It had been hours of walking since we left the village. The only sounds were the crunch of gravel under our boots, the distant call of a bird, and the thick, suffocating silence that had settled between us.
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The air hadn't just grown quiet; it had become a physical thing, a wall built from the bricks of Brut's accusations and my own shame. Every attempt to form a sentence in my mind withered before it reached my lips. What could I possibly say? An apology felt too small, an explanation too hollow.
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I could feel them behind me without even turning.
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Log's silence was a low, simmering pressure against my back. It wasn't just quiet; it was loaded. I could almost hear the questions he was biting back, the disappointment he was too kind—or too angry—to voice. His footsteps were measured, heavy, each one a judgment.
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Lizy's silence was different. Hers was a nervous, fluttering thing. Her footsteps would quicken, as if she were about to catch up and say something, then slow again, falling back into rhythm. It was the sound of someone caught in the middle, wanting to mend a break she didn't cause.
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My heart was a lead weight. I couldn't bear to look back. The urge to put on the mask of "RoseBud," to deflect with a perfectly crafted, emotionless answer, was a familiar itch. But this time, the mask felt like it would shatter the moment I tried to wear it. The truth was too raw, too big to hide behind a model answer.
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The landscape around us seemed to absorb the mood. The path felt longer, the sun hotter, the distance to the next village an impossible stretch.
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We came head first to a riverbank. The stream was horizontal, and seemed to have no end. I can't step in water, I'll need another way out, maybe a nearby tree? I can hang a rope, maybe a bridge? That would be too much work—
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Without a word, Log grabbed my left hand. At the same instant, Lizy took his other. In one swift, wordless motion, he pulled us across. The contact was brief, but in the void of our silence, it was as loud as a shout.
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"...Thank you," I muttered, the words feeling frail and inadequate.
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"Its nothing, nothing really, hmpt, you thought I wouldn't do anything? That's ridiculous~"
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Even Log is trying not to fall apart, I see. His joke hung in the air, a fragile bridge over a chasm we were all trying to cross.
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The silence returned, but it felt thinner now, like a sheet of ice after the first crack. We continued walking, the path clinging to the riverbank. For a while, the only sound was the water, a constant, soothing murmur that seemed to wash against the edges of our quiet. It was a different kind of silence now—not a wall, but a space. A space where something new could potentially grow.
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*Skirk...Skirk...*
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It was a sharp, scraping sound, like pebbles being rubbed together rapidly. I looked towards where the noise originated. It came from a tangle of thick, thorny roots right at the water's edge.
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Curled in the roots was a creature about the size of a large cat, its body covered in smooth, grey, segmented plates like stone. A Stone-Tail. Its back leg was pinned, and its whole body was trembling, making its rocky plates chatter—the source of the desperate sound. It wasn't cute in a soft way, but there was no mistaking the fear in its wide, dark eyes.
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Lizy gasped. "Oh, it's stuck!"
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She was already moving forward, but the thorns formed a natural cage. Log sighed, a sound more of resignation than annoyance.
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"It's just a rock-rat. It'll probably gnaw its own leg off," he muttered, but he was already stepping closer, assessing the roots.
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"It's scared," I said, my voice firmer than I expected. The creature's terror was too raw, too familiar. I couldn't ignore it. "The roots are too thick for it. It will drown if the river rises."
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Log glanced at me, then back at the Stone-Tail. He let out a short "Tch" sound, but knelt down.
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"Fine. Don't get spiked. Lizy, keep it calm. Rose, tell me which root to break first. Its shell looks brittle."
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And just like that, we had a plan. A simple, immediate one.
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Lizy began humming a soft, calming tune, her voice soothing the creature's frantic chattering.
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I pointed. "Not that one—it's supporting the others. Break this smaller one here. The leverage will loosen the trap."
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Log positioned his hands carefully and, with a precise, grunting effort, snapped the root.
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The roots shifted. The Stone-Tail scrambled free instantly, scrambling away a few feet before stopping to look back at us. It gave a final, softer click-clack of its plates—perhaps a thank you—before disappearing into the undergrowth.
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We were left by the riverbank, the three of us standing together. The shared focus had been so absolute that the heavy silence was gone. For a long moment, no one spoke. We just stood there, listening to the water, breathing in the aftermath of a small, good thing. The space between us wasn't empty anymore; it was filled with the echo of what we had just accomplished together.
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We soaked in that silence for a while. It was a comfortable quiet now, a blanket instead of a wall. And into that new peace, I found the courage to speak.
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"I'm sorry I've never told you about the orbs."
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I could feel their glances, could sense Log's full attention sharpening.
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"Kartheina said that...the Royals are kind and..." I swallowed, the old naivety tasting bitter. "I thought by returning the Orbs, I may get help...for the Daimons..."
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They were still listening. Not judging, just listening.
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"I'm so sorry for hiding that! I know I am naive. I just wanted to make her proud... make you all proud. I would have taken any chance, no matter how small!"
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I was being so out of character, and I know that well. But if what I was saying was truly what I meant, then what was the harm in that?
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I felt like I was going to cry, I haven't cried in a long while, but no tears flowed. I couldn't even tear up.
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A pause hung in the air after my confession. It wasn't the old, tense silence. It was a moment of absorption, where my raw words were allowed to settle.
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Then, a hand landed on my shoulder. I looked up to see Log, with a surprisingly warm smile.
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"I understand."
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Lizy came over and hugged me tight. I froze for a second, then sank into it. For a while, the only thing that felt real was this warmth.
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"Miss RoseBud, I know you're a good person."
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"Thanks, Lizy," I mumbled, my composure completely gone. I looked from the roots where the creature had been to the faces of my companions. Taking a deep breath, I finally felt calm.
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"Thank you, both of you."
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A smile touched my lips—not forced, but automatic, as if it had been waiting there all along.
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"Now I can tell you ten reasons why that isn't a good idea!" Log gave a smirk.
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"Eh?" I was shocked.
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"I know you to be open minded, Rose."
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"Yeah...sadly, Miss RoseBud, that isn't a great idea..." Even Lizy spoke up. "From what I've heard, the Royals aren't as kind as you think they are.."
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I thought I would feel distraught hearing these words, but somehow, I smiled even harder.
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I chuckled softly, to myself more than anyone. "I guess this really is the start of a long journey." Then, nodding toward the path, I added, "Alright, I'm ready to listen. But let's get moving. Sundown's coming."
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and then Add to home screen.