As the group rounds the corner to Kaiden’s room, Kaiden, in his frustrated state, is the first to reach his door and pushes it open with force. He swiftly steps through and moves over to the bed, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

  Kaiden lowers his head into his hands, his frustration mounting from his thoughts. Loden and Brokenfang cautiously enter the room, with Loden gently closing the door behind them.

  Brokenfang glances alternately between Kaiden and Loden, unsure of what to do next. He moves further into the room, settling into a cross-legged position on the floor. His wolf tail, peeking out from under his cloak, lies calmly on the floor behind him. His wolf ears sit upright on top of his head, listening to the room and outside.

  Loden, having closed the door, stands quietly by the frame for a moment, observing the other two in the room. Then, he approaches the bed, walking past Brokenfang and coming to a halt next to Kaiden. His expression is laced with concern but also understanding.

  Loden carefully lowers himself next to Kaiden on the bed, his voice soft as he asks, “Do you want to talk about it?”

  Kaiden lifts his head, his gaze meeting Loden's. "Talk about what?" he questions. "Everyone in this world being hypocritical? Or even the fact that the emperor is making Wulfric stay here, all while we have to venture out soon to find the next warrior."

  Loden's expression softens momentarily, his gaze briefly shifting to Brokenfang before returning to Kaiden. As his eyes settle on Kaiden, he notes the stern look on his face.

  Loden shakes his head, trying to find his words carefully. "It's not easy to understand," he responds, pausing for a moment before continuing, "but the emperor has his reasons."

  Kaiden's face hardens further in frustration. He pushes himself off the bed, expressing his irritation. "I don't care about the emperor's reasons for keeping Wulfric here. We need all the help we can get, and the way the empress and everyone else has been treating Brokenfang is wrong."

  Loden opens his mouth to speak, but Brokenfang beats him to it, offering his perspective. "It is indeed the way of this world, the nature of this society," he muses, his tail idly swishing on the floor. "It is best to adapt and move with the flow."

  Kaiden shakes his head, moving nearer to Brokenfang. "Don't you want change? Don't you want to be seen as something more than a..." Kaiden says, pausing mid-sentence, not wanting to utter the full word.

  Brokenfang emits a small chuckle, catching both Loden and Kaiden off guard. It's a first-time occurrence for the two, who have never heard him laugh prior to this moment. As brokenfang regains composure, he speaks with resolve.

  Brokenfang's voice exudes a certain resignation as he speaks. "I've desired change for a long time," he admits. "I've sought to change my appearance on numerous occasions and have even questioned Astryaln as to my nature, but alas, no answer is ever forthcoming." He gestures to his ears and tail, more resignation in his tone. "But I must and have learned to accept the hand I've been dealt."

  Loden gets up from the bed and comes to stand next to Kaiden, listening to brokenfang. “You’ve asked Astryaln why you’re like this.. what do you mean?” Loden asks curiously.

  Brokenfang regards Kaiden and Loden with a hint of melancholy in his one blue and one green eye. "I've meditated, prayed, and even dreamed of speaking with Astryaln, but the answers I seek evade me," he reveals. "I only receive fragments of words, elusive and brief responses," Brokenfang adds, his tone tinged with a mix of frustration and acceptance.

  Brokenfang's next words echo with a mix of resignation and anger, "Patience. In time. Strength. Priestess. Soon." His frustration mounts as he pounds a fist into the floor, his fur standing on end. "I despise being this way," he expresses, his voice tinged with vulnerability, "viewed as a monster, a beast by everyone." A tear escapes, tracing a path down his face as he turns away, revealing a pain rooted deep within. "Even my own family..."

  Kaiden experiences an inner stirring, a sense of profound sadness welling up within him. The weight of this world's inequality and injustice weighs heavily on his mind. "Astryaln, why would you do this?" he contemplates silently. The memory of the previous events - the dream and the proclamation ritual - still fresh in his mind, the last time he felt connected to the celestial being.

  Kaiden takes a step closer towards Brokenfang, lowering himself to a kneel. His hand delicately finds its way to Brokenfang's arm, eliciting a startled response as the warrior turns to face him, his expression filled with surprise at the unexpected contact.

  Kaiden speaks with conviction and compassion, his eyes locking with Brokenfang's gaze. "I want you to know that I don't see you as a monster, not at all," he reassures Brokenfang, his voice steady and resolute. "And I don't believe Astryaln views you that way either." A resolute determination flickers in Kaiden's gaze as he continues, "We'll help you get answers, and together, we'll show everyone that you are more than just half animal. You are a warrior, a man, not a monster or beast! You belong here."

  Stolen story; please report.

  Loden observes quietly as the moment unfolds, his heart quickening ever so slightly. He takes note of the unique kindness and empathy that Kaiden demonstrates towards others, causing a warmth to spread across his face. Loden quickly tries to regain his composure, shaking off his thoughts and emotions.

  Brokenfang nods silently, his emotions too powerful to find words in this moment. He manages a small smile, expressing gratitude and a glimmer of hope through this simple gesture.

  Kaiden withdraws his hand gently, transitioning into a seated position adjacent to Brokenfang. He too adopts a cross-legged stance, maintaining a comfortable proximity to the warrior.

  Kaiden leans forward, placing his palms on the floor in front of him, shortening the gap between himself and Brokenfang. Curiously, he asks, "What actually happened between you and Wulfric earlier? Did you two get into a fight?"

  Loden's surprise is evident as he cautiously steps closer, maintaining a slight distance from Kaiden and Brokenfang. He leans against a nearby wall, remaining nearby but allowing them some space to talk, his curiosity piqued by the unexpected shift in conversation.

  Brokenfang gives Kaiden a puzzled look, visibly taken aback by the question. "Why do you think I fought with Wulfric?" he inquires, his tone tinged with confusion. "We've already explained that we fought off the thugs to retrieve the antidote."

  Kaiden leans back, his expression now bearing a smirk as he gives Brokenfang a quizzical once-over gaze. "You can't fool me," he insists. "I wasn't born yesterday. I know the difference between two people fighting and two warriors sparring." He takes a pause, his eyes examining Brokenfang's features. "I saw Wulfric and Loden fighting. The scratches are identical to the ones you have."

  Loden acknowledges with a nod, a pleased smirk playing on his lips as he realizes that Kaiden is picking up on subtle clues that others tend to overlook.

  Brokenfang looks away momentarily, his embarrassment palpable as he lowers his head. He then gazes back up at Kaiden, a hint of remorse in his eyes. "I didn't intend to offend you, priestess," he clarifies, pausing for a beat before adding, "Wulfric and I had a disagreement after we overcame the thugs, leading to a bit of a scuffle between us."

  Brokenfang bows his head in remorse his ears flatting as well, a hint of contrition in his voice. "We deeply apologize for the delay in returning, Priestess. Please forgive us," he beseeches, the weight of his remorse apparent.

  Kaiden smiles, his expression one of understanding and reassurance. "It's alright, no harm done," he reassures him. "The important thing is that you both returned safely." Kaiden then turns to address Brokenfang and Loden, his tone casual. "Please, just call me Kaiden. I told Wulfric and Loden before that they don’t need to call me that. There is no need for this 'priestess' formality when we are together."

  Loden runs a hand through his hair, a slight sheepish expression on his face. "I forget sometimes," he confesses, a touch of embarrassment in his tone.

  Brokenfang nods in agreement, his voice filled with sincerity. "I'll make a conscious effort to refer to you as 'Kaiden' from this point forward," he says, his eyes holding Kaiden's gaze.

  Kaiden looks at Brokenfang with a smile and nods, a slight hope inside that the warrior will actually call him Kaiden from now on instead of Priestess.

  Kaiden quickly redirects his attention to Loden, his expression now filled with a more intense curiosity. "Loden," he begins, his tone firm, "what exactly happened yesterday, while we are on the topic of events and what transpired this morning with Tibost? I want the complete truth. Spare no detail.” he inquires, his eyes searching for answers.

  Brokenfang witnesses the shift in Kaiden's demeanor and turns his gaze upon Loden, awaiting his response to Kaiden’ request.

  Loden's face quickly lowers, replaced by a mix of concern and confusion as he processes the sudden change in Kaiden's demeanor. He takes a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking. "You mean what happened after you were poisoned and then before you went to breakfast right?" he clarifies, seeking clarification for the events that have taken place.

  “Yes, that is exactly what I want to know.” Kaiden says crossing his arms and then uncrossing them. His hand moving to the pendant around his neck. “Please tell me what happened, I want to know.”

  Loden notes the gesture with a quick glance at Kaiden's hand moving to the pendant, his expression becoming increasingly curious as he considers Kaiden's request. He takes a moment, collecting his thoughts before speaking. "Alright, I will tell you what happened, but you have to promise not to get upset."

  Kaiden holding the pendant still, feels a slight coldness radiate from the metal, a somewhat comforting gesture. Kaiden looks toward Loden with a confused look as he asks him, Why would I get upset?”

  Loden nods, his expression serious as he processes Kaiden's request. He takes a deep breath and nods once again before speaking. "There is just a lot to process, but okay, please give me a moment to recollect myself to give you all the information." He runs a hand through his hair and looks down at his hands. "There is a lot to talk about, both about yesterday and this morning, so I will first start with what happened yesterday first, alright?"

  Kaiden sighs, a mixture of impatience and restlessness on his face. His hand moves away from the pendant around his neck and crosses his arms again in front of his chest, as he speaks, "Fine."

  Loden shakes his head, his chest heavy with the burden of Kaiden’s pain and discomfort. The thought of Kaiden’s past experiences and the memory loss of the previous day and earlier that morning weighed heavily on Loden’s heart, making his chest ache even more.

  Loden takes a deep breath, pushing aside the pain and discomfort in his chest. "Where do I begin," he says, nodding to himself as he dismisses the ache and discomfort. "Brokenfang and I brought you back to the palace..." he starts, continuing to recount all that had happened to Kaiden while he was unconscious.