Chapter 14

We kept moving the next morning and traveled throughout the day. It was an easy journey compared to yesterday, but I felt nervous around Rose, though I knew I didn't need to be. I figured that it was my breakdown from the previous night.

The truth was that I didn't belong with her. I nearly knew her but already I was captivated. She was unlike anyone I had ever met before, a type of person you hear about but never find, the kind that make you feel so amazing inside when they but look at you. Yet, that was the problem. What did I have for her? I had failed Mili, I failed Sarah. I would only fail Rose too. She didn't understand, but I didn't want her to have to. She didn't need to. Understanding only meant she would get hurt in the end.







Griffon Wing was an enormous city that was surrounded by massive towers and a huge stone wall which was heavily guarded. Four portions devided the city. The mage's quarter was the richer part where the higher level players often stayed and there were several different schools of magic. A trade area was equipt with a flourishing marketplace and shops of all kinds different shops. On the other side was the living quarter, and the last was an entire section for the military. In the center of the city was a castle belonging to the King and from its top rose a tower that supported the reason for the city's name: a massive golden statue of a griffon standing on its hind legs, wings pointed up at the sky.

We entered through on of the four gates. The borders were well guarded by several men in armor with large spears and shields. We followed a stone road which led us into the marketplace, which was the largest trading center I had ever seen. After our arrival we parted with the traders and Rose and I went our own way. She led me through the abundance of stands and shops and we looked at all the different items that were being sold.

"Have you ever been to Griffon Wing before?" Rose asked me while picking through small trinkets that were lined up on a table stand. I shook my head. "I have been here a couple times. I have a house here, though I haven't stayed in it since joining the Knights."

"I've never gotten a house in this game. When I was with the group we never had a base or anything. We were always on the move, never staying in the same place twice unless on a hunt." I hated the word hunt. It left a bad feeling within me.

My response had no effect on her. "What do you want to do today?"

I stared intently at a small statue of a soldier, a wooden one standing only three or four inches tall. My mind, however, was not focused on the statue.

"Are you okay?" she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really, " I replied, "just thinking about stuff."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"It's just stuff in my head. It's nothing, really." I persisted. I didn't want to lie. I wanted to tell her everything. I wanted to tell her all about me, but I didn't know how to, and I knew she would only get hurt anyway. "I will have to leave later. There is a few things I have to do."

She seemed taken off guard, "O-okay. Well, I have an idea: we should go to my house and hang out until you have to go."

"Alright, sounds like a plan." I smiled and tried to hide the uneasiness.







She lived in the mage's quarter, much to my surprise. Her house was simple, but quite nice. A small cobble stone path parted from the brick road and led up to small porch with a bench. Inside it was beautiful in the way that true simplicity is beautiful. Her living room had a dark red couch and love seat and a little coffee table sat centered over a brown fur rug. Her kitchen (it was quite large, in my opinion) was nice and neat, a cooking fire in the corner and a large counter that extended in an L shape around two walls. On the other side was a big table set against the wall near the entrance, right in front of a window looking out at the road. There were three bedrooms (for on person?) that each had a bed (one room had two) and was modestly furnished.

"All this is so nice," I said. It's a lot of room though. "

"It reminds me of my mom's home back in the real world, so I bought it."

"Do you live with your mom?"

"Ya, but I visit my dad."

"When did they divorce?"

"I think I was two."

I wondered which was better: having your parents apart as long as you can remember, or losing ur family when you were old enough to understand that the divorce was best for everyone. "My parents divorced when I was fourteen or fifteen. How many siblings do you have?"

"Three sisters and my older brother." She led me into the kitchen and we sat at the table. "How many do you have?"

"One younger sister. She is fourteen now."

"Do you want anything to drink? Tea? Coffee?"

"Coffee, please." I said.

She got up and began preparing us our drinks. "Who do you live with?"

"My mom, currently."

"Do you live with your dad?"

A feeling of uneasiness came over me again. "No. He's in prison. I live with my mom."

"Oh.... Well, are you close to your family? " it was obvious she felt bad for asking but it didn't bother me. Other than a couple things, I felt like I could tell her all about my past.

"No, I'm not close to anyone in my family really."

"Do you believe in God?" Her change of topic surprised me, and her choice of topic surprised me even more, however, I noticed the thrill I got from her question.

"I do. You?"

She nodded. "Do you go to church or read the bible?"

"No," I said, "I used to all the time, and I studied the bible sometimes, but I don't really anymore."

"I sometimes read the bible, but I have trouble understanding it. I don't usually go to church. But I want to get right with God." There was so much beauty in what she had spoken that I could hardly fathom it all.

Our conversation went on for a while. There was a lot we had to share, and I found myself letting my guard down, which was something I had never done with anyone else. Immediately I was starting to really like her. As I was talking to her and getting to know her it was like the world stopped spinning just for us so that we could admire what we were learning. She had a personality unlike any I had ever come across before, and I was getting lost in it. But then I remembered that truth. In her eyes she saw good. However, the truth still remained in me, and I knew I had to go. For a moment I questioned myself, asking if I should stay, but I had a job to do, and I couldn't risk hurting her anymore than I already would have to.