"So it was Xain who led Officer Silas to you?" Aeron asked, his tone its usual deadpan but laced with curiosity.
Malvin nodded. "Correct. If he hadn't, I'd probably be buried under rubble right now," he said, waving a hand dismissively.
Aeron's deadpan expression shifted ever so slightly—subtle, but enough to suggest a flicker of pride.
"Don't look so proud about your brother's actions when you had nothing to do with it," Malvin said dryly, though Aeron ignored the jab entirely.
"But you really were lucky, weren't you, Captain?" Clare said, drawing Malvin's attention with a quiet "hmm?"
"If you hadn't crossed paths with Xain right then and there, you wouldn't be here right now," she pointed out.
"And yet, he seems to hate him so much," Tores interjected, resting his chin on his hand.
"I wonder what Xain did to make the Captain so pissed off—despite saving his life," Jos mused aloud, scratching his head.
Malvin let out a weary sigh, rubbing his face as if the weight of the memories physically hurt. "So much stuff. If I started listing everything, we'd be here for hours," he muttered, leaving it at that.
"Hmm," Loreen cut in, her expression thoughtful. "But I didn't expect him to do that."
Everyone turned to her, curiosity lighting their faces. "What do you mean?" Aeron asked, his tone sharp, possibly defensive.
"Well," Loreen began, "from the way Clare described Xain, I would've expected him to rush into the building himself to help, not go get someone else."
"That's true," Clare agreed. "He's definitely the type to jump into action when he sees someone in danger, rather than stopping to get help first."
Malvin shook his head, letting out another sigh. "If it were the current Xain, he absolutely would've rushed in without a second thought for his own safety. But back then…" He paused, a heavy silence falling over the room. "Back then, he was still… sane."
The word lingered, leaving everyone confused.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jos asked, scratching his head in bewilderment.
"Something happened to him," Malvin said, his tone quiet but firm. "He didn't use to be so reckless. He wasn't the kind of person to throw himself into danger without a second thought. But after that happened…" He trailed off, shaking his head as if trying to dislodge the thought.
A heavy pause followed, broken only when Malvin straightened up in his seat. "Much like everything else, we'll get to that eventually. For now, let's continue."
Leaning back, he fixed them all with a steady gaze. "After the Captain came in, I reported everything that happened. Every detail. And my suspicion about the 'girl' who saved me..."
---
"So, you think the kid we chased a few weeks back is the same girl who led me to you?" Silas asked, his voice rising with disbelief as he struggled to process the information.
"Yes, I think so," Malvin confirmed with a calm certainty.
Silas stared at him like he was about to have a complete mental breakdown, his confusion palpable, while Captain Howard remained silent, listening intently.
"Officer Malvin," Captain Howard called out, his voice heavy with authority.
"Yes, sir?" Malvin turned to him, his shoulders stiffening at the sound of his name.
Howard closed his eyes and let out a slow, measured sigh, "I am deeply disappointed in you," Howard began, his tone calm but cutting. Malvin's eyes dropped to the floor, guilt washing over him.
"Not only did you disregard your partner, but you also disregarded our creed: Stay safe and keep others safe. You did neither. You ran headlong into danger despite knowing exactly what awaited you. Worse still, your actions put your partner's life at risk. Were it not for sheer luck, you wouldn't be alive right now."
Malvin's hands clenched the hospital blanket tightly, frustration and shame evident in his posture.
"Ha! Look who's in trouble now," Silas snickered, pointing a finger at Malvin like an amused sibling relishing a moment of schadenfreude.
"You are not free of criticism either, Officer Silas," Captain Howard said sharply, cutting through the humor like a knife. Silas froze, his smirk vanishing instantly.
"You shouldn't have backed off when your partner told you to. You are meant to be equals. While your hesitation may have saved his life this time, it will not always be the case. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Captain," Silas muttered, his tone subdued.
Howard nodded, his expression softening slightly. "Good. As punishment, you will both handle paperwork for the next week."
Both officers' faces paled at the declaration.
---
"Well, now we know where the Captain gets that from," Jos quipped, earning nods of agreement from the group.
"If you don't shut up," Malvin growled, fixing them all with a glare, "I'll make sure every single one of you ends up doing paperwork for the next month."
The room fell silent, everyone going still as a statue.
"Good," Malvin said with satisfaction, leaning back slightly. "Now, where was I…"
---
"Nothing about what you reported to me leaves this room. Is that clear?" Captain Howard said firmly, his hand reflexively moving toward his jacket. He stopped midway, sighing as he realized he couldn't smoke inside a hospital.
"This is an issue strictly for the higher-ups. We cannot allow the knowledge of a magic user in the city to spread. Understood?"
"Yes, Captain," both Malvin and Silas replied in unison, their tones serious.
Howard let out a heavy sigh, his sharp demeanor softening slightly. "Good," he said, turning toward the door. "Get well, both of you. And for the love of the goddess, take care of yourselves."
He exited without another word, the echo of his boots fading down the hall.
If only either officer had taken his advice to heart.