Eternal
Maybe Talia’s a believer, but you’re not and you aren’t about to go traveling across miles of hostile territory, let alone staying in it, just for the purpose of her religious beliefs. You’ve put up with enough of Dendrin and this shadow nonsense long enough and you’re not pointlessly risking your life because of it. You put your foot down and tell Talia that she can worship Dendrin all she wants, but you’re not going on some fool pilgrimage in the hopes of having children.
Talia doesn’t argue anymore, she just resigns herself to her defeat. However, things between the pair of you are noticeably strained now, if they weren’t already.
Year 33
She hadn’t been happy in a long time, you knew that due to the fact the pair of you barely spoke to each other anymore. You even figured you’d wake up or return from hunting one day and she’d be gone like last time. But you didn’t think it would be like this.
You finish covering up her snowy grave and stand there for a while cursing the whole situation. The suicide note simply stating the words “I’m sorry” will forever be embedded in your mind.
The thing is you don’t think it was just the conflict of religious beliefs or even the desire to have child (which was tied to her belief of Dendrin being able to help in that matter). To be sure those two factors probably didn’t help, but you always got the impression there was something else. Something you think she wanted to tell you, but couldn’t for some reason.
Doesn ‘t matter now whatever the case may be. She’s dead and that’s that.
You return to your cabin.
Year 35
You always knew the Empire would come back to Rask, but you thought they’d come back to conquer it, not destroy it.
There were always rumors, but you never paid too much attention most of the time mainly because you had so much else going on in your life, but when the announcement of the Empire’s new eternals came about, you had no choice but to pay attention especially since there was a lot more of them, hundreds actually. And the first place they sent them was to Rask to raze the place to the ground.
Town after town has been completely obliterated by these new eternals and the people no matter how united can’t stop them. Some have tried to pledge their allegiance to the Empire again, but they were killed like everyone else. Not since the days of Kane has Rask experienced such brutality on a wide scale.
You thought what remnants of the shadows are left would be trying to do more, but so far there hasn’t been a peep from them. Cyrus seems content on keeping all of them hold up in Fort Defiance. It won’t work because you know that they’re the main target, the rest is probably just combat practice and to send a message. When the time comes, Fort Defiance and all the shadows within are going to massacred. You’ve toyed with the idea that you could probably easily evade the advancing army if you went further north and laid low in the mountains or deep forests. You’re pretty confident that you’d be able to survive this onslaught that way.
The thing is you’ve sort of lost the will to go on. You haven’t been the same since Talia died. Even when you were apart for five years the hope of her returning was still there to keep you going. Even when your relationship had been strained in the last years of her life she was at least still there. But now? She’s dead and she won’t be coming back and there’s no more reason for you to fight the Empire any longer. Even Dendrin hasn’t spoke to you in years; you’re guessing he’s moved on. Makes sense given that you haven’t been very entertaining lately.
From your estimates an army should be passing through your area soon, you need to get prepared…
The next day you visit Talia’s grave for the last time.
“For what’s worth… I’m sorry too Talia.” You say and head towards the main road.
You stand in the center and see a massive force in the distance, won’t be long now you think as you draw your weapon. Several hundred eternals march straight towards you on foot and horseback. They don’t even stop to see if this is possibly an ambush of some sort. Perhaps they don’t care or are confident that if it is, they’ll be able to handle it.
Doesn’t take long before you can hear them shouting about how they’re going to enjoy killing you and the rest of your shadow “friends”. You can’t help but smile at that one.
You do about as well as someone could be expected against an army of eternals. Meaning you kill about three of them, before you’re enthusiastically overwhelmed and ultimately chopped, stabbed, crushed and stomped into bloody pieces.
You last dying thoughts are how these new eternals might be young but they’re already vicious bastards. Didn’t seem very disciplined though. Who knows, perhaps they will eventually become a problem for the very Empire that created them.
You certainly did.
Talia doesn’t argue anymore, she just resigns herself to her defeat. However, things between the pair of you are noticeably strained now, if they weren’t already.
Year 33
She hadn’t been happy in a long time, you knew that due to the fact the pair of you barely spoke to each other anymore. You even figured you’d wake up or return from hunting one day and she’d be gone like last time. But you didn’t think it would be like this.
You finish covering up her snowy grave and stand there for a while cursing the whole situation. The suicide note simply stating the words “I’m sorry” will forever be embedded in your mind.
The thing is you don’t think it was just the conflict of religious beliefs or even the desire to have child (which was tied to her belief of Dendrin being able to help in that matter). To be sure those two factors probably didn’t help, but you always got the impression there was something else. Something you think she wanted to tell you, but couldn’t for some reason.
Doesn ‘t matter now whatever the case may be. She’s dead and that’s that.
You return to your cabin.
Year 35
You always knew the Empire would come back to Rask, but you thought they’d come back to conquer it, not destroy it.
There were always rumors, but you never paid too much attention most of the time mainly because you had so much else going on in your life, but when the announcement of the Empire’s new eternals came about, you had no choice but to pay attention especially since there was a lot more of them, hundreds actually. And the first place they sent them was to Rask to raze the place to the ground.
Town after town has been completely obliterated by these new eternals and the people no matter how united can’t stop them. Some have tried to pledge their allegiance to the Empire again, but they were killed like everyone else. Not since the days of Kane has Rask experienced such brutality on a wide scale.
You thought what remnants of the shadows are left would be trying to do more, but so far there hasn’t been a peep from them. Cyrus seems content on keeping all of them hold up in Fort Defiance. It won’t work because you know that they’re the main target, the rest is probably just combat practice and to send a message. When the time comes, Fort Defiance and all the shadows within are going to massacred. You’ve toyed with the idea that you could probably easily evade the advancing army if you went further north and laid low in the mountains or deep forests. You’re pretty confident that you’d be able to survive this onslaught that way.
The thing is you’ve sort of lost the will to go on. You haven’t been the same since Talia died. Even when you were apart for five years the hope of her returning was still there to keep you going. Even when your relationship had been strained in the last years of her life she was at least still there. But now? She’s dead and she won’t be coming back and there’s no more reason for you to fight the Empire any longer. Even Dendrin hasn’t spoke to you in years; you’re guessing he’s moved on. Makes sense given that you haven’t been very entertaining lately.
From your estimates an army should be passing through your area soon, you need to get prepared…
The next day you visit Talia’s grave for the last time.
“For what’s worth… I’m sorry too Talia.” You say and head towards the main road.
You stand in the center and see a massive force in the distance, won’t be long now you think as you draw your weapon. Several hundred eternals march straight towards you on foot and horseback. They don’t even stop to see if this is possibly an ambush of some sort. Perhaps they don’t care or are confident that if it is, they’ll be able to handle it.
Doesn’t take long before you can hear them shouting about how they’re going to enjoy killing you and the rest of your shadow “friends”. You can’t help but smile at that one.
You do about as well as someone could be expected against an army of eternals. Meaning you kill about three of them, before you’re enthusiastically overwhelmed and ultimately chopped, stabbed, crushed and stomped into bloody pieces.
You last dying thoughts are how these new eternals might be young but they’re already vicious bastards. Didn’t seem very disciplined though. Who knows, perhaps they will eventually become a problem for the very Empire that created them.
You certainly did.
