Shadows Bleed

XXIII

XXIII

I nodded to Lord Darrin Vaskarth, my mentor and friend, as he retreated back down the pier a few paces, giving Shimei and I some space to say goodbye.

Our relationship had developed in a way unlike any other and I feared saying goodbye, for I truly had come to love him during my time in the Isles.

And now, we stood together on the pier, his hands taking mine as he once more stared into my soul with soft, warm regard.

"I'm going to miss you," he said, tears brimming on his eyelids.

"And I you."

"I will see you again," he promised.

"Come with me," I squeezed his hands tightly.

"I can't, not yet. Rest assured knowing I'll find you when the time is right."

"I'm sorry, for everything I put you through," I said, closing the distance between us. Our eyes met.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he replied and leaned in. Our lips met.

I didn't want it to end. I didn't want to let him go. But my path did not finish in the Isles, it finished where it began; in the Imperium.

I broke from his soothing touch and strode onto the deck, turning as soon as I was aboard to wave goodbye.

"I'll see you again," he shouted as the gangplank was raised.

I nodded sadly, unexpected tears running down my cheeks. I kept waving until Wrenvale was just a dot on the horizon.

***

The Stormwall was still raging furiously, the same as the day we arrived. A patrol boat from Wrenvale waited for us, bobbing up and down on the waves. When we were close enough to see the facial hair of the soldiers aboard the boat, they sent an orange flare soaring into the sky.

Vaskarth had explained flares to me but I hadn't really been paying attention at the time. I understood them to be flaming chemicals launched from a special pistol. It seemed a lot like Alchemy to me.

Once the flare exploded, the Stormwall parted like a curtain until a small passage, just wide enough for the Mayflower to pass through, was made. At the far end, I could sense the calm waters that would take us back to the Imperium.

The soldiers aboard the patrol vessel waved in parting as we entered the Stormwall. The 'curtain' closed behind us the further we progressed. They didn't want us to return.

Curiosity burned within me as we neared the end of the corridor and I couldn't help but reach out and try to feel the storm like before. I took my stance, straightening my legs and stretching out my arms in front of me.

Nothing. No matter how hard I strained or what different stance I adopted, I was unable to touch the storm. The shards were gone and so was the power that came with them.

Still, I could feel something, however faint, that touched on the former power. Could it be the freedom from Fate that Avad'dhon had spoken of? Celeste approached before I could form any more conclusions.

"Why on Ilen are you squatting like that?"

"Huh," I grunted and realised I was still in stance. I relaxed. "No reason."

Chitchat wasn't on my mind and I left her alone at the stern without further ado. As we exited the Stormwall, I returned to my cabin, my weary, battered body in need of rest.

***

I threw my rucksack onto the desk and shed my clothes, save my undergarments, to slide beneath the fleece sheets. Exhaling softly, my eyes closing, peace descended over me. A knock shattered it.

I looked at the bundle of clothes by the bed and contemplated donning them. Deciding the payoff to not be worth the effort, I left them where they were and opened the door.

Yennyfer stood in front of me, a gasp escaping her lips at the sight of me so improperly clothed.

"Is now a bad time?" she asked, failing to hide the horror on her face.

"Depends," I grumbled. "What do you need?"

"It's not urgent. I was purely curious as to how you propose going about killing the Emperor."

"It's simple, at least in theory. Your father has an agent in the capital wh- Baller! Keep your eyes on the water! There's nothing to see here, you sly bastard" I shouted, spotting Baller peering around the mainmast and staring at my partially naked body. He skittered off the moment I called his name.

"You were saying?" Yennyfer pressed me to continue.

"Right. Umm, your father's agent, supposedly, has a way of getting me close to the Emperor. Once I'm close enough it's prick!" I flashed the ring, "and he dies shortly after I'm long gone.

"With the Emperor dead his daughter will ascend the throne. She is known to be a kind-hearted woman, a sympathizer of the Savari plight. Should she take the throne there is slim chance she'll allow the Savari to remain enslaved. This is the best chance I have to free my family."

"If you say so. If there's anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to ask," she said and bid me goodnight, the sun almost set over the horizon.

With Yennyfer gone, I closed the door and retired.

***

As predicted, I awoke the next morning with a dreadful headache. The incessant pounding within my ears was somewhat reminiscent of the seismic tremors which frequently shook the Fell-Lands. It was with leaden feet that I forced myself to get dressed and strapped my swords over my back.

Celeste was waiting for me on the deck, by our usual sparring location. She crouched atop a pile of wooden crates containing the supplies for our two week journey. The sun was only just beginning to cautiously peek over the horizon. The air was crisp, a thin layer of moisture tarrying in the breeze.

Her sword was set by her hand as she watched the sunrise, the rays basking her in their golden light. I'd almost forgotten how beautiful she was.

"Morning," she said with a cheerful grin as I sat down beside her. "Sleep well?"

"Well enough," I replied shortly, unsure where this conversation would go. "Yourself?"

"Great actually," she answered and continued before I could interrupt. "Look Aeriae, I understand I've been somewhat open around you and I can see that this is why you've been avoiding me. The truth is, as much as I like you, I don't want to jeopardize our relationship."

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"Well you're exactly the type of person I admire; strong, determined and unafraid. But at the same time, despite my feelings for you, I've also come to love you as family and I think things should stay the way they are."

"So we'll continue being friends?" I raised an eyebrow. This wasn't at all what I had assumed she would want.

"Yeah, I'd like that," she smiled.

In truth, I expected her to want to be much more than friends and, whilst I had been pondering and questioning myself as to whether or not I would be open to this, I was almost relieved that I did not have to offer and immediate answer.

"I think I'd like that," I smiled and she reciprocated by throwing back her head and laughing, though whether cheerfully or nervously, I couldn't tell.

"Shall we practice?" Celeste asked and I was grateful she was changing the subject.

"Sure," I said, accepting her helping hand and standing up. "And thanks."

"Anytime," she said as we crossed blades. 

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

A/N: Hey guys, sorry to keep anyone waiting an extra day for this chapter. This one is still a little rough and will receive a number of changes before the final draft but the overall essence will stay the same. As always, comment and let me know what you think. Rock on!

- EQ