Mr Ryujin’s eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the faint lights of Olivia’s apartment room. The first thing he immediately felt was the warm rag that had been applied to his forehead, absorbing his sweat and the faint traces of blood that had emerged from scars left untreated across his face and cheeks.

  ?

  Upon seeing him slowly regain consciousness, Olivia took a step back, giving the horned man space. “I tried to tend to your wounds as best as I could; the medical technology back here isn’t that great, but it’s better than something that could spread a plague if left untreated.”

  ?

  Mr Ryujin slowly sat up, rubbing his temples with his fingers. He slowly scanned the dimly-lit room before groaning softly and lying back down. He had been stripped of his casual attire and was now wearing something softer.

  ?

  “Any idea on what happened to me?”

  ?

  Olivia shook her head. “I went outside to cool down a little, but I saw you slumped on the steps of the apartment like a drunkard, so I immediately went to treat you.”

  ?

  Hearing this, Mr Ryujin sighed with palpable annoyance. “Great, I can’t remember crap about what happened, I’m disoriented and confused, and I can hardly move without feeling like I’ll break into pieces.”

  ?

  “You won’t need to. The last major thing you did was watch Damien and tend to Ayumi, correct?”

  ?

  He could only faintly recall that day, but he nodded upon acknowledging that it did, in fact, happen. “Yes, luckily Damien’s such a cutie; he can be a bit bratty.”

  ?

  Just then, Olivia fell silent, looking to the floor. Her greyish-blue eyes softened slightly as she frowned. “Being a nurse, I’ve seen all sorts of things. I’m not just helping out wounds or stitching up stuff… I’ve seen children, teenagers, even grown adults who’re mentally broken, scared, and exhausted beyond belief.”

  ?

  She walked over to the kitchenette in the corner, opening the overhead cabinets to look for ingredients to brew herself some tea. “The night that… Isaac was shot… it was difficult for us all. You remember it, right?”

  ?

  “Why wouldn’t I?” Mr Ryujin spoke with a matter-of-fact tone.

  ?

  “Well, a few years into my career, I once had a patient. He was… a young boy, about ten or eleven years old—I can’t remember what he looked like at all; it must’ve been the rush to save his life. However, I recall what was said in the ambulance as we worked frantically to get him to the hospital. We don’t know what exactly happened to him, but he fell off the roof of a building.

  ?

  “And by some strange miracle, he survived. However, he had shattered a rib or two and suffered internal bleeding in his brain. It was quite difficult to get him back on his feet, as he now needed crutches to walk.”

  ?

  Olivia suddenly chuckled dryly as she recalled the memory in more depth. “He was also… incredibly stubborn—hell, he wanted to start walking mere minutes after he woke up; he still had the oxygen mask on, I.V in his arm, and everything.”

  A small smile formed on Olivia’s face. “The boy’s quirk allowed him to light his own body on fire, and his temperament surely told us that. The moment he snapped awake, we all panicked the moment he erupted all orange and yellow.”

  “What’s this have to do with anything?” Mr Ryujin’s head began to spin a little, making him groan softly and lean back in his chair.

  Olivia walked over, now carrying two cups of tea. “We’ll figure out what happened to you; we’ve already found ourselves in countless places already. Now, it’s best you take it easy; you’ve endured blunt trauma to your head after all.”

  She brought the mug to her lips and sighed. “Everyone has strength inside them, even if others can’t see it. I see the burdens you carry, I see what you’ve endured… It’s trauma that needs acknowledgment. I know you’re plagued by your inability to save Isaac, but the boy is strong enough to know when he’s not able to kick the bucket just yet.”

  Mr Ryujin suddenly fell silent, grabbing the mug from the tray. He brought it to his lips, quivering slightly as he took a sip. After a moment, his trembling hands set the cup down. His lips parted, and the words passed them slowly, as if hesitant to come out.

  “When I first met the boy, he told me how bad his life was. So, I told him to jot his thoughts down… it’s therapeutic to see what you have after a few weeks; it’s like a blueprint of your own mindscape.

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  “I can tell he’s been improving these past few weeks, maybe even the past month and a half we’ve been here. Being thrown into a world beyond your own control is something very, very few people can handle without going mad.”

  Mr Ryujin looked to the ceiling. “I can tell Aizawa’s worried about his class back at home; they’re still heroes in training and need guidance. I’m worried about my own life, I’m guessing you are too. Damien locked himself in his room, Shinso’s improving a little, and even Ayumi’s beginning to move once again.”

  He smiled softly, chuckling under his breath. “I’m proud none of us are dead by now. I know for a fact that Isaac isn’t dead, I can feel it… I can trust it.”

  “Why not look for him again? We can leave the kingdom and search around!” Olivia felt her thoughts bubble.

  The man shook his head. “Fortune and fate work in the favor of those willing to act. Isaac’s planning right now, he’s acting, he’s waiting for the perfect chance to make it back here. Sure, he’s most-likely a wanted fugitive for… whatever the hell happened in that room, but we know Isaac isn’t a cold-blooded murderer; he’s just a boy… and he wants to remain that way.

  “Now, I’ll see if Damien’s willing to crawl out of his room for lunch.” Olivia’s expression suddenly gave the feeling that she would be facing a mighty demon or dragon rather than a ten-year old boy with attachment issues.

  …

  In the distance, me and Kael suddenly heard a few voices. Kael ducked behind a tree, a pillar of crimson energy condensing in his palm, burning with a fiery vigor. He peeked from behind the tree, catching sight of what was in the distance. A dirt road ran horizontally through the forest, cutting through the trees. The voices came from two individuals.

  One of them was an older man with grayish-white hair, a scruffy beard, and clad in attire to keep him warm. His hands were nestled in his pockets as he walked on the road. The other person beside him was another man, about as old as he was. He had strangely chiseled features, a gaunt jawline, and deep brown eyes.

  They both had large bags slouched over their shoulders, the bags writhed slightly and moved and jolted erratically. Upon seeing this, Kael’s expression furrowed.

  “Are they who we’re looking for?”

  I gazed at the duo in the distance. “We were following horsetracks until now. If those were the bandits mentioned back in Clifton, they’d have their horses with them. After all, shouldn’t a group like this not… work alone?”

  I felt a little proud saying that, feeling like I was taking the lead in this operation. Hearing my reply, Kael clicked his tongue.

  “Sometimes, unpredictability is one's biggest asset.”

  Kael suddenly leapt from behind the trees, illusory black tendrils protruding from his fingers. The tendrils shot out like homing missiles, coiling around the two men and dragging them forward. They dropped their sacks into the snow as they writhed around, already begging for mercy.

  The crimson-haired man spoke first. “Where’s the rest of your friends?”

  The man with white hair spoke in a flurry, the words spilling from his lips in sputtering succession. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about! It’s only me and him livin’ out here! What do you want from us?”

  Kael approached the older man, the crimson flames in his other hand surging forth like a living weapon. They latched onto the man's wrists, gradually heating more and more. He let out an agonized scream as the fire began to scorch his skin.

  “I’ll ask you again. Where—”

  A sudden push sent Kael forward, having him stumble a little. Both men fell to the ground, holding their sacks to their chests like they were their own children. Kael immediately looked back at me, not taking even a second to know I had pushed him.

  Instead of immediately retaliating, he laughed out loud. “So you don’t want to find the lost livestock?”

  “I-I do! But you were torturing this man!”

  I ran over to the man, extending a hand to help him to his feet. He thanked me, bones creaking as he leaned back against a tree. His gaze drifted down to his scorched wrists, noticing the first-degree burns that had already appeared.

  “I used what you taught me. I did violence without doing any harm.”

  “Ah.” Kael brushed himself off as he looked at me with daggers. “So you are contributing to an extent. But, I never expected it would end… like this.”

  He looked back to both of the men, scoffing. “Have you seen bandits around here? They stole some horses and cattle from a local town.”

  “Bandits? I wouldn’t call them bandits; they don’t look like the type to steal from others.”

  “You… know them?” I approached both of the men, taking the initiative.

  “They’re from… what's it called again?” The white-haired man looked to his friend, feigning a confused look.

  “Seraphis Kingdom.”