I have wandered through the world in a state of disillusionment after the sacking of my village. I hid out in a small cabin in a forest near the foot of a quiet volcano, with my love.

For a time I lived apart from her and worked in an older village where zombies roamed the streets at night, searching in the fog, for their lost humanity. Then, I returned to the woman I had loved, only to find that we too were among the casualties of the destruction of our village. The scars from that loss run deep, deeper than I knew. The love of my life has asked me to live in another village, and only come to visit, upon occasion. With the destruction of our home and the breaking of all my promises to her, she has lost her trust in me.

More than flesh and worldly possessions can perish in the fires of destruction. Love and trust are also subject to the same death, as the rest of humanity. First dies trust, then love slowly withers, until it too is gone. No medicine or magick can bring back the victims of the fires that burn the love out of a heart. Unless trust can be rekindled, first.

With trust comes acceptance, and then the new seeds of love can grow in the place of a love that has died. I have never seen that happen in the heart of one that has lost both trust and love for the same person. They either live together in constant conflict, from the lack of trust, or they go their separate ways and heal.

In the next few days, I will be told whether or not I have been selected to live in the new village. Many wish to live there, as it is near a great place of learning and adventure. Many people are there that I know. There is one there, that I have come to be fond of. It could even be said that I have come to love her.

There are many barriers in the way of my love for this woman. She too is a victim of the violence of this world, and her scars prevent trust. I am much older than she. Too old, some would say. But, the Gods themselves have sent both of us to this place to meet and form a company. For what purpose, I have yet to learn.

The loss of my lover, after the sacking of our village, has left a deep wound in my heart, that has been healing very slowly. And heal it has, only I too have lost the trust that I once knew. My new companion, may not be destined to be my lover. That I can accept. For the tasks I see unfolding before us are far more important that the affairs of my heart.

Among the sayings of my people, it is stated that; "the good of the many, out weigh the needs of the few, or the one". The work we were joined to do, out weighs the need in my heart for the love of this woman. As long as she knows I care for her and we are friends, that is good enough for me.

I was once a warrior, now I learn to teach the ways of peace. This new companion of mine, inspires the bard in me, that has lain dormant, for all of these many years. A new journey begins.......