We both stood silently.
Heads bowed. Eyes closed. Praying.
'I hope you're in a better place now, wherever that is. I hope Sun's looking after you. And if he offers you a new life—don't take it. He's a slimy bastard.'
I opened my eyes and nodded firmly, letting them rest on Marsh's grave.
It was good advice. The best a dead man could receive.
With a sigh, I turned to face Noah.
"Done?" he asked.
"Yeah."
We left Marsh's grave behind, making our way back toward the more populated parts of Umbra.
That might be the last time I ever visited it. With the war raging, I might never have the chance to return. So with that in mind, I wanted to say all my farewells, just in case.
Unit 7 was already gathered outside our old barracks. Or rather, what used to be our barracks.
It wasn't ours anymore.
Today, we were leaving. The whole of Unit 7—Noah and me included—was being transferred out of Umbra. All of us were heading to a fort prepared by General Thanason. It was meant to be the staging ground where he'd finalise whatever plan came next.
What was that plan? No clue.
Officer Scarlet had told us we'd be briefed once we got there. And despite all of mine and Noah's pleas—bribes, bargains, even a heartfelt speech—we couldn't squeeze a single word more out of her.
It was a dark world when even a heartfelt bribe had become powerless.
"Finally," Mat called when he saw us. His lips twitched, and his eyes sparkled with a poorly disguised mischief. He was holding something back, some joke, locked and loaded.
"Look at yo—"
"Have you finally fixed the snoring issue?" I said, raising my voice just enough to cut him off. I couldn't allow for Mat to begin. When he started, he'd never stop.
A few nearby soldiers turned at once, curiosity flaring across their faces. Some looked amused. Others shocked.
Mat's grin faltered. His eyes went wide with horror. "Y-You—"
"How about your bladder control?" Noah added, just as loud. "Still wet the bed?"
Finn broke into a wide grin, his icy blue eyes flicking between us, the grin growing more wicked by the second. "Honestly, Mat," he said, "if you keep acting like a child, you'll never grow. What's the point of asking Felt to commission milk for your bones if you're still wetting the bed?"
That stopped everything.
Everyone froze.
Even Felt turned, his eyes slightly widened.
My jaw slackened as I turned to stare at Finn.
'He shouldn't have said that. Oh, he should not have said that.'
Finn's grin wavered as he realised no one else was laughing. All eyes were on him now, and not kindly.
Shock. Pity. Doom.
"W-What?" he stammered, looking around.
"I'm going to kill you." Every head snapped toward Mat.
I stepped back instinctively. Mat's eyes had become blank. Face drawn tight. He looked like a man who'd lost his soul. His entire body had tensed like a coil spring, fingers twitching.
"I'm going to kill you," he muttered again.
And then he laughed.
Manic. Wild. A laugh with no joy in it.
'Oh shit…'
"I'll miss you, Finn," Noah murmured beside me.
I nodded sharply. "I'll miss you too," I whispered.
Not too loudly.
I didn't want Mat to hear.
Eventually, we left Umbra.
It had taken Officer Scarlet herself to stop Mat from strangling Finn on the spot.
She hadn't had a choice. It wasn't that no one wanted to help Finn—it was that a single look from Mat kept us frozen. That was all it took.
Even Felt had suddenly developed a deep fascination with his fingernails.
That day, I learned something important. From now until the end of days, Mat was tall. It didn't matter if he became 6 ft or 4ft. For the interest of keeping my life, Mat will, and would always be...tall.
I didn't survive a battlefield just to be murdered by a pocket-sized maniac.
Shuddering, I stepped through the teleportation gate. Cold swept over me as the world shifted—and I finally, truly, left Umbra behind.
It had felt like a lifetime ago when I had first stepped foot into this place. Back then I had been so unsure. Thrown into a life with baggage I hadn't asked for.
My first moment had been celebrated with a punch to the gut.
Now I left with a laugh from those still standing—and a quiet smile for those who weren't.
….........
I stepped out into a small courtyard. Soldiers were bustling around, calling out unit names and giving rapid instructions. I ignored them, scanning the space for Officer Scarlet.
There she was—standing at the far end, beneath a set of stone stairs, next to a wide wooden door.
"Is this where we're staying?" I asked as I approached.
She nodded. "Go inside. Furthest room on your right."
I stepped in and let out a slow breath as the air left my lungs.
'Damn… it's bigger on the inside.'
The corridor stretched endlessly. Branching passageways broke off from nearly every room, turning the fort into a maze.
'I guess real forts are on a different level.'
I followed her instructions, heading to the very end of the hall. The room at the end didn't lead into more corridors—instead, it opened into a large hallway, with three more doors beyond it.
The central one was open. I could already hear familiar voices echoing through.
I stepped inside and found myself in another barracks-style room—bunkbeds lined the walls.
Mat had taken the far-right bed. Mat also snored like a chainsaw.
So naturally, I walked straight towards the far left bed in the room. Setting my things down, I quietly started unpacking.
Moments later, Noah walked in. His eyes swept over the room, paused on Mat, and then snapped to me.
He hesitated. Then nodded once and marched over to me.
"Tch."
"What?" he asked.
"This is my bunk."
"There are two beds."
"I don't care. Go somewhere else."
"I don't want to."
"I don't want to bunk with you twice."
"I don't care."
"Then go bunk by Mat."
Noah shook his head. "I can't."
"Why not?"
"Just…"
"Just what?"
"Just can't."
I nodded slowly, pretending to accept that nonsense.
Noah sighed, relaxing as he started to unpack.
"Hey, Mat!" I called.
Noah's head whipped toward me, eyes wide in panic. 'Please don't', his look said.
Only a grin was given in reply.
"Noah wants to bunk next to you but he's too shy. Can you help him out? I know he looks up to
You."
Mat's smile lit up like the sun. "Of course, of course!" he said, practically skipping over. He threw an arm around Noah's shoulder, beaming. "You know, I always knew he was the wiser of the two," he gushed.
Noah said nothing. His green eyes turned to me—pure betrayal.
My grin widened.
"Come on, come on, my dear young protégé," Mat said, leading him back across the room. "There's nothing to be afraid of here. I know how overwhelming it can be to bunk with someone you admire, but you're safe with me."
Noah didn't respond. He just kept staring at me.
If looks could kill…
Well good thing they couldn't.
Wisely I decided to add the final nail in the coffin. Fighting the laughter, I shot Noah two encouraging thumbs up.
For some reason he didn't seem to appreciate the gesture