His name was Mikal.
Loraine remembered the first time they met, the Dragon Knight’s obsidian black hair, his sparkling emerald eyes and his joyful demeanour. Remembered when she was alone, wandering the dark streets of Kerning City, and how he was her beacon, providing her his knowledge, leading her safely through the notorious slums. He even made sure she returned safe and sound to her residence in Lith Harbour.
Loraine kept thinking of him, whenever she was sad he would cheer her up and whenever he entered the room, it would attract her attention.
With that, Loraine realised that she had fallen in love.

But who was she? Nought but a lowly Cleric. How could she possibly hope to capture the attention of the Dragon Knight? So her love remained hidden, locked up in her heart and only opened when she was alone. All she could do was hope. Hope that he would notice her for what she was. She could consolidate that they had at least become good friends, partying together and helping each other in quests.

Weeks went by, Loraine captured in a private bliss whenever Mikal was around. She nurtured her love and remained adamant that one day Mikal would love her too. One day as they were skiing in El Nath, Mikal slid to a stop at the bottom of the run. Shortly behind him, Loraine came to an abrupt halt.
“Loraine, I’m travelling to Ludibrium’s warped passage with Jonatan to help with the Gatekeeper problems there. So that means I will be gone for a week or two.” Mikal told her, pulling up his amber goggles over his grey beanie.
“Good luck.” Loraine replied evenly, taking care not to betray her troubled mind. The Dragon Knight smiled and Loraine’s heart melted.
“Come on, let’s find the rest of the group.” He murmured, speeding off in his red skis. Loraine nodded and followed, her sky skis sending a shower of snow into the air.

Mikal looked so godly, adorned with his Green Neos, Green Neos pants, Green Crescent boots, Green Korben and Sword Earrings, saluting Loraine with his intricate Dragon Pertizan. Loraine waved from the docks until his ship disappeared into the sunset, bound for Ludibrium, first stop Orbis. That was the last time that Loraine saw her love alive.

A week flew past, the young Cleric’s mind focused on the Dragon Knight quest in Ludibrium. And after another week, there was a knock on her front door. Loraine jumped down the stairs, eyes wide and grinning as she eagerly opened the door.
“Mikal!” She exclaimed, about to wrap her arms around the figure standing there. But she stopped as she realised that it was actually one of Mikal’s best friends, Jonatan, whom she had met on quite a few occasions. The Crusader looked weak, dried blood staining his face.
“Loraine, I hate to say it but…” He did not have to finish the sentence. The Cleric burst out in tears, her strength leaving her body as she sagged down the doorway. Jonatan looked alarmed and helped the distressed woman back into the house and onto the couch.
“I’m sorry. I knew he meant a lot to you. Here, I found this in his robes.” The Crusader continued, dropping a scroll of parchment onto the table before silently leaving.

Her eyes red and puffy from crying, Loraine slowly sat up and reached for the scroll. She started to cry some more as she realised the scroll was stained by her love’s blood. Regaining her resolve, she unfurled it and read the Dragon Knight’s beautiful writing:

Dear Loraine,

I am writing from Ludibrium at the moment. Every moment without you by my side stricken me with grief and I have had a gradual longing for you. You know, I have not had a love in my life for a long time and I am sorry that it took me so long to recognise it. I had always assumed that it was just your friendly personality which made me so comfortable around you but I now know it was something more.
I cherish the time that we have spent together; I will cherish our time together for as long as I live. When I see your smile, hear your laugh, feel your happiness; it reminds me how fortunate for me to meet you. When you feel sad, I feel sad, when you are frustrated, I share your frustration. When you are down I pick you up and when you are alone I comfort you.
You have done so much for me that you may not have realised. Your presence affirms that there is love in my world, a world where trade and killing reign; you showed me that there was a place in my heart to love another. When everyone deserted me, you were there. You were there to listen to my troubles and to help with my predicaments.
Even though I may love you dearly, I must know. Do you love me the way I love you? Does your heart jump for joy when we talk? Does it fall when I fall and rise when I rise?
What I am asking you is: Will you be my girlfriend and bride to be?

Lots of Love, Es verdad

Mikal

Teardrops fell slowly onto the blood stained letter. The Cleric shuddered as she felt her heart rupture, her emotions flooding out. All the things she never said and done. In her own weakness, she had let her love depart from this world without knowing how she felt. Loraine wept as she reread the letter, the last words of the Dragon Knight. Without him, there was no reason in life, no initiative for tomorrow, no motive for her.

Sleepywood, a quiet place of civilization lost amidst the dungeons of Victoria Island. Loraine pulled her Purple Moonlight closer to her body as she set off through the Ant Tunnel. In her hand she resolutely clutched an object. The cleric teleported her way through the Ant Tunnels bypassing horny mushrooms and zombie mushrooms until she arrived at the ironic peace of the cursed sanctuary. Her eyes were still red but no longer crying; she knew what she had to do. Among the Taurospears was the one thing the young Cleric was looking for. She skilfully teleported her way through the growling monsters until she was in front of a Jr. Balrog.

The Jr. Balrog glared at her through its dark red eyes and Loraine matched that glare. It snarled, wondering why such a puny weak human would wander willing into its grasps. Loraine stood there defiantly for what seemed all eternity until the Balrog brought its sharp nails cleaving through the Cleric. The lifeblood splattered across the cold stone pavement as the object dropped from Loraine’s lifeless body. A single long stemmed rose, laying there, covered in the essence of its bringer.

Pure white. Everything was swirl of pure white and sky blue. Out there in the whiteness there was green. A beautiful shade of green that Loraine knew all to well.
“Loraine!” Mikal called, his handsome features accentuated if that was all possible. The Cleric glided over to her love, her pearl white wings carrying effortlessly. They embraced, no longer sad nor in pain, no longer unsure nor frightened, everything was understood.
“I’m glad you came.” The Dragon Knight whispered adoringly, stroking Loraine’s amber hair, gazing into her amethyst eyes. The soft yellow glow of their halos bathing the lovers in a soothing light.
“I love you, forever and always.” The Cleric murmured, as a pair of gates materialized ahead of them.
“Es verdad.” The Dragon Knight responded as they kissed passionately, arms holding each other tight in a loving embrace.