One Request

Ruby immediately pulled a radio off of her hip and put it close to her mouth.

"Hey, Umbra, are you there?" She asked. There was a few seconds of dead radio silence, and then she picked up.

"Right here, Ruby. Don't tell me, you've screwed yourself and need my help? Has Dani returned yet? Is Avie safe?" Umbra fired questions off faster than Ruby could answer.

Ruby threw me the radio and I followed her actions, speaking into it.

"Umbra, it's Dani. My mission was successful. Avie was preserved, but she's not responding to Sky. We have a problem and want your help in training Sky. Would you do it?" I asked her.

"No." Umbra immediately said.

Why does everything have to be a problem here?

"Why not?! I don't see the problem, so what is it?!" I yelled at her.

"Dani, I wasn't talking to you. If you can get Sky to me, alive, then I would train him happily. The problem with that is I sense Fico's presence somewhere around here. In my city." Umbra told us all.

So... that's where Fico went...

"Wait a few days, maybe three until I know that she's gone. After that, I'll gladly take him under my wing. Does he have Avie?" Umbra asked again over the radio.

The room was filled with tension in that question. We still didn't know about Avie, and Sky has been awfully quiet this entire time.

"Umbra, right? This is Sky speaking." He said out loud. I put the radio closer to him and he lightly grabbed it through the bars of his cell, following both Ruby and me in putting it close to our mouths to talk.

"Sky Asterio... I never thought I would hear your voice again. You should be careful, talking over an open-air channel like this. You're probably attracting a ton of attention to some unwanted place by now." Umbra said with a chuckle.

"My whole life has gathered unwanted attention. I don't care who's listening, and I don't care what they threaten me with. Right now, it's just you and I. I'm sorry, but I think I killed Avie." Sky flatly said.

The room froze with an even tighter tension. So tight, that it was curling around my neck.

"You... what...?" Umbra said with a quiver in her voice.

"I had to deflect an Isle with my White Stone. Back on The Isle, Elo told me that somebody is within the White Stone and that Stone is our System. When I deflected The Isle, my suspicions were confirmed, as it seemed to be the thing that hurt Avie beyond repair. She screamed out, saying that she would help me, and I haven't heard her voice since, nor felt the same since I lost her. In all honesty, it feels like I'm empty, and I wasn't sure what to do. I know, Avie is important to you, but I don't think I have her anymore." Sky said.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I could see him shed a single tear. I don't remember the last time I saw him cry.

"...I don't know what to say to that," Umbra said with no emotion in her voice.

"I'm just waiting for my System to Awaken. I am praying to whatever God I can that she will come back with that. Until then, I haven't wanted to move out of this cell I was in. Call it stupid or emotional, but this feels like the only place I belong right now." Sky said.

He was revealing a lot to us, considering he had been quiet for such a long time.

"That may be true, Sky Asterio... then, have Ruby bring you over as soon as your System Awakens. Whether or not Avie is with you, I will still train you the best I can. Over and out." Umbra said. Sky threw the radio back to Ruby and she caught it with a stunned face.

…

What is this atmosphere? Why is it so... silent?

"I was just thinking... while in here... how many more people have to die in order for me to be strong enough to protect everybody? No matter what, I can't stop thinking about that. Even my own Mom and Dad died protecting people because I was too weak. So many... so many people... when will it be my turn to save people?" Sky whispered.

I was quiet, only digesting what he was saying to us, but Boo seemed to be the most affected, covering her nose and wiping her eyes while looking the opposite way. She probably felt that way toward Sky as well, wondering why he couldn't have saved Mitra or Myth.

"..." Ruby obviously wanted to say something but never made any noise. We were sitting in silence nobody wanted to break. Not even Illya would break it.

With tears falling from her eyes, Faith pushed her way to the front of the crowd and grabbed onto the bars with Sky behind them.

"Avie wouldn't want you to be sad, Dad. She was excited to be back with you when I returned her. Even if she is gone, she was happy fulfilling her purpose to you. I know you can't remember the past, but you and Shike were the ones who made Avie." Faith revealed.

"I... made... Avie?" Shike asked.

"It's a long story for another time, but Avie was made in order to contain some of Dad's strength. Her very purpose was to serve you, Dad. I'm sure she was happy doing so." Faith said again.

"And, I wanted to return this to you." Faith pulled a sword off of her back and handed it to Sky. It was his old blade... but, I remember a certain bit of information being revealed about it.

"This is Avie's weapon, the Mahina Blade. It can cut through any strands, Essence, or Deity Strands. It seems you've been using it all along, but you've gone without it for a while, so I wanted to return it to you." Faith said, smiling.

"Ruby probably wouldn't want me to handle this weapon. Keep it, for now, I don't feel that I deserve it, yet." Sky said.

"No... take it. Dammit, you better not make me regret this." Ruby scoffed and unlocked the door to the prison cell, turning around and walking toward the staircase.

"Go straight to the group home, and nowhere else. Not until I get things figured out with Cole. Illya is to stay here until further notice, but I'll allow you to go to your group home with Faith by your side." Ruby said, walking up the staircase without looking back.

"Go. I'll be fine here." Illya said. She wasn't smiling, but she wasn't frowning either.

And with that, Sky joined us for a trip back home.