"Tell me more about Zirka," Karl looked at Rywa curiously as they walked down the halls after leaving the conference room.
Rywa chuckled. "I'd be happy to. Zirka is comprised of five main territories. There are the boreal forests and the snow country of Ylva to the north, the island of Breshke to the west, and the desert kingdom of Mira in the heart of the main continent. To the south lie the lush prairies and rainforests of the Protected Lands, a wildlife sanctuary that belongs to no one and are guarded by the descendants of the natives. And in the east you will find the ancient empire of Solara, which has long been submerged underwater."
"Wow... sounds like the story of Atlantis here on Earth," Karl's voice was filled with wonder.
"Atlantis?" Rywa asked.
Tala explained, "It's a legendary city said to have sunk underwater, and their civilization's technology was said to have been way ahead of their time."
"Ah, but Solara is no legend," Rywa said. "They're the epitome of magical advancement. Solarans built a floating city right above the ruins, where they now reside. Of course, there are people who still dive and explore the old sunken empire to this day."
"Whoa… a floating city?" Hogan gaped. "So do people fly there? Teleport there?"
"Not quite," Rywa shook his head, amused. "As a token of gratitude for leaving the Protected Lands alone for animals to roam free, the spirit guardian of the land— a giant golem who watches over all our mountains— gifted the people with a hanging train made from part of his own body's mystical rocks. It allows everyone to travel to and from Solara."
"Wow..." Karl was amazed. "I love trains, but a golem train?! That's in a league of its own. I can almost picture it… chairs made out of stones, smooth and shiny as marble but comfortable to sit on, wide open windows that let the sea breeze come in, and endless blue waters below."
"You've got an amazing imagination. That's quite accurate, actually," said Rywa. "If you'd like, I will be happy to take you for a ride when you come to visit."
"I'll take you up on that offer," Karl's eyes glimmered with excitement.
"Of course," Rywa reached for his hand. "My invitation stands. I will take you with me and we can live happily ever after on my planet."
"Wasn't it just for a visit?" Hogan muttered to Bianca, who giggled.
Rywa brought Karl's hand close to his lips, but before he could lay a kiss on the back of the younger pilot's fingers, something fell on his head. The next moment, a velvety brown, low-heeled Mary Jane shoe fell on the floor with a dull thud.
"Whoops. Sorry!"
Both men looked up to see Luna leaning on the railing one floor above them. She went down the closest staircase and marched towards them, putting herself between Rywa and her eldest brother.
"This is the first time I've had a shoe fall on me. And you are?" Rywa asked, nursing his head.
"I was just fixing the strap, my hand slipped and I accidentally dropped it." She smiled innocently. "My name's Luna, by the way. I'm his sister," she held on to Karl's arm then asked, raising an eyebrow. "And you are?"
"I am Rywa, pleased to meet you" Rywa smiled.
"Hmm," Luna grunted nonchalantly then picked up her shoe.
As she put it back on, Hogan got on one knee to strap her shoe for her. "There you go."
"Thank you, Hogan. Ever the gentleman," Luna bowed in jest.
"Anything for our ace pilot's beloved princess," Hogan bowed playfully in response.
Karl looked up at Rywa with puppy dog eyes. "Sorry about that, Rywa. She's a sweet little angel, I'm sure she didn't mean it." He turned to his youngest sibling and pinched her cheeks, "Sheesh, please be more careful next time."
"Okay!" Luna flashed a sugary sweet smile. "Anyway, I was just on my way to the M.A.G.E. program tryouts when I saw you guys. I better get going." And she went on her way.
"I suppose that's the mini version of your mother you mentioned earlier?"Rywa asked.
"That she is. Just as beautiful. But also just as fierce."
"Must be nice to be with your family..." Rywa fixed his golden eyes on the sea visible from the transparent walls. His voice was barely above a whisper, but Karl heard every word. He also didn't miss the tone of longing and loneliness.
"Do you miss your family? I hope you find what you're searching for, so you can go home and see them again soon," Karl smiled ruefully.
"That… will no longer be possible, I'm afraid. My parents died when I was still young."
"Oh, I see..." Karl looked outside and it sparked an idea within him. "Come with me," the younger pilot grabbed Rywa's arm and pulled him towards the beach.
They passed by the cherry blossom-lined path towards the shore, and for a brief moment Karl imagined Rywa under a shower of falling pink petals. He made a mental note to take Rywa there next year, as the season had already passed. They stopped just a few meters from where the oncoming waves met the sand.
"Come on, hurry, take them off"
"Oh dear, aren't we moving too fast? We haven't even kissed yet. Besides, there are other people here, too," Rywa nodded his head to the rest of Team Alpha and the generals following behind them.
Karl tilted his head to one side. "What does taking off your boots have to do with kissing?"
"... Oh." Rywa sounded dispirited, but did so anyway.
Karl took off his own shoes as well as the shirt over his floral tank top then pulled Rywa towards the water.
"Hey, wait, our feet are going to get wet."
"That's the point!" Karl flashed a toothy grin.
He watched Rywa's face and, as soon as the gentle wave caressed the man's bare feet, Rywa's eyes widened in wonder. "This feels amazing..."
"Just as I thought… you've never done this before, have you?" Karl asked.
"I grew up in the desert kingdom of Mira. Even when I went to Solara for my studies, I only admired the sea from afar. It never really crossed my mind to come down to the beach and play, but now I know what I missed out on." There was a tinge of regret in Rywa's voice.
"Sometimes, you just have to stop and enjoy little things like this. Also..." Karl looked straight into his golden eyes as he said, "I should have said this earlier, but... thank you. For saving my life."
Rywa's features softened into a gentle smile. "You're most welcome. Which reminds me, that actually makes today the second time I kissed your hand... Almost, anyway."
Karl remembered the night Rywa carried him to the shore. He felt something pressed against the back of his hand. He absently wondered if that was just a common greeting for Zirkans and was about to ask when Rywa spoke.
"The ocean's beauty is boundless. It sparkles under the sun as if there are gems scattered all over. When it's nice and calm, and on a cloudless sky like today, it becomes hard to tell where the sea ends and the sky begins," said Rywa. He then shifted his gaze from the horizon to Karl. "Your eyes possess this colour, even though from far away they look like an ordinary pair of dark eyes. From now on, every time I look into your eyes, I will be reminded of the ocean and the sky, and the time we spent here together."
Not knowing how to react to being stared at so intensely, Karl did as his instinct dictated. He scooped a cupful of seawater and splashed it on the taller man, taking him by surprise.
Rywa splashed back. And the two of them continued the playful exchange as the others watched over them from the shore.
Smiling wistfully, Viernn said, "I don't remember the last time I ever saw Rywa having this much fun."
Sahd nodded, a contented smile playing on his lips. "Makes the entire trip here worth it, doesn't it?"
Shifting her gaze towards Karl, Viernn's smile faded. "Still, I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought my heart had stopped when I first saw him. He looks so much like her…"
"Mm" Sahd grunted in agreement. "The resemblance is uncanny. If he just had a horn and long, flowing hair, I would think the lady had come back to life. Back there, when we came to retrieve Rywa, I'm glad they truly were not our enemies. I don't think I would have had the heart to hurt him with that face."
Viernn chuckled. "You've always had a soft spot for our lady. If she was still alive, I'm sure she'd be happy to see Rywa enjoying the water like this."
Pouting, Sahd replied "Looks fun..."
Bianca and Hogan, who had just walked over to them, looked at each other then nudged Rywa's companions towards the water.
"There's plenty of room. Let's go join them!"
"I'll pass," Tala said. "I'll just start a campfire for when you guys come back."
"Okay! Thanks, Tala."
The rest of them took off their footwear as well and joined in on the fun. After a couple of hours of playing around in the shallow area, Karl looked as though he had gone swimming. "I'm soaked through… Oh well."
He took off his top to squeeze the water out, oblivious to Rywa's eyes that had become glued to him.
Rywa's impression was that though Karl's frame was smaller and his abs were not as ripped as his own six-pack one, he had muscles and curves in all the right places, which was most likely sculpted by years of intense training as a space pilot.
Though his weak constitution and delicate— but undoubtedly beautiful— face might make him seem weak, the battle scars on his body, though few and already faded by time, paint the portrait of a warrior, just like him.
In Rywa's vision, it felt as though time considerably slowed down as his gaze zoomed in on a drop of water that dripped from the tip of Karl's hair down his temple, past his cheek, tracing his jaw line down to his chin, his neck, passing through his Adam's apple, his collar bone, between his chest, down to his belly button…
Swallowing, he dragged his gaze back up to the lush, wet lips that said "Rywa, your clothes…"
"Ah, yes, my clothes are in the way…"
Karl snorted, snapping Rywa out of his daze.
"Not your clothes, I said cloak! Half of your cloak is drenched," Karl pointed to the hem. "We should get back, it's starting to get chilly."
"Right... It's getting hot out here…" Rywa absently replied.
"Hot?" The twins, who were right behind them, echoed. Eyeing him suspiciously, they slowly pulled Karl, who was still topless, away from him.
"Err, that is, with my element being flame, I have a higher body temperature than most people. Or it just goes up faster than most people. Something like that," Rywa elaborated awkwardly.
"That's nice… I wish I could regulate my body temperature like that, too. I get cold really easily," Karl pouted.
"When you feel cold, come to me for a cuddle anytime. I'll be waiting for you with open arms," Rywa winked.
Back at the shore, they gathered round the campfire to warm up. They exchanged stories about both their home planets, from fascinating things like how Zirka has twelve moons even though it's smaller than Earth, and trivial things like how each region in Japan has its own specialty snacks. By sunset, their clothes have dried and the fire had subsided to scattered small flames, and their lively chatter had also died down to a comfortable silence. All they could hear was the sound of the waves and the crackling of the firewood.
"I'm starving. I'm gonna go grab something to eat," said Hogan, pushing himself up from one of the beach chairs they set up around the campfire.
"Me too," Bianca followed suit. "Do you guys want anything? We can bring the food here instead."
"Nah, I'm good," Karl got up and stretched. "Thanks guys, but I'm starting to get a little too cozy. If I stay here any longer, I know I'm gonna fall asleep." He then turned to Rywa and his companions. "Since we haven't been called back yet, is there somewhere else you wanted to go? Or should we go back inside the main building?"
"That tower over there, I'd like to see it, if it's alright," said Rywa, pointing to a lighthouse just a short walk from where they were.
"Oh, you mean the lighthouse? Yeah. Weather permitting, we're allowed to go in. Shall we?"
Sahd and Viernn exchanged looks, then shook their heads.
"No thanks. I'm eager to try Earth food, so I'd like to check out the cafeteria," said Sahd.
Hearing that, Bianca chirped, "Come join us, Sahd!"
Viernn flashed a knowing smile to Rywa. "Why don't the two of you go? I'm more interested in checking out the library to learn more about this planet and the part of the universe we're currently in."
"I'll accompany you then," Tala chimed in.
And so they doused the fading embers of the campfire, folded up their chairs and put them back to the pile where beach chairs for everyone's use were stored, and went their separate ways.
As Karl and Rywa went up the spiral staircase, Rywa said "I'd like to thank you for a wonderful time at the beach, that's why I asked you to come with me here."
Once they reached the gallery deck, they were treated to a wonderful view of the sunset over the sea. There, Rywa stretched out his arm. Not long after, Karl heard the call of an eagle.
Smiling, Rywa told him, "There's someone I'd like you to meet."
As the call got louder, Karl looked up, and right above him, he saw the majestic bird, whose full wingspan made him look all that much bigger. He recognized him right away as the same eagle he saw on the island earlier that day. The bird circled a couple of times above them before descending and perched on Rywa's outstretched arm.
With the eagle roosting on his gauntlet, his long crimson hair lazily dancing in the wind, and his profile bathed in the soft orange glow of the setting sun, Karl was mesmerized and unable to take his gaze off the man in front of him. And yet, underneath Rywa's gentle smile, there it was again— that glint of sadness in his golden eyes.
Rywa noticed him staring and chuckled. "I know, I know. You want to try holding him, don't you?"
"Can I?!" Karl nearly squeaked.
Rywa turned to the eagle, "Gobaith, is it all right?"
The eagle touched foreheads with him in response, but playfully pecked him after, making Karl softly giggle.
Staring at him, Rywa commented, "Your smiling face has the power to dispel even the sadness a sunset evokes."
He took one of his gauntlets off and put it on Karl. Holding Karl's hand with his own free hand, Rywa gently brought his arm where Gobaith was perched closer to the shorter man until the eagle hopped over. Karl could barely contain his excitement as he gazed at the magnificent bird, eyes filled with marvel as he was rendered speechless.
As he watched over Gobaith, who was now perched on his own arm with his eyes closed as if he was taking a nap, Karl watched over him fondly.
"He looks so peaceful..."
"Gobaith's feelings being conveyed to me say your presence is really soothing. And with the gentle sea breeze and the sound of the waves, he feels as though he's being lulled to sleep," Rywa gently uttered.
They stayed in the lighthouse until Gobaith woke up from his short rest and flew off, at which point the moon and stars had begun to appear. The walkway leading from the lighthouse to the underwater bullet train station and the main building glowed in the dark, making it easy to find their way back to the base.