A few spoilers...He was the only other live person there but me.
The halfling man was dead. He had given me two things: a signet ring, and a quest that would take me far beyond anything I knew. I was supposed to be attending university at Tarant, not traipsing about all of Arcanum, on a quest for a dead man. But he was there, and he helped me through.
His name is Virgil. A priest of the Panarii religion, he believed that because I had survived the dirigible crash, I was Nasrudin reborn, some ancient elven god or another. He had so many plans for me, showed me the monument, wanted me to meet Elder Joachim, wanted me to be this avatar, this reincarnation.
But I was just a university student. My father faught in the Cumbrian War. I had his sword. I was just a girl.
Virgil knew me better than that.
He drew me, like a moth to a flame. With every veiled allusion to his shady past, with every smile, with every piece of advice, I fell harder and harder for him. I wanted to kiss him, wanted to hold him, wanted to let him know that no matter what his past held, it was the present, the here and now, and I held no truck with living in the past. But with every moment I got closer, he pulled further away. And yet also grew closer. The tension between us could have been cut with a knife, as we delved deeper and deeper into the mystery that had engulfed us both the moment he discovered me, wan and forlorn in a meadow, surrounded by burning wreckage, twisted metal, and dead bodies.
And then he left.
He just up and left. Oh, yes, we discovered what had happened when we went into the Tarant graveyard. Virgil had gambled his money away, gotten into the red with thugs, cared so much more for drink and cards than his life that he didn't take heed when they threatened his family. Until his older brother ended up dead.
But then he left. Left me, with a gentle kiss and an "I love you, madam...no, that is...I love you, Ky'ree." And then went off somwhere.
I was lost. Princess Raven...Gar...Mr. Shalefist...they could do nothing to ease my fear. I wandered. I lost interest in the quest. And then Elder Joachim told me where he'd be.
Cumbria.
I made all haste towards the once-great monarchy. The statue of my father there awed me. I missed Papa. I missed home. I missed him. I wanted Virgil back. I tracked down the thugs, found where they were hiding out, and made way to pay Virgil's debt.
I walked into the room just in time to see them cut my love down.
I went berserk. Throwing spells at them, slashing them with my sword, I attacked with all the fury and rage I could muster. After they were down, I ran to Virgil, crying, shaking, screaming. Raven had the presence of mind to cast Resurrection on him.
When he awoke, he wasn't the same. He described it as being a piece of Heaven remaining in him...reminding him that no matter what ill will befalls him here, he will always know where he will end. He told me he loved me again. He told me he wanted to stay with me.
I am happy...that he is happy with me. That he is now happy with his life. Even in this world, where darkness sometimes reigns, where dragons once roamed, where magick and technology fight for dominance, Virgil has found a little bit of zen.
And that is fine by me.
Edited by Isilven, 11 August 2007 - 01:21 PM.
