Bayu watched Kai struggling to carry the injured wolf up the gangplank and into the airship, his muscles straining with each step. The wolf was sleek and dark, its coat matted with blood, yet there was a strange beauty to it, a presence that commanded attention even in its injured state. Kai lowered the creature gently onto the table in the middle of their command room, Bayu shut the door behind them. The atmosphere was thick with tension, he could feel the weight of the unspoken questions hanging between them.

"Hold him still," Kai murmured, his voice tense as he pressed a cloth to the wolf's wounds. Blood seeped through the fabric, staining his hands. Bayu glanced at Isaac, whose face was tight with apprehension, eyes narrowed as he studied the wolf.

And then, it happened.

The wolf's body gave a sudden, violent jerk, limbs twitching in spasms. Bayu took a startled step back, his pulse racing as he watched the wolf's form twist and contort, bones cracking and reshaping themselves with an audible snap. Fur receded, drawing back like water as pale skin emerged beneath. Limbs stretched and elongated, shifting into human proportions, the paws unfurling into long, slender fingers.

Before them lay not a wolf, but a young man. His skin was alabaster-pale, a stark contrast to the deep, bleeding scratches and bite marks that marred his body. He lay sprawled, limbs tangled, his form both fragile and unsettlingly beautiful. His hair was dark and cropped close to his head, long lashes framed closed eyes. Every inch of him seemed to bear scars, as though he'd fought battles in both wolf and human form.

Bayu was entranced, unable to look away. He looked delicate, almost breakable. Bayu's gaze flickered over to Kai, who was knelt beside the stranger with a strange look of intensity, his fingers moving deftly to check for injuries. Isaac's expression shifted to something that looked almost like jealousy as Kai's attention lingered on the stranger.

Suddenly, the young man stirred, his eyes flying open with a wild, terrified look. He scrambled back, pressing himself into the corner, his hands raised defensively as he screamed, "GET AWAY! GET AWAY!"

The three of them froze, startled by the outburst. Kai held up his hands in a placating gesture, his voice steady and calm. "Hey, it's alright. We're not going to hurt you. Just... take a deep breath." He kept his voice soft, his gaze focused. "Can you tell us your name? Where you're from?"

The young man's breathing slowed a fraction, his wide eyes darting between them as though still wary of attack. His voice, when he finally spoke, was a hoarse whisper. "I'm... Tomoya. I've been on this airship the whole time."

Isaac's eyebrows shot up. "How on earth is that possible?"

Tomoya's expression darkened, and he looked away. "I was kept... in the basement. Sleeping in a cage." His voice was bitter, almost resigned. "I just assumed my human form now."

"So, are you... a werewolf?"

Tomoya's face tightened, a look of pain flickering across his features, and he didn't respond. Bayu sensed there was something more there, something darker that lingered unspoken, but he let the question hang. He wasn't sure he was ready for the answer.

Kai's expression had hardened with a fierce determination, his jaw set. "Alright. Here's the plan. Tomorrow, after we've rested and tended to the worst of our wounds, we'll head back to the witches and see what we can learn. Bayu, Isaac—I need you both with me on this." His eyes shifted toward Tomoya, who was still trembling, curled into himself in the corner. "I'll deal with him."

Bayu felt a pang of sympathy as he looked at Tomoya. Without a word, he went to the small storage cupboard and retrieved a blanket, draping it gently over Tomoya's shoulders. Tomoya clutched it tightly, his gaze flicking up to Bayu for a moment, something passed between them—a spark of recognition, of understanding.

Before long, Bayu moved over to Kai and spoke in a hushed tone. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Kai nodded, and they stepped out onto the narrow balcony, the cool night air washing over them. Bayu glanced back toward the door, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Isn't this weird?" he said finally. "Tomoya... he's the fourth recruit on our squad, but he was kept in a cage?"

Kai let out a slow breath, his face shadowed in thought. "I know. There's a lot here we're not seeing. But we'll sort it. Let's just try to take things one step at a time." He paused, his eyes finding Bayu's with a resolute calm. "You and Isaac go and meet with the witches, see what's really going on here. I'll stay and handle Tomoya."

Bayu nodded, but a strange, unsettled feeling lingered in his chest.

*****

Mildred Mackerlay was a large robust woman. She was clothed entirely in a husky, midnight black. Her long skirts swished as she regarded Bayu and Isaac with a careful eyebrow. Flanked on both sides were her attendants, lean pale faced men in crisp sharp suits, their foreheads were dusted in globs of sweat thanks to the unrelenting heat. Bayu fought the urge to smell his armpits.

"The Aetherwing Brigade was it?" Her veiny hands were on her hip. "Thought there would be more of you?"

Bayu's gaze swept across the English harbor. It was a bustling port town. While the native elves of Antigua wandered about with baskets of bread, newspapers, and other tidbits, there was also a significant influx of British people in their wide-woven Western clothing and sunburned skin. Bayu could hear noise erupting from every corner of the town.

"It's just us for now." Isaac answered with a cheeky grin. Bayu noticed that he had a small dimple on his left cheek. Freckles danced across his skin with an increasing ferocity. It was fascinating.

"Hm. State your case." She waved her hands dismissively.

"I'm sure you know why we're here." Bayu straightened his posture. In spite of everything he was still a noble's son. "Dark magic has been erupting throughout all of Falmouth, the elves suspect it was you."

Mildred smiled cruelly. "Is it because I'm a witch?"

"It's because you're the Head witch overseeing the British occupation in Antigua, this type of black magic is usually performed by witches, I'm sure you're aware of that." Bayu countered.

"We had nothing to do with it."

"But surely-"

"I can assure you I haven't placed, nor sanctioned or allowed anyone to place black magic in Falmouth. Are we ethically buying up the land and the crops there? Sure! That is what is causing contention with the elves, especially Jabari-." Mildred spat his name out like it was sour. "But what are we to do if the elves are selling? Blaming us for the black magic is ludicrous. Sending the Aetherwing Brigade to solve this skirmish is even more preposterous. I'm sure there's more important things you ought to be doing."

"Well are the elves aware of that?" Isaac cut in, his expression had turned a little more serious.

Mildred cocked her hip. "Is it really appropriate to have an elf handle this case? I'm sure there will be issues of bias."

"Excuse me-" Isaac's face flushed red. This whole situation was starting to confuse him, the mission details had clearly stated that the witches were allowing dark magic to corrupt the lands in Falmouth, he had the scars on his hands to prove it. They were either telling a bold face lie, or something else is was at play. Bayu thought back to his days at Pradipta School of Scholars in Batavia. When he was a younger boy who was hopelessly in love with Ratih and hopelessly thought she loved him back.

His teacher, Scholar Aditya, was a stern faced man with a thick protruding beard and moustache. He remembered those long listless days, his teacher scrawling white charcoal on the blackboard and lecturing with a slow languid tongue.

"When negotiating with diplomats, peers or ministers, what is the best option to ensure you win?"

"Cheat them?" A pimple faced boy with exceedingly rich parents shouted to the front of the class. "Or better yet not negotiate at all. Take what you want by brute force."

Scholar Aditya acknowledged him with a tsk and pointed at Bayu. "What do you think? I can see your mind whirring."

Bayu chewed on his lip. "It's better to let them think they've won."

"How?"

Bayu had hesitated before responding, feeling each of his classmates' eyes on him.

"Sometimes, the art of negotiation isn't to overpower or outmaneuver," Bayu said slowly, carefully weighing his words, "but to give them a taste of victory. To offer them something they think they've achieved, while your real intention sits quietly, undiscovered."

Aditya's lips had twitched into a smile. "Yes. You win by letting others wear the crown while you wear the throne. To ensure peace or power, let them believe they control it."

Standing there now, in front of Mildred, he could feel the weight of that memory guiding him. He gave a slight, respectful nod to her. "What if," he began, his voice thoughtful, "we broker a peace that feels like a victory for both sides? A grand banquet where the elves and witches both feel honored, feel valued. Where both able to come to a mediation on the situation."

Mildred's eyes narrowed, her curiosity visibly piqued. Isaac, standing beside him, still looked uncertain, even frustrated, but Bayu knew that a complex truth often required a subtler approach.

"It's about mutual trust," Bayu continued. "If the witches are willing to join, we create an atmosphere where everybody feels secure and most importantly, the elves will feel respected and heard. We're not forcing a truce. We're simply inviting both parties to enjoy a moment of calm, among good food, music and conversation."

Mildred crossed her arms. "And why should I waste my resources on such a banquet?"

"The Aetherwing Brigade will hold the banquet. You only need to show up." Bayu struck out his hand. A light breeze travelled through the harbour. He regarded Mildred's pale blue eyes with a hint of a smirk. "Do we have ourselves a deal?"

She clasped his hands firmly. "Deal."

*****

"I don't understand you." Isaac sulked. They were sitting upon the top of a hill overlooking the harbour below. Bayu took a sip of his sorrel punch, on the way back to the airship an eager vendor had boasted of the sweet drink made from hibiscus and ginger, it calmed him somewhat.

"What in regards to the banquet? Thought you wouldn't turn down the opportunity to get free food."

Isaac chuckled, his face softening slightly. "I know but we saw what was happening with the elves, lives were lost because of the witches dark magic."

"But we can't know for sure if it was them or not."

Isaac's face crumpled again, he downed the rest of the punch, staring out into the glistening waters with glassy green eyes.

"What's really wrong?" Bayu relaxed at his side. Since arriving in Antigua, it was go, go, go. He hadn't had the time to relish in the beauty of his surroundings, to actually digest the fact that he had travelled to another part of the world.

"How come we didn't know what was going on with Tomoya? So you mean to tell me there was a wolf in the basement our entire journey to Antigua?"

Bayu shrugged. He nudged at Isaac's elbow slightly. "You're still not saying what's bothering you..." Bayu had a weird feeling in his chest to protect the sullen faced elf. He was wiry and thin, a shock of gorgeous red curls and delicate features. Could he fight wars? Could he protect himself against monsters? Against unrelentless darkness and despair?

"When we were attacked by those monsters...I couldn't do anything. If it wasn't for the wolf I would have-" Isaac drew his legs up to his chest. "I'm so useless this is the third time I've been saved already."

"When were the other times?"

Isaac's silence stretched between them, heavy yet laced with something unspoken, until Bayu felt the gentle pulse along their bond. It was a warmth he hadn't expected—a quiet yet intimate feeling that curled into his thoughts, settling in his chest with a softness that felt almost sacred. Then, Isaac's voice drifted through, so close and vulnerable it felt like a confession shared in a whisper.

The first time... Isaac's words moved slowly, a gentle breath in Bayu's mind. Kai saved me on the ship to Alaska. We were barely holding on as it was, and then... one of those monsters, it surged up from the water and wrapped itself around me, dragging me into the sky. There was a pause, a flash of memory tinged with awe and fear. It was dark, colder than anything, but I felt this heat, this blinding fire, and then... Kai's dragonflame, burning it all away.

A subtle warmth flowed back to Isaac, a gentle affirmation from Bayu, like a hand laid across his. He felt Isaac's hesitation, and he gave him only quiet encouragement, holding the bond with a calm patience.

The second time, Isaac continued, his voice even softer, the memory woven with a strange, fragile emotion. It was... something I'll never forget. Kai's fire... He hesitated, and Bayu sent a small, comforting ripple through the bond, urging him on, feeling the intimacy of their connection tighten around them like a heartbeat. Kai's fire burned the smoke out of my lungs.

Bayu could feel the weight of those words, and Isaac's memories filtered through with a haunting intensity. London was thick with it, Isaac's thoughts were heavy, vulnerable, the words drifting softly. It clung to everything—filled every breath. Each day I'd feel it gathering, thickening inside of me, and when Kai's flames touched me... it was like he dissolved it all, as if he saw it buried inside me and... set me free. A shiver of awe lingered in the bond. It was like nothing I'd felt before. Euphoric.

The feeling passed through them, intense and unguarded, filling Bayu with an overwhelming tenderness, a quiet yearning to protect Isaac's fragile hope, and a shared, unspoken gratitude toward Kai.

Are you... jealous of Tomoya? Bayu's thoughts brushed across Isaac's like a whisper, a question without demand or expectation, but colored with a strange ache he could hardly name.

There was a long, trembling pause, then Maybe... Isaac's answer was laced with a raw vulnerability, softened by a hopeful edge. But... I want him as an ally too. I want to be someone Kai can depend on, not just someone he has to keep saving.

Isaac's emotions washed over him—uncertainty and devotion intermingled—and Bayu held him gently within the bond, allowing his own feelings to flow back like a steady warmth. Then let me protect him with you. We can stand together, and if it helps... I'll be by your side, always.

Isaac shuddered, wrenching himself out of the bond. Bayu grasped onto his temples, groaning.

"That hurt."

"Sorry." Isaac dusted his fingers along Bayu's arm. "I should have come out slowly."

Bayu regarded him with a slow look. "I never want you to feel as if you have to tell me anything you don't want to."

"No it's fine." Isaac shook his head. "I wanted to."

Bayu grinned. "That explains why you're so attached to Kai though."

"Shut up! No I'm not."

"I saw both of you, back at Alaska." Bayu remembered spotting the pair, creeping into the air ship with identical looks of awe on their faces. Kai had a strong and steady hand wrapped around Isaac's lithe waist. He thought not much of it, back then.

"Anyways let's stop talking about me. What about you?" Isaac dug his feet into the grass.

"What about me?"

"Your betrothed. Your fiancée, hello! I can't even get a letter back from a mermaid and you've got your whole life sorted out."

Bayu tried not to scrunch his face up in pain. His broken engagement with the love of his life was still an ache he hadn't yet soothed. He could still feel the bruises on his ribs from Jaya's punches. Could see his brother's looks of confusion when he left not more than a few days later to Alaska of all places.

He remembered Jaya, cornering him in his room, his face aghast at the suitcases.

"Father told me you're leaving."

Bayu couldn't even look at him. His Father hadn't said much when Bayu mentioned his plans to join Aetherwing. "It's good experience for you." He said, "It'll make you a better governor" as if the Brigade was just a stop gap for him.

Jaya's eyes were teary, his face bloaty and red. "You're not leaving because of what happened at your birthday are you?" He grasped at Bayu's arm. "Bayu please don't leave because-"

"Don't-" Bayu's voice broke. "Don't pretend like you didn't know what you were doing. I know what it's like to be in love. I know what it's like for your heart to sing whenever she walks by, to feel as if you're bonded on a visceral level. You knew I loved her. I wouldn't ever fault you for doing the same." Bayu stepped closer to Jaya. They were so alike, same long tumbling locks, same straight nose, the same mahogany eyes. "But you couldn't tell me. You lied to me." He pushed Jaya straight into the wall, the portraits hanging on weak hooks shook. "You looked me in the eye and you lied. You ate with me, laughed with me, and you lied. You said happy birthday to me and you lied." Bayu felt his voice grow higher like an unrelenting crescendo. "Would you have let me marry her? Would I have walked down the aisle with Ratih on my arm. Would I have kissed her? Birthed children for her? Loved her to my last dying breath, and would you have still lied to me?" Bayu grabbed onto Jaya's silky cobalt batik fabric, his fingers trembled. "TELL ME JAYA, WOULD YOU HAVE LIED!"

Bayu let go, stepping away from Jaya. He strode over to the mottled window in his room that overlooked the terribly beautiful garden in his terribly beautiful mansion. He traced shapes and images in the glass. Bayu felt Jaya's gaze weave over him like a curse. "Please just let me go. I can't be around you or Ratih."

Jaya joined Bayu at the window, he stared him down, his chin trembling. "Don't do this Bayu, please don't-"

"Will you leave her?"

"W-w-what-" Jaya stuttered.

"I'm telling you to leave her. Stop loving her. I'll stay." Bayu ground his jaw.

What felt like an eternity passed between them. Jaya closed his eyes, a single tear rolled down his cheek, he looked down at the floor, shook his head.

"Get out." Bayu's voice was deathly quiet.

"Bayu please-"

"Get out."

"BAYU-"

Bayu felt a hot sharp burst of blue magic swirl out of him, he blasted it onto his brother's legs who jumped back in shock. "Please-" he begged. Bayu was unrelentless, he shot hot sharp blasts of magic, over and over, until Jaya slinked away, holding himself together, shaking.

"Bayu?" Isaac's kind, gentle face smiled at him nervously. His fingers were still dusting around his arm.

"She's lovely. My fiancée I mean." Bayu stood up, dusting his crumpled uniform. "Shall we get more sorrel punch? Let's bring back some for Kai and Tomoya."

"Okay." Isaac shot down the hill like a light, ginger locks blowing brazenly in the wind.

Bayu watched Isaac's figure fade into the distance, the weight of his emotions still heavy in his chest. He swallowed hard, the ache in his heart too raw to confront, but for now, he followed, stepping into the unknown with Isaac by his side, and the past left behind in the shadows.