Sergeant O’Malley stood out of his chair and immediately saluted.

“S-s-sir!” he said respectfully, and I blinked in surprise. 

Ji-woo seemed to pick up on it a second later, repeating the gesture and leaving me confused. Helios turned, looking between me and the officers.

[Some explanation is in order. Officers, I am afraid that my Guardian is entirely new, having only been contracted six hours ago. There are a few other irregularities, but it is safe to say he is ignorant when it comes to protocol or other facets of being a Magical Guardian. Perhaps it would be best to eschew formalities in favor of efficiency. Please, sit while we continue this discussion.]

That seemed to make something click in Ji-woo’s brain, and her hand lowered from the salute as she sat back down. Sergeant O’Malley followed suit, giving a frown, and I nervously adjusted myself in my seat.

I watched the uniformed shoulders of Sergeant O’Malley lower slightly, a tension I hadn't noticed before easing out of him. Ji-woo's expression was softer now, the lines around her eyes relaxing as she reseated herself. 

I stayed still, my gaze shifting from one to the other, feeling the weight of their attention upon me. It was a heavy, unsettling focus, like a spotlight that threatened to sear rather than illuminate.

Drawing a deep breath, I forced my voice to remain steady, its timbre thick with the anxiety that gripped me. "I need to understand. With everything that's happened, I would like to know what’s going on, and why Ji-woo and the other officers here are dressed in combat gear. It’s... unnerving.”

Sergeant O’Malley sighed, leaning back in his chair, his fingers drumming a steady rhythm on the armrest. He exchanged a quick, weighted glance with Ji-woo, and her nod seemed to give him the go-ahead.

“You’re right to be concerned then, kid. And you do deserve some answers,” he began. “Sorry for the attitude; tensions are high, and the situation is much worse than we’d hoped.”

There was a brief pause, letting the weight of his words sink in. Ji-woo took over, her voice soft but clear. "You remember when the Usurpation began, and the warning about the compromised power supply?”

I thought back, the memory still fresh and anxiety-inducing. “Yes. The lights had gone out…”

It seemed like forever ago, but I did vaguely recall the message appearing right after the lights went off. I gave a nod, and he continued.

O’malley chimed in. “The power supply it was referring to was a magitech mana generator. From my understanding, there are generators stationed throughout Arcadia, and these generators are what power the shielding stations, the things that keep the Anathema from opening their portals and creating Usurpation zones with little to no warning. They still can open their rifts, obviously, but it makes it much tougher for them. Any portals they open are also much weaker, meaning they can’t send in their strongest monsters right away.”

“The entire island is covered with shielding stations,” Ji-woo added. “Even though they can punch through the shields to make a rift, it takes them a long time, and we can get up to an hour warning ahead of time.”

“But there was only a ten minute warning this time,” I frowned.

They looked at each other for a moment, then O’Malley gave a shrug.

“There’s a reason for that… but we’ll get to that in a second. For now, what is important to note is that the generator giving energy to the shielding station suddenly stopped. We think that the reason this happened is because the generator is also responsible for powering the shelters during an Usurpation. We don’t know why, exactly, but we think that when the shelters started coming online and drawing more power, the computer in charge of the generator must have thought it was being tampered with and triggered an emergency shutdown.”

“The biggest problem this caused is that the shielding stations rely on mana, the magical energy from that generator,” Ji-woo said, tapping the table in a slow rhythm. “So when the generator went down, the shielding station went offline too. This let the Anathema start opening their portals early, as you noticed when the power went out. We were also told that when the generator initiated its emergency shutdown, it caused a surge of mana which is what tripped the mall’s power and switched it to the backups. Understand so far?”

“Yes ma’am… But I don’t understand what the problem is,” I answered.

“The mana generator is also supposed to power the shelters. It sends the mana to the shielding station which then transfers it to the shelters. Normally, the generator going offline isn’t a problem as the shelters can just draw from the city power grid. That’s why this shelter isn’t in some emergency power mode. In fact, the shelters themselves have their own batteries inside them as another backup, just in case. The problem… is that shelter three initiated its emergency shield.”

My brow knitted together in confusion. Why would that…?

“The shield doesn’t just cover the doors,” Sergeant O’Malley explained quietly. “It wraps the entirety of the shelter in a millimeter thin bubble, cutting through all the material around the shelter. It's meant to protect from Anathema coming in from any angle, as I understand it, but it also means the shelter is entirely cut off from the outside. Power lines, air, and everything else has to be provided by the shelter and its battery.”

Ji-woo met my eyes, and her hand reached out halfway to me on the table.

“The battery of shelter three is now fully committed to maintaining that shield. This battery, which also should have been supporting life systems and air purification, is being drained faster than it was ever designed to handle.” Ji-woo said, her voice low and even.

The weight of her words hit me hard, pushing the air out of my chest, making it hard to breathe.

“They’re going to run out of air, aren't they?” My voice trembled, my thoughts turning to the schoolmates that had alienated me, and to Katie. For a fleeting moment, the image of her, gasping for air and panicked, overwhelmed me. 

Despite the layers of anger and bitterness that encased my memories of her, a fleeting nostalgic memory of… somewhat less terrible times remained.

Sergeant O'Malley’s voice pulled me out of my reverie. "The shelter will maintain the life systems for as long as it can. But with the shield taking up most of the battery's energy, eventually...” He hesitated, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. “The oxygen will run out.”

“What happens when they run out of air and power?” I whispered, my voice strained.

“The shield will drop, and the shelter will use the last of its power to open its doors,” O’Malley replied, rubbing his temple. “Our estimates show they have less than three hours of battery left.”

“Surely this Usurpation will end by then,” I said, holding on to a sliver of hope. “It’s been almost six hours.”

I trailed off as I saw O’Malley shaking his head slowly.

“Normally, yes, the Magical Girls would have the situation cleaned up by then. Even if it wasn’t, the MS, the magical soldiers, would be able to do an emergency evacuation. That won’t be happening though for the same reason we only got a ten minute warning before this Usurpation.”

“This Usurpation isn’t localized, Maito,” Ji-woo said, her eyes flicking up to meet mine. “That’s how the Anathema got their rifts to open so quickly. They attacked multiple points across the city to reduce the shielding stations’ effectiveness. Instead of punching through at one specific place, they’ve essentially tried to attack everywhere at the same time to overwhelm the city’s shield network. And it worked.”

Ji-woo took a small breath, as if steeling her nerves before she continued.

“As of six hours ago, dozens of areas across the island of Arcadia were usurped from reality, and every single Magical Girl and soldier is already busy fighting to retake control.”

Slowly, I felt myself sink deeper into my chair, too stunned to speak.

“It sounds bad, and it probably is,” Sergeant O’Malley gave a helpless shrug. “Using the communication equipment here, we were able to contact the city’s defense headquarters and talk to a Magical Guardian about all this. He assured us the situation is under control, if not a little chaotic. They're confident they can fend off the attack, but it’s going to take them time.”

[That lines up with my analysis, though I do not have access to the situation at large,] Helios chimed in. [Arcadia is a base of operations for the magical soldiers who get their equipment directly from Guardians, meaning many are stationed here. Besides having overwhelming numbers, dozens of Magical Girls call Arcadia their home. Breaking through Arcadia’s two-fold barrier system will have made sure the Usurpations that have occurred are relatively low in intensity. There are even plans in place for scenarios such as this.]

Right… Sometimes, it was hard to remember Arcadia was one of the seven sanctuary islands created by the Zenith themselves. The city was a literal haven spanning most of the island, and was home to people from North America, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and Oceania. I wasn’t too sure how many people lived in Arcadia, but I knew even the smallest of the sanctuary cities boasted a population of over fifty million, which spoke volumes just how safe the city was when the Anathema actively targeted large cities.

So it did make sense that the Anathema were being fought off, that there were safeguards in place, but if this really wasn’t some huge crisis…

“If everything's under control,” I began, trying to work through the situation, “why can’t they send a rescue team to evacuate the shelter?”

“The shield generator,” Sergeant O’Malley shook his head. “When it went down, it was like ringing a dinner bell for the Anathema. They’d been expecting a shielded area to usurp and instead were suddenly given relatively free access. They took the opportunity to immediately start opening rifts all along the perimeter of the area, turning this area into a sort of beachhead for them. They’re pushing outwards, making it hard for anyone to come to our aid. From what I was told, everyone is currently tied up trying to keep them from expanding their area of control or putting out other Usurpations before they can turn into problem areas and stretch resources even more.”

He breathed, wiping some sweat from his brow. “Which… takes us to our current situation. While nobody can break through to us, we actually have a decent shot of resolving this situation ourselves. Now that a few hours have passed, there should only be a few Anathema left in the immediate vicinity, and any that are will be the dregs. It gives us an actual chance of sending someone to sneak to the generator and turn it on.”

“The only saving grace of the situation,” Ji-woo said. “Is that we are right at the center, and the Anathema are focused on establishing their perimeter and spreading outward. Theoretically, there should be relatively few Anathema actually in the mall, and they shouldn’t be that strong either. Not if they’re sending their best to fight on the frontlines, anyway.”

Taking a moment to absorb the gravity of the situation, I clutched the armrests of my chair tightly. So we were in the eye of the storm. Safe for now, but trapped, with danger all around us.

Despite my best efforts to focus on the bigger picture, my thoughts turned briefly to Katie again.

She and I hadn’t had the best relationship for a while, to say the least. The memory of her crew treating me like a pawn, manipulating my emotions for their gain, and belittling me at every turn was still fresh. Lily had swooped in earlier today, dragging me away from Katie’s orbit, and giving me a glimpse of genuine kindness. 

But now, Katie was trapped, and for all the bad blood that had built up between us in the last year or two, I couldn't just leave her and the rest of my class at the mercy of the Anathema.

Shaking my head, I tried to focus on the present. The immediate concern was not just Katie, but the safety of everyone in the shelter upstairs.

“But with a Guardian here now,” O’Malley looked pointedly at me, “doesn’t that change things?”

I felt my insides shrivel. Yes, I was a Guardian, but Lily and I had barely survived by the skin of our teeth. My ability to be effective was limited. What could I even do here?

[If I may,] Helios suddenly spoke directly into my mind. [Do you wish for me to take the lead a bit here? If so, how much are you comfortable with me sharing with them?]

“I’m not really sure what would be best,” I thought back. “So it makes the most sense if you lead. As for sharing information, I suppose… Tell them whatever you think is relevant? About what’s happened in the mall, that is.”

Helios' plumes ruffled slightly, their iridescent surface catching the light in the dimly lit room. [Very well,] came his boyish, melodic voice.

He turned back to the two officers. [You must understand, Maito is a Guardian, yes, but he's new to this role. His capabilities are limited due to certain restrictions placed upon him, largely to protect him. He fought valiantly in the mall, but without the full extent of the abilities a Magical Guardian typically possesses.]

Sergeant O'Malley frowned. "What kind of restrictions?"

[He's unable to use his Astral Shift,] Helios explained. [Without it, he cannot transform and harness the full might of a Guardian. It puts him at a disadvantage. I am assuming you understand that term and its implications?]

“Wait, but that means-” Ji-Woo started.

[I expect that you had suspicions based on Miss Parker’s report. But yes, Maito did in fact fight multiple Anathema without protection or most of his enhanced abilities.]  

Helios’s plumes flared proudly. [Besides using the Gate to summon materials, he otherwise fought in a fairly mundane manner. More than that, while the story Lily gave is mostly accurate, one major point of correction is that the liquor store trap did not get all the Anathema. Maito was left to fight off ten of them with Lily’s assistance, along with a lone hound he had picked off on the way. Their total Anathema kill count currently rests at nineteen, including the one he killed with Miss Parker with a knife and ice axe respectively prior to our contract. Dealing with so many Anathema required some liberties, of course. Maito created an Improvised Explosive Device to help deal with the swarm that remained after their liquor store trap.]

Ji-woo's eyes widened, a mix of shock and disbelief evident on her face. "You made a bomb?!" Her gaze shifted to me, clearly trying to reconcile the image of a timid, malnourished teen with someone capable of such drastic measures.

All eyes were on me, and I shrank back while I felt the weight of their stares pressing down on me. “I... I had to,” I mumbled, looking away. "It was the only way I could think of to deal with large numbers in a worst case scenario. I enlisted Helios’s help to protect Lily and Brian.”

I looked down to the table. I wasn’t quite sure why Helios had opted to tell them all of that.

[Needless to say, while Maito is still inexperienced and only operating with a fraction of his power and practically no protection, he has still exhibited high levels of natural talent, courage, and a unique ability to adapt and overcome the situations placed in front of him.]

My cheeks started burning as I looked up at Helios in surprise. I knew he was vastly overselling my abilities, that without him acting as a scout and advisor and Lily’s help, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish anything. 

 

There was no universe where I could see any version of myself making it through even half the Anathema I’d encountered without Lily’s help.

 

Sergeant O’Malley cleared his throat, drawing the attention back to the matter at hand. “Be that as it may, the current situation still stands. Guardian or not, we need to come up with a strategy to deal with the Anathema and restore the shield generator. As you can probably tell, we were prepared to set out ourselves.”

[If I may then,] Helios paused, for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. [I would appreciate it if we could contact Guardian Command and get any updated information we can before amending our plans.]

“Unfortunately, that’s not possible,” Sergeant O’Malley replied. “As you might have noticed, this shelter’s security is understaffed right now. We already sent out a group in an attempt to restart the generator, near the start of the usurpation. The person in charge, Sergeant Price, was a former magical soldier and technically the officer in charge of the shelter. She left her access card behind, but that card isn’t enough to engage the communications equipment.”

I looked up in surprise at the revelation. If they’d already sent people and none of them came back… no, they said it was near the start of the Usurpation. They must have made a gamble, sending a larger force to break through the Anathema when they would still be relatively weak, if not probably more numerous. It still left them the backup sneaking plan, effectively giving them two separate shots at restarting the generator.

Knowing that people had already gone and had failed made my stomach muscles clench tighter. I did my best to ignore that, instead focusing on the second part of his explanation.

“You mentioned before about talking to a Magical Guardian,” I said. “But I thought Usurpation zones cut off long range communications.”

“Yes and no,” he shrugged. “Internet and cellular devices don’t work. Radio signals only work within the zone but tend to be spotty. The only exception is landlines and advanced magitech devices. Mega shelters are built with direct lines to Guardian Command for obvious reasons.”

“Um…” I squirmed uncomfortably at having to ask another question. “What exactly is Guardian Command?”

[It’s the city’s headquarters,] Helios explained. [There, the volunteers of the Guardians Association, who are in charge of the magical soldiers, help coordinate the war on the Anathema. Some unbound Familiars provided by the Zenith and Magical Guardians with support skill sets assist from there as well.]

“With Arcadia not belonging to any one nation,” Sergeant O’Malley added, “you can sort of think of the Association as Arcadia’s military, but their only purpose is to fight the Anathema. Guardian Command is the name for the hub of all their local efforts. That’s why mega shelters have direct communication lines there, just in case of an emergency.”

[That is more or less accurate,] Helios mimed a shrug. [As for the issue of accessing the communications equipment, I am happy to say it will not be an issue. Even as a newly minted Guardian, Maito has all the proper credentials, and the biometric lock will be able to recognize him.]

I blinked, but then realization dawned on me. If I was remembering correctly, I had gotten a notification after my contract ceremony mentioning something about my credentials being updated. It had said a bunch of other things too, but I’d never really gotten the chance to ask Helios about any of it. I made a mental note, adding it to the ever-growing list of questions to ask.

“That certainly makes things easier,” Sergeant O’Malley nodded. “And I agree, getting updated information would be ideal.”

[Excellent…] he paused, as if hesitating for a moment before continuing in her usual serene tone. [Assuming we do not learn anything to make us rethink or otherwise abandon the original plan, the next step seems obvious: Maito will be the one to go and restart the generator. Alone.]

 

“What!?”

 

Ji-woo, who had been looking down at the table with a disturbed expression ever since Helio’s explanation of events, suddenly interrupted in a startled voice. She looked at Helios like he was out of her mind. Sergeant O’Malley, for his part, had a grim expression on his face.

“Ji-woo-” he started.

“Absolutely not!” Ji-woo said, shaking her head. “You just told us he’s operating without most of what makes him a Magical Guardian, and you want to throw him back out there?”

I felt my hands clench on top of the table, my fingernails digging into the wood. A sinking feeling had begun to spread in my chest. Helios had insisted that I was competent, that I'd managed to adapt and survive. But Ji-woo was right. I-

[I assure you, the proposal is not made lightly,] Helios said, [And it's not without merit. Maito has proven himself in the field, even without his full capabilities. If we're going to succeed in restoring the shield generator, a stealthy approach is necessary. And while Maito doesn't have access to his Astral Shift, he has me. I can telepathically communicate directly to him. and I am also virtually invisible to Anathema and utterly silent. Finding an optimal route will be trivial.]

“The mana generator is in the basement level,” Ji-woo countered. “It’s mostly maintenance rooms or administrative offices for the mall, but connecting everything is a maze of long, narrow corridors. There might not be any way to completely avoid a fight or even keep Maito hidden, and fighting in confined spaces is not easy even for someone with training.”

[That actually will work for the better. The narrow corridors will give Maito’s unique fighting style a decisive advantage.]

She blinked, looking confused. It took me a moment to realize that I had arrived at the shelter with a runed knife, and she might be thinking that was what I used. I reached to my right, opening my backpack from where I’d set it down. I started to rummage through it and move my spare clothes out of the way, and I paused as I realized I was about to pull out a gun in front of two police officers.

“Um…” I said, then switched to thinking directly to Helios. “I won’t get in trouble for showing them this, will I?”

[You are a Guardian, and your legal status has been vastly upgraded,] Helios sent back to me. [Something as simple as owning a gun is trivial. Each Guardian has, for all intents and purposes, the same legal rights as their own sovereign nation. It was decided by Earth nations that trying to legally restrict people with almost unlimited capabilities for destruction was a bad idea, especially when they were chosen as protectors by a vastly superior alien race. Instead, the current stance of most nations could be best described as appeasement: Don’t interfere with Magical Guardians and give them whatever they ask for within reason. Guardians also tend to suffer from MCS due to the unique blend of personality traits that qualify them to be Guardians in the first place, and placating them generally saves everyone a lot of problems.]

I wasn’t entirely sure what “MCS” was, but the rest sort of made sense. Aggravating not only people who were trying to protect humanity but also were capable of using magic to cause all sorts of damage seemed like a poor idea. It made me wonder what would happen if a Guardian tried to abuse the sort of power and legal immunity they were granted, but that was probably why the Zenith investigated the candidates so thoroughly beforehand in the first place.

“So,” I gave myself a mental shake. “It’s okay for me to have a gun?”

[Yes, though like we discussed earlier, the optics behind your choice of weapons is sure to garner an emotional reaction,] Helios gave a tail shrug. [I would recommend warning them first.]

“Okay,” I said aloud, clearing my throat. “I’m pulling out a weapon, so… please don’t be surprised.”

Both Ji-woo and Sergeant O’Malley tensed, exchanging a glance. I carefully reached into my bag and pulled out my Umbra, ensuring the muzzle was facing away from everyone and the safety was on. It felt like holding up a shield, given the situation. I placed it on the table, and the officers regarded it with a mixture of fascination and concern.

Ji-woo’s eyes widened, “You used...this?”

“Yes,” I admitted, a bit awkwardly. “I have a backup, and a semiautomatic purchased with my Gate. Grenades and proximity mines, too. On top of one more pipe bomb Helios helped me make.”

[As you can see,] Helios continued. [Maito utilizes a firearm. This is how he was able to defeat all the other Anathema even without the majority of his abilities. In long, narrow corridors, Maito will have a distinct advantage of his opponents being unable to dodge.]

“But…” Ji-woo shook herself from staring at the gun. “That would hold true for any of us.”

[Yes, but Maito possesses an “Umbra” which utilizes 9mm silverbane ammunition. The stopping power against an Anathema is several magnitudes greater. Against the lower level Anathema we are expecting to face, this will prove a crucial difference.]

“In that case it would make more sense if Maito let us borrow his gun and ammunition,” Ji-woo pointed out. “We have firearm training and experience that Maito probably doesn’t.”

I found myself clenching my teeth. Ji-woo arguing to keep me safe made me both frustrated that she wasn’t listening to Helios but also… weird, that she was fighting so hard to keep me safe. It was an uncomfortable, fluttery feeling that gave a weird core to my building frustration. Not to mention, even though I’d been fine with Helios taking the lead, having everyone talk like I wasn’t even in the room felt… well, not out of place, but dishearteningly familiar.

I wasn’t sure if Helios sensed some of my emotions, because he looked at me for a moment, then back to the two officers.

[While Maito does not have access to his full abilities, one that he does have gives him a distinct advantage to the handling and accuracy of firearms and for reconnaissance. I will not divulge any more information on that matter and am exercising my authority to place this information under a “Direct Permission Only” lock. Any sharing or reporting of this is strictly forbidden regardless of the situation without first getting Maito’s permission. To enforce this, I will be contacting Guardian Command as soon as appropriate to prepare a Geas sealing all information that may be shared or learned of Maito’s capabilities during this situation, releasable only with his direct consent.]

That got a reaction, and both of them stiffened in surprise. There was a sudden tension in the air, and I swallowed.

“What’s a Geas?” I thought to Helios.

[A magical contract. They will be bound to it and unable to break its terms whether they wish to or not. Not even torture or other magical means will be able to get them to break the contract.]

“Helios!” I gasped aloud, causing both officers to react to flinch at my sudden outburst. “That seems…”

[This has to do with your unique circumstances,] he turned to face me, still only speaking in my head. [I understand it may seem extreme without context, but I would also like to point out this will protect them. Nobody will be able to force them to divulge this information. You are still very, very new to your role as a Guardian, Maito, and I intend to do all I can to protect you. Information on the specifics of your combat abilities, especially your unique augment, needs to stay as secret as possible.]

“I…” shaking my head, I tried to parse what Helios was telling me. I understood my abilities were an important, personal aspect of who I was as a Guardian, but why all the secrecy? Who exactly was out there that Helios was trying to protect me from? Just general public scrutiny? Or…

“It’s fine,” Sergeant O’Malley sighed, and I turned to him in astonishment. “In a way, this is easier. The Geas will warn us if we even come close to accidentally giving away information, and if your Familiar thinks it’s that important, I’m not about to argue. Besides, it’s hardly the first Geas we’ve signed.”

Ji-woo let out a snort, and I turned to her. “All Arcadian police officers sign a Geas that prevents them from sharing the personal identities of a Magical Guardian unless they’ve labeled themselves as ‘public.’ It’s a general and far-reaching Geas so it isn’t as strong or effective, but it does help quite a bit. Besides, if your Familiar thinks it is necessary, I have no problems with it.”

Ji-woo gave me a gentle smile, and again, a warm fluttery feeling went through me. I gave a numb nod in response. She turned back to looking at Helios, the smile slipping from her face.

“This doesn’t change the fact that I still don’t think Maito should be the one who goes out there,” Ji-woo told Helios. “Especially not alone.”

[With reconnaissance, silent communication, and superior weaponry, it only makes the most sense. Even if Maito were to get hurt, he has access to advanced first aid. The only reason he arrived hurt to this shelter was to help disguise his identity. In reality, he can heal most injuries in minutes. As for why Maito should do this alone, his access to ammunition and first aid is not unlimited. While Maito has enough resources to heal and arm himself, even one additional person would greatly strain his current reserves. This is also a stealth mission, meaning additional people greatly increases the chance of discovery. Finally, if Maito needs to fight, long narrow hallways will limit the effectiveness of multiple fighters and even potentially endanger him if he needs to run.]

Ji-woo was visibly clenching her teeth now, giving Helios a hard stare. I felt the frustration reach a critical mass in me. I was a little surprised how well he had managed to express all the reasons I myself thought this was the best idea, but I suppose I shouldn’t be. He had told me he was my Familiar, personally customized based on information gathered on me and my personality, so it made sense he would be arguing the same points.

“I understand your worries, Ji-woo,” I started, looking directly into her eyes, “But the reality is this: I'm more equipped for this than anyone else here. The more we delay or dispute this, the more dangerous the situation becomes outside.”

Ji-woo’s hands clenched, her gaze flitting between Helios and me. Her worry was palpable, but so was her professionalism. “I just don’t want to see you getting hurt, Maito,” she whispered, her voice strained.

I’d thought of. Ji-woo's concern for my safety was touching, but I wasn't fragile. There were bigger things at stake. I wasn’t sure why that mattered so much to her, even if it did make me feel fuzzy to hear her fighting so fervently, but my safety was not the priority here.

I took a deep breath thinking about the countless people depending on us. I wasn’t doing this for some glorious battle or recognition, but for their safety. 

“Neither do I,” I admitted. “But sometimes, to protect others, we have to put ourselves in the line of fire. Even if I’m new, inexperienced, and don’t have access to my complete abilities, this kind of thing is what I’m supposed to be doing, and this is the best possible choice.”

“I agree,” Sergeant O’Malley added, and both Ji-woo and I turned to him in shock. “He stands the best shot at doing this without getting killed. Besides, even if both of us disagreed, it’s not like we can do anything to stop him. Mister Helios was nice enough to discuss this with us, but in the end, Maito is the Guardian. We don’t have any authority over him, and technically, he outranks us.”

Ji-woo’s hands clenched, and she looked down at the table. Even though she clearly wasn’t happy, she had a thoughtful look on her face. I gave Helios a questioning glance.

[In the sanctuary cities and most nations, Magical Guardians theoretically hold a special rank that is more or less equivalent to a captain in the army,] he sent me. [It helps them cut through red tape and requisition the supplies or forces they might need. We could have just ordered them to let us do this alone, but that seemed both rude and unnecessary.]

Ji-woo sighed deeply, her sharp gaze returning to meet mine. There was a heavy silence in the room as she seemed to weigh her thoughts, battling between her emotions and professional responsibility. In her eyes, I saw a strange mixture of concern, respect, and the unmistakable will of someone who's used to facing adversity.

“Look,” she started, her voice steady and low, “I get it, Maito. You've got this power, this duty, and you want to do what's right. That's admirable.” She paused, her eyes briefly glancing at Helios. 

“I've met a few Guardians in my time. Some were arrogant, some were compassionate, and others... let's just say they'd lost their way. But the one common thing was that they all believed they were doing what was best. Sometimes they were right, and sometimes they weren't.”

Sergeant O’Malley cleared his throat. “Officer Oh, we can't let our personal feelings interfere with the mission at hand.”

Ji-woo raised a hand, silencing O’Malley. “I understand that, Sarge. And Maito, I get where you're coming from. But I've also seen firsthand the cost of a Guardian working alone for too long, especially a new one.” 

She leaned forward, her voice softening, “You might think that you're expendable, or that it's better if only you get hurt. But trust me, the world can't afford to lose someone like you.”

I wasn’t expecting that. My entire life, I'd been told – sometimes not in so many words, but often enough plainly – that I was worthless. That my existence was a mistake. And here was Ji-woo, a near stranger, telling me the exact opposite. It was disorienting, confusing. My heart raced, and my thoughts felt muddled.

“You don’t even know me,” I whispered, more to myself than to her.

“That's true,” Ji-woo admitted. “But I've seen and heard enough today to know that you're special. And not just because of Helios or your Guardian status. Lily told us that you risked your life for a little girl and her brother. And my gut as a cop tells me you had every reason to distrust and fear us, you still chose to trust and work with us. That speaks volumes.”

I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the emotional tsunami building inside me. She wasn’t wrong, but she wasn’t entirely right either. I had trusted them, yes, but not out of some inherent goodness. It was more out of desperation, loneliness, and the simple desire to not feel so isolated and do what’s right. But how do you explain that? 

“You think too highly of me,” I murmured, looking down at the table.

“We just want you to be safe,” Ji-woo continued. “But if you insist on doing this... at least let us support you from the rear. You said you had a backup of that Umbra, right?”

Helios floated up between us, a glowing barrier of sorts. [I already explained why that's not advisable.]

Ji-woo's gaze never wavered from mine. “Then let's find a way to make it advisable.”

I could see the determination in her eyes, and I knew this wasn't a battle I'd easily win. But it wasn’t just about what I wanted, or what she wanted. This was about the best course of action, the right decision.

“You heard Helios. It's not about me wanting to go alone or sacrifice or anything; it's simply about what makes sense strategically,” I responded.

She leaned in, her face inches from mine. The heavy silence was back, dense and palpable, as our eyes locked. I could see the worry, the genuine concern, but also the spark of rebellion.

“Unfortunately, I’m still going to have to respectfully disagree,” Ji-woo said, holding her fiery gaze.

---

A/N:

Heads up folks — I'm doing the Royal Road NaNoWriMo Writathon for my main story's reboot, so I'll be pushing off this project until I add 55k words to the other story.

Repostin' in case you haven't followed it yet. If you have a RR account, I'd appreciate a follow / fave / rate there too since it's managed to hit #35 on Rising Stars over there. There's also a ScribbleHub mirror here :).