Erend made his way down the corridor, his steps echoing softly as he approached the room he and Eccar had been sharing.
The weight of his responsibilities pressed down on him, and it feels so thick and unyielding, and as he closed the door behind him he sighed, allowing himself a rare moment of vulnerability.
Erend sit down heavily on the bed, he leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and rubbed his temples. He felt the burden of being a symbol of power — a role he and Eccar had stepped into without hesitation but that now seemed endless.
After all they'd faced, it wasn't just about defending his world or the Elves' realm anymore. The reach of their strength and their duty seemed boundless and extending even to distant worlds with problems he hadn't known existed.
Could this really be his life now? Fighting, protecting, running toward new threats without a single chance to breathe? He hadn't even had time to return home and to see his family yet.
