Sosuke stopped in the middle of the forest, ensuring no one had followed him. He activated his star eyes, raising his hands to start a spell.
A chirp.
His head snapped back. A light-blue bird perched on a low branch, watching him. He hadn't sensed it. It was just an ordinary animal, yet somehow, it had slipped past his awareness. Was his mind slipping?
Sosuke exhaled sharply, shaking off the thought. He refocused, conjuring a portal of crackling energy. Before stepping through, he glanced behind him. The bird was gone. He took a deep breath and stepped forward.
The Starborn's barracks weren't grand, just a reinforced section of a larger Westorian outpost. A worn training hall, a few modest dorms, and a briefing room that doubled as a lounge. That was their space. It wasn't much, but it was theirs.
Today, it served as the setting for their newest arrival.
"Hello everyone, I am Clyde." The young man stood near the center of the room, taking a deep bow with a polite, almost theatrical flourish. "I'm pleased to be given such an opportunity as grand as this. You've all grown quite famous within the ranks."
"Really? Heh, might have to test my luck with some of the ladies." Reid smirked, crossing his arms.
"Wipe that stupid look off your face, idiot," Lyra muttered.
Arthur, leaning against the wall with arms crossed, cut in with little patience. "Who are you exactly? What makes you special?" His sharp eyes bore into Clyde, scanning him.
Clyde hesitated, his gaze flickering across the room as if searching for reassurance. "Uh, well, you see…"
"You're making him nervous already," Rin sighed, shaking her head.
"It's alright," Clyde said, composing himself. "I wouldn't say I'm particularly special. Perhaps my one defining trait is my dedication to justice."
Arthur narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean exactly?"
"When this war began, I had no doubt where I stood." Clyde's voice was steady now, more sure of himself. "If it had remained just Westoria against Virenia, maybe the lines would have been blurrier. But with Astoria's involvement, there's no question—our enemies deserve to be brought to justice."
"You make a good point," Arthur admitted. "I'd have to agree with you."
"As for my background, it's nothing out of the ordinary. I come from an average family who did their best to give me a good life." Clyde's voice softened, almost wistful. "They're not with us anymore, though."
Silence. A quiet, awkward exchange of glances.
Arthur, however, leaned forward slightly, intrigued. "What happened to them?"
Clyde raised a brow. "Isn't that the kind of question you wait to ask at a better time? What happened to them isn't important. What matters is that I'm here, and I'll bring everything I have to this team. I'd appreciate it if we could get along." He exhaled, then blinked as if suddenly remembering something. "Ah, that's right—there's someone else here."
Arthur turned just as Elowen stepped into the room.
"Am I late?"
Arthur stiffened. "Elowen." He hadn't meant to say her name so openly—it felt embarrassing, but it was out now.
"Hello, everyone. I'm pleased to return to the team." Elowen bowed.
"You've been here before, no need to be so formal," Lyra said with a small smile.
"She… has?" Milo asked, eyes widening.
"You… don't remember?" Elowen tilted her head slightly. "Oh… I suppose I don't remember your name either."
Milo let out a nervous chuckle. "M-My name's Milo." He reached out his hand for a handshake.
Elowen glanced at his hand, then back up at him.
Milo quickly retracted it, rubbing the back of his neck. "Heh, sorry. I guess we never talked, huh?"
"Not that I recall." Elowen tapped her chin thoughtfully.
Arthur stepped forward. "You're back."
She turned to face him, greeting him with a knowing smile. "I'm surprised at how… happy you seem."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Arthur asked, frowning slightly.
"It's nothing." Elowen giggled softly before glancing around. "What did I miss? Where's everyone else?"
"Ren's in the infirmary, Sosuke is missing, and…" Rin started but hesitated, the words catching in her throat.
"We lost another member," Lyra finished. "He was taken out in battle—a true hero to the end."
Elowen's shoulders tensed. "Oh… I'm sorry I asked." She lowered her head slightly.
"It's not your fault," Arthur said.
Lyra exhaled and stretched. "If there's nothing else important, I'm heading out. Got plans with this idiot." She tilted her head toward Reid.
"Hey! Smarts don't matter as much as strength." Reid muttered under his breath.
"I'm going too," Rin added, stepping away with them.
"It was nice seeing you all again." Elowen gave a small wave as they departed.
Clyde's gaze drifted around the room, taking in the modest furnishings. "What's the living situation like here?"
Arthur shrugged. "We moved after our last place got attacked. It's nothing fancy, but it works."
Clyde studied Arthur for a moment before his eyes flickered with realization. "Hold on… You're a Veiss, aren't you?"
Arthur's expression darkened at the sudden shift in topic. "Yeah. What of it?"
"I'm actually a fan of your father. He's my idol, so having you here is—"
"I'm going to stop you right there." Arthur raised a hand, his voice firm. "I refuse to associate with my father. He's done nothing good for me. Ever."
Clyde was silent for a moment, then turned toward the empty bed and locker meant for him. "I'd be more appreciative of my parents if I were you."
Arthur's jaw clenched. "I loved my mother plenty. My father is scum."
Elowen, caught in the middle, stood awkwardly, listening to the conversation unfold.
Arthur turned to her. "Elowen, can we talk?"
The two walked slowly through the small garden behind the barracks. It was rarely tended, yet somehow, the flowers still bloomed. Wild and untamed, but beautiful all the same.
Elowen ran her fingers over the petals of a lone peony, its soft pink standing out against the overgrown greenery.
"What did you want to talk about?" she asked, glancing up at Arthur.
He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "How have you been?"
Elowen grinned. "I've been good, Arthur."
There was a pause, and Arthur kicked at a loose stone in the dirt path. "What happened while you were gone? What did you do?"
Elowen let out a small chuckle. "I wouldn't call it easy training, but I wouldn't say it was hard either. Mostly conditioning—building up endurance, strengthening mana flow." She flexed her arm jokingly, then knelt beside a patch of flowers, lightly tracing the edge of a petal.
"You like flowers?" Arthur asked, watching her closely.
"I love them," she said softly. "It's how I bonded with my mother. We used to tend to a little garden back home." She smiled faintly. "My favorite is the peony. I like what it represents."
"Peony…" Arthur echoed, as if rolling the name over in his mind.
Elowen tilted her head. "Arthur?"
He exhaled, shifting his weight. "There's something I've wanted to ask for a while."
Elowen turned her full attention to him. "Go ahead."
Arthur clenched his fists, then forced himself to relax. "Everyone else used to hate me for how I acted. I did things on my own terms, only cared about myself. I never stopped to think about how my actions affected others. So… why? Why did you never treat me differently? You never avoided me, never seemed bothered by it. You even treated me like I was just—normal." He avoided her gaze, embarrassed by the admission.
Elowen's cheeks tinted slightly pink, and she turned away for a moment, brushing dirt off her knees before standing. "I could tell you'd been through something." Her voice was quiet but steady. "I believe everyone has good in them. The only reason you didn't show it back then was because you were hurting."
Arthur finally looked at her. His expression was unreadable, but his hands trembled slightly. "You… always believed I was a good person?"
Elowen met his eyes without hesitation. "Mhm. And judging by the way you've changed, I think I was right." She smiled softly.
Arthur swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "But… can I really be someone good? I treated a lot of people badly. Not just you guys. How can I possibly make up for that?"
Elowen tilted her head, as if the answer was obvious. "That's the thing. Everyone's already forgiven you. The only one who hasn't is yourself."
Arthur's breath hitched. His eyes widened slightly as the words settled deep within him, cracking something he hadn't even realized was there. His lips parted, but no words came out. He felt… lighter. But at the same time, unbearably heavy. His face twisted, brows drawing together, jaw tightening—like he was struggling to keep something in.
"Arthur…"
Elowen reached up, gently brushing her fingers across his cheek. That's when he felt it—warmth trailing down his skin. He hadn't even realized.
"You're crying."
Arthur let out a shaky breath, a small, almost bitter chuckle escaping him. "You just remind me of someone."
Elowen's expression softened. "I hope it's someone nice."
"They were someone very important to me once."