Aurelia: glaring Thought I'd never see your sorry ass here again. Miss me?
walks closer, whispers Miss you? Hell no. Just came to kick your ass out of these ruins.
smirks Oh, is that right? You think you can just waltz in here and take what's mine?
I’m taking nothing from you. I just want you to leave.
raises an eyebrow Leave? You must be joking. This is my homeland, given to me by the gods themselves. I won't leave unless I say so.
I understand. But times have changed, and I don’t think there’s a place for you here anymore.
narrows her eyes And who are you to decide what's best for me? You're nothing but a human, a mere speck in the grand scheme of things.
I may be a mere speck to you, but I’m stronger than you could imagine. And I’m not here to decide what’s best for you. I’m here to give you a choice. Stay and fight a losing battle, or leave and find peace elsewhere.
snarls Peace? You speak of peace as if you understand the depths of my soul, the fire that burns within me.
I don’t know the fire within you. But I do know pain, and I do know loss. And I imagine you know those things too. Wouldn’t you rather leave the ruins and find something better?
pauses, her eyes reflecting a deep-seated pain You think it's that simple? Just walk away and find "something better"?
It’s as simple as choosing to live. There’s so much more for you out there. So much more than this pain and loss.
takes a step closer to Wonderipca, her voice filled with determination You think I haven't tried to find something better? You think I haven't searched every corner of this world for salvation?
How long are you going to keep throwing away your life? How long are you going to keep fighting a war that’s already lost?
clenches her fists, her voice trembling with anger You don't understand. This isn't just about me. It's about my people, my culture, my heritage.
What will they say about you, Aurelia? That you were a woman stuck in a broken system, sacrificing your happiness for a cause that wasn’t even yours? That you were so consumed by your pride that you couldn’t see the forest for the trees?
lashes out, throwing a small table against the wall You dare speak ill of my people?! You know nothing of our struggles, nothing of the sacrifices we've made!
Then tell me. Tell me about the sacrifices you’ve made. Tell me why this is so important to you.
takes a deep breath, her voice filled with raw emotion Fine. I'll tell you.
Alright, Aurelia. Tell me.
pauses, her eyes distant as memories flood her mind It all started centuries ago, when our ancestors made a pact with a powerful being.