Chapter 64: At the table.
1 day before her death:
I held Endi's hand, leaning against the bed she laid in. Skin as soft as it ever was, but now so fragile. The strength she was proud of, the energy she smiled with, all of it seemed so far away. Every time I looked at her, the feelings of frustration and loss grew. We were running out of time.
"You're squeezing a little hard there," Endi smiled at me, her voice almost like a whisper. "I'm not getting out of this bed any time soon. At least not in a literal sense." Somehow, she could still joke around, or maybe, precisely because it was now, that she chose to joke.
"Endi," I began like I had ten thousand times. "We're going to save you."
"I know," and she replied like she had before. Now however she hesitated, "But... Ardent, if you don't."
"We won't fail," I pushed my words upon her."
Endi simply smiled, "Right, but if I die. Now let me finish. If I die, please know, it won't be your fault."
I couldn't speak. We both knew how precarious the situation was.
"If I die," she continued. "I want you to know I was happy. You made my life worth it."
"Endi...," I felt my eyes begin to water. "If I could, I'd give you the world."
She laughed, "I don't want the world Ardent." The tears began to pool in her eyes and drip down her cheeks. "I just want a little more time with you." She was too weak to wipe them herself, so I did so for her. "I had so many dreams. A beautiful home. A place in the city or by the beach. A daughter... we'd raise her together with so much love."
"I bet she would be a hand full," I continued to hold her, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"But she'd be cute," Endi smiled only for it to break between sadness and desperation. "Am I... am I being too greedy?"
"No," I put my forehead to hers. "You never were either."
"Thank you Ardent," she looked me in the eyes and in that moment, I saw the light begin to fade away.
**
Veranvanter:
I sat next to Arvel in a Crysis pub. We were of course in Areithia Online. It was a simple and down to earth location. Perfect to ease us into the rest of the afternoon. Afterall today was the day we were to meet with the game's developers, the Architects. It was time to cash in my bet with the Maiden. It was just unfortunate that my company wasn't the real Ardent, or at least not my Ardent. It became all the more confusing that as the game avatar A.Friend, he looked exactly like Ardent and not a more grown up version.
"You ever meet Kazu before?" Arvel asked me, not concerned at all by his borrowed identity.
"Nope," I answered. "Well, I think I saw him in passing once in the Elven Palace. Have you?"
"I have not," he frowned, "but another Ardent I met had. For me Kazu basically disappeared after the Merge. Areithia Online ended and then, nothing. The Ardent from the other universe however, he described Kazu as curious to a fault."
"Curious to a fault?" I repeated the words. "What exactly does that mean?"
"It means that Kazu has done stupid and objectively terrible things to sate his curiosity. He has however used his genius for the betterment of others as well."

YOU ARE READING
The Game Before the Fall
FantasyArdent Friend has already witnessed the Fall. The cities of Earth torn apart and those that remain forced to hide in dungeons for safety. What started as a joyous merging of worlds ended in nightmares as Rift Walkers, the enemies of all life, ravage...