Gun of Ashes

The misty drizzle quietly pours down, seemingly endless, striking the moss-covered cobblestones, bringing a slight chill as the breeze passes by.

This is a beautiful coastal town, almost as if forgotten by the entire world. The long Radiant War and the steam engines of the new world have not altered this town; it still retains its appearance from a century ago, as if time has stood still upon it.

Hig leaned against the stone step by the door, his gaze falling on the end of the green stone steps.

As the drizzle falls, it seems the entire town has slipped into slumber. No pedestrians are on the streets, all doors are tightly shut, and no lights are on.

The entire town is shrouded in silence, with nothing remaining but the sound of raindrops falling.

Hig would normally feel an indescribable sense of loneliness, but at this moment, he doesn’t mind those feelings. Although he is alone, seeing this familiar town brings a smile to his face.

Ah... the town hidden deep within his memories, the town he had completely forgotten.

Hig never thought he would one day truly return to this homeland he could no longer return to. It feels like a beautiful dream, one he is unwilling to wake from.

Looking up, the sky is gray and hazy, but compared to the apocalyptic rain season of Old Dunling, the rain curtain here is much gentler, like a cold hand softly caressing him.

Slowly standing up, he gazes towards the horizon where the blackened sea roars and churns, with the fierce wind whipping up waves meters high, crashing onto the dark reefs, breaking into thousands of foams.

Listening to the rain, Hig continues forward. Everything in the town is just as he remembers, except they are now all closed doors, and no light shines behind the windows.

It seems as if everyone is dead, or maybe they’ve all fallen asleep, but Hig doesn’t think about those things.

The wind and rain carry vague sounds of men’s shouts, monsters’ howls, and explosive noises.

Hig glances around, trying to find the source of the sounds, but all around is the familiar town. Yet, with a blink, a figure abruptly appears in the rain’s veil.

”Ah... Joey!”

On the other side of the rain curtain, Hig sees Joey standing still in the rain. After a brief moment of surprise, he excitedly runs over.

This is truly a joyful day; Hig has chased for so long, finally returning to his homeland, eager to share this joy with Joey. However, for a moment, Hig can’t clearly see Joey’s face; it’s a gloomy darkness, with no light able to illuminate it.

The puddles below his feet reflect a completely different scene, Joey swinging a folding blade, slaying one Demon after another. Yet, in this furious battle, another Demon staggers towards him.

”Joey?”

Hig continues to shout, but Joey doesn’t say anything. He just follows Hig to sit on the nearby bench, the two of them sitting down in the drizzling rain.

”I don’t want to go back, Joey.”

After a long silence, Hig breaks the calm, his expression somewhat complex, seemingly unsure of how to articulate his thoughts.

”Don’t want...to go back?”

Joey’s voice is somewhat muffled. He tilts his head, his face remaining a pitch black.

”Yeah, 121A Cork Street, though I’m a bit reluctant, I’m not planning to go back...after all, this is where I truly belong.”

Hig says, glancing at this town asleep under the rain curtain, a gentle smile on his face.

”In fact, leaving here in the first place was just a wild fancy in my mind. I wanted to see the outside world, to see what those places, which exist only in the words of adults, really looked like.

Some say those places are incredibly beautiful, others say they’re filthy beyond compare. They have differing opinions, but one thing in common, it’s a place that must be visited, the true essence of the world... I really was curious about it. Until one day, I really left, really arrived in Old Dunling.”

Hig sighs, his voice carrying a tinge of helplessness.

”At first, it was really nice. I’d never seen such tall buildings, such wide streets, not to mention those airships flying in the sky, the Iron Serpent weaving through the entire city.”

”But I’m not suited for that, Joey, I’m not suited for it. I’m just a small kid from a seaside town. Old Dunling is just too big for me, so big I can barely see its form, wanting to hide away in a corner.”

Joey doesn’t say a word, his head always hanging low, listening to Hig’s soliloquy.

”But... if I don’t go back, would anyone be sad for me?”

Hig asks, then immediately ponders, as Lorenzo Holmes’ face comes to mind.

”Would he be sad for me?”

Hig then laughs, finding his own thought unbelievable.

”How could that be? That guy wouldn’t be sad for me. Even if he were, he wouldn’t show it. But... but what about Mrs. Van Rudd? She’s so old, she should have someone to take care of her in her twilight years. Lorenzo clearly isn’t reliable...although I’m not much better.”

”These things, they’re truly troubling, right, Joey,” Hig asks.

Joey nods, then says.

”Yes, life is full of many helpless situations, many wrong paths, once you stray, you just keep straying.”