I, Eri, and Edge were back at the campsite. After escaping Pinlang Baham Edge collapsed. A few hours later Eri woke up. I explained the situation to her but as usual she simply answered with that expressionless face of hers.

"Is that so..."

She didn"t cry nor was she angry about the events. She only asked a few questions and started thinking by herself. I have lived for quite some time, and the humans I have met been numerous, but this girl has always felt different... Well, nothing I could do until Edge wakes up. 

Eri"s POV:

What is happening? First, my parents" were killed and we were being trained as slaves, and now Gerard is dead... So many things are happening all at once. Death is a normal occurrence, but still... I was trying so hard to not cry in front of Tsukiyomi. Why am I always like this? Why can I never say what I truly feel? What should I do now? I don"t know?! I don"t know anymore?!

†

It"s been a whole day. Edge still hasn"t woken up. While I was trying to calm down my thoughts, I saw Tsukiyomi keeps on touching his hand!

I know I"m supposed to be sad because of mom and dad"s death, also Gerard"s, but this, this, Neeee, I"m so envious. At times like this I really don"t know what to say. While I was having my internal struggle, Edge finally woke up. EDGE! I screamed in my heart. I approached him, I wanted to help him soothe his feelings. I thought he was still devastated from Gerard"s death. Yet as I got near him I saw that he was smiling.

A vicious grin appeared on his face. It was the same kind of smile Gerard use to make every time he lost a spar. No this smile of Edge"s feels more unrestrained, more natural.

"Edge are you alright?" Tsukiyomi asked. Hearing her voice Edge looked at Tsukiyomi.

"Yeah, I haven"t felt this way in a long time." Edge then looked at me and smiled.

"Eri, you"re awake! Good to see you"re doing fine." Edge stood up and grabbed my hand. Woah! w,w,w,w,w-what is this?! He"s holding my hand!? Wait before that I need to respond. I looked at Edge he was staring at me with a smile on his face. No, I can"t speak but I need to respond. So I simply nodded my head.

"Oh, as expressionless as ever, but it"s really great that you"re alright." I diverted my eyes from his stare. Huh? Wait something is very weird about Edge. Based on Tsukiyomi"s story he should be devastated? I looked at Tsukiyomi she too had a look of worry and confusion.

Tsukiyomi"s POV:

Edge finally woke up, but his acting weird. All of the sadness and anxiety he showed before seem to have disappeared. It was like he was a different person. While he was talking to Eri I interjected.

"Hey Edge... Are you really alright?" He looked at me his expression was telling me why I was asking such a stupid question.

"Why? Do you think I"m not alright, Tsukiyomi?"

"Yeah... Actually have you forgotten about Gerard"s death?" Edge looked at me the smile on his face disappeared as his eyes turned serious.

"No I haven"t forgotten... But do you think that guy will want us to mope around? No, so I decided to live a better life. The wish to be the strongest was a minor wish before. But now I"ll take his dream and fulfill it for him and myself. This feeling I got... It"s like I was liberated. The moment I decided to truly aim to be the strongest, it was like something deep within me broke free. I actually feel better than before, it"s the best feeling I got."

Edge said so while smiling fiercely at the heavens. He has changed but at his core I think he"s still the same Edge. I don"t have anything concrete to back up this theory of mine. Just a feeling, no this feeling is enough for me to know Edge is still Edge. If this change will not harm him and will allow him to grow, then I welcome it.

†

Eri"s POV:

A few hours after Edge woke up we decided to head back to to the village. The journey might take a while. Well, it"s been a year and a few months, what"s a little bit more time.

While I was contemplating what to do next, Tsukiyomi started hunting food for the journey. I needed more time to think about what has happened and what will happen.

Edge finally woke up but it was a different Edge than before. No, actually it was the same Edge but it seems like a bit of Gerard was also there. Or perhaps Edge was always like this before, but something was holding him back.

Especially that smile of his that was not a fake smile like he always showed. That was a true smile coming from his heart. I thought Gerard"s death would make him protect his heart more and hide it. But what happened was the opposite he opened it up and it laid bare in front where everyone could see.

...

Well, I can think about Edge"s changes later. I first need to make a concrete plan for myself. How should I proceed, now that I have no parents" to support me? I can go back home and start working as a guard apprentice. With my skill that much is possible.

"Hey mind if I sit next to you?" From behind me, Edge appeared, I nodded in response to his question. He then sat next to me. Whoah Edge is so near! I wonder what he wants?

"So Eri, What will you do next?" I tilted my head in confusion.

"So what will you do now? I"m sorry if this topic offends you but I need to know how my friend will move forward, so that I know how I can help you." Edge was worried about me... My outer appearance remains expressionless but inside I was feeling a mult.i.tude of emotions. Edge looked at me for a moment seeing me not responding, he continued to talk.

"You know if you got nowhere to go. You could always come with me. You can accompany me to Tirnanog just until you figure out what you want to do next."

"Not a student?" Those were the only words that I could say, without showing what I was truly feeling.

"You can probably enter not as a student but as my bodyguard of sorts. I have an allowance given to me daily so I can pay you five silver coins per week. Also for food, you can eat with me and Tsukiyomi, well you"ll be acting as my bodyguard so I guess that"s alright. I"ll even ask the princ.i.p.al about your accommodations. So what do you say Eri? Will accept my offer just until you figure what to do next?"

I looked at Edge. That was too much a good deal for me. Also how can I be Edge"s bodyguard when I"m weaker than him? But this is a chance to stay by Edge"s side. Muuuuuuuuu d.a.m.n it! Whatever I might not get another chance like this. Tsukiyomi is already in a huge lead, and who knows how many other girls are there.

"I accept I"ll be Edge"s bodyguard."