I'm using my left again... My eyes widened as I moved my fist around, the strange feeling flowed through my body again.
I no longer felt any pain—even pain I forced myself to ignore.
The pain is gone now, but what is that smoke... I waved my hand through the smoke, drifting apart like any other.
I stood up again—still hunched over.
I can walk straight now.
I carefully straightened my back—still sore on my left side, but it felt more like a small cut.
I walked over to the beast that had started disintegrating into a dark dust—my sword was still stuck inside of it—almost split by Wode's attack.
I took hold of the handle, revealing my blooded blade as I drew it,
That went too easily...
I couldn't feel the weight of it as I sheathed it.
But why am I healing? Did it start after the beast got killed? Everything seemed hazy, unable to gauge anything that actually happened.
Does the healing have to do with my essence then?
I don't know enough... I can't do anything about it yet.
I brought my hand to my chin, my eyes shifted down,
I could hear everything Wode said for a short while...
The whispers of the trees reached my ears, making me lift my gaze, with the orange sunrays reaching my eyes.
It's almost dark. I turned back to Wode.
My gaze cast down,
I can't carry hi—
I remembered the sword that felt as light as a feather,
Maybe I can...
I walked over to him, and sat him upright, pulling his arms over my shoulders.
I squatted with him on my back, lifting him while holding beneath his legs.
"Woh!!"
I almost tipped over along with Wode, catching myself just in time.
But it held.
His full weight lay across my back reaching over my neck—it was a big shadow that loomed over me.
I felt my legs almost give out with each step I took,
It's impossible to keep this up for long—
I have gotten stronger... Even then, I couldn't feel anything in my face change—no smile could be found even in this moment.
I was the one who caused this.
I thought back on the sword that I had left behind us,
It would be too heavy no matter what.
No matter how many steps I took with him, even when I got familiar with this weight, the steps did not become any lighter.
But each step I took, and each sunray that broke through—carried me towards the next step.
Until the right side of my body got cooled after a gust of wind reached me.
After travelling north for the past three days,
I—we had finally passed the final tree.
I walked a few steps forward, leaving the whistling of the leaves behind.
It had finally dawned upon me,
I survived... I escaped that place, still holding onto my life.
Plains were spread out in front of me, a slight smile had appeared on my face—finally able to lay my eyes on this view once again.
The plains led to the Kraiger Crossroads ahead, lit by the bright lights that came from the northeast.
They were impossible to miss, with building reaching high into the sky.
The imperial capital—Hanserath.
While on the other side its opposite could be seen.
A shadow to the capital—no light left from that place.
It was a place I knew well—Kage.
And far up north, a gigantic mountain range could be seen,
days of travel away, yet their scale was clear even from here.
It started far beyond Hanserath, and reached all the way to Kage.
The Gorynch Range.
No matter how often I had seen it,
I was never able to take my eyes away from it.
A beautiful icy mountain, the biggest I had seen yet—the one beyond the forest didn't even reach half of its size.
It was big enough for tales to spread about it.
My legs gave in as I tilted forward,
I still have him on my back...
I was bewitched by the sight in front of me, and finally lowered him onto the grass to our right.
This will be your place of rest. It was obvious that in Kage nothing was waiting for him.
Not even an honorable farewell.
Here he got the chance to be buried a mercenary—above all else a man.
I can't rest yet. I stepped back from Wode and drew my blade, using it to break through the ground.
The blade bended with each scoop, and before it could stop shaking it found itself back in the dirt.
I started using essence, since it no longer hurt, and channeled it through my body—pushing my strength further.
But not even three shovels passed before I had to lean on my sword,
"Huff... huff... huff..." I was out of breath immediately,
I shouldn't use it anymore... I don't understand a thing.
I continued the normal way.
It kept going.
I lost count, but a pit had been formed, one big enough to fit even Wode.
I looked out at the mountain,
I hope it's not too late to catch a ride. I shifted my gaze at the sun which hung at its lowest, already disappearing into the horizon.
I carried Wode to the pit, and lowered him carefully.
I might have overdone it. I looked down at Wode who lay inside of it.
The hole was twice his size, dwarfing even him
The dirt will fill it either way...
I took hold of my sword as the handle left marks in my palms, and began pushing the dirt back in.
It felt surreal, but with each load it changed.
Each speck of dirt that covered his body, made me unable to deny it.
I slowed down with each push, working my way up to his head.
Tears soaked into the dirt that hid his body.
By the time I reached his neck, I couldn't hold myself up anymore,
I collapsed right besides the pit Wode laid in—almost sinking into the loose sitting dirt—and brought my dirt-covered hands to my eyes, wiping the tears away, which only seemed to flow faster with each wipe.
Only when the tears had stopped did I remember the dirt stuck in my hands, and the one that burned my eyes, with nothing to clean them anymore.
Let's finish it...
I dropped to both knees right by his face.
"..."
What did I want to say? Please... remember... I bit into the corners of my lower lip, pulling the blades of grass by my side.
Please...
The perfect words.
Those I had been repeating the entire time I dug, but when the moment had arrived.
It left me.
The only words that came were the ones I had heard before, from a man that had passed by Kage.
A man clad in white, dirtying the bottom of his robe as he dismounted his horse, walking over to the corpse he had passed.
The words he said were,
"Vara thalen mor, en esh vara sen."
Words I did not understand—the only ones that passed through my mind.
I couldn't look at Wode's face.
I scooped dirt into my hands, and dropped the first few specks onto his face.
I closed my eyes, feeling myself choke on something in my throat.
But I opened my burning eyes again, and swallowed the lump, looking onto his face,
This is what I've brought him.
I continued, each load covered another part of him—until even the last strands of his brown hair got covered.
I stretched my body—reaching for the other side of the hill—and started slapping the dirt.
As the impact travelled through my body, the leftover tears fell over Wode.
I stood back up, and brought my sword to my waist, sliding it into its scabbard as I took a final look.
It doesn't look right.
It was an wide, bare patch of dirt, surrounded by colors on all sides—it was not an end befitting him.
I walked down the forest border, in search of something fitting for Wode.
I walked down the same route multiple times, but no matter how long I searched for it—I couldn't find anything.
I looked up at the sky, where the sun had almost lost half of itself.
I need to hurry.
I couldn't leave him laying there with nothing to mark him.
I walked over to the two gigantic trees—the final spot I could search before I had to leave.
It's too dangerous here at night.
I looked down at my feet that slid over the grass.
I had already given up.
But then it appeared in the corner of my eye.
The only place the sun pointed its light.
"Perfect!"
I dug it up carefully, making sure its roots survived, and rushed back to Wode.
I planted the flower into the dirt that laid on top of him.
It was a single flower.
A fiery red flower.
One's existence meant for Wode.
This is all I need to find you again.
A single red flower, surrounded by dirt, followed by a field of tall grass and flowers—but none the same as the one meant for him.
I lifted my gaze up from the grave, and looked into the far north.
I took a deep breath, the freezing air burned as it reached my throat.
I closed my eyes—and took this view in.
Wode's final view.
I breathed out as I opened my eyes, and walked on toward the crossroads.
I did not look back anymore—reminding myself to keep my head up.
The sun had almost disappeared, with the city lights being the only thing that still illuminated these roads.
I stared into the faraway, deep north horizon.
Where figures started to appear, each carrying a torch as they approached.
They became clear with each step they took,
How much would I need to pay for this short trip?
It was a merchant carriage that came, pulled by horses.
I had dealt with merchants before, I knew enough to worry.
But I had no other choice, walking home wasn't an option anymore.
As he drew closer, I lifted my fist to the road in front of me, waving it until I was sure he had seen me.
He pulled closer and looked down from his seat, lips crooked.
"What do you need from me?"
One look at the way he held his chin told me everything I needed to know about how to approach this.
My lips curved downward, tears gathered in my eyes, and I bowed,
"Please sir, can you help me... just one ride—" I reached for the pouch strapped to the back of my belt,
"I will even pay for it..." I took a single mark and held it toward him.
My eyes glistened in the torchlight.
"You are a cheeky kid, aren't you." He looked into my eyes, grinning.
I reached for my pouch, around my belt, and took the four bronze coins out,
Four marks should be enough.
"Please... this is all I have." I stretched my trembling arms out in front of me, with the torchlight reflecting off my eyes.
"Sigh... a good deed never hurts business." He tilted his head, eyes downcast as I placed those marks into his hands.
He handed one back, winking as he said,
"You owe me one, don't forget my face kid."
"Yes, it's a promise!" I showed a grin, as I shook his hand with both of mine.
He squinted his eyes seeing me grin, voicing a small sigh as he pointed to the carts behind him.
I lowered my head,
"Thank you." And rushed over to the nearest cart, I reached up, and hauled myself over the edge—landing on a pile of something solid.
Are these rocks? Doesn't smell like it... There was a musty smell to the rocks, it didn't smell pleasant, nor bad.
I felt my weight shift,
We are moving.
I wiped the surface flat, stretching my body out as I lay down.
Just three marks is fine, this trip will probably take around an hour.
I counted the payment from the first job, and the money I collected from the bodies.
I have six seals and seven marks left, that should be enough.
That is around fifteen days worth of food, the last job itself would pay six seals... that explains why those mercenaries were so happy with this job.
I bit softly into my lower lip,
Why would they pay this much... was the cargo that special?
"Hmm..."
Thinking back the horse didn't have the cargo wrapped around it anymore, while the straps were cleanly cut... did the Kludd eat it? But why?
"Sigh..."
It's impossible to find out anymore—I even missed out on the five seals on completion... Light reflected from the silver coin I held.
At least I got this seal as prepayment—it's more than Kage ever paid me.
I had earned at least a seal per day, while the normal pay in the Kage was three marks per day.
A smile found my face.
This was the first time in another city, wasn't it?
That was the last thought before the starry sky began to blur, and the dark took me.
"—kid..."
I heard a voice, making me open my eyes.
My sight was still blurry, unable to see the man who called me.
How long has passe—
"—kid... WAKE UP!" His voice rang in my ear, clearing the view up as I sat upward.
"Sigh... do you know how long I tried to wake you up?" He said, holding his hand against his hip—a slight smile showed on his face.
The smell crept in as I sat up, announcing exactly where we were.
"Thank you for your help, sir." I lowered my head as I stood on the cargo.
He was a decent man, others might have done far worse.
I waved him goodbye as I jumped down the other side, and walked back down the road we came from.
Home...
I thought back on today, swallowing before I took my next step.
It was the first time I was glad to come back here.
Even if I wanted to lower my head I got forced to lift my head back up, forcing my chin high.
The lights from the east, pierced through the darkness in front of me, casting a soft glow onto my hair—lighting the way ahead,
Like a star, it guided me forward.
Since I stood up, my hands had tightened around my sword—Kage was its own battlefield.
Even the shadows live.
It was something I had heard before—back when I still could hear such things.
I didn't understand it back then, but it was clear to me now,
It's true.
I couldn't even feel essence here as if it was all swallowed up by the shadows.
Each step I took felt like a gamble—a jump into the unknown.
I looked over my shoulder as I passed each alleyway.
Until I reached the last one—the one next to my destination.
The guild.
As I walked past the alleyway, a faint, fading sound could be heard.
Followed by a cold gust, one that sent shivers down my spine.
I jumped back, the lights from the next city over reflected off my blade as I turned around.
And I cut through that sound.