Navia

I leaned against the railing. Sunset Tower, true to its name, had an excellent view as the sun sank slowly below the horizon. The waning light seemed to drag the energy for my body as it went, my shoulders slumping as the sky stained red and gold. But I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to.

The Copper Falcon was in the hands of the Conquerors, meaning they were one step closer to the Staff of Cycles and ruling Erdas.

Cerco butted his head against my leg, uttering a comforting rumble.

I sighed. "I know. I'm glad that we made it out. But still, it feels like..." I gestured helplessly. "Like we failed?"

Like she won.

Disgust twisted my lip. Lizzie, she'd said her name was. The hatred in her gaze had left me reeling, the fierceness of the battle no match for the fire in her eyes.

"She's supposed to be one of us." I whispered. A beat started up under my temples, insistent and achy. "How can she fight with them?"

"Maybe she doesn't know better."

I whirled around, instinctively reaching over my shoulder. But my spear wasn't there. I'd left it in my room. I cursed my carelessness.

The girl who'd spoken raised her palms as a gesture of surrender. "My apologies. I did not mean to scare you."

The flash of green draped off her shoulders was enough the make me relax again. "That's alright." I half-smiled. "I wasn't expecting anyone to be up here, is all."

She shrugged, black waves of hair bouncing on her shoulders. "I wasn't, either. You seemed deep in thought."

I could've laughed at that. "Yeah. Just... a lot of things have been happening really fast lately." I turned back to the railing.

The girl– who I realized then hadn't introduced herself– stepped up beside me. She leaned on the railing as well, her pale arms contrasting starkly against the dark iron. "I hear you."

"I'm Navia, by the way," I quickly introduced myself. "And this is Cerco."

She glanced down, a smile warming her eyes as she saw the wolverine. "Cana."

"Oh, you're Sabien's friend!" I knew I recognized her from somewhere! "He talks about you all the time. Does he know you're here?"

The smile slid halfway off her lips before she caught and recomposed herself. "No, I just got here a few hours ago. I haven't had the chance to find him."

"Well, maybe you should." I rolled back my shoulders. "I bet he'd really like to see you."

Again, she paused before answering. "You think so?"

"Of course! He–"

The door to the tower terrace burst open then, cutting into my words. Both Cana and I spun toward the noise.

Niko

"Navia!"

I rushed through the door in Tazi's wake, Sabien on my heels. The three of us spilled into the small space, startling Navia and the strange girl she spoke to.

"Guys?" Navia said, her brows furrowing with confusion.

"Cana!" Sabien's cry of surprise made Tazi wince. He bounded forward, throwing his arms around the significantly taller girl. "It's you!" He babbled excitedly, pulling back again. "I didn't know you were here! How are you?"

Cana, as he'd called her, let her lips quirk into a grin. "Hey, Sabien."

"It's been so long!" Sabien hugged her again. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, around." She waved her hand vaguely, the smile creeping farther up her face.

"And you didn't think to come find me?" Sabien pouted. "How rude."

Cana laughed.

I raised a brow at Tazi, who responded with a shrug and an equally bewildered look. Navia saw the exchange and pointedly cleared her throat.

Sabien turned back to us. "Oh! Guys, this is Cana. Cana, these are my teammates. Niko, Tazi, and Navia." He gestured to each as he introduced us.

"Pleased to meet you." I answered. Tazi just waved awkwardly.

Cana smiled back. "Well, I suppose I can leave you to whatever business you had with Navia." She went to leave, but Sabien caught her arm.

"The business can wait–" he glanced at me and I shrugged in partial agreement– "we haven't hung out in ages! Besides, you'll love my team. They're all great."

I saw Navia blush at that, and made a mental note to tease her about it later.

Cana chewed her lip. "Okay." She agreed reluctantly.

"Yes!" Sabien cheered. "Did you know I'm part of a prophecy?"

"No?"

As he started explaining, gesturing animatedly with his hands, Tazi leaned over to me.

"I have never seen him talk so fast or so much." The stingray summoner whispered.

I suppressed a snort. "Me neither." I murmured back.

"Probably because he never talks to you guys." Navia remarked, raising a brow in amusement.

Tazi flushed. I chuckled. "Yeah, probably."

"So what are you guys doing here, at Sunset Tower?" Cana dragged our attention back to the conversation as she directed the question at us.

"We're resting here for a while before we head back to Greenhaven," Navia responded, "we just came back from a mission."

Cana's brows climbed so high I thought for a moment they'd disappear into her hairline. "A mission?"

"Yeah, we were supposed to get the Copper Falcon." I answered.

"'Were supposed to'?" Cana tilted her head. "Meaning?"

Tazi sighed. "Well, we had it, but we had to give it to the Conquerors."

"We has no choice." Navia piped in. "They outnumbered us four to one. We would never have made it back alive if not for Tazi giving up the talisman."

Cana nodded. She looked sympathetic. "I'm sure you'll get it make."

We definitely will, if I have anything to say about it. I set my jaw. "Yeah. We'll be seeing those Conquerors again, I think."

"Why's that?" She glanced at Sabien.

He sighed. "The girl, Lizzie? She's the Eighth. The missing Amayan."

Cana frowned. "Oh."

Oh is right.

"Anyway," I turned to Navia, sending the conversation had petered out. "That's why we were coming to find you. Tyler and Ryan wanted to talk to us. All of us."

"Alright." Navia nodded. She waved to Cana and hurried down the stairs, Tazi at her back.

"I'll be back in a bit, okay?" Sabien promised. "My room is on the second floor, third hallway if you want to come find me."

Cana ruffled his hair. "I'll do that."

Sabien hurried down the stairs.

I turned to follow.

"Niko, was it?" Cana's voice stopped me in my tracks.

I looked back. "Yeah?"

"Good luck with those Conquerors."

I smiled grimly. "Thanks." We'll need it.

She waved and I jogged away down the stairs.

Dun dun duhhhhhh! There you are, they met Cana! For more info on said character, read Riptide! Don't forget to read the epilogue!

edit: 21/05/21
eyyyy 21st day and 21st year look at that
anyway!! that's Cana. she is not my character, but i like her (and yes, i did have permission to include her)
hope you enjoyed!!
only one chapter to go and then we're doneeee
stay safe my lovelies xx