A pair of partners sat in the kitchen, completely silent and close together. There was one drastic difference between them, which William noticed right away. Both were different upon closer look, as one was normal to her standards. Eerie and still, the room reeked of iron, and concerns were noticeable right away. William was used to it. He caused the same bloody stench many times before, and it hit like a hammer to his hand.

  The wounds! The stench of loss and something much worse?! It was death —a concept William would understand better if he were fearless.

  After entering the kitchen, William saw Luke after more than ten days of being away on sickimportant expedition. He returned, but not as a whole. Usually, they would last even two or three weeks, so this one must have been faster due to the Examination and the prospect of resources or the weeks that preceded this expedition. It was perhaps more dangerous than ever, courtesy of Australia or the uncharted changes it brought.

  With a pained expression and gladness to see his love, Luke gripped Mi-Yung's hand, glad that it was real and here. In return, Mi-Yung caressed the unbroken half of Luke's face, but even that one had scars, showing the tale of what happened.

  Mi-Yung was hurt by her emotions alone and knew what was going on with this... sick claim.

  Right. Luke had very nasty wounds, slashes, and scars coming from a deeply crushing reality that probably hit half of his face, or much more. She didn't want to see, but darn was she ever cursing her Rank and abilities.

  It was hard to express what was done to him, or by whom. One less eye wasn't a big problem. It was a simple testament to the real butchering and absurdity done to him that made the actual difference in Mi-Yung's eyes. After all, he was Rank 5! Those had powerful healing factors and bodies, and it was not bloody healing!

  His hair was gone, and who knew what was wrong and hiding underneath his new yet still bloody uniform? Blood wasn't leaking, thanks to the quick response of the Healers, or the lack of a fast response was the real deal? She wasn't sure, but the exceptional cases of Walkers with healing properties and incredible, life-saving methods should be a potent subject for all expeditions.

  So, for this to be like this... it was unmistakable. Luke was basically dead, but escaped with a sliver of life left, if everything in her eyes proved that point, and his current appearance was the result of pure, shitty luck.

  However, he was still alive, so Mi-Yung couldn't help but smile and be glad for at least this...

  Then she was angry that it had turned out that way, which mixed several nasty emotions on her face. Again, she couldn't help it, nor could Luke, who knew her very well and loved her for it.

  Such battle scars weren't rare. Many Walkers had them since that's the part of hunting and living in this wicked world, where there were wounds and methods of killing unlike anything humanly possible.

  This revealed many horrors that anyone might face Outside, in the Zones where expeditions took place most of the time, or in Dives, and so on. Many cases went very deep, particularly if they involved South America or potential benefits elsewhere, or if they highlighted the dangers with suitable or adequate rewards worth pursuing. Many hardships were hiding such prospects.

  Still, this was bullshitting nobody here. This was about the expedition's business, livelihood, and duties. Luke got no rewards out of it, for that was his duty. Now, his body was a wreck, and perhaps few of his superiors even cared about it; they were most likely annoyed instead, if that's what Mi-Yung would bet on it.

  With his left eye alone, he still saw Mi-Yung close. Even if his flesh and bones showed concerns, telling a further story, he wouldn't die because of it. His skin won't heal, though. His wounds won't change too much because that was the roughness and reality of his condition.

  They didn't look cool, and that alone was the biggest shame Luke felt at the moment, but he couldn't say that out loud to her. It wasn't a clever thing to do.

  They didn't even notice William's arrival, who glanced at them, aware and fearing something terrible had happened. He decided to give them space because of it. He ought to be sensitive, and Luke must be here for less than an hour, or maybe even less.

  William guessed most answers by looking. Luke met a foe that someone like him shouldn't meet, or something had gone wrong with this expedition, or the Walkers in charge underestimated it, or...

  William quickly shut his mind, as there was no respect in thinking otherwise.. He didn't have to doubt it, because this was a reality he had walked and would continue to walk. So he waited.

  “You look... different,” Mi-Yung murmured, showing Luke an affectionate look for his remaining eye.

  “A little, I guess. For the better, I hope? A small price for saving someone, so...” Luke answered with the easiest tone that he managed with his crushed throat that had healed a while ago. It was still rough, as most of him was... well, rough was a bit of an understatement.

  “I see a difference in your face, though. Not some voice of a soldier, by the way. Do I see it well? Do I--”

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  “Do you think this is ugly?” Luke asked hesitantly, putting his other hand across his scarred half. Some of his fingers were missing, his wrist had bloody twists, and muscles showed tides of bright Arcana that leaked around bloody appendages. No bandages could save this, but hiding the truth, they could do very well.

  “I don't find it all that terrible...”

  “Do you? Well, I plan to apply for Lady Dia's help. Do you think it's possible?”

  “Dia? Dia... I will help you with that! She owes me a favor!” Mi-Yung said in resolution, love, and conviction that she would get it done no matter what because if all rights were reserved, Luke's application wouldn't do jack shit!

  “She owes... you? How come?”

  “You don't need to know.” Mi-Yung snickered in mystery and pulled her hands away from his face. “I think... it is better to get it treated, don't you think?”

  “Better,” Luke sighed to himself. This brief conversation occurred in a short time and provided much-needed support, yet the reality remained gruesome and all too real. It was a big hit to him, no?

  Afterward, they fell silent.

  “G-good evening.” William voiced, easing the silence throughout the kitchen and letting them know they were no longer alone. Both looked at him next, one aware of him, while the other wasn't hiding anything, or feeling disturbed, or lost.

  Perhaps it was less of a rare event than William thought. Wounds were common, and dealing with them was quite a pain, as it should be.

  “Look who shows up? A bit soon today, don't you think?” Mi-Yung glanced at the clock in the corner and knew he would come.

  “I thought it was time to leave because of tomorrow. And.. you look different, Luke. Has it been a rough time Outside?” William shook his head and forced his legs forward. He had seen plenty of death and wounds not to be afraid of it, or being too sorry for such a wound, or at Walkers in general. They were tough people, far from human sentiments and often even emotions.

  Luke didn't even bother to pull something funny or rough. He almost thought it didn't look half that bad, but he still disliked the mirror and judged half of his body as a useless pile of crumpled flesh.

  William sat beside the table and figured they had moved beyond their conversation and affection. He was wrong, though Mi-Yung didn't mind the change of pace that William had created and helped them with. It was perhaps the best way to help her as well, and he didn't even know it.

  William didn't want to bother them too much. Unfortunately, he was curious about Luke's experience, what was up with Dia, or what had gone wrong. Was it even possible to solve such a wound?

  “Rough? It was a rather pleasant journey to Florida, if I'm being honest with you. The weather was nice, the water was warm, and the birds were chirping in a delightful mood.” Luke said, smiling at him with half of his face, which made his other half change a little bit. His muscles showed and moved, and his mouth and teeth... well, William wasn't willing to look at that further than he should.

  Luke realized William had matured a lot since their last meeting. He looked better and sharper, and his body had a different vision. If he were seventeen years old, then that's fair.

  Only a little of it was fine for Luke because there was so much one could experience in a few weeks, let alone with expectations of Mi-Yung, or this wicked place in general. There was no paradise here. There was no way out.

  Luke appeared as tough as he could be, and he knew why and how it worked best. Since he survived, he will go on. Most within his Rank would have been dead, so he should feel good that he was here, talking and feeling loved.

  Someone unfamiliar with him wouldn't even recognize him; that's how drastic this whole picture was.

  “Is it that tough? Florida. The South, oh...” William paused and gathered that this expedition must have been intense. Florida was quite close to many large, treacherous islands and to South America, and its geological features and Dark Territories were known to be deadly to most Walkers at Rank 4, let alone those lower.

  “Are you curious about what caused this?” Luke asked, pointing to his face.

  “I would say so, but I am sensible enough not to pry about it too much.”

  “Does Miss Mi-Yung have a problem with me telling him anything?” Luke asked and put her head close to his chest. In truth, he was closer to dying than ever, and every reason for his living was part of luck and his stability. The other was having a powerful Walker from the Assembly that saved his sorry ass because he saved her back. It was, unfortunately, worth the pain, for there was plenty of worth in protecting the upper Ranks in any high-class clashes.

  If the highest-ranked person got wounded or lost, the lowest-ranked person would be quickly obliterated. Luke saved a lot of lives because of this, albeit he paid the price.

  Contesting for Dia from the Academy was part of his accomplishments, albeit there was no guarantee she would help. The Assembly might appeal the decision, as Yondu was a good man, but he wasn't sure it was fine. His Rank wasn't too noteworthy.

  But his position was, and Mi-Yung didn't plan to stop there just because of who she was or what Luke worked with. Fuck nepotism. Fuck wars...

  Mi-Yung rested on his chest. “No problem. He already knows some things, and he will be Rank 1 soon. Also... you must be joking, Luke. Speak however you want and do it as if you speak to my brother.”

  “Alright. Brother then. So I should be very insulting and rough on him, yes?” Luke said, chuckled at how she responded by poking his neck, and winced his head.

  “This was an expedition consisting of around two thousand people. The majority were miners or those familiar with oil rigs and mines. Managing excavation is tough, and anything oil-related means wide open spaces and a lot of staying in place and waiting. Do you know what Florida used to be?”

  “Paradise?”

  “How gruesome to think of that. But yes. Its population was large, its biodiversity vast, and it was a warm, nice place. People were there for a long time, surrounded by the ocean; it had every right to be a great state.”

  “Not for long.” William knew the truth.

  Florida fell apart quite quickly due to the Dawn, rising seas, and Darks that came and changed, challenged, and cracked its lands, which felt like the perfect home for them. Biodiversity and nasty, tasty animals were everywhere, and the place was just a paradise.

  If William had to call something right, then Florida was the of North America, while Amazon in the South was much worse. How come? William wasn't sure, as he touched the outer layer of Amazon's knowledge in the library and believed Walkers stayed out of it for a good reason.

  “Basic. Nothing strange. Expeditions involve numerous factors and considerations. Ambushes, places of interest, and taking care of ordinary people are major priorities. Another is taking care of Darks, and the advantages that aren't too far, risky, and so on. Basically, surveillance is half the reason for a successful expedition. Know what's ahead. Go where it is worth it. Don't poke a hornet nest unless absolutely necessary. That sort of thing.”