After hearing everything Helaine had said, Evryn felt a mix of sadness and relief. Sadness for what she had endured… but relief that she had finally opened up, easing the tension that had weighed on her for so long.
She seemed more at ease now, her usual guarded demeanor softening.
"Thank you, Evryn," Helaine murmured, her eyes downcast as she fiddled with her fingers.
It was the first time she had ever given a genuine thank you—no punches, no sharp remarks. This time, it came from the heart.
"I'm going to use the bathroom," she said, standing up from the booth. She hesitated at the edge of the table, her gaze flickering with uncertainty. "And… if Razek comes out of the bedroom…" Her voice trailed off for a moment before she forced herself to continue. "Tell him… I'm sorry for hitting him."
The words felt heavy, almost foreign to her.
Evryn nodded gently. "Okay. I'll let him know."
A small, almost shy smirk tugged at Helaine's lips before she turned and headed toward the restroom.
Evryn leaned back against the booth, releasing a deep sigh as his head tilted upward, eyes fixed on the ceiling. His mind was a storm of thoughts, fragments swirling relentlessly.
"What kind of person are you, Evryn?"
The old man's words echoed through his mind. That question, laced with mystery, refused to leave him.
What does he really want from me?
And why had Eira warned him to stay away from that man? Who was he… and what was his goal?
Then came the visions—glimpses of chaos from the First Galactic War. The sight of countless lives being snuffed out amidst the madness haunted him. And the desert planet they were traveling to… once a world of oceans, now reduced to a barren wasteland, drained by the relentless grip of war.
What started the war?
Questions piled up in Evryn's mind, but one stood above the rest.
His gaze drifted to the corner of the room, where his sword and wolf pelt rested safely in the locker.
If there was anything he could do now… it was to get stronger.
He hadn't been able to stand against that man. He hadn't been able to save Mira.
A familiar ache stirred in his chest, but Evryn pushed it down. Mourning wouldn't bring her back. And Mira… she wouldn't want him to be swallowed by despair.
With quiet resolve, Evryn stood and crossed the room. He opened the locker and carefully retrieved his sword.
Gripping the handle with both hands, he slowly unsheathed the blade, the polished metal catching the dim light of the room.
He raised it slightly, admiring its beauty.
This… this will be the weapon that leads me to victory.
Sliding the sheath back into the locker and shutting it, Evryn stepped into the center of the living space.
His grip tightened.
Then, he swung.
***
After some time, Helaine emerged from the bathroom, her eyes immediately landing on Evryn. He was in the middle of a training session, his sword cutting through the air with fluid precision. Across the room, Razek was sprawled halfway across the booth—his upper body dangling off the seat, while his legs remained lazily propped up.
Evryn swung once more before lowering his blade, turning his attention toward Helaine.
"You were in there for a while," he said, easing the sword's tip toward the ground.
"Yeah, I know. You don't need to point it out." Her tone was dismissive, but her eyes briefly flicked to Evryn, a subtle side glance that asked the unspoken question: Did you tell Razek?
Evryn gave her a small nod in response.
A satisfied smile tugged at the corner of Helaine's lips.
Before the moment could linger, Razek's exaggerated groaning filled the room, shattering whatever quiet exchange had passed between them.
With a dramatic heave, he tried to pull himself upright… only to collapse forward onto the floor before scrambling up again.
"Hey!" Razek huffed, brushing himself off as if nothing had happened. "What's going on here? Why am I not part of it?"
He crossed his arms, pouting like a child who had been left out of a game. His left foot tapped rhythmically against the floor, his frustration building until he let out an exaggerated puff of air.
Does he always act like this..?
Evryn's eyes lingered on Razek, a quiet question flashing through his mind.
No… there has to be more to it. Evryn's thoughts lingered as he stared at Razek. Back on Sythar, when he destroyed the mayor's statue… everyone ran except me. But Razek noticed that and brought me into all that mess.
There's more to him than meets the eye… or maybe… Evryn's eyes narrowed slightly. Maybe he's intelligent but just acts like a child?
"Why are you staring at me like that? It's freaky…"
Evryn blinked, snapped out of his thoughts by Razek's voice. He quickly waved his hand, trying to play it off. "Oh, my bad. I was just lost in thought, that's all." He gave a weak laugh.
Razek raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Are you sure you were lost in thought? Or…" He suddenly struck an absurd pose, one hand on his hip, the other pointing toward the ceiling. "Were you captivated by my fabulous looks?"
Helaine let out an audible sigh, pressing her palm against her forehead and shaking her head.
"The first one," Evryn deadpanned.
"Ah." Razek's arms dropped, his dramatic flair disappearing as he lowered his head in mock defeat. "I see…"
Evryn, still trying to make sense of Razek's behavior, decided to dig deeper. "Say, Razek… that stunt you pulled back at the han—"
Helaine's eyes went wide with panic. She lunged forward, her arm outstretched as if to physically stop the words from leaving Evryn's mouth.
Razek's eyes lit up with excitement. He pointed a finger to the sky as if he'd been waiting for this moment.
"Ah! So you wish to understand my great powers! The ability to grasp the nature and beauty of women! Fear not, for I shall impart this sacred knowledge to yo—"
"NO!" Helaine's scream echoed through the room as she tackled Razek to the ground. Before he could utter another word, she shot a web onto his mouth, sealing it shut.
Pinned beneath her, Razek flailed in protest, but Helaine held firm, glaring at Evryn with a look of pure horror. "Never ask him about his powers or women! Ever! He won't shut up!"
Evryn stood frozen, his eyes wide as he tried to process what just happened. What the hell did I just witness?
He glanced down at Razek, who was now muffled and wriggling like a caught fish. If he's like this… how do Cyrus and Helaine even put up with him?
Evryn's gaze lingered on Razek, curiosity creeping back into his mind. No… there's definitely more to him.
Razek… i'm going to figure you out. And when I do… I'll understand what kind of person you really are...