The rest of the journey to the Citadel proved uneventful, at least in comparison to the hectic first day that nearly cost me my life. After days and nights of traversing mostly empty, dry, desolate wastelands, convincing skeptical villagers that lizard-men meat was safe for consumption and also surprisingly delicious, and entertaining Farah in between the work I took upon, our journey was coming to an end.

“O city, o city, home of base m’rtals, I wisheth to seeth the off’rings yond thee shall giveth up to me~” Right at my tail, singing her strange tune, was Shara, in an especially good mood. Her cheery disposition added to the generally lively air behind me. The tailed demons trailed further behind, bumbling in full conversation and banter, with shrill laughter sprinkled here and there. As our journey went on, they had grown more casual and accepting. If I was in a more prideful mood, I would attribute that to me and Shara doing our jobs well.

“…Journeys end in lovers’ meeting, every wise man’s son doth know~” Shara slipped into another melody, one I couldn’t decide whether it was annoying or catchy. Resisting the urge to hum along, I continued scaling up the gently rolling slope ahead of us, using my mother’s staff as a walking stick.

Poking from the horizon were the large, jagged Schwarzwald mountains, dusted with snow at their peaks. They were visible throughout the demonlands, and the sight of them had been familiar to me since my early childhood in the village of Wehrau. And if I were to count my previous life, one could say the view of these mountains was part of my first impressions of the continent of Nicaea. Presently before my eyes, they stood as they always did, reaching the heavens and dominating the skyline.

“Goodness! O city, o city, indeed!” Shara suddenly squealed, her song broken by surprise. As we reached the hill’s peak and slope gave way to descent, an extraordinary sight revealed itself. It stood in stark contrast to the rocky wastelands our eyes had grown accustomed to these past several days.

For miles and miles, irrigated farmland stretched on into the distance, decorated sparsely with companion farmhouses. Countless stalks of hardy wheat stood, cultivated and ready for harvest. The golden wheat danced mesmerizingly under the day’s breeze.

Through the middle of these farmlands, a wide path of paved, leveled-earth cut through, trailing to the walled gate to a massive, fortified city climbing into the mountains. Many village houses gathered in front, under the outer city wall’s shadows. Behind layers and layers of interlocking tall, stone walls of varying heights and thickness and regularly-distanced towers, hints of the city’s canopy were visible. And standing prominently above all, in the mountains, was a castle in solitude, the sight of which was familiar to me. No, of course, it should be familiar to me.

This was once the Norlaenders’ city of Sumortun, three centuries ago, a vibrant, populated city burned into ashes in the war. But now it stood before me, usurped and rebuilt by demons. The visible decorations and carvings on the wall hearkened to a traditional architecture reminiscent of the great constructions back on our native continent. It stood tall, a monument to the demons’ existence as their own, but at the cost of graves of unknown depths beneath the ground we stood on, filled with the corpses of both human and demon alike.

“So this is the so-called Citadel…” Shara mused. “I must say, Luqa, that this is not bad at all.”

“Heh, you got that right. I never knew that we demons would end up building something like this,” I responded.

I then turned around, facing the caravan of tailed demons behind and below me. My eyes found Daria at the caravan’s head, leading her daughter by the hand.

“Miss Daria, we’ve reached it! We’ve arrived at the Citadel!” I cried out.

The animated buzzing of the tailed demons’ conversations turned even more excited. Daria and Farah began jogging up the hill, thrilled smiles on both of their faces. One by one, the villagers reached the peak and lost themselves in wonder at the sight of the Citadel and its surroundings.

“We… we actually made it! There it is!” Daria said beside me. Her tired eyes had become animated. “I really can’t believe it. Just how many people live in those walls? Or in those villages right outside?” She rubbed her eyes with her left hand, as if to verify the reality of the sight before us.

“Mama, mama, a-are we going to live ‘ere?” Farah asked her mother, tugging at her hand excitedly while pointing at the walled Citadel.

“Yes, from now on, sweetie,” Daria responded with a childlike-joy of her own. Like mother, like daughter, both their tails wagged in visible excitement.

“Yay!” Farah exclaimed. Breaking off from her mother, she stepped towards me with an expression of pure delight. “Did you hear that Luqa? We’ll be living there! Isn’t that awesome!”

“Yeah, I heard. You’re right, that is awesome,” I said, riding off of her positive energy.

Gasp of amazement and exclamations of wonder surrounded us as every single one of the villagers stared at the Citadel. Their hopes for a better future, hopes for a new life, hopes for their children, I could see and hear all of it.

A tiny smile had made its way on my face without even knowing it. This moment was the reward for the strenuous journey before. But, the journey was coming to its end. And this very spot would be our departure.

“Daria, Farah, everyone, I wish you good luck in your new lives here. This will be where Shara and I take our leave,” I said.

“Wait, you won’t be spending time in the Citadel at all?” Daria asked, confusion present in her knitted eyebrows.

“Unfortunately not,” I said curtly while promptly shaking my head. “The two of us must immediately journey somewhere else. I’m sorry to not see it through to the end.”

“No, that’s fine, you don’t have to apologize,” Daria responded as she wore a pensive smile. She took my hands in hers while bending over to meet me eye-level. “Thank you for all that yo–”

“No! You can’t leave!” Farah interrupted as she grasped my arm. “W-why can’t you come with us?”

“Farah, dear, don’t be rude!” Daria said.

“Farah, I’m sorry, but I can’t. I have something else important to do,” I said, trying to answer her defiance with reassurance. Tears had begun to form in the corner of her eyes.

“Why? Please… I wanna go there with you…” Farah squeaked, before breaking down to crying. She sobbed while warm tears streaked down her cheeks, using her arm to wipe them away while still grasping onto me. Biting my lip, I pondered. This was a difficult challenge, indeed.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

“I– uh– so, you see–” My attempts to speak fumbled, and I gave up trying to find the magic reassuring words. Instead, I opted to embrace Farah, holding her in an awkward hug. A high-pitched whimper of surprise escaped her as I hugged her before she hugged me back, wrapping her arms around me tightly. She continued sobbing into my chest.

“Luqa… I’m sorry, my daughter is very fond of you. I hope you understand…” Daria whispered. She looked at the two of us with a bittersweet, motherly expression. In fact, this show of drama had interested the eyes and ears of all the other villagers. All around me, while Farah continued crying in my embrace, the villagers looked on with the same expression Daria wore. An expression as if they were staring at a broken precious family heirloom being repaired – or, no, it was more like an expression of watching their daughter’s joyful wedding before her departure to the husband’s household. And Shara stood amongst them as well, wearing sly eyes and a faux-pout. It all made me want to wrap up this whole thing to its conclusion. Did that make me emotionally insensitive? Should I cry, too? Or was I overthinking this?

While in my thoughts, a pang of guilt rose up. This girl who hugged me so warmly right now… I almost ended up leaving her dead for my own selfishness. If events with that masked man had played out slightly differently, her blood would’ve been on my hands. Did I deserve her affection? Was I really someone worth saying teary goodbyes to?

I shook off the inopportune heavy thoughts.

“Farah,” I said softly while nudging her, but she remained crying. “Farah.” I repeated more firmly.

“Y-yes, L-Luqa?” she sobbed. I broke off from our embrace despite Farah’s reluctance and wiped off her tears with the back of my hand.

“I’m sorry, but this really will be goodbye,” I said. “But, you once said that you wanted to be just like me, right?”

“U-uh, huh!” she said, nodding despite teary eyes and continued sobs.

“Then, be strong, okay? It’s okay to cry but we have to go our separate ways,” I said.

“B-b-but, I-I can’t be l-like you,” she stammered.

“Nonsense. Yes, you can. If I can do it, you can do it, too,” I said. “And, if this helps, this isn’t goodbye forever. Someday in the future, we might meet again.”

“...Really?” she said, hope creeping back into her voice.

“Really. I promise. And I don’t break my promises,” I said. I resisted the urge to tack on “for the most part” to the end of the sentence to make my statement more honest.

“...don’t break it, okay?” she said, almost in a whisper.

“Of course. And to top it off, I have a goodbye gift for you.” I lay my pack on the ground and dug a hand to retrieve a steel dagger, holstered in a beautiful leather sheath. It was once a part of Paladin Arnulf’s weapon collection, bequeathed to me at his death. I slowly handed it to Farah. “This is a dagger from an old friend of mine. And now, it’s yours. Use it well and be careful with it, it isn’t a toy. I hope you like it.”

She received it quietly while staring at it with shining eyes.

“T-thank you, Luqa! I… I love it!” Her tears had ceased. After examining it for a few seconds, she reached in for another hug. I squeezed back momentarily before breaking off with a nervous cough.

“Be strong, then. Do you remember what I showed you during the times I trained?”

“Y-yes!”

“Then, I’m looking forward to it. If you really want to be just like me, aim for it. Be strong, in your own way!” I said. I turned to Daria. “This’ll be it, then, miss Daria. And I have some important gifts for you and the others as well.”

I opened my pack again to take out a few items, wrapped and bundled in cloth. I stepped towards one of our wagons to retrieve more similarly wrapped bundles until they formed a sizable stack on the ground.

“This,” I said proudly while laying a hand on the stack, “will hopefully help fund your new life. These bundles are Direwolf pelts in near perfect condition. These bundles contain Giant Boar ivory tusks. And these here contain Lindwyrm scales and fangs.” I pointed at the respective items as I mentioned them.

“I... see, what should we do with ‘em?” Daria asked, baffled, a puzzled look on her face.

“These should fetch you a fortune, if you find the proper place to sell it. If what I read a while ago is true, every single one of these parts is valuable. You’ll just need a bit of haggling, hopefully. Saying that you’re here to sell these parts will also get you into the walled city proper, if needed,” I said.

“Goodness… I cannot thank you enough, Luqa. We don’t deserve such generosity, really,” Daria said, hints of tears in her own eyes. The other tailed demons around gasped in wonder, looking at the stack of monster parts with visible awe. “You have done so, so much for us, Luqa. And you too, of course, Shara. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“Thank you, Luqa! Thank you, Shara!” In unison, the tailed demons cheered in gratitude.

***

“Bye, see you everyone!” I waved at the departing villagers, who marched on the Citadel.

“Farewell!” Shara joined in, giving her own farewell after quickly teaching her the word in Avestic.

“Bye, Luqa! Bye, Shara! Thank you!” Varieties of farewells came from the tailed demons, walking past the two of us. Each and everyone of them looked at us with grateful smiles. Countless faces went by, whose names I wished I had learned, people who I wished I spent even a little time getting to know.

I never truly knew these people at the end of the day. If it wasn’t for Daria and Farah, would this successful journey even have happened? Or would that have pushed me to acquaint myself with people who initially met me with cautiousness?

“Thank you, you two! Please, visit us here when you find the opportunity!” Daria said from the distance.

“I’ll miss you, Luqa! See you again! D-don’t forget your promise!” That one came from Farah, whose tears had stopped flowing. She left the two of us off with a childish, toothy grin. She waved her hand energetically while holding the dagger I gifted her close to her chest.

Eventually, the round of farewells ceased as the villagers continued down the path to the Citadel. Leaving just Shara and I here alone on the hill.

Silent.

It was silent once more.

Now, it was time to g–

“Luqaaaa!”

From the figures in the distance, a little girl was approaching us, running down frantically. It was Farah. What was she doing?

“Luqaaaa!”

Within audible distance, she stopped while gazing up at us.

“Luqaaaa! I’ll always remember you! And thank you for everything!” Her cries rang out clear. “Thank you for letting me hang out with you! Thank you for protecting me! Thank you for being my friend! I’ll become strong, like you wanted!” Finishing, she gave her final waves, turned around, and ran back.

Hmph, I really hope so. I hope she can become like “me.” Not me, but the ideal Luqa imprinted on her head, the Luqa that she looks up to. The Luqa who is strong.

“Wow~” Shara said interestedly, moments after the last of Farah’s goodbye, interrupting my brooding thoughts. “Did you hear that? Your bride is very eager to see you in the future.” She teased me with a cat-like grin.

“Oh, shut it,” I responded. “...This feels really strange, though.”

“Farewells? I thought someone like you might be accustomed to them?”

“Am I? I don’t know. I really don’t know. Maybe it’s that uncertainty of what I even feel that feels strange to me,” I said. “And another promise, huh? I keep racking up more of those,” I whispered, more to myself.

“Sooo, where does our journey await us now, Luqa?”

“Before we make for the humans’ nations, there’s a quick stop I want to make. Somewhere else I should probably pay a visit.”