Until today, Cyrus had assumed that he was the only one in direct contact with his grandfather. Of course, there were servants with bowed heads who avoided his gaze and an army of very nervous assistants. But they, in his grandfather's own words, "didn't count".

The old man was like that.

So his surprise when he and Seah were both summoned for a meeting was immediate and obvious. He had assumed, incorrectly, that any communication between his wife and his grandfather was happening through indirect means.

At first, he was relieved. Cyrus thought he might feel more at ease in the grim, dark office with his wife by his side. But seeing how comfortably she moved in this space put him off. If anything, it made him feel more alone.

"What word do we have from the north, children?"

Cyrus' breath caught in his throat and he coughed.

"Sir," Seah began. "We have word that Hana's team has made contact with Seunghyo and is closing in on the barony's capital city. Unfortunately, they seem to have encountered an enemy and are currently unable to make progress."

The old man's head bobbed up and down. "Good, good."

Cyrus cleared his throat.

"We have a strike team ready to move in and offer them backup. They're stationed in the city, but we should be able to get up there in one day's time and-"

"What of Cha Bell Corporation?" his grandfather asked. "Has there been any movement on their end?"

"They have men stationed on the edge of the borderlands," Seah answered. "They are careful not to cross over and they're avoiding any of the horde monsters we've observed from a distance."

His grandfather smiled, a wide toothy grin and once again bobbed his head up and down.

Cyrus stood silently.

"Cyrus, you will lead a full contingent to the borderlands and make camp three miles west of the Cha Bell Corp's men," Grisham said, breaking the silence. "You are to hold there until further notice."

"We don't need that many men, grandfather. And we need to send in a party to give Jinyoung and his sister back up."

But his grandfather's attention had already been spent and his eyes were looking over papers on his desk. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he motioned that this meeting was over and it was time for them to leave.

Cyrus stepped forward to speak, but Seah's soft hand caught him by the shoulder.

She bowed deeply and turned to leave, taking Cyrus with her.

It wasn't until they were back on the ground level, stories above Grisham's office that Seah spoke.

"Your grandfather's just trying to look out for you, Cyrus."

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"He only ever looks out for himself. I can see why he likes you."

Cyrus looked away and expected to hear her laugh. But when he looked back her face showed no such nothing. In fact, there was no emotion.

"I... I'm sorry, Seah."

Seah gave the slightest, most imperceptible shadow of a nod before walking away from him.

***

Seunghyo pinched his brow. This was a mistake, but there was nothing he could do. His former wife had picked up on something she thought was a clue and honed in on it completely. He knew from experience that there was no talking her out of it either.

“We have maybe ten, fifteen minutes before the sunsets completely and we lose our opening, Seunghyo.”

“There’s just one problem, hon. Wraiths aren’t weak against sunlight.”

Hana flinched. She thought about saying something, but crushed the thought in her mind.

“Do you have a better idea?”

Seunghyo had missed their banter. There were more than a few occasions that they had worked together with the overall experience being mixed. But their party members had always walked away with memorable stories, if he remembered correctly.

Like watching a couple arguing on their honeymoon, except you’re in a cave being chased by man-eating spiders was how one hunter had described the experience.

On the other side of the structure, Jinyoung flexed his muscles in anticipation. He reached under his thermal jacket and put a hand on the Fire Stone keeping him warm.

“They’re filled with mana.”

Jinyoung looked up at Willow. “You mean like… people’s mana?”

She nodded. “The raw materials for the stones are mined in dungeons. Once they’re refined, scholars and mages imbue them with mana by casting [ember] on them. What you’re feeling is the remnants of a spell that was cast years ago being held inside the stone.”

“You know an awful lot about Fire Stones, Willow.”

“My grandparents used to mine them. My mother used to help refine them and get them ready for scholars. She used to tell me stories. You charge an empty Stone with fire, you get a Fire Stone. The same goes for any other arcane element is what she told me.”

The question formed on Jinyoung lips and was out of his mouth without a thought.

“What about your father?”

It was an innocent enough question. But the look on Willow’s face told Jinyoung that the answer wasn’t a simple one.

Will0w, c-n y&u read me?

Bar3ly, sunb@e.

That’ll have t0 do. We’re go!ng to mak3 o#r move.

***

Henry sat quietly. The halls of the underground research laboratory were built to very precise specifications along with the facility itself. That meant every desk was placed purposefully, every wall was built and measured to be exactly so along with each detail in the area. That meant none of the doors squeaked, none of the floors creaked, and none of the faucets dripped. It was absolutely quiet.

With the exception of the battle going on outside.

You out there, Hyo?

There was no response.

Henry smiled. He had to admire his colleague’s bravery. For all the years they had worked together, Henry had seen how much he had changed. In the early days, Seunghyo had been such a moral young man. Unable to do the dirty work and unwilling to step into the gray.

On the other hand, Henry had lived in the gray. He had seen that the world was an immoral place and the only sensible way to live in it was as an immoral man. Or woman. He didn’t discern either way.

His ears pricked.

To call the sound coming through the gate muffled was an insult to whispers. But Henry’s enhanced senses allowed him to pick up on the sounds and even the slightest whiff of scents coming through the door.

He could hear the growing panic in Hana’s footwork. He could feel the frenzied movement of the wraith through vibrations in the floor. But more than anything, he could smell the fear in the air.

Well, I’ll be in here, Hyo, he said. Just waiting.