Author's Notes
Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, you-guys'll-see-this-late-but-still, happy birthday to me!
Ahem, now, onto more serious matters. This was a very productive week, because I managed to write out two and a half chapters! That's a new record for me, and something I'm quite proud of. I'm slowly but surely paying back the 20k-word debt I owe to myself. :D
Anywho, Reviews!
ScarOfHerobrine, heh, yeah. It'll take a while, but I'll let you know when I'm done. Pfft. :P I ask myself that sometimes too. Heh. Well, they're kinda busy with their own jobs and stuff, but I guess they'd go help anyway. Heh, I love your reviews. They're always so... energetic and oftentimes aggressive. :D
ThinMint, mhm, can't leave your reviews unanswered. Of course! Yay! Well, really it's just Javer. The other villagers, other than Sophie, never said a single curse word. It's mostly them two. Heh, I'm sure she'll be glad for the tip! Yeah, but the demon is a tricky fellow. You'll just have to see.thanks for the support! I'm on time too!
sOL-'-aLOne, pfft, heh, it happens sometimes. Thanks! Heh, uh, Mmmmmmmmmm... Thanks for the support!
Alright, now, let's get on with the story!
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
3rd Person POV
Thomas stopped at the edge of the orchard, staring defiantly ahead. He could only see a few meters into the mess of overgrown flora before the shadows consumed all color. The boy gripped his longsword harder and went in. There were no animals inside, no living things making a sound. Only the faint rustling of leaves and soft whistling of wind broke the silence. The sky had darkened as the boy walked, now covered by grey clouds. The orchard was as quiet as a graveyard.
His steps barely made a sound as the boy tread over the leaves and vines lining the forest floor. Thomas kept an eye out, tense and at the ready. He walked up to the center, breaking through a tall rosebush and ending at a clearing shielded from the elements by the thick canopy of the oaks. It was surprisingly clean, with few signs of overgrowth, and nice lively grass blanketting the otherwise coarse earth that made up the unkempt soil of the orchard.
"Hello, spirit," a voice called from the opposite side of the clearing. It was filled with menace and poison. "What brings you to my humble domain?"
"Show yourself, demon," Thomas called. He was holding on to his swords hilt so tightly his knuckles turned white. "And tell me your name."
"What are you hoping to achieve, spirit?" the voice asked, seeming getting closer with every word. "To banish me? By yourself?" it taunted.
"These woods do not belong to you," Thomas said firmly. "I will fight for the village, for my family, if necessary, but it doesn't have to be that way. Tell me your name, and leave in peace. So nobody gets hurt."
The voice cackled, and a shape broke through the tree line. The demon's smile rivaled that of a frenzied shark, its emerald eyes glittering in amusement. "These woods do belong to me now, spirit. A diplomatic approach will get you nowhere if you wish to send me away."
"Tell me your name, and leave in peace," Thomas repeated.
The demon stared at Thomas for a while. "What is it you want, spirit? These?" The unholy spawn turned away and moved a large clump of moss with one foot. Hidden beneath it was a sack containing a glittering mound of gold, shaped into various items.
The boy's eyes widened. "You took everyone's things."
"I did," the unholy spawn answered proudly. "In one day. Leave my forest now and take these trinkets with you. But don't dare come here again."
Thomas narrowed his eyes. "I will take the village's gold back. But I cannot leave until you have. Now tell me your name."
The demon huffed, throwing the blanket of moss back over his haul. "You want my name, spirit?"
A large dagger came to be in the being's hand, and then it rushed forward. Thomas barely had time to raise his sword, keeping the weapon's blade an inch from his face. The demon's smile widened. "I am Greed."
The demon pushed Thomas forward, their weapons screeching and throwing sparks. The boy managed to block another attack and then swung. The unholy spawn sidestepped, throwing the dagger his way and creating two others. Thomas ducked in time and managed to jump back before a swipe made him blind. The boy swung upwards, his attack being blocked by the demon almost effortlessly. It rushed forward again, cutting and stabbing at the boy ferociously.
Thomas was pushed back, blocking as many blows as he could with his blade. One of his opponent's daggers tried to dig into his side, leaving a shallow gash. The boy flinched, and decided to change his strategy. Instead of waiting to block the next attack, Thomas shoved the demon back with his shoulder. Greed stumbled, caught by surprise for a moment. A golden blade was swung in his direction, nicking the being's chin.
Greed suppressed a pained shout. The tiny wound burned like fire. His daggers became shortswords, and the demon locked blades with Thomas again. The boy released a grunt, his tired limbs bending under the strength of his opponent. The demon's wicked smile returned. "Was this your plan, spirit? To fight me, and hopefully send me away? I've slain zombies stronger than you!"
Thomas glared, pushing against the demon as hard as he could. And yet, he was the one being held down. The boy closed his eyes, tired beyond belief. He fell to one knee under the unholy being's weaponry. The demon's smile widened into a crazed smirk. "Tell me your name, spirit," It taunted. "I'll be able to tell your friends how you died as their screams fill the air!"
His limbs trembled and burned. His mind felt foggy. His eyelids seemed heavier than stone. The boy forced them open, looking not at the demon, but past him. There was a tiny hole poked through the canopy, a ray of sunshine peeking through. The boy stared at it, wondering if it would be the last time he'd see the sun. If that had been the last time he saw Javer, saw Sophie... saw her.
The boy took a deep breath and pushed with all his might, shoving the demon off. He wouldn't give up. He made a promise, and he wasn't about to die again before seeing her one more time. Thomas swung his shortsword, its edge leaving a small cut on the demon's arm despite its best attempts to block the attack. Greed dashed forward again with a shout, swinging relentlessly at the boy.
Thomas blocked its attacks and locked swords with the demon again. "My name is Thomas," he told it through gritted teeth, throwing out a kick and knocking the being onto its back.
Greed huffed, getting up. His maniacle smirk vanished, replaced with a hate-filled glare. Its shortswords broke down into dust clouds and changed back to large daggers, which the demon spun twice before rushing at Thomas again. The boy sidestepped and swung, leaving a shallow gash in the being's side. The unholy spawn let out a grunt, whirling around and swiping at the boy. One of its daggers left a cut on Thomas' cheek, which he ignored.
They continued to exchange swipes, very few connecting while some managed to leave shadow cuts all over them. Sweat formed on his forehead, leaving small trails as it fell. Greed fought back ferociously, pushing Thomas back little by little until the boy managed to swing his longsword, leaving a cut on the demon's stomach. The unholy spawn growled and rushed again, locking blades with the boy.
He shoved Greed back and swung twice, sending one of the demon's daggers flying out of his hand and onto the grass, desintegrating harmlessly. Thomas blocked an angry swipe from the demon and swung his longsword again. The blade left a nasty gash on the being's chest, which made it shout in pain and drop to one knee. The boy raised his sword above Greed's head, breathing heavily.
"Leave. Now," he ordered.
The demon glared up at the boy. "Never."
It tried to slice Thomas' neck with an upwards swipe—which the boy narrowly avoided—and jumped back, summoning another dagger in its free hand. The demon rushed forward again, throwing a weapon and stabbing forward with the other. Thomas ducked, avoiding the first dagger, and raised his sword to block the second. He sidestepped and swung counter-clockwise, surprising the demon. His golden sword dug into Greed's arm, and the being cried out.
Thomas yanked his weapon free and stabbed forward, his blade piercing unholy skin and reaching the demon's left shoulder. Greed summoned a shortsword in his right hand and tried to cut off the boy's forearm, but Thomas managed to stop his opponent with a kick . Greed stumbled backward, landing painfully on a knotty tree's roots. The demon grimaced in pain, trying unsuccessfully to get up. His wounds burned with heat incomparable to any other, and not just his vessel: they seemed to reach his very being, his corrupt soul.
Thomas raised his sword again, pointing it at Greed. "I'm only going to ask you once more. Leave now, or I will be forced to end you."
The demon opened his eyes and glared at Thomas. "Well done, spirit. You win."
Greed got up on wobbly legs, trying to push past white-hot pain that seeped into his muscles. The unholy spawn stared at Thomas through narrowed eyes for a moment. "Tell me, spirit, are you an angel?" it asked, practically spitting the word. "A demon? You are certainly unique. I have never seen another like you."
The boy only stared back defiantly, unwavering, not daring to move his sword away or let his guard down. Greed's eyes widened, seemingly in understanding. A smile crawled its way back to the demon's face. "No, I know what you are," it almost growled. "I have seen your element before. An ancient thing I thought was lost heavenward... farewell, sunborn."
Jade smoke shrouded the demon, his eyes still visible through the swirling cloud. "We are sure to meet again." Then its eyes vanished, and the demon rose into the air, drifting away through the canopy of branches.
Thomas watched as Greed flew off, dropping his sword and falling to his knees in exhaustion. The golden weapon seemed to melt into the grass once it left the boy's hand. He took many deep breaths and closed his eyes, thanking every deity he knew of for giving him enough strength to pull through. Admittedly, the list wasn't long, but he thanked them anyway. The boy heaved a couple of sighs, getting up shakily and looking up at the canopy of trees.
A pinprick of light still pushed through the mess of leaves, not enough to brighten the gloom of the clearing, but definitely there. Thomas reached upward, pretending to caress the light and not caring how silly he might look. He could almost feel its warmth brushing the tips of his fingers. The boy blinked, turning back the way he came. The orchard was so overgrown that he couldn't even see the end of it from the clearing, despite the trees having grown in near-perfect rows.
Thomas sighed, beginning the walk back to the village. The orchard was clean now—the villagers could harvest wood and fruit now, wether to sell or to use was up to them. The mines were clear, so they could gather precious materials for trading or building. The boy suddenly remembered something important, turning around and walking the few steps back to the clearing.
He crouched down in front of the tree caked in moss, removing the blanket of green and pulling the heavy sack of gold out of its hiding place. He threw it over his shoulder and turned around once again, resuming his trip. The village had the orchard, the mines, had gotten its gold back: what more could they need? What more could he offer? What was keeping him here now? Nothing. The chains that had anchored him to what was once his home shattered.
The village would heal in time. It no longer needed his help, he was free to roam now. Free to look for her. Would she still be at Veridon? Maybe she went back to the valley. There was so much that could've changed... did she still miss him? Was he too late? Had she moved on while he helped the village recuperate?
Thomas shook his head, opting to not think anymore. It was giving him a headache. The boy wandered through the woods, finally settling his thoughts and focusing on a single one. He was going to find her, to see her again. That was all he cared about. That, and not crashing the Dragoon on the way to Veridon. But he really had no control over the latter, so it didn't matter too much.
Bright afternoon sunlight finally managed to pierce the canopy of the orchard as he neared its edge. The boy used a hand to shield his eyes, staring out at the village before him. It looked peaceful from over here, as it had from the small hill where the Healer's home sat and from far above in the airship. He would miss this place, no doubt: it had been his home for much longer than he could remember having one. The boy had spent years living with Javer and Sophie, growing up with the sun in his eyes every morning and helping around to entertain himself.
Thomas smiled and readjusted the back swung over his shoulder, walking into the village and heading for the Healer's house.
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Thomas' POV
I knocked on the Healer's door twice before gently pushing it open and peeking in. There was no one in the small waiting area nor in the elder's room. I unslung the heavy burlap sack off my shoulders and dropped it on the floorboards. The curtain to the guest room was pulled open, and Sophie poked out. The blonde gave me a big smile, running over to hug me. "Thank the stars you're okay!" she whispered, tightening her embrace.
I hugged her back a little, pain coming from every wound in my body as she squeezed. I didn't mention it though. "Yeah, I'm alright."
The blonde pulled away, shoving me back. Her relieved smile turned into a tearful glare. "Why did you just go after the demon by yourself? You could've died! And we would never even know!"
I rubbed at my chest where her small hands had pushed me. "I didn't die, I'm fine."
"It could've killed you!" Sophie pointed out, now hugging herself.
I heaved a sigh. "Sorry," I muttered. "But at least now the orchard is safe."
Sophie wiped her tears of her face, swallowing a little. "Did you kill it?"
I shook my head. "No. But I made sure it left, and I know it won't come back."
"How can you be sure?" she asked worriedly.
I pursed my lips, thinking about my answer. I shrugged, walking up to her and hiving her a hug. "I just am. Don't worry, you guys will be safe."
The blonde sighed, hugging me back with half-lidded blue eyes. She blinked them and pulled away after a moment. "'You guys?'"
The curtain was moved apart once again, and the Healer presented himself. The elder closed his eyes and whispered something to the roof when he saw me, looking back down with a smile. "I'm glad to see you once again, my boy," he said with a nod.
I smiled at the old man. "I'm glad to have made it back."
"Not unharmed, it seems," the Healer said, looking me over. "Come inside so I may treat your wounds. I want to make sure that demon left nothing harmful on them."
Sophie wiggled out of my grasp, glancing at me over her shoulder as she walked through the curtain. The Healer and I followed into the guest room. Javer was lying on a bed, seemingly asleep, with a thin blanket covering him. His boots, trenchcoat, and an assortment of colorful vials were set on a nightstand next to the bed. Miron was there, surprisingly, sitting at a stool and staring at Javer. Sophie stood at my side, looking at our friend.
"How long has he been out?" I asked the elder.
"He woke up maybe twenty minutes ago," Sophie answered instead. "He asked the Healer and I to step out of the room so he could talk with Miron."
I frowned. "Do you know what they were talking about?" I asked in a whisper.
The blonde shrugged. "A curtain and thin walls don't really achieve privacy," she whispered back. "They argued pretty loudly, although that was mostly Javer. It was like listening in to only half a conversation."
"Then... what did they argue over?" I pressed.
"J was mad at Miron," Sophie answered quietly. "For good reason, but still. He kept hounding at the poor guy about his bad decisions. I think Miron told him about what you had left to do, cuz he kept telling him that he should've gone with, spitting curses here and there. But he eventually calmed down, and then went back to sleep."
I nodded, looking from my slumbering friend and then over to Miron. The alchemist blinked, his green gaze moving over to me. He blinked again, getting up slowly, hands hanging awkwardly at his sides. "You're back."
"Yeah, I'm back," I answered simply.
"Did you... did you kill him?" the man asked.
I shook my head. "No, but I did send him away."
Miron nodded, mostly to himself. "That's good. Thank you."
I crossed my arms, looking back down at Javer. "You should've told us sooner. J wouldn't have been hurt then."
The alchemist looked saddened by my words, but the Healer spoke before he could. "Javer is alright. There are no wounds on him, other than a couple of scrapes, and it is certain that his mind is completely free of possession if what he heard before wasn't indication enough."
I nodded, relieved on the inside. "I thought he was my friend," Miron said after a moment. "I thought he wanted to help."
A sigh escaped me. "I know. You told us."
"Why would you trust a demon?" Sophie put in, arms behind her back, aiming a half-hidden glare at the man. "Did it possess you?"
Miron clasped his hands together, head down in shame. "He didn't possess me. And I... I don't know why I trusted him. He sounded genuine when he told me... that he wanted to help..."
I walked around Javer's bed, flinching a little on occasions when my wounds disagreed with my movements, and put a hand on the man's shoulder. "It's alright. Demons only plague the land to lie, and they're very good at it, so you shouldn't feel bad for having been tricked. At least no one got badly hurt, and you learned your lesson. Right?"
The alchemist sighed, sitting back down on his stool. "Yes," he whispered. "I learned my lesson. And I'm sorry."
I nodded, walking over to the wall and sitting down on an empty chair next to it, my sore muscles arguing against everything I did. I was so tired...
"Let me take a look at your wounds, my boy," the Healer said, coming over with his cane and lifting my shirt's right sleeve up to inspect a cut. "Miron, Sophie, could you please wait outside?"
My friend and the man nodded, walking out of the room without a word. The Healer lifted my shirt, inspecting a gash on my side carefully. The wound was still bleeding. Humming thoughtfully, the elder turned around and took a small glass bottle from a drawer. It was half-full with light-green cream. The Healer passed his finger through the substance and then applied it to my wound. It sting a bit, but the pain already coming from the gash faded substantially.
"It was very foolish of you to try and banish that demon on your own, Thomas," the Healer told me. "Sophie was worried sick when Miron told us where you'd gone. Had I not seen at least some of your abilities, I would've thought you suicidal."
I sighed, looking over at Javer. "I know. But... I've dealt with demons before. Specifically one, over and over, but still. If I could take down Darkness for lifetime after lifetime, then how hard would it be to clear the orchard?"
"Did you not die every time you faced that demon?" the Healer asked almost absently. I knew that wasn't the case—he very much cared about my answer—but for some reason made it seem unimportant.
"Yeah," I muttered, turning away from J and staring at nothing. "But Greed isn't Darkness, so I thought it would've been easier to deal with him. It seems I underestimated him, though," I said, gesturing at my cuts.
The elder hummed again. "You did, and that mistake could've cost you your life. Please, my boy, do try to refrain from making rash and reckless decisions in the future."
I fought back a smirk. "Those are the only kinds of decisions I know to take."
The Healer chuckled, capping his bottle of cream and turning back to the drawer, fishing out some bandages. "I suppose so. Then at least consider the weight of your actions before diving head-first into the abyss, child."
"I will Healer," I answered as he wrapped dressings around my injuries. "Starting tomorrow."
The elder shook his head, quickly finishing his work and putting the roll of bandages away. A groan pulled my attention to Javer. My friend sat up slowly, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He blinked at me a couple of times, and then his eyes widened in recognition. "Tom. You made it back."
I smiled at him. "Yeah, I kicked the demon out of the orchard. He put up quite a fight, but I managed."
Javer huffed, sitting up more comfortably. "Definitely looks like it. Why in heaven's name did you think that was a good idea?"
I rolled my eyes. "Why does everyone have to hound at me for dealing with the issue?"
"Cuz it was a stupid way to deal with the issue!" the alchemist-in-training shot back.
Sophie peeked her head in, walking over and hugging Javer. "You're awake again!"
My friend looked sort of uncomfortable in her embrace. He always looked like a fish out of water when recieving hugs. "Yeah, I'm awake. But not for long if you continue to cut out my air supply," he added.
The blonde clicked her tongue, letting go and crossing her arms. "I wasn't even squeezing that hard."
"You're stronger than you think," Javer said with a shrug.
I chuckled, getting up and walking across the room to get to them. "Are you feeling better after your nap, J?"
The alchemist-in-training nodded. "A nap was all I needed."
I stopped at his bedside and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Good. You made a promise to me, which I'm about to make you regret."
Javer frowned at me, thinking for a moment before recognition dawned on his face. "Ah, fuck."
"Please refrain from swearing while under my roof," the Healer said with a smile.
"What promise?" Sophie asked evenly.
I opened my mouth to try and explain, but no sound came out. I hadn't thought about how I'd tell her, or how she would take the news. "Uh... I..."
The elder walked up to us. "Thomas knows that this is his home. It was before, is again now, and will be for the rest of all his lifetimes. But sometimes, home is not exactly where you wish to be."
The blonde blinked, digesting his words, and turning her head to look me in the eye. "He wants to explore the world," the Healer continued. "Specifically, one of the mob cities to the north. This decision was very hard for him to take, and he wouldn't be doing it if he didn't feel like we no longer needed his help."
"But we do need his help,"Sophie muttered, the corners of her lips turning down in a frown. "I... I lost a brother last year, only to get him back less than a week ago, just for him to tell me that he's leaving again and taking the other nitwit with him."
I sighed, wrapping my arms around her. "I'm sorry. I just... there's something I want to do. Someone I want to see. But I'll come back, I promise you. We both will."
"I'm not making any promises this time," Javer muttered, lying back down. "I'm not treated well enough here. Maybe I'll find myself a nicer group of friends to hang around with that don't take joy in insulting me."
The blonde let out a shuddery breath, returning my embrace. "I hate you both..." she muttered, pressing her head against my chest.
"This will always be his home," the Healer said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "A wave will come and go, but it always returns to shore."
Sophie sighed, pulling away from me. Her blue eyes were red, tears forming within them. "Stay for today. You both need rest." She rubbed tears off her face, taking a step back to look at me and Javer. "You owe me big time," she muttered, punching my arm and proceeding to give J a quick hug before hitting him too.
I rubbed at my arm, thankfully that she wasn't too angry at us. "We'll go tomorrow, then. J, are you going to sleep here or are you going back to your house?"
The alchemist-in-training humme, sitting up and swinging his legs out to the bed's edge. My friend blinked, holding his head and retreating to his spot on the mattress. "I don't think I'll be able to walk all the way over there..." he mumbled, laying back down. "You're gonna sleep alone tonight. You have the keys to the house, right?"
"Your house doesn't have locks," I reminded him.
"Then you should have no problem getting in," Javer said, closing his eyes and getting comfortable.
I rolled my eyes, squeezing Sophie's shoulders and walking up to the Healer. "The demon was the one who took everyone's things. I got them back when he left, it's all in a bag out here."
The Healer smiled, nodding at me. "I will ensure it all goes back to their rightful owners. We owe you and your friends plenty for all your help."
I gave him a small smile which vanished when I caught sight of Sophie. She looked glum, sitting on a stool and staring at nothing. "Come with us," I begged, walking over to her.
The blonde blinked and slowly turned her head to me. "I can't just leave my home," she whispered. "I can't leave my family."
I heaved a sigh and nodded, giving her another hug. "It was worth a shot," I mumbled, taking a couple steps back.
It hurt me to see her like this. Was this how she felt when I died? I heaved a sigh, wishing there was a way to make it up to her. Then I got an idea."Come with me for a moment. I'm... beyond exhausted, but I do want to show you something."
Sophie raised an eyebrow, getting up. "Okay."
I gave the Healer a small bow and gave Miron a nod before ducking through the curtain. I led Sophie out of the house and on a walk through the village. It took a little while, but we eventually reached what I was looking for. The Dragoon looked... well, not great. It was missing a lot of paint, its tough wooden hull scratched and even splintered in some cases. Its main propeller spun lazily, pumping enough air into the ship's balloon for it to stay upright but not lift off. I had to improvise since there was nowhere to properly park it. Thankfully, the redstone systems didn't short out or something.
My friend stared at the craft, looking impressed despite the poker face she gave me. "I never got to ask you about this. What is it?"
I heaved a sigh, memories flooding me. "It's an airship. I helped some friends build it, more for fun than necessity to be honest. It works with redstone, and lots of complicated machinery, which I don't really understand."
Sophie hummed, walking up to the Dragoon and passing a hand over its hull. "It was amazing to see from down here when you got back. It almost seemed unreal, a miracle. I never thought I'd get to see a boat fly."
I smiled and took her hand, walking over to the rope ladder. "Come on. It looks great from the ground, but you've gotta see everything else from the sky."
She blinked, surprised and a little worried as I began to climb the ladder. The blonde sighed at me in a sort of tired, disapproving manner before following up. I lent her a hand as she reached the top, walking over to the wheel. Sophie started walking around, looking at the big propeller's engine and the many ropes that anchored the massive balloon to the ship. I pushed a lever to my right a little forward, and the blades began picking up speed.
We slowly rose into the air, much to my friend's surprise. She stumbled around a little, eventually gripping a piece of railing and watching the ground sink below us. I slowed to a hover once I believed out height to be enough, pushing the lever to my left. The engines and propellers on the back of the Dragoon started whirring, spinning faster until we began moving forward at a steady pace.
Sophie watched, excitement and fright written plainly on her face, as the land before us moved away. Awe made her blue eyes glitter like a pair of diamonds, her mouth open in a smile. I chuckled to myself, turning west towards that annoyingly thick forest and the landscape I wished to show my friend from the sky. The green mess passed by far below, giving way to lush green plains.
I shut off the rear propellers and we drifted slowly to a halt. I left the wheel and other controls, walking around them towards Sophie. The blonde had moved to the bow of the ship as we sailed across the sky, and was looking down at it all. I peeked at the wonderful colors of the sky—the sun was going down, orange and violet painting the clouds—and stood next to Sophie, admiring everything with her.
The massive expanse of blue looked bigger from the sky, reaching as far as eye could see and probably beyond. It glittered beautifully, mirroring every shade of color the sky threw at it. The cliffs and plains looked amazing, their green blades of grass waving pleasantly. The mountains stood tall and proud far away, like stone guardians watching over this magical landscape. It was peaceful, relaxing, and most of all utterly gorgeous.
I wrapped an arm around Sophie's own, giving her a squeeze. "It looks amazing from up here, doesn't it?"
The blonde sighed, resting her head against my shoulder. "Yes. It's beautiful."
We stared at the lovely painting as its colors were slowly taken away. I heaved a sigh after a minute. "I wouldn't be leaving all this if I didn't feel a need to. Please understand that I have to do this. I don't want to leave, but I have to."
Sophie closed her eyes. "I get it. But... I really want to know what's so important for you to abandon your family. Your home."
"It's..." I organized my thoughts, trying to find a way to tell her. "A matter of the heart. There's someone in Veridon I need to see."
The blonde hummed. "Is it a girl? Or boy, I guess."
I chuckled a little. "It's a girl. She's... very important to me."
My friend sighed in that weird 'oh boy' fashion, pulling away from me and crossing her arms with a smirk. "I guess it had to happen at some point that you'd leave us for a girl. Just didn't think you'd be going so far to find her."
I shrugged. "She's not just some girl. She's-"
Sophie rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. "Yes, yes, smart, pretty, unique, whatever. The most important person in your life, yada yada. I... I get it. Just... come back, okay? You're still our friend, our brother, spirit or not."
I smiled, giving her a hug. "Of course. I would never dream of leaving for life."
I walked over to the stern of the ship, and Sophie followed. The blonde looked out at the majestic landscape as we turned around back the way we came. "Do I get to learn the name of the she-devil that's taking you away from us?"
A fond sigh was drawn for me, as well as a smile. "Sarah."
The propellers thrummed steadily, white noise to all the fantasies and dreams that swam in my head. My heart was racing at the thought of finally getting to see her again. A heart that beat only for her.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Author's Notes
This chapter was very very fun to write, especially the fight scene and this tidbit with Tom and Sophie at the end. I'm very proud of this chapter, even if I did go over my self-imposed 5k-word limit by a couple hundred words. Oh, well.
Thank you all so much for your time and support! Have an awesome day!
~ LeMafiaKreb
