The wind whipped Marshmallow and Lynx's faces as they flew on the Geoundead Dragon towards the Depths of Vesuvietna. In the end, they'd decided to split up: Marshmallow and Lynx would finish Marshmallow's Optional Quest, while Raven and Parabellum went ahead to the Ashenwood.

Neither of them was talking, and the silence was getting heavy. Marshmallow decided to break the ice.

"Sorry I snapped at you earlier," he said. "Actually, I'm glad you survived."

Lynx smiled weakly at the olive branch. She held tight to Marshmallow to stay steady on the dragon's back. But Marshmallow continued in a lighter tone.

"This whole Jolly Rank thing cracks me up. I didn't pay a dime to join the Survivor Game, while you, being an A Rank, must've shelled out a fortune."

Lynx was quiet for a moment. Then she asked curiously, "So how'd you manage to get in anyway?"

"Well..." Marshmallow replied, scratching his face. "It was a mix of desperation and dumb luck, I guess. When I showed up to register, I would've done anything to get in. It was my last shot."

"And then?" Lynx pressed, more interested now.

"Then something weird happened," Marshmallow continued. "The registration lady looked at me, fiddled with her computer, then smiled and said there was a special spot for me. No clue what she meant, but I didn't care. I was in."

Lynx looked up at the sky and laughed. Marshmallow was a bit puzzled. "Why're you laughing?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

"So you basically became the Jolly Rank by pure chance? I don't know, it's hard to buy," Lynx said skeptically. "The Wyolands must've had their eye on you already. You adapted to this world like a fish to water. When I met you, you seemed like you'd lived here forever. It can't just be random luck."

Marshmallow was quiet for a moment, mulling over Lynx's theory. "I just learned that to survive here, you've gotta stay one step ahead of the competition. In this world, there's no room for weakness or hesitation."

"Ooh, look at Mr. Philosopher over here!" Lynx teased. "So what were you like before the Survivor Game, Marshmallow? I mean, what kind of life did you have?"

"I was just a regular guy," he answered simply. "A working stiff trying to make ends meet and support his family. I had debts, lots of 'em, and a ton of other problems. Like most people these days."

"Yet now you're a force of nature," Lynx declared. "The current you wouldn't have had all those problems back then, that's for sure."

Marshmallow shook his head slightly. "Maybe, but it wasn't easy. The Survivor Game's always pushed me to my limits, but somehow it's brought out the best in me. It forced me to go beyond what I thought I was capable of and become stronger than I ever imagined."

Lynx nodded, understanding. "I get what you mean. I've changed a lot too since this all started."

"Yeah? Tell me about it then, I'm curious. I spilled my guts, now it's your turn."

Lynx hesitated for a moment as if searching for the right words. "I come from a rich family of timber merchants. Our company, Arboris, got loaded because we became market leaders in sustainable forestry, managing forests in innovative ways. We had it made, our future was set, and we knew we'd live without a care in the world. But then the war came."

Marshmallow reflected for a moment, recognizing the name. He'd heard of Arboris and their cutting-edge practices before.

"The government needed cash fast, and the Wyolands seized our forest lands at a terrifying speed. The forests we'd nurtured so carefully were clear-cut like crazy to fund the war effort. In just a few months, we had nothing left."

Marshmallow nodded silently, imagining the pain of losing everything you'd built. It was hard to fathom the devastation and heartache Lynx must have faced.

"Our estate was near the southeast border, too exposed. We should've left earlier, but where would we go? Our country estate was all we had left. We had nowhere else. Then one day, BOOM! The Novgovians started randomly shelling Wyoland territory, and a stray missile hit our property. Those of us who were still there were wiped out in an instant. I was just a kid that day and happened to be away. I survived, but in my heart, I lost everything I held dear."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The shocking thing about Lynx's story was that there wasn't a hint of hesitation in her voice. Her tone was so flat it was unsettling. It was as if this girl had absorbed those events into her very being, and they'd become one and the same. For her, such a traumatic event had become her new normal. And these days, a story like that was all too common.

"I'm so sorry, Lynx. I had no idea."

"That's why I'm here," Lynx said. "Not just for the Wyolands, but to avenge my family. To make sure those responsible pay for what they did. But it's not just about revenge. I want to make a difference and help the Wyolands win this war. I don't want other families to suffer like mine did."

"That's a noble goal," Marshmallow said. "And I'm sure your family would be proud of you."

Lynx smiled weakly. "Thanks, Marshmallow. What about you? Do you still have a family?"

Marshmallow sighed deeply. "My story's not so different from yours, in a way. I lost someone too. My dad killed himself."

"Oh..." Lynx whispered, tightening her grip slightly.

"His name was Thomas. He was a miner. Worked his ass off to support our family. But the stress and pressure finally broke him. One day he lost it and threw acid in my mom's eyes, blinding her. Right after that, he put a gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger."

Lynx was silent, shocked by the revelation.

"I was fighting on the front lines when it happened two years ago. After that, I got discharged and became the sole breadwinner for my family," he continued. "My disabled mom, my sisters, and my little brother. They all depended on me. But it wasn't easy. A mountain of responsibility crashed down on me, and I couldn't handle it. I had no skills – the only thing I knew how to do was fight, and I wasn't allowed to do that anymore. I started gambling, hoping to make some quick cash. The result was even more debt."

"So that's why you decided to join the Survivor Game," Lynx concluded.

"There comes a time when you've got nothing left to lose," Marshmallow nodded. "It was my final gamble. Either I win here, or I lose everything."

"I had no idea you'd been through all that," Lynx said sincerely. "But think about it – you still have a family. Hold onto them tight. We only realize how important things are when we lose them. Do you think about them often?"

Marshmallow nodded. "Of course. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about them."

"Tell me about them," Lynx encouraged. "If you want to, of course."

Marshmallow took a moment. For Lynx, it must be comforting to talk about these things. Decades could pass, but her pain would never fully go away. Her curiosity was only natural. So Marshmallow took a deep breath before starting.

"My mom, Grace, is incredible. Even though she's blind now, she's never lost her spirit. She's always been the glue that holds the family together. Even after what dad did to her, she kept facing life with stoic grit. She's my inspiration."

Lynx smiled. "She sounds like an amazing mother."

"Yeah," he continued. "My sisters, Clementine and Ruby, are teenagers – 17 and 15. They had to drop out of school after what happened. They're both brilliant, not dumbasses like me," he said with a smile. "They could do great things if they could keep studying. It'd be a shame if they had to stick to housework."

"They'll be able to go back to school soon," Lynx reassured him.

"And then there's Oliver, my little brother. He's barely 11. He sees me as his hero, his role model. You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard him say he wants to be like me when he grows up." Marshmallow's voice cracked slightly. "Sometimes I wonder if I really deserve his admiration. If I'm really the example he should follow."

"Marshmallow," Lynx said firmly, "from what I've seen, you're exactly the kind of person who deserves to be looked up to. You're fighting not just for yourself, but for your whole family and for the Wyolands. Your brother's right to see you as a hero."

Marshmallow was quiet for a moment, taking in Lynx's words. "Thanks," he finally said. "It's just that sometimes the weight of all this feels like too much to bear. I want them to be safe, to have a better life."

"And that's why we're here," Lynx replied. "To make sure our families, and all the families in the Wyolands, can have a better future."