The group’s steps sounded loud as they made their way towards the giant mansion that was looming over the entire town. It was separated from the rest of the town by quite a distance. Years of disuse had given the place an aura of creepiness that kept the locals away from it. Children often speculated if anyone had even lived there or if the house had suddenly sprung up in everyone’s memories.

Firil knew that the halls of the mansion weren’t as empty as they were now. After all, it was her and her family that roamed those very halls as children. Many years had passed since then, however. Her eyes were focused on the pavement as they strutted along their path. They finally came to a stop in front of a metallic gate that gave a clean view up to the doors of the mansion. The shrubbery inside was overgrown and the fountain in front of the double doors looked to be filled with algae.

Firil stopped there for a second. Sincan asked, “This is the place?” Firil only nodded to confirm. She walked up to input the password, hoping that there was enough power left for it to work. She punched in the combination and the gates opened for her, letting the group in.

While the rest of them stood around and looked at the garden, Firil just walked up to the doors of her grandfather’s house and pulled open the doors. She put a bit too much strength into it as they made a booming noise. Before she had any time to take it in, she saw a hand glowing in the dark. She readied herself and her own hand started glowing, but not before the glow in the dark faded. Out popped a Lyclan man who looked surprised to see her. Nato had an incredulous smile on his face as he approached her.

Everyone else rushed to see what had happened. Firil couldn’t let a single sound out. “I thought…Oh I’m so glad I waited.” Nato whispered out. Firil couldn’t believe her eyes, so she just gave the man in front of her a hug. “Are the others? Vanessa and…?” she asked him.

“I’m so sorry, kid. I tried so hard, but I couldn’t.” That confirmation brought her some ounce of closure, but it was nothing compared to the immense sadness she felt upon the loss of someone she held dear to herself. Firil just stayed like that for a while, crying. Nato eventually spoke up. “I thought there would be a slight chance of you arriving here. Seemed like a hidden enough place from his sight. I almost left to search for you myself.” He searched around the entire group, noting the state they were all in.

“You all look like you could use some rest. Come inside, there are plenty of rooms in this old house,” Nato offered. The group took him up on that offer and almost immediately went to sleep. Firil was overdue for a long rest after the failure she had brought upon.

Sincan walked to an empty room and took it up as his own. He put down his backpack in a corner and sat on the bed. Over their journey, they’d gathered a few things. Some of them were probably useless, but they hadn’t had the time to be picky. Okshender, guard the perimeter.

“Acknowledged.” Sincan had to admit to himself the benefits of a Gear were growing on him. He dozed off soon after.

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****

The next morning, they gathered around a table that had been cleaned up for their use. The house itself was well preserved considering its age. The table was littered with food that everyone was digging into. Firil couldn’t eat anything as she was tense. “You already have the safe?” Nato asked.

“Uh yes. Sincan, can you bring it over?” Firil replied. Sincan obeyed and a few seconds later, Nato heard the sound of a giant Gear entering the premises. “Ah, forgot about that,” he said.

Outside, Okshender was kneeling with the safe in front of him. Sincan was right next to the Gear, making sure it was working fine. Firil had followed Nato outside. He inspected it and looked in her direction. “Firil, why haven’t you opened this yet?” he asked. Firil looked sheepish before silently replying. “I…I couldn’t. I tried the code. Put it in so many times and it just didn’t work. I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine, we’ll find a way to crack it.”

“But how? Grandpa isn’t around anymore and he didn’t tell anyone else! He told me!” Firil argued. Nato’s expression changed to one of confusion at what Firil had said. “What do you mean he’s not around anymore?” he asked.

“Oh, I guess no one told you the news. Uncle told me grandpa Volt passed away a few years ago. I thought you would have known,” Firil told him. The confusion on Nato’s face grew even more pronounced. “Firil, girl, Oxe told you that?”

“Yes, I visited his funeral and everything. My cousins were there but my parents couldn’t make it. I couldn’t find it in me to forgive them for that.” Nato walked over to Firil and held her by the shoulders.

“Girl, that old bastard Oxe lied to you. I’ve been with the man myself up until a year or so ago.”

“W-What? No. No matter the kind of man he is, Oxe cares about his family. He wouldn’t be that horrible…”

“He hid it from his own wife and children, don’t you think he’d keep it hidden from you?” Firil felt her face contorting into a glower. He…Of course. I should have known. Goddess damn that man I’ll make sure he goes down. I’ll kill him if need be. I will NOT let him make a mockery of our family like this.

“What’s the last you heard of him, Nato?” she asked the man. He pulled out his phone and showed the text to her.

Take care of my granddaughter for me, son. I’m afraid I won’t be able to. If you look for me, she might be in trouble so follow this last request of mine, Nato.

“He didn’t give a location, even though I tried to pry it out of him. I’m sorry I took this long to get to you, Oxe got in my way every step of the process.” Firil’s anger boiled over and she started breaking some furniture. She just needed an outlet for all her anger and frustration at the moment. Sincan didn’t have the patience to try and calm her down.

****

Sincan had joined the group for breakfast, talking with Moris about mundane topics. Kos had taken it upon herself to clean the plates and organize their packs, much to the reluctance of the group. It made some of them uncomfortable but Sincan was in no place to console her. Firil walked back into the room, staring at everyone one at a time.

“Done throwing a temper tantrum?” Kos asked. Moris winced at the nonchalant tone in her voice. “I’m done with that and I’m done with being weak.” Jake looked at her and said, “So what do you propose?”

“I’m going to avenge them, Jake. We’re going to trick Oxe into giving away the location of Volt, if he has it.”

“And how are we going to do that?” Moris asked.

“We have the safe right here. We might not know how to open it, but Oxe doesn’t know that. I think we could use that to our advantage.”

Jake still didn’t seem convinced but he resigned himself to whatever plan Firil was cooking up. Vanessa would have wanted him to do that. Firil noticed that and said, “Oxe will face his crimes, Jake. Trust me, he will.” Jake saw the faintest resemblance between her right now and the woman he loved. He gave her a smile. As fake as it was, the sentiment was appreciated.