- Messages
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- Character Biography
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THE PROMISE
Together they walked, hand in hand.
Zael Castomir and Yuna Fairweather had come from the south of Liadain, each injured, each maimed, but now at last they upon cresting a small hill gained first sight of Elbion in the far distance to the west. For much of the morning heavy rolling clouds and a fog thick as a veil had obscured much of the land and much of the light, but as the hour approached noontide there came a lifting of the fog and a single shaft of sunlight pierced through from the east; so had sight of Elbion been gained, so now did they stop to rest in an island of gentle light among shade and shadow.
Both Zael and Yuna were exhausted, and as they sat they leaned into one another, shoulders and heads each rested against the other. And like this they simply sat for a good while. And like this they merely set their eyes on the far sight of Elbion. On the far sight of home.
At length Zael said, "I ain't ever goin south again."
Yuna looked to him with wonder.
"I stabbed a lot of people in the back to get here. I'm not proud of it, but I'm here now. I'm here now and I finally know what I want. And it's somethin better than a dream." He looked over to her too now, and he brought up his single arm, holding her. "It's somethin right here, right now."
"Zael..." she said, smiling and blushing. And they kissed, and as they parted she spoke with playfulness, despite all they had gone through, as was her usual self. "I told ya so, Firebutt."
"You did. And you were right. There ain't nothin for me down south—nothin but lost dreams and what coulda been."
"And if those Rogue friends of yours come here? What if they start winning in Vel Anir?"
"Then good for them. And if they free the Dreadlords, even better. But...hell, the soul of a nation ain't in one man alone. I might want the Dreadlords freed, but if my fellow Anirians don't? Or Gilram's Rogues don't? Then the more things change, the more they stay the same."
Now a small pale of fright came over Yuna, and she spoke in quieter tones, "And...if those Anirians who aren't your friends come here? What...what are we gonna do?"
"I'll kill them," Zael said. "Anyone comes up here threatenin you, or me, I'll kill 'em. One arm or two arms, don't matter, I'll put 'em in the ground all the same."
"Good. I don't wanna lose any more fingers," Yuna said jokingly. Much like Zael himself, she made light of dark times.
"But as far as anyone knows, I'm dead; heh, some folks probably think I died twice, if both stories reach 'em."
"Hopefully no one wants to find you."
"Doubt it. Only Kimble did, because me and him...we had some keen animosity between us. So I think Vel Anir is gonna forget about me, and quick; just like it does with every other dead soldier."
"And that's why I'm glad you're not fighting for them anymore."
"Never again," Zael said. "Never again—I'm gonna stay. And that's a promise, Yuna."
She turned to him and draped her arms over his shoulders and beamed with joy. "I'll hold you to it...Firebutt."
They kissed again, and they rose from the ground.
And then together they walked, hand in hand.
