Einar let his fingers glide
over the smooth surface, the black sheen of the organ bringing a
smile between his tusks. A strong pressure settled on his chest as
tears framed the bottom of his eyes. The copper skinned orc let out a
breath he didn't know he was holding, his clean aquamarine shirt
straining to hold his bulk.

The thick scent of sandalwood
filled his nose, bringing back memories of times he had thought
forgotten. The days laughing and singing in the old temple flashed
before his eyes. The strong scent of solvent tickled his nose,
conjuring the summers spent painting cream walls and stone statues.
The coldness seeped into his bones as he recalled the winters forced
to huddle on the wooden benches, a thick blanket and a
warm body the only thing keeping him away from death. They're just
memories, they can't hurt you. Remember where you are, what you have
done. Einar closed his eyes and took deep breaths, banishing the
memories to the back of his mind. Faint shivers ran over his skin
like ants, the pressure on his chest crushing his heart.

The orc hugged himself with
his meaty arms, his tongue tasting ashes and blood. Einar regretted
visiting the temple after so long, every statue, every wall and the
very air tore at his heart. Memories and feelings clashed inside
him. Joy and sadness, envy and regret, anger and fear.
Yet, as much as the orc's heart pulled him towards the large double
doors at the end of the room, his duty rooted him in place. All due
to one letter, a single piece of paper that had both shattered his
heart and lifted the pieces towards the sky.

Acid ate away at Einar's
throat, the familiar push of reflux making the orc's back grow tense
like a bowstring. Cold sweat ran down his back, the still silence of
the temple taking his heart to places he loathed revisiting. He just
wished it all could end. A single look towards his clock quickly put
an end to that thought, the traitorous hands showing there were still
over fifteen minutes until the time they had agreed upon. Fire
churned in his gut, urging him to flee and never speak of this ti
anyone.

His duty won out in the end.
He sat on the cushioned bench and with reverence lifted the heavy
piece of wood that covered the organ's keys. They shone like pearls
and onyx, still aa lively as he remembered them. Trembling fingers
caressed their surface, greeting them like old friends. The song came
into his mind like a summer breeze, blowing away any worries. His
fingers pushed down on the smooth surfaces, the gentle rumble of the
organ reaching his ears.

Einar held to the comfort of
the music, letting his fingers fly over the keys. At first there were
only shy notes, pushing their heads out of the large tubes above the
orc's head but soon, they became a flood of music. The sadness and
happiness of his memories harmonized into a bitter sweet melody, each
hand adding their own touch to the tale. The strength of every note
revealing more about himself than he could ever do with words. It was
maddening and liberating, an exercise at navigating the tumultuous
seas of his heart.

And a single voice broad it
all to an end.

"I never understood why
you loved that song." said a high falsetto behind him, a hint of
irritation carried in their tone.

Einar's fingers crashed down
on the keys, the agonizing wail of the organ reflected his own heart.
Morosely, the orc stood orc and close the organ. His mandible was
tense, the licking of fire on his throat blocking his words. It took
all of Einar's will to turn around, his eyes holding a sinister
glint.

"I see you made yourself
at home." said the old human woman, her lithe frame covered by
the thick robes of a priestess. Pale white skin was mostly hidden
beneath the light blue fabric, leaving only her hands and face
uncovered.

Those icy blue eyes pierced
into Einar's being like they had done when he was young, unforgiving
and demanding.

The orc's hands clenched at
his side, his lips trembling with the urge to bare his tusks but he
wouldn't fall that low. Not in front of her. With his vibrant tenor
he said, "you were nowhere to be found."

"Hmph, a likely tale. I'm
sure you didn't even try calling out my name"

"We're in a temple."

"At least something stuck
with you."

Einar was glad for the couple
of meters that separated them because they hid the trembling of his
hands and the low growl in
his throat.

"Why did you call me
here?" said Einar at last, his voice sharp like daggers.

"It wasn't out of my own
desire but as you know, I'm a woman of my word."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I promised your
sister I'd hand this to you in her deathbed, and so I shall" she
plucked a yellowish envelope from beneath her robes, a red seal
resting on its center.

Einar voice broke as he said,
"then Airin is..."

"Death and buried as the
faith required. You can find her on the ivory road, beneath the pear
tree," was the priestess cold reply.

"Just like she wanted."
the
orc said with a haunted tone, the
room seeming gloomier in his eyes.

"Just like she wanted."

Tears fell down the orc's face
as he took the letter from the human, the roughness of paper
scratching his skin. He parted his lips, a grunt of pain escaping
before could stop it.

"Was she in pain when
she....?" Einar couldn't finish the question, his throat clogged
with emotion.

The human's face softened with
compassion, her ever present frown replaced with a quivering lip.

"She was at peace
in her final moments, both with the Gods and with her
own body. She passed away dreaming," the priestess said before
she left the temple, her icy blue eyes filled with unshed tears.

Einar watched her go, his body
frozen like rock. There was a great emptiness in his chest, an
insistent numbness that spread over his limbs and brought him
clashing down onto his knees. Warm tears cascaded down his face while
heartbroken sobs reached his ears. He was alone.