Knight's Way(Malachi Zsoldos)

[Selk Mar]

As Selk sat at one of the tables near the bar of the tavern/inn sipping on his mug of water, he spotted Sir Malachi sitting off to himself at a table in the corner of the room. It was a bit late, so most of their allies had already gone to bed, or at least had left the room. Seeing as Sir Malachi had really saved him and his friends on the mountain, along with Aaron's help, he decided to go over and offer a more appropriate thanks. He stood up, pushing his chair back under the table, and walked over to take a seat across the table from Sir Malachi.

"Thanks again....for back there on the mountain. If you and Aaron hadn't shown up when you did....We'd have probably not made it out of there alive...none of us...." Selk paused for a moment for his friend to respond.

It seems like we were truly in Heaven's good graces the other day.... Even though we were met with such obstacles, our group managed to pull through because fate was on our side.

[Malachi]

Malachi enjoyed the silence around him, closing his eyes, imagining his old house in Etruria, his wife and kids. He gave a smile, for those were the times where he was the happiest in his whole life. Malachi opened his eyes and looked towards the stubborn walls on the inn; not really thinking, merely lost in thought starring into the distance. He heard a chair behind screech back, then the sound of moving armor. Malachi kept his eyes on Selk and listened to him carefully as he sat himself into the chair.

Malachi starred down as his near empty mug, and said to Selk quietly, "Selk, after that day, in the mountains, do you feel that you have changed? That life seems different in some way that can't be explained? I felt that way when I was younger, back in Ilia when I was a mercenary," Malachi looked back up from his mug towards Selk, looking more down at his armor than at his eyes. "Every time I fought, every time I battled, I felt my life had changed in some odd way. As the years have passed by I realized what the feeling was, what had changed over the years. When you stare strait into the eyes of death, into the depths of hell, you start to value life more," Malachi gave a sigh and took the last sip from his mug. "Life after so many years just seems like a thread, that at any time could break." Malachi starred into his empty mug, his mind lurking in his past.

He looked back up at Selk and gave a nervous smile. "I'm sorry to burden you with such things, I didn't mean to go off talking like that," He said, still with the nervous smile upon his face.

[Selk Mar]

Selk knew that so far Sir Malachi had mostly kept to himself even during their battles. He seemed to speak only when spoken to or when it was absolutely required. That in mind, Selk was expecting a bit of a serious tone for their conversation since his new friend appeared to be the type to only say what he meant.

Selk listened intently to Malachi and shook his head when Malachi apologized. "No, you're right. It's not a burden to know the true value of life. And I do understand....maybe not as much as you...but back on the farm at home, family....each other...that was all we really had. If that had been taken away then we'd have nothing. That's why I thanked you for saving me. If I'm not around to protect my friends and family....then who will?"

Selk paused for a moment after that and stared deep into his reflection on his glass of water before taking a sip. "Do you know why I charged at that group of bandits alone while my allies were fighting near the top of the hill?"

[Malachi]

Malachi slid his empty mug to the edge of the table when Selk had stopped talking. He starred at Selk, as if trying to find something, trying to look deep into him. Malachi gave a slight shrug and said,"Most everyone has their own reasons for what they do, sometimes we don't have a reason at all." Malachi looked around the room; it was completely empty and almost entirely dark with only dimly lit candles for light."I don't know why," Malachi said bluntly,"but did you have a reason for what you did?" Malachi fell silent again, waiting for the young knight to respond.

[Selk Mar]

Selk nodded to Malachi. "You're right, you know. I didn't realize it at first, but something did change. I guess I did what I did because of the promise I made to myself." Selk paused once more to finish off what was left of his water. "When the fighting started the day before we were on the mountain I promised myself that I'd hold true to these people and the trust they had placed in me. They trusted me with their lives. By fighting alongside me they had given me a great burden....and at the same time I had given them control over my life in a sense. That kind of trust isn't to be betrayed, so I decided then and there that whatever happened....I would protect them. All of them. When I charged down the mountain to greet that group of bandits right before you showed up....I tried to block the outcome from my mind. I didn't want fear of death to make me break my promise. So I hoped for a miracle of sorts or perhaps I hoped for the strength to overcome them alone. I don't know."