Disclaimer-I will never own anyone in this story. Everyone belongs to his or her respective owners and producers. I would like to thank all those who were my beta readers, without you, this story would not be possible. To those who were my beta readers, you know who you are.
Permanent
Isabel Night
It has been raining in the Nether Realm for the past five days. As I stand upon the highest rooftop of the still battle-damaged castle, I happen to notice a funeral procession making it's way towards the local cemetery. As I watch the procession, I close my eye and allow my mind to drift back to the words my mother once spoke to me. "Dais," she began, "nothing lasts forever. Everything lives, and everything dies. Nothing is permanent, and…anything…can change right in front of you, even before you can blink an eyelid."
I wonder if my mother ever knew what really happened to her son? I've often wondered what she would think of me, if she knew that I was living in an unchanging world for the past 400 years. When I was still serving Talpa, I probably would have laughed at the thought that everything changes, and that nothing stays the same. Unfortunately, Sekhmet, Cale, and I aren't laughing; in fact my mother's words have struck a painful chord within my badly damaged heart and soul.
When I agreed to become one of Talpa's Warlords, I never thought that the changes I would experience would be so…life shattering. I knew that when I accepted my former master's offer of power and immortality, I accepted the fact that I would not age. I also knew that I would have to work with others, and I was well aware of the fact that I would also live in an unchanging world. Talpa may have used me as a marionette puppet, but I knew that once I accepted his offer, I would stay the same while everything else changed around me.
However, the one change that, as the mortals say, "smacked me upside the head," was the day that Anubis died. I know that this is going to sound strange, but for the past 400 years, all four of us had gone through so many successful battles, that even now, it's hard to imagine that the four most trusted subordinates to the former ruler of the Nether Realm, could lose anyone, much less lose to five young teenagers. I clearly remember all four of us coming out of those battles without sustaining any type of fatal injuries. Maybe some bruises, a few scrapes, or maybe even the occasional easily treatable wound; but…none of us had received any injuries that the mortals would classify as, "life-threatening."
I guess that's why Anubis' death came as a complete shock to us; we expected the war with the Ronins to be like every other war all four of us had been through. We expected to be victorious…but by the time the three remaining Warlords who were still loyal to Talpa realized that something had gone terribly wrong…well, guess who paid the ultimate price for our mistakes. Even today…I still cannot forget the sickening feeling I felt when Anubis…gave his armor and what little life-force he had left to Kayura.
I've come to realize that there is no way for Anubis to come back into our lives, but I do know that all throughout that blasted war with those five Elemental Armors, I had assumed too much. Maybe, in a way, the assumption that this was going to be "just another war" had caused Anubis to die. I mean, all our previous battles were like that, so why should the war with the Ronins be any different?
However, that is all in the past. Cale, Sekhmet, Kayura, and I will stay in the Nether Realm to rebuild the castle, restore civil and military order, and try to give the occupants of the Nether Realm a better life than what they had during Talpa's reign. But even with all these duties, I've learned not to assume that everything is always going to stay the same. Yes, I'll treasure the memories I once had with Anubis, but I'll also help my fellow warriors restore order in the Nether Realm. Moreover, I will continue to stay in the Nether Realm to help brothers-in-arms move on with their lives, so that one day, all of us, including Kayura, will be able to leave our blood-soaked past behind.
For now, until the next threat looms over this bustling city, it is all I can do. But if this war has taught me one thing, it has taught me this: nothing lasts forever, so treasure what you have. Besides, you'll never know what you truly have, until you have it is taken away from you.
THE END
Permanent
Isabel Night
It has been raining in the Nether Realm for the past five days. As I stand upon the highest rooftop of the still battle-damaged castle, I happen to notice a funeral procession making it's way towards the local cemetery. As I watch the procession, I close my eye and allow my mind to drift back to the words my mother once spoke to me. "Dais," she began, "nothing lasts forever. Everything lives, and everything dies. Nothing is permanent, and…anything…can change right in front of you, even before you can blink an eyelid."
I wonder if my mother ever knew what really happened to her son? I've often wondered what she would think of me, if she knew that I was living in an unchanging world for the past 400 years. When I was still serving Talpa, I probably would have laughed at the thought that everything changes, and that nothing stays the same. Unfortunately, Sekhmet, Cale, and I aren't laughing; in fact my mother's words have struck a painful chord within my badly damaged heart and soul.
When I agreed to become one of Talpa's Warlords, I never thought that the changes I would experience would be so…life shattering. I knew that when I accepted my former master's offer of power and immortality, I accepted the fact that I would not age. I also knew that I would have to work with others, and I was well aware of the fact that I would also live in an unchanging world. Talpa may have used me as a marionette puppet, but I knew that once I accepted his offer, I would stay the same while everything else changed around me.
However, the one change that, as the mortals say, "smacked me upside the head," was the day that Anubis died. I know that this is going to sound strange, but for the past 400 years, all four of us had gone through so many successful battles, that even now, it's hard to imagine that the four most trusted subordinates to the former ruler of the Nether Realm, could lose anyone, much less lose to five young teenagers. I clearly remember all four of us coming out of those battles without sustaining any type of fatal injuries. Maybe some bruises, a few scrapes, or maybe even the occasional easily treatable wound; but…none of us had received any injuries that the mortals would classify as, "life-threatening."
I guess that's why Anubis' death came as a complete shock to us; we expected the war with the Ronins to be like every other war all four of us had been through. We expected to be victorious…but by the time the three remaining Warlords who were still loyal to Talpa realized that something had gone terribly wrong…well, guess who paid the ultimate price for our mistakes. Even today…I still cannot forget the sickening feeling I felt when Anubis…gave his armor and what little life-force he had left to Kayura.
I've come to realize that there is no way for Anubis to come back into our lives, but I do know that all throughout that blasted war with those five Elemental Armors, I had assumed too much. Maybe, in a way, the assumption that this was going to be "just another war" had caused Anubis to die. I mean, all our previous battles were like that, so why should the war with the Ronins be any different?
However, that is all in the past. Cale, Sekhmet, Kayura, and I will stay in the Nether Realm to rebuild the castle, restore civil and military order, and try to give the occupants of the Nether Realm a better life than what they had during Talpa's reign. But even with all these duties, I've learned not to assume that everything is always going to stay the same. Yes, I'll treasure the memories I once had with Anubis, but I'll also help my fellow warriors restore order in the Nether Realm. Moreover, I will continue to stay in the Nether Realm to help brothers-in-arms move on with their lives, so that one day, all of us, including Kayura, will be able to leave our blood-soaked past behind.
For now, until the next threat looms over this bustling city, it is all I can do. But if this war has taught me one thing, it has taught me this: nothing lasts forever, so treasure what you have. Besides, you'll never know what you truly have, until you have it is taken away from you.
THE END