Neil crouched in front of what looked like a tombstone with a pentagonal star at the top. The sun was setting, its orange rays still hovering in the horizon. Around him a
low fog lay over the land hiding the green grass around. Willow trees around
him whispered as the night's breeze swept in cold and calm through their branches. There was some hooting and cricks as the nocturnal animals came to life.
Neil was rather quiet as he observed the tombstone in front of him. He narrowed his eyes as though trying to see into the coffin that lay below . His breath dropped to a sigh as he moved to the next tombstone.
" This one too." He thought transitioning to his left.
He was at the last tombstone in a long file of them. Neil had started from the far right checking about twenty or so tombstones and yet didn't find who he was looking for. He had come directly to the grave yard after the spending the day with Sen and Mira. This had become his routine after he recovered. Many wondered every time he passed through the graveyards gates what a young boy like him was looking for among the dead's graves as his visits became frequent. Neil never paid attention to them keeping true to what brought him there.
Looking for his mother.
" Why do I even try , I can already guess what this one will be."
In the long row of tombstone that Neil had checked, they all exhibited the same characteristics. Neil had already gotten used to anticipating it , even with the fog obscuring it.
" Unknown." Neil read the last tombstone not surprised by it.
All the tombstones that Neil had gone through, were written the same thing where the names of the fallen were supposed to be. Unknown. Neil was currently in the second last row of four rows. He had surveyed the entire yard but to no avail never found it.
He sighed as he looked at the last row of the column of tombstones he was in. His heart sunk already realizing that the outcome would be the same.
" So this is a miasma event casualty burial, huh. " he thought as he made his way to the next row in front of him.
" So many of them ,gone. Not even get a worthwhile send-off.... " He thought remembering back to the tombstones that had been registered unknown. To Neil's estimate they were around a hundred people whose names were unknown. This was a large number especially for a village that existed near the margins of the kingdom.
For some reason Neil didn't stop looking. He had visited the yard enough times already to realize he would never find her there. It was clear as day that his efforts were futile but yet he pushed on. Was it hope or denial, he wondered.
The starry night painted the sky canvas with the moon shining over the land. Neil was close to the end of the row he was in. Even moon light that peered through the willow trees and the drifting fog that hovered through the land Neil the word "Unknown" still found him. Maybe he had gotten used to it and his mind automatically generalized to the words or the shadows around him played tricks on him showing him what he wanted to see, that or he didn't care anymore. His body ached with the fatigue and chills that ran through his body were becoming unbearable.
" This is pointless. "he said his eyes looking to the path to the main gate.
Neil walked towards the main path, his dull eyes facing the ground and his hands in his pockets. He dragged his slack posture forward not even looking where he was going. It was clear that he had lost all hope looking like an aimlessly walking zombie. He was so lost in thought he didn't see the
man standing in front of him.
" Do you pity them?" a deep voice said.
Neil slowly raised his eyes to met the man in front of him. His lime green hair was hardly visible in the moonlight. His eyes sharp as
always looked into the grave expanse of unknown dead.
" No , not really." Neil answered.
The man remained expressionless. He slightly shifted his eyes to the slouching boy then said.
" Why is that?"
Neil pondered for a while before answering.
" Maybe because they are already gone"
The man shifted his eyes back to the graves then said.
" What about your mother?"
" What of her?" Neil asked spiteful. His eyes narrowed as he glared at the man.
" You seem to worry for her, yet you think she's one of them."
Neil clenched his fist. His eyes wavered as he thought trying to find something to say back to the man.
The man turned to the way he came. He looked at Neil who was obviously conflicted, with his eyes twitching and his breath heavy.
" I knew your mother." He said.
" Even before you were born. She was strong and fierce and cared for others past herself." His eyes slowly shifting to the moon.
" Other than that she was strong-willed, unyielding to anything that came her way. Always had hope in her eyes." He then paused for a while then added.
" I wonder what she would think if she learned that her son was searching for her among the dead."
Neil went silent. The thought had never came to mind. He had tried to rationalize it but couldn't make out a possibility that his mother was still alive.
"But the decay zones… I saw what they did to the others. Also the sky v… " he stopped abruptly as the realization landed.
" The sky vengers." He thought remembering back to their ship.
" Do they have her?" he asked in a demanding tone.
" Maybe, maybe not."
" Even if they did there's nothing you could do about it." The man said.
Neil's face brightened a little.
" I take my chances." He said his voice filled with vigor of his new found hope.
" Doesn't matter how strong they are, I'll find them and get her back."
" That's good but …you'll require more than just resolve. " the man said.
" I understand, so …"Neil responded turning to face the man. He then slowly lowered his head then said.
" Please help me get stronger! Help me be someone who can bring her back!"
Neil already understood the strength that the man in front of him wielded. Even though in fragments, the scenes from back when he was in the second decay zone were still fresh in his mind. He remembered how the man casually used his arcane power to coat him against the arcane drain of the decay
zone and seemed unaffected by the drain. So when Neil got the opportunity to
ask for his guidance he didn't hesitate.
The man stared down to the boy who was bowing in front of him. His gaze never wavered from the boy as he said.
" You understand that me teaching you would require you to leave everything you are behind, right?"
" Yes. I've thought of it deeply so I understand the weight of this path. "
The man smirked a little then threw a coat with an imperial crest on it then said.
" From now on address me as admiral Lorne."