Page 37 of Gift from the Source
She’ll find it later today.
It takes everything in me to step back from her tree. Knowing this is my goodbye to her cuts me so deeply, it’s hard to breathe.
She deserves a better goodbye than just finding a box in a tree.
The sound of my communicator buzzing in my pocket forces me out of my mind and again, I clean my drenched cheeks as though someone may see me through my call.
Right on time.
“Dillon,” I say.
“Orien. Tell me you’ve changed your mind.”
“I wish I could tell you that. Is he ready?”
“Yeah. He believes he’s got you. It’s going to be an ambush. He’s been planning this for weeks and is bringing a small army, plus Ale and the relic. You know what that means,” he says with a tremble in his voice.
“I know…You’ve made it possible for the boys to escape?”
“I have. Their window of time is small, but they’ll take it. The three of them are smart boys. Thicker than thieves. Is this why you’re doing this? For them?”
“There’re many reasons why I’m doing this. They are only but one. I don’t know their fate for sure, just that they need a push.”
“Then what’s the reason for this? I need something, Orien. We’ve worked together for years on bringing him down from the inside. I can’t help but feel like you’re throwing it all away. I don’t see this ending any other way but in your downfall,” he says, his confusion and anger leaking through his broken voice.
“I’m not throwing anything away, but my time has come, old friend. I’ve laid all the pieces that were placed in front of me. Another will step in my place when their time comes.”
“Who?”
“You will know with time.”
There’s a long, tense pause, followed by a deep sigh I know all too well. He’s accepted this is what must be done. Even if he doesn’t understand.
“What do I do afterward?” he asks softly.
“What you’ve been doing. You and Pran continue to run interference as much as possible without the others catching on. Life will feel like it’s at a standstill for a little while, but it will all make sense eventually.”
I hear the sniffle he attempts to cover with clearing his throat and a lump forms in mine.
“Thank you, Orien. For all you’ve done for us.”
“Don’t thank me. I’m so sorry for what you all have endured and what you’ve had to sacrifice. If I could’ve changed it all, I would have.”
“I know you would have, but just know we wouldn’t have changed any of the aftermath. Losing them…” He pauses and I squeeze my eyes shut, taking a breath through his phantom pain. “It’s been a long, long two-hundred-plus years, my friend. But we don’t regret what we’ve had to do in the meantime. Our need for revenge has morphed into a sense of responsibility to the realm because of you. We will always honor our loyalty to you and any who come after you. I vow this still.”
“Stay on your path, Dillon. It will lead you where you need to go,” I whisper, looking down at my timekeeper. “My time has come.”
“Goodbye, Orien.”
I bring the communicator to my forehead as the signal disconnects and breathe a heavy goodbye. I haven’t had the luxury of gaining many friends in my time, but the incredibly few I do have mean a lot to me.
Even if they were found in very unusual and unforeseen circumstances.
I allow myself one last look at the masterpiece Gaster and I created, but I don’t give myself the opportunity to indulge. If I stick around longer than I should, I may not leave.
I may once and for all say fuck every obligation placed on my shoulders and walk away. It was hard enough to rein myself in when I created the scenario of bringing Willow here and hiding her at her mother’s. My sight showed me the paths that would form from that decision, and none were worth the risk.
Plus, I was fearful Iris may kill me in the beyond.
