the beginning after the end perfect duo

The Weight of Silence

TOM'S POV

It was my fault. Arthur fell because of me. I know it was a cannon event, something that was meant to happen, but it still hurts. It hurts more than I expected. Watching my parents in this state... especially Mom. I've never seen her this broken. And Dad—he blames himself. I know he does. He may not say it, but I can see it in the way his shoulders slump, the way his eyes seem hollow when he looks at me.

I keep telling myself Arthur's still out there, somewhere, alive... but deep down, I'm not so sure anymore.

We were heading to Vincent's house, and Dad was leading the way. His steps were slow, deliberate, like each one was taking more effort than the last. The silence was unbearable. I could feel his emotions—the anger, the sorrow, the guilt, the weight of responsibility. And yet, he had to remain strong for us. He always had to be strong.

We arrived at the Helsteas' place, and Vincent greeted us with his usual exuberance, like he hadn't noticed the tension in the air.

"Hey! Reynolds! Long time, no see!" he said, his voice loud and warm. It was so different from Dad's somber tone.

"Yeah, Vincent... it's been a while," Dad replied, his voice low, almost cold, as if each word was a heavy burden.

Vincent paused, sensing something was off. His eyes flicked over to me and then back to Dad. "You're not the type to just pop in to say hello. What's going on?"

Dad hesitated for a moment before responding. "Vincent... We were on our way here. I was looking for a mentor for the kids, someone to guide them now that their powers had awakened. But then..." He stopped, his face contorting with pain. "Bandits attacked. Arthur's... Arthur's gone. I couldn't protect him. I wasn't fast enough. It's all my fault."

The room fell silent. Vincent didn't speak for a long moment, his expression solemn and understanding. When he finally did speak, his voice was quiet but filled with empathy. "Rey... Accidents... they happen. No one can stop them all. We try our best, but sometimes, we're just too late. I know how much Arthur meant to you. And I know you tried everything you could. Don't blame yourself for something you couldn't control."

Dad's face twisted in anguish. "But I failed. I failed him... and now we can't even go back home. Not after losing him."

Vincent nodded, his gaze steady. "I understand. And you don't have to. As for a job... I've been looking for someone to take charge of the security team here. I know it's hard, I do, but it's the best I can offer. You've always been reliable, Rey. And my family's here to support you, too."

With those words, a small weight seemed to lift off Dad's shoulders. But only a small one. The pain was still there, just beneath the surface.

A maid came to escort me to my room, and as I followed her down the hallway, I couldn't shake the feeling of being out of place. Everything felt wrong. Nothing was the same without Arthur, and the heavy silence that followed us only reminded me of that fact.

I passed by a familiar face in the hallway—Lilia. She seemed to be looking out a window, her body slightly tense as she stared out at the garden. Her posture was rigid, but there was a sense of quiet strength to her. She looked over at me, her eyes narrowing slightly as if unsure of me, but then she gave me a faint smile.

"Hey," I said, unsure of how to break the silence.

Lilia glanced at me with a little surprise. "Oh, hey," she replied, though her voice was quieter than I expected. "You're Tom, right?"

"Yeah," I said, standing awkwardly in the hallway. "I just... I mean, I don't really know my way around here, so I was wondering if maybe you could show me around?"

Her eyes flickered for a moment before she nodded. "Alright. Follow me."

As we walked through the house, Lilia pointed out different rooms, giving me brief explanations of what they were used for. It felt casual enough, but there was something about her calm demeanor that made everything seem distant. She didn't seem uncomfortable, but I could tell she wasn't exactly eager to talk.

"So, uh, do you like it here?" I asked, trying to fill the awkward silence.

Lilia paused, glancing over her shoulder as she considered the question. "It's fine. Been here for a while, so it feels... normal now," she said, shrugging lightly. "But it's not really my ideal place, y'know? I'd rather be out there doing something. Exploring, I guess. But..." She trailed off, her tone shifting slightly. "Guess I'm stuck with this for now."

I raised an eyebrow, curious. "Exploring, huh? That sounds interesting. What do you mean by that?"

She smiled faintly, but there was a hint of a dreamer's spark in her eyes. "Not many people get to do it, but... I've always wondered what it'd be like to just go somewhere new, somewhere wild. Not tied down by a schedule or rules. Just... go wherever."

I chuckled softly. "Yeah, sounds nice. I get that. If I had the chance, I'd probably want to see more of the world too."

Lilia nodded, a small laugh escaping her lips. "Maybe one day, huh?"

We walked past a few more rooms in silence, and as we neared a small sitting area, she turned to face me. "Anyway, here we are. You should be good to go. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

I nodded, grateful. "Thanks, Lilia. For showing me around."

She smiled again, this time a little warmer. "No problem. Hope things... settle down for you."

With that, she turned and left, leaving me standing there, trying to make sense of everything. The feeling of being in someone else's house still felt foreign, but I was getting used to it. At least for now.

Dinner was... awkward, to say the least. The silence weighed heavily in the room, a dull ache that seemed impossible to shake. But Tabitha, always the one to try and smooth things over, attempted to break the tension.

"Alice, I'm going shopping tomorrow for Lilia," she said, her voice trying to sound casual. "Want to join us? We could grab some clothes for Tom too. You know, something... new."

Mom didn't respond right away. Her eyes were distant, almost like she wasn't really there. "Sure," she said finally, her voice flat. It was the kind of response that made my heart sink.

I could feel the frustration simmering in Tabitha's eyes, but she didn't let it show. She knew how Mom was feeling. The loss of Arthur was weighing on her, I could see it. I didn't blame her—how could I?

But as I sat there, I couldn't help but wonder why I was going along with it. Shopping? For clothes? Was this really happening? Arthur hated shopping—he would've never agreed to something like this. Why was I suddenly the one who needed new clothes?

The next day, I regretted everything.

It wasn't just about the clothes—it was about how it made me feel. Trying on endless outfits, feeling like I had no control over what was happening. And then there was the haircut. It was exactly like Arthur's.

Great. I hated it. I couldn't stand how everyone kept commenting on how "adorable" I looked. It was like I was supposed to be this little kid, something fragile to be cooed over, but that wasn't who I was. I wasn't a kid. I was a fighter. I was ready for war.

But I couldn't shake the frustration of being treated differently. It felt like life had stripped me of everything—my identity, my control, even my appearance. And it didn't make sense. Why me? Why now?

When we finally made it back home, I couldn't wait to break away from all of it. I needed to do something that would make me feel like myself again—something real.

I decided to focus on my training, hoping that would help clear my head. I made a clone to stay above ground, while I sent the others below, into the depths beneath the Helsteas' house. I had a lot to figure out—starting with the radioactive golems. I needed to purify my mana core and gather information about the Tempus Warps. More importantly, I needed a way to make money. I couldn't rely on the Helsteas forever.

The war was coming. I couldn't waste any more time.