"You… knew my mother?"

"Of course, we grew up together."

​​

The trickle of the fire was almost in agreement with the feeling that was building up inside Andrea. She didn't know much about her mother, as she died before Andrea ever got any real memory of her. She could even say that even though her memories got erased by Hans, she remembers more about Evangeline than her own mother.

Her father also did not really talk about her mother that much, only saying that she was a troubled woman. Andrea didn't think much of it, of course, as any other woman in the Relic Graveyard could be considered more than troubled.

"I… really am sorry for--"

"You should be saying that to Evans."

Hearing the aggressiveness in Andrea's voice, Evangeline could not help but take in a deep breath before letting out a wry smile. "He… has grown up, hasn't he?"

"Maybe if you didn't leave, he would have grown up more," Andrea furrowed her eyebrows. Even though she knew that the Evangeline she was talking about right now was different from the cold Evangeline that caused every fucked up shit that's happening now, she still could not stop herself from feeling betrayed.

"So, who is the real you?" Andrea asked, "I have seen you almost every day in the market as Chloe, selling some weird trinkets. I assume that was you?"

"...Yes," Evangeline once again let out a wry smile.

"Then why… why didn't you just visit Evans even once?"

"I wanted to. I really did," Evangeline closed her eyes as their color slowly reflected the color of the fire, "But I can't. The only thing I could do was ask you about him. Everyday… Every day I wanted to come home with you… each time you brought home a meal to cook, I wanted to be the one to do that for him. But this… this other me…

...it just won't let me be with my son."

"...What are you?" Andrea could not help but ask. Sarah, who was beside her, was also curious as to Evangeline's real identity. But alas, the only response they got from her was the shake of her head.

"She… is different. But at the same time, we are the same."

Andrea could only slightly raise her eyebrow from Evangeline's confusing words. But after a few seconds, she just let out a long and deep sigh. She knew she wouldn't be able to get answers from her, at least not like this. So it was better to ask something that the Evangeline in front of them knew.

"My mother… you said you knew her?"

As soon as Andrea asked that, Sarah wanted to leave and give the two privacy, but before she could even stand up, Andrea grabbed her. Feeling the heavy grip that exuded Andrea's vulnerability, Sarah could only stay.

"Pft," Evangeline let out a chuckle as she heard Andrea's words, "You could even say we were almost inseparable when we were younger. You know, it was such a big surprise with the rest of the ladies that Skylar got pregnant with you, but I already knew that your father and she were together even way before that."

Slowly, Evangeline's chuckle turned into peals of laughter. Her previous cold and calculating demeanor were completely nowhere to be seen. There truly were two different personalities inside Evangeline, Andrea thought as she kept staring at Evangeline.

"You were born so small, even smaller than Evans," Evangeline's laughter slowly faded as she returned Andrea's gaze, "You're… all grown up and looking more and more like your mother each day. If it wasn't for your father's genes clinging to you, I am sure you would have blue hair as well. I swear, it would seem like your father and my husband just took away all the good qualities that your mother and I could give."

Evangeline was almost talking nonstop as she reminisced about the past. Andrea, however, focused on one thing. With the mention of her mother's hair color, Andrea could not help but suddenly turn her eyes towards Evangeline's hair.

"Are you and mother… sisters?" Andrea lightly gulped as she waited for Evangeline's answer. But alas, the only answer she got was Evangeline's laugh. But after a few seconds of laughter, Evangeline once again let out a sigh as she focused on the fire in front of them.

"We might as well have been since we were together ever since we were children," Evangeline smiled, "I could still remember--"

"Wait."

"Hm?"

Midway through the conversation, Andrea finally realized that she was missing something throughout the whole conversation-- one crucial fact.

"You keep saying the two of you grew up together..." Andrea blinked a couple of times. With each blink, her eyes turned wider, "...but aren't you over a thousand years old?"

"That is true, yes," Evangeline slightly tilted her head to the side, somewhat confused about Andrea's words.

"That…" Andrea could not help but stutter as she slowly stood up, dragging Sarah with her, "Doesn't that mean… That… doesn't that mean…"

Sarah was slightly confused as well as to why Andrea was suddenly acting this way. But after a few seconds, she realized why. And as soon as she did so, her eyes also widened in shock as she looked back and forth between Andrea and Evangeline.

"Doesn't that mean… mother is also a thousand years old?"

Evangeline stared Andrea straight in the eyes for a couple of seconds before nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders, "Yes?"

"Why… why are you acting like this is not a big deal!?" Andrea could not help but shout, quickly garnering the attention of the other people near them, "You just said my mother was a thousand years old!"

"Well, we're actually a little more older than that," Evangeline said as she threw a piece of wood to the bonfire, "And not was… is."

"W… what?"

"Your mother is still alive," Evangeline let out a long and deep breath as she stood up from the bench. Her ascent, however, did not stop there as her feet completely left the ground.

"...and it would seem you will be meeting her sooner than expected," Evangeline said, the tone of her voice now once again completely different than how it was just a second ago, "How peculiar, but I expected nothing less from a Feather, albeit without any memory."

"What are you--"

"!!!"

Before Andrea could even finish her words, a loud explosion thundered through the air.

"We're under attack!"

A roar then whispered to their ears as the ones tasked to guard and watch the empty fields outside all shouted at the same time-- also insinuating that the attack was on all sides.

Nisha, who was still previously busy talking about the steps they could take, quickly got out from her tent along with Cynthia and Gil. "Those who are not able to fight, go inside the Portal!", Nisha quickly ordered before dashing and climbing to the top of the New Wall.

"What's the situa--"

However, she did not need to complete her question to get her answer. "What… what the hell?" Nisha could not help but rub her eyes if she was seeing it clearly, "Just…

...where was the Circle hiding all of these people?"

Even though it was dark, the horizon reflected the rays of the moon, almost causing Nisha to feel like she was currently in the middle of the ocean. But instead of waves, it was people; carefully lined up and all wearing white suits, which reflected the light of skies.

They were like ants, numerous without a doubt.