Penumbral

Chapter 31: Cold Trail

A day... Aurora stood distant, Alimur did not take his eyes off of her, the Human's concern was great but he knew his love needed to think.

Alexander relayed to the Pillars what they were truly fighting against, agape their mouths were... but was it just? Was their cause more noble than a Goddess'?

A Telfan feeble of heart, tears mixing with ink, heavily and limply.

The sun fell and rose once more, a day in passing cut in half, cold land in view, Elantaheim.

Edna's ship softly and slowly docked in Berg.

Aurora was laying in Alimur's lap as he hummed a soft tune and gently caressed her head, "Should I talk with mother first?" the Demi-Human looked at the Human, his eyes were closed, his mind was somber, "I'm sorry Alimur".

-We arrived!- Mufam's voice interrupted the duo's moment of respite.

Aurora got up first and looked at the two strips of cloth that formed her bows, she took both and wrapped them around her waist, the Demi-Human took the backpack, wrapped herself in her thick hooded cape and left Alimur alone.

The Demi-Human looked over the taffrail and observed Berg, small wooden houses, stone alcoves by the shore with doors made of wood served as home for Edna's crew, the only building of note was a large warehouse.

Alimur armored himself and strapped both his sword and Jorn to his back, the Human looked at the thick cape and reajusted Jorn's skull to be on his chest, he strapped on the cape and went after Aurora.

The duo sat by the shore and looked as the ship's crew unloaded various crates and barrels.

-Alimur... I'm sure you love me... but..... I want to love you too, without it feeling like I'm using you-

-Stop that, you can never use me, I owe you my life... I'm forever indebted to you... at first I didn't want to live at all, didn't find myself deserving of a second chance, I had failed... but you... your presence, your willingness to help, it was truly godly, you were there for me for no reason, how is that using me? You took me to Huia, to Svaril... to Wesche... and then continued by my side-

-But you offered me a chance to see the world... and I took it-

-It was bound to happen either way, it just happened earlier-

-Ali...- The Demi-Human hugged her boyfriend and began crying -I'm sorry I promise to do my best and love you too-

-You don't have to- The Human hugged back with no hesitation.

-No- Aurora broke the hug and looked at the water -I can't let my doubts get in our way-

-Rora, you need to solve this-

-I just... don't want to be alone... I've never been alone, it scares me-

-I won't leave you alone, I'll be your sword and your shield for whatever comes... if you allow me of course-

-I will... I just... need to know the truth-

A Harpy flew overhead and something clicked in Aurora's mind.

-I know what to do Alimur-

The Demi-Human rushed towards the warehouse, Alimur followed her, Aurora was writing in a piece of paper.

Every few seconds she would look back to her boyfriend and he'd flash her a reassuring smile, she returned a cracked smile and continued writing.

Finally Aurora folded the paper, put it inside a letter and wrote "To: Rosaria Seles" on the bottom, she handed it to a Human sorting letters.