The Bleak Walker

He slumped down on a stool, his gaze travels on the ceiling. In the wall, there was a ghostly man who called himself Garm, phasing inside the room, floating, while his legs crossed. He looked at the man who was still, his face flickering from human to flesh. Gael Jag still couldn’t wrap his mind around the problems that have come. Or that a Wraith was hanging around the room he was given temporarily.

“So, have you found a way?”

“There’s a caravan heading to the place where the main forces of the War Maiden are camped. I heard that they are planning to face the Half-Dragon in that place, they have set up traps, and pointed their guns at anything that might come out of the woodworks. Also, they are expecting the draconian army, and the War Maiden has set up her barriers, formations, and she’s fully armed to the teeth. Swords, gun, and all of that are strapped to her. She’s battle-ready and the caravan will only stop before we reach the camp, which is a bridge away from their location.

Garm squared his shoulders, his right hand supporting his chin.

“That’s fine, as long as I attached myself to one of their cargo, I could sneak in and phased through the guards. Though I think you have something that you want to do as well, isn’t that right.”

“Is it that obvious, Wraith?”

“It is, Gael Jag, you are too obvious. You had the look of a man who’s about to enter a mission that mattered.”

“The last of us are planning to take back what little is left of our pride. We are basing this attack on the idea that you can reach the War Maiden and a put a stop to this farce.”

“That’s right, but I got to tell you this. It would be better if they defeat the Draconian Army first, it would prove a nice distraction, and even their army wouldn’t be able to react when a group of rebels came in to destroy whatever is left of the enemy forces. I take it that you will try to capture the artillery guns, and make use of the mounted machineguns?”

“We plan to,” Gael Jag said. “But the success of this mission is close to zero. I’m probably going to die alongside the people that I will come with. I plan to give me life to this goal that you want. So tell me, why do you want to harm the War Maiden?”

The Old Wraith eyed the ceiling for a second, his eyes then went back to Gael Jag. “I want to die. I was human and to escape this infinity, I want to die. “

His eyes took shape and followed was his flesh manifesting. He had the look of a man in his forties, his eyes were red, his hair graying, and he had scars around his body. No, the scars were like he was skinned, burned, and scratched all over. He was missing some of his fingers; Gael Jag could see spear wounds on his body. Along with other wounds that a human shouldn’t have. What stood out was the wound around his neck, and the giant round scar that was near his heart.

“You just want to die?”

“My fate is tied to her, and as long as she’s alive then I will continue to exist. If I continue to exist then it will be troublesome. I am just an old man that wants to rest and be done with this life already. I’ve seen enough and I just wish that I could forever rest. But somehow I doubt that will be easy, and that is why I need your help to get close to the monsters that will duel soon.”

“Are you planning to take down Kaiser as well?” Gael Jag asked.

“I don’t know, my target is the War Maiden and stops her from whatever schemes she has concocted. She’s strong, wise, and has the experience to back herself up. I will tell you this, if I could, then I would try to ask something from her. I wanted to know why she’s doing this.”

“Do you think that the War Maiden would answer you so easily?” Gael Jag said.

“Yes, if any fool would do so, I think they would get killed immediately. But if the War Maiden sees me, I think she would hesitate for a second or two before killing me.”

“You don’t so sure.”

“That’s what I am hoping for. I want to ask because if she does what I think she would do. Then there would be no reason to hold back, and it would be a good time to let go of the sentiments.”

There was an air of despair around the Old Wraith. Gael Jag thought hard, yet he could not imagine what the thoughts of the Wraith were. Gael Jag wanted to live, but he was also ready to die if his country needed it. The Wraith had reasons yet he would only inform Gael Jag the tip of the iceberg. Gael Jag thought that was it was unfair that this Wraith was hiding his reasons for trying to meet the War Maiden.

“I shall leave you your rest, Gael Jag,” the wraith said. “The night will be long, and your journey might soon come to an end. Contemplate. Meditate, and remember your death, and the days you have lived.”

...

He phased through the wall and clambered up the tile roofs. The Old Wraith had many names, and used many for convenience and to hide his identity. Names were something that he considered to be the soul of the person, and right now he rather used the identity of a Wraith, of Garm, a wolf that was said to be once equal to Fenrir, the Great wolf that devoured a God. If he told himself that he was Nolan Salvatore, the foolish man that chased after a woman above his status. He would surely hesitate.

“In order to save my soul, I have no choice but to kill you.”

And so, Garm spoke to the moon, his eyes turning ghostly once again.

Chapter 145: The Monster With Many Names