Judge placed his hand against the wall like he was trying to absorb some ancient wisdom from the wood. He squinted dramatically, as if concentration alone could give him answers. Predictably, there was no one nearby. No whispers, no lurking shadows, just the faint creak of the Cloud Strider taking off from its dock.
"Figures," he muttered, dropping his hand. It wasn't like he expected someone to be lurking outside, but old habits die hard. Paranoia came with the job.
"Solarae!" he called, addressing his spirit companion, loud enough to make it clear he was annoyed. He hadn't taken Solarae along when he left the house earlier, partly because the spirit had refused outright. Something about 'being a liability with his current strength'.
From the box of artifacts sitting near the side of his study, a faint glow flickered. The light hesitated for a moment— probably on purpose— before floating lazily into the air. It looked like a tiny firefly, except less motivated.
