#condorboh

“Come with us.” 

It was a simple statement. A gesture of kindness, really. But to Condor…they were the most painful words he could receive. Usually with a hand extended to him as it was said, he could only stare. His gold eyes shifted between the hand and the gaze of the hero before him.

Normally, it was so simply since the hero was himself. It wasn’t hard to deny one’s self. It was no different than a turning his back onto a mirror. He’d could look into one to see what that younger version of himself would become. But in those occasional parallels…those worlds where the hero was some other person…Condor found it difficult to turn them away.

He used to accept it, curious of how this person who had taken his role would react to their arduous path. He enjoyed it, meeting ‘another self’ in these worlds since they could be nothing like him. They were no different from a friend and mentor as he encouraged the timid and humbled the mighty. Their trust in him were absolute and it’s because of that trust Condor always felt guilty.

There was always the calm before the storm. And when the onslaught began…he could say nothing. It was against the rules of dimensional travel. So when the true trials began, he could only feign his surprise and remain solemn as the hero of that world suffered the consequences alone. Despite knowing how it should end…he could speak not one word. Even as his own friends bore a torrent of emotion and the weight of their home and others’. 

Condor had seen them lose family to an attack that he already predicted. Watch as the love he helped come together would leave them…as he already knew. Observe as they slept uneasily because of the deaths at their hands from a battle he’d already fought. Cringe silently as they broke down from the pressure. Each time it hurt. He could’ve spaced them that agony. If only he uttered one word. If he only played one step ahead. But that rule--that damnable rule--Condor withheld, only able to clench a fist at his own uselessness.

It was when one time the hero of the world he visited couldn’t endure the burden he was tasked…and ended it that Condor made his decision. He wouldn’t stay. He would continually move through the dimensions as only an aide and disappear before he could be offered camaraderie. That way he’d never have to witness the tragedy of their lives. He’d never be responsible for the sadness that could’ve been avoided.

It was better this way, he told himself and yet…Condor hated this choice more than anything else. He had endured enough solitude as an infernal and the company he kept took him away from it. Being cast back into that loneliness…he hated it. But, the pain knowing that the friends he’d make were marching into inevitable madness…the wound it created injured him far worse than any weapon or magic could create. For this reason, he would keep his distance. 

“What kind of game?

Through the forests two figures darted through the leaves. The only thing that could be seen from the distance was the occasional gleam from their armor pieces. A silence prevailed through most of this trip. It was another sobering loss for the supposed heroes of Lore. Finally unable to put up with it anymore, Tannim asked, “Was it right to jus’ leave Galanoth back there?”

“…” Rune initially didn’t responded. His partner assumed it was because the cloaked male wasn’t in the mood for his antics. However, eventually, the dark-haired male replied, “…he needs time to mourn by himself. And this task, I feel, would be too stressful for him right now. His anger would blind him.”

The silence began again but the pace of Tannim’s strides hastened. To catch up, his companion sped up as well. Currently the two were chasing a lead on Konnan. After killing Demento, he disappeared only be sighted to the west of Oaklore. Why he was there, neither of them knew. However, his presence had put Tannim on edge and he insisted on investigating it. Thus, they headed towards the area now.

"This what happens when we let the idiot navigate," Rune deadpanned as he noted the tree looking the same. Dead and dark.