Author's Note- This is my first story, if I get good enough reviews then I might continue this story.
Sitting around a campfire in the beginning of a metro tunnel, Artyom and Pavel were passing there time telling stories and doing there individual hobbies. "And so I paid her, went inside with her and she said 'close your eyes, big boy, I've got a surprise for you'. I opened my eyes and oh, what a surprise I got! A man, around six feet tall and masked, knocked me out. So a few hours latter, I wake up with a man standing over me, I was lying in a gutter. ' You idiot!' he said 'Everyone knows not to go with Nikki, looks like your pockets have been emptied!' And sure enough, they were. Over 200 Bullets, poof, gone!" Pavel's face was lit up with a huge grin. "And to this day, I've never gone with another 'working woman' well, except this striper in Venice, but that's another story."
After the laughing had died down, the men resumed there hobbies. Pavel was sharpening his knife, while Artyom was counting out pre-war coins. Seeing him do this, Pavel got curious. " Hey D'artagnan what's that for? You do know no one takes that for money any more, right?" Artyom rolled his eyes at the reference. Pavel loved the Three Musketeers, naming himself Athos and naming Artyom D'artagnan. " It's a hobby, something to do when I am bored." Artyom answered. " Next time we fight something, just watch and you'll learn the use of it." After the men had a dinner of MREs, much to the distaste of Pavel, they got ready for the night. Artyom offered to take first watch while Pavel slept.
After about an hour of silence, Pavel awoke. "Go back to sleep, your watch isn't for another few hours." "No, it's not that Artyom it's about what happened in the Theater and in the Red Square." "Oh, that..." Artyom drifted off. " Yea, that. I just wanted to know why you saved me, after what I did to you?" Artyom sighed, and looked at his friend. " You want to know why? Because you told me, after I was captured by your old comrades, that you truly thought of me as a friend. The little Dark One read your emotions when I was fighting you. He said he felt no anger, only sorrow. After he said that, I thought back to what you did and found it easier to forgive you." Pavel was silent. Artyom was staring into the fire when Pavel started to speak. "Thank you, Artyom." Artyom looked at him with surprise. "For what?" "For forgiving me." Artyom smiled. "Everyone should be forgiven, if they deserve the kindness. The little Dark One taught me that, I destroid his home and burnt his family, but some how he forgave me." Pavel went back to sleep and left Artyom to his thoughts. His conversation with Pavel got him thinking about the Dark Ones. His gaze drifted from the fire to the end of the tunnel as he began wondering...what would be in store for him, his friends, and all of humanity. Only time could tell, but there's no time like the present and no place but the metro.
