Me and Laiechen spent the entire afternoon cooped up at the sanatorium, getting the opportunity to get to know one another.

It still felt strange to me because I didn't expect to feel so connected and protective of her so quickly. Whether or not it had to do with what happened to her grandmother or with what I saw last night... I wasn't sure. But that was out of my hands for now.

"Laiechen, how long have you and Shoren been residing at your grandmother's house?" I asked carefully.

All I've heard so far about her life was always solely about her grandparents or her brother, never any mention of her parents. It was almost as if they were nonexistent to her.

But then I immediently regretted my question because she turned tense, and her eyes congested with raw sorrow and discomfort.

"For as long as I could remember, me and Shoren been parentless. All I was told by my grandmother was that Shoren was five and I, less than a year old when our mother fell ill. Our father loved her deeply so when she fell ill, everything went downhill."

Laiechen paused for a few moments before continuing, looking down at her feet.

"He started to get associated with the wrong people... smoking, abusing drugs, and all." She was struggling to get a hold of herself. I could hear it in her voice, I could see it all in her eyes. The sadness.

"A couple of months later, our mother died while our father became completely negligent of us. Three months later, he lost hope and hanged himself before Shoren's eyes." Laiechen's face hardened at the mention of her father, it was almost as if she were unsympathetic yet still wept for him.

"But our grandparents took us into their care with little hesitation... they clothed us, feed us, guided us, and gave us a roof over our heads."

She smiled. Hope filled her eyes...

and suddenly faltered.

"But one day, our grandfather was sent to this very same sanatorium... because he had a heart attack and collapsed."

"He died within two hours after being admitted... I was seven years old at the time." Laiechen concluded dolefully.

It all started to make sense to me. Why she never talked much about her parents, why her grandfather never came here...

I felt like a spoiled brat after learning what she and Shoren had to face. I couldn't possibly imagine how it would feel to be five years old and lose both parents in less than a year. One of sickness and the other from suicide.

"I- I'm sorry for asking about something so personal..." I sputtered guiltily.

But Laiechen wasn't having it. She must have heard the guilt going through my mind because she grabbed my hands facilely.

"Stop. I don't need your guilt nor do I need the pity. It wasn't your fault, you had nothing to do with it."

Without another word, she turned away and went towards the door, asking if I wanted anything to eat. But I refused, I wasn't in the mood to eat.

Surprisingly, she didn't fight me on the matter.

It was sunset. I could tell because the sky was deep blue, the stars were twinkling in the sky, and the moon was visible, a large alloy-silver halo hailing in the sky, ruling the night.

To me, the moon was like a friend. A loyal companion who comforted me in my long nights whenever I either cried myself to sleep or woke up late in the night over a vision of the New Burtiontions.

"Phiysilya?" Laiechen addressed me waitingly.

"Yes?"

I waited hopefully for her response. But then I saw the particular pondering look on her face and felt the butterflies in my stomach.

What was she possibly going to ask of me?

"I want to help in the war." Laiechen abruptly said with little to no hesitation. In fact, it was the mere opposite. She had decisiveness and a confident stance in her words.

That petrified me but it didn't mean I'd give in easily like that.

"Laiechen, do you know the seriousness of this whole situation? Do you realize that the New Burtiontion soldiers have no mercy?" I lectured her firmly.

I was deeply concerned for her safety. Let alone, she was 14. No child should be facing war like that. She's a minor.

"Do you think this is the time for me to just care for my wellbeing? Do you think I asked for anybody to die?" She challenged my words.

And wouldn't give in.

"I'm sick of standing by helplessly as everyone just dies before my eyes one by one. First, my mother, then my father, grandpa, and now grandma. Who's next? Shoren?" She aggressively retorted.

As soon as she saw my face pale in dysphoria, her expression turned remorseful.

Silence overcame both of us. Perhaps because we were both in similar positions. We both had a family member who was consistently putting their lives on the line for other people.

When I was young, I spent my nights crying my eyes out whenever my father was away on the battlefield. Every day, I'd wait that one moment where mother would receive a telegram telling us that he died.

Now, I realized how morbid it was to expect the worst but I would get visions of the New Burtiontions. Of King Messkin Ruperous. I've heard that legend many times before as a child from the elderly.

He apparently was once a simple, normal human named Rupert Wissermen who was born in 1826 to a wealthy but dysfunctional family.

In 1848 when he was a young man, he was one of the 13 explorers selected on an expedition only to discover the underground world which is now infamously known as New Burtiontion.

In the middle of their expedition, they were ambushed which resulted in 12 out of all the 13 explorers immediate perish. He survived but not without life threatening injuries that would have killed him within hours.

But an unknown dark mage appeared. They offered to heal him, on the deal that he'd become immortal. It had been said that his greed was insatiable which was why he took the offer...

Being condemned as the immortal undefeated king that he's known as today.

After a long while of silence, Laiechen was the one to break it.

"Phiysilya, I'm sorry for lashing out like that. The truth is that I just don't want to lose anybody else anymore. I just wish Shoren was here." She wistfully confessed, her eyes clouding with tears.

I took her into my arms, smoothing her hair down. I couldn't blame her at all. If I had a brother and he was consistently putting his life on the line, I'd would've been just as paranoid (if not more so) over his wellbeing over my own as well. Her feelings were understandable.

"I wish he was here to." I distractedly said.

Realizing the gravity of my words, I covered my mouth. Just how much of a bigger fool can I possibly make of myself?

Laiechen smirked, looking knowingly at me.

"You must have a lot of fondness for him to say that you know." She folded her arms playfully, looking amused.

I couldn't lie to her about how I felt and get away with it. Not with Laiechen at least. Learned that tad bit of information the hard way.

"Perhaps I do?" I shyly questioned.

I felt my cheeks turn pink and then progressively turn red. I was that embarrassed.

"Don't be embarrassed, I think you'd two would look great together." Laiechen teased. It was clear she was enjoying this way too much. It was scary in a way and yet I could still hear the sincereness in her voice. In her own twisted way, she was supporting me. That helped me trust her words better.

"Thanks.... I guess?"

Then Laiechen turned serious again.

"Phiysilya, I was serious about what I said. You should at least reconsider going to New Burtiontion yourself then if you insist I can't go." She suggested, furrowing her brow.

I started to shiver, the goosebumps starting to appear on my skin. Whether it was from the coldness of the sanatorium or from fear, I wasn't quite sure. But this could mean something. It could mean that mother, father, and Eiriam were there. Right now. At this minute.... suffering at the hands of King Ruperous.

"Is that where captives are taken?" I desperately inquired. Laiechen hummed a yes.

"Shoren has been deployed there more times then I could count." She added.

That fact didn't sway me off. It made sense for Laiechen to know basic information of where he was deployed to. They are siblings.

I didn't restrain myself from embracing Laiechen very tightly in my arms. She looked confused, appearing to have no clue what I was embracing her for but I didn't care.

"Thank you, Laiechen. You have no clue how much of a lifesaver you are."

As a response, her lips curled up into a smile.

"Don't thank me. You're like an older sister to me now." She mused, laughing.