Two Sides of the Coin we lost

Chapter 14 - Easy Choice

The zenno kept talking, trying to understand Ven's reasons as all the zenno around looked confused, surprised or nervous and no longer threatening.

"Is it really that bad? Do your feelings for each other become the opposite?"

"What? No... It's just... It went wrong because of me and Leif became very sad because of it... I couldn't make him feel better..."

"So you still love each other?"

"I still do but... I don't think he does..."

"I see... I'm sorry zeph, we had no idea that was your situation..."

"It's okay... It's my fault... I'm gonna fix it. Tell me what I have to do."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Mora looked worried and expressed her concern towards Ven.

"Ven, you can't be serious."

Ven looked at Mora surprised. He had almost forgotten she was there, his mind was made up but in disarray.

"It's what I was looking for, Mora... I have to do it..."

"But... Will you just forget all your feelings for Leif like that? After all you've been through together?"

"If it means it will make him happy... I will."

"You don't even know it'll work! Wouldn't it make more sense for him to forget about you at least?"

Ven looked calm but streams of tears runned through his face into the ground. The zenno around all felt sad by now, they were as emphatic as the zeph despite trying to show otherwise. Ven would then say something that would make all even sadder.

"I don't want him to forget about me..."

"Ven..."

"If... If I have to choose between forgetting about him to make him happy or making him forget about me... I...

He would look at me like I'm nobody as he bonded with someone else... I know it's selfish but I don't think I would be able to take it."

"Ven... what if he feels the same about you?"

"He doesn't... I didn't want to admit it but I already knew it. I thought if I was able to fix this he would forgive me and we could go back to normal..."

"We could keep looking, Ven. There might be another way."

"There might not be enough time. I've been thinking about it for a while... Leif could already be gone by now.

I could go back to our village and he wouldn't be there... If that happened... I'm scared of what I would feel. This is for the best, Mora."

Mora had nothing to refute Ven's words, she felt like she was about to lose someone else again.

Ven asked the zenno once again about what he had to do. This time the zeno would say nothing and just begin to show him the way. They all walked up a mountain for a couple of hours or so. Up in this mountain was a pond that had an opening to a cave and a small raft still on one of its sides. The zenno proceeded to explain.

"If you go through this cave... you'll come out on the other side without your mark... and your memories."

Ven stood still for a second, his tears had already dried up as he was almost apathetic. He got on the raft and held a piece of wood that laid on it.

"Thank you..."

"My name is Ahro."

"Thank you, Ahro. And all of you zeph, for helping me."

Ven looked at Mora with a gentle smile who still looked concerned.

"Mora... Thank you so much. I'd say I'd never forget you but I don't think I'll remember you after all you've done for me."

Mora fell on her knees and cried as she pleaded.

"Ven, please..."

"I'm sorry, Mor."

Ven's last words reminded Mora of her brother, Ven said them just like her brother did making her cry even more. Ven used the stick to push the raft away from the pond's shore and used it to row the raft towards the cave. Soon fading into its darkness.

Leif alongside other two zeph were a little after the edge of their village as they had started their quest to find Ven not long ago. Leif suddenly stopped walking surprising the other zeph with his expression of despair. Leif held his right hand with his left close to his chest as he stared forward and started to cry. Slowly he mustered the courage to look at the back of his right hand. His mark was gone. He fell on his knees and screamed as he cried. He never felt such pain before. He felt the death of his partner.