As the towering unit of muscle cut through the wind for ten minutes straight, he ran at full speed. Osprey had covered plenty of kilometers.
The 6'5" unit sprinted with the five-foot Aspera effortlessly cradled in his arms, as if she weighed nothing. His feet drove through the mud, splashing across the Riverlands as he moved like a storm given form.
She trembled in pain, in fear, in insecurity, shaking at the thought that everyone was right about her, right about her character.
In a world where the strong ruled, her intellect felt like nothing. She was a ranged fighter, not enough on-the-job experience, and all these excuses came crashing down on her. Why did she choose this line of work? Did she even deserve her title as #10? Why… just why—
Osprey cut off her train of thought as if he was reading her mind."You're still young. This has nothing to do with your gender or your combat prowess."
Aspera hesitated, trying to speak.
"Now is not the time to show weakness, Aspera. I cannot comfort you. You simply have to trust me here," Osprey mumbled.
Osprey flicked his wrist and activated his watch. The air shimmered as hard light projections flickered to life around him. Weapons, armor, tools of war. He selected what he needed, asking,
"Tell me what you think this is. Why are we being attacked?"
Aspera took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
"I… It's likely the President sent a group of factionless fighters to assassinate or attack Mr. N the moment our new human weapon, Liam, left. Meaning that there are people and students in danger. Students whose lives are ours to protect. That's our job."
Osprey's expression hardened."So you know what this means. With the election coming up."
Aspera's eyes sharpened, anger beginning to boil in her stomach."They think they can make fun of us like this? I'll make sure they regret it."
Osprey pulled his cloak tight around his shoulders as he held the door open for Aspera. She gave him a nod before stepping onto the stairway, heading back up to the top of the wall to keep watch.
She caught the look on Osprey's face. Not rage.
Sadness.
As Osprey flashed back to the time he spent with Mori, he saw himself, Mori, Mr. N, and five others as teenagers, celebrating a great event.
"Don't die," Aspera yelled from the top of the wall.
Osprey looked back at her and smiled. His eyes shifted as he hyper-focused.
We see a vision of him and Mr. N as they both say,
"He who trusts the ceaseless wheel will never die."