Whispers of A Dead Empire

Chapter 54

"I know Carter. This is the last mission. This is our last step. If we can do everything right and prove that this domain doesn't harm the outside world. We are set for life. You and Alinore can settle down, and Gunther can move on, and I can finally retire, and I can be free to rebuild my influence."

He closed his eyes for a moment and nodded his head. "Redrick, how long have we known each other?"

The strangeness of his question caught me off guard slightly. "It's been a few years. Since my dad died, actually." As I spoke, I found myself falling back into memories that have long since passed.

"Yeah, it's been quite a few years, alright. But regardless, you would consider us friends, no?" He opened his eyes, and as soon as mine met his, I noticed that they felt much different than what they usually did. These were the eyes of a man who has seen far too much and carries a burden. "Well, yes. Why wouldn't I? I mean, we stopped being associates when I saved you from that Viper of Ardask." I laced my concern at his statement with a bit of a joke since I was still figuring out what he was getting at. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "Listen, Redrick, there is a lot that you don't know about me, and Alinore for that matter. If I tell you this, I need you to keep it a secret."                                                               "Of course, Carter. I'll keep it between us." I shifted forward, curious as to what he was about to say. "Do you know what the soul-bound curse is?" Carter asked as he mindlessly fingered the moonstone on his chest. I thought it over and consulted the information in my head. "It rings a faint bell, but I'm not sure. Why?" He looked at me for a moment; his sea-blue eyes glimmered with sadness as he spoke. "The soul-bound curse doesn't really exist anymore. So I'm not surprised you know little about it. Essentially, you are soul-bound to another person. If they die, you die. If you die, they die. Then you are reincarnated over and over. The cycle is to be forever unbroken."                                                                                                                            As he spoke, I felt my eyebrows raise, and the realization hit me like a wagon. "You and Alinore are soul-bound."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  He nodded his head, and a faint grin crossed his lips. "Ages ago, Alinore and I fell in love. We pledged our love to Aphrenia, the Goddess of life, and love. She accepted our pledge and gave us what we sought. She told us that nothing would split us. Neither God nor time. We were to be lovers until eternity ended. At first, it was great. We lived happy lives and died of old age together. We were reborn and restarted our lives. We have done this cycle countless times." He kept fingering the moonstone on his chest, his eyes glazed as he was reliving memories I could only dream of.                                                                                                                           

I kept quiet as I let him open up to me since I was unsure of what to say or do in this situation. "But as much as we love each other, we are both tired. For a few brief years, we get caught in the realm between life and death before it thrust us back into flesh. We meet, we have a family, but we both know that death will never claim us. Every life plays out the same. We grow old together and die. One of us gets murdered, and we both die. One of us doesn't make it at birth, and we die. Only to be brought back into this cycle over and over. Living life over and over is tiring." His face twisted in a grimace, and for a time, I could see the damage that time had wracked on this man.                                                                                                                            Gone was the face of a confident, suave ranger, and in its place was the face of a man who couldn't escape time. One who was chained to his fate due to his unending love for his partner. "Do you think this domain might break the curse?"                                                                                                                                                                                    He stared off into space, fingering his necklace. "I hope so. At first, I wasn't sure about it, but when I heard Kharon make a comment about the Empress severing the hold that the necromancers had, it gave me hope. If it's true, then the Empress might be able to do something. I love Alinore more than anything else in this world; it's only fair that I find a way to break this curse so that we both may rest.

I could feel my heart clench in sadness as I nodded my head. I thought I had it rough, but I couldn't imagine what they were feeling. "Does Alinore know you are doing this?"

Carter shook his head and pursed his lips. "No. I haven't told her. As much as she vehemently denies that she wants it to end. I can see the exhaustion. Hopefully, this is the last lifetime that we have to live like this."

"It's alright, Carter. We will find the Empress and see what we can do to help." I meant those words with all my heart. I would do anything for these three.

"Thanks, Redrick. It means a lot." The age on his face quickly vanished, and he went back to his usual suave self. "Now, let's go find this Empress."