When Gwen finally awoke from the after-effects of the battle at Hikawa Shrine, chaos followed. As soon as she could remember, she told Forneus and Phenex—and then later the entire council—about the voice she sometimes heard whenever an artifact was found, and what it had said this time when she'd restored Kusanagi's seal.
Though no one told her, it seemed at least a few of them had an inkling about the voice's origins. Gwen didn't dwell on this, however, for once far more interested in what the council planned to do with the information she'd given them than in who or what the voice belonged to. It seemed a council meeting had been called while she slept, revealing some of what she'd already told them. How apparently, aside from getting their hands on Kusanagi, Apophis's forces had found a way to track down the other artifacts, and while little was known of just what or how, they'd gotten their hands on one other.
Osiris's Crown.
When Gwen revealed that they'd found a way to harness eight of the artifacts by infusing them with dark magic "when the time was right"—Forneus presuming this meant the next new moon—nervous speculation shifted into full-blown panic.
Whatever else the council might have disagreed on, the general consensus regarding what would happen should their enemies succeed was the same: If Reeves got his hands on the artifacts in the council's possession, he'd have the power to transform the Spectrum into a prison realm surpassing Nowhere, effectively trapping all of its residents within and leaving the other realms completely defenseless.
Debate broke out around the council chamber, and after twenty minutes or so of unit commanders and council members yelling across the strategy table at one another, Forneus requested that Astral return Gwen to her quarters, stating that he didn't wish to expose her to any more political dissention than what was necessary.
As Astral escorted her toward the chamber's entrance, Gwen hazarded one last glance behind her, noting Forneus's grim expression as he and Phenex returned to their places at the table. Then she was descending the stairs, those gathered on the dais disappearing from view.
Doing what she could to block out the heated arguments—futile though it was, given the room's acoustics—Gwen had the fleeting impression Forneus was sparing her from more than just politics. That perhaps in knowing she still hadn't come to grips with being the tenth seal, he didn't want to risk anyone tactlessly bringing it up and using it as a means to blame her for what was happening.
It didn't matter that she didn't have a hand in Apophis's plans, that all she'd done was send the message along as she'd heard it. It didn't even matter that Gwen knew herself to be blameless. There were those on the Regulations Force who didn't, or at least refused to acknowledge it, even with the evidence directly in front of them. They needed a scapegoat, someone to blame for their current misfortunes, and who better than the, "nobody, human girl" who had gotten dragged into this whole mess against her will?
If it weren't for Forneus, Phenex, Apollo, and the Fifth Unit, Gwen didn't know how she would have managed in the Spectrum for as long as she had. It seemed for every friend she'd found, there were at least three others who disliked her, if they didn't flat-out hate her. She didn't know what was worse; the handful that she knew by face and name, or the countless others she could only guess at based on their furtive looks and hushed whispers whenever she passed them in the corridors. Were they afraid of her? Or like Pantha, were they angry, viewing her as nothing but the tool to their salvation?
It had only been through incessant pleading that she'd gotten the truth out of Forneus as to why Pantha had scowled at her with such dislike back at Hikawa Shrine, and she still hadn't decided if she regretted pressing him on the matter, or not. Since learning the truth, she found herself constantly studying those around her, looking to see if they exhibited the same signs Pantha did, all with little to no success of finding out for sure.
Gwen barely noticed when she and Astral passed the Central Junction and took the walkway on their left, eventually making their way up the spiralling stairs that led to the pyrite corridor, the entrance of which was flanked by twin pillars of marble. The coloured lights that reminded her so much of the aurora borealis danced in her peripherals, glinting off the crystal walkways and the corridor's smooth, cavernous walls.
It wasn't until they'd stepped into her room, Astral settling into the armchair across from her, that he finally spoke.
"Don't let it get to you, Gwen."
She gave a start, frowning as she tried to divine just what he'd meant by it. Beyond the knowing glint in his eyes, Astral gave away nothing, his expression completely inscrutable.
"Don't let what get to me?"
"The council's politics, being the tenth seal." He gave a careless wave of his hand, though the seriousness never left his eyes. "All of it. Try to push it aside, forget you found out about it. Nothing's changed. You're still the same person you've always been, tenth seal or not."
He held her gaze for a long moment, and only when she finally averted hers did Gwen find she was able to speak. "How can I?" Her voice came out barely above a whisper. "Now that I know, how can I pretend otherwise?"
"The only thing that's changed is your perception of yourself," Astral insisted. Gwen startled when he leaned forward and rested his hand on top of hers, fingers cool against her own. "Can't you see, Gwen? The stakes haven't changed; they're still exactly as they've always been. All that's changed is how you view them."
She was about to point out that even if that was true, there were many on the council and Regulations Force expecting as much from her as she did from herself—if not more so, and not all of them as kind as Apollo or Asclepius—when the door swung open, admitting Forneus into the room. Astral snatched his hand back from Gwen's as if he'd been burned, his face flushing scarlet.
"Oh good, you're still here," Forneus said to him, not appearing to notice Astral's guilt-stricken expression. "This concerns you, as well."
Pulling her attention away from Astral, Gwen turned anxiously toward Forneus. "What is it?"
"There's a chance of collecting another one of the artifacts. But if we're going to do it, it has to be now, before Apophis—"
"Wait, where's Phenex?" Gwen asked, cutting a glance toward the door. "Is he not coming with us?"
"Hermes checked in from Mythos after you left the chamber. He's begun putting a team together to persuade the clan leaders to help in our fight against Apophis's forces, and he requested Phenex's help in the matter."
"What about the artifact?" Gwen asked. "The council can't expect the two of us to go after it on our own! Every time we've ever done that, things have gone from bad to worse."
"They don't." Forneus gestured to Astral with a nod. "That's where the Fifth Unit comes in. They'll be accompanying us to the Bissau Palace in India. There Vajra will be found, hidden somewhere within its halls."
"The Bissau Palace?" Astral's tone went up an octave, eyes widening in surprise. "I didn't know Indra had such a strong following there."
"Nor I, but at some point or other, he must have. Vajra wouldn't have wound up there otherwise."
Gwen scarcely had time to prepare herself before a hand had settled on her shoulder and the room began warping around them, Forneus's affirmation that Asclepius and the others would meet them at the palace ringing in her ears as the solid tiles disappeared from beneath her feet. A sense of weightlessness surrounded her, making her stomach spasm.
Gods, I hope I don't puke.
Before long, solid ground was beneath her feet again, and Gwen slumped, bracing her hands against her knees as she took slow, deep breaths through her nose.
She wasn't given the chance to recover before she felt Forneus's hand stiffen on her shoulder. With a quick glance around, past the pristine white support columns bordering the palace entrance, she saw what had caused his sudden tension.
Scores of shadows surrounded them on either side of a parking lot, with Reeves at their centre. The three Akuma appeared behind him, descending the palace's front steps to stand at his side.
Gwen felt the inexplicable urge to swear rising in her throat, but swallowed it back down, knowing it wouldn't solve anything. Distantly, she felt the prickle of awareness that came whenever an artifact was near, the fine hairs standing up along her arms and on the back of her neck.
Great. As if things weren't complicated enough already.
"I've gotta say, I didn't expect you to walk into my trap so literally." Reeves bared his teeth in a feral grin, his canines gleaming in the sun's fading light. "But now that you're here, why not make things easier on yourselves, and hand over the girl?"
Electricity crackled along the tips of Forneus's fingers in answer, and he shifted into position in front of Gwen. Astral mirrored him on her other side, his usually gentle expression shifting into something fierce, protective.
Gwen took an involuntary step back, drawing further behind Forneus as she did. The ethereal armour shrouded her in a burst of vibrant green from the top of her head down to her toes, veins of yellow and indigo chasing each other between where plated segments would have been had the armour been normal.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." With a snap of Reeves' fingers, the shadows surged forward as one, blotting out the last of the sun's rays with their incorporeal bodies, and all hope of escape along with it.
*
As she dodged yet another blow from an overly enthusiastic Misa, Gwen couldn't help pondering how the last few missions had gotten progressively worse. It seemed every time they went after the next artifact, Reeves or one of Apophis's other top generals managed to throw a larger wrench in the works than the time before it. If not for the training she'd received, putting the ethereal blades Asclepius had given her to good use, Gwen doubted she would have survived for as long as she had.
The call of the artifact sang in her ears, reminding her of the tinnitus she sometimes got while listening to music too loudly—or after Forneus teleported her without warning, as he had this time. Wherever Vajra was, it must have been close by. The buzzing sensation was growing stronger, and it was when Misa lunged at her again that Gwen wished the artifacts weren't quite so adamant in calling to her. It was proving to be less helpful and more distracting.
She was in the midst of guessing where Vajra was—the incessant prickling along her spine seeming to indicate the upper terrace, where she could see the soft glow of electrical lighting—when Misa caught her along the cheek with the hilt of her sword, hard enough that Gwen could feel it already beginning to swell as she retreated several steps.
"What's the matter, girly? Not feeling so tough anymo—" Misa's taunt was cut off by a flash of bright green, the slap of sneakers over flagstone reaching Gwen's ears as she touched the stinging area beneath her eye. The pounding footsteps were so reminiscent of the incident in Prague that Gwen could scarcely contain her surprise when it wasn't Phenex that came into view, but Astral. He caught her gaze for barely a second before releasing another volley of electricity at Misa, the Akuma catching it with the tip of her blade and grimacing as it coursed the length of her arm.
"Are you okay?" Astral asked. His eyes reflected the sparks flying from his fingertips, turning them a luminous green.
"Yeah, just a bruise."
Hearing a faint thrumming sound, Gwen glanced left. There stood Forneus, using one hand to hold off a group of shadows with his barrier and creating a colourless, shimmering haze that drifted toward Reeves and the rest of his forces with the other. The other two Akuma were nowhere to be found, but Gwen didn't have time to ponder it.
Having recovered from Astral's onslaught, Misa lunged toward her with a vengeance, the tip of her blade skating across the armour at Gwen's side, creating a flurry of white sparks. No sooner had she passed Gwen did the ethereal armour release a defensive sputter, a tendril of vibrant blue lancing out and grabbing hold of her katana.
Astral took advantage of Misa's momentary distraction while she tried to free her weapon. Bringing his fist down onto the dark grey flagstones, he sent a series of stone fragments sailing through the air, smacking into the back of her head. Misa let out a half-scream, half-growl as she whirled around, both her left and heavily scarred right eye narrowing to dangerous slits, banded lips pulling into a sneer.
"You'll pay for that, you little—"
Misa didn't finish. A terrible screaming had started up on the far side of the parking lot; Gwen, Astral, and Misa turning as one to look beyond the palace's secondary entrance. Astral's makeshift projectiles fell to the ground with a clatter, forgotten. There stood a manicured garden, bathed in the faint glimmer of sunlight still visible over the high peaks of the cinderblock walls encircling the palace courtyard.
But the clusters of cypress trees and ferns weren't what held their attention.
Forneus had long since abandoned his barrier, and as Gwen looked from the cowering group of shadows before him to the two male Akuma behind him, clearly having been in the process of launching a sneak attack, it wasn't any wonder why. Ghostly images floated up from the ground, shifting so quickly that at first glance, Gwen couldn't make out what they were.
Just as suddenly, the ghostly projections merged as one, becoming narrow and tubular in shape until finally, Gwen was able to recognize a shape. A giant cobra, twisting its hooded head to look in their direction, eyes like fiery coals zeroing in on Misa. Gwen took a step back, mirroring the female Akuma's fright as she let out a startled cry.
It was just like the cobra-monster she'd faced in Switzerland, only ten times bigger.
And nastier.
"It's okay, it's not us it's after," Astral said, placing a reassuring hand on Gwen's arm. He continued in a whisper, "Forneus's spectral arts. He can make them take whatever form he wishes—or whatever form most frightens his enemies. By the looks of things, I'd say she is afraid of the Naga King."
Gwen didn't get to ask who or what the 'Naga King' was. At that precise moment, Forneus levelled his free hand at the paralyzed forms in front of him, and with a flick of his wrist, released a blast of brilliant white light, casting a dark halo around him as it rippled outward. As if timed, a golden, swirling portal opened up several paces from where Gwen and Astral stood and Asclepius stepped into their midst, the rest of the Fifth Unit close behind him.
The glow of Forneus's attack receded just as the portal closed, leaving Gwen to blink away dazzling pinpricks of light from her eyes. She had just gotten her sight back when a hand grasped hers, jerking her off to the side. She heard the telltale whistle of a blade as it whipped past her ear, followed by a clang as it hit the stone wall directly behind her.
It only took a quick glance to realize where it had come from. It seemed in spite of Forneus's frightening spectral projections, Cife had broken out of his paralysis and had decided to come after her instead; no doubt knowing Forneus was far too seasoned to fall to his meager attacks.
Feeling a mixture of fear and anger bubbling up inside of her, writhing like the cobra still pinning Misa with its gaze, Gwen focused as much energy into the armour as she dared. If Cife thought she was easy-pickings just because she was a human, he was in for a nasty surprise.
Astral appeared to have other ideas, however. Thrusting one hand forward, he released a torrent of green lightning at Cife, forcing the pale-skinned Akuma to dive straight into the thicket of conifers bordering the right-hand side of the palace entrance.
Gwen spared Astral a bewildered glance before her attention was diverted back to Misa. The female Akuma had broken free of her frightened stupor and was currently in combat with Lyka, the Wolf Corps spreading out to create a defensive perimeter around them. Beyond, she could hear the clash and explosive crack of energy being released as the rest of the Fifth Unit engaged what few shadows remained. Closer at hand, Forneus traded blows with Reeves. Streams of light and shadow met in the air, strobing across the cloudless sky.
"Gwen, run!" She turned just as Cife threw a blade at Astral, the knife bouncing harmlessly off the barrier he'd conjured and clattering to the ground. "Find Vajra. We'll take care of things here."
She opened her mouth to protest, then thought better of it. There was nothing to be accomplished from arguing with him on the matter. It would only distract him, get him hurt. Or worse, killed.
Taking a deep breath, Gwen focused as much energy into the armour as she could, ignoring the sweat that trickled between her shoulder blades; as much from her effort as from India's intense heat. Content the armour would protect her from any errant attacks that might come her way, she took off toward the palace's main entrance, forcibly refraining from glancing over her shoulder as she crossed the parking lot.
In only a few short strides, she was sprinting up the front steps, ethereal blade clutched in her left hand with the right pumping at her side, casting fractals of green light over the flagstones. Her heart thudded wildly against her ribcage, breaths shallow and ragged as she made her way into the main hall. Stone gave way to checkered tile, bordered by russet and blue laminate flooring. The air was much cooler here, though dampness still clung to Gwen's skin as it had outside. Potted ferns and opulent support pillars stood in even rows on either side, with a colourful mural spanning the upper half of the wall facing the entrance, the skylight above casting streaks of gold and deep pink over its mosaic imagery.
There was no denying that the palace was beautiful, but Gwen couldn't afford to let her guard down just now. Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps behind her, she ran deeper into the palace, past the marble elephant statues and brightly-painted walls, and through the door farthest on her left. The prickling along her spine grew stronger as she entered what appeared to be some sort of sitting room, Gwen nearly knocking a vase off its stand as she closed the lattice door behind her.
She turned, wiping sweat from her eyes to take in her surroundings.
Upholstered armchairs in red and white were scattered about, rounded end tables—some bearing photographs, others vases and potted flowers—stationed everywhere else, their gleaming white surfaces reflecting the ceiling's floral pattern. Paintings and weapon display cases covered nearly every spare inch of the walls. It wasn't long before Gwen felt a headache coming on from the mixture of bright light and colour surrounding her.
Focus, she reminded herself. The sooner you find the artifact, the sooner you can get out of here.
Gwen closed her eyes, and performing the breathing techniques she'd learned during her training sessions, stretched her senses as far as they would go. It was difficult with the incessant throbbing at her temples, but when the first ribbons of awareness brushed from one side of the room to the other, she found the pain easier to ignore. Still, in spite of the prickling having grown stronger upon entering the room, it was apparent Vajra wasn't here.
Stifling a sigh, she continued her mental exploration, the sensory ribbons venturing out of the room and into the next. The artifact's call seemed to be stronger there, but whether it was because it was in the next room or merely close to it, she wouldn't know until she got there.
Unfortunately, she didn't get the chance to find out. She'd taken a single step toward the double doors on the far left-hand side of the room when they burst open, Gwen bringing an arm up to shield her face as wooden splinters flew through the air, the doors blasted off their hinges. A black haze poured into the room, bringing with it the overpowering stench of sulfur. Gwen instinctively brought a hand to her mouth, choking back a sudden urge to cough. Had Reeves created more shadows, or was this another of his tricks?
The haze cleared, revealing an unfamiliar figure at its centre, all three Akuma entering the room behind him.
"Good work, Lucas," said Misa, smirking at the figure. "Looks like the boss was right to trust you, after all."
The figure named Lucas didn't reply, though Gwen thought she saw just the barest twitch at the corners of his mouth. Eyes of blood red stared back at her from an angular face, a faint scar marring the bridge of his nose, just visible against the pallor of his complexion. Thick, dark hair swept back from his forehead, falling to the high collar of his charcoal grey coat.
Everything about him screamed formality, and for a fleeting moment, Gwen was reminded of Forneus, the figure's bearing much like his. But beyond sharing a few articles of clothing and the guardian's lean build, the similarities ended there. The smirk that lit his face wasn't in the least like Forneus's teasing smiles, and there was nothing at all comforting about the way his scarlet gaze bore into her own.
Gwen was so focused on the Akuma's frightening new ally, she didn't realize that the ethereal armour had gone out; didn't notice Kizah creeping up from behind her until it was too late. The large Akuma's muscular arms wrapped around her, forcing the air from her lungs.
"The boss wants to have a little chat with you," his deep voice sounded at her ear. Gwen began struggling anew, gasping as she fought for breath. "But there's something we need from you, first."
As if on cue, Lucas stepped forward, pulling something from the inner lining of his coat. With Kizah crushing her against his chest, it was difficult to make out just what the strange, golden object was, though Gwen thought she had a pretty good guess.
She'd only seen it once before, so many nights ago—but there was no mistaking the symmetrical object in his hands, spherical at both ends and tapered at its middle. Not unlike an hourglass, though made entirely of metal. At either of the rounded ends were tipped points, the only indication that Vajra had once served as a weapon some centuries ago.
Lucas was only a few paces away now, the prickling at the back of Gwen's neck intensifying as he drew closer.
They're going to make me restore the seal, she realized, eyes wide with panic. If the artifact got any closer, the choice would be out of her hands. As soon as Vajra recognized the power within her—the power it shared—it would envelope her in a column of light, just like all the others. If I restore it, everyone in the Spectrum will be...
"No," Gwen choked out, refusing to follow the thought through to conclusion. She couldn't let it happen. Everyone was counting on her. But no matter how hard she struggled against Kizah's hold, no matter how desperate she was for the ethereal armour to return, she just wasn't strong enough. The armour had sapped too much of her energy already, and tracking Vajra had only made matters worse.
"There's no point in fighting it, girly." Misa's lips pulled into a sneer, one hand resting warningly on the hilt of her sword. "The boss wants the artifacts all shiny and new, and what the boss wants, he gets."
A streak of brilliant green flew past Misa just then, coming from over her shoulder and striking Lucas in the back. His eyes widened momentarily, surprise etched across his features before he toppled to the floor with a pained groan, Vajra still grasped tightly in his hand. Gwen glanced up the same moment Misa whirled around, Cife hitting the floor unconscious seconds before Astral entered the room.
"Let her go."
Kizah's grip tightened in response, the larger Akuma slowly dragging Gwen toward the door she'd first entered, issuing a low growl as he did.
"If you think you stand a chance against us on your own—"
"He's not on his own."
Kizah whirled around, nearly pulling Gwen off her feet in the process.
Forneus wasted no more time on words, instead snatching the golden handle of the cutlass he'd just created from thin air and levelling it at the Akuma's face. His gaze flitted to Gwen momentarily, eyes darkening to storm grey before returning his attention to Kizah, blade gleaming from the light of the chandelier overhead.
He wasn't the only one to have made it into the palace. Lyka and three of her wolves entered behind him, all four sets of eyes trained on Kizah. One of the wolves began to snarl, lips pulling back to reveal sharp, gleaming teeth.
"We won't tell you again." Forneus took a step closer, then another, Kizah retreating two steps for every one that Forneus took. "Let her go now, or suffer the consequences."
"Don't listen to him, Kizah," Misa spat. "They won't dare attack you with that little wench in your hands."
"He won't have to." One of the wolves lunged forward at Lyka's words. There was a confusion of motion, and in the next instant, Gwen found herself toppling toward the ground, the intermingling sounds of the wolves' growls and Kizah's surprised shouts ringing in her ears. Just as quickly as she hit the floor, a pair of arms seized her around the waist, lifting her to her feet.
Lyka kept a steadying hand on her shoulder, drawing Gwen protectively behind her as Forneus moved to deal with Kizah. The large Akuma had managed to shake the wolf off, though it still circled him, ears pinned back and snarling. The other two wolves loped past, training their fierce gazes on Misa while Astral came around the other side to join Gwen and Lyka, green bolts dancing across his knuckles in warning.
Peering from around Lyka's shoulder, Gwen could see Lucas's arm. Though he appeared to be unconscious, his fingers were still tightly wound around Vajra, dipping between the ribbed slats that made up its rounded ends.
"Astral, the artifact!"
Gwen's cry came too late. There was a blur of movement behind him, and in the next moment, Cife stood between Lucas's prone figure and Astral, grasping three throwing knives between the knuckles of his right hand and a single knife in his left. Steel grey eyes narrowed as he thrust the blade toward Astral's exposed side.
Astral's expression twisted into a mask of surprise, then pain. He slumped to the floor, clutching his side. Dark red stained his shirt, turning the grey plaid deep maroon as it blossomed from between his fingers.
"Astral!"
Gwen heard Lyka swear the same moment she cried out, the Okami rushing to Astral's aid while Forneus retreated to Gwen's side.
"Come along, Gwen. It's going to be all right. That's it." Forneus took a gentle, yet firm hold of Gwen's elbow, steering her toward the door with his sword still trained on Kizah, preventing him from following.
In the commotion that followed—all three spectral wolves bearing down on Cife and Misa to keep them at bay, while Lyka helped Astral to his feet—no one but Gwen noticed when Lucas stirred. His pupils contracted when their gazes met, Gwen's breath catching in her throat.
She didn't get the chance to warn the others of his escape until it was already too late. Grinning, Lucas offered her a mock salute and rounded the corner, the tails of his grey coat disappearing from view. By the time she pointed it out to Forneus, the rest of the Fifth Unit had joined them—half of them wounded from their battle against Reeves and his shadows, while the other half, bearing only minor scratches, supported them.
The moment they entered, the Akuma disappeared. Gwen literally blinked and they were gone, leaving nothing behind but the splintered remains of the double doors scattered across the polished floor, blackened by whatever dark power Lucas possessed. At least, Gwen assumed it was Lucas who had blasted them open. She'd never seen the Akuma display a power quite like it, and in spite of his otherwise ordinary appearance, she was willing to bet he was another demon, just like them. Perhaps even stronger.
"Reeves got away," Asclepius informed them, gingerly touching a shallow gash in his forehead and coming to stand beside Forneus. "I just about had him when some henchman or other showed up with Vajra in hand. As soon as he saw it, Reeves called his forces off. There wasn't time to stop him."
"Lucas." Gwen hadn't realized she'd said it out loud until both Asclepius and Forneus gave her a startled look.
"Did you just say Lucas?" For the first time since she'd met him, Gwen found Asclepius's gaze unnerving, the usual sapphire blue of his eyes almost luminescent.
Shifting uncomfortably under the intensity of his stare, she nodded.
"You're absolutely sure?" It was Forneus's turn to scrutinize her, his gaze searching.
"Positive. That's what Misa called him when they showed up." Gwen frowned, glancing between them. "Why? Do you know him?"
At that moment, a pained moan issued from behind Asclepius, and the three of them turned to look at Astral, Lyka still supporting him on his non-wounded side.
"I'll tell you all about it later," Forneus promised, banishing his cutlass with a flick of his wrist. "For now we need to get the wounded back to the Spectrum. Asclepius won't be able to tend to all of them on his own."
Looking around, Gwen saw that he was right. Astral was far from being the only wounded operative, and compared to Chester, he was faring far better. The Irish forest spirit dangled between two other operatives, bloodied and unconscious.
"He's right. I'm going to need the help of the other commanders for this one," Asclepius said, voice tinged with regret. "It's a pity about Vajra, but there's little we can do about it now." He motioned Lyka to him, taking some of Astral's weight on his own shoulders.
Gwen couldn't help it. Her gaze dropped to the gash in Astral's side, transfixed by the dark red liquid dripping onto the laminate floor. She didn't get to look at him long before the familiar sensation of being teleported took over, forcing her to shut her eyes against the sickening blur of colours swimming in her vision.
The moment she felt solid ground beneath her feet again, she opened her eyes, and glanced at the unfamiliar room they were standing in. It was only when Lyka and Asclepius laid Astral down on a modest bed in the far corner that she realized the room must be Astral's quarters, hues of green and lavender undulating across walls of solid quartz. The rest of the room was sparsely furnished, with only a single chair and table set beside his bed.
As the rest of the Fifth Unit trundled out of the room with the wounded between them—likely in search of whatever other healers the Regulations Force had to offer—Gwen made her way to Astral's bedside, taking his hand firmly in both of hers.
Neither Forneus nor Asclepius said a word as she settled into the chair, the latter busily rifling through the top drawer of Astral's bureau to pull out something in a glass bottle while the former simply rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. Asclepius then shuffled past her to stand at Astral's head, gently cupping the back of his neck and lifting him into an upright position. Without breaking stride, he unstoppered the bottle in his right hand and proceeded to pour a faintly-glowing blue liquid down Astral's throat.
"To help him sleep," Asclepius explained at Gwen's inquisitive stare, before opening Astral's shirt to reveal the wound in his side. Gentle, healing light escaped from beneath Asclepius's fingers, vanishing short seconds later when he removed them—now stained with Astral's blood—from pale, unmarked flesh. Forneus said something, but Gwen didn't catch it.
It was a long moment before she realized silence had descended throughout the room. Only when she shook herself out of her stupor did she vaguely recall the feel of Forneus's hand on her shoulder before he and Asclepius took their leave, the murmured words she hadn't caught when Forneus had spoken echoing through her mind.
"If you need anything, I'll be two levels up on the left."
Without thinking about it, Gwen rested her head on Astral's shoulder, allowing the gentle rise and fall of his breathing to calm her; a reassurance that with Asclepius's help, he would be okay.
Before long, exhaustion claimed her, and Gwen fell into a fitful sleep, plagued by dreams of Lucas's knife flashing toward Astral's side again and again.
*