Closed A Past Reminder [Nickolai Marin]

[Shalita Farlay]

Day 20, Summer, 514 AV

The sun had dipped passed the horizon long ago, giving away to the night. The pale moon stood strong and proud in the sky now, it’s gently light was only half in power as the moon was only a half moon. Such as was life, she thought to herself, some things faded away, only to come back eventually. However, she was a ghost and so all she was doing was nothing. She wasn’t fading and neither was she coming back to full. She would never be human again, this she had realized long ago, but she still mourned for her human life. In Kenash, there were plenty of reminders of what she had lost, but at least she hadn’t seen anyone that she used to know. Well, for the moment she hadn’t, as far as she could tell, Kenash was a long way from Zeltiva and that was how she liked it. Well, she kind of like it that way, however, she often grew very lonely for she didn’t exactly know anyone in Kenash. Wasn’t that the point? She asked herself as a soft sigh graced her lips, she didn’t want anyone telling anything to anyone in Zeltiva that she was dead and living as a ghost. There wasn’t a day that went by that she did not think about those she had left behind in Zeltiva.

She reached her hands out in front of her as her deep blue eyes peered at them, translucent as they were. What would they say if they ever found out? That she was worse than dead? Would they condemn her just like most of the citizens in Kenash. Would they tell her that her very existence at the moment was un-natural. She had heard that many times since being in Kenash, but she didn’t exactly want to remain in a city where her death would be a constant reminder. Where she would hear other women scream in pain as they experience what she had experienced. It was not a pain that she would love to re-hash. In fact, she would rather forget the pain, but her very ghostly existence only served to remind her of it. Forgetting the pain, was not an option, she thought to herself as she looked to the half-moon. Sometimes, Shal sympathized with the lone wolves that one, might by chance, hear as they howled to the moon. She could understand the loneliness that one might feel as they traveled their path alone.

Slowly, the ghost began to wonder exactly where her drifting form had gone, she was still within Kenash, this she knew for she wouldn’t drift anywhere else, for fearing that one might recognize her. Her drifting movements came to a stop as she dropped her hands back to her sides and looked up and around her form. Well, she was most certainly no longer in Reed Park where she had been admiring the sunset. It had been beautiful, even though she could no longer feel the warmth of the sun as it ebbed away, only to give way to the moon’s gentle light, at least she could still admire the view that the setting sun gave. Although, she admired it alone, an old man seemed to be fishing near by and a couple had also walked, hand in hand along the broadwalk. Human activities that she dearly missed, had sent a pang of sadness through her and it must have been why she had drifted away without a destination in mind. Looking up, she noticed a complex, and she angled her head to the right as she recognized this complex. It was The Traveler’s Complex, however she was standing, well floating a foot above the street behind the building.

Ever since she had died, Shalita had taken to admiring buildings, seeing as they had history. History that even she had but her history was not really note-worthy, not as note-worthy as buildings. She often wondered at how long they had stood there and if they had been used for something else. She had yet to enter this building, or maybe she should just simply admire it from the outside. People tended to scare easily when she just floated through the door. Well, it was more the fact that they didn’t like it, apparently everyone had to knock, including ghosts. Shal still tended to still try and do human activities, but they were tiring and it didn’t exactly get her anywhere that she wanted to go. People saw her as a ghost, not as a human and they treated her as a ghost, not really caring that she was once human like they were. Should she just give in to the darkness that she constantly felt within? To the anger that she felt on a daily basis, as she had been denied the full human life that she had desperately wanted to live. She thought to herself as she drifted back into her thoughts.

It was at this point that her gaze caught sight of a hooded figure, she hadn’t noticed it till now, perhaps that was because she had a way with drifting into her thoughts, something that she did fairly often. Well, it was only her and her thoughts that mostly kept her entertained, she had thought about getting a cat, but animals didn’t like her very much and she didn’t think that the owner of the Distillery would like a random cat running around his business. As it was, the cat might die of shock, for there were two other ghosts taking up residence at the Distillery. The hooded figure reminded her of an old childhood friend, he always wore a hood himself, but they had gotten up to quite the mischief when they were children. Another sigh graced her lips as she continued to watch this hooded figure, she did miss the people that she had once known, but perhaps it was just not her luck to ever remain within their company, she was after-all a ghost. Chances are, she would still be haunting these plains long after they had passed away. This hooded figure however, had captured her attention and other then the hood, it was the way that he moved that reminded her of her old childhood friend. It couldn’t be… Could it? She questioned herself, perhaps she should follow this person, just to make sure that it wasn’t him.


Common | Symenos | Thoughts

[Nickolai Marin]

Patience was a trait seldom possessed by those of his age...but then again, it was not very often that many of his age would dare to walk his path. For years, the "arts" which characterized the life of Nickolai were larceny and stealth; yet treading this path often resulted in capture, torment, and an untimely demise. However, the young prowler was just as bold as he was patient. And so, he did not mind waiting until well after the sun had dipped past the horizon to begin his work. Nor did he mind risking his life to make the wealthy squirm. He, unlike the typical man or woman of his age, was a divine contrast to the norm, for his goal was not merely survival...it was the fulfillment of a lifelong vendetta against those who had wealth.

This day, the target of Nickolai's larcenist ways was none other than the Traveler's Complex of Kenash. Due to the nature of the establishment, and the type of individuals which laid their heads to rest there, one aiming to strike the rich would not typically begin their hunt for coin in such a place. However, Nickolai had patience...He knew that it would be suicide to attempt a robbery of one of the city's famous plantations at this point. This was because he was new to the city and the region. Nickolai lacked the vital knowledge of the grounds and personnel required to pull of such heists; and wasn't about to throw his life away going in blind. As such, he would play it safe for the time being and attempt to empty the pockets of a few traders and travelers; which was something he had done quite a few times before.

Clinging to the shadows like always, the young prowler moved in a way he had practiced countless times over the years. His steps were quiet and filled to the brim with purpose: each gently treading upon the earth with the utmost care. Nickolai did not aim to wake the dead with his movements, nor did he aspire to snap any twigs or any such debris whilst moving, so care was required. Garbed in black for the job, the young prowler was more than well equipped for the job at hand...but it was better to be over-qualified than under! Coming to a halt behind the rearmost door of the establishment, Nickolai lowered himself to a crouch...and that is when he felt it. There was an uncharacteristic chill which ran down the length of his spine.

Was it fear? Doubt? Second thoughts? No. This was something quite different...yet Nickolai dismissed this almost immediately. Right now, he had to focus on the task at hand. Reaching into his harness, Nickolai produced a simple lockpick from his kit and slid it into the door's keyhole. Then, through a series of well-placed flicks of his wrist, he began the process of picking the lock as quietly as possible. Of course, this task was not overly difficult, for the rearmost lock was much simpler than the front; and thieves of his caliber were not exactly common in Kenash. Therefore, the lock eventually gave way and the back door slid open before the thief. Not pausing in order to pat himself on the back, the young prowler promptly stowed his tool and admitted himself within; ignorant of the fact that he was being watched...
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[Shalita Farlay]

A frown creased her facial features as the hooded figure began to play around with the lock upon the Complex and she began to wonder whether it was truly locked and if it was, was he breaking into the complex? Shalita never bothered to see whether doors were locked anymore, mostly because of the simple fact being, was that she was dead, a ghost. She just ghosted through walls and doors. She did once, actually open a door and walked through it, however, it felt un-natural to her now, as did most human activities. She never walked through doors like that again, she just ghosted through them, as well as walls. In fact, she liked ghosting through walls when entering buildings, because people really didn’t see that sort of thing coming. It sometimes gave them a fright and her, a laugh. Scaring people was a plus side to being a ghost, but she wasn’t sure whether the positives outweighed the negatives, for loneliness ate at her like a disease. She drifted there upon the spot as her blue gaze watched as whatever he was doing to the door successfully unlocked and opened to let him in. Well, that is one way to go through a door unwelcomed, she thought to herself as she waited for him to pocket whatever tool or tools that he had used to unlock the door that had previously been locked. A chuckle rose to her lips as a thought came to mind, who-ever locked that door is going to swear that they locked it and will plague their memories to make sure that they did lock it.

The ghost waited only a few ticks before she began to follow the man who had closed the door behind him. That was smart, she told herself as she stared at the closed door for a moment and she nervously ran her hands down the front of her blue sundress. Why she was nervous, she didn’t know why. Perhaps it was because this hooded figure reminded her of her old childhood friend. If she entered into that building, it would more than likely make the figure realize that she was indeed there, following him. If the man realized she was there, then he would probably search out the source of the cold and spot her. The effects were not really that noticeable when she was out in the open. If it was someone from her childhood, then he would instantly remember her. It’s not like she changed much… Well, she had changed a lot really. She went from human to ghost and she had been human when she last knew this childhood friend that she was thinking about. Taking an unnecessary breath, not that her lungs actually filled with air, she started forwards into the complex, drifting through the door that the man had used to enter the building. Instantly the room that she had entered began to drop a few degrees and the scent of blood would begin to fill the room.


Common | Symenos | Thoughts

[Nickolai Marin]

Over the course of his stay, the young prowler had begun to find joy in the decadence of Kenash. This was not due to his own indulgence in the culture, but instead for two other reasons. First and foremost, such decadence also carried with it an impressive sum of coin to steal; and likewise such wealth often trickled into the upkeep of the city's buildings. While age was indeed a factor in each and every structure, the average accommodations were often well kept. This held true for the door that he had only just now breached. While the lock was above average due to the aforementioned upkeep, thereby adding to the time required to pick said lock, the hinges were also perfectly lubricated. Therefore, when Nickolai admitted himself within, the door did not so much make a sound; and the same held true when he quietly closed it behind him.

Immediately upon trespassing within the Traveler's Complex, the young prowler pressed his form against the adjacent wall. Exhaling calmly, he then lowered himself into a half-crouch and began to hug the shadows. Having practiced this particular movement frequently over years, it was almost second nature to Nickolai at this point. Slowly, but surely, he made his way along the hall; careful to test each and every step for potential creaks in the wood before taking them. Ultimately, he reached the midpoint of the hall, where a table stood. Upon its surface was a live candle that had burnt through half of its total length. Giving his index and thumb a quick lick, Nickolai swiftly extinguished the flame before resuming his progress...only to feel a sudden chill.

At first, he thought it was simply a drop in temperature due to the candle...but then he realized that he was in the muggy city of Kenash, and not some northern region. However, just as he was about to dismiss the change in temperature and proceed...a pungent scent invaded his nostrils. It brought back memories of the day that his mentor, Leon, had perished; for the scent of fresh blood was forever stained into his memory. Instinct gripped Nickolai in that moment, and as such he calmly reached for one of the ten throwing daggers upon his weapon harness. Seizing it into his grasp, he then turned as quickly (and as quietly) as possible before staring into the face of death itself. From behind the mask which hid the majority of his face from view, his jaw dropped.

'Twas a ghost...the first ghost he had ever seen!

A surprised, half-gasp escaped him in that instant before his fight or flight response decided to kick in. Unlike some, his reaction was frivolous: Fight. Raising the dagger at the ready, the young prowler made as if he were to throw the weapon through the apparition's head; before common sense decided to kick in. Being that she was a spirit, the dagger would only whizz right through her head...so there was nothing he could do save attempt to keep himself safe from being revealed to those within the Complex. As he racked his brains, seeking a way out of his predicament, Nickolai noticed something peculiar about the ghost...as if, simply looking at her, resulted in the strangest feeling of deja vu. Squinting, he took a careful step forward and noted the woman's eyes...

...Before feeling a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. It couldn't be. It couldn't be! The ghost couldn't have been his childhood friend, the one he pilfered from market stalls from! She couldn't be the same girl he chased around the city before nightfall! No, she couldn't have died...Nickolai just had to know for sure. "Shalita." he breathed, almost in disbelief. "Please tell me that you aren't Shalita."
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[Shalita Farlay]

The area had been dark by the time she had entered and her gaze searched for the hooded figure that she had followed into the complex. Her gaze fell upon the candle that looked only to have been recently extinguished, for wisps of smoke, was slowly drifting away from the tip. Had he extinguished it so then people didn’t notice him so well? It was interesting to see this man in action, although, if she had followed every person that broke into houses, she would probably know everything about how to break in buildings. No, she had followed this male for a reason and had silently hoped that he hadn’t noticed the drop in temperature and the scent of copper. However, it seemed that it was too much to hope for as she watched the man spin around to face her and a gasp of some kind reached her. He was surprised that he was facing a ghost? Well, she supposed, that it wasn’t all that common to come across a ghost as they break into buildings. Her gaze fell to view the dagger that he had brought up into her view, holding it in a ready kind of position.

A smirk slipped onto the ghost’s lips then as a shake of her head was given at this. Even she knew that the dagger wouldn’t hurt her, she hadn’t found anything that did hurt her. Although one day, she wouldn’t be surprised if some smart human did make something that could hurt her. However, in this situation, she was fairly certain that she would be safe, even if he did throw it at her. He must have realized this for himself as his dagger hand lowered and she glanced over his form. It was just itching right there, at the front of her mind, she wanted so desperately to ask, for she saw a great deal of dark hooded figures, but this one… The way he moved was just so familiar and she held the question on the tip of her tongue. He then took a step towards her and she drifted back a just little bit, a human habit that she still hadn’t let go of just yet. She had only been a ghost for three years, so she was still prone to some human habits and activities, even though she knew that he couldn’t hurt her. Well, she imagined that some kind of magical thing could hurt her, but she hadn’t stumbled across it yet.

It was then that the male breathed a word and his familiar voice reached her. Her name! He knew her name! It was him then, it really was him and a lance of emotional pain shot through her as the smirk that had once sat upon her lips, slipped from them and she backed further away from him. ”Nickolai…” She whispered as her hands lifted to press to her chest, pain and sadness flickering over her facial features. He was the last one that she expected to have seen here in Kenash, of all places. Hell, she never expected to have seen anyone from her past human life here in Kenash. She figured that she could wait everyone out till they were long gone and then she could return to Zeltiva… But here he was and it felt just like the day that the child began to rip, tear and eat its way out of her. Her gaze drifted away from him to view the floor as her form lowered so then it appeared as if she was standing upon it. She couldn’t feel it, oh no, the only thing she could physically feel was the cold that clung to her. Why was he here? She questioned herself as she shook her head. ”Can’t be here…” She muttered in broken symenos, her pained gaze returned to view the hooded male that she had once known so well.


Common | Symenos | Thoughts

[Nickolai Marin]

In the instant that the apparition uttered the young prowler's name, a conflict erupted in the rear of his mind. An immense tide of emotions welled up within him, causing his eyes to sting and water...Yet his mind, his instincts, screamed in protest. Here was not the place to grieve. Here was not the place to mourn, nor reunite; for at the drop of a miza, an employee might round the corner and witness the intrusion. For a moment, Nickolai stood there in silence; forcing himself to bite down upon his lip in order to stave off the sorrow welling within his throat. With a broken voice, he managed to utter: "Not here." and quickly began to move. This time, his walk through the shadows was immensely quicker, for his internal distress was clouding his judgment.

Despite this, he managed to reach the door and step outside into the coolness of evening without any incident. However, this was still not the appropriate place; and he could still end up in irons for loitering behind the Traveler's Complex. As such, confident that his childhood friend would follow, Nickolai began to stride off away from the Complex. Silence ruled him as he took swift paces away from the beaten path, until slowing to an eventual halt. His final steps were all but staggered and his strength failed him. His knees fell to the earth, where he then braced himself upon the flat of his palms. His dominant hand balled into a fist and pounded the ground, frustration and hurt raging through every second. "Why." he growled, as if demanding an explanation from the very world itself.

"Have the gods not had their fill? Have they not trampled on our lives enough?!" he spat, feeling the waters cascade down from his eyes. With a ragged inhalation, Nickolai then steeled himself...and faced his deceased friend. It was difficult to even look upon her in this state; for a glimpse brought back "fond" memories of old. They ran about the streets of Zeltiva, swiping food from the stalls in order to survive. They played by the docks and chased one another in the University's courtyard. They watched one another's back and always were there for each other. They were friends; damn good friends...and now, Nickolai lived while she was dead. How many more would he have to lose? How many friends and family would the cruelty of gods and man steal from him?!

"How..." he managed to croak out, "how did this happen?"
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[Shalita Farlay]

While it wouldn’t matter if Shalita was caught within this building, simply because no one could imprison a ghost, well, she hadn’t felt those chains yet, but when he uttered that here wasn’t the best place to linger, she realized that he could still feel the prison of chains and bars. Her gaze watched as he began to walk again, his movements so familiar and she began to regret ever following the male. For, she was reliving the pain of the loss, the loss of her human life, the one that held so much promise. This cold one, barely held any hope for her, it was filled with anger, sadness and the hint of darkness on the fringes, darkness, that she was constantly battling to keep away, however her sadness and anger did not help with that endeavour. It was then that she began to silently drift after him, not really bothering with mimicking human steps, for her grief and Nickolai’s grief sent her spiralling back into a familiar sadness. A sadness that she couldn’t seem to shake, no matter how hard she tried to put everything behind her. It was like she was stuck, stuck to replay the same scenes over and over, to re-live the emotions that raged war within.

Once he had led them a few sufficient paces away from the complex itself and it was then that she witnessed as he seemed to break down in grief, beating upon the ground with his fists. Shalita wanted only to reach out, to comfort him, but she couldn’t even comfort herself, how could she comfort her friend who had once been her whole world. She lifted a hand to grasp at her hair as he spat at the gods. What god cares for the suffering of those that revere them? She questioned silently before he turned towards her and she could see just how much it hurt him to see her like this, just by the way he sheld himself. It was why she had come to Kenash, so then she wouldn’t hurt those that she cared for and loved with her very ghostly presence. She had wanted them to remember her before she had been kidnapped, raped and killed. The moment that he questioned how it happened, she shook her head and looked away from him, her voice thick with the emotional pain that she felt on a constant basis. ”You… You don’t want to know…” She said softly, however, she knew, she knew that he would ask and ask, until she finally gave in and told him. The corner of her lips tweaked just a little bit at the memory. He always had a way of getting secrets out of her, no matter how hard she tried to keep them from him. However, telling this story would bring about her ghostly appearance as she told it, for re-living the pain and memories sent her plunging into that void of darkness, pain and anger. Why her? Would be the thought that continued to plague her mind.

She lifted her gaze so then her deep blue gaze would peer towards the male, never had she seen him take that mask of his off. ”But I could never keep anything from you…” She said softly as slowly, the deep blue colour of her gaze would begin to lighten to a colour of ice blue. Her black hair began to pale into a grey until it was nothing but white. Her blue sundress lengthen so then the hem covered her bare feet, its colour shifting and paling until it too was nothing but a white colour. Last but not least was the blood red stain, starting at her lower stomach and the stain continued to stain down along the white dress till it reached the hem of her dress. ”It was a harvest… Or so I found out. They had come to Zeltiva and I had been late returning home from the docks. I had seen the male, his hair had been the whitest I had ever seen, but his violet eyes had looked lost and you know that I had always been about helping people. Except, upon approach, things just went black.” A sigh graced her lips as she turned her gaze away from him.

”I had been taken to Kalinor, home of the Symenestra race, where I was raped and locked away for the duration of the pregnancy. The moment that the child was due, it began to eat and rip its way out of me and they just stood there.” The pain… She could still remember the pain as if it was happening right at that second and she closed her eyes. If ghosts could cry, she would have probably fallen to the ground herself, curled up and begged for the gods to just destroy her completely. All of her hopes… Her dreams… Were all gone, she had nothing left except for this ghostly form. ”I don’t know at what point during it all that I had actually died… But I remember waking up in this ghostly form, staring at my own body lying on the floor. So I came to Kenash…” Her gaze returned back to the male, ”I… I just… I just thought that the people that I knew in Zeltiva, would never come here... Of all places…”


Common | Symenos | Thoughts

[Nickolai Marin]

As the words flowed forth from the ghastly woman's lips, Nickolai hearkened with an empty expression upon his face. There was still a shred of disbelief within him that a friend so treasured had died; and now to hear the tale of her demise felt like a dagger upon his heart. Indeed, each and every word left a ragged cut upon his very soul, causing the waters which fell from his eyes to move without ceasing. When she had concluded her tale, silence came to rule Nickolai for several moments. He looked down and drew deep breaths; gritting his teeth in order to prevent fresh bonafide sobs from escaping his lips. It took awhile, but Nickolai ultimately managed to get some form of a grip upon his emotions; and eventually reached up to wipe his eyes.

Ascension gripped his form then and he rose to his feet once again, managing to look into Shalita directly in the eye. For a moment, his gaze lingered upon her face before a misplaced guilt wormed its way into his thoughts...and ultimately escaped his lips. "I'm a shykey friend." he began, reaching out with his dominant hand. Part of him expected to feel...warmth and skin; as if to shake him from what he was convinced was a delusion. However, as his fingertips passed through her cheek, Nickolai exhaled solemnly and retracted his hand. "If I would have been there to protect you..." came his whisper, completely wrought with regret. Looking away, the young prowler resumed fighting the lump in his throat whilst picturing the gruesome scene in his mind...

His fingers balled into tight fists while the scene played over and over again. Capture. Rape. Murder. All by the hands of the Symmestra dogs. How dare they steal the life of his beloved friend? How dare they use her as a means to breed their loathesome race?! "Those...those bastards...I swear to you Shal, I'm going to find the petchers who did this to you. I'm going to make them petching pay for what they did to you. I don't give a damn if I have to burn down their whole petching city!" he growled, meeting her gaze once more. "I'm going to kill every last one of them. Your death will not go unpunished nor forgotten."
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[Shalita Farlay]

The moment that he reached out, she almost wished that she could feel the hand as it passed through her. Sure she could take on a more solid type of form, but it took so much effort and she was afraid that she would be so cold to the touch. She was never warm, not anymore. She couldn’t even feel the warmth of the sun, no matter how long she stood under the rays or how long she watched it for. The passing hand also reminded her of the simple fact that she would never be able to feel the embrace of another, she would never marry and she would never have any more children. ”I already mourn for the loss of what I once had, for the loss of my hopes and dreams. Each day I’m living in another memory just to pass the time, so don’t mourn for me Nick, I already do that for myself as it is.” She said softly as she allowed her form to drift back away from the male a little. She knew it had to be hard seeing her like this and she began to wonder whether she should have gone to Sahova or some other place where she would be un-recognizable to anyone, just a ghost in a city full of strangers. ”I thank whom-ever is listening that you weren’t there. You are supposed to live, to become great and I’m sure that there is someone special waiting for you, if there isn’t already.”

She turned away from him, and she? She was meant to die, or so she thought, but that didn’t make her death any easier to accept. Two wrongs never made a right, she knew this, nor could she allow him to kill a race just because she died by their hands. If there was anything that she learned while being locked up in the room, was that if they had Symenestra women, they would go through the same process if they had fallen pregnant. However, she wasn’t sure whether humans were treated differently than to their own race’s women. ”You shouldn’t kill a race because I died, do things for yourself Nickolai, I can no longer be helped anymore, I’m dead, so do things that make you happy.” Her icy gaze drifted off into the dark streets as her shoulders sloped downwards, he shouldn’t be angry or sad because of her. He should have just found out that she had gone missing from Zeltiva and never have found out that she had died. She didn’t want to cause him pain, it was why she had gone to Kenash. It wasn’t his fault that she had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn’t his fault that he hadn’t been there and she wished that he wouldn’t blame himself.

”Ya know… I always wished that we hadn’t grown a little apart when we got older… Although I had a roof over my head and a pair of loving parents, you never held that against me, not once.” She managed a scoff before shaking her head, they were memories, but they were all she had left of her former life. She was a ghost now, which meant her human life was no more. ”I should leave… My presence will do no good for you, it will only hurt and remind you of memories long gone…” Her gaze dropped as her arms rose only to wrap them around her lower stomach, her shoulders hunching over. ”No good,” She muttered in broken Symenos, he deserved better than a ghost of a memory.


Common | Symenos | Thoughts

[Nickolai Marin]

Although the words that his dearly departed friend uttered were the definition of true, the young prowler did not immediately calm. In fact, it took a few moments for the blood boiling in his veins to settle; and for the wrathful expression upon his face to vanish. However, as he took the time to mull over all that she had said, Nickolai began to entertain a slight train of thought...that came as a slight comfort. It was weird, to say the very least, but it caused him to brave the distance between them in two steps. Despite the fact that he knew she wouldn't feel it, and that his arms would pass through her body, Nickolai wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. "It's impossible for me not to mourn your life, Shalita. You're my friend; and the theft of your future is something that wounds me to the core. This...this wasn't how things were supposed to be. We were all supposed to get rich and come back to Zeltiva..." he began his voice but a whisper.

"But, now that these things have been taken from you...It'll be my pleasure to steal them back. I mean...At the end of the day, you're right Shal. Even if I tear every one of those petchers apart, it won't change what's been done; but what I can do is something that'll make the both of us happy. I'll live for the both of us. I'll survive in this godsforsaken world and live out the dreams that we had growing up." he continued, forcing the smallest of smiles onto his face. "However, if I'm going to do this, I'll need something from you. You may no longer be alive...but you're here, right now; and frankly, I don't want to lose you all over again. I wasn't going to come back to Zeltiva for a long time...and yet fate would have it that I get to see one of my best friends all the way out here."

"So, keeping it simple, what I need from you is to stay. Stay with me Shalita." When he had finished speaking, the young prowler lowered his arms and stuffed them into his pockets. He then leaned back ever so slightly and exhaled deeply into the air, attempting to prevent a fresh wave of tears from surfacing. Facing her once more, he then added: "And as a sidenote, of course I wouldn't hold the fact that you had a loving family and a home against you. I mean, you only snuck me food from your pantry hundreds of times!" In a time like this, sometimes the only thing one could do to keep from crying is laugh...And that is exactly what Nickolai did.
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