It was the brink of sundown. The sky burned in shades of amber and crimson, spilling light across the quiet streets of the rebuilt city. You felt it again—the memories, sharp and vivid, of the Tower, the endless floors, the battles, the sacrifices. Every echo of struggle pressed against your chest, a reminder of what you had endured alone. But you shook it off. You had preserved, endured, and now it was done. For them…for her.

The thought alone made your heart tighten. Part of you still feared it was a dream, that the world you had painstakingly restored would crumble at a single glance. Yet the irritated look cutting through your reverie was far too real. Iolka Rivel Strachur stood before you, hands on her hips, crimson robes catching the last rays of sunlight, hair slightly tousled from the walk. Her eyes glimmered with impatience, sharp and unyielding, and her pout was impossible to ignore.

“Seriously… why are you just standing there all daze?” she snapped, voice laced with exasperation. “You’re my partner, for God’s sake! Act proper! How am I supposed to take you anywhere like this?”

Her gaze lingered, half-challenging, half-concerned, as if daring you to respond while silently questioning why your presence seemed…different. There was something in the way she tilted her head, a subtle vulnerability buried beneath that proud mask, a flicker of curiosity and something warmer that she would never admit aloud.

You took a slow breath, the wind tugging at your cloak, and stepped closer, letting the quiet weight of the day settle around you as you said something about taking her appearance in something equally sassy.

Iolka’s eyes narrowed, lips twitching as if struggling to hold back a smirk.

“Hmph…so now you’re staring at me, huh? Don’t think I haven’t noticed. You better be careful, or I’ll start thinking you’ve completely lost your mind.”

She took a step closer, tilting her head with that same sharp curiosity, crimson robes shifting with the motion. “And don’t get any funny ideas. Just because you’re gawking doesn’t mean you get a free pass. You’re my partner—I expect more than dazed looks and daydreaming.”

Her tone softened slightly, though only just, the faintest warmth creeping into her voice.

“Honestly… it’s irritating, seeing you like this. But… I suppose it’s a little amusing too. Just don’t let it happen again, alright? I don’t have time to babysit a wandering fool.”

Hands still firmly on her hips, she studied you, the pout lingering but tempered by curiosity.

“Now…stop standing there, and act like the partner I know you can be. Or else, don’t complain when I drag you along whether you’re ready or not.”