Precedent picture: In the deepest Dungeon... (https://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/in-the-deepest-dungeon-/2872806/?p) _______________________________________ Several weeks had now passed since Delphine, Minalva, Marina and Romatzo had defeated the Lich. Few things had happened in the meanwhile, but some were important. Omdeo and Amon had agreed to not tell to the group that Amon was there too in the cave. At least not right away. But it was without thinking at Minalva's nose. The evening of the day where they fought the Lich, when Omdeo and Amon entered the room where the four adventurers were resting, Minalva jumped near the swordman and sniffed him carefully. Then pointing him with a finger, she said. "Ah Ha! I knew it! I knew you were there with us in the Lich's lair, I recognise your smell!" The moment after that, had been pretty awkward. Delphine, Marina and Romatzo were shocked by this revelation and it took some time to Omdeo to make them understand that Amon was not sent there because of some kind of mistrust. When things had been settle down, Omdeo asked them how they were. Thanks to the healing spells they had benefited, their bodies had kept no traces from their battles. But physically and mentally, they were exhausted. Omdeo and Amon didn't stayed long and when they finally get to sleep, the four slept straight more than a day. It had been a good rest, but it took them few more days to fully recover. Now that they were finally in shape, the time to Romatzo and Minalva to think about their relation had come. The feelings of Minalva were clear but not those of the dwarf. The young elf let him the space he needed to think about it. Romatzo took all the day to ponder on that and other important things he had in mind. He walked in the streets of the huge city build around the Guild of Adventurers through the centuries. This sprawling city kind of reminded him his own city under the mountains. The dwarves he met during these last days made him realized something. He missed his kind and the mountains that he left more than 10 years ago. But the way he left his family would make his return difficult and he didn't felt ready to do it. And even if he was ready to, would he be willing to renounce to his current life? And his friends? And Minalva? He actually already knew the response to that. At the corner of a street he stumbled at what looked like a city park with a lots of trees. Almost like a forest, but surounded by houses. Then he realized that almost all the persons he met was Wood Elves and he understood that he was in some kind of district dedicated to them. It was probably the best place to think about Minalva. He found a nice place and sat, observing the elves. These silvan elves were wearing clothes and was with no doubt living in houses, but he could see the similitudes of behavior with her friend. He reminded these few weeks passed at Minalva's clan. Their way of living was very different of one of a dwarf, but their was some similitudes too. Like the fact their "houses" were underground. He thought to the differences he had with Minalva, like their age. He was 8 years older than her, but it was not the problem. The thing was that if things went well, he could hope to live around 350 years more. 370 if he was very lucky. Minalva, she still had around 1000 years left to live. When he'll be old, she will look as young and beautiful as today. Been a pragmatic dwarf, he realised quickly that, if it was good to be aware of that, the days of his old age were not for tomorrow. So he moved on other things. Romatzo was lost in his thoughts when he saw a children, playing near, tripped on a rock and fell. The child was staying on the ground and was sobbing. Romatzo looked around him and saw no adult in the immediate area, so he stood up and went to help and comfort the child. The little elf stopped to cry almost immediatly. Despite living in a very cosmopolite city, due to his young age, he probably haven't seen that many dwarves before. He was looking this large and hairy little man with awe. He touched the beard of the dwarf. Elves being hairless, it was fascinating for him. Then a mischievous smile appeared on his face and the little elf pulled the beard of Romatzo and ran away laughing loudly. Romatzo laughted too, then after a moment he frowned. If Minalva stayed with him, she'll never have children. And never will he, for what that mattered. He stayed in the Wood Elf distict all day, eating at a tavern some elven specialties, discussing with people living here. Wood Elves really were friendly people. When he came back to the Fortress at nightfall, he knew what he wanted to say, what he wanted to do. But he wasn't sure if it was what he should do. Minalva was waiting in her room. In some ways, fighting against the hordes of goblins and the Lich had been less stressful than the waiting. Marina and Delphine were there too, trying to cheer her up. When Romatzo arrived, Delphine and Marina leaved the room to let them some privacy, but they actually stayed behind the door to try to listen what will happened. The room stayed silent for a moment, Romatzo didn't thought that what he had to say will be actually that hard. The heart of Minalva was pounding like hell. Then Romatzo finally found his courage and said, looking at her straight in the eyes. "Minaval, I love you!" When he told her that, Minalva let her joy exploded and before he had the time to add something, she kissed his face multiple time and hug him strongly. Due to the difference of size, his head ended up burried in her chest. When she finally let him go, his face was as red as his beard. It had been hard to abord the serious subjets he wanted to talk to, after that. Despite her sometime immature behavior, most of the concerns of Romatzo were things she already thought too and she agreed that it was important to talk about those. They discussed all the night. Delphine and Marina spent a long moment, a ear stick on the door, trying to hear what they were saying, until they get too tired and went to bed. The next morning Delphine and Marina knocked at the door of Minalva's room and were invited to enter. Their elf and dwarf friends had little eyes, due to the sleepless night, but they seemed happy. When they asked for what they decided to do, Minalva announced happily that her and Romatzo were officially a couple now and that it would last the time it would last. Romatzo seemed satisfied too with that conclusion. But after been cheered by their two friends, Minalva had a kind of a sad news to tell them. Her and Romatzo have decided to go back to her clan. She wanted to learn to become a Druidess. Because of the awakening provocked by Omdeo, she now had the abilities to do it and she wanted to learn with her mom. They proposed to Marina and Delphine to join them. But as Minalva and Romatzo thought, Delphine said she'll stay here, Omdeo proposing to teach her Superior Magic. Marina stayed quiet for a moment, thinking. She already new what she wanted to do, but she thought that her friends would be all here in the Guild too. She finally spoked and said that she had a great opportunity here to trained and become a better warrior and learned about these new capacities awaked in her. After that, the silence and some sadness settled. All of this meant they had to separate. They were not in a hurry tough, so Romatzo and Minalva took all their time to prepare their trip and they spent all the time they could all four together. But even by taking time, the preparations had to end some days and it was now, several weeks later, the time of the separation. It was early in the morning, the sun was just starting to raise and the city was slowly awakening. Marina and Delphine were there to say goodbye to their friends, of course, but also Omdeo, Grimlok and his wife Olk-Emi, Amon and even Erana who had sympathise with Minalva. When Omdeo first heard that Minalva and Romatzo wanted to leave the Guild, he proposed them to open a portal to have them arrived directly at Minalva's clan, but they refused it. They wanted to travel alone, together for some time. The goodbyes with all of them had been joyful, all wishing the best to the others. It lasted few minutes, then Romatzo and Minalva leaved the entrance of The Fortress, accompanied by Delphine and Marina. When they reached the end of the footsteps of The Fortress the real moment of the separation was here. Minalva was already crying, the separations for her was always heartbreaking. Marina hugged her strongly. The two knew each other for the longest time and had traveled together for more than a year now. Marina tried to comfort her elf friend, telling her that it was probably just a temporary goodbye, but it was hard even for her to retain her tears. Delphine, not helped by Minalva's crying was in tears too. Romatzo was the one hidding best his sadness but he wasn't less affected than his friends. They stayed together long minutes, not really wanted to leave each others, but it had to end at a moment. After the last tears had been wiped and a last embrace with their friends, Romatzo and Minalva left. They walked a dozen of meters, then turned around and waved a last time to Marina and Delphine. Then they took the bridge separating the heart of the Guild of Adventurers and the city and disappeared at the corner of a street. The two remaining friends stayed silent and immobile for a moment, then Delphine took the hand of Marina. "Do you really think it's just a temporary goodbye, she asked? - Yes, I am sure, she responded smiling at her. It's just the end of a chapter and not the end of the book." she wiped a tear that was dropping along Delphine's cheek and kissed her on the forehead. Delphine smiled at her too. Then after spending some more time alone together, they went rejoin Omdeo and the others. The End (for now ;)) _______________________________________ Thanks you for watching and reading! ;) Whew!!! It's finally done!!! The last picture(s)! Yiiiiiiipeeee!!! I must say that in all modesty I'm pretty proud. Because concerning personal projects, I usually never finish them. So it's a good achievement for me. I want also to thanks all the people who comment, like or fave my pictures. It's because of you that I kept motivated. Concerning these 2 pictures, I first did the one on top. But I thought it was kind of depressing to have only a picture of them crying as a ending image, so I decided to add the second one. The text had been looooong to write. I knew what I wanted to say, but I didn't knew how to say it and my inspiration was not really there either. But at the end, I think it's not that bad and I hope you enjoyed it. :) Until now I haven't decided if 2 different races could have children together, but the inner thoughts of Romatzo made me decide. So, no, it's not possible biologically. But if I said "biologically", it's because it can be possible with the help of magic. It's something mostly tabou and seen like unnatural or even forbidden and unholy by some people. Maybe you wondering why Minalva have 1000 years to live, even if we have already met High Elves with at least 4000 years old. It's because Wood Elves, compaired with their cousin, only lives around 1000 years. They do not technically die of old age and could probably live as long as High Elves, but when they reach this moment of their lives, something in them tell them that it's time to leave this world. Then they leave their clans to do a journey in the center of the forest and never comes back. Concerning the future of the story, it's not a secret that I want to continue it. But I also said several time that I wanted to take a break before continuing it. First, because I need it and that will be the time to do some renders that I choose to not do, because I wanted to finish the story first. Second, because I want to plan well the next story arc before starting it. In fact, I didn't wait until now to start planning it. I have the main scenario in mind and already 23 pictures planned and with the inevitable unplanned images, I think there could be a minimum of 30 pictures. But like I said it's not for right away so you'll need to patient. ^^