Eight Intertwined

200 - Faith

Stepping out into the chilled air of Northreach was enough to drag Therion back into his body, and he let out a long sigh that fogged up just in front of his face. It was hard to believe that at one point, he had struggled so deeply with everything related to trust. These days, it felt so far away. Therion had changed so much over the course of the last few months, and he barely recognized his old self when he looked back. Talking to Heathcote had only reiterated that this was the case. He doubted Cordelia would recognize him when he finally defeated Darius and returned to Bolderfall. He needed the battle to push through the haze of his mind, but once Darius was gone, Therion would change. He could feel it. 

Perhaps even harder to believe was the fact that Therion had changed at all. He knew that the version of himself from even just earlier that year never would have recognized him. Very recently, Therion had resented the idea of faith, and he had thought it was a waste of time to place it in anyone other than himself. What was the point of trusting others when they could have changed just as easily as Darius or the winds of the Cliftlands? Therion hadn't given a damn to think of it for longer than a few minutes, but his dismissal had been his damnation. He had lost track of everything in his life when he let despair consume him. He had been the greatest thief known to Orsterra, but he didn't have much of anything else to rely on. He was just a man, and he had been a lonely one too. So much had changed since then, and Therion wouldn't have changed it for anything. This was where he belonged even if he wasn't looking forward to facing Darius. 

"You look as if you have found your answer."

Therion snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Olberic's voice just beside him. Therion blinked up at the warrior, and Olberic's face softened. "You never would have been so kind to Heathcote when this began," he remarked, and Therion winced at the shameless truth to his words. When this all began, Therion had thought of Cordelia and Heathcote as an irritation. He had maintained that idea on his last few visits to Bolderfall too, but things had started to change, and Therion was glad it had. "It's nice to see you so optimistic."

"I don't know if I would ever call myself optimistic," Therion confessed. He preferred to think of himself as realistic... And perhaps that realism tipped over the edge into being too proud for his own good. He needed to keep his ego in check, especially after what had happened with the fool's bangle in Ravus Manor. Therion had figured out when to keep himself under control though, and that had to count for something. "I'm amazed that anyone would ever think that of me."

"I think you're a lot more positive than you want to admit," Olberic replied. "You were overwhelmingly negative when we all first met you, but since then... You have truly come into your own. I wouldn't recognize the Therion from Bolderfall if I went back and saw him again. You have found peace in trusting the rest of us, and I know that it has helped you far more than you could have ever expected."

Therion was on the verge of arguing the point, but he knew there wasn't much of a point. After all, Olberic was right. Therion had been thinking the same thing up until a few seconds prior. "Huh," was all Therion said instead. "I guess I have changed."

"Just between us, I think a smile looks far nicer on you than a frown," Ophilia chimed in as she appeared on Therion's other side. He had almost missed her since she showed up on his blind side, but he turned to face her a moment later. "You carry a heavy burden, Therion, but you have still kept your eyes on the future. It's easy to lose yourself in the sway of the past when faced with tragedy, but... You press on through it all. I don't think I can say enough how admirable that is."

"I don't..." Therion opened his mouth to push back against her next, but he couldn't find the words he was searching for. Ophilia was right that he had always carried a heavy burden. Ever since Darius pushed him off the edge of the cliff, Therion had been fighting to keep himself held together, and it was a battle he felt he lost more often than not... But he was still there, wasn't he? The Therion of a few months ago never would have considered the idea of rushing straight into Darius' territory, much less picking a fight with them. Therion had feared Darius more than anything back then, and even now, he was still terrified of his old partner... But he was pushing on anyway. He knew he was going to come out of it stronger because he had decided to move toward the future instead of losing himself to the past. Therion had learned how to move on from the rest of the travelers, and it was perhaps the greatest gift he could ever receive from anyone.