Chapter 58

Almerious

“Your sacrifice will not be in vain”, I whispered to the charred corpses of my fallen companions.

They were still lying on the ground where they had fallen. The Queen's soldiers had left in haste to continue their futile pursuit of Sara, and the Elders were leading our remaining companions to safety. I was alone in this mournful place.

The memory of this day would not be forgotten, I promised myself. I would pass it on to future generations, and our fallen comrades would forever live in their memory. It was the Queen’s warning that had given me time to consider those whose misguidance could be redeemed by my fire. They had carried the seed of doubt in their minds, and I had chosen them carefully.

I did not regret it. I would be willing to pay any price to keep this world safe. It was the sacred duty bestowed upon me, and I had carried it with pride for centuries. Even so, seeing the scorched corpses of those I knew so well brought sorrow to my heart.

I looked out over the fields that marked the borders of our sacred land, now forever stained by the violence Sara had brought upon us and the darkness she had left in her wake. Her mind was keen, and she had seen the truth where others preferred to see what pleased their minds. If only she had been older all those years ago, I would have offered her a place among our elders. But such action would have drawn too much attention, and for the sake of what was pure and good, I had been forced to banish her.

Yet, she had come back, ready to challenge me and reveal the truth she had learnt during her travels. No, I reminded myself. It was not the truth, only a mere sliver of it. I snarled and turned my gaze back to our sacred land. Had she fully understood the truth, she would not have dared to challenge me. She was misguided. After all, a half-truth was more dangerous than ignorance.

Yet, I had been forced to let her go. Protecting the innocence of my fellow companions was more important than her death. Having her slain could lead those with keen minds to question what had happened without realising that their minds weren’t ready to receive the truth. No, I had to discredit her, and her legacy would live on in future generations.

The truth… It had almost broken me when I heard it for the first time, and only with time did I understand the sacrifice our noble race had made to keep this world safe.