Tales of Undeath: The Von Virtus Chronicles

XX. Bitter Closure

Anya: I don't care if he killed himself because of you or not... The Charles I knew died long before that... And that Charles... That one, you murdered. You, and you alone! Ever since you showed up for the first time... He changed.

She started tearing up.

Anya: And yet you tell me you aren't to blame...? FUCK YOU!

The Leopard removes his mask with a wave of his hand. It vanishes into glowing grey particles.

Sadduccee: ... I know nothing I say will truly help. The Charles you fell in love with did indeed change... But not because of us. Not because of you, or your son... But because of something he did, before he became a wealthy businessman. Do you recall those times...?

Anya wipes her tears, as she looks at the floor.

Anya: I could never forget them. Those were the the best times of my life... We were dirt poor, but what we lacked in wealth we made up for in adventure and wonder. You have no idea how often I wish things would have just stayed that way. But... They changed.

She looks up at him.

Anya: Why did things change? Tell me, then. If it wasn't you... What was it?

Sadduccee takes a deep breath.

Sadduccee: Back then, you and Charles roamed the continent exploring ancient ruins in search of forgotten artifacts... And many of those times, you worked together. Yet, sometimes, Charles felt like certain sites were much too dangerous for you to venture into.

A chill goes down her spine. She interrupts him.

Anya: Yes. We'd tie some rope around his waist, so that he could give it a pull every so often. I held onto the other end of the rope, so I'd know if he was still alive or not. If he ever stopped pulling... I knew it would be time to call for help.

She seems sad.

Anya: ... I hated those expeditions the most. I was always on edge...

Sadduccee: Do you remember the last such expedition you had? The one with the lake...

Her eyes widen.

Anya: Of course...! After that, I told him I would never allow him to go inside dangerous sites ever again... He was gone for so long that there were times I thought he really had died... The thought of just running in there and searching for him came over me so often, but what good would that do...? If he was already dead, chances are I'd follow right after... That expedition was the last time we tackled such perilous ruins.

Sadduccee: And did you notice anything strange after he returned...?

She squints, trying to recall.

Anya: Well, he was completely exhausted... I believe it was also the first time I ever heard him say that he didn't want to unearth relics anymore, but I figured that was because he had had such a rough time during the expedition. After a couple of days' rest, he seemed eager again. Although...

Sadduccee listens closely.

Anya: ... It wasn't really the same. I could tell he wasn't enjoying himself as much. I believe we must have done a handful more expeditions, before he decided to quit altogether. That's when he started looking into... Other means of making coin. He told me we would be rich soon, and that we'd be able to afford a beautiful home, so big that we'd need several maids just to clean it... I remember laughing when I heard him say that. I didn't believe that would ever be possible... Until you showed up.

She looks at him in the eyes.

Anya: One of you, with the mask of... I don't even recall what kind of animal it was. You came along one day, and had a long conversation with him... When I spoke with him afterwards, he was as serious and cold as I had ever seen him. From that day onwards, he began his journey of becoming as rich as was humanely possible. I felt him slipping away from me... Before I knew it, money was pouring in, but... Things weren't as good as before. And every time you would return... I felt that he'd get more and more distant, more and more obsessed with wealth. I don't know what you did to him...