Chapter 58: Camelot

Lucas called down:

"Come, tell me... is it true?"

The words hung in the air, repeating endlessly in Zayn’s mind.

He’d been prepared for this confrontation. He’d known it was inevitable. But already?

’This world... it really won’t let me catch a break.’

Zayn glanced toward the tavern owner, who was quietly watching them while polishing yet another glass.

After a moment, he continued down the stairs.

"Yeah... it’s all true."

He slowly crossed the room and took a seat beside Maks, across from Lucas.

At his admission, Lucas bit his lip and clenched his fist. Trembling slightly, he muttered:

"Damn it. Fuck. This isn’t how it was supposed to go!"

Zayn’s eyes widened at the outburst. After blinking away his surprise, he said:

"Calm down, Lucas. You couldn’t have known it would end like that... none of us knew how strong it would be."

"That’s not the point!"

’Huh...?’

Lucas began tapping his foot while clutching his hair as though he might rip it out.

Still biting his lip, he asked:

"Is he really gone? Is Axel truly gone?! Ryon and Connor too?!"

"Yes..."

Lucas let his head slip through his hands and hang down.

"I see..."

Zayn was still in shock and nearly sick with nerves, but his curiosity got the better of him.

"What... what is your point?"

"Ah..." Lucas’s head snapped up. A strange smile spread across his face. "Sorry, don’t worry about it."

’That was... weird.’

But neither Zayn nor Maks was in any mood to press him further.

An awkward silence settled over the tavern, nearly everyone inside either furtively or openly staring at them. Eventually, Zayn asked:

"Have you seen Claire?"

Upon hearing her name, Maks jolted, his back going rigid.

Lucas, on the other hand, clicked his tongue.

"No... Maks filled me in and said she ran away. Still, she should be here. I spent the whole day looking for you six, yet I didn’t see her at all."

Maks winced but managed to keep his reaction fairly tame, despite knowing the truth.

The tavern owner eventually marched over, planted a plate of eggs, toast, and bacon before Lucas, and set down a glass of water next to him. She then turned to Maks and Zayn.

"If ye two purchase the room fer real, you can get breakfast too... but it’s good to see ye looking a fair bit better than yesterday." Her gaze shifted to Lucas. "I don’t know what ye three went through, but nobody gets through hard times alone."

Lucas gave her a slightly strained smile.

"Thanks, Martha."

The lady smiled and adjusted her braids.

"Ay."

She turned away and headed toward another table.

Zayn silently echoed that sentiment.

’Thanks, Martha...’

It was clear she’d noticed the tension among them — Maks’s unease, Lucas’s frustration, and the despair threatening to drag them all down.

Her intervention wasn’t much, but it gave them a chance to step back from it.

Rather than wallow in everything that had gone wrong, they found themselves momentarily grounded by the overwhelming normalcy of the tavern. Even Maks caught his breath and relaxed, a little color returning to his cheeks.

However...

After taking a swig of water and a few bites of his food, Lucas drew a deep breath.

"Maks told me you two were holed up all day, so you probably didn’t learn much about this place."

"Yeah."

’Even after that, he moved on to practical matters without hesitation.’

Despite his angst, Lucas was the same as he’d always been.

"There’s a building called a Guild Hall — it’s like one you’d see in shows or games. Anyway, the others and I created a guild. You can learn about the actual benefits later, but I brought a few extra identification cards for you. Would you two like to join?"

Zayn stared blankly at Lucas for a few moments.

"I will... but before that, I have to know... who’s alive? How many of us survived?"

Lucas sat up straight.

"Ah, I forgot... you only saw what happened on your side..." He gulped down nearly half his water before continuing, "Sixteen... including the missing Claire, sixteen of us survived."

’Wait...?’

"Do you mean to say—"

"Yes, everyone on my side of the battle survived. On top of that, someone we’d counted as dead turned out to be alive."

Footsteps sounded behind Zayn. He spun around and saw Kakeru slowly descending the stairs, his short black hair swaying with each step.

He was one of the four shielders Lucas had all but sacrificed.

’He lived?!’

His body had been healed, but burns and scars still covered it.

Yet despite the terrible fate Lucas had condemned him to...

The man bowed his head, then said:

"Good morning, Lucas. Hello, Zayn, Maks."

Kakeru greeted them as if nothing had happened, then continued toward the entrance without waiting for a response.

Setting aside the uncanny timing of his appearance...

’Don’t tell me...’

"Lucas, did he join your guild?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, he did."

Zayn watched Kakeru leave through the front door.

’Is that man insane?’

He sighed.

’I know damn well I’d never forgive Lucas.’

Turning back toward Lucas, he saw the blonde man holding up two blank cards. A moment later, golden-and-silver shields carved themselves into one side of both cards. Black boxes then appeared on the reverse, with ’Camelot’ written across their tops in fancy lettering.

’The guild cards?’

Maks, still silent, took one card, and Zayn took the other.

"What about the others? Who else joined?"

"Jade, Julia, Amaya, Hae-Ryung, Leora, and Ruby."

’All women...?’

Lucas dismissively waved off Zayn’s suspicious gaze.

"Don’t look at me like that... everyone else ran off on their own."

The stairs creaked again, drawing Zayn’s attention. Ruby and Leora were descending side by side.

"I see they’re here as well..."

"Of course, we all stayed here."

’So, Amaya’s here as well.’

The woman who’d know the truth the moment she learned what had happened.

The moment she spotted Zayn and Maks, Leora broke into a run and rushed down the stairs toward them.

"Y-you’re alive! But where are Axel and the others?!"

At the harrowing question, both Maks and Zayn froze. Even Lucas stilled.

Leora let out a huff.

"Uh, come on, guys... where are they...? Where is he?"