Chapter XLV: The Thirteenth Wachter (Cont. II)

“But not like this, for this asks you to take on a some great purpose that you will never enjoy, and that those who see you bearing it will hate you for.”

Adelia nodded slowly, tears filling up her eyes, “Why? Why didn’t they let me have a moment of joy if they planned on this? Couldn’t they have given me some pleasure…some happiness that would last in my mind so that I could forever remember and not…….not hate?”

Baen laid a hand on her shoulder, “You must know hate…must know despair…must know all tragedy to bear that burden. There must be a place for the darkness to go, so that it does not destroy all the light. There must be a place for your light, what little there was, to hide. If you were to be all joy, would you understand what evil could do? You would not understand the powers that would run through your vein, through your very soul, it is for that reason that you were not happy. Though your life has had love, you have felt it freely, unforced. You have felt joy, for maybe a moment or two, but you have felt it. That was more than I ever had, that is why I,” Baen said indicating his beautiful self, “Died.”

“And what will happen to me?”

“I cannot say. There is more hope for you than there was for me, but one can never know. Existence shall continue, life shall go on, and you shall walk and stalk the lands in eternal hate and despair. How much it consumes you depends upon your will, upon your strength. And for that even I take comfort, for I know you are strong and willful.”

“Downright stubborn,” Adelia said, laughing through her tears. Adelia looked up at Baen, her eyes fixed to his, “You came to save me.”

Baen smiled softly, the most beautiful smile Adelia had ever seen, “Yes. Such is love over hate.”

Adelia drew close to Baen and smiled, “Is it a fair God who would curse such as you to live a life of absolute despair? I sometimes think so.”

Baen’s smile weakened in pain, but remained, “God has plans for us all, and he alone knows what the Universe demands for balance to remain. We can never know his motives, and that is why we remain to question his intelligence and ignorance. But one day….one day we shall all have the chance to ask him. My day, I hope, is coming soon.”

Adelia turned and stared out at the shadows, “I’m not sure I can find the way….”

“You must believe, you must accept, with full heart and full understanding. Then and only then will the way of truth come to you and you shall be able to make your way.” Baen slowly began to step back towards the shadows, the light fading with his image.

Adelia stepped towards him, “Wait! Don’t go! You were only here for a moment…..stay….please!”

Baen drew close to her for a moment and kissed her lightly, drawing away and fading even more, “I am gone, Adelia. It is all left to you. Remember that there is love….remember always that there is love.”

And with that, he was gone.

Adelia stood in the darkness, staring at the swirling shadow that had all but stopped its attack. It was beginning to lose to her, she knew. She stared out at the shadow, addressing an invisible audience, “So you desire such a fate for me? Is this my purpose? Distant parents, fickle friends, little life and choice for myself, no love, and in the end I am to be cursed?” Adelia shook her head, “Fine. I won’t back down. I bet you expected me to, but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to show you just what I am made of.”

Adelia turned towards the shadow and focused, a small white light emerging in the distance, cutting through a small pinpoint of the shadow. That had to be the way. She nodded and marched towards the shadow, the darkness beginning to part and the light opening up on her. It felt warm as it warmed her skin and melted the frozen sweat and tears that had begun to crystallize in the dark cold. She hazarded a smile as she began to run with a cheer towards the light. And then a single tendril of darkness tripped her up and she hit the ground. And all around her shadow began to close in; she stared up and screamed as the shadow overwhelmed her.

But she believed! She accepted her Fate. Her hands reached out as she tried to drag herself towards the light. The shadow tendrils struggled to hang on as she pulled her way ever closer to the light. She knew she was running out of time and that if she didn’t reach it in time, she would die and existence would end. Why? What had she not done? Hadn’t she excepted the burden?

“Wait,” she gasped, her mind focusing.

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Will she make it?

It seems she will fail.

After all our work, all we tried….he succeeded just when we had won.

There is still hope….

Hope has all but died…

And existence is tearing apart at the very seams.

Never give in to despair my friends, there is still hope.

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Baen slowly drew around the remaining six, his sword slowly weaving through the air as he kicked Vigile’s body away from him, letting the Xul’Nue’s corpse reach the very edge of the rock. “Draw cowards…attack! Put me out of my misery! Bring about your victory and cut the breath from my foul lungs!” The words were filled with bitter scorn, though Blackheart could detect a slight plea in them, as if Baen desired death.

“Well, don’t be sorry when we grant you your wish!” West smirked bringing his sword around. “What are we waiting for, lads? Let’s handle this bastard once and for all!”