Chapter 36

"You can't stay with us."

Eventually, those words left my mouth, no matter how much I wanted to hold them within myself.

"It's too dangerous for you to stay here, elves are not only looked down upon around this country, they are enslaved and have their freedom completely taken away from them." I explained to the girl in my arm. "I can't let that happen to you."

Eve released her grip on my shirt, and left my embrace. Raising her head, she stared me down, as she wept, and wept.

Never letting go of our eye contact.

It wasn't pretty, in fact it was quite the ugly cry, her face was twisted in pain, for once not at nightmares of the past, but having the idea that her saviors would abandon her thrust upon her.

Even though that wasn't quite the reality, the truth was that, in her eyes, there wasn't much difference.

She was just too young to understand.

Why was this harder than staring Death in its eyes?

I lament the fact that I had volunteered to talk to Eve about this.

Wrai would be much better at communicating what was necessary, but in my heart of hearts, I wanted to do this myself.

Despite my reluctance I had gotten attached to her, and it was my responsibility, as the one who saved her, to be the one to inform her of this development.

A smile found its way onto my face, something that would have been out of the ordinary, was now commonplace, but this time, it wasn't out of amusement or joy.

No, it was bitterness, the sheer frustration of my own helplessness overwhelmed me, and broke through the icy mask I typically wore.

Maybe it would have been possible to hide her, or maybe even use Empyrian's Starlight Dew to forge an illusion over her to disguise her elven heritage.

However, all this required me dedicating a significant portion of my time, time I could use to strengthen myself, time I so desperately needed.

And despite how cruel it might seem, she just wasn't worth the time it would take to protect her. So, instead, we were going to just dump her off to some other person more suitable to raising her, so I guess she wasn't wrong in a sense, we were abandoning her.

Throughout the months she lived with us, I gained a surprising amount of emotional intelligence, and got a lot better at reading people's facial expressions, able to parse through to a rudimentary understanding of what someone was thinking.

Especially with Eve, she never hid the emotions that leaked onto her face, since it was one of the primary ways she used to communicate with us.

And gazing upon her grief stricken visage, one thing dominated all.

Pov: Eve

Why?

I just couldn't understand, why would she leave me?

Am I not good enough? Am I too much of a burden?

I promise that I'll speak soon.

So..please.

I know how strong you are.

Stronger than anyone, stronger than that crimson beast, no one is stronger than Alifay.

I just know it.

So, why?

Why is your face so sad?

I could feel despair gnawing at me from the inside, devouring the semblance of hope I had discovered upon meeting you.

I promised that I'll be strong. If I have to, I'll stay in here forever.

I don't care if I never feel the sun upon ever again, if I could just be with you.

I don't care if the world around me hates me.

You'll protect me won't you?

Please.

All this time, I was desperately trying to voice out even a single word, anything, just a single syllable.

But, in the end, what came out?

Nothing.

Just the rasping of my throat, trying to force my voice out endlessly, with absolute anguish clouding my mind.

Even as I felt my throat burn with agony, I continued on.

Throughout all this I was still watching her through blurred lenses, the tears obscuring my vision.

When, suddenly, I was once more engulfed in a warm embrace, as she moved faster than my eyes could perceive.

"Never think that. Don't ever think that you aren't enough. The reason I can't let you stay, is the same reason I continue each day trying to improve myself.

I'm not strong enough. I'm simply too weak. So I must become stronger."

I felt myself shake with shock, she had never spoken like this.

She was always so confident.

But..

"For now, I might not be enough. So, you become strong too. 

Become so strong that I can be weak."