Joy Pursuit: Steel Dragon [Sci-Fi Fantasy | Horror | Action]

One month had passed since the attack on the harbor, and to Rusk's surprise, he was still staring up at the icy ceiling of the Port City of Aeburgh. A disillusioned look hung on his face as Lamia dragged him along by the hand, her steps light and confident while he trailed behind like a limp rope. She dragged him into a quaint little restaurant nestled beneath the shimmering ice.

Hey Mom, it's mopey old me—Rusk. I know I said I'd be there by now, but the universe works in—uh—

Lamia tugged on his hand, already ordering some strange dessert as Rusk blankly pulled out his crystalcomm to pay.

—yeah, like that. The universe is funny. Let's leave it at that. I know you're not really hearing any of this, but please take care. I hope to see you and the little ones. Little ones? Shoot, they'll all be grown-ups by the time I get back. Ah, I really am a crappy older brother. Oh well. I'll see you all in a couple of years. Symbols forbid these kids get me killed.

Ranger Rusk Holt had been hired by Bayren himself—not only to work aboard the Nordos Starglider, but personally to serve as a glorified babysitter/security guard for his daughters. His entire plan to transfer out had been completely derailed by Lamia's insistence… and by the hand of calamity that had extended the offer to a stunned Rusk in the first place. And even though he wanted nothing more than to leave this frigid coffin behind—

How could he possibly deny Bayren Emperar, a Family Head of the 15 Houses?

He felt a light tug on the back of his coat. It was the ever-quiet Mera; her face hidden behind a jagged crystalline mask.

"What is it, kiddo?" Rusk asked as he swiped his crystalcomm across the reader; the device chirping as it charged him for a snack that Lamia was already cheerfully guzzling down. "Do you want one too?"

Mera shook her head and instead pointed toward a cozy-looking shop across the street. It was built from synthetic wood, its warm, welcoming glow standing out against the cold metal and ice. But what truly set it apart was the soft green shimmer visible through its frosted windows—something incredibly rare within the frozen hollows of Himadri.

Plants.

"Do you want to check out that new shop?" Rusk asked with a smile.

Mera nodded excitedly.

"Alright, just wait for your sister to finish eating." He turned to Lamia, who was watching something on her crystalcomm while she worked through a long candied stick—some crispy confection coated in a faintly glowing powder.

The three of them settled into one of the shop's fluffy booths. Around them, people drifted in and out as the sweet hum of local music floated from the ambient speakers. Rusk leaned back and stared at the ceiling. A screen stretched across its entire surface, projecting a bright clear-blue sky directly above them. Wisps of fluffy white clouds rolled overhead in a slow, peaceful drift across the fake expanse above. His face softened with an unmistakable yearning as he watched the synthetic clouds wander lazily across the display.

Beside him, Mera mirrored his posture, her masked face tilted upward. She studied the faux sky with deep, wordless wonder—her little mind already swimming through possibilities of the so-called sky and the beautiful clouds.

Gira watched Mera's face soften as she recounted her tale. Her eyes lost in the serenity of the morning-blue sky above them, wandering through whatever small, seemingly pointless moment she was reliving.

"Mr. Rusk…" she whispered longingly.

Rusk glanced over at Mera, who was attentively watching the display. "Do you want to see the sky—like the real one?" he asked gently.

Mera glanced at him, studying the soft features of his face before turning back to the projected blue. Her eyes settled on a massive rolling white cloud drifting across the screen, and she lifted a finger to point at it.

"The clouds? Do you like clouds?"

Mera nodded lightly and lowered her hand, still staring into the fluffy white above.

"I like them too," Rusk said with a small smile. "They make me feel calm. They're big, beautiful—one of those things you don't realize you miss until they're gone. Would you like to go cloud-watching someday?"

Mera tilted her head, pointing at her eyes with two fingers before gesturing back toward the ceiling, then giving a small shrug.

Yeah, just watching. That's all. You'd be surprised at the things you might see," Rusk said. "Anything could be up there."

Though he couldn't see her expression behind the crystalline mask, Mera's eyes widened as her imagination took off—filling the vast blue with whatever wild wonders her mind could conjure. A wide smile spread across her face as her creativity flowed in that quiet moment, her thoughts drifting far beyond the white noise of the world around her.

Lamia finished her snack with a satisfied sigh. "That was awesome! Rusty, you should totally get one too! Oh—get that orange one and split it with me!" she said excitedly.

Rusk's smile wavered. "You can't eat too much before your dinner tonight. You're having family night with Lord Bayren."

Lamia shot him an annoyed look before sliding into a pout. "That's tonight? Ugh! Eating with Dad and Mom is always so boring. No one ever talks, and Dad stays transformed so he looks stupid when he eats with his special cutlery."

Special cutlery? Rusk blinked. I guess he does have a long snout. He shook the thought away. "Complaining to me won't change anything. As a lowly babysitter, I have no say in matters involving your dear father."I don't think you realize how scary your sweet old daddy is.

Lamia grumbled under her breath. "I just wish Mom would talk to us."

Yikes, I'm starting to edge beyond the fun line of professionalism I've been enjoying. I don't really want to poke at the family dynamics of a Calamity Entity—considering the rumors—but… huh? Their mom doesn't talk to them at all?

"Does your mom not talk to you two—like ever?" Maybe she's mute? But that feels like an easy fix with the medical tech a C.E. should have access to.

Mera shook her head.

Lamia stared daggers at him."Yeah? Isn't that normal? I mean, I haven't met anyone else's mom, so… Do you talk to your mom?"

Eh, I do.I video-call her all the time… Wait—did I just step on some kind of psychological mine? By Enlil's light, I keep forgetting how weird these two are. Best to stay far, far away from stuff beyond my pay grade.

Rusk cleared his throat. "I mean… I do, every now and then. But, you know—it's rare."

Mera tugged on his coat.

Lamia grabbed onto the other side. "Every now and then! C-can you teach us how!?"

Mera nodded along with her sister.

Dear Sgracro… help me. "I mean… I'd have to ask your dad for permission first, and you know—he's a busy science-god-guy, so little old me might not be able to do much."

Lamia frowned, thinking it over. "Dad does get weird whenever anyone tries to talk to Mom. We're also not allowed to be with her alone. Actually, a while back Daddy got real scary when one of our other caretakers left us alone with her."

Scary? What kind of mom can't be left alone with her kids? Although… I did hear C.E.s like weird women, so—could she be some kind of psycho? Or maybe even a Hy'ilk Vileblood?

Shoot, now that I think about it, even if they're like eight, these two are freakishly strong. Is that from their mom's side?

"Umm… well, we'll figure something out some other time." Rusk forced a half-hearted smile and pointed across the street. "Oh—Mera wanted to check out that nice shop, so how about we do that?"

Lamia peeked out of the booth and stared at the shop. "An ambiance librarium?"

What the hell—she knows what that's supposed to be? "Y-yes? A librarium?" he echoed. A library? What the heck's the difference? "Mera, are you sure you want to go there?"

Mera immediately grabbed his coat and nodded with vigorous enthusiasm.

"Okay—guess we're checking it out," Rusk said as he stood up, stretching his back.

Lamia sighed. "Why'd you waste your turn on someplace we already have at home?" she complained, tugging on Mera's hood and accidentally revealing a spill of bright silvery-pink hair.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Mera panicked the instant her long hair fluttered out. With a sharp, frantic pull, she yanked her hoodie back over her head and dropped to the floor, huddling into a tight ball.

Rusk turned just in time to see her curling in on herself. "Woah—are you okay?"

Mera didn't answer. She stayed crouched low, clutching her hoodie as if the fabric were the only thing keeping her safe.

"I—I'm sorry!" Lamia blurted, scrambling to her sister's side. "I didn't mean to pull it off!"

"Pull what?" Rusk asked, completely confused.

Lamia looked around, grasping for the right words. "Ummm… Mera doesn't like it when people see her. It's kind of a shame, though, since she looks like me and has really pretty hair."

"Huh…" I never really gave it any thought, but I guess that's why she never eats while we're out. He knelt beside her. "Are you okay?" he asked gently, lightly patting her back.

Mera stayed curled for a moment, scrambling to tuck her stray hair back into the hood. She took a shaky breath, then gave a small nod.

The store owner—a clownfish-headed Diodecian woman—approached them cautiously. "Is everything alright?"

Rusk nodded. "Ah—yeah. Sorry for disturbing your business, Miss Fida." He lowered his head politely.

"Oh, no worries, Mr. Rusk. I was just concerned, seeing the Lord's daughters spooked. You know…" The clownfish woman gave him a particular smile—one he recognized instantly.

Fear… Rusk's smile faltered. "Well, if you'll excuse us. Thank you for the food."

Miss Fida nodded quickly, offering him another shaky smile.

Rusk's demeanor darkened ever so slightly as he gently offered Mera his hand, guiding her and Lamia out into the cold. His eyes flicked toward a nearby support beam as the memory of Bayren's arrival washed over him like the frigid air. Tough crowd, huh? You could save these people over and over for all eternity—and still—they'd only ever see a monster. He shook the thought away and guided the girls toward the librarium across the street.

They were met with a wave of warmth as the librarium's climate control washed over them. An aromatic blend permeated the air—lavish notes of roasting herbs mixed with the sweet, smoky tinge of cinnamon-scented wood. Most of the lights glowed a soft amber, warm and inviting, while UV lamps cast gentle beams over the many green plants scattered through the shop.The space was decorated to evoke a forest. Carved trunks rose from the floor, their broad forms climbing upward until they merged seamlessly into a ceiling-wide screen that continued their ascent into a cybernetic canopy. Around them, the soft sounds of birds and woodland creatures drifted through the air, completing the illusion.

At the back of the librarium stood a young, tired-looking woman whose eyes widened the moment she spotted the trio.

Mera and Lamia looked around dazzled, their hands and eyes driven by curiosity as they examined the old trunks with incredible reverence.

"Woah! Is this from a real tree?!" Lamia exclaimed, hugging the massive trunk with growing excitement.

"It is," Rusk said, placing a hand on the old stump. The texture, the scent—everything about it pulled at something warm in his chest. "Ahhh… I missed this," he whispered, joining Lamia in embracing the ancient wood.

Mera glanced up at Rusk, then quietly mimicked him, hugging the tree beside him.

"It's nice, isn't it?" a woman's voice asked.

"Yeah…" Rusk answered absentmindedly.

"You never know what you have until it's gone, they say. It's a pretty cruel reality, don't you think?" the voice continued.

"Yeah, it's pretty depressing when you think about it. Makes you feel like you have to appreciate everything, but then it all feels forced—like it's all fated to disappear." Rusk said, feeling a cold hand join him up high. Eh-what? Who the heck? He cracked an eye open and peeked to his left—only to see a woman with fiery red hair hugging the tree right alongside him.

"K-Kaela?!" Rusk practically yelped, in surprise.

"Yo," she said simply, meeting his stare. "How have you been Rusk?" she asked softly.

"ME? G–good? But wait—NO. How've you been?! And why are you still on Himadri?" Rusk stammered, still clinging to the tree.

"I came back," Kaela replied. "Plus, I could ask you the same thing. Why's Mr. Complains-a-lot still here—and, why haven't you called or messaged me?" Her voice was smooth and soft, completely at odds with her wild appearance.

She had fiery red hair tied into a short, flashy ponytail; piercings lining her ears; a choker-like tattoo around her neck; and those cold, icy-blue eyes that pinned Rusk in place.

Rusk locked eyes with her, unsure how to respond to the once-spirited young woman who had practically adopted him into her small circle of friends all those months ago—a circle that had all but fizzled away after the Hy'Kyyrian attack.

"I got a new job. Pretty high up, so I…" He swallowed, voice weakening. "I'm sorry for not calling. I just—I didn't know how, or when to call. The attack—I… I didn't know what to say." He finally let go of the stump and turned fully toward Kaela. "I'm such a shitty friend. Sorry!" He bowed his head.

Kaela's expression softened. " Straightforward as always… You don't have to apologize. It's not like I tried calling either."

Rusk looked up at her—at the woman who once burned bright and sharp. Now she looked thinner, her complexion ghostly, with heavy circles clinging beneath her eyes.

"I—"

"I!"

They both spoke at once.

"Y-you go first," Rusk said slowly, lifting his head.

Kaela's lips parted, but she faltered. "I-I was… I was scared that if I tried to call you, there was a chance you wouldn't… that—that…"

Rusk noticed faint tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as she covered her mouth, taking a step forward. Her head rested gently against his shoulder.

"I was scared too," he said softly.

Rusk felt his shoulder warm as her tears soaked through. He placed a hand on her shoulder, steadying her as she wept.

Beside them, Mera and Lamia watched in silence, their little minds racing to decode whatever strange relationship they were witnessing.

The two held each other for about five more minutes before Lamia's impatience finally jabbed into Rusk's leg. "Yo. Mr. Crust, are you done flirting?

Rusk immediately loosened his hold on Kaela. "Flir—huh?!" He stepped back from Kaela and turned toward the girls. "Sorry, you two—I-I got a little distracted. Umm, this here is a friend of mine, her name is Kaela."

Lamia stared at him, her crimson-pink eyes radiating with some doubt. "Friend? Not girlfriend?"

"HA?!" Rusk's eyes flew wide as he instinctively turned toward a very blushing Kaela. The two locked eyes for a split second before both staggered away from each other in panic. "N-no! We—she—just friends," Rusk sputtered. "I didn't really get along with people when I first got here, and I ended up on dock duty, and she kinda just… we're friends. Good friends!"

"But you're both red?" Lamia pressed.

"That's because it's been a while," Rusk insisted, throwing a desperate glance at Kaela. "R-right?"

Kaela looked at him like a deer in the headlights. "I—I wouldn't be against, you know…"

WHAT?! WAIT. WAIT. Is she for real? I mean—we got along pretty well before, and we're around the same age. And honestly, she's pretty cute, but—our friends just died and the Hy'Kyyrian took over her body. Actually, it's pretty amazing she's still mentally sound. Poor old Paul and Benny had to get their brains rewired. Shit—she probably just needs someone to lean on. AGH! Why did my dumbass never call? I can't use my coma or the kids as an excuse; that'd be pathetic. Sweet Symbols… even if—I'm way too gloomy for a nice girl like her. Someone so bright… Rusk looked at Kaela—her eyes puffy, her frame thinner than before. Kaela had been a foodie once, always hunting down new snacks or insisting he try something weird they'd fished out from the depths. Seeing her in that state made him feel a deep pit open in his heart.

"Ka-Kaela! D-do you want to go out sometime. You know… I'd even be willing to go to that place with all the freaky local food." He said, tears welling in his eyes as he really looked at his old friend.

Kaela gave him a weak smile. "Maybe. I've been struggling with meat after… you know…"

"S-sorry. We can go anywhere! It doesn't have to be food. We could watch a movie, or go shopping, or we could walk! Just the two of us."

Kaela stepped closer. "When are you free?"

Rusk glanced back at Mera and Lamia, who'd grown invested in their conversation. "I gotta check with my bosses," he said with an awkward smile before kneeling in front of the two girls. "Sooo… could you guys give me a day off?"

Mera and Lamia exchanged a look. Then Lamia gave him a smug little grin."How about this weekend? Me and Sis'll hold the fort. How's that?"

Rusk smiled, "Thank you." He turned back to Kaela. "So—how's this weekend?"

"It's a date," she said softly, a faint smile lifting her cheeks.

Rusk hurriedly pulled out his crystalcomm. "Still the same ID?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, I'll talk to you about the details later tonight."

Kaela nodded.

The trio spent a while enjoying the librarium's environmental recreations and sampling some of the media curated by the Estho's. When it came time to leave, Kaela and Rusk exchanged an awkward hug—brief, but carrying a nice warmth that settled in Rusk's chest, a cozy feeling he didn't know he needed.

Lamia nudged him with her elbow. "I can't believe ol' Rusty is getting hitched. It's gonna be really lonely without you around."

Behind them, Mera staggered a bit, a faint realization hitting her.

"It's only a date. Also, it's creepy when a little girl talks like that. Stop it." Rusk said.

"Hehe, I still can't believe you got a date! I can't wait to tell ol' Creepo. Bet he's gonna lose it." Lamia giggled to herself.

"Don't you dare! This is private! I don't want Pax asking me about my private affairs!" It's already awkward enough with me replacing him and all that…

Lamia smirked as she ran ahead. "Race ya there, rusty!" she called, darting ahead toward the glider.

"Hey!" Rusk yelled, but he didn't chase her. He lingered behind, glancing back at Mera—who was slowly catching up, head down, her steps small and quiet.Rusk noticed the shift in her demeanor and walked over, offering her his hand.

Mera looked up at the friendly but exhausted-looking ranger. She reached out with her little mitts and grabbed his hand.

"D-d-don't leave us," Mera whispered.

Rusk's eyes shot wide. She… SHE CAN TALK? WAIT—NO—SHE TALKED. She talked. He immediately dropped to one knee, leveling himself with her.

"P-please… don't go away," Mera whispered, her voice a soft lull against the noise of the busy street.

Rusk looked dearly at the little masked girl.

Man, I'm not sure what these kids see in an idiot like me. Her shaky hands holding him forced an old memory to resurface. A rainy memory of a small boy crying for him to stay. What a time to remember that. Crappy old me leaving them behind to chase this silly dream of mine. And look at me now. A glorified babysitter.

He smiled to himself and gently took her hand."It's not like I'm retiring or anything. It's just a little gathering between two good friends. So don't worry—I promise I won't leave you two. I'll be there until you're sick of me." He let out a small laugh. "Or your dad fires me."

Mera lifted her head, staring into the gentle eyes of one Rusk Holt.

A decent human being.