Helydia awoke gently, her eyelids fluttering open to the soft light around her. A smile crossed her lips as she realized that Samuel had finally allowed her to sleep as she wished, without waking her at dawn as he usually did. Stretching, she noticed Samuel wasn’t beside her, which led her to assume he had been up for a while.
She got up, dressed quickly, and left her room. Walking down the hallway, she stopped in front of Kai’s door and knocked softly to wake him. When no answer came, she figured he was already awake as well. Heading downstairs, she found the innkeeper chatting with a colleague behind the counter. Helydia approached her and asked politely:
“Excuse me, have you seen an old bearded man and a young man with brown hair?”
The innkeeper smiled immediately, recognizing the description of Samuel and Kai, the two saviors of the village.
“Yes, of course. Come, I’ll show you where they are.”
She signaled to a colleague to take over at the reception, then guided Helydia out of the inn. Outside, the street was busy but still bore the scars of recent events. The smell of ash and burnt wood lingered in the air. Villagers seemed occupied with rebuilding, talking in small groups, some still visibly shaken. The laughter and shouts of children running through the alleys stood in stark contrast to the heavy atmosphere that still hung over the village.
Helydia looked around, reflecting on everything that had happened over the past few days, and followed the innkeeper in silence. After several minutes of walking, they arrived at a small stone house, simple yet sturdy. The innkeeper turned to Helydia.
“They’re inside. You can go in.”
Helydia nodded and gently pushed the door open. Inside, she found Samuel and Kai sitting in what looked like a waiting room. Without a word, she sat next to them, curious to understand what was going on.
“What are we doing here?” she finally asked.
Kai explained in detail what had happened while she was asleep, speaking of recent events, the village’s situation, and the bandits who had attacked it. Samuel, arms crossed, remained silent, listening carefully.
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After listening attentively, Helydia frowned and asked, “And that still doesn’t explain why we’re here. What exactly are we waiting for?”
Just then, a man in a white coat, probably a doctor, stepped out of the neighboring room and addressed them in a calm voice.
“Mr. Samuel, his condition has stabilized. He’s awake and wishes to speak with you.”
Samuel stood up, followed by Helydia and Kai, but the doctor raised a hand to stop them.
“No, sir. He wants to speak to you alone.”
Samuel turned to Helydia and Kai, signaling for them to stay. Helydia shrugged while Kai let out a small sigh, and they both sat back down. Samuel stepped through the door, disappearing inside, leaving his companions to wait with growing impatience.
Upon entering the room, Samuel found Canon sitting on a bed, a cigarette wedged between his thick fingers, looking tiny in comparison to his large frame. A woman, likely a nurse, stood beside him, attending to the numerous bandages wrapped around his torso, shoulders, arms, and legs. She glanced up when she saw Samuel enter.
“I’ll leave you two to talk in private,” she said softly before exiting the room, closing the door behind her. A heavy silence settled between Samuel and Canon, the only sound coming from the wind gently blowing through the slightly open window.
It was Canon who finally broke the silence.
“You were planning to save her, no matter what I said, weren’t you?”
Samuel looked up at him, attentive.
“The girl,” Canon continued, taking a drag from his cigarette. “The girl who was taken hostage, the one they were going to slit the throat of. I know you would’ve saved her even if I hadn’t said anything. I saw it in your eyes.”
The wind stirred the curtains by the window, bringing a slight breeze into the room. Canon’s voice softened as he went on, “I’ve lived my whole life in Harama. It makes me proud that this village was defended by someone as strong as you. Sure, we lost people we cared about, but without your intervention, you and your archer, I don’t know what would have become of this place.”
Samuel, still impassive, finally responded, “From what the doctor told me, the few bandits who survived are in cells and will be sent to the ‘Obsidian Fortress.’ What exactly is that?”
Canon nodded and replied, “It’s one of the biggest prisons in the country. It was created by the ‘Three Crowned Kings.’ They send the most dangerous criminals there. It’s for the best. Even though, in his current state, the bandit leader won’t hurt anyone anymore. But that’s not what I want to talk to you about.”
Samuel remained silent, observing Canon’s every move.
Canon continued, “I’ve rarely seen a swordsman as skilled as you. And I’ve never faced a user of ‘Darkness’ before.” He took another drag from his cigarette before locking eyes with Samuel. “So, I’m going to ask you a question.”
Samuel stayed motionless, waiting for him to continue.
“Who are you really, Samuel?” Canon asked, his voice heavy with curiosity and suspicion.