Tales of Avanturia 1

Chapter 31: A Way Out

Lucia was torn between 'Save me' and 'Leave me alone'.. she ran far and long. Hopped on a carriage and drove. Eventually she arrived at her destination. It was a very dense forrest, easy to get lost in. She heard tales about this forrest, that people went there to.. well, to let go. Maolarun Forrest.

She walked deeply into the forrest, tears rolling down her eyes. To be fair, it wasn't just that she killed someone. She was just trying to hide the rest. Why was she trying to get stronger? Well, for the ones, who couldn't.

It was.. well, a week and a bit ago when she received the letter. She kept it with her.

'Dear Lucia,

I know, that we didn't part on good terms, but I want you to know, that we always loved you. We only wanted the best for you and we didn't see, that it clearly wasn't and for that we are terribly sorry.

However, we won't try to get you back, we know, that the life you're living now is what you always wanted.

I'm just telling you something, and it took me a long time to write this.'

There was a small stain on the letter, that of a tear, apparently.

'You're mother. You remember, how she often stayed in her room over the last time? We hid from you, that she was battling a hard fight. With cancer. Lung cancer to be specific. Believe me, when I tell you, that I don't want to write this, nor do I fully believe it myself.

Lucia, you're mother died last week. She didn't make it.

This must be as shocking to you, as it is for me, but I thought, that you too should learn about this.

I'm sorry that we couldn't talk again and sad, that you never wrote, but I had it coming.. good bye..

In love, yet and forever,

Your father.'

And shortly afterwards, news spread, that Bjornvald Florentin had taken his life inside the Florentin mansion. They became bankrupt and didn't make it out, the daughter ran away, their last hope for a partnership turned out to be involved into some shady business and Lady Florentin died of lung cancer. It didn't seem like there was anything left for him, so that was his final decision.

And Lucia could never say good bye properly. She never saw them and her last memory was that of a bankrupt family involved with corrupt people, trying to forcefully marry her.

Now and then she received a few calls on her telenomichron, but she never picked up. She couldn't, eventhough one part of her wanted it so desperately.

Deeper into the forrest, she saw abandonded bags, an old fireplace and a few letters. All of them wrote their final good bye, and the reason they did it.

On the inside, she was torn. And everything had started out so wonderfully.. She has those images.. Fenrock at the verge of death, Bella and Brynjolf struggling to keep her safe.. And what did she do? She abandonded them – left them behind eventhough they are being hunted. In grave danger. How selfish could one be?!

Only because life's not easy for her at the moment, doesn't mean, she has to give everyone a harder time aswell!

At least that's what she heard in her head, amongst other things. She put the blame solely on herself. But with what right? Right and wrong, is there even a difference anymore.. She didn't even know, why she was there in the first place.

Lucia ran. She just ran further and further into the dense forrest. Nothing before her and nothing behind.

For how long has it been going on? Since they returned she was torn between her own feelings – love, despair, anger, and she didn't know what to make of it.

She eventually stopped running somewhere. She didn't know, where she was and it felt like she wasn't even in Avanturia anymore. Lucia sat down on a rock. Then lie down on the floor, auburn leaves surrounding her. Slowly she drove asleep...

„Hey, wake up!"

Lucia was awoken by a very familiar voice... Though she didn't believe it..

„This is not a good place to fall asleep, you know." The voice sounded a lot like the one from the assassin!

When Lucia slowly opened her eyes, she saw a man sitting on the rock. He wore a black and red uniform, with a whole in it. Dried blood surrounded it.

Lucia shrieked up, startled as she was, she jumped up, „What's going on here?! You're dead!"

„Well, not yet." the assassin replied, „But I'm doing my best, thank you."

„But.. I.." she stammered, „Is this just another illusion?!"

„Not really. You know, that you didn't actually kill me, right? Did you think, a bit of piercing with your sword would kill me? Hah, hardly, though it did indeed hurt. Well, that doesn't matter anymore.. Nothing does for me.."

„What do you mean..?"

„Well, as you might know, I didn't succeed in my mission and was banned from the Ministry. And so, my last bit of hope to have a life vanished. And not only my hopes. Do you know, what kind of shit life I lived until I joined the Dark Ministry? It was the first time I was treated as an equal, but then.. well, you know what happened. I returned a weakling, that couldn't even kill a sleeping target. And a coward aswell, because I didn't have the guts to fight."

„And why are you here?"

„Well, first of all, I could ask you the exact same thing. Secondly, well, I suppose, you know, what this forrest is known for? The suicide forrest?"

„Oh, right.."

„You too, huh? What's your reason then?"

„I.. I don't know actually.. It's just.. It's difficult.."

Lucia then told him the story. About her mother, her father and everything that happened up until their last meeting..

„I'm so sorry to hear that. You have my sincerest condolences. But the final thing was because you felt guilty for killing someone?" the assassin finally asked, „Despite me being not actually dead, you know, that this is a pretty dumb reason right? No offense, but I'm.. or was, an assassin out to kill you. You know about this thing called self defense, right? Your first kill is always a strange and unsettling feeling, but you can't just beat yourself up about it, especially when it was out of self defense and that's from the guy you stabbed! Throwing yourself in depression isn't going to change anything. You have friends, who love you, who support you on every way, who you can trust, that's a rare thing these days, believe me. You have to hold on to this, keep fighting and eventually things will turn out for the better. Not everyone can have this outlook."

„I.. I think you're right." Lucia agreed, „I really shouldn't be so angry with myself! I have someone to help me get through this. Wow, I really underestimated you.. Thank you so much and.. heh, sorry for stabbing you..!"

„Yeah, no hard feelings." the assassin replied.

Then, suddenly in the distance, she heard someone shout her name – three people.

„Looks, like someone's calling for you." the man said smiling, „Better not keep them in the dark."

„You're right." Lucia agreed, directing them with her voice to her location. And before she knew it, two arms were wrapped tightly around her, „Thank the gods, you're alright..!"

„Lucia, baby," Bella then joined them aswell, „We were so worried about you! You can talk to us at any time, you know that, ok?!" This was the first time Bella actually sounded worried and happy about something.

„Luce, good gods, you won't believe it!" Brynjolf said, „We only found you thanks to this strange note, that someone passed to Fenrock in Ravigrad!"

„I've never been so scared in my entire life before.. If something had happened to you.. I'd never forget myself..!" Fenrock said.

„Well, I had some hel-" When she turned around, the rock was empty. There was only a small piece of paper left on it which read 'You're Welcome'