Ron's apology hung in the living room. Taking a sharp breath, he locked his gaze directly onto Lian.
"Lian, I am truly sorry for shooting you," Ron reaffirmed.
Nox remained still, though his fists clenched at his sides.
Lian sat beside Nox, leaving a wide gap between them. Within moments, the air shimmered as Outer materialized right in the space separating the two.
Both Ron and Zigh flinched, startled by Outer's sudden appearance right before their eyes.
"Alright, blondie," Lian broke the silence. "Let's ask Outer. What do you think, Outer?"
Outer stared back at Ron with blank, chalk-white eyes. Ron, refusing to back down, maintained eye contact for even a second.
"Bad blondie," Outer uttered.
Nox bolted to his feet. "What do you mean?"
Zigh rose right after him, placing a hand out. "Easy, champ, calm down. Act like this, and the issue between you two and Lian will never be resolved."
"Zigh is right, Nox," Ron intervened. "Let's listen to Outer's reason first."
Clicking his tongue, Nox averted his gaze.
"Let's just sit back down," Zigh suggested, lowering himself into his seat. Ron followed suit.
Instead of returning to his original spot, Nox marched over to Ron and took a seat directly beside his older brother.
"Could you explain, Outer?" Ron asked.
"Enough," Lian cut in. "If you want my forgiveness, you follow my previous terms."
Ron frowned. "Lian, why do Nox and Zigh have to duel? I don't understand."
"Blondie, do you forget your own status?" Lian questioned.
"No. I am your bodyguard."
Lian nodded once. "Nox?"
Nox clicked his tongue again. "Same."
Lian's eyes shifted to the last man. "And you, Zigh?"
"Your bodyguard."
"I only want one person to be held accountable," Lian stated.
Zigh ran a hand through his hair. "You mean a group leader?"
"Yes," Lian replied.
Folding his arms, Zigh challenged, "But didn't you want to terminate our contract before, back when I was at Begepe Pier?"
"And you were the one who begged to suspend it, Zigh."
Zigh lowered his head. "That... because..."
Ron raised his right hand. "Forgive the interruption, but I still fail to grasp why only Nox and Zigh are fighting. I am your bodyguard too, am I not?"
"Blondie, did you lose your memory, or did you just fail to hear what Outer said earlier?"
Ron stiffened, the words catching in his throat as silence claimed him.
"Lian... can we at least hear Ron out first?" Zigh pleaded.
"Did any of them ever listen to me when we were back in Syntax?" Lian shot back.
Nox remained silent, biting his lower lip.
"No. We were blinded by our hatred for you, Lian," Ron confessed.
Nox's eyes widened in shock. "Ron!"
Zigh took a long, deep breath. "And now?"
Ron looked straight at Lian again. "I know past actions cannot be undone. I am willing to accept any punishment you see fit, Lian."
"Anything?" Lian pressed.
Ron nodded.
"Stand before me," Lian commanded.
Without a second thought, Ron stood up.
Nox reached out, grabbing his brother's wrist. "Ron..."
Smiling faintly, Ron brushed Nox's hand away. He patted his brother's shoulder before stepping forward to face Lian.
"Lian, what are you planning to do?" Zigh asked, watching intently.
"You'll see."
As Ron stood waiting, Lian turned a soft smile toward Outer. "Outer, what should we do now?"
"Up to Lian."
"If I decide it all on my own, it feels too much like vigilante justice."
Outer pointed a black finger at Zigh. "That Eosvile over there might have a suggestion for the blondie's punishment."
Nox immediately glared at Zigh, while Lian maintained a smile, waiting for the Colonel's reaction.
Damn it, Outer, Zigh mused. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Lian, you've already retaliated against Ron once, haven't you?"
"The Colonel is right," Nox added. "You forced Ron and me into a fistfight, threatening to wipe one of us out if we stopped."
"So now I'm the villain here?" Lian countered.
"That's not what we meant," Zigh sighed.
Lian stood up from his seat.
"Lian, calm down. Let's talk this through rationally," Zigh urged.
"Like I give a damn."
Lian turned and walked toward the door. Before he could take another step, Ron caught his hand, bowing his head.
"Lian, please. Forgive me and Nox."
Instinctively, Nox surged forward. "Ron!"
"Let go, blondie," Lian commanded, staring down at the hand on his wrist.
Zigh stepped in between them. "Lian, ignore the Champ for a moment. Look at Ron. And Ron, please take your hand off him."
Ron released his grip but remained anchored in his deep bow.
"Ron, why are you degrading yourself like this!?" Nox snapped.
"Enough, Nox!"
Ron's booming voice echoed through the walls of the living room, instantly silencing his younger brother.
Zigh placed a hand on Lian's back. "Lian, why don't you head to the bedroom first? The food delivery should be here any minute."
"I've lost my appetite."
"Don't be like that. You've only just recovered from being sick."
"Who even cares if I'm sick?"
"I do."
Lian snapped his head around, staring at Zigh. "You are annoying."
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. Why don't you and Outer head inside now?"
"No."
"Alright, then let's sit out on the porch."
Without another word, Lian marched outside.
Zigh shot a sharp, warning glare at Nox, then shifted it to Ron. "Ron Eosvile, deal with your brother." The Colonel followed Lian out.
Straightening his posture, Ron turned to look at his younger brother. "Nox..."
Nox kept his mouth shut, his jaw tight.
Approaching him, Ron asked, "Why are you so angry?"
Nox remained silent, looking away.
"Nox, look at me."
Nox turned his face away.
"Nox, we came here to apologize to Lian. If you're going to act like this, this entire trip is pointless."
"Ron..."
"What is it?"
"You don't understand... every time I look at his face, memories of Mother and Father always come to my mind."
Ron's eyes widened. "Nox... do you remember how we managed to get back to Rhea's house from the pedestrian overpass?"
Nox nodded.
"What if Lian didn't erase Vellion City? What if he just relocated it somewhere else?"
Nox whipped his head back, staring at his brother. "Is it possible? Mother and Father are..."
"The chances are slim, but there's still hope. So stop acting out like this."
"Ron... I..."
"That's enough. Let's just wait here while Zigh calms him down on the porch."
Nox nodded, his eyes drifting toward the wide-open door leading outside.
A ray of twilight shone brightly as Zigh led Lian toward a garden bench situated a fair distance from the living room entrance.
"Lian, let's sit here for a bit."
Lian sat down in brooding silence.
He's still fuming, Zigh thought, taking a seat beside him.
"I'm sorry for bringing Nox and Ron here."
"This is your house, Zigh."
"True, but I am also your bodyguard."
Lian tilted his head back, staring up at the shifting crimson-orange sky. "Zigh... why do you care about me so much?"
Zigh closed his eyes for a brief moment, letting out a soft sigh. "If you put it that way... it's a bit hard to explain."
"Is it because of my power? Because of Outer?"
"Yeah, initially."
"Initially?" Lian turned his head, locking eyes with Zigh. "What changed?"
"Nothing much." Zigh offered a small smile. "You know, Lian... you don't actually hate those two, do you?"
"Don't pretend to know me."
"If you truly hated them, wouldn't you have turned them into something like Orleander's syndicate by now?"
"They aren't worth the effort."
Zigh let out a soft chuckle. "Which means you couldn't bring yourself to do it."
Lian froze, catching his tongue.
"Lian, why did you save me from that sniper back then?"
"It was just a coincidence."
"A coincidence, huh? Then I guess I'm just incredibly lucky to have run into you."
"You certainly have a way with words," Lian muttered, looking away. "Even though you were terrified of Outer at first."
"Oh, absolutely."
Lian fell silent for a moment, the evening breeze rustling around them. "You've changed, haven't you?"
"Changed? Maybe I've just finally realized a few things."
"Meaning?"
"Lian... you're just different from anyone else I've ever met."
"Of course I am. No two people are identical."
"See? This is exactly what I mean."
"What? I don't follow."
"Your reactions, your responses—they are always completely honest. It's just that when you're feeling sensitive, your words tend to cut deep."
"Like the stench of your sweat."
Zigh's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Honestly, that line of yours really ticked me off back then."
Lian lowered his head, a ray of golden hour gleaming across his features.
"And you intentionally hit that punching bag softly, didn't you?" Zigh pressed.
"That..."
"Look at you, you're terrible at lying."
"How could you even tell?"
Zigh pointed to his own nose with a grin. "If I had never been hit by you, maybe I would've bought it. But knowing your background as a high-rise construction laborer and having felt the weight of your punches firsthand? There's no way that bag would barely shake like that."
"But you looked happy when you saw it."
"Yeah, I was surprised, but glad. Back at the arcade, it proved you were cheating. But..."
"But what?"
"Outer is your strength. Back then... I thought you and Outer were—"
Suddenly, Lian clutched his head. "Why... all of a sudden...?"
"Lian? Lian!"
Zigh's voice began to sound distant. Lian's vision blurred, spinning around.
Zigh caught Lian's slumping torso before he could collapse off the bench. "Lian! What's wrong?"
"Who..." Lian muttered, his vision dissolving into fractured, shifting shadows.
"Hey! Lian! Don't joke around with me!"
"So... sorry..."
With that, Lian's eyes closed shut, slipping into unconsciousness.
Without wasting a single second, Zigh scooped him up and bolted back inside the house.
Nox and Ron's eyes widened in sheer panic as they saw Zigh rushing through the living room, carrying a completely unresponsive Lian toward the second floor.
"Nox?"
"Yeah, let's follow the Colonel."
Ron nodded, and the brothers raced up the stairs behind Zigh.
Zigh laid Lian down across the mattress. Ron and Nox burst into the room immediately after, crowding around the bed.
"Zigh, what happened to him?"
"I don't know!"
Out of nowhere, Outer's form manifested near the bed. "Someone is calling Lian," the entity spoke.
"Who, Outer?" Nox demanded.
"What is it saying, Nox?" Ron asked.
"Outer says someone is calling out to Lian."
"Who is it!?" Zigh pressed.
"Outer, who?" Nox asked again, turning back to the entity.
"He—"
Before Outer could finish, the entire house shuddered, a heavy tremor rattling the walls for several agonizing seconds.
"An earthquake?" Ron exclaimed, steadying himself against the wall.
Zigh quickly scooped Lian back into his arms. "We need to get to the courtyard. Move!"
The brothers nodded in unison.
The three of them scrambled downstairs and burst out into the open yard.
"We wait here," Zigh instructed, his breath ragged. "If there are no aftershocks within ten minutes, we go back inside."
"Don't risk it, Zigh. We should wait at least thirty minutes to be safe," Ron advised.
Zigh looked down at the pale face of the young man in his arms. "But Lian..."
"Colonel?" Nox interrupted.
"What is it, champ?"
"Look up."
Both Ron and Zigh snapped their heads skyward. Their eyes widened in absolute astonishment as a brilliant, surreal aurora began to dance across the fading twilight sky.
To be continued...