“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me,” he said with a sad smile at her. “Even I don’t know if I would believe me.”

Ash had asked where he had been for three years and he truly was finding it hard to believe himself.

“Try me,” she said. Her voice was trusting. Her smile was genuine.

Jerome smiled at her, appreciating her openness. “I was asleep under a river in a canyon a few miles south of Farryn.”

Ash chuckled lightly. “You’re right, that does sound unbelievable. Blade’s Edge Canyon isn’t a place to take a nap.”

“Hmm, that’s why I need to speak with Rihal — wait, ‘Blade’s Edge Canyon’? Is that what it’s called?” Jerome tilted his head as he asked.

“Hmm. You do that a lot, you know,” Ash said.

“What?”

“Tilt your head like…so,” she said, mimicking him.

It was cute. Her long hair shook loose in a cloud of soft black curls. Jerome blushed and looked away. He remembered what it was like to be a teenager with raging hormones. And those hormones were beginning to wake up. He was speaking with a beautiful girl after all. Worst of all, he had no experience dealing with situations like these.

This is stupid, I’m a man, he thought to himself. Man up and say something nice.

He took her hands in his massaging them slightly. They were dainty and beautiful, her fingers long and slender. Her palms were soft on the surface, but he could tell she had been training. The flesh underneath the skin of her palms was tough.

Jerome looked at his right hand noticing he could feel and use it again. “Schweet,” he muttered, flexing his fingers.

Ash took a deep breath and blushed. “Please don’t remind me of that,” she said, giving him a wistful smile.

“You used to love saying that when you were little,” Jerome smiled back at her, and her blush deepened. “Ahem, you speak better now.”

Jerome stopped. What the hell was that? That was cringy. Way to go, Jerome, he chastised himself. “Tell me about your time here. I can tell you’ve been training.”

“I went for Mhen Agrh’ur a few moons after I arrived at the Royal Estate. It was crowded. I never knew there were so many kids in Farryn!” She smiled as she remembered her experience.

“Kids, Ash?” Jerome said.

“Come on, you used to say it.”

“And I was corrected. Society doesn’t see the term the same way I do. So, we stick to society’s standards.”

“Must we?” she asked. Jerome searched her face to see if she was joking. Ash was not. She was really serious about the question. But her meaning wasn’t lost on him. He’d be a fool to think they were talking about a simple word.

“You’ve truly grown, Ash,” Jerome admitted. “In a good way too.”

“I guess losing family would do that to you.”

“Hmm. but to answer your question, we must… stick to society’s standards, that is. We are just individuals after all. If we were powerful enough to change things, we could. But since we aren’t…” he shrugged.

“Mehn Agrh’ur was the same for me and the boys too,” Jerome muttered. That statement roused an uncomfortable silence between them. “There were too many kids there for us to even count. Maybe a thousand.”

The silence continued for a while still.

“So, when will you be going for Pilgrims’ Keep?” Jerome finally asked.

“In the New Year. House Alvric will be sending more than a few participants this time around, to avoid what happened last time. They only sent three last time.”

“And the Royal Family?”

“They’ll also be sending at least four disciples this time around, including actual members of the Royal Family. I’ve met some of them. They aren’t like the Alvrics — at least to the best of my knowledge. Though they may have inflated egos, they can be reasonable.”

You do speak better now, Jerome thought, remembering how Ash fumbled with language when she was younger. “Really? I never met any of them so I wouldn’t know.”

“Uncle Rihal did say so.”

“‘Uncle’ Rihal? He doesn’t look like an uncle to me,” Jerome said.

Ash laughed at that and he smiled. He loved her laugh. It was beautiful. She exposed her slim neckline when she laughed, he felt like kissing her there. Jerome blushed again. His hormones were directing his mind elsewhere and he didn’t know how to deal with it on the spot.

“He said you only spent a month preparing for Pilgrims’ Keep where you beat up Hedon to a pulp,” Ash chuckled.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” he said solemnly.

Ash hugged him at that. They were both hurting and needed each other to stay strong.

“Not all of them are dead, you know?” Jerome said.

Ash jerked away and held his shoulders. “Are you sure?!”

“I’m not, but a man can hope,” Jerome reached up to hold her hands in his, bringing them around the nape of his neck. He touched his forehead to hers breathing in her soft fragrance. She smelled like flowers and had her own unique scent. Something Jerome couldn’t place but reminded him of the brightness of the sun.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

They remained quiet for a while enjoying each other’s company; listening to each other’s heartbeat.

“You know for the first time in a long while, I don’t feel lonely anymore,” Ash said.

Jerome held back tears. Those words stirred up a new emotion in him. Gratitude. He felt gratitude for having her back in his life. I’d have to ask Rihal who saved her so I can thank them. Whoever they are, I owe them a debt of gratitude, he thought.

“Ditto, Ash,” Jerome chuckled.

Ash laughed lightly at that. “What is that supposed to mean? Wait…” she leaned away to look him in the face. “It means ‘me too’, right?”

Jerome nodded with a smile as he blinked away tears.

“You never stop making up strange words, Jerome. Honestly, I should be used to it by now.”

“My mind is like the pen of a ready writer,” he said, feeling very light in spirit for the first time in a long time.

Ash laughed at that. “Okay, I should go,” she said. “Before you come up with another interesting thing to say.”

Jerome hugged her for a while longer breathing in the scent of her fragrance, committing it to memory. After a while, Ash walked towards the door and stopped. Not looking back, she asked, “Jerome?”

“Yes?”

“Will you avenge them?”

“If it’s the last thing I do,” he said.

The resolve in his voice was clear as day. Her shoulders shook slightly as though she was on the verge of crying. But she stood up straight, shoulders squared.

“I’ll help you,” she said, with resolve matching his before leaving.

Jerome watched her leave. Ash had grown up to become a beautiful lady and a determined one too. He’ll have to leave her behind to go search for their surviving friends, and she’ll be mad.

And I most definitely can’t take her along to avenge them, he thought with a sigh.

“Don’t put her in danger,” Rihal said, startling him.

Jerome jumped in freight. “Where’d you come from?” And how do you people keep popping up out of nowhere? he thought, remembering the Sage from before.

~~~

Rihal

Rihal had been there in the room for a while now, restraining his aura.

Jerome jumped in surprise. “Where’d you come from?”

Rihal’s heart hurt when Jerome looked back at him. The wariness in his gaze told him of the suffering Jerome had had to endure. All this because of some psychotic teenager.

“I have my ways,” he said with a shrug, his heart light in his chest, though. He was thankful for Jerome’s safe return if nothing at all. Now his disciple can heal in the proper environment.

Jerome looked away from him, frowning as he did. Rihal could see the accusation in his eyes. He wanted to say he was sorry but didn’t know how to. Sorry wouldn’t bring back Jerome’s family.

“You promised, Rihal,” his disciple muttered. “You promised!” His words had a bite to them he had never heard in Jerome’s voice before.

Rihal just stood there taking it all in. He had to. If Jerome wanted to lash out, to use him as a punching bag, he’d let him. He deserved it — and Jerome deserved a release. Someone had to pay for what happened to his family, and since they technically couldn’t go after the main culprit, the one who did not protect them would do.

After a while, Rihal reached out to him and held him close, wrapping him up in a bear hug. Jerome tried to push him away but he held him tight, refusing to let go. His disciple soon calmed down after his weak limbs got tired.

Jerome was taller now. Only about half a head shorter than he was. Rihal was proud of him. He was proud he survived against all odds. And he was proud that Jerome still had that fire in his eyes, that relentlessness that made him push on.

“Have you been here the whole time?” Jerome asked, still cradled in his arms.

“Hmm. Didn’t know how to face you, I admit.”

Jerome chuckled. “I like your new eyes…they are normal.”

Rihal smiled — a sad smile. He no longer wore his blindfold anymore and he was grateful Jerome noticed. More than that, Jerome was the only person he didn’t feel awkward being congratulated by. The boy didn’t know the circumstances surrounding his eyes.

“What happened at the canyon, Jerome? I hope you can tell me.”

Jerome was silent for a while, his heavy breathing was the only thing that could be heard in the room. He pulled out of Rihal’s embrace and sat down on the bed to rest comfortably.

“When I went back to the slum…” he began.

Jerome gave him a summary of what happened to him. Rihal was burning with rage when he was done and Jerome couldn’t hold back his tears. They stayed silent for a while as Rihal digested all that Jerome had said.

“I’m sorry, Jerome. I wish I had done more. I kept an eye on them from afar. But when Alvric came to take them…”

“You weren’t — no, whoever was your eye wasn’t bothered to check!” Jerome growled. “I don’t need your pity. I need to find them is all.”

“Huh?” Rihal looked at him, confused. Did he hear right?

“They aren’t all dead. I can get to them… soon as I get better.”

“Slow down, Jerome. Did you say they aren’t all dead?”

“Yes. Not all of them were stabbed before being thrown into the water.”

“Are you sure, Jerome?” Rihal asked. Jerome turned his eyes on him and Rihal felt like those eyes were pointing fingers at him. And something more. He had lost his disciple’s trust.

“Believe what you will,” Jerome said. “I’ll find them myself.”

Rihal sighed. “You need to get stronger, Jerome. I hope what you say is true, but at the same time, if they are alive, their lives would be much worse than it was before.”

Jerome’s eyebrows rose. Rihal knew he fully understood the implications of what he was saying. Jerome stood up and started pacing the length of the floor. Rihal watched him drag his right leg as he moved. He could tell the leg was completely shattered at the knee and it must hurt like hell for Jerome to put his weight on it.

Jerome’s gaze was down as he paced, calculating in his mind. Rihal could almost see the gears turning in his head.

“We could start now. Or anytime you feel you are ready.”

“No,” he stopped. “We’ll start now.” Jerome’s stomach rumbled in protest at that moment.

“You’d need to take care of that first,” Rihal said, looking guilt-stricken. “Let me get you something to eat.” He vanished.

Sacred artists didn’t need sustenance like mere mortals. Jerome himself ate once every tenday when he was Blank. Sprouts could go on for even more days without needing to eat — a few tendays if they were in seclusion. Jerome’s condition made him almost mortal so he had to feed more frequently, and he hadn’t done so in three years.

“I thought the Sovereign said his foundation was damaged,” Kilian muttered next to him in the kitchen.

Rihal hummed his reply, watching the kitchen staff who was filling a tray with some of the most succulent dishes in the kitchen. “His core is as vibrant as any newborn Sprout’s. It’s just the condition of his body that is terrible. It’s a miracle in itself that his core is undamaged.”

Another mystery about his disciple he might never get to solve. At least there’s still fire in his eyes. And if he can talk without whooping, he can train, Rihal thought.

“You don’t sound so happy, Rihal,” Kilian said, looking him up and down. “And you look like you could use a good night’s rest.”

Rihal felt extremely exhausted; like a mortal who hadn’t been sleeping fine.

“He didn’t even call me by my name,” he muttered. “You should have seen the look in his eyes when he saw me. I’ve lost his trust, Kilian.”