K-11 tilted his head with an alien curiosity, his amber eyes narrowing on the figure reaching out to him. “Are you the Coarseblood known as Gira?”
“I am both of those things, so… yes!” Gira proclaimed with a bright grin, leaning in eagerly. “Let’s be friends!”
K-11’s head quills twitched in response. “What would that entail?” K-11 asked, his synthesized voice carrying a hint of confusion.
“Uhhhh….” Gira posed pensively, his eyes lighting up with an idea. “Well, you’d let me ride you!”
K-11’s gaze sharpened, and he lowered his head even closer, studying Gira intently. “Why?”
Gira shrugged, his grin unwavering. “Why not?”
K-11 lifted his head slightly, processing this unusual response. “What an odd human—no, rather, you are a Coarseblood,” he noted, a faint hum in his synthetic voice. “Is this behavior typical of your species?”
Gira blinked, glancing around at the others, who were all watching with varying expressions of amusement and disbelief. “Uhh, yeah!” he said, nodding vigorously. “Coarsebloods bond with other creatures by riding them! Yup!” He said in an off-tune way, clearly lying.
“I see…” K-11 replied, his metallic features unreadable as he moved closer, his tone calm yet distinctly mechanical. “Then I shall permit you to ride me as a sign of friendship.”
Gira's eyes shot wide open as he used his Kyyr to boost his speed as he dashed onto K-11. In a flash, he was perched on the Rak’da’s shoulder, beaming with delight. Settling comfortably on one of K-11’s mechanical components, he grinned widely. “What’s your name, big guy?”
K-11 turned his head, surprised to find Gira already seated on him. With his jaws slightly ajar, “I am K-11, a Rak’da from the Steel Dragon,” he responded while placing his organic hand on the steel that coated his chest.
“Nice to meet you!” Gira cheered, then paused as his expression shifted to one of confusion. “Wait... Rak’da? I’m confused about the whole Rak’da thing.” He crossed his legs, scratching his head as he tried to recall anything Lucas had explained. “Don’t you guys usually fight each other?” he asked, gesturing between K-11 and the others.
Xizu approached them, letting out a deep sigh before glancing at Bern, who nodded in agreement. “Gira, a lot has happened while you were in your coma. For instance, K-11 here has been living with us for the last year or so,” she explained.
Bern stepped forward, his expression serious as he joined Xizu. “We were planning on updating you on world affairs and helping you find your place here,” he added.
“My place?” Gira echoed, a puzzled look crossing his face.
Xizu offered a soft smile as she looked up at him. “Yes—we wanted to talk about your future,” she said, her tone warm but tinged with a hint of caution.
“Future…” The words surprisingly strung something within Gira. “Right… there’s tomorrow, and the day after that, and after, and after, and—”
“Okay,” Xizu interrupted, her voice gentle but firm, calling up to him from below. “You get the idea. Bern and I want to treat you like our own. We just want to give you options.” Her tone softened as she continued, her gaze warm and steady. “You might not realize it, but we’ve been looking out for you for quite a while now, and we’ve been dying to talk to you.”
Gira’s eyes met hers, her gentle expression stirring a distant, nearly forgotten memory within him. “Right… thank you,” he replied quietly. Then he patted K-11’s side. “New best bud, as much as I’d love to hang out and do cool stuff, duty calls,” he added, a note of forced maturity in his voice.
K-11 turned his head back slightly, staring at Gira as he tried to process what he meant. “I am unsure as to—” he began, but Gira cut him off with another reassuring pat.
“Don’t worry, we’ll definitely hang out and do cool stuff later,” Gira said with a grin.
This only further confused the poor Rak’da. “U-understood. We shall... partake in activities another time,” K-11 replied, raising a clawed hand and offering Gira an awkward thumbs-up.
“Wow, just like those other lizard guys from the video you showed me!” Gira exclaimed, sweeping both hands up toward the thumbs-up with renewed excitement.
“What?” Xizu asked, confused.
Alice burst forward, eyes bright. “You mean the Sagaxsaurs, right?!”
“Saga-what?” Gira asked, giving her a puzzled look.
“The old dinosaur things the Rak’da descend from!” Alice excitedly explained, "They were genetically engineered sentient dinosaurs created by the Onryō!”
“Wait, so K-11 is one of those cool dinosaurs from the video?!” Gira exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. “No wonder he’s so awesome…” He trailed off, vividly picturing himself and K-11 heroically battling waves of anomalies. But the fantasy twisted into horror as a dark memory surfaced—himself, tearing into Rak’da with brutal ferocity. His face paled, and he turned slowly to K-11, horrified.
“Wait… d-didn’t I eat a bunch of dinosaurs back at Trant?” Gira asked, his expression going blank as the pieces slowly clicked together. His eyes widened as he suddenly realized who—or rather, what—he was sitting on. He whipped around to K-11, panic in his voice. “S-sorry for eating your friends, K-11! They weren’t nice like you!!” he cried out, desperately trying to explain himself.
K-11 tilted his head, clearly perplexed, and glanced over at Bern.
Bern stepped forward, chuckling. “Don’t worry, kid. Rak’da are only social by obligation. K-11 probably doesn’t mind—as cruel as that sounds.”
Gira grew pale as the gore-filled memories resurfaced—the guttural crunching of bone, the tearing of sinew flesh, the vile stench of blood, “Ugh…” Gira muttered as he grimaced.
Ahahahaha…. A chilling laugh echoed in Gira’s mind, sending a shiver down his spine.
Gira’s head jerked up, eyes scanning the room. “Savagrios?” he whispered to himself.
“Are you alright?” Xizu asked.
“Oh, yeah…” Gira replied, sliding down from K-11 with a slight shake of his head. “Actually… what happened after that night?” he asked, his tone more somber.
Bern glanced at Radomir. “Radomir, would you mind taking the girls out and showing them around?”
Radomir gave a firm nod, his gaze steady. “Of course,” he replied, a hint of rugged authority in his voice.
“Whaaat?” Alice groaned. “Why can’t we stay?”
Bern sighed, a hint of exasperation in his voice. “We’ll be talking about boring politics, that’s all.”
“We are?” Gira asked, his voice tight with disbelief.
“Oh.” Alice’s enthusiasm dropped immediately. She shot a sympathetic look at Gira before casually shrugging. “Well, good luck with that, big bro.” Then, turning to her dad with a bright smile, she added, “Hey, can we hit the pool while you guys talk?”
Bern managed a small smile. “Sure, there are some old swimsuits in the gift shop that should fit. Just… don’t pick anything too wild, okay?”
Alice waved dismissively as she headed for the door. "Aye, aye Captain…”
Holly quietly nodded, trailing behind her sister as Radomir led them out.
“Should I exit as well?” K-11 asked, his mechanical tone tinged with curiosity.
“Actually, you might be able to help explain some things to Gira, so stick around a little longer,” Bern replied.
K-11 nodded before he leapt upward with smooth, powerful precision, landing on the elevated platform overlooking the main entrance. His tail swayed briefly, the metallic segments catching the light as he circled a spot above before perching himself like a steel gargoyle.
Bern turned to Gira, placing a firm yet gentle hand on his shoulder. “Gira, I wanted to express my deep gratitude for what you did that night. You not only saved me, but you also looked out for so many others, showing your strength and care for everyone around you.”
Gira blinked, visibly surprised by the sincerity in Bern’s gaze. “Aww, thanks,” he said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “But, to be honest, I don’t even know how I helped… I mean, all I really did was eat things,” he admitted with a half-smile, then paused, his face paling slightly. “And… those memories are really starting to hit me now.” He placed a hand on his stomach, eyes widening as the reality of the night hit him again. “I’m actually feeling a little queasy.”
Xizu stepped in, patting him on the back.“You did more than you think, Gira. You just… helped in your own way.”
Bern gave Xizu an appreciative glance before turning back to Gira, his eyes filled with understanding. “Sometimes helping doesn’t look the way we expect. You saved those people, Gira—you saved Lucas. That’s what mattered.” He paused, his gaze steady. “And for that… I’d like to extend you an offer.”
Gira’s curiosity perked up, and he met Bern’s steady blue gaze. “An offer?”
Bern nodded. “Yes. Would you like to join the Rangers?”
Gira’s brows shot up, and he looked at Bern as though he’d suggested the strangest thing in the world. He let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. “No, thanks.”
“What?” Bern’s voice came out in a mix of disbelief and concern. “Why not?”
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Gira shrugged, his gaze drifting thoughtfully. “Because I want to explore Krreat—that’s all I’ve wanted to do since I got here.” He smiled a little, adding, “And yeah, maybe Savagrios and I did some pretty cool stuff that night, but…” He looked back at Bern, his eyes bright with a mix of determination and childlike excitement. “I’ve only been awake for, what, a day and a half? I want to get out there and experience things for myself. First on my list…is climbing Krreat!”
Bern’s eyes went wide with shock. “Wait—did you just say Savagrios?”
“Yeah, and?” Gira replied with a casual shrug.
“Oh! Right!” Xizu interjected, her eyes widening as the realization hit her. “He casually mentioned Savagrios earlier, and I completely forgot to bring it up!”
Bern turned, looking between them both in stunned disbelief. “Wait, like the Savagrios?”
Gira blinked, looking from Bern to Xizu, thoroughly puzzled. “The wha—huh? What’s so special about the name?”
Bern fixed Gira with an intense gaze. “Where did you hear that name?”
Gira hesitated, scratching the back of his head. “Uuhhh, well… there are these… other guys inside my head,” he began, casting a wary glance at Bern, unsure how much to explain. “One of them got pretty chatty, so I thought giving him a name would make things easier. And he specifically wanted to be called Savagrios.” Gira frowned, the memory coming back in fragments. “Actually, now that I think about it… I haven’t heard him speak since we kinda… broke into a bunch of pieces.”
Xizu and Bern exchanged a look, a silent understanding passing between them, leaving Gira to watch with a confused smile.
“The crimson form..." Bern murmured before hurrying over to his desk and grabbing a crystal device. Xizu followed closely as he activated what looked like a larger crystalcomm, which projected a shimmering screen into the air. Bern patted his pockets, eventually pulling out a silly octopus-themed keychain attached to a small device. With a quick click, a loud clang sounded above as the dome ceiling began retracting, slowly darkening the room as the mechanism shifted into place.
Gira watched lost in the screens and pictures that flashed across the projection as the two seemed engrossed on the device, muttering to each other as Gira turned to look up. K-11 was sitting there looking down at them, the darkness mixed with the low glow of the projection giving him a sinister appearance. Gira smiled at him. K-11 tilted his head as if unsure as to how to react.
“Found it!” Bern shouted from behind his desk. “Brace yourself, Gira.”
The projection flickered to life, casting an eerie glow across the room. A shadowy landscape materialized, dim and haunting. The forlorn remains of a city stretched out, its skeletal buildings sagging like wilting flowers, stripped of color and life. Crumbling towers leaned at unnatural angles, their silhouettes jagged against the oppressive darkness. A faint sound drifted through the scene—a distant, lonely wail, echoing through empty streets as though the city itself was mourning.
Whoever held the camera let out a shaky breath before a sudden shudder overtook them, sending the view spinning as they stumbled back in terror. For a brief, chilling moment, the camera caught a flash of their horrified face, eyes wide as they cried out. With a loud clang, the camera jolted against the ground, the view shifting upward in time to reveal the darkened figure looming above. In the split second between the fall and now, the figure had closed the distance—standing over them, as if summoned by fear itself. Looming over the figure was the darkened figure. In the brief inbetween their fall and now.
Gira’s eye widened in recognition.
The figure wore a helmet, though the lower half had been violently torn away, revealing crimson jaws—just like his own. Its mouth was frozen into a pained, animalistic smile, an expression both unsettling and predatory. In one swift motion, the towering sentinel seized the man recording, lifting him effortlessly until his legs dangled helplessly in the air. As his feet left the ground, panic took hold; he thrashed and screamed, pleading in a language unknown.
The crimson-clad figure opened its jaws wide, revealing razor-like crimson teeth. In sheer desperation, the man let out a strangled sob, smashing his battered hand against the figure’s head with all his might, his cries swallowed by terror.
The gray sky parted slightly, casting a faint light over the figure’s helmet. There, etched across where its eyes would be, was a bold crimson X—a stark contrast against the matte black of the helmet. The symbol stood out like a brand, unsettling and ominous, its sharp lines cutting through the gloom with an eerie intensity.
Gira watched in silent terror as the figure suddenly lurched forward, jaws opening to clamp down on the—
The screen went dark as Xizu abruptly cut the feed.
The dome parted once more, allowing light to flood back into the room. Gira, eyes brimming with tears, remained frozen, his gaze locked on the empty void where the projection had been moments before. Even as the room brightened, the haunting image lingered in his mind, leaving him rooted in silence.
Xizu punched Bern in the arm. “You idiot! Why’d you show him that video?”
“This one barely had any gore!” Bern protested, trying to defend himself.
“But it humanized a victim, you dolt!” Xizu shot back, exasperated with her husband.
Bern raised his hands in apology. “I’m sorry—I didn’t think about that!”
“What was that?” Gira asked, his tone unusually somber.
Xizu shot Bern a sharp look, making him flinch slightly. “Uh… that was Zayto Onryō,” he began, hesitating. “Also known as Savagrios the Scarlet Haunt—the most infamous Coarseblood.” He paused, glancing at Gira with a mix of uncertainty and sympathy. “He’s also either your father or grandfather… we’re not entirely sure.”
“My what?” Gira gave Bern a bewildered look.
“Well—” Bern started, but Xizu quickly cut him off.
“Remember when you first came to my office?” she prompted, hoping to jog his memory.
“Oh, right… I remember now.” Gira nodded slowly, though confusion still clouded his face. “So, that name… did I know him?”
Xizu shook her head. “We’re not sure. We don’t know exactly where you came from or how you’re connected, but you’re certainly related to him somehow.”
Gira exhaled slowly. “Do you guys have a mirror?”
“In the bathroom, yes, but… why?” Bern asked, eyeing him curiously.
Gira gave a weak smile. “I need to talk to someone.”
Bern and Xizu exchanged a confused look.
Suddenly, with a heavy thud, K-11 landed behind them. “If you need a mirror, you may use mine,” he offered, his voice calm and steady.
K-11 stepped forward, carrying an enormous shard of mirror.
“Why do you have this?” Gira asked, raising an eyebrow.
“It is shiny,” K-11 replied, holding the mirror closer to Gira.
“Hmm, fair,” Gira said with a shrug, turning his attention to his reflection.
He surged Kyyr through himself as he peered into the glassy inbetween him and there beyond his reach A cool numbness crept up his legs as he funneled the energy into his hands, grounding himself. He stumbled forward, his senses blurring, yet he could hear it—the crashing waves, the rumble of a distant storm. He was there, standing at the threshold of their meeting point.
He saw a line in the void, a faint, wavering boundary, with a crimson hand reaching toward him, fingers splayed in silent invitation. His heart pounded, but without hesitation, he reached out and grasped it, feeling an electric chill course through him as he pulled.
When he opened his eyes, his breath caught. His own hand was cloaked in crystalline crimson scales, each facet glinting faintly in the dim light, shimmering like blood-stained glass.
Looking at his reflection, his eyes were like that night. One deep red, the other a spacey blue with hints of an alien purple. “Are you there?” he whispered, his words lost on everyone except K-11.
Behind him, a tall, familiar figure emerged from the shadows, his crimson scales shimmering with an ominous light. A twisted, vile grin cracked across his face, shattering his features. “We meet again.”
“Savagrios…” Gira muttered. “Where’d you get that name?” He asked.
Savagrios tilted his head, ear bits twitching as he pondered. “A vague memory…” he replied dismissively. “But that’s beside the point! You should be thanking me for saving our life.”
Gira raised an eyebrow. “Why would I thank you for saving ‘our’ life, you red dork?”
Savagrios scoffed. “Do you know how long I spent fixing our crooked little soul? All you did was sleep!”
“Hey, I was unconscious! And if you’re living inside, doesn’t that make saving me your job?” Gira shot back, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Xizu stepped in, a touch of worry in her voice. “Gira, sweetie… are you hallucinating?”
“What? No! Just give me a second,” he replied, waving her off before turning back to Savagrios.
“Savagrios, do you remember anything about where we came from?” Gira asked, his tone pleading as he looked to his crimson reflection.
Savagrios tilted his head thoughtfully. “Hmm—we woke up in a forest,” he remarked with a casual shrug.
“I already knew that! I meant more like, you know... how do we exist?” Gira pressed, growing frustrated. “Because I just watched our freaky doppelganger eat someone on video—and, not to be dramatic, but I really don’t want to be associated with that flavor of person.”
“Flavor…” Savagrios echoed, his long, spiny tongue sliding over his teeth with a slow, unsettling lick.
“Oh no…” Gira muttered in a defeated whisper, realization dawning. “We really are related…”
Standing up, he brushed his pants and turned to face the confused Xizu and Bern. “Sooo, how do I, like… not eat people?”
Xizu immediately smacked him on the back of the head. “You just don’t! We showed you that video because you’re related to the guy—not because you’re destined to eat us.”
“Oh! That’s a relief.” Gira replied, a relaxed smile spreading across his face.
“Besides,” Savagrios chimed in from the back of his mind, his voice echoing with a hint of smugness, “we can’t even ignite our calamity core anymore.”
“Wha—?” Gira blurted, turning back to the mirror in confusion. “What does that mean?”
Bern and Xizu exchanged a bewildered glance as they watched Gira talk to his own reflection.
“My calamity, what?” Gira muttered to Savagrios, who was now lounging casually within the reflection, idly poking at Bern’s image. “Didn’t we almost eat this guy?” Savagrios asked.
Bern’s eyes lit up. “Xizu, his eyes!” he exclaimed, pointing at Gira, who was caught up in his argument with himself.
Xizu spun Gira around mid-sentence, leaning in close to inspect his eyes. “Bern… he might actually be talking to something!” she murmured, her own eyes widening with fascination.
“I am!” Gira replied, sounding a bit annoyed. “I’m talking to my Coarseblood form right now! He’s going on about some ‘calamity core’ thingie.”
“What’s he saying?” Xizu asked, her voice brimming with excitement.
“He said we can’t transform because I broke it,” Gira replied nonchalantly, as if it were no big deal—leaving everyone else in stunned silence.
“Bu-but… you’d be dead,” Xizu stammered, her face paling.
Gira turned back to the mirror, eyebrows raised. “We’re supposed to be dead?” he asked Savagrios.
“Apparently,” Savagrios replied casually, absently picking at mirror Xizu’s hair, seemingly unfazed.
“Then how am I alive, huh?” Gira asked, looking at Xizu, who was still holding onto him, her grip tight with lingering disbelief.
Bern’s eyes widened, a spark of excitement lighting up his face. “Xizu! My Lingering Tunes theory gets stronger every day,” he chimed in, his tone annoyingly smug.
“Gira…” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Your calamity core is your soul. When a soul shatters… that’s the truest form of death. At least, it should be.” Xizu leaned closer, her gaze searching his. “You’re so peculiar…” she murmured, studying him with a mix of awe and wonder.
“Thanks?” Gira replied, his tone unsure as he tried to make sense of her words.
Xizu released Gira and turned to Bern. “There’s someone I need to call. Can you fill Gira in on the situation with the Rak’da and the Abyssal anomalies?”
“Yes,” Bern replied, watching as Xizu gathered herself. She gave Gira a gentle pat on the head and leaned in to kiss Bern. “See you later, kid,” she said with a soft smile before turning to leave.
“See ya.” Gira waved, watching Xizu disappear through the doorway. He turned to Bern, frowning slightly. “Why’d she leave? What happened?”
Bern paused, thinking it over. “I’m not sure,” he replied, a hint of curiosity in his voice. “But knowing her, it must be a pretty exciting idea.”
K-11 leaned down, “Can I take my mirror back?”
Gira turned, noticing Savagrios already waving in the reflection. “Yeah, I don’t need to see him to know what’s up,” he replied, waving back at Savagrios.
K-11 gave him a perplexed look. “Are you speaking of the red entity?”
“Yeah—wait! You can see him?” Gira exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise.
Bern’s eyes widened too. “You can?”
K-11 nodded. “But I don’t see him in the reflection; he’s standing right there,” he said, pointing behind Bern.
Bern turned, scanning the empty space. “Is it… a ghost?”
Gira tilted his head, frowning. “Is he? But… he’s me.”
K-11 gave a nonchalant shrug, his metallic joints emitting a soft hum as he straightened. Without another word, he bent his powerful legs and leapt, ascending smoothly back to his roost.
“Well, we can worry about your ghost friend later,” Bern said, a bit awkwardly. He cleared his throat, shifting gears. “For now, let me tell you about the Steel Dragon.”