~Andrew
The ride took a long time, but the moment they arrived, the trace of exhaustion disappeared.
Lauren and Crimzo didn't even wait for their horses to stop and jumped off, their eyes widening as they looked at the scene in front of them.
Scattered around the large tent were relics of the past - rusted pieces of metal, old machinery, and a few pieces of broken weapons.
Crimzo let out a loud whistle. "Ohh! WAIT! Is that... " He ran ahead, stopping in front of an old rifle resting against a wooden crate. His eyes widened as he carefully lifted it. "Damn, I would love to snipe with one of these. Hey Roy! Do you think he can fix it up for me?"
Roy, still on his horse, shook his head. "This thing's useless."
Crimzo raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Roy dismounted, walking toward him. "Modern giant factories no longer exist. The gunpowder and fuses they used back then aren't around anymore. Even if you had bullets, the metal's weakened from age. It'd break apart after one shot, that if it even fires at all."
Crimzo groaned, setting the rifle down. "So, you're saying… no sniper rifle for me?"
Roy gave him a blank look. "That's exactly what I'm saying."
Meanwhile, Lauren had found something of her own, a jagged fragment of an old drone. She turned it in her hands, a small smile forming. "This is, incredible…" she muttered.
Suddenly the professor voice called out from the tent.
"You guys are so noisy. Who's out there?"
I stepped forward. "Hey, Professor! It's Andrew and Roy!"
A moment passed before the flap of the tent was pulled back, revealing himself, Professor Charles Lorac.
"Well, well," he chuckled, stepping outside. "It's my two troublemakers. Glad to see you still breathing."
Roy nodded. "Barely."
Charles let out a low laugh before his gaze shifted to the others. "And these friends of yours?"
I gestured toward them. "This is our team."
"I see." He turned back toward the tent, motioning for us to follow him. "Come in, all of you. Let's have some milk and tea."
Charles's tent was very big and had many rooms inside.
Lauren and Crimzo didn't need to be told twice. They were already moving, their curiosity pulling them toward the countless items inside.
The professor watched them with a quiet chuckle. "Finally," he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear. "People who actually appreciate history."
I smiled, but as I glanced to my side, I noticed something else. Sophia.
She had been quiet all the time, walking beside me, close enough that I could hear her steady breathing. Her eyes traced over the surroundings, but every so often, I caught her sneaking small glances at me.
She looked… relaxed.
I nudged her slightly. "Why you're so quiet, never seen old stuffs before?"
She shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. "No… I just didn't expect this place to feel so… warm."
"Come on," I said instead. "Let's go see what kind of wisdom the old man got for us this time."
And with that, we stepped inside.
Lauren and Crimzo were immediately drawn to a set of old drawings on a wooden board. They weren't just sketches; they were pictures of cities and places that no longer existed.
"Are these before the war?" Lauren asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Charles nodded. "Yes, they are drawn by a traveller long before. Back when cities stood tall."
Crimzo traced a finger over a sketch of towering buildings. "Hard to believe people lived like this."
The professor chuckled. "Harder to believe they destroyed it."
I sat down as he turned to us, his eyes studying each of us carefully before finally resting on Roy. Then, with a knowing wink, he asked, "Everything alright with you?"
Roy barely reacted, just giving a small nod. But I caught it. He has been here before.
I filed that thought away as Charles switched his attention to Sophia. "And you, young lady. What's your name?"
Sophia straightened slightly. "Sophia Vila."
He smiled. "A strong name. And what of the rest of you?"
After a few quick introductions, Charles leaned back, rubbing his chin. "A fine group you have, Roy."
Roy, as usual, gave no reaction, just nodded slightly.
But instead of moving on, Roy spoke up. "You've seen a lot Professor. What makes a team actually work?"
It was a simple question, but the weight behind it was real. We all knew being strong alone wasn't enough.
Charles exhaled, folding his arms. "Trust," he said plainly. "And no, I don't mean just trusting that your teammate won't stab you in your sleep. I mean trusting that when the time comes, when the fight gets ugly, they'll be there for you."
He tapped his finger against the wooden table. "People think teamwork is about perfect coordination, about knowing what the other person will do before they do it. That's a fantasy. Real teams? They don't always move in perfect sync. They argue. They mess up. But when it matters, when things are falling apart, they don't leave."
He glanced at each of us. "If you leave; you lose everything. It's that simple."
Across the table, Crimzo stretched. "Alright, so basically, don't be useless and don't run away."
Charles snorted. "Crude, but accurate."
Lauren, who had been mostly quiet, finally spoke. "It's easier said than done."
Charles nodded. "That's why you train. Not just your body, but your mind. Get to know how the others fight, what they're good at, what they struggle with. You're not fighting alone anymore. That means your weaknesses aren't just your problem."
Silence settled again.
Then, Charles leaned back, stretching his arms. "But enough of that. You're all here, so you might as well make yourselves comfortable. Tea's still warm."