Chương 38: Chapter 37 - A Burden Shared

Elias felt a soft hand on his shoulder followed by a quiet voice." Eli. I'm sorry to interrupt but the patrol is about to leave. I can stay here with you if you need me too, we can catch up with them later." Eli scrubbed his face with the back of his hand before looking up to see a deeply concerned Astra standing over his shoulder with a troubled look of worry on her face. Eli shook his head, " No, just give me a moment and I'll be ready to go. Could you hold her for a moment? She's going through a tough time."

Astra gave him a soft smile, a nod, and gathered the wyvern in her arms. Eli nodded his thanks, walked over to the river before dunking his head, scrubbing his face and hair before drying off with a cloth from his belt. As he walked back his head slowly clearing he shouldered his pack and collected the wyvern back, he nodded to Astra his tone firming up by the moment." Ok. I'm ready, let's go." She searched his gaze for a long moment, before slowly nodding with a soft smile." Aye, then let us be about it.

Come on, join Mira and I at the front." As she turned back to face the patrol she was all business, once again." 1st Patrol ready! 4th squad sally forth to point! 5th and 6th mount up, 3rd rearguard at 50 paces!" Eli was well aware her men knew their duty, It's kind of her to distract them from our moment back there. The feminine voice from before echoed in the back of his mind again, Do two legs not like crying? I don't like it either.

No little one, no one likes being sad, and it makes them sad to see other people sad when they can not help. Two-legs are weird. Heh, yes we are. Eli soothed as he followed Astra as she mounted her Ridgeback that a member of 1st squad was holding for her, she leaned down to speak softly to Eli." We don't have any spare mounts. Did you want to ride behind me?" Eli shook his head, " No, but thank you. The exercise should do me some good, I can keep up on foot just fine. I appreciate the offer though."

Astra gave a snort, " Aye I remember, you could probably run down a ridgeback until it collapsed from exhaustion if memory serves. Suit yourself." She sat back up in her saddle, " 1st Patrol! March!" The patrol set out at a steady pace, but one Eli could keep up without having to break into a trot. Eli appreciated the chance to clear the turmoil of the wyvern's memories from his mind in the clear air and the beauty of the forest surrounding them.

As the yards turned to miles beneath his feet and the sun rose a little higher in the sky, Eli spotted the shimmer of Mira's privacy dome descending around them, he turned to look up at her on her mount. Mira gave him a concerned look for a moment before speaking, " I figured it was best for the little one to rest for a bit before I asked, but is everything all right? That was not a normal response to bonding, it is usually a joyous occasion." This story originates from a different website.

Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Eli looked down to see that the little wyvern was sleeping, only to realize that he didn't need to, he could sense the calm somnolence emanating from the mote in the corner of his mind. He heaved a heavy sigh, his anguished expression easing at the worried look on Astra's face as he glanced up. He took a moment to decide on his answer before turning back to Mira, " Yeah."" Yes, I'm- I mean WE, are fine." He worked his jaw for a moment."

When the ritual completed, it was, um, I guess intense is the only real way to describe it, I'm at a loss for words, give me a sec." He gathered his thoughts, trying to decide how to capture the profundity of the moment and distill it into mere words before deciding he could only just explain it as plainly as he could." Ok, So I'm going to preface this by saying that words really don't do it justice.""

What I experienced is so far from anything I have ever experienced before that just laying it out almost feels like a betrayal." He took a deep breath, " When the ritual completed me and her became one being."" No Eli, no little dragon, just us."" I had a stray thought that if I itched my face I would feel claws, just one singular being."" Then with a rush we drifted back apart, but as we separated a rush of memories surged between us, and in that moment I was her.""

I didn't just see her memories as a series of images in my mind, I experienced it for myself, as if I was her." Eli shook his head, " It was horrific and terrifying, I was her as some giant creature tore apart her nest in a storm of blood, dismembering her siblings with a casual blow, and slaughtering her parents as blood rained from the sky."" I was her as she fled terrified through the forest, starving, cold, alone.""

I was her as she cried herself to sleep every night cowering in terror from giant creatures she didn't understand, as she mourned the loss of everything she had ever known." He swallowed thickly and his voice was rough when he spoke again." And uh, well. It, uh, hit a little close to home."" When the ritual finished I could feel her in the back of my mind, and well the very first words she said to me was that she would make sure I was never alone too."

Eli inhaled deeply through his nose and slowly out his mouth, cleansing the emotions from his mind." So, yeah."" It was a lot, and I was most certainly not expecting it. I did not intend to make a scene." Eli heard a soft sound, and felt a hand rustle through hair. He looked up to see Astra leaned down to ruffle his hair with a few tear streaks of her own on her face." Oh Eli, don't apologize for feeling sorrow. Both of your experiences were dreadful, but that was no fault of your own.""

Be at ease, you found each other, and now you can help each other heal. Don't forget I'm here for you if you need it, a burden shared weighs lighter along many shoulders." Eli smiled back, "Thanks Astra you're the best." She beamed back at him, " Aye I am, and you would do best not to forget it my counterpoint." Eli snorted out a laugh, shaking his head as he missed the startled look Mira gave Astra over his head. Mira frowned in thought for a moment, gazing into the distance, before her expression eased.

She looked back down at Eli, " For what it is worth I do also apologize for the experience Mr Mercer, if I had any suspicion of the result I would have better prepared you. I won't say that I wish the ritual was not performed as it is clear the little one was in dire need of assistance, but I do wish all involved had a more positive experience, perhaps I was too hasty after all." She looked back forwards, " I believe a pause in your training is called for, let us resume tomorrow."

She was silent for a long moment, " The older I get, and the more I experience the world, I find it is helpful to take your time with things."" It is all too easy to run to the next task, the next battle, the next step on the path to power. In my life I've discovered it is never really the thousand steps or the momentous battles that really last in your memory but the smaller things, the little successes, the profound success of a loved one, things often last in the cast memories of a very long life.""

I believe you experienced one of those moments today Mr Mercer."" The kind of memory that lasts, that you come back to and examine many times over, the kind that you remember at your lowest moments and that will carry you through the darkness."" I don't want you to rush past it."" Live in the moment, dwell on it, hold it up to the light."" Fix it in your mind, and make it your own."

After a moment, " I am also willing to lend an ear as well if you need it Elias, this world is lonely enough as it is, it is better for us all to stand together." Eli strode down the path with a steady gait as he considered her words, a small smile crept across his lips." Thank you Mira, you're not so bad either."