"Ness?" I said her name in surprise as I looked at her, her body language was screaming nervousness, the blush upon her cheeks confirmed it. However, she managed to pull through it and speak.

"For as long as I have lived, I have never done anything remotely close to what I have done with you this past day... I never thought I was going to. I never had the urge... But after watching you with your harem, I will not lie, I became intrigued.

I never planned to act on it. The way I experience emotion and time is different to you... As you are now. What we have done, what I did to you... It’s equivalent to jumping into bed with you after knowing you for literally a second in human terms. It is very fast.

Though I know after experiencing what I did. The pleasure I received from the act... I know I want to do it again. I don’t know how soon, I don’t know if it will be similar to what I just did or if it will even be within a year. But I know I want to experience the sensation again... With you. My friend. My ally. My possible something more?"

Nerissa then showed me an incredibly vulnerable look. A sharp contrast to the incredible warrior she was. Her eyes began to dart around. "Well, we should probably catch up with Rhapso before-"

I closed the distance between us and cupped her face with my hands. I leaned closer, had my helmet pull back and paused for her reaction. Her eyes glancing towards my lips was all I needed.

Pressing my lips against hers, I immediately tasted tree sap. It was so sweet and delicious. I felt Nerissa press her body against mine for support, her hand landing on my chest. It made me immediately want more, but now wasn’t the time and not the purpose of the kiss.

Pulling back Nerissa looked like a lost sheep, her new complexion made her adorable in my eyes. Moving a strand of hair from her face, I spoke warmly. "Don’t you worry. We are both going to live for a long time. We go at your pace... Our friendship before anything else. Just give me more of those impromptu kisses that started the other day to keep me sated. Hmm?"

"*Ahem* U-Um. Yeah, that sounds perfect. Thank you for understanding Apollo. I knew you would" Nerissa replied after my tease before fully composing herself. She then adorned her helmet before looking around.

"We should regroup with Rhapso now, we are close to the other Praetorians, my armour is picking up their signatures."

I gestured ahead and rematerialized my helmet. "Lead the way."

...

Nerissa and I approached a small clearing. Perfectly circular like the glade, though not as large. But something felt strange this time.

Nerissa noticing my sudden tenseness reassured me. "It’s a cloak. Tech, not Psionics. I’ve already marked you as an ally, so the defences won’t liquify you as you pass through... Double checked, you are clear."

"Very reassuring Ness." I said and walked forward into the clearing. I felt for a moment as I walked like I passed through something akin to slime before hearing and seeing from the other side.

"-Oh no. We were like, super wrong. Yeah. Just some human, nothing more. And he isn’t even that good looking either. Nerissa was totally laying it on thick... Totally."

Following Rhapso’s voice, Nerissa and I found her and another familiar suit of armour. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"I see... Nerissa, Apollo. It is good to see you both again. Apollo, allow me to take a moment to thank you in accompanying us on this mission. And congratulations on Sentinel Status. That is quite a move up in the empire. At such a young age too."

I approached the praetorian and extended my hand for a handshake. "Thank you Phoebe. And it is my pleasure to meet you again. Especially under better circumstances... Well better for me. War doesn’t- Nice to meet you again."

"Heh." Phoebe let out a small laugh as she shook my hand before turning to Nerissa.

"Nerissa, five minutes ago your armour signature experienced a malfunction. Your bio monitor missed a heartbeat, check your gear when you have a moment."

Nerissa simply nodded and replied. "Of course Phoebe. I must have taken a hit the other day that has not affected my gear until now."

My eyes narrowed smugly as I looked at her behind my helmet. She must have sensed my pride as I jumped to the conclusion of what caused that ’error’, but she refused to look in my direction.

I stopped after a moment before turning to the other two Praetorians. "So what? Is it just us four on this mission or-"

"!!!"

A chill suddenly went up my spine. Dodging to the left, I felt and heard a blade scraping across my helmet.

I wasted no time. I lowered my centre of gravity, and began to spin. As I did so I materialised Zircon in my hand and slashed out defensively in a horizontal arc.

However, where I slashed at, there was nothing there. It was then I heard a voice from behind me.

"Oh wow. He has fast reflexes for a human, I’ll give him that."

I turned around again, still in a combative stance. Before me was a Praetorian, but I didn’t linger on them for long as I still felt under threat.

"Better than fast! I can’t get a clean attack in!, it’s like he can sense me! I’m seriously impressed kid."

To the left of Phoebe. Another Praetorian made himself known and as soon as he did I finally allowed myself to relax. It wasn’t the first time I had been attacked as a greeting, Valerica did the same thing.

I was ready to let bygones be bygones, Nerissa however...

"Marnes! Aeteos! What do you think you are doing? Attacking our ally like that? One of the few humans that know and accept our true identity? I have it in my right mind to teach the pair of you some serious manners! Unacceptable!"

The Two Praetorians lost their poise and crumbled under Nerissa’s chastise.

"Sorry sister."

"Sorry Nerissa. We were just making sure the Sentinel was strong enough for our battle tactics. Besides, I didn’t try to hurt him. I aimed for his ear. He can live without his ear."

Nerissa folded her arms. "Why are you apologising to me? You didn’t try to attack me did you? No you attacked my friend and ally, so apologise to him."

The two Praetorians then looked towards me before in unison the sheepishly began rubbing their heads and looking away.

"Sorry."

"Sorry, Apollo."

I smiled seeing this and decided to lift the mood. "It is no bother Marnes, Aeteos. In fact, now the pair of you have to watch out for a sneak attack of my own as revenge. So be on your guard."

The duo suddenly stopped rubbing their heads and looked at me with what I assumed was shock before looking at each other before,

"Hahahahaha!"

In the blink of an eye the duo were now flanking me, wrapping their arms around my shoulders.

"I like this one brother. He has a fire within him!"

"Agreed brother! Not many would dare to challenge a Praetorian. No wonder Nerissa did a runner with the man! Come, come.

With the tension broken, I took a quick glance over the two Praetorians armour. They wore identical pieces. Scantly engraved compared to Nerissa’s. There were also more flexibility gaps in the armour to allow for speed. The duo had an identical gem in the centre of their chest plate. A light and dark pattern split vertically down the middle. Their helmets were streamline and narrow with a cool blue eye gap and atop the helmet were two flairs that made them look like they had wings atop.

"So, are you two twins?" I couldn’t help asking due to the similarities.

"In the human sense of the word, I suppose we are." Marnes said.

"We were created at the same time our god was crafting a weapon of two extremes. After days upon days of labour so gruelling even our god became exhausted. At the end, Vulcan had produced a piece of Psionic war gear balancing Void Psionics and pure Light Psionics together." Aeteos followed up.

"The balance made was so beautiful that in his pride, Vulcan let out his energy and moments later we emerged as his proud assistants. One wielding Light."

"The Other Void."

"Woah, that’s a pretty cool story. I’ve never tried my hand at blacksmithing or forging anything other than my body. I’d love to give it a go sometime, but I can’t afford to get addicted to another form of creation. I already have enough on my plate as it is." I said before going into thought.

"Though Psionically created war gear does sound pretty good... No! Bad Apollo! Take thoughts elsewhere. Hmm~ Vulcan though? That’s interesting. I thought it would be Hephaestus? That’s a new one. Hmm? Why is everyone staring at me like that? Oh, am I thinking out loud? Crap I am..."

Everyone was now looking at me silently. I thought I had gotten better at keeping thoughts inside, but apparently not... Quickly changing the topic before things got complicated I asked.

"So, when do we set off for the mission?"