He watched Libelle turn the rest of the way to him, her brow was arched and her expression was questioning. In his mortal form, it was harder to hide his expressions from her. Mortals' feelings were easy to read through their facial expressions; they could be sad, happy, or angry, and by looking at their face, you would know which it was. She didn't say anything. She probably didn't know what to say. Staring at him for a few seconds, she lowered her eyes and brushed her hair behind her pointed ear.
"She could kill a dragon if she needed to, but with their death, she felt it as if it were her own. She absorbed all of the pain and emotions it felt during its death. It brought agonizing pain, terrifying nightmares, and each life she took changed her little by little. Different than all other dragon slayers, she was more of an outcast, but she was accepted by the dragons. She played with our hatchlings, meditated with the elders and even flew with us.
"You are like her. Like Brenna, a strong warrior. But you are more like a dragon than a mortal, and more than you realize. With each dragon's life you take, even one you didn't take, you feel all their pain. I saw it just now. You are not a normal slayer, Libelle. You do not find enjoyment from taking a dragon's life, do you?"
Libelle shook her head. "I hate it. I hate every moment of it; the fighting and the killing." She spoke honestly, looking straight into his eyes. Her shoulders were stiff and her arms were straight by her sides as a flood of tears formed in her eyes. "I wish I didn't have to!" She raised her hands to her face, hiding herself away as uncontrolled tears and cries escaped her.
In that moment, Eskil saw her; he saw Brenna, but he also saw Libelle. His memory flashed back to her, Brenna, his adopted daughter and best friend. He'd been stuck in a similar situation with Brenna years ago when his slayer came to him, pleading and begging for a full-on war not to break out.
How he had failed her. He shook his head and clenched his eyes shut, knowing he couldn't go back there, not now. He opened his eyes and stared at Libelle. She still stood shaking and wiping away the strong current of tears. Her long and thick hair fell loose around her waist and was blowing back and forth in the wind, her big eyes hooded with her tears, her petite frame shivering. When he stared at her now, he saw his Brenna, but this wasn't her. Perhaps it was once her spirit, reincarnated into this slayer. Perhaps this was the old god's way of testing him, allowing him to right his past failures.
Eskil looked down at his hands and did something he had never been able to do with Brenna. But he could try it here and now with Libelle. He took long steps towards her, stopping with just a few inches between them. She wiped away more tears and looked up at him, a gasp escaping her when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her snugly to his chest. One hand gently nestled on the back of her head, the other on the small of her back. He held her gently but firmly with her hands against his chest and her head turned to the side. She was holding her breath as he stroked her blonde hair.
"I am sorry, slayer Libelle. You understand more than I could have hoped for."