Arch of the Lost Ruin

Reminiscence

“Elixa, are you all right?” Milena’s voice seemed to penetrate through my meditative state, full of worry.

I jerked up, wondering why I hadn’t sense my adopted sister approaching me. It was still sundown. I sighed, relaxed again as I felt the assurance of the waterfall’s invariable rhythm next to me. I peered into Milena’s purple eyes, reminding me of Tessalyn’s eyes, only lighter. I smiled and replied, “I’m fine. I was just reflecting.”

“Oh.” Milena smiled back, but both she and I knew what I was thinking about. And she also knew I didn’t feel comfortable with sharing it right now, “Your assassins are ready for training. They sent me to look for you.”

My assassins, yes. I was proud of my assassins. What better way to combine my mother and father’s teachings than to combine it in an assassin? Experts in strength, speed, and stealth. I found pride when I taught them what I knew from my parents. It also pains me. My teachings reminded me so much of my parents… I had to control myself just to not shed tears.

Suddenly alert that I had to answer Milena, I straightened, “Yes, tell them I’ll be right next to the waterfall.”

“You love the waterfall don’t you?” Milena said, as she lowered down to touch her nose with mine.

“Yes.” I smiled, brighter this time. The water was like liquid fragments of joy to me. My parents were resting in the water, and I felt a longing ever since I arrived to my new home. Being close to the water meant being close with my parents again. To feel its warm current is to feel my mother’s tongue licking my fur softly. To feel its cold surface was to feel my father’s lessons, which required a lot of strength and endurance. To feel the waterfall’s tiny droplets kissing my face is to feel Tessalyn’s words of wisdom slowly absorbing into my own.

It also brought daggers of guilty puncturing through my flesh as I thought of my own sister and godsisters. I had never found them. I tried to; but I just couldn’t. Another surge of daggers ruptured my heart to assume that they were all dead.

“All right.” Milena nodded, then licked my muzzle as we exchanged comforting gestures and got up to race back to camp.

I lifted myself up. Reflecting on the past was always a pain for me before, but now it’s more welcoming. I had already planned to myself then when I died, I am going to rest with my parents, under the water of the river. But for now…

I watched as the outlines of my students emerge in the horizon: Asmodeus, Hatchiko, Nexus, Brissette, and Acrea. I smiled, knowing that my path as a mentor would be full of adventure and memory.

…I will live up to my father. When I have done my part on this earth, I will find the arch of his lost ruin, and shelter under his warm presence for eternity.