Farren Kutter, leader of the group known as the Rangers of Yliakum, sat at the edge of a cliff. To all but those who know him, it might seem odd for him to do so. Adjusting his blindfold slightly as it rested uncomfortably on his ears, his mind was on other things. Flashes of memories came to him such as the attack on his life by Cerientos. The Stone Labyrinths came next, his days there frightening though beneficial. The loss of many of his friends flashed through his mind, and the subversion and controlling of Zhai to pit her against the dwarves, and then himself. The battle between he and Zhai, a battle heād never wanted to fight, and a battle he refused to win. Then the freeing of Zhai from that creature called Angadu. A good memory at last. The party celebrating Zhaiās freedom, where he gave her the leadership of the Rangers of Yliakum. Then, more loss of friends, to the wilds or to death.
Then the coming of Zakkā¦ Vague memories, bits and pieces of battles. He remembered losing his eye, the blade in Zakkās hand slashing up across his eye, and then the memory of him throwing a knife at Zakk in anger, killing him. He remembered many battles with Zakkā¦ He remembered other memories of that time, with no details, supposedly ones that when heād died he did not wish to remember. Then came the wandering period, during which he had wandered away from the Rangers and been with other groups, including the Vespers of Laanx, which he joined for the want to help Xillix, whom heād loved, or thought he did. Those days had turned him into something he didnāt want to be, but then the promise of battle came, and his training brought back the fire in him. No longer was he one of the Vespers, but more of a bodyguard. Still not a ranger again. He had not been one again for until some time after that.
Then came the evils of Janeousā¦ Which were luckily ended. Afterwards came more evil, this time some sort of form changer, shape shifter. Heād been trying to track it, and then Zhai came and told him sheād found a trail. He followed her without hesitation, without seeing for himself this ātrailā. She led him to the Laanx Temple dungeons, and there his folly was revealed as Zhai was not really Zhai, and was instead the very shape shifter that he had believed them to be tracking. And that was when the creature took his other eye. Then his memories went void of vision, and all he remembered were soundsā¦ And he just stopped trying, though one more memory came to him. Hearing of Zhaiās disappearance and the imposter.
The ranger came out of his flashbacks, an expression of pain visible on a face that didnāt seem to have ever held that expression before. No tears came from his damaged eyes, he wasnāt even sure it was possible for him. He heard the soft voices of nature in his mind, the thoughts of the trees and animals and other life. They said many things, some contradicting others, none giving clear direction nor any answers.
āToo long have I lived this way,ā he said after many minutes. āNever have I asked reward, never will I do so, but there must be a purpose. I have been shown none. I am done with this life. Nature will let me go, for I can hear that it doesnāt truly need me anymore. So few of my friends remain, so perhaps it is time for me to pass as wellā¦ā Standing up slowly, Farren was balanced easily right on the edge of the cliff and says to himself, āHehā¦ I always thought Iād die in a fight some day.ā After these words leave his mouth, he takes a step forward, dropping from the cliff.
(The End...?)
