"I'm not leaving."
Alexandria had made her decision, she was going to stay. Now the only thing left was to deal with Zhuliya. With her old friend having been around for going on two months, she was able to observe the foolishness and ineffectiveness of lashing at in anger at the things that upset you.
She knew that Whitney had already left, and it had been her decision to do so. It was going to be hard not having her around anymore, but she’d find someone else to be her doctor. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out from behind the tree and into the clearing where Zhuilya had been making camp.
“It’s about time you showed up,” Zhuliya snapped angrily, quickly stowing away the last pieces of her campsite. As always, the woman wore her fushcia scale mail, with her dreadlocks tied back.
“I’m not leaving Zhuliya,” Alexandria said firmly.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m not leaving.” Taking a deep breath she pulled the necklace from her neck and held it out towards the woman. “I won’t be needing this either.”
Both woman stood in silence as their gazes stayed fixed on each other. Alexandria’s gaze was one of determined confidence, her face lacking any signs of her normal childishness. Zhuliya’s gaze was cold and murderous, her breathing slow as her hand settled on the hilt of her sword. “Explain yourself, now.”
“I can’t leave. There’s too much to do here and I’m not going to leave my friends here to do it by themselves.”
“So you’re staying so you can play the heroine and save the world?” Zhuliya’s tone was condescending and bitter. “From what I’ve seen, the people of this world are too busy fighting themselves. Why waste your time with people who can’t look past their own differences?”
“No,” the Elementalist replied with a slow shake of her head. “I know I can’t save the world by myself, I’m not that deluded. But I can help them fight, I can help them try and see that there are bigger things to worry about then whether they’re Charr, or Human, or whatever. Regardless, I’ve started this fight, and I will see it through to the end, because I want this world to have hope again.”
“At least you’re starting to sound like yourself again,” Zhuliya said as she stepped forward and snatched the necklace from Alexandria’s hand. “In five years I’m coming back and you’re coming home regardless of the state of your fight.”
“We’ll see,” Alex said with a smirk. “In five years I might be able to beat even you.”
“I doubt it,” Zhuliya scoffed, shoving the necklace into the large, burlap sack that contained her gear. Hoisting it over her shoulder, she turned to look one last time at Alexandria. “Try not to get yourself killed.”
“You too.” Feeling as if a weight had been lifted off her chest she waited for Zhuliya to vanish before turning to leave the woods. It had been quite some time since she had been in the city. She knew that she wasn’t returning the same person, and she also had learned to conjure a third set of elemental armor that she couldn’t wait to show off.