Two days later, in the rows of hospital beds at the military shelter.
"Hey Quin! I was looking for you everywhere," Vorden called out, striding over. "Seems like you're still stuck in this place."
Quin offered a tired smile. "Hey Vorden. Good to see you again. Doctor Hailey patched me up pretty well. How's your arm?"
"Good as new," Vorden replied, flexing it with mock pride.
They shared a brief laugh before the mood quieted.
"So... what's your plan?" Vorden asked, lowering his voice. "The military's giving us a month-long break after all the mess. Some students didn't make it. Even Sergeant Griff's dead. Most of the other sergeants are still in treatment. The only upside is that the Dalki was taken down — by the infamous Blind Swordsman, no less. If not for him, we'd have lost more."
Quin nodded slowly.
"The military's taking heavy heat over this," Vorden continued. "Sending kids to their deaths? Public's furious. They're letting everyone go home while they smooth things over and convince families to send the Originals back to military school."
He paused, then said more quietly, "I have to go back home. What about you?"
At that, Quin looked down, struggling to find words. "I... don't have anywhere to go. No family. I used to stay in a government-funded apartment, but that's gone now. I don't know how I'll survive out there. I don't even have an ability."
"So... no plan at all?"
Quin shrugged. "I guess not."
"Hey, chill, man," Vorden said quickly. "You don't have to freak out. If you want... you could come with me. But—" he hesitated, giving an awkward smile, "—there'd be a few rules."
A few hours earlier...
"What the hell are you saying, Sil?" Vorden snapped. "We can't take Quin with us!"
"I don't care!" Sil shouted back. "I'm not going back to that hell without him."
"Sil, you're being reckless," Vorden said, his voice tight. "You could be putting Quin in danger."
"Then I'll stay with him!"
"Ha! I'm with Sil," Rayten barked. "I'm not going back to that damned place either."
If he is too rigid about it "Why don't we just kill the kid, then? Problem solved," Rayten added coldly.
"Rayten! That's not helping!" Vorden snapped.
"Sil, listen," Vorden tried again. "We can't—"
"No! No, no, no!" Sil interrupted, eyes blazing. "Then I won't go back to Blade Island. And don't force me... or I'll take control. It's my body. I'll do it."
A tense silence followed. Vorden and Rayten exchanged worried glances.
"Okay," Vorden finally said. "We'll take Quin with us. But only on one condition — if Quin agrees. Otherwise, Sil, you have to listen to us. Deal?"
Sil nodded, chest rising and falling fast.
Back in the present, Vorden turned to Quin again. "So... what do you say? Do you want to come with me?" (Please say no... please say no...)
Quin's eyes lit up. "Really? You'd do that for me? Thank you, Vorden. You're... really something."
(Shit... I am sorry, Quin. The little one has chosen you.)