Chapter LXXXIV
Forced Goodbyes
Gidit was the first to break the news, choosing the perfect moment to share the series of events bound to change Adriaas’ stability. Over a year had passed since Bitlan had moved to the new silver camp in Kangerlu.
On a Tuesday morning, girlfriends laid intertwined on Adriaas’ bed, covered by thin sheets.
"Shall we grab some breakfast?" Gidit’s voice broke the silence as she got up and started dressing, the sunlight caressing her skin. "There’s this Salvadorian guy making handmade pupusas in the third section of the camp. We have to try them."
Adriaas rose from bed, her hair in disarray, confusion etched across her face. "Why? What’s going on?" Gidit’s behavior seemed out of character.
"Nothing. What are you talking about?" Her girlfriend’s tone was defensive, prompting Adriaas to sense something amiss.
"You never suggest breakfast. We usually wait until noon…"
"I heard his food is incredible. The Kapas want him to make it his full-time job with better pay. They’ve even made a request to the council to grant him a tent for his cooking." Gidit countered, her voice unsteady.
"Touching, but why can’t we go later? It’s too early, I had a late shift last night." Deflated, Adriaas sank back onto the straw mattress.
"I received a notice a week ago that I’m being transferred to Capitalia in a month," Gidit confessed, nervous about that revelation.
Adriaas felt a jolt of shock, fully awakening. "What? Why?"
"You know, dummy. My time in Imperia is ending. It’s my turn to be part of a ‘better society’," Gidit explained, her guilt visible.
Adriaas sat upright, the weight of their recent intimacy adding gravity to the conversation. "You’re leaving me," she said, her voice laced with despair.
"We both knew this day would come," Gidit replied, her guilt lingering. "We talked about it early on."
After a moment, Adriaas responded, her motivation waning. "I guess we did. Are you breaking up with me? Was breakfast the plan to soften the blow?"
Gidit’s eyes filled with sincerity. "There’s no part of me that wants to break what we have. That’s impossible. But we need to consider ending our romantic relationship if we’ll be living in different countries with no means of communication. I’m going to Capitalia, you’re staying in Imperia and then Dictaduria. We're looking at a minimum eight year separation, with the potential for more."
"That’s quite optimistic."
"I can’t afford to be optimistic in Imperia!"
Despite the pain, Adriaas couldn’t deny Gidit had a point. "Can we discuss this later? I’m hungry, and we have a month to deal with it."
Saying goodbye to her first girlfriend was a heart-wrenching experience for Adriaas, difficult to put into words. Their love had surpassed her expectations, creating cherished and unforgettable moments in the worst place on Malkuth. Gidit had earned a special place in her heart since she approached Adriaas that rainy day on the streets of Imperial City and took her to Capahuento.
They planned to honor their relationship by scheduling a date each day for that month. When reality set in, their packed schedules made it nearly impossible to fulfill their plans. Gidit had been promoted to Sergeant at Silver Camp, responsible for training recruits in various martial arts and disciplines. The council had asked her to instruct inexperienced soldiers in extreme regimes for that month and, aware of an impending battle with the Elkrachets, she accepted.
Adriaas, now a captain herself was fully occupied with Medcamp. The healing tent had expanded to accommodate over a hundred beds, with a team of six healers and twelve nurses, giving her enough confidence to handle surgeon tasks and rise to the position of Head Healer. People from across the Second Country sought Gruvin and his apprentices for their healing services.
It was a challenging task. As the number of arrivals surpassed their capabilities, Adriaas’s mentor decided it was time to take action. With the help of Bitlan and Elchome, and the use of contact crystapheres, they established an emergency line across the camps. Gruvin, in the meantime, developed a system to treat patients and train more healers across the factions.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
While Adriaas managed the clinic in Silver Camp, Gruvin ventured out into the woodlands, treating Kapas in need. This routine kept them apart most of the time, and their reunions became moments filled with tragic narratives. They listened to testimonies of the crimes committed by the Elkrachets across the territory, both physical and mental.
The Silver Council required the Head Healers to narrate their experiences upon returning to Kangerlu. After a few sessions, these weekly debriefings turned into mandatory dinner parties where they discussed the state of Capahuento.
During her rare moments of respite, Adriaas would retreat to her private room near Medcamp. The Council had approved the arrangement, providing a certain distance between her and Gidit, who had grown accustomed to sharing living quarters to the point of creating tensions. The newfound privacy had a positive impact on their relationship almost immediately.
Over the years, the rebellion had grown, with their numbers tripling every four months. Their successful breakout from Landica Prison and the continuous failed ambush attempts by the Elkrachets had given them the upper hand. Capahuento had become powerful enough to steal trade from Sabina’s empire more than ever before, selling crops and meat at competitive prices, creating alliances all over the county. Their accumulated wealth was noticeable in their improved lives. Silver Camp had transformed into a small, pop-up city rather than a simple settlement.
Since Gidit and Adriaas had no control over the circumstances, they only spent a few precious moments together in their last month, opposite to what they had planned. They worked excessively to gather as many Gatvits as possible for Gidit’s transfer to the First Country. The transaction was crucial to ensure her safety in Capitalia after her extraction from Imperia.
For Gidit, it had been a decade-long wait to move on. The arrival of the levitator brought an expected nostalgic smile to her face. Prepared to be taken to Imperium, where the Fifth Sephirot monitored their lives in the Second Country, Gidit stood in front of Adriaas.
“It was nice meeting you,” Gidit said, unable to hide her tears.
"Likewise," Adriaas replied, mirroring the sentiment. "Thank you for saving me."
"Thank you for changing my life." Gidit whispered during their last embrace, their souls sharing a quantum entanglement, spanning time and space.
With a goodbye kiss in front of Raxae, Miveria, and Elchome, who were returning from lunch at the dining tent, their wonderful but ill-fated romance concluded.
The decision to part ways had become clear since that morning over pupusas. Despite this clarity, they clung to each other until the end, shedding tears of anger, helplessness, and love. They embraced freedom and the necessity of moving forward with their lives. Their unbreakable bond would endure, regardless of when and how they met again.
It took Adriaas time to recover from the separation. The realization that their relationship could have endured in a different life intensified her resentment towards her father and the Sephirot for leaving her to suffer in Sectum and for their betrayal.
Four weeks later, Adriaas' mentor announced that his time in Imperia was also ending, with his departure set for less than two months after Gidit's.
"I've been thinking," Gruvin said, weeks after her ex-girlfriend had left. "You are ready to take the lead, so you will when I leave."
Adriaas had feared this would be the case.
"Don’t look so thrilled!" Gruvin remarked, noticing her lack of enthusiasm. "I’ve given this matter a lot of thought. Be proud of yourself."
"Who else were you going to leave in charge, Libeth? Let's see how long it takes for her to crumble." Adriaas knew the obviousness of the question. "Sorry, you know it's hard to deal with her under pressure; she gets over the top when nervous. I am proud and grateful for the opportunity, but it also terrifies me to think they might call me to war and place me on the front lines against the raging Elkrachets."
"The council won't send you to the front lines. They'll be asking strategic questions while you oversee the entire fleet of healers we’ve been training for the past seventeen months. You might even do so from their table. I’m making sure some doors stay open," Gruvin assured her, expanding on her previous concerns.
"I’m not ready to be a member of the council, Gruvin," she confessed.
He couldn't help but laugh. "You’ve been ready for six months. What’s missing is your confidence, kiddo!"
"Where will you be transferred?" Adriaas inquired, hiding her true hopes.
"Dictaduria, and three years later, I'll be back in Malkuth and living in Aequiteism," Gruvin said, brimming with determination.
"You won't go to Capitalia?" Adriaas had forgotten that some could avoid that fate.
"Oh, no. Three years in concrete country, and I’m out," Gruvin declared, unafraid of the future.
A smile spread across Adriaas's face, sensing the confidence emanating from her mentor and the reveal she would get to see him on the Third Country. "You better build contacts in Dictaduria before I arrive!" she exclaimed, rising from the seat across his desk. "Let's celebrate with beer!"
"It’s not a good idea for both of us to get drunk together. Since you’re more eager, what if I take care of you this time, and next time you take care of me?" Gruvin had been planning to visit the camp brewery for a few days. "I’ve cleared our schedules in case this matter took longer."
"Let’s go for it," Adriaas decided. "If you trust me with this responsibility, I should comply. There’s a reason for my growing talent and why I’m here. If it leads to war, then we’ll be prepared to save as many lives as necessary."
Gruvin was pleased with her answer, and together, they left the office and walked through the polyphene hallways that led to the brewery.
****
Thank you for reading! See you in "Chapter LXXXV - Extraction Season". If you can't wait and wish to continue, Patreon is running with up to 20 chapters (7ish weeks) ahead of RR release.
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