19 Called in For Rescue

The group was relaxing in Jasper's infirmary room when Kyrie's watch started vibrating incessantly. When Kyrie opened his holo display he saw the update on Sentry's situation and instructions to report to the nearest airport.

Kyrie responded. *Acknowledged, I'm on my way.*

Kyrie watched DJ, Corson, and Liza pester Jasper with questions about his favorite movies. So far, they had a list of* "Returning Home" *, * "Going Our Own Ways" *, and * "The River" *.

Kyrie hated to break up the relaxed atmosphere, but he couldn't just leave. "I'm going on a mission."

The other four stopped talking and turned to Kyrie with varying degrees of worry.

Liza looked at Kyrie and said, "Are you sure you sure that's safe? You said you were tired earlier."

Kyrie shrugged and stood up. "I'll be alright."

Corson watched Kyrie with concern. Would…there be another news report praising the actions of this hero while disguising the lives lost due to Kyrie's actions?

"Do you want support? … I could go with you," DJ said as he swung his legs off the edge of Jasper's bed.

"No. It's better if I go alone… Tell Centra, I'm sorry I couldn't wait."

"I will." For a moment DJ frowned in worry as Kyrie turned to go. Before Kyrie could leave, DJ forced himself to smile and speak with a lighter lilt, "Come back in one piece, alright?"

Liza sadly brushed her right hand against the braided crown of her hair and said, "Safely. Come back safely."

Kyrie turned to look at his teammates and smiled a bit. "I plan to," was all he said before he left, headed to the airport and out on his first official mission, since the fall of Avalon.

Liza, Corson, and DJ watched the empty doorway for a while more. DJ was worried that Kyrie may have gone on this mission alone. Liza was concerned that Kyrie wouldn't be coming back or that he would come back, in one piece, like her parents. Corson worried for the people who were in danger and would only have a failed hero to help them.

Jasper glanced at the other occupants of the room and spoke, "D-don't worry. H-he'll complete his m-mission and c-come back in o-one p-piece."

Liza turned to Jasper with narrowed eyes and said, "He's going to battle. You can't know if he'll come back."

Jasper gave her a sad smile and said, "Y-yeah… My b-brother's w-worked with K-Kyrie before. He s-said Kyrie h-has one of the h-highest s-success rates s-so I t-think he'll succeed and c-come back s-safely."

DJ and Liz glanced at the doorway one last time before DJ spoke, "There's nothing our worrying can do for him now. But maybe we'll bug the Headmaster later."

♢ ♢ ♢

Kyrie left the academy and headed for the airport across the glistening blue-green river that runs through Laserath. When he arrived at the airport, with Taru on his back, he headed for the LegendSlayer guild terminal.

As Kyrie neared the terminal, he noticed a line of LegendSlayers getting their missions destinations and transportation requirements checked. Kyrie walked past the line and to the staff member checking the LegendSlayers in. Some of the younger LegendSlayers watched unhappily as Kyrie started talking with the staff member.

"I'm here to check in for an emergency class mission."

"Ah! We've been expecting your arrival. Just to check, what's your name, sir?"

"Kyrie Say."

"Good." The staff member looked at the man in the front of the line and said, "Sir would you please step back so I can get Mr. Say checked in?"

"Of course." The man quickly moved to the side.

Further back in the line a young LegendSlayer grumbled to the person in front of them, "Why is he being treated differently. Aren't all missions of the same importance? Or is it just because he's a hero?"

One of the older members of the young man's group responded, "In theory, all missions are equally important. But some missions require a faster response, most of the time it means we're about to lose another city. And, if the emergency response goes well, they may shift some of the mission teams to help stabilize the cities defenses. And a hero usually becomes such by saving cities.

"Oh," the young man said.

At this point, Kyrie had already checked in and was headed farther into the LegendSlayer portion of the airport. Kyrie quickly arrived at the gate for emergency departures.

He walked up to the staff member and said, "I'm Kyrie Say and reporting for the emergency mission to Sentry."

"You can head for the cargo Helicopter LS58. We're still waiting on some of the emergency support staff, but the Pilot is already on board."

Kyrie said, "I'll head over in a moment."

The staff member nodded and spoke with a smile, "Good luck on your mission."

Kyrie smiled back at her. "Thanks."

Kyrie turned and followed the airport signs to the bathroom. After taking care of his business, he washed his hands and stared into the mirror. With the sound of rushing water filling Kyrie's ears, he recalled the screams of the guards and citizens, the pungent coppery smell of blood in the air. The flashes of the pink barrier as it started to fall. The horrifying crack as the barrier gave way and the monsters began to slaughter their way through Avalon. The dark shape of a dragon shoving its way through the stone portion of the northern wall. The body of the little girl holding a phoenix plushy. Her brother's sobs as Kyrie separated him from his sister, the sister he was supposed to protect.

Someone said, "You alright?'

"Huh, yeah I'm good." Kyrie pulled his hands out of the sink and a dried them.

A blond guy with a guandao, a 5 ½ foot long staff with stubby half-moon blade on the end, smiled and said, "Going on your first mission can be pretty scary. What mission are you going on?"

Kyrie glanced at the guy and said, "It's pretty far from my first mission, I'm going to Sentry."

The blond guy paused for a moment before he finished drying his hands and said, "Ah. Sorry about that. The name's Alex, I'm a connection expert. I'll be on the mission to Sentry too." Alex bumped fists with Kyrie, a customary greeting between LegendSlayers who are heading out on the same mission. "What's your specialty?"

Kyrie said, "Slaying legends."

Alex and Kyrie left the bathroom. As they walked towards the helicopter Alex asked, "Was… your last mission a bad one?"

"Yeah. It was Avalon." Kyrie opened the door leading from the airport to the runway.

Alex walked through. "Dang. That one haunts a lot of people and probably will for a long time." Alex gave Kyrie's shoulder a comforting pat. "It's good you're getting back into the game."

Kyrie nodded. "Yeah." He grabbed the shoulder strap of Taru's case. "I will do everything I can to make sure it goes well."

Alex looked at the heavily warded copter made of a dark glittering blue feather wood and nodded. "What's your name kid?"

"Kyrie Say."

Alex smiled. "At least we'll have some serious attack power."

♢ ♢ ♢

It took just under two and a half hours for the helicopter to fly along the Emerilla river and over the lush green forest. The trip was fairly uneventful. They had one run in with a harpy as they were taking off. But the city guard took care of it for them.

As they approached Sentry the pilot spoke to his passengers through the speaker system, "We're approaching Sentry. If it looks intact, I'll land, and we can start assessing the situation. If not, we'll drop our offensive attacker, Kyrie, and he'll clear a landing zone for us."

Alex looked across the helicopter and at Kyrie. "You ready?"

Kyrie stood and pulled Taru from her case. He made his way the door, grabbed a support rail above the door with his left hand, looked Alex, and said, "Yeah." Sometimes vehicles were a necessary evil.