Garroth

---------------

"So, Levin," I said, spreading the blueprints onto the table. "Our first priority is to fix up the marketplace. And I have a special addition to add there."

"Oh?" Levin said. "What is it?"

I grinned. "You know the spot where Irene's statue used to be?"

Levin nodded.

"What if we put a statue of Aph there?" I suggested.

Levin gasped. "A-are you serious?" he asked.

I immediately regretted asking. I was one of the few who had truly healed from the pain of losing her. Levin was close to being okay at the mention of his mother's name, but not quite there yet.

"I-I didn't m-mean-"

"That's a wonderful idea!" Levin exclaimed. "Let's do it!"

I sighed with relief. "Good." I said happily. "Do you want me to tell Laurance?"

Levin shook his head. "Nah. I'll tell Malachi to tell him. The news will be better coming from him."

I nodded. "Understandable. How is Laurance, anyway?"

Levin shrugged. "I don't really know. Malachi is with him right now, so I hope he'll be alright."

I grinned. "I hope so too."

Laurance

---------------

"Laurance."

Malachi opened the door to my house, which was pitch-black. I didn't like the light. It reminded me of her.

The light from the outside hit me square in the face from my vantage point on the bed. I shielded my eyes from the harsh brightness.

Malachi quickly closed the door and felt his way over to a chair. I heard the springs squeak as he sat.

"How are you?" he asked.

I sighed wearily. "Guilty," I said miserably.

"Hmmm....Why?" he asked.

"I've been thinking about Garroth and Dante a lot, about how they can put up with so much. Why am I so depressed when they are perfectly fine?"

"...Y'know, Dante has been dealing with depression, too. He's getting better every day, though. And Garroth...." Malachi trailed off.

"What's wrong with Garroth?" I asked, concerned.

Malachi sighed. "Ever since his mom died, he goes out and stares at the stars every night. Sometimes, when he goes for walks, I can hear him talking."

"...What does he say?"

Malachi chuckled softly. "He talks to mom a lot."

I got rigid.

"...He talks to her..."

The faintest outline of Malachi seemed to nod. "It's his way of healing."

"...Healing..."

"The entire village is slowly recovering."

"...Recovering...."

"Everyone is starting to have hope. It's wonderful."

"...It sounds like it, Malachi."

Dante

---------------

Sweat dripped from my forehead. I gripped the hilt of my sword harder and swung with all of my might.

It hit Alexis with tons of force.

She didn't even flinch.

I stared at her. "How are you doing that?!" I exclaimed. "It is physically impossible for you to be doing this right now!"

She giggled. "It's because you hit like an old man," she remarked.

"Oh?" I said, my eyebrow raised. "Come here and let me teach you a lesson!"

She smirked and drew her sword from her scabbard. "Come at me, bro!" she yelled, and held her sword defensively.

I brought my sword down onto her.

She held her sword and blocked my attack.

Then she did something that surprised me.

She twisted her sword in her hand so that she held it like a dagger, then flipped it back in her hand and struck at my chest.

It hit me right in my center of gravity and clanged against my metal breastplate.

It forced me to my knees. She pressed the tip of her blade of my exposed neck.

She chuckled. "Brought down so easily, I see." she chided.

I smirked. "Not so easily." I said. As quickly as I could, I pulled my legs out from underneath me and swept them under her feet. She fell to the ground.

She laughed. "I need to improve a bit." she admitted.

I stared at her as I stood. "Yeah, but that's all you need to improve on!" I said. "You are one of the strongest people I know. Heck, you're almost as strong as..."

Alexis looked at me from her spot on the ground. "As strong as who?" she asked.

I sighed, suddenly full of regret. "...Aphmau." I finished wearily. "Aphmau would've been the strongest person here, if she hadn't gone missing."

Her face fell.

"...I don't remember much about her." she admitted. "I mean, I remember her face, but it's all fuzzy."

I looked at her.

"Keep her in your mind, okay? She was a wonderful person with a big heart." I said, then looked at the gathering stars in the sky.

"Who knows," I said to myself. "She might still be alive, trying to come home."