Vortex Origins
Chapter 68: Guz’s family - 2

Chapter 68: Guz’s family - 2

Ash sank into the couch. The old leather groaned under his weight. It was stiff, worn, and smelled faintly of dust and old sweat. Zoey hovered close on one side, too close. Nina sat on the other, arms crossed, eyes sharp.

Across from them, Guz and Hannah sat on a faded couch, the cushions slumping under the years.

The room was quiet in a tired way—like everything inside had learned to keep going without making noise.

Guz leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"Ash just survived a journey through Sandworm Valley and made it out alive. That should be impossible."

He let out a dry chuckle. No humor in it. More like someone mocking death after brushing shoulders with it.

"I still remember the first time I saw him. I was on the cabin, keeping watch. It was quiet. Just the wind and the dunes. Then the storm came in—fast. I thought it was just another dead wind until I saw a figure walking straight through it."

His eyes met Ash’s.

"I swear... I thought it was a high-tier creature. I bolted underground."

Ash’s thoughts clicked.

’Oh, now I get it. And the reason why he was scared and shivering was because I appeared so close to the cabin so quickly. Yeah, that wasn’t normal for a human who came out of sandworm valley.’

Nina leaned forward, frowning.

"Wait... you walked out of Sandworm Valley? Isn’t that suicide? How is that even possible?"

Ash gave a small shrug.

"I ran."

Nina stared.

"You expect us to believe that?"

Ash bit the inside of his cheek.

’But I’m telling the truth...’

He stayed quiet. People never believed the truth when it was plain. Not in a world like this.

Guz raised a hand.

"Enough. Let’s not dig into secrets he isn’t ready to share. I’m sure he has his reasons."

’Secrets?’

Ash echoed in his head.

’I guess so. I’m still trying to figure out what the hell this thing is... whatever’s inside me.’

His eyes wandered around the room. Stone walls patched with metal. Wires nailed to corners. A place cobbled together like a memory someone refused to let go.

Guz noticed his gaze.

"Yeah, I know. Doesn’t look like much. But we do our best to stay alive out here."

Ash tilted his head.

"But... aren’t you part of the Terra family? Why didn’t you just go back to the city? I’m sure they’d take you in."

Guz let out a low laugh and looked at his family.

"Yeah, they would. But I’d rather stay out here."

Ash frowned.

’What is he talking about? How is this wasteland better than Geopolis? That city has walls. Tech. Soldiers.’

"But isn’t this place dangerous?"

"Oh, it’s very dangerous," Guz said.

His mouth tugging into a tired smile.

"You’ve seen my job. I’m a Watcher. That alone’s enough to get most settlers killed. But it’s the only job I could get."

Ash stared, trying to understand.

"Still... you chose this? The Terra family would’ve accepted you, regardless of your Vessel tier. And there are lots of stable and save jobs there."

"They would’ve accepted me, But not my wife."

Ash’s brow furrowed.

"But she’s an Earth user, right?"

Guz’s face shifted—just a bit.

"That’s what I thought too. But they turned down the application."

The room didn’t move. Even Zoey stopped shifting beside him.

Ash’s mind raced.

’Weird. Terra’s strict, sure—but not that strict. She’s an Earth user. That should’ve been enough. Guz has the name. He also lived in village. Unless...’

"Who handles the application process?"

"Lane, He’s the one in charge of sending it to Geopolis."

’ Lane...’

The name echoed like a loose screw in a machine.

’Now he sounds really suspicious. Why would he lie about the application? What’s he hiding? And what the hell is really going on in this settlement?’

Guz saw the shift in Ash’s stare—still, unmoving, lost somewhere in a thought he hadn’t spoken aloud. The room had quieted again, heavy with words that hadn’t been said.

"Hey... don’t worry about it,"

His tone didn’t waver.

"My family’s managing. We’ve got a roof, food... we’re together. That’s more than most can claim out here."

Ash didn’t look up. His voice came low, almost too calm.

"Still... doesn’t it seem off to you? That they rejected it?"

Hannah stiffened. Her reply cut through the silence.

"Yeah, it is off. We thought we’d be accepted. After the rejection... it didn’t feel like chance anymore."

Her fingers clenched the fabric of her skirt, knuckles pale.

"We think someone stopped it. Just like with the others."

Ash leaned in. His eyes didn’t leave hers.

"Others?"

She gave a slow nod.

"I work the cleaning routes. You see a lot. Hear more. People trying to get out... most of them denied. No explanation. Like the system shuts them down before they even get a real shot."

Her voice cracked near the end.

"We didn’t ask for this life..."

Ash felt a knot form in his chest. His thoughts drew sharp.

’No way this is all coincidence... and Lane... he looks to be at the center of it.’

Guz pulled her close, arm over her shoulder, hand rubbing gently like he was trying to smooth away more than just the cold in the air. Across the room, the girls stayed quiet—heads lowered, no longer children in a moment like this.

Trying to shift the weight, Guz glanced at Ash.

"Hey... tell us more about your father. I’m curious. What kind of man was the ’Flame’ behind all the stories?"

Ash caught it—the shift. A new topic. Something lighter.

’Alright. I get what you’re doing, old man. Let’s play along...’

He let a half-smile rise.

"Well... he’s a battle-hardened egoist with the temper of a collapsing sun. If you’ve met my brother Kael? Pretty much the same disaster, just younger."

Nina straightened, interest sparking in her eyes.

"Wait—Kael? You said he’s here, right? Where is he now?"

Ash blinked.

’That switch-up was fast. She lit up the second I said his name.’

Still, he kept his face steady, even as his thoughts soured.

’Another victim of kael’s charm.’

"They’re at the infirmary, Kael and Max—checking on the injured."

Nina’s hands clasped together, a soft look taking over.

"Aww, that’s so sweet. That’s why Kael’s the best of the brothers... and the strongest too. Not to mention the most handsome."

Ash stared at her, lips unmoving.

’Really? I’m right here.’

Guz coughed loud enough to jolt the moment.

"Nina. Feelings. Consider them."

Nina flinched. Her eyes went wide.

"Oh! Oh gods—I’m so sorry, Ash, I didn’t mean it like—"

"It’s fine," Ash said.

The air around him changed. Duller. Quieter.

"You’re not wrong. Kael’s the one closest to Dad’s level."

The quiet didn’t last long.

Guz leaned forward, voice softer now.

"By the way... aren’t you a little young to be part of a team like this? Shouldn’t you be at the academy? Just wondered... why did your father agree to it?"

Ash’s shoulders tensed. His face turned flat, the smile gone. What little warmth had been in his expression vanished without a sound.

Guz raised a hand fast, catching it.

"You don’t have to answer, If it’s too personal..."

Ash shook his head. Slow. Measured. His eyes didn’t lift.

"No. It’s not that..."

His voice came low, almost like the words dragged weight behind them.

"It just brings back a lot."