Eiffel tower

“Your husband made the song ?” Louis said surprised, referencing the song the team heard from Undying during the last combat. “How many languages does the man speak? That song was dense. With multiple languages.”

“He could speak six languages but sing in thirteen. He often said that if he could break it down to baby sounds, he could mimic any language.” Anya said with a surprising warmth in her voice.

“Thirteen?!” kaya said, coughing up her water for all to hear. “I was having trouble with just two”

“He loved singing. All he wanted was to make money from his art, and he was starting to. Before-“ Anya said happily only to cut off sharply “Any way … his philosophy was ‘tell me the song of your people so that I may pass it along.’ And I loved him for it.”

Everyone went silent.

Even William did not know what to say.

“He was a good man. And his songs will fuel our…” Kaya began to say, stopping to think of the last word. She muttered a word in Japanese William barely caught named Kiai, audibly frustrated at the impossibility in translation.

“I think I understand, Thanks.” Anya said warmly.

As they all walked in their giant machines made of metal towards the river, a slow flowing mist started to build up on the floor below them. Undying walked first with its railgun pointing forward, sweeping from left to right over and over with two of its four hands on a shield.

Behind the shield Nomad stood with gun and sword at the ready, covering Undying’s back.

While Oath walked at the center of the group, Waterfall was close behind, floating on a cloud of metallic jellyfish. As they walked William used his scope to look ahead while Waterfall protected his back.

Anya continued to talk calmly to Kaya as she cleared another turn.

“You know, I changed careers after my husband died. I used to be a chef, had my own Michelin star restaurant and everything.”

“Oh! What did you cook there?” Kaya said with excitement, her mech slithering in tandem with Oath.

“Authentic Slavic cuisine.” Anya replied with a practiced response, inching forward to the next cover with the team after her. “Why do you fight?“ Anya asked Kaya as the group got to the Seine River.

“It’s a bit embarrassing. But I already told Louis so might as well spit it out.” Kaya said audibly flustered. ”Every reason is a good reason” William replied, signaling with his hand for Undying to cross the bridge across the river while he looked through his scope for potential assailants.

Only after they crossed the bridge safely did Kaya continue speaking.

“Well. I tarted off as a doctor and was assigned to work with the army to help veterans with their injury.” Kaya said with determination. “ It was a good job. I managed to help a lot of people. But my six-year-old sister did not understand the difference between working WITH the military and being a soldier. “ She continued, sending a few of her jelly fish to one of their blind spots as they advanced deeper into the city.

“So, after a particularly nasty Ring fall where my mom called on video to tell me she and my sister are ok-“ Kaya said slightly choking up. “My mom was crying and thought she was going to die but my baby sister ran to her from the other side of the house. She was so calm and collected it nearly freaked ME out.” Kaya said, her voice shaking.

William did not dare interfere, he knew what it is like to share those things, the pains caused by the Ring Fall. “When she popped into frame, not knowing I was on the video call she said ‘Mom don’t be scared. Kaya is protecting us. She is a soldier so we will be safe’.” She could barely let those words out, but Kaya fought for every syllable and consonant.

“no one ever believed in me like this. “ Kaya said, taking a long pause. “I felt I have to do something with that faith so I… learned how to fix the machines too. Just to say I am part of the fight. Before long I found myself turn into a proper soldier.” Kaya said, her voice hardening almost with a hint of promised violence.

“Your sister sounds like a good reason to fight. If I heard my loved ones say something like this, I would be out for blood too.” Anya replied, matching Kayas energy

“How old is she now?” William asked, fog covering his mech all the way to the shin.

“It was six years ago, so she is about twelve” Kaya responded with pride.

The team slowly made their way from cover to cover, expecting enemies at every turn.

The sun began to set, causing the sky to be painted with a radiance unmatched, the sun and moon were both visible along with the ring of pale light surrounding the globe.

Ward could not help but appreciate the beauty of Old Paris, even in this decrepit state.

“I wanted to tell you guys. But it was just not my story to share.” Louis said, giving Kaya a thumbs up with his mech. “not many people can rise to the occasion like this. I hope you know that.”

“I do. But it is nice to hear. It helps with the stress a bit.” Kaya admitted.

“I have another question if it’s ok.” Anya said, leading the team through a long strait coverless road.

“Ask away.” Kaya replied.

“Why is your mech called the Koi fish if it looks like a dragon?” Anya asked with genuine confusion in her voice.

“HAHA! Oh, it’s an old story from Japan.“ Kaya began to elaborate. “It is said that once, long ago, there was a Koi fish who tried to swim up a waterfall.” She said, painting a small picture of the scene with her jellyfish so the others could understand where she is coming from.

“An impossible task for such a small fish. But day in and day out he tried over and over, until one day he found himself at the top. The gods were so impressed with his effort they gave him a new form, that of a dragon. This is why the scales look like small fish.” Kaya said, her mech swimming gracefully in the air.

Within no time the team found themselves entering a large open space around Eiffel tower, all scanning the surroundings for threats.

“Everyone be on your toes. we might not be alo-” Ward said noticing a small movement on one of his cameras.

Before he could finish Anya fired her rail gun, stopping the conversation dead in its tracks.

“Captain! Purple!” She yelled, the giant metal shard she fired hit the air and seemingly disappeared.

Reflexively William shot an exploding bullet directly to where she fired.

The ground shook from the recoil of the weapon as a shroud seemed to lift from Wards Cameras. Suddenly he could see. All of the rooftops in the vicinity were covered with the purple shimmer of a crystal that was embedded in the eyes of their enemies.