Amon groggily sat up in bed. He didn’t often doze off, certainly not in the middle of the day, but the events that took place earlier – nearly being decapitated by a rage-filled archmage – had exhausted him. Or maybe it was the effect of his aether escaping from the tiny, hairline crack in the stone of his choker, which served to regulate his life energy.

Either way, it took him a moment to remember where he was – the FC infirmary. It was usually overseen by Zel when she wasn’t out on her travels. But earlier that day, it had been empty and silent as he limped through the door and flopped on one of the beds.

“You finally awake?” Koh’s familiar voice prodded from somewhere nearby.

The Elezen rubbed his face, then glanced over at where the girl sat watching him from a chair in the corner. “Aye.”

“Good,” she told him with an edge to her voice, a sign of what was about to come.

“You’re going to scold me.”

“Shouldn’t I?”

Amon frowned, coming quickly to his senses, “I wasn’t the one who went about trying to drown and suffocate someone.”

Koh opened her mouth, a million emotions crossing her face, finally settling on disbelief. After a moment of gathering her thoughts, she stood up, approached the bed, and spoke again.

“I think it’s time we had a talk.”

“Mmmm….” He wasn’t really in the mood for it, but given his current state, he didn’t see a way out of this.

“You know, Amon, for someone who’s supposed to be as smart as you, you’re a real thick-wit.”

“I’ve been called worse,” the Elezen grinned.

Koh wagged a finger in front of his nose, “None of that. You’re going to listen to me. And you’re going to take this seriously.”

Amon gave her a put-out face, not appreciating this treatment. After all, he was the one sitting in the clinic all bandaged up after the scrap with Scylla. Why was he getting berated for taking the fall?

The girl appeared to equate his silence with acceptance, because she didn’t let up.

“You get into these messes because you instigate the situation. Then, when you have to deal with the fallout of your own making, you expect me to feel bad for you? Well, I’m sorry. I don’t.”

The Elezen schooled his face to dull blankness, covering the aggravation he felt. Still, he didn’t speak.

“I know you think I’m just a child, and in comparison to you, I am. But I have seen some things,” Koh told him. “I’m not much of a healer, but I’ve worked with people who came back from battle. I know what trauma looks like. And that’s what I see in Scylla.”

Amon snorted through his nose, “Inconceivable.”

His rival? Tough-as-nails Scylla who never backed down from his challenges?

She even fearlessly walked straight into the trap that he set all those years ago. It wasn’t until later, after she woke from the procedure, that she screamed in fear…

“Are you really going to tell me that you don’t know?” the girl crossed her arms.

“Know? Know what?”

“She’s terrified of you, Amon.”