When All You Have are Embers

III

Oracle

As a young boy he was always being reminded of how his bloodline was pure, the last of its kind. He had no way of keeping his race alive on his own.
   This thought was always in the back of his mind.

The road to Taisan was cold, rainy, and miserable. Cloaked, and hunched over on their horses, to avoid rain hitting their face, Haku and Oracle headed north. 

It had been a long time since Haku had seen his breath.
    "I don't suppose you know when we will arrive?" Haku asked. When Oracle didn't respond he nudged his horse closer to him.
    "What's that statue?" He leaned forward, pointing to a glowing structure ahead of them.
   After another failed attempt of getting him to talk Haku had reached his limit.
 "What? Too 'kingly' for me?" He said before he scoffed lightly. 

"And what do you mean by that?" Oracle asked.

"Nothing." Haku said.
Oracle didn't respond, he just chuckled lightly.
"Oh I'm funny now?" Haku noticed that through their entire ride they had not come across anything hostle. "Are the wolves scared of you too? Is there more?" Haku rode up closer to his side.

"I thought you were Elven." Oracle looked at him.

"I- well... I'm half." Haku admitted.

"I see. My God I hate Taisan." Oracle mumbled.

"And why is that? I'm not too fond of it myself, but hate is a strong word."

"There was a time when Taisan was a paradise, filled with smart men and elves. Their library was so known people would come from distant lands to be able to touch their books. Now'a days they're always going on about drinking, and money, and fucking. It's no wonder why no one visits. No one likes it here anymore. We have the war to thank for that." Oracle's rant seemed to be finished and Haku took a deep breath. He looked to his side where he saw a statue glowing with a blue light.

"Oracle... what is that?" He tapped Oracle's shoulder gently.

"Have you been living under a rock for the past century?" Haku pouted and looked at him intently.

"Yes... I have. I don't know if you know but Lilith, Sin, and Ric found me in a cave many moons ago. I was supposed to be off for Elthin with Sin. But fate has turned a new leaf for me. I'll see him again though. And we will ride to Elthin." He said. There was a pause when Oracle noticed the look on Haku's face. Having lost many friends in his life he sympathised with the half-elf. 

"How long were you in that cave?" He tried to change the subject.

"I had been there since the start of the second war." He answered Oracle. 

"Forty years? Forty years you were in a cave."

"That's right..." Haku couldn't tell if Oracle was about to laugh at him or not, his tone was confusing.

"Not many people would survive that. You sure it was forty? Time has a way of getting away from you." Haku nodded and he let out a big laugh. "Well, tell you what when we get to Taisan let's raise a toast to you." Haku smiled as he felt this was the first time he and Oracle had had a real, and productive conversation.

"Oi, wait. You never answered my question. About the statue."

"Ah right, you'll see those all around here. See Taisan is one of the continents that worship The Four. "

"And what is that?"

"The four elements, water, earth, fire, air? To them the elements are their Gods. For they provide them with the means to live a good life. Fire cooks the food the Earth gives ya, Water quenches your thirst, and Air powers your mills. Truthfully their religion is one of Taisan's only redeeming qualities."