I plop onto my couch with a sigh; below me, the city bustles, floaters glide by, and the lights from the dozens of other skyscrapers light my room in the night. It's been three months since I returned. Now I'm rich, living in one of the most expensive buildings available. Hell, I own the fifty-six-story building. No, that's not right. My agency owns everything. I'm just supposed to act like I do. Despite my protests, I was immediately contracted to dozens of brands, and the merchandise my agents set up has completely sold out, even when they bumped the prices to insane amounts. The civi's gave me the moniker "The Branded" thanks to my stunt with Nebula. Apparently, the video of me cauterizing my wound has become a city-wide phenomenon. I didn't even know they implanted a camera in my eye. Must have been done during my eye examination before I left for the mission.

I run a hand through my hair. I'm set for life. I've had multiple life coaches try to convince me to quit being a diver. There's no need, they say. I can expand upon my image and maybe even take over for the current city president. But none of that matters to me. I've already lived a wealthy life. I was rich beyond comprehension for fifteen years before my father died. Sure, the tech might be better, but being rich is the same. It's boring. I have questions that need answers, and I won't get them here.

My glass rings as I take out the crystal and gold-engraved device. "Yes," I answer, boredom dripping from my voice.

"You sound absolutely elated," The man says.

I sit up; my attention peaked, "Hearon?"

"The one and only. Please tell your guards I can ride the elevator." I let them know he's a friend, and Hearon walks into my apartment a few minutes later. He looks the same as usual, blue jeans and a red flannel with boots on, though I guess only a few months have passed. It feels like it's been an eternity.

"I see you are living well," he remarks, glancing around my living room. It's the largest room I've ever been in, with a kitchen in one corner and a massive panel of glass looking over the city on the other side. Various chairs and couches decorate the room with several TVs. Why does a room need more than one? I still don't get it.

I shrug, "Not by choice. If it was up to me, I'd be in a small cozy house. But no, I need to keep up my image, so here I am in this lonely, boring place."

Hearon smiles sadly, "Yes, I know the feeling. Most of us are forced to live in places like this when we make our first big break. Command needs to capitalize off us as much as possible. Only when we fall out of the limelight or are Zack can we find peace and quiet."

"How is he?" I don't look at Hearon; instead, I settle on gazing out the window. I've been so busy that I've only stopped by a time or two.

Hearon sits on one of my recliners, leaning back, "Same as usual. Comotose. They detected brain activity a few days ago, but he's still mostly unresponsive."

I grip my hands together. Fuck. While I'm living the lap of luxury, Zack is still struggling. He was supposed to be out of this in a few days.

"I know you blame yourself, but Zack knew what he was doing." I can't help but scoff. It turns out that because of my core, mental attacks don't work on me. Or at least the effects are greatly diminished. I learned that after taking a ton of mind-altering medication. "Azu?"

Hearon goes silent. Thought so. She's been off the grid since we got back. No one has heard or seen her. "Why are you here?" I turn towards him now.

He smiles, but this time, it's genuine real one, "It is your time, Silen." My heart skips a beat. The library. Hearon stands, "We leave in two days. Meet us at the train station."

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"Us?" I wasn't aware of anyone but Hearon was going with me.

He puts a hand on my shoulder, "Alexander is coming with. It was a last-minute decision. He will be bringing a couple of archivists and scouts." Great. I nod and Hearon leaves. Two days. Finally I can do something productvie.

************************

My floater lands just outside the city in a small clearing set just before the Exlades. The train station stands there, Nothing more than a metal box with doors leading inside. Beside it, a large sailboat-like airship hovers just above the station. As I leave, my driver wishes me luck before flying off. I adjust Nebula as I walk up to Hearon, who is standing with arms crossed at the doors, heavily armored.

We clasp forearms as I look him up and down, "What's with the armor?"

Before he can answer, Alexander Bell walks out of the station, also dressed in gold-plated armor, "Nothing but a precaution. We have no information on the library outside of a few mentions in our history texts."

I tilt my head slightly. "Aren't we supposed to be hidden from the people of Titan? What happens if they see your armor? It's pretty obvious the gear is created using techniques they don't have access to."

Bell waves a hand dismissively, "It is no matter. They will not see us." He motions to the airship, "We will be taking the Marinotte. She has multiple invisibility cores, making it near impossible for people to see us unless they know what to look for." Ah. That explains the ship. Bell motions to a nearby rope ladder. The main access point. Without another word I board the flying vessel.

It's very similar to a classic sailboat, complete with the masts, though I'm pretty sure those are just for show. The ship's figurehead is a dragon, and its body splits, each half decorating a side of the ship in red metal. Wings stick out on each side. On board, a group of men in black lab coats smoke on one side of the ship; on the other, Azu sits, her head dropped into her chest.

I look at Hearon and he sighs, "She showed up a few hours ago. Hasn't said a word to anyone. She clearly plans on coming with us, though. We leave in ten." I nod and walk over to her, plopping down at her side. We say nothing as the ship rises into the air. It takes off, moving twice as fast as the train.

"How are you holding up?" I ask, even though it's pretty obvious she feels like shit. Dark bags line the bottom of her eyes, and her hair is set up in a loose, jumbled mess of a ponytail. Her dark eyes search mine, maybe looking for a hope that isn't there.

"As well as I look. With luck, this library of yours might have an answer to fixing Zack's situation." She pulls her knees to her chest, dropping her head in her arms.

"What exactly is the problem? I thought he was supposed to be conscious in only a few days?"

Azu remains silent for several minutes, so long that I contemplate leaving, but she speaks just as I'm preparing to leave. "Zack has a horrifying past. It is not my place to tell it to you, but he has to relive it again. I cannot imagine the suffering he is going through. He must be running from something. Or someone." Chills go up my spine at that. What could make Zack run? To the point where he would rather lie in bed immobilized than face reality?

"You are doing well for yourself," Azu says it more as a statement than a question, her head still in her arms.

I sigh, "You know as well as anyone that I'm not. Everything I do is monitored. Even now they probably have hidden cameras trained on my every move. Anything that can boost my popularity or sell more products."

Azu grunts, "I do. The same thing happened to Zack. At one point, he was so sick of it that he destroyed an entire skyscraper. It did nothing but make him more popular."

We sit in silence for a few minutes longer before I stand, leaving Azu alone. The airship rushes over the blade-like grass, the Exlades haunting melody drifting by as the wind stirs. I walk over to Bell, who stands at the bow, winding rustling his cloak. In the far distance, I can just make out the tips of the Finsal mountains.

"We shall be in Titan by sundown. With luck, we can reach our destination before first light. I would advise you to meet with the navigator to find the exact location of our landing spot."

I say nothing as I walk away from him. We don't have much to talk about these days. It's actually the first time I've seen him since my discharge from the hospital. Of course, I still have questions about the forest and how divers operate. But most of all, I can't help but wonder if there have been more Silo sightings? After coming back, I've had some time to think. That can't be him. I watched my brother die and even buried him myself. Something is pretending to be him. Why and how? Maybe the library will have answers. Let's just hope I don't meet any people from my time as an aristocrat, though I doubt they'd even recognize me.