Rin wanted to believe Ratchet. Wanted to respond to Alec and tell him everything was going to be alright. But he could barely find the strength in his hands to even embrace the boy, let alone find the courage to look at their situation and see any hope in it.

And then... Alec was gone. Just like that. His partner left behind, along with his D-Comm, but the boy had just... vanished.

"... A--... Alec-kun?!" Rin called out fearfully, only the lonely sound of the wind reaching his ears. Where had he gone? Yggdrasil couldn't have just taken him away, not when his D-Comm and partner were still right there. So... he had to still be out there somewhere.

"ALEC!" Rin roared loudly, blue flames erupting from his body, flashing a light in the white snow.