The Nightmare of
I. The Crimson Puppet
One family's nightmarish life all started with the love of two people: Simon "Crimson" Gallis and Sophia Albrecht.
Crimson, as he was called due to his crimson colored eyes, was a twenty-five year old poor hunter who lived in Undine. He was a tall muscular man with brown hair that extended down to his eyes. His clothes where ragged and scruffy, and his beard remained untrimmed. He would always receive hateful talk from some of the monks of Undine because he "created an imbalance in nature by hunting wolves." That didn't matter to him. He just saw it as trying to survive like to the wolves do which was to hunt down weaker prey.
Darelus, Crimson's best friend, was usually by his side when hunting became rough for one man alone. He was thin and weak, but he was as silent as a kelberoth watching it's prey. Although, his notable fire-red hair usually led him to being caught by the guards during his theiving days.
"Ah, c'mon Darelus...," Crimson said with a friendly tone. "You know just as well as I do that huntin' is gonna be good on the Albrecht's estate." Crimson walked through the room of his friend's run down shack and took a seat.
"Aye, it will be good alright, and illegal," Darelus replied with a small look of fear. He knew what was coming. Crimson always gets his way when it comes to hunting and Darelus wouldn't in any way be able to change that.
"What?!" Crimson said while jumping out of his chair to his feet. "Since when are you so concerned with the law?! You used to spend your days pickpocketing! Why, you would still be theivin' if it wasn't for me!" Crimson said, disappointingly. He knew how Darelus worked. He knew how everybody thought. It was his gift, so to speak.
"Now wait a minute, here! Don't bring up my past just to get me to tag along!" Darelus stood there waiting for a response from Crimson.
Crimson looked down at his feet, pretending to be sorry. "Aye, you're right...," he mumbeld. "It's just that...well...you used to be able to do anything I asked and..." He tried to hold back his laughter. Then he said under his breath, "Oh well, I guess that the law owns another poor sap..."
Darelus's eyes grew wide. "What did you say?"
"Hmm? What?" Crimson knew that Darelus hates laws of any kind. "I didn't say anyth--"
"I heard you! I can do anything I want to anytime I feel like it!" Darelus fell for it, like always. "Alright, get your stuff... we're goin' huntin'..."
The hunt on the estate started well with Crimson and Darelus. Fortune would shine upon Crimson for he would soon meet the love of his life.
"Hey Crimson, we're gettin' a little too close to Albrecht's mansion..." Darelus whispered to Crimson as he looked around for any sight of trouble.
"Aye, I know...but they won't spot us." Crimson had his eyes on a wolf who had just finished eating. "These woods are far away--" he watched the wolf carefully, "--from their house, so we shouldn't run into any trouble."
"Gods of Temauir, why did I ever come along?" Darelus whispered to Crimson in a whining tone. "Why?"
"I'll tell ya why:...," Crimson started to laugh quietly, " because you can do anything you want to anytime you feel like it!" He could not contain his laughter. "Besides, Darelus, you're my puppet!"
Darelus looked at Crimson with an angry face. "I can't beleive you...wait...aye, I can beleive you..." His face changed expression from anger to understanding. "You'll probably always dupe me into doing what you want to do..."
"Nay, I won't...well, I will until I find someone else to dupe."
Crimson and Darelus's illegal hunt was successful. Their gain from the hunt was Crimson's best and enough to get some good food for the both of them. Now Crimson thought they should hunt here because of the good money it brought in. But one day was a "disaster", if you could call it that.
"I'm tellin' you that's the most beautiful girl I have ever seen... jus-- just look at her..." Crimson was hypnotized by her beauty.
"Crimson! If you keep acting like some lovesick pup we'll get caught!" Darelus was wondering what came over his tranced friend. "Ugh...I knew it was a bad idea to get this close to their-- why are you climbing that tree?!"
"Why else? To get a better view, of course!" Crimson reached the top of the tree and leaned out to see the young woman sitting on a blanket on the field next to the forest. She seemed to be writing something in a journal. Crimson thought to himself how lucky he was to see someone as beautiful as her on this spring day.
The young lady looked to be some years younger than Crimson. She seemed so peaceful just sitting out in the field.
"Crimson! C'mon man! Let's get outta here! We're done for the day!" Darelus was starting to fear the chance of being caught.
Crimson ignored him and continued to lean out farther to see the lady in the field. He was captivated by her beauty. "Don't worry, we'll go soon..."
"Why, Gods of Temauir, you're fallin' in love with her!" Darelus laugh at the thought of the puppeteer being puppeted by a woman. "That's it! You're fallin' for her! Ha!"
Crimson turned to Darelus. "How could you say that?!" Crimson grinned like usual. "No woman can make me..." He trailed off as he turned to look at her.
"What was that, Crimson? I couldn't quite hear you. You trailed off..." Darelus started imitating Crimson, saying, "I am Crimson- no woman can control me!" He started laughing, but tried to keep quiet. "Heh...You're a Crimson Puppet...haha you're fallin' for her..."
Crimson leaned out farther to see the young woman. "What are you talkin' about?! Crimson Puppet?" He sighed. "I'm telling you I'm not fallin' fo--" Before Crimson could finish his sentence, his balance was lost, he fell to the ground, and hit with a loud thud. Darelus hit himself in the head because he knew Crimson was caught.
The loud sound caught the woman's attention, and she stood up and looked over at the man laying on the ground. He didn't move. She ran over to see if he was okay. Darelus sat in his hiding place awaitng for her to call someone to arrest the unconscious Crimson.
All Crimson could see was blackness. In the blackness he heard a voice, a beautiful voice. It made him think of an angel, one coming to take him from this world. But he couldn't make out what the voice said. As soon as he heard the voice, he started seeing colors. Colors like blue and white, and a little bit of green were surrounding him. "It must be the sky and trees," he thought. Then he saw someone...someone with long blonde hair, beautiful ruby lips, and lovely blue eyes. His eyes, blurred as they were could still identify the figure- the beautiful woman.
"Ar-- are you okay?" Crimson heard her voice speak- the same from the blackness. Her voice seemed peaceful, not angry. "She's not turning me in?" Crimson thought to himself. He opened his eyes fully to see the figure. His vision cleared and he was captivated by what he saw.
"Sir, please wake-- oh! You opened your ey--" The lady abruptly stopped. She stared into his eyes deeply. She, too, was captivated by who she saw.
Darelus, watching this whole incident, looked at the two young people who seemed to be deeply in a trance with each other. "My god...Crimson...what HAVE you done?"
Crimson, still a little bit confused from the fall, said the first thing that came to mind- "I-- I fell for you..."
The woman looked at Crimson oddly. Then her expression changed from worried to glad. She giggled at what he said, then helped him up. "Are you okay?"
"Aye...I'm alright," Crimson said while wiping the dirt off of his clothes. "Thanks..."
She smiled, then curtsied. "I am Madam Sophia Albrecht..."
Crimson's eyes widened. "Al-- Albrecht? Heh, wow..." He looked down at his feet. Then he turned his head up to her."Oh, sorry for not telling you my name... I'm Simon Gallis." He bowed, but not in the way that a nobleman would. "Everybody calls me "Crimson" though...'cause of my eyes."
Darelus stood up, since he saw that they were not in trouble and walked over to them.
Sophia looked at his eyes. "Aye, I can see why... They are handsome eyes." She started to blush and turned her head. Crimson started to blush and looked down at his feet, like he does when he's nervous. Darelus walked up and saw that these two were deeply in love. "Well, I guess you really did fall for her. Like you used to say, Crimson: 'love hurts'." Crimson turned to Darelus. "Heh... shuddup, Darelus." Crimson said, still blushing.
II. Childhood Tragedies
This is where my nightmare begins...
"That's it! C'mere!" Daltan yelled angrily at Cole. "If you ever pull another stunt like that again, I swear--!"
They were never the best brothers to each other. But each one treated me with kindness. Well, what can I say? They always fought each other when Daltan came to visit from Monk training. And, well, Cole wasn't exactly the nicest person around. He'd always be nice to the ladies in Undine, but he was somewhat of a loud-mouth to everybody else. And, if there ever was a time when Cole couldn't talk his way out of trouble, I didn't see it (except for once...). My father said Cole reminded him of him when he was younger: smart, cunning, and the ladies man. Heh. I guess Cole was a "daddy's boy." Cole wanted to be a historian when he got older. I didn't blame him. He was very knowlegable about the history of Temauir. Cole was about five years older than me. He was tall with brown hair and blue eyes. Blue eyes...just like mother.
The opposite went for my other brother Daltan. He was not exactly cunning like Cole. His strength and physical power surely surpassed Cole, though. That must be why he went to monkhood when he was nine. That, or maybe 'cause he didn't receive enough attention from my parents. Father was busy with Cole, and mother always had too take care of me, due to my injury. Although, if any etiquite was passed down by our parents, he got all of it. Rudeness of any kind is never seen coming from him, except when Cole makes him mad. Heh. Daltan hated Cole 'cause he always seemed to get out of trouble. I know this 'cause I read through his journal once...I wished it wasn't like that. He was three years older than me. Daltan was muscular and a little below average height. He had dark brown hair with dark green eyes.
Now we come to me. What can be said? Well, I've always looked up to my brother, Cole. I wanted to be like him as far back as I can remember. I remember how we used to play "Ainmeal and Tenes," and I would be Ainmeal and Cole would be Tenes. We even made a play, but it never got finished. One thing I'll never forget is that dreaded cliff...it will haunt me forever. When I was seven me and Cole were trying to hunt wolves like our father, and well, my footing around the cliff was not stable and I slipped and fell. I don't remember the impact, but I remember the priest who tried to heal me saying, "You're lucky to be alive, you know that?" I also hated what else he told me: "I-- I'm sorry but, your leg is broken...It will most likely be like that for the rest of your life..." Aye, I was glad to be alive, but if I'd known what I would go through in the following years of my life...I would have greeted Sgrios with open arms.
Well, enough about that. My broken leg always got in the way of things. I had to use a crutch after that. It caused my mother to become overprotected of me. Well, I guess I'm the opposite of Cole: the "momma's boy." Speaking of Cole, he wasn't able to talk his way out of that with my mother. I didn't think it was his fault, but mother sure did. Daltan wasn't exactly happy with Cole either...he blamed him with what happened to me. It must have been another reason for Daltan to hate Cole. Well, the children of Undine weren't very nice to me after that...they called me a freak...when Cole wasn't around. He would usually protect me from them. I can remember him saying this after one such incident, "You know, Fenril, I won't always be there to save you..." God, I wish that he would've never said that. After the accident, I just stayed around Cole 'cause he didn't treat me any different than before. I was average height with silver hair and brown eyes.
My father...Simon "Crimson" Gallis was a great father and nobody can say different. His ability to hunt wolves was the best around. He made lots of money, too, due to the fact he owned the Albrecht estate and can hunt wolves to his heart's desire. His hunting brought enough money to let our family get through. The only problem about that is when the winters were too rough for him to hunt. He would travel the world in search of a good paying job for the whole winter, and mail his hard-earned money to us back home.
I can remember a time when father found a tiny wolf cub. He brought it home to Daltan to keep 'cause he said it "was too young to bring in any money." That wasn't exactly true... father brought it home 'cause him and Daltan didn't really have a good father-son relationship. Well, Diamond, as he was named, would prove itself to be Daltan's best companion.
Finally, I come to my mother. Sophia Albrecht-Gallis was the kindest woman in the world, in my opinion. She was a little overprotective of me after the accident, though. I guess she made me weak by giving me too much love. Heh, well, she was my mother so what could I do?
CRASH! Oh...there goes mother's portrait...BANG! Hmm...and father's...
"That's it you two! Get up!" Mother yelled at Cole and Daltan, who where fighting each other throughout the house. "I swear-- if you two don't get along I don't see how we are going to get by without your father..." Mother started crying. She couldn't help it.
When I was eleven we were hit by one of the harshest winters I've ever seen. Father was forced to leave 'cause he couldn't hunt in this type of weather. After a couple of weeks we recived a letter from father saying:
To my dearest wife and loving sons,
I have found a well-paying job, which should give us enough to get through this foul winter. For the remainder of winter I will be in Rucesion as scout for the Loures Army. My job is to keep an eye out for the Dubhaim and to make sure their activity is kept to a minimal, at best.
Now for you guys; Cole: don't be causin' your mother any trouble, Fenril: take care of your mother for me and keep an eye on Cole, and Sophia: take care of the place for me and remember that I'll be back in a couple of months when the harsh wheather dies down. Oh, and tell Daltan I would have liked to see him before I left.
That was about a month before the disaster. After about three weeks we stopped recieving his letters. Mother feared deeply for his safety. I was a little scared too...then we recieved a different letter. It didn't look like it was from father. It said that father had apparently been on look-out for too long, and had starting to look pale. And, then it said he seemed like he saw something, but the other scouts working with him didn't see anything. It said he mumbled something about a "white wolf...good money" and started wondering off into the Dubhaim Castle. The scout team went in after him, but only a few made it back. Those who did make it back weren't sane.
Me and Cole weren't allowed to read that last letter, but we snuck (well Cole did and brought the letter out to where we could both read it) into her room and took it. I didn't understand it, but Cole was smart enough to. He explained to me what the Dubhaim were, and what happened to the scouts that suvived. I remember asking if father was dead, and he replied, "I don't know...but...if the Dubhaim are capable of what I think they are..." He trailed off, but I thought he said: "you better hope he's dead..."
Well, Daltan came home when he heard the news, and him and Cole didn't seem to be nice to each other, even under the circumstances. Mother had been sick from worry, even though we never received word if he was dead. These signs are never good for families...
It was quite possibly the worst day of winter...I remember not feeling well; not in a ill way but like something bad was coming. Mother was in bed trying to get some well needed sleep. Heh. I was scared and Cole and Daltan were trying to cheer me up. It had to be to only time they worked together on something. Daltan would tell me stories of what happened to him at his training school. And Diamond, Daltan's pet wolf who was now full grown, layed down beside him. Then Cole started telling me stories of "Ailings", which were mundanes who were blessed with Deoch's spark. He said they're one of the reasons we used a different calender from before.
All of a sudden Diamond stood up and looked at the door... He sensed something... Great fear spread throughout my body...Both of my brothers looked at the door... Diamond started to growl ferociously...then he stopped. "What was that?" I remember thinking. All of a sudden we heard a loud crash come from mother's room...
"What the hell was that?!" Cole yelled with a look of confusion on his face.
"It came from mother's room!" Daltan replied while jumping to his feet. Diamond was alreadly running up the stairs to mother's room.
"Wha-- what's happening?" I was about to cry because they were leaving me behind. But, I was too scared to move. Then I heard an ear-peircing scream from upstairs. It was mother...
I couldn't move...I was too scared... "You demented bastard!" I heard Cole say. He said it like he knew "it" was coming. "Why, you kil-- WHY?!" It sounded as if Daltan was crying, which is something that never happened. Diamond was barking like I've never heard him bark...with pain.
I was sitting there, unable to move, with tears in my eyes...I didn't know what happened...
Just then, the window near me broke open, and someone jump through...it was father. My first thought was that he came here to save us...I was wrong. By looking at him more I saw the cazed look in his eye, the bloodied knife, and...a blood red whip. I was scared but most of all by the whip, which didn't seem human...
"He's downstairs!" Cole said sharply. I could still hear their voices upstairs. "Dammit! FENRIL! RUN!" Daltan's voice carried pain, emotional and physical pain.
I could hear their footsteps get closer and closer. "F e n RIL!" father yelled in an insane voice. "C'mere you stupid crip! You're gonna die toni--"
He didn't finish what he was saying before he was attacked by Diamond, which was cut deeply. "Stupid mutt!" father said as he threw of Diamond. My brothers had not made it downstairs yet. I thought it was over for me...
Father looked backed over at me. He raised the bloodied knife to strike me. His expression scared me more than death itself. I closed my eyes. The blade came slashing down across my left eye...I wasn't killed...and then I saw why. Daltan had tackled father...just in time to save me. Everything was going black...
I regained consciousness...I know this because I could feel the warm blood dripping down my face... Everybody was gone... everybody...
There was a trail of blood on the ground...and lot's of it...I grabbed my crutch and followed the trail...fearfully...weakly...I followed the trail...
It took a while but I came upon each of them...fighting...at the very same cliff where I fell off...I don't know why, but I walked up to them...watching Cole, Daltan, and Diamond, I saw them fight bravely...brave, unlike me.
"YOU WILL DIE!" Father's voice was changed...it was demonic. Daltan had apparently taken too many blows...he was lying motionless...and Cole was not a fighter...Diamond was also down, but not motionless. I could see that Cole was about to die...
"Hey! Father!" I yelled. They both turned to me...Father pushed Cole down and came after me. I turned to escape. Too much blood covered my eye, and I coudn't see where I was walking and tripped. I turned my head to see my demented father right behind me. He pulled out the blood red whip and was about to strike me...
All of a sudden, I felt someone come over me...then I heard the whip snap. It continually snapped over and over. But, I didn't feel any pain. Then the snapping stopped. I turned to see what was going on. Father pulled a blood soaked body off of me...It was Cole...he protected me...
Father dragged the body to the edge of the cliff. Cole didn't move. I looked around...Daltan was still motionless, and Dia-- where is Diamond?
Father held Cole up by one hand over the cliff. "You bastard...where is my real father?!" Cole managed to choke up these final words before he was thrown to his painful death.
The dark figure of my supposed father continued to look down the cliff...I took to chance to crawl over to Daltan to see if I was still alive...Father continued to look down the cliff, and mumbled something...like he was talking to someone. I got to Daltan, but before I could try to help him, that knife caught my eye. The knife was laying beside Daltan...so beautiful...so sharp...Before I could help it I grabbed the knife...As soon as I touched it I felt extreme mental pain and insanity.
I stood up, mainly on my good leg. The blood continued to rush down my face, just not as bad as before. I looked at father. I was not far away from him. All of a sudden, I ran at him, not paying any attention to my bad leg...
The man leaned down as if he was in pain. I could tell he was crying. But, I didn't care. I screamed in terrible pain 'cause of my leg. He turned around to see what was happening. As he turned I ran to bloodied knife right through his chest, probably hitting his heart...
We both fell to the ground...but before I lost consciousness, I heard my father thank me... MY father...
III. Rebirth
My head hurt so bad. I could barely see 'cause I had a bandage over my left eye. I didn't know where I was. My leg hurt the most, though. Gods...what have I done?
"Are you awake?" I heard a gruff man's voice say. "Hmm...I think you need more rest. You woke up too soon..." I felt a comforting hand on my forhead...then I dozed off...
My eyes opened. Vision was blurry, but it came to in time. The first thing I saw was an old man standing over me. He saw my eyes open and grinned. "Thank the Gods, boy, you're finally awake!" I just stared at him. Talking wasn't something I wanted to do right now. "Hmm...not talking are you? Well, I don't blame ya...after what you've been through."
I continued to look at him. "You're lucky to have been brothers with Daltan..." My eyes widened. "His wolf is very intelligent. It came and retrieved me from this cottage, and brought me to you." I smiled...Diamond was alive. But what of Daltan? "Unfortunatly I was unable to find Daltan's body...I suspect that he was able to make it to some sort of haven. After Diamond led me to you he started sniffing the ground, and then ran off. I believe Daltan is still alive."
This man seemed to know what I was thinking. "How di--" was all I managed to say before I started coughing uncontrollably. "Easy there, boy. You just woke up. There will be enough time for talk later. Right now you need to rest." He was right. I yawned and fell back asleep.
"Ugh." I woke up once again only to see the old man staring back at me. My head felt better, and the pain in my leg was gone. "Wow," I thought to myself. This guy healed me? Well, not fully. My leg was still crippled.
"Hmm. Are you ready for breakfast?" The old man stood up and walked over to a small one-person table. "Sorry about the small space, but hey, it's home."
I looked around and saw the one-room cottage. He sat down and waited for me to get up.
"There's my staff by the bed. You can use that to walk with," the old man said while pointing to an elaborate staff leaning against the wall by the bed. "Now, come on and eat, so you will regain your health."
I grabbed the staff, sat up, and press it against the floor. Standing up seemed like an eterinity. I felt like weak...I guess 'cause I was unconscious. But how long was I unconscious?
"I'm sorry I haven't properly introduced myself." The old man stood up. "I am William. William Gustave."
I managed to get over to the table. "I-- I'm Fenril Gallis." My words were weak, like my whole body.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. Please, have a seat and we will eat breakfast." The old man waited for me to sit down, and then seated himself. "I am not so strict with table manners so if you have any questions, don't bother to ask." William grinned.
"How did yo--" I felt like I was about to cough, but I tried not to. "How did you know my brother?"
"Oh, Daltan?" He mumbled. The old man already had his mouth full of grapes. "He was training with other monks under Cail, the god harmony. I am a priest for Cail." He continued to stuff his face with cherries and grapes. "What an odd breakfast," I thought to myself.
"What happened to my mother and father. And Cole?" I already knew what happened,but I guess that I wanted to remind myself of this nightmare.
"Do not worry about your mother and father. They were given the proper burial." He bowed his head, apparently saying a prayer. He looked back up with a look of confusion. "Cole? Who was Cole?"
"He was my other brother..." I thought for a second. Cole was thrown off the cliff...and William might have not seen him..."He was thrown off the cliff..."
"No, I didn't see anybody down the cliff. I checked all around..." He was trying to remember all of what he saw. "No, there wasn't anybody except you and your father. I found your mother inside her room." He smiled. "Your parents had a peaceful look on their face..."
"Oh, I forgot! How long was I knocked out?" I had been meaning to ask him that.
"Hmm. See for yourself." He got out of his seat. "If you're finished with breakfast then follow me." I wasn't really finished, but I curious to find the answer. I grabbed the elaborate staff and walked to the door. "Come on," he motioned me to follow him. We walked outside the cottage and over to a small pond. Hmm. It's spring outside. Maybe it hasn't been so long."Look into the water."
I leaned over the water and was shocked by what I saw. I looked older...a lot older. I had noticed that I'd grown, but not like this. My face... it still looked like a child's...but that was not the most noticable difference...My left eye retained a scar that started at my forehead and ended at my cheek. But with a closer look, I noticed something else. My eye, my left eye was not brown in color like the other one. It was nearly white.
I had expected a scar, but what happened with my eye? "William, wha-- what happened to my eye? It's like the color of the clouds..."
"I had noticed that, too..." William said seriously. "I had asked some elder monks if they might have known, because I was stumped. They didn't really understand it, but they came up with the conclusion that you had lost too much blood so around your eye so..." He saw that I wasn't paying attention...
I spent the next couple of months helping out William with mixing herbs. He was very nice to me and didn't treat bad. He wasn't in his best condition, though. His old age really was getting to him. I guess it was 'cause he took care of me for so long. I wish there was some way to help him, but what could I do...?
I dug through the remains of the estate. It really deteriorated in four years. "Oh well, maybe I'll find something to help William." I thought to myself.
William's health really wasn't getting better. I didn't know of any place to go to other than here, my old home. I was looking for something to cheer up William, 'cause I thought that I would find something that made me happy when I was young. I was wrong...
"What's this?" I said aloud, while pushing away some rubble. "Ah, it's...it's..." I had found an old family portrait. Looking at it brought back memories. Good and bad ones. I dropped the painting. I didn't need to see any memories right now. Good or bad.
I stood there looking around for something special for William...and I saw our mirror we had above the fireplace. The moonlight shined through a window and hit the mirror. I knew I shouldn't look, but I couldn't help it. The mirror was calling me...
I stared into the moonlit mirror, seeing nothing but pain. My pain, my parent's pain, my brothers' pain...
It was too much...Uncontrollably, my hand smashed through the mirror. I watched the pieces fall to the ground. Tiny, sharp pieces.
I picked up a handsized shard of glass. My pain was unbearable...my father...died by my hands...I wanted to end my pain...I placed the shard firmly on my wrist...I closed my eyes...
"Now, now there's no need for that..." It was William...did he follow me?
I turned around and dropped the glass. It busted into smaller pieces..."Why are you here?" I said. My tone of voice was full of sorrow...
"Listen here, Fenril. I did not help you recover your health just to see that it was a waste of time. I may have healed you physically, but I cannot heal you mentally. That is your job." William coughed painfully. He didn't have much time left on this world.
"I can't take it anymore! Each time I see myself all I see is the scar, the pain, the death..." My eyes grew teary.
William's voice seemed to change. It was stern, and demanding my attention. "Listen to me! You must deal with your pain! Many others have gone through what you've dealt with. Some were not as bad, but others were much worse. You must be mentally strong. You must!"
It sounded as if he spoke from personal experience. "I-- I want to be strong...but I also want the pain to end..."
"No! You don't understand...Suicide is for the weak! You're not weak are you? Sgrios is using your emotional pain...just to make you become another soul that he feeds off of--" William clasped his chest and fell to the ground. He was painfully gasping for breath. I turned his body upward. He motioned for me to get closer, so I did.
"Don-- don't be we-- weak. Be strong..." Those were his last words...
I left Undine after that...I was about sixteen years old. I used William's staff to help me walk from place to place, even though it was slow. My travels brought me to many places, but none like Abel.