Hirow was already out on the road steadily making his way towards the edge of the village. He no longer remained in the shadows he was desperate to see Haddrung. Even that old man would have come outside to see what was happening, he thought. He hadn’t seen him in the plaza and that worried him.

Talia caught up to him. “Now that I’ve seen those soldiers I realize I should have listened to you. I know they're after me. We should leave,” she said, trying to keep in stride.

“Not yet.”

“But why, you said the village was dangerous.” Talia pleaded with him. “I’m scared. I don’t know what a Stellapuer is but I think I’m one of them and if that's the case it's all the more reason to leave now. We need to go before they come back!”

Hirow lashed back, “Not yet. I need to find Haddrung.” Then continued without a passing thought.

Clement caught up and Talia crumpled to the floor admitting defeat.

Clement bent down to view her face and saw tears streaming down. He leaned in and said with a soft voice, “I hate it when girls cry. They always cry over something so petty. Well,” he paused, seeing if her mood had changed but it hadn’t, “unless I’m crying within them then it's a pretty good reason.”

Talia’s crying softened and she looked up and croaked out a few words, “Why are you telling me this.”

Clement smiled, “I thought it would be obvious. What I’m trying to say is that this isn’t worth crying over.”

“But,” she protested, “he made a promise. One he said he wouldn’t break. He said he would help me find out who I am, no matter what happened.” She burst into tears again, “If I’m dead how will I ever know? I can’t die until I know, but he doesn’t care. I’m helpless if I leave now. I wish I had the strength to leave on my own but I don’t and if I stay any longer the soldiers are going to find me and kill me.”

He let her cry for a little longer then earnestly responded, “But he will keep his promise. I’ve known Hirow for my entire life and ever since his parents died, he has never broken a promise.” Clement laughed out loud and Talia looked up concerned, “What has he gotten himself into? That's a pretty lofty promise to make to a girl you just met. That kind heart of his shines even though he never wants to admit it.”

He put his hand on her back and consoled her, “Now the reason he left was that he was concerned about his friend. I don’t know who this friend is, in fact, it's only my second time hearing of him, but he must be important to Hirow. Neither of us knows what he’s going to find there and if he finds something horrible he’s not going to be able to bear it alone.” He stood up and stretched out his hand to Talia, “So for his sake and your’s let's go find him.”

They ran in the direction Hirow last went frantically looking for any sign of him. The houses whizzed past. Door after door remained shut and the only sound heard was the chatting of the villagers behind them. The road ahead ended in open fields and each of the houses along it remained silent.

If Hirow was here we would at least hear something no matter what happened Clement thought. He motioned to Talia at the end of the road and pointed toward the next street to continue their search. They rushed over sliding between the houses but the next street remained empty and silent also. Passing street after street they neared the far northern edge of the village. Then they heard it. A ghastly shriek followed by muffled sobs.

Clement turned towards Talia and saw the fear in her eyes. They both bolted towards the scream and came upon a lone worn-down shack. Coming towards the door frame they saw the scene.

An old man lay flat on his face in a pool of blood with a gash across his entire back. The entire inside of the hut was cluttered with possessions that had been thrown around and broken. Papers were scattered across the floor and a hole about the size of a head on the back wall had light streaming in. The light came in bright but gently wrapped around the old man. Hirow kneeled sobbing, his tears drying up as soon as they hit the wooden boards.

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Talia grew pale and looked away as Clement stood in shock. The last time he had seen Hirow like this was when his mother had died but that was so long ago he barely remembered it. How do I tell him it's okay? He hadn’t been able to help then and he still couldn’t help now. I’m his friend. What should I do? He cursed Lumen’s name not feeling any of the righteous guilt of doing so. If he couldn’t help his friend surely Lumen would, but nothing happened, no peace or resolution came, and for once he wondered if it ever would.

Talia peeked in again but quickly turned away. Was this my fault? Did I bring this death? She dearly hoped she hadn’t but the thought consumed her. Maybe the voice in the dark was right. Death would follow her wherever she went and as death followed others would leave. Alone and wrapped in the cold arms of her curse. This was her fate and she knew it.

“Hirow,” Clement whimpered

Hirow turned to face him, tears streaking down his face, “He’s dead, Clement Haddrung is dead.”

Clement looked down ashamed, “Yes I know. I wish I knew him.”

“He was kind, Clement. No one cared but me. No one could see him suffering but me. You know,” Hirow gazed up at the splintered roof, “I think he finally found happiness, but the world didn’t care either. He could have done so much if only more people cared.” He turned to face Haddrung, croaking as he held back the tears, “I cared, Haddrung. I hope you knew that. You never deserved a death like this. After experiencing all the cruelties of the world may you finally find rest from it all whether it be in the stars above or the dirt below.”

Hirow shuddered as he got up, “Is Talia here?”

She stepped into the door frame looking towards the ground.

“I’m sorry, Talia. I realize now that you and Clement are the only two people left in this world that I care about anymore. We should leave before I lose anyone else.”

He gathered the papers on the floor, stepped out of the hut, and grabbed his sack. Devoid of all previous emotion he looked back “Talia, Clement let's go.”

“I’m staying,” Clement said.

“You can’t.” Hirow snapped, “You know how dangerous it is more than anyone. You saw those soldiers burn the village. Who's stopping them from burning the rest.”

Clement stared into Hirow’s fiery eyes, “Those of us who are left. Each one of us will defend this village to our last breath.”

“You're not a fighter. Please come with us,” Hirow pleaded. “You’ll die if you try to fight them.” He pointed to Haddrung, “See that man on the floor. All of you will end up like him, dead, with no hope for tomorrow! I . . . I can’t bear to lose anyone else.”

Clement bore a confident grin on his face, “And you’ll never know because by the time Celestate is attacked tomorrow you and Talia will be long gone.”

“I said I’m not leaving you!”

He glanced over to Talia, “Those soldiers are searching for something that I think you have and I don’t intend to give it to them. I would rather defend my village than run away like a coward.”

“So are you calling me a coward now,” Hirow fumed.

“No, those who don’t play their parts are the cowards. You just have a different part to play, the hardest one of them all, and that is to protect that girl. You must run, never stop, never look back, and never have her lose faith in you. She even said you made a promise and I hope you intend to keep it.”

Hirow opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He stood there dumbfounded as Clement began to walk back toward the center of the village.

He stepped forward and then called to Clement, “I’ll get as far away as possible but I need you to promise to stay alive until I come back. Once I fulfill my promise to Talia I’ll come back. You can count on it.”

Clement whipped around and teetered on one foot as he waved to Hirow, “First you need to get away then I’ll think about not dying.”

“That idiot,” Hirow chuckled.

He turned to look at Talia who seemed to be confused. “Are we going to leave now,” she stammered.

“Yes it's finally time to leave,” he said, letting out a sigh of relief.

Hirow turned to face the endless fields. He never thought this moment would come and surely not like this. It was bittersweet but now it was finally here. The whole world was before him and he didn’t have any idea where to start.

“Where to next,” he asked

Talia gaped at the horizon looking for anything that would point her in the right direction. She looked towards the mountains in the east, each one towering over everything else as the sun glistened off of their snow-capped tops. Then she raised her hand and pointed in their direction. “Let's go there, where the mountains meet the sun.”

“Why there?”

“Didn’t it say something about them in your book?”

“I guess it did.”

He repositioned the sack on his shoulders and stood straight. Taking the first step off the dirt road he felt a sense of grand purpose. He didn’t look back, only saying a timid goodbye.