Dragon's Dogma - REBIRTH

by ArisenMaya

Can an Arisen put an end to the Eternal Return and find their happiness without forgetting, sacrificing and succumbing to the oblivion of solitude? Can a Pawn interrupt the evolution it is destined for, and love like a true human being? "Rebirth" offers an alternative perspective on the unfolding of the Arisen's and their Pawn's destiny.A love story between the Arisen and Main Pawn

DRAGON'S DOGMA - REBIRTH

-Surroundings of the old quarry, late afternoon.-

"Stand firm, Master!"

The pawn tore through her enemies with a powerful swing of sword and shield, ripping pieces of rotting flesh violently from the howling undead, who soon dissolved into the ground. The warrior's leg muscles propelled him, carrying him through more monsters that he dispatched with such fury that he barely noticed the risks he was taking. His eyes were fixed on the Arisen, trapped behind by the grip of a giant undead trying to drag her away. The Arisen had her blade wedged between the broken ribs of a skeleton and couldn't pull it out. She resisted the painful pull of the undead, but she wouldn't hold on for much longer, and she couldn't even scream for help. Or maybe she didn't want to. She had thought she heard her pawn call her, and when she saw his blade gleam, she felt immense relief. His grim figure leaped over her, hands raised to hold back the giant, ready to strike the blade into the monster's skull. For a moment, the Arisen found herself staring into the pawn's eyes fixed on her, ensuring she was alright... he, the pawn, was injured, but he would give his life to save her.

The giant undead, caught off guard, emitted a horrendous scream that echoed in the Arisen's ears. She squeezed her eyes shut, immediately broke free from the grip, spun around freeing her sword as well, and unleashed a series of fierce slashes on the decaying body, enough to send it back to the depths of hell. Once on the ground, with the blade still stuck in the carcass, she huffed, wiping sweat from her forehead, exhausted. She glanced at the result of her work and prepared to retrieve the sword with a swift motion.

"I suppose I should be more careful with these lunges," she admitted sarcastically, giving an irritated tug on the hilt. As she sheathed the weapon next to one of her two assassin's daggers, her pawn stopped in front of her, his gaze impassive as always. He briefly looked at the undead dissolving as he sheathed his own weapon, then met the Arisen's exhausted gaze again.

"I agree, Master. You shouldn't put yourself at such risk. Let me take care of the powerful enemies."

"I don't want to recklessly throw myself into the fray, Tez," she said, addressing her pawn, Tezcacotal, as she liked to call him, "but I also don't agree that you should handle the most dangerous ones alone. We're a team. Or perhaps you don't think I'm up to it?"

The pawn nodded slightly in apology. "It wasn't my intention to suggest that. You're very skilled, Master, but your life..."

"Is important for certain reasons, I know. Protecting me is your duty, you're here for that", she said like a mantra.

"Yes..." he trailed off, seemingly taken aback by her tone, "it's my duty," he confirmed. The Arisen was right, but something he couldn't quite define had unsettled him... if "unsettled" was the right word. Perhaps it was the stressed tone of the Arisen?

"You're injured, Master," he realized that the woman -whose name was Maya, but as a pawn, he had no right to call her anything other than "Master"- was bleeding from her shoulder and side. He took a few steps closer, just to realize that the chainmail had been corroded by the acidic fluids of a fat undead. "Come, let's return to Gran Soren. You need treatment and rest. I'll take care of sending a messenger to the chamberlain to inform him that we've cleared the area."

The Arisen allowed herself to be helped. Yes, she needed rest. It had been days since she had slept properly, and she wondered how she had managed to fight until the end. She didn't even have time to finish one mission before another request came in. Everyone turned to her, everyone called for her help. Never a moment of rest, of diversion, of... of being with someone, she thought. The stress was building up in her limbs, and she hadn't had a hot bath in at least four days. As she let the pawn help her walk, she wondered if he also felt the same need to take a break from all those hardships. She had never heard him complain; he worried only about her. Yet, his wasn't that true human-like feeling of concern as humans know it... he was a pawn, a different being despite having the appearance. He was more of a tool than a person, created solely to protect her. Devoid of human feelings and emotions, they said. When Tezcacotal showed concern for her, his eyes were constantly impassive, showing nothing, as if he had no idea he could move the facial muscles to change expression. Yet the eyes he had met while he stood over her, ready to strike that blow, seemed somehow different, more... alive, in a certain sense. She shook her head, telling herself that ultimately she had simply feared not being able to fulfill her duty, of seeing her disappear underground with the giant undead. She wondered what would happen to Tez if she died. Would he also cease to exist? Or would he return to the cleft? She had heard of a couple of stories of Arisen who had passed away, whose pawns had suffered from loneliness and the absence of their Master. Would it be the same for him?

"Is everything alright, Master?" His deep, enveloping voice drew her away from her thoughts.

"Yes, everything's fine. Let's go, Tez. Tonight, I want to have a hot bath and dine in the tavern. You're invited, so there's no need for you to return to the rift."

"Very well. It's an honor for me to accompany you, Master."

"Maya," the woman closed her eyes for a moment, "you can call me by my name, I don't forbid it."

"I... you are my Master, Arisen. I..."

Maya paused at his confusion: he seemed to take on the typical shades of embarrassment, as if calling her by name was an excessive request, a real lack of respect, and certainly he dared not. Or perhaps he simply did not understand the reasons for that request, so he simulated what seemed to her genuine emotions.

"I understand. It doesn't matter," she said simply. As she turned, Tezcacotal read a hint of sadness in her eyes. There were many things he didn't understand about humans, and one of them was the incredible variety of expressions they assumed, stemming from emotions of which he had never been a part, but which he had largely learned to recognize at a glance. Their meaning had become known to him over time, but he still struggled to understand the reasons for their assumption. His Master had become sad for a moment... but why? They had only concluded a battle and spoken. Had he perhaps said something wrong? When he was about to apologize for possibly using an inappropriate tone, he realized that Maya was already calmly heading towards the inn, and he decided it was not the right time to bring up the topic. He followed her in silence, ensuring that the shadows did not conceal further threats for that long day nearing its end.

-Inn of Gran Soren, evening.-

The innkeeper, Asalam, had welcomed Maya with respect and admiration, immediately taking care to store her belongings and arrange for a hot bath in two of the best rooms he had available—although pawns did not really need to wash: they only needed to return to the rift to come out as new. After an hour, Tezcacotal stopped to wait patiently at the exit. Various people came and went: among them was a knight accompanied by a pawn, who, not being an Arisen, did not obey orders as he would have liked. Tez heard the knight uttering scornful remarks to her, culminating in kicking her in the stomach in front of everyone. Asalam immediately sprang into action to quell the man's behavior outside the inn, so as not to disturb the peace of the other customers. An annoyance that Tezcacotal, without understanding how or if it really was that, seemed to perceive at chest level. Faced with the mistreatment of that pawn, something stirred within him: he breathed calmly, reflecting on the scene, trying to understand if he still felt that kind of push, that emotional jolt... how could he define it? He continued to ponder even when his Arisen arrived, whom he initially mistook for another customer. Maya, refreshed from her exertions, had renewed her appearance by combing her long wavy chestnut hair, applying makeup to her eyes and lips, and wearing ladylike attire, consisting of a low-cut corset and a skirt that accentuated her tanned skin. She was not very tall, just five feet five inches tall, but she was well-proportioned, with rather pronounced curves, a slim waist, and toned musculature. When she stopped in front of her pawn without saying anything, she raised her eyebrows, amused.

"And this silence? Shouldn't we have some sort of bond that allows you to recognize me instantly?"

"Ah, Master... forgive me, I was distracted. I'm not used to seeing you without armor."

The Arisen showed cheerful surprise. "You, distracted? I find that hard to believe. Well, how do I look then? Do I look alright?"

"I... suppose so."

Maya lowered her forehead slightly, crossing her arms.

"What do you mean 'suppose'? You pawns don't..." as she searched for the right words, she looked at him perplexed, straight in the eyes, "have ideals... preferences? Something that allows you to distinguish what you find beautiful? Yes, in short... do you never feel a particular attraction when you look at a person or...?" Tezcacotal remained still, pondering the meaning of her speech. Maya practically didn't give him time to respond. "Of course not. By now, you must be sick and tired of reminding me that you're not human."

"Master..." Tez tilted his head slightly to study her more carefully. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it was enough to infuse an incredible tension in her, causing her to blush suddenly. "We also have aesthetic tastes. Time teaches us many things, especially by your side, Arisen. Mine is sufficient to confirm that you are a lady of great beauty and that these clothes suit you very well. Yes, you are a very beautiful woman, Master. And how do I look? I've tried to adapt to the occasion," he explained, spreading his arms.

Once again, Tez didn't understand his Arisen's expression. She had a much brighter complexion, much brighter than usual. Her eyes were almost wide open, perhaps in tension? Why? He saw her swallow and briefly search for air. She took a step back and expressed a smile that reminded him of those made by people who were said to be "embarrassed." Why? Had he again spoken out of turn? Was it really so difficult to say things without offending humans? Maya took so long to respond that he was about to ask her forgiveness for his forwardness. Perhaps, in asking her what she thought of him, he had been inappropriate. He could not know for sure that Maya's heart was pounding in her chest from happiness. He had complimented her. She hadn't thought it possible! Was she dreaming? No, he had told her he was liked. Of course, perhaps she glossed over the fact that the concept of "liking" could be quite different for someone like him, more comparable to looking at a beautiful object than admiring a beautiful person to desire by one's side, but she considered it a huge improvement in his ability to express himself. Was her pawn...? No, that wasn't possible. In any case, she would have wanted to answer his question by telling him that she knew nothing comparable to his beauty. That she found him wonderful, extraordinary, as beautiful as a God could be. She liked everything about him. Everything. After all, it was normal for her to feel that way, since she had decided his appearance at the time of his generation at the rift stone. Every little detail of his face and body met her taste with such perfection that it had surprised her more than once. His massive features, with high and pronounced cheekbones, thin, almost elusive eyebrows, a strong jaw, tanned skin, slanted and thin eyes of that leaden color that stood out under the ebony mane, almost always tied in a dreadlock ponytail... and the muscular body, but without excessive swelling, distributed on a proud medium-height structure, seemed made to be by her side... nevertheless, she didn't want to express too openly what she felt for him, even though the desire to shout it out loud was not lacking at all, indeed. It became increasingly difficult every day to treat him as a simple pawn and pretend nothing. For a moment, she thought of the Arisen's Bond in the form of a ring she still kept in her belt pouch, waiting to be given to the person with whom she would decide to spend the rest of her life. She was reaching her limit, and his question, certainly innocent and a bit naive like that of a child, ruthlessly invited her to reveal herself, to give him the ring once and for all. Instead, it took her a little effort to regain control of herself, finally hinting at a composed smile.

"From my point of view, you lack nothing compared to the men of Gransys. I see you also have good taste in clothes. They suit you. Especially that shirt."

The pawn felt relieved to hear his Master's response, and her appreciation reassured him, even though he had not yet grasped the meaning of that variety of expressions. The Arisen seemed surprised and embarrassed, and generally, emotionally in a good way... happy, that is. Maybe he should compliment her like that more often? He mentally noted it, remembering having seen humans dedicating beautiful phrases to each other, being impressed by it. But he also knew that certain phrases were exchanged only between those people who formed a couple, so he had to be careful not to assume attitudes that his Master would not accept from him. But how could he know exactly what things he could say and what he couldn't? To understand it without making mistakes, he would have to study humans much more, and for such a thing, he certainly couldn't say he had so much time available.

"I am glad to hear you say that. I hoped I had chosen something worthy to accompany you. Shall we go?"

He offered her his arm, like a true gentleman. She took it delicately, enjoying the moments of contact and warmth. Tez, on his part, became intrigued by how warm and soft his Master's arm felt without the chainmail and armor: it was the first time he had felt her touch like that. Throughout the journey to the tavern, he couldn't stop thinking about that physical sensation, as well as the scent that emanated from her, different from usual.

Once they arrived, voices, shouts, songs, and the sounds of instruments overwhelmed them in an atmosphere of celebration, and the aromas of rustic food quickly filled their lungs. For Tez, it was instinctive to look around carefully to ensure that his Master was not at any risk, but there were no beasts there, only men who, nonetheless, he knew could become troublesome when they drank a lot of alcohol. Moreover, there could always be thieves and scoundrels. He helped her navigate through the crowd around the counter and directed her to a free table, the farthest from the chaos, where he could have a good view of the entire room. The thought of her safety was omnipresent, a task from which he could not exempt himself even in moments of rest. It was the only precise will he possessed.

"Would you like to sit here, Arisen?"

"Yes, it's perfect. Let's sit down and think about what to eat. I'm so hungry I could devour an orc."

"An... orc? Do you want to eat an orc, Master?"

Maya looked at him motionless for a moment, then tried to politely stifle a laugh, unsuccessfully. A brief, cheerful sound escaped her.

"No! I was just saying. To let you know how hungry I am."

"Mmh... I understand," nodded the pawn, his expression relaxed, although her unexpected laughter made him feel something again... something akin to when he had seen the knight mistreating his pawn, there in his chest, albeit diametrically opposite. It wasn't the sense of annoyance and alertness he felt when enemies were nearby... it was very, very different, something that still had no name. "Then we're in the same boat, Arisen," he hurried to say to interrupt his thoughts, "I would also like to eat a good dish to keep you company. How about a mixed meat stew?"

"With polenta and mushroom stew in herb sauce? Just to start," she raised a hand, catching the attention of the waitress, who was passing by to collect some dishes from nearby tables. When she arrived and asked what they desired, they both placed more orders. Soon the table was filled with food and good wine, and during dinner, they decided to avoid talking about the dragon and other worrying topics, instead dedicating themselves to recounting some past experiences. For Maya, it was a surprise to discover what Tezcacotal had experienced in other worlds reachable from the rift, with other Arisen and pawns, and he felt honored to be considered worthy of knowing about her past in Cassardis. It felt as if his Master wanted to involve him in her life and soul, and it made him feel very good, as well as fortunate. During their journey, he had never met a human like her, capable of comforting him and making him feel like her equal. In fact, unlike most, she did not fear him, nor did she fear any pawn in general. She didn't even care about the fact that he was one, upon closer inspection. She treated him... as she treated people like her and friends. He realized this only at that moment. She had never called him "pawn". She had consistently called him by name, since the first time they had met at the camp. She worried about him when he was injured or ill, when they fought, when they traveled, when they rested...

"Arisen, may I ask you a question?"

"Of course," Maya paused with her fork in mid-air, filled with steaming polenta dripping with a dark sauce. "What do you want to know?"

"I wanted to ask you... why you don't call me-"

"Maya! Hey, Maya!"

The voice of a sprightly old man, perhaps a little tipsy, abruptly interrupted him. Tezcacotal looked at him calmly, rising and nodding his head in greeting and respect. Maya, taken aback, rose as well, shaking his hand and giving him a surprised smile.

"Old Topec, is that really you? It's a pleasure to see you again after so long."

"Heh heh," the old man nodded his head towards Tezcacotal, placing his glass on their table and sitting next to the pawn, "I'm also glad to find you here, my beautiful girl. Nowadays, they can't stop talking about you down in Cassardis, you know? You're a real celebrity!"

"Well, I guess not just in Cassardis," Maya smiled resignedly, "how have you been? I thought you had left Gransys."

"I tried, but then I missed it too much... all of this, you know," he said, spreading his arms, "yes, they say there's a dragon and that the Duke is going crazy, but it's my land. And the people... here I have all my friends and family! Damn, starting over, especially at my age, is harder than I thought."

"Mmh... I can imagine," Maya nodded slowly, lost in thought. Tezcacotal couldn't stop studying her. That expression was one of concern. He felt a slight pressure on his side and realized that the man had touched him with his elbow.

"So, this young lad is your pawn? It's incredible that you know how to control them. He seems like a solid guy to me! I suppose you're in good hands, Maya."

"Y-yes," embarrassment once again. "Master, what's happening to you?" "Tez is... he's fantastic. Without him, I would have died hundreds of times."

"Don't exaggerate, Arisen. You're an exceptional fighter."

"It's true, you know?" the old man turned to the pawn, "Your lady, when she was little, if I didn't give her the grape candies my wife baked, she'd pull down my pants and spank my buttocks with wooden spoons... it really hurt!"

"Old Topec!" Maya burst out of her chair, "p-please... don't say these things."

"Ahahahahah!" the man laughed, "and why not? You were just a child... ah, those times. Sometimes I wonder if they'll ever come back."

While Tezcacotal tried to imagine the little Arisen misbehaving with adults, failing to do so with the beautiful, serious, and composed woman in front of him, the two began recounting past episodes that he only partially understood. He resumed eating silently, except that something shook him even more strongly and unexpectedly than before. The old man said something, and suddenly the Arisen burst into a loud, crystalline laughter, her expression opening up into a wide and candid smile, surrounded by red lips. She squinted her eyes, continuing to laugh loudly, even holding her stomach with one hand. Tezcacotal froze in place. The more the old man spoke, the more his Master seemed to enjoy herself with a transport and joy so great that he was sure he had never seen them in her. And there, he understood: seeing her smile like that was his precise desire. Seeing her smile and be well, knowing she was happy and at ease about her future... alive and safe. Yet there was still something else, something that prevented him from tearing his eyes away from her face and continuing to eat. An indescribable sensation alarmed him, but at the same time, it generated in him an irresistibly attractive and surprisingly pleasant feeling. He didn't understand what was taking over him precisely, if he had some kind of disorder. He only knew that he couldn't help but look at her, succumbing to that unnatural instinct without offering any resistance. Maya only noticed it shortly after, when the old man's story was over, and she had already regained composure. Tezcacotal's stunned gaze, staring at her with sharp eyes, immediately struck her. She lowered her head, giving him a slight smile, feeling a little guilty for not involving him.

"I apologize to you, Tez... you didn't understand a thing, did you? Sometimes I'll have to tell you about Topec's adventures, and maybe you'll even laugh. "

"We're rather duty-bound, I see," the old man rested a hand on Tez's shoulder, "as a pawn, you can't know what it's like to split in two from laughter, eh? Well, tell him whatever you want, Maya... maybe you'll be the first to make one laugh! Given what you've done so far, I wouldn't be surprised."

"Yeah," the woman smiled tightly, watching the old man rise from his seat. Inside, she wondered how beautiful Tezcacotal's smiling face would have been. "It was nice seeing you again, Maya, but I really must go. Hopefully, we'll meet again, one of these days."

"Likely. I'll be passing through Cassardis soon. Say hello to the family for me, Topec."

Topec waved and walked away into the crowd. Maya and Tezcacotal were once again alone at their table, surrounded by the noisy crowd. She stabbed her fork into her plate, then lifted her eyes to his as she attempted to eat again. She noticed he seemed distracted.

"Is... everything okay?"

"Yes," he looked at her as if the question surprised him, waiting for further questions or words. Maya, frowning, rested the fork and rested her chin on her crossed hands, staring at him as if conducting an analysis.

"All right, let's try something. Laugh, Tez. Try to mimic a laugh."

"A... laugh...? Like yours a few moments ago?"

"Not necessarily as loud. Damn, sorry again. Must have been quite annoying," she sighed, "rather, try to smile. Like this." Maya stretched her lips and emitted a brief, light laugh. "Think you can do it?"

Tez didn't answer. He had no clue. He pondered for a moment, then attempted to stretch his lips the way she had shown, displaying his white teeth. A second later, opening his mouth, he made sounds trying to imitate, as faithfully as possible, those of the laugh he had just heard. In short, it was a disaster: the smile was the most static Maya had ever seen on a person's face, and the laughter was more like the mechanical and repeated pronunciation of a set of vowels.

"What do you think, Master?" he asked innocently, curious to hear her judgment. Maya lowered her face, held back another laugh, and shook her head.

"It was terrible."

"Really? I'm sorry... I did my best, Arisen."

"Sorry..." Maya repeated in her head. But the more she looked at him, the less she believed he was sorry at all. Why did he say he was sorry if he couldn't feel such emotions? His face was the same: neutral, impassive. Not stern, but calm and respectful, like that of a polite and restrained man. There were very few changes, almost imperceptible: in battle, he was more focused and wary. If he was surprised, his senses would suddenly sharpen, but his eyes never widened in surprise, nor did his face ever contort with anger. He could feel some emotions, but no more than a sense of alertness and danger, fear, relief, and unease. Saying sorry, but without showing it, was it the result of imitation or was it something he genuinely felt? Yes, he might worry about his own life, but "sorry"...? It stirred a hint of anger in her for his thoughtless use of words, and she clenched her teeth trying to think. But he was a pawn... he was not to blame for not being what she so desperately wanted. Taking a deep breath, she suddenly became serious. Tez noticed it but said nothing, waiting for her to continue. Could he have disappointed her with that terrible imitation?

"There's something... that I'm deeply sorry about," Maya looked up, filled with a nostalgia that Tez didn't expect to see in her at that moment. So many expressions in a few seconds, so much to understand...

"Arisen... I see you're troubled. I hope I haven't disappointed you by not being able to..."

"It's not that!" Maya opened her mouth, hesitated for a moment, then lowered her eyes to the table. "What truly saddens me is not being able to share all these emotions. With you, I mean. I wish you could feel them too. I wish we could feel them together. But how can we?" Despite her efforts to hold back the sadness, she felt her eyes slightly burning. "No... no, no, no, Maya, don't tell him... you'll regret the pain you'll feel afterward!" she told herself, swallowing the heavy lump in her throat; a pause, then she looked at him as if it were the last time she would see him. "You know, one of my greatest desires is to see you smile. I mean genuinely, without imitations," she said, her voice struggling not to crack. In Tezcacotal's mind, a jumble of chaotic information was generated, petrifying him once again. Outwardly, he was still and impassive, his eyes captivated, fixed on those of his Arisen, but in his spirit, there was a whirlwind that was driving him crazy, formed by things that, for some strange reason, also generated attractive sensations, perhaps even pleasant ones. "Not... Arisen..." Maya couldn't bear those impassive eyes, or she would have given in to tears. She stood up, leaned slightly toward him, and did something she knew she would soon regret: her lips gently touched his cheek, to the left, giving him a kiss. Her heart was beating tumultuously, and her limbs trembled, and before Tez could realize it, she sat back down. She looked at him carefully, searching for any reaction, but the pawn seemed simply speechless, perhaps a little confused, because it was indeed as if he couldn't express himself in the face of something so new to him. "There. Let's do this," Maya said, trying to show as much indifference as possible. "I'll give you a kiss of gratitude for all your efforts every day. Perhaps, sooner or later, something new will happen, and you'll feel like smiling."

Tez touched his cheek, the spot where he had felt the soft, warm lips of the Arisen. The emotional chaos was almost unbearable; he didn't even know where to begin to sort it out. Why was his body trembling like this? Was something serious happening to him? Had he undergone a physical alteration during the last battle without realizing it? Was some kind of mutation taking place within him? Should he perhaps inform the Arisen?

"Master... I..."

"Yes, I know you can't understand right now, but it doesn't matter. In the end, thanking you in some way seems right, and it doesn't cost me anything to try," she winked, adding, "Excuse me, I'll be right back. I'm going to freshen up," she smiled at him in a fleeting manner, waving her hand in front of her neck, "It's much hotter in here than at the inn."

Tezcacotal couldn't say anything else. He followed her as she got up and headed toward the latrines, forgetting to check for threats among the crowd. His gaze was fixed on her figure from behind, his thoughts still wandering in the chaos in his head, which, he realized only afterward, had also caused his heart rate to accelerate. He closed his eyes, trying to understand if he could break free from those thoughts and regain his composure. The thought of the Arisen's gesture, that kiss, seemed to worsen the situation, causing a sort of stabbing pain in his chest, which he pressed with a clenched fist. His heart pounded hard, raising new questions in him. He focused on the surrounding sounds; the chatter of the bystanders seemed to help, slowly bringing him back to calmness, even though questions about the strange expressions and the Arisen's unexpected action continued to assail his mind involuntarily. There was definitely something different about her; she wasn't herself. Perhaps that was why he was constantly besieged by all that chaos? Was the Arisen suffering or changing for some reason, and their bond made him perceive it that way? After all, if it was true that the purpose of a pawn was to "resemble the Arisen," any change in her could spontaneously generate disturbances in him... yet she didn't even seem that distressed. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand it because it was something he had never seen in other people... that's why he felt so confused. He shook his head, resting his hands on his temples, his elbows on the table. Perhaps he should directly ask her what was happening to her, but there was no guarantee she would want to talk about it to a pawn. He could help and support her in battle, but for the rest, he could do very little.

Little did he know how wrong he actually was.

-Days later, near the Catacombs, late afternoon.-

The rustling of the foliage from the small bushes was intense but not enough to drown out the shrill cries of the goblins. Tez, in front of Maya, bent behind some plants, keeping the situation under control.

"They've surrounded the fork in the path, Arisen. Let's observe what they're doing. We'll find a way to deal with them quickly."

"Wait..." Maya grabbed his hand, a gesture she had made several times before, yet she couldn't ignore that slight nuance that made it different from all the others. "Look, we can also pass through here. There's enough space between the plants and the walls, and we could sneak around them instead of fighting them."

Tez had no objections, and, staying behind her to keep an eye on her and prevent any enemy from attacking her from behind, he followed her quietly along the line of bushes and rocks that bypassed the swarm of goblins. After a few meters, Maya suddenly stopped with a start. Holding the plants aside with one hand, she signaled for Tez to approach. The pawn hurried, bringing his face close to hers to peer through the gap. A fragrance, sweet and enveloping, filled his nostrils. The warrior's eyes automatically slid toward the profile of his Arisen, so close that he could clearly distinguish the warmth emanating from her skin. But that scent... that scent that even in such a moment, and after walking for hours, continued to emanate... was so close, filling his lungs intensely. His heartbeat slightly accelerated, coinciding with a strange murmuring that he didn't notice. He didn't even notice the roar behind him. Maya's eyes met his for a moment, and only then did he realize they were filled with terror. He found himself thrown to the ground with a violent blow, while a war cry rose from his Master. He felt tremendous pain in his shoulder and side, making him cry out, then there was a sort of violent tug: the body of a werewolf, its white fur splattered with blood, catapulted over the bushes to land among the goblins. There were screams and clangs, which Tezcacotal, dazed, barely heard around his Master. He got up as quickly as possible, alarmed at the thought that they might seriously injure her, and, ignoring the piercing pain in his side and the copious bleeding from both it and his shoulder, he threw himself into the fray with difficulty, as the spot where they had sneaked in, near some rocks and bushes, didn't allow for easy sword movement. He shielded the Arisen as best he could, placing the shield in front of her and thrusting the blade into the enemy, staying by her side like a shadow. He tried to glance to make sure she wasn't hurt, but every time a new goblin jumped over them. Maya pushed them back in turn, where Tez's gaze and defense couldn't reach. Suddenly he heard her scream, "You're injured!"

Tez felt a faintness, and his advancing knee trembled as if it could no longer support the weight of his body and armor. He leaned against the ground, raising the shield and thrusting one last time before planting the blade in the ground and bending down. Maya pushed the last two away on her own, made sure the situation was back to calm, and, with her heart in her throat, threw herself next to Tezcacotal, who stared at the grass with blurred vision.

"Tez! Let me see."

Taking the sword from his hand, she made him lean against her carefully. A quick glance at his side and shoulder was enough to understand the seriousness of those lacerations, from which blood still flowed: the grass around them was stained more with his blood than that of the enemy. She quickly took some clean cloths from her satchel and pressed them onto both gashes. "I need to remove your armor," she said, quickly pulling off the satchel and rummaging inside it. "I'll use powerful field herbs, potions... and I'll close the wound for you."

Tez gently grasped her wrist. Or perhaps weakly, because he realized he was starting to struggle even to lift his arm. "There are only a few left, Master. Save them for yourself... take mine too and go on without me. The road should be safe from here on... you... can call me back from a rift. I believe you'll find at least one inside, but please... be careful..."

"What are you...?" Maya looked into his serious and seemingly indifferent eyes, shook her head in disbelief, and grimaced. "Letting yourself die to save the medicine, just because you're a pawn and can resurrect from the rift anyway? No! Not..." With a sigh, she removed his cloak and began working on the hooks and belts of the broken breastplate. Tez narrowed his eyes, not understanding the reason for such insistence. His death wasn't real; he would return healed from every wound. He noticed that Maya's hands were trembling.

"Master, you're trembling. Are you... alright?" he said breathlessly, but his lucidity was still sufficient to allow him to perform his duty, which was to ensure that the Arisen was well. Maya gritted her teeth in a growl, removed the blood-soaked pad, and applied the poultice she had made by crushing and chewing the plants. It didn't seem to do much now. She let out a sob.

"Master... are you... crying?"

Maya felt the pawn's fingers brush her tear-streaked cheek before his arm fell limply to the ground, and his eyes closed. Sobbing amidst tears, she watched the rift globe materialize for a moment above Tezcacotal's lifeless body, then vanish along with everything else, as if his image had been nothing but an illusion all along. She found herself alone, as if just waking from a nightmare. Dazed, with her blood still on the ground and on her hands, she wiped away the tears that struggled to recede. She was alone. Since she had begun her journey, she had never, ever been alone. Of course, they had been separated a few times... but in those cases, she had always had the assurance that he was alive, that she could find him or call him back at any moment, and he would come immediately. Now, however, on that dimensional plane, he no longer existed, and she had to find a rift if she wanted to see him again. As far as she knew, the nearest one could be the one in Gran Soren. Would she have to reach the catacombs alone and face the entire labyrinth without him? Would she be able to? She knew Tez was alive, somewhere in the rift... yet she couldn't help but suffer because, in any case, albeit not permanent, she had still witnessed his death. Since they had met, it had never happened... and speaking of which... how could it have happened? The enemy that fatally wounded him was not one of the most formidable they had encountered, far from it! So why had he managed to hurt him so badly? The only way to find out was to move forward. She sheathed her daggers and walked away at a brisk pace. The crypt leading to the catacombs was not far now... she oriented herself with the map in her hands and, emerging onto a path, followed it. As Tezcacotal had told her, the area was clear, and she encountered no other enemies. If there had been any, she would have torn them to pieces with all the anger she harbored inside. She continued until she glimpsed the top of the structure in the distance. Maya swallowed a lump, overwhelmed by the discomfort at the thought of spending who knew how long inside the catacombs without her Tez. She was almost about to stop and decide to return to the city, to the pawn guild, where she could find him, and instinctively reached into her bag, searching for the traveler's stone: with that, she could have returned in an instant, although she would have had to repeat the journey from the beginning... only then did she remember that she had given the stone to Tez. Despair seized her: without it, she would have to face a journey twice, if not three times, as long. Considering the risks, she might as well move forward now. She sighed resignedly until, reaching the gates of the crypt, her eyes caught a familiar figure just to the side, surrounded by a faint greenish glow. That figure suddenly became the most precious thing she had ever seen in her life: a rift stone! With wide eyes filled with astonishment, she lunged toward the rock and grabbed its jagged edges with both hands.

"Tez!"

Behind her, there was a flash, and the atmosphere opened up like a portal granting passage to another dimension. Maya spun around abruptly, and before her descended the beloved figure of Tezcacotal, who looked at her silently with his usual seriousness. As she raised her hand to show the unmistakable scar that marked his palm with luminous lines, she was overwhelmed by the Arisen's embrace. Maya hugged him tightly, ignoring the coldness of the armor that once again protected his healed body.

"My God, Tez! You have no idea how relieved I am to see you again!" The pawn, after a second of hesitation, slowly lowered his arm. With his head bowed, he looked at his Arisen surrounded by him, realizing that the feelings of chaos and confusion he had experienced in the past few days had not disappeared at all; rather, they were all coming back at once at that exact moment... this confirmed to him that it was not at all a physical alteration as he had believed; otherwise, the return to the rift would have healed him.

"Master, you know well that I am not granted eternal rest. I am relieved that you found a riftstone so close, but there was no reason to worry so much." Maya only distanced herself a little. She raised her face, distorted by feelings of happiness and suffering for what she had experienced in front of his death, denying it several times.

"Should I have remained indifferent in the face of your agony? Perhaps other Arisen have done so before me, but I am not them. I really was afraid of... well... I felt..."

"All right, you don't owe any explanations to this pawn," his warm voice took on a caring tone, a sweetness that perhaps Maya felt for the first time, "but I am grateful for the consideration you honor me with, Arisen. And forgive me for inadvertently causing you pain... I will try to make sure it doesn't happen again." Maya felt butterflies in her stomach. Silence enveloped them, except for the slight background noise generated by the riftstone. She knew that if she hadn't found a way to avoid it, she would have ended up kissing him. Only at the last moment did a thought suffice to distract her from those intentions, and the tension in the air spontaneously lightened.

"By the way, can you explain to me what happened? We have fought beasts far worse than werewolves. I can't understand how you could have been caught off guard like that."

"Because I wasn't..." When Tez remembered the reasons why he had been attacked, the words died in his mouth. Staring at the Arisen with his lips still parted, he tried to explain to himself, even before to her, what had happened... but he couldn't; his mind was blank. Or rather: he knew he had been distracted, but the reasons for that distraction were something he couldn't describe.

"N-no. I ask for your forgiveness," with a small effort, he managed to compose himself and calm down. He needed to sort things out and explain them as he remembered them, without trying to come up with answers on his own. Perhaps the Arisen could do it. Perhaps she, being human, could tell him what was happening to him. "I think I should have told you earlier, Master. I fear something is happening to me that I don't understand and that I'm not able to explain to you."

For Maya, it was a blow. Concern crept into her gaze, and with a quick glance around, she stepped aside, dragging him closer to the crypt wall. "Alright, start from the beginning," she said. The pawn kept his face low, staring at the Arisen's belt.

"As you said, I let myself get distracted. The werewolf managed to attack me without me realizing it. It had never happened before, Arisen," he confessed, looking back at her.

"I know. But what could have distracted you so much that it allowed a werewolf to kill you?"

"Y... your scent, I believe."

Maya's eyes widened, blushing as if he had revealed an embarrassing secret. "My... scent?!"

"Yes. I mean... your perfume, Master. When I approached you, it was very intense and somehow diverted my attention from what was happening."

The woman was genuinely taken aback. Of all the reasons she would have considered possible, that was surely the last.

"Perhaps... perhaps scents can cause problems for pawns? I had just showered, maybe that floral soap was too strong?"

"Not that I'm aware of. But... it's not easy to explain, Arisen... in a way... it attracted me, if that's the right word. It was... intoxicating and pleasant. Different from any other scent I've ever smelled."

Maya took a step back, slowly. If her emotion was evident, she didn't care. What mattered was that something out of the ordinary had happened to her pawn. Something strangely human, for someone like him. But for now, they were not safe out there.

"Listen... what you're telling me is crazy. We need to somehow figure out what this is about, but we can't do it now. The monsters could smell our scent and reach us. For the moment, if you think you can handle it, let's focus on completing this mission. We'll talk about it later... okay?"

"I completely agree, Master."

-Weeks later, northwest of Gransys, near the Blood Beach, night. -

Maya felt her arms swing, shaken by Tezcacotal's decisive and swift movements, as he held her close and ran without caring about the weight of the armor, bags, and weapons they both wore. Monster cries were not too far off, and the blood streaks on their weapons indicated a tough fight, from which the pawn had barely escaped. When her eyes caught sight of the tent of a small abandoned camp or one set up specifically for pilgrims, they filled with gratitude: they collapsed at the end of their strength, short of breath and with sore muscles, yet Tez took care to lay Maya down as gently as possible. He sat beside her and leaned against the tent, trying to hold his breath for a moment. The cries of the two cyclopes were getting closer, and Tez cast a worried glance at his unconscious Master. When the sounds seemed to draw nearer still, he was seized by terror: if they were attacked, protecting her would be truly difficult. He pressed his lips together and gripped the sword hilt with his right hand, ready to react. He couldn't allow the cyclopes and goblins to get near that tent. If he heard them approaching, he would go out and fight with his last strength to keep them away, even though he wasn't at all sure that Maya would survive anyway: her wounds seemed to require urgent care, and there wasn't even a mage with them. He couldn't even ask for help from anyone, and the thought plunged him into a despair as deep as an abyss. As panic threatened to drive him mad, he heard the monsters moving away. His muscles relaxed automatically, and with great caution, he risked a look outside: all was silent and peaceful again, and the air no longer carried the stench of those beasts. When he was certain they had lost interest in the pursuit entirely, he let out a loud sigh of relieved suffering, just long enough to remember that the danger had not passed at all, not for his Master. He laid out the bag and quickly rummaged through it to pull out all the medicines he had, roles reversed from the previous time when he had been on death's doorstep in the catacombs. Cloths, bottles of water and liquor, milk and tuber juices, filters, herbs, bandages: he pulled out everything he had. His Master's armor had been cracked in several places, and he had to remove it. With great care, he managed to take off each piece, but he had to deal with the garments underneath. He couldn't treat the wounds with them on... without thinking, calmly, with one of the Arisen's assassin daggers, he began to cut the fabric and tear it with his hands. Only when he had the woman's bare chest before his eyes did he notice something shocking. It was as if a jolt had struck him, starting from his chest and shooting up to his brain. The sight of her body, though battered, forcefully brought back the chaos of the past few days in his mind, chaos that had spontaneously subsided, not without disappearing altogether but giving him respite from involuntary distractions. Now it seemed that everything had returned stronger than before, just at the least appropriate moment.

"The Arisen... needs me."

He imposed calm. He had to overcome that confusion, not allow it to take over. His Master was what mattered, and his duty was to take care of her life, he repeated to himself. If he didn't, she wouldn't survive. With his heart pounding faster than usual, he set about creating a drink and a paste to help protect her from infections. Every time his eyes met her prominent forms or his hands brushed against her, he ignored the intense sensations never experienced before, which he could describe as a sort of attraction combined with an urgent need to look away. More new things, whose true reason continued to elude him. Could that be the nature of a pawn's evolution? Yet he had noticed no physical changes in himself, nor did he seem to resemble his Master in any other way. She was... so alive. He remained just a puppet, an empty vessel to fill. Or maybe not: now he had all that chaos to fill it with. But it wasn't even something that belonged to Maya, he wasn't even beginning to resemble her. What he felt was different and indefinable... while thinking about it, he carefully tended to her, attentive to every slightest movement. He sterilized a small needle and made sutures, then refreshed her skin where it was still dirty with blood and dirt. When she was clean enough, he realized another thing: the contact with her flesh, the warmth she emanated, he had felt it much more intensely than usual all the time. As she rested, he gently touched her abdomen with one hand, letting it rest slowly. He remained still, his gaze captivated by his fingers touching her amber skin. The Arisen breathed slowly and the warmth, from her skin, pleasantly spread through his palm, up his arm until it reached his chest. Yes, he realized that was how it was. Everything flowed from and rose from one point: the chest. He placed his other hand where his own heart was beating more vigorously than usual, without agitation... was that perhaps the feeling his Master experienced when she said she was "excited"? It was the heart... did chaos originate from his heart? He lowered his head and looked away. Her wounds were treated, but she needed at least two days of recovery. They weren't in such a safe area, and he had to be vigilant, as well as procure everything necessary to make her convalescence comfortable. So he decided that thinking too much about himself would lead to distraction as it had the previous time, then he extinguished the lanterns and went out to ensure that no other monster approached the camp.

-Two days later, late afternoon.-

Maya had just emerged from the Fountain of Youth, naked. She grabbed a towel and began to dry herself, aware that her pawn was just outside the perimeter of the fountain, standing guard for her. Tez had seen his Master's nudity before, but since the previous night when he had been strangely unsettled by the sight of her breasts so close to him, he realized he no longer felt as indifferent as before. In fact, normally he would have considered it an outrage, but now he even felt the uncontrollable urge to look at her. He slowly and discreetly let his eyes slide in her direction, following the curves of her body from top to bottom. A stab in the chest reminded him of the werewolf incident that had wounded him, and that was enough to bring him back to vigilance. His heart was pounding, and he felt a sense of dismay towards himself, perhaps the embarrassment he had recognized several times in his Master. He swallowed again, noticing that the sensation in his chest was accompanied by other stabs lower down, at groin level... then Maya called him. Dried and dressed, she needed a little help to walk. Tez, finding that he couldn't sustain her gaze, silently helped her and escorted her back to the tent.

In the evening, when the warrior entered holding a bowl full of soup, Maya was sitting with her chest completely bandaged up to her waist. The pawn bent down beside her, and she took the bowl in her hands, turning to him with a grateful smile.

"Drink, Master. I hope you enjoy it."

"Very much so." The steam from the soup warmed her face, and the scent it emitted moved her. "Tez... thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your care. I'm keeping you busy."

"I think we should proceed with more caution, Arisen. I suggest recruiting some pawns who know the area better... it will help us avoid the most dangerous areas."

Maya moved to bring the bowl to her lips, but stopped to observe the oily, glossy liquid on the surface. She set it down between her legs.

"I'd rather not..."

Tez looked at her firmly, his usual mild expression natural and without hostility.

"Hm? May I ask why you disagree, Master?"

Maya sighed softly. "Because I want to travel with you. Just you and me, no one else," she already imagined how childish she would sound confessing this to him. She understood well that hers was a childish and decidedly stupid whim, and yet it was what she felt. She shook her head gently, as if to shake off a fly.

"Upon reflection... I think you're right. Yes," she said, looking at him and barely hiding the contrariness in her eyes. "A mage. An archer. Or a sorcerer. We would risk much less."

Tez said nothing. He suddenly felt like he understood his Master much more. Normally he would have stopped at appearances, but now, behind that uncertain voice and that evasive expression, he felt like he recognized something forced, as if she were lying to him. He lowered his head slightly, a hint that Maya noticed in passing but enough to catch her attention. His pawn had changed expression; it wasn't her imagination. She drank the soup.

"It's good. What did you prepare it with?" she confessed with surprise, to continue feigning indifference to her real thoughts. Usually, for obvious reasons, she would be the one handling the food, but evidently Tez had observed her a lot and had learned to cook a little from there. However, the pawn didn't seem interested in culinary matters and caught her off guard with an unexpected question.

"Arisen, why do you lie to me? If you don't want to recruit other pawns, we can proceed with just you and me, but we'll need to plan our journey better. I suggested it because I'm worrying about you and your life. This time you risked a lot..." Maya noticed the warrior's forehead moving, small vibrations as if trying to free himself from paralyzing chains. "I was... I was desperate when I thought I had lost you."

Tez followed the contours of his Master's face as they lit up with astonishment, understanding that she hadn't expected to hear those words from him. The woman had to set down the soup to keep it from spilling. This time she scrutinized every inch of his face indiscreetly, searching for any other changes.

"'Desperate'...? You've always told me that..." Tez lowered his gaze, trying to put the words together to describe more precisely what he had felt, but it was difficult. "Tez, I thought pawns didn't experience this kind of thing. Even the last time something strange happened to you, but I thought it was a one-time thing because of the new perfume."

"If I may confess, Arisen, it wasn't just that one time... it started even before then and hasn't stopped," he admitted with a resigned tone. "I can assure you that I'm in good health, but not even the Rift can heal the confusion I've been suffering from lately."

"But WHAT exactly do you feel when you talk about this 'confusion'? Is there no way for you to make me understand it more precisely? Maybe I can help you sort it out... maybe... maybe the prolonged contact with humans is bringing you awareness that you didn't have before?"

"I... no, I'm not sure, Master, but I think it only happens with you. Perhaps the cause is our bond as Arisen and pawn. I feel like a cloud of continuous changes passing through my body from here," he said, resting a hand over his heart. "I can't tell you if they're pleasant or not... sometimes it feels like..." after seconds of hesitation, he let out a subdued sigh and lowered his eyes. "I don't know, Master. I can't describe it without the fear of using the wrong words. It creates a lot of confusion for me... I can't understand exactly what I feel."

Maya's breath quickened. Her suspicions, with every addition Tez made, seemed to be confirmed more and more. But she didn't want to delude herself: perhaps this was the evolution Sofiah, Arisen of Selene, had told her about in the form of a specter. When she had learned of this, she had suffered. She already loved Tezcacotal, and knowing that one day he would evolve to resemble her, like a being trying to humanize himself by copying another, had shocked her. She didn't want him to become human just to resemble her. She wanted him to keep the appearance, the name, the voice, and the characteristics that her own will had chosen for him, and to learn to become human on his own, with his personality... for his own soul to be born within him. She didn't want to see him disappear to have a copy of herself. The thought that this feared process had already begun left her with a profound emptiness. She approached him cautiously, trying not to bend too much, supported by the rigid bands. Tez remained still, watching her, discovering that he couldn't help but get lost in those bright green eyes, suddenly filled with fear.

"Could it be that you're evolving to resemble me... isn't it? Like what happened to Selene, I mean... yet... your face remains the same..." she squinted, peering into his gray eyes, "from what you describe, it almost seems like you're becoming more human in some way, but..."

"I confess that's what I thought at first too, Master. Yet, I believe I resemble you not at all. What's happening to me seems different from the change that we pawns are apparently destined for."

The crackling fire outside the tent cast orange hues inside. Maya scrutinized Tezcacotal's beloved features with despair, the hints of wrinkles that gave him the air of a mature man, the dark skin, and the strong neck. She placed a hand on his face, her teeth clenched.

"And what sense does this destiny make, having to become like one's own Arisen? Why must that be the purpose? Why can't a pawn become human on its own? What's the point?!" she said almost angrily, still unaware of the roles for which pawns were born, as well as ignorant of what awaited her, "I... I want you to remain Tezcacotal, not to become some kind of twin of mine. How can I prevent this from happening to you?"

Tez felt the gentle hand of the Arisen on his face, and instinct urged him to take it. He found that he genuinely liked that contact and observed his own hand holding hers.

"You're suffering, Master... but I can assure you that I will continue to be with you. I won't abandon you, if that's what worries you. Not until you tell me to return to the Rift."

"No... it's not that, Tez, you haven't understood! I don't want your evolution into me! I want you to evolve, yes, but... remaining yourself, just as I created you. I don't want another me by my side!"

"Just as I am...? But you said you'd like it if I could experience your own emotions. By evolving, I'm sure I'll be able to understand what you mean."

Maya looked at him until she succumbed to silent tears. She lowered her head, resigned, and let out a sob. Yet it had truly seemed to her that he had started to feel emotions for her...

Tez, caught in new chaos, was panicked to see her cry because of him. He still held her hand and, without realizing, he tightened his grip. He opened his mouth to say something, but what? Somehow he felt a desperation akin to what he had felt during the battle two days before, but it was distinctly different.

"M-Master? I didn't mean... forgive me..."

"Master, Master... am I truly just a 'master' to you?" Maya slowly lifted her tear-streaked face, her voice quiet, broken by tears. "Tez, I can't stand it anymore when you call me that!"

"You... you want... you still want me to call you by your name? Why?"

"Because I hate that word! 'Master'... it makes me feel like a slave driver, and the thought of actually being one terrifies me. I... I want to hear your wonderful voice say my name, not that horrible word. I want there to be intimacy between us... I don't want to be a Master who orders her pawn around like a tool to be used only when needed, expecting it to blindly obey! We have a bond that goes far beyond that, as far as I'm concerned!"

Something deeply struck Tezcacotal, so much so that Maya saw him widen his eyes. He stood there with his mouth open, unable to speak, his hand tightening in hers. Maya raised her arm, showing him what he was doing.

"This... this! Do you see? You're holding onto me, Tez... you're holding onto me, and the eyes I see aren't those of a mere puppet without emotions or will!"

"I-I don't..." Tezcacotal glanced from Maya's desperate expression to his own hand, which couldn't help but tighten around hers. He didn't want to hurt her, but chaos was assaulting him so fiercely that he feared returning to the Rift at any moment. His heart was pounding like never before: when Maya approached again, he felt a multitude of drops bursting forth in his chest like fireworks and, after exploding, falling back into his stomach to tickle it.

"Tez, what I want is your presence by my side... yours, not mine. I want your voice, your warmth... I want to look at your face, your eyes... to share everything with you, just as you are in front of me now. I..."

Maya wasn't sure how much Tez could understand of her words or if she was somehow worsening the situation, risking to damage him in some way, but she could feel the beat of his heart from the few inches that separated them. She was practically on top of him now, sitting on the ground. The lack of his reaction left her silent for a moment, processing what she had always known in the end, but she decided to go ahead anyway. In front of his bewildered eyes, she instinctively leaned in to press her lips against his. She kissed him, raising her other hand and resting it on his face, feeling a surge of excitement. Tez had warm but still lips, as someone who had no idea what was happening. He only knew that at that moment his heart had accelerated, that he had stiffened, that he had squeezed her hand even tighter - this time, unintentionally hurting her - and that he was breathing slightly panting. A few moments later, Maya slowly pulled away, looking at her pawn's lost expression.

"You're the man I love, Tez. Pawn or not, this is what I feel for you. I love you just the way you are, and I don't want you to change because of some silly evolution that will make you resemble me."

"Y-you love me?" Tez licked his lips twice, still thinking about that kiss. In almost every previous day, he had received a kiss on the cheek and had found that, day after day, it affected him a little differently than the previous one. That new contact, however, had been like an explosion of very strong perceptions, all different but equally pleasant enough to make his heart beat with a thunder he had never felt before, not even in front of the most fearsome enemies. Perhaps that feeling was comparable to the immense relief he had felt when he had made sure that his Arisen hadn't fallen. One thing was certain: he would have liked to feel it again. The perception of their mouths against each other had generated in him a real desire, and he realized that that kiss, that closeness, and that contact with her body were creating additional sensations, this time more physical, and intensifying each time he followed the lines of the Arisen's face and body. "You love me, Master? Me, this pawn... among all the human men you could have known?"

Maya smiled at him. It was done now; she had nothing more to hide from him.

"At the beginning... when the blacksmith told me that the Arisen's bond would be destined to the one I chose to accompany me, I realized I had no one. Sure, I helped many and many helped me, I can't deny it. I laughed and cried with many of them... but as unforgettable as those moments were, they were no more than a fleeting ray of sunshine in a continuous storm, where no one truly understood me, nor stayed by my side. No one stayed willingly to walk this difficult path with me. Nor did I walk a different path from mine. People came and went constantly, fading away like memories over time. I kept looking around, but I realized I was always alone. To love someone, I needed to know that someone, not just exchange a few words, do favors, receive thanks, and finally say goodbye. How could I give the ring to someone for so little? Beyond what I did for them, I never truly knew the people I helped, not even when we experienced special moments together. They were always brief encounters, sometimes more intense, but equally limited to the surface. Perhaps someone stayed a little longer, or I wanted to get to know them better, but everything always stopped at the same point. I thought I would never find anyone to give the ring to... until I suddenly opened my eyes. I realized I always had someone by my side, at any moment. Someone who always helped and defended me in times of need. Who listened to me and supported me even when I didn't behave very well and scolded me when needed. It was you, Tez... I practically loved you from the beginning, but I didn't want to admit it because I knew what it meant to be a pawn, and I was afraid I would suffer too much. Yet, in the end, I couldn't help but follow what I felt. I learned to know you and discover that there is something in you that belongs to you and makes you special in my eyes... even though I admit I thought I convinced myself of this. But your way of speaking, your calmness, your patience, your timely advice, your knowledge, your way of dealing with everything that comes... your courage... your beauty; there are so many things that have made you the most special man to me without you even realizing it... they made you alive just like a normal person, not like a pawn. In my eyes, you started to be someone important, to whom my thoughts turned more and more often. I started to truly love you, it wasn't just a passing desire... I felt I couldn't do without your presence. And now... now I want to give you the ring. I want you to keep it. Because if our bond was already special, for me it is even more so now. You are that sun capable of dissipating the storm that surrounds me. And I want to always be with you."

With that, Maya opened her palm, letting Tez take the ring contained within it. With eyes steady but veiled with a vague astonishment, he put it on his finger and then looked at her. Maya knew well that Tez couldn't understand the meaning of her words or her emotions, at least not to that extent... but she still felt good about confessing everything she felt for him.

"I apologize for causing you all this confusion. I wish I hadn't told you anything... and also stopped deluding myself, because I know things can't go as I would like. Yes, when I realize it, it will be painful. Yet I couldn't help but think... that something in you was changing," he confessed, avoiding her intense and vigilant eyes, "but probably it's not like that. Probably, what's happening to you is just part of the evolution of a pawn."

Maya gave him a sad smile. Tez had lost his words... because if it really was the change he was destined for, it was definitely different from what he would have expected. What had he felt when she kissed him? Like all the other times, he had no answer. It seemed he was on the verge of understanding, but then chaos flooded his mind again. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. He couldn't put a name to it. He only knew that he would never forget that feeling.

-Cassardis, home of the Arisen, one month later, evening.-

Maya lay on the bed after a refreshing bath, hands pressed to her face. When she released the breath she had been holding in her lungs, it felt like she was lifting a weight off her shoulders. Many things had happened in the past few weeks, and all that doing and thinking had exhausted her. Finally, after days of pilgrimage and battles, she could allow herself to rest. As she felt sleep slowly creep over her, a voice saying "Master?" startled her awake, making her sit up abruptly. Tezcacotal stood in the doorway, motionless, but seeing her jump like that, he took a step back.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to startle you, but I was afraid something had happened to you."

Maya stared towards the fireplace, motionless, one hand on her chest and her breathing calming down. Her eyes only met his a few moments later when she said, "It's not like you to enter like this," with a slightly annoyed tone, instinctively pulling the sheet to cover herself. She was only wearing underwear, and although she had shown herself naked in front of him more than once, after his confession, she had started to feel a slight embarrassment. Tez seemed indifferent, but his gaze was almost brazenly fixed along her figure under the sheet, with more hesitation than usual. As he focused on the silhouette outlined under the sheet, he moved slowly, offering her a bag.

"I knocked many times, Master. Did you not hear me? Old Topec asked me to deliver these to you."

"Oh... thank you," Maya took the bag, opened it, revealing Topec's wife's grape sweets. She smiled nostalgically, but immediately put them back. "I'll eat them tomorrow... I'm not hungry now. But you can have one if you want."

"Not before you. But thank you for the offer," the pawn declared, lingering for a few more moments. He felt that the sight of his Master nestled in that bed was capturing his attention forcefully, but he tried, as always, to push the thought away. "I didn't know you wanted to sleep so early. If I had known, I wouldn't have disturbed you, Master."

Facing his hesitation, Maya lowered her forehead slightly and indicated the chair.

"No problem, Tez. Sit down if you want. It's just that my back is killing me. I thought I'd try to sleep for a few hours, but with all the thoughts racing through my head, I just can't. Why don't you go and rest a bit too? You must be exhausted..."

"I'm just a little tired, Master. Don't worry," he stopped in front of the chair, stood still looking at her, then turned back to her, "if your back hurts so much and you welcome it, Arisen, I can help you with a massage."

Tez saw his Arisen's face turn red, her eyes widen, and her face lower. When he heard her stutter something incomprehensible, fearing she might not be feeling well, he approached her cautiously.

"Are you okay? I had recommended that you get checked by the shaman before returning home. Some alterations can affect you without you realizing it."

Maya fell silent abruptly, her eyes wide meeting the close ones of her pawn. She swallowed a lump in her throat and smiled, trying to lighten the tension.

"B-but no, I assure you I don't have anything like that. It's just that... I didn't expect you to ask to massage me... you surprised me, that's all."

"I was brazen, Arisen? Forgive me, I only wanted to be useful and help you find rest," Tez stood up, placing the weapons against a wall and returned to her. "You know, in Gran Soren, they taught me how to relieve pain and muscle tension. I might be able to help you relax, so you can fall asleep for a while."

"Relax with your hands on me?! Oh, I don't think so", Maya thought, swallowing again. She looked at him, her mind in such chaos that it confused her, and without saying anything, she lay back on the bed face down, exposing her semi-nude back. Her heart was beating vigorously, and she could hear its echo in the mattress. As she began to feel Tez's warm, strong hands gently pressing on her back, she automatically squeezed the pillow, closing her eyes and continuing to listen to the pounding heartbeat. Tez worked on her tense muscles, and she felt increasingly strange and indecipherable sensations. It seemed like her head had suddenly become hot, ready to explode like a bubble of lava. After several minutes, while reflecting on the sensations of touch that smooth, soft, and warm skin caused him, Maya turned to him, causing him to stop involuntarily. She looked at him in silence, her face reddening, leaving him speechless. The stalemate lasted for a few seconds, and just as he was about to ask her something, Maya gently took his hand and placed it under her breast.

"Can you... do it, Tez?"

A shocking jolt struck the pawn's head, and he barely closed his eyes, trying not to reveal the oddities he was experiencing to the Arisen.

"Do... what, Master?"

"Oh, come on, don't make me say it like that", Maya thought with annoyance. Embarrassment prevented her from asking him openly. The fear of giving the impression that she wanted to abuse his loyalty to satisfy her own carnal whims - he himself had told her that many humans and Arisen had committed similar acts - prevented her from even looking him in the eye. She wanted him to understand that for her, it wasn't just a whim, it was the feeling she wanted to share with him. She closed her eyelids and, without saying anything, moved Tez's hand to rest on her breast. The other hand settled on top of his, guiding him in a gentle massage. Tez parted his lips: contact with that pronounced part had never occurred -he knew well that men, as well as women, had strict rules regarding their bodies and the use they could make of them- but he never expected to feel such a violent acceleration in the emotional storm that tormented him. For him, the female body had always been just a form, perhaps of its own beauty, but there had never been any instinct or attraction like those felt by humans. He was almost on the verge of withdrawing his hand, as if it had been burned by the touch, but then a sort of knot in his stomach caused a vibration that nailed him there, sitting beside her, gently massaging her.

"Master... do you want... me to be at your disposal?"

Maya let go of Tez's hand, and it automatically stopped moving. The man's bewildered eyes were still fixed on hers, which had slightly reddened due to the rise in body temperature. Tez was a pawn. Her pawn. She had nothing to fear in simply posing a question to him. She had no reason to feel dirty if she desired to share herself with the one she loved. Hers was not just a passionate desire; it was the will to love him. But could she really go that far?

"Yes. I would like... I would like us to..." but she couldn't say more. At that point, after a blink of an eye, Tez stood up and removed his belt. He was so dazed that he didn't even know how he was managing to control his movements; he just knew that his Master had given him a command, that she had a specific need, and it was his duty to fulfill it.

"You don't have to feel uncomfortable, Arisen. Your will allows us pawns to have functions very similar to your reproductive ones, useful for fulfilling your every request."

Tez knew about human reproduction and that of many other animals, monsters, and creatures. He also knew about carnal appetites - a topic that seemed to especially interest men and was always discussed in every tavern he frequented - and he had always regarded them in the same way, with indifference, without any particular thought. So why did he now almost feel like burning in the face of his Master's clear willingness to lie with him? He feared that this sort of suffering mixed with an irresistible attraction would prevent him from fulfilling the request, and that the Arisen would be disappointed, but while his mind was on one side, his body was on the other, and so he found himself divested of his armor almost without realizing it. When he was ready, he sat back down next to her, the light from the fire behind him leaving him partially in shadow.

Maya, caught in a vigorous heartbeat, felt like she was going mad. When he slowly approached her, ready to carry out the order, she corrected herself and thought she would faint... except that the word "order" started buzzing in her head. Tez's face came close to hers, and when their eyes met, she got lost in his impenetrable nature: he didn't show the love of a man. He didn't show excitement, affection, or concern. He showed his usual calmness, that neutral seriousness of one who cannot feel emotions. And yet, she told herself, deep down, he wasn't asleep at all... Maya wanted to go on, and for this reason, she bit her lip, but at the same time, everything seemed surreal to her, inadequate, almost unfair... as Tez was settling on her to receive further instructions on how to please her, Maya stopped him again.

"Wait... I'm sorry; on second thought, maybe it's better if I just try to rest. I don't think I should tire myself out too much. I'm... I'm just being silly," she concluded with a fleeting smile. Tez remained silent, motionless. After a few seconds, pressing on his powerful triceps, he lifted himself and stood upright, naked in front of her.

"Don't say that. There's no problem, Master, I understand you. I'll let you rest, but I'll be at your disposal if you ever need me again."

Maya nodded, overwhelmed by a sudden despondency. She watched Tez dress with a held-back sigh, and only when he left did she release it loudly, releasing the accumulated tension with her hands pressed over her eyes. Shortly after, she turned off the lantern light, remaining to contemplate in the darkness without falling asleep.

Tez, on the other hand, headed to the rock and sat down next to it, letting the restorative fumes help alleviate his confusion. Yet, with his gaze lost in the void, he couldn't help but think of Maya, her request, and her figure lying in bed... her body beneath his. Was everything that tormented him connected, or were they separate elements of a series of disturbances? He feared that, at this rate, he wouldn't be able to continue efficiently fulfilling his duty to protect her.

Impure Mountain, two months later, morning.-

When the Dragon offered Maya the chance to sacrifice the one she loved, after a river of revelations that had penetrated her soul, her blood boiled in her veins.

"NEVER!" she roared, squeezing the hand of her warrior. Tezcacotal saw Grigori's gaze slide onto him, so deep as to instill in him the unease of death. He had never doubted that Maya would never subject him to her clutches... but he was terribly afraid for her and feared that he was not yet ready to help and protect her, especially with the situation that had been tormenting him for too long now.

"I admit that the outcome of the deviation you imposed on your path surprises me, Arisen," Grigori enunciated with a booming voice, warm and abyssal like that of a God. "The idea that an Arisen's strength of will has the faculty to alter unstoppable designs does not even touch those who are part of the ring," his golden eyes, with snake-like pupils, slid up and down the pawn. "Many are the stories that have been engraved in the memory of eternal return... envelopes corrupted or altered by despair and the void of the black abyss, but never by the soul of a living Arisen. After so many experiences, I know new meanings for the definition of amazement..." a brief laugh of smoky puffs escaped from his jaws, low and of uncertain nature, "but will you be ready to leave him at the mercy of the void of the abyss? Is this truly the fate you yearn for him? Nothing is what it seems... nothing is certain."

The Arisen knew that Tezcacotal's destiny would be to become like her, but she did not understand the exact meaning of his riddle. Which abyss was he talking about? And what did her pawn's destiny have to do with it? Tez also sensed that the Dragon's words contained a warning but, at that point, he could do nothing but help her fight it. He plunged into battle alongside her, ready to face their destiny, whatever it may be.

-The Seneschal. -

After the Dragon, who fell with incomprehensible warnings in an arcane language while scrutinizing the bond on Tezcacotal's finger, they arrived in the presence of the Seneschal: very different from the surreal being Maya would have expected. A damned human being, almost as much as she was, if not too much.

Faced with his proposal, she wanted nothing to do with returning to the life of old and pretending as if nothing had ever happened, both because she could not ignore the fact that one day the Dragon would return to claim another heart, causing others to suffer, and because it would imply losing Tez, which was definitely out of the question. She decided to face his trials, Tezcacotal by her side as her pawn. The battle was not particularly long, but somehow it was the heaviest they had ever faced. The tension in the air filled Tez with unease, almost as if he suspected that things would not go the way they imagined, yet the union of their forces managed to repel that of the Seneschal and his pawn, thus determining their defeat. Silence passed between all of them for only a few moments, but simultaneously, they seemed eternal.

The Seneschal, stooped before the one who had defeated him but with so much willpower still filling his gaze, revealed all the knowledge he held, defining the plans with one final request. He asked the Arisen to set him free and take his place, as was her due. Maya, at first motionless, agreed to do so with a silent nod. She understood the inner agony of that being, who had once been a man and then an Arisen like her. And becoming the Seneschal was his only chance to end the cycle of the Dragon and the Arisen... or so he believed, and so did Tezcacotal. But the moment Maya plunged the sacrilegious blade into the Seneschal's chest, she reached a new level of understanding. With her heart in turmoil, she realized that simply becoming the new Seneschal was not enough. It was not what she was destined for. She would not reign like a God over that troubled and suffering world, deciding everything for it... because the power of the Seneschal would not be able to prevent the Dragon from returning to select a new Arisen. If she wanted to put an end to that story, she had to take one more step, the final one... and she was very afraid of it.

In that ethereal place, where she could shape anything from nothingness, like a true God, Maya's first thought was of Tezcacotal. After the soul of the Seneschal had left that world to find rest at last, she turned to look at him with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. As always, this made him feel the usual sensation in his chest. For Maya, the realization that it would be the last time she would see his usual impassive and serene gaze was a stab to the heart. She didn't have the courage to tell him. She felt a lump in her throat ready to burst... she couldn't do it, he wouldn't understand. And yet... she couldn't escape what she felt was her duty. As much as she wanted nothing more in the world than to be with him, that burden weighed heavily on her, and she wouldn't be able to live serenely feeling it pressing on her shoulders every day. Too many other people would suffer like her, and like those who had suffered the misfortunes of that cursed endless cycle. If there was anyone who could put an end to it, it was her and her alone. She couldn't live hoping that someone else would do it in her place someday: it might be many years before anyone was willing to make such a sacrifice, and in the worst case, no one would ever come. And then, even if it did happen, that someone would still have to kill her to take her place as Seneschal.

"I really have no escape, huh?"

Tez sensed that something was wrong the moment he saw her lower her face, contorted by a sudden and unbearable expression of suffering. Immediately afterward, he saw her turn slowly and raise the sacrilegious blade. The horrendous sound of her chest pierced by the sword, held in her hands, would never leave him. The world collapsed on him in an instant as Maya lost her strength with one last, benevolent look. He was suddenly catapulted, as if waking suddenly from a dream: the sense of chaos he had felt all that time became like a specter that seized his spirit, and it was as if he opened his eyes and finally saw clearly what had been obscured before. He saw the real world, as humans saw it, but there was always and still Maya before any other thought. His knees violently hit the ground, and without hesitation, he took her in his arms, horrified by what she had done so unexpectedly. He looked at her with so much despair that even the dying expression of his Arisen made him sad, as she spoke to him through her spirit as Seneschal.

"My dear beloved Tez... when I realized that this was the only way, I was so scared... but I had to do it. I wish so much to continue being with you," she made one last effort to place her hand on his face, "I love you and will always love you. Live for me."

"Master...? No, don't... don't leave me!" Tez felt like he was dying. He was tempted to pull the blade from his chest, but when he felt her collapse into his arms and saw her eyes close, he held her shoulders tightly, "no! Stay with me... stay!" The ground beneath them suddenly opened, and the force of gravity began to claim them, dragging them into the void. Cassardis, below them, shone brightly, but around Tez, everything was black except for the figure of his Arisen, lifeless, descending into the void just meters from him, swift, surrounded by the howling wind.

"MASTEEEERS!" he called out. And after what seemed like endless seconds, during which he didn't even notice the spiritual energies surrounding them, similar to those in the rift, there was the violent impact against the waves. He woke up on the beach, shouting her name once again. Then he realized she wasn't there, that the sea had swallowed her body into its depths. Despair hit him so violently it hurt, bringing forth the first tears of his life in his eyes. And it was at that moment that he understood something incredible: he wasn't the same as before. He wasn't a pawn anymore... looking at his hands, astonished, he saw that they were still his, and yet he felt different... he felt and knew that he was now a true human being. He was full of emotions, but not only that... he also felt like he held a part of the Arisen herself within him, as if his body had welcomed her soul and merged with his own. But he hadn't evolved, the process had been interrupted and reshaped into a different destiny. The Arisen had managed to keep him as he was, Tezcacotal, her pawn... the awakening of his humanity had nevertheless occurred, and suddenly, he also remembered the words of the Dragon. Without the death of his Arisen, he would never have understood any of this. When life abandoned her, he had awakened, as if freed from the chains of the pawn that had made him deaf, dumb, and blind. The feelings of the Arisen had long begun to shape him, and now he understood that he loved her... he loved and had always loved Maya more than anything else in the world. This realization destroyed him and at the same time filled him with joy. All the chaos that had tormented him for days stemmed from the love he harbored for her. He was happy to finally be able to answer all his questions and give a name to those unknown feelings, but the destiny that had been fulfilled was a wound too deep to bear. He cried until he felt surrounded by the people of Cassardis, who had come to see what had happened. Tez got up slowly, reflecting in silence: Maya had sacrificed herself to end the Dragon's cycle, to prevent others from suffering again the events that would inevitably repeat themselves. She had given up a peaceful life with him, putting peace before her happiness. No, he knew that this didn't mean Maya didn't consider him important. He knew that there was nothing Maya loved more than him, but he understood perfectly her need to put an end to everything. After all, if she hadn't done it, he would have remained a pawn tormented eternally by chaos, never discovering that he loved her... Maya's death, instead, had allowed him to be reborn as a human and possess his own soul. What would have been better for him? To still have his Master by his side and remain a faithful but confused pawn, or to awaken as a man and love her without ever being able to stay by her side again? He stopped crying, deaf to the questions of the people around him. He remembered his home and, with a prolonged look of agony directed at the sea, where his beloved lay, he offered a deep thought to her. Then he turned around and walked away as if there was no one around him.

-Cassardis, Arisen's house, night.-

During the night, after Tez had made an effort to explain the events to the village chief and had been offered food and clean clothes, he approached what had once been his Master and beloved's bed. He smiled at the thought of their first meeting and the first time she had brought him there when he had been nothing more than a vessel guided by the sole desire to protect her life and obey her commands. She had seemed like a Goddess then, a being superior to whom he would never have claimed any importance. But she had turned out to be very different from other humans. She had taught him to live, slowly, day by day. She had never treated him as a pawn but as a person, and this had changed his nature and reshaped his evolution, making her fall in love and making him fall in love too, albeit unknowingly. It was destructive to be alone in that bed. He should have been with her, enjoying the peace for which they had fought so hard together. Instead, he felt like he held a part of her without being able to communicate in any way, like a dormant piece of soul asleep in the recesses of his own spirit, forming two beings fused into one. Tears wet his cheeks because the memory of Maya broke his heart. What was the point of becoming human, as she desired, if they couldn't be together like two normal people? What was the point of living like this? At that moment, he seemed to hear the words of the Dragon again: their destiny, the void of the abyss... they had been right, then. And he also understood that if he had remained a pawn, he would have suffered anyway because it was the death of his own Arisen that caused the definitive awakening of emotions. He remembered well all those who had remained without a Master, he remembered their suffering, their endless wandering, their corruption... perhaps a fate like theirs would have been much worse. Was his purpose now precisely to live for her? To learn to live as a human, with his own strength, his own will? Maya had granted him a wonderful gift, human life... but would he ever be able to live with her loss? It seemed truly impossible to him... he wanted Maya with him, not other people and not another woman. A part of him felt as if she were still present, that feeling of harboring her spirit in his heart... but why? What did it mean? Had Maya become the soul of a Seneschal deprived of her body? What part of her did he feel he had in himself? Tez didn't just want to cherish her memory, her essence, or her soul, whatever it was... he wanted her in flesh and blood, by his side!

Lost in these thoughts, he suddenly felt it: a dull but pressing change in the atmosphere. A sound, a distant echo. The stone... Was the rift calling him? He sat up in bed, wary, as if enchanted by that irresistible summons. He was no longer a pawn, yet there was something urging him to go. He felt a strange sensation in his heart, as if there was something restless beyond his control... Could it be Maya's essence dwelling within him? The sound grew louder, so oppressive it became unbearable. Without even bothering to dress, he stepped out in knee-length trousers and barefoot, walking swiftly into the heart of the night. The sand was still warm, evidence of a sunny and thriving day, but he felt only the chill of loneliness. When he arrived, the stone shimmered intensely, and a strange sensation suddenly pervaded him, making him forget all his sufferings. He approached cautiously, trying to understand the nature of that call: the rift did not demand him, but advised him... the will. It seemed to speak to him about will. And then it was like waking up and suddenly understanding something that had been obscured before, just like when Maya had left: he let his will speak for him, let the part of the Arisen within him be guided by it so it could channel through the rift... he wanted it, he wanted it intensely. His hand, still marked by the luminous scar, rose with confidence. In a few seconds, the palm rested on the engraved surface, causing greenish fumes to burst forth. Behind him, a smoky and circular breach opened, a portal ready to allow someone's arrival.

Tezcacotal spun around, and when the human figure materialized before his eyes, his heart stopped. He realized it wasn't simply a pawn with her appearance. It was her exactly... Maya. Maya stood before him, flesh and blood, a happy smile on her lips. The contact with the stone revealed to Tez that the waters had indeed swallowed her body, but her soul had confined itself within his heart and, somehow, had felt its presence. Her strong desire, the strength of her own will invigorated by Maya's presence within him, which with her power as Arisen and Seneschal could shape anything, had activated the rift and allowed Maya's soul to be reborn as half human and half pawn precisely through Tez. When Maya raised her hand, showing him the scar on her palm that she also bore on her chest to indicate her belonging to the Arisen, she gave him a smile and a look that spoke volumes, and he immediately understood that nothing had changed in their bond. Her hand automatically rested on his, and their fingers intertwined. At the same time, her eyes showed a vague confusion, as if she were trying to remember something distant.

"I know there's a very special bond that connects us. I know this was the destiny I longed for, both free from the chains that held us back, free to choose and to renounce. I know I belong to you, and I want to be with you. There's only a veil of mist that obscures some memories, Master... Will you help me dissipate it?"

The warrior wrapped his arm around her waist and gently drew her close to him. "Tezcacotal. Tez," he suggested, "thank you for everything you've done, Maya. For me and for others. I don't want there to be Masters or pawns between us... you are Maya, my Arisen... the woman I love."

Maya's gaze opened as if suddenly remembering something. She smiled with emotion, then they both embraced tightly and exchanged a kiss, and never before had they so clearly understood the meaning of happiness and tears of joy. Maya had renounced becoming the new Seneschal to stay with him, definitively breaking the rules under which the world had remained for too long. Her humanity was slightly blurred by her partial nature as a pawn, her body molded under her own will and his united together, hosting her soul... Tez had no doubt that soon, very soon, Maya would remember everything and regain, just as he had, every semblance of humanity, returning exactly as the same woman she had long served. Everything would return as it once was, exactly as they had both dreamed, erasing one day every trace of Arisen and pawn left in them, to live as simple mortal humans.