The doors of the Audience Chamber slammed with a resounding crash as Renatus and Hiram followed the glimmer of starlight back home through the quieter streets of Kaufernis, with the occasional playful laughter of children in the distance alongside the click-clacking of his heels breaking the silence of the eternal night.

“You handled their instructions pretty well, my boy,” Hiram smiled, patting Renatus on the back with two hard taps that made his head bob. The soft glow from the streetlights made him radiate a subtle warmth that added to his already approachable appearance.

“I’m surprised you turned up, in the nick of time too,” Renatus replied. Had he not appeared when he did, he would’ve left empty handed in a fit of rage since tearing their limbs apart wasn’t an option, not to mention that he wouldn’t have had the power to pressure the GateKeeper into mentioning Vaina at all.

“Are you still thinking about her?” Hiram asked as he nodded silently in response, still partly lost in his thoughts. The maze of questions that sprouted in his mind began trailing into feelings of doubt, his chest feeling a tad heavier as the path home suddenly felt a lot further than it usually was. 

“Did you…”
“Know about any of this? Definitely not,” Hiram cut in, shaking his head as he returned a smile soon after. “I just had a hunch that a certain GateKeeper knew something about it, and sure enough he slipped. You helped wrangle that out, to which I’m thankful for. Now we have more to work with.” 

The words eased a hefty load off his chest as Renatus sighed in relief. How did he have the heart to doubt Hiram? It left a bad taste in his mouth, but the reassurance at least left him with one less thing to worry about. 

Noticing an absence of a reply, Hiram briefly stopped in his tracks and turned to Renatus, who was still in a dazed state as they turned the corner to walk up the street just outside the home.  He firmly held onto his shoulders, directly maintaining eye contact with him as he said, “Renatus, make sure to have in the back of your mind that the Higher Authority always has ulterior motives. Do not hesitate to turn your back against them if need be.” 

“Of course,” he murmured, just audible enough for Hiram to hear. With how the Higher Authority blatantly concealed such valuable information from him, he wouldn’t be surprised if they were working together with Godric, if anything. He could barely trust anyone, not even the likes of the GateKeeper. There was only himself, and his family.

At last, they reached the doorstep of the humble abode. It was a rectangular structure that was primarily built with light beige stones that matched the cool-toned stone path leading up to the door, fitted with a heavy dark oak double door adorned with golden fittings and two matching windows with vibrant flowerpots that sat on its sill. The home also consisted of a floral-patterned metal balcony that boasted a lavish view of the entire city, which was his favourite place to brood within the space, if not the dark tiled rooftop. It was a modestly sized home not fit for a king let alone a god, but enough for the four of them to reside comfortably with enough privacy.

Hiram warmly grinned as he reached for the doorknob. “Don’t forget, Renatus - you’re not alone, and never have been. You have all of us supporting you, no matter where you are, especially Rhys. You will get the answers that you’ve sought for so long and put those anxieties to rest - if not, I will find a way to make it happen and grant it for you.”

Renatus knew that he was always sincere with every word he spoke, without a single lie ever slipping from his lips ever since he was brought into his humble home. And whenever he made a promise, he always remembered and kept them close to his heart, fulfilling each and every one he could.