Something for fun. UNEDITED

“They’re coming Jade, we can’t stay.”

                “It’s him, isn’t it?” Her velvet voice echoed in my ears.

                “I don’t know. If it isn’t, he’s already dead.” He had to be alive; Rocho was too strong.

                “Where would we go? This is our last stand Euan. We’re all that stands between the Fae and Yeun.” Her determination surrounded her and it made me feel weak. She was so willing to give her life for a lost cause and all I could think of was how we could get away.

                “So what are we going to do?” Rocho would know, he always knew.

                Her face was straight, lacking the emotion she always carried with her. I know it before she says it, and she knows she doesn’t have to. We’re going to fight, we’re going to lose, and we’re going to die. The Fae would have Yeun, and the Infinite Knowledge would be theirs. Who knows what they would do, what they want with it. This can’t happen.

                “We swore to defend him, to defend his gift.” Our life was his curse.

                “With our lives,” She finished the oath. “So we shall.”

                “It can’t be the end; there must be something we can do. We can still defend him. We don’t have to give up.” I couldn’t bare a life without her, how could she do this.

                “I’m not giving up, but I won’t run. I’ve never run in my life, not from the Fae, not from my thoughts, and not from my feelings.” Her hand caressed my face, her soft skin left a warm tingling behind.

                She was right, but she was wrong. He was better. He was stronger, smarter, and more impressive. He always knew what to do; he was always there when he was needed. He saved countless lives, mine twice. He deserved her love, but she starved him of it. She confided in me when I was undeserving, and he accepted it though it burned him. I am torn between them, the bonds pulling me apart. She gave me her love, when all knew it was he who deserved it.

                “I’m sorry.” I backed away from her slowly, and she smiled. It started a fire inside, one that burned so hot I almost fell crippled to the ground. Even now she smiles at me, when I am the weakest of us all. I forced myself to turn from her gaze, and out of the corner of my eye I saw a tear roll down her cheek. To turn back now was the end; I could not leave her twice. I walked away, with no direction I walked. The trees and the brick walls mocked me. The dirt roads tried to eat my boots. It seemed so odd, to have such a large perimeter for such a small location. If not for the walls, the Fae may have never found us. But if they had, the walls made more sense.

The city was much smaller now with everyone gone. The alert had gone this morning, the Fae were approaching. They had gotten in by midday, a feat they had never accomplished before and it was our downfall. Though granted immortality we were not invulnerable. Never aging, never reproducing, our numbers dwindled with each attack. Over a millennium, thousands turned to hundreds. Perhaps without such a gift, Yeun could have stayed and our numbers would be more significant to defend him.

Yeun, our god, the infinite knowledge; and he couldn’t see this coming. He was all knowing, all seeing. We worshipped him from our home world, and vied for his favour with another group. We were granted his favour, and transported to his world. Given the gift of immortality, and charged with defending him. We took an oath to lay our lives to protect his final gift, the infinite knowledge. We were to never touch it, to never look inside. It was a gift that could not be used. We all decided that day, it was not his intention. To break our oath is to lose immortality, and to age once again. But what would he say now?

His temple stands in front of me, and I aim to find out what he would say. The entrance was large, cylindrical pillars supported the weight of the large stones. The hall was dark, one long tunnel. At the end I will find his throne, where his gift lays. She stands alone, waiting for the attack. The Fae were close by, but they didn’t know where the holy city was. They had only ever ben outside its walls, inside they were lost. If only I had the courage to stand with her, so she would not be alone when she dies. Rocho would have stayed; he would have had the courage, the strength to be with her.

I can see the light, the blue glow of the water that surrounds his throne. He would sit hear alone and listen to our prayers and our thoughts, he couldn’t bear to be alone. He gave this world to us, our new home. We were lost, he took our lives. Why did he leave? It’s colder here, the room was tall. The stones were glowing with the water, but it was still dark. The throne was small, not as magnificent as the temple. There it lay, his final gift, the infinite knowledge. How many Fae had given their lives to try and take this? Their numbers unending, ours was dwindling. It was time to see his final gift, the youngest one who lacked the strength to love all that loved him, willing to break his oath to see the answers. It is not courage that drives me, it is fear. Fear that I won’t see the end of days, that she will die alone, and that I could be any weaker. Yeun, you most show me all the answers. Show me how to save us, show me how to protect you. Show me the strength required to fulfill all that I promised to do.

~

                It was getting darker, Jade stood alone with her weapon in hand. The shadows were getting closer, this was it. Euan would have to be the one, he had to be. There was none left who could escape with Yeun, and Jade would give him the time he needed to escape. There was a rustling close by, Jade stood ready for an attack, but it was a man who approached. His heavy steps were slightly muffled by the forest floor. Rocho jogged up to Jade, and she lowered her hand. His arm was cut, but he was alive.

                “You made it.” Jade smiled at Rocho, and he returned the smile.

                “They’re close; it won’t be long until they exact this location, we have to move.” His hurried words were reminiscent of Euan’s.

                “We can’t, we’re all that’s left Rocho.” She stayed calm; she had already accepted her fate.

                “Where’s Euan? He wasn’t at the front; I know he stayed with you.” He wasn’t concerned, he looked agitated.

                “He was worried about you, he went looking. He hasn’t returned, and I fear the worst has happened.” Rocho looked back into the forest, turning back grief stricken.

                “He wouldn’t have lasted long out there, I’m sorry.” Rocho bowed his head. “But now isn’t the time to mourn, we have to leave.”

                His persistence was greater than Euan’s, but she expected it. Rocho was always right, even when he was wrong. He was confident, but only she saw that he was over confident. His perfection was misguided.

                “Leave to where?” Jade was having troubles making this conversation twice, she could only hope Euan would have the strength to let go, and do what was necessary.

                “Yeun will know, we have to go to Yeun.” Rocho was not suggesting, he was commanding. Jade shook her head.

                “We swore we would leave his gift alone, and alone it shall stay. We can protect him still, together Rocho.” She clung to all she had left to keep him at bay, it hurt using his emotions. Rocho looked dismayed, but then he smiled.

                “I was hoping to take you with me, to spare you. But I knew in my head you too would choose death over survival. This is the end.” Before he finished speaking, he stuck his blade into Jade’s gut. She keeled over his right arm and he leaned in. “He will die, if he’s not already dead. And when he dies, he will be alone, just like you.”

                Jade could feel the tears streaming down her face, and with all the strength she had left in her, she pulled herself up and smiled at Rocho.

                “He was always better than you, and I know you see it. You’ve always seen it.” Jade gave her last breathe to show him his weakness, his only weakness. Rocho spat in her face, and pulled the blade from her stomach letting her drop to the bloodied dirt. She lay there, waiting for the darkness to consume her.

                Rocho followed the dirt path, and he knew Euan would be here somewhere. He stayed alert, taking the most direct path to the temple. He could feel the weight of all the Fae, and all the guardians he had killed today. He let them in; it was his last chance to take the gift. He had waited all these years for the guardians to die out. He did all he could to make them ignore his thoughts, they would never suspect him. But she did. He loved her, and she knew of his foul play. Instead she gave herself to Euan, and he couldn’t even give himself back. He always tried to make Rocho proud, and he only wanted to be strong enough for Jade. It made him sick now. He spat at the temple as he drew closer. He started to run down the hall of the temple, and soon he could see the faint glowing. He could see a shadow. But before he could get any closer the light started to grow. Brighter and brighter it became, until it was almost blinding. But through the brightest glow, he could still see the shadow.

~

The light was still blinding when I reopened my eyes, but now I see the lush green world around me. The sun was shining bright, and it looked like it was morning. But where am I? The trees were tall, and the skies were blue. The white clouds dotted the skyline, and there were tall objects on the horizon far in the distance. Did it work, am I truly home? Did Yeun save us? How many were left to save? On the ground lay the infinite knowledge, the small markings still slightly glowing. His power was truly remarkable, even when he’s gone Yeun could still give him the power to escape the Fae and return to the home world. The gift that was given had finally been used. But now I am no longer immortal.

                I decided to grab Yeun’s gift and leave. It had been over a thousand years since I walked on this world, who knew if people still existed? Of course Yeun would, but I couldn’t abuse his gift. The walk on across the plains was boring, but it was nice to hear the birds singing. I walked towards the tall objects; it would be nice to have a landmark to work with. I feel lighter here, like the world here is giving me strength. Perhaps Yeun has given me another gift, though I betrayed his oath. I continued to walk, and after an hour I decided to stop and look around. I was traveling downhill it seemed, and the large objects were getting bigger, and they looked like structures. Who could have built such large standing monuments? Were there still men on this world? Or had another more advanced people arrived? I could hear a quiet cough nearby, and at first I ignored it. I stayed alert, but when I heard the second cough I tried to follow the sound. The tall grass was thick, perfect for an ambush. Predators could be lying in wait, or perhaps something wanting to take Yeun’s gift. But when I found her, she was still alive. Barely hanging onto life; face down in the dirt. I rolled her over, and her face lit up like the morning sky.

                “Euan, you did it.” Her words were spoken slowly, no more than a whisper.

                I nodded, and I could feel the tears begin to stream. I wasn’t fast enough; the Fae had got her first.

                “I knew you could do it, but this isn’t the end.” She stopped to take a breath, and each time she did her words were weaker. “Keep it safe, I know you can.”

                I pulled her face close to mine, and I bowed my head. She stared into my eyes, and I began to regret leaving her, I should have tried harder. I should have got her to come with me, or at least stayed to die with her. “I failed you.” Was all I could say to her, but she shook her head.

                “No. No, you’re doing the hardest thing of all Euan. You’re going to survive.” Her words were starting to space out. I know I don’t have much time left with her. I didn’t know what to do, what to say.

                “I love you Euan.” My heart started to thud, it was getting louder and faster. I didn’t know how to react, she was passing. It was happening to quickly. She raised her hand and rested it on my cheek.

                “Don’t worry, I know.” She closed her eyes, and I knew this was it. Her hand dropped from my face, and her weak heart beat faded away. I could feel the life leave her, and all I could feel was the hatred for myself. I buried her, and she was given an unmarked grave. Yeun would show me the way if I needed to find her again.