Selerim ran until dark fell. It was freeing to do so: he’d been forced to move at a slower pace, but he was alone, now, without any companions to slow him down. That fact stung, at first, but he quickly learned to enjoy the solitude.

It took him a week to reach the edge of the forest, guided by Nyx. The boundary between Umbra and Vasoria was no less mystical than before; light and shadow swirled around each other, evoking the image of two worlds colliding.

I guess that’s not too far off, Selerim thought, looking back towards the elven country. His thoughts still frequently returned to Viria, but that occurred less the further he traveled.

It’s for the better.

Nyx lighted on his shoulder in a flicker of shadow. “Ready to go back home?” She quirked her head at the word home.

“Lead the way,” Selerim whispered. The duskwing vanished, leaving behind a ribbon of shadow. His steps followed close behind.

The darkness embraced him willingly. He learned to find solace in its embrace. It had been there long before him, and it would remain long after his bones turned to dust.

It was comforting, in a way.

It meant that something of him would remain afterward.

He was a creature of darkness, after all. As he traveled, he eschewed the few supplies he’d accepted, favoring the meat of the Reavers that he killed. Those encounters were few and far between, but he savored them. The act of hunting was a welcome respite from the brooding that came with isolation.

They were valuable in other ways, as well. After much consideration, he’d accepted Veile’s gifts. They were benign in nature, and Selerim valued his drawings beyond what words could convey.

And she was right. He needed to return Verad’s sword.

But he made another stop before Cress.

image [https://i.imgur.com/T7fdvjj.png]

Selerim stepped into the clearing. It was only his second time here, but he remembered it well. Nyx landed atop a crude marker. Vane’s grave. He knelt, clasping his hands together for a brief moment.

“She made it home safe,” Selerim said. He hesitated. What more could he say? He’d hardly known the elf. “I’m sorry.” He stood. There was nothing more he could say; solace was for the living. Not the dead.

Nyx flew to his shoulder. “Let’s go.”

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image [https://i.imgur.com/T7fdvjj.png]

Selerim learned to use the elderwood sword as he traveled. Despite his training with Viria, he still had his trepidations. He feared it would snap; the blade was lighter and longer than Verad’s– and it was wood, after all.

Those fears proved to be unfounded. Though Verad’s sword had damaged it, the hides of Reavers hardly posed a challenge. The issue, of course, was that it didn’t paralyze Reavers. He avoided encounters for that reason; limiting them to the occasional stray. One corpse was enough to feed him for a long time, after all.

There were many sleepless nights. Nyx accompanied him for many of them; refusing to leave his side. He was grateful for that. Selerim pushed himself; traveling until his legs gave out, and then doing the same the next day.

It didn’t take long for him to reach Cress.

image [https://i.imgur.com/T7fdvjj.png]

The ruins of his home came into view bit by bit. They were just as he remembered them; one of many things now permanently etched into his memory. Walking through them was painful.

Selerim took a deep breath. The sound of his footsteps was deafening. Time and distance alike had numbed his anger and hatred, but each step stoked the dying embers, and before long, they burned bright.

He considered sending the letter, but the conclusion was always the same. He couldn’t condemn an entire race.

And even if he could, he was insulated by his need of Nyx. Whatever Selerim’s decision, it would have to wait until he reached the human kingdom– and found his family.

So for now, he focused on the journey. He found his way to the back of Corvus’ home, where he buried his friends. Their weapons were there, just as he left them. Grass had grown over Verad’s empty plot, but he recognized it all the same.

Selerim pulled Verad’s sword from his waist and plunged it into the earth. He knelt for a moment, clasping his hands together. “I’m sorry it took so long.” His chest tightened as he stood.

He’d long since accepted their deaths, but that made it no less painful. Nyx landed on his shoulder in a rush of shadow. She quivered against his cheek. Her presence was as comforting as always.

Selerim reached up to scratch her head. “I’m alright.” He turned back. “Lead the way.” It had been years since Nyx last visited the human kingdom, but she knew the way. Duskwings never forgot.

The journey was much the same as the one to Cress. He worried about how to enter, but that proved needless. Though his eyes were violet now, they still recognized him as a hollow; and as such, the guards accepted his excuse of having been separated from his convoy.

After that, Nyx guided him to Eros. It was nighttime as he arrived; the streets were almost empty, making it easy to keep her hidden.

image [https://i.imgur.com/T7fdvjj.png]

Gwyn stirred as the sound of footsteps approached her room. It was still early in the night, but she spent much of her time sleeping these days. The wonder of the city had served as a distraction from Selerim’s absence for a time, but that had quickly faded.

She closed her eyes, thinking the footsteps would pass her, then bolted upright as her door swung open.

“Gwyn!” Her mother’s voice exclaimed. “Look.”

Her first emotion was irritation. Then confusion, as a second figure stepped into her room. Shock came as she recognized him, and joy followed closely after.

His eyes were a different color, now, and there was an edge to him that hadn’t been there before, but there was no doubt– it was her brother.

“Sel!” Gwyn exclaimed, throwing her blanket aside and running to embrace him. For the first time in months, her older brother held her as she cried.