Stark was expecting something other than praise. Something nastier, yet still surprising, because that was what his father was like. Instead, he got an unplanned merit and even a smile from this alien, unyielding, and crazy old man. That was... interesting, terrifying, and more than likely to change again because that's what his guts said.

  Connolly spoke next. “You didn't know about it, Stark, but the recent incidents over Australia and the Federation involved certain uncovered matters and hidden actions that started and touched on multiple powers. The library is a different matter, however, and so are those Rifts and even Australia a little bit, but it is connected in ways that days and gathering had required and helped with. Before that, there was something else that hid behind our backs. It comes from Song Mi-Yung.”

  “Miss Song?!” Stark exclaimed, well aware of the issues with Australia, as it was a highly popular topic among his peers in the Federation. Why, when, and how it occurred were incredible, and a lot of news reached Stark's eyes or ears because of the privilege he held. It was an exciting, thrilling prospect.

  It wasn't every day that the Federation got invaded like that. Rifts spread all the time, but not like this, and a small-scale war raged around the sky for days. Despite that, Darks never breached the tenth bridge, thanks to the involvement of the Academy, and plenty of powerful Walkers were present because of Australia and the sheer dedication of the Divisions.

  Stark didn't know all the details about the underlying current of this eventful war, but he knew more than most. Of course, Pillars knew much more, and Prime Hunter observed his son for answers that didn't arrive.

  “You don't know what this is about, which is understandable.”

  “What?”

  “You met him today. The child lost. Bearing mistakes and a life that is not his.”

  “C-child? That brat?”

  “B-brat?” Connolly coughed. “Yes. child's interests matter, yet you barely met. It is a shame, but it happened behind my back and without my knowledge, which I acknowledge as an oversight. Frankly, I couldn't believe my eyes or ears when I got it. It is my shame, too, and I do recognize the matter at hand. I didn't know better. Not anymore. Your father helped, and after digging through wisdom and catas in Outside, we discovered answers.”

  Then, Prime Hunter took the reins over this problem and slammed his palms on the table. “Surnamed Gale, that brat is a son of Viktor Gale and was brought here by Song Mi-Yung behind everyone's back. The Academy has always omitted any raise. Yondu always stayed silent, and this means trouble.”

  By this point, Stark's face was dubious, shaken, and dumbfounded. A name, Gale, was normal, yet... not in this context. It was ridiculous.

  “W-what? Do you mean...”

  “It is unknown what had happened, young master.” Connolly retconned. “But he is here, and a lot of other things came back with him. That child and the acts of Song Mi-Yung create new whirlwinds, challenge the gathering, her work, and you've met him. We did.”

  “Twice, actually,” Stark added, unwilling to say he had met him thrice, but that was difficult to say out loud.

  “No matter. I have a task for you, Stark,” his father said.

  “Task?”

  “Fuck him up, and don't ever lose to him, got it?!” Prime Hunter said, making a weird face that Stark had hardly ever seen him do. His black eyes tensed in intensity, and his body sat like a sharp bow ready to hit anything.

  It forced cold sweat to spread on his back, and Stark didn't like what it entailed. His father wasn't calm, nor was he, because this order was...

  “You mean...”

  “Roughly fifteen years old, or sixteen? No more than seventh.... you get it. He got here through Mi-Yung, who never let go of the matter from ten years ago. He will Awaken soon. As you will.”

  “You mean...” Stark muttered again.

  “You are of the same generation,” his father said sternly, fist clenched on the table, and eyes fixated on the best son his seed ever fetched.

  Connolly smiled wryly and felt shame that this would devolve in this direction, but it was inevitable. Grudges were eternal, and there were many ways to see that competing Walkers in this age were total morons. Conolly felt it was stupid, but human nature was wicked—and perhaps one of their best tools, allowing them to thrive... or fall like never before.

  Perhaps that's their judgment, while winners and rules were nowhere to be found, based on the judgment of power in this new era.

  Stark smiled for once, nodded, and understood half of what his father meant. “Understand, father. As for the rest...”

  “You don't need to know. Be aware and ready, and don't disappoint us. Your Rank 1 will be of critical consequence. The Association has high expectations of you.”

  Stark frowned but agreed. He had his way of getting shit done, and if his father meant this, then grudge and matters of Viktor Gale and William Gale were significant. Because of that, his subject would be more than fine with Louise and his family, and gathering lost records against a lost freak was not it. But it could be better.

  He won't lose.

  This family won't do it. Stark was at least glad to understand it, get this started, and discovered that his father hadn't moved on at all.

  “You are dismissed.” Prime Hunter shouted.

  Stark turned and left, face determined and eyes shining in enlightenment.

  “That fucker is his son, and... Miss Song got involved?! Holy fucking shit... this is big. I will massacre him.”

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  ***

  Back in Stark's room, Louise rested on Stark's big bed and whispered a song of delight and patience.

  Striding forth like a tidal force, Stark appeared out of nowhere after slamming the door open, which then bounced and closed behind him.

  “What's the matter?” Louise asked.

  Breathing in and out, Stark had many words in mind and few on his tongue. “Listen to me, Louise. This is going to be complicated, but we gotta do it.”

  “Oh, crap...” Louise sighed, never liking to see Stark like this, with craziness in his eyes, hesitation in his breath, and... thinking. Thinking was never his strong suit; he had Louise for that, some might think, and Louise was fine with that.

  That was wrong. Louise knew that Stark wasn't as idiotic as many would consider, but he was very straightforward and hard to stop, and his pursuit and latching hopes were a power that was insatiable. His stubbornness and fierceness were both beneficial and detrimental tools, to be sure. And now, something big was telling him that things won't be pretty.

  Still, Louise listened to his lone friend and felt shocked at every turn.

  “This... T-that?” Louise touched his mouth after listening to his explanations. It took minutes, and not a single curse was uttered.

  “Right.”

  “Holy shit. This is big, but... Australia? Why did they talk about it to you? I get the Gales, and... what's up with the Academy? Are you sure your father omitted that Butler for a reason?” Lousie was more than confused, and if he was that, then he had no doubt Stark was even worse.

  “No idea. In fact, I doubt he was a Butler. Australia was a big deal, but not for us. Can you get some news from the Emblem Association?”

  “Doubtful. It involved Alan Fain and other big shots. At least a hundred Rank 6 Walkers got involved.”

  “I heard that. So... what to think of it?”

  “William Gale, you say?”

  “Yep. My father hates him with his guts already, so that's funny.”

  “Sounds like an interesting fella. Why not try the opposition?” Louise tried, knowing it would fail.

  “I don't wanna.”

  “Listen...”

  “No. You listen! Miss Song and everything are crystal clear! My father wants a scapegoat out of me, ye? I say no; we'll do it my way. OUR way.”

  Louise clutched his chin, thinking. “I dunno about that. Think this through: if Miss Song had done this for a decade and finally uncovered it, then we shouldn't think like you, like this, or be so crazy. She is locked on that brat Gale, and it is understandable. She was part of the North Party for a year and works with Yondu. Maybe we should think about it more and uncover the secrets of this conning.”

  “No!” Stark said firmly, his hands clenched and the Emblem blazing beyond his clothes, which began to tear in sections.

  Louise stepped twice away from him just in case things got ugly. “I see... It is about her. Fuck. Fine. I will review it, but don't expect me to engage with this nonsense if it turns out to be stupid or as... I fear, but never mind. No matter what, some things aren't worth it.”

  “Just help. I will do well myself, so this is nothing. It is nothing but a step for me.”

  Louise scowled and agreed, thinking he had just made a deal with the devil.

  ***

  In the conference room, Prime Hunter and Connolly engaged with different matters, unaware that their little pawn was thinking of something else.

  “Is it right to go like this?” Connolly asked and heard what his big boss had to say.

  “It is worth trying, because it is deserved! All the seeds... All the blood.”

  Then, the third person, one from the Academy, spoke.

  “We deal with numerous instances and news, with anchors and depths doing their rites. This has consequences, but the North Party is interested since the Gales are involved. I wonder if it is revenge, common interest, or if ten bloody years calmed their waters.”

  “Hateful, I know, Wally. You've been our Mediator for years, and I appreciate your work.”

  “Don't mention it. The Academy has us in every corner, and it isn't as if I am too touched by your Hunter Association. Instead, I am touched by your power, and it is in our best interest to persist in this beneficial connection.”

  “It is a mutual, I know.” Prime Hunter said, thinking and looking calmer than ever. “Still, this is about them and matters from ten years ago.”

  “You don't care about the matters from weeks ago?”

  “Fuck no. I was busy, and it missed me. Shame. Heard Fain got involved, so that is sufficient. I didn't meet that guy, or matters of Australia, but I saw Mi-Yung in Assembly, and what followed became crystal clear. She has helpers, and they want to fix that fucked up thing. She is clever, that fox.”

  “Aye. Perhaps that's for the better. You and he and she don't go along.”

  “Shut up...”

  Wally smiled at this big shot and tapped the table. “So, how far will this go?”

  “Enough to try things out. You will help, right? If not, what's up for your Party, hm? The fact that you wanted this presentation is why I sense a shift. You won't lie to me, right?” Prime Hunter angled his head, and his eyes shone in resolve and killing intent.

  Wally was fine with either. “Nay. I haven't gotten a single permission at any grace, so all you have is my external support. For instance, the matters with Gales and Camp Nolan are difficult. Always has been.”

  This meager refusal didn't hurt Prime Hunter. It was a private matter, and he had an insight into why Wally was like this and what might trouble everyone or change a few things.

  “Then what do you think?”

  “It is a mistake,” Wally said in regret.

  “Mistake?”

  “Unknown is hard to guess, while forcing your son into such paths isn't clever.”

  “I haven't forced anything.”

  “He did,” Connolly added.

  Wally shook his head. “I don't know about that. It seems simple, but it ain't that. We just don't know enough about that kid and the previous events.”

  “Ten years have passed. Everyone thought he was dead, like his parents.”

  “Yet here we are.” Wally sighed. “What a weird timing. Australia and this incoming generation. I wonder if a big storm is coming or if another Advent is upon us.”

  “It always is. The matter is when or how much time we have before or after, or what starts it.” Prime Hunder said, pushing his palm against the table, then got up to leave. “I appreciated the sentiment, Wally. Keep sights on Gales while the Examination does the rest. It's going to clear many things, I am sure. If not...”

  “Don't mind it. Just don't get burned or let your son loose. It would be a shame.”

  “It is my business, not yours.”

  “Same cold bastard as ever...”

  “Dig to your own fancy grave, yes? Crook.”

  With that, their conversation ended. Wally was worried this idea was unstable, yet it was what Prime Hunter wanted, and it wasn't as if internal complications weren't rare. They were common as fucking around and finding out things aren't what they used to be.

  The Academy had its fair share of dramas and conflicts. This one was more about pride, followed by grudge, knowledge, and little fucking mistakes.

  In a while, Connolly stayed alone with Wally, who regarded this old friend with a placid smile. “Not easy, isn't it?”

  “Nay. We do what we have to do, and it is difficult to live when tides are changing. He is... serious, by the way.”

  “Do you agree with this?”

  “Should I? I don't think we know Stark enough. That child is like Taker. I don't fear that, but I don't think others should be the same with kids overseen by lofty expectations. It is borderline insane, and if I learned something, then I know my boss and know that kid is his spitting image.”

  “Oh, how fitting. I would fear it nonetheless.”

  “... True. Perhaps this is why this business is regretful.”

  “Indeed. Yet another Gale is about. I wonder if we are gonna burn from being further away or closer, if he is like , or if we gotta break the tide first. I suppose that's the thing. We are always breaking things and hoping they will repair well, but they aren't. They won't. Things are always fucking up for any and even smallest of reasons.” Wally said, pushing his arms into his face and revealing deep, silvery eyes.

  Connolly nodded and left the room before engaging with further reasons. Consequences of power were right, but mistakes of power were never fine. Today, he got one thing: Prime Hunter was fine with digging his son's own grave.