Love Can Save {An Aphmau Fanfiction}

Garroth

As the sun rose above the island city of the Phoenix Alliance, I was stumbling back to my house, exhausted and ready for bed. My armor weighed heavy on my shoulders, and every step I took caused my sword to swing and hit the side of my leg. My blonde hair was falling in front of my eyes, but I was too tired to reach up and push it out of the way.

Coming up the road towards me was a familiar face. I had known him for years now, twenty-one to be exact. He had been there when I had first joined Phoenix Drop, and the village hadn't been the same when we returned from the Irene Dimension without him. He was a better father figure to me than my real father ever had been, and it was great seeing him everyday.

"Hello Dale." I called, straightening up slightly and lifting my hand. He returned the motion, and the two of us stopped in the middle of the road, clasping hands. "What are you doing up so early in the morning?" He chuckled, putting his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his heels.

"Molly wanted to host a brunch with Emma and Corey, and of course she didn't start cooking till this morning."

"So she sent you to come and pick up groceries." I summed up. He smiled, shaking his head ever so slightly.

"Pretty much. Woman- I'll never understand them." I laughed, trying to keep the edge out of my voice. But of course, he picked up on it. His eyes dropped, and the mirth left slowly. "I'm sorry... how are you dealing? Sorry, you probably don't want to hear that. If you want, you can come to brunch later; I'm sure the ladies will have a lot to say." I smiled, rubbing the back of my head.

"I may. It depends on what Lady Aphmau wants me to do today." Dale nodded, keeping his gaze averted ever so slightly. "Dale, I'm fine. Please, don't act any different." He seemed to understand what I was saying, giving me a smile and a pat on the back.

"Alright then. You look like you're about to topple over; go and get some rest. How about you come over for dinner tomorrow?" I nodded, reaching forwards and shaking his hand.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you then Dale. Have a nice day." And with that, we split ways, me clanking down the street in my armor and my old friend walking happily towards the waking marketplace.

Finally I reached the barracks. I pushed open the heavy iron door, squinting at the harsh synthetic light. I shut the door behind me, placing my sword in the weapons' rack as I passed. I made my way to the armory where I took off the heavy armor that had been weighing down on my shoulders for the past four hours.

I lived here, as did Laurence and Richard. Dante was still in Phoenix Drop, which made sense seeing as he hadn't left in over twenty years. Travis and Katelyn were also there, living together in Katelyn's house. Normally Katelyn would be here on the island, but she wanted to form a guard academy to train guards in case of an attack from Tula or anything else. She was one of the few people still concerned with Tula. The rest of us had mostly forgotten about the fact that they were in O'kasis. They hadn't made a move on us it almost three years now, and no one was tense about it anymore. Especially since Zane...

I turned away abruptly and slammed the door shut. A second too late I realized that my friends were probably sleeping upstairs. Oops.

Making my way upstairs, I noticed that the doors to the balcony had been left open overnight. Shaking my head, I went over to shut the doors. Before I could, however, I noticed someone standing there by the railing. No, not a person. Some sort of apparition.

A soft glow emanated from the being, making it hard to make out the face. A lavender gown covered its frame, causing me to come to the assumption that this creature was a woman. There were tears across the arms and top of the chest, as well as scorch marks around the wrists of the garment. Whoever this woman used to be, she had died painfully.

I took a step forward, unsure of what to do in this predicament. Something about her drew me in, like... like she was the missing piece of my heart. I know it's cliche, but that's exactly the feeling that was coursing through my veins.

Finally, I noticed something else. Long black hair that tumbled and curled down her back. I longed to reach out and feel the silky smooth tendrils between my fingers. Her skin was a beautiful tan color that made me think of summer. A taunting fragrance had filled the air, and it was so familar that it haunted me.

That's when I saw a final detail that made the world start to spin. Faded purple streaks were woven throughout the black waves, dancing in and out of the darkness. I stumbled backwards, hitting my head against the open door behind me. I collapsed to the floor, and when I could finally see clearly again, I saw the large black eyes that had haunted my dreams for so long. The specks of purple around the irises flashed brightly in the early sunlight, and the pain and despair in them swallowed me whole. I heard my name whispered on the wind, the wobbly tone causing me to reach out, trying to stop her before it was too late.

But it was. I blinked, and the love of my life had vanished, taking with her my coherent thoughts. In their place, she left fresh heartache and a dangerous terrible hope that threatened to burn its way through my life.