Chapter 92: - A Farewell (Prologue)
There was once an old folklore found in an old and long since abandoned church, deep in the wilderness. The man who found this lost and somewhat ancient script was a wanderer - a traveler of sorts.
He, like his forefathers, loved the stylish world of adventure and danger, the likes of which no one would understand.
Hunting in the deepest of crypts, the tallest of mountains, and the densest of forests.
But when this lone wanderer laid his eyes on this long decaying piece of script, he felt a revelation. Something told like a fairy tale, but in such a descriptive and awe inspiring way, it just had to be real.
Didn't it?
Well, this wanderer thought to himself, 'I wonder what the world would have been like, had this little fairy tale turned true?'
With that, he stowed away the piece of ancient text, and left the church, never to visit or even ponder over its existence again.
And like that, the text was passed from hand to hand, person to person, descendent to descendent. From son to son.
It stayed that way for hundreds of years, even as wars were waged, towns and cities burned, lives were lost, and above all the world changed before their very eyes.
Yet this small bit of paper, crumbling from time and old worn past, stayed with them, like some haunted trinket, set to curse them for eons.
Many tried to decipher it, many failed in doing so, while even more failed in claiming it. This small delicate piece of paper encrusted with the image of man, flame, and serpent alike was never lost.
No knowledge could be found.
No answers could be given.
No thoughts could be questioned and contained.
Like that, the tale of "The First Hero, The First Demon, and The First of Magic" was lost to history, found within the hands of a boy many years later, hiding in his fathers study, who dared to question…
…what if?
***
"So that's how it ended…"
Lia said, as she sat on the edge of her bed, head in her hands.
Cain stood before her, poised and steady, as if nothing could knock him over, nor could the world bend him to its will.
"...to think it was all connected. And you…you knew somehow didn't you?"
Lia looked up from her seat, eyes trained and filled with questions, and even some worry.
Cain sighed, knowing this question was something he would have to answer, but found it somewhat annoying to do so early on.
Lia of course, during the course of her battle with Kara did not forget to notice Cain had been missing from her mind, disappearing into the back reaching darkness like he always did when he was busy with something else.
He was there, his presence felt, but he wasn't…there, with her.
Naturally, when he did return, Lia had practically demanded answers from him. After all, this marked the third time he had disappeared from her without notice.
The first with the goblin raid, which Lia later learned was in fact Cain simply trying to keep her out of danger during the course of a future battle. A battle he didn't know for certain she would survive against. And in all honesty he was right.
The second time however, Lia learned better than to question Cain on something he didn't openly discuss with her. After all, the last time she did, she nearly got her head chopped off by a goblin. However, she did openly discuss with him how much it worried her, and he promised to stop.
But, like all things Cain promises, it didn't come to pass. And during an important battle against a woman Lia was not confident in killing.
Even with the help of Kal, she had allowed Kara to escape, deep into a wooded forest where it would take weeks to find her, if they ever did.
Answers were all she wanted.
But as Cain once warned her, answers can and will only lead to more questions.
"I did know. However it was only speculation. Until I saw the boy, Ryzler, did I finally come to the conclusion that my speculation was in fact true."
Lia sighed again, the current weight of what she had just heard was weighing heavily on her.
"So…Kara was responsible for this… all of this."
She guessed around her, though they were in the middle of her room in the Post, Cain got the gesture.
"Yes. And she had help, as I've said. The four brothers posed a challenge, and a difficult one at that. That's specifically why I left Kal with you as well as Florence."
Cain inadvertently told Lia the name of her new summoner, as she had not yet come to that knowledge.
"I was only trying to help. The raging Grockoils, the four brothers, Kara's summons, and this band of thieves and gangsters who took a job from an old enemy."
"Phantoms."
Lia said the word as if it were a bile in her throat, which was a common occurrence when talking about the Phantoms. They weren't well liked and that feeling was universal.
Cain had told Lia some time ago who the people responsible for the attack on her carriage were, but she didn't expect to throw hands with them so soon.
"I'm starting to wonder if you're more collateral than you are supportive Cain?"
"I beg your pardon?"
Cain raised an eyebrow as if her words offended him in some illogical way.
However, Lia wasn't done yet, as she began to list different reasons for her words just now.
"The Phantoms are here because of you - tracking your movements and all for whatever purpose, and Kara never would have gotten into such a hissy fit with me had there not been rumors of my summons missing from my side, having attacked a goblin king. Much less leveled half the forest."
Cain raised a finger, his expression blank.
"Key word here; my summons. Your summons, your problem."
She sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"I know you aren't really the person to blame here Cain, but I can't help but notice everything in my life has somehow gotten worse - substantially worse since you showed up."
"Is that a compliment or an insult?"
"Neither, it's just - I….My life was boring before you showed up, and to put it lightly, the only type of 'good day' I had was when everyone around me ignored me like I was some ghost. Now, any 'good day' for me is a day I don't get killed."
"Sounds like the day to day lifestyle of a Hunter."
Lia stood, her tone getting more serious with each passing word.
"But I'm not a Hunter, or at least I never intended to be. You said it yourself, I was brought here to get stronger, yet all that seems to be happening is you coming to save my butt from some problem you've let come to light."
Cain frowned, tracing back his footsteps in his head, until he realized Lia was telling the truth in all honesty. Just vastly ill proportioned, or rather, one sided.
"...I still fail to see your point in mentioning all this. Yes, I caused many problems to arise in your path. However, they all had their advantages as well as their faults."
"Fine, name three."
Cain smiled slightly, the edges of his lips threatening to curve into a smile.
"Alright."
He crossed his arms, preparing to show Lia the trap she had just walked into.
"Every time I indirectly deal with a problem and, in your eyes, throw it in your way, I've potentially revealed something that, if gone unnoticed, would be detrimental to your path. Secondly, the times I do come to save your butt, I've always had to deal with someone incredibly strong, or during moments you were at your weakest. The sea of spiders, Alan, the Goblin King, The Phantoms, and even Kara, a potentially dangerous enemy had she escaped, all dealt with by my hand. Finally…"
He took a break, letting his words sink in deeply before continuing.
"...I do everything I do, because of what I know. And I know everything I know, because of who I am. It is what I am. I can't help but try and stop something I can see coming a mile away, even when you don't. It's not as if I am just going to sit on the side lines, knowing that something potentially deadly to you is going to come, fight, and kill you. I'm cruel but not that cruel. I'm vile, but I have honor."
While his words were stern, Lia saw the care he held behind them, and immediately wished she would have just been quiet.
"I am who I am, but I'm not going to watch you get killed."
Lia didn't say anything for several minutes, watching the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Her face was red, heat rising to her cheeks, and all at once she wished she didn't say anything.
However, she still had a point in the end.
"Then tell me."
Her voice was silent but nonetheless clear.
"Hm?"
"Tell me from now on. You see something coming my way, something I won't survive, then tell me. I'll let you handle all the dangerous and deadly people you find, and I will take all the 'revelations' you throw at me. But don't go off on your own to deal with something dangerous without me knowing."
"Lia, I know you better than you think. If I told you I was rushing off to deal with something that could kill you, you'd dive head first into the fray of it all to defend me. Lia I don't need defending."
"Everyone needs defending! Don't talk about yourself like you're something expendable."
"But I am Lia."
Cain's voice turned from serious to calm and comforting, as if he was speaking with a child.
"Lia, I may be able to speak, do things other summons may never think possible - hell, I am the impossible. But that doesn't change what I am. I am a summons. I am expendable. Your life is not."
Lia grew quiet for several minutes, refusing to say a word. Cain, silently waiting, feared he had hurt her emotionally, as if telling a child his favorite pet dog may not live forever.
Finally, she spoke, her voice quiet and meek.
"Fine. I'll let you die if that's what you want."
"Lia, I'm not going to die -"
"I don't care."
She said, interrupting him with a sternness to her voice that made Cain shut up immediately.
"I don't care what you do. But please, I would still rather know what you're doing, rather than pretending everything will be okay. If I don't know and then one day you don't come back, what then. Will I be cursed to not know how or by who you died to? Will I?"
"Lia…"
"Just…tell me. That's all I ask. I won't fight, I won't get in your way. But please, with every bone in my body, please just tell me."
Cain thought about it for several moments, his eyes filled with some old sadness in them that Lia couldn't understand.
Finally, he spoke.
"Alright. I promise to tell you next time."
So simple. It was so simple of a promise, with such a heavy weight and burden behind it, that Lia almost laughed.
"Why do I feel like you're going to break that promise one day, Cain? Just without me knowing."
He shrugged, his image already beginning to fade from her vision.
"Who knows. Maybe one day I will. One day I may die, but not today. When that day comes however, you must be ready to let me go. Better me than you."
His last words were like a fist clenching her heart, before he vanished like a fading mirage.
"I am expendable. You're not. Don't forget that."
His image disappeared, gone right before her eyes, and she knew then that their conversation was over.
But still, she couldn't contain the lingering words of their argument. Words she did not have the courage to say.
"Not to me you aren't."
***
"Are you sure you won't stay?"
Randolph asked, his eyes passing over Lia and her group, Rian and Lukali busying themselves with packing up various supplies they had been lent.
"The plans to rebuild may have slowed things down a bit, but you all know you're always welcome here. Besides…"
He secretly gestured behind him to a ground of Hunters helping to lift a large wooden beam.
"...I think you've earned more than your fair share of respect from these people."
Lia glanced at the group of Hunters, who noticed her and waved. She waved back before turning to Randolph, a smile on her face.
"I appreciate that Randolph, but I can't do that."
"Really? Even after how well you've handled yourself with Kara and those Grockoils, I doubt there would be any shortage of requests for your work. Plus, we still have to track down Kara, which could take a while."
Lia silently shook her head, her eyes on the ground.
"I don't think you have to worry about her any more."
"Hm? Why say that?"
Lia shrugged, as if the thought had just come to her.
"Have you ever wondered how she got a stampede of Grockoils to destroy half the town. In my eyes she had to steal them from someone, and I doubt that someone is too happy with her right now. They're probably already tracking her now as we speak. What they do with her when they catch her, I doubt you care much for, Mr. Mayor."
She said, referring to him as his official title, to which Randolph scoffed and waved it off.
"Please, that title is too big for someone like me. I'm just glad everyone agreed to make Carlena my secretary. Gods know I wouldn't be able to do it without her."
"Maybe they see something you don't?"
"Hm? What was that?"
"Nothing."
Lia smiled it off, wondering to herself when Randolph would work up the guts to tell Carlena how he feels.
'He has the courage to take on the greatest monsters, courage to face his darkest fears. But he still doesn't have the courage to tell the woman he loves how he feels.'
From his place in her mind, Cain commented on her words, sounding almost wiser than he ever had been.
'Gods know women are more scary than demons and monsters. You can fail with monsters and lose your life, but with a woman…you fail, you have to live with that failure for the rest of your life.'
Lia silently nodded her head in agreement, wondering about the future of this place and how it will continue after she's gone.
Before she could finish the thought however, Randolph's bellowing voice spoke, chuckling to something ironic.
"Well, well. Speak of the devil here. How fares your day Carlena?"
Lia turned to see Carlena walking towards them from a group of workers she had been talking with. She was dressed in her normal receptionist attire, but Lia found it somewhat beautiful on her, and she could already guess Randolph thought so too.
"Fine. Lots of work to finish now that this whole mess is over. But I thought I would come on over and say goodbye to some friends."
She gave both Lukali and Rian a hug telling them to take care of themselves as well as each other, to which they smiled and nodded in agreement.
When she approached Lia, she reached out her arms for a hug, a gesture Lia met with her own open arms, wrapping them tightly around Carlena in a big bear hug.
Whispering in her ear, Carlena's voice was low and quiet, as if she didn't want the others to hear.
"Take care of yourself. You will always be welcomed back here with open arms. Just call us when you need help."
Smiling, Lia spoke in the same hushed tone as Carlena did.
"I will, and thank you for everything you've done for me and my friends."
"Nonsense. It was a pleasure to have you here, and for what you've done, we are in your debt."
"By the way, Carlena…"
Lia looked out into the corner of her eye, watching Randolph as he helped Rian with some of the supplies, a few bags of food, and a brand new bow for Lukali, his having been damaged in the battle.
"...Randolph may not have the courage to say this, but I can't imagine this caring on for years later. He has feelings for you and I think the feeling is mutual. Just…be patient with him okay?"
Carlena separated from her, and at first Lia thought she would get mad at her for assuming that. However, seeing Carlena smile she threw out that assumption.
"Don't worry."
She said in the same hushed tone as Lia.
"If he doesn't ask me out to dinner at least within the next month, I'm dragging his ass to the nearest tavern so we can get drunk."
They both chucked to themselves, attracting Randolph's attention, who simply shrugged it off, oblivious to Carlena's devious plan.
Suddenly, Carlena's face got serious as the rest approached.
"Are you sure you all won't stay with us?"
Lia smiled a sweet smile, but secretly it was filled with a lingering sadness.
This was the first time she had met someone who wanted her around when her family had turned her away.
"Thank you Carlena, but we can't."
She turned to Rian who nodded his head in agreement.
"We've got a few things to finish up before we can think about settling down in a city."
"Things? What things?"
She sounded worried, but Lia's hand in hers calmed her down, as well as the calm expression they all carried.
"We're heading back to the village of Kokono."
Luakli said, his face betraying nothing, not even the slightest change in emotion.
"My fathers there, as well as his guild. I don't want something like what happened with Four eyes to happen again. I'm going to tell him straight that we're done."
Randolph placed a supporting hand on his shoulder, nodding his head in praise.
"You see Carlena, we would stay, but we can't"
Lia let go of the woman's hands, glancing between Rian and Lukali, smiling.
"We don't stay in the same spot for long. After all, we're wanderers."
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