The two brothers stood in stunned silence, the cold winter air slamming against their faces. They had no idea where the man had come from, almost as if appearing from thin air.
"Uh... sir," Whiskey-Jack stammered, still caught off guard from the strangers sudden appearance, "We're Erwins' sons. He sent us to find two men, Midok or Qui for help, are you able to help us find them?" His voice cracking, trying not to offend the man.
The man looked them over intently, searching for some sign of truth. "Erwin sent you? Where is he?"
Both boys shifted uncomfortably, unable to answer the man's questions about their father. And it was clear from the look of fear on their faces that something terrible had happened to their father.
The man seemed to notice their unease, his hardened expression softened.
"Alright, alright," he said with a sigh, and gestured for them to follow. "If you are Erwins' boys I can't just leave you out here, come inside and warm up. You can tell me what happened once you've bothed settled. By the way, the name's Midok."
A wave of relief washed over the brothers at the mention of their father's friend. They looked at each other and smiled bright, before following Midok closely inside.
The interior of the house was far larger than they expected, comfortably warm, with shelves lined with books, weapons, and various trinkets.
They marveled at the size and uniqueness of the home, their eyes wide with awe.
"Whoa… you live like a king!" Muskrat exclaimed, his voice filled with wonder as he took in everything.
Midok chuckled, low and soft. "Compared to Erwin, maybe. He was always a humble man, but I've always enjoyed comfort."
He paused, the fire in the home crackled. "I live here with my wife and my daughter, Vix. They'll help you get settled in. But first, before we get comfortable..." He pulled up a few chair's and gestured for them to sit.
"Tell me what happened. Start from the beginning."
Whiskey-Jack took a deep breath and began recounting the events that led them here, his voice steady but filled with sorrow.
Muskrat, on the other hand, stood silently by, his head lowered, his emotions almost spilling over as he fought to hold back his tears.
"I see..." Midok muttered when the story had ended, leaning back, he rubbed his chin in thought. "I knew this world was becoming dangerous, but dangerous enough to take out Erwin...This is troubling."
His expression hardened once again, as the gravity of the situation settled in. He had heard enough.
Midok turned to call out to his daughter. "Vix! Come help our guests."
A moment later, a young woman appeared from one of the doors in the hallway. She was tall, with an athletic build that spoke of strength and agility, and long, straight brown hair flowing down her back. She couldn't have been much older than the brothers, maybe nineteen or twenty.
She wore simple clothing, yet there was an undeniable grace to her.
"Show these boys to the guest room," Midok said. "They'll be staying for a while."
"Of course!" Vix replied with a warm smile, her eyes soft and inviting. She walked toward the brothers and extended her hand.
"Hi, I'm Vix. It's nice to meet you both."
Whiskey-Jack, only having ever interacted with his mother, flustered by the girl's beauty, stammered awkwardly.
"Uh, I'm... I'm Whiskey-Jack, and this is my brother, Muskrat." He responded, as he gripped the young woman's hand, his palm's sweaty.
Vix giggled, the sound light and pleasant. "Nice to meet you," she said kindly. "Come on, I'll show you to your room."
The brothers followed her down the hall, entering a room that, to their surprise, was larger than the one they shared back home.
It contained a single large bed, a wooden wardrobe, and a simple desk. It was humble, but comfortable.
"I'll leave you to get settled," Vix said as she stepped back through the door.
Once Vix left, the boys set down their packs and looked around in disbelief. The bed was large enough for both of them to have a comfortable sleep, something they hadn't had in a couple of long days.
They sat down on the edge of the bed, testing the softness of the mattress.
"This is so soft," Muskrat murmured, The roughness of the ground they had slept on the night before still fresh in his memory.
Before they knew it, the exhaustion of their journey caught up with them, and they both drifted off to sleep, finally feeling the warmth and safety of a roof over their heads.