Plop, plop, plop.

Valerio sat on the stool in his shower stall. His eyes possessed red streaks and his dry eyelids cracked with every blink. Droplets of water fell from the shower head and went down the drain. He was already zoned out when the door to the shower room slowly creaked open. Without looking, he ducked behind the wall of his stall, wishing they had just made them taller.

Who the hell…? Who’s showering this late? Ah, well, I guess I can’t talk.

The door shut slowly and soon followed the wet slaps of feet on the acrylic floor. Valerio peeked over the wall and saw Cassius standing in a shower stall, and thankfully he could only see above his chest. His hair was dripping with a black liquid, and Valerio noticed scars that ran across his arms and back.

Man, he’s ripped…kinda.

Cassius turned his head to make eye contact, catching Valerio by surprise.

“Y-yo, I was just…” Valerio began squatting up and down. “I was just doin’ some squats. So what’re you doin’, showering at this hour?”

Cassius glanced at him before turning the shower on. Valerio looked closer at the black liquid dripping from his hair and thought, Yeah, that’s definitely Aberrō blood. I ain’t gonna question it.

After a long, silent shower, they stepped out of the shower room. Without as much as an exchanged glance, Valerio watched Cassius go back downstairs.

I hope he’ll sleep inside, at least.

He slowly opened the door to the bedroom. The lights were off and everyone had already fallen asleep. As he laid down on his bed, Valerio felt a weight press down on his chest. He clutched his covers in search of the cause.

His mind reeled back to the conversation with Cassius.

Family, he thought, feeling sweat build on his neck. Nevertheless, sleep overtook him.

As he shut his fluttering eyes, he started hearing something. The sound of running water. Rustling clothes, the racket of wood. He opened them again. The first thing he saw was a lean woman with long red hair. With her back turned, he noticed her wide grin reflected in the glass plane, stretching the freckles on her face. Her nose was small and fragile-looking. Valerio looked down to find himself seated at a wooden table. In his hands were small wooden utensils.

“I’m sorry, Rio. I bet you’re hungry.” The woman laid down a bowl in front of him, and it was cutlets. His favorite. Valerio looked up at her before the steam traveled and fogged her face.

“Did you get everything you need for school? I’m just making sure.”

School…

He looked out the window. The sun glared and four boys ran past their house.

Why did I go to school? I wasn’t endin’ up any place. His attention drew back to her. Behind her small, kind eyes was something. Valerio couldn’t guess what.

“Ma…” he began and cleared his throat, “…why’d you make me go to school?”

Her lips tightened as she fidgeted with her hands. “It was so—so you could get a proper education. I’m not sure what else school would be for.” She laughed it off and avoided eye contact with him.

This has gotta be some weird dream. Valerio took another look outside. The running boys were all he could see. There was nothing else there. He turned his gaze to his mother, who remained occupied with her fingers on the table.

“You didn’t mean for me to go, did you, Ma?” His strained eyes twitched. “Outside, I mean. You wanted me to stay…right?”

Her trembling lips parted to speak, but only a whimper came out. With a small sob, she laid her head on the table and wrapped her arms around her face. Valerio dropped his utensils and rushed around the table to her side. Her thin back heaved from her quiet sobs, and he reached out to caress it. Valerio rested his cheek against her shoulder, his eyes wide with uncertainty.

As he leaned in closer to her covered face, he felt a grasp on the back of his shirt as he flew back. And just as his head was about to hit the wall, Valerio jumped from under his covers, hitting his head on the top bunk. He forced out a hiss and scratched the back of his head. It was morning now. The beams of sunlight peeking through the curtains made him rub his eyes. All the beds were empty, and the door to the bedroom was open. Valerio heard a shuffle above him, and he looked up as if he could see through the wooden bunk bed. Oh yeah, I forgot about that kid. I wonder if Potato Boy planted some already. As much as all o’ East teased him, they were still pretty bomb…

With a yawn, he got out of bed and stared blankly out of the window. He scratched his head and whispered, “Wait, I had a dream…but I can’t remember it…I really gotta stop hitting my head first thing in the morning.”

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While Cassius was sprawled over the living room couch, quietly sleeping, he suddenly felt a thud on the back of his head. He opened a sliver of his eye and looked above him. There she was. Nelia. Her arms were stuck to her sides, and she looked down at him with a straight face.

“I saw you last night. That and your slashed armor. Someone’s gonna have to fix that, you know?”

…And it’s already a bad day. Cassius, sighed and turned away from her, his eyes still cloudy with sleep. “So, what’s the problem?”

“You and The Sergeant. He doesn’t come but once a month, yet you saw him. What exactly did he have to tell you?” She crossed her arms now; she means business.

Cassius took a deep breath before murmuring, “He saw me sneaking out, so he told me to stop doing that. There—is that enough?”

“I’m getting really tired of these…escapades you’ve been going on. You’re our best Fender now, and losing you to a random encounter in the forest wouldn’t be ideal.”

“I’m not good at my job, just the average Fender.” He looked back up at her through his peripheral, “I don’t get why what I do is important.”

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Nelia’s brows furrowed as she sighed, “Cassius, I just want to see what you’re so hung over. Maybe we can figure it out together.” Her voice was softer this time. It itched a corner of his brain someplace.

Abruptly rising from the couch, he slapped the cushions, "It's not your concern what I'm 'hung over'." Cassius's eyes widened in realization. The Sergeant can’t really do anything to him, especially with Nelia with him. It’s a solid chance. He stared down at his feet and bit his lip.

“That doesn’t answer my question: are we going or not?”

He turned away and started walking to the armory. “Fine, if that’s what you really want. I won’t stop you.” Cassius grabbed the juice box he slept next to and took a sip.

“Great, in that case…” She put her hands on her hips and sighed, “…we should bring Carto.” Cassius froze in place. The straw dangled from his lips as he turned his head, his eyebrows furrowed with his frown. “Who?”

“...The kid that was tinkering with his rifle beside you. Don’t tell me you…” Nelia’s eyes narrowed at him.

His eyes rolled up in wonder until he whispered, “Oh, him. You want to risk him too?”

“It’s better than just the two of us. You wouldn’t want to be alone that deep in the forest if something happened, would you?”

I wouldn’t mind, really.

“Anyway, I’ve already told him. He’s waiting outside. We’ll have to hurry before everyone comes downstairs.” Nelia’s lips curled into a prideful grin as she started to hum.

Cassius groans and throws his juice box in the trash. “What’s that for?”

Her hands clasped together as she remarked, “Oh, nothing really…just that you finally told me something. That's all…”

Ugh…Cassius grimaced and grabbed his gear, heading out as fast as possible. The rough ground crunched under his shoes while Cassius stormed out of the barracks. The gleam of the sun flashed in his eyes and—with one extra step forward—he nearly collided with Carto, who was relaxed against a crate with that same rifle in his hands. This time, he was looking down at it with a grin.

“Alright, time to go, Carto.” Nelia walked past Cassius with her armor on and her spear in hand. She stands there waiting for Carto’s response.

A few moments of silence pass with Carto fiddling with his gun until Cassius speaks, “It looks like you don’t mind it anymore.”

Carto looks up with wide eyes and exclaimed, “Oh yeah! I thought the augment was trash at first, but it’s actually quite good. It makes it shoot faster, which is—" He paused as he got up and holstered his rifle onto his back, “Sorry, I’m blabbering. We’re heading out, right?”

With a stamp on the ground, Nelia responded, “That’s right. Now let’s get going. The last thing I want is for V to find out.”

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After a rather long, quiet walk, Carto spoke up as they breached the second zone. The greenery grew dense and lost its vibrance.

“Uhm, Cassius, if you don’t mind me asking: why exactly are there so few storms here? In East there’s at least three every week. It’s been pretty uneventful—not that I’d wish for it not to be.”

Cassius looked at him for a moment before feeling the chill travel up his spine from their entrance. “I wouldn’t know. Maybe the Aberrō just not throwing their lives away anymore.”

Here it is, he thought as he reached the stretch of land where the Aberrō attacked him. Directly south of that tree.

“Is this it? This is what you were looking for?” Nelia groaned with her hands on her hips.

“No,” Cassius said and started looking around — and more specifically—up. There was nothing. He blinked. Nothing.

At least I won’t have to deal with that thing.

He studied the surroundings in the now dim forest. Although still dark, he made out an image etched into the bark of a tree. Cassius let out a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders.

“What is this?” Carto reached up and ran his hand along the etchings, “Some sort of engraving…”

“So is this it?” Nelia shifted her weight on her hip and looked at Cassius.

“Almost. I need to find where it leads.”

Nelia raised an eyebrow and said, “But who made it? An Aberrō couldn’t have done this.”

“Exactly,” he glanced back at her before walking past the tree. The light from the ceiling of the forest dimmed even further as he progressed. Behind him, Nelia and Carto hurriedly caught up to him, dawning their flashlights.

“You think it could be…” Carto started.

“It’s possible.”

“It’s hopeful,” Nelia murmured and squinted her eyes, moving her flashlight around them.

Cassius bit his cheek at Nelia’s words and shrugged them off before he blinked again. The forest’s ceiling opened, and the ground shook. He grasped his chest as if his heart were being choked. An invisible force kept his head down and his eyes glued to his club on the ground.

“Did you…feel that?” Cassius’ breath hitched as they continued walking past him. Nelia and Carto turned around with their eyebrow raised.

“Feel what?” They asked almost in unison.

Cassius looked up at them with his head hanging low. Sweat already drenched his forehead. They both hadn’t noticed anything. He must’ve gone insane, but his mind wandered to his argument with Sergeant. This is real.

It must be close by, but why is it here? Does it eat? How come I’ve never seen it from a distance? How have there been no fallen or crushed trees? I can’t look up…it’ll find me. But what’ll it do? It might leave me alone, but—

In the storm of his rampant mind, Cassius didn’t notice his eyes looking directly in the sky. The gaunt, crimson figure stood tall above him. It droned over him with its giant fingers brushing along the treetops. Its wet eyes looked in every direction, while its head looked straight ahead.

Stop, he thought to himself with his hands on his knees. Stop being scared. Come on…move!

He squeezed his thigh, hoping his blood would pump faster.

Nelia walked over to him and bent down to his level.

“What’s wrong? Do you feel sick?” She felt the temperature on his forehead before Cassius grabbed her arm and pushed it away.

“Stop…we have to keep going…fast,” Cassius mumbled through gritting teeth. He dragged his legs forward, but the ground felt like sludge trying to hold him in.

It’s just like back then…Damn it, keep moving!

The giant’s hand reared up from behind and slammed down into the forest. The bushes and trees shook violently as it swept its arm towards them.

Adrenaline shot through his body and erupted from his mouth as he yelled, “Go! Go now!” Then everything seemed to slow down. He saw Nelia look behind him, still attempting to process what was happening. Carto was in front of them, his eyes clouded in confusion.

Nelia reached out to him and—

Then everything went dark. His world fell into complete silence.

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“Cass! Cassy! Wake up!” A familiar voice echoed out to him in the endless dark. He opened his eyes. Warm colors filled his eyes, and leaves of different colors fell on his face as he lay flat on his back and looked up. There was a blue, sunny sky refracting through the tall, immense glass ceiling covering the dome. Then, from his peripheral, a section of black, curly hair appeared, barely covering the young girl's face.

“Cass, stop joking around. You’re not actually hurt. You just don’t want the recruiter to pick you!”

Cassius tried to open his mouth, but nothing happened. He could only watch. Aelia…

“Oof… I don’t know, Lia. My head really hurts.” Cassius laughed as he sat up to look at Aelia and the rest of the small park, lush with short, yellow grass around them. Compared to Cassius, Aelia was rather short, and her curls hung down to her waist, where her frilled dress was splayed out messily around her.

“Try as you might, I don’t think you’ll get around it this time, Cassy.” She giggles and knocks on his forehead, slightly red from the fallen apple. “Dad’ll see right through that booboo of yours.”

“Ow! That actually hurt…” Cassius rubbed his forehead as Aelia sat down in front of a small folded paper propped on a canvas. His eyes followed her bouncy curls, and he murmured, “Y’know, you’re gonna go too. They’re gonna cut all that off until you’re bald!”

Aelia doesn’t turn to retaliate and instead pulls something out of her bag, hidden and cradled in her hand. “Yeah right—I’d rather die. Now shush and look at this…” She unraveled her fingers and revealed a floating ember in her palm. It gently caressed her dainty fingers, wrapping around them like a domesticated pet. She fondled it in her hand, making the fire brighter and warmer.

Cassius’ eyes widened, and for good reason. “What?! Why do you—“

Aelia quickly covered his mouth and looked around to see if anyone had seen. “I said shush,” she whispered and pulled away, resting again in front of the canvas. “A gift for when you leave…” her tongue poked out of her mouth as she brought her brush to the flame. The bristles glowed red but didn’t burn as she began brushing it onto the piece of paper. Fire clung onto the surface of it before allowing itself to sink into the paper. She blew on it, cooling the hot paper down to a warm radiance, before taking it into her hands and handing it to Cassius. Without a word, he took the paper and looked down at himself. It was his present, worn body holding it now. He began unfolding it, each undone crease sending more warmth coursing from his hands through his veins.

“Don’t tell anyone I did this, m’kay?” Aelia whispers with a finger against her lips. The last crease revealed the ghost orchid in its vulnerable beauty. “And don’t think much of it.” She patted his mature hand softly. Cassius turned his palm over to feel her warm fingers in his hand. Aelia and the park began floating away as darkness came flooding back in.

“Good luck without me, Cass!”