For two whole days, Alexx waited every hour for Senkazital to retaliate. He and Virgil, the name of the ex-assassin, traveled as far as the woods stretched north, and met no resistance. They traveled another days’ distance, and no Kagral, Erym, or dragon met them. They spoke on the information they acquired since this all started, and it was as Senkazital said. Virgil was lured and tortured for a long time along with others. He had heard many things like Senkazital coming back, and destroying everyone who attacked him, and someone about to go into the Labyrinth. Alexx relayed all the plans Senkazital gave to Alexx, the mask, and the diary of the family he found in Attricot. They meditated on what they knew for a while. The insurmountable challenge left them speechless.

  That night Alexx slept a little easier. The morning after he and Virgil were traveling again. With the morning hunt ending with a healthy stag, Alexx felt like a moment of ease had come. And for another day of uneventful walking and talking, he almost enjoyed this time. The mood between them seemed to shift, as neither of them seemed to be looking back towards the woods as often. Alexx had even returned to humming his old voyage shanties at one point. That night, Alexx broke the silence after their venison meal.

  “What made you give up being an assassin?”

  Virgil remained silent, and kept trying to sharpen the bones he collected from the stag. Alexx carried on stoking the fire when he heard Virgil say, “Some stranger died for me. He knew who I was. He didn’t ask for anything in return.”

  “Well that’s… nice I guess.”

  “Have you ever had anyone take a bullet for you?” Virgil asked.

  Confused as to where Virgil might be going with his question, Alexx played along, “No.”

  Virgil kept whittling instead of carrying on the conversation.

  “What treasure are you after?” He asked.

  “The Moon’s Heart.” Alexx replied with no enthusiasm.

  Virgil paused, Alexx concluded he was pondering the questions and answers.

  “Where’s your next stop?”

  Alexx was surprised. There was no, Is that why you let Senkazital go? Or, So you doomed humanity for treasure?

  “The temple of Zaal in the east. The forbidden one.”

  “Makes sense.” Virgil replied, "What'll you do once you have immortality?”

  He sure is curious… Thought Alexx. “Live in luxury, parties, and ease on my own island.”

  “Who wouldn’t.” Virgil replied, and blew the bone dust off the top of his makeshift weapon, “Okay, that’s all I wanted to know.”

  That’s it? Alexx was too curious, “Why did you need to know that just to tell me, ‘okay’?”

  “To see if I needed to kill you now.”

  Alexx wasn’t sure if he should have felt more fearful. But he remembered he survived Trandin just a few nights ago who also wanted to kill him. He shifted on the log, and continued stoking the fire, making the end of his stick hot.

  “Good to know,” he waited for Virgil to make a move. Alexx tried to appear relaxed, but even he admitted his eyes were shifting too much.

  Finally, Virgil spoke again in a remorseful tone, “If no one stops Senkazital from killing everyone with his transformation plan, there won’t be any lively parties.”

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  Alexx relaxed, and raised his head, “Don’t you know about the Child of Prophecy?”

  “I read the legend, and one thing bothers me. What will the kid have that his parents didn’t?”

  Alexx searched his thoughts, “I don’t know.”

  “No one does,” Virgil sighed, “So the whole thing’s a sham, or there’s something we need to discover. ‘Our blood shall end his might.’ It could mean something more.”

  “What– like they made a weapon out of their blood and stashed it with him?” Alexx said.

  “Or… a heart. ‘For though we go, our love burns still—’”

  Alexx’s eyes opened wide, his mouth fell open, “B-but that doesn’t make any sense, I–”

  “When did the rumors start to populate about the Moon’s Heart?”

  “The best scholars mark rumors and hearsay ranging from the…” Alexx had a realization before he finished, and Virgil picked up the sentence, “...Late first age, to early second. The same time Senkazital was sealed, and the kid went into hiding.”

  “You mean, the Moon’s heart might be them?”

  “Or it might be the kid, or it might be the host of the weapon.”

  “I mean it’s always been a loose theory, but never enough to go on.”

  “Think about it: He might be using you to get it so he can destroy it. It’s the only answer for the kid surviving for so long. You just might be the only one now in a race for the only thing that can defeat him. The only one who has a clue, and the wherewithal to do it”

  “I don’t know if this is all true, but my gut is believing every bit of it. And if even the slightest amount is true, I’ve got no time to waste.”

  “You’re still going after it?”

  “And let someone else have it, after everything I’ve gone through? I may not like the idea of fighting him, or the treasure being a kid, but I’ll never let him touch it!”

  Alexx felt his blood boiling. His stomach reeling, and his sense of time shortening were cascading waves of anxiety in him. He took off into the night, heading east. He donned the mask to see where he was going. He realized he didn’t say goodbye to Virgil, but Alexx hoped the older man would understand. This treasure was everything. Prophecy or not, Alexx laid claim on the Moon’s Heart.

  *

  He ran for a time unknown. His thoughts were obsessively going over the connections to the prophecy and the moon’s heart. He was trying to accept his role in it, but also trying to reconsider every angle to avoid something so noble and heroic. Being immortal was all he wanted, living forever in peace and luxury, not saving the world and being some virtuous icon. Accepting the idea of his prize being the stuff of fate made him battle thoughts of forsaking it. After nine years he had never given up, not once. But now, it seems he found the impossible, a reason to quit. And yet he continued to run. Alexx wasn’t sure why he hurried through the night like his ship was sinking.

  Before he knew it, Alexx made it to the foot of the mountains. The face climbed up, where no holds could be seen, and it was covered in grass. Alexx took out Dracabane and plunged it into the rock, and hoisted himself up. He took hold of the rock, and went to place the sword in another spot higher, when his hand slipped and he fell down. Alexx was too tired to get up. His leg muscled ached, and his head hurt from the magic the mask siphoned from him. He threw off the mask and continued to lay there under the stars.

  “I’m impressed.” Alexx looked behind him and saw Virgil standing there with his arms crossed.

  “You followed me?” Alexx said huffing.

  “I was trying to tell you about the mountains, but–”

  “Maybe you can dragon us over them?”

  “I would if I could, but I don’t know how to control it.”

  Alexx sighed.

  “If I recall correctly we will come to a crossroad if we keep heading north. One way leading east to the capital, and to Jombardin.”

  “That crossroad is still days away, and we have Nue Sirius to deal with.” Alexx replied.

  “We should avoid the capital and head to the temple.”

  Alexx turned around, and looked at him befuddled, “You’re helping me?”

  “I feel like it's what the stranger would want me to do.”

  “Oh,” Alexx didn’t understand the connection, but he grew happier over the help.

  “Traveling near the capital will be hard for both of us; you’re wanted and I’m in Crowne territory without permits. But if we stick to the mountains, we should pass through unnoticed.”

  Alexx felt reinvigorated, and stood up cheerfully.

  “Let’s go get the Moon’s Heart!”