Sami slowly opened his eyes. The room was entirely white, and he felt himself lying on something comfortable. He tried to get up and move his body, but he couldn't feel his leg. He suddenly sat up violently and anxiously pushed aside the white sheet to see that his leg was still there.
"Oof... My heart almost stopped for a moment... Damn, it seems I broke it."
"Hello, brother. It seems you're awake."
Sami turned towards the voice and saw Little Eagle sitting on the adjacent chair.
"Ah, it seems I am... Where are the others? Is everyone okay?"
Little Eagle's expression changed, and he lowered his gaze towards the floor.
"The attackers are gone... The attack targeted only the Colosseum and the prison. The Clan didn't know anything until we informed the central clan. Forces arrived afterward, from our Clan and the central one. Not many died, and the situation was contained... but..."
He paused for a moment, his voice becoming gloomier:
"But there are some missing."
Sami raised his eyes towards him and asked quietly, worry etched on his features:
"What about Niko and the others? Are the supervisors okay?"
Little Eagle answered in a sad tone:
"Niko was taken by an official from the central clan for questioning. As for the supervisors, most survived, and so did the Bound... but Turtle of the Water hasn't been found yet."
Sami asked quickly:
"What do you mean?... Did he die? Or they just didn't find his body?"
"They didn't find any trace of him... I personally searched, but nothing. It's as if he vanished. The place he was in was completely destroyed, and everyone there was killed. It's very hard to hope for his survival... I just wish we could have given him a proper goodbye, if he was really going to die."
The boy lowered his head, and Sami did the same, plunging the room's atmosphere into stifling gloom.
Sami felt deep sadness and a burning pang of guilt... All this was his fault. If only he had taken the old man with him during the escape, or if he hadn't run at all... maybe everyone could have survived.
He was sinking into a whirlpool of dark thoughts, besieged by sorrow, when the sudden entrance of another person interrupted him.
Aasia entered the room, wearing a white medical coat, her red hair cascading behind her. There were bandages wrapped around her head and arm, but she paid no attention to her injuries. As soon as she saw Sami, she smiled with relief:
"Oh, you're awake! That's great... I was afraid I'd lose my first friend in the Colosseum. Well, once you recover... we'll spar, don't forget your promise!"
Then she looked at Little Eagle and said with a mischievous smile:
"And you too, kid! Of course, I'd like to duel both of you. There's no better way to become friends, right?"
Sami didn't care much for swordsmen, especially one obsessed with duels like her. He temporarily ignored her and looked seriously at Little Eagle, asking:
"How long has it been since I fell asleep?"
The boy answered:
"I think about half a day?"
Shock appeared on Sami's face, a kind he hadn't shown even during his first ordeal. He seemed extremely agitated, then breathed heavily and quickly returned to the medical bed, hiding under the sheet.
Aasia and Little Eagle looked at him in bewilderment. Aasia asked him curiously:
"Why are you hiding?"
Sami replied in a hoarse voice full of tension:
"Because she's coming... As soon as she finds out, she'll come."
Aasia asked, curiosity growing in her tone:
"Who is she?"
Sami replied, shrinking further under the sheet:
"It's... my mother."
And as soon as he uttered the sentence, the room's door flew open forcefully, and a tall woman appeared at the entrance. She had a perfect figure, wearing a pure white cloak interwoven with golden threads. Her skin was flawless white, her face celestial, overflowing with pure beauty and serenity.
Her long, golden hair cascaded down to her waist, shiny and silky. She looked strangely complete, combining majesty and comfort, as if above all worldly things.
As soon as she saw Sami, worry appeared on her face:
"Oh, my son... why didn't you tell your mother your room number? I was so worried; I opened every door looking for you."
Her voice was sweet, warm, and beautiful, matching her beauty.
Aasia and Little Eagle were completely captivated by her charm and didn't dare utter a single word.
Sami replied angrily and violently:
"Because I just woke up!... And I don't have to tell you anything... I can rely on myself!"
She looked at him sadly, then turned towards the others and lifted a beautiful basket she was carrying:
"You're Sami's friends, aren't you? Thank you for looking after my son. Here, eat something; you must be hungry."
Aasia said awkwardly:
"You don't have to do that!"
And Little Eagle added in confusion:
"We're fine..."
They were both extremely flustered in front of this enchanting figure, while Sami was angry and agitated, not knowing how to handle this situation. He still hadn't learned how to resolve his family issues.
And suddenly, from behind her, a small girl dressed in white emerged, with a lovely face, enchanting blue eyes, and rosy cheeks. Her black hair was silky, and she looked like a human doll. She approached Sami shyly and said in a soft voice:
"Ah... h-he... hello... brother... Are you okay?"
Sami gently patted her head and said with a calm smile:
"Yes, I'm fine..."
Then he raised his eyes towards his mother, who was continuing to "bully" his friends, and asked seriously:
"So, Mother... what happened?"
Her expressions changed slightly, but her face remained as majestic as before. She quietly sat on the edge of the bed, suddenly making the bed seem more elegant, then looked gently at Aasia and Little Eagle and smiled:
"Could you give us some family time, please?"
They agreed swiftly and left the room with an awkward smile.
She took a deep breath, then looked at Sami and said calmly:
"...The situation... is very bad."
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