I sat down at the bar seat, getting comfortable. The cushion was slightly worn, the leather cracked from years of use, but familiar in a way that made it feel like home. The air inside the tavern was thick with warmth and laughter, the kind that only came after long months of fear and tension finally being released. Light jazz hummed low from our city's main singer, and the scent of citrus cleaner mixed with aged whiskey drifted through the air.

  The bartender smiled when he saw me, as I was a regular. His name was Koan, an older man with silver streaks in his black hair and hands that moved like clockwork behind the counter. Well, everyone wore smiles right now. The news had spread like wildfire, and the bar buzzed with excitement.

  I raised a few of my fingers, "Get me that Jack Rose, boss."

  He nodded, "Coming right up."

  He bent over to the mixers and drinks, grabbing the applejack and grenadine, his motions quick and practiced. As he poured, the bottles clinked softly, blending into the ambient chatter and clatter of the bar.

  I turned around to the mingling center of the bar, where you could play darts or checkers. There were some more, but that's what I played. The dartboard had seen better days, its edges frayed and the center peppered with holes. The checkerboard tables, carved into the wood, were surrounded by players laughing and throwing casual insults.

  Huck came smashing through, raising his hand high, "It's true?! We're free?!"

  I laughed, the sound bubbling out before I could stop it. His energy was contagious. "Were you sleeping all day? Yeah, man! Sun freed us!"

  He looked skeptical, and walked over, taking a seat next to me. His clothes were rumpled, and his eyes still held a glaze of disbelief.

  He asked, "Sun? Those guys? They're only marginally better than Obsidian."

  That's true. They were known for doing some pretty evil things too. Their warriors were feared and ruthless, lacking empathy. But, the Serpent, he's different... I can tell.

  I said, "The Serpent was the one that saved us, the new Flame. He's better than those other ones." I continued, "I even heard he was angry, like it wasn't just business for him. He cared for our plight."

  The bartender came by, and dropped off my drink in a chilled glass, the deep rose color of it catching the overhead lights beautifully.

  I said, "Thanks, my man. Get the same for Huck over here."

  Huck smiled, the suspicion on his face softening, "Well, he's our savior at the end of the day."

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  I took a drink. The tang of citrus and the mellow burn of the liquor hit just right. I let the taste sit on my tongue for a moment, then swallowed. "Zhen nearly died trying to protect him. It's said he transcended."

  He looked confused, "Transcended?"

  I only know this because my dad was a martial artist. He had trained for years, and often spoke of the final stage he could never achieve with both fear and awe.

  I explained, "Yeah, transcended. For fighters, it's the last stage of your journey. He's so strong now he's on par with the Serpent and those other guys."

  He frowned, lines deepening on his brow. "I feel sort of bad... he... might die you know. The Lithbergs have always helped Trivoko, and now they might lose their son, after losing their father when Endo came a couple months back."

  Huck's drink came, and I raised my glass, the ice clinking gently against the sides.

  "Then let us pray for their recovery, friend."

  We touched glass, and took a drink, the moment shared between us like a quiet pact.

  "This hospital food sucks." I said, laying down on the stiff mattress, its springs pressing awkwardly into my back through the too-thin padding. The ceiling above me was an unchanging white, with sunlight and lamps illuminated the room. I poked at the bland tray of overcooked rice and grayish meat they’d brought in earlier and grimaced.

  They gave me the same drugs as Caleb had, and I could tell it was working—my breathing came easier, and the weight in my chest lightened more each hour. That, on top of my blessed body, had me recovering faster than I thought I would.

  Emma laid down on the narrow couch near the wall, the faux leather creaking under her as she shifted to get comfortable.

  I said, "Well, at least the mission was sort of successful."

  Emma sighed, brushing her hair back and staring at the ceiling. "It was, but many men died. They were mere foot soldiers, but they had souls." Her voice was heavy with something deeper than simple fatigue—guilt, maybe.

  I asked, "Haven't you been in Sun a while? Shouldn't you be used to this?"

  I didn't understand at the time, but this was a rude question.

  She snapped, her voice sharp and raw, "No! Sun doesn't 'lose' like this! Every time Sun is dispatched, it's a sweep for us! The only reason they're dead is because Obsidian can't live with the fact they're number two. Fucking bastards... sir."

  I took a bite of the apple on my table, its skin crisp and sweet, the juice trickling over my lip. "I see. Guess this is because I'm new."

  She said aloud, more to the ceiling than to me, "I miss Caleb..."

  I agreed quietly, "I do too." A silence settled over us before I added, "Hey, you really like Caleb, don't you?"

  She blushed, but unlike Jane’s—the kind of blush that felt like a secret slipping out against her will—this one was quiet, more wistful than flustered. "No. He's... sort of like a big brother to me. He protects me always."

  I breathed heavily, feeling the weight of everything beginning to settle again. "Well, since this mission was successful, we'll go home soon, gather some forces to hold this place down, and you'll return to him."

  She shook her head, "Not yet."

  What?

  She continued, her voice soft but sure, "I could choose where I want to go. Although I am missing him more than expected, I want to stay here."

  I took another bite, chewing slowly. "And why's that?"

  She explained, "Do you realize how popular you are? All of Grand Sasebella's nobility wants to marry their daughters to you. You're a rising young star. I can't say I'm not attracted to that."

  I shook my head, the taste of apple turning bitter on my tongue. "I don't agree with the existence of arranged marriages, and I like Jane anyways."

  Emma commentated, almost casually, "Continue to recover, and we will head back for your next mission."

  She leaned forward and gently kissed my hand as if I were royalty, a playful glint in her eye. "A healing kiss."