Just as Avryn was about to head out the gate of the mansion, a voice called out to him. He turned his head to the source and it was Revina. She had the look of wanting to ask him something, so he waited.

  “Please sir, give them a chance. They’re good people,” she tried to convince him.

  Avryn remained indifferent.

  “They raised you good?” he asked.

  She nodded in response.

  “So what’s your ambition in life?”

  Revina straightened up.

  “To become an admiral and protect people at sea. I’m going to the Ordellian Military Academy next year.”

  Avryn nodded along. Seemed she had a solid path set for her. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride within her. Her eyes had a fiery passion like he did.

  “Then maybe I’ll see you down the road,” he looked to the side. “I’ll consider what you’ve said.”

  Revina bowed her head down as Avryn exited the mansion. He hailed a cab and went to a nearby bar. One order of a drink later, he reflected on what happened that day. Despite what he initially thought of, the Sterlings were good people. Redorick had a drive to rekindle his relationship with him as much as shame for being forced to abandoning him. He could tell from the regret in his voice he wanted to make it work again so badly.

  Then there’s Keylaureth, Avryn’s biological mother dear. A kind woman, who’s maternal instincts softened Avryn somewhat. If only she knew what Avryn had to go through in life, she would probably faint.

  And finally, Revina, his younger sister. She had a drive to her that possibly matched or even exceeded Avryn. She too was eager to start again. She, like Avryn, wanted to be strong. Her reason was to protect the people she held dear. Avryn deduced her to be that type of person. All of them were good people, just not his people. At least for now. There wasn’t any connection.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice singing at the bar. Keliza Mannings, the songstress. She had gathered quite the audience, and was singing a song about unrequited love. A classic. Avryn just stared. The lyrics would come in and out of his ears as he paid no heed to it. He did not want to listen to her words, but rather her voice. He felt himself slipping into a trance. He managed to catch himself and shrug it off. Keliza stared at his direction, as if noticing that. Avryn paid the tab, left the bar, and caught a ship back to the outpost.

  He slept in and by mid-morning, he was already heading to Outpost E. He saw his squad mates huddled up at the campfire.

  “Look who’s here,” Tvira was the first to notice him back.

  Avryn nodded as he raised his hand.

  “Yes, I’m here.”

  “So you’ve got what you wanted?” Rinna asked.

  “I’ve got more questions than answers but it somehow made me less confused but I’m ready enough for more missions,” he explained.

  “Good,” Valoche stood up, his axe rested on his shoulder.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna be distracted anymore,” Avryn assured them all.

  Rinna nodded. They reported to the major.

  “Right, squad Avryn,” the major flipped through some papers. “You’ll be on inventory duty today.”

  Avryn raised his eyebrows for a moment, he couldn’t believe it. Inventory duty? Was the major serious? Couldn’t they had been assigned to fight little Corpse sparrows instead? He gritted his teeth and nodded along.

  “Sir, yes, sir.”

  They went down into the outpost’s warehouse and took inventory. It was one of the bigger buildings in there. It was filled with crates and barrels, each bearing identification numbers. They must go through the entire thing and check even the most minute details to make sure the quantities matched with the paper.

  “All this advent of technology and you tell me Baradov can’t make something to make this more automated?” Avryn scoffed.

  “Shut your trap and keep counting,” Rinna opened a barrel before him.

  “It is peaceful at least,” Valoche was optimistic.

  “Too peaceful,” Tvira groaned.

  It was a painstaking process but they were nearing the halfway mark. All items were in their listed numbers. Valoche chatted up Avryn.

  “So, how was meeting your parents?”

  Avryn sighed, and recounted to them the meeting. He was still unsure of himself. What he didn’t tell them was he was still hurting inside for being essentially abandoned. There was a slight anger in him that blamed Redorick for not searching hard enough. Then again, he would still be angry if the man found him because it would be “too late”. Avryn didn’t know what to express.

  Avryn turned to something more positive. He asked them all to guess what. They all turned to him, expecting the answer.

  “I have a sister,” he told them.

  “Well then, congrats,” Valoche said.

  Avryn told them of her intending to go to the military academy next year.

  “She wants to be an admiral?” Rinna asked.

  “That’s what she told me, yeah,” Avryn replied.

  “I don’t envy that,” Rinna said. “That’s a tough road to go through. She’s going to go through a very grueling training process.”

  “How tough is it?” Valoche was curious.

  Rinna explained the process to Valoche. At the very least, Revina would have to spend about twenty five years of service.

  “And if she’s really good?” Valoche followed up.

  “Then that time could be cut. Only if she’s an exceptional once-in-a-generation type of person,” Rinna answered.

  Tvira was chatting up with Avryn.

  “Rerios Sterling, huh?”

  “It just doesn’t sit right with me, hearing that. No matter how many times you say it,” he admitted.

  “I think it’s cute, strong name” she teased.

  Avryn laughed.

  “Of course you do.”

  A loud thud echoed in the distance. Firing of guns followed. The outpost was under attack. Avryn looked to the others, they nodded to each other, and rushed to its defense.

  “Come, Lerosa!” Avryn summoned his gunblade to his side. “Let’s see who we’ll be dancing with today.”