The settlement hummed with morning life, sunlight slipping through the broken skylights in thin golden lines across the concrete floor. Tony sat on an overturned crate outside their curtained corner, pretending to sharpen a knife while his fingers kept touching the broken trombone pieces in his lap. Every few seconds he tapped one, and a small ripple happened—dust floated in slow circles, a kid's toy car rolled an extra inch by itself. Tiny things. Safe things. But every one made his stomach flip with excitement and a little fear.
Lila came out from behind the curtain, hair tied back, holding two plates of flatbread and some dried fruit they traded for yesterday. She sat next to him, gave him a plate, and took a slow bite of her own before speaking. "You've been humming again. Quiet, but steady. People are starting to look over."
Tony made a face. "Was it loud?"
"Not loud," she said. "Just… there. Like the air is breathing with you." She looked around at everyone doing their morning things—someone fixing a solar panel, kids kicking a half-flat soccer ball, an old man telling stories to anyone who stopped. "We can't stay here much longer. Not after last night. The beasts didn't just stop. They listened. And someone is going to talk."
He nodded, picking at the bread. "I know. But where do we go? This is the only place that feels even a little like home since everything broke."
Lila's face went soft for a second, thinking about their old apartment and backyard. Then she smiled a little. "West. Toward the old highways. Elias is scouting that way. He told me there's a bigger group forming near the Mississippi ruins. More people means more eyes on us, but also more help. And maybe answers."
Tony looked up at her. "Elias? You know him?"
Lila's cheeks went a tiny bit pink, but she didn't hide it. "Yeah. We've crossed paths a few times. He's… reliable. And we're close. Very close."
Before Tony could ask more, a shadow fell over them. Elias Voss leaned against the nearest pillar, arms crossed, a small breeze moving around his boots even though the air was still. His gray eyes found Lila first, and his whole face softened.
"Lila," he said, voice warm.
Lila dropped the plate and ran to him. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. Elias wrapped his arms around her waist, lifted her off the ground for a second, then set her down but didn't let go right away. When they pulled apart, he kept one hand on her arm.
"I felt your brother's sound last night," Elias said quietly. "From miles away. Wind carries everything… but that note carried farther than it should."
Lila nodded, still smiling. "I figured you'd show up soon."
Tony watched them, eyebrows up. "So… you two are a thing?"
Lila laughed, short and a little embarrassed. "Yeah. We're a thing."
Elias looked at Tony, eyes steady but friendly. "I'm Elias Voss. Whisperer of Winds. S-Class hunter. And yes, I've been keeping an eye on this place because of her." He nodded toward Lila. "Now I'm keeping an eye on you too."
Tony blinked. "You're an S-Class hunter?"
"Been one since the beginning," Elias said simply. "Lila's Aqua of the Sea. I'm Whisperer of Winds. We hunt, we survive, we keep people safe. And now you've got something bigger than either of us."
Lila stepped back beside Tony, her hand on his shoulder. "He's X-Class. God of Songs and Music. But no one else knows yet."
Elias studied Tony for a long moment, then gave a small nod. "Then we keep it that way. You're going to need friends. Real ones. Not the kind who sell you out."
Tony's heart beat fast. "And you're volunteering?"
Elias smiled, small but real. "I'm already walking the same road as her. West. Toward the Mississippi camps. I have my own reasons. But if you're carrying something that powerful, the road will get hard fast. I'm coming with you."
Tony looked at Lila. She gave a tiny nod, eyes bright.
"Okay," Tony said. "But you follow our rules. No one knows what I can do. Not yet."
Elias nodded. "Fair. Pack light. We leave at dusk. Beasts sleep better when the sun's down."
He turned and walked away, leaving only a soft breeze that smelled like rain far away.
Tony looked at Lila, eyes wide. "So… you have a boyfriend who's an S-Class wind hunter?"
Lila laughed again, lighter this time. "Looks like we got a travel buddy who's also family."
Tony smiled, small and real. He picked up the trombone bell, turned it once, then put it carefully in his pack.
Dusk was coming.
And so was the road.