And so, to her hands, another life would end.

  Below her feet laid the last of the divine. Her own blade driven into its neck while weapons of eld pierced the body. Its last words were nothing but cries drowned in blood. Even if its spoken words could be heard no solace would be given.

  After everything only silence and the fading leaves of flames accompanied her. With no thoughts or remorse she yanked the sword from the divine’s skin. Holding the blade, forged by the last era’s finest, she stabbed it. Again and again. So no mistake would be repeated. So this solemn victory would not be fleeting. After all there was nothing left but to walk on.

  Trudging forward, gnawing regrets resurfaced one by one. The off-the-road town of flowers she called home. Dreams of moonlight serenades. Those shining stars, her heroes, her friends. Gone. To allow another step. All those promises became meaningless. Always forward, always straight.

  Blood and bodies tinged the ground. There could have been survivors, yet she dared not to check. At this moment nothing else mattered. Eyes set upon a temple she once wished to visit, but not like this. Now remains but shattered, marble floors covered in debris. Around it the once bountiful land, so long ago, was lost in young memories. There she must walk on for a single glimmering star. A final gamble. The last will of herself and her companions. Always forward, always straight.

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  She stumbles.

  Stabbing the floor to hold herself up. She could not fall, but… so… tired. Exhausted. Her head hung low. A necklace bejeweled with a shard of pearl, and engraved with black and red, fell near her sword. Memories flooded out. She squeezed her eyes shut. Not. A. Single. Tear.

  Yet… yet that heirloom’s memories- no. Her conviction should not falter. It was far too late to cry. Too late for anything but acceptance. Those reminiscent histories so few years ago were gone along with the blasted world. Always forward, and always straight.

  Leaving behind the necklace she walked on. Not stopping till a set of stairs. The statue that once hid said secrets laid shattered. Feeling the rising energy from within she took a deep breath and cleared her thoughts. Reminding herself there was no turning back. No hesitation. Just simply… always forward, always straight.

  But…

  What if…

  No…

  There was nothing else, but to walk down the marble steps with longing memories.

  Towards her final hope.