Myriad thoughts swarmed Ulysses' mind as he struggled to remain focused while steering Athena through the slightly turbulent waves of the Azure Seas, his expression the epitome of worry.
Due to his disturbed mind, he did not react even as there was a knock at the door behind him.
Only when he had felt a warm palm rest on his shoulder did he react, snapping out of his reverie with a jolt that scared the owner of the palm?
He turned back to find that instead of a dangerous entity as he had feared, it was merely Ana.
Coughing awkwardly, he remarked. "Sorry about that. I thought you were something else."
"It's fine," Ana replied as she looked him over before inquiring. "Are you alright?... You don't look so good."
Ulysses let out a tired sigh as he shifted his attention back to the ocean ahead while gripping the steering wheel tightly.
"How can I be?" He intoned.
"Is it about what the Enclave envoys had said?"
