A distant place, in a distant time, among distant people.

“We are not meant to remain on the ground forever,” said the man in the yellow-white suit, projected from a red cube inside a mouldy cottage. “We are meant for something grander.”

“Ever heard the tale of Icarus?” asked Bob’s voice, much younger and vigorous. “Lofty dreams without restraint will burn your wings. And below awaits the harsh, cold ground.”

Old Bob sniffed and blew his nose as he watched the old recording. The other man turned back to the younger Bob. Retracting his helmet, he revealed his ebony hair and sharp, pointed ears. 

“If we listened to pessimists, those who tell us things are impossible, dreamers never would have reached the stars,” he said, stretching his arms wide. “We are pioneers, Iapetus, old friend. The stars are our oysters. We are all meant for something greater!”

Bob stopped the video and zoomed in. The man’s eyes glimmered like two brilliant twin stars in the sky, full of hope, wonder, and lust for adventure. 

“No, we are not,” Old Bob thought quietly, reclining on the old stool. “Some of us are meant to stay below, forever gazing upwards. Your son will burn, just like you did.”

Bob clenched his dark fist. Bits of stardust swirled around him before fading into nothingness. The old Titan sighed.

“Amalthea, I entrust this boy’s future to you. And the future of our galaxies,” he murmured to himself, standing up and popping the bones of his back‌ into place. “Titans don't bow. Guardians never bend. We stand strong against any adversity.”

‧. .ᯓ★. .‧

“I CAN'T SLOW DOWN!!!”

“Please mind your speed limit when operating a hover speeder.”

“TELL ME SOMETHING USEFUL!” Ajax yelled at the black box in his hand before pushing it into a slot compartment of the glider. 

A turn came, and Ajax held white-knuckled onto the handlebars to evade the tree that suddenly popping up before him.

Ajax struggled to remain seated and hold on to the handlebars in front of him as he sped through the rough restraint in total darkness and the pattering of the rain. A grinding sound escaped the engine when Ajax took a sharp turn and bumped into the tree. 

The violent jolt lifted Ajax's butt into the air. 

He had never seen a glider before, and before Bob could explain how it worked, Ajax already shot through the mouldy wall of the cottage. 

A hologram of Valerian flickered to life from the black box, dressed in a leather jacket and hair slicked back. “Welcome to Light Speeder Lessons 101. Today, we’ll discuss how to operate hover speeders.”

“Finally!” exclaimed Ajax, getting his seat back.

“First, we want to gradually reduce our running speed from 130 km/h (80 mph) to a gentle 50 km/h (31 mph).”

“Yes, yes, but ho—OOOOOOOOWWWWWW!?” Ajax shrieked when he turned the right handlebar and did a front flip, successfully avoiding crashing into another tree.

“Your speed is increasing,” Valerian reminded him, calmly. “To decelerate, gently throttle forward with the right handlebar.”

Ajax fumbled with the right handlebar. “Like thiiiisssssssAHHHHHHH—!” He turned too hard. Ajax’s butt and that of the speeder bounced into the air as the front remained low.

“Gentler,” cautioned Valerian, ever so calm. Ajax steadied the speeder’s speed until it slowed down to 110 km/h (68 mph). “Now, switch from automatic to manual. Don’t forget to use the shift paddle on your left foot to bring it down to 80 km/h (50 mph).”

“Alright, alright… thanks for the help,” Ajax muttered, more focused than before. Valerian’s hologram smiled appreciatively. 

With his speed dropping, Ajax even found the front lamps. Their beams cut through the night more reliably than any light magic. The cliff to his left went unnoticed as the city was back in view. The rain had doused off most of the flames, but the main square was still ablaze. 

Ajax stopped the speeder to take in the scene, inclining his head. “What should I do? How do I handle this?” 

Valerian's image flickered in the heavy downpour, fading in and out. “Rely on your friends…” His voice crackled before the Black Box went silent. Its centre beeped with a red light before turning off entirely. 

A tear slipped down Ajax’s cheek. “I don't have any left…”

Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the silence. “Hey, brother, are you there? Please answer me if you can hear me.” 

Startled, Ajax looked around, confused. Then his gaze fell on the pendant glowing eerily red around his neck. 

Hesitantly, he brought it closer to his lips. “H-hello?”

“Brother!” Kane's loud voice rang in Ajax's head like he had just developed tinnitus. “Are you alright? I heard that the city was destroyed. Did you make it out?!”

“I…” Ajax's voice ´trembled. Hearing Kane’s voice was too much. It was the first friendly voice after everything that happened. The worry in his tone hit Ajax harder than he expected. It was too much to bear.

“Brother…” Kane’s voice drowned out the rain. “What happened?”

“My friends…” Ajax’s lips quivered. “…they are… the Cyclops… he—.”

Kane was silent. “Brother…” was all he could manage.

“Amalthea’s still there.” Ajax pulled on his wet hair, his voice rising. “I’ve got to help her! I don't care about being a Guardian anymore. I have to—.”

“Brother, you gotta get out of there!” Kane insisted, desperately. “The city’s in ruins. You can’t save her. I can pick you up. Where are you?”

Ajax glanced toward the glowing dome in the heart of the city. His mind raced back to Amalthea. Despite her injuries, despite her odds, she hadn’t wavered. She stood as tall and strong as a pillar. 

It was her courage that clung to Ajax. One he had to preserve before it fell.

“I'm not leaving her,” Ajax said firmly, sitting back down on the speeder. Adjusting his grip, Ajax injected his mana into the tank, powering it up as he whipped his wet hair back. “I’m sorry, but I owe her that much.”

“...” Kane was silent. The weight of the moment was palpable through the pendant. Finally, he exhaled. “Aim for the eye,” he said softly. “Then you stand a fighting chance… return alive, brother.”

“Aye, brother!” Ajax revved the engine, and with a deafening roar, he shot down the cliff. The speeder’s engine hummed with mana, the exhaust flaring as he raced toward the city, leaving a trail of shimmering green dust in his wake.

‧. .ᯓ★. .‧

“How long do you plan to hold this up, Titan?”

Polyphem's deep voice rumbled as he tore into the gigot of his beloved Mega Ewe, now roasting on a spit. Her dark wool draped over his massive frame like a cloak. Reaching into the flames, he chucked charred bone and coal into his mouth.

*Crunch*

“How long can you hold that shield of yours?” 

*Bash* *Bash* *Bash*

The relentless head-butting of the Monster Muttons echoed through the dome. Sweat dripped down Amalthea’s chin as she gritted her teeth, her arms trembling under the strain.

“Try all you might,” she growled. “I’ll never yield.”

*Crunch* *Crunch* *Crunch*

Polyphem ripped another sinew from Mega Ewe’s leg. He became too impatient to wait and chewed on the raw meat. “So… hungry,” he mumbled between bites. “Nothing sates.” His voice grew lower, almost hollow. “My poor sheep… My food.” 

“Something’s not right,” noted Amalthea, studying Polyphem’s bloated form. “He keeps on gorging and acts dejected on his lost sheep.” 

This wasn’t like the Polyphem had observed Polyphem during the trials. His gluttony overtook him. His outer appearance was more alien than this unknown world. Far stranger than the magic world and fantastical creatures she witnessed. Amalthea shifted her gaze to the burning sheep and minions. Even their behaviour turned erratic as well as they head-butted and gored each other in a frenzy. 

“They don’t belong here anymore. What did Antares do to you?” 

Polyphem angrily threw the gigot at Amalthea’s dome. Her body finally buckled under the immense pressure of the shield. The dome weighed on her like a collapsing star, and her muscles screamed in protest. 

“I can’t hold this up any further…” Her vision blurred, and her thoughts drifted. “Valerian… What should I do?” 

Amalthea’s tired eyes fell on the mangled bodies of Marius and Lydia. She felt the guilt pulling her down. Initially, she hadn’t held the slightest hope for them, but she had made the mistake of allowing hope to take root. 

“If it was not for me… none of this would have happened. They would have been alive.” The thought gnawed on her like termites ate away on a rotten tree. Spreading and spreading until it all broke apart. “Look where it got everyone… I was never meant to be a leader.” 

Her breath quickened as the memories flooded her mind—the battle in the stars, the loss of her comrades. Amalthea’s chest rose and fell from the torrent. 

“No matter the enemy, we will always prevail!” The rich laughter of Commodus, the Green Titan, boomed with confidence. She remembered the way he’d pose for her attention. The glimmer in his eyes was as intoxicating as his race. His neatly trimmed black beard and the black-green hair that crowned his head were as precise as his towering muscles, always ready for battle. “I’ll be your muscles, Amalthea. Together, we are the strongest!” 

“Quite the big mouth, eh?” Helen, the Yellow Titan, teased, a half-smirk tugging her lips as she cocked a hip, ever so casual. Her slim, athletic frame made her the fastest and most agile of the group. With her vibrant personality and the golden streaks lining her rich brown skin, she was like the blazing sun—a fierce beacon in the darkest times. “Look at the bright side, Commy. Winning this fight seems more likely than you winning her heart.” 

As the memory unfolded before her, Amalthea heard the rhythmic thud of Nerissa’s armoured boots echoing down the hallway. The Pink Titan, with her cerulean skin, finned ears and flowing purple hair tied into a ponytail, was a fierce Nereid. She was the most warlike of them, ready to fight with a spear, sword, shield or bow to protect her allies in her armour—the true paladin of their group. Her loyalty was like a tight-strung safety net. “Wherever the battle goes, sister, we fight by your side. Together we fight. Together we fall.”

Commodus punched the air. Helen rested her elbow on Nerissa’s shoulder and teased her by pecking at her cheek. Nerissa frowned and crossed her arms, but the twitching of her finned ears was evident in her embarrassment. Her stoic exterior was but a facade.

Amalthea smiled fondly. Her focus blurred as she tuned out onto the battlefield. In her mind, Valerian appeared at the end of the corridor, hand outstretched. The rest of the team gathered beside him, silently inviting her to join them—to let go of her burden and allow the weight of the world to fall.

Her trembling arms began to lower. The dome cracked, her projection waning. 

Amalthea closed her eyes. “I guess it’s time to retire—” 

*VROOOOOOOOM* 

“STOOOOOOOP!!!”