Chapter 34 - A Place To Return To

The warm glow of the lantern spilled from the window, flickering softly against the stone walls.

Ren stood at the door for a moment longer than he meant to, hand hovering just above the latch. As if waiting for a reason not to go in.

He found none.

He knocked gently.

The door opened a few seconds later.

There she was, Evelyn.

Her hair undone, sleeves pushed up, the faint scent of herbs and broth drifting from behind her. Her eyes softened as they landed on him.

"You look tired," she said, voice low and familiar.

"I am," Ren admitted.

She didn't ask why. She simply stepped aside, wordlessly inviting him in.

The small house smelled like home. Quiet, warm, lived-in.

Ren stepped inside and felt the tension in his shoulders begin to slip away.

"I wasn't sure if you'd come," she said, returning to the small table. A single bowl was already set.

"I wasn't sure either," he said. "But my feet… didn't ask for permission."

That earned the faintest smile from her.

She sat, stirring something in a small pot before handing him a bowl. "You're in luck. It's still warm."

He sat across from her. "Didn't expect dinner."

"You never expect the good things," she said. "But you still come back for them."

They ate in silence for a while, comfortable silence. Outside, the wind picked up, rustling the shutters, but inside, the stillness was something different.

Something that filled the space between words without the need to be spoken.

When the bowls were empty and the spoons set aside, Evelyn leaned back slightly, watching him.

"You're really doing it, aren't you?" she asked quietly. "Changing that place. Changing people's live."

"I'm just… doing what I can."

"No," she said. "It's more than that. You're giving people something they didn't have before. Something they forgot how to hope for."

Ren looked at her for a long moment.

"And what about you?" he asked.

She blinked. "Me?"

"Do you have that hope?"

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she stood and walked to the window, drawing the curtain back just a little.

The city lights shimmered faintly beyond the glass.

"I think I did," she said at last. "Then I lost it. But lately… it's starting to come back."

Ren stood too, quietly joining her. They stood there, side by side, not quite touching, watching the same window, the same quiet street.

And then she said it, softly, like she wasn't even sure she meant to.

"You don't talk much. But when you're here, the house feels... less empty."

Ren didn't look at her, just kept his eyes on the light outside.

"You talk enough for both of us," he murmured. "That's why I come back."

A small silence followed. Not awkward. Not heavy. Just… real.

Evelyn turned slightly, just enough to glance up at him. "Promise me something."

Ren finally looked at her.

"Don't disappear."

Ren nodded. "Not unless you stop answering the door."

That made her laugh, quiet, but full. A sound that made the room feel more alive.

Outside, the wind moved on.

Inside, neither of them said anything more.

They didn't need to.

After that, Ren and Evelyn sat again at the small kitchen table.

No pressure. No rush. Just two people, letting the weight of the world settle for a while.

They talked. Not about strategy or politics, but everything and nothing at once. Hours passed without them noticing. The stew pot cooled. The lantern burned low. And still, they lingered.

Between laughter, small stories, and quiet moments, Ren told her what he was planning.

He explained his next steps, the expansion of the mining site, the incoming supplies, the people in the Wasteland.

He spoke of the Trade Union agreement, the tools he'd build, the systems he wanted to lay down. Not just for survival, but for growth.

He didn't try to impress her. He just shared it, piece by piece, like offering stones for a foundation she might one day stand on.

And somewhere in that long evening, he promised her. His voice softly, clearly, that he would come back.

No matter how far the road stretched, or how hard the work became.

He'd return.

Because there was still something here, he didn't want to leave behind.

When the first signs of morning began to peek behind the curtains, Ren stood from his chair.

Tomorrow, he would head back to the Wasteland.

But tonight, for a little while longer, he was simply here.

Home.

*** 

The Next Morning

The scent of something frying stirred Ren before the sunlight did.

When he opened his eyes, it took him a moment to remember where he was.

The dining table, he had fallen asleep on the dining table, with a blanket covering him... The soft clink of dishes. Voices, light, familiar, moving behind the curtains.

He sat up slowly, stretched, and walk into the kitchen.

Evelyn was already moving about the stove, her sleeves rolled up, a quiet hum beneath her breath.

Her youngest sister, Mira, peeked around the corner with a shy grin, while Jodi, their little brother, was balancing a plate like it was a sacred relic.

At the table sat Nico, Evelyn's older brother, polishing a worn belt buckle with the seriousness of a knight preparing for battle.

"Morning," Evelyn said, without turning.

Ren nodded. "Morning."

They ate together, casual and familiar.

Jodi asked questions faster than Ren could answer.

Mira stared at him like he was some wandering hero from a fairy tale.

Nico didn't say much, but the nod he gave Ren as they cleaned their bowls was all that was needed.

Evelyn packed a small cloth parcel for him before he left. Nothing dramatic, just food for the road. But it felt like something more.

As Ren stepped out onto the quiet street, the morning sun just beginning to rise behind the rooftops, he heard soft footsteps behind him.

"Didn't even say goodbye to Mira," said Annie, falling into step beside him, carrying a small bag over one shoulder.

Ren gave a faint smile. "She was still sleepy. Figured I'd save her the tears."

"She wasn't sleepy," Annie said. "She was waiting for you to trip on your own boots."

Ren chuckled under his breath. "She's too smart."

Annie didn't press further. She didn't have to. She had seen him at the table. Heard the quiet in Evelyn's voice. Understood more than she let on.

They walked together, wordlessly sharing the rest of the morning light.

***

By the time they reached the Ashborn Guild, the front lot was already a flurry of motion.

Wagons were being loaded, crates checked against parchment, and tools passed from hand to hand.

At the center of it all stood Seraphyne, arms folded, watching the process with sharp eyes.

London and Fera were nearby, organizing their own gear, nodding to Ren as he approached.

"Looks like everything arrived," Ren said, scanning the equipment. Tools, timber, seed crates, bundled cloth, even early irrigation parts. All delivered as promised.

Annie handed off a rolled parchment to one of the Union drivers and turned back. "They're ready."

Sera glanced at Ren. "So, shall we go to the village?"

He nodded once.

No ceremony. No fanfare.

Together, Ren, Sera, London, Fera, and the Trade Union team, they set off down the road.

Back toward the Wasteland.

Back toward the place they were slowly turning into something new.