#emberstormrage

“I’m truly grateful. I'm so glad you're with me. That you're sharing this moment with me… I know it's just an illusion,“ the wizard waved his hand, pointing to the shining heavens, ”but I created it for you."

“Know that you…” — he paused, frowning. It was difficult to speak. But he continued, carefully choosing each word. — “You… mean so much to me.”

"Oh, if only we were home! If things had gone differently, I would have done everything right, chosen the best words… But I don't have any more time."

The man's handsome face became completely lost and sad.

“No, no, Gale, wait, stop! So that wasn't all the bad news for today? You have an even grander proposal than your steadfast intention to blow yourself up?”

“You never let me be too serious, but I'm afraid so.” He laughed bitterly, looking into her silver eyes.

"I love you. Foolishly, hopelessly, against all common sense. The sand of time in the clock of my life is almost gone, and it would be worth thinking about eternity. But I think about you. And it's all the more unbearable to realize that I found you right now, when only death lies ahead. You are my damnation. And my prayer. And I don't know what to do with all this."

Ember was silent, freezing and staring at him with her almost round eyes. It was impossible to tell what was hidden behind those lakes of moonlight.

“Ember…?”

She didn't move. The wizard sighed and ruffled his hair.

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said all that. I didn't want to ruin our friendship or oblige you to anything with such a confession… I just wanted you to know when I'm gone.”

He looked absentmindedly at the forest. The northern lights were fading in the sky, and the night was getting darker.

“I should probably walk you back to camp, it's getting late.”

He rose slightly, bending one knee and reaching out his hand to help her up. She took his hand, suddenly so close to him. Too close to refuse a kiss. A kiss, too fast and too frank.

“I promised to stay until morning,” she said quietly.

“Just because you promised?”

“No, because it's what I want.”

Gale felt a little dizzy.

“I already owe you too much.” He held her hand with both hands now, as if it were something ephemeral and infinitely precious, as if he were afraid of losing it. Then he brought it to his lips and kissed her palm.

“I want this night to be perfect. How about Waterdeep? Yes? Then let's imagine what it could be like.”

I couldn't write anything exactly in the spirit of "Cheese Tag," so let's just leave this as a short excerpt about love.

Thanks for tagging the wonderful @aristenfromwarsaw 🤍 You can read her wonderful story here. I liked your little story and such warm photos. And I have the same problems with translations; you're not alone :)

He smiled. For the first time in the entire conversation.

"But what is the value of this life when it is just a chain of long days and nights devoid of meaning? I lost that meaning, and I would give anything to regain at least a part of it. Perhaps by correcting my mistake, I will take a step in the right direction. But even if I perish, I will try to change something, rather than once again resign myself to fate.”

"Resign myself to fate... But that's not even the point, is it? I know how you feel, Gale. Your heart no longer belongs to you, and without it, you don't know how to go on living.”

He looked up at his goddess in surprise. His former ideal. The idol he once adored.

Mystra smiled sadly.

“Don't look at me like that. I've lived with this feeling for so long that I've gotten used to it.”

“But I...”

“No, Gale, not you. And how could you have known? The truth isn't always pleasant, but I think you have a right to it.”

Mystra took a few steps, lost in thought, but then continued.

“You're talented, handsome, quite young and smart, you have many different qualities that can be captivating. After all, you're a good person, and Elminster wasn't wrong about anything when he told me about you. You're a wonderful researcher and a worthy chosen one, but...”

“But you never loved me.”

“That's right.”

“I knew it. I really knew it, even though I didn't want to admit it. Well... I'm not offended. I liked this self-delusion.”

“And you didn't love me either. Now you have something to compare it to.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then why are you so eager to risk yourself now?”

“I lost her. Literally lost. She's not on this plane, and I don't know if she's even alive. It all happened so fast that I didn't have time to explain anything.”

He walked to the edge of the path and sat down on the wide parapet that framed it.

“I don't know what to do. Do you?”

“I don't know either... It probably sounds strange to you. But there are many things in the universe that are much more important than the feelings of some goddess. It's not for me to change that. All I can do is wait for reality to start changing for me too.”