Desmond had fought to the very top of the world. He had beaten countless giants in the world of combat, within the heavens of warriors. He had reached the very apex of what it meant to be strong. A man who can contend with monsters, a weapon made flesh. He had learned countless forms of fighting. He had learned to love combat. He learned to enjoy the intricacies of fighting. He had reached the very pinnacle of what he could with himself. Heights that seem so lofty that they would be considered the heavens to others. Yet what he was taught most of all, was how to learn. And the love of it. And he had not talked to his teacher in a very long time.
1 year.
It had been 1 year since his birfday. That was the last time he had seen and talked to her, as even now, that time seems so far away, yet also so vividly real as if it was yesterday. Yet, time moves on.
The time flew by, countless hours of work, training, learning, and losing. He had found things to love and lost them the same. Friends he once thought he would grow with were gone. Times he thought would never end, were taken away. Deeds once done for good, were forgotten in a sea of political turmoil. He had done countless great things. He had seen numerous wonderful things. He had done countless hours of work for good. He had spent every moment he could doing all of what he could in what he believed was right. And there he stood, at the very top of the world, wondering,
’I wish I could go back a little. Just so I can see you all again’.
Desmond looked out to the rolling green hills, filled with gorgeous flowers, plants, and all sorts of wonders. He sat under a tree, waiting for the time when he would have an audience with the Arch Angels of Eshiran’s heaven. The world was quiet. A silence that was all too familiar. It was one of the few times Desmond could say he was alone to himself. There was nothing that distracted him from the world within him. The countless thoughts that swirled within.
Then, that silence was cut as he heard a familiar tune, a whistling melody that sounded like a soaring bird. It was one Desmond knew well as his head flicked over to see someone he knew all too well.
A tall Yasoi woman stood a few yards away, she stood with one arm wrapped around an ornate spear and with her other hand to her mouth, holding a leaf as the tune continued. The woman was blowing onto the leaf and using it to create music as she turned to Desmond and shot a little smile.
Marii'Icthilthan'Shibay, one of Desmond’s closest people he could have ever called family. She was staring at him as he did back. He had never heard of her even perishing. He was never sent a letter or a message about it.
Just that…Desmond then realized it when he thought some more.
When he was beginning to be sent shipments of whiskey from them, he was always curious how they got the money. He was told it was a risky job and a few of them paid the price, yet none of them told him this. He was never told this was the weight of that price. A price for them to then live a life well. Desmond was wide-eyed as she looked at him, her smile softened as she began to make her way over.
”Seems you made it here”, she finally made it over as she hit him on the head lightly with the end of her spear. She lightly wagged her finger as she bent over slightly to scold him,
”I thought I told you to live until you are old. I know I haven’t been dead for that long”.
Desmond was wide-eyed as he looked at Marii, he was dumbfounded as she knelt down to then be more on Desmond’s level,
”Come now. I know you’ve missed me. Say something at least”.
Desmond said nothing as he lept out and took hold of Marii tightly. Marii fell backward as she felt him hold onto her. She realized that Desmond had changed, his body was much harder, he weighed much more than she remembered, and she could even see now with the large scar on the back of his neck, that he had faced many more things. Yet the most surprising thing was when she felt on her collar water beginning to pour. She realized what was happening, and just patted Desmond’s head. She had no need to say anything more, not until he was calm again.
A smirk came across her face as she lightly patted his head and quietly said to herself,
”Cry baby”.
After a few minutes, Desmond had finally calmed down and the tears were gone, only the light redness remained around his eyes. Desmond had now positioned himself to lean onto the tree where Marii took a seat next to him as they talked,
”So how did you die?”Desmond shook his head as he responded,
”I didn’t die”.
Marii turned to Desmond as she tilted her head. She didn’t ask anything, she just looked to him for an explanation.
Desmond lightly cast his hand out,
”Long story short, I was brought here to try and save a friend with another friend. She prayed to Lady Eshiran and she answered. She gave us a chance”.
Marii whistled as she looked around,
”If you told me that when I was alive, I’d be thinking you were eating too many mushrooms you found”.
Desmond chuckled as he shook his head He looked around as he even held his head as he said,
”Don’t remind me”.
Marii began to laugh as she wrapped her arm around Desmond and she said,
”So. Now that you made it all the way here. Are you gonna go and do what you have to?”Desmond took a breath in as he looked out to the landscape. It was beautiful, the land was something awe-inspiring and breathtaking. He felt like someone here. He was seen in grace and showered in many things he would probably never feel in his actual life. He was respected by the higher authorities. He was treated well.
Here…
He had fun.
Marii knew this all too well. Desmond was one who always sought to have fun, whatever form it came in. She watched him, she realized how much he grew, how high he was able to soar. How wide his smile was. How much he laughed. Here he seemed so happy. To the point that no pain would have been remembered. As if it was washed away by the wonders of this world. Nothing would have been able to tie Desmond to his past. Nor would it cripple him, and force him to be anything more than himself.
It was in this heaven that he had been brought to find his friend. He fought as hard as he could to come to the point of entering heaven proper. He had met people he never thought he would. He met a friend who had been lost to him. Someone he would have never been able to say goodbye to in life. Here he was, in a land where he had been able to beat the man who had killed his friend and hopefully will not see again after defeating him. A place where he could see the countless wonders and marvels of technology. It was even here he had learned he had family, blood family. People he would have never had the chance to talk to. He met his great-grandmother Erika. He felt a love that was different from the ones he knew.
Yet as he sat there, he sighed as he looked out. He laughed to himself as he realized that he didn’t need any of this.
This was not him.
This wonderful place was like a vacation. The many things he experienced here were something like a dream, a long-needed one, yet one that he knew he would need to awaken from. He knew, this was not for him.
This was a respite from a world that tries to belittle him. It was lovely. Yet he did what he did not because he had to, he did it because he wanted to. The love of a crowd was wonderful, yet he didn’t crave it to the point of losing himself. The love of a parent was something he never thought he could have, and the moment he did, he knew what it was already. And knew he didn’t need it.
Not love of blood. He needs nothing like that. There was a love that was far stronger within him that he knew when he looked at Marii. A love for a family one found on their own. A family that was not given, but made and found. A love that was forged, not expected to be given. And not one that would be expected to be received.
He had a mother. He had a father. He had countless family members. He had been given love without conditions. Was that not what love of family was? Unconditional love. A love that would not yield, even in a dire situation. A love that could not be given words. One that made one strong. One that made one able to understand why there was rain.
Desmond chuckled and smiled as Marii did the same. They laughed with each other. They giggled and smiled while they laughed. Neither ever said anything. They already knew what Desmond would do next. There was just so much emotion between them that all they could do was laugh.
Because that was what love was.
There needed to be no words.
They already knew.
It was just good to hear it.
”I’ll miss you”.
”If I see you here anytime soon. I’m killing you a second time. Just so you can go back down”.
One more laugh was exchanged.
As Desmond began to travel down the hill. Tears began to fall from Marii’s eyes.
”I'm happy I got to say goodbye. I love you”.
”I love you too. Now get out of here before it rains”.
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