The way back home
In the dim candle light, Xaeron was relaxing his eyes, laying on the cold stone floor of the dark caverns of the Wind, slightly snoring. The temple had fallen silent in the past months and he often found himself alone, un-interrupted able to relax and memorize his past years of glory, days when he was still someone with a name, a champion. He was once a strong and honorable knight, fighting for all that was just, defending the weak against those looking to harm them. Now he couldn't help but think what had lead him to the den of the beast. Why was he relaxing in the very heart of the devil. It was a disturbing thought and it made his stomach twist. He wanted to restore his glory, he longed for his years of youth fighting in the ranks of the Imperial Kingdom. He yearned to restore his honor, but he knew one does not simply leave the Cult.
His rest were quickly interupted by a woman's voice. "Sleeping again?", a familiar voice whispered to his ear softly as a calm wind. Xaeron opened his eyes and akwardly pulled himself to sit. His old years wore his movement heavily, especially if he had stayed still for too long. Blinded by the dark he rubbed his eyes to better get accustomed to it. "My lady", he replied with a sharp voice. Darian Darkmind was standing and smiling sweetly next to him. "It seems like us oldies are the only ones to haunt these caverns these days, us and the spirits of the old", Darian chuckled with a playful voice. "Oldies?", Xaeron let out a laugh, "but my lady, you're not even half of my age", he pulled himself up to his feet. "Maybe not in body, but the mind does not count years", Darian played in words and Xaeron knew exactly what she meant. Although she was still young, beautiful and surprisingly even smiling, there was age and wisdom far beyond his own in her eyes.
"You seem troubled sir", Darian jumped right into the question. She had a bad habit of sensing these kind of things and even worse habit of avoiding small-talk. Xaeron sighed deeply knowing there was no deceiving her. He nodded for agreement, feeling Darian already knew what he was about to say. "Walk with me", Darian interupted his thoughts and together they turned from the temple. For a while they walked silently, slowly leaving the holy area behind their backs. The old knight was twisting words in his mouth, feeling them, trying to turn them into voice, but everything he thought of saying refused to escape his tongue. With the marble houses of the Wind soon disappearing behind their backs, they reached the narrow corridors of the caverns. Darian turned to Xaeron and took his hand with a gentle touch. She smiled long and warm and told him this is where their paths must diverge. Taken by surprise Xaeron tried to open his dry lips to form a word when Darian pressed her finger against them.
"When I first joined Tekstone I was much like any recruit then or now: lost and angry. And much like now the elders were always harsh on me. It was to teach and guide my anger. Although hate was a strong weapon to begin with, it also easily blinds and destroys one. Through years of war and years of meditation my spirit and hate was subdued. Now my mind is cleared and my fury is calmed.", Darian spoke in a soft, an understanding and calm voice. "I let you in for a secret", she continued flashing another quick smile. "I haven't hated anyone or anything for a long time even if I appear harsh on them.", she whispered with a chuckle. "In my years of meditation I've achieved peace of mind and glarity, I've been able to see things more clearly and I've come to a simple realization", she paused to take a deep breath to gather her thoughts. Xaeron tilted his head a to the left so his better ear, his right ear could better pay attention to what was to follow.
"There are no false or right gods. All gods are real and true. They do not care about you or I, they play games on a much larger scale. Every now and then they tease us by honoring us with a glimpse of their presence just enough to ensure we never forget their existance, just enough to ensure we keep worshipping them, but in reality we are nothing, but a blink of an eye in their eternal infinity. They've seen thousands of us just like you or me before and once we are gone, they'll see thousands more."
"That doesn't mean our actions, what we do is pointless though. Quite the contrary. In that blink of an eye we must all choose our path. I chose honor just like my enemies did. We all choose the same, even if different. It is up to us to decide which of the gods have the just and righteous cause and whose cause we can support in heart. They all have tricks and tools to lure us into their webs, but it is up to us to forge our path. Dennac's cause to punish Gaea for their father's death is just and although I, like all before and after me was lured in by my hate, I've chosen to stay and I've chosen to be the instrument of that justice. Just like a murder in the kingdom of men is punishable, a murder in the kingdom of gods is punishable. And we, the Cultists have chosen to be that justice and executioner"
"Even if Dennac's cause is just and right, it doesn't mean other gods are wrong though. No, Winchester's cause to stop us is equally just. We kill people to achieve our chosen path and it is justice we are put to an end for the crimes we commit in the kingdom of men. Esuna's actions are equally just and honorable. She wants to unite the people under one banner. It is even admirable. And Gaea… even though I've sworn to bring justice on her, her cause to defend herself is also just and something I can respect. We have her word against Dennac's so who are we, the tiny mortals to say which one is truly true. I made a choise, I chose to believe Dennac's word over Gaea and my enemies have made an equal choise."
Darian moved her hand on Xaeron's shoulder. "So I understand perfectly that you have to forge a path of your own and you have my blessing to do so. You must choose to act according to what you believe is just. There is, however, one message, one more wisdom I'd like you to carry with you and hopefully it will bring you wisdom in the coming years", she pulled Xaeron closer to her, took his hand and closed a small folded letter to his fist. "And now go, go before I change my mind", she chuckled with a small grin.
For a moment the two looked deep into each other's eyes. "A blink of an eye, my brother, nothing but a blink of an eye" and as quickly as that Darian winked her eye to Xaeron as she turned from him. Xaeron turned around and continued to walk towards the light of the entrance, to his new path, to his old and new home, toward the kingdom of Imperial.
…
Later in the evening, tiresome after the long path to Moonglow and after his ceremony where Brother Basil Brotheamus welcomed him to the Order of Imperial, Xaeron found his way to the Moonglow inn. With a few gold coins he knew that for the first time in a long time he'd sleep tight and relaxed in a soft bed finally at home. Laying on the bed, he remembered the small note Darian had given him. He pulled it out and carefully unfolded it to read what it said.
The way back home
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