Dawn- An age of Darkness

Chapter 300 - Lianne: The End Of One Journey Is The New Beginning Of Another

They took the job of slaying a wrath titan- a monster of lightning and frost. It was only half a mile away from the city and if it got near the livestock, the city would run out of food before winter made its way back.

It was a tough job and three parties of first-class adventurers were required. 

But the guild could only ask another party. A human party of four. They were the best in town.

The two parties headed to the frozen lands and when they encountered the monsters, the other party used the elf duo as shields and ran away. After all, instead of one monster, there were two.

Just taking one down required three parties and they were going to take on two at the same time? The choice was already obvious. 

The duo however didn't back down.. This was the perfect opportunity to prove they were superior to the rest and make way for the top. After all, they were in it for the thrill and if they made enough cash, they could afford a ship and head back. 

"Maybe we should pull back. It's not working." Seanne fired arrow after arrow. "The other one went after them, so we can escape now."

"We'll win, don't worry." Lianne chuckled as she fired fireball after fireball. She used so much mana that her head felt a bit light but she knew she was close. "Just another spell-"

She never exerted herself like this and that's why perhaps she wasn't aware of her own limits.

But then- "There's another one!" Seanne screamed, shoved Lianne in the side. 

A stream of yellow hot thunder pierced through Seanne's chest: his heart stopped in an instant. His knife and bow fell on the floor, followed by him. 

Blood scattered everywhere.

"Seanne!" Lianne screeched and held her little brother in her arms. 

"Run." He touched her wet cheeks. "Live for the both of us. Run-" He managed but his hand fell on the floor. He was gone.

"NO! We're going back! Didn't you say, you won't leave me!? You liar." She cried- her cries reached far, but there wasn't anyone to hear but the monsters. A fire covered her and spread like wildfire in the midst of the snow. 

The two monsters were still coming for her- and she- had to abandon the corpse of her brother and fall back. She did pick up the knife- the last memento of her brother but- that was all. "Farewell Seanne." She burned the corpse. "I will avenge you!" Her eyes burned in red. 

She fell back and waited.

The monsters had devoured the remains of Seanne's body that night- and Lianne had never cried so hard in the last two centuries even when her mother died, even when she did it the first time. Her pain was just immeasurable. 

But she wasn't done. She had revenge to take. She used the chance and killed the two monsters who were busy devouring the fallen elf in one fell swoop for her revenge.  She used the knife and her burning fire. The fire had enveloped her blade 

Half of the corpse was gone but- Lianne carried the rest with her. She wanted to take him back to their homeland but she knew, his corpse wouldn't make it. 

So, she decided to make a grave in the city grave. 'Forgive me.' her heart roared, her eyes leaked. But her feet didn't stop.

***

On her way back, she met the party that had abandoned her and her brother. Lianne's eyes were lifeless.

"Sa-save us!" They were fighting another wrath titan.

"Save you?" Lianne laughed.

According to the guild, there was only supposed to be one monster, but the information proved to be wrong. 

'To hell with his world.'

She didn't look back as the party behind her was murdered in the darkness of the night. Once everyone died, she used the chance and killed the busy wrath titan. 

Once she reached the city, she made a grave for her brother, went back to the guild, took the money, slapped the guild master, and quit. 

***

Lianne for the next whole year covered her whole body in a thick cloak and tracked down all the ships leaving port. She had enough money from the wrath titan incident but- there weren't any ships leaving port and even if she could buy a ship there weren't any crew willing to take the risk.

But after 11 whole months, she finally found a ship headed for a place called Moire: the crew were human. It was the enemy lands and all the crew were her enemies, after all, Elves and men were at war- but she didn't have time and she didn't want to spend another second in this place. It was painful for her to be here. 

She bargained with the captain and the deal was struck that she'd be given passage in exchange for slaughtering all the monsters they'd encounter in the sea.

Before leaving for Moire, she spent an hour talking to her brother's grave. 

***

She never took off her cloak and she never talked with the crew. 

They traveled for seven years and there was not a night Lianne didn't shed tears as she stared at the night sky, mourning her dead brother. She believed it to be her fault. Perhaps it really was.

But the fact that it was Seanne's choice, took Lianne three more centuries to understand figure out.

As she didn't have her trusty brother's magic and support, fighting monsters proved to be rather difficult. 

Her life almost felt meaningless. She'd reach her kingdom, but then what?

She didn't know.

When she reached the port of Moire, she concealed herself and got out of the city. There was a rumor going around that a human from another world was summoned and he was going to fight the elves on behalf of men. She didn't know what summoning even was but she didn't like the sound of it. 

But she had something better to do and that's why she run for the mountains- the fastest route to Alfeim. 

She lost her way thanks to a certain grand leafy snake monster

And that's when she met him. Her father- and the rest of her kin. That's when she gained another goal in her life. After losing everything she had, she really needed a goal in life. 

'I'll find a way to get rid of this curse.'