Cyrene was the first to ascend the summit's final steps. The soles of her black boots provide a slight crunch as their hard surface presses against the bramble flooring, woven like a net. The huntress was greeted with a spectacle far grander than she anticipated. High above the Emerald Sea, the morning sun paints the fields below and beyond Gratia. She steps to the edge of the platform and looks down. Animals roamed across the land; tall, bluish mountains towered in the distance; and many cities were far away. She felt breathless as the sun radiated light onto the boundless world. As Gideon followed behind her, she felt another presence at her back; a heavy, imposing pressure at the opposite end of the platform. She turns her head to see Gideon standing in front of her, as well as his master on the other side. 

Master Goode was a tall, stocky man in his fifties with a sharp glare, thick eyebrows, and gray, thinning hair. Standing at over 180 centimeters, his broad shoulders carried his brown overcoat like a cape, and his short-sleeved jade shirt was composed of silky cotton; a small chest window revealed a forest of curly gray hairs, and his broad forearms also held more whiskers. His perfect posture commanded respect, and his mean mug added a smidge of intimidation. He rests his wrist on the hilt of a sword wrapped around his hip. 

Cyrene found herself unable to utter a word, as the man glared at her from across the way. Gideon, on the other hand, firmly approaches him, but Master Goode holds his hand up to his side, prompting him to stop. 

"Gideon," his gruff voice booms from across the platform. "I thought I told you not to investigate the disturbance you saw." 

"I apologize, Master. It may sound odd, but a part of me was drawn by the ethereal blast."

"That is odd," Goode retorts immediately. "People tend to run in the opposite direction of an explosion."  

Goode sees Cyrene walking toward him. 

"And you brought unwanted company." He murmured. 

Cyrene steps beside Gideon. 

"H-hi..." Cyrene greets with a nervous wave.  

"I found this woman wandering the Grotto, and while her intentions differ from mine, she has aided me in finding the truth about what you've been hiding."

Gideon pulls out the smudged paper from within his clothes. 

"I had her help me read this. The single sentence you tried to hide from me," he taps the paper lightly with the back of his hand. "What is this 'Steel Sky' a reference to? Something beyond The Sapling? Signs of civilization further north? I thought you told me there was nothing to be seen beyond these plains?" 

Master Goode did not flinch at Gideon's rising aggression. His weathered voice remained stoic and calm.  

"I did say that," Master Goode agrees. "Nothin' that would benefit you in the long run." 

"Weak lies and poor excuses are all you have fed me during my understudy. I could never believe them. You made it seem like this place is the only sign of life." Gideon accidentally crumples the paper in his hand. "No more! You will let me explore the lands beyond the Emerald Sea! You must!" 

Master Goode's eyes fall to the bystander beside Gideon. The imposing man stares down the huntress, staring from the base of her shoes to the scar on her face. His eyes fall upon the vivacity of her crimson eyes, and they linger there for a moment. He squints, arching his neck forward a bit, causing Cyrene to back up. 

"Um..." Cyrene murmurs. 

"I don't even know your name, and you've brought a whole heap of trouble, little girl." He frowns.

Cyrene's eyebrows furrowed.

"Little girl?" She glares, unintentionally pouting a bit. 

"You need to take your sneering self back to Stalwart Valley." 

Cyrene was partially taken aback. 

"Y-you know where I'm from?"

"I do," Goode nods. "There's only one village in that direction. I used to live there." 

Gideon crosses his arms. 

"...This is the first I am hearing you admit to such a thing. And what made you leave and seek The Sapling?" 

Master Goode pauses for a moment before answering. 

"...I wanted a change of scenery."

"Really?" Cyrene gently presses her finger against her lips. "I don't think me or my brother have seen you around at all," she says, her eyes hovering, attempting to recall Master Goode's presence. "When did you leave?"

Goode's stone-cold demeanor does not change, although once again some dead air hangs over his head. 

"...A long time ago." 

Cyrene puts her hands on her hips. 

"And why did you leave the village anyway?" She asks. 

"You ask too many questions," he says, slightly irate. "The Sapling isn't taking any outsiders at the moment," Master Goode gestures with his head. "Go on. Get outta here." 

"I'd be happy to get out of here," she frowns. "But I just need to know something. There's a man I'm looking for. A merchant in a mask came to my village, and he's the cause of that explosion. After that happened, a bunch of those 'Dysmorphs' came and killed a lot of villagers," she growls. "My brother almost died because of him! I need to know where he went! Did you see him passing through?"  

"You're worried about a merchant, but it sounds like you should stroll back home and take care of your brother." 

"I will! I'm coming back as fast as I can, right after I find that merchant!" 

Master Goode pauses for a moment before responding. 

"I take it you'll be huntin' this fellow for what he's done?" 

The fire in her eyes burned brighter. The furious energy around her churned until it made its presence as her blade. 

"Of course!" She exclaims. 

Master Goode eyes the weapon she spawned. 

"Ah... you're just like Gideon." 

"She's quite skilled with it as well," Gideon claims. "We've had a battle in the Grotto and she held her own superbly." 

"Is that right?" Master Goode murmurs. 

Master Goode draws his blade—a long, serated, curved sword.  The length and weight of the sword, reflecting Cyrene's trepiditious face, caused her to tremble a bit. 

"Mind putting that to the test against me?" 

"W-why do you want to fight me?" She stutters. 

"I want to see if what the animal whisperer says is true." Master Goode firmly plants his feet into the ground while taking a stance, holding the hilt of his blade near his head while pointing the tip at his opponent. "Gideon, you will join her." 

"M-me?" Gideon stammers. 

"I need to see if you're worthy of the outside world. Stand with the woman and fight. If she does not humor me with sparring, she won't get the information he wants either," he glares at Cyrene. "Your call, little girl." 

Gideon snaps his attention to the huntress. 

"Cyrene, we must," he declares, standing by her side. "This is what we've wanted! What we've been waiting for!"

Gideon summons all of his familiars: the stout canine, the bulky Yak, and a new partner, the heavy hawk moth. His summons stands beside him, ready to engage.  

"And not even for a single second will I back down!" 

Master Goode's adamancy shook Cyrene. The cold glare in his eyes and confidence behind his form, in some ways, reminded her of Cyrus and her bouts of sparring with him.  

"You wanna fight...?"

Cyrene lifts her mantle to cover her mouth, then takes a stance of her own. She firmly grasps the hilt of her sword in front of her hip, using both of her hands while putting on a strong face. 

"Let's go!"