Lucretia looked around as she found herself in another room after smashing that tablet and the tomb had reacted positively to her. Sitting in front of her was a table, a chair and a single draugr. It looked surprised to see her and would motion for her to approach. She’d squint and slowly do so. As she sat she felt a touch on her mind but it was a pleasant touch that was like an old friend wishing to speak.

I see that you made it through the First Trial Lucretia. I am the Second Trial; So to speak.

Lucretia cocked her head to one side and made her intentions known to the draugr that she was here because of the tome. The draugr chuckled before leaning forward. Staring at her with an earnest smile. It was creepy honestly and that seemed to amuse it even further.

I missed speaking to the living. But alas as much as I enjoy it I need you to answer some questions… to pass this second trial.

Lucretia nodded her head and would sit still for a moment as she felt a wave of information find its way into her mind. It wasn’t so much a question as it was a situation. She was the sole protector in a town, there were beasts running amok and she had to choose. Were she to save a family that were fleeing? Or a young girl that was beset by beasts? She could only save one and had to let the others die. She didn’t know either sets-

But the situation was twisted to make her choose; both would fail. Both were unacceptable. The draugr recoiled as Lucretia turned the situation into a more positive note. She knew to save the youth all she needed to do was kill a single beast, they would run when her attention was given. The family she could get to draw close. The draugr grew angry but calmed down. She was the sort that had a solution for everything it seemed… So he’d move on.

The second situation was something similar; she had to choose from a loved one or from someone that she didn’t know. But her loved one was sure to die if she helped them; there was no way to save them. Expecting her to pick her loved one anyways the draugr recoiled as she said her goodbyes to her family and went to save the stranger. It sat there. The sorrow that lucretia felt was genuine and it’d shake it’s head. Angry growing in it. No one had answered it like this before. There were no wrong answers but…

It was getting angry at how passionate she was; this last question would definitely be a hard one. It started to broadcast the situation but… It’d stop and slowly stand up at seeing how Lucretia was getting ready to handle it. She had resigned herself to doing the right thing; to save those in need. A weakness if someone decided to take her because of it.

The wolfensteins don’t need someone so naive. You can’t save everyone in the world.

”Since when? When did we become so jaded and so removed that we couldn’t save everyone? Isn’t that what we do? What we swore from our first breath?”

She’d stand up, staring down at the draugr and the draugr seemed taken back from her passion. The veil hadn’t been ready, the tomb hadn’t been ready nor had this draugr. She was upsetting everything here and he’d snarl drawing his blade. Pointing it at her and the wolfenstein crest sat at the hilt. She’d growl in a low tone.

”I’ve killed hundreds of my own flesh, killed my father and I’m hunting my mother. What makes you think that I won’t have a problem slaying some nameless draugr sitting in a tomb removed from the world? Asking questions and expecting answers for it’s amusement?”

The draugr slapped the table to the side and went to slash at Lucretia who caught the blade with an open hand. It dug into her but didn’t go much further than drawing blood. The draugr’s eyes opened wide and it would have a moment before lucretia’s fist descended onto it’s head sending it flying backwards. Crashing onto the steps that led to the next challenge she figured. She’d walk forward, the drip of blood accompanying her thunderous stride.

The draugr sprang up, his sword coming up and around to slam into lucretia’s side. But she was fast enough to catch it again without much issue. With the same hand in the same place. She’d lean down as the draugr struggled to remove it from her grasp.

”When did you give up on the world and allowed yourself to be subjected to this sort of torture?”

The draugr froze at the question and looked up at Lucretia; there was not anger in her words nor were there anger in her eyes. Genuine worry and concern seemed to make the draugr realize it’s error and it’d look down. Searching in it’s mind and then shaking it’s head. It had accepted to guard this tomb centuries ago at the hope of the clan that had taken up the mantle after the wolfenstein’s fall.

I. I never gave up on the world, I did this because it was the right thing to do and it was the right thing to do to keep pretenders away from Sebastian and Permafrost.

Lucretia paused at hearing both of those names; so he knew what was within the tomb and was willing to give up everything to protect it. Something that she could respect but the anger displayed towards her was definitely not something she could just let walk off. So she’d pull the sword away and toss it away from the both of them. Much to the surprise of Lucretia. She’d reach out with a finger and place it on the chest of the draugr.

”I have never given up on the world, I keep on chasing the things that I desire. I keep on chasing the peace that I desire no matter the blades that fall on my body. You gave up the second you removed yourself from the world. Protecting an ancient tomb like this does no one any good. When I find Sebastian and permafrost your need to protect this place will disappear and you can return to the rest of the world.”

Her words were gentle and the draugr seemed completely thrown off. He looked down and his shoulders started to sag. Lucreti would remove that finger and there would be silence for the longest time. Finally the draugr would walk over to it’s sword and return it to it’s sheath. The two of them would stand there in silence for what seemed like eons.

Every challenge you have reacted with Kindness. With passion. From the librarian to the veil, the tomb and even me. You haven’t given up on any of us.

”And why should I?”

The silence that followed was so intense that lucretia wasn’t even sure what the draugr was going to do. There was not another word shared between the two of them as for when she blinked she found that he was gone. That she had been moved somewhere else completely…

[1219/1200]