Cato's POV
I went and checked up on Lance. He had healed, the power of healing dew was amazing. They were like magical doctors who could heal physical stuff fast.
But he isn't able to fight again yet, he was told to take it slow for about a week for the level of injuries he suffered.
The way he was stabbed by icicles was quite brutal all things considered
I knock on Lances room as I hold a box of cake I helped make at the kitchen
"Hey Lance, you there?" I wait for his response as after a few seconds he calls out
"Yeah man, I am here! You can come in!" Lance said as I walked in with the cake in my hand
"Here, I brought you some cake to enjoy while you rest!" I say with a smile which he returns
"Thanks dude, how are you doing by the way? Settling in and all" He asks me as I smile
"It's good man, people are great, have a really good friend and mentor in Winsley" I say as he looked at me incredulously
"Seriously? You're still friends with her?" he asks me as I nod
"I know she hurt you man and I understand if you hate her for it. But she told me that she did what she had to protect herself from her eyes. Not saying she was right in any shape or form but I don't think breaking my friendship with her and leaving her isolated when tensions are so high is the right move." I explain myself to Lance as he looked down and sighed
"Look. I know you don't know much nor do you partake in gossip but Winsley isn't who you think she is." Lance said to me, his eyes radiating sadness
"What…. Do you mean Lance?" I ask him frankly as he sighed
"When she was 11, she tried to make her dew core. Most people make their dew core after reaching rank 3 and a lot of training. She was a rank 1 around that time and she blew up her family's estate and herself when she did that." he tells me as I slowly nod
She had told me the effects that had on her… but was there more?
"In that accident, 3 people died. And Winsley's family pulled the incident under the rug. And you know the worst part? She doesn't care. She has no remorse. That's why people like Joyce detest her with all their passion." Lance explained to me as my eyes are widened and I can't believe what I am hearing
"Seriously…?" I ask, feeling bad inside as Lance sighed
"Look, I am just gonna recommend that you put some distance between yourself and her. She has no conscience and she wouldn't think twice before sacrificing you to save her own skin." Lance told me, his eyes looking at me with pity
I couldn't say anything for a minute as I simply sat down and stood before I got up
"Just take care Lance, Heal well alright bud?" I say, my voice a lot more quelled and dead as he nods, knowing the heaviness of the conversation we had
"Cato, I am just worried, okay? I don't want you to get hurt because of her…" Lance says to me as I just nod at his swords, giving him a sad smile
"You take care to bud…. You take care to…" Lance told me as I walked out of the room, making my way to the Library. The place where me and Winsley hung out..
I made my way in and saw Winsley reading by herself
"Cato, you're late. Where were you?" she asks me flatly as I quietly just tell her
"I went to visit Lance, gave him some cake and wished him a quick recovery." I said as Winsley narrowed her eyes
"What's wrong?" she asks me as I sat across from her
"I learnt more about the incident where you tried to form your dew core." I say as her eyes widened
"I see…. What'd you learn?" she asks me, her voice unwavering yet I could feel it
That slight sense of uncomfortableness
"How it led to the death of 3 people and how you seemingly feel no remorse." I said flatly as she sighed
"I…. yes. It was an accident that was my fault and….. In all honesty don't wish to think about it. I do have remorse over it, I am someone who wished to protect and serve the people of my territory yet lead to such a disaster…" she said slowly as she looked up at me
"I don't wish to hold myself down from that one memory of my foolishness. I wish to grow above that…. Pathetically dumb child and become someone who can atone." she told me seriously as I nodded
"Alright, thanks for telling me Winsley" I said as I pulled a book of my own out and began reading about the applications of basic elements
"....Do you seriously not have more questions? Are you truly okay with me despite knowing I am a monster?" she asks me as I looked at her as if she was dumb
"You were a dumb kid who did something terrible. You clearly feel remorse for it and do not understand how to express it. I am not going to judge you based on what you did 6 years ago. I wish to judge you as you are now. You feel remorse and acknowledge it. That's what matters to me." I explain myself calmly as she nods slowly
"I….. understand." Winsley told me as I looked at her seriously, looking her straight in the eye
"Winsley, I don't care what others think. I don't care if the whole world turns against the current you. I will stand by your side." I say, my convictions clear as she takes a deep breath before going back to her book
"Thank you Cato... know that the same goes for you, I'll protect you. With my life on the line if I need to." Winsley said to me as I felt the air leave my lungs
My face turns into a smile, I rest my face on the table looking her straight in the eye
"Thank you Winsley, truly." I said, my smile plastered on my face.
As the two of us quietly read in each other's company, we felt comfortable. The air wasn't tense, it was the most relaxed I have felt since the attack.
It was what I needed.