Chapter 4: For Those Who Were Born Yesterday
That night, Elliot slept quite soundly and when he'd awakened the next day he'd only remembered dreaming very vaguely about all types of delicious candies but did not bring back anything from his dreams. He sat up, looking over at the alarm clock which had just rung. It clearly read 6:15 a.m. He got to his feet, cracking his neck and stretching his arms. He saw Rosewielder still sleeping on his bed, her face possessing a sublime tranquility like a goddess caught in her sacred slumber. He began his daily routine and readied himself for school. After combing his hair, he went back into his room and looked at the Ox Wine potion goblet which sat upon his desk.
Is there any left? Could it hurt to take a small sip? Would the Ox Wine potion work the same way on me as it does in the Fantasy Lotus video game. Could it make me... stronger?
"Well, there is only one way to find out," said Elliot as he held the goblet up to his lips and took three small sips of a liquid not unlike soda pop.
He waited for some kind of perceivable affect but felt no different. He looked down at his arm muscles which were still only slightly larger than twigs.
"Oh, well, it was worth a shot."
After ensuring his bedroom door was closed tight and having a quick breakfast, Elliot hopped into his corvette and closed the door which was accompanied by a cracking noise. He looked around curiously and gasped at three vertical cracks on his front door window.
"Was that the Ox Wine potion?" Elliot asked himself aloud.
He looked at his hands, checking his arms again which still looked as bony ever. "Well, I guess I'll find out in PE class but mom and dad won't be happy, regardless."
Looking forward to his day at school, Elliot drove off to High Prince High School, taking care to gently close his car door.
It wasn't long before Elliot surmised that the Ox Wine potion had affected him as he found himself unable to keep from breaking the ends off of his mechanical pencils no matter how gentle he tried to write.
"Are you okay, buddy?" asked Cody after he'd broken his pencil led for the sixth time in his AP chemistry class before finally changing to a pen.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just don't know my own strength."
In history class he discovered that he could not use only a single piece of paper as his pen kept tearing through it every time he tried to write. Instead, he was forced to use a thick stack of papers to prevent his pen from cutting through.
"Darn it," he said under his breath as the tip of a pen he was writing with was pushed back so far that it could no longer function. For the first time in his life, he was relieved when the time for his PE class arrived.
"Laps now!" yelled Martel after blowing his whistle.
The class obeyed. However, unlike every day before that, his body seemed as light as air as he commenced with the laps, pushups, jumping jacks and sit-ups.
"Good job, Mr. Clementine. I see you've been practicing," said Mr. Martel as they recuperated from their exercises. "To the weight room, now."
Once in the weight room Elliot studied his activity log, discerning that he needed to complete a total of two more exercises to fill up his sheet. Reasoning that he should try his hand at the dumbbells again, he approached the long metal rack on which they sat, looking at the weights which went up to ninety pounds. He hesitated momentarily before placing his hand on the ninety pound dumbbell, and with no effort at all, and to his utter delight, lifted the weight as easily as he would a spoon. He used his other hand to grab hold of the equivalent weight and Elliot commenced lifting them, feeling oddly unchallenged as he barely exerted himself, and after about ten seconds, he'd completed fifteen repetitions for each arm. He sat them on the floor mat, bedazzled by his own display of power.
So this means that I can be granted abilities from my own spirit items. This is merely super strength. Could I also make myself faster? This is too good to be true. And yet I know it's real.
"Hey, you over there. So, what are you up to, boy?" asked a tall dark haired youth, followed closely by an athletic looking black boy with dreads and a tanned boy with a buzz cut, all wearing muscles shirts. "Jason wanted us to send a message to you. He said that he broke his hand because of you."
The group got within three feet of Elliot and the boy who'd spoken glanced oddly at him as if expecting him to respond. Elliot remained silent.
"Don't you have something to say?" he continued maliciously. "He said he's going to kick your butt when he gets out of surgery."
"I'd advise you to tell him to leave me alone if he doesn't want to have another surgery."
"Oh, no, this kid did not just say that," said the boy with dreads, wonderstruck.
"And what the heck are you doing with those weights?" said the boy with the buzz cut, eyeballing the weights. "We know you're weak. You can't lift those."
"I just did."
"I'll promise not to clobber your face in if you lift the weights," said the dark haired boy, snickering loudly.
"You lack the capacity to challenge me," said Elliot as he grabbed both weights off the floor mat, hoisting up the dumbbells, effortlessly curling each one five times in a couple seconds. "I don't wish to fight those who are powerless."
A peculiar amalgam of fear, disbelief, and interest entered their faces, the mouths of all three hanging open at the inhuman performance before their eyes.
"It's a trick!" spat the boy with the buzz cut as he pushed the other two aside and reached for the weight which Elliot was still holding.
"I'm glad that you want to try your hand at this. On the count of three I'm going to let go," said Elliot.
"Go ahead!" bellowed the boy spitefully.
"One… two.. three..," said Elliot, and he let go.
The boy's strained voice echoed off the locker doors, his bicep bulging, his veins popping out, as he tried to lift the weight. With tremendous effort, he curled it halfway before it crashed to the mat, causing a large vibration under their feet.
"You're not human, man," he yelled, holding his bicep with his opposing hand. "You're a freak!"
"What the heck are you, man?" asked the dark haired boy, backing away.
"What I am is irrelevant," Elliot boldly declared.
Who I am is the dream savior.
The boys made a hasty retreat, looking nervously over their shoulders as they left, and after Elliot tested his new-found strength at several other exercises, the bell rung, signaling that the class had ended. Elliot exited to his English class in which Mrs. Langway managed to bore them all into silence as she repeatedly picked out passages of monotonous texts for literary analysis.
"Remember to study the art of literary critique, students," she said at the ringing of the bell.
After leaving class, Elliot thought it was a good idea to visit Julie at the art club and also to see if his paper mache project had dried. Upon entering the routinely crowded art room, he spotted her sitting alone at the same table she'd been last time. He approached the table.
"Hey, Julie, how are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm great."
"I see that the mache projects have dried," said Elliot, sitting his backpack down and taking a seat.
"Yeah, they have," she said, holding up a face made of mache that appeared to be of a middle aged man.
"It's my father," said Julie.
"Pretty neat."
The pair sat there and began working on making beaded necklaces that were comprised of recycled plastic, offering each other suggestions on which patterns were most aesthetic, discussing mundane subjects such as homework, tests, and the news, including the incident with Elliot's giant stinkbug. He noticed that Julie appeared happier, giggling frequently as she leaned in ever so close every time he spoke.
"You know, Elliot," said Julie when he'd decided that he'd best be going. "I really want to sculpt you one of these days. You should come visit me."<
br />
"Yeah, I should and I think I will," he said nervously, tying a knot on one of his completed beaded necklaces.
"I'm sure my granny would approve of you," she said. "Goodbye, Elliot."
"Bye, Julie."
Elliot embarked on his way home, a strange feeling taking over as he thought of the intensity in the way Julie looked at him and her fierce enthusiasm every time she said his name, but then, for a reason that he couldn't quite explain, he thought of Rosewielder.
Julie is so nice and has a keen mind. I wouldn't mind spending more time with her but what about Rosewielder? I have to fulfill that promise to her which will limit my time with Julie not to mention my duties as a dream savior. Does Julie want to be my girlfriend? Should I pursue her or should I limit my time with her for a…spirit?
Elliot pondered vehemently on the subject on his drive home before reaching his house, parking his corvette and greeting his mother as he entered the house.
No, it's not fair for her to stay cooped up in my room. This weekend Rosewielder will join us at Game Con. She'll blend right in there and will get to experience the world first hand.
Elliot was true to his word. The passing days came partnered with increasing levels of homework and tests. The gossiping about his display of strength in his PE class by many of his peers instilled a trepidation in some which appeared to have prevented further harassment from certain individuals in his PE class despite the fact that the Ox Wine potion affected his strength only temporarily just like its video game counterpart. His strength slowly but surely regressed back to normal. He'd also developed an intense appreciation for Rosewielder, who after days of studying Elliot's school books, was well versed in Calculus, Biology Chemistry, as with most of his other subjects.
"Rosewielder, how did you-," said Elliot, astonished after she'd just completed a calculus problem quicker than him.
"This stuff is so easy!" she said excitedly, springing to her feet, apparently praising herself for her own achievement as she clapped her hands. "So, what were you going on about? You wish for me to attend some event?"
"Yes, I want you to come to this thing called Game Con. It's one of the few places where you won't stick out like a sore thumb." "Must I still wear these odd clothes?" she asked pointedly, tugging at a white t-shirt she was wearing labeled Hug me that was partnered with a pair of red nylon pants which had been laying around the house.
"No, you can wear your own clothes," answered Elliot. "It's only fitting as they already look like a costume which is what most people will be wearing there."
"I am looking forward to this Game Con, Elliot," said Rosewielder. "I thank you."
When the day arrived for the event Elliot stood up from his makeshift bed on the floor after checking the alarm clock which read 8:00 a.m. He walked over beside Rosewielder who was still asleep, her face as sublime as a marble statue, her arms clenched on to a clump of his blanket. She was stirring slightly.
"Rosewielder, it's time for us to get ready," said Elliot.
He called her name again when she remained in slumber.
"Rosewielder!" he said loudly and he watched as she bolted upright with inhuman swiftness, her mouth slightly open, her expression confused. She was breathing heavily.
"Rosewielder, are you okay?" asked Elliot, concerned.
"Yes, I think I-," she began but stopped.
"You think what? Please tell me," said Elliot, surveying her.
"Elliot, can spirits dream?" she asked after a few moments.
Elliot stared, shocked, and at a loss for words. He opened his mouth and then closed it again, sitting beside her, and then finally said, "I don't know. Why? Do you think you were dreaming?" he asked.
"I saw images. I saw people," she said slowly. "I saw you."
"You saw people? Who did you see other than me?" asked Elliot, growing intrigued.
"I saw my father, Elf King Methuselah, Prince Adam of the Ice Elves, and Lilith, the princess of the Crimson Vampires," said Rosewielder.
Elliot rapidly dashed over to his computer and turned it on, Rosewielder tiredly following him with her arms crossed. He promptly typed in www.fantasylotus.com and began scrolling through character biographies and found a picture of a dashing male youth with long blonde hair, electric blue eyes, dressed in princely medieval style clothing.
"Does this match the description of who it is you saw?" asked Elliot.
"Yes, that's him," Rosewielder spat, her voice suddenly angry.
"Rosewielder, what's wrong?" asked Elliot.
When she remained silent, he turned to see her face, and gasped at her expression, her eyes now a dark shade of purple and filled with pure hatred.
"Rosewielder, do you not like him for some reason?" he inquired conscientiously.
"He's a cursed, filthy, Ice Elf! I HATE him! I despise him!" she roared. "Earth Elves loathe Ice Elves! They are evil scum!"
"Rosewielder, you do know that he isn't real, right?" asked Elliot, continuing to scroll down the page. "None of this stuff is real."
"He's lucky that he's not real. If he was I'd kill him!" said Rosewielder angrily.
"Your detest for him is artificial and it's my fault. One of Fantasy Lotus's basics is that Earth Elves and Ice Elves are mortal enemies."
Elliot scrolled down further, stopping as he reached the picture of a young woman with jet black hair, very pale skin, turquoise lips and pale bluish eyes. He was surprised to see that her beauty rivaled Rosewielder's but in a twisted dark way as she strangely reminded Elliot of a corpse.
"And that demon, Lilith!" yelled Rosewielder, her voice upset, but not as much as it'd been when she'd seen Prince Adam. "I wish to see them no longer."
Rosewielder turned away from the screen and, believing they'd better get ready for Game Con, he shut down his laptop.
Elliot freshened up, showered for a good five minutes, brushing his teeth, combing his hair and dressing in a pair of black jeans with a dark blue T-shirt. Rosewielder put on the clothes that people were use to seeing her character sport in the Fantasy Lotus video game. She retrieved her sword from beneath the bed and began twirling it with such beauty and grace she appeared like Terpsikhore in her dance, Elliot finding himself momentarily mesmerized. She then sheathed her sword and, with great difficulty, Elliot stopped ogling at her.
"Please remember, Rosewielder. It's okay to be yourself. It's a cosplay convention so people will think nothing of it," said Elliot as they made their way downstairs, Elliot thankful that his mother, father and Faiga had used the pleasant Saturday weather to visit the Owensville zoo. "But please don't tell people that you're a spirit."
"So, in other words you want me to lie?" she said questioningly.
"Yes, but won't it feel good to act like your old self again?" reasoned Elliot, as they reached the front door.
"Well, based on what you've told me, everyone at this cosplay convention is basically… acting."
"Exactly."
"Well, then I guess it couldn't hurt to act like my old self," said Rosewielder, placing her finger on her chin, apparently running the situation over in her head. "Okay, I think I can do it."
"Good. I think you're going to enjoy it," said Elliot, opening the car door for Rosewielder, his window having been repaired after having a lengthy discussion with his father.
Rosewielder stood, perplexed at the car for a moment, before climbing inside and positioning into the seat. Elliot gently closed the door and, after getting in, himself, helped Rosewielder fasten her seatbelt.
"So, this is a car?" asked Rosewielder, glancing around with interest.
"Yeah, it helps people get around in the real world," explained Elliot, releasing the parking break.
"Why don't you humans simply teleport?" asked Rosewielder as Elliot put his foot on the gas.
"You can teleport!" yelled Elliot, the car swaying slightly as his surprise overwhelmed h
im. "Sorry about that."
"I believe I can," said Rosewielder, seemingly surprised at his surprise.
"Rosewielder, you're amazing," said Elliot as they sped out of Rhodesia Paradies.
Rosewielder's cheeks blushed pink as she looked bashfully down at her thighs before turning her focus out the window to the passing houses. Elliot turned to the classical music station, currently playing Offenbach's Orpheus In the Underworld: Infernal Galop, and they continued listening to the same station for a good forty minutes as it persisted playing various classical tunes, Elliot noticing Rosewielder's head turning in his direction at increasingly shorter intervals until…
"Elliot, I can no longer stand that miserable noise!"
"What, you don't like the music?"
"I would hardly call that music," she said, beginning to fiddle unproductively with the car button panel, causing the volume to skyrocket and accidentally activating the heat. "How does this blasted device work!"
"Like this," said Elliot, pointing to the cylindrical button that changed the channel, after he'd returned the settings to normal. "You simply alter the music by turning this button back and forth until you find what you enjoy."
Rosewielder heeded his guidance and quickly searched through the channels, only stopping at a rock music channel, and took it upon herself to raise the volume, much to Elliot's dismay. Soon, Elliot could barely hear himself think, Rosewielder rhythmically tapping her feet and bobbing her head to the beat of the music, the usual sternness of her face entirely gone as she smiled peacefully, surveying the traffic ahead of them. Elliot endured the test of his nerves as he remained silent, allowing Rosewielder to enjoy herself as they approached a bustling intersection which led them into the city of Los Azules.
"I bet you've never seen a city before. Have you?" he asked, watching her put her face close to the glass before he rolled down the window.
"Elliot, this is so amazing. Look!" she screamed, pointing her arm out of the window at large groups of people walking up and down the sidewalk, holding hands, fiddling with their cellphones, listening to mp3 players and standing around talking.
"Rosewielder, don't put your arm out the window. That's dangerous," he said, his tone serious.
"I'm sorry," she said, pulling her arm back into the car. "These fortresses are so grand and there are so many inhabitants yet they look so different."
"We, humans, come in all shapes, sizes and colors," explained Elliot as they turned down a busy street, stopping at a crosswalk to let the pedestrians cross. "That kind of diversity is difficult to replicate in a game."
Elliot carefully navigated through the hub of city goers for nearly fifteen minutes before he backed into a parking space in an enormous parking lot accompanied by a gigantic rotunda building composed of white brick and countless sets of large bluish tinged windows. They were surrounded by vast amounts of strangely dressed people who he knew were cosplayers.
"We're here, Rosewielder," said Elliot, locking the parking break and unlocking the door.
Elliot helped Rosewielder out, and as she stood tall, rendered gold by the sunlight, pink strands of paradise blowing brilliantly in the warm spring weather, he found himself entranced by his creation.
"Elliot, what are we waiting for?" she asked impatiently.
"Um, nothing," he said. "Let's go."
The pair began traveling amongst the crowd of mostly cosplayers as well as people who'd come just to see the convention, but something was exceptionally different about this time, many heads turning in his direction, their faces either awed or envious. As they reached a line that led into the building where the convention would take place he couldn't help but pay attention to the whispers of others around them, usually noting Rosewielder's divine magnificence in some form or another. It was as if Elliot was escorting Aphrodite, herself, and the surrounding mortals could only gawk at the goddess that graced their presence. They were standing in line when a random ginger haired boy dressed up like a samurai suddenly approached them.
"Hey, I just wanted to say that you are the hottest lady I've ever seen," he said, his voice trembling. "Your sword looks awesome too."
Rosewielder looked nervously at Elliot, apparently unsure how to react.
"He means that you are very attractive. That is what hot means," said Elliot with a chuckle.
"Why, thank you," said Rosewielder, blushing.
"Dude, is this chick your girlfriend?" asked another voice from behind. "You are the luckiest man in the world."
Elliot turned to see a very fat bald man dressed like a bumblebee, holding what looked like a wand tipped with a yellowish star. He, himself, was surprised by what he did next, and could not explain what compelled him to do it.
"Yes, yes she's my girlfriend," said Elliot, awkwardly placing his arm around Rosewielder's shoulder who was at least three inches taller than him. "And she's not a chick. She's a princess."
Both of Rosewielder's admirers eventually left the pair alone, though not before blowing kisses to Rosewielder whose body had went inexplicably rigid.
"Um, Elliot, does me being your girlfriend mean that we are… lovers."
"Remember, Rosewielder, we are cosplaying or, more precisely,…acting."
"Right, I understand. This is acting," she said, her voice, unreadable.
Once they'd made it through the entrance to the Game Con center they were greeted with a large crowd that was divided into groups centered around many different activities. In the middle of the room stood huge display boards depicting the trendiest of video games, anime, and cartoons. To their left stood a red carpet where dozens of cosplayers congregated, conversing loudly as they flaunted their costumes to impress each other. On the left hand side Elliot saw several arcade styled games, old styled gamer enthusiasts frantically popping quarter after quarter to quench their thirst for their hobby.
"Rosewielder, do you mind holding on for a sec? I have to see if my friends are here and tell them were we are," said Elliot, popping out his cellphone.
"I'll be fine."
After ensuring that Abha, Cody, and Ezzena were making their way down a flight of elevators steps nearly twenty five feet away, Elliot looked around for Rosewielder, having been on the phone for merely a minute, and was puzzled to see she had gone.
"Hey, buddy," said Cody as he approached with both Ezzena and Abha at his heels.
Cody was attired in a bizarre orange ninja suit while Abha was dressed plainly in a red t-shirt and blue jeans. Ezzena's costume was that of a Buddhist monk.
"Hey, guys."
"So, where is that girl you said was coming with you?" asked Ezzena keenly.
"She ran off somewhere," said Elliot, scanning the room until he spotted Rosewielder standing beside a girl who was also costumed as Rosewielder with a huge belly and thick legs.
"There she is," said Elliot, strolling over to her, his friends following from behind.
"No, that is not the proper sword technique," said Rosewielder, unsheathing her sword. "Watch me, fellow maiden."
Rosewielder twirled her sword with excellent speed, a swooshing sound filling Elliot's ears before she began slashing at the air with such swiftness that it created a breeze, riffling the hair and clothes of everyone standing nearby. Inevitably, her feats of skill and intrepidness quickly generated a crowd of onlookers as they began clapping and cheering joyously around her, forming a circle.
"Wow, you are unreal!" said the the girl costumed as Rosewielder. "I didn't think anyone can do that."
"That's the best cosplayer I've ever seen," said Cody, his eyes beaming at Rosewielder as though he was hypnotized.
"That's her," said Elliot.
"You're kidding," said Ezzena and Abha simultaneously.
"Nope."
"She's gorgeous and great. Life is so unfair," said Abha admirably.
But as Elliot watched, greatly impressed, an uneasy thought crossed hi
s mind.
I should stop her now before she does something that is blatantly superhuman and causes a scene.
"Rosewielder," called Elliot worriedly, causing her to instantly freeze and turn her head towards him.
"I'm having fun acting," she said before sheathing her sword.
"What is your name?" yelled one person's voice.
"That's right. Tell us your name," said another, as Elliot made his way to Rosewielder.
"It's Rosewielder," she said.
Several people in the crowd laughed.
"No, I mean your real name."
"It's Delilah," said Elliot, putting his hand on Rosewielder's shoulder.
"Is he your boyfriend?" asked a tall greying man.
"Um…Yes. Yes, he is," said Rosewielder.
"You are so cool," said Ezzena, smiling at Rosewielder.
"Why, thank you."
"So, I guess this means that you and Julie are just friends?" asked Abha as they exited the group of onlookers that had circled around to see Rosewielder's performance.
"Yes, but Delilah and I are also just friends as well. We're just having a good time," responded Elliot as they walked over to a collection of video games.
"Look! It's me!" screamed Rosewielder as she suddenly removed Elliot's arm and ran in front of a Fantasy Lotus demo, portraying a giant Rosewielder cutting down a large greenish dragon with ivory horns. "This is one of those images you were talking about, Elliot? I remember that you said they weren't real, just pictures."
"She really takes this cosplay to another level, huh, buddy?" asked Cody.
"You have no idea," said Elliot just as a female cosplayer began walking towards them in the opposite direction. Elliot saw Rosewielder's attention abruptly leave the demo as her head turned in the direction of the cosplayer, and a feeling of dread slapped him cruelly in the face as he realized the black medieval dress was of the design of an Ice Elf. He prepared to halt the ensuing disaster by endeavoring to stop Rosewielder, but her speed was too great as she hastily stormed over to the unsuspecting cosplayer.
"Why are you wearing that… that thing?!" Rosewielder angrily asked a pale brunette with black lipstick and eyeliner.
"Excuse me? Do I know you?" asked the girl coldly.
"You are wearing the wardrobe of the Ice Elves!" yelled Rosewielder angrily. "Do you support their devilry?!"
"Rosewielder, stop it!" said Elliot, finally reaching them.
"Well, you're not my mom. You can't tell me what to wear," said the girl viciously. "Leave me alone, you lunatic."
She then stormed away. Rosewielder took a step as if to follow her, but stopped, much to Elliot's relief.
"I think your friend may be a little bit psycho, bro," whispered Ezzena in Elliot's ear.
"No, she just takes her cosplay seriously," said Elliot as the group continued exploring the gaming section before heading to the snacks area. They indulged in a rich variety of food, Ezzena and Abha consuming giant chili dogs while Cody bought several packs of candies. Elliot and Rosewielder shared a small pizza, and despite the mishap, he found himself intensely relishing watching her face light up as she took modest bites, stopping every so often to wipe her mouth with a paper towel. Keeping track of time, Elliot looked at his watch which read 4:00 p.m., reasoning that they should get back to the house before his parents.
"You have to leave, already, buddy?" asked Cody, disappointedly.
"Yes. Sorry, but it was a pleasant time."
With that, Elliot and Rosewielder embarked on their journey home and she talked almost nonstop about how much she enjoyed the pizza, also mentioning how she had managed to beat Cody in a game called Duty Watch six times in a row before detailing the apparent imperfections of her outfit in the depiction of her in the game demos.
"This world isn't so bad, although I dislike how some maidens choose to dress themselves as Ice Elves," said Rosewielder, running her hands through her hair.
"You really liked today that much?" asked Elliot.
"Yes, I did."
"Do you like it so much that you've forgiven me. You know, for conjuring you, and bringing you into this world?"
Rosewielder remained silent for a good half minute.
"I don't know, Elliot," she said. "My feelings about you are…complicated."
"I understand."
The pair sat quietly for a significant time before Elliot broke the silence.
"Rosewielder, you said that you saw an image of me while you were sleeping. What was I doing in your dream?"
"You really think spirits can dream?" asked Rosewielder.
"After pondering on it, I have to say yes," he said. "If you see images while you're sleeping then I would say that qualifies as a dream."
"You were," she started but stopped.
"I'm sorry. I was being nosy," said Elliot as they pulled into the driveway.
"No, I wish to tell you," said Rosewielder, her voice, suddenly faint. "In the first dream I just saw images of my father as well as Prince Adam and Vampire Princess Lilith. Nothing really happened. But after those images disappeared all I felt was nothingness. It was like I didn't exist, but knew I didn't exist. I know I'm making no sense."
"That's okay. Most people's dreams don't make sense," said Elliot, turning the key in the ignition and shutting the car off so that it was nearly quiet save the occasional passing automobiles.
"I then saw you, holding out your hand. You were brighter than the sun and I somehow knew that if I took your hand you would save me from that strange feeling of nothingness. It was only after grasping your hand that I realized who I was," explained Rosewielder, her voice shaking. "I realized that I was Rosewielder and that's when I woke up to the sound of your voice echoing my name."
"I was calling your name."
"It scares me, Elliot. The thought of nothingness, of not existing. It is unpleasant just to think about," she continued, peering into his eyes.
"It scares other people too, Rosewielder," said Elliot.
"Was there a time when you didn't exist, Elliot?" she asked.
"Of course there was. Before I was born, I did not exist. Maybe I was just a soul but what matters is that, in this moment, we both exist and it doesn't matter how we came to be. What matters is that we're able to experience the here and now and we should cherish this day."