Dawn- An age of Darkness

"Thank you. But what now? You won\'t hunt down the king would you?" I was kind of skeptical about all that was happening but something about him didn\'t make me want to keep my guard up. I couldn\'t help but sympathize with him.

Was it because he was like me, or was it because I was going mad? Honestly, I didn\'t know.

"Wouldn\'t that be like giving him what he wants?"

I giggled. "I guess you\'re right. But if you want to pass on maybe I could help. I have sword capable-"

"You know the idea of living forever sounded nice to me too back in the day. I was surrounded by women, had adventures, got drunk, and got laid." He giggled.  "Life was fun. But then reality struck. Life is fun because it\'s short." He walked around. "After living for this long I don\'t really feel like doing anything. Even revenge seems… pointless. Besides, I\'ve already had my revenge. Just imagining that thing\'s face makes me laugh."

"Then-"                                                             

"Even though I\'m dead the idea of dying seems kind of sad you know." He chuckled. "But now I\'d finally get to meet my family. But you know adventurers have really regressed over the ages." He chuckled loudly. "My magic had left me but my body is still pretty solid and I had this robe too. Besides for the first few hundred years I was furious for revenge. So I might have slaughtered a good few people." I really felt bad for those poor souls that had to pay the price. "Afterwards I never really approached anyone unless they were really strong. But no one got even close to harming me." He was implying something. And I knew it. He had connected. "Besides, I had to find someone with holy affinity-" He looked straight at me. "Someone with my affinity so I could trust my friend with that person so that she\'d keep her word."

I was glad he trusted me. But I sure didn\'t want to imagine the poor souls that had to deal with him in his rage mode. I felt bad about not telling him I was a guy though. 

"He! I can imagine that." I unsheathed the mystic blade. Dick and Servesta smiled. They weren\'t surprised. "Are you sure?"

Lianne was still a bit dazed. Jory meanwhile was paying careful attention. 

"Yes. I was really glad to see that you are capable enough."

"That\'s why you tested me?"

"Yes and no."

"That doesn\'t make sense." I chuckled. 

"You really do look like her. Did she marry into a human family and you\'re her descendent?" He became silent. "You won\'t have to answer. I don\'t sense her blood in you… perhaps…." I was kind of stunned the way he acted. Was my appearance alone enough to sway his mind? "If anything I sense her blood in that filth over there. I suppose I shouldn\'t call her filth but… anyway, I\'m really glad I got to see that face again."

"You knew her mother? I mean you knew Anasia? That was her name correct?" I didn\'t know what sort of history these people had, but I got the feeling, I shouldn\'t have asked this, I still did though. 

Lianne looked at me without a word. 

Boriosa sighed. "I suppose I did know her. She was my betrothed. But then…" He paused.

"All this happened…"

"Yes… And I suppose she married into the royal family… such a shame…" 

He removed his robe. He was wearing some sort of pants and a belt hung around his waist. It was probably a miracle that his clothes still lasted. Or was the quality too great? But there was something else on his waist. "That-"

"Want it? I wouldn\'t mind giving it to you. I wanted to throw it away or to end myself but I could never bring myself to. It seems the dead can\'t kill themselves." A wide grin surfaced. "But it might not be that harmful to you. But use it in small quantities and refrain from relying on it too much. I get the impression that you won\'t end up like him. But one can never be too careful." He held a bottle of red liquid in his hand, an elixir: his last one. 

"Why didn\'t you use it on your friend or on yourself?"

He smiled. "You think my friend could survive in that ice for four thousand years without a drop of this?" It was almost as though I was the stupid one. "In my case, pride perhaps?" He was sad. I guess he had a lot of stuff he didn\'t want to tell me. 

"But why do you think it won\'t be harmful to me?" I changed the subject again. 

"Because you already have some of godly blood in your veins. Maybe a God gifted you some? I sense divine blood in you too, albeit in trace quantity. It\'s almost like you\'ve ceased being human. And yet, you\'re still human. Quite the contradiction." He chuckled. 

That\'s right, Trerortra healed my eye! 

"Trerortra might have done it. But I can\'t be sure. After all Sisrael had shared a part of her soul with me as well and I used a bit of Damsel\'s mana." Come to think of it, I had all sorts of godly help. 

No wonder that dragon told me I smelled like Trerortra. 

"I wish I could sit down and listen to all of your journeys as well. But I\'m getting impatient. Can you believe me I\'m getting impatient after all this time?" He was awfully frank.

"I can," I smiled.

"This robe is from the Ascan era. I won\'t need it where I\'m going so, may it serve you well. And good luck." He handed over his robe and cane. 

"Thank you and you too. I hope to meet you again. Maybe we could talk about our adventures then. I don\'t drink but I wouldn\'t mind spending some afternoons drinking tea or some juice instead."

He burst into laughter. "You are an interesting one indeed. I\'ll be waiting for you. But no need to hurry."

"Sorry! I\'m sorry!" Lianne fell on her knees. She seemed to understand what was going on, although I hadn\'t explained the last part.

"It\'s okay child. After all this time I still can\'t forgive you but I hope I can… from now on…" He smiled. "Besides, I can\'t cling to these feelings forever."

When I told that to Lianne tears welled up in her eyes. It was the second time I saw her like that. It hurt.

"Alright then!"

"Right!" I unsheathed the mystic blade. It glowed radiantly. 

He gazed on my sword a few seconds before looking me straight in the eye. He was ready. 

I lifted up my sword and pointed it to him. My mana swirled around the sword and now I was ready. I ran, created momentum and pierced him through. The sword went in and he didn\'t really even try to defend. It was all but three seconds. 

"What do I tell your friend if she survives?" My voice was quiet. I was almost in tears. This body really was weird. 

"Tell her," His voice was even more profound. "Tell her, to be free." I saw his face for the first time, albeit transparent. He was disappearing.  "Farewell." He looked like an elf, but with shorter ears and a bit more humane face. Almost like that guy from the inn. 

"Goodbye."