Avryn decided to return to the slums during the break. He started to like the place. Rags and Stink Eye were the first to welcome him back. They caught up with each other over some cold drinks at the tavern. It was a surprise for Haley to see him back so soon. She took up a seat and asked Avryn why he had come back early.

  He filled her in. He wanted to hang out in the slums for his one week break. She was relieved to hear the place has earned such respect from him. They downed a couple more drinks, and played some darts.

  Before she forgot, Haley recounted to Avryn what happened with the King character they faced before. He recently came back to give back all the extortion money to the people, and then some. He gave out a proper apology and left.

  “So that’s why the slum is starting to look better than last time. Good on him,” Avryn said.

  There was one more thing Haley forgot to tell Avryn. His room at the inn was actually Vyktria’s, and she was already here first thing in the morning. Avryn nodded and reassured that he’ll make do. Just as they said that, Vyktria had come by. She asked them what was happening. They both explained the situation to her. After hearing this, Vyktria offered to share the bed with no hesitation at all. The answer was a shock Haley.

  “Besides, I could use this to gauge your intentions,” she teased.

  “The only intention I got is to train before our exams, that’s pretty much it,” Avryn replied.

  “You always train, lighten up a little,” she complained.

  Avryn shrugged,

  “That’s how I lighten up already,” he told her. “I’ll make do with whatever place I can find by tonight.”

  The others were curious why he was so hard on himself. Avryn reassured them he was already used to living rough since he was young. He can sleep like a rock on almost any kind of “bed” whether it be the hard floor, or something like a thin piece of cardboard.

  “Man, and I thought my life was hard,” Vyktria commented.

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  She looked deeply in Avryn’s eyes. She could tell it was the truth. Her respect for him started to grow, and perhaps something more, but she dared not think of it right now.

  Avryn spent the rest of his day helping around the slums. Time slowed to a crawl it seemed. He always got a little anxious with nothing to do. Making himself useful could at least quell this uneasiness.

  He made several rounds walking about the slums. The scrappy look was homely to him. He took mental notes of landmarks as he walked. After about the tenth time, he remembered at least a few places. He went inside the barracks to chat up to the soldiers stationed there. He learned they were volunteers and veterans from the Expeditions. Avryn immediately asked what it was like.

  The Lost Lands were described to be a corrupted version of itself. It was the same as in the simulations. Everything looked like it had the life sucked out of it. The monsters that lurked there even more so. The veteran told of a rumor there were even bigger Corpses the deeper into the lands you go. That captured Avryn’s imagination. He wondered what kind of foes he could face once he was deployed.

  The veteran brought him down to earth, stating unless there was a major development, his job would be standard patrolling and Corpse elimination missions. That was still good in Avryn’s mind.

  “Say, what was your name again, kid?” The veteran asked.

  “Avryn Starbright,” he introduced himself.

  “Oh, the guy who fought Leandros?” he followed up.

  Avryn nodded. The people in the barracks started to pay closer attention to Avryn. Some even gave him praise for going toe-to-toe with Leandros. Seemed Leandros’s reputation reached even here. Avryn still had a lot to learn.

  Vyktria was curious and dropped by the barracks. Her guess was right. She saw the boy was making rounds again. He’s started to become a little celebrity here. An idea popped in her head.

  “Hey, Avryn, since you’re here, how about a little sparring session with a captive audience?” she entered the room.

  Avryn turned to her, and he was glad to hear it,

  “Any day, any time,” he was ready.

  “You know him, Vyky?” the veteran asked.

  “Yep, and I’m looking forward to know him more,” she prepared her weapon.

  The soldiers in the barracks prepared the sparring arena. The two of them stood opposite of each other. The soldiers made their bets and the match began.

  Vyktria charged at Avryn with inhuman speed. Avryn was unprepared for it and was hit. He countered her next attacks afterwards. He acclimated quickly. He had to. Vyktria was fighting differently than at the tournament last year. A testament to her improvement.

  Avryn’s gunblade still proved to be the more powerful of the weapons. He countered hard with a combination of slashes and caught an opening. Vyktria was grazed with a slash. She parried the next blow and just nearly missed with a thrust. Avryn stepped out of the way.

  The soldiers cheered as the fight went on. A lot of them were cheering for Vyktria, their own, but there were some who believed in Avryn. The younger soldiers were watching intently, seeing these two fight was a rare experience.

  The fight was as over as soon as Avryn weathered Vyktria’s storm and countered with a well timed parry. Vyktria fell to the ground. Avryn stood over her. First, with his gunblade pointed at her, then he moved to offer his hand. She took it and shook it. A fight well done.

  “Seems like I got some catching up to do, huh?” she told him.

  “I can see why a lot of men stopped pursuing Haley,” he praised her.

  The two shook hands, respects for each other rose. Night came and they bid each other farewell. Vyktria once again offered Avryn to share her bed but he politely refused. He had an idea already.

  He grabbed a few pieces of cardboard and formed a makeshift bed by a barrel. Wood he gathered from the junkyard served as the barrel’s fuel. He struck a matchstick and set the barrel alight as an improvised campfire. He slept near there for the night, cardboard as a blanket.

  The next day, he woke up to a shocking sight.