The world felt so cold.

Even though my body was augmented, I felt cold and sick.

My vision came and went all while Mr. Quinn stood silently behind me.

I reached for my phone and called Katsíki again.

[Yeah?]

“I’m in Kukulkan right now. I’m going to send you my location in a moment.” I said weakly.

[Alright but you still haven’t said anything. Is something wrong?] Katsíki asked.

“I… could we speak when you get here?”

[Mmm… alright.]

I ended the call, sent Katsíki my location details and stood up to face George, who’s head hung low

“Are you happy?” I asked.

He looked and made a pained expression.

“No. Not really. The collision brought Khalindra closer but the moments of joy I felt were clouded by the sadness I felt when you and Adia disappeared. I searched for so long that it became all I ever did.” George said with half open eyes.

“Am I happy? No and I won’t be until Adia is back home.” He added before glancing at the tombstone behind me.

“and as for you… well, I can’t say I regret what I did that day.”

I bit my teeth.

“I see.” I said before turning to face the tombstone once more.

Katsíki eventually arrived although he struggled moving across the grassy paths of the graveyard.

“Hello again, Mr. Katsíki.”

“Mmm.” Katsíki sounded in acknowledgment.

“Zuri.” He called prompting me to face him.

“Sorry Katsíki but could you take me to your place?”

“Err… I’m currently staying in Ix Chel but if you’re fine with that, sure.”

I nodded before helping Katsíki out of the graveyard.

We made our way, across empty streets, to the Vectrain station.

Katsíki remained silent the entire time and although I wanted him to ask me something, anything, I was grateful for the silence he allowed me.

We boarded a Vectrain and made our way to Ix Chel.

I had never been to this province and even though we sped across beautiful Vistas which were bathed in the light of the morning sun, I couldn’t take in any of it.

I turned to Katsíki, who sat in a compartment designated for wheelchair users and I looked into his weary eyes.

My heart then trembled as he gave me a weak smile.

His brows then furrowed as my face twisted.

I wanted to cry but my body couldn’t and so I sat uncomfortably in my seat.

We eventually arrived in a town known as Hithe. A fairly small town which had a handful of tall buildings with only one being a skyscraper.

Katsíki then took me to the motel he was staying in and he gestured that I sit on the bed while he grabbed two bottles of water.

He offered me one and although I drank all of its contents, swallowing was difficult.

I felt alien even in my own body.

“May I use the bathroom?” I asked.

“Go ahead.” Katsíki said while using his phone.

I nodded before making my way into the bathroom where I took off the clothes George had gotten for me.

This revealed to me my augmented body.

One covered in golden lines.

I looked up and peered into my own eyes via the mirror and I saw a tired woman.

Her brown eyes half closed and her lips pursed.

I tried smiling but the thought did not reach my lips.

I tried crying but every attempt was futile.

I searched for myself, my existence and without Adia I was… not much.

“Katsíki?” I called weakly.

“Yeah?”

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Who are without those we love?” I asked with a trembling voice.

“Mmm… I honestly don’t know how to answer that right now. Why do you ask?”

“I…”

My eyes widened as I remembered the time I had spent raising Adia.

I remembered the time we spent together on Edenton and I remembered the time we spent apart.

I remembered Lanceberg, the High Lords, Ueel, Luna, Kulea, the Helma, the Yilon, the Hands, Luno and Caligo.

I… I’m pretty sure I meant something to those people and most importantly, I meant something to Adia.

I was his mother and that was just one of the many parts of who I was.

I was also my father’s daughter and I think he would have been proud of the woman I grew to be.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Never mind.” I said with a determined frown.

I then hopped into the shower, cleaned up, dried up, got dressed and left the bathroom to find Katsíki still busy on his phone.

I sat on the bed and wondered just who Katsíki was.

I knew that he was the leader of the Rendaro but, just as me, he must have been so many things to so many people.

Katsíki noticed that I was staring at him and so he shot me a questioning glance.

I took a deep breath before telling him everything that had happened.

By the time I was finished, his face was twisted with concern but I shook my head.

“It’s fine, really. I know the truth now and armed with it, I will forge my own path.”

Katsíki nodded but I really wanted to hear his voice and so I asked him how he was doing.

He then told me that, using his appearance as Kenos, he visited his sister and told her of his death. He’d also learnt that his mother passed away but even though he had learnt all this, he still planned on spending time with his sister.

“Actually, she’s coming over again today. So… yeah.” He said.

“Would you mind if I tagged along?”

“I don’t but just how long do you plan on staying here?” He asked with narrowed eyes.

“I… I have no home here. My home is in Adia and he is probably back on Edenton. George offered me a place to stay but I’d rather not see him again.”

“Mmm… alright.” Katsíki said before scoffing.

“To think that you and I, once enemies, would be sitting here.”

“Did you really consider me your enemy?” I asked.

“Yep. Everyone in Lanceberg. Everyone who flew his banner and most of all, everyone who stood by his side.” Katsíki said. His dark eyes peered into mine but just as fear surfaced in my heart, he sighed.

“But that was before. I see now that I really have one enemy.”

I wanted to ask who he meant but it was beyond obvious and so I remained silent.

“So… wanna watch some movies or something?” Katsíki asked as he moved closer to the bed.

I gave him a nod and, after some adjusting, he made the fairly small motel TV display a certain movie.

We went on to watch several movies, although Katsíki fell asleep after the second one.

I covered him in a thin blanket and since I couldn’t really sleep, I continued watching the many movies Katsíki had set up for me.

.

..

My wide eyes shifted to the left as Katsíki’s phone rang.

“Mmm.” He groaned as he slowly awoke.

He then answered his phone.

“Hello?” He yawned.

“Oh, alright. Oh- I have a guest with me today. Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything when you get here.”

“Alright.” Katsíki said before ending the call.

He turned to look at me.

“Remember, I’m Kenos.” He said although I heard a faint sadness in his voice.

I nodded before joining him in tidying the room up.

A nock eventually came from the door.

I then watched as a nervously happy Katsíki opened it, revealing a short beautiful woman who had dark skin and short bleached hair.

She also wore what appeared to be a doctor’s uniform and a pair of thin glasses.

Katsíki allowed her in and she promptly placed her handbag on the bedside table before offering me her hand.

“Hello. My name is Rina Van Peterson. I assume Kenos told you everything you need to know about me.”

“Yes. Oh- and my name is Zuri Huzuni.” I greeted while shaking Rina’s hand.

I noticed that she was looking at me in a strange way and so I assumed she was looking at my golden lines.

“These are augmentation lines that I got on Edenton.”

“Augmentation?” Rina asked with a frown.

She then sat next to me while looking my body over.

“Yes.” I said while offering her my arm.

“My bones were replaced with bones made from Cavumium, a crystal found on Edenton which can be imbued with magic.”

“Wow!” Rina exclaimed.

“So… are you stronger than normal? Bones are an essential source of stem cells, which produce the body's red blood cells and platelets, and some white blood cells. Where do you get them if not there?” Rina asked while running her small fingers across my golden lines.

“I’m not sure what stem cells are but my body is kept vitalized by a surplus of life energy. That which courses through all things.”

“Wait- I’ve read about that but it’s use is prohibited, at least on earth, due to the fact that taking something’s life energy is essentially taking its life so… where did you get this surplus life energy from?” Rina asked with a concerned frown.

“Well, Edenton is a different world. Life and even death itself are commodities which are used in all manner of ways.”

“Death?” Rina asked and I explained how death works.

“Oh… I see.” She said before turning to face Katsíki who sat patiently in front of her.

“What about you? Are you augmented?”

“Nope.” Katsíki said simply.

“Oh.”

Rina’s eyes then suddenly widened.

“So, about that other place. I think I’m ready.”

Katsíki nodded before moving backwards a little.

He then offered Rina and I his hands.

We stood up and accepted them.

I gasped deeply as we were suddenly taken to what appeared to be a dark forest but while I oriented myself, Rina rushed to Katsíki’s side and screamed.

“AAAHHH!” She cried while fearfully looking around.

“What is this place?” I asked with a racing heart.

Katsíki explained that it was a place known as the dark world all while trying to comfort and calm Rina.

A few moments passed and she eventually grew calm enough to stand on her own.

She then joined Katsíki and I in looking at a small cabin that stood on the side of a street that was lined with buildings that had a strangely earthen style.

“This is where we spent the past two years. This was our home.” Katsíki said wistfully.

“W-why didn’t you move into any of the other buildings?” Rina asked while reaching out to grab Katsíki again but she kept her hand from him by a few centimetres.

“We were a sentimental bunch.” Katsíki weakly laughed.

“Oh- could you recreate how Riley looked like during his time here?”

“I… would rather not.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“No, its fine. Come. I have so much more to show you.” Katsíki said before leading us down the street.

We eventually reached a tall wall and, after making our way to the top via a ramp, we beheld Coh in its entirety and the Expanse beyond.

I actually recognized the structure of the city somewhat since I had seen it I maps before.

Katsíki then explained the cities history and my heart ached in fear that he would bring up Caligo but, surprisingly, he didn’t.

He instead led us back into the forest and we eventually reached a short fence which led us into what Katsíki called The Heart.

My eyes widened upon seeing a waterfall only instead of water, darkness cascaded from the cliff above before falling into a river which ran through Coh.

Katsíki then sat down on a patch of grass and he gestured that Rina and I join him.

We did and what followed was a silence that was faintly filled with the sprinkling sound from the cascading darkness.

“Rina, Zuri.” Katsíki called.

“Yes?” Rina and I said simultaneously.

“Are you happy with the lives you led.”

Rina and I exchanged puzzled glances.

“Yes.” We said.

“Hehe. Me too.”

Katsíki joined us in laughter before deeply sighing.

“Me too.”