After Ezra and his mother had stopped crying, and the introductions and formalities were out of the way, they all sat in the small living room of Ezra's home.
"I really can't thank you enough for watching after Ezra all this time," his mother said, bowing her head.
Ezra sighed.
"Ma, you've said that like four times already. Give it a rest."
"I have not." She turned toward Rion and Maria. "Right?"
She had definitely said it four times already, but Rion and Maria weren't about to be the ones to tell her.
"No, Mrs. Rain, that was the first time you said it," Rion said.
"Yup, very first time," Maria parroted. "Maybe that Riamo hit your son on the head or something."
Ezra's mother looked up slowly.
"What's a Riamo—"
"Anyyyways," Ezra cut in, glaring at Rion and Maria to shut up.
"Ma, is it alright if we stay here tonight?"
She sighed.
"Don't be asking questions you already know the answer to. Why only tonight?"
Ezra's jaw flexed.
"Well... tomorrow we'll be fighting the Wyrm, and I can't say... I mean... I don't know if..." He trailed off as he saw his mother's face stiffen.
Slowly, she lowered her gaze.
"So you're fighting it... I was hoping you'd never say those words."
"Ma—"
"No. I knew they were coming. I've known this whole time. It's just..."
She slowly looked up at her son then as if pained she said.
"Defeat it."
Ezra's eyes widened. So did Rion's and Maria's, for that matter.
"Defeat it and come home. I don't want to hear any of that 'I don't know' or 'I can't say' nonsense. Do you understand me, Ezra?"
There was a stretch of silence before Ezra met his mother's eyes, resolute and firm.
"...Understood."
Another stretch of silence lingered before she nodded.
"Good."
Then she stood from the couch.
"I'll go get the beds ready now. Maria, you can take Ezra's."
Maria stood up and followed after her.
"Sweet!"
This left Rion and Ezra sitting alone together on the couch.
Rion grinned at him.
"Your mom is a badass."
Ezra nodded absentmindedly.
"Yeah... This whole time I was so scared to face her. Never once did I think she had that side to her." He'd expected tears, shouting, an argument—not... this.
"Would you have rather she made a big fuss about it?" Rion asked.
Ezra shook his head.
"No. It's just... I don't know, I feel good."
Rion smiled.
"That's the fun thing about life, y'know? No matter how far you go or how much you've seen, there's always something else hiding ready to surprise you."
He stood up and stretched.
"That's why I love adventuring." The words came naturally to him.
Ezra chuckled.
"You sound wise for someone who doesn't have any memories."
Rion laughed.
"Shut up."
Then he extended a hand to Ezra, who took it and stood up from the couch. Without letting go, Rion met his gaze.
"After this is all over, I want to go on even more adventures with you, Ezra."
Hearing those words, Ezra felt something he'd never felt before, yet somehow it also felt like something he'd been waiting, wishing to feel his entire life.
Holding back tears, he muttered,
"Yeah."
Rion flashed him a smile and headed for the room.
Ezra remained standing in the living room, feeling happier than he ever had before.
(And thus, Lost Keep's adventure continues…)