A couple weeks passed, during which Melva began to substitute delving trips three days a week for days dedicated to strength training. What did that entail? Anything she thought would be useful. Somehow, a lot of that equated to lifting heavy rocks. Of course, being as young as I was, I couldn't gain much muscle and maintain it. Still, I tried my best. At the very least, I wanted to be able to carry Melva's backpack and not feel like my arms were about to snap off.

   In that time, Melva deemed me ready to start descending a little deeper, though not by much. I didn't care, a hundred and fifty yards was such a step up that I was happy I was making any progress.

   Every night, I would be bombarded with questions from my parents and Aedia. My parents' were less fun to answer, as I'd have to lie about what had happened. How did I get the gash on my left forearm? No, I didn't slice myself while trying to toss a grapple-hooked rope, I'd merely tripped on a rock and cut myself on another. And my pulled muscles were from lifting, not dangling from a cliff from my fingertips when I'd slipped off the trail once (Melva used that to refresh her "klutz" moniker with me).

   However, there were some things I couldn't lie about, like the bite mark on my hand. That time I had to admit that I'd been bitten by a Demonfish—the fish I'd seen swimming in the rivers—while Melva was trying to show me how to prepare them for cooking. My parents were more lenient with that since it was teaching me some kind of life skill. But through all the lies, I could tell the truth to Aedia. I wanted to tell somebody, and I was overjoyed that she was willing to listen.

   To be honest, I would over-exaggerate the details. These included how I'd make death-defying jumps over gaps, and how Melva and I would fend off anything that tried to harm us. I wanted to see Aedia smile, and I would never fail to earn at least one from her every time. She was happy to know she had such a strong, capable older brother. She would cling to the Crystal Compass while she listened, the only time I saw her holding it. I applauded her for the fact she was smart enough to hide it from our parents.

   Melva told me that some Relics had strange properties and abilities, growing more peculiar and powerful the further down in the Abyss they were found. At times I worried that Aedia's Relic would do something that could hurt her, but thankfully nothing would happen. As far as I knew, it was an odd decoration. However, the information I was told made me curious about what kinds of things the more valuable Relics were capable of.

   "There's simple stuff like thread that can never break, an' then there's a device that somehow produces fresh water from nothin', an' a metal arm that can be moved with thoughts," Melva told me as we headed out yet again. "White Whistles 'parently have Relics that they've kept for themselves, ones that help 'em fight an' delve better. People say Ozen has somethin' that enhances her strength, but I don't believe it. She don't need any Relics to power herself up, she's said it herself."

   That could give a better basis to the rumor of Ozen carrying all those people, but it would just be a rumor supporting a rumor, something that I'd come to learn was common here. Rumors were more often than not the closest things to facts. "So you heard her say that?" I asked. "I thought you haven't met her."

   "Nah, I just heard it," Melva said with a shake of her head. "It don't matter since anythin' a White Whistle says is the truth, even if people relay it afterwards. It still came from the truth. After all, White Whistles can survive in the Abyss, it'd take a lot for any of 'em to go crazy."

   What the White Whistles said was the truth... Then that was another reason why I had to become one. How could I tell my tales if nobody believed them?

   "Spacin' out again? Don't trip like last time, klutz," Melva chuckled.

   "It wasn't because I was spacing out," I retorted, frowning.

   One of Melva's smirks slipped onto her face. "Suuure, an' how many times have ya eaten your words?" We turned a corner onto a main street, only for Melva to stop. I stopped as well, becoming confused as her smirk turned into a grimace.

   I looked to where she was and saw we had stumbled across a... funeral? It seemed like one. A group of people in black were gathered around a man, presumably the undertaker. They all stood on one of the many balconies that overlooked the Abyss, built in the higher sections of the city so people could enjoy the view. It didn't seem like anybody was enjoying the sights today. The undertaker was speaking, holding some kind of jar in his hands. All other traffic on the street had seemed to divert elsewhere, giving this somber group room.

   "Turn, 'round, we're goin' a different way. Should've known to take a different road," Melva muttered, backing up. I did so as well, though I couldn't help but stare. As I did, I could hear the undertaker speaking.

   "May this one's spirit not wander, lost. No, may this one return to the Abyss..." After he said this, he reached into the jar and tossed a handful of gray powder—ash—and petals of Eternal Fortunes to the winds, where they were instantly swept away. "Do not despair, for we will all return to the Abyss."

   Melva elbowed me. "C'mon, don't gawk," she hissed as she tried to pull me away. I obeyed her, my face flushing, but that didn't stop the undertaker's words from sticking with me. Talk of wandering spirits and returning... It reminded me of the funerals back at my old home. The ashes of the deceased were spread on the ocean, however.

   Still, there was something about this funeral that also separated it from others I'd seen. I'd noticed that people here often spoke of the Abyss with reverence, though I didn't think they thought of it like that. I wanted to ask Melva about it, but I felt it would be too personal.

   Melva seemed to sense my uneasiness as we continued to walk, because she asked, "Here's a bit of a personal question, kid. Where ya came from, did ya have a god?" It didn't catch me off-guard that much because it was Melva.

   "Y-yes, we do, but I don't believe in it," I replied. My parents never enforced its belief. The ethics around it spoke of ending a life whenever survival was slim to prevent suffering, and it didn't coincide with their practices. To them, every chance to prolong a patient's life should be taken, because it could possibly save that life. I also shared those thoughts.

   "So did my homeland, an' I never believed in it either. Too cruel for my likin'," Melva said. "All I agree with is that spirits exist. Not everybody would wanna pass on right away, so where else would they go? But comin' here... I dunno what to think." She looked out at the Abyss, frowning. "People 'round here don't believe in a god, they believe in the Abyss. It smites with its curses and blesses with its Relics, just like a god does. I guess that's somethin' worth prayin' to."

   I hesitated, not sure if I should say what I was considering. "Do... you pray to it?" I asked with more caution.

   "Nah." Melva shook her head. "I probably should since becomin' a Delver saved me from the poverty I was in back home, but I chose to come 'ere. I don't owe the Abyss. If anythin', this place owes me." She looked at me. "It would have to do somethin' really crazy to convince me to offer any sorta prayer."

   Well, that went against everything I'd heard her say about the Abyss so far. "It's not crazy enough?"

   Melva's shoulders shook as she held in a laugh, smiling. "I've only seen the first three layers!" That smile fractured the tense mood, and I relaxed. "Like with the prayin' skeletons, don't mess with the livin' people. They got their own beliefs," she said, and I agreed.

   Unlike the previous few days, today there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. This allowed the sun to shine for all its worth and fill the Abyss with warm light. An occasional gust of wind alleviated any intrusive heat, making delving more pleasant. Melva and I descended to the edge of the limit she allowed for me before we started searching for Relics. While she trusted me to wander off by myself, she still made sure I didn't go too far.

   By noon, we'd amassed a small pile of Relics. Melva sorted through them as we had lunch, guessing how much they were worth. She loved shiny things just as much as Aedia, though it was the shine of coins rather than simple rocks or anything else.

   "If my guesses are right, this'll be the best haul we've gotten all week," Melva said giddily. "But let's get that amount higher, yeah?" I nodded, finishing off the last of my food. I'd resigned myself to eating, even if I was sick later; I wanted to maintain my strength.

   "Mel?"

   We both looked up, and I was shocked to see that a Delver had somehow snuck up on us without us noticing. It wasn't much of a surprise that he had, considering he was small. At least, he was small compared to most other men I'd seen. He didn't even seem to be five and a half feet tall. His frame was wiry with little noticeable muscle, yet he carried himself with the same confidence as Melva, and his silver-blue hair was pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. He, like Melva, had a moon whistle.

   Melva got to her feet, shaking her head. "Stealthy as always, ain't ya, Vio? Wish I could learn your secrets," she said casually. We hadn't come across many Delvers, much less ones Melva bothered to make conversation with, so this piqued my interest.

   The man, Vio, grinned widely. His gold eyes sparkled with mischief, reminding me of Aedia when she was teasing me. "I need to practice whenever I can, but I haven't seen you in weeks, Mel! How have you been?"

   Melva rolled her eyes. "Eh, a bit slow, but hopefully the pace'll pick up soon." She glanced at me and gestured to the man. "Len, this is Vio. We had the same mentor back when we were Red Whistles."

   This man had trained with Melva? "N-nice to meet you, Mr. Vio." I offered him my hand to shake as I stood.

   "Pleasure's all mine," the man said. "But you can just call me Vio. 'Mr.' is too stiff for my liking." His grip was definitely as strong as Melva's. "How time flies. I can't believe you have an apprentice of your own, Mel," he said to her. "Figures. This' what happens when we don't cross paths for a month."

   Melva arched a brow, looking dubious. "Well, maybe we'd see each other more if ya didn't spend all your time on the Third Layer," she said sarcastically. "Surprised you're even up 'ere. The better Relics are deeper, after all."

   "I don't spend all my time down there, even if it just so happens that I'm heading down again tomorrow," Vio said. "A coincidence, really."

   "And ya ain't spendin' today with Syele an' Lissy?" Melva shook her head disapprovingly. "You're so heartless." I could only guess those two people were part of Vio's family or something similar.

   Vio winced. "Don't make me sound like that! I'd like to leave a good impression on your apprentice," he said. I reassured him with a quick smile and a dismissive wave of my hand, and that seemed to satisfy him. "Syele knew what she was getting into when she married me, and Lissy understands that her dad has to keep his skills sharp," he continued. "After all, the cliffs around here are good rappelling practice."

   "Ya know I'm just jokin', ya shrimp," Melva said, and Vio frowned. So I wasn't the only one she'd given a horrible nickname to. "Gotta get ya 'fore ya get me, ya know how this works by now."

   "And I thought we were past that!" Vio sulked. "But speaking of the girls, they miss you, Mel. Syele's been wanting to invite you for dinner for weeks now, but you're never home when she comes by."

   "'Cause I'm always out!" Melva exclaimed. "This is why I ain't married or got kids. Don't halfta worry 'bout leavin' 'em at home every day."

   Vio looked skeptical when she said that. "Are you sure about that?" he said, glancing at me.

   Melva thought for a moment before nodding. "Huh, maybe you're right." I expected her to clap me on the back, so I didn't flinch from surprise when she did. "Makes sense with how much trouble he's already caused me. Almost got 'imself killed by a Silkfang last month, an' I had to save his ass."

   "They can be nasty if you're caught off-guard, so you're both lucky you got out of that," Vio said.

   I hated that I could feel my face flushing. "I-it's just something else I have to thank Ms. Melva for," I added sheepishly.

   "Well, I don't wanna hold ya up anymore," Melva said. "Get back to your climbin', an' scare the shit outta some other Delvers while you're at it," she snickered.

   "It's not like I'm intimidating on my own, so I need to do what I can to get the drop on them," Vio said jokingly.

    "Oh shut up with that, you're plenty the skilled Delver even without the height." Her hand shot out, and she tousled Vio's hair like she sometimes did with me. "'Sides, if ya were tall, I couldn't do this to ya."

   Vio pushed her hand away, smoothing out his hair. "I get your point," he said with a sigh. "Really, though, don't be such a stranger. Even without Bell, we still make quite the dynamic duo. I'm... sure he would have wanted us to delve together more. At least I want to."

   Melva's face fell, but she quickly hardened her jaw and shrugged. "I'd like to if ya wanna stay up 'ere for it, but I get that the sun ain't your favorite." She tried to smile. "I can hardly keep up with ya anyways. Shrimps like ya are always runnin' off 'fore I can even pack my pick away."

   "Speed is important when you're aiming to become a White Whistle," Vio said. "Maybe we could compromise with a trip to the Second Layer someday? Of course, we'd have to wait until your apprentice is a Blue Whistle, unless I'm already a Black Whistle by then." He smiled. "I hope you'll have yours then as well. You deserve to get yours before me, really."

   My mentor's reply wasn't as enthusiastic as I thought it would be. "Maybe, but I 'preciate the compliment." She sighed before brightening up again. "But good luck with your delve. Don't get eaten by a Madojack."

   "I wasn't planning on it," Vio said. "And good luck to you as well, the both of you. It was a pleasure meeting you, Len. I hope we can delve together in the future."

   I nodded. "I'd love to," I agreed, admittedly feeling relieved that Melva and I could get back to delving now. With a wave, Vio walked past us, descending further down the trail and out of sight.

   "Always have your sights set one layer deeper..." Melva said under her breath as she watched her friend go. "I miss gettin' drinks with 'im. But nope, just gotta keep delvin' since what else can ya do here?" she added wistfully.

   "He sounds like he'd be fun to delve with," I said. It definitely seemed like he could become a White Whistle, at least with the enthusiasm he had. And it shouldn't have surprised me that Delvers could have families, even if it did feel a bit odd to me.

   "If ya like climbin', caves, an' tight spaces, then you'll get along with 'im," Melva said. Then maybe I'd have to take back my words a little... "Perks of bein' a smaller Delver. Almost worth havin' no muscles to speak of, but don't tell 'im that. He already knows that well enough, if ya couldn't tell."

   I definitely wouldn't. Though, hearing Vio's talk with Melva made me wonder something. "You haven't mentioned your mentor very much. His name is... Bell?"

   Melva's lips pursed. "Bell's just Vio's nickname for 'im. It was Bellan. I should've talked 'bout 'im before, since he would've killed me if he knew I forgot to mention 'im to my apprentice. He was always tellin' me I needed to get one. 'Pass your skills on, you're better than I ever was at your age,' he said." She chuckled, though it held no mirth. "He forgot to consider that I ain't as much of a softie as he was, but he always cared more 'bout skill than personality when it came to teachin'."

   "That isn't the worst way to think. After all, I think you're a great mentor," I said.

   "Glad to know I'm doin' somethin' right." There was some silence from her, then she said, "Since ya wanna know, Bellan was basically my pops. He treated both me and Vio like we were his kids. Makes sense since he adopted Vio 'fore I came to Orth, but it didn't stop 'im from treatin' me just as well." A slight smile tugged at her lips. "Your pops reminds me of Bellan, actually. Tall, dark hair with a beard an' gray eyes. 'Cept he wore his hair long an' in a braid, an' he only had one eye." She tapped beside her left eye. "Lost it to a Corpse Weeper down in the Second Layer the day after he became a Black Whistle, but that didn't stop 'im."

   I was amazed by that. "He still delved?" I couldn't imagine only having one eye myself, especially since my vision was already pretty bad.

   "Yep. He still had his other eye and the rest of 'im, so why should that change anythin'?" Her brow furrowed. "'Course, lots o' people didn't think the same way. They didn't take 'im seriously after that or thought he was a liability, so it was only him, Vio, an' me most of the time. Why keep company that don't think you're worth anythin'?" She shrugged. "Guess that's why I ain't too talkative myself, jackasses thought they were better than 'im when he was the best Delver I knew..."

   I'd noticed Melva's choice in words when speaking about Bellan a little while ago. While I was curious, I was also worried about bringing it up. "When you say that, does that mean he's... dead?"

   Melva nodded. "He died 'bout four years ago, right after Vio an' I got our moon whistles," she said, her voice solemn. "He was killed by an Orb Piercer." I knew that name. They were one of the creatures Melva had mentioned before, the ones with the poison quills. I'd read that they've killed over a hundred Black Whistles. "His group tried cuttin' off his arm thinkin' it'd stop the poison, but he bled out."

   "I-I'm sorry to hear that," I said, feeling awkward as I did so. Melva gazed at me, waiting for me to say something else. I didn't want to, however. The fact she never talked about Bellan made it clear that his death was still hurting her, and I didn't want to keep talking if that was actually the case.

   "'Looks like it still bothers ya,' I bet you're thinkin'," Melva then said. "C'mon, ya can admit it."

   How could she always call my bluff like that? "I don't want to sound rude."

   "Don't worry kid, you're fine," she said. "And it does bother me, so damn much. Yeah, there was nothin' I could've done since I was—and still am—just a Moon Whistle, and there's sometimes shit ya just can't prevent. Still hurts, though... I kinda hope Bellan's still here as a spirit, then I'd know he's with me. But I also hope he's gone so he can just be at peace with his parents after sufferin' so much." Her lip curled up in disgust. "Nasty bastards, Orb Piercers. I'd never wanna meet one myself."

   I shuddered. "They sound horrible."

   "'Least ya ain't ignorant 'bout that," Melva said, sighing heavily. "It's kinda why I'm not too excited to get a black whistle myself, that and it's just too dark down there. Bellan always liked the dark, and Vio picked up that likin' too. I don't get the appeal."

   "The dark?" I echoed, puzzled.

   She glanced at me before taking a step closer to the nearby cliff edge. "As much as I love the Abyss, I love the surface just as much. All the sunlight, the heat... I still have some 'preciation for my old home, I guess."

   "We never got much sun back home, so I don't really care about whether it's sunny or not," I said. "As long as I can see, that's all that matters to me."

   "Then I guess ya really wouldn't mind the depths," Melva said. "Yeah, sunlight filters down, but it ain't the same as standin' up 'ere, feelin' it along with the breeze on your back." She inhaled deeply as the wind gusted then, as if proving her point. "Time seems to move faster the further in the Abyss ya are, y'know?"

   My eyes widened a little in surprise. "Really?"

   "Yep. Dunno if it's the curse screwin' with your head or somethin' else, but time has a habit of gettin' away from ya down 'ere. Goin' down further just wastes the time I could be enjoyin' the sunlight." Her smile was less harsh, more accepting. "If I get a black whistle, great. If not, I'm fine with that too."

   "Then I'll make sure I won't waste that time, because I'm going deeper," I said.

   Melva didn't reply to that, at least not with what I expected. "You're just like Vio, like Bellan, like everybody else... I hope ya come to 'preciate the sunlight too, kid," she said flatly, still gazing out at the emptiness before us. "Another reason to enjoy the present, 'cause it seems we'll all eventually go straight to the bottom of the Abyss... into that darkness."

   "May this one return to the Abyss..." I wondered if any of those ashes were still drifting about, swirling in the sun-soaked winds.

—~*~—

Time continued to pass me by, another two months. My family had fully settled into Orth, and business at the clinic was in full swing. While I felt bad that I wasn't there to help my parents as much, that guilt would vanish the moment I set foot in the Abyss.

   Deeper and deeper Melva and I went, eventually reaching nearly three-hundred yards down. While this was still only a fraction of the First Layer, I felt like I was making progress. I was a true Delver, plumbing the secrets of the Abyss. I continued to spin my tales for Aedia and even my parents to an extent. Of course the lies had to keep coming, that wouldn't ever change. Well, that was what I thought.

   Melva finally began letting me bring home the money that my Relics were worth. I'd apparently finished paying off what my two backpacks of supplies were worth plus another two helmets since my instinct was to prevent my glasses from falling off. Melva said we had to do something about my glasses in the future, and I agreed with that.

   For the first couple delves, I kept the money for myself. After all, this meant I could buy myself and Aedia sweets and such without our parents knowing. Then I realized that they could benefit from the money more than me for now. While buying candy was great, it wasn't as good as the pastries and cookies Father baked. Admittedly, my offering of the money wasn't as tactful as it could have been.

   "Len, where did you get that?" Father asked when I tried to show him. I knew he'd appreciate the money more than Mother. His expression was a mixture of confusion and interest, just as I thought. What I had was the amount our fourth-most expensive medicine cost.

   "From my delve today," I replied. "The Relics I've been finding are actually starting to have some worth now, so this is what I got when I turned them in with Ms. Melva." There were still a few lies...

   Father gingerly took a coin from my hand, examining it. "I know I mentioned fortune when we first arrived here, but I didn't think you'd see any of it." A cautious smile spread across his face. "Clare, you need to come see this!" He called for my mother with clear excitement in his voice. She had been putting Aedia to bed when I decided to mention the money, so she hadn't yet seen it. When she did, she instantly frowned.

   "Where did that come from?" she asked. Father explained, and like I thought, she wasn't as impressed. "It's gotten to the point where you're making money from this? I might as well say this," she muttered. Father's smile vanished in a second, and that sent a pang of worry through me. This couldn't be good. Then she said, "Your father and I have been talking, and we don't think that you should be going down there anymore."

   I stood there, confused, trying to work through what she said in my mind. "Wh-what?" I stuttered out. If I didn't have a mind to place the rest of the money on the table, I would've dropped it all over the floor. "But... but you said—"

   "We only let you go down there because we thought it would get your curiosity out and you would move on to something else," she said. "It's been three months, so this must have been enough time for you. We would like you to help out at the clinic more. You're going to be thirteen next month, so you could do more than watch, you can actually begin learning from us."

   No, this couldn't be happening. I thought this issue had already been resolved! "But... b-but I don't want to," I protested weakly. "Aedia can do it, since she's obviously more interested in medicine than me."

   Mother's expression turned stern, as did her voice, making me flinch. "We don't want you going down into that chasm, Len! All the scratches, cuts, and bruises you've gotten, what if something worse happens?"

   How would she react if I told her that I had almost died already, more than once? "This is my only chance of being a true explorer. And I'm even earning money from it! What's wrong with that? I can be an explorer, and you get more money to buy better medicines and more supplies."

   "I'd rather have my son alive than more money," Mother stated.

   "That Melva seems to know her way around, though," Father said, more timidly. "And if Len would actually be providing us additional income from this..."

   Mother's jaw dropped. "I can't believe you would say that after you were agreeing with me just last night! Don't you care about your son? We have enough money right now, and we've had enough for the past fifteen years. We'll be just fine."

   In an instant, Father's face twisted with regret. "I-I know, it seems like my thoughts changed because of the money, and that had just slipped out." He shook his head. "But forget about the money. It's no secret Len doesn't want to run the clinic, so why are we forcing him to? Aedia seems more than happy to work with us while Len has his thoughts elsewhere."

   "And they always have been," Mother retorted. "He needs to realize what reality is and grow up, because he can't be daydreaming like this anymore."

   Father still tried to defend me. "I don't think this research and all the training he's been doing count as daydreaming."

   "Exactly," Mother said matter-of-factly. "The fact that he's been physically training means that this has gone too far."

   Respect kept my lips sealed, though they were beginning to quiver. How many times had I heard that over the course of my life? Every time I talked about my books or the dreams they gave me. It felt like everything was spiraling around me, falling down. I couldn't let it fall down, not after everything I'd done until then.

   "I-if this was some random fantasy I had, then I would've lost interest in it after the first two weeks! You know that!" I burst out. That got my parents' attention, and I continued. "Wh-why am I still interested in this? It's because I really care about it. Everything about the Abyss is fascinating to me, and I like being around Ms. Melva. Sh-she was willing to take me on as her apprentice, and... and I don't want the time she's spent being my mentor to go to waste!"

   "I'm sure she would understand why you would have to stop doing this," Mother said.

   "No, she won't, because I won't be telling her," I said. "I'll just go meet with her anyways. Y-you can't stop me now, not when I'm actually making progress."

   Mother stared at me, shocked, and I waited to see what she would do. "That is no way to speak to your mother, Len," she said slowly, though not with anger. It was more like... shock of all things.

   "But I don't know what else to say!" I whimpered, shaking my head. "I-I don't want to stop doing this, and I don't want to make Addy sad by stopping either. She loves hearing my stories, and they'll get better the more I do this."

   At that, Mother's face softened a little. "I'm glad you're thinking of your sister, but it's just too dangerous for you right now." I continued to shake my head, refusing to give up, even as the corners of my eyes burned with welling tears.

   "Maybe when you're older and more capable of handling whatever's down there, you can go back. That could make everyone happy, right?" Father suggested, which Mother didn't instantly rebuke. Did that mean she agreed? Still, that wasn't good enough. This was one situation that couldn't be compromised.

   "I won't be capable if I stay up here and do nothing, though," I said. "Even if I'm as old as you two, I'll still be in as much danger as I am now. Something I learned is that knowledge matters just as much as strength in the Abyss. It might seem like being strong is more important, but who cares that you think you can fight off the creatures down there when you know that you could avoid them completely?

   "Father is right, Ms. Melva has protected me so far, and I know she'll keep doing it. Then later on when I'm older, I'll be able to defend myself because of the experience I've had." I looked at my mother pleadingly, clenching my fists to keep them from trembling. "Please. I don't want to die either, so I'll stop if I'm worried that I will. This is my only chance to do what I've always wanted, s-so please don't take it from me!"

   For a few moments, she didn't reply. I prepared for her to turn me down, and I was already planning out how I'd be sneaking out to meet Melva. But then she spoke. "I've never heard you speak like that before," she said, astonished.

   "Because I know you wouldn't want me to. Y-you and Father deserve my respect, and I want to give it to you. But I really think I've found my passion. Just looking at the Abyss, it's like I can feel something calling to me. I don't know how to explain it better, but I've never wanted something so badly before." I roughly rubbed my eyes, forcing back tears.

   "Len, I..." Mother trailed off. "What you just said..." A small, exasperated laugh escaped her, and she looked at me with mixed surprise and exasperation. "It almost sounded like you were years older."

   As much as I wanted to, I didn't speak. I cast my gaze to the floor, bowing my head. As Father would say, I'd "played all my cards." It was my hope against her judgement. I didn't need to worry about speaking again, however, because Mother did.

   "I shouldn't be saying this, but," she sighed, "I'll... try to trust your judgement." I looked up at her, not sure what I'd heard. A firm sternness overtook her tone again. "However, the moment I believe that you're in over your head, I'll step in again."

   It was like I walked into a wall then, but instead of pain, I felt shock. She'd agreed. She'd been putting up a fight moments before, and yet I'd somehow been able to sway her. Father seemed just as shocked as me, as I saw in my peripheries that his eyes were wider than mine.

   Mother hugged me tightly then, and I could feel her slightly trembling against me. "Just know that I love you and don't want anything to happen to you," she said quietly.

   It was really settling in now, and I now wanted to cry with joy. I nodded, my throat too choked to reply properly. In my mind, I was saying "thank you" over and over.

   After a moment, Mother pulled away and headed for the stairs leading to the back room of the clinic. "I-I'm sorry, I just need a minute," she said shakily.

   Once Mother had gone and the kitchen was silent again, Father finally spoke. "Th-that was a very brave thing you did, son. But when it comes to bravery, I think you should save it more for the spiders than your mother." His attempt at humor was punctuated with a weak smile.

   "I know, a-and I'm sorry." I hung my head. I felt guilty for wanting to rejoice, but I couldn't deny the happiness that was flooding me like adrenaline.

   "You don't need to apologize, not when I should be," he said mournfully. "For a moment, I put my thoughts of wealth over you, and it was... it was quite frankly selfish of me for doing that."

   I didn't know how to respond. It wasn't often that my parents ever apologized to me for anything.

   "It's strange," he continued. "Ever since I heard of what could be plumbed from the Abyss, it's like my old obsession was reignited. I thought it was just me, but it seems like you're feeling something like it as well." He glanced at the staircase. "Still, I never thought the first person to stand up to her would be you." I could see the embarrassment on his face through his awkward smile, and I couldn't help but laugh a little.

   "Thank you for trying to help me," I said, hugging him as well. "I'm really happy you did that."

   Father put a hand on my shoulder, squeezing comfortingly. "You're very welcome. Now how about you head off to bed before she changes her mind?" I nodded and quickly went into mine and Aedia's room. She was already asleep, mostly buried under the covers. I never understood how she always fell asleep faster than me.

   I watched her for a moment before spotting the glimmer of the Crystal Compass partially sticking out from under her pillow. Trying to be quiet, I approached her bed and tried to push the Relic further under the pillow so it couldn't be spotted as easily. Aedia stirred but didn't wake, and a new kind of relief filled me. Don't worry, Addy. I can still keep telling you stories.

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The art of Bellan shown in the chapter media was done by my friend RosettaThorn!