ANDEN
CHASING THE SUN
Some things never changed. In this world or his last, the Sun rose and fell, the Moon forever chasing it in a game of cat and mouse. Before Anden found himself in Caido he longed for the Sun to rise so he could explore further into the Evergreen Forest, now the Sun burned his soul, and body. Maybe it was depression. Anden raised a glass of ale to his lips. Maybe it was depression that brought him to VladVloed's nightly. Or maybe it reminded him of home. It wasn't long ago that he would be on the other side of things, helping pour drinks for the adventurers, or throwing chunks of wood into the fire to keep everyone warm. The Hollowed Grounds felt like a prison. Part of the deal to stay with Oliver at the manor, was that Anden wouldn't leave the Hollowed Grounds for until he was 'ready'. Whatever that meant.
He never expected the Hollowed Grounds to be so... broken. Perhaps it was a city once, but to Anden everywhere he looked he only saw loss. Even the residents seemed broken. A sickness had plagued the region, or so he heard. Oliver tried to explain that usually the Grounds weren't so empty, Anden wasn't so sure he believed him.
He looked down at the glass in his hand with a sigh. Even ale couldn't break the feeling of nothingness that he felt. Oliver hadn't lied about that part, or not needing to eat or drink. He was an Ascended now, and this was his curse. To wander the streets at night - aimlessly. It was that or spend more time with Oliver in the manor, but he tried too hard to make Anden feel at home, to make it all feel normal.
Nothing about Caido was normal to him. Eloise Marie not being by his side was wrong. Feeling trapped wasn't right. Anden stretched back in the seat at the bar. Everything about living in Caido was a curse.
