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A cold breeze caressed her cheeks. The starry sky of the night reflected within her golden hues. A slow and calm sigh broke the silence she had kept for so long, up there, legs dangling from the highest peak of the Dravanian Hinterlands, a scenery Leanne found herself particularly fond of, even more so after so many contentious events.
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Staring at everything that the vista presented, and at the same time, nothing at all. For her vision was clouded by her own thoughts, by an internal heart-to-heart. One of several she had by that point. One where she always had an interlocutor. Owner of a booming voice and eloquent words, he spoke with a manner of inquisitive curiosity.
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“Thine mind. Clouded by many forms of reasoning. Some insightful. Others, not quite. Is the death of that individual enough to impair thine judgment, young Skysinger? Was he an important person to thee?â€
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Pursing her lips, she closed her eyes,and shook her head. “Nay. While all people hold their own importance, I never had the chance to make such a connection.â€
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An image swiftly flashes in front of her eyes. One arrow, used with surgical precision, whistling midst its merciless flight. Enough to kill a single mushroom. And unfortunately, kill a single man.
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“It is thine knowledge that-“
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“I know. I know. Even so, life is precious. And losing one’s life,†Leanne utters in the open, hand being brought up as a small swallow approaches, landing on her index. “is a great loss. Regardless of such.â€
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She had already accepted death of the man known as Nheu. Perhaps it was her fault, perhaps it wasn’t. She didn’t know for sure actually, but the grim reminder remained, of reality, of death, the ultimate destiny of all that lived in the realm. The one single thought that her idealism could not quite brighten, and she had to face it every single day. A much known, common hazard of her profession. Even then…
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“Life is precious.â€Â Leanne repeated, lowering her hand after the swallow flew away.
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“It is.â€Â The voice within her agreed. “Keep in thy mind then that thy life is just as precious. And thou art right now losing time.â€
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“I know.â€
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“Thou dost know. And nevertheless, thou art to keep wasting time.â€
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“I know.â€Â She speaks openly with groan. “But this is something I must do. I have to protect my home. My family. My friends…â€Â she trails off, looking up to the sky. So full of blinking stars, so bright with the shining moon.
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The voice within her pauses. Then continues. “There is so much I and the old woman can do for thee. Thine life choices are of thine own choosing. But don’t forget the sacrifices done for thee.â€
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“Do not forget either mine sacrifice done for thee.â€Â Leanne huffs.
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“Hah.â€
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Leanne continues. “I -will- keep on living. For mine sake. For thine sake. For the sake of those that are alive, and those that died. For mine and their dreams. I will carry them for as long as I walk. But first, I must protect the things I love. Like thou hast done then, Reinhardt.â€
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…Silence. An awful, deliberately long silence.
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“Thine stubbornness could make for an epic, young Skysinger. Hard to argument against thee.â€
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Leanne smirked at nothing. “Isn’t because I have a point?â€
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“Nay. Thy heart may be bright, but doesn’t make thee always right. Yet…â€
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“Yet…â€
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Reinhardt does not answer. Rather, he changes subjects. “I am approaching. Feel free to descend.â€
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Leanne nodded. “Aye aye.â€Â She returned to look at the Hinterlands. The ruins of Sharlayan, occupied by the goblins. The slumbering giant primal, known as Alexander. The Great Gubal Library, there in the distance.
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“Sylphlands…â€Â she muses.  A land full of morbols, angry treants, aggressive sylphies, zus, birds, plants…
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Lifting herself, Leanne stands tall, upright. She could see it again. Mortality looking right back at her eyes. Waiting for her, for others. For the slip that would claim their lives.
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The life of an adventurer…
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She takes a deep breath, then steps forward. Exending her arms and closing her golden hues, Leanne goes into free-fall.
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“So many things to solve..." she muses again. The void incidents, Edda and Taeros' impending marriage, a dream to carry...
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"Thine life."
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Abruptly, midst her fall, a lumbering dragon zips past, having Leanne land on their back.Â
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"First things first."
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Leanne speaks, as both she and Reinhardt disappear into the clouds.
Â
Staring at everything that the vista presented, and at the same time, nothing at all. For her vision was clouded by her own thoughts, by an internal heart-to-heart. One of several she had by that point. One where she always had an interlocutor. Owner of a booming voice and eloquent words, he spoke with a manner of inquisitive curiosity.
Â
“Thine mind. Clouded by many forms of reasoning. Some insightful. Others, not quite. Is the death of that individual enough to impair thine judgment, young Skysinger? Was he an important person to thee?â€
Â
Pursing her lips, she closed her eyes,and shook her head. “Nay. While all people hold their own importance, I never had the chance to make such a connection.â€
Â
An image swiftly flashes in front of her eyes. One arrow, used with surgical precision, whistling midst its merciless flight. Enough to kill a single mushroom. And unfortunately, kill a single man.
Â
“It is thine knowledge that-“
Â
“I know. I know. Even so, life is precious. And losing one’s life,†Leanne utters in the open, hand being brought up as a small swallow approaches, landing on her index. “is a great loss. Regardless of such.â€
Â
She had already accepted death of the man known as Nheu. Perhaps it was her fault, perhaps it wasn’t. She didn’t know for sure actually, but the grim reminder remained, of reality, of death, the ultimate destiny of all that lived in the realm. The one single thought that her idealism could not quite brighten, and she had to face it every single day. A much known, common hazard of her profession. Even then…
Â
“Life is precious.â€Â Leanne repeated, lowering her hand after the swallow flew away.
Â
“It is.â€Â The voice within her agreed. “Keep in thy mind then that thy life is just as precious. And thou art right now losing time.â€
Â
“I know.â€
Â
“Thou dost know. And nevertheless, thou art to keep wasting time.â€
Â
“I know.â€Â She speaks openly with groan. “But this is something I must do. I have to protect my home. My family. My friends…â€Â she trails off, looking up to the sky. So full of blinking stars, so bright with the shining moon.
Â
The voice within her pauses. Then continues. “There is so much I and the old woman can do for thee. Thine life choices are of thine own choosing. But don’t forget the sacrifices done for thee.â€
Â
“Do not forget either mine sacrifice done for thee.â€Â Leanne huffs.
Â
“Hah.â€
Â
Leanne continues. “I -will- keep on living. For mine sake. For thine sake. For the sake of those that are alive, and those that died. For mine and their dreams. I will carry them for as long as I walk. But first, I must protect the things I love. Like thou hast done then, Reinhardt.â€
Â
…Silence. An awful, deliberately long silence.
Â
“Thine stubbornness could make for an epic, young Skysinger. Hard to argument against thee.â€
Â
Leanne smirked at nothing. “Isn’t because I have a point?â€
Â
“Nay. Thy heart may be bright, but doesn’t make thee always right. Yet…â€
Â
“Yet…â€
Â
Reinhardt does not answer. Rather, he changes subjects. “I am approaching. Feel free to descend.â€
Â
Leanne nodded. “Aye aye.â€Â She returned to look at the Hinterlands. The ruins of Sharlayan, occupied by the goblins. The slumbering giant primal, known as Alexander. The Great Gubal Library, there in the distance.
Â
“Sylphlands…â€Â she muses.  A land full of morbols, angry treants, aggressive sylphies, zus, birds, plants…
Â
Lifting herself, Leanne stands tall, upright. She could see it again. Mortality looking right back at her eyes. Waiting for her, for others. For the slip that would claim their lives.
Â
The life of an adventurer…
Â
She takes a deep breath, then steps forward. Exending her arms and closing her golden hues, Leanne goes into free-fall.
Â
“So many things to solve..." she muses again. The void incidents, Edda and Taeros' impending marriage, a dream to carry...
Â
"Thine life."
Â
Abruptly, midst her fall, a lumbering dragon zips past, having Leanne land on their back.Â
Â
"First things first."
Â
Leanne speaks, as both she and Reinhardt disappear into the clouds.
"Forever walking forward, towards the ever distant horizon."
-Leanne Delphium