Korven entered the tent with Ulana by his side. "I'll take it from here, Arold."
Arold nodded, stepping away from the counter.
"We finally decided it," Ulana said to Arold with a smile.
"Really?" Arold said, brows rising. "So at what age?"
"30," Ulana said fondly, looking at the flushing Korven.
"I can't wait for that," Arold said with a smile. "I'll definitely be there."
Ulana smiled. "Of course you will. Everyone here will be invited to our wedding."
"Hey," Korven said, face red. "Don't say it so loud."
"What?" Ulana said with a pout. "You embarrassed or something?"
Korven shook his head. "I just…don't wanna wake up if this is dream."
Ulana blushed, eyes widening. She took a glass of water and dumped it on his face.
Korven wiped the water, looking at her in confusion.
She smiled. "See?"
Korven snorted softly, lowering his head.
Arold was looking at these two with a smile. Surrounded by good people, there was no way anyone could be lonely or unhappy. Who knew shooting stars could really grant wishes?
###
Shooting stars could not grant wishes. Why did Arold have to learn it the hard way?
Tears in his eyes as he knelt on the floor inside the quarters, he sobbed as he looked through his blurry vision at the two teenagers lying motionless on the ground. Their parents couldn't mourn for them. Arold was still conflicted on if it was a good thing or not.
Malaro and Trixina sat beside the dead bodies of Prestris and Lariz. Sylren had her lower lip bitten as tears climbed down her face, dripping off her chin to the floor.
They were all going to leave today. Who knew not to the same place? Not together.
Sylren wiped her tears as she ran out the door, pushing aside a small group of miners standing outside the quarters.
"Sylren, stop!" Malaro said, reaching for her but not standing. "Where are you going?"
Arold stood, turning to the door.
"Stop her from doing anything reckless, Arold," Malaro said softly.
Arold nodded, lines of tears still wetting his face. He ran after his mother.
Arold finally caught sight of his mother. She slammed open the door and stormed inside Commander Lexnal's office. 'Oh, no, mom! They won't take it lightly this time.' Arold peeked inside the room from the slit on the doorway.
###
Every man inside the room looked absolutely shocked at the sight of Sylren. It wasn't the shock of not expecting someone… It was something much more than that.
Sylren reached over the desk in front of Commander Lexnal and grabbed Lexnal by the collar. "What's the meaning of this, you bastard! Why'd you kill those four! What did they do to you, murderers?"
Celd broke her grip from his Commander's collar. "Weren't we clear yesterday, ma'am?"
"What's it about today," Lexnal said, taking out a pink candy from the matchbox-sized box and popping it in his mouth. "Let's hear it."
Sylren struggled to loosen the grip of Captain Celd on her arms. "Don't give me this, you bastard! I know you killed my friends because I was on you."
"Proof," Lexnal said simply.
Sylren hissed in frustration.
"I had told you to not storm in my office," Lenxal said. "Just to throw some wild accusations on me and my comrades."
"How did they die, then?" Sylren said loudly. "Explain it to me!"
"Simple," Lexnal said with a shrug. "Rock lungs."
"That's a myth!" Sylren shouted. "Don't give me that!"
"Then how do you explain the death of every skyguard that tries escaping this facility?"
Sylren stopped struggling, standing in silence and shock. "Skyguards…" she said quietly. "Are dying here…?"
Lexnal rolled his eyes. "Of course you didn't know it. You're too focused on yourself. You think it's all about you. If Master Dwajo hadn't ignored my warning about the disease, we could've done something about it. But then the unknown Etherbeasts killed him…"
"You're saying…" Sylren said. "Skyguards are dying of rock lungs here…?"
"Do you want me to give the answer in written?" Lexnal said. "Yes. No skyguard here is not suffering from rock lungs. You researcher's wouldn't be close to the working environment for long, so I thought you wouldn't contract it. But it looks like after we rejected to help you all, you took matters into your own hand." He placed a lucentum crystal on the table. "Even though you had no need for it, you were getting closer to lucentum pockets, were you not?"
Sylren's breath caught in her throat as sweat formed on her forehead. It was true. The whole team had helped her to get that handful of lucentum crystals she had used yesterday to test her theory. For this whole last year…she was putting her teammates in danger.
"They contracted rock lungs," Lexnal said. "Plain and simple. How they did so, only you may know."
Sylren gulped, head falling. 'I…killed my friends…' It was grim realization. In trying to find the murderers of Master Dwajo, she ended up endangering four more lives…
But why was she not contracted with the disease?
'Me and Arold were always down in the hidden base…' she thought. 'Malaro and Trixina…they were living in different quarters…' So it was true. She indeed was the reason for those four's death…
Celd started taking her to the door. Sylren walked with her head down.
"If only you weren't so rude to us," Lexnal said, "we could be helping you mourn your loss. But what you did yesterday and just now has made you lose integrity in our eyes…"
Sylren stood in the doorway and found Arold standing outside, eyes still watery. Seeing him, her eyes also started tearing up. 'I'm horrible… A mother. A friend. I'm horrible!'
Celd closed the door.
Sylren held Arold's hand and started walking toward the elevator. "Let's go pack up…"
###
They stepped out of the elevator and into the mines.
It had only taken a day to reset the progress Arold had made in the last 2 years. Korven and Ulana had never said they were his friends, but they sure acted nice with him. Arold was also starting to understand how much of his true thoughts he could let out.
'At least Trix is alive…' He felt ashamed right after thinking this. What kind of horrible person thought this way? He was ready to move on from the loss of two of the only people who had been so kind to him? Disgusting—
His hand tugged as Sylren stopped. "Mom?"
"I…" Sylren said, not looking at him. Then she looked back. "I'll meet you there. I need to get something from the quarters."
Arold nodded in understanding.
"Make sure you don't get lost." Sylren let go of his hand.
"I know these caves inside out, mom," Arold said. He saw his mom entering the elevator again. She smiled from inside, waving.
Arold did not smile back. He turned away, heading to the hidden base.
###
Arold cracked open the door of the quarters when Malaro and Trixina stayed. It was empty. He quickly made his way to the other quarter, heart racing, breath out of control. He pushed the door in and fell to the floor, the tears in his eyes dripping to the floor.
Malaro jolted onto his feet and stepped away from the bodies of his dead teammates. "What happened, Arold? Did you not find your mother—?"
Arold squeezed his grip around the man's forearm, tears rolling down his eyes uncontrollably. "Mom…" he sobbed loudly.
Trixina approached with a frown, standing quietly beside her father.
"Mom…"
Malaro gulped, his face paling. "What…happened to Sylren…?"
Arold's face wrinkled as he squeezed his eyes shut to not let out his tears. The twitch on his frowning lips was too much to let out words…
Malaro pulled him closer and embraced him, rubbing his head. "Calm down. We're here. Take your time."
Arold shook his head free, tears erupting from his eyes. "Mom…!" He stood, pulling on Malaro's arm. The man stood with a gulp, holding the hand of his daughter as they all left the quarters.
###
"Talk to me, Sylren!" Malaro said loudly, Arold standing by the bedside, trying to hold back his tears, Trixina stood beside him, hand to mouth. "What happened."
Sylren coughed. "I…think I also have it…"
"Have what?"
"Rock lungs…"
Malaro's eyes widened. "What…are you saying…?"
"They all died of it…" Sylren said. "Don't come close or you'll contract it too…"
"Bullspit!" Malaro shouted. "We're researchers, Sylren! We're not supposed to believe in myths like these!"
"Doesn't this seem real enough to you, Malaro?" Sylren said with a groaning voice. "Rock lungs in contracted when you stay near lucentums for too long. It's all my fault. Me collecting those crystals to prove my stupid theory…" She coughed. "Can you forgive me?"
"Stop it, idiot!" Malaro said, eyes watery. "Do you think I'll let you off the hook this easy? You need to explain everything! Those other two bastards went without a word! Fluck them! Don't you dare do the same." He stood from the bedside. "I'll be back in minutes. Just wait! I'll get you a doctor and medicine in no time!"
"If you step outside this facility…" Sylren said but paused to cough. "You'll get far from the lucentums… And if you have rock lungs…"
"You've said enough," Malaro said, starting out the tent. "Let's go Trixina. We have an errand to run." His daughter ran to his side.
Arold looked at them, eyes hopeful. "Please…get back soon."
"I'll be back before you can blink." They left.
"Arold…" Sylren said, putting her hand on top of Arold's. "When they come back, be sure to take the medicine and get out of here. You must get out of these mines and never return."
Tears started flowing down his eyes again. "Mom…"
"Forgive me, son," Sylren said, eyes meeting his, "for not being there for you. I wanted to make you someone who could stand on his own two feet. I'm sorry if it looked like I was abandoning you."
"What're you talking about, mom?" Arold said, crying. "It's not you who wasn't there for me…it was father. If only he was here with you…something like this would never have happened."
"Arold," Sylren said with a soft smile. "Don't resent your father for not being here, Arold. He is only away for our sake."
Arold's eyes widened and he fell silent. 'What're you saying mom… You know that makes no sense, right…?'
Sylren presented her earring that she'd taken off before returning. "I want you to keep this. The locket doesn't have my photo."
"What're you trying to say!" Arold shouted. "Don't tell me…"
Sylren closed the earring inside Arold's hand.
"You think I need a stupid earring to remember you?" Arold said. "Just stay and there wouldn't be a need for that."
Sylren coughed.
Arold looked around. "Shoot!" He got up and fetched a glass of water.
Sylren took it after she got up. She downed it in one gulp.
Arold watched her apprehensively.
"Go see them off," Sylren said, giving back the glass of water. "Tell them to have a safe journey."
"I can't leave you side at a time like this," Arold said.
"I'm fine," Sylren said with a smile.
Arold paused thoughtfully.
Sylren ruffled his hair. "Go."
Arold nodded.
###
"Please get back as fast you can, Mr. Malaro," Arold said quietly, standing just inside the facility gate in front of Malaro and Trixina.
"Back before a blink," Malaro said, turning to the gates. He walked toward the guards.
"Bye, Arold," Trixina said with a smile. "But not for long."
Arold nodded. "Be sure to come back…"
"Course I will," Trixina said, brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
Arold shook his head. "Nothing—"
Trixina gave his a hug. "She'll be fine. Everything will go back to normal. Everything will be fine when we return…"
Arold couldn't lift his hands from his sides. "You're right…"
She pulled herself away from him then smiled. "Okay, then… See you soon."
Before she turned away to walk to her father's side, Arold grabbed her hand. She looked back in confusion.
"I want you to have this," Arold said, presenting his mother's earring. "It's very important to me. It'll make sure you return."
Trixina took it with a fond smile. "It's beautiful!" She wore it on her ear immediately. "How does it look?"
Arold didn't look her in the eyes as he replied, "Fine…"
"Just fine…" Trixina said.
"More than fine…" Arold said, rubbing the back of his head. "Beautiful…"
Trixina smiled, ruffling his hair and running off to the gate. "Stupid…"
"Let's go, Trixina," Malaro said. "We'll be back with a doctor, Arold." They both waved as they left.
Arold didn't wave back.
###
Arold stepped inside the tent. "They're off to District Three, mom." He walked to the bedside and sat on the ground. "They'll be back with the medicine…" He looked at her calm face. Her silent expression… Her closed eyes—
"Mom?" Arold said, shaking her. "MOM? MOM!" He stood sharply, tears staring to emerge out of his eyes again. "Mother! Mom! Wake up. Don't play with me! This isn't time for that." His tears rolled down his cheeks and fell on his mother's smiling face. His knees hit the ground and his head fell on top of the bed, beside his mother's lifeless body. He covered his head with his arms, muffling his loud cries.
"MOM!"
###
Everyone had sadly died. Malaro and Trixina hadn't returned.
Arold started journaling in Lariz's notepad.
###
Prestris and Lariz had sadly died. Korven and Ulana had left him alone. Malaro and Trixina hadn't returned.
Arold had started taking pictures from Korven's camera.
###
They hadn't died. They'd left him alone. Malaro and Trixina hadn't returned.
Arold explored new tunnels, taking Ulana's penlight with him.
###
Everyone had left him alone, even Trixina. The first was his father, all these years back. Answers? None.
Arold spent his time studying lucentums from Prestris's geology books.
###
People only came to leave. They never stayed. They didn't need a reason to leave.
Arold had tried leaving the caves, but his chest had felt heavy, almost making him unable to breathe. Rock lungs.
###
They should've never come here.
Everyone died of rock lungs. Malaro and Trixina too, most likely. That's why they hadn't returned.
If Arold wanted to survive, he was forced to stay here.
###
Arold had finally discovered a way to leave the Ezlus Mines. Make the cavelurkers eat all of the lucentums in the mines. He'd have to fight the miners. He wasn't strong enough to fight all of them. Luckily, the cavelurkers seemed to follow his command.
###
He had scared away seven people from the caves now. That meant he'd saved seven people. He was good at suppressing his presence. That green orb was responsible for it. His aim was still bad though.
###
It was Arold's birthday today. Only cavelurkers showed up to the party. At least they never left his side.
###
Arold talked with himself out loud today. Felt weird to do.
###
The lakesnake he hunted today would last him three months.
###
What Arold discovered today could mean the end of all life down here.
He couldn't tell about to anyone.
Just like everything…
'I just want a person to talk to…'
###
Arold's head sunk even deeper, his face burning of stinging pain from the punches he ate. His legs were shaking from an ugly mix of both fear and pain.
But then Lexnal went and poisoned the whole thing by squatting down and whispering something that could've only been described as a curse.
"Rock lungs is a myth, kid. It isn't real."
'It can't be true… Then how did all of them die…? There were no wounds. Not even a scratch…!'
Lenxal smiled, standing, leaving Arold in tears. "That's worth 2% now. Keep going. Or should I tell you the whole thing from the very start?"
'It's not true,' Arold told himself, tears washing down the blood on his face as he denied Lexnal's whisper. 'It can't be… He's lying. Don't trust him, Arold.' But if it was true…
"Or should I start from the very end?" Lenxal said, putting the new lollipop in his mouth. "Because that's the part where I killed your mother."
Arold screamed inaudibly over Lexnal's voice, not wanting to hear another word from the man. Jaw hurting, tears dripping to the rocky ground, he put his head down as he continued to cry loudly.
Lexnal laughed. "3% debt cleared. It won't take much longer if you keep this pace. Keep it up, kid."
It was a mistake. Arold should've never come here in the first place. None of them should've.
A crashing sound blasted through the air.
Lexnal turned around and found Celd on the ground, a girl with pink hair sitting on top of his back. He turned his head to Ernash, who was kicked in the face by a young man with dark skin and blue eyes, a blue aura smoking from his skin. It was Ryuzio's friend!
Ernash punched the attacker and only when the man ducked did Arold noticed that his hands were handcuffed. In fact, the girl's hands were also cuffed.
Everything appeared blurry to Arold's eyes, but he could see that the young man was indeed strong, so much so that he was giving Ernash a hard time with his hands tied—
He felt a strong presence right behind him. He gulped, sweat dripping off his chin—
Someone stepped in between him and Lexnal.
"Look! Your friends have arrived!" Lexnal said, stretching his arms to the side. "Now we can have even more fun." He turned with a grin—
"DRAGON BULLET!"
A gauntlet of fire crashed against Lexnal's face, smashing his nose into his skull, throwing his whole existence away from Arold. Lexnal's body cracked against a spiky pillar, breaking through it upon impact, flipping his body. He crashed through three more before falling on the ground face first, floppy limbs to his sides.
Arold couldn't believe what just happened and he found himself in tears because of it. No…it wasn't because of WHAT had happened that was healing his wounds with hope…it was because of WHO had punched away Lexnal.
"VUUZO!" Arold shouted through his broken jaw, even after trying, his voice was a mumble.
The black-haired boy with a headband over his forehead and a scar over his nose was covered with a red aura that resembled flames, making him look alight.
Ryuzio turned his head to Arold, eyes aflame. He met those fiery eyes with Arold's barely open one, then moved them to inspect his face.
"Now I'm mad," Ryuzio said loudly. "LEXNAL! Be ready to get your ass kicked, you bastard!" he shouted as he turned away and pointed at Lexnal.
All the eyes turned to him.
Lexnal stood, fury on his face. He plugged a nostril and exhaled, blood rushing out his nose. "You," he said, pointing back at Ryuzio. "Prepare to die!"
"ETHERSURGE!" Ryuzio shouted as he ran toward the skyguard, the flames on his body exploding out.
Lexnal took out his Subjugator and pointed ahead. "A gemslug ignores Ethersurge. It's too fast to dodge." He pressed the trigger and the energy gun shot out a line of purple light—
Lexnal's eyes widened as Ryuzio ignored the light that pierced his shoulder—
"DRAGON GAUNTLET!" Ryuzio threw his left fist upward and into Lexnal's gut. The skyguard's feet lifted off the ground—
Ryuzio shot his right fist to the man's face. "Dragon BULLET!"
Lexnal was thrown to the wall behind, the impact of his back crashing into the wall shaking the southern mines.
"Don't you dare put a hand on my friend!" Ryuzio said, holding his fiery fist in front.
Tears rolled down Arold's eyes upon hearing this. 'He didn't leave…
'The only one that didn't…'
Arold had always thought all was gone. But Ryuzio had proved otherwise.