Salem!” yelled Keldon, rushing over to him. Keldon released the momentum of the name of fire, slamming his fist against the ground as it burst into a plume of smoke and dust.

He dashed to Salem’s side, giving him a panicked once over to find that Salem was unconscious.

“Oh nonono. Okayokayokay, remain calm Keldon, this was covered in Field medicine Vol.2. Salem, you awake?” said Keldon.

No response. The panic started to sink in.

“Uhm, okay. This is bad,” said Keldon, pinching Salem on the cheeks.

Again, no response.

“Fuck.. Fuck fuck fuck shit,” said Keldon, he hovered over Salem’s mouth, listening to his breaths. They were raspy and short, but he was still alive.

“Okay good. Now, to check the pulse difference between the limbs and the heart,” said Keldon, putting his ear to Salem’s chest. Irregular heartbeats. Not good anymore, not good at all.

“Check the radial artery,” muttered Keldon, placing two fingers on the inside of Salem’s elbow. Weak pulse. Very not good.

No choice now, he had to give Salem chest compressions. The medicine kit that they’d taken from the prison cart would only treat external wounds. Odds are, this had something to do with the poison.

Keldon placed his hands over each other in the middle of Salem’s chest, leaning in with his body weight and administering quick compressions.

“One.Two.Three…One.Two.Three…” said Keldon, repeating the rhythm in his head. He needed at least 100 compressions a minute.

*crack*

Keldon winced as he felt Salem’s ribcage crack underneath the palm of his hands, but it was better than being dead.

One two three… One two three...

A couple of painstaking minutes later, Salem awoke, gasping and wheezing for air as Keldon breathed a sigh of relief.

“Salem, are you alright?! What happened?!” asked Keldon.

“Sorry,” said Salem, wiping spittle from his mouth.

“Don’t just “sorry” me. You almost just died! I thought you were making an antidote,” said Keldon.

“I am, I am. It’s just taking some time after all. Don’t worry, I’ll get better soon,” said Salem.

“…if you say so,”

Salem gave Keldon a weak smile,

“I’m sure, don’t fret about it too much. On the plus side, I caught a glimpse of what happened just now, not too shabby pup, not too shabby at all,” said Salem. “Sudden unconsciousness aside though, you really couldn’t have eased up on the ol’ ribs huh”

“Um. Yeah, sorry,” said Keldon.

Normally, Keldon would have been over the moon to receive such high praise. But Salem nearly just died. Why wasn’t he more worried? Something didn’t quite sit right.

An awkward silence filled the air.

“Let’s head back,” said Salem, breaking the tension. “Can I count on you to help me fetch ingredients for the antidote again?”

“Yeah. No problem.”

#

It had been a few days since the incident. Afterwards Salem and Keldon had a small talk, but it wasn’t particularly reassuring. There was still a bit of space between the two of them and Keldon didn’t know how to address it. He tried to bring up what had happened as seamlessly as he could into their conversations, but Salem shot him down each time. It was frustrating.

Today, Salem was looking even worse than usual. The two of them had decided to call off their training as Keldon wandered into the forest as usual.

Scraping off the reddish-brown bark from a scissor tree, Keldon tucked away the bark and made his way back to the campsite. Upon arrival, Keldon found Salem sitting on the ground, jotting down notes as he hummed a soft tune. If Keldon hadn’t known what Salem had looked like before seeing him now, he wouldn’t have ever guessed that the two of them were ever the same person. Gone was Salem’s hearty youthful glow. He had dark rings around his eyes, and his hair had lost a lot of its original sheen, now coarse and rough to the touch. His figure had shrunk, no doubt from the rapid loss of weight over the past week.

“I’m back,” said Keldon, placing a burlap sack of ingredients by Salem’s side.

“Welcome back,” said Salem, not looking up from his jovial writing.

Salem made no move to reach out to the satchel of ingredients.

“Not going to work on the antidote?” said Keldon, “You’re running out of time, aren’t you?”

“Hm?” said Salem, finally lifting up his head. “Oh right yes yes, I’ll work on that later tonight, I’m going to keep writing while we still have some daylight.”

And like that, Salem went back to writing in his journal.

Keldon stood still, clenching his fist to the sound of scratching lead against paper. Salem continued writing in his notes, only lifting his head a few moments later to notice Keldon standing still.

“You can keep training for now, I trust you to handle-“

“Liar.”

Salem stopped writing.

“Excuse me?” said Salem, finally meeting Keldon’s gaze.

Keldon stared him straight in the eyes back.

“Liar! You said that you’d be fine. But you’re not getting better.”

“Again with this Keldon? Listen-“

“No, I’m done listening! Listen, listen, listen. You keep saying that and I have! But what you’re telling me isn’t adding up!”

Salem took a deep breath, closing his notebook.

“You said that you had the antidote. You said that you’d be fine! But you’re not. You’re not fine Salem. Just look at you! You look like you’re about to fall over again any second now!” said Keldon.

“I’m not a kid, I know there’s no way you can make an antidote that’s strong enough to stop what’s happening to you with these ingredients. Just tell me what’s going on Salem! Why do you act like you’ve given up?! Why are you acting like everything’s fine when it’s not? I know it’s probably all in your secret grand plan that you just love to keep hidden. But fuck Salem, can you not treat me like I’m some puppy dog for five minutes and just trust me?!”

Keldon waited for Salem to snap. To yell and holler about how he was wading through thick and thin to pull the two of them out of this thing alive. To give him some grand speech about how he was so ignorant and how he didn’t know a damn thing about what’s going on. Something. Anything!!

But nothing. The worries that were soothed away from Salem’s lies crashed right back into the forefront of his mind.

“Salem. Are you dying?”

A few moments passed as tears welled up in Keldon’s eyes.

Finally, Salem took another deep breath and met Keldon’s gaze.

“Yes. I’m dying.”

Keldon collapsed to his knees.

“No… no no no. What?! B-but you said. You said you were going to be fine?! Why did you lie to me Salem? Why did you lie to me?!!”

“It was for your own good.”

“My own good?” said Keldon. All the emotions that he’d held back bubbled up to the surface. His own good??

“What the fuck do you mean that it was for my own good?!” yelled Keldon, picking himself and stomping up to Salem to grab him by the collar. His hands trembled and his knees felt like they were an inch from buckling. “You don’t know what I need, you said it yourself damnit!!

But Salem pulled his hands from his collar, even sick, his hands were as strong as steel.

“You think I don’t know you or something?!” shouted Salem back. “Tell me to my face that if I told you I was dying and that the only antidote was stowed away in the bloody capital somewhere, that you wouldn’t take what little time left we had to train and waste it away trying to save my life. Tell me that you’d be able to focus on improving your strength if I told you I was dying. Tell me!! I’m your teacher dammit, it’s my job to prepare you for what’s coming for you. For the world. This is my destiny Keldon.”

“I-“said Keldon, stumbling back. He wanted to argue with him, to tell Salem right to his stupid fucking face that he wouldn’t be that dumb, that stupid to think that he would waste their time like that, especially when facing the end of the world.

But he couldn’t. And he knew it.

Tears poured down Keldon’s face as he broke free from Salem’s grip. How could he be so selfish. How could he be so stupid!? Keldon didn’t even know if he was talking about Salem or himself at this point.

Keldon hobbled over to a corner, facing away from Salem as he buried his face in his knees. The two of them sat in silence.

A few minutes passed.

“Keldon listen I-"

“You weren’t just my teacher,” said Keldon, his voice still muffled in his knees.

Salem stopped, sitting in stunned silence as deep within the windswept forest, a look of realization dawned on his face.

“Oh by the Gods, I’m such a fool. He’s just a kid.” thought Salem.

With a groan, Salem got up, quietly approaching Keldon.

“It’s fine Salem, I get it. I’m just an emotional moron that can’t be trus-“

Salem wrapped his arms around Keldon from behind.

“I’m so sorry, Keldon. Please forgive me.”

Keldon struggled to push him off. “I said it’s fine Salem, let me go!”

But Salem wouldn’t budge. “I was wrong. I was wrong to deny you closure like that. I was wrong to deny you the chance to grieve, my friend.”

Salem spun Keldon around, who refused to meet his eyes.

“Listen to me Keldon. Listen to me very carefully. I’ve lived a grand and full life. I’ve fought monsters and myths, traveled across the endless plains and the great seas. I’ve found love Keldon. You know how rare that is to find true, unconditional, undying love?! I’ve eaten dinner with near-gods, escaped death more times than I can count…”

Salem put a hand on Keldon’s shoulder.

“… and have found not one. But two people who truly and utterly cared for me in my life… what more can I ask for?”

Keldon’s lip quivered, turning to meet Salem’s gaze. Tired lines wrinkled Salem's face. His lips looked cracked and split. But his eyes were warm, so warm. Keldon felt the tears pour out the corners of his eyes. He buried his face in Salem’s chest.

Keldon cried, holding onto Salem as if he let go, even for just a second, Salem would dissapear.

“I’m not ready for you to go yet Salem! There’s still so much I need to learn! I don’t know if I can do this without you!!”

Salem rubbed Keldon’s back, comforting his dear friend as he wiped away the tears forming in his own eyes.

“No one is ever ready to let go. But you can and you will. Life marches on, whether we like it or not. It is cruel and unrelenting.”

Salem pulled Keldon back to look at him.

“But in all that misery and despair, there’s beauty in every corner. I’ve never had a son Keldon, but if I did, I’d want him to be just…like… you.”

Salem tightened his grip on Keldon’s shoulder.

“This will be a long and vicious journey, and I certainly won’t be the last casualty, but if there’s anyone I believe can handle it, it’s you. And I swear by you on my name and by my honor, I will do all that’s within my power to help you, you understand me?”

Keldon nodded his head.

“Good. Now, there’s something we have to do. Grab those ingredients that you just brought me.”

Though still a little lightheaded, Keldon followed Salem’s instructions. Salem rummaged through his bag, pulling out a pestle and mortar filled with a globular black paste.

Taking the ingredients from Keldon Salem ground the bark and mushrooms into the mixture, turning the black paste a vibrant red.

“Give me your left hand,” said Salem.

Salem smeared the red paste on Keldon’s hand as Keldon felt a strange tingling sensation ripple through his body. Then, Salem stuck out his left hand and summoned his skill orb as the red needle whirred into reality, appearing with a soft glow. Salem closed his eyes, making a heavy groan as veins bulged from his neck and forehead. Keldon tried to move, but Salem held him still,. With one final guttural roar, the red needle skill orb fell from the air, landing on the ground with a soft plink.

Salem’s breath was raspy and sharp, vomiting up a black ichor which he spat out on the ground beside him.

Salem picked up the skill orb and placed it into Keldon’s left hand. Muttering under his breath, Salem pushed the skill needle into the palm of Keldon’s hand as the red paste glowed with crimson light. And then, the skill orb disappeared as the paste slid off Keldon’s hand, leaving nothing but a muddy grey smear.

“Salem what did you do?!” said Keldon.

“What I promised you.”

“But I-“

“I don’t want to hear it. A skill orb is useless to a dead man anyway. You needed a dun sphere to hide your magic and here you are. With this, there shouldn’t be any questions about why you can use such powerful fire magic.”

Keldon opened his mouth to object.

“Just say thank you,” said Salem with a weak smile.

“…Thank you,” said Keldon, pulling Salem in for another hug.

“Okay okay settle down. We’ve still got tons to do,” said Salem, peeling Keldon off him.

“So, what do you want me to teach you first?”

“You mean I get to decide?”

Salem nodded his head.

There were so many things that Keldon could ask Salem to teach him about. The divine, Jorhundga, his family’s history. And that was just the start! The final calamity! Salem’s notes! More on his magic!

…but.

There was only one thing in Keldon’s mind that he felt he should learn at this moment. The only thing that seemed right.

“Teach me how to give final rites,” said Keldon, looking into Salem’s eyes with determination.

“Why would you want to le-“said Salem, when suddenly, he realized, and tears welled up in his eyes. Once again, he pulled Keldon into his embrace.

“Thank you.”

#

For the next few hours, Salem taught him about the roots of the final rites as he listened with fierce intensity, burning every word into his memory. Keldon learned each piece from its origins of old graceus, to proper direction when performing the Ashening ceremony. At first, Salem was only going to teach him the shortened version. But on his insistence, acquiesced and taught him the entirety of the final rites script. As the pale moon cascaded over the cool evening sky, Salem’s voice grew raspy and dull until finally, the two of them decided to put the lessons on hold.

The two men shared a wonderful dinner of warm honey buttered bread, accompanied by sweet wine, delicate cheeses and ripe sausages roasted over an open flame. They laughed and cracked jokes, ignoring the painful reality and reveling in their escapism as Keldon listened to Salem with fervor. It was like the two of them were the only people in the world.

“By the way, I want you to take my notebook and the pocket-watch when I’m gone. I wasn’t able to figure out Emily's writing, but maybe you’ll have better luck with the resources at the grand academy.”

Keldon forced a slight smile on his face.

“Yeah sure Salem, whatever you want,” said Keldon, changing the subject to something more light-hearted.

Keldon pushed the thoughts of Salem's passing away. He didn't want his final moments with his friend to be tainted with misery and dread, he'd had too much of that in his life already. He wanted his last memories with Salem to be good ones.

And when the fire died down and the wine ran empty, then, and only then, did the two of them decide to turn in for the night. Full of good food and wine, Keldon tucked himself into his bedroll. He laid on his back and admiring the night and staring out into the starry sky.

“Keldon?” said Salem.

“What’s up?”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you.”

“Don’t say that! You’ve done more than anyone could ever ask for. Plus, we still have some time left.”

…

“Keldon?” asked Salem once again.

“What’s up?”

“Blaze the winding path.

As Keldon counted the stars, dazzled by their infinitesimal beauty and light, he thought maybe, just maybe, he could.

“Will do Salem, will do,” said Keldon as his eyelids grew heavy, and drifted off to sleep.

#

Sunlight pierced his eyelids as Keldon squeezed them tight, still groggy from the effects of last night’s drinks. But, being rudely awoken by the daylight, Keldon groaned and rolled over, getting up to greet the day. It was a bright and sunny day as light pierced through the canopy of trees overhead. Seems Salem overslept.

“Hey sleepyhead, wake up-, “said Keldon.

#

Keldon carried Salem’s body to the top of the hill, laying his friend on the ground as the gentle summer breeze brushed by his face. The sunlight bathed Keldon in a feeling of warmth, kissing his face as Keldon slowly marched over hallowed ground.

It was a beautiful day.

#

“Ish’Tehlu de Glorieum. Valhairre Salem, may you find your way home,” said Keldon finishing the final passage of Salem’s final rite.

“Karyx.”

Keldon placed a hand over Salem’s body, calling on the name of fire. His hand burst into flame as Keldon performed the Ashening ceremony in the direction of the sun, just like he was taught. And as if on cue, the wind picked up, sweeping away the cremated ashes and scattering them into the forest below.

With that, Keldon looked to the horizon admiring the sky as the rain poured down his face on a bright and sunny day.

End of Book 1