Shaping Decisions

I am once again have been instructed by my Master to tell my part of the story, and so I shall. A week passed me by from the time I first visited Aran's grave. I mostly stayed inside the room that has been provided to me, reminiscing about the happy and joyous times in my life.

A thing that I have not been able to do much before I met Lira. And for that I became really grateful, even considered surrendering myself to her and becoming her Servant through an Oath. Though just like how she predicted my thoughts before, she also foresaw that I would do that and she declined even before I brought it up. Saying that it is not her that needs to be thanked and that it was only because I was saved by someone else that she was able to help me.

I understood the notion that she was trying to convey, though, I cannot still bring myself to acknowledge the act of kindness of the man or more exactly, SiegeFrame that saved me from certain death in the hands of those vile bandits. Even though my hate has been abated, there were still parts of me that blames him for Aran's death. Blaming him for not heeding my desperate pleas.

I also have come to discover in my time in the care of Lira that city that I have found myself in was the place in which legends speak of about, a place of dwelling for all SiegeFrames that survived the Day of Cleansing. A day in history in which, every nation and race ordered the destruction of the SiegeFrames for their alleged crimes after they have been freed from the control of the Elves and Humans.

Many spoke of this legendary city. Though many also disregarded it as rumors designed to attract attention, many of the ones that spoke of this city were obscured merchants who sought to sell their wares that they claim to be from the city itself. Now it seems like all the rumors that they spread were true.

When that came to mind, I found myself wanting to explore and see how these Weapons of War live their life in this hidden dwelling of theirs. To see for myself if the stories of horror that they have brought with them are true. And so, I came out of my room, it being one of the few times that I did, and it being the only one that I did in my own volition.

It was morning when I came out and because of that, I saw the wonder that is the architecture of the buildings that stood there, their mighty and hard wall bearing an artistic façade. And even the streets of concrete and pavement of cobbled stones showed their beauty even more so than the night I saw them. And these beautiful streets and pavements are filled with people that are literal walking armors of black, saying hello to each other and greeting each other.

It was a picture that is strange though at the same time familiar. A normal interaction with a fellow citizen with no hint of malice or threat of pain. A complete difference from how these people were portrayed by many that did not even see how these Weapons of War lived and what they did after they have gained their freedom. Even with me, a complete stranger from every sense of the word for these people of Oblivion, they did not hesitated to reach out their hands of hospitality.

Many, upon setting eyes on me, greeted me too and raised their concern to me, them knowing my immediate circumstances. One of the SiegFrames that I met even made food for only just me, after hearing that I have come out of my room. It was a sight to behold. Peace.

As I let myself explore more and meet more people, I heard a clashing of swords and then a pained yelp. It being a vast difference from the peace I was witnessing made me turn and search for it. That is when I found myself watching the one that saved me fighting in what seems like a training match with another SiegeFrame.

The one that saved me was on the ground moaning in pain, his silverish gray body riddled with deep dents and bent parts, and the other standing screaming at the latter about his faults on how he moved. After several minutes of just that, they once again engaged in combat. That is when I observed that indeed there are faults in how my savior moved; his body stiffens up for some reason in between actions giving time for the one that seems to be the instructor to unleash an attack.

The silverish SiegeFrame endured a barrage of attacks that damaged his body even more until he was knocked down into the ground. Once again the instructing SiegeFrame started to point out the faults of the student and then urged him to stand up again and ready his blade. This cycle repeated for quite a while and I too was rooted in my place for that same amount of time. As I watched I saw myself in the struggling SiegeFrame. I saw the glint of a desperate goal from his visor as he fought, and the meaning of that goal seemingly close to mine when I too poured myself in training under Aran.

As I observed a little more from the distance, a voice called out to me. "What seest thou o young maiden?" The voice asked. I turned to where it came from and found another silverish SiegFrame behind me, though with a more intricate-looking armor. From the sound of their voice, I deduced that the one that spoke to me was a man. He then went and walked to my side as he too watch the student be pummeled, I was unable to answer seeing that I do not know the meaning of his question, and so I waited for him to continue. "Seest thou an enemy? In a moment of weakness and suffering? Or do thine eyes seest one that is a kindred? Making an effort to reach a certain goal?"

After his questions, I was slightly shocked at how he too can perceive the things that come to my mind, though his query also made me really think; how do I see the SiegeFrame before me, the one that has both saved me and also caused me suffering. As I thought about it, I asked the one that addressed me. "How? How have you deduced what is in my mind?" Came my words. He hummed at the question at first and just watched the training that is happening in the distance. I had the impression that he would not tell and just contented myself to once again focus all my thought on the query I made for myself, but as soon as I did that, he spoke again.

"Art thou aware of the phrase that goes like this? 'The eyes are the window to the soul'." He asked, I nodded, remembering hearing it from some of my friends and acquaintances in my lost village. Seeing that I know, he continued speaking. "Thou art not proficient in masking thine emotions and the phrase applies to thee quite too well o young maiden. I have seen in a glance of thine recognition of the effort of the boy of whom thou have chosen to watch. Though there still remains the question, do ye see this effort as futile and do ye relish in his pain, or do thine eyes see someone that is experiencing something that ye have come across?" He finished.

After speaking as such, he went away to where the two were training and let the student have a rest, and looking at him, even with me not on good terms with him would agree to the decision made. I too decided to walk away and find myself a new place to bring my musing mind. I then found myself walking to the central plaza of the city, the area in which I was taking residence not far from it. I knew it was the center plaza because of the openness of the area and also the monolith I have stumbled upon, it being elevated from the main pavement and road.

A monolith that has a prophecy inscribed onto the faces of the structure itself. The words the monolith spoke, intrigue me enough to read it, and once I have finished reading it, I felt myself wanting to laugh. "A man with a body of steel. A Hero of Vanguards to protect the weak… It seems like a tale too tall." I said to no one in particular. Though that thought added another question for my mind to ponder; Would the prophecy really come true? And if it would then… Why not when I needed to be saved? Why was not it been fulfilled when my village needed help?

Why was I not saved before all of the things that I suffered through came to pass?

With no answer to my own questions, I averted my mind from it and instead mused about the question posed to me before; How did I see that man as? As I thought about it, my emotions did not run wild because of anger or hatred. I felt an emotion undiscernible to me. It was like my emotions all tangled together into a messy pile that is impossible to sort through.

Once again, my musing left me without any answers to my question, and with a building headache, I decided to go to the graveyard to once again visit my precious friend. Once I was at the graveyard, I made sure that I am walking at a gentle pace, as to show my respect for the fallen dead, knowing that they are warriors of great deeds. And also to help myself remember that Aran became qualified to be counted among them.

To that notion, I still feel some sting. A sting that is directed to my heart for my inability to be of much use to the ones I love. My weakness.

It was not long after I reached Aran's grave marker; It being his battered sword and shield that he used to protect me and his master. I then sat close to the grave and leaned on the shield that is secured into the ground by a strong rack, my mind wandering around the questions posed to me that I tried not to think about much but still finding myself coming back to. As I did, I turned my gaze up to the sky, visible through the massive hole that allowed light to come and shine through, illuminating almost the whole city.

Up in the blue sky, I saw birds happily flying by, clouds floating to where the winds blow them too. And slowly these images allowed me to slow down, to put my mind at ease, to slowly drift me to a deep slumber.

As I slept, I found myself dreaming, no, seeing a vision. A vision about Aran. In the vision, I saw him performing mundane tasks that we did together when I was still in the estate of his master. He performed them gladly and vigorously. His face was never marred by a frown nor did sweat and strain stop him from maintaining its bright countenance. As I watched the vision proceed, I felt that it was trying to tell me something, realize a certain meaning from the vision.

Though as hard for me to admit, I did not figure it out fast enough to appreciate the scenes shown to me. When the vision reached a point where it depicted the end of a normal day, I found myself seeing Aran going to his room, tired and worn out from the day's work, though his face still bore the smile I saw from the beginning. When he finally reached the door of his appointed room, before he went to open it to enter, he turned around. And then with a bit of regret in his eyes, he looked straight at mine.

For the duration of the vision, I had the impression that I was just someone that is there to witness and not interact. To see a message, not receive them. Though, the eyes of my friend said otherwise. After staring at me for some seconds, looking like he was hesitating to even open his mouth and say a single word, he finally gathered himself and spoke. "… I'm sorry Elia. I… I left you behind. I wasn't planning on leaving you, but. Well, I was not strong enough. Also, please don' hate the boy, the SiegeFrame that saved you, he did nothing wrong."

He paused as if trying to find the next words he'll say. "Be friends with him, he'll be like me. Actually, maybe even more. He'll help you with everything. I know it. Oh and also, it may be cruel of me to ask for this, but, can you go and see Master Hiran? Tell him thanks, for all the things he did for me. Would really mean a lot for me."

With a bitter smile, he once again faced his room and this time opened the door. When he did, instead of a room, what greeted us was a bright white light, pure and warm. It was inviting, and comforting, though I also felt like that the light was calling for Aran. With a deep breath, he stepped forward and started walking into the light. As for me, I was frozen in my place, not by any external forces, but mine own shock and also jumbled emotions. Though I was shaken away from that frozen state by the last words that Aran left me. "By the way, thank you for relying on me. Thank you for allowing me to do good in my life. Thank you very much."

Came his last message for me, gaze never turning towards me once again as if, if he did look at me, he would not be able to go. A message of final goodbyes. And at that moment, with all of my fiber of being, I reached out to him, trying to at least touch a part of him before he goes, before he vanishes forever. But I failed. The vision ended and I found myself reaching out to the sky blue and calm, the clouds in which are fluffy and white. As the realization slowly set in my mind and heart. Tears started to flow from my eyes to my cheeks.

I cried new tears of loss, sadness, and loneliness. Though In my heart, I also found a small piece of peace, a peace that I didn't know I would feel after another loss.