I don't actually know why I am here. I feel like this place is familiar. A sort of tranquil place only seen in dreams. Except I know this isnt a dream. The grass beneath my feet feels too real, as well as the gentle breeze coming in from over the lake.
Suddenly, there's a sixth sense in the back of my mind. Telling me to turn around and face something. I turn slowly.
She wasnt there before, but a young woman is leaning against a tall tree now. She's clad in metal armour which looks vaguely roman. The chestplate has a yellow tinge to it and the helmet reveals her face - beautiful... and sad. Red hair falls from underneath the helmet down her head, stopping just below her neck. I know this woman. How I have come to be standing in front of her is beyond me, but I know her very well.
"Serenvia?" I ask.
"Hello" She says simply.
There's a light smile on her face, as if greeting an old friend that she hasn't seen in years and expecting them to be surprised that she's there. But her eyes betray her. In her eyes, I see overwhelming sadness. It's haunting. I attempt a smile in return. I'm not entirely sure that it's convincing. Serenvia is a smart woman, too smart for me to fool.
"It's good to see you again" I say. I don't know why, but it feels like I havent seen her in an eternity.
"And the same to you. Shall we take a walk?" She asks, pointing along the coast beside her.
"I think I'd like that"
Serenvia and I start walking along the edge of the lake. While moments ago I thought that there was a large barrier of rocks in front of me, the lake's edge seems to stretch for miles now. Under normal circumstances, I'd question my sanity. But tonight something more important is going to be discussed, and I fear I know what it is.
"You remember that time you woke me up in that prison and told me that we were escaping?" Serenvia asks me, looking off into the distance.
"I remember. You were barely lucid, unable to stand without help" I say, laughing.
"Indeed. I'm still very happy that you saved me regardless" Serenvia replies, this time a geniune smile on her face.
"I needed your help. You needed mine."
"Yes. But even after we escaped, you chose to stay with me. We went on so many adventures together."
Our conversation continued on long through the night. I don't know if we spent minutes or hours talking, but it felt like years and it felt good. We discussed everything, every adventure we had been on, the good times and the not so fortunate times. I didn't want something good like this to ever end. Serenvia was like a font of happiness, always finding something amusing in any situation, even more so in the serious ones.
"Your strong now. Much stronger than you were when we broke you out of that cell" I say, looking at her.
"I had you to guide me" She says.
"I'm glad I could help."
Serenvia turns to look out across the lake. I walk over to stand beside her and we stand in silence for a few minutes. Finally, I can stand it no longer.
"So where are we anyway?" I ask, looking around. The problem has been on my mind for a while now and I'd really like to know.
"A nice place. Free from war, poverty and sickness. Free from any earthly problems really." Serenvia says.
"Eh... Really? Must be something interesting here then" I say, walking away from the lakeside.
"There is one thing-" Serenvia says, cutting herself off.
"Yes?" I ask, turning back to face her.
"This place. It's our last adventure together" Serenvia says, finally composing herself and looking at me dead in the eyes.
"Last adventure? Why?" I ask, surprised. I shouldnt be though. I don't know why, I just knew this was going to happen.
"My time has come to join with the others. I know we've been through alot, but our world is changing. And I, like so many I know, no longer fit in it. I was born in a time that I can no longer be a part of." She says, struggling to find the right words.
"But... After everything that we did!" I say loudly. My emotions are mixed up like broth in a cauldron. I'm feeling angry and sad and confused. Why did this have to happen?
"I know" Serenvia says. She walks over to me and wipes one of the tears that had fallen from my eyes. Strange. I don't normally cry for anything. I never liked crying, it made me feel weak. Yet I can't help myself this time. I feel so overwhelmed by what is happening.
"There'll be another time" Serenvia says.
"Will there?" I ask, looking up at her. She was a considerable few inches taller than me. I feel tiny in comparison. She looks away from the question, back out across the water.
"Please don't go" I say. She's too important to me. I don't want her to go!
"It's already done" She says, shaking her head.
"Most of me is already up there" She continues, looking up into the stary sky. "I'm just an echo of myself now. I only held enough back to have a moment with you."
I can't control myself now. Normally I'm so composed, able to take stock of anything seriously and not let my emotions cloud my judgement. But tears are falling from my eyes like miniature waterfalls. And there's nothing I can do to stop it. I'm just so upset.
"So what do I do?" I ask.
"You keep going. There's someone else out there that needs you now." She says solemly.
"But it won't be YOU! You know that, right?" I say quietly.
Serenvia nods slowly.
"Serenvia. Please" I say, holding out my hand. But it's too late. She's beginning to fade and my time with her has come to and end.
"Welcome home Philip" She says finally, just before she disappears.
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I just stood there as she dissappeared into nothingness. When I finally make a movement, I sit down on a large rock and just stare out across the lake, thinking nothing. There are no words to express how I feel.
It must be hours before I do anything. The sun has begun to peak over the horizon, casting it's rays through the tree leaves. A ray hits me in the face, suddenly pulling my mind back into reality.
There's someone else out there who needs my help. A young person, imprisoned wrongfully in another realm. I need to save her and I need to train her. She won't be Serenvia, but nobody could replace her.
It's time to do something right again. It's time to restart the fight.
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R.I.P
Serenvia
You were a good fighter and an honest person.
The memory of you shall never fail
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