There it goes, Aiden thought as his soaked feet touched the floor. Eyes gathered on him while Ro, Garron, and Lyanna appeared from behind.
The guard who had greeted them during their first visit stood near the gate, surprise written all over his face. He quickly stepped forward.
"What are you doing here so soon? This isn't the scheduled time," he said, his tone firm.
Ro stepped up, wearing a relaxed expression. "There was a huge misunderstanding, and it's your fault. The cleaning team was supposed to arrive in two days." His calm tone suddenly shifted, sharp and frustrated. "Two days! Do you realize how much can happen in that time? Nothing was ready when we arrived. Everyone was scrambling. Do you understand how much trouble you've caused by sending us today?"
Such a great performance.
The guard, known for maintaining a near-perfect stoic expression, broke down unexpectedly. He dropped to one knee, startling everyone.
"I understand my error. But I beg you, please don't report it to the captain," he said, his voice pleading.
Captain?
Ro stared at him, more annoyed than anything else. "Just shut up and go stand in a corner. We'll come back when the actual schedule lines up." He glanced at the man still kneeling. "Seriously... just go."
"Understood!" The man stood and walked away. Some of the nearby soldiers looked on with curiosity or amusement, but it was clear that none of them truly understood what had just happened.
Only a few actually knew what was going on. The rest were just there to guard the portal.
Aiden gave a signal to move. They walked through the outpost, the soldiers' eyes following them at first, then gradually turning away as they approached the gate.
"Ro... right? How did you know the schedule was wrong?" Garron asked as the group waited for the gate to open.
That was a good question. They had been sent on the wrong day, which had only made the situation more complicated. Nearly making a general involved even. But Ro... had he really known?
"I bluffed," Ro said casually. "If you have authority over someone, it's really easy."
Garron looked almost amazed. Lyanna didn't seem to be listening, her eyes wandering across the camp.
Aiden placed a hand on Garron's shoulder. "Don't try to imitate him."
Garron glanced at Aiden, then at Ro, then back again. "Understood!" he said with surprising firmness.
Something... is wrong with him.
Aiden studied Garron. He was smaller than the rest, and trying to guess his age was pointless. Elves were hard to read, and Aiden still didn't know how aging worked for them in this world.
Maybe he was young. But if that was true, he was clearly skilled at his job. Still, aside from opening a door, he hadn't really had a proper task in all of this.
Before Aiden could finish the thought, the gate opened and a guard signaled for them to move.
It was over. The mission was complete. They had extracted the prisoner. Aiden had found the traitor.
And yet...
He knew even less than before.
What was wrong with this world? Why did they encounter advanced technology in a place that otherwise felt stuck in the medieval era?
And Ro... he knew Aiden was in his brother's body. Zane had to known too. Aiden was fairly sure Lyanna and Garron were still in the dark. He would need to start asking questions soon.
The group walked out of the outpost, their pace slow and quiet. Sunlight slipped through the canopy above, casting shadows along the forest path. Garron trailed behind, glancing at the others. Lyanna walked ahead, arms crossed, clearly deep in thought. Ro kept to the center, his steps steady.
"So... would someone kindly tell me where Zane is?" Ro asked casually, not even turning his head.
Before anyone could answer, Lyanna stepped toward him, her face sharp with frustration.
"First, what kind of information do you have that made us risk so much for you?" she snapped. Now that they had left the outpost, she no longer cared to keep her voice down.
"Its crucial to your brother, i think," Ro replied. He paused, then looked directly at Aiden. "But if I'm being honest, something about this is really off. Even if the intel is valuable, going to such extremes to rescue me feels strange. Especially when your little group had a traitor among you, right?"
Aiden stepped forward. "What do you mean? So your information is valuable or not?"
"It is... kind of. I mean, yes. But not enough to justify that level of risk. Still, you pulled it off, so I guess everything worked out."
"Just tell us already. What information do you have?" Aiden asked, voice sharp and impatient.
Ro gave a crooked smile. "Bones... I don't think you'd understand the value of it, considering your limited knowledge of this world."
Aiden clenched his fists, clearly fighting the urge to hit him.
Lyanna cut in, her voice tense. "What is the relationship between the two of you?"
Ro turned to her, all expression fading. "He killed my brother."
"I did not!" Aiden barked, finally losing his composure.
"I told you, Bones. I know when you're lying. You killed him, don't lie to me!"
"What are you talking about? I passed out!"
"Your stupid ability didn't," Ro snapped back, now visibly angry.
"What ability?!"
"You drained the mana from the crystals."
"And what?!"
"He was connected to them after guiding us through. It killed him, just like it killed the rest of that room."
"I can't just gather ma...na..." Aiden froze.
His mind jumped back to the prison, to the moment before he passed out. He had seen a message. It had said the core memory was ready. It had said gathering complete.
Had he really been drawing mana from the environment?
He hadn't meant to kill anyone.But it didn't matter now.Po was gone, and he was still here, wearing his skin.
"I didn't do it by choice!" Aiden shouted.
Ro froze. His expression twisted, something clearly shaking him. "You... didn't..." The words came out low and uneven.
"It was an accident," Aiden said, his voice softening.
But before he could say more, Ro's fist slammed into his face, knocking him to the ground. Aiden hit the dirt hard, stunned.
Lyanna moved fast, stepping between them.
"You can't just call it an accident! My brother died because of your incompetence!" Ro shouted, trying to push past her.
"Calm down. This isn't the time," Lyanna said, keeping her tone firm but even.
"It is the time!"
She stepped closer, her patience clearly thinning. "No, it is not. If you want to scream at each other, do it when you're no longer important."
Aiden touched his nose as blood slowly trickled out.
It was true... Po had died because of his incompetence. He still didn't understand the ability that had been given to him, not even now.
He looked up and saw Garron extending a hand. Behind him, Ro and Lyanna's argument was escalating, voices slowly rising in intensity.
Taking his hand, Aiden stood. "Thanks."
"Did you really kill his brother?" Garron asked, not even trying to hide his curiosity.
Aiden didn't respond right away. He took a moment to think.
"A lot happened, and it happened fast. I wasn't sure what was going on."
"But it was your fault?"
"Yes."
Aiden looked past Garron. The argument had gone quiet. Lyanna was pointing at him and Garron.
"You two. You're going to the village," she said. The irritation in her voice still lingered from the argument.
"Wait, I'm going with you. I need answers," Aiden said, still holding his nose.
"So do I. But we're not going as a group of four. Do you really think we'll learn anything if we all talk at once? Especially with you two, who can't get through a sentence without shouting."
She gestured toward Ro without looking at him. "I'm taking Ro to the meeting point at the cabin to find Zane. You go with Garron to the village, check your nose, and when we return, we'll talk. That's the end of the discussion."
Without another word, she turned and strode away, Ro trailing behind her.
Aiden could argue. He could follow her anyway, though it would probably make things worse. But right now, his mind needed time to settle. He had just come out of a place littered with objects from his past. Weapons he could name and use, yet the memories tied to them were vague. Each time they surfaced, they left his head heavier than before.