"Yeah...I know that feeling." Orion exhaled slowly, the skin around his scars tig like bitter reminders. "Half your body's mangled, and no one lifts a fio 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 wao be around familiar faces...' Orion pted as he took another mouthful, doubt gnawing at him. 'Maybe it would've beeer to just leave...'

  But leavi abandoning the faces that haunted him the most- fshes of the gang g, his dead parents, the stant suffering of Zauruggling 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.

  Silenawed at the moment as the bowl in Orion's ha heavier. His expression tighterying to find an ahe peaceful surroundings- air, ess, 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 everyohe reward never matched the pain, but I endured anyway."

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

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

  "I roteg our people," Faey opened up a little, but her shoulders remaiiff. 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 ament building back up in her, her fists g on her p. "My dreams are no more. I ever bee a Kinkou warrior, or even an acolyte." Tears started f 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 feeliering his chest as he couldn't help but sympathize with this girl. If he had been a moment too early or too te 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."