Chương 51: The Consequences of the Storm

Ethan was standing beside Renlin. She smiled at him.

"Good morning, Ethan".

"Good morning to you too", he replied.

"Is everything alright? You look pale".

"I just had a terrible nightmare…that's all".

"A terrible nightmare?"

"Yes. In that nightmare, I lost you forever". Renlin stepped closer and kissed him on the lips.

"I will always stay with you. For as long as you need me". Then Ethan woke up. Snow fell slowly upon the massacred bodies of the elves. It fell silently, endlessly, as though the world itself were trying to cover that horror. His body was covered in snow. He slowly pushed himself up, confused, brushing the frost from his clothes. The silence was absolute. When he lowered his gaze, his heart stopped. Beside him lay Renlin's body, cut into ten pieces and scattered across the snowy ground. Ethan dropped to his knees.

He took her head in his hands with an almost unreal gentleness and rested his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, his voice breaking.

"I failed to protect you. I failed to protect anyone". Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. He looked around. Everywhere, there were only bodies. Only death. He staggered to his feet, picked up a shovel from a ruined tent and began digging. One grave after another. Without stopping. Without eating, without drinking, without resting.

With every elf he buried, memories resurfaced: the battles they had fought together, the laughter around the campfire, the celebrations, the drinking and the moments of peace that now seemed to belong to another life. He continued until he reached Elrohir. He took his hand and squeezed it. Tears streamed down his face before he could stop them.

"I failed you, Elrohir…" he said in a faint voice.

"I couldn't save a single one of your children. Not one. I'm weak. Pathetic. You welcomed me as one of your own, you gave me your affection and I let all of you die. I didn't deserve your trust. I hope you can forgive me… wherever you are now". He closed Elrohir's eyes and buried him. Only Renlin remained. Ethan carefully gathered her remains, one piece at a time and laid them in the grave. Then he picked up her head. He looked at her orange hair and her violet eyes. Every moment they had shared flashed before him.

He kissed her on the lips.

"Goodbye, Renlin… you will always stay with me. For as long as I need you". He gently placed her head in the grave and carefully covered it with earth. When he was finally finished, exhausted, his arms aching beyond measure, he let the shovel fall. He lay down in the snow, staring at the star-filled night sky with the gaze of a man who had nothing left. Several kilometers away, Xarath sat on the grass, watching a small pond. Behind him, the goblins were celebrating. Some wore necklaces made from elf ears.

The goblin chieftain approached and knelt before him.

"After decades of my people being slaughtered by those filthy pointy-eared bastards, I have finally avenged my family. And it is all thanks to you, my lord. I will be grateful to you forever".

"Don't thank me", Xarath replied without turning around.

"Now go and celebrate. I wish to be alone".

"Of course, my lord". Xarath continued staring at the water. A crow flew down and landed on his shoulder, but the very instant it did, it crumbled into ash. Xarath did not react. He simply kept watching the pond.

"Absorbing the magical particles of all those elves wasn't enough to destroy the limiters. Seer Aelira's ritual must be of an extremely high level. No matter. Sooner or later, I will destroy them. And when that happens…the last remaining Prinz will be mine", he thought.