Risty rubbed his eyes and focused on the dim light flickering on the wall of their quarters, willing himself to stay awake. He turned his head and glanced down from his bunk, noting that John and Old Nil were still deep in slumber.

  "Did we stop?" he muttered, not really expecting an answer.

  "Yeah. A while ago," came a quiet reply.

  Risty twisted around on his bunk and spotted Evasco lying on his side, eyes open and alert.

  "Lady Emilia and the Deputy Governor went out," Evasco added. "They haven’t returned yet."

  "What?!" Mario exclaimed, jolting upright. He scrambled down the ladder from the top bunk, frantically searching for his boots. "Why didn’t you wake us up?" he demanded, his voice laced with panic.

  "Will you relax?" Evasco said, sitting up with a yawn. "I think we weren’t supposed to know," he added nonchalantly before swinging his legs off the bunk and heading for the open hatch.

  Risty followed, running his hand along the wall for guidance. The dim lights did little to help his vision as he navigated the cramped quarters.

  Risty’s eyes drifted toward the darkness outside. Aside from the clusters of stars scattered across the sky, he could see nothing beyond the pitch-black surroundings.

  “I think we have a lamp in our quarters,” he said, turning to go back inside. Before he could take a step, Evasco tapped his shoulder. “Wait—look over there.”

  Risty stopped and squinted into the distance. It took a moment, but then he saw it—a faint light flickering far ahead.

  “That could be the Deputy Governor returning from the port,” Evasco remarked. Risty frowned. “How do you know it’s them? Wait—you mean the eastern port? And how do you even know we’re anywhere near it?”

  Evasco hesitated for a second before sighing. “I… woke up when we suddenly stopped. I was curious, so I eavesdropped on their conversation. That’s how I found out Lady Emilia was heading to the port. That’s when I figured she wouldn’t be coming with us to the south.”

  Several minutes passed in tense silence as the light drew closer with each passing moment. Risty gripped his rifle tightly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Though he didn't raise it to aim, his unease was obvious. Sensing his tension, Evasco exhaled sharply and jumped down to the ground.

  “Where are you going?” Risty hissed.

  “I can’t let you accidentally shoot the Deputy Governor just because you’re jumpy,” Evasco replied. “If that’s not him, I’ll just scare them off. Just cover me from there.”

  Without waiting for a response, he took several cautious steps forward, stopping just before he ventured too far from the vehicle.

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  As the light drew closer, Evasco exhaled in relief. “Deputy Governor!” he called out.

  Caught off guard, Mario instinctively reached for his revolver, drawing it in one swift motion and aiming toward the voice.

  “Whoa! It’s me, Deputy! Evasco!” he shouted, quickly raising his hands in surrender, palms open as if to shield himself in case the trigger was pulled.

  “Damn it, Evasco! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Mario scolded, lowering his gun.

  “I wasn’t sneaking, sir,” Evasco muttered weakly, bending over with his hands on his knees. He took a deep breath to steady himself, then suddenly remembered—Risty, still at a distance, might not have recognized Mario. Straightening up, he stepped toward the vehicle.

  “Hey, Risty! Don’t shoot! It’s the Deputy!” he shouted.

  A calm voice responded, “I wasn’t going to.”

  As Mario approached, the glow of his lamp illuminated the scene, revealing Zed standing beside Risty.

  “Mr. Zed here told me it was you,” Risty added.

  +++

  The vehicle rumbled back to life, its engines humming softly as it resumed its journey southward. The dim glow of the interior lights flickered against the metallic walls as the crew settled back into place. Outside, the darkness stretched endlessly, the only sign of movement being the faint crunch of tires rolling over uneven terrain.

  Inside the vehicle, Evasco's eyes roamed his surroundings. He could feel a faint, almost imperceptible tremor beneath him as the vehicle glided smoothly across the terrain. The Deputy Governor was asleep in the meeting room, his soft snores barely audible over the steady hum of the engine. Mr. Zed, ever silent, remained in the driver’s box, his presence almost ghostly. Meanwhile, his six other companions, including Lumen, were deep in slumber. Yet, despite the exhaustion settling into his bones, sleep continued to evade Evasco.

  He clutched the ring tied to a string around his neck, his fingers tracing its worn edges. The cold metal sent a familiar chill through his skin, a stark contrast to the warmth of his palm. As he caressed the surface, his fingertips found the deep grooves of his family's crest—a pattern he had memorized long ago. At the center, the raised image of a bull stood strong, its ridges smoothed slightly from years of wear. He pressed his thumb against it, feeling the weight of both the metal and the memories it carried.

  His memories drifted back to that fateful night—when they were forced to flee as their homeland was swallowed by civil war. He could still see himself standing on the deck of a small sailing ship, his eyes locked on the burning harbor of his hometown. Flames devoured the once-familiar skyline, casting eerie reflections on the water. The desperate cries of those left behind echoed across the waves, their voices pleading for rescue as they waved frantically from the shore. The acrid scent of ash and blood clung to the air, searing itself into his mind. He remembered it all.

  He closed his eyes and let the familiar question echo in his mind: So what are you going to do about it? Swear vengeance?

  He had—more than once. But after arriving in Lina with Lumen two years ago and building a life for himself, he had found a semblance of peace. That was why, when the call for Town Guards came just over a month ago, he volunteered without hesitation. He never truly believed they could win, but he was tired of running.

  And now, here he was—traveling deep into the desert in search of nomads, caught between the past he couldn't change and the future he had yet to shape. He turned onto his side, shifting his position to glance up at the upper bunk, checking if Lumen was still awake. But Lumen hadn’t stirred—his breathing was steady, his body still. Looks like he’s actually asleep, Evasco thought.

  It was a stark contrast to the man he had first met in the Dawn capital, the one who couldn’t get through a single night without waking from nightmares. Now, he slept soundly, as if the weight he once carried had lightened—at least for now.

  Evasco let out a quiet sigh and settled back down, adjusting his pillow. He closed his eyes, willing himself to rest. In just a few hours, the sun would rise, and with it, the unknown.