Ascension to Eternity

"What's this, Mr. Kaer?" she murmured, her tone imbued with curiosity, as her delicate fingers traced a spot behind his right ear.

"I'm not sure; is it a tattoo?" he stammered, unnerved yet captivated.

"It is the symbol of something," she said sagely.

"It is the symbol of a warrior," he noted, his voice low with reverence.

"The symbol of a warrior; you wear it on your forehead as well," she pointed out, her eyes narrowing with intensity.

Chapter Text

"Here is your woman, Mr. Gartonk. Who is the handsome young man beside you? I haven't seen him around here before," Gertrude said, her curiosity piqued as she regarded Kaer.

"This is my friend Kaer. I'll let you talk; I'm going to my woman," Gartonk declared, waving a dismissive hand as he walked away, leaving Kaer in Gertrude's alluring presence.

"Hello, Kaer. I'm Gertrude. Perhaps tonight is your lucky night," she purred, her tone inviting yet laced with an unspoken promise.

"Where are we?" Kaer asked, bewilderment flickering across his features as he took in his surroundings.

"It's a place of rest," she said.

"Is this a brothel?"

"Not really, here, women await their pirates. Of course, only if he has the coin to keep one reserved just for him."

Kaer and Gertrude engaged in light banter for a while, a dance of words that masked deeper desires. After some time, Mrs. Gertrude's smile turned sly as she invited him into her room, her eyes sparkling with intrigue.

"Mr. Kaer, you may suspect that not every man has access to this room. I don't even know what compels me to do this. You have something special, sir. People like you are rare, but I can always sense them," she remarked, a moment of vulnerability surfacing.

Shifting closer, Gertrude's warmth enveloped Kaer like a blanket on a chilly night. He could feel the heat radiating from her, her warm breath brushing against his skin, igniting an unfamiliar craving within him.

"Come on, Mr. Kaer, dare," she coaxed, her challenge dancing in the air between them.

"I have no money," he replied, a note of defeat creeping into his voice.

"An excuse worthy of tears. You'll learn that money can't buy a date with Gertrude," she teased, her laughter light yet laced with an undercurrent of seduction.

"So, how can I?" he asked, his curiosity piqued despite himself.

"By using your mind and wielding a sword," she stated, her gaze unwavering, as if daring him to understand.

"What would a girl like you want with a sword?" he pressed, bemused.

"Do not play innocent, Mr. Kaer. I am not a little girl. You are a stranger, yet I sense something extraordinary about you. I want to be alone with you," she said.

"What will you do to me?".

"Whatever you want," she promised, leaning even closer.

"You do not know what I want," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You can show me," she urged, a spark of adventure igniting in her gaze.

Gertrude closed the space between them entirely, her fingers gliding over his arms, shoulders, and neck, igniting a trail of sensations along the way.

"What's this, Mr. Kaer?" she murmured, her tone imbued with curiosity, as her delicate fingers traced a spot behind his right ear.

"I'm not sure; is it a tattoo?" he stammered, unnerved yet captivated.

"It is the symbol of something," she said sagely.

"It is the symbol of a warrior," he noted, his voice low with reverence.

"The symbol of a warrior; you wear it on your forehead as well," she pointed out, her eyes narrowing with intensity.

"Is it important?" he asked, his heart racing.

"Only for those who know," she replied mysteriously.

"So what does it mean?" he pressed, curiosity gnawing at him.

"It means that you are the chosen one," she declared, her tone grave yet intimate.

"But how could you know?" he challenged, doubt creeping into his voice.

"I saw you".

"I am not the chosen one".

"I will decide that".

"What are you doing?" Kaer asked, sensing a shift in the air.

"I will touch your face," she said, almost reverently.

"Why?"

"To verify your reality," she murmured, her breath a warm caress against his skin.

"I am real," he asserted.

"Then prove this to me. Let me see how real you are and how much life you have within you," she challenged, her eyes locked onto his with an intensity that took his breath away.

Gertrude laid her hands softly on Kaer's cheeks, looking intently into his eyes. Her gaze, a blend of ocean and heavens, swirled with depths that beckoned him to plunge in. The warmth and tenderness of her touch provided comfort amid the sparking tension surrounding them. Kaer remained still, his breath suspended, as if their surroundings had dissolved, isolating them within this charged instant.

Gertrude's breathing quickened as her eyes widened in surprise, her body tense with realization. "I have seen you; you are real. I have seen you in a place that is far away and beyond," she gasped, her voice quivering with urgency. "You have a purpose, but there is a shadow around you, a darkness. Something is chasing you. It is evil. It wants to stop you."

"What is it?" Kaer asked his heart racing, instinctively stepping back.

"It is a thing from afar," she warned, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. "It comes from afar, and it is strong. It is stronger than anything you have ever faced. It will stop you. It will find you. You must run, hide, or fight."

"Who will I fight?" he wondered, dread creeping into his chest.

"You will not know until it finds you. It is a great, horrible, evil thing," she continued, her eyes darkening with fear. "It is a black, terrible, dark, and foul creature. It has a thousand faces and none at all; it is the darkest and most terrible thing you can imagine."

"Who is it?" he pressed his voice, barely whispering.

"The shadow that chases you," she replied, her tone grave.

"How can I stop it?" he asked, desperate.

"You must kill it," she said firmly as if telling an ancient truth.

"How do I kill it?" he questioned, his mind racing.

"You must fight it," she urged, her expression fierce.

"Where is it?"

"It is everywhere; it is nowhere; it is everywhere," she whispered, her eyes wide with an understanding that transcended the confines of their meeting.

Kaer reflected on the words he had heard. Though the reason was unclear to him, he found himself believing in them, deeply struck by their impact.

"This is where the words end; let's get to know each other better," said Gertrude as she began to undress Kaer.