The Amethyst Flame

Chapter 16 - I Have Failed You (Jethro)

My strength faded as the torrent smashed me against rocks, and the water burned my skin. I would have given up entirely had it not been for the memories of my brother. I couldn’t give up on him because I knew he would never give up on me deep down.

I was fighting myself and struggling to stay alive. I used the pain as motivation, as proof that I was unbroken. Whenever I felt like giving up, I prayed to Yuna for strength. I prayed to live another day. You never realize how important life is until you’re nearing death.

Just as I was about to lose my strength, I felt something slippery lift me. It couldn’t have been human; that much was for sure. This being placed me on the rocky shore’s edge and poked its head out of the water. It was a river naiad. She had on a gorgeous turquoise dress and had incandescent orange eyes. I took one look at her face, and my jaw nearly dropped from her beauty. She noticed me staring and winked. My face burned bright crimson.

“I didn’t mean to stare, m’lady. You are just the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life,” I spoke shyly.

“No need to be shy; I’m used to it,” she giggled while twirling her ginger hair.

“You get a lot of visitors?” I asked curiously.

“Every now and then, yes. It’s mostly hunters who pass by here, but you don’t seem like one,” she said, carefully studying me.

“No, I’m something of a wanderer. That is, I went on a quest to find a wizard and ended up wiping out the entire Jadehood clan,” I said with a sheepish smile.

You wiped out the most dangerous organization of rogues in Colmer?!” she asked with wide eyes.

“Aye, and I have the knife to prove it,” I said, shivering from the river’s cold and taking out Isaac’s dagger.

The naiad inspected the dagger all over and, with no warning, kissed me on the cheek. I felt my face burn bright vermillion.

“You are a great man. Do you mind if I sit by you on the shore?”

My heart dropped.

“Um, no. You can sit by me all you w-w-want,” I awkwardly replied.

She plopped herself on the shore, and the dripping water from her hair was caught in the sun’s glint. I swear she looked just like an angel.

“Do humans ever get lonely?” she unexpectedly asked.

“We do. Sometimes I can be in a crowd of people and still feel like I’m all alone. That probably doesn’t make much sense, but it’s the reality of being a serf. They treat you like you’re worthless, but then give these grand speeches about how important we are to the kingdom. I’d buy my freedom if I ever got the money,” I spoke with a deep sigh.

“How much would your freedom cost?” she asked curiously.

“About 1,200 coppers.”

“Do you realize how long it would take you to earn that much?” she asked with wide eyes.

“I do, but sometimes I wish I didn’t,” I choked out.

That was when I noticed a shadow to the right of me. It looked an awful lot like Art-

“Glad to see you’re still the hopeless romantic, Jethro,” he joked.

“How much did you hear?” I asked, mortified.

“Only about half of it, you braggart,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“Where do we go next?” I asked Arthur.

“I might be able to help,” the naiad beamed.

“How?” I asked, curious.

“I know a draulter around here. Tell him Aurelline sent you.”

“Draulter? But that’s impossible; they died out seventy years ago…” Arthur replied in a grim tone.

“All but one. He is the last of his kind. He is th-”

“The endling,” I finished for her.

“Correct. I’ll show you how to find him,” Aurelline spoke, suddenly standing up.

Just as Arthur was about to ask how she planned to help us find him, she chanted verti guido expenda. The ground quaked, and a bright red sphere emerged out of it. I tried grabbing it, but it jolted away from me.

“You’re not supposed to catch it, are you?” I asked with a sheepish smile.

“Nope. Follow it, and soon you will be at his shack. Just a warning, Zaxl is… different,” she spoke cautiously.

“What do you mean, different?” Arthur asked, concerned.

“You’ll see…”