The Grave

"Aria, why did you bring us here?" Sebastion asked softly as he stood beside me. I carefully brushed my fingers across the worn out and heavily neglected headstone of my parents. The surface was rough and coarse from the years of erosion. But still their names where etched into the stone, plain as the day it was chipped onto the surface. I smiled quietly to myself, fully knowing why I was here. It was the last time I would see their grave site. I wanted to be here with Sebastion one last time, before he had to bury me here with them.

"Sebastion, do you remember what mom would always tell us when we were kids?" I asked quietly, a very blurred vision of my mother came to me. Her soft smiling lips, warm green eyes, black hair so soft and warm. The scent of warm baked apple pies burned heavily into my memories. The feeling of security and safety making me feel safe again after all these years. Slowly it faded, leaving me empty and lonely once again.

"You are only as strong as you see yourself to me. If you wish to act as a mouse, you will be a mouse. But if you wish to be a lion, then see yourself as one." He spoke softly again, kneeling down beside me to rub his own fingertips down the grave. I nodded once, smiling as tears fell down my cheek. These where the last words mother spoke to us before shoving us in the closet and forcing us to hide while we watched them die. Mother's pale and frozen face being the last thing I saw before we fled the village with our neighbors. I rose to my feet, kissing two of my fingers before placing it delicately on the grave stone. I'll see you soon mother and father. Soon we will be reunited and we can live happily together in the after life. Together we will watch over my brother and watch him grow.

It will be sad not to be there with him, but I know that with the help of our friends and long lost relatives, he will mend. He may forever curse me till the day he dies, but at least he will be alive and well. I stepped away from the headstone, tears still running down my face as I made my way back to our group. They hung back and watched us quietly, not saying a word even as I threw my leg into the stirrup and pulled myself into the saddle. Sebastion followed soon after, his own eyes now tearing up as he got into his saddle.

"Starting tonight, we all need to be lions. The minute we show weakness, will be the moment that we lose to the enemy. We can never forget why we are doing this, and that is to not only avenge the ones we lost, but to also protect the ones we still have. What ever happens after tonight, remain strong." A chorus of cheers rang out from my soldiers. My heart filled with warmth as they hollered. Until the very end, they will always throw themselves as the swords of the enemy. To be honest with you, besides the few people that we actually cherish, what more do we have left to live for. They would live the rest of their lives either in misery at the hands of the enemy, or live their last moments trying to right the wrong of the world.

It was time to do just that, right the wrong. I sat by for three years and let the devastation continue because I was scared of fighting back. I was tormented so much by my own pain I became blind to others. But starting today, I would shove all that aside and make sure that no one would hurt as much as I did ever again. I don't care how much it hurts or how long it will take, I will end the misery that Drakos brought upon the people of this world and make it peaceful once again. Those who used magic would no longer feel the need to hide. Humans and magic users could coexist once again.

Drake kept coming to mind as well, I kept remembering how he fought so hard to protect my father after the war. How it was all in vain and in the end died anyway at the hands of the enemy. I was making him relive his tormented memories, although in a way I was recreating new tormenting one for him. I couldn't imagine how much pain he felt when I told him I was leaving. How hard he fought not to keep me locked up in that bedroom for the rest of eternity. Only I knew that I wouldn't be able to see him again, not until the day he would be lain to rest and by my side.

I am sorry to have to commit such an act, especially after bearing your heart for the first time all these years. If I didn't think it was such a necessary evil, I wouldn't be willing to entertain the thought. But we know how strong this blood line in, and I don't want to chance him living after I am gone. In the name of my mother and father I would bring an end to this hell. So Drake, forgive me. Forgive me for leaving you without a proper good bye, knowing that it was going to hurt me so much. Forgive me for feeling the need to protect the people over my own life. Forgive me for being weak for so long, and letting you get so close to me. Words can never describe how much I cherished our time together, or how much I really truly loved you in the end. My death will not be in vain, and I hope you will learn to move on from my death, and settle with someone who can treat you better than I did.

I hope that Nicklos will do the same and find someone who can be strong enough to stay by his side. I know my passing will be painful, but for me, it will be a sense of relief. The pain and torture I had been put through all these years has made an unbreakable impression in me. I will never be worthy of staying by your side, always filled with torment and fear. I would never have been a good enough mate for either of you, not after everything you have done for me. So I hope you will forgive me, and learn to move on. This is my last wish.