Kael stirred, slowly drifting back into consciousness as a low hum vibrated around him, the slight rocking sensation lulling him halfway between sleep and wakefulness. Before he opened his eyes, he could feel it—the Ironhauler was moving, and they were already on their way. He winced, groggily piecing together his last memories. 'Right', he thought with a hint of sarcasm, 'that didn't go so well'.
As his senses sharpened, Kael noticed he was lying in a bunk bed, probably his. He vaguely remembered being in the driver's cabin, but someone must have dragged him here after he'd passed out. Shifting slightly, he felt his limbs pulse with soreness, and a dull ache throbbed in his head like he'd had every ounce of energy drained out of him.
Finally, he cracked open his eyes, the dim interior of the Ironhauler's living quarters coming into focus. He grumbled, gingerly rubbing his temple as he sat up. But before he could swing his legs over the side of the bed, a peculiar sight made him pause.
A young girl with unkept blonde hair, big blue eyes, and a curious expression was hunched by his bed, rummaging through his bag. She clutched a piece of his dried meat in her small hands, munching on it as she intently examined one of his belongings—a basic first-aid kit Elowen had picked up for him.
They both stared at each other in a tense silence, her cheeks puffed out as she chewed. Finally, Kael broke the silence, his voice still rough with sleep.
"Uh… that's mine."
The girl froze, her wide eyes meeting his, and for a split second, she looked like a startled animal before she bolted, clutching his dried meat like it was a prize. She vanished out the door, leaving him with nothing but the swish of her small frame darting away. Kael blinked, absorbing the strange encounter.
"Privacy?" he thought wryly. "Guess that's out the window."
Sighing, Kael finally swung his legs over the bed, letting his feet dangle off as he stretched. Every part of him felt tired and drained, a strange echo of how he'd felt before his trial. His memories of the cabin and the blue-haired man's warning flickered in his mind. Had that blast of essence really sapped him that dry? He closed his eyes, focusing inward until he felt the faint spark of his essence—a relief seeing it didn't disappear, though it was barely there.
Before he could think much further, a voice broke the quiet of the living quarters.
"So, finally up?" Leaning against the doorframe was the same blue-haired man from before, arms crossed over his chest. He wore a knowing smirk that instantly reignited Kael's embarrassment.
"You got hit hard back there, kid."
Forcing a casual tone, Kael shot back,
"Oh, I was just warming up."
The man let out a chuckle, clearly not buying it.
"Sure. That's what that was. Leaving that aside, got a name?"
"Kael," he mumbled, extending an olive branch of sorts with a nod.
The man returned the gesture.
"Varos. Captain of the 5th Ironhauler, so you're under my watch during the trip. Try not to do anything else stupid while I'm around." His smirk softened slightly, but Kael caught the underlying warning.
"Well, come on," Varos continued. "You missed the introductions with your little 'performance.'"
*****
Varos guided Kael through the door, leading him into the living room area, where several figures were sitting around. Kael's gaze wandered over them, catching the curious and mildly cautious looks they shot back. The team members seemed close, as if they'd been through countless journeys together. Kael felt a pang of self-consciousness, painfully aware of his status as the newcomer among them.
"This little troublemaker over here is Elaria," Varos began, pointing to the small girl from earlier. She had somehow reappeared in the living room and was now half-hiding behind a tall, brown-haired woman, watching Kael with wide eyes.
Elaria stared at him with the same curious gaze from before, and Kael felt a small pang of humor as he remembered the stolen dried meat.
"And this," Varos continued, motioning toward the brown-haired woman,
"is Isara, also known as the Silent Night. One of the main combat forces in our Unit. She's an ace with a bow."
Isara inclined her head slightly in Kael's direction, her dark, penetrating gaze scrutinizing him. He felt the weight of her quiet authority and returned the nod, though he couldn't shake the sense that she was evaluating him as if assessing his value.
Varos motioned toward three men sitting together nearby, each with similar features—dark hair, muscular builds, and identical mischievous expressions. "And here we have Alden, Bram, and Colin—the triplet siblings and our team's comic relief, unfortunately."
The brothers nodded in unison, smirking as they exchanged glances. Alden—the tallest and seemingly the eldest—snickered. "So, you're the fresh meat, huh?"
Kael nodded, feeling their appraising stares as he introduced himself.
Bram, the shortest of the trio, chuckled under his breath.
"Think you'll survive out there?"
"Well, he made it this far," Colin quipped, shrugging with mock encouragement. "Guess we'll see."
Kael felt a twinge of defensiveness but held his tongue, knowing their humor was likely their way of feeling out the new guy. He kept his expression neutral, already gathering that the siblings enjoyed a good laugh, especially at someone else's expense.
Once introductions were over, Varos turned to Kael with a more serious expression.
"I know you're new here, but I expect you to pull your weight. None of us are here to babysit," he said, not unkindly but firmly.
"Everyone on this Ironhauler has a role. You'll be given tasks to handle on the road. Work with us, and you'll be fine."
Kael met Varos's gaze, nodding with a new sense of purpose. The weight of responsibility settled over him—a feeling he hadn't fully embraced before. He was just one part of this team, and it was up to him to prove he was worth the space he occupied, not that he really knew how he was going to be useful though.
Elaria, still clutching his dried meat as if it were some sort of souvenir, tugged at Isara's sleeve, whispering something that made the dark-haired woman chuckle. Isara glanced at Kael, an amused glint in her otherwise stoic gaze.
"Guess Elaria's claimed part of your rations already."
Kael let out a faint laugh, scratching his head.
"Well, I wasn't expecting a welcome gift in reverse, but I suppose I'll manage."
Isara nodded, a small smile breaking her stern facade. The siblings exchanged glances, one of them muttering, "Looks like the kid's got a bit of wit to him."
Despite the warmth from the banter, Kael still felt the distance that lay between him and the rest of the crew. He knew he was an outsider in a tightly knit group, and their guarded attitudes served as a reminder of the trust he'd need to earn over time.
Varos glanced at him one last time, giving a nod.
"You'll get used to them," he said with a wry grin. "Eventually."
Kael took a slow breath, steadying himself as he looked over the group once more. Each of them—Elaria's childlike curiosity, Isara's quiet strength, the siblings' camaraderie—was a fragment of a larger picture he didn't yet understand.