I just LOVED Episode 1 of the Grand Athenaeum dungeon. I wanted to see what Arin would do after the episode ended, so I decided to try and write something for it.

"Mercenary!" I cried. "Mercenary, don't die. Don't go!"

It was no use.

His eyes were already closed, his lips forming a smile in bliss as he died. Why was he happy? He was dying!

I stared at him for the longest time, tears streaming down my cheeks. When he exhaled his last breath, I completely broke down and started to bawl.

My father. My mother. My home. And now the mercenary.

How much more was the White Mage going to take before he took my life too?

I wanted to die right there. I didn't even care anymore. My life had no meaning now. This little gun I held would be no use against someone as powerful as the now-corrupt White Mage. If the mercenary died at his hands, then I wouldn't even stand a chance. I wanted to test my hypothesis so badly right then.

I looked at the dead mercenary again. Mercenary…what would you do? You lectured me so much back then. Please, lecture me again. Just one more time… And a new wave of tears came forth.

I hadn't even noticed that it had stopped raining in the Forest of Peace. It had probably stopped a few moments before the mercenary passed away, but I didn't care. My clothes were soaked through but I didn't feel the cold.

I felt the cold inside my heart though. It was so empty. I had no one. There was no one to take care of me, to protect me, to even teach me. It was even worse than the period of time before the mercenary found me in Ellin Forest.

The mercenary had risked his life to protect me against the Omens. I couldn't even do anything when he faced the White Mage.

I remembered how my parents had tried to protect me against the Omens. They told me to run away, to run from our little house in the outskirts of Ellin Forest. They stayed behind to distract the Omens. I remembered how scared I was.

Steely resolve formed within me. I refused to disappoint the people who had worked so hard to protect me. I was going to do something with my life. I was not going to throw it away attacking the White Mage like the mercenary did. But I would attack. One day. I didn't care if I died. He is going down.

I am going to protect the citizens of Maple World.

I am going to keep them from ever having to feel the pain I did.

And I am going to destroy the White Mage, no matter what the cost.

I looked down at the mercenary. I began to dig into the soft soil, occasionally hitting glowing pieces of rock, not caring if my hands got dirty. He got hurt to kill the Omens. I was going to do what I could for him.

When the hole looked to be about his size, I gently moved the mercenary into the hole. I covered him completely, and used a large piece of glowing rock to mark his grave. Unfortunately, I had nothing to inscribe the rock with. I noticed his sword, which had fallen out of his hand. I laid it next to the stone, and walked away.

Good bye, mercenary.