"Glad to see you're alive," Ilios greeted when the star returned to base. Castyr saluted his commanding officer before reporting his unfruitful search. Ilios' expression softened when the star's gaze fell to the ground. "Don't worry, you can go out again after your mission." Although Ilios was doubtful that Kilo would have been kept on Earth during the fifty years following his capture, Ilios wanted to do his best to aid Castyr in his endless search for the guardian angel.

The star nodded silently in thanks, his gaze moving back up to the colonel's eyes as Ilios informed, "Debrief is in three hours. Wash up and get some sleep until then."

"Yes, sir." Castyr saluted Ilios once more before being dismissed and exiting the colonel's makeshift office. Once he was showered and clean, Castyr set his rifle on the weapon rack in his tent and sat on his cot. Slipping the backpack off his shoulders, Castyr lay down and heaved a breath before rolling onto his side, closing his eyes, and falling into a restless sleep.

The beeping of Castyr's wrist device woke the star two and a half hours later. He quickly slipped into a new pair of black cargo pants and a black, fitted shirt before donning his equipment belt and gearing up. Once fully dressed, Castyr grabbed the neck of his jacket and exited his tent. The star slipped on his tattered jacket and entered the nearest lift that brought him up to the fourth floor of the bombed-out skyscraper situated above the parking garage.

Entering the lobby on the fourth floor, the guards saluted the lieutenant as Castyr passed them and ventured down the long corridor that eventually led him to a conference room. Once inside the rectangular room, Castyr joined his usual team at the long table and slipped into an empty chair.

"Where've you been?" Major Azyr asked as the star sat beside him.

"On a search," Castyr replied.

"For what, a girlfriend?" Lieutenant Destil teased. He remembered Castyr briefly telling him that he would be gone for three days, so the star's fellow lieutenant was curious about what had caused Castyr to disappear for so long.

"I don't have a girlfriend," Castyr growled. Destil never failed to aggravate the star with his endless teases.

"Oh, so you're looking for your boyfriend!" Destil assumed excitedly thinking he had found the correct response for a question that was not meant to be answered.

Castyr shot Destil a look that could kill as pain struck his heart. Castyr's fellow lieutenant quickly closed his mouth and looked at the star sheepishly. "Sorry," the frightened squirrel apologized.

I swear he's gotten even more annoying. Castyr knew Destil meant no harm, but he could not stop the pain that clenched at his heart as he thought of the one whom he had been searching for endlessly.

Castyr turned to face the conference room door as Colonel Ilios entered accompanied by a general and two majors. Castyr and the other soldiers present stood in salute as the high-ranking officers walked to the head of the table. The general sat at the end with Ilios on his right. The rest of the soldiers sat after the newly arrived officers took their seats.

The general opened the meeting by greeting, "Tonight will determine when we can go home as the assignment is to secure the Transport Tower. If we succeed, we will be one step closer to defeating Hades. So, let's do our best."

Colonel Ilios began the briefing once the general had concluded his opening. "Beta Team will be stationed around the tower and attack at midnight. Delta Team will back up Beta Team while Alpha Team infiltrates the tower." Ilios continued, "Beta Sniper Jaemyn will be on the City Cultural Center a block from the tower. Sniper Mino from Delta Team will back up his team from the Bank of Dexys. And Alpha Sniper Castyr will be stationed on the roof of the Transport Tower."

From there, Ilios turned and addressed Castyr, "Lieutenant, you will be dropped from a passing craft onto the tower's roof. From there, you will cover Alpha Team as they near and enter the tower. You will lay low until they reach the transport where you will cover them as they secure the floor."

"Yes, sir." Castyr accepted the command with a sharp nod. The colonel then informed each team and sniper of their individual missions. Once the general approved the mission and gave the 'go ahead', the three teams dispersed to prepare. The teams were not required to be at their positions until one hour before midnight, so Castyr returned to his tent to catch up on sleep.

TIME SKIP: 6 HOURS

A nudge on the arm woke Castyr from his rest. Opening one eye, Castyr looked up to see Azyr standing over him. Seeing the star stir, Azyr said, "It's nineteen hundred (7 pm). Let's grab some food."

Castyr blinked sleepily and sat up, nodding in silent response as Azyr left his tent. After slipping on his jacket, Castyr followed the major to the food hall on the ground level of the corporate skyscraper above the garage. Castyr and Azyr were joined by Destil and Sinjae, the second-in-command of Castyr's team, as they tagged onto the line of hungry soldiers. Some stood with sleep in their eyes and messy hair while others had their weapons prepped and ready. Castyr was in between the two extremes. He had his weapons, but he certainly had sleep in his eyes.

The star thanked the chefs for the meal as his tray was filled with food and found his teammates at a table toward the back of the cafeteria.

"Get some good sleep?" Destil asked as Castyr set his tray on the table.

"Mm," the star sounded as he sat down and scooped up some rice. He stopped chewing when he felt eyes on him, and he looked up to see Destil staring at him. "What?" Castyr asked as he scooped another spoonful of the freshly cooked rice.

"Oh, nothing. It's just...I've never seen someone with eyes like yours," Destil explained as he continued to star at Castyr.

"Why? Do you see stars?" Castyr returned.

"Pfff, no! Why would I see stars?" Destil laughed and waved his hand; he had not expected that to be Castyr's response.

Memories of Kilo staring into Castyr's star-filled eyes flashed through the star's head, and he traveled back to the time on Devyn's ship when he could gaze into Kilo's intoxicating purple eyes without a care in the world.

"They're just a pretty color." Destil's mumbling brought Castyr out of his deep thoughts. "Then, are you flirting with me, Squirrel?" Castyr teased.

"What?! No! Besides, I have someone I like!" Destil was quick to defend himself, causing Castyr to chuckle at his frantic response.

"Okay... I just thought it was strange that a man who is head over heels for someone was checking out another man's eyes."

"Can I not appreciate beauty?"

"Destil, that's enough. Leave Castyr alone," Sinjae, one of the two majors on Castyr's team, intervened.

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." Destil drooped his head and returned to eating in silence.

The sun was almost set when Castyr's team exited the food hall. The soldiers returned to their section of the base and began preparing for the mission ahead. Castyr ensured he had packed as many weapons as he could manage while the others checked and double-checked their gear. When twenty-two hundred (10 pm) came, Castyr and his team reported to Colonel Ilios at the center of the base.

"Best of luck, Alpha Team," Ilios encouraged the soldiers standing before him. After addressing the entire team, Ilios pulled Castyr to the side and quietly asked, "Will you be alright going back there?"

Castyr swallowed dryly before nodding. He would have to be. Although he had past trauma from the fight on the Transport Tower fifty years ago, Castyr knew he could not let them stop him from completing the mission.

"Okay, good. But if you must, pull out." Ilios squeezed Castyr's shoulder before leaving to check on the other teams. When Ilios had moved on, Major Azyr signaled for Alpha Team to go to their positions. "Let's go, people. Move out!"

The star subconsciously held his breath as he turned to peer up at the Transport Tower that loomed over him. Although the base was a few miles from the tower, the immensely tall structure was still daunting to those on the ground. Castyr clenched his fists as he gazed at the top of the tower where the battle had taken place five decades prior. 

The snarls from the horde of demons echoed in Castyr's mind as he faced the fact that he would be going to that very place in a matter of minutes. The demons' snarls shifted to Kilo's screams as Castyr recalled the angel's cry of pain as he was overcome by the forces of Hades. The star gasped quietly and tried to shut out the screams from his quivering mind.

Get ahold of yourself, Castyr! You are about to fight a battle. You cannot afford to be frozen by fear. Not now. Not when there's so much at stake. You need to survive this night. You must survive. You can't die without finding Kilo even if it's the last thing you do!