They started their journey further east. Across the sea and beyond the twin continent of Mindos, Orenz, the arid desert, further still. Beyond the known world. He would not say how far or why he went there in the first place. His old friend keeps insisting though. Even excited on the idea of going to an unknown place.

“I always wanted to be an adventurer, even after I forfeited my [Class], but atoning my — these sins kept me from doing it!”

“Keep it down old friend, it was a long time ago. Looking at you now, I know you’ve done enough.”

“I — you think? I just wish it hadn't come to that. Do you think he had forgiven me? And that boy! Why does he look like —“

“Enough! I know what you’re thinking, and i’ll say it again, that boy does not know anything”

They stopped talking for a while after that, somehow Bathel felt for his friend. Come to think of it, perhaps he’s the only true living friend he has left. Perhaps he owed him some of the truth. Despite the danger of it.

The boy, the resemblance. His—their journey halfway across the world.

“Gurgan, my old friend, I was there when you were born, when you took your first steps, and I was there when you fell. You know who I am, and you know my sins too. I too am at fault for yours”

His tone became soft, became heavy, the lines below his eyes showed another story. Age and time, it witnessed greatness, it witnessed death.

“I remember when you were still a boy, how I taught you about us, about my kin! how we rose, how we ruled, and how the people feared us, but you know the truth!”

His emotions were surfacing, Nate would be shocked to see this side of Bathel. But seeing an old friend, shakes the emotions inside the old elf.

“That desert! That bloody place! It was our home! Teemed with life! It was beautiful. But my father saw something, he said they were coming, he said something had to be done! And that’s how everything changed, I was not there when it happened, they told me to flee!”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Anger and sadness, rarely seen from an elf, even on someone as compost as Bathel, but the old elf had a long life.

“Stop! I know what happened, you don’t need to tell me, this does not answer my question! Tell me, where were you? Why did you have to leave?”

Gurgan never saw this side of Bathel too. The old elf was a father figure to him as much as Nate does. But he still wondered what could possibly turn Bathel into this.

“I?—We found something, sometime after the fall of Sirens, a hint, an evidence, a hope for my kin! I Thought it was fake, but he was certain! So we followed it back to its origins. It took us years to get there, too many on our way, but we did get there”

“And what!? Slow down! An evidence for what?”

Bathel paused, he said too much! He puts Gurgan in trouble by telling, but someone has to know. It’s about time for the boy to know the truth too.

“I better get going, we’ll be leaving before the sun rises, you should come with us”

Bathel stood, he bid farewell to his old friend, his offer sparked a reaction, but Gurgan seemed to hesitate. Bathel knows why but he still offered. He went to open the door, but someone beat him into it.

Bathel twisted his neck to the left and kicked the door closed, as a dagger flew just below his right ear. Gurgan caught the dagger, and aimed for the window. A figure fell outside, a dagger to the throat. But more were coming. Bathel leaped out across the opposite window, dodged a swing from a shortsword, and grabbed for the assailants neck. Shadows moved, daggers and arrows flew from every direction, The old elf jumped back, or tried to, but the [Assassin] grabbed for him. The projectiles were aimed for them both. Bathel paused. Shadows flickered, everything stopped, like pinned to an invisible wall! Daggers and arrows held afloat for a few seconds then dropped, a [Skill]!

The assassin started, unable to move. And Bathel pushed them unto the bricked wall. A loud thwack, and Bathel found himself inside the house again. Gurgan glanced sideways, two leaped towards him and three went for Bathel. The old elf grabbed the shortsword, slashed low, and two fell. A dozen more jumped from the broken wall and windows. Gurgan yelled while dodging too low for someone his age.

“Bathel, Go! Take — the boy and leave!”

The assassins held their ground, blocking every exit, Shadows moving outside, waiting, blocking the light from every direction, too many, too few. Gurgan laughed, amused by the odds, his veins pumping, excited.

“Fools! I’ve cut a thousand [Assassins] better than you! — No offense old friend”

The [Master Assassin] nodded in the darkness, the [Assassins] stirred as a darker shadow danced in the dark. They hesitated, that’s all Bathel needed, his movement carried no sound, too fast, too silent. Three more fell. Stabbed to the neck and heart. The old elf went for the door. Sending two more crashing outside. Shadows followed, ignoring Gurgan. The bald man was not their target. That was their mistake.

[Safe Passage]!

[A Lion’s Howl]!

The [Assassins] started, their heads snapped towards the laughing old man, unable to resist. Their movement not their own, leaping towards their end. Those who could resist, found themselves unwilling to chase the old elf.

——