Author's Note: Need a break from writing. Badly. So if my writing seems sloppy, that's why. I need a freaking break. 50,000 words is getting to me now.

Divided Realms

Chapter 24: Three Views

The soldiers that were chasing me were faster than I had originally thought. In fact, they had almost caught up to me!

They were yelling at me, shouting at me, cursing at me. . . How did this even happen?

At least I was close to the shore. I could smell the familiar salty tang of the sea and could hear the sound of the waves lapping at the shore. The scent and the sound reminded me of home. Hopefully Jin would make it safely and soundly.

From behind, the shouts seemed to be getting louder so I picked up the pace, getting closer and closer to the shore of the sea. If I was lucky, I'd be able to lose them at the beach; there were actually many places to hide, if I remember. The south beach was cluttered with numerous forests and various debris someone could hide in, not to mention the hidden areas that lay scattered everywhere. . .

What happened?

I couldn't really hear the soldiers any longer. Did they give up? Good! I was getting tired of being chased. . .

For only a second, I turned around to take a look when I felt a sharp pain in my chest. Looking down, I saw the arrow that was imbedded in my chest. They had an archer with them who shot me just as I turned; I could see the archer now, the bow in his hand, and felt only hatred before my vision swam, my head turning light.

I was dying.

I'm sorry, Jin. I'm so sorry.

–

I usually never cut my hair short. Who knows why I liked to keep my hair long, but I just preferred it that way. Plus, Elesis likes how long my hair is, so she'll be sad to know that I cut it short, if I ever see her again. Hopefully, I will, along with the others left.

The cloak I wore was tattered, and offered little warmth to the cold breeze that arrived with the sunset. The chill crept into my body easily and stole most of my warmth. Most of my clothes were old and tattered but it was to keep attention away from myself. Most of my Royal Guard Master clothes would've attracted unwanted attention.

Twice already, I had gained that unwanted attention simply due to my weapons, so I had to hide them somewhere safe and instead rely on a sword I was a tad clumsy with. But then my fighting style gave me away yet a third time, so in the end I stopped fighting, just to prevent anyone from recognizing me.

Currently, I was still trying to figure out what had happened to Kanavan. How did this all happen? I knew it was the King's fault, but he seemed like a good man. . . Was he corrupted or had something corrupted him?

Corruption made me think of Kaze'aze, but the witch was dead. . . I'd seen for my own eyes her slaying, how Arme had cast a spell that would prevent her resurrection, so most likely the King himself was corrupted.

So, was his kindness all a facade? How did we not see any of this though? Was it the fact that we had spent so much time at the castle? Sometimes I had wondered why the King had requested so much help from the entire Grand Chase that remained, and I think I knew why. It was so we couldn't see what had been going on in the entire kingdom.

Then I wondered about Serdin; was the fall of Serdin his doing, too? I know it was treasonous to think this way, but now it was treasonous just to be a part of Grand Chase. In fact, almost anything could be considered treasonous nowadays. . .

I didn't think it possible for monsters to be able to destroy almost all of Serdin. They had to have had help. That made me think of the group of humans Arme had spotted that seemed intent on taking the castle. She said they didn't look like soldiers, but who knew, they could have just been soldiers out of uniform.

There was so much to think about now that I wasn't the Royal Guard Master anymore, or a part of Grand Chase. . .

Then I thought of something else; what was a good way to really disguise myself? It'd be helpful to be able to wander around freely without people knowing who I was.

Where was I now? It looked like I was in a fairly large town with few soldiers in it. The place seemed a touch creepy to me. . .

By now, the sun had fallen completely behind the horizon, but at least there were lights from the buildings.

I decided to head north; it seemed like the north was less populated so maybe I could get a good night's sleep undisturbed.

As I headed north, it seemed to get even more cold than it already was and I pulled the cloak tighter to me, shivering slightly.

Was it me, or did this place seem. . . familiar? I couldn't quite put my finger on it, though, and decided to just ignore the feeling.

Soon I came upon what seemed to be a hut. There was a sign in front of the hut.

Shaman's hut

Numerous spells, potions

and charms for many

occassions.

Free fortune readings.

Free fortune readings?

Normally I didn't believe in the fortune telling stuff, but it wouldn't hurt to try, would it? I mean, it was free. . .

Taking my chances I decided I'd get a free fortune reading, hoping for the best, and I knocked on the door.

–

It's so hot. . . How long has it been since it was ever cool again? Why's it got to be this hot? It's like I'm on fire, literally on fire.

I'm burning, I'm melting, I'm dying.

Am I already dead? I keep asking myself this but I can't remember, can't remember at all. Am I just asleep? Is this just some too-real dream? More like a nightmare.

All I can remember are the flames that threatened to consume, and now here they are, consuming me, trying to take me, but I can't. I can't let them take me.

What is that voice? When was the last time I heard a voice?

"Hey, do you want a little help?" the voice said.

Could I talk? How could I talk?

"I see now, you've been burning here for quite some time now, haven't ya?" the voice said. "I can free the both of you on one condition."

I want to say something, anything, but how?

"I can free you both, but one of you must remain with me at all times, just as a helper, an assistant. Being here without anyone to help me is a big pain, y'know?"

Were there two of us? Who was the other? There was me and. . . someone else. I could feel them nearby, but I couldn't say anything, couldn't interact with them.

I felt the desire to be free of these flames, to be away from this agonizing heat.

"I see the two of you agree. Gimme a second."

I wanted to speak again, to use words once more.

I wanted to scream. What was this pain? The flames were hotter than ever. It was like I was on fire, both inside and out and it wanted to kill me, to erase me, to burn every part of me until there was nothing left.

And then the heat disappeared. The flames were gone, and I felt such a relief I'd never felt before enter me.

"Okay, there we go," the voice said. "Oh, I think seeing the two of you before down here once! Lire and Ryan, right?"

Lire? Ryan? Those words sounded familiar. . .

Lire. . . Ryan. . .

Who was I? I was. . . was. . . Lire. Ryan. Lire.

I remember, I remember.

I died. I died. Ryan died.

We were dead, the two of us, dead.

But are we ghosts now? Is that what happened to us?

"You two look confused." A Lich. . . A Lich. . . Yet he bore no look of malice, no evil intents. In fact, he was the one who saved us from the fire, the heat, the pain. . .

"Allow me to explain. . ."

–

The terrible stench of blood filled my nose. I wondered who or what had died recently. The night made things worse, as I couldn't see much.

The sound of lapping water against the sand filled my ears, and I knew I was at the southern coast of Bermesiah, but the smell. . . That smell of blood kept getting stronger.

Deciding not to ignore it, I went off in search of the source. I didn't have to go that far off my path since it seemed to get stronger and stronger.

And then I felt something wet against my foot, yet I wasn't close enough for the waves to touch yet. Did I find it? Did I. . .

Amy.

S-She lay. . . She lay on the sand, her normally-bright eyes now dulled as she stared up, motionless on the sand. The stench of the blood was strongest here, and I could tell she had been killed recently. . . And by an archer, no less.

The wooden shaft of the arrow stuck straight out of her heart, but the blood hadn't come from that wound; the blood came from the gash in her neck. Whoever had killed her had slit her throat, probably when she didn't die from the arrow. . . How could they do this to her?

I wanted to cry, to do nothing but cry for my lost love, but I couldn't stay here for long, unless someone hostile came by.

Kneeling down, I scooped Amy up into my arms, being careful not to let her drag as I carried her back the way I came into the bit of woodland that I had came out of.

I walked a good distance away until I came upon an area semi-covered with flora. Before I started to dig, I made sure to set Amy down gently, hidden by some bushes.

The digging was long and hard, as I had nothing buy my bare hands to work with. When I was done digging, I was covered in dirt and sweat and was tired.

Then I went to pick Amy up and set her down gently in the grave I dug for her.

"Goodbye, Amy, oracle of the Silver Knights, the light of my life, the dancer of the stars," I whispered. And then I proceeded to place the dirt over her body while trying my best not to look at her still form.

When I was done, I picked up a rock and placed it upon the mound of dirt that was now Amy's grave.

With another rock, I scratched out some letters onto the trunk of the tree the dancer rested under.

Amy lies

here

Dancer

Oracle

Loved