Chapter 59: Reunion

At the moment, Huey was being led by Hathaway's personal assistance through the long winding and twisting corridors. The jagged ceilings hung with led lights powered by an unidentified source.

Huey calmly and quietly followed behind the young woman. She had short brown hair and a small statue. He could feel a slight different demean off her; compared to the other Ntuli Tribe women he'd met so far, Hathaway's assistant was more refined and reserved.

She didn't give off the out for blood and war junkie aura like Isha and Tyla did.

All of a sudden, Huey was reminded of Tyla, and a crooked smile made it to his lips.

'That bitch. '

Hadn't she ignored him at that last moment?

While Huey's thoughts wondered about what to do against Tyla when next they were to meet — in private —he and the short assistant finally arrived at their destination.

The heavy steel mechanical door whirled and slid open to the side, and a new and different room unraveled before Huey from behind. A faint sweet an metallic smell hit Huey's nose, side by side the distant smell of sulfur.

The room was similar to a refined and structured infirmary with steel or iron plates covering the walls. It was different from the operating room Huey last saw Lyra in.

There were rows of orderly lined beds separated from each other but unfurled curtains made of unidentified materials.

Amongst one of the cubes, one of the curtains were raised and Huey could here a few familiar voices. All of a sudden, he felt eager to see Lyra and how she had turned out.

He remembered Lyra was the first ever person he had spoke with, and related with. The two had traveled together side by side, though it was mostly one sided. Huey had only let her tag along for no reason or attachment.

And it wasn't until when Lyra was in a coma did he realize he infact truly did enjoy her company. But that was where it stopped.

'I guess it's about time we say goodbye soon. '

As Huey approached the bed with a raised curtain, he thought silently in his heart.

he still wasn't sure what next he would do from here, but he was certain Lyra wouldn't want to come with him anymore.

Since she did, she had been roped into very dangerous situations and came very close to dying just now.

The next moment, he wiped away his expression and donned a carefree silly mask. He intended to suddenly jump in and give her a fright

"Lyr—"

But the moment, Huey jumped in, he froze in place. His jaw threatened to drop and his red eyes fluttered slowly.

Huey's mind went blank, and all sounds and the rest of the world seemed to recede

Lyra, who hadn't expected the sudden entrance felt her heart skip a painful beat and she shrieked.

"Wh-wh-wh-what the hell?!" He body jolted on the bed and her expression became a shade paler.

Just as she was about to refute Huey for his unfriendly attempt to get her to cough her heart out, she stared at his face and noticed the odd look on his expression.

Huey just stood there by the entrance, staring at her with a soft, yet blank face.

Lyra... Was immensely more different than the last time he saw her.

'Waitt? Did her hair get longer? ' words couldn't describe how baffled, confused, and enthralled he felt at that moment, and to adjust to it he just stared like a dumbfound idiot.

Lyra's skin was whiter and milky. They shone with the rosy hue of vitality. Her oval face was cupped by the loose strands of her bangs and her hair had grown much longer than before. The raven black locks shimmered darkly and cascaded down her back like a dark waterfall and reached her waist.

Her face was symmetrical, and her previously azure eyes glimmered like two sapphire gems. The amethyst glow in their depths were particularly striking and alluring. Huey felt those eyes represented the distant stars he remembered watching before in the past.

Lyra's slender arms and figures accentuated a head-turning charm. Her muscles were compact and lean, slender and soft yet looked firm. Lyra was sitting, but Huey could already identify she was taller.

Her current red and rosy face was a contrast different to the pale and sickly one he had last seen her in.

Lyra was incomparably more stunning than before, even Huey felt his heart race a little.

Still dazed, he managed to turn his head to Professor Hathaway who stood to the side overlooking with a thin smile.

"What happened?"

Huey asked almost stiffly.

"The transplant was successful. You're looking at the new Lyra. "

'The new Lyra... ' those words resounded repeatedly in Huey's mind.

...The new Lyra was an angel.

___ ___

Being the receiver of such a passionate and heavy gaze made Lyra feel uncomfortable. But also made her feel a little warmth and good inside.

After all it was a gaze that held no particularly ill intention and one that only openly appreciateed her charm.

And most importantly, it was from Huey!

Not once since the beginning, Huey had never looked at her that way. He was mostly ever indifferent or detached. Aside from the rare times he takes about the past, Huey never displayed unnecessary emotions, or signs that he was at the very least interested in her in any manner.

It was more like, he had always maintained being just a stranger, and he saw her that way too.

That was one of the main reasons Lyra was vehemently trying to get Huey to 'look' at her. She needed him, and wasn't willing to just let him go.

Lyra knew the 'acquaintanceship' between the two would inevitably dissolve. Especially around the time she has outlived her usefulness for him, and that had already happened the moment Huey met the Ntuli Tribe.

What could she possibly offer that an entire civilization couldn't?

But now Lyra felt some minor hope.

She had a Core now, she was strong and could continue to get even stronger.

And as an added bonus...she was even prettier.

'... I think this could work. ' Lyra's heated thoughts raced, getting weird ideas.

Huey's gaze was different from all the other ones she had seen him show in the few days they were together.

"C- can you stop staring... it's making me feel uncomfortable."

A minute later, Lyra meekly said with red cheeks. As good as it felt for her to finally receive that level of attention, she also felt she could pass out from ecstasy if Huey looked any longer.

This was Huey she's talking about!

Even his gaze could kill!

Lyra's voice snapped Huey out his reverie and he blinked his eyes.

He was unsure type of expression he should wear, and even ven more, what to say.

'She's stunning. Is this the power of a core? Cores are OP, this is unfair! ' pretending to be seriously pondering about an issue, Huey clasped his mouth with his hand and made his gaze deeper as he looked away.

Internal, he was attempting to settle his heart and began control of his emotions.

Eventually, he said calmly.

"I see." It was a short and curt response.

Too flat even.

Lyra felt her heart drop again.

'He's lost interest! ' she panicked with tears threatening to break from her eyes.

'Ahhh, why did I tell him I was uncomfortable? Now he probably won't ever look at me like that again! '

"You've returned." A new and different voice resounded from the bed next over and Huey and the rest turned.

Right there was a bandaged Tyla sitting up slowly.

Her beautiful face was still cold and steel, and her azure eyes reflect only chilling cold.

Upon seeing her, Huey smiled and tilted his head.

"What happened to you?"

'He smiled at her! ' Lyra felt like an arrow had run through her heart as she saw his lips curl at Tyla.

Tyla pretended to hold his gaze, but eventually turned her face away, evading Huey's eyes.

Her heart raced for some weird reason.

Why?

Then she gestured with her chin at Lyra who was covered with gloom from across.

"She did."

In response Huey turned back to Lyra and also noticed she had a few bandages wrapped around her body. Then his gaze became heavier.

"What happened?"

Professor Hathaway was the one to respond. First he sighed and lamented tiredly.

"It was supposed to be a spar..."

Huey was only more confused by that.

Tyla shrugged and took over.

"She needed to understand her new strength, and I just wanted to see how strong she was so we fought a little. "

'And brought down an entire building. ' Hathaway quipped silently in his heart, his mouth sealed. The middle-aged professor was tired.

The he raised his head, wiped the helpless expression of his face and said solemnly.

"Concerning the results about Lyra...I think we need to talk."