Chapter 113: Setting Off to Find Serie
"But there's probably nothing to worry about. Maybe Miss Serie just wants to travel west for a while," Norne quickly added, not wanting to cause him any more distress.
"Give me a little more time."
It had taken him a great deal of effort to get to the Kingdom of Ersten. When he had been swallowed by the black mud, he, like the others, had accidentally triggered the teleportation circle, which had sent him to a hidden underground cavern. It was there that he had been able to rebuild his body, undisturbed. And though he had now grown accustomed to this new vessel, he had to build up his mana from scratch. He had to be strong enough to protect himself before he could go looking for her.
Another year passed.
Winter came once again to the city of Ersten, and a blanket of snow covered everything in white. In the basement, the 'Light of Ersten' still radiated the warm glow of faith, and Rhodes had recovered a third of his former strength. He raised a hand, and a gentle wave of mana flowed from his palm, perfectly under his control.
Norne stood quietly to the side, a thick cloak wrapped around him.
"You're recovering well," he said, a smile in his old voice. As expected of Mr. Rhodes, he thought. To have recovered so much in such a short time... his strength is now probably no less than my own. He would have to be holding the 'Light of Ersten' to have any chance of winning against him now.
Rhodes reabsorbed the mana and opened his eyes. He looked at Norne, at his old friend who had spent his life, his very being, on this kingdom, and a wave of complex emotions washed over him. If not for a twist of fate, he would have been just like him, old and gray. But he had found a way to live forever.
He couldn't help but feel a pang of pity. "Norne, do you... want to live longer?" he asked. He still remembered the life-draining spell. He could teach it to him, if he wanted. But he was afraid. Afraid that his old friend would suffer the same fate as Eirik. And then, he would have no choice but to... put an end to his suffering.
"Like you? But the authority over life cannot remake another's body, can it?" Norne said, his expression unchanged.
"No, but I have another way. It can also extend a person's life, but..."
"But the price is a heavy one," Norne finished for him.
"Yes. You might not notice it at first, but over time, after a hundred, two hundred years, your soul will be corroded, and you will become... nothing but an obsession, a creature that only wants to live on."
Hearing his words, Norne laughed, a sound that was filled with a strange kind of liberation. He shook his head, the wrinkles around his eyes softening, a peaceful light in their depths. "Rhodes, my friend," he said, his voice calm and firm, "have you forgotten? I saw, with my own eyes, what happened to Eirik. To become something that will do anything to live... I would rather die as a human than become that."
He walked over to the window and looked out at the falling snow.
"Look at this city," he said softly. "Behind every light, an ordinary person is trying to live. A human's life is a short one. To live it to the fullest and to pass on what you have to the next generation... that is how humanity has come this far. To be born, to grow old, to get sick, and to die... that is what it means to be human."
Rhodes watched the back of his old friend in silence. "I'm sorry," he said. He had been inconsiderate.
"There's no need to apologize!" Norne turned around and said with a forced smile, "If I were to live for too long, wouldn't I just have more and more paperwork to deal with? It would be better to just die early."
Rhodes couldn't help but smile. He knew he was just trying to comfort him. "I understand," he said with a nod. "Then let me at least help you with your body. The power of the holy scripture can heal your old wounds."
This time, he didn't refuse.
As Rhodes cast the spell, Norne felt a warm mana flowing through him, and a new life seemed to flow into his old, weary body. Though he knew it was just an illusion. He had fought too many battles in his youth; his body was a wreck. If not for the holy magic he had learned, he would have been bedridden long ago.
He held out his hand, a hand covered in age spots, and felt the warmth of the mana flowing from Rhodes's palm. "By the way," he said, as if it were just a passing thought, "we just received news this morning. Someone saw Miss Serie in a forest not far from the Godfall Land."
As Serie had wandered the continent, her fame had grown. She was now known as the strongest mage in the world. Though she was still far from the strongest in history, she was an elf. With time, her mana would only grow. One day, she would surely be the undisputed strongest.
"She's getting closer to the Godfall Land," Rhodes said, standing up abruptly.
Norne knew what he meant. "Are you leaving?"
"Yes. I have to." He looked at him, and Norne knew that any attempt to dissuade him would be useless. Not that he had any intention of doing so.
"Then let me see you off."
"There's no need."
"There is. This may be the last time we see each other."
At his calm words, Rhodes said no more, and let him walk him out of the city. They were both in disguise, and they did not cause a stir.
"Norne," he said, his voice grave, "take care of the kingdom. And... take care of yourself."
"I will."
He gave his old friend one last look and, without another word of farewell, walked away.
Norne watched him go, and did not turn back until his footprints had been covered by the snow. He pulled his cloak tighter around him.
He had never been able to bring himself to talk to him about Eirik. Perhaps he himself had not yet made up his mind. But in the end, a decision would have to be made. To give his old friend a final peace... it was the best thing he could do.
(End of chapter)
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