I was the first to break the silence that Tama's absence left. I laughed again, a deep laugh that made me smile as a tear went down my cheek. I turned to Tera and with a kind smile said quietly, "Can we just... talk this out now?" Tera simply nodded, not making eye contact. I could see the dirt was wet under her with tears and... had she peed herself?!

  Tera's literal pants-pissing aside, this was important, and I was trying to be better. I walked over and bent over... yep, I could smell it. I used an illusion to mask the smell for both of us and she looked up at me in surprise. The look on her face said it all. Why? I understood, after all, why did I help her? Why was I being nice?

  Tama was literally about to kill Tera. There would have been no bad blood and everything could've simply been over. But deep down, I knew there was more to it.

  "That's a good question," I said. "Why, like, why do you hate me so much? I doubt you care so much about deceit and lying, and you have shown dislike of me from the moment we met. It's clearly not related to beastkin since you are obsessive over Tama."

  "Why does it matter to you!" Tera snapped at me with a glare, her eyes still filled with tears. I sat patiently and waited. After a few minutes, she spoke. "You don't even remember me, do you? I was a child back then, like you. You... you took everything from me. My family, my friends. You... you just erased them. I couldn't even find their bodies."

  My eyes widened in a mixture of shock and horror as what she said brought back a memory... the caravan... but... "But there were no survivors. I searched," I said, almost in a daze.

  "And you expected me to do what?! Walk out and scream my name to the monster that just killed everyone I ever knew?!" she said, her voice filled with venom.

  I winced as I realized she hated me for the exact same reason I hated myself. "I... see," I said quietly. "I understand now why you hate me, and to tell you the truth, I hate myself for what happened that day." I felt my self-loathing coming back. I felt myself start to fall again. But I clenched my hand into a fist and I remembered Tama's words and actions. I would not fall to the void ever again.

  Tera looked up at me in surprise. "You... hate yourself?" she asked. I nodded and her eyes narrowed. "Oh, I get it. You're just manipulating me, just like you manip..." I cut her off. "No, I am not." I looked her in the eyes and spoke from my heart.

  "The truth is, that day, something in that caravan... it... possessed me. It took over my body. It promised to give me my family back. It lied to me, and on that day, it took another family away. I hate myself every day I look in the mirror, Tera. So I am sorry, and I don't expect your forgiveness. I deserve your hate." As I spoke, tears filled my eyes and I fell to my knees.

  Silence filled the area for a long moment, aside from the uncomfortable shuffling of David in the background. I paid him no mind. I was trying to come to terms with the reality that my horrible mistake had actually been even worse than I had imagined.

  Somehow, no one surviving would have been the better choice. I could only imagine the pain Tera must have felt. Only to meet me almost eight years later and her first impression of me is lying and deceiving everyone around me.

  My eyes blurred as tears filled them. Memories came rushing back of that day. I began to shake as I remembered the feeling of helplessness. The horror of realizing it was all a lie, and being used like a puppet to... to...

  I felt arms wrap around me. I looked up to see Tera. We didn't make eye contact. Instead, we sat together in near silence and cried.

  "With my best friend Tera! How could you!" His voice was hurt, tears streamed down his face.

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  "Well, maybe if you actually showed me the love I deserved, I wouldn't need to go find others to satisfy me!" I said back with snark.

  I was sitting on our bed as my boyfriend sobbed in a chair nearby. On the bed was said best friend. Alex, or something. I didn't really know. He wasn't even that good. That one guy from two days ago had been much better at hitting me in all the right places.

  "Get out, Tera," Rick said, as he looked up at me with tear-stained cheeks. "I can't do this anymore. When you told me you had other interests, I didn't think you meant sleeping with all my friends!"

  To be fair, I hadn't slept with all of his friends, just most of them. It wasn't my fault he couldn't keep track of me or satisfy me. I told myself that as I got up and started packing. I heard Rick screaming sobs at Alex. Their friendship was probably over.

  Maybe I would stay with Aistari… she promised me a good time last time I saw her. The way she had looked at me with those glowing blue eyes just did something to me. I heard the sound of something smashing, most likely the dresser he had bought for me.

  All packed up, I made my way out to the street. I just needed to remember where that elf girl lived. Alex came rushing out, only his underwear on. He gave me a hate-filled glare as he did. I looked him up and down before saying, "Surprised you need underwear to hide that tiny thing. Go get a small pebble or something, less wasted area."

  His eyes widened at me as tears dripped down them. He looked like he wanted to fight. Good, I was itching for one. Instead, he turned and ran down the cobblestone street like the coward he was.

  I spit on the street and yelled out, "Yeah, run like the coward you are!"

  "And why, exactly, is he running away?" a voice said behind me. I turned to face a large, bulky woman. She wasn't fat, no, she was muscular. She looked like she ate nails for breakfast and steel for lunch.

  She stared at me with an almost annoyed look. I recognized her instantly: Matriarch Talia, The Forge of Fire.

  "He is just upset I called his dick tiny," I said casually as I picked up my bags and began walking.

  I didn't have time to deal with the Matriarch. She had nothing on me, and cheating wasn't illegal.

  "Where are you going?" she asked me as I kept moving.

  "Does it really matter? Go kill a dragon or something and stop bothering me," I snapped back.

  "I don't kill many dragons these days. What's your name, little girl?" she asked.

  I bristled at 'little girl' and swirled to face her. "My name is Tera, and I am not some little girl. If you want some proof, we can get an inn or something and I'll show you how adult I really am!"

  Matriarch Talia smiled at me! she smiled! I felt my fist clench and rage fill me. How dare she treat me like a child.

  I reacted before I could think and threw a fireball at her. She didn't even dodge, just let it hit her. It didn't even scratch her clothes, and for the first time, I felt a sense of fear.

  She seemed uncaring of the fireball and asked, "How old are you, Tera?"

  "I'm eighteen givings old, an adult!" I said, trying and failing to keep the same fire in me as before. I turned to the small house I had just left. "Not that my ex had any idea how to treat a woman!" I screamed.

  I turned back to Matriarch Talia after a moment, when Rick didn't come out. I learned later he killed himself. That hurt so bad.

  "I see," said Matriarch Talia. "Have you ever thought about becoming an adventurer? Get those urges out in ways other than..." She trailed off for a moment and looked at the house I had just screamed at, then reconsidered her words. "More constructive ways."

  I rolled my eyes and said, "I don't need some glory-seeking adventure. I am fine and happy where I am!" I stomped my foot and glared at her.

  She simply nodded slowly before looking back to the home I just broke. "Doesn't seem that way to me." She pulled a card out of her pocket and walked over, handing it to me.

  It read 'Matriarch Talia, Forge of Fire, Guild Master.' "If you change your mind, you can find me at the guild. I'll waive the fee for you.

  I think you might have what it takes to be a great adventurer someday, Tera. Just remember, being an adult doesn't mean doing what you want. It means doing what needs to be done, even when you don't like it."

  With that, Matriarch Talia turned and walked down the street, leaving me alone. I looked down at the card. As I did, it began to rain. I fell to my knees and started to cry.