Lyle's smile faded gradually, his gaze shifting toward the horizon, as if searching for answers that only he could see—answers just out of reach. His fingers twitched, but whether it was deliberate or just a nervous habit was hard to say. With a quiet breath, he shook himself from his thoughts, refocusing on the group and clearing his throat.
"Well," Lyle said, his usual cocky tone slipping back into place, "we've got work to do. Not all of us get the luxury of playing with new toys today." His eyes flicked toward Markus, who had been sharpening his sword without pause since they arrived.
Markus merely grunted in response, still absorbed in his task. His silence was heavy, a wordless statement that held more meaning than any spoken words could.
Meanwhile, the twins had their own distractions.
"Ohhh," Jacob muttered, staring at the prosthetic leg.
It was a curved blade, shaped like an elongated J, designed to mimic the natural flow of movement.
"Bummer," Jacob said, turning to Conor. "Looks like one of those Olympic runner legs. I wanted a pirate leg."
Conor sighed and exhaled sharply. "If we did that, you'd have a hard time walking, idiot. It'd get caught in the dirt. It's not exactly built for, you know, moving around."
"But it's cool," Jacob protested.
Conor shot him a flat look. "Oh, right."
Connor was eager to test out the new leg. He leaned on it, gauging its strength, but quickly realized his mistake. Though the steel held firm, he could feel the strain—any added pressure would push it beyond its limits. He knew he'd have to be careful with how much weight he placed on it.
Despite the imperfections, a smile crept across Connor's face as he gazed into the distance. Jacob, watching him, was momentarily taken aback but ultimately relieved to see his brother's mood lift. It made him happy to see Connor in a better place. He almost asked if they should go fight monsters but quickly thought better of it. They weren't exactly in the best situation.
By midday, after adjusting to the new prosthetic, Connor felt an odd desire to walk—something he'd never enjoyed before, for obvious reasons. As he strolled with Jacob through the group of adventurers, he observed them, though his focus was more scattered than usual. He looked lost, his thoughts distant. Meanwhile, Markus shot the twins dirty looks, while the rest of the adventurers seemed a little lighter, their smiles small but noticeable.
Jacob, on the other hand, had no trouble reading his brother's mood. It wasn't hard—Connor rarely showed any real happiness. Jacob wanted to break the silence between them. Grinning, he asked, "So, how does it feel? Think you could outrun me now?"
Connor scoffed. "Not a chance," he said, glancing at the conjoined twin beside him. They both laughed, looking at each other, amused by their own corny exchange.
Connor rolled his eyes at the absurdity but couldn't suppress the smirk that tugged at his lips. He took another cautious step, adjusting to the unfamiliar weight of the prosthetic. It wasn't perfect—far from it—but it was progress.
Marcus let out a loud sigh, enough to draw attention. He sheathed his sword with a sharp click and turned to face the twins. "You two done yet?" he asked, his tone flat, though his eyes carried a sharper edge.
Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Done with what?"
Marcus crossed his arms. "You're acting like this is a game."
The lighthearted atmosphere immediately cracked under the weight of his words.
Connor stiffened but met Marcus' gaze. "I know," he said, his voice steady. "We're not playing. We're adjusting."
Marcus scoffed. "Well, you all need to adjust faster. We don't have time for this." Without another word, he turned and walked off, leaving the group in an uncomfortable silence.
Ramsey kept his eyes forward, his lips moving, trying to say something, but his words were a slurred mess.
Jacob shrugged, unfazed. "Oh, we know. As if we understood anything Ramsey just said. But one day, he's going to trip on something, and I'll be right there, laughing."
Jacob waited, and slowly, quietly, Ramsey chuckled. It was a slow, almost surreal moment—like watching a scene play in slow motion or like someone pressing the fast-forward button too quickly. Connor simply shook his head, taking another step forward. It wasn't flawless, but it was progress.
Eventually, the group settled down. With his walking no longer dominating his thoughts, Connor found himself more open to the concerns of the others. Curiosity sparked, and he turned to Lyle. "So, how did you all end up together?"
Lyle shrugged. "Like everyone else, my sister and I were dropped here. The rest of the group? We met along the way. When we found Markus, he was with Nate. They probably arrived together," he explained. He pointed at Ramsey. "And him? We found him wandering around, looking just as lost as he does now."
Lyle turned to Finn. "As for Finn, he wandered off and got lost—that's how we found him."
The group turned to Finn, who lounged nonchalantly with his legs propped up, seemingly carefree.
Lyle continued, "From what I can piece together, it seems everyone arrives with a partner, shaped by their pasts—except for Ramsey, of course. Whoever he came with probably abandoned him along the way."
"Ohh, I see," Connor responded, his gaze drifting toward the setting sun, casting long shadows over the gathering.
"You know, I'd love to go hunting with you all tomorrow," he added.
Aria gave him a doubtful look. "Are you sure? Don't you think it might be too soon?"
Connor shook his head. "No. The sooner I get acquainted, the better. And this time, we've got more people. I can plan more. It's not like last time, when we were caught off guard, confused in a new world with no idea what we were doing. This time, we're ready." He looked at Jacob.
Jacob grinned. "Hell yes! Monster hunting!"