Arcane Anew

"Yeah...I know that feeling." Orion exhaled slowly, the skin around his scars tickling like bitter reminders. "Half your body's mangled, and no one lifts a finger to save you- except your enemies..."

He snorted, a wry smile curling his lips as he picked the bowl back up. "By the end, my enemy felt closer than the people I was trying to protect."

'Was it worth it? All because I wanted to be around familiar faces...' Orion contemplated as he took another mouthful, doubt gnawing at him. 'Maybe it would've been better to just leave...'

But leaving meant abandoning the faces that haunted him the most- flashes of the gang crying, his dead parents, the constant suffering of Zaunites struggling to survive.

Orion paused as a thought came to him. 'Since when did I care so much about this world?'

"Was it worth it?" Faey's voice cut through his thoughts, her own pain evident as if she'd heard his unspoken turmoil, sharing the weight of the question.

Silence gnawed at the moment as the bowl in Orion's hand felt heavier. His expression tightened, trying to find an answer. The peaceful surroundings- clean air, calmness, nature surrounding him- acted as temptations to stay. Who wouldn't stay as an escape from Zaun's filth- abandoning it all?

But it wasn't home. It wasn't his home.

"In a weird way...yes" Orion whispered, drawing Faey's gaze. "I didn't endure pointlessly, I was trying to protect everyone. The reward never matched the pain, but I endured anyway."

Faey stared at him for a moment, her hands resting on her lap, contemplating his words for before whispering, "It is a shame you were born a foreigner. You would have fit in well here."

"Hah! No way." Orion snorted and chuckled. Faey looked a little taken aback but Orion continued to gesture and ask regardless, "How did that happen?"

"I was protecting our people," Faey opened up a little, but her shoulders remained stiff. Perhaps because they shared the same pain, she let out some of her frustration. "Everything was going well, I would've kept everyone safe- but she showed up..."

"Akali?"

Nodding, Faey could see the bitterness and resentment building back up in her, her fists clenching on her lap. "My dreams are no more. I can never become a Kinkou warrior, or even an acolyte." Tears started forming in her eyes, but she tried her hardest to not let any escape.

Orion's gaze rested on her lost leg, just below the knee, a sinking feeling entering his chest as he couldn't help but sympathize with this girl. If he had been a moment too early or too late in any of his situations, he may have ended up just like her or worse..

Zzzt

A thought struck Orion like lightning, his eyes widening, but he dared not act yet. 'How powerful is my healing magic here?'

Excitement started to bubble up inside of him. Excitement? Orion shook his head violently, trying to quell it, or at least keep it at a simmer. He didn't even know if it would work, and he couldn't test it without Shen around.

"Faey, I might be able to help you," Orion softly said, leaning forward. "Give me some time to talk with Master Shen."