[Sorry for the long delay. However, I’m happy to present to you the last and final chapter of this story. It’s long and I hope you like it! Enjoy]

“Oh, you’re awake at this time of night Ms Aaru?” Fire said as she walked into the balcony of the room I had slept in. I had let out a soft sigh, as I didn’t bother to turn around to face her. She continued to talk, “Ms. Aaru… I’ve been meaning to ask you something for a long long time.” She asked. I turned and looked at her, my hands gently placed on my side and shoulder. “What is it, Ms. Fire?” I asked her.
Fire walked towards me, holding her thrones close to her with both hands as she was dressed in her dark anakarune. “You see, I love Tenan with all my heart… and I know he feels the same for me. But you… Ms. Aaru, are hindering things between him, myself, and our family. I don’t want you to ever see or speak to Tenan again. I don’t want to ever see you again.” She said with her eyes filled with false tears and her voice in a cold sadistic way.

This hadn’t surprised me at all. I was more at eased than anything else. I closed my eyes and felt my lips curve into a light smile and a chuckle or two escaped my lips. I had turned my back towards Fire as I opened my eyes again to watch the clouds fuse with larger clouds as first lightning struck for the night and rain fell from the sky become a heavy storm. There was a slight breeze to the storm, directing the rain towards the flow of the wind, which both landed on Ms. Fire and myself. I had parted my lips partially and spoke to her.
“Frankly, I don’t care about you or Tenan and what you have or had between the both of you. But never come up to me and say that you don’t ever want me to be around him. I do whatever the F*ck I feel like so don’t come to me and say these things in that annoying little voice of yours. And if it wasn’t for me, Tenan wouldn’t be with you as he is today.”

Her eyes opened slightly with shocked, trying to remain calm. “What do you mean by that?” she wanted to know.

“I mean exactly what I mean. If it wasn’t for me… Tenan would have never laid his hands on you the way he is now.” I said to her, feeling my heart sink with anger because of what he did.

“He always had a thing for me, and you were always his dog… his boost to obtain power.” She said coldly, as if she was trying to hurt my feelings.

“I may have been his dog, but I was never his boost.” I said to her, “I was more of his companion… we were once lovers you know.” I continued.

“Lies!” she yelled at me. The rain picked up some more.

“Then why is it that he’s always around me or talking to me through his communicator, late at night? He often says he loves me and often regrets his decision.” I said in a calm voice, almost a whisper.

I could tell that what I had said angered her. I turned back to look at her as she prepared a Holy Arrow to launch at me, holding her Thorns high. I looked behind her and saw Tenan standing at the doorway of their master bedroom. His eyes filled with much anger as he gripped his cromi tightly with hate. I could feel them both hating me now… but this wasn’t always so.

Ms. Fire launched the Holy Arrow as it aimed for my stomach. It arrow shaped beam struck my stomach reaching through the back. I had let myself go as my arms slowly loosened to my sides as I stumbled back somewhat. I looked up at Ms. Fire’s eyes once more as she prepared another and aimed it at my heart. She muttered to me in anger, “He loves me… and only me.”

Fire had launched her second Holy Arrow, which was aimed at my heart. I had quickly moved to the side as the Holy Arrow that was struck at my stomach faded. Fire prepared and launched many Holy Arrows towards me. I happened to move back into an edge of the balcony, since I was dodging her blasted Holy Arrow. I looked towards Tenan, who watched this ordeal and he did nothing to stop it. I watched him shake his head and give a small sigh as Fire came close to me and smacked me clear across the face with the yellow orb that sat on top of the Thorns. The edges of the staff cut my face, leaving a wound on my face that bleed, giving the appearance that I had shed tears of blood.

“What makes you better than me Aaru?” she asked hurtfully. “What makes you think Tenan will ever love you, or anyone else for that matter? I believe that was the true reason why Rogue left. Because he couldn’t stand you!”

There was a small pause between the both of us, lighting flashing behind me. The loud roars of thunder often broken the silence between Ms. Fire and myself. “No one will ever love you in this world… Aaru. And you want to know why?” she asked as she looked at me. The rain fell heavy as lightning struck the rooftop of Tenan’s house. I couldn’t bring myself to words or the strength to completely kick her ass. “I’ll tell you why, Aaru” she continued, “You put your pride and your job before the man you love, that’s why Rogue left… that’s why Icey left. You think they really love a person that uses them like that? And what of Lex Aeterna… You abuse his kindness and you push him away yet he still helps you…”

That’s not true… my lips move as no words left my lips

“It’s always about Rogue and your love for him, he doesn’t love you Aaru! He’s moved on! Ask Tenan! He knows. Ask your father, Braven!! Rogue isn’t coming back for you! And even if he did he would rather kill you because . . . You. Left. Him!”

Stop it… I lowered my head and felt the tears rushing from my eyes.

“Face it Aaru, no one will ever love you. You’re a monster at heart, you’re heart is as cold as ice, and you’re nothing but an ice queen that cannot find true happiness or true love.”

Shut up… I gritted my teeth tightly as I shut my eyes, my hands balling up into a mighty cold fist.

“You might as well die alone.” She said with a wicked smile.

“Alone…” I repeated softly after her. “Alone…” I lifted my head up feeling the rain fall harder than it was before, the tears mixing in with the blood on my face and the rain that fell on my skin. I looked up at the sky and I saw a bright flash of lightning streak the sky. “I might as well die alone.” I repeated after her. “It doesn’t sound half bad…” I continued as tears overflow my eyes as I close them slowly. “… but I prefer to have someone next to me when I die. But it doesn’t matter… like you said no one will ever love me. And I’ll die alone. That’ quiet all right really, I’m use to it, being alone . . . now.”

* Why are you giving up? Why are you saying these things? *

I released my wand from my hand and it hit the floor and the rain started to clear up. I felt Fire’s eyes on me, hearing her footsteps come closer to me. “You have no reason to live anymore do you?” she asked in the kindest yet sadistic voice like… a sweet evil child. “I’ll give you one then.” She continued.
“I… f*cking hate you” I couldn’t act on my anger for there was no anger left in me to act upon if I did supposedly fight her.
“How much?”
“As much as I can bare”
“There’s your reason.”
“What are you talking about, Fire?”
“I’m giving you a reason to live, that is to hate me… I’ll make you hate me to the point that you’ll kill me and when that day happens maybe you’ll be a better challenge. Because right now, it’s like fighting a snail.”

There was silence in my end. My hands still balled into a fist as blood oozed from between my fingers. My nails had dug into my skin deep enough for them to bleed. I turned my focus to Tenan, who all this time watched and heard everything. I looked back at Fire, and to my surprised I started to smile. I smiled and laughed some as I walked towards her, tears filled in my eyes. At this point I broke into my insanity. I watched Fire walk back a little bit as she swung her thorns at me once more. It hit me across the stomach but I reached for her.

* What good are my hands if I can’t touch you? *

Fire had kicked me back and launched on last Holy Arrow towards my chest. It had struck me and launched me back a few feet falling over the rail of the balcony. I looked up as I felt blood ooze from my mouth and nose. I watched Tenan appear at the balcony but I heard no sound. He screamed, but everything was silent.

* What good is my love if I can’t protect you? *

My heartbeat once, the Holy Arrow fading as it made a beat. The fall seemed to be endless, and I felt a small stream of euphoria. As I landed, I could hear the bones of my spine crack and my leg dislocated from the hip joint and knee. The pain seemed to be non-existent and everything seemed to be so quiet. I could no longer hear the roars of thunder and my vision slowly shifted into two colors, black and white. I felt the light drizzle of rain hit my face as I saw a streak of lightning flash throughout the sky. However, someone who lifted me up in his or her arms slowly blocked it off my vision of the black and white stormy sky. I looked up at saw that it was Lex.

“Take me… to El Nath, please…”

He cradled me within his arms as he looked down at me. He smiled and walked towards the Orbis Tower. And from there I could remember nothing.

*A Dream*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You are so close Aaru, don’t… give up on your dream. Don’t’ give up.”
“I’m tired… I’m… so … tired.”
“Please, just don’t give up….”
“I can’t go on…”
“Aaru!!!”
“For… give me…”

A bright flash appeared in the mist of darkness. It had appeared to be some sort of tunnel Aaru walked through once before. It had been the same ice covered road in her dreams. The abyss that had always snowed as she walked an endless walk. The road that had never stopped… stopped.

I forgive you, little Aaru . . . I forgive you.

A pair of heavy Red Mystique Shoes had stopped in front of a girl that lain in the middle of the ice covered road. She seemed to be frozen in time, her skin pale and her eyes a violet hue. Her hair was blue and short, which complimented her face. Her neck was adorned with an opal necklace that appeared to be tattered and beaten up with age. She wore a red calaf and had wings on her back, small devil wings, which hid her red napoleon cape. Her cromi was a few feet away from her and her pan lid laid next to her. Behind this girl’s body was the a nameless grave with pink violas. The name of the grave chiseled off with age.

You kept your promise . . .

The person had removed his dark napoleon and laid it on top of the girl. He whispered kindly to himself. “I could hardly recognize you… You’ve changed so much.” He sat next to her as he lifted her head to lay on his lap. “I’m here now,” he said to her as he stroked her hair away from her face. “You don’t have to cry anymore.” He said to her and he leaned in and kissed her on her forehead.

“Rogue?” she softly asked as she opened her eyes and looked up at him. He looked back and smiled. “Yes my sweet dearest Aaru?” he answered. They both smiled softly . . . “I had this weird dream.” She said to him.
“What kind of dream?” he asked her.
“You and I were separated and lost in a strange world.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Did it scare you?”
“Yes… it did. I thought I would never see you again in my dream.”
“Don’t worry about it, all right. I’m always going to be here for you. I promise, ok?”
“Ok.”

Rogue leant in and kissed her passionately upon the lips and he ran his fingers through her blue short hair. Aaru’s arms lifted up as she wraps them around his neck gently as they shared a deeply passionate kiss.

“Be with me forever… please Rogue…”

Always

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up to the sunlight that softly hit my face through the blinds of the window. The aroma of breakfast woke me up as I saw a small plate of pancakes, milk, orange juice, and a small veil of mana potion on the food carrier that sat on a small table. I sat up slowly, my leg giving into a lot of pain as it was bandaged up in a cast. My left arm was also in a cast and my entire chest area… also bandaged up. I touched my face with my right hand and felt a bandage under my eye.

I sat up slowly as I rested my back against the headboard of the bed. I looked around as saw the walls and floors and ceilings made out of wood. The furniture simple, like the country (henesys). I looked towards the fireplace, to my right, and sighed softly. “Where… am I?” I asked to myself softly. I heard footsteps to the left of me. I quickly turned my attention to the noise and saw someone standing at the doorway of the room, to my left. “I see you’re awake, Miss Aaru.” He said to me kindly.
“Lex…” I said and I quickly remembered what Fire said to me the other night, bringing me down into depression some. “How long was I out?” I asked him.
“About four days now.” He said to me as he walked in and sat on a chair adjacent to the bed.

“How’s your arm? Does it hurt much?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“That’s good. And what of your leg? Does it hurt?”

I nodded. “Yes it still hurts.”

“Ah! I see,” he said to me. “I’ll have a cleric friend check up on you. Okay?” he smiled at me reassuring me.

“Okay.” I said to him… I looked over towards the window, which displayed mountains and snow as far as the eye can see. “We’re in El Nath… aren’t’ we Lex?” He nodded softly as he looked out the same window and sighed softly. “Yes… you asked me to bring you here… and so I did.” He rose from his seat as he walked towards the doorway. “I’ll be right back.” He said to me and left the room.

* Don’t give up… *

Moments later, Lex returned with his cleric friend. She was nice and smiled a lot. She walked over to me and stood next to my bed and asked for my hand. I placed my hand into her and shook it. She smiled softly and introduced herself. “Hi, my name is Maya.”
“My name is Aaru.”
“A pleasure to finally meet you Aaru.”
“The pleasure is all mine.”
And within a instant she was surrounded by a heavenly green aura around her and above my head. “There now you are healed.” She said to me.
“That fast?” I asked her.
She nodded and smiled. “Yes that fast.” She assisted me on removing the cast and bandages from my body and helped me get dressed.

“Why are you here in El Nath?” she asked kindly.
“I want to look for a friend…” I answered her.
“Oh, I see. I wish you best of luck then.” She said as she walked towards the Doorway where Lex stood outside for a few moments.

“Everything’s all right now, Aaru?” He asked as he places his hands upon my shoulders as he looked at my eyes. “Yes everything is fine.” I said to him as I slowly removed his hands from my shoulders as I walked towards the doorway grabbing my belongings. “Where are you going?” he wanted to know. I looked back at him with a light smile. “I’m going to explore the town for a little bit… want to come with?” I asked him. There was a brief silence between him and myself. I looked at him and he looked at me with a soft smile. “Sure, I’ll be happy to join you.”

He and myself exit the room and exit the small cabin and walked into town. It was different and everyone dressed warmly. The atmosphere was most enjoyable and refreshing to me. I walked along side of Lex, who always had his hands dug into his pockets as he walked looking down slightly as if he was lost in thought or was to shy to talk to me about things. As he walked he would kick a small snowball in the snow, his bunny hopping behind him trying to catch up.

“Lex” I called out to him as I stopped walking but he continued. He turned and looked at me “Yes Aaru?” he answered. “You said that Rogue lives here, I want to see him.” I said to him. He looked rather disappointed as he gave a soft sigh, his breath visible to the air. “I know… But I have other matters to attend to.” He said to me he walked a bit further up as I remained still. He pointed towards the northwest region. “There is a small café. Enjoy yourself there and such. You have a key to my cabin in your backpack and I’ll keep my communicator on if you need anything all right?” Lex said to me as he walked off in the other direction.

I followed towards the area Lex had pointed me to. There, I had made it, it was quiet lively and the atmosphere seemed to be so natural and relaxed for it to be a cold snowy village. I entered the café and sat there drinking a nice hot cup of cocoa. The waitress came by and offered me a small teacake. I smiled and kindly declined her offer. There I had seen a cloaked person in a red napoleon. He appeared to be a higher leveler then myself and that of Lex Aeterna. The cloaked person place a sack of money on the counter of the café and the manager took it. “Thanks, Mr. Inez” the manager said.
“No problem” the cloaked person said to him as he grabbed the leash of his little cargo pet and walked out of the café.

After Mr. Inez had left the café, I walked towards the counter and asked the manager . . . “Who was that person?”
“He’s a loyal customer and a great provider to this business and town. He’s Mr. Inez.” The manager said to me.
“Do you know his first name?” I asked him.
“No one really knows his name.” He said to me.
“Thanks… for nothing.” I said as I paid for my hot cocoa and ran after Mr. Inez.

“Mr. Inez!!!” I yelled as I ran after him, almost slipping on the snow. He stopped walked and turned around half way, his hood placed on his head. “Hm?”
“I want to ask you som-” someone interrupted me…
“Aaru!!!”
I looked behind me and saw Lex approaching me fast as he ran towards me.

* Apprentice… *

“I’ve… been looking everywhere for you! The lycans (werewolves) are about to come out… it’s a full moon tonight and I don’t want you to get hurt or killed. So c’mon!” I looked back to the person I had stopped and he vanished.

Where… did you go?

Lex held my hand and hasted me as he both ran back to his cabin. Night fell as I looked out the window. I looked towards the mountains as saw a creature stand on its hind legs and howl at the full moon. “Strange…” I said to myself as I watched them play in the light of the full moon.
“Strange is right…” Lex said to me.
“Who was that person?”
“A Lycan”
“No. The one in the red napoleon?” I said to Lex.
“No one special.” Lex said to me. I looked at him. I could tell he was lying to me. But I didn’t bother with it… because tomorrow in the morning I was going to see who that person was.

“Well its time for you to go to bed, Aaru… I’ll be across the hall if you need me” Lex said as he exited my room. “All right,” I said to him as I walked towards my bed and laid down on it, hugging the cold pillow close to my face. I yawned softly and closed my eyes dropping fast to sleep, thinking of the hooded red napoleon person called Mr. Inez

*A Dream* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As they were finished sharing a deep passionate kiss, Aaru sat up and sat upon Rogue’s lap as the snuggled within his red napoleon cape. He softly planted kiss upon Aaru’s neck and he gently rubbed her tummy.

“I was thinking…”
“About what Rogue?”
“We should leave this snowy abyss and start a new.”
“Really? But how… this is our only known reality…”
“That’s not true… we could exist outside our dreams. And we could be one, and happy, and start a family between you and myself.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”

* What good is my existence if I can’t be with you? *

“Always be with me Aaru…”
“I’ll always be with you… I promise.”
“Forever?”
“Yes forever…”

They had both rose from their snowy seats and walked down the road that was covered of ice and snow. Aaru and Rogue walked hand in hand as they witness they’re own years of their life wasted away. Although Aaru’s life was visible, Rogues were or nothing but darkness and blurs.

As they were walking down this road of the snowy abyss, there shown a light, which had guided them to their true reality… which they will wake up in due time.

“Don’t let go my hand Aaru!”

A forced grabbed Rogue from nowhere and lifted him into the round domed sky. The force pushed Aaru back as she landed hard in the snow. She reached her hand out towards Rogue screaming for him “Rogue!!!” but her voice was lost. She watched Rogue get pulled into the light of his reality in her world of the snowy abyss.

Come back… Rogue… come back

The light faded as Rogue reached the other side leaving Aaru alone once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up the next morning in a cold sweet. My heart was racing and I felt my warm salty tears on my face. I took in a deep breath for a moment then I slowly rose out of my bed as I headed to the bathroom to get showered and pampered myself. I gotten dressed and headed towards the café Lex left me the other time, in hopes of seeing this Mr. Inez person again. I happen to pass by a person by the name of Muhammed. He asked me if I was lost. “Um no sir,” I replied to him “I just want to know where I could find this Mr. Inez.”
“You can find him on that mountain,” he pointed towards the south, “in a large cabin. You can’t miss it.” I thanked him and went well on my way.

Before I could set on my little adventure, I had stopped by the grocery store to stock up on food and drink and healing items. There I had seen this Mr. Inez once more. He was giving another sack of money to the owner of the shop.
“Here you go Jess.” Mr. Inez said to her.
“Thank you so much Mr. Inez.”
“Please Jess, call me Rogue.”
“Hehe, All right.”

At that moment, my heart dropped and the items in my hands fell to the floor, a few breaking. This had caused attention to myself as I became frozen with shock.

This cannot be the same Rogue I love, can’t it?

His pet cargo growled a bit flapping its little devil wings at me. Rogue smiled back at the clerk and walked out the store not even looking at me. At that moment, I felt as though my whole world had stopped and time had stopped. My heart raced by the mention of his name and I was shocked to hear this man’s first name, Rogue .

“Um, you’re going to have to pay for that.” The clerk said.
“Hm?”
“You’re going to have to pay for the broken items.” She said.
“Oh sure” I handed her exact change of the broken items and walked out the store.

I ran after him but it seemed that he entered his house before I could call out his name. I followed him to his house; I wanted to ask him so many questions. Like… if he still remembers me, if he still loves me. I was anxious to meet him again and start where we left off, or start anew. I arrived at the foot of his door. I was so nervous to knock.

“Oh haha!! Daddy your home!!” a child’s voice was heard from inside the large cabin.

I walked to the side of the house and saw through a window. There the cloaked person took off his red napoleon and revealed his face. He smiled as he picked the little girl up and tickled her slightly. My eyes tears up slightly as I muttered out his name… Rogue… A lady came by shortly after, she was light tanned with blue eyes and Black Mary hair, and she hugged him as he kissed her on the lips.

I held my hand to my lips as the tears began to flow from my eyes, each of my sacred memories of Rogue flashed before my eyes in my mind.

It was all in vain…

“Oh dear!! Hehe Lets have dinner!” The lady said as she guided them to the dinning room.

I walked back slightly my back hitting against the tree. My heart dropped completely and at that point I wanted to die.

“Rogue isn’t coming back for you!!!” Fire’s voice echoed in my mind

The little cargo came from around the corner of the cabin, growling at me and barking at me. Causing attention to me.

“I’ll go see what it is, all right love?” Rogue said to the woman.
“Oh okay.” She said happily.

Rogue stepped out of his large cabin and walked around back to check on his pet. There he had seen me. All I did was shed tears. “Excuse me… are you lost?” he asked me. I looked at him and ripped the opal necklace from my neck and threw his Korean fan, and the necklace, at his feet. “No… not anymore.” He looked down at the items and picked them up. He read the name on the fan. Property of Rogue Inez “This… is…”

I had started to walk my way back to town. Tears flowing down my face and my heart drowning in much sorrow. I walked towards the Orbis Tower as I walked inside Lex pulled me over to a save platform and looked at me. “What’s wrong?”
“You knew didn’t you?”
“About what?”
“About Rogue being married to someone else.”
Lex sighed softly and nodded as he lowered his head. “Yes.”

Shortly after Rogue appeared at the base of the Tower. “Apprentice!” he shouted. The woman that was seen with him also appeared. “I’m up here!” Lex shouted. “Is a woman by the name of Aaru there with you?” he shouted.
“Yes!” Lex shouted back. “Bring her down here, I need to speak with her!!!” Rogue shouted as he exited the Tower. Lex had picked me up in his arms and walked down the flight of stairs that lead towards the door of the tower. There stood Rogue and his wife.

“Lex put her down.” Rogue said to him and he did. “Now the both of you please leave us, she and I have many things to discuss.”
“But hunny your dinner is getting cold.” The woman said
“It’s all right, this is much more important.” He said to his wife and he grabbed my wrist and walked into the Tower.

As we both walked into the Tower together Rogue started to talk. I looked at him as I saw tears form in his large brown eyes.“I thought you forgot about me Aaru…” Rogue said to me.
“I would never forget about you.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Don’t worry… Just as long as you’re happy.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Forgive me, please, Aaru.”
“Why did you lie like that? Why did you say you would never come back, and even if you did… you would come back for me, but you didn’t.”
…………

“You had fallen in love with Tenan at that time… so I left for good and started a new life here.”

I’m the one at wrong here…

* What good are my words if they can’t console you? *

“I… forgive you. Just please forgive me, Rogue”
“I forgive you Aaru.”

I walked out of the Tower and there stood his wife before me, very angry. “Go away, never come back! Don’t destroy what I worked so hard to get, Aaru! He doesn’t need you anymore.”

* I’m still madly in love with you, Aaru… If only I could change the hands of time… If only… *

“Don’t worry about it… I’m going home now… ok?” I gave a fake sarcastic smile, “it’s not like there’s anyone waiting for me anymore now is there?” I said as I walked back to the tower. I climbed to the top walking pass Rogue. I used the scroll to reach the very top of the tower, teleporting to the very top floor. I walked out of the tower and stood on the roof, sitting on the ledge.

Someone had appeared behind me so suddenly and said. “You don’t deserve to live.” I turn back to look at the person and it turned out to be Fire. Before I could go over to the ledge safely, she pushed me and I fell off from the ledge of the Orbis Tower, Fire throwing launching a lot of holy arrows at me.
Rogue uses one of his scrolls as he tried to continue to talk to me as I sat on the roof of the Tower, but he saw that Fire had pushed me from the ledge. He knocked her over to the side harshly and jumped, using haste as he ran across the side of the tower quickly catching up to me. As he caught up to me, we’re near the ground, he held me close and whispers in my ear. “I have never stopped loving you!”

His words brought me to tears, as everything seemed to slow down in time and brighten somewhat. I looked over towards the sky and butterflies seem to flutter by in the wind. It seemed that we had fallen forever together; myself in his arms once more. “I… love you too, Rogue.”

My heart slowly began to stop, and I felt the tears flow from my eyes as I felt his lips touch mine for the first time in years. “Aaru, please don’t… not like this.” I closed my eyes as the Holy Arrow faded, where it was struck at my heart. “Not like this…” he repeated as he deeply kissed me on my lips with passion once more. “Don’t let it end this way… Aaru…” he whispered as he cried.

My heart… belongs… to you… Rogue Inez

-Le Fin-
-The End-

-Aaru

[I hope you enjoyed this series. Please stay tone for the sequal of this series entitled. The Sin’s of a Chief Bandit ^_^]