Found

I could hear their muffled voices around me but I didn’t really want to. My heart ached. Turning on my side I moaned. Soft fingers ran through my hair and I could hear Yamari calling my name. Suddenly it occurred to me that if someone had found me maybe they had found Brodie too.

“Brodie?” I asked as I sat up and looked around. Just about everyone I knew was there in my mog house watching me as I lay in my bed but suddenly they were very quiet. My eyes dodged from face to face looking for an answer but they just looked down at the floor to avoid me.

Garness broke the silence. “I’m sorry, no one could find Brodie. He’s um… missing.”

Suddenly I felt dizzy and sick. Leaning over the side of the bed I threw up salt water and everything else into a rusty bucket by my bed. Whimpering I slumped back down into my bed pulling the blanket over my head so they couldn’t see me cry. “How could this happen?” I thought to myself. “These things don’t happen like this. He can’t be dead.”

My mind turned to the dark knight. I had to find out what happened to him and if need be, finish him off. He needed to pay for Brodie’s brutal murder. I was a horrible fluke that he got the better of us while we were unsuspecting and he would not be so lucky ever again. Anger swelled inside my chest and pushed away the tears.

Coming out from my hiding place most of the people in my room had left. “Is Beldin here?” I asked.

“No, haven’t seen him in months. Not since the wedding thing with Jen.” Kjarbo replied. “Maybe Jenjen has seen him. I think they are still talking. Do you want to see him?”

“I think the dark knight that came after us will look for Beldin too. He should be warned to keep alert.”

“I think someone is always trying to kill him. I don’t think he’s ever not expecting it. Don’t worry about him. You need to rest. We’ll get him the message.” Kjarbo looked so sympathetic. I hated it.

“I’m rested.” Placing my bare feet on the warm floor I felt a bit queasy again but shook it off.

“At least a good meal first then?” Kjarbo asked. “Then I will go with you to do what needs to be done.”

Moogle flew over and brought me my boots which I slid on walking out to the lobby in my night gown not meaning to ignore Kjarbo but had other things on my mind. “A galka needs to die. Who would like in on the action?” I announced.

Gurok and his linkshell Bonds of Blood was there and he raised a great eye brow in my direction. Whether it was over my appearance, my announcement, or my sudden recovery I’m not sure but I brushed it off. Triumvirate was also there making for a very full lobby.

Martin was the first to speak up. “Killing sounds good. Let’s go.” He was always ready, always the hero whenever action was needed.

“Go where? Look at her. We can go tomorrow first thing.” Zhirin said. Yamari was with him and nodded silently in agreement.

Garness came out with an apron on and a warm bowl of soup. “You’re pale as a ghost and sweating. Here, drink this. It’s a special windhurstian bit of magic. It will help bring back your strength plus some.”

Taking it without another thought I drank down the smooth salty soup and tried to continue to tell them my plans but I couldn’t. Staggering to the side my legs gave out and my body went limp. Someone caught me before I hit the floor and just before I fell into a deep sleep I heard Garness’ voice. “Added a sleeping potion. She should feel much stronger after some much needed rest. Let’s get started on those plans.”

The Dark Day

The next few weeks were a blur of bliss traveling wherever our hearts desired paying no attention to the rest of the world. We took the time to spread the word of our happy union but had not allowed much congratulations as we basked in each other hiding away from anyone who might try to damper our spirits. It was the happiest I had ever been and if it had never ended my joy would have been legendary. I didn’t care if I ever returned to normal life. I loved him truly and I didn’t care what it would take I wanted to stay by his side for the rest of my life.

This day was warm and sunny and we decided to take a trip to Purgonorgo Isle to spend a few days digging for clams and enjoying the beauty of the island with all of its secret coves and crystal blue waters. I had already made a few trips out here since the wedding. It was one of my favorite places though Brodie didn’t like how the sand collected in his clothes he did like how happy I was there so he indulged me.

First we had to take the ferry from Selbina to Mhaura across the dark cold ocean waters. The air was crisp and salty and tossed our hair about wildly as the boat sped along. The sun beat down hot on our skin contrasting the cool breeze that came off the icy waves. The water still looked so inviting I could hardly wait to get to the sandy beaches of the Isle to play in the gently lapping water.

Holding each other like the twiterpated lovers we were, we leaned on the railing and watched the fish below us chase the boat.

“I love you.” I said kissing his bare shoulder and smiling at him mischievously. He had already abandoned his armor and weapons for red swim suit trunks and a bare chest because he knew I loved to see him like that. It was still a bit too cool on the boat for me to follow his example.

“I still love you too.” He laughed. “I can’t believe you’re making me roll on that sandy beach again. I think I still have sand in my crevices from last time. Next week we go skiing again ok?”

“Deal. I want to get a fishing pole.” Kissing him deeply I slid out from under his arm to go to the small shop on the boat.

I was near the door when I heard a deep galkan voice. “I've been looking for you.” He said in a low growl.

As I turned I saw a massive black galka swing a scythe at my beloved Brodie who was still gazing down at the water below him. I felt my heart stop. Without even having to think about it I drew my daggers and leapt at the galka who was attacking the only thing that mattered to me anymore. I called Brodie’s name to warn him but it was too late.

His scythe struck before my daggers. Brodie had heard the commotion but had not turned in time. He straightened just in time to feel the scythe pierce through his body jutting out his stomach and up towards his chest like a deadly fish hook. Brodie grasped the blade to try to push it out of his body blood tickling down his arms as the blade tore into his bare hands. Reaching for a sword that wasn’t there he tried to turn to his attacker.

“Touch her and I’ll kill you.” Brodie yelled. Rage in his eyes he began to concentrate his paladin ability to be invincible for a short time but he must have been a split second too late.

Driving my daggers deep into the dark knight’s back with a rear sneak attack he winced but lifted my husband into the air Brodie’s weight tearing the weapon at least half a foot through his body. I struggled to keep my grip as his evil blood trickled down the hilts.

“Bruto was my twin brother, body and spirit. Your betrayal got him killed.” The galka said to me. “You were his partner. You handed him over to that pirate to die.”

“You have it all wrong. Let him go and I’ll explain.” I pleaded as I doubled then reached deep within myself to triple my attack taking advantage of his distraction and my speed but it seemed he was determined not to stop no matter how much damage I did. I knew he couldn’t possibly take much more of my attack before he would go down. His armor was shredded and his body riddled with gushing wounds. I had reached level seventy in my training but still he frustrated my attempts to detour him from his mission.

“You took all that mattered to me. Now Pete the Meat will show you how that feels.” As the galkan dark knight pulled the scythe out of Brodie’s body the motion of his arms coming back threw me down. Sliding across the deck cracking my head against the wall my vision blurred for a few moments.

Brodie clearly wasn’t conscious anymore as he slumped on the wooden deck. His blood was pooling alarmingly quickly. I had no time to waste to end this and get him to a white mage.

The dark knight lifted Brodie’s limp body by his neck. Tears of fury formed when I saw blood dripping from his mouth and nose. I roared and charged at the Galka once again.

“Drop him now!” I demanded as slit his throat using a powerful swift viper bite attack. With that the dark knight grasped the gaping hole in his neck as he thrust Brodie far over the edge of the boat then fell to his knees. Hearing Pete the Meat gurgling from the wound as I pushed off of the wretched beast gave me a fleeting feeling of satisfaction.

Slipping on my true love’s blood as I tried to dive off the boat, I tumbled with a graceless flop into the icy ocean. Under the water the world was eerie quiet. I couldn’t see anything. Even the fish seemed to have fled. Coming up for air I yelled Brodie’s name. Dispirit to find him the wind seemed to carry my words away to nowhere. Driving again and again I began to be aware how painful the cold water was. Like tiny razors in my skin it chilled me quickly but didn’t slow my determination.

Diving deep and trying to see any trace of him when I surfaced, franticly I searched but after an eternity I simply couldn’t find him. The ocean had swallowed him and I failed to pull him from its icy grasp. I continued to dive and call his name but I was growing so tired and my body hurt so badly to move. Every limb was stiffening. I’m not sure how long it took but I began to realize he was dead and I was going to die with him.

Surfacing I began to sob. I looked up for the boat but it was gone. I couldn’t see anything over the rolling waves. No land, no boats, not even a bird, just the mocking sun and the black glassy water. I wanted to die. Brodie was gone and it was my fault. All I could do was cry and curse at the gods.

Letting myself sink under the water I wanted death to take me too but when my lungs cried for air I instinctively surfaced to satisfy them. I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t have to. The cold of the water was taking its toll and I didn’t have long until the ocean would claim my life as well.

Resuming my dives I began to lose awareness of where I was or what I was diving for. Dreams of Brodie took over and I saw him smiling down at me the sun behind him as we lay in La Theine Plateau. I felt so happy with him. I just wanted to touch his face again. One way or another we would be together and I felt at peace.