An elderly man sat on a log near a campfire, heat radiated against his skin bringing warmth in the cool exposed night. He poked at the fire with a long stick he had in his hand, spitting dried hapers in the fire. He looked up in the sky and saw the full moon shinning bright, its light barely penetrating through the treetops.

"Just couple more days," he said to himself, "keep focused Farame."

It had been a full five days and six nights he had left his farm and his granddaughter Erica, entrusting her to the care of Zilian having the confidence they would be fine for a short time being. He promised he would meet up with them in two weeks, but it seems like it might be a little longer then that. With the bad weather coming on top of him, it seemed to be week to get to the Swamp in a direct route and another week back home - that is not to mention the other approximate five days to Greyus.

Farame kept on having a stabbing feeling in his heart, that he had lost something dear to him. Nightmares tormented him every night, that he was back at the mountain where he lost his beloved son and step daughter. Every nightmare was about it was he who was clutching to his sons hand over the edge, holding on with all his might knowing what is about to occur.

"Dad, you have to let go." His sons voice echoed.

"No, I can't. I can't. Hold on, I'll get ya up." Farame cried. He attempted to pull them up, but the harder he tried the more he felt them slip by.

"Dad," His stepdaughter said, "you have to let go."

"I can't. Your daughter. My granddaughter. She needs her parents, what will she be without ya? She needs ya." He held on tighter, he did not care if it meant him falling off with them too.

"Dad," Their voice echoed together in perfect harmony, "you have to let go."

"What about ya daughter, Erica? She needs ya." Farame cried from the pain that boiled up [from] inside.

"No, she doesn't. She needs you. We were foolish, it is our price to pay, not hers. She still has someone who she can call a father and she has friends who she can always rely on. We are of no use, so let us go." He could see in their eyes all the love the world could contain, and in that moment he realized they were right. The weight he held on from looking into the past for so long for once felt lighter. In truth, he should have already been looking into the future after all this time, Erica’s future.

Tranquility grew on him, which he had not experienced since the last time he saw the smiles on their faces. He wished things would have played out differently but they were right, it was time to let go.

He released his hands, not clutching on to them anymore. He saw them go down the abyss and strangely enough, they smiled in return knowing Farame made the right choice. He sighed, a small hand pressed on his shoulder. He turned his head to find the once young little girl, Erica.

"Where's mommy? Where's daddy?" Erica said in her sweet young voice.

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It always pained Farame when he heard that question, he could never bring himself to tell her what happened. Partly because he blamed his brother and partly because he blamed himself, but mostly because he feared she would think less of him as family if he were to recount the events. He always excused himself abruptly or told her she needed to do chores rather than asking foolish questions, always evading to answer one way or another.

He lifted up his chin, Time to let go, he thought to himself, that's it, next time I see her, I will tell her everything, the whole truth. Something else nagged him, something else he needed to let go, ah yes, I will forgive Mauris. We'll have a big cookout, it'll be just like old times.

Snap!

He heard a branch break, he stood up from his log and scanned his surroundings. It could have been nothing, there were a lot of animals in this part of the forest, the worst the worst of which was being bears. He kept on looking around him, at first not seeing anything. Then he saw a gleam, the moonlight bouncing off a piece smooth and sharp metal. He covered his eye as an intense wind buffeted him, roaring all around him with unbelievable power. In just a second he was blown off his feet and knocked back against a tree.

He gaped his mouth wide open to breath, the crash in the tree knocking the air out of him. He realized he was not gaping just from the pain of the impact, a sharpened blade impaled him in the abdomen. A young girl stood below him, The wind flayed her blonde hair back, every detail a menace. What he saw must have turned him white; he saw blood, his blood, dripping down from the blade of the double-sided polearm this girl stabbed him with. Her eyes had this feeling of sharp coldness, showing no hint of hesitation.

Her presence struck fear into him. "Let's make this quick, shall we." A cold grin grew on her.

Farame tried to scream for help, but the only sound came was a muffled cough. He could feel his lungs welling up with blood.

"I am looking for this boy named Zilian Ainn, is he relative of yours?"

"No..." Farame coughed up blood, he did not want to answer her but he wanted the pain to end.

"I see you are traveling alone, so your destination matters not to me. Where did he go? East?” She read his expressions, “No, West? No? Then he went North. Maybe to Forest Mist." Farames eyes spread wide open, he only said one word and somehow she was grabbing all the intel she wanted. "Since Forest Mist is destroyed, he must have either been captured or taken refuge in the closest city of Kartick."

His heart raced as he heard that Forest Mist was destroyed, he feared his brother and perhaps even both Erica and Zilian might have been caught. She leaned closer, staring into his eyes as if peering into the truth inside of him.

"That is not his destination, is it?"

"I... I am..." Farame started mumbling, he swayed his head in agony as he choked on his own blood.

"You what? Not gonna say anymore? You said all that I needed to know. Worry not, for I reward those who make it easier on me."

The next moment, all he saw was a flash of red as he fell down to the cold hard ground. He once heard that in death, everything becomes clear. He never fully understood the meaning behind that phrase, but now Farame could truly grasp the significance in that. It was clear he should have told Erica sooner, it was clear he should have forgiven his brother sooner and it was clear that he had made his final mistake.

I am sorry. Forgive me Erica, forgive me Zilian. Forgive me Erica for placing a burden on you that took me all of these years to learn, but please learn to let go of me. Forgive me Zilian, for the trouble I have set in your path. I have my faith in you, that you will keep your promise and take care of Erica.

The last moments of his life were stained in red, and the whistle of the leaves being brushed by the wind. He hoped his prayers had been heard.