Not much to say. Hmmm... MAPLE NAPLE A' LA MODE!!... Sorry, I just had to put something.
Chapter 24X: Sonata of Virtues
Am I dead?
Is dying so bad?
It doesn't seem so…
That is, if I am dying…
…
…What? I mustn't die?…
Who are you to tell me that I can't die right here?
Who or what gave you the right to determine if I'm ready to die or not?
Coincident. That was what our meeting was. Pure coincidence. After all, I'm just a lowly beggar girl; you are a high prince, even if you didn't look like one, that was destined to save the world. Why would you help me? One less life here would be one less for you to take care of. But I am here? And so you will help out me still? You are… different…
Oasis. This was the oasis. This was one of the few in this barren land. I come here to gather materials necessary for life. However, I also come here to escape from this world. No one else knows about this oasis. This is my paradise. I wonder why then did I bring you here. Was it because you saved me? No, I am not that shallow minded. Is it because of your naivety? Is it because of your innocence? No. I can see that you are wise beyond your years and are carrying a burden much darker than anyone should, even if this was our first meeting. How did I know all this? Nevertheless, I wouldn't mind sharing this paradise… if it was with you.
Disappearance. You went away. You never did say goodbye. Why? Was it me? Was it something that I did? I could never dwell too long on it. I always wondered if it was something that I did that drove you away. My very first friend. I wondered for since then, awaiting for the chance to meet you again. To timidly and tentatively ask if it was me who caused you to go away. Or… was it the fact that I existed?
Reprieve. You say to concentrate. You say that I have powers similar to you. You can perform so many fantastic feats. You are strong, yet you are kind. You have the power to be anyone you wish, yet you envy the people you become for you are not them. And you say that I have powers like that. Why? Toying with my emotions. Trying to make me feel better. Trying to make me feel special even if it was a blatant lie. Why? You held me close and told me to focus. I slapped you for trying to get close to me. Was that why you left? You came back for a while before you disappeared though. You said that it was okay even though I had apologized profusely. And yet even now… I still regret that one small action.
Wandering. I wandered away from the oasis. I couldn't stand it there. You weren't there. It was as if you had taken the life of the oasis away with you. If you did, that was a very mean thing to do. I didn't know where I was heading. I wouldn't know until I got there. It was living life as a mystery. On more occasions than I care to remember, I thought of you laughing as I walked a path not set in stone. Somehow… that kept me going… that I was going to see you and hear your laugh again…
Powers. I eventually sat down and started to concentrate. When everything in my life was turned down, I turned to your advice to continue. Had you not been there, I would have lost my life during this time. Had you not met me, I would not have lived this long. With all of these thoughts flowing through my mind, I wondered. My mind was concentrated, but it wandered to the mysteries of the world. I wondered also if this was how you concentrate without concentrating on one thing. I believe that this was your power. But I also believe… that your power was much more.
Alone. I never knew what it was like to truly be alone before. Was it a good event or an unlucky one that you were introduced into my life? Perhaps if we had never met, I would not have to be alone. I never knew of it as I knew of no one. You came into my life and everything changed in the span of only a few months. How can someone change another person so much in such a short time? However… I know that I would regret… having never met you.
Ages. Looking back, I can see that I was probably no more than ten winters and you were probably no more than eight winters. Perhaps you were younger or I was older. Either way, as a senior in age, I should have been your savior, but no, it was the other way around. We were young, wild, and free. We never a full day's worry. No. I cannot say that. You were always thinking of others. You worry for their safety and happiness. Most of all, you worried about me, even if I was not the most important person, all that mattered to me was that you cared. Even though our ages were as such… I am… glad… that we were like this.
Beauty. More winters have passed and I believe myself to have grown. I overhear on the streets of girls and women talking about 'fashion.' Knowing you, you would have probably complimented all of them. You could always bring out the best in someone. I should know. I was a first hand case. Still though, I don't think you'd be so shallow as to judge a person by their looks. Still… I hope that you'll notice how beautiful I've become…
Humility. Perhaps that was the first powers of which I learned. I learned that even if you are beautiful, there will always be those who will hate you. It does not matter who you are. It does not matter what destiny has woven for you. You will on all terms be hated. Pride and arrogance will be the downfall of everyone. However… I have faith… that you will not be drawn in.
Journey. Once I learned of how my powers worked, I was driven to journey harder. I wanted to be more like you. You were the only person I respected. Your prowess and, more or less, you as a whole, was just something that was ethereal. I find that my descriptions of you match my powers, no matter what anyone said. You are… a being that was not of this world…
Outcast. I learned not to let knowledge of my powers known to others. As it had happened, I was turned away with scorn, no matter my deeds to aid the people. They viewed me with contempt, as if I were some scum that has crawled into the daylight where they reside. It is as times like these that wonder why you put up with them. But then I remembered. It was the same reason that you put up with me. Because you were kind to all, be they living or dead. You will mourn for a friend, and if you should have to take a life, no matter how trivial, no matter if it was your enemy, you would also mourn.
Kindness. There have been times that I wanted to destroy all of those around me. There have been times in which I felt that it wasn't worth it anymore; those who were different from me. These were the times that tried my soul. Each and every time I felt a strong desire to kill those that were in front of me. I felt the power behind my façade. Sometimes, that power scares me. It felt almost unstoppable as my body acted upon its own accord. That was when I felt another force stop me. Somehow… I like to think that it was you who stopped me.
Siblings. Years later, I heard of news, even in these remote regions. I had heard of how the high prince had fallen, that he had killed another. I didn't believe it. I still don't believe it. You would never kill another, not without reason. I had also heard from some rather shady sources that there were two who were still looking for you. While many had condemned you for a murderer, they didn't and they were also searching to find you. I had made it my mission to find you as well, and so I decided to join up with them. During one dry day in the oasis, I met with Tamara and your brother.
Companions. Now I had two companions who also seek what I search. We were all embarked to find you. Was it coincident that brought us together? Or perhaps it was fate? I believe that it was you who brought us together. If we all weren't searching for you, we would have never met each other. Though we antagonize each other at times, like all good companions, we were never happier, because now we have found others who were like ourselves. We have each other, who can understand our goals.
Patience. Even if we cherished the times we had together, there were times when I wished I could just blast them into oblivion. Of course, had I done that, I would most likely have been the first one to follow after them. Tamara tested my patience to its limits as she chattered on about meaningless topics. Your brother… he was himself. Both at times tried me again and again, but I wouldn't trade them for all the riches in the world.
Sins. Tamara was different from me as black is from white. She is loud, exuberant, able to see the light in the darkness. Perhaps that is due to her lifestyle. Perhaps it is due to her abilities. She opposes me. I can only see the darkness in this world… Maybe because one becomes accustomed to one's world, one can only see the opposing changes in it. She takes such joy in her renewed life, even though I saw that a shadow creeps and mists over her eyes whenever she does so. We are… not that different from each other.
Undercover. Eventually, we met someone who was quite knowledgeable of the situation. He led us to the council who reveal, in part, their plans to us. That was their second mistake. Their first was the plan to use him. Once we learned of that, we started planning for a way to get him out of that situation.
Uncover. I suppose that those two trusted me enough to impart some of their information on him. Combined with the information I had from my meetings with him, we began to weave a sensible pattern of all that had happened. The old one(s), were not in on our plans, but we figured them to be on our side for the time being. They had their own plans, but so long as they didn't interfere, then we can let it slide.
Plan. The plan was simple. To be blunt, we merely complete the cover of the council's plan, but only enough so as not to stir any interest in our lines. We had our own plans. Oh how simple they were to be. Once we got him, we would only play along just enough until we were far enough to outrun them. We would escape to wherever we could and live there. If only we had succeeded…
Assimilation. The actual crossing was easy though I was sure that the precision of the warp must have taken the minds of geniuses to predict where it would go. We had sent his brother ahead as a scout. By the time we came over after his message reached us, a week had passed for him on the other side due to the time lag that happened with energy and matter as it was passed back and forth. We reached the other side to find a dark room with pictures depicting dragons. We ventured out and only found him hidden in a secluded village in the middle of a desert via tracking and locating spell.
Legend. By utilizing mind synch, we were able to learn the language of this world shortly. However, we required aliases before heading out. Earlier on, Tamara and I had already picked out our names. Sadly, our third member had yet to come up with one. The girl that had kindly housed us suggested several and eventually landed on one named Mark. After inquiring about that name, we found out that he was a wandering tactician and as such would have seen much on his travels. He might have seen our target.
Reunited. We sent word back for some troops that we had hand picked to help on the mission. By stirring conflict here and there, we were able to draw him out. One look and we saw the semblance. However, he had an army with him and if we knew him like we did, we knew that his army was strong and nearly impossible to defeat. He is the one that makes the impossible possible.
Awry. Our plan was to capture him. However, first we had to separate him from his friends. We had hoped that by injuring him enough, it would cause his friends to search for their healers. The archer lost his nerve and launched his arrow too soon. His heart was nearly impaled, but I believe that he actually moved his heart to avoid the arrow. Either way, at that point we were near panic but we managed to get him safely stabilized. Unfortunately, the soldier who shot the arrow committed suicide to atone for his actions. I do not believe that death is atonement. Rather, death is merely an escape and that living is to atone for one's sins, though he had committed none.
Recovery. He was healed soon after by the 'Wise Ones' as I had taken to calling them. Indeed the term befitted them as they were wise beyond any mere lifespan. The recovery was relatively quick, but for all of us, it was painfully slow. Even then we feared of what would happen when he awoken. Perhaps this was why we, or I at least, hoped that he delayed opening his eyes for as long as he could. I feared that he would be different when he woke up.
Diligence. Only by perseverance did I stand to see him awaken. Had it been for any weaker will, I probably would have avoided him like the plague. Once he had awakened though, I noticed that something was wrong. He was not as vibrant… nay, perhaps I should state that he was not alive inside. The Wise Ones said that they repaired him as best they could, but his mind was still locked inside. I saw something underlying their words but had not definite proof and therefore kept silent. Perhaps had I spoken then, this could have all been avoided.
Hesitation. I knew my suspicions were correct when I saw him hesitate when he was fighting against his friends. He did not fight to kill, rather he seemed as if he would actually lay down and die for them but just wasn't in enough control to do it. To someone who only fought him and had an untrained eye, he would seem to be immensely powerful. However, I am not like the others. I saw blatant mistakes that I knew he should not make, but did so repeatedly. Why? Even then, I hesitated to inform this to the others.
Temperance. By now we had to initiate the most risky part of the plan. Though I was tempted, I decided not to do anything, even now. He was to be returned to his friends, if not for a little while. We had to make sure that he acquired the items back as they were needed for the council's plans to work. I did not believe that we should have let him go. None of us did, but we had to keep the façade up to fool the council. I wonder, are we playing the council or are they playing us? Which one of us is actually manipulating the other? And which ones are the pawns?
Charity. I am not a generous person, but I made sure to promise this as a resolution. I promised to pay back the council for all of their meddling with interest. All of this could have been done cleanly without any life lost at all, no life sacrificed nor torn asunder. However, this was only to further the ambitions of the council members. They are responsible for everything, every pain that we have suffered. And even more so, they had inflicted even worse pains on him.
Chastity. I cannot say that I was impressed. They got him back, or maybe they were happier that they managed to retrieves the items. He came back with all of his memories intact though I don't know how. He was startled at first and actually attempted to fight back. Tamara took him into a room to explain everything to him. When they emerged, he was back to normal, losing his form of Lust, but I felt nothing from Tamara. As her Half's Opposite, I should have been able to sense a change, but there was nothing. She was just as chaste as the day I met her.
Nostalgic. Different, but essentially the same is the phrase to describe him. His mannerisms and thoughts all provoked a profound emotion in me that reminded me of those days in the oasis. He was laid back with seemingly no care in the world, but was always watching to see if any could be bettered. He was interested in militarilistics but wanted them to not kill. He followed by a different rule that he wanted to avoid killing. His opponents were just as important as his own troops. At times like these, he reminds me of the past, and I wonder just how much he and that past him had went through.
Wise Ones. They died. Tamara insulted them even after that and I can partially understand her. This was her way of grieving. She focused on something else instead of being sad. Happiness was too strong and would not fit, there for she believed that if she made herself as much of a nuisance as possible, perhaps she can escape her sadness. Their death was a major blow militarily, but not a heavy one. Despite that, I too felt sorrow for their loss. They were wise and had often mentored me in many ways. I felt connected to them in a similar fashion to how I was mentally with him.
Promises. My life was a life of broken promises. I broke nearly every promise that I made or that were made to me. Perhaps this is my punishment for my sins. Despite the fact that I represent the exact opposite of the sins, I too am tarnished just as how Tamara and he were tainted with light. No, I dare not say he was tainted with light. He was just as tainted with light as he was with darkness. Either way, I was unable to keep my promises. I have not paid back the council for their actions with interest. I have not kept my promise to avenge Tamara. And, I have not kept the promise of meeting up with him again one day…
And so ends Taran's memories. How sad... No really, I actually teared up a bit when writing this. She is a typical tsundere (character who acts tough but is actually quite weak inside).