Fractured Hope, Fractured Belief

Camden found her sitting in the mess hall alone, slumped disheartedly over a glass of alcohol. Her head rested in her hand, as if the mere effort to keep it upright by itself was too much to bear.

She seemed weaker than before, her spirit at an all time low. The sword wound on her back had been patched up temporarily, its stinging pain keeping their failure at the forefront of her mind. She glanced up, not a single glimmer of hope shining in her eyes. “Oh. Hello Mr. Valaraki.”

“Madam Cecilia.”

She looked back down the alcohol in front of her, a long silence lasting before she spoke once more, voice raw with regret. “I’m sorry for dragging you into all of this. I… I truly thought you were our saviour. That the prophecy…”

The Madam seemed incredibly downcast. Camden supposed he would be as well, if he had been counting on himself to save the world for so many years.

“I know,” he responded. “And it’s okay.”

The Madam didn't answer. How could she, she thought to herself, after nearly leading the three of them to their deaths?

“I… I came here to say goodbye,” Camden admitted, with a somewhat heavy heart. “I’ll be heading back home tomorrow.”

The Madam breathed in, looking up from her glass. “Good to know,” she said, her voice’s expression an imitation of the professionality that usually came like second nature. “You’ll be missed around these parts.”

She brought herself to look him in the eyes, seeing that he too, shared her dismay. “You weren’t just a prophesied chosen one. Not to us.”

She paused briefly, formulating her next sentence in her mind. “You were a good ally… And a good friend.”

“Thank you,” Camden replied, smiling sadly. “The feeling’s mutual.”

After a brief pause, he continued.

“I hope you’ll be able to rest some day,” he said, somewhat regrettably. Despite the talk he’d had with Levo, he still somewhat felt like he was to blame for their failure.

The Madam chuckled sadly. “Look at me. I’m old. At this rate The Iron Hand’s rule isn’t ending during my lifetime. And… I think I can come to terms with that. One can only hope that the younger generation will do better than we did. I have to believe that they can.”

Her gaze fell back down to the table. “Though I’ve been running pretty low on hope as of late.”

“Yeah, I figured as much,” Camden replied, looking away out of shame. “Do you come here often? Late at night?”

A wry smile made its way onto her face. “Is it that obvious? Yeah, I’m here from time to time. Though I wouldn’t exactly call it often’. More so for ‘special occasions’, though one could barely call them that.”

His eyes met hers, the expression on her face telling him all he needed to know. “Defeats?”

“You catch on quick,” she remarked. “The alcohol numbs the pain. Often figurative. This time… a bit more literal.”

She glanced back at her drink once more. “I wouldn’t recommend it, though. Sometimes an agonizing burn is better than a numbing emptiness.”

Wise words coming off of their defeat, all things considered.

“As much as I’m excited to head back, I’ll… I’ll miss this place,” Camden admitted, his voice downcast. “And you and Levo too.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Really, I am,” the Madam replied, her smile remorseful yet sincere, despite all that they’d gone through. Despite the failing and the hurt and the finality of it all. “See you tomorrow morning, Mr. Valaraki.”

“See you tomorrow, Madam Cecilia.”