The Unbidden: A New World (1) (Short Parts)

Part 47

Within a few minutes, everyone had gathered around it. Thea sat across from me, Jayde was to my right, and Felt sat to my left. There was small talk going on for a while.

"I noticed you are a mage," Felt stated abruptly.

The small talk halted rather quickly, and the atmosphere became serious in a flash.

"How did you know?" I asked, maintaining my light attitude.

Felt's eyes drifted toward the center of the fire, seemingly staring off into another world. He took some time before responding.

"My lover was a mage, and also one of my party members...," he said solemnly.

"I recognized the sight of magical essence when you created the fire. I have the ability to see it through a pact I made a long, long time ago."

The familiar crackling of the fire continued before anyone spoke up.

"What happened to your lover?" Jayde asked.

"... She was murdered by a lich that served Khral," he spat.

This is coincidental, I thought.

"How old is this Lich?" Thea inquired.

"His name is Visilius. He is five-hundred-forty-two years by now."

"That's an oddly specific number," I pointed out.

Felt shifted his gaze to me. Were his eyes weapons, they would've pierced through me with fury.

"He was an ally of mine in ages past. He studied necromancy for years in secret, and by the time I discovered his intentions, he sacrificed my lover and companions to ascend to lichdom. I was forced to escape by myself. I thought I had, until he placed a curse on me during my escape."

"What is the nature of your curse?" Thea asked.

I placed another branch into the fire.

"Death."

"Can you explain further?" I asked, confused.

"... Feelings. Whenever I gain for someone, the curse activates, granting them an agonizing death."

"That's why your eyes seem so vacant and distant" Jayde said empathetically.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"It is none of your faults. This happened hundreds of years ago. I did not fully comprehend the nature of the curse until I met another woman and fell for her. She grew sickly very quickly after we had a child. Both her and the child died within a few days of each other," his words were filled with a deep sadness.

I couldn't comprehend what it meant to lose not only one, but two lovers and a child. The pain must've been worse than my father's after I died. His internal agony was almost palpable.

"Still, I'm sorry for bringing up the painful memories," I apologized once more.

"They're always with me," he stated plainly.

There as another pause in the conversation. It was long and awkward, going on far longer than it should've. The evening went on mostly in silence afterward.

When the first morning light shone over the trees, I awoke to find Felt nowhere in sight. I searched around briefly before asking Aurias for his location.

"He left in the night when everyone was asleep. He gave his thanks and departed. I sensed a large amount of magical energy shortly after he disappeared from sight. There was no sign of his presence after," he stated.

My brows furrowed and my lips curled into a slight grimace.

Couldn't have at least said goodbye, huh, I thought.

I told Jayde and Thea about his departure when they awoke. Jayde appeared somewhat disappointed, and Thea seemed unfazed. We continued on our way shortly thereafter.

Felt did mention staying only for a night, so he was definitely a man of his word. He seemed to be a reliable and trustworthy person, but I sensed he was definitely keeping a secret. Though the time we spent with him was short, I had hoped we would meet again in the future.