Eternal
You spent many years practically buried alive, you’re not about to spend your remaining life that way. Better you should just die in battle instead. Of course you only intend on doing that if there are no other options.
So if this place stands any chance at all you’re going to enlist the help of the only person you know that will fight tooth and nail. You have no idea how Lena is going to react to seeing you again, but its something you’re going to have to do.
You travel to the small village that lies to the south of Sinkhole where you know Lena has made her home. Its nameless, unspectacular and the people there live simple lives, but that’s usually the standard for the villages around here.
After asking a few of the locals, one of them directs you to where Lena’s house is located. It doesn’t surprise you that it’s a bit isolated from the rest of the village. In any case it looks a lot better made than the rest. The muscular man outside chopping wood might have something to do with that though. He’s younger than you, though probably not more than ten years and probably a wood cutter by trade. He puts down his axe when he notices you walking up, which shows he doesn’t sense believe you mean him harm. While he’s probably a little surprised by your presence, it’s obvious he knows who you are, why not? Everyone does in this swamp.
“So…the shadow finally comes to visit. I always wondered when this day would come. My name is Henry. Lena has spoken about you on several occasions.”
“Nothing good I expect.”
“On the contrary, she’s always spoken highly of you. If I was a more insecure man, I’d probably be jealous. However, I believe the bond I have with Lena is an unbreakable one…well save for death of course. Even love must give way for reality after all.”
Shows how much he knows given that you still speak to Talia as if she were still alive. Of course you may not exactly be the beacon of sanity.
“Anyway, if you’re here to see Lena, she’s out right now hunting, but should be back soon. I can’t promise that she’ll greet you warmly however.” Henry remarks and then crying is heard on the front porch of the house from a basket. He excuses himself to go see to it.
You watch from a distance as you see Henry take a child from the basket and make the usual parental reassurances to calm the child. The child must only be a few months old, you didn’t know that Lena had a baby recently. You hear the name Tulla being said a few times and then Henry looks back over to you.
“A handful this one sometimes. Still worth it though.” He says to you with a smile.
“Worth fighting for I hope.” You reply.
Henry’s smile disappears at your remark.
“Of course.”
“Well that would make you better than most parents in this forsaken swamp. But the willingness to fight isn’t going to carry the day you know.”
“Neither is an old broken down eternal who belongs to a long dead order.” A familiar voice says. You turn around and see Lena carrying few dead Sul Monkeys and a small Croxidile. She’s changed a bit, a little older and weathered by life, but its still the girl you remember. She motions to Henry to go inside and he nods and complies.
“So that’s the family huh?” you say. “I didn’t realize you had recently given birth. Congratulations I guess. I knew you’d find…”
“Why are you here?” Lena asks as she sets up the Sul Monkeys for skinning.
“Okay, right to the point then…there’s an invasion coming.”
“Yes, I’m well aware of the rumors.”
“I doubt if they’re rumors at this point.”
“So? What are you suggesting then?”
“I really don’t know. I mean…(Sigh) look if there is an army coming from Quala, they aren’t going to be the push overs that were here before.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that too. That’s why I’ve been trying to build up a resistance. I dunno if they’ll be any good in a fight, but it’s better than nothing.”
“Wait, you mean you actually got people to potentially help you? When?”
“I’ve been doing it ever since you abandoned me. Making contacts, building up friendships and all that stuff. I’m surprised that you didn’t know about it, but then you have been traipsing around the swamp for the past few years. Surprised you didn’t just leave for good. I mean what is there for you here?”
“Its my home too you know.”
Lena snorts at your answer.
“Home…you don’t have a home. You aren’t even a true shadow by your own admission. The only reason why you still live here is because you buried Talia in that wrecked temple you call home. You can’t move on.”
“Perhaps, but someone else hasn’t moved on from her school girl crush either apparently. Henry’s nearly my age. He’s my height and his hair is even my color, one might call that… substitution.”
“Don’t you dare criticize Henry! He’s a good man! Better than you’ll ever be!” Lena shouts, but you notice she is careful enough to throw down her skinning knife before getting in your face and poking you in the chest. Not that you would’ve taken it as a serious threat anyway.
“Again perhaps, but I didn’t come here to criticize him or fight with you. Look, I’m going to be fighting the eternals regardless of your answer, but I thought it might be wise to contact someone else who I know is a fighter. Apparently though you’ve managed to find more though so perhaps you don’t need my help. Now if you don’t want or need my help, I shall take my leave, but it’s always here if you want it directly.”
Lena says nothing other than picking up her knife and going back to skinning. You turn to leave and get about a few paces, before she calls back to you.
“Wait. Since you’re more out of the loop than I thought, it might be good to bring you up to speed on the specifics of what is known and what is planned. If only to make sure you don’t get in the way of our own operations with your lone wolf tactics. So let me finish this first and you can come on in. We’ll have dinner before going over some of the details.”
“Very well.” You respond.
After your visit is over, you leave with a better grasp of what’s to come. You just aren’t optimistic about it being enough, but then fighting the odds has always been what you’ve done all your life. No point in changing precedent.
So if this place stands any chance at all you’re going to enlist the help of the only person you know that will fight tooth and nail. You have no idea how Lena is going to react to seeing you again, but its something you’re going to have to do.
You travel to the small village that lies to the south of Sinkhole where you know Lena has made her home. Its nameless, unspectacular and the people there live simple lives, but that’s usually the standard for the villages around here.
After asking a few of the locals, one of them directs you to where Lena’s house is located. It doesn’t surprise you that it’s a bit isolated from the rest of the village. In any case it looks a lot better made than the rest. The muscular man outside chopping wood might have something to do with that though. He’s younger than you, though probably not more than ten years and probably a wood cutter by trade. He puts down his axe when he notices you walking up, which shows he doesn’t sense believe you mean him harm. While he’s probably a little surprised by your presence, it’s obvious he knows who you are, why not? Everyone does in this swamp.
“So…the shadow finally comes to visit. I always wondered when this day would come. My name is Henry. Lena has spoken about you on several occasions.”
“Nothing good I expect.”
“On the contrary, she’s always spoken highly of you. If I was a more insecure man, I’d probably be jealous. However, I believe the bond I have with Lena is an unbreakable one…well save for death of course. Even love must give way for reality after all.”
Shows how much he knows given that you still speak to Talia as if she were still alive. Of course you may not exactly be the beacon of sanity.
“Anyway, if you’re here to see Lena, she’s out right now hunting, but should be back soon. I can’t promise that she’ll greet you warmly however.” Henry remarks and then crying is heard on the front porch of the house from a basket. He excuses himself to go see to it.
You watch from a distance as you see Henry take a child from the basket and make the usual parental reassurances to calm the child. The child must only be a few months old, you didn’t know that Lena had a baby recently. You hear the name Tulla being said a few times and then Henry looks back over to you.
“A handful this one sometimes. Still worth it though.” He says to you with a smile.
“Worth fighting for I hope.” You reply.
Henry’s smile disappears at your remark.
“Of course.”
“Well that would make you better than most parents in this forsaken swamp. But the willingness to fight isn’t going to carry the day you know.”
“Neither is an old broken down eternal who belongs to a long dead order.” A familiar voice says. You turn around and see Lena carrying few dead Sul Monkeys and a small Croxidile. She’s changed a bit, a little older and weathered by life, but its still the girl you remember. She motions to Henry to go inside and he nods and complies.
“So that’s the family huh?” you say. “I didn’t realize you had recently given birth. Congratulations I guess. I knew you’d find…”
“Why are you here?” Lena asks as she sets up the Sul Monkeys for skinning.
“Okay, right to the point then…there’s an invasion coming.”
“Yes, I’m well aware of the rumors.”
“I doubt if they’re rumors at this point.”
“So? What are you suggesting then?”
“I really don’t know. I mean…(Sigh) look if there is an army coming from Quala, they aren’t going to be the push overs that were here before.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that too. That’s why I’ve been trying to build up a resistance. I dunno if they’ll be any good in a fight, but it’s better than nothing.”
“Wait, you mean you actually got people to potentially help you? When?”
“I’ve been doing it ever since you abandoned me. Making contacts, building up friendships and all that stuff. I’m surprised that you didn’t know about it, but then you have been traipsing around the swamp for the past few years. Surprised you didn’t just leave for good. I mean what is there for you here?”
“Its my home too you know.”
Lena snorts at your answer.
“Home…you don’t have a home. You aren’t even a true shadow by your own admission. The only reason why you still live here is because you buried Talia in that wrecked temple you call home. You can’t move on.”
“Perhaps, but someone else hasn’t moved on from her school girl crush either apparently. Henry’s nearly my age. He’s my height and his hair is even my color, one might call that… substitution.”
“Don’t you dare criticize Henry! He’s a good man! Better than you’ll ever be!” Lena shouts, but you notice she is careful enough to throw down her skinning knife before getting in your face and poking you in the chest. Not that you would’ve taken it as a serious threat anyway.
“Again perhaps, but I didn’t come here to criticize him or fight with you. Look, I’m going to be fighting the eternals regardless of your answer, but I thought it might be wise to contact someone else who I know is a fighter. Apparently though you’ve managed to find more though so perhaps you don’t need my help. Now if you don’t want or need my help, I shall take my leave, but it’s always here if you want it directly.”
Lena says nothing other than picking up her knife and going back to skinning. You turn to leave and get about a few paces, before she calls back to you.
“Wait. Since you’re more out of the loop than I thought, it might be good to bring you up to speed on the specifics of what is known and what is planned. If only to make sure you don’t get in the way of our own operations with your lone wolf tactics. So let me finish this first and you can come on in. We’ll have dinner before going over some of the details.”
“Very well.” You respond.
After your visit is over, you leave with a better grasp of what’s to come. You just aren’t optimistic about it being enough, but then fighting the odds has always been what you’ve done all your life. No point in changing precedent.