"1995!" Hector called out, as four people exited the elevator.
"Ryuji," Wata said softly, supporting him as they stepped out. Leonardo noticed the way Ryuji's grip tightened on his sword, his knuckles turning white. His Obi knot, usually secured with precision, now seemed oddly loose.
"Henri..." Ryuji muttered under his breath.
The name was barely audible, but Wata, standing close, caught it.
"Yes?" Wata replied quietly.
"I'll kill him," Ryuji declared, his voice a low growl. His eyes narrowed with a fierce intensity just as the elevator doors closed in front of him, sealing him away from the others.
Inside the lift, the atmosphere grew tense. The elevator began to reduce its speed, the mechanical hum deepening as it slowed.
"Floor 1986" two get down.
"Floor 1978!" aymara and xalatl get down.
Mei-Ling's guide, a towering figure with a powerful build, was the first to make contact with the floor below, landing with a thunderous thud that reverberated through the shaft. Trysson and the others began to descend slowly, one after another, each with a different expression—ranging from nervous anticipation to calm resolve.
Only a few people remained in the elevator now.
"Hector!" Leonardo shouted, his voice cutting through the thick silence. "What was that for? I mean, I know why you did it, but it was unexpected.
Most people—" He paused, turning to see Anna, who looked like she was on the verge of exploding. Her clothes, already disheveled from the past events, now seemed even worse.
"Ahem, Anna will want you dead for that stunt," Leonardo said, his attempt at humor failing to diffuse the tension.
"Hector" a boy says
"Ah, which floor do you stop at again?" Hector asked, seemingly unfazed by the chaos he had caused.
"Floor 1873,"he replied. Hector quickly stopped what he was doing and made the lift halt on that floor as people continued to get off.
"I can't wait to get home," a figure with a dark, intense aura—the so-called "Shadow Blade"—muttered to his guide.
His guide, who was dressed in the standard garb of an everyday man in the tower, a matching blue coat and pants, nodded in agreement. Seven people got down at this stop.
six get down.
"Hector, I have a year, to prepare, i really dont know anything about this place" Leonardo stated.
Hector looked at Leonardo, clearly puzzled by the abrupt declaration. "Oh? Well, alright then.
The Right Star District should be suitable for that. Flying cars are only for certain districts, though."
"Districts? How many are there?" Leonardo inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"That word!" he thinks his mood changing instantly,
"About 21," Hector replied, pointing down below the lift as the mighty expanse of the Sky District came into view. It stretched out like a vast, glittering cityscape, towering and expansive, but still incomparable to the near boundless ground below.
"Yes," Leonardo murmured in awe as he stared down at the sight. Suddenly, Anna lunged at Hector with full force. "You old man!" she yelled, attempting to slap him, but Leonardo intercepted her.
"Anna! It's alright. He slowed it down, didn't he?" Leonardo reasoned, trying to calm her.
"He could have done it five minutes ago! And when did you get all father-sonny with him, huh?" Anna shot back, clearly not convinced. Her voice carried a mix of frustration and concern.
"C'mon, Anna, let's go home first. I'm tired. I've been standing for a while now—not really standing, but still," Elara explained, recalling how she had been stuck to the wall like a leaf against a storm.
"What?" Leonardo asked, still trying to process everything.
"Conductor, my floor is here," Mei-Ling called out, stepping closer to Hector.
"Ah, my fault. Floor 1534!" Hector shouted, pulling the lever as the lift screeched to a halt. Three people, including a pair of heirs, stepped out. A towering figure followed Mei-Ling, his presence commanding attention.
Five got down.
Leonardo couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he observed the figure.
The light filtering in from the sky's dim glow bathed the lift, making the figure's mane appear to shine like molten gold. It illuminated his form, making him seem almost larger than life.
"Why does he look like a lion… his face?" Leonardo thought to himself, squinting to get a better look.
The figure's face had an unusual combination of human and feline features—his skin was a pure orangish-yellow, his irises slit like a cat's. The longer Leonardo stared, the more surreal the figure became.
"He's human—most of the time," Mei-Ling said, her sharp eyes catching Leonardo's curious gaze. She studied him, amused by his naive fascination.
"What do you mean by 'now'?" Leonardo asked, unable to comprehend the deeper meaning behind her words.
"Anna, you'll need to take him to The Grand Bibliotheca. Your guide seems… ignorant should be the right term," Mei-Ling suggested, her fingers making a subtle gesture—two fingers pointing down, as if implying something Leonardo couldn't quite decipher.
"Where did you find such an idiot? Let's go, Leontis," Mei-Ling remarked with a dismissive tone, her gaze briefly resting on Leonardo.
"Yeah, we do have to go to the Bibliotheca," Anna said, sighing heavily. She looked at Leonardo, realizing how little he knew about the complex structure they were in.
"And that'll give us time for more questions…" she continued, her eyes narrowing in thought.
"Leontis? We kinda share the same name. Leonardo-nitis. Leon!" For some reason, Leonardo couldn't contain his excitement.
He was thrilled to share a name—however loosely—with such a formidable figure. "And what was that she talked about? I was already planning on that," he mused aloud.
"See you later, Anna, Elara," Mei-Ling said as she left the lift with her guide.
"First, we get to the floor, then we'll head to the Bibliotheca," Anna said to Elara, who nodded in agreement.
Leonardo turned around to find only five people remaining in the elevator. Excluding Anna, Elara, and himself, only two others were still present.
And who else could it be but—
"Yo! Didn't expect to see you here—or maybe I did. Yo, Elara," the knight said, his voice as casual as if they had just spoken a moment ago.
His guide stood by his side, still holding her staff. The material at the top of the staff shone brighter as the "sun" began to rise in the distance.
The veil covering her face was still shrouded in darkness, giving her an enigmatic appearance.
The knight himself was about Marquis's height. His so-called "long sword" wasn't really a long sword but rather something resembling it, perfectly matched to his height.
He wore a relaxed gray sweater, his hands resting comfortably by his sides.
"Hoody Knight?" Leonardo muttered, recalling what Anna had called him earlier.
"What?"
"Floor 1307! This is the final floor for the heirs! See you later, Leonardo!" Hector shouted as the lift reached the last designated stop.
The knight turned to Elara, giving her a knowing smile. "Walking together again, eh, Elara?"
Elara gave a slight nod, a soft smile crossing her lips as the lift doors opened.