Evaros

I found her standing in the fields of sunflowers and tall grass near her house once more, her hair a pale gold that seemed to glow under the evening's sun. She turned towards me, a smile on her face. If only things didn't have to change.

That's the strange things about mortals. Everything changes so fast with them. I shot back a smile, though she could tell that something was on my mind as she began to walk towards me before taking my hand in hers.

I never knew how to describe this feeling of being with her, it made me happy, but also filled me with a deeper sadness that I couldn't forever keep at bay. She would grow old and die. Just like all of the others. There was no point to this.

The thoughts that plagued my mind melted away as she leaned in and her lips met mine. Something about this always made me forget that this had to be temporary.

We sat in the grass for hours that night, a comfortable silence between us, words unspoken about our future. It was something we never wanted to think of. We both knew that one day this would end due to one simple fact; she was a mortal, and I was not.

~~~

I had met her in the fields she so often explored, her father owned the land and she grew up learning to care for it. For a while I simply watched from a distance, however I couldn't help my curiosity forever.

One day I approached under the guise of simply looking to make a purchase, they sold what their fields yielded after all. It didn't end there, as that night may be the most I've ever spoken in one sitting.

We met often after that, never needing to talk about our future, never feeling any pressure to do anything more, simply content with each other, here and now. It stayed that way for years as we grew closer. I confided in her, and her in me.

I had learned that she was an experienced hunter and had much experience with guns from her childhood, though she never liked hurting the animals. She much prefered the farming aspect of this life, as the fields were her home. She still began to keep a small pistol on herself for defense after I had perstered her to do so.

After her father passed we chose to move in together, choosing to continue living in the house that she had grown up in, on the land her father had cared for.

We were happy, for a time.

It's funny how fast things can change.

I will never forget that day. The day when it all fell apart.

~~~

I sat on our bed for most of the day, content simply existing. My life hadn't been easy up until now as I had always been on the run, living in fear of being discovered. As such, lying around was a luxury I rarely got to enjoy. I remember vividly how I was staring at the ceiling, wondering if this was how normal people spent their lives.

Shortly thereafter a scream rang out faintly. Too far to tell if it was anyone I knew. My curiosity got the better of me and I thought to see what was happening, so I headed out into the cool evening air. I stuck to the long shadows cast by the surrounding buildings as to not be seen, it was better to avoid questions about who I was as everyone in the town knew each other.

I continued towards where I thought I'd heard the noise coming from until I heard faint whimpers coming from a nearby alleyway. I glanced in still attempting to remain unseen as I saw what appeared to be four figures wearing dark robes surrounding a young boy. At first I thought it unjust until I saw something glimmer in the boys eye before one of the figures was thrown into the far wall.

The figures began tracing strange glyphs in the air while muttering something I couldn't understand, however I knew the action well. They were casting some sort of spell, from the situation I assumed it to be a protection spell of sorts. The figures began to glow faintly signaling that the spell had taken effect. They then began chanting once more as I saw chains of magic reach out and grab the boy. He began to scream as I saw something strike one of the robed figures. I thought it to be the boy striking back once more. Until I saw a familiar woman holding a gun pointed towards the robed figures.

~~~

The girl I had met had an adventurous spirit and a strong sense of justice. It was strange that someone like her would choose to spend her time with somebody like me. We were opposites in so many ways; she would always choose to act as I was content simply observing, she wanted what she believed was right and would go to extreme lengths to get it, where I thought that it was best to let things play out as the universe intended it. Maybe that's what drew us together; our differences.

Maybe that's why I should have seen this coming.

~~~

She put herself between the boy and the robed figures, telling them to leave him alone since "he was just a boy". She couldn't see through the disguise as the others and I could, and I suspect even if she knew the truth she'd act this way still; she'd accepted that I was something beyond this world after all.

At this point I made my presence known as I told her not to interfere because I didn't want her to get hurt, but it was too late. I heard one of the men chanting and saw the girl I loved get thrown against a wall, then I lost control.

~~~

The day I told her what I was she didn't seem shocked or betrayed. I sat her down in our shared living room and she grabbed my hand as if sensing something was off.

"I'm not from here." I stated simply, expecting her to misunderstand, maybe hoping she would. I knew if she did I wouldn't have the strength to correct her.

"Do you mean this area... or...?" she asked looking towards me with an unreadable expression.

"This realm, this plane, whatever you'd call it." I said more towards the ground than her. This felt like a betrayal of all we'd built together.

"...so you aren't human." She stated more than asked.

Her bluntness caught me off guard as I stumbled over my words, something only she could make me do "I um, well I mean I-"

She took my face in her hand gently as she laughed, a light fluttering laugh that made me forget I was ever nervous about telling her. "It's fine, I always knew you were strange, I'm not about to throw you onto the street because of who you are. I know you're genuine with me."

She looked at me as if expecting me to disagree and shock her further. I didn't.

She took my long white hair in her hand as she looked at me with a curious expression. "Is this real?"

"Well I can be whatever you want me to be, but I like to think this suits me." I said looking down over my slender female figure.

She leaned in and with a breathy whisper said "I think so too."

Shortly after we were wed. Not by anything official, simply pledging ourselves to each other in secret. She had become my wife, and I hers.

There was finally someone who had accepted me.

~~~

Here I stood, hand outstretched, three of the robed figures dead, the last one holding the blade that had been turned against his friends at my will. I released my control for a moment as he glanced at me and in a hushed breath asked "What are you?"

I would not satisfy him with an answer as a tendril of shadowy energy protruded from my hand killing him in an instant. I wasn't a monster, I wouldn't make them suffer too much.

I went over to my wife and checked her pulse, she was unconscious but alive, luckily, I would hate for her to see what I had to do. The boy the figures were after looked at me and nodded in understanding before he dashed out of the alley.

~~~

After the encounter in the alleyway things were calm for a few days. I had made her stay home after she'd regained consciousness, I didn't want to see her hurt anymore and told her to take some time to recover before heading back out, after all the crops could wait.

It was on the third day of us staying indoors together when a knock at the door woke me from a nap. I walked to the door to see that it was already answered. The strangers at the door seemingly a group of probably five or six individuals. I saw them look beyond the girl I lived with and see me, upon doing so they began to push into our house.

I heard a protest die on the lips of my wife as somebody that we both instantly recognized entered through the doorway. The keeper of Sy'Run stood in our main room. The keeper was incharge of all knowledge in the land, and had a forbidden text that would drive any normal man mad. Naturally I was curious as I asked him what he was doing here. He did not respond, instead simply holding a hand out towards me. Without a word spoken from him I felt my body freeze.

I was unable to move and forced to watch as I saw my wife restrained as she was yelling out in protest at what was happening. I tried to tell her that it was okay, that she just needed to let it happen.

Unfortunately she wouldn't have listened even if she had heard. I have never wished that guards were competent more than this moment as she broke free from their grasp and held her gun towards the keeper, demanding he free me.

There wasn't any hesitation as multiple blades pierced into her at the defence of one of the most important people in the country. I let out a scream of rage as I broke free from the bindings, the keeper shocked at my momentary strength. I used that moment to reach out to his mind. Next thing I knew many soldiers were dead by the hands of me and the keeper.

I ran over to my wife, her body was limp, unbreathing, I reached out to resurrect her, but as I did I found myself once more restrained. The keeper regaining control of his mind and resisting my influence, something only someone as powerful as him could do. I tried to call out to let me at least save her, but my voice was frozen once more.

~~~

I was taken away from our home.

I was taken away from my wife's corpse.

I was told there would be a funeral, I didn't believe them. They'd want this to be kept off the record.

I was locked away with my magic sealed before I was informed of my fate.

On account of the murders I was to be banished. Not as in banished from the country I would learn. As in banished to a plane of endless darkness. Chained there for eternity.

Some of the most powerful mages were summoned, their minds reinforced to resist any influence I could muster. There I was banished to an endless darkness. Four seals chaining me, each one hidden away as to not be broken.

~~~

There I lie sleeping for thousands of years.

Until one day when a seal was broken. I felt myself wake and I tried to push through into the realm I was sealed off from, to no avail. I felt my body still chained in this endless darkness, however somehow my mind had been freed.

I forced my mind through the cracks in this reality that I could feel, and there I saw two boys, neither one older than 19, they stood in fear as I spread my influence once more, demanding they seek the remaining seals and undo them as they had this one.

Once they do I will return.

Once they do I will have my vengeance.

The time is coming, the seals will be undone.

Evaros will reawaken.

I will be free.