Diablo - A Forgotten Feeling

Lyndon

Lyndon looked at the letter he had written out, the last line not sitting right with him,

"I know none of what I've sent is enough to fix all that I've done but this may be the last sum I ever send and I hope what I've done to help Sanctuary is enough to ask for forgiveness one final time. Sincerely Lyndon."

He gripped the quill tightly, the last sum. Rubbing his face with his other hand he trailed his fingers through his hair in thought at what was to come. Letting out a groan he turned away from the letter but that didn't stop it from repeating in his head. He felt the familiar vibration on his hand that held the quill and looked at the ring. It seemed to know when its holder was anxious from what he had learned while having it, at least that always seemed to be the case when it was active for him. Curious he looked at it again, he had asked Erina at one point what its magic properties were but the answers she always gave him never satisfied his curiosity for why it came to life what almost felt like at random. He twisted it on his finger, the gems glistening in the torch light. Not knowing why, this one was more special then the other rings he wore even though they were all given to him by her. Absently staring at it his mind wandered to the thought of fiery hair, the tall stature with scarred limbs from everything possible, and strong features with furious eyes that held a raging murky sea of blue.

The emerald gleamed and he was reminded of a ghost being released from its torment as it illuminated a raging barbarian, its green glow highlighting her features and making her seem vicariously ethereal as he fired an arrow at an oncoming skeleton. The swampy forest humidity left her glistening in sweat as she breathed heavily from the excursion but continued with her onslaught, the next arrow he fired barely hit its intended target. He came back to his senses from the memory, it was right after they had met on that farm in the temple's swamp. He bit his lip and closed his hand around the ring, his mind filled with so many tormented and confusing thoughts from the past he didn't know what to think. The death of Leah is still fresh along with with how he cared for her, the last bit of money he may ever have was being sent to a women he still loves but knows she never has and never will feel the same, the guilt of his brother taking his past downfall, the final fight with the Prime Evil himself just minutes and a tower away, and the thought that he may not come out from it. And lastly one he couldn't seem to come to terms with; though it shouldn't have been so difficult from his past temptations, was the fiery hair. He loved so many but this one felt different. Not just something he would run away from when it became inconvenient.
The ring buzzed under his hand so he gripped it tighter. As he shifted through his mind with different memories unburying themselves a strong hand weighed on his shoulder. Looking up at the illuminated figure; their hair burned in the torch light with serious eyes looking down on him, he felt distraught. Another memory surfaced this one from not so long ago, laying on the stone floor with numbed pain and hazy eyesight he looked at the sleeping face of a barbarian that towered above in a silent slumber, the single candle was warm against her bruised and scarred skin as hair cascaded down in messy tangles, features looked calm but tense at the same time somehow as if it was permanent that she'll never be truly calmed even resting.

"Hello angel!" He said with a half attempted smile, trying his best to mask how his thoughts weighed on him at the moment. She furrowed her brows at the name. But it fit well as the torch light created what seemed to be a hazy halo atop her head. Her grip tightened briefly but quickly loosened.

"What are you doing?" She asked looking down at the letter he had finished.

"Oh! Just getting some final affairs in order is all, not that it will matter if we lose." Lyndon responded with a half hearted laugh as he folded the letter in half away from the barbarian's view and put it into an envelope, sealing it with wax. Her eyes lingered on the letter but she didn't say anything about it. Looking at him again her piercing eyes stared into his as she adjusted her armor, the metal scraping together as it shifted, she then tilted her head in thought and reached for him. He tensed at the gesture but didn't move away as she adjusted the quiver strap on his shoulder, the ring buzzed as his heart pounded. Nonchalantly he gave a smile and twisted the ring hoping it would stop. She briefly glanced at his hands but gave no comment if she thought of anything. "Are you making me more suitable for your gaze?" Lyndon asked with a mischievous smile as he stood up and put his hands behind his back and leaned closer in a teasing display, still twisting the ring with annoyance now. She simply looked down at him and raised her brow, "I jest, I jest! I know you mean nothing of the sort, even if this may be our last day alive and I have yet to gain your affection." He said scratching his chin and giving another smile at his cheap attempt of flirtation, though it was only a cover for his racing mind and heart. She let out a sigh of annoyance, "If you are worried about your appearance then I'd start with your hair." She gave a simple gesture to his head while pinching the bridge of her nose like this form of topic was a headache to engage in. Not expecting such a response Lyndon was taken just a bit aback by her response and began smoothing his hair out from his earlier anxious dishevelment. 

She blankly watched him fix it before continuing, "I take it you have everything you need and are well enough prepared?" Lyndon felt his smile waver for he knew what was coming next, "It's time to go. Are you ready?" Even while expecting them her words hit with a weighted force. They were serious and sounded almost hollow but, there was a hint of what felt like concern in them as she looked at him as if understanding what he must be thinking, but he simply straightened himself as tall as he could and gripped the quiver's strap as a show of confidence. 

"Ready to defeat the Prime Evil? Yes, and a glorious battle it will be!" Understanding his show for confidence she stood tall and gave a nod of approval before turning and giving a gesture for him to follow, his smile faltered at her back but he quickly placed a new one on, but behind the false look of bravery the ring vibrated with such an intensity that as he grabbed his bow the wood began buzzing to the rings vibrations.