The Thirteenth Watcher: Epilogues (Cont. IV)
“What’s wrong,” Blackheart said pulling up a chair and letting Adelia sit down.
“Nothing, really. I just miss….what we were, all of us. I miss the adventure. All I do is wander alone, thinking, doing absolutely nothing. It’s so, mind-numbing. I don’t know how long I can handle doing something so boring,” Adelia said after a moment. She glanced up ashamed, for she knew that she was admitting weakness.
Blackheart leaned in, “You listen to me, Adelia. Baen never desired the role he was given, and you don’t want it either. But Baen forgot something, sometimes we have to make our own lives and accept that what burdens we carry, we just have to take with. You know, my parents died so long ago, I never even got to know them and Gobudo was my very best friend…he was my father. Kiki was my greatest and most faithful companion, but I’ll never see them again. And I accept that. I will always remember them, and my children will hear their stories, but I have to move on with my life. I can’t mourn them forever. You….you’re an adventurer. Who says that you can’t use your dark powers to do good? Who will stop you, the Watchers? You are free to do as you will, remember? Baen tried to undue existence and so Maximus charged you with taking his place, and what was his role?”
“To make sure that evil does not get out of hand, that darkness does not consume the world.”
“Exactly.”
“But I have! I’ve been focusing all my time into controlling the darkness within me….but it’s so hard…so boring. And ontop of it, I can’t help but begin to be corrupted, I can see all the dark forces that Baen brought about tearing down villages and plundering foreign lands…the images of their evil fills my head….”
“Maybe there’s more to it than just controlling yourself. Evil thrives outside of you and thus that falls under what you must forever watch. Right? Baen has caused all the evil in the world and you are to control it, master it, stop it from controlling the world…..and you can see where and what they’re doing, I’m sure you won’t find it hard to find work. The enemies that you have created are yours to destroy. That is your right.” Blackheart stared at Adelia for several seconds. She was getting more beautiful as the darkness filled her. Her eyes were more haunting, her features more pure and glistening, she was becoming something more than mortal, though Blackheart had a feeling that she always had been such.
Adelia smiled, “I think…..I think you’re right….”
“Of course I’m right,” Blackheart scoffed, “I’m always right!”
Adelia laughed, “You haven’t lost your arrogance either, I see.” She slowly drew herself up, “Thank you.”
“No, thank you, Adelia. I don’t think I can thank you enough for all that you’ve done and are doing. I know that things have just sort of changed….and we had no control over them….and I think that’s what makes all this so unexpected….so sad….so seemingly unfulfilling.”
“Such is the way of things,” Adelia sighed as she marched to the balcony. “Take care, Blackheart. I doubt I’ll come by again.”
Blackheart nodded slowly, watching Adelia walk to the balcony, “Adelia!” The Seph turned back, outlined by the moonlight. “Baen was right about one thing. He deserved love, too. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that there isn’t someone out there for you. If you ever think you can’t continue hunting the darkness, then seek the light. Remember, the world is made of binaries, and while man must have everything binary, he never desires all of one end. Man is made of binaries…and you are, too.”
“Touching speech, Blackheart….a bit cliche,” Adelia said with a smirk.
Blackheart laughed as Adelia disappeared over the railing of the balcony. A moment later she was off across the streets, Blackheart watching her disappear into the night.
“Black…Blackheart? What’s wrong?”
Blackheart did not turn back to Laura but watched the Seph disappear into the night, “Nothing. Just entertaining a memory.”