The Last Dainv

Red carpet lined the walls that felt plush to the step. From the entrance to the elevators, fancy lighting that the books said 'Victorian' hung from the ceiling. Chandeliers sparkled like candles, except not candles, and more like LED lights. The smell hit Gale's olfactory after the visual spectacle, reminding him of the northern pines of Canada and the oceans of the carribean mixed together with old aged amber.

Before they entered, he saw the hotel building had two wings, east and west. Staff in pressed butler like uniforms walked around with silver trays, offering drinks to all the guests that passing by.

He could only describe it with one word. Fancy. Way too fancy for him.

Looking down on what he wore, he wore a casual gray wind breaker, black pants that weren't ripped, and a baseball cap. But around him, the others wore just as casual so it should be fine, except for the twins that had their usual suits.

"This is where we're staying?" Gale whispered to Rachel.

"Yup. How's it?"

"I feel like running away and hiding."

"You're going to be fine. You want a Kinder Bueno?"

Gale nodded immediately. Once Rachel extended her hand with the chocolate bar, he swiped it off her hand immediately. Maybe this hotel wasn't so bad after all. It didn't feel so bad after getting a reward.

The group walked a few steps to get to the elevator, and took it to the 6th floor. Exiting the elevator, the hallway was just as fancy as chandeliers lined the ceiling at even intervals and moody lighting that wasn't too bright.

Witch Ashen and Witch Ember had split off at the lobby, saying they'd meet up after everyone settled down. Something about checking in with the summit organizers first.

Kyle looked around the hallway as they walked, his eyes darting every corner. "Getting Hotel Frankley vibes."

"Don't even start," Clyde said. "At least this place has Aurians everywhere. Can feel their signatures from the lobby."

"True. No possessed weird ghost kids this time."

"Shut up, idiots," Rachel said.

They stopped in front of their assigned rooms, Suite 610, 611, and 612. Lily handed them their own keycards, 2 each per room.

"Room situation," Lily said, holding up the cards. "Gale and Erin. Rachel and me. Kyle and Clyde."

"Wait, why is Erin with Gale?" Rachel asked.

"It's better that way."

"How is that better?!"

"Trust me."

"Erin is a woman!"

Lily looked at Erin, who was floating beside them with her usual blank expression. "She's an alien."

"What!"

"Alien," Kyle said.

"Definitely alien," Clyde agreed.

"I've already slept with Erin in a room together," Gale said.

The temperature in the hallway spiked.

Rachel snapped her head at him, "What?!?"

Kyle stepped between them. "Whoa whoa whoa. Calm down, princess fire butt. Let the man talk."

"I'm calm!"

"When we were in the rift, we stayed at a castle. But we only had one room because we were poor. The princess also slept with us in the same room," Gale said, nodding confidently.

"The princess?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah. She was really cute." Gale smiled. "The cobblestone floor was actually really comfy. Erin floated in the air like she always does. And the princess slept in the bed."

Clyde raised his hand. "Quick question. How old was this princess?"

"Like eight or nine? I didn't ask, but she was small."

Rachel let out a long sigh, her shoulders dropping. "Of course, of course it was a child."

"What?" Kyle asked.

"Nothing. Just..." She shook her head. "Gale always have a soft spot for kids."

Lily elbowed Rachel in the side and gave her a small shake of her head.

Rachel frowned. "What?"

"Nothing."

"I wasn't going to overreact."

"Sure you weren't."

"I wasn't!"

"Mhm."

Kyle clapped his hands together, "Okay! Now that the drama's settled." He turned to Gale, smirking way too hard. "Did you bring the steam box?"

Gale materialized a black cube onto his hands along with four gamepad controllers. He handed the box to Kyle and the controllers to Clyde.,

"Yes!" Kyle pumped his fist. "You're the best, Bambam."

Rachel stared. "Are you serious right now?"

"What?"

"You're using space storage for that?!"

"It fits."

"That's not the point! Space storage is for important things! Like things not that!" Rachel shouted.

Kyle hugged the black box to his chest protectively. "This is an emergency supply. For our sanity."

"Ugh! Stupids!"

"Chill out," Clyde said. "Your blood pressure is showing."

"My blood pressure is fine!"

Lily grabbed Rachel by the shoulders and started pushing her toward their room, "Okay, we're going to settle in now. See you boys later."

"I'm not done!"

"Yes you are. Bye!"

The door closed behind them.

Kyle and Clyde turned back to Gale, "So, tonight, after we get back from whatever summit stuff we gotta do. You down to play?"

"Most definitely."

"Hell yeah."

Erin floated closer, her eyes fixed on the black box in Kyle's arms. "Explain the purpose of the device."

Kyle grinned. "This, floating bluey, is the epitome of how earthlings amuse themselves."

"It's just a black box," Clyde said. "You probably won't care about it anyway."

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Erin's stare's intensity turned up a notch. "Loud one. Quiet one. Be silent." She pointed at the box. "I shall partake in this 'amusement' you attempt to hide from me. For science."

Kyle and Clyde exchanged glances.

"Cool," Kyle said. "Don't forget. Tonight."

"I do not forget."

"Great!"

The twins disappeared into their room with the steam box. Gale and Erin stood in the hallway for a moment, then walked into their own room.

Inside were two beds and a big window overlooking the meadowy mountainous landscape of Wales. It was still gray, but contrasting it to the nature view, it made it feel like the areas Gale explored in Kair. Had they been assigned the rooms at the other side, they would've been met with the ocean view that met with the high rocky coast.

Plopping himself onto the bed, there was nothing to do until they had to go back out. There was no point in unpacking when he already had everything in his space storage.

"Are you having fun, Erin?"

"The purpose of my visit to this summit was for research purposes. Fun is not the primary goal."

"So are you?" Gale asked again.

"Yes, child. The amusement I am experiencing is elevated."

"That's nice. I'm having fun," Gale said, smiling. "Do you wanna split this chocolate bar?"

"Child, you may have it as yours. Growing children need the calories," Erin said.

"Ok!" Gale sat up immediately, opening the Kinder Bueno bar. Opening the first one, he took the whole bar into his mouth and chewed. The second one came next. It was gone in less than 10 seconds.

Plopping on the bed, Gale closed his eyes, imagining the fight he had with Yuxuan. The man had a sword technique that was foreign to him. It completely countered Dainv Combat Arts at each turn. Where Gale struck directly, Yuxuan deflected and redirected efficiently. Whenever he pushed forward, it felt like he was fighting against a stream that just went around him.

Fighting humans was different from fighting monsters.

Monsters attacked head on. They relied on strength, speed, instinct. Gale's whole style revolved around killing monsters as fast and efficiently as possible.

But humans were different. They were deceptive, just like in the books he read. Feints, misdirections, and strategies. They made him think one way, but completely do something else. It was just like how people talk weird, saying one thing, but completely meaning something else.

A knock on the door snapped him back to reality.

Gale got up from the bed. Erin floated beside him as he walked to the door and opened it.

Rachel stood there with Lily and Witch Ember.

"Where's the twins?" Gale asked.

"Negotiating with Ashley," Lily said.

"For what?"

"Jobs. What else?"

Rachel grabbed his wrist. "Come on. We'll show you around the summit."

They went back down to the lobby. Rachel led the way, pointing out various areas as they walked. The dining hall was on the east wing. It was crowded with people on tables, eating, and the sign even said it was a 24/7 continental buffet. However, there was a note at the bottom saying 'Limit of 4 lobsters per person per day'.

How stupid!

"Is it really 24/7?" Gale asked.

"You can eat whenever you want," Rachel said.

Gale's eyes lit up, "Whenever whenever?"

"Whenever whenever."

"Even at 3am?"

"Even at 3am."

"This place is amazing."

"Can we go eat now?"

"We'll eat after everyone gets together," Rachel said, chuckling. "It taste better that way."

"Right! It taste better that way."

Rachel continued dragging him, this time to the west wing and towards what looked like a gym. The equipment in there looked like the standard equipment of squat racks, bench presses, treadmills, benches, at the far end of the gym contained what looked like a black rock that had a machine hooked up to it. Beside the rock was a machine that stretched out into multiple compartments. It was the same one he saw in Neutral Ground's testing area.

"You can work out here if you want," Rachel giggled.

"I'd rather eat…" Gale said. However, looking around the whole places they went through, he noticed something weird about this place compared to the normal streets of Toronto.

In the lobby, a group of people in traditional martial arts robes walked past, carrying eastern swords and sabres at their hips. Their signatures had a distinct feeling that came off of the practitioners he faced when he fought Yuxuan, except a slightly different taste if that made sense.

Near the elevators were people in suits. Strapped around their shoulders were rifles while some had the distinct bump of holstered pistols in their jackets. Their signature had the same sterile attribute that Kyle and Clyde had.

And by the entrance to the gym, a woman stood in an actual plated chest armour and gauntlets while a longsword was strapped to her back. She was talking to a man carrying a mace like it was the most normal thing in the world.

It was like he fell into another rift except this was Earth. And a lot of them were going to the buffet that Gale was currently denied of.

"Is this what the summit is always like?" he asked.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked.

"Nothing. It just seems… interesting," Gale said.

"Welcome to Aur," Lily said, walking up ahead to catch up to Rachel.

Amber fell into step beside Gale as they continued walking. She had a look on her face that seemed to be studying him meticulously yet also a mischievous grin.

"So," Amber said. "What's your relationship with Rachel?"

Rachel, who was walking and talking ahead with Lily, didn't seem to hear.

"What do you mean?" Gale asked.

"I mean, what do you think of her?"

"Rachel is the most reliable person I know."

"That's it? Most reliable?"

"She always helps me when I need it. She gives me food. She teaches me things. She's strong. Like very strong. She exploded a whole lobby of cyborg flesh humans." Gale nodded. "Very reliable."

Amber raised an eyebrow at the statement, "So she's just a friend to you?"

"She's more than a friend."

"Oh?"

"She's a friend who is a girl."

Amber stared at him.

"That makes her more than just a friend. Because she's also a girl," Gale said. That was completely the perfect explanation. Just like how Rachel described. A boy who was a friend. Now they're totally equals, which was a good thing.

"That's... not what I meant."

"What did you mean?"

Amber sighed. "Okay, different question. What would you do if Rachel disappeared?"

"Disappeared?"

"Like, gone. Vanished. You couldn't find her anymore."

"That can't happen," Gale said immediately.

"Why not?"

"Because I'll protect her." Gale said sternly. "I'll protect all of them. And we'll fight together. So she can't disappear."

It was exactly his promise to her at Fran's the first time they met up. They'll fight together, no matter how difficult it was, for better or for worse, until they both die.

Amber sped up walking, and closed in beside Rachel. "He's completely too innocent."

Rachel glanced at her. "What?"

"Nothing! Boring! No spicy shit!" Amber said.

Lily laughed. "Gale grew up differently. It's not his fault." She smiled. "Besides, it's the thing that makes him sweet."

"Sweet like a golden retriever," Amber muttered.

"Exactly."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"It's true though." Lily tilted her head. "Speaking of which, are you really going to wear that dress made of fire at the summit?"

Amber grinned. "Of course. It's my signature look. Didn't Rachel send you the pic?"

Lily shook her head.

"Oops, sorry, Lily. I forgot," Rachel said.

"Guess you'll have to wait till tomorrow then," Amber said with a shrug. "You'll see it on stage."

Gale had stopped walking. He was looking behind them, back down the hallway they had come from.

"Rachel," he said.

"Hm?"

"Erin is gone."

"Ugh! Again?!" Rachel shouted. "What caught her attention this time?! Gale, track her, now!"

Gale closed his eyes. Presence Between's tendrils stretched out, searching for the familiar signature of the floating bluey. It didn't take long. Erin's essence was distinct, paradoxically faint yet as vast as the ocean making it impossible to miss.

"Found her," Gale said. "She's by the coastline. Rocky cliffs."

"Lead the way!" Rachel shouted.

"It's ok, Rachel. She'll be fine," Amber laughed.

Lily chuckled as well.

They walked out of the hotel through a side exit that led to a gravel path. The Welsh coast spread out before them, reaching as far as the eyes could see left and right. The smell of salt grew stronger as they approached the cliffs.

Erin was exactly where Gale sensed her. She floated in front of a large boulder, her control module had a string connected to the rock's surface. Her eyes were fixed on something on the rock.

Across the surface of the rock, even Gale could see the millions of patterns etched into the surface, similar to the one he had seen at Sterling. This one had a less complicated pattern, though he didn't know why.

The legendary Caffeine Transcendent truly worked in mysterious ways that he could not begin to comprehend, mostly because he never met her. He'd like to some day though.

"Erin!" Rachel shouted. "Stop touching that thing!"

Erin didn't respond as she continued her focus on the rock, grazing her hand against its surface with the focus of someone who couldn't be interrupted.

Amber burst out laughing. "She's actually messing with the equipment."

"What is she messing with?" Gale asked.

"That's part of the array," Lily suppressed her own laugh. "It hides the coliseum and the bridge from mundane view."

"There's a coliseum?"

"Yup. Once you're in it, you'll see the whole thing."

Rachel marched toward Erin. "Get away from there!"

Erin finally turned her head at the approaching fire princess. "Cease your interference with my research. The agreement stipulated upon my accompaniment of the group was for the purpose of research. I am thus researching. For what purpose must you disturb?"

"You can't just do that to other people's equipment!" Rachel shouted.

"You shall incur debt again for more of this interference, woman of fire. Seize your meddling at once," Erin said.

A group of people approached from further down the path. Five of them, all wearing robes similar to the martial artists Gale had seen in the hotel. On the side of their chests to the right was a yin yang symbol along with the a bigger one patched to their back. An old man led them, his grey beard reaching his chest, his signature radiated of at least a Late-Harmonic.

"Excuse me," the old man said. "Please move aside. You are blocking the authorization section of the array."

He pointed to a smaller rock directly behind Erin.

Erin didn't move. "I shall not. You may proceed to move around me."

The old man's eyebrow twitched. "Young lady, I am asking politely. Move aside if you wish not to be disturbed."

"Do not call me 'young lady' for I am older than you," Erin said. "You may simply walk to access the section you wish to use."

"Erin!" Rachel hissed. "Get off of there! People are going to use the array!"

"The woman of fire may not order me."

Amber was doubled over now, tears forming at the corners of her eyes from laughing so hard.

Gale tugged at Lily's sleeve. "Why are they so insistent on the authorization thing anyway?"

"They're probably trying to tour the coliseum before the summit starts tomorrow," Lily whispered back. "It's a popular thing to do."

The old man's face had already turned red at this point from Erin's stubbornness. "Enough! This disrespect will not be tolerated. Move at once or we shall call the summit organizers!"

Erin's blank stare didn't waver. "You are incurring debt, child. Cease your meaningless demands and move around yourself. That is final."