Values and Decisions

I am turning into the wrath of being in a lifetime misery; I am not the one who fails, I am the failure itself; I am nothing, no one, and nonsense. It has been years and years of me wandering around here, without any desire, and without any purpose. Despite the fact that I hate it here, I don’t want to get out of it; I am afraid of having feelings again, I am afraid of putting out myself, afraid of being broken, stolen, and finally devastated. I am happy enough without them.

My home is a wooden house with a large window and a small porch. Around it is nothing but green hills and mountains, covered up with a clear sky and the sun among clouds, or stars around the moon. No one comes here, but only if they want to venture to the path of gaining a special power, merely by calling their strength. I have no strength, nor I have the desire to have one. I decided to live here just because I make misery wherever I go, I have an aura of making everything dull, and everyone bored. Maybe this is my strength; no, my aptitude. I don’t know. I am scared.

The last time someone came here was two years ago. His name was Collins. He knew me, I guess he had talked with someone who had already been here. We talked and I showed him the way. You won’t believe what a trait he had: the power of will. It’s fantastic. I wish I had it. I wish I could control my mind, my feelings, and my desires. After he went to the cliffs and returned with the special power of controlling other’s wills, I could see the great feeling he had, through his smiles and through his eyes. I felt jealous.

In the last year, no one came. It’s something rare to happen. And I was alone for another whole year, waiting for someone to come, and ask me the way. And then I ask them about themselves and start a conversation. It feels great, but waiting for it is a disaster. Some years people just come and ask me where or when they should go, and then they leave, and I have no opportunity to converse with them, and I feel so disappointed that I wish they never came. Because I feel like I had a false hope for the whole last year, and I feel stupid for the whole next year.

This year, however, was different. I don’t count days, so I never know when it’s the calling time. But I knew that it was expectable because it happens when I can smell that autumn is on its way. Anyway, I was laying on the ground, near my small farm next to my house, staring at the cloudless sky, that all of a sudden I saw 2 young girls holding hands, smiling and stalking along the green hills. They were coming close, and they noticed me. They paused for a moment and exchanged looks. I don’t know what they thought of me, but I am sure it wasn’t negative, for they started to come right at me. I stood to welcome them, but the way they had been rambling before did not convey to me that they know where they are. So I remained silent when they reached, till one of them initiated.

“Hi”

She was medium height with long blond hair, wearing a button-down shirt.

I said “Hi” and shook my hand in the air.

“I am Rexom” she replied, then pointed to her friend on her right “She is a bit shy *laughed* her name is Kyrie” Kyrie was tall, with short black hair. She was wearing a white dress, that gleamed in the sunlight, and matched with the green land under our feet.

“Good to see you” I said “I am Maklevien”

Rexom nodded, clasped her hands, and hesitated “Maklevien the mountain burner?”

I smiled “not him, but something close” and she laughed. She had faint laughter like it was being suppressed by her own mind.

“Why are you here?” I couldn’t wait to ask that.

“I was going to ask you the same question” answered Rexom with a grin.

“I live here” then I pointed behind me “and that’s where I live”

They both looked at the house like it was their first time noticing it. Kyrie moved up her cheek and asked me “Live like forever?”

“If you mean till the day that I die, then yes”

Rexom turned toward her friend and grabbed her hands “Isn’t that amazing? We could never foresee this coming”

“Rexom, don’t get excited” Kyrie said, and then whispered something that I couldn’t hear.

I got curious, so asked “What am I missing?”

Kyrie sighed like it was hard for her to talk about it “Actually, we are on a trip of leaving our city and residing somewhere else”

“There are many places you can travel using the black port” I replied to Kyrie.

“Really?” but it was Rexom who asked it.

“As long as I remember...”

But she interrupted “Look Kyrie, if he did it, we can do it too”

"Do you always make decisions like this?” I said, “On a whim?”

Rexom turned her eyes over me.

“It’s not an ideal place for you”

“Why not?” asked Rexom.

“Have you ever heard of the merit dealing?”

“What’s that?”

“They do it here. Next to the ocean, on the cliffs”

And finally, Rexom’s mood was morose.

“Why don’t you come inside?” I said “We can talk about things. Time is not a concern for us”

They exchanged looks again and Kyrie agreed.

A few moments later, we were at my house, they were sitting at the wall side of my table, while I came back from the kitchen holding two cups of boiled water.

Inside my house is neat -despite almost everything being wooden- and full of hand made designs on the walls. There is the living room, which we were sitting in, and two doors which leads to other rooms, with narrow stairs between them that leads up to the kitchen. I sat down at the other side of the table.

They thanked me when I put down the cups for them. And I said “I have run out of tea. I never knew that I could have guest”

Kyrie looked at me with her black eyes “So, you do get out of here”

I didn’t want to tell the truth, but I did “No, but I brought some supplies when I first arrived”

They both nodded. “What caused you to decide to live here?” it was Kyrie again.

"Choosing this place was a fortunate accident. The world out there had nothing left for me. I lived in Cavebris, and king Zefor executed the last person I had”

They were motionless for a moment, staring at me “We... we are from Cavebris too” Rexom said.

"Oh, but you don’t look like one” I said “Cavebrians are a bit... clunky” They both sipped on their cups, and I continued “anyway, what’s your journey?”

“We ran away from her wedding” Rexom said with a smile.

“Another decision on a whim?”

“Well, she loved someone else”

I didn’t know what to say.

“Me”

I guffawed “Interesting”

“Yes, but other people didn’t find it that way” said Rexom “ They said it was weird”

“Cavebris is not ready for this” I said “It’s none of my concern anyway. What are your plans now?”

“Well,” said Kyrie “We visited Klesh, Ferniv, Lobius, and a few other places; none of them was a place for us. So finally, Rexom had a suggestion, that we should buy a map, and go wherever we feel like. And she chose here. It was all an accident”

Rexom was smiling.

I nodded “I suggest you try some other places before making a decision”

Kyrie shook her head “With our situation, we have to live alone. We chose this *she put her arm around Rexom’s shoulders* and we have to face what comes out of it”

“You don’t know what’s going on on those cliffs” I said “Leave this place and never return. You find nothing here, but death and greed for power”

“But first” said Kyrie “We want to know what’s going on”

I looked behind me through the large window, it was getting dark, and black clouds were gathering on the horizon, on the ocean. It was the calling time. I looked back at them and said “Fine” made a pause and continued “It all started around 20 years ago. No one exactly knows how, some say that it started after Ufery and Rundess had their fight on the cliffs, and both died falling into the ocean. Some say that God came down, and made it to give power to people and that he has some kind of a plan. The latter is nonsense if you ask me. But the main issue is, that some come here and gain power. We don’t even know the exact process, but it goes like you have to know yourself, therefore know what your best trait is. Your strength. Something you are best at. I have never been there during the process, but I hear voices when it happens, then you utter your strength, and ask for a power similar to it. For example, if your best trait is taking care of others, you can ask for the power of healing. It has to be something close to what you have”

“That’s not hard” said Kyrie “You must have a lot of visitors then”

I chuckled “Well, here starts the problem. You are risking your life. When you finish declaring what you want, you have to jump off the cliff. You will return with what you asked for, only if what you said about yourself was correct. If not, you will never return” I waited for a moment, but none of them had anything to say “There are many who will take the risk of death, but there are rumors. They say it’s not a normal death. You will not vanish into nothing. That it’s more than a simple perish. Although I have no absolute judgment on it, I have a feeling that what they say might be true. Again, no one knows what happens after you are wrong about yourself. It can be anything. It can even change from person to person, from something grateful to something evil. It’s all a gamble that I don’t want to even think about. I prefer to live my normal life, and have my normal end”

There was a long silence between us. We were all looking at each other, motionless, and we knew how every one of us felt at that moment “That’s horrible” finally Rexom broke the silence.

“It is. Now you know why I insist on you to leave. It’s unpredictable what will happen to this land. You better have your happy days”

Kyrie’s mood changed, and her stare into nothing was a sign of pondering. “Except that I never had any happy days” she said while still looking at nowhere on the floor “That’s why I left my life in the first place”

“So?” I said.

“Kyrie” Rexom called and looked at her friend “Are we thinking about the same thing right now?”

Kyrie nodded without averting her eyes from her friend.

“Wait” I said “What am I missing?”

“We want to go to that cliff” answered Kyrie.

“What?”

“Yes” she said “We want to do it”

“Did you even listen to what I just said?”

“It might be my only chance of finally getting rid of my misery” Kyrie said “And I have had enough of it. If worst comes to worst, we will continue suffering in hell, rather than in this world”

I was so shocked that I couldn’t think of anything to say.

“I am with her with whatever she chooses” Rexom said “You take us there”

“It’s tonight”

“Then we better get prepared” said Kyrie.

Suddenly, something came to my mind “I have a bottle of wine left” I said “I saved the last for a perfect occasion. We can kill time till the deep night arrives”

This time, they both smiled. And that was it. We talked about what they are good at, till the time arrived, then we left and walked to our destination. I had a torch in my hand, and they were behind me, constantly chatting about what was going to happen, and what they were going to ask for.

Their conclusion was that they have been survivals through their tough times, and that they could ask for immortality.

“Immortality is not a power” I said.

“Ahh, it’s getting on my nerves” Rexom said “Kyrie, what do you want to ask for?”

“Maybe I can ask for something to choose who can survive during an incident” she answered.

“That’s a smart one” was Rexom’s answer.

“First, make sure what your best traits are” I said “Especially you Rexom”

When we arrived on the cliffs, the black clouds were gone, the moon seemed bigger and brighter than usual, and millions of stars were shining across the sky. The night was so bright that we could even see without the flame in my hand. And there was a light breeze, that waved Rexom’s hair. Three of us stood on the edge of the land and watched the black ocean. It was vast, like it could never end, and furious like it was a monster alive. The sound of the waves reached high up to our ears. Then we looked down, and there were the rocks reflecting the moon’s white rays, hiding and emerging as the waters went back and forth.

I stepped back “Are you still sure you want to do this?”

They looked at each other for a moment, then nodded hastily. Their expressions were solemn.

“Did you decide what you are going to say?”

“My best trait is survival” said Kyrie “And I want to ask for the power of making someone always survive” and looked at Rexom, caressed her cheek, and smiled.

Rexom’s eyes got wet “You are doing this for me?”

“I do everything for you”

“Rexom” I said

She released Kyrie’s hands “Well, I was always loyal to others” She paused and continued “I think I am asking for something to make eternal bonds” then smiled to her friend.

I didn’t know what to say to that. It was their choices and had nothing to do with me.

“All right then” I said “Any moments now, we should hear....”

And there it was. A high voice calling, and echoing from everywhere and every side. Just a long progression, starting from the top, going down. It was freakish.

We all looked around and finally looked at each other. “It’s the time” I said “You must declare live and loud”

Kyrie stepped forward and started talking within the pervasive echoes. I tried to focus,  but I started to not feel well. My vision darkened, made me close my eyes. I couldn’t hear Kyrie, and I couldn’t feel the breeze. I released the torch to the ground. The only sensible thing for me was those voices, repeating, over and over again.

“AAAAHHHHHHHHhhhhhhaaaaaa”

And all of a sudden I yelled “Nah, nah, nah, no, noo”

And I was fine again.

Kyrie looked back “What?”

“Wait” I said. They were both giving me their full attention “Your aptitude, is your best trait” I said, panting and rubbing my chest “Think about it, you left your miserable lives for each other, and now you are giving up on everything for each other. You are risking everything, just for love. That’s your best trait, your natural trait. Both of you”

It was silence, and breeze, and echoes. The torch half burning on the ground.

“He is right” Kyrie said and came close to her friend “What he says makes sense”

Rexom’s eyes were tearful again “You know what should we do. We do it together”

I said “what?”

But they didn’t even bother to look at me. Instead, grabbed each other’s hands, and walked to stand on the edge, as the ocean was on their side.

“What do you want Kyrie?” Rexom asked.

“To be with you forever, if I die or if I am alive” kyrie answered.

“Me too” said Rexom “If I die, or if I am alive” and smiled.

And that was it. They hugged and kissed, while jumping to their side, off the cliff. I didn’t even know what I was feeling at that moment, there was still the breeze, but voices stopped. I went to have a look downward. It was far, but I saw their corpses on a rock. A wave came on the rock, and after that, they vanished. But I can swear that I saw Rexom smiled at me, before they were taken over by water.

Sevaine