32 Separate Ways (1/2)

The three tried to overcome the shock and trepidation from the scene just displayed before their eyes.

And for the two older men, they had to overcome their uneasiness, doubts and fear towards the enigmatic commoner boy to whom the sword had chosen to reveal such a cryptic mystery of the universe.

Who was this unassuming, unimpressive, NORMAL boy...?

When asked that question, the golden-haired, clear-eyed youth just replied: ”I don't know.”

And neither of the two old hands of politics, lying, scheming and sussing out plots felt that he was lying. He truly did not know.

And Lars himself realised that he did not know.

Whether his past life or his current life... Who was he?

Was there something different about him, that the sword would react to him like this...?

Was there something special about him, like how big sis Jessica[1] used to say...? 'A genius beyond geniuses who must be born from geniuses... But with rotten luck'...?

And then Adrian would comfort him and pat him on the back, saying, ”Yeah kid, you're pretty good! It's like seeing a young version of myself, work hard and maybe you'll be as good as me someday!” Then he'd get stuff thrown at him for his overweening bragging, as always.

Lars chuckled, breaking the silence of his lonely footsteps, as he had left the two older men to muse and ruminate in the underground vault. He himself was headed to the departure point for the supply wagons to report in early so that they could make arrangements for him to tag along.

A clearly shaken Vault-keeper Noone had given him a cursory explanation of the sword: a katana, unknown origins, handed down in the Kingdom of the Sands but left here because no one could use it, as when wielded, it was unbreakable but had no other special powers except the bright light.

It was called Brightstar because of the light released when it was unsheathed by the original scabbard.

Then the two older men, looking even more aged after the spectacle they had observed, shooed him off, ignoring the fact that he was just a trainee and not allowed to wander the hallways alone.

'Jessica, Adrian. And Jayshree, Mia, Samuel, Hajiro...'

He missed them, missed his brothers and sisters.

What would they say if they saw him today...?

Would things still be the same...?

Would Samuel tell another of his bad jokes...? About how the sea is blue because the fish go, ”Bloo Bloo Bloo”...?

Would Kizuma, or Hajiro - whichever his name was - go on and on about his favourite guns and weapons, actually really talkative once they got through his layers of shyness...?

Maybe Jayshree would still be the same. Just sitting in a corner, tinkering with their equipment, but always with a perfect eye for the details, knowing exactly what they preferred just from observing her teammates.

Little firey Mia... She liked to think of herself and talk as if she were the most mature and grown up, to the point she'd ruffle Mikael's[2] hair and treat him like a kid, tut-ing at him like an old woman! It didn't help that she was so short she had to stand on the bed to reach his head... She was too cute.

And Robin...

Robin...

His heart clenched tight for a moment, then he released a long sigh, footsteps slowing as he neared the end of the dimly-lit hallways and reached the stables and wagons area.

And even as he reached the proverbial light at the end of the analogical tunnel, he felt a catharsis in his heart.

'Robin... I'll find out why. Maybe... You had your reasons too...'

But his eyes hardened, sharpening.

'...But I'm still a man of Earth. I will defend my homeland! And I won't forgive your actions!...'

He stepped out into the light, feeling a hot wind on his face, filled with the dust of the sandy ground kicked up by trotting horses, wagon wheels and dozens of men at work loading and unloading things.

He smiled.

'...But I forgive *you*, dai lou Robin.'

He wondered if they'd have liked Moira if he had the chance to introduce her to them.

Yeah.

Yeah, they would've like her.

But now they've gone their separate ways, perhaps, never to meet again?

Perhaps they would - if there were another life after this for him, maybe... For them...?