Trials Of Life

Chapter 27 - The Last Respite

Ferloch was a sight to behold, a marine city that basked in its own grandeur. Most of its buildings stood no taller than four stories, their white walls gleaming in the daylight, trimmed with elegant black latticework. The rooftops were a slate gray, a stark contrast against the blue sky and the sea that framed the city. Cobblestone alleys wove between the tightly packed buildings, narrow enough to make one feel as if they were in a maze, save for the city square—a vast open space where a wide brick road cut through the heart of Ferloch, leading both in and out of the city.

From the shadows, two figures watched Mary and Yumiko enter the bustling square. Perched atop a nearby rooftop, they observed silently, their heads barely peeking over the edge of the building’s crest. Ronan, a hulking man with an orange beard that bristled in the wind, held a crystal to his lips, his voice low.

“We’ve reallocated them,” Ronan said, his tone matter-of-fact.

“Good,” came a voice from the other side of the crystal, sharp and commanding. “What are they doing right now?”

Ronan’s gaze locked onto the trio below. Mary and Yumiko were speaking with someone—a man. He was tall, blonde, clad in worn leather armor. “They’ve met up with someone… Looks like another adventurer. Blonde man, leather armor... and a copper tag. Low-ranking.”

The voice hummed in contemplation. “Interesting. Does he have any holy magic surrounding him as well?”

Ronan squinted, studying the man from afar. “No—just the girls, and it’s faint… The redhead still has the paper, and she’s handing it to him now.”

Beside him, Vanessa shifted, her impatience evident. She perched higher on the rooftop, her golden brown hair catching the sunlight as her hazel eyes narrowed in on their targets below. “I think this is a dead end,” she muttered, a dangerous edge in her voice. “We should just kill them here and now and be done with it! It’d be more fun that way.”

Ronan's hand shot out, yanking her down by her head. “Don’t stand so tall!” he hissed. His eyes darted across the square, scanning for any sign that they’d been spotted.

The voice in the crystal interrupted. “They are our only lead to the serpent staff. Do not destroy our opportunity in finding it. Should you fail… you know the consequences.”

Ronan clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing as he stared down at their targets. Just as he turned his attention back to them, Lukas, the blonde man, shifted—his head suddenly jerking in their direction. Ronan’s blood ran cold as Lukas' piercing blue eyes locked onto their position.

“What the hell?” Ronan muttered, grabbing Vanessa and dragging her down with him. They ducked low behind the roof’s edge.

“Were you found?” The crystal crackled with irritation.

Ronan’s breath hitched as he peeked over the ledge once more, only to find Lukas no longer looking their way. The man had been spooked and was looking around at various rooftops. But for a moment, Ronan had caught a glimpse of Lukas’ face, and something in him stirred. His vision swam, dizziness overtaking him.

“Ronan!” Vanessa’s shout came too late as he lost his grip on the roof and began sliding down the slope.

With lightning reflexes, Vanessa lunged, grabbing his arm. Her heels dug into the tiles as she strained to pull the massive man back from the edge. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she barked, her voice taut with effort. Just as Ronan’s foot slipped off the roof, Vanessa shot icicles from her fingertips, spearing his cloak and pinning him to the rooftop.

Ronan’s chest heaved, sweat pouring down his face. “Who… who is that man?”

Vanessa’s eyes widened, confused. “What man? The one they’re with?” She held onto his arm, beckoning for him to stand. “How am I supposed to know?”

Ronan’s eyes were wide with a mixture of panic and bewilderment. “Didn’t you see his face?” His voice wavered, as though he were asking himself more than her.

“No,” Vanessa snapped. “What’s gotten into you?”

Slowly, Ronan regained his footing, the icicles popping up from his cloak and the roof. “I swear… I swear I’ve seen him before… maybe in a dream?” His breath was shallow, his hands trembling as if the mere sight of Lukas had shaken something deep within him. He slowly made it back to the slope. His dizziness returned, threatening to topple him again.

Vanessa growled under her breath. “Hey! Would you stop with the theatrics!” She yanked him upright, her tone laced with frustration. “I am not pulling you up twice!”

From the crystal, the voice crackled again, impatient now. “What is going on over there?”

Vanessa scooped up the crystal from where it had fallen, her eyes rolling in exasperation. “Ronan nearly fell off the roof for no reason! And he’s doing it again!”

Ronan stared at Lukas, still shaken. “Say… Does the master still have nightmares about the blonde man?”

“The blonde man in question was Klaus Guldulf, killed by Edgar years ago,” the voice from the crystal replied, cold and indifferent. “Whatever blonde man is making you think otherwise no longer exists. The Master is only haunted by the suffering that man could have caused to his plans. If you think Edgar is wrong and that he killed the wrong person, bring it up with him, but I warn you; it is a sore subject for him.”

Ronan nodded, trying to steady himself. “Right... it’s just—something about that guy... I feel like I’ve seen him before.”

Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his head. His vision blurred, and for a brief moment, a violent image flashed before his eyes—himself fighting a blonde man. But it wasn’t the same figure from below, or so he thinks. The man in his mind looked feral, like a wounded animal fighting desperately for survival, his body covered in blood, eyes wild with fury. The face in his vision was blurred, but seemed hauntingly familiar.

Ronan staggered back, shaking his head as the vision faded. “What the hell is going on?”

Vanessa’s sharp eyes caught the sudden change. She reached for him, “Sit down,” she ordered, guiding him down with surprising strength. “Ronan, your nose is bleeding!”

Ronan wiped his face with the back of his hand, staring at the blood with wide eyes.

The voice from the crystal cut in again, irritation seeping through. “Don’t get distracted. Focus on what’s important. Give me updates when you’ve actually made progress. Amy managed to secure three relics on her own, and destroyed an entire fleet to do it. I grabbed a tomb from a rat-infested town last week. Meanwhile, you two have been chasing one item for a month, and all while two girls got the better of you! Don’t let it happen again.”

The crystal’s voice faded into silence, punctuated by a sharp crack as the stone in Vanessa’s hand turned gray and shattered.

Vanessa clicked her tongue in disgust, tossing the fragments aside. “Tsk, what a jerk! Thinks he’s so special just because he’s the Master’s favorite.”

Ronan waved her off weakly. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me… Give me a second.” His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, the weight of the vision still lingering in his mind. “Keep an eye on them until I catch my breath.”

Vanessa sighed, but complied, her sharp gaze narrowing in on Mary, Yumiko, and the stranger below.

Down in the city square, Mary was growing frustrated. “I’m telling you, we were chased yesterday!” she snapped, glaring at Lukas.

“For what?” Lukas shot back, his tone sharp with disbelief. “For the voices you two keep claiming to hear? And that it saved you in some mystical way?”

Mary scowled, her hand darting into her pouch. She yanked out the letter Daniel had given her, the same one that had set this whole maddening chase into motion. Without warning, she slapped it hard against Lukas’ chest. “Because of this!” Her voice was filled with exasperation. “Some freaky item called the Serpent's Staff or something. This damn letter that nearly got us killed knew exactly where we all were. It knew about you. And it knew we were going to the Evergreen Mountains mere moments after we made that decision. And yes, the voice was helping us through it all, smartass.”

Lukas barely glanced at the letter before throwing it back at her, unimpressed. “Next time you want to play a joke, how about handing me a piece of paper with actual writing on it.”

Mary blinked, stunned for a moment. She shoved the paper in his face, practically jabbing it toward his nose. “What the hell are you talking about? It’s written right here, you blind bat!”

Lukas ripped her hand away, his temper flaring. “It’s blank, you crazy fool!” His voice raised, a hint of frustration bleeding into his words.

Mary’s eyes darted to Yumiko. “Is it blank?” she asked, frustration filling her voice while holding the letter up to her friend.

Yumiko glanced at the paper and shook her head slowly. “No,” she said softly.

Mary turned back to Lukas, her anger boiling over. “See?”

Lukas gave the two women an incredulous look, squinting down at the page. Not a single character was visible to him. His patience was wearing thin, and his jaw clenched as he spoke. “Funny. You two tagging along is annoying enough, but pulling this kind of crap?” He turned away, anger barely contained. “It’s only pissing me off more.”

Mary rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh my gods, Lukas, you are the most insufferable person to travel with. Now I remember why I hated going on jobs with you the few times that I did.”

“Then tell me where to find the damn flowers and leave—” Lukas snapped, his voice harsh. But before he could finish, a cold sensation prickled the back of his neck. He froze, his instincts kicking in. Slowly, he glanced toward a nearby rooftop. For the briefest moment, he caught sight of something—a flicker of movement. A shadow darting out of view.

His hand drifted toward the hilt of his broadsword. "What the hell was that?"

Mary’s eyes followed his gaze, and her hand reflexively went to the hammer strapped to her back. “What is it?” she asked, her voice low, tense.

Lukas kept scanning the rooftops, his sharp eyes narrowing. “I’m not sure… I thought I saw something.”

Yumiko’s hand rested on the kunai at her waist, her expression grim. “It’s probably them,” she muttered, eyes flitting between the buildings.

Lukas stood still, his body rigid as his eyes roamed the rooftops. The feeling of being watched gnawed at him, but there was nothing—no sign of movement. “Now you’ve got it in my damn head that there’s something nearby,” he growled, though his skepticism still lingered.

Mary huffed, her frustration evident. “I am not joking, Lukas. I’ve been over this three times.” She continued scanning the buildings, worry setting in, “Are we sure we shouldn’t hold off on this trip and—”

“No,” Lukas interrupted, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument. “I need that flower. I did not spend over a week getting to this city for nothing.” His fists clenched at his sides, jaw tight. “No more waiting. No more ferry closures, no more burning cities, no more ambushes. No matter what, I am getting that flower.”

Yumiko watched him, sensing the depth of his determination. She didn’t need to ask why the flower meant so much to him—she knew. Lukas was looking for a cure for the plague that killed his father. In that moment, despite his cold demeanor, she saw a glimpse of the man beneath the hardened exterior.

“We might as well get it over with,” Yumiko said, offering a small smile, trying to ease the tension, her eyes still looking around.

But before anyone could say another word, the ethereal voice whispered in Yumiko and Mary’s minds: I can’t help you... Their eyes, they’re close. They seek the item… Be careful.

A bead of sweat trickled down Mary’s temple. “So… it is them,” she muttered, her hand tightening around the hammer.

Yumiko nodded in silent agreement, her gaze shifting back to the rooftops. The tension thickened, like a storm on the horizon, as they scanned the square. Every passerby seemed suspicious. The minutes stretched on painfully, each one longer than the last, until finally, they spotted a carriage bound for the Evergreen region. With a collective breath of relief, they climbed aboard, though the tension remained.

As the carriage rattled along the outskirts of Ferloch, passing through rolling grassy hills, Mary began to explain everything to Lukas. The wide, open landscape was barren of trees, leaving little shelter if they were indeed being followed. Yumiko’s eyes never stopped scanning the surroundings, her every sense on high alert. Even though she felt something in the city, she couldn’t see or feel anything as of now.

“I’ve told you,” Lukas said, his tone growing sharp, “there are no damned voices.” He shook his head, clearly frustrated. “I’ve already gone over this with Yumiko. If you’re doing this to jest—”

“Whether you believe it or not,” Mary cut in, her voice steely, “I’m telling you the truth. Something is trying to communicate with us. It wants us to help you. It wants us to do something.”

Lukas scoffed, his eyes narrowing as he met her gaze. “If it’s so important, then why hasn’t it spoken to me?” His voice was laced with bitterness. “If it was trying to help me, where the hell was it during my worst moments? Where was it when my friends were crawling in the dirt, being reanimated as—”

He stopped abruptly, eyes widening, his face paling as the weight of his own words hit him. His fists clenched as he stared at the floor of the carriage, fighting back the memories he had tried so hard to bury.

From the back of the carriage, Yumiko spoke softly, her voice almost a whisper. “There’s something tied to you, Lukas. It’s watching and waiting. Maybe she doesn’t want to get you involved just yet.”

Lukas’ head snapped up, anger flashing in his eyes. “She?” He sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “So now it’s a ‘she,’ and she has you two following me around like lost pups? If this voice or whatever is trying to ‘protect’ me by not getting involved, then why are you two being stalked? And why am I dragged into this?”

His hands tightened into fists, and he leaned forward, his voice growing colder. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Mary spoke in a calm, measured tone, hoping Lukas would finally understand. "I don’t have all the answers, but what you need to realize is that this goes beyond coincidence. You’ve heard everything Yumiko and I have explained. If none of that makes sense to you, then maybe this will." She reached into her pouch, pulling out the folded piece of paper that Daniel had given her.

"This," she said, handing it over to Lukas. "As I mentioned before, my friend was being followed. Those people were after this page. It contains valuable information about an item. You saw—or at least felt—them back in the square. This paper might be blank to you, but there is something written on it. Both Yumiko and I can see it, and I swear on the gods it's true."

Lukas stared at the paper for a moment, his expression a mixture of hardness and contemplation. He snatched it from her hand, squinting at the page as if expecting something to reveal itself. When nothing appeared, he handed the paper back to her, skepticism etched on his face.

While he was uncertain about the existence of gods or the validity of the voices Mary claimed to hear, one thing had begun to gnaw at him: they were definitely being followed by someone—or something. Regardless of the divine involvement, he felt an unsettling weight of responsibility creeping into the situation,

The carriage rocked gently as it carried them further away from the city, and for a while, the group sat in silence, the soft creaking of the wheels and the rhythmic sway of the ride the only sounds. Yumiko had watched for hours and saw nothing. Both Mary and her would take turns watching outside. Lukas would not admit it, but he too was staring and watching.

Evening had fallen, and the first day of their journey was nearly behind them. The once open hills of Ferloch had given way to dense woods, the trees starting to wilt and turn yellow as the seasons shifted toward autumn. The air was cool, and the fading light filtered through overcast clouds.

Mary stretched, her muscles aching from the long ride. Boredom crept in, and in an attempt to break the monotony, she glanced at Yumiko. "So… how’s your family?" she asked, her voice casual, though the question seemed to come out of nowhere.

Yumiko blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Oh… I… I guess you could say it’s complicated," she began, hesitating. "My father is a man of strong traditions. He was strict with my brothers and me—especially me. But my mother… she’s always been the gentle one. She knew how to rein my father in when he went too far."

Mary raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smile. "And yet here you are. For someone with such a strict upbringing, I would've thought you'd be locked away under lock and key."

Yumiko’s eyes dropped to the floor of the carriage. "I was," she said softly. "My father wanted me to be the perfect candidate for marriage. He paraded suitors in front of me, but I turned every single one of them away. I wasn’t ready for that kind of life, and I didn’t want it. On top of that, he was so protective I was barely allowed to leave the house. Eventually, I broke out… to find my lost brother that I told you about before."

There was a weight in her voice when she mentioned her brother, and Mary, noticing the shift, rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "Right… your brother. Sorry for your loss."

Yumiko nodded quietly, and the soft creaking of the carriage wheels filled the silence that followed. The dim light of the setting sun made the forest seem even more shadowed, more foreboding.

Clearing her throat, Mary spoke again. "You know, you and I have a lot more in common than you’d think." Her tone was casual, but it caught Yumiko’s attention. The younger woman looked up, curious now.

"My parents," Mary continued, leaning back in her seat, "wanted me to be a noble lady. They were always so condescending, always telling me how hard life was going to be and how I needed to work for everything. But at the same time, they threw me into these ridiculous meetings and discussions, thinking they were doing me a favor. I have five siblings, and my parents never missed an opportunity to remind me how much better they were doing in their lessons compared to me." She shrugged. "I got tired of it. So, I left."

Yumiko listened closely, sensing the parallels between them. "You left? What did your father say?"

Mary snorted. "It wasn’t just my father—it was mostly my mother. She was furious that I was throwing away everything they’d built for me. So, out of spite, I stopped talking to them. For three whole years." Mary’s voice softened slightly as she added, "It would've been longer, but... my mother was the one who finally reached out. She wrote to me—of all people. She said she wanted to see me again, that she was starting to understand why I did what I did and promised not to judge. I didn’t know whether to believe her, so I kept that letter all the way from spring to winter before I finally decided… once the roads were clear, I’d go back. Just to see if she could keep her promise."

Yumiko smiled at that. "It sounds like she really did want to make amends. Do you still talk to her?"

Mary’s expression darkened. She looked down at the floor of the carriage, the faint flicker of pain crossing her features before she forced a grin. "No… she’s no longer with us. In fact, my whole family’s gone."

Yumiko gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in shock. Even Lukas, who had been silently brooding, looked over with a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

Mary kept her voice steady, though the effort it took was clear. "When I finally went back after winter and the pass had opened up from the snow, I found out they’d all been killed. Every last one of them."

The air in the carriage grew heavy, the weight of her words hanging between them like a fog. Yumiko didn’t know what to say, her heart aching for the woman who had just shared something so deeply personal. Even Lukas, who usually kept himself detached, appeared taken aback.

Mary leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms as she stared out into the darkening forest. "Life’s funny like that, I guess," she said with a bitter laugh, though there was no humor in her voice. "You think you have all the time in the world, and then one day… you don’t."

Mary stared out of the carriage window, the passing landscape bathed in the soft orange hues of twilight. Her voice, usually playful, dropped to a somber tone. "It happened six years ago... my parents, my younger siblings... all gone. The only one who survived was my older sister, but she’d already moved out by then, so she wasn’t affected by the scenario. No one ever found out who did it or why." Her fingers curled into fists on her lap, her knuckles turning white. "By the time I got home, they were already buried. The funeral was over, the town had moved on. But me? I was stuck in this fog. It didn’t feel real. It still doesn’t."

The carriage rocked gently as the road beneath them turned rough, the trees outside slowly shedding their leaves as autumn settled in. Yumiko sat quietly, listening, watching Mary’s face as it twisted in pain she tried to hide.

Mary exhaled slowly, the tension easing for just a moment before her gaze turned distant once more. “All I can remember are the bad moments—the arguments, the lectures, the way they tried to mold me into someone I wasn’t.” She hesitated, her voice trembling slightly as she continued, “But… sometimes I wonder… were they really doing what was best for me? Or were they just doing what was best for them?”

She paused, her thoughts drifting to the letter her mother had written. “What if I hadn’t waited for winter to pass before returning? Could I have saved them? Would something have changed?”

The weight of unspoken questions hung heavily in the air, enveloping them in a silence thick with regret. “Of all the questions and thoughts swirling in my mind,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, “the one that lingers the most is regret.”

Yumiko lowered her eyes, unsure how to comfort her friend. There was a deep sadness in Mary's words, a pain that no amount of comforting could erase.

Mary sighed and straightened herself, trying to shake off the vulnerability she’d just shown. "I guess what I’m trying to say is this: your dad might be tough on you, but maybe it’s because he loves you. Maybe it’s because he’s trying to protect you in his own, messed-up way. Or maybe..." she paused, her eyes locking with Yumiko’s, "maybe it’s just about securing his legacy. I don’t know. But if there’s even a chance he wants to change, to accept you for who you are instead of who he wants you to be, don’t waste it. Don’t wait. Because if you wait too long, something could happen—good or bad—and you won’t be there for it. And trust me, that regret? It’ll never leave you."

Lukas shifted in his seat, his eyes flicking to Mary. There was conflict in his expression, an unease that seemed to resonate with her words, though he remained silent.

Yumiko nodded slowly, absorbing Mary’s advice. "Thank you, Mary," she said softly. "I’ll keep that in mind."

The hours passed in quiet contemplation, night slowly descending over the forest. The trees outside turned into dark, looming shadows under the dim moonlight. Inside the carriage, the flicker of a lantern cast a warm glow, but the silence between them had grown thick with thought once more.

Yumiko’s eyes drifted toward Lukas, who sat in the corner of the carriage, quietly swirling a red potion in his hands, studying it under the light. His broadsword rested beside him, his usual stoic demeanor masking whatever thoughts churned beneath the surface.

"Lukas?" Yumiko finally broke the silence, her voice hesitant, as if she wasn't sure she wanted to speak. He glanced at her, his piercing blue eyes meeting hers before she cast her gaze to the floor.

"You mentioned before... back in Torrwr," Yumiko began, her voice carrying a weight of sorrow, "when that boy was dying… You said something about knowing the difference between bad potions and good ones."

Lukas nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "Yes. The color and the sheen matter. Dull, murky, or colorless potions are likely useless or poisoned. If it sparkles, or if the color is vibrant, then it’s safe." His voice was detached, almost clinical.

Without warning, he tossed the potion toward her. Yumiko, startled, barely caught it in time. She looked down at the glass vial in her hand, the liquid inside a brilliant shade of red, sparkling ever so faintly in the light.

"Do you ever think about them? Those children who died? Or the townsfolk that were burned alive and poisoned?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly as she stared into the shimmering potion. "They had to suffer… But for what?"

Lukas stiffened, his face hardening. He didn’t want to go there.. "Where is this coming from?" he asked, his tone sharp. His fingers twitched, but he kept them steady, unwilling to show the turmoil her words had triggered.

Mary, sitting across from them, glanced between the two, her curiosity piqued. She hadn't been there for the events in Torrwr and had only heard bits and pieces of the story. Now, her eyes flicked to Yumiko, silently urging her to continue.

"I don’t know," Yumiko murmured, her voice barely audible above the soft creaking of the carriage wheels. "I guess when you're quiet and alone, your mind starts wandering. Memories, thoughts—they just float around, following me. I didn't even know those children... but I..." She trailed off, her gaze distant, struggling to find the right words. "I felt in that moment that I’d never see anything so horrible again. But lately, I’ve reflected on myself and thought about the real world… I even started thinking about previous dreams, nightmares, even visions... I feel like, in a sense, even though I had never been to Torrwr, I’ve seen it before—what happened to the town, I mean. Have you ever felt that? Or do you think about them and how there are probably other places like it?"

Lukas stiffened at the question, his gaze shifting toward the darkening horizon. He took a slow breath before answering, his voice low. "I try not to."

Yumiko nodded, biting her lip. She had forgotten how guarded Lukas could be when it came to anything personal, especially about the past. It was like running into a wall whenever she tried to get him to open up. She shifted her attention back to the small vial of healing potion in her hands, watching the red liquid shimmer in the dim light as the carriage rocked.

“Say…” she began cautiously, breaking the silence again. “Where did you learn all this? Traveling, survival... I mean, how did you know about poisonous potions?”

Lukas didn’t respond immediately. His silence stretched long enough that Yumiko thought he might ignore the question entirely. Before she could press him further, Mary, sensing the tension, burst into a laugh.

"Ha! Probably drank one and got the runs," she teased, smirking. "I had a guy in my group who drank a—"

"I learned from many people," Lukas interrupted, his voice clipped but steady. His eyes remained fixed on the passing scenery behind them. "My father taught me about food, herbs, and basic survival. My friends honed those skills, taught me to hunt. And potions, medicine... I learned that from a good friend." He hesitated for a heartbeat before continuing, his tone softening only for a moment.

Yumiko smiled, “Sounds like a good friend.”

"That person was your brother.” Lukas said, shifting his sword gently from the benched seat onto the floor.

Yumiko jolted as the name hit her like a physical blow. Her grip tightened around the vial, the cool glass biting into her palm. For a moment, she was speechless, the emotions welling up too fast for her to contain. Mary’s expression shifted from amusement to concern when she saw tears beginning to pool in Yumiko’s eyes.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Mary asked gently, placing a hand on Yumiko’s shoulder.

Yumiko shook her head, quickly brushing away the tears that threatened to spill. Her voice quivered as she spoke. “Hiro… he never shared much about his adventures. In the letters he sent, he only mentioned the smallest details, always too busy and on the move to elaborate.” She paused, her words delicate, almost breaking under the weight of her emotions. “But even now, I like to believe I’m still learning from him. Even if it’s through others… like you.”

She looked at Lukas, her eyes glossy with unshed tears, but there was a warmth in her expression. Lukas felt the weight of her gaze, the pain, and the gratitude in her voice stirring something deep inside him. The mention of Hiro brought back memories, ones he preferred to keep buried. He clenched his fists, his discomfort clear. He wasn’t good with these emotions—this closeness.

"We should get some rest," Lukas muttered, abruptly turning away from them and lying down on the carriage bench, his back to Yumiko and Mary. "We’ve got a long road ahead. The Evergreen region is vast and crawling with creatures that won’t hesitate to strike."

Yumiko blinked, surprised by the sudden shift in his mood. She wiped her face, "What about your potion you threw at me?" she asked, her voice soft with confusion.

"Use the knowledge your brother gave you," Lukas replied, still facing away. "If it’s poisoned, toss it out the back of the carriage. If it’s real, keep it. Consider that knowledge a gift."

A small, wistful smile tugged at Yumiko’s lips. She looked down at the vial again, holding it to the dim lantern light. Using what she had learned, she could tell it was authentic, the slight shimmer confirming its healing properties. Hiro’s teachings had indeed found their way to her through Lukas.

Mary, watching the whole exchange, raised an eyebrow at Lukas’ retreating figure. "What do I get?" she asked, her tone playful but curious.

From the front of the carriage, Lukas' voice came back, laced with irritation. "Good night!"

Mary grinned, shaking her head. "Touchy, touchy." She glanced at Yumiko, her playful expression softening. "Get some rest too, Yumiko. You’ll need it for whatever craziness we’re getting into later. I will be on watch. We’ve got a long way until we get to the Evergreen region. I’m sure we’ll know more about that staff once we get there. Hopefully the voice gets in contact with us soon."

Yumiko nodded, clutching the vial close to her chest. As she leaned back against the bench, her thoughts wandered to her brother again, to the things he never told her, and to the lessons she continued to learn through those who had known him. The road ahead was uncertain, but at least in this moment, she didn’t feel quite so alone.