Epsilon stood in front of his home. It had been a long gruelling 2 weeks since he'd been gone, but finally he could return. He wouldn't be here for long though, as later today he would have to leave for the NQSC.
There were only 3 weeks till the winter solstice, and travel over the ocean was very rare due to the Nightmare gates spawning inside of it. The next ship over the Atlantic ocean wouldn't be till next year, and he only had 2 days to get to the current one which is at the eastern edge of North America.
In other words, today was the last day he would get to spend time with his mother for a long time.
Taking a step in the house, his heart immediately sank. Everything was gone, empty, they had been robbed. But a little while later, he heard footsteps rush down from the stairs.
His chest lightened a little, it was his mom. Immediately, she ran up to her son and gave him a warm hug. She hadn't seen him in just as long too, but right away, she could tell that something was wrong.
"You fought with your brother didn't you."
Epsilon was a little surprised.
"I'm your mother, I know everything about you two. Are you going to tell me what it was about?"
"He just can't keep up with me anymore. If he's too scared to take the next step, then I don't need him by my side."
She stepped back a little before gazing into his eyes. They were cold, empty and lonely. And then she told a strange story.
"Your father used to have a brother before I met him. They were exactly like you two, except they worked for a much larger group of thieves that stole from the government."
This was the first time Epsilon had heard a story about his uncle. When he and Nero asked about family outside of theirs, their mother and father usually dodged those questions.
"One day, on a heist, your uncle ended up getting left behind. Your father tried to go back for him, but his companions dragged him home. On that day, his brother died. And he would've died too if he tried to save him.
After that, he quit being a thief, and tried to live an honest and good life. I met him, we fell in love, and then we had you two."
Epsilons eyes widened.
"What I'm trying to say is, fear isn't necessarily a bad thing. It isn't just an obstacle that needs to be conquered, but it can also humble you, and tell you your limits. If your brother is scared, then he isn't just scared for himself, but for you too."
"Then if he thinks I'll fail, why didn't he try to stop me?"
His mother then put each of her hands on Epsilons cheeks, before caressing them gently. They were soft, clean, and cold.
"Your a tenacious kid, once you set your mind on something you won't ever steer away, but that doesn't mean your brother has given up on you yet. Isn't that he wants to stop whatever your doing, but he is not letting himself get in your way. The best thing he can do is to pave a smooth enough road for you to walk, rather than follow you down it, because he knows he'll just hold you back. So try not to hate him for it."
If Epsilon wasn't Tenacious, he would've died in those dungeons while the two Divine beings fought.
**
Later that day, Epsilon was standing near a small gathering of Jeeps. He wasn't the only sleeper that was being taken to the NQSC, but Emma and 2-3 others were present. There was also a cohort of awakened here to guide them, as the lands outside would be scattered with Nightmare Creatures.
In 5 minutes they would leave. Emma quickly climbed inside one of the Jeeps, and Epsilon was just about to follow suit. But in the corner of his eye, he saw Nero walking up to him in a crutch.
Making eye contact, the two didn't say anything for a long while. Epsilon wasn't sure what to think of him anymore. But it was Nero who spoke first.
"Brother, I can't support you in your dream..."
He then threw something into the air, which Epsilon quickly caught in one hand. Taking a closer look at it, his eyes widened in surprise.
It was a camera.
"Finding a guy who would take a Soul Shard as other payment was harder than I thought... but I was able to get that for you. I can't help you achieve your dream, but I will still be cheering you on."
Epsilon slowly recalled what he told Nero all that time ago. They had been through so much in just 2 weeks, that he almost forgot he wanted to be a photographer. Nero just smiled, before lightly waving at him.
"Good luck."
Epsilon smiled back.