Veikh turned around, his gaze falling on the two standing nearby. His eyes brimmed with understanding; through the magic of perception, he already sensed what the conversation was about to entail.
"You're going to ask me for vengeance, aren't you? But for whom?" he asked.
"My new companion told me there's a group on this island—oppressors who enslave and torment the locals. From the description, they're quite powerful. I don't think Hyde and I can take them down on our own."
"Edmus, though we've not known each other long, I chose you. I'm responsible for you now. Don't worry—we'll deal with them. But first, we must tend to Yellowbeak's sister."
"Thank you, Veikh… That is your name, yes?" Hyde bowed respectfully.
They all boarded the ship again and settled on the same crates from earlier, only now joined by a playful dog and a bright-eyed young man with his own oddities. The elder watched the youngsters, stroking the dog, before he spoke.
"We'll need to head to your sister soon—within the hour, I'd say. That matter takes precedence. After that, we'll deal with the vandals."
"Veikh… may we speak in private?" Fira rose and tossed amulets to each of them, handing the old man a special one. On it, a single word was inscribed: Friend.
"Thank you. That means more to me than you may realize."
They stepped a few paces away, Fira keeping a measured distance of three meters as she studied Veikh. Being both practitioners of perception magic, the nature of their conversation quickly became apparent.
"When you stroke the dog," she began, "your emotions surge—joy, contentment—but also sadness… regret. It feels like you're remembering something."
"There's a story… I'll share it with all of you this evening. If we hope to become a true team—like family—there must be trust."
"All right, Veikh!" Fira called, and turned back toward the group. The old man followed, taking his seat again.
They began to eat. The food Veikh had bought was so delicious that they devoured it, barely chewing between bites. He smiled warmly as he looked at each of them in turn.
⸻
An hour later
"I'll go. Hyde, Fira—you're with me," Veikh declared.
"But, Master! Forgive me, but shouldn't your student accompany you? I don't understand," Edmus objected, visibly upset.
"Edmus, your presence would be unnecessary. You know how powerful I am. I can protect them. And as for the treatment—what would be the point of watching? You've no gift for medicine. Perhaps you have potential in perception magic, but healing? No."
Edmus mulled over his master's words, then nodded in agreement, his expression softening.
"You're right. Besides, someone needs to watch the pup. I'll keep Guko company."
They exchanged glances. Veikh stepped off the ship, and Fira and Hyde followed. The Yussians tailed behind the blond boy. Their pace was slow and measured. Fira had already packed everything she needed for the procedure—scalpel, herbs, essentials.
Twenty minutes later, they reached the house. From the outside, it was clearly impoverished—shabby, in disrepair, and painted unevenly. They entered and were met with a weak voice:
"Cough… Brother, is that you?" Hyde's sister lay in bed, eyes on the doorway.
And through that doorway stepped our heroes. What they saw was a frail, helpless girl—thin, her skin nearly as pale as Veikh's hair. About 160 cm tall, her dull eyes still shimmered with a warm chestnut glow.
Fira approached and laid a hand on the girl's shoulder, channeling a small portion of her life energy—no more than 5–10%. Enough to lift the child's condition slightly. She looked at the old man.
"Sir, please. Lend her some of your energy as well—it will help."
"Of course. I was just about to."
Veikh stepped forward and did the same. The girl's pallor began to fade, her face growing livelier. She sat up and glanced at those who had helped her.
"Thank you… I feel much better now. Brother…"
Fira and Veikh watched the siblings' gaze lock. The bond was unmistakable—a deep, powerful connection between brother and sister. The girl, twelve years old. Hyde, sixteen. She reached out, and he embraced her gently.
"Don't worry, Bruni. These people will help you. They're kind—I can feel it."
Tears welled up in Hyde's eyes as he smiled at Fira.
"All right, Bruni… We'll need to put you to sleep for an hour or two. The procedure won't take long, so don't be afraid."
"I'm ready. I just want my brother to stop worrying…"
Hyde stepped outside. Veikh began assisting Fira. They prepared an herbal sedative and calculated the dosage carefully. Once it was ready, they gave the mixture to the girl, who drank it. Veikh monitored her energy while Fira drew her scalpel.
She made three careful incisions. Through the largest, she exposed the girl's stomach. Using herbs and her own energy, she cleansed it of bacteria and infection. Then, delicately, she restored the organ to its place. Before sealing the wound, she applied medicinal sap to the inner walls for thorough healing. The girl's abdomen returned to its natural state.
Veikh, watching, was clearly impressed.
"I never imagined you could perform an operation with such precision. That was… masterful."
Fira smiled, exhausted, and collapsed to the floor. The positive energy she'd expended had clearly taken a toll.
"She should wake up in a few minutes. We can call Hyde now."
At the sound of his name, Hyde burst into the room. He watched in awe as his sister opened her eyes, wonder on her face.
"I feel amazing… So light. Still a little weak, but it's wonderful…"
"Here—drink this. In a few hours, you'll feel good as new." Fira handed her a second vial, which she drank gratefully.
—Meanwhile—
Edmus and Guko sat on crates, a heavy silence hanging in the air. Guko stared at his best friend for a long moment before speaking.
"Why are you really here, Guko? Don't give me that 'friendship' line. I may not have perception magic, but I see through you."
"Edmus… you, the old man—you all look at me like I'm under a magnifying glass. Fine. I'll tell you. When I was eight, my father decided to turn me into a weapon. He called me his 'successful project.' At first, I enjoyed the training. But over time… the drills became brutal. He never used kind words—just commands. I think he was trying to forge a machine."
"Charming start…" Edmus muttered, eyes a mix of emptiness and sympathy.
"At twelve, I resisted. He punished me. One day, he tied me to the fastest horse in town and shouted: 'Go!' I remember the gallop. At first, I could keep up… but ten minutes later, I was choking. He came to me and said, 'You're not my son. That's just a label the world uses. You're a tool. And if you don't obey, I'll say you died in training. I'll replace you easily.'"
"I was lucky to meet you, Edmus. At thirteen, I was already thinking of ending my life."
Guko's body trembled; his teeth clenched so tight they seemed ready to snap.
"Your father… he's a monster. People like him shouldn't exist."
"My goal is to grow stronger—so I can return and mount his head on a pike. I still don't understand… Aren't parents supposed to protect their children?"
Tears streamed down his face. He stared at the ship's deck as they fell, one by one.
"Looking at you, I realized something, Guko. I'm not as miserable as I believed. I used to scream, weep, make drama out of everything—not knowing how much true suffering there is in the world."
Edmus glanced skyward and heard a quiet voice in his head:
"Turns out, I'm just a coward…"
Guko placed a hand on Edmus's shoulder. Edmus looked down, then back at his friend. The swordsman gave a tearful smile.
"Don't downplay your pain because of ours. You've suffered too. None of us are here by chance."
"What about Veikh? We don't know anything about him!"
"I do. He's softer than he seems. Fira told me—she's seen him cry. And you've noticed, haven't you? How he protects us? We've known him for only a few days, and he treats us like family. That's not nothing."
Maybe it was just this morning, Edmus thought, but I could've sworn I saw something fall from his face… Was it a tear?
The moment settled. Soon after, Fira and the old man returned to the deck. The sky had darkened; night had come.
"How did it go?" Edmus stood and approached Fira.
"Perfectly. His sister is adorable—heart-meltingly sweet."
"I'm happy for him. Tomorrow, we'll ask him about the Greys. That's the name of that group. Their full name—Greystones."
He turned to leave when Fira placed a hand on his mossy-green head.
"Wait. Veikh wants to tell us his story."
"Not that I want to," Veikh replied. "But I have to—if I want you to trust me. I can feel your doubts… all of you, except Fira."
He walked to the edge of the ship. The others followed and sat before him.
"Let me guess—it's something about getting fired? That's why you hate authority?" Edmus asked flatly.
"No, I was fired," Veikh smiled faintly. "But the story is… quite different."
He looked up at the stars. His smile deepened, then faded as he lowered his gaze.
"As I said before—I was born in a village. My parents… weren't exactly thrilled by my arrival. Turns out, I was a mistake. An accident. They made that clear."
"They were alcoholics. Both of them. I don't recall a single day without a bottle. To this day, I still wonder where they got the money…"
—54 years ago—