.
Inside, behind a stone desk sat a coiled-up Hollow. Its body was painted denim blue, with yellow lines streaked across its snout and right arm claw.
“Gaolbird!” Lena’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and commanding.
The Hollow immediately perked up, its head snapping forward with a fluid motion. In a posh, almost too-polite tone, it responded, “Good evening, Miss Russo, how may I assist you—”
Lena cut Gaolbird off mid-sentence. “There’s a leak at the northwestern end of the Primodía Forest, near Cau Cliff Road! My father was there and he’s—” She faltered for a split second, her voice strained as she fought to keep her composure. “Call Chief Bern! Now!”
“Oh heavens,” Gaolbird gasped, its voice tinged with alarm. “I’ll alert all on-duty rangers with anti-abyssal training immediately.”
In no time, twelve fully equipped rangers had gathered in the lobby, their expressions tense and focused. Lena wasted no time, quickly briefing them on the situation. Her words were clear and concise, her voice steady, though the worry gnawed at her insides like a persistent itch she couldn’t scratch.
A man with long black hair, graying at the tips, with a single strand of bright crimson red hair, stepped forward. His gaze was stern as he surveyed the gathered rangers. This was Bern Mourns, the Chief Ranger of Krreat. “I can confirm Lena’s report,” he began, his voice authoritative and steady. “I just got off the line with Sherman from Trant Station near Vivant Tower E-21. The entire forest has been drenched in abyssal condensation for the last hour. We’ve never seen activity of this magnitude in the region, not even when the Ordovis Tartarus gate was in system.”
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in as he studied the nervous faces before him. “I had hoped we’d never have to assess an abyssal breach of this scale here, but it seems fate has dealt us a foul hand. We’ll be operating under ORPA CB Esoteric Protocol 1-1-23.”
“Triple unknown planetside, huh?” one of the rangers murmured, his face scrunching up in discomfort.
“Correct,” Bern confirmed, his voice firm. “We’ll be splitting into groups of no less than five. That means two squads of six, each with a Hollow Guard.” His eyes narrowed as he scanned the room. They were mostly young rangers, sweat pooling on their foreheads, as they exchanged uneasy glances. Aside from Bern and two other senior officers, the current ranger corps of Krreat was green, untested in the face of the abyss. With most abyssal control members dying Translate side, the few rookies there had never experienced the abyssal condensation—how it gnawed at the mind and soul. If the Kyyr category and range of the anomaly was higher than expected, casualties would be inevitable.
“Siegwick, you’ll be taking Moros, Denver, Calli, Serfet, and Shan. Your designated Hollow will be Maurice.”
“Yes sir!” Siegwick, the tallest ranger in the room and one of the other senior rangers present, responded dutifully.
“Your team will support the squad at Trant Station.”
“Yes sir!” He echoed, his posture rigid with determination.
“The rest of you, with me. We’ll be reinforcing Carmela’s team, currently stationed near St.Able’s Pass. Be ready in five!" Bern commanded, as the two teams dispersed, each ranger
As the rangers moved with purpose, Bern turned his attention to Lena, who was obsessively double-checking her equipment over and over. “Lena…” he called out, his tone both firm and knowing.
“Yes, uncle Burnt?” She replied, still focused on her gear.
“First off, don’t call me that. Second, don’t get ahead of yourself out there.” He said, stern and authoritative.
She looked up at Bern, her eyes wide with a mix of worry and frustration. “I won’t…” She muttered.
“Lena, I understand you’re worried; we’ll find him.” Bern said, his voice softening for a moment before he sighed deeply. “Don’t make the same mistakes your older brother did.”
Without giving her a chance to respond, he turned sharply and walked away, focused on preparing his own equipment.
Lena sighed, her shoulder sagging as she triple-checked her equipment. She glanced at her fellow rangers, their shaky hands and tense expressions betraying their nerves. This would be their first-ever Abyssal Wild Hunt.
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Not far from the ranger station, a tired Lucas would fumble around his pockets for his ID card. He checked every pocket he had, the blessing of a dozen pockets now an annoying delay keeping him from the sweet release of sleep. Oh man… He groaned internally as the realization hit him—he'd lost his ID card.
But he did not fret. Instead, he pulled out his crystalcom and quickly crolled through his contacts. First, he tried to call his dad. No answer. He tried to call his sister. No answer. Odd… Maybe they’re preparing something for my birthday, he mused with a weary smile, before finally call his mom.
Ca-lick, a panicked woman shouted from the other side, “LUKIE!”
“Yeah?!” he replied, surprised by the loud response. “What’s wrong, mom?”
Lucas’s mom sniffled and babbled incoherently, “Fy shin’t you ansher yer com, Lena shez thay jat,” she sniffled, “dad’s n rouble…”
“What? Wait, mom, calm down. What’s wrong with dad?” He asked, worry beginning to seep in.
“Je fworesht took him!” she whimpered.
The forest? Lucas froze for a second, his gaze slowly turning to face the eastern gate. His breath caught as he noticed, a distant pink aurora paiting the skies of the Primordía Forest.
Gira rubbed his belly, satisfied despite the strange taste lingering in his mouth. “That tasted terrible, but somehow, that made it even better!” He declared, stretching and lounging in the café chair.
“Careful you don’t fall off!” Xizu warned, noticing how Gira was dangerously close to tipping over as he leaned back with a carefree grin. Edging the floor with a date with the back of his head.
“Yeah, yeah,” Gira replied dismissively, then pointed toward the window behind Xizu. “ Hey, what’s up with the sky?”
She turned, but she was quickly distracted by the buzzing of her crystalcom. Distracting her before she could take in the eerie view in the distance.
Ca-lick, “Xizu,” a stern voice crackled through the coms.
“Honey? What’s wrong?” Xizu replied, concern lacing her voice as she picked up on the tension on the other end.
“I’m heading out on an Abyssal Wild Hunt,” Bern explained calmly, Xizu’s grip tightening around her crystalcom. “There’s some kind of severe Kyyr anomaly occurring in the Primordía Forest, and Laurence has gone missing... Lena mentioned that something happened, to him during their call. So we’re heading out in a minute here.”
“Primordía Forest…” Xizu whispered, a confused frown settling on her face as she turned toward the strange boy who had scurried to the window. His eyes were fixed intently on something below them.
“Yes, abyssal condensation seems to be leaking from Translate number 5. It’s almost like—”
“It opened up again,” Xizu finished his sentence, her gaze still locked on Gira.
“Yes,” Bern confirmed, his voice steady. “We’re about to board the low gliders in a minute here. I just wanted to say goodnight, and that I love you.” He paused, waiting for her response.
“Honey, I haven't told you yet but, Lucas Russo found a strange boy today,” Xizu said, her voice softening as she continued to study Gira, who appeared mesmerized by the glow beyond the window. “The boy here claims he woke up in the forest this morning,” she whispered into the coms.
“What? Have you tested him? Is he an abyssal entity?” Bern’s voice rose with concern.
“He’s a Coarseblood…” she replied in a hushed tone.
“But they’re extinct. How is it possible?” Bern’s voice trailed off, disbelief creeping in.
“I don’t know,” Xizu whispered, “but he might be connected to the forest’s current state.”
“Keep an eye on the kid.” Bern instructed. “We’re taking off on the low gliders now. I’ll call you when it's over.”
Xizu’s gaze shifted her attention to the low glow on the horizon. “Love you, honey.”
“Tell our girls I love them. Love you too.” Bern said tenderly before ending their call.
Xizu turned her attention back to Gira, but he was gone, and the window to her right was wide open. She had goofed.
Like some kind of monkey. Gira nimbly maneuvered his way down pipes and footholds, descending multiple levels with surprising efficiency. His focus was split between not falling and the familiar blonde figure he’d seen in the streets below, rushing past, being pulled by a big pink furball.
Gira reached the lowest floor faster than expected, his eyes locking onto Lucas and the cart. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward them, shouting, “HEY LUCAS, I WANNA SEE THOSE SKY LIGHTS UP CLOSE TOOO!”
Lucas slowed down, turning in surprise as he was jump scared by Gira matching the carts speed. “Gira?! I thought you were with Dr. Xizu?” he asked, shocked.
“I was, but then I saw those lights and then I saw you going in the same direction,” Gira explained, taking in deep breaths as he ran next to Lucas. “So I crawled down and decided to tag along…” he gasped for air. Lucas stopped the cart, letting him lean on the side. “Man, that furry thing is pretty quick, huh?”
"Gira, we can see the lights another time? I have to go find my dad!” Lucas said, a little irritated.
But Gira ignored him, hopping onto the back of the cart. "Well, let’s get going.”
“I—I can’t take you!” Lucas tried to explain, but Gira was already distracted by something else.
“L-Lucas, let’s get going!” Gira shouted, with a mix of dread and excitement.
“No but—” Lucas started, then glanced back and saw Xizu sprinting toward them in the distance. “—Oh sh*t!” he yelled, instantly releasing the tension in the reins. Shredder bolted forward at full speed.
“Get back here, you little shits!” Xizu’s roar echoed from behind, but the two boys were already long gone, racing away at max Pelamüs speed. The bouncy little cart carried them swiftly out of Krreat’s shadow and into the gloom beneath the shattered night sky.