"I see… you're moving around better," a calm voice says.
Lavos jumps, startled. He spins around to see Sir Arthus standing just behind him.
"Y-Yeah… I couldn't really sleep," Lavos says, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
Arthus says nothing at first, just following Lavos's gaze up toward the sky.
Both of them look at the moons in silence.
"In case you're wondering," Arthus finally says, "the big one's called Nyvaleth. The smaller red one? Vekkorith."
Lavos repeats the names softly, "Nyvaleth… and Vekkorith?"
Arthus nods. "Yeah. There's an old tale about them. People say the two were once best friends, they were inseparable. But one day, Nyvaleth was murdered in cold blood. That's why it looks so pale now… lifeless."
Lavos glances at Arthus, listening closely.
"Vekkorith," Arthus continues, "was shattered by grief and blinded by rage. It burned with hate, and that's why it looks the way it does, bloody and red."
Lavos stares up at the sky again. The story clings to his mind, leaving a strange weight in his chest.
Arthus lets out a soft sigh. "Though that's just a story. In reality, they're just moons orbiting our world."
Lavos looks at him, still caught in the tale. "What happened to Vekkorith? Did he avenge his friend?"
Arthus chuckles. The sound of his laugh echoing slightly from within his helmet, that hollow metallic tone filling the quiet air. Then, the laughter fades.
He turns his gaze directly toward Lavos. Though his face was hidden, something in the air shifted. Lavos could feel it, a subtle pressure, like something dark creeping in.
"No," Arthus says, voice lower now. "He died too. Trying to avenge a friend that was already gone."
Lavos's eyes widen, his pupils shrinking. A chill passes through him. But after a few seconds, he starts blinking rapidly forcing himself to breathe, steadying his thoughts.
Sir Arthus adds, "Not the ending you expected, huh?"
Lavos keeps his eyes on the moons, quiet for a moment. "Yeah... not the one I expected."
Arthus lets out a tired sigh. "Now I have to go..."
He turns around slowly, footsteps soft on the ground as he begins to walk away. Then, after a few steps, he pauses.
"Don't stare at those moons for too long," he says, his voice low. He turns his head slightly, just enough for Lavos to hear the final words. "Or you might end up blinded by hatred... or at least, that's what they say."
Lavos watches Arthus silently as he walks away, then shifts his gaze back to the sky, specifically to Vekkorith. The redish glow from the smaller moon reflects in Lavos's eyes, making them shine eerily under its light.
He slowly closes his eyes for a moment, breathing in the still air, then turns around and starts limping back toward the window he fell from. Looking up at it, he sighs. "I forgot to ask Sir Arthus how to get back to my room..."
He scratches the back of his head, staring blankly at the window, then gives up with a small sigh. He lowers himself to the ground and sits with his back against the wall, eyes drifting back up to the star-filled sky.
As Lavos stares up at the night sky, sleep suddenly hits him. His eyelids grow heavy, and he slowly closes his eyes.
The next morning...
Lavos opens his eyes slowly to the sounds around him, people talking, carriages rolling by, the usual morning noise. He yawns, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. "So annoying..." he mutters.
He pushes himself up and stands, moving slowly, a slight limp in his step as he makes his way toward the hospital's main door.
After a couple of minutes, Lavos finally reaches the main door. He huffs, "Damn it..." then, without hesitation, starts climbing the stairs, barely managing.
He walks up to the receptionist, still catching his breath.
"A-Are you okay?" she asks softly. Then, her eyes widen. "W-Wait, are you... Lavos?"
Lavos nods.
"W-Were you running by any chance?" she asks.
Lavos suddenly blushes. "N-No... I was just..." He looks down, embarrassed. "W-Walking..."
The receptionist stares at him blankly. "Uhhh... alright..."
She adds, "Do you need any help? Back to your room maybe?"
Lavos replies, "Sure... but first, do you know where Sir Arthus is?"
"Sir Arthus?" The receptionist tilts her head. "Oh yeah, he said he was heading to the Capital for duty. We were actually about to send people to look for you since you were missing, but... he told us you were just out getting some fresh air."
Lavos sighs, eyes narrowing slightly as he mutters to himself, 'He left without even saying goodbye...'
The receptionist points to her right. "Your room's 003. Just go straight, then take the first left."
Lavos nods slowly. He doesn't say anything, just turns and starts moving, each step sluggish and heavy like he's dragging his entire body behind him.
When he finally reaches the room, he doesn't waste a second. He stumbles in and collapses onto the bed, exhaling hard like the weight of everything crashes down on him at once.
Lavos lies on the bed, staring at the ceiling with boredom written all over his face. "Now that I think about it... why do I feel uncomfortable down there?"
He pulls up the edge of his pants to check. "Oh it's just... wait what's this white thing wrapped around me called?" He exhales in relief, until his eyes suddenly snap open in shock.
"W-Wait a second... something wrapped around me?" He looks again, his face slowly turning red.
Letting go of the fabric of his pants, he covers his face with both hands. "I was seen... without anything on."
He groans quietly. "Well, not like it really bothers me or anything… I just hope the one who wrapped me up was a guy…"
Lavos sighs again, then stands up with a small grunt. "Ugh… I'll just go take a walk outside."
Irritated, he steps out of his room and starts heading toward the hospital's main door. The receptionist greets him with a cheerful smile, but Lavos only blushes slightly, gives a quick wave, and keeps limping forward without saying much.
He finally steps outside. The breeze hits his face gently, cool and refreshing. The weather is calm, the sky clear. He just keeps walking in a straight line, letting the peaceful air distract him from his thoughts.
While walking, Lavos notices the simple-built houses lining the dirt path. Merchants call out to passersby, selling things he doesn't recognize. Everything feels new, almost surreal. He stares, wide-eyed, at the unfamiliar items, he doesn't know anything about his past, so even the most basic things seem fascinating.
Then suddenly, a small voice calls out.
"Mister!"
Lavos flinches and looks around, confused, until he spots a little girl standing outside her house.
"Who? Me?" he asks, pointing to himself.
The girl sighs with her arms crossed. "Who else?"
Lavos scratches the back of his neck, clearly brushing off her attitude.
"What do you want?"
The little girl stays put, arms still crossed.
"I wanna play with you."
Lavos raises an eyebrow, already annoyed.
"Let's see... no."
The girl frowns. "I won't take no as an answer."
Lavos groans, his irritation rising.
"Listen, brat. Do I look like someone ready to play? I'm literally wrapped up in, whatever this is," he says, gesturing to his bandages. "And you're seriously asking me to play?"
The little girl looks him up and down with zero hesitation. "First of all, my name's not brat. It's Elizabeth. And second, those are called bandages, you dumbass."
Lavos stares at her, genuinely caught off guard. "O-Oh... y-yeah? Well, my name's not Mister. It's actually Lavos."
Elizabeth chuckles. "You're actually fun to talk to."
Lavos just looks at her blankly, unsure how to respond.
Then she tilts her head curiously. "Oh, by the way... what's wrong with your eyes?"
Lavos flinches, confused. "What do you mean?"
"They're... scary." She responds.
"Oh... I actually don't know why," Lavos says, his voice a little quieter. The comment seems to stick with him.
Elizabeth keeps going. "They're not bad or anything, but... they're eerie. You kinda look like some psychopath who's ready to kill someone."
Lavos furrows his brow. "A... psychopath? What's that even supposed to mean?"
"You seriously don't know?" she sighs, clearly annoyed. "A psychopath is someone who's, like, messed up in the head. People who kill just for fun, that's a psychopath."
Lavos blinks slowly, a bit shaken. "Do I really look like that?"
Elizabeth nods, her expression flat but honest. Lavos scratches the back of his head, awkwardly searching for something to say.
"You're... really smart for your age, Elizabeth," he offers.
She doesn't react much. "I know," she replies bluntly. Then her tone softens. "But... it's not fun. I don't have any friends."
Lavos blinks, caught off guard. The word echoes in his mind. "Friends..."
Then, for the first time in a while, a genuine smile breaks across his face. "Well... I'll be your friend."
Elizabeth freezes. Her eyes widen, and for a moment, it's like she doesn't believe what she heard. Then her lips tremble, and tears begin streaming down her cheeks.
"R-Really...? You mean it?"
Lavos nods. "Yeah. I mean... I don't have any friends either."
The little girl breaks down, sobbing quietly as the weight of her loneliness finally lifts. For the first time, she feels seen, like she matters.
Lavos watches her with a soft smile. Something warm flickers in his chest, unfamiliar yet comforting. He crouches down slowly, ignoring the ache in his legs, and gently pats her head.
"You're not alone anymore," he says softly.
Then he stands, wincing a bit, and turns to leave. As he walks away, he turns around raising his hand in a lazy wave.
"Goodbye, Elizabeth," he calls. "I'll see you soon."
Elizabeth wipes her tears, watching him go, her small heart filled with hope.