The Revenge

"Gotthard. That's the one thing I can't do. You know that's the one thing I can't do!"

Gotthard merely sighed in response.
'This may take a while.'

Gertrude finally chimed in. "Yaleena, sweetie, I think it's best you listen to master Gotthard on this."

"If I just gave it up, I could never forgive myself. All my friends, everyone I ever knew lies dead at the hands of that cult! I won't rest until they're avenged! They deserve justice!"

Gotthard nodded. "I agree. So I ask again. Why must it be you?"

"My parents spent their whole lives fighting that cult, only to die by their hands. Their lives' work wasted. I have to be the one to carry it on."

Gertrude had to object. "You can't use your parents as an excuse to die. If I ever found out my Ada was killed because she though it would please me-"
She had to stifle an actual sob at the mere thought her daughter would do something like that.

Gotthard took advantage of Eena's momentary pause. "Eradicating the Cult of Quaggih may have been our lives' work, but it was never our pride and joy. Did you learn nothing from those letters Srath sent?"

Eena cast him a swift glare before averting her gaze and staring to the ground. "Still... I can't just give it up."

He leans forward on the table and places his hands under his chin. "This will be the last time, girl. I ask you why?"

She whipped around to face him, her voice now raised to a full shout. "Because otherwise I can't feel happy again! Because otherwise I could never live with myself! Is that what you wanted to hear!? I'm the only survivor Gotthard! I've never done anything with my life, I've never had any goals, yet I'm the one still alive! What sense does that make!? Why didn't Jahoo survive!? Why was mom killed!? Why is my father dead!? They're all more amazing than me, so why am I the only one alive!?"
She backed down, if only slightly. "No. If I don't do this, I can't ever forgive myself."

Saying Gertrude and Adam were shocked wouldn't necessarily convey their expressions. Petrified is closer but still far off. Gotthard, in contrast, stared at her blankly. This isn't the first time he's seen this. "Srath once said something similar to me. Most of the exiled rangers were raised in the same abbey of Sol, including Mia and I. We were treated fair, but It wasn't an easy life by any means. We were still orphans, you hear? Srath had it the worst. He was raised alone by parents who resented him. He swore that only by taking their life, he could be happy, that once they were gone he could forgive himself for being born. I was there when he finally got his revenge."

I was forced to relive the moment as he shared my darkest secret with my daughter. I was stood in my kitchen, hatchet in hand, and blood dripping off my face. The corpses of my tormentors lay at my feet. They've done nothing but ensure my life is as agonizing as possible. "The world is better off now that they're gone. I'm finally free from their torment. They can even join Sol now. So why, Gotthard. Why do I feel so empty? It wasn't supposed to be like this."
I turn to face him. He looks horrified, but he tries to answer anyway. Yet nothing comes from his mouth so I just turn back to stare at my revenge. I can be happy now.

Gotthard, once again wrinkled and bald, shook his head. "Revenge is a flimsy foundation to build your life on. Never once, have I seen that man happy. He thought redeeming himself as a ranger would help, but the killing only made it worse. Honestly, it destroyed all of us. Mia and Srath tried their damnedest to ensure you never had to take a life. You are their pride and joy, you understand? Don't waste the chance they've given you Yaleena. Even if you succeed, there's no happiness in revenge."

I can't bare to look at Eena. She knows the monster I am, and that terrifies me. What if she resents me? What if I've been reduced to nothing but the monster I am in her mind? After too long, she sobs. Quietly. Softly. "Then what do I do? If not for revenge, then why did I survive?"

He closed his eyes and stood, leaving his food cold on the table. "We once used this cottage to find the reason we remained standing after each fight. I found my research. Mia found her garden. Srath found Mia. I suggest you find what makes you happy and do that."
He then marched upstairs and out of sight.

Eena backed into the wall and slide down until she sat with her head on her knees. She whispered to herself, "But I don't deserve that. Why should I be happy while everyone else is dead."

After a brief silence, Adam reluctantly spoke. "Yaleena, do you really believe Jahoo would want you to suffer just because she's gone? I don't. She would want her best friend to be happy no matter what."

She decided to ignore the fact he acted as though he knew anything about her friend and dejectedly said back, "It's not that easy Adam. I can't just be happy because someone said I should."

He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling stupid. "I know, I know. The best stories are always about overcoming the toughest of foes and... Ah, I'm sorry. I'll be quiet now."

It was Gertrude's turn to talk. "Nothing worth doing is easy, sweetie. Running away with Adam, dealing with master Gotthard, and raising Ulrich and Ada were the hardest things I've ever had to do."
She took Adam's hand in her own. "And they've made me inexplicably happy. It's not easy... But it's impossible if you don't try."

Eena gazed up from her knees, tears still fresh in her eyes. "Th-thank you. Although I'm not really sure where to start."

Gertrude gave her a motherly smile that reminds me of Mia. "We'll help you. However long it takes, we'll help you!"

Adam nodded his agreement. "Of course we will."

Eena's head fell back into her knees. "Thank you... Sincerely. Thank you."

The End