Valeo stared at the little log cabin that was facing towards the river, it's size not what he was expecting.
A somewhat large wooden cabin with fishing equipment and other various objects adorned the the porch.
The man walked up the steps and turn back to Valeo when he reached the top.
"By the way, the name's Himrick, remember it boyo."
Valeo nodded as they both went inside the cabin.
"W-what the?"
The interior was somehow larger than what it showed outside, various fish decor and art was strung all over the place, giving it a cozy feeling.
"Welcome to my humble abode, now sit down and let me get ya something to drink."
Valeo sat down on the floor not knowing where else to sit and looked around the large room.
The smell of wood and earth permeated through the room as the sounds from another room echoed.
A small object caught his attention, small wooden frame with a picture in the middle, it showed a tall woman with wild dark blue hair and a fierce grin on her face, her black and blue outfit was that of a hand to hand fighter with the lack of arm sleeves and sash on her waist.
Next to her was Himrick wearing that same smile he still held.
"She was a great student."
Valeo jolted when he heard Himrick in his left ear making the small man chuckle.
"Hehe, sorry boyo didn't mean to startle ya."
Himrick said holding a cup to Valeo, when Valeo took the cup the old man began to raise his eyebrow.
"Boyo, why are you on the floor, there's a perfectly good love seat behind ya."
Himrick nodded his to the dark green cushion arm chair, Valeo slowly stood up and carefully sat down on the chair.
The enormous frame of Valeo made the chair protest until it eventually crumbled under his weight.
"Floor it is then."
Himrick said his eyebrow twitching.
"Sorry."
"Ah so you do speak."
Valeo looked at Himrick with a perplexed expression, after Himrick was done drinking his cup he looked at Valeo.
"You barely uttered a peep boyo, you only said two proper words to me. Was starting to think you don't understand words."
Himrick said shrugging to himself.
"We're just...confused."
Valeo said not meeting the old man's gaze, Himrick looked at Valeo with own confused face, a question on his lips.
"We're? Last time I checked, I can think clearly."
Valeo shook his head.
"Us."
Valeo jabbed his thumb to himself making Himrick let out an hum of understanding.
"Your the first person I've met that actually... scratch that she referred to herself in the third person sometimes."
Himrick chuckled, a fond look in his wrinkle visage. Valeo took a guess he was talking about the woman in the picture. Valeo almost forgot he had a drink in his hand.
The cup was filled with a white liquid that he was unfamiliar with.
"What is this?"
Valeo looked at Himrick than back to the cup.
"It's bloom sap boyo, I got a blooming in the backyard."
Valeo blinked at the odd name, finally putting his ever growing questions aside Valeo slowly brought the cup to lips and drank.
"By the code....this SO GOOD!"
Valeo finished his drink with haste which ended up down the wrong pipe and made him cough.
"Whoa lad, calm down, It's like you've never had bloom sap before."
Clearing his throat Valeo turned his head to the side not meeting the old man's gaze.
"We... haven't."
Himrick's eyebrows lifted as the cup he held was placed on the small table next to him.
"Have you been living under a rock lad?"
"What's a rock?"
Himrick's expression turned serious which caught Valeo off guard, his body tense.
"Boyo, what is today's date?"
Blinking, Valeo looked at the increasingly worried Himrick.
"A what?"
Himrick gripped the arms of his chair nearly tearing them off, but as quickly that happened he stop, his face replaced with his usual grin. Without a word Himrick got up and walked into the back once more, this made Valeo raise his eyebrow for umpteenth time.
"That was...something."
After a couple minutes Valeo saw a stack of books walking towards him, until the grinning face of Himrick, somehow loosening the tension in his eyes.
"Here boyo, a dictionary and some books of the lands."
The tall stack of books made the floor shake a bit and caused Valeo to gulp.
"Uh, we can't read."
Himrick slowly turned to Valeo his face blank.
"Are you're pulling my leg?"
"No we're holding this."
Valeo said holding the cup up.
Himrick slowly took a deep breath with his eyes close and let go slowly.
"Lad, I didn't mean literally."
Himrick said shaking his head, walking over to Valeo the old man sat next to hulking boy and opened a book he picked up.
"Let's start, the little sapling-"
* * *
Three days went by as Himrick taught Valeo how to read and speak, just like his time with Laylana he gripped the topic quickly. His growth was nothing compared to the growing ache in his chest he couldn't explain.
* * *
Valeo's reflection in the false river surface stared back at him, seeming make the dull ache in his chest grow, yes the lessons he had with Himrick were different but, it very much reminded him of her.
Of Laylana.
Her kind smile kept shifting back and forth from when he first met her to when she smiled for the last time, her violent death replacing the laughing they shared.
Valeo was shaken out of his disturbing memory lane when something hit him on his head.
"The mind is most power ally, and foe Lad."
Himrick's voice reached Valeo's ear.
The dark starry night sky hanged above the duo as they fell into in silence. The rushing water of the false river being the only noise.
"Were we o'vious?"
Valeo turned his head to Himrick who nodded once.
"What's gotten your mind in a boggle lad?"
Himrick sat down next to him.
"It's nothing."
Valeo quickly answered not wanting to tell this stranger anything.
"Don't be like that boyo."
Valeo looked up for a bit until he looked back down.
"You only known us for three days, why are you so...kind to us?"
Valeo said not once looking at Himrick.
"Why not? I needed to pay back my hero somehow."
Hero.
That one word that seems to slip away from Everytime, he honestly thought that he had figured it out when fought that thing in the cave.
But when Valeo saw what he did to Skal and Anastasia...
"No."
Valeo's eyes were covered by his hair.
"I'm sorry?"
Himrick questioned seeing Valeo begin to shake.
"WE ARE NOT A HERO!"
Valeo shot up, his breath heavy.
"WE ARE A MONSTER!"
Valeo stepped closer.
"WE ARE A FR-"
An immense pressure feel on his shoulders before he could finish the sentence, his breath ragged, his eyes focusing and un-focusing.
"Lad, use your voice, not your rage."
Himrick said his voice stern and cold. After a couple seconds the pressure slowly slipped away like it was never there.
"What...was...that?"
To Valeo it felt similar, but yet so different from the entity in the cave.
"You ready to be a sane person boyo?"
Himrick gave Valeo a waiting look.
"We're a 'onster, that's fact."
Himrick snorted, and snorted again. Until it turned into full blown laughter which made Valeo grind his teeth.
"Ha ha huuuh, I needed that boyo. Anyways, I'm pretty sure a monster eats babies, do you eat babies?"
Valeo choked on air from the question.
"WHAT NO!"
"Good, than ya ain't a monster. Your an idiot."
Valeo blinked, his outer jaw flailing up and down like he was speaking without sound.
"Listen lad, the only reason you think ya monster is that you believe in what other people say, at the end of the day."
"They're just words, sound. Nothing that was set in stone, and yet your idiotic enough to believe them."
Valeo turned away from Himrick, his back facing him.
"I see, your a stubborn one aren't ya."
Valeo didn't turn back but instead walked back into the cabin.
"Letting go is not easy, I know, oh how I know. But you'll eventually realize it's necessary."
Himrick's words reached Valeo but he didn't react.
"He let's his hardships steer his choices."
Himrick sighed and gazed at the stars. A gentle and melancholic expression on his wrinkle face.
"I remembered you were first like that."
* * *
The next morning, Valeo woke up on the same spot he slept for the past four days, In front of the couch.
The sound of clattering glass and other sorts of items reached his ears.
"Oh for fuck sake, my pantry is empty, what the fuck happened?"
Valeo stayed quiet, his nightly binge eating was something he didn't want Himrick to find out any time soon.
"Boyo! Get you rear up and ready to go!"
Himrick turned the corner carrying a large empty sack and a large backpack on his back.
"We're heading to Bale Lake town."