Welcoming Party

Evryn made his way down the hill, heading toward the village.

Despite his exhaustion, he picked up the pace slightly, eager to finally crash into bed and let his body relax. Every step reminded him of the wolf's attack, the lingering aches pulsing through his limbs. But compared to when he had fallen into the river, this pain was nothing.

Just a little more.

He repeated the thought over and over, forcing himself to keep moving.

Then—his foot caught on something.

Evryn stumbled forward, nearly face-planting into the dirt, but managed to catch himself just in time. He braced his hands on his thighs, breathing heavily.

Crack.

The sharp snap of a branch nearby sent a jolt through his already exhausted mind.

What is my luck? Please give me a break already…

His body tensed as a presence loomed behind him. Before he could react—

"Aaah!"

Evryn jerked backward, nearly losing his balance.

A wide grin greeted him.

It was Garran, clearly pleased to see him.

"Why did you scream in my ear?!"

"For a better scare, haha."

Evryn let out a small sigh, but the tension in his body eased. As annoying as Garran could be, it was a relief to see someone—anyone—after everything he had been through. The forest had felt far too quiet, too isolating.

Garran's eyes suddenly widened as he noticed the wolf pelt draped over Evryn's shoulders.

"You… killed the wolf?"

"Yeah…?"

A grin spread across Garran's face—wider and more excited than Evryn had ever seen before.

"Haha! I knew there was something different about you!" He smacked Evryn on the shoulder, pulling him in slightly.

"Come on, let's head back to the village. Your friends were worried sick about you!"

As Garran turned to walk, his hand brushed against something—the hilt of a sword tucked into Evryn's coat back.

"Eh?" He stopped, taking a closer look, his eyes widening even further. "You really are full of surprises, aren't you?"

"Huh?" Evryn turned his head slightly, following Garran's gaze until he realized he was staring at the sword.

"Oh, that? I found it in some cave."

"Wow…" Garran leaned in, admiration clear in his voice. "It's a real beauty. You can tell a great sword just by the craftsmanship alone, and the way that hilt is built—" He let out a low whistle. "That's a true wonder, haha."

With that, Garran led Evryn back into the village.

***

In the village. 

As they made their way deeper in, a wave of relief and comfort washed over Evryn.

He let out a deep sigh.

But something felt off—like something was rushing toward them.

"Ev!!!!"

A loud cry rang out.

Evryn turned to his right just in time to see Razek charging at him, arms outstretched, ready to tackle him into a hug.

A grown man acting like this… I see why Helaine gets mad or even hits him sometimes…

Razek lunged, aiming straight for Evryn.

At the last second, Evryn casually sidestepped.

Razek's eyes widened in horror as he missed his target completely—crashing face-first into the dirt path.

"Eugh—agh—ugh!" He tumbled and rolled before finally coming to a stop.

"Oh, that hurt…" Razek let out a muffled groan, his face still buried in the dirt.

Evryn shook his head, looking down as a small snicker escaped him. "It's good to see you too, Razek." A faint smile formed on his lips.

"Hey, kid."

Evryn turned to see Cyrus standing nearby, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Something about him looked… different. Then it hit Evryn—Cyrus had shaved. The stubble that was usually on his face was gone.

"You shaved?"

"Ah." Cyrus ran a hand over his now smooth jaw. "We fled from the police, fought, killed some people, and now we're on the run." He paused for a moment before adding, "Made me feel young again. Figured I'd shave, you know? Fresh start."

"I see…"

Hearing that made Evryn curious. What exactly did Cyrus do before all this? Was he some kind of scoundrel? The questions lingered in his mind, but exhaustion weighed too heavily on him to ask.

Then another thought struck him.

"Where's Helaine?"

"Asleep."

"Already?"

"It's pretty late, kid."

"Oh."

How long was I even gone?

Not only that—if everyone was asleep, then Razek screaming my name just now… I hope that didn't wake anyone up.

"So, why are you two still up?"

"Razek couldn't sleep," Cyrus said, tilting his head toward the man still lying face-down in the dirt. "He was so worried about his dear friend that he decided to stay up until you came back."

Evryn glanced at Razek, who, for some odd reason, still hadn't lifted his head.

"And you?" Evryn asked, turning back to Cyrus.

"I'm usually up late."

"Why's that?"

Cyrus exhaled through his nose, his smirk fading slightly. "I've just always liked staying up late."

Something about that answer felt… off. There was definitely more to it, but Evryn didn't want to pry—not yet. He hadn't known Cyrus for that long.

"You must be tired. I think you should go rest," Garran said, placing a hand on Evryn's shoulder.

"Yeah, you're right."

"The wolf pelt—what do you want to do with it? It's your trophy. You can wear it if you want."

"I'm not too sure… I'll figure something out tomorrow."

"Haha, alright."

Finally, Razek lifted his face from the dirt. "Ev, you can't just leave and sleep already!"

Evryn let out a long exhale. "We can talk more tomorrow, Razek. I'm tired."

***

The morning breeze swept into the room, carrying the crisp scent of dawn. Sunlight slowly crept in, casting a warm glow across the walls.

Evryn grabbed his sword, sliding it into the back of his coat, with the tip resting in his pants to keep it secure.

He exhaled deeply before opening the door and stepping out.

For the first time in what felt like forever, he had finally gotten some real rest—no nightmares, just peaceful sleep.

As he made his way down the hall toward the stairs, he noticed Helaine leaning on the railing.

She's up early… I never took her for a morning person.

"Good morning, Helaine."

Arms crossed, eyes closed, she didn't turn to face him but instead glanced at him from the side.

"Uhuh," Evryn chuckled softly. "Is something wrong? Were you waiting for me to wake up?"

Helaine pushed off the railing and walked toward him, slow and deliberate.

Did I do something wrong? No, I've been as nice as I can to her!

She stopped just two feet away, her expression unreadable.

"Helaine, uh, is—"

Before he could finish, her fist drove into his stomach.

"Agh—" Evryn doubled over slightly, clutching his gut—only for Helaine to immediately pull him into a hug.

His eyes widened in surprise, but after a second, he relaxed, wrapping his arms around her in return.

"Don't do something stupid like that again," she muttered, her voice caught somewhere between anger and relief.

Evryn opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off.

"I'm just glad you're okay."

Her words sank in, and for some reason, they left a small smile on his face.

He didn't understand why they cared so much about him. They had only known him for a short time, yet they treated him like someone they'd known for years.

I don't get them… It's nice, but weird. I don't know what to make of it—or these emotions...

I have so many questions about this planet and the creatures that inhabit it… There's so much I need to learn…

But right now, I really need some coffee.