Well, dear Acheans, it's been fun.
I could make this a long fancy farewell letter, and I had plans to,
catch butterfly I just realized I could care less. There are far more
important things to think about.
I refuse to leave, however, without giving my friends and
companions any explination.
Perhaps the first part has been guessed. When I returned from
one of my brief journeys, I was shocked to hear my protege and
beloved cousin had abandoned our holy Patron and our birthcity.
I refused to believe at first, but after reading his heartbreaking
letter, saying that his entire life had been on the wrong path, that
he truly felt born to be an Ashtanite, I knew I had failed him as
his mentor and family member, 'for I had encouraged him to follow
blessed Aurora, and I introduced him to his once-loved Paladins.
At that moment, I asked the holy Lady of Light to forgive dear
Tylin his mistakes and let me share his sentence. Everwise, she did
listen to his apologies and set him a task to earn back his honor.
I thought all would be well. Life would go on. My cousin would be
happy once more. Never did it even cross my mind to think that we
would ever violently cross each other, out of our normal sparing
sessions.
Which is why the shock was so great and the cut so painfull, when,
avenging fallen fellow Sentinels by punishing the child named
--well, I have changed my mind. Let him remain nameless. Those
involved know who he is and what his crimes were.
Well, the shock of finding myself tied to the ground and being
kicked to death was enough of a start. I began to get up, and to
gather my senses, seeking understanding of the situation. My student,
my dear friend, standing over my beaten body with his two Great
swords dripping with my own blood, was too much. I begged the Logos
to return my life, and then fled the relms.
...
Today, I returned. I had come to a peace within myself. I decided,
if my friend was willing to actually kill me, perhaps to prove a
point to all present-that he is Ashtanian and was never Shallamite--
or perhaps just to make himself feel bigger, then I wanted no more
part in the fighting.
I would however stay here with my friends. I would be able to
make peace with former foes, and regain some joy in life.
I made my announcement of peacefull intent. Cooper and Swormand were
the first people to respond, and they did so kindly, Cooper being
the one to actually spread the news.
Soon Sinistar was speaking of Tylin, and my guildsister Rune was
congratulating me. I felt good. Things would work out.
Suddenly, I was dead again. This time not at the hands of my closest
friend, but at the hands of a complete stranger nonetheless.
Irontounge decided he would test my statement, I suppose..
"I don't have the energy to keep fighting. I'd rather just continue
to be with my remaining friends. If anyone starts anything, I don't
know. I'll either start fighting again, much worse, or I'll just
leave alltogether."
Irontounge, you have your wish.
Tylin, my student, my cousin, my friend, this is what you wanted.
After leaving my side of the battlefield, you took the otherside,
and instead of avoiding the issue for any ammount of time, instantly
sought to claim the entire field. Perhaps you thought to provoke
me. That I would fight back and we would have an inter-family
war and you would emerge victorious and all the more honor-endowed
for it.
Well, you don't get a Bloodwar, because I will never fight you
in any serious conflict. You are family and that is below me.
So I leave the battlefield to you, my final gift.
To Aurora, You have been with me all my life, guiding me
and giving me strength, and most recently consoling me thorugh my
loss. I leave you with all my thanks, Lady.
Shallam, I was born to you, I have died with you, and now I leave
you. You have been my brothers and my sisters, we have lost and
won conflicts together, and we have had much fun. I leave
you, in tears, but I can not bear to stay here any longer.
And finnaly, my true family, the Sentinels. The first people
I met apon my birth, instantly embracing and caring for me, and
teaching me all I knew. I love each and every one of you
and I thank the Lady Light and mighty Logos for all the time I
had with you.

Goodbye my friends,
Vertigo Tervicz

Penned by my hand on the 8th of Miraman, in the year 236 AF.