The Love Note

I was bent over, leaning on my knees, and breathing hard. I had thought my rebirth would change things permanently, and maybe it did. But I could not see it. After she and I had walked away from the water, I was convinced things would be easier. Maybe not easy, but at least not the constant struggle, not the constant torment. I could not have been more mistaken.

What I thought was a lasting peace was merely a short reprieve before plunging into turmoil. Where only two things had been plaguing my, now stood three. And the third flayed my very soul when it visited. It didn't storm continually, but when the downpour was happening it was as violent as it had ever been. Yet still I strove, and this time I worked on my swordsmanship.

The blade held great potential, but for now it was too heavy for me to use. It was blunt, and rusty as well and whenever I practiced I would accidentally draw my own blood. If I thought the blade was difficult, then I did not know the shield. Where the blade was weighty, the shield crushed. The shield was stout and well suited to defense, the only problem was me, I was not suited to defense. I wasn't suited for anything.

But day in and out she drilled me, sharpening, honing, swinging, and blocking. Always practicing, always hurting. But ever so slowly, through months of failure and trying, I improved. If she didn't say it I wouldn't notice it, but she would not lie to me. So I trusted, and I trained. So that one day, some great and wonderous day, I could rid myself of them. Of the things rending my mind.

And that day did come. After journeying far and wide, after much toil, and after a long endurance. I held a sharp sword with no rust, and a shield. Firmly I confronted the things. The first to attack was the last to arrive, the one who twisted my own words. I could not take it alone and soon it was overwhelming me. But she helped and we slew it. She distracted the second as I faced my former master.

It was slippery, evading my attacks and trying to soothe my anger. I would not be soothed, and while it could run, it could not escape me. Then it too was slain. I turned on the second and she and I struck as one. Leaving it dead we simply journeyed on. At that moment there was a break in the clouds, and sunshine flowed down towards us. It felt like a warm hug, the first one I had ever received. And with it came a note.

It read, the arduous path was necessary, to make you strong in my ways. To give you wisdom and valour, to teach you how to lead others on the same journey. To show you that even in the bleakest times, and in the most dificult of tribulations that I would ever be with you. I, the one who gave you the strength to climb the fence, I the fire in your bones, I the light of the heavens, and I the love of your heart. I chose you, I will always choose you, I have wept with you, and now we will laugh together. Forever then, but your travels are not over, yet in the the moments of great trial remember this note, remember your victories, and remember I have won them all for you.

So we continued down this road, and traveled towards the sky. No more storms, only necessary rain.

Dt

P.s.

This is the end. But I will be re-writing the story sometime in the near future. I want it to be like a collection of entries into a journal of a long journey. It really needs about 5 more short stories in it to be more realistic of the immense amount of time and effort it takes for someone to go from possessed to saved.