6

Being a knight, even at the tender age of nine, consisted mostly of boring days. I spent the mornings training with Eris and Ghislaine, before teaching the two in the mid day. Before dinner I would go into the town and either do small jobs with the adventurer's guide, or other chores I had needed to complete such as working with the blacksmith creating designs for armor I planned to commission or sell to adventurers. My evenings after dinner were spent with Sauros, discussing nobility, lordship, and intricate royal politics that I would be privy to after assuming control of the Notos branch. The two years spent in service to the Boreas branch had significantly eased my mind, lessening the burden of leading people and living my life in the light that I had feared I would be unable to deal with. That was most days.

The day in question, however, was not like most days, having put me on a path of both great loss and even greater happiness, challenging my abilities and steering my course down a completely different path.

It was early into the winter of my third year in Roa. In six months I would celebrate my tenth birthday with my extended family. The years in the regional capital had been kind to me, giving me ample opportunity to grow the not inconsiderable wealth I had acquired from the kidnapping, as well as expand my skills in swordsmanship, teaching, and even magic. Eris and Ghislaine were wildly different students as compared with Sylphie, both being animated and physical learners as opposed to wishing to discuss theory. I'd had to learn to make each lesson one in practicality, an exercise in frustration when Eris decided that mana strengthening and efficiency exercises were useless. That day I found myself dressing to leave to the adventurers guild.

"I said no Eris. I won't be party to actions that may get you hurt." She snarled at me, savage and angry as I denied her request yet again.

"Why do you get to be a part of the guild then Rudy?! I'm older than you, and just as good of a fighter if not better!" Her retort was biting, and inwardly I flinched at the remark, an action that I felt more often now in falling under the Boreas banner. She wasn't wrong however. Eris was a prodigy in Sword God style, almost seeming to be Ghislaine reborn as she attacked with a ferocity that I often found myself comparing to that of brute chieftain. While I had progressed in Sword God as well, it didn't call to me like it did my teacher and fellow student. North God style with its adaptability and quick thinking instead called to me, begging for me to become a practitioner of the art. I'd complied, my fighting style changing and becoming more flexible like it had in my previous life. The current fight between us was the result of a long series of arguments over whether or not Eris was ready to take on more responsibility and join the guild.

"Because for one it was very lucky I was to join at the age I did, regardless of my sword fighting ability. Second, I'm just seeing what's available and if there's anyone I can recruit to your guard. I'm not even looking for a job today!" Arguments between us were consistent and fiery. Two and a half years had done little to quell the girl's rebellious attitude towards me. It had become worse lately, with Eris lashing out at me over perceived inadequacies on my part as her knight and teacher, as well as what she felt were unfair and unjust things. Things such as my membership with the local chapter of the guild. "Eris I don't even do anything interesting when I do work with the guild. I just pay my dues and often trade work for swordsmanship lessons, you know this!" My frustrations began to boil over as she turned away from me, refusing to look at me even as I questioned her. "Why are you so insistent on this? You could get hurt, and it's my job to protect you." I'd taken Saruos's charge to heart, protecting the heiress and ensuring that she was protected either by me or by a rotating guard of soldiers and adventurers I'd picked.

She turned back, her eyes searching mine, an ugly look on her face before walking away. "You're an idiot Rudy." Scathing. She was upset, a very frequent occurrence these days, and I had no idea how to fix it. For all I have grown as a person and as a human, coming to realize the extent of my feelings for Roxy and how closely I relied on Sylphie for an emotional connection in my master's absence, most complex emotions beyond rage and frustration were still hard for me to grasp. Sighing, I returned to dressing. I finished tying the belt which held my leather chest piece in place before putting a coat on and leaving.

Snow fell lightly, blowing in the breeze as I made my way through Roa. I had no need for a guide, long since learning the paths to the buildings and businesses I frequented. ' These arguments between Eris and I can't continue, not if I'm going to be able to teach her anymore. ' I sighed as I rounded the final block, my destination in sight. The guild was lovely like it usually was. Young and old adventurers alike celebrating the formation of parties or the successful completion of jobs with beer and large amounts of food. Finding one of the few unoccupied tables I removed my jacket and made my way to the job board. Two and a half years, plus a stable place to live and adequate instruction in the skills I'd developed had satisfied the guild personnel to the point where I'd ranked up, now holding the rank of D rank adventurer.

The board was full of jobs either below my level, or largely above it, requiring travel out of the Asura kingdom to complete them. It was an exercise I'm frustration, I had no desire to return to the castle with Eris acting as she was, and I currently had no plans or chores to do in town.

"Having no luck Rudeus?" I turned and stared at the large man behind me. Rudolpous Heymen was a giant, coming in at a staggering seven foot and four inches. He was stocky as well, having lived his early life as an adventurer of some renown apparently. Those days were long gone however, and hair that was once a deep black was now salt and pepper, muscle that while was still strong, no longer held the definition that it once did. His eyes appraised me as I turned back to the board.

"No. Unfortunately not. I have the day to myself, and was hoping that I could do a job to distract myself from my home. But," pointing to the lack of available jobs, "there's nothing available for a single individual to do." He nodded, stroking his long beard even as he moved to stand next to me.

"Hmmm. You are correct. There's nothing publicly available it would seem." Ahh. There it was, publicly available meant he had a special deal for me. It was something that had happened in the past between us. Rudolpous had seen right through me, pulling me aside and speaking to me as a man grown about a year after my introduction into the guild. He'd begun offering me more clandestine jobs, unranked and unofficial but ones that I'd be able to make large amounts of money, while furthering my reputation with himself and the clients he represented. "How about we speak in my office?" I nodded, following the man after grabbing my coat.

Heymen had a medium sized office, with little to decorate it. The most interesting thing in the office was a placard on his desk that read "To Rudolpous Heymen, in recognition of his services." I'd asked the large man about it once and he'd simply smiled and waved me off, saying it was nothing special. I found myself in the comfortable leather chair across from the man as he searched through his desk before pulling out a scroll and handing it to me. "What's the contract?" Accepting the scroll I opened it and began to read while he explained.

"Black market monster breeding operation run by a special type of wizard known as a creationist. Some pretty nasty stuff to be honest. The rise in goblins and ghouls I'm sure you've noticed?" I nodded, many contracts had opened lately concerning said monsters. "Well it's because of this operation. The patron thinks it's gonna get worse and we'll start seeing rabid minotaurs and gorgon's soon if someone doesn't put a stop to it. It means a fast timeline Rudy, but I'm sure you understand that." Another nod as I studied the enclosed map as well as weaknesses of the current monsters originating from the project as well as the theorized next waves weaknesses.

"How does the patron know there's a wizard behind this? Ghouls have no intelligence but goblins are known to establish new dens." Long hours of study in the library had paid off. "The magical signature found in the monsters, it's a type of dark magic that can be found in each of his creations. That's how the patron can tell someone is behind this." I nodded, taking the information in stride as I finished the scroll.

"One final thing Rudy. Monsters like this can't just be bred that quick. Ghouls are diseased humans, and goblins will deplete an area's resources before the amount we're seeing is possible. It's not possible, not without an incubation source at least." Looking away from the scroll, Rudolpous's face was set in stone. We both knew what he meant, evil bastards always used others for their own gain or as tools. "If you can, bring them home. If they're too far gone…well it's better they not suffer."

"I understand." Standing, I held out my hand, shaking his massive one. Turning, I left to the main hall where I collected my coat and left back to the castle. I began going over what I'd need for the night. ' Short sword, caves are too tight for anything larger. Some sort of food and extra water for the hostages. I'll have to take the carriage then as well, bring them back in some comfort. ' So it went.

Upon returning to the castle, I placed the scroll away in my trunk before locking it and going about the rest of my afternoon. Dinner with the household, followed by my daily lessons and conversation with Sauros. The tension between Eris and I remained, hanging over the household with a heavy and stifling attitude. ' It's always like this when we fight. She makes the rest of her family feel uncomfortable just because she's angry. ' I ignored it, bidding goodnight to everyone following the cessation of the nightly lessons, I rested in my room for an hour, waiting for the sounds of the servants and fellow residents to go to bed.

Once it was quite enough, I snuck out. The shadows welcomed me as they always did, wrapping me in their inky blackness as I made my way to the stables. Once there, I began to prepare my carriage for travel, packing weapons and supplies for the night. The horses from two years ago had been given away to work fields, their pedigree not being good enough for what I needed. In their place I had bought a mare and a stallion, Bellona and Tyr, to breed and use as my mounts. The two easily hooked up to the carriage, and we were off.

Roa was quickly left behind as the horses galloped out of the town. It was a cold night, winter was just beginning to set in, a snow storm heralding its arrival and letting its flakes fall from the heavy clouds above. Time passed, the long nights playing to my strengths as I made my way to the creationists hideout. ' It's the same no matter how much time passes, people that go too far, forget what it means to be human. Become less than human… ' The irony wasn't lost on me as I snorted.

Almost two hours of travel and I found myself deep in the forest where the lair resided. Bellona and Tyr stamping their hooves as I stared at the dimly lit cave entrance. It was a stereotypical villain's lair if I was being honest. Insurrectionists had used similar caves on Arcadia, the jungle planet being riffe with caves that held the secessionists even as the Covenant assaulted and burned the planet. I dropped from the wagon, walking around the back, I released the tailgate. Inside lay mounds of equipment covered in a tarp. ' Time to get ready. ' I stripped off the overcoat I'd been wearing, revealing the leather chest piece I'd worn earlier that day. On my left pec sat an empty sheathe, brother to the one situated in the small of my back. Both made specifically for the daggers I'd crafted years ago. I wore a set of matching leather bracers, as well as leather leggings. I was still too young to wear mail or plate, so leather offered the best amount of protection and mobility right now. Tossing the coat on the gate, I grabbed the tarp and gave it a yank to reveal my gear

"Ahh! Watch it, Rudeus!"

The tarp came away, revealing a disheveled Eris who was trying to calm her hair. I was in disbelief as I stared at my cousin. "You have got to be fucking kidding me. Eris…what the fuck are you doing here? Better yet! How'd you sneak into my wagon?!" I roared at the girl. Her presence was a problem both now, and later.

That was the wrong thing to say apparently as she immediately went on the defensive. "What are you doing here Rudeus?! I just wanted to see where you were going when you ran off at night! Also, how I got into the wagon doesn't matter! What matters is what you're up to! Where even are we?!" I groaned, now was not a good time for this, there were people that needed help and saving. Looking up, I could see she was adamant about getting an answer. ' No time like the present I guess. '

"Alright, fine! You want the truth, then here it is. I moonlight as a special adventurer for the guild. I do special missions for unknown patrons who are concerned about certain things in and around Roa. In there," Pointing to the cave, "are monsters that I need to kill and people I need to save. You being here not only endangers them, but yourself!" I snapped at the girl. Jumping into the carriage, I pushed her to the side and began grabbing the items I'd need. The daggers found their sheathes and the sword I'd brought was strapped to my waist. A bandolier of small grenades which found its way into my chest. "You need to stay here, I've got to go to work."

"I want to help."

"Absolutely fucking not. One, you don't have my experience, and two there could be some high level monsters. I can't do what I need to do and protect you at the same time Eris. Not as I am now." The argument I kept coming back to might have worked had she not gone through such lengths to follow me tonight.

"NO! I came out here and since I'm here I'm going to help Rudy! You don't have to do this alone, and how else am I supposed to get experience if not by helping you?!" I nearly snapped on the girl. Instead, I rubbed my face as her plea gnawed at me. There was a truth to her words, and for all she could train there came a time when the real world had to make itself known and a part of the conversation. It was mostly that tonight was an inopportune time, I had no clue as to how Eris would handle combat or saving people. "Rudeus, please. Let me help you, you don't have to do it alone." The last time we'd been in this situation I'd had no knowledge of her character or skills. Now at least I knew she was competent with a blade and aggressive to boot.

Mind made up, I unbuckled the sword belt and held it out to her. "Alright but you have to follow my lead. Leave your coat too, you'll overheat once the fighting starts." She nodded excitedly, throwing off the coat to reveal her winter workout clothes of insulated pants and a long flannel shirt. The belt was equipped and sword drawn as the excitement began to build in her and a bloodthirsty grin blossomed on her face. "One more thing, put this on." I held out a small bracelet to her. I began to explain seeing her confusion. "It's enchanted. I built it some time ago when I started doing these jobs. It'll let you see in the dark by altering how you perceive the area around us, and take a single hit and not be harmed." My face was serious as I explained the bracelet's function. "It takes a long time to recharge so don't get caught out in a fight if you don't think you can survive without it okay?" She nodded and fell in line with me as I turned and made my way into the cave.

If I had to describe the cave, it was dingy. The inky blackness of the cave first welcomed me and then began to grow brighter as my eyes adjusted. What would have been impossible for anyone else to see in was easy for me. ' I'm becoming more like I was before…physically at least. ' It was true, the more I grew and aged, the more I began to take on characteristics of my life as a Spartan. I was becoming stronger, leaner as the muscles in my body started to coil and develop. My reaction times had gotten faster, now being able to keep up when I entered spartan time. ' My bones have even gotten stronger, almost like the carbide ONI injected into them is regrowing. ' These thoughts consumed me as we came to an intersection in the cave. Clearing my head, I motioned Eris forward. If she was there to help then she'd learn as well as far as I was concerned. My silent question hung in the air, and she began looking between the paths. Within a minute, she found the path, leading us down the right entry way.

The farther we traveled, the less dim and dingy it became. The rough stone became smooth and it gradually began to lighten. Heading deeper within, we found ourselves on a ledge overlooking an open area almost six hundred feet in diameter and with over a hundred feet of air clearance. Kneeling, I began to study the dome. Below us were buildings made of the same stone around us. ' Earth magic then. This creationist is varied in their skill set. ' There was also a pit within the cavern, tunneling deeper into the ground with a circular path winding up from its depth. From it, howls and roars emanated, marking it as the monster holding pens and secondary target. "What are we waiting for Rudeus, let's go!" Eris' harsh whisper almost broke my concentration. I shook my head, holding up my hand and pointing out targets as I whispered back, "We need more information Eris. We can't just rush this. There's hostages, and if we spook the creationist then all those monsters in the hole right there may come charging out. I'm strong, but even that's too much for me. If we don't do this right, the people die."

Uncertainty flashed across her face for a moment before she nodded. Accepting my words, we sat and studied for fifteen minutes, shifting along the ledge of the cavern every five minuets so that we could get a different view. In that time I was able to mark out a storage building and what looked like a laboratory, the final building having no windows or identifying features. Just as we were about to head in, Eris saw him. "Rudeus, right there. Coming out of the large building next to the pit." True enough there he was. I doubt Eris could make out many details about the man besides the staff he carried, but I could see him in more detail. He was gaunt, with a stern face and sunken eyes. A scowl adorned his pale and sweaty face as he limped his way to the edge of the pit. In his hands I could see it, a new born monstrosity that wailed as it struggled in his grip. Making it to the edge of the pit, he threw the child into the chasm, sneering and walking back to the building he came from.

"Good. Now we know where to go, let's go, Eris." She nodded and followed me as I quickly began to scale my way down the cliff. Dropping the last ten feet to the bottom, I pulled out my daggers. Behind me I heard the quiet whisper of the sword's sheathe as Eris followed my lead. We slunk between the buildings, ignoring the cries of the monsters that reverberated around the cavern. Flickering shadows were our home as we made our way closer and closer to the stone building that held the target.

My mana sang to me as I molded myself to the wall of the house, calling for its use, baying for blood even as I strained my ears, listening for signs of an alert. Wails of agony and horror were all that I received for my efforts. "He's inside. Quietly, follow my lead." A pulse of magic, risky as it was due to our target sensing it, ensured that the door wouldn't make a noise as it opened. The entryway gave way as we made our way inside, hunting for the creationist.

The darkness was stifling, choking inside. Broken only by sporadic torches that illuminated closed doors, last which violent and unspeakable acts had been committed. Behind me I could hear Eris muttering obscenities under her breath, angry at what was happening around us. ' I'm angry too Eris, we cut the head off the snake and we'll save all of them. ' I fed the cold fury inside of me, nurturing it as we advanced further through the compound. Coming to a stairwell, we descended, the darkness pressing on us even more the deeper we went.

A gaping basement greeted us at the bottom. On one side sat the creationist, staring at a runic array he'd chiseled into the stone floor. On the other side us, united in anger and righteous purpose. We advanced, making ready to strike when he spoke. "That's close enough, thank you." His voice was high pitched and nasally. Turning, the scowl on his face I'd seen before was deeper now, malice dancing behind his eyes while he palmed his staff. "Children? Armed children." He glanced between us, inspecting or evaluating us. "Kill the boy, disable the girl. I need time to finish this."

Around us, sections of the walls dropped and out they rushed. Green and misshapen, tiny monsters smaller than even us, goblins holding sharp blades ready to slice the two of us apart. Behind them shambled the ghouls, gray and diseased flesh, men and women that had fallen to sickness and infection to the point that they were no longer human and instead walking sickness. They heavily outnumbered us.

"Eris! Back to back!" She took the left, and I the right as the waves of monsters slammed into us. Individually they'd have posed no threat. Together they could have overwhelmed even seasoned parties.

To call it a fight was a misnomer. No, Eris and I were in a bid for survival right off the bat as we staved off death. The short sword roared from its sheath, decapitating goblins and removing limbs. Eris was a whirlwind of death, launching herself into groups of the monsters given the chance. She darted between our enemies, fighting with the reckless abandon of her chosen style. Effective as it was, it cost her. From the other side of the fight I heard it, the loud crack of the shield charm breaking, a clear indication that she no longer had the protection I'd granted the girl. I, on the other hand, weaved my way through the horde surrounding us. The daggers singing a song of precision and dexterity, piercing skulls and deftly deflecting claws and blades as we struggled to survive. Grenades shredded the farthest of the waves, turning bodies into pink mist as the primitive shells exploded. Together, we managed to push back the tide, fire breathing into life from our hands, burning away the corpses and creating a barrier around us. Seeing the flame the goblins and ghouls began wailing, retreating back into their hides. ' We can't fight wave after wave, they'll overwhelm us! ' I grunted, looking at Eris who was smiling, her battle lust taking over. "Go for the creationist!"

We rushed from our fighting position towards the wizard. Panic and fear flashed in his eyes as he began chanting an incantation. ' He's not used to fighting. ' Between the wailing, roars of the flames, and the rushing of blood in my ears I couldn't hear him. The effects of the spell we felt however. Just as we were about to reach the man, there was a flash of light as he slammed his hand onto the array, flinging Eris and I away. Time slowed to a crawl and I began to right myself in the air, positioning so that I impacted the ground with the least amount of damage. Eris had no such ability, flailing as she was thrown. I landed with a grunt, my knees compressing and protesting the action. Eris landed with a crunch, screaming as bones snapped under the force.

My head snapped to where she'd been, searching for her to stand. Seeing that she wasn't moving I knew something was wrong. "Eris! I'm coming!" I launched off from the ground towards my charge, sliding next to her as she sobbed. She was in bad condition, clawing at her back with her hands and I could see blood and bone around her ankles and lower legs. ' Shit! I can't move her, not if her spine has been damaged. ' I was violently pulled from my thoughts as a roar shook the cavern. Eyes wide, I turned and stared. The wizard no longer moved, his corpse charred and smoking from the over expenditure of his mana. The result of his spell towered over him. It was massive, dwarfing even the largest of brute chieftains I'd seen at fourteen feet. The main body was that of a lion which had two heads, a goat bleating and the mained head of a lion. Its tail was replaced with scales, ending in the head of a viper. ' A fucking Chimera?! Shit. '

I moved quickly, covering Eris' mouth. Looking down I could see her tear filled eyes staring at me, begging for relief from the agony. "I know you're hurting Eris, and I'm going to fix it, I promise. But I can't right now, I have to take care of this first okay?" She nodded slowly, whimpering as I adjusted her. "It's gonna be dark, I need you to be brave and not panic. I swear, I won't leave you here, we're gonna both get home okay?" With that I called on my magic and it responded. The ground rose, forming a stone dome around her and slowly sinking downwards to protect her from what was about to happen.

Turning, I stared at the Chimera even as I began to develop a plan. The lion head roared, matching the goat's bleat as it slowly began to circle me, looking for an opening to attack. The stare down continued while I sheathed the dagger in my right hand, picking up the short sword in its place. This was no place for this fight, the monster's massive size gave it too much of an advantage, leaving me no room to maneuver or put space between it and me. With a whisper, my magic provided the answer with an image. Nodding, I imposed my will on reality and my mana sang.

The ground to my right broke apart, becoming a gaping hole in the earth leading upwards. I sprinted towards it, ignoring the roaring of the monster as it chased me, intent on my death. Sweat began to lightly bead the sides of my face as I scrambled up the tunnel, the exertion of moving so much earth at once wordlessly, as well as running from the beast starting to show itself. Yanking myself out of the small opening at the end of the path, I managed to avoid the paw that slammed into the ground where I'd been. It was a fight for time as I quickly backed up from the opening in the ground, desperately trying to think up some sort of plan while the Chimera widened the hole in an attempt to get at me. I searched around me, looking for some sort of tool or trap I could use against the beast. ' I can't fight it, it's too damn big. One hit and it's over. ' The creature roared, its frustration apparent as it redoubled its effort to get to me.

' FUCK! Come on, think! ' Sweat rolled off me as no solutions presented themselves.

"The chasm." The voice had no form, shifting between deep and high quickly as it whispered from the dark recesses of my mind. Had I not been in such a dire situation I may have questioned the existence of another voice inside my head. As it was I ignored the idea that I was crazy and instead raced to the pit. It was deep, becoming wide at the bottom to house the monstrosities inside of it. I sent my mana into the ground, groaning from the continued exertion and strain I felt. Quickly the stone path which spiraled the sides of the hole retracted into the wall, sending several monsters to their deaths as all access was destroyed. Turning, the Chimera finally burst from the tunnel, landing with the grace of a feline it turned. All six eyes flared at me, a low rumble shaking the area around us as the beast let its anger be known.

"Come on then! Come and get me fucker!" The beast roared, but only paced back and forth. Even across the distance I could see it, the intelligence that lurked beyond its eyes, beyond the primal instinct it felt to kill me. ' It knows… ' Chimera were high level monsters, usually requiring groups of S ranked adventurer's to fight in open combat. I was a D rank knight who was better at stealth than melee combat currently. The beast had the advantage and we both knew it. All it had to do was wait me out, and by the time it did Eris would be dead or I wouldn't be able to reverse the damage.

"Anger it Spartan. Blind it with rage." The voice whispered once again from the back of my mind. "Once it lunges, fall backwards, you won't fall, trust me." I had no choice but to trust it again, and I found a plan forming in my mind. Closing my eyes, my inner visualization came to me. The landscape had lost some of its luster, the trees and grass a duller, less vibrant shade of green, the water less clear and sky's overcast as I drew energy from the place. "Please." My voice sounded weak as I pleaded. "I know I've asked a lot in a little time but I need more." Darkness coalesced, forming into a being before me. Within it swirled bright lights and stars, mirroring my form and size as galaxies floated across its surface. ' My mana. ' It vibrated, whether out of excitement or anger I knew not but it didn't matter. "Eris will die if I can't do this, if WE can't do this. Will you help me?" I offered my hand to it, hoping, praying it'd lend me the energy I needed.

The being vibrated, before coming to a stop. Looking at its own hand, it placed it in my own, firmly gripping and then shaking. Thus we were in agreement.

Opening my eyes, I felt rejuvenated. My second wind had come. No longer was I lightly panting and sweating, no I was fresh and ready for the second round. Standing, I glared at the beast across from me. It hadn't stopped pacing, coming no closer out of fear of the edge perhaps. The monster's hesitation would be its mistake, allowing me to recharge. I sheathed the dagger and set the sword on the ground. They'd be of no use in this fight and would only serve to slow me down. Instead, my hand rose to sit in the air, a small flame sitting in it. My heart throbbed in my ears as mana flowed through my body into my hand, the flame growing larger and changing colors as it became hotter and brighter. I continued to pump mana into it, changing reality. Just before it began to destabilize I stopped, the flame was now the size of a baseball and a bright white color. Were I not the progenitor of the flame I'd have died from the heat, as it was however, my mana protected me from the fire. I looked back at the beast, watching it hiss and pace. Letting myself grin at what was about to happen, I flung the flame.

No larger than a baseball, the flame flew through the air towards the beast. Brushing it off as of no concern, the Chimera was wholly unprepared for the destruction and pain that awaited it. The cavern was illuminated briefly as the flame first made contact, and then exploded, super heated and condensed plasma burning away at the beast's side. Even with its absurd magical resistance, being mad of mana seemed to help it in that regard, it still suffered. Roars and bleats echoed out, reverberating around the cavern. Once the dust cleared, there it stood. The side of the beast was covered in blackened and charred flesh. It howled, rage consuming it even as I flung more fireballs at it, drawing it further into its rage. "Be ready, if you don't succeed you'll die and there will be no one to save the girl."

" You're being redundant, I won't fail." The beast roared, charging. With its massive gait it easily crossed the distance, lunging at me with its powerful rear legs. Again time slowed, stretching as I processed what I was seeing. The front paws extended toward me, claws hanging out. All three heads snarling in pain and rage as it expected to kill me, disregarding the fall that would hurt it. I rolled backward, a brief sense of vertigo taking over as I cleared the lip of the cliff. There, about five feet below were a series of rocks and handholds that I reached out and grabbed, slamming into the rock as above me the chimera flew over the edge, screaming its protest as it fell. I watched as it fell, flailing in the air. ' Good, fucking piece of shit. ' It hit the ground with a whomp, no longer making any noise as the other monsters in the pit swarmed it. Clambering up the cliff, I sat on the edge. "Now's as good a time as any."

I closed my eyes and let the mana flow. Beneath me the air began to change. What was damp and filled with CO2 and other gasses were changed with wordless alchemy. For the monsters below it must have been a nice change as the air became fresher, crisper than they had ever known. Up above, my eyes opened. The pit was full of pure oxygen and it was time to light it. A small fireball fell from my outstretched hand, dropping down below to the bellows and roars of feasting monsters. I stood and jogged away, the blast again illuminating the cavern and warming my back as the monsters died in a firestorm of pure oxygen. The tunnel I'd bored in the ground passed quickly, and then I was above where I'd buried Eris.

Her stone dome raised out of the ground, receding and baring the Boreas heiress to me. She was covered in blood now, having passed out from either the pain or bleeding out from the compound fractures. Kneeling, I felt for a pulse along her neck. It was faint, but it was there, meaning there was still time. "If there was ever a time, it's now." I pulled her close and began to chant. "Through the divinity of man, bestowed upon us by the creator themself in love and kindness, I command my magic act as the source of this act, HEALING!" I'd modified the chant, finding something more in line with my own developing beliefs since coming to this world. Quickly, my mana began to drain as I held Eris to my chest. Exhaustion was upon me almost immediately, but I refused to cave to the darkness that nipped at the edges of my vision, instead focusing on her legs. The bones that had punctured the skin began to recede, drawing back into her body and mending themselves, growing stronger, denser as I directed the changes to the body. The shredded blood vessels mended as well, healing as my magic caused the formation of new blood.I almost fell over as the repair and changes finished, healing would never be the field of magic I excelled at and it showed. With a groan, I continued, reaching out with my mana around Eris's lower spine. It quickly became apparent the damage was worse than I thought. She'd shattered two of her disks, damaging and fraying the nerves in her spinal cord that lead to her lower body and causing her extreme pain.

Despite how tired I was, I pressed forward. Fixing the disks themselves was easy enough, if time and mana consuming, draining myself even further. Eris's spinal cord presented a different problem. I had only the basic understanding of how nerves and the spinal cord worked. With no formal training in medicine or surgery I was fumbling around in the dark, guessing at what could be wrong, how to fix it, and relying on my mana to simply change reality and fix it. It was akin to hitting an engine with a hammer and hoping it would fix the computer that ran it, except this was spiritually and physically more draining. Pain began to swarming through my body as I stretched proverbial muscles to the breaking point. My head throbbed, beating with a force that would put a gravity hammer to shame. My vision swam and the blackness that had been swimming at the edge raced, claiming my sight. Unconsciousness was going to take me.

"If you fall asleep she'll never be able to walk again, Spartan." I forced my eyes open, looking up from Eris to the source of the voice. It was tall and built like a human, but beyond that I could see nothing else except for the bright white that covered its body. The left hand reached out, cupping my cheek as its featureless face gazed down at mine. "Keep going Rudeus, you have the strength to finish this." The face turned from mine and gazed at Eris, warmth flowing off of its character as it did so. "She's more important than you know, save her." Determination blossomed within me. ' They're right, I have to save her. ' Grunting, I ignored the pain and began to push my magic back into her. Blood began to seep from my mouth, I'd bitten down on my tongue. The process had been about half finished when I'd stopped, and it felt like it was taking forever. My body was scrounging the absolute last amounts of mana that it had as I endured a pain on par with my augmentations. It was comparable to the ossification of my bones, with fire and brimstone in my veins as finally, I was able to sense the damage had been repaired. Sighing with relief, I couldn't fight it any longer and fell backwards. "Well done Spartan, well done indeed. I chose well." I had no time to ponder those words as darkness claimed me.

It was white, blindingly white. There was nothing else to be seen. "Fuck…I better not be going through being born again." I groaned, but then stopped. My voice was no longer the prepubescent boy's voice I had come to expect. No, it was the voice of a machine from a lifetime ago. Looking down I was greeted with not the leather pants and shirt I'd worn to the cavern, but my MK. V MJOLNIR. The chest was a recon setup, with pouches for extra magazines. My legs and arms were covered in plates, with a soft case on my left leg to hold whatever I'd needed and a tacpad on my left forearm for ease of access in combat. Based on all of this I knew that on my head rested the MK V helmet with a rangefinder attachment on the right side. "Well, maybe I am dead again."

"Not quite Spartan." I faced the voice. The speaker was the individual from before, their body outlined in a gray mist. Now though, I could see more features of their body. They were androgynous, with no defining characteristics of either gender. Despite this, they were well muscled, their tall and lean body moving with an unstated power. I felt no hesitation as they moved towards me, standing before me and staring up into my visor. A hand brushed the side of my helmet as they remarked. "Curious…that you'd look like this even with how far you've come." The hand traced down to my chest plate, stopping over the portion of the plate that'd been blown off at Azod. "You have questions. Ask them and I shall answer. Fear not, we have time."

Of course I had questions but where to start? "Who are you?" A head tilt. "I have no given name. I'm from a time before names, call me what it is that you wish, Spartan." Great. "Fine, names are gendered generally. Are you male or female?"

They chuckled, circling me and running their hands over my suit. "Both. Neither. I simply am. Even I don't know exactly what I am." They whispered from behind me, hands wrapping around my chest plate. My patience quickly began to grow thin with the half answers I was receiving. "Alright then. What's your purpose here? And you said you chose me, why?" A hum, voice fluctuating between male and female as they stepped away and returned to view. "Think of me as a representation of life. One who is interested in ensuring the prosperous survival of this world and its inhabitants." Suddenly the area shifted. No longer was it blindingly white, instead, we found ourselves in space. Around us stars shone, their colors painted onto the black backdrop. The real treasure sat below us. I had no name for the slowly spinning globe, yet my heart ached as I stared at it. This was my world now, I knew that. "I chose you because you're a fighter, a defender of those who can't defend themselves. You may have gotten a little lost before, so hellbent on vengeance as you were, but you're rediscovering yourself and on the right path." Their hand came up to touch my face again, resting on my bare cheek as the helmet seemed to disappear.

"Ahh, there you are Rudeus." It was intimate as their fingers traced down my cheek, coming away at the chin, hanging in the air for a moment. The silence stretched as we gazed at each other. Finally, I looked back at the planet. There remained a question, one I'd need answered if I was to step into the unspoken role they'd gathered me for. "Who?" Again they hummed as they stepped next to me, gazing at the planet as its oceans show vibrantly. "A better question is how many. There exists a being that I would war with, one with his own plans for our home Rudeus. You would know him as the human god, but that is a lie for he is an imposter. Lies and deceit are his forfeit. To him, our home is a game and he is the game master, pulling strings and enacting events for his own amusement. I cannot face him directly as of now, and will not be able to for some time, not while the agents he's gathered impose his will and vision on the world. That's where you come in." And so I found myself back at square one. Pawn to another, a piece in a game to do their dirty work, all in the name of some grand scheme or the greater good. Bitterness built in me as I continued to gaze.

"Respectfully, I want more than what you're asking of me." Their head tilted, surprise written in their body language. "You're asking me to become what I was before, to return and live as the machine, to be your pawn in some grand scheme. I'm thankful for this second chance, but I want more out of life than constant war. I want to be a person, not just a killing machine! I want to…..to live the life Sasha wanted. For her sake and for mine." They were silent for a long time as we regarded each other. Looking away, I sighed. "I know you need help, but I have family, and friends I care about. People I…people that I love," Three colors flashed in my eyes, blue, green, and red. "I can't just leave that, not anymore. Not with how far I've come. I'm sorry." I was surprised when they laughed, alternating between a high pitched giggle and a deep chuckle as their aspect shifted. "There's no need to be sorry, Rudeus! I was hoping when I brought you to this universe that you'd grow, just like you already have! I chose you hoping you'd build these strong bonds and feel the need to protect this world from the deceiver for the sake of said bonds. I know that you want more, but you need to know what will happen if you say no."

The scenery shifted again. No longer were we in space, now we found ourselves in Roa. The beautiful scenery I'd come to associate with the region's capital was nowhere to be found now however. What remained in its place was destruction and ruins. Buildings lay topled, their foundations ruined and destroyed as the bones of people withered away. Families scavenged the ruins, each looking for something most damning sight was in the courtyard of the castle. A shoddily built platform had been constructed to act as an execution platform, from it I could see Sauros's body swinging as a grown Eris cried for her grandfather. "What? What happened?" I demanded, confusion and fear building in me. Before my question was answered however, the scene shifted. Sylphie sat before me in a dank cell infested with rats and feces. She was gaunt and her eyes were lifeless. Scars along with fresh and infected wounds dotted her body. "Sylphie!" She didn't respond and yet again the situation changed. There stood Roxy, holding two girls with blonde and maroon hair. ' Norn and Aisha! ' The three of them sat alone in the burnt out husk of our home in Buena village, my parents nowhere to be found as the women cried. The scene faded away, bringing us back to space above the globe.

"What you saw, Rudeus, is a possibility. It grows exponentially more likely should you refuse to take action and not act as my hand in these matters." The figure strolled in front of me. "Believe me, I'd like to let you have the freedom to live your life, but we both have our roles to play. There are events that I cannot prevent that I wish I could, but we can change and make the future better. Together, you and I can mitigate the damage, and eventually oust the deceiver! Together, we can protect the lives of the people of our home. Please, Rudeus…" I looked away from the being back to the globe. ' If I don't, the people I care about…There isn't much of a choice is there? ' My mind was made up, resolve and determination built within me. "When do we start?"

"Soon. We have to wait for him to initiate his plan and then we can begin striking back." I nodded. The scene changed one final time, and before me stood three people. "Our enemy has placed his agents well, inserting them in positions of power and prestige. You'll have to eliminate them if I'm to stop him." The man in the middle was enlarged first. His dirty blond hair was swept back in a wild style. He had an angular face with high cheekbones, a warm smile on his face that was accentuated by his bright blue eyes. "Your political rival and cousin. Luke Notos Greyrat. The deceiver has sown the seeds of mistrust and insanity deep within him, whispering that you'll be the downfall of the Greyrats and plan to overthrow the royal family. He is fanatically loyal to the Asuran crown, and despite his lack of swordsmanship will go to great lengths to exert his influence and stop you. Given your familial relations it's up to you to deal with him as you see fit as far as I'm concerned." My cousin's portrait was replaced and there stood my next target. He was stocky, muscles and fat in large quantities. He had dark black hair pulled back into a braid at the back of his head. His face held a lecherous grin, showing off crooked teeth even as his eyes betrayed the darkness underneath the surface. He wore the garments of a priest and carried a staff upon his back. "Theodore Goldari. He's a high ranking priest within the Millis holy church. The most interesting thing to take note of Rudeus, is that he was supposed to be you."

My eyebrow raised. "What do you mean, supposed to be me?" They waved their hand and the image changed. No longer was it a musculature man, now it was just a heavily obese one who looked like he hadn't seen the sun in years or showered in the amount of time either. "Exactly that Rudeus. This man died in his previous life and If I hadn't been able to overcome the influence of our enemy then he would have grown up as you. Instead, he was left to drift outside of time at the mercy of our enemy until he could be inserted into this world. He's since become a violent monster, torturing and killing his way to his positiion in the church." I felt a pang of regret at what he'd become. In a way, it was because of me that he was the monster he'd turned into.

His portrait was replaced with the final mans. Whereas Theodore had fat mixed with his muscles, this man had none. He was massive, bulging muscles accentuating the aggressive scowl on his face. His head was shaved bald, veins bulging as his anger was obvious to see on his hard face. "This man was born Jarasku Horoshi. You might not recognize him now, but I can assure you, Rudeus, that he'd recognize you in a heartbeat." The portrait faded away, and what was left filled me with both dread and righteous anger, my teeth immediately grinding as I fought the urge to lunge at the projection. "Indeed. You may not have known his name but you knew him. Ytan 'Mdanomee. Fleet master of the Fleet of Righteous purification." The bright gold armor I had last seen right before we'd been consumed in nuclear flames taunted me. Snarling, I stared into the eyes of the elite that had killed both Sasha and I. "How is he here?" Venom dripped from each word as the rage continued to build. "By grabbing you and bringing you here I tore a hole into your universe Rudeus. In doing so, the Human god was able to reach in and pull something out as well," They pointed to the Sangheili, "I had no power to prevent it, using mine to ensure you were placed where you'd have the biggest advantage." I almost became primal staring at the image until it faded. The hand on my shoulder clearing the haze of anger and violence.

"You'll get to him in due time, Rudeus. For now you need to know who he is in this world. Fittingly enough given his previous life as a zealot, he resides in the unexplored Heaven contenant. I don't know what it is that he is doing there, it can't be good given his master, but you'll have to find your way there, and kill him." My control slipped and a grin split my face. A chance to the elite who'd slaughtered my best friend? I'd have sold my soul at the drop of a pin for such a chance. "He has no love for his current master, but he shall not be swayed from this cause." Around us the world seemed to start to unravel, fading away as we faced each other. "We won't see each other for some time…if there's anything you have left to say now is the time to do so." I looked around, watching as the area we were in disintegrated. "Just one. You're an embodiment of life, right?" A nod. "I need to be able to refer to you somehow, in the UNSC we had a language called Latin, Anima was the word for life in Latin. I'd like to refer to you as that from now on." The old latin word for the soul and for life. A fitting description for one so determined to preserve the innocent.

"Anima?" There was an innocence as they questioned their new name, getting a feel for it. It was out of place on the being who I had been casually discussing killing people with. "It's nice…to finally have a name, thank you Rudeus." Their voice was full of quiet awe and reverence. Finally, there was blackness.

Everything hurt. That was the first thing I noticed as consciousness returned to me. My body throbbed, pain shooting through me as my body informed me of the toll of pushing it as far as I had in the melee and frantic chase from the Chimera, not to mention the magical toll that followed. The second thing I noticed was that I was being held. The red hair that appeared as my eyes opened and sobs that racked their body identified them as Eris. She was speaking, and as the ringing and throbbing in my ears eased I was able to start making out her words. "..orry! I'm so sorry Rudeus!" Her voice was hoarse, stressed from her sobs and screaming as she rocked my presumed corpse back and forth. "If I hadn't come!" She wailed. ' Eris…I thought she tolerated me at best… ' Ignoring the pain to the best of my ability, I lifted my hand and carefully rubbed her back, letting her know I was alive and comforting her.

Her response was immediate as she froze. "Rudeus…are you alive?" Her tone was low, dangerous as she spoke quietly. I had made a mistake if the ques she was giving were anything to go by. I opened my mouth to speak but all that came out was a groan and a wheeze. ' I must have been screaming, my throat is raw. ' Eris pulled away from me. The entirety of her eyes were now red and puffy from the high strung emotions she'd been feeling, tear tracks having cleaned some of the dirt from your face. It was clear that she was attempting to hide the relief she felt, her mouth which was set into a thin line frequently quivered as though the tears and sobs would begin again. "Are you okay?" As well as I could be considering the situation, so I nodded. "You're not going to die, are you?" The question was whispered, her voice cracking as she looked me over, desperate to know I wasn't going to die. I shook my head, alleviating her fears. Eris gingerly hugged me again, trembling slowly before she began crying again. Slowly my arms wrapped around her, holding her close as the stress and emotions left the girl, her quiet sobs filling the empty cavern.

It took some time before we were finally able to separate. Eris needed to be grounded as she came down from the emotional high of the night. I'd needed time to allow my body to grow accustomed to the aches that currently plagued it so I could actually move again. Together we limped our way out of the compound, gathering the hostages as we did. There were six of them in total, the youngest looking no more than fifteen years old. All of them were in a daze, emotionally scarred and retreating from the effects of captivity and being taken advantage of. Unfortunate as it was, it was likely that all would suffer from PTSD due to what they had survived at the hands of the creationist. The worst part of the situation was that it was clear two of them were in the early stages of a pregnancy which would have to be dealt with later. ' If only I could kill him again, the sick fuck. ' Fighting the urge to scowl, I helped the last of the women into the back of the carriage, closing the canvas. Inside sat Eris, maintaining multiple flame spells to ward off the cold.

With a crack of the reins, Bellona and Tyr lead us away. The cave faded into darkness, the cold wintery night providing clouds to conceal our egress as the snow began to fall. I found myself thankful again for the long nights as we took our time returning to the village, careful to not go too fast and disturb the victims behind me or exhaust the horses. Eventually however, the forest gave way to plains that surrounded Roa. We passed into the city, the guards stationed at the gate having been contracted by Rudulpous to allow us passage. The carriage found its way to the guildhall and I was quick to dismount. "Wait here Eris," Her head which had come through the canvas behind the bench nodded. "I'll be right back with help."

The inside of the building was empty, patrons as even the hardiest of partiers had gone home hours ago. I passed through the empty hall, entering the back rooms and finding my way to Rudolpous's office. There was no need to knock, he rarely slept anyways. The office was hazy, a tobacco pipe being the cause. Rudolpous sat at his desk, eyes closed as he smoked while resting. His eyes opened as the door closed. "Rudeus. You've finished then?"

"Yes. The creationist is dead and the hostages have been rescued." A smile bloomed on his weathered face at that. "They need medical attention however. I have them outside in the carriage, would it be possible for them to reside here?"

"Of course. Bring them in, I'll fetch Trista." Issue settled, we split. Heading back outside I gathered the women and Eris, ushering them into the build. A set of blankets and guild uniforms were fetched, along with one fireplace lighting later and the women were no longer in danger of the cold or being seen. Once the cleric arrived, Eris and I found ourselves in the guild masters office. He sat in his large chair, leaning back as he regarded us with praise and a smile on his face. "Excellent job Sir Rudeus. I am curious as to why you brought your charge with you however?" The question hung in the air heavily. Technically, by Eris helping me I'd been in breach of the original agreement between the two of us. In order to maintain the secrecy of the clients and the unsanctioned jobs, I only knew Rudolpous who handled the jobs, bringing them to me when a concerned client contacted him. In return, I was the only adventurer he worked with, thus, the breach of our agreement.

"I didn't bring her with me on purpose. Lady Eris had apparently noticed a change in my nightly behavior some time ago and decided to investigate. She hid in the back of my carriage, and I didn't find her until I was already at the creationist's cave." He nodded, gazing at the Boreas heiress. "To be honest, I may not have been able to complete the job without her. The target had more defenses than the information given anticipated. It's likely that I may have been overwhelmed in the first phase of the fight, or fallen to the Chimera in the second phase due to magical exhaustion had she not been there." Beside me Eris was practically vibrating in her seat at the praise.

"A chimera? Hmmm…" He had leaned forward, open interest coming off of him now. "I knew you were skilled Rudeus, you've never failed a job, but you've killed a chimera now? The full story if you please?" So we told it, explaining the mission from beginning to end. He took great interest in the layout of the creationists compound, asking questions about the design as well as materials and equipment he had. I left out my discussion with Anima for obvious reasons. Neither of them needed to know about my newfound mission or events beyond their control. That was up to me to mitigate and prevent. He sat contemplating once the story was finished. "Interesting Sir Rudeus, interesting….you're not initiated with the guild are you, lady Greyrat?"

"Ahh…no, I'm not." The hesitation and nervousness in her voice didn't fit Eris' character. "Rudy….Rudeus didn't think that it would be safe for me to join yet."

"I think given the events that happened tonight Eris that's no longer applicable, so long as the guild master is okay with your induction."

"Agreed sir knight. It would do you well to have a partner, especially as you advance in rank. Monsters do reside in the dark afterall." I would no longer hunt at night alone it would seem. "That can wait however. It's almost morning, and I'm sure the two of you need sleep and to return home, so shoo, go on then." We left quickly and made our way back to the castle. Eris went inside first while I put away my horses.

Sunrise was about three hours away, meaning the servants would be up soon to begin their days and ready the building. I entered my room and quickly dressed down to my undergarments. "Rudy?" Turning, there was Eris under the covers of my bed.

"Eris…how come you aren't in your own bed? This is hardly proper, not to mention what your family or Ghislaine would say if they found you in here." I didn't mind nudity, the stark and mind bending training of my previous life having removed such taboos from my train of thoughts. Her family would likely see it a different way however.

"I was afraid to go to bed without you….after what happened earlier I wanted to sleep here tonight."

"Oh. I guess one night can't hurt." I slid in under the covers, resting my head and closing my eyes as the girl wrapped herself around my chest. "You know that I'm okay right? That I'm not going anywhere?" The yet was left unsaid.

"Mhmm, I know. I just wanted to make sure." We both fell asleep quickly after that.

The morning found me in the training yard with Ghislaine, Eris having faked a sickness to stay in her bed after sneaking back to her room. I went through the motions,exercising and practicing my skills against my teacher as my thoughts drifted to the revelations of last night. ' I won't be able to go to the academy, or go home, not with my targets still alive. ' I grunted, deflecting the downward strike aimed at my shoulder and going on the offensive. ' I've made enough money by now that I could sponsor Sylpiette through the college and put the rest away. ' A kick from Ghislaine sent me tumbling to the edge of the training area. ' I still have just over two years left here, barring whatever event's Anima said would happen, that's when I'll leave. ' Sitting up was a struggle, the breath in my lungs having been ripped from me and the cold sapping my energy.

Ghisliane prowled forward, her sword at the low ready while she studied me. "Done already , Rudy? A pretty poor performance from normal." The bite of the insult was only furthered by the fact she said it so monotone. "Yeah, I didn't sleep real well last night. I'll make it up by practitioning in the basement later today." She nodded. "Come on then, I'm hungry and we both need to clean up." She yanked me to my feet and together we made our way inside.

Following a quick bath after breakfast, I'd wrapped myself in thick furs and clothes to keep myself warm and found myself in the library. Before me laid the maps of the world, the most prominently displayed one being the blank outline of the heaven contenant. To the outside world I was the normal child that they always saw, inside I seethed. ' HE'S THERE. ' I was running high on emotions and it began to affect the area around me. The candles in the library grew in size and the room began to heat, becoming sweltering as rage was exerted. A sneer formed on my face as again he appeared before me, his tall form mocking me as the mandibles formed into some sort of heinous grin, taunting me with his continued existence. "RAGH" I roared, flipping the table to the left and staring at its crashing form as rage consumed me.

"Rudeus."

I whirled, flame readying itself in my left hand and dagger fitting into my right. Through the haze of rage, I was just barely able to make out that Eris stood in front of me. Behind her stood one of the guards I'd hired, along with a clearly scared set of demihumans that cowered on the other side of the room. "Is there a reason you're destroying our library?" Grunting, I turned. The map of the heaven content sat on the floor, taunting me with its existence. "No." I ground the word out, fighting the urge to let the rage consume me once again.

"Good, then please, come with me. I need to talk to you." She whirled, leaving the room in the imperial fashion I'd grown to associate with her. I let out a heavy sigh, quickly replacing the table and its contents before apologizing to the servants. Racing after Eris, I managed to catch up to her as she was getting ready to enter the courtyard. The trip was silent, eventually finding our way into the orchard. The guard having received some previous order waited at the entrance as we continued further in.

Snow covered the bare trees as we tread further in. Winter, it would seem, had arrived in full force in the last few hours of darkness the previous night. A blanket of snow covered the ground, pressing down on the limbs of trees that had yet to fully drop their leaves. It was peaceful and quiet, the snow buffeting the sound of the orchard. Eris led us to the middle of the orchard, a bench offered us seating and a view of the dormant trees. Neither of us spoke as we sat, simply basking in the sun. It was obvious she had words to say, things that weighed on her. Having been in such a situation, I gave her the time she needed to collect her thoughts. Rushing Eris and trying to force the interaction would do neither of us good, it'd just put her on the defensive and widen the gap between us. "Rudy…I…" She started, struggling to open the conversation. Neither of us was good with emotions and it showed.

Trusting my intuition, I reached out, taking her hand in mine. ' Her hand is warm. ' Indeed it was, almost scalding as I held her calloused fingers against my own. "Rudeus!" Eris's face turned scarlet and she stammered, decrying me and calling a slew of names. Despite the names, I held on. It was important for her. Her brothers having been taken as a young girl, she'd grown up alone, separated from the children of Roa by status and class, making her unapproachable and unsociable. She'd suffered, different than I or Roxy or Sylphiette had, but she'd suffered none the less. Eventually, her protests became weak, and then faded away into nothingness and silence returned.

"I wanted to say thank you, Rudeus. I know I'm not a good student, and that I'm not a good friend," She was whispering, her own hurt, feelings of inadequacies and shortcomings coming out to the both of us in the orchard. "Despite that you haven't left me. You didn't leave me last night, and I don't know what happened after I passed out, but I know that when I woke up….you were dead." Her voice trembled. She hadn't been ready for the revelation that people could die, that I could die, not after the night of our meeting and all that I'd taught her in the years since. It left me numb, knowing that I'd died again, just another attempt at paying the ultimate price in service of others it would seem. "Rudy…You're my friend. I just wanted to say thank you, and that I'll get stronger, that way I can help next time." We returned to silence, and her hand squeezed mine back before she moved.

Standing, she looked down at me imperiously. Indecision streaked through her red eyes as she stared down into my green ones. Finally, she made up her mind. Leaninging down, her lips made contact with my cheek, kissing it. I froze, The point of contact between us was warm, scalding to me as I sat there, unable to process what was occurring. Her lips left, head retracting to look me in the eyes. "I care about you Rudy…I hope you know that." Then she was walking away, a confidence in her gait that I hadn't seen before. I didn't move, watching as she disappeared. Even long after she'd been gone, I sat holding my cheek. Finally, a thought came to me, a simple understanding of the situation I was in.

"Shit." Life had become much more complicated now.