The Departure

She never thought this day would come...the day she would leave. It was becoming too much...the harassment, the abuse, the rumor's...the pain. Did Kane even know what he was doing? He had begun telling everyone within the fishing village that Maria was a demon in disguise and that Sachi was her minion to help destroy the village unless everyone got rid of her. The Chief, Shelia, Thalia, and the little boy, Joel; all tried to convince her to stay...but she couldn't.

'I'd be putting them in danger. They'd be hurt, or worse...killed!' Maria thought, tears coming to her eyes, but she shook her head, forcing them back.

"Don't cry Maria, don't cry." Maria told herself, when she felt Sachi beside her.

"Maria?" Sachi questioned, concerned, and Maria sighed.

She had forgotten that Sachi felt whatever she, herself, felt. Standing up, straightening her shoulders, she turned toward Sachi and smiled, hoping to ease her Eidolon.

"Don't worry about me Sachi, I'm okay." Maria said, but Sachi sighed.

"No you're not. You're hurting on the inside, the pain that the people have inflicted upon you is unbearable. Why do they even listen to Kane?!" Sachi shouted, angry, shocking Maria.

Sachi rarely, rarely, got mad; and when she did, disaster's would happen. Tears threatened to spill down Sachis' cheeks, and a sniffle escaped but she didn't let them fall. Maria felt her own tears begin to gather again, and hugged Sachi, even as Sachi hugged back, both crying. Many of the villager's had turned against Maria, siding with Kane and accusing the Chief's family of treason; while many others stayed vigilant, saying Maria wasn't a monster. Maria went outside with Sachi, avoiding as many people as she could and trying her hardest to ignore the dirty looks. She made it to a tree, and placing her hand on it and concentrating...located Abbadon.

"Abbadon, can you hear me?" Maria asked through the tree.

"I hear you Maria, are you okay? Have you made a decision?" Abbadon asked, Maria having told him last week what had happened.

"Yes...I'm leaving. It's the only option...I can't let the family be hurt for what is happening. My only choice is to leave, or let the Chief's family be hurt for not leaving." Maria stated, and she heard Abbadon sigh.

"Alright, let me know the day you're leaving. I'll help you, okay?" Abbadon said, and Maria agreed, before she cut the connection.

Looking at Sachi, she nodded to her Eidolon, and they both left, going back into the village to pack. Corey, Betsdy, and Anita were some of the ones that wanted Maria to stay, but they understood her reasoning. After she got better weapons, better armor, and stocked on items, she went back to the house and made sure she had everything. Grabbing a map, she looked it over, before she copied it onto her own partchment. The village chief's wife, Sheila, had given it to her, and told her to keep it. Maria though didn't want to keep it, believing that, one day, the family may need it. After she double checked herself, she made herself something to eat, and then sat down in the living room, waiting for the family to return. She only had to wait for a hour or two, before the family returned. Sheila was smiling at something Theia, her daughter said; York was carrying Joel, the young boy half-asleep in his fathers' arms...that was until he saw Maria. Smiling brightly, he wiggled a little, and York set him down, knowing what the boy wanted to do. After his feet touched the ground, he ran to Maria, and tackled her in a hug. Maria had stood when the family walked in, so when Joel ran at her, she hugged him back and spun with him. Smiling softly, she sat down, Joel on her left, and Theia on her right as Sheila and York sat across from her.

"I've made my decision." Maria stated, shocking the family, and making Joel look at her with hopeful eyes.

"Y-you're staying, right? You have to!" Joel shouted, tears threatening to fall.

Joel had always liked Maria, seeing as she saved him from Brian a few month's after she moved into the village. Maria shook her head sadly, and then explained her reasoning for leaving, as well as mentioning the voice calling to her, saying it found her. She stated she believed someone was looking for her, and if it was a foe, didn't want to stay incase it caused harm. Sighing, Sheila stood, and hugged Maria, before pulling away and giving a tender smile.

"I understand Maria, you have things you need to figure out for yourself, and your concern touches us. But, always know this Maria..." Sheila said, pulling Maria up, and gently placing a hand against her cheek.

"This village will always be your home here, and you are always welcomed. One day, the villagers will see all the good you've done, and understand that you are a pure person, never forget that." Sheila said, and kissed Marias' forehead.

"You can't leave!" Joel shouted, and hugged Maria, his face only reaching up to her waist.

Maria sighed, knelt, even as Joel wipped his tears away, her doing the same. She smiled at him softly, the boy blushing, and she placed her hands on his shoulder's afterwards.

"I have to Joel, I don't have a choice." Maria said softly, but he shook his head.

"No, you can't go! I don't want you to leave! Why do you have to leave?!" Joel complained, and Maria gave a gentle sigh.

"I have to figure something out for myself, so I want you to promise me something Joel." Maria said, soflty yet firm, and he looked at her.

"I want you to promise me that you won't follow me. I want you to promise me that you'll be a big boy, that you won't cry. I'll come back to visit when I can, that way you can see me, but I need to do this. Promise me that you won't cry for me, Joel." Maria said, and Joel nodded, sniffling.

"I-I promise, b-but you have t-to c-come back!" Joel said, and hugged Maria, his arms around her neck, and she hugged back gently.

After saying a few more words, the whole family, including Maria, left, and once they were outside, Maria gasped, seeing many of the villagers have gathered, including Elena and Flower, the witch and her assisstant.

"So, you're leavin', eh?" Caine, the lumberjack, a man who Maria had worked for, asked.

"Yes, I have no choice." Maria explained, Sachi nodding.

"It's sad to see that you have to leave, you've been such a big help to the village." Ida, Caines' girlfriend, stated sadly.

"It's sad to see you leave, you have helped, and saved, many of the people here with my assistance. Maybe, one day, you and me will work together again." Cal, the villager doctor, said, giving a small smile.

"I hate to see you leave Maria, you have been a great Garrison Member. Maybe, one day, everyone will see what you've done, and ask for your return." Willie said, and came over, giving Maria a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, hey, Willie! Back off okay, you're making her blush, and I think you made Joel jealous." Corey stated, laughing, having seen Joel glare at Willie.

Everyone laugh at Joel, who ended up blushing and looking away, trying to hide his blush.

"If anyone give you any trouble, you come a let me know. Old Anita'll give them a reason to leave you alone!" Anita stated, showing off her muscles...for a gorcer, she was scary when mad.

"I hate seeing you leave Maria, we had a good time together." Flower stated, coming over with Elena, and Bently.

"That we did, and I promise I'll come back and help if you need anything. If you all ever stop at Navea, come to the Inn and stop by. I'll probably be staying there most of the time." Maria said, having been there multiple times.

"That we will do Maria, you have been so much help, and of pure heart since you began helping us with translation's and ancient spell's. I know one day, our path's will cross again." Elena said, bowing and hugged Maria.

"If I ever stop by, I'll make sure to give you a good ol' welcome. We've only known each other for a short time, but I think we'll see one another again." Bently said, and shook Marias' hand.

"I believe that as well, Bently." Maria said, before she felt someone push her chin.

Looking over, Maria saw Beebis, Elenas' house ostrich, and she nuzzeled his feather affectinatly. The ostrich had always liked her, which made actually told a lot of people that she wasn't a danger, in which Beebis knew when people were dangerous or not. As Elena, Flower, and Bentley backed up; Larry, Corey, and Betsy walked forward.

"I was hoping you'd stay a few more days." Betsy said before the other two boys could, sadness in her eyes.

"Ever since this started, we'd been hoping you to stay. Even if it's not in the village, Elena offered to take you in." Larry stated, having overheard Elena talk to Flower about plans to keep Maria within Port Skandia.

"I can't put anyone else in danger. Though both me and Sachi hate to leave, we've both come to realize we don't have a choice. Kane will hurt anyone to get them to leave, and I can't let someone get hurt for my sake. It happened once...and she died trying to save me." Maria said, remembering one of the experiments, her friend Maki95, being killed by a monster.

No one knew of her past, all except Sachi who was able to save her in time. Maria didn't want to speak of her past, wanting to forget everything about it, everything that had happened. Maki95 was the only person she'd remember.

"I see. Well, you'll come back one day, you have to! And when you do, let us all know about the exciting adventure out there beyond Port Skandia." Corey said, and the other two nodded.

"I will." Maria said, her eyes welling with tears.

"Let's head to the road to Helonia Coast. Maria, you said you keep seeing a pair of blue eyes, and a woman speaking?" Sheila asked, and Maria nodded as the villager's made their way to the road with the family.

"Yeah, and it's starting to get weird. The eyes are glowing, and I see white hair, and dark skin, with white or blue armor. I only see parts of the body, but the eyes are what stand out." Maria stated, Joel now on her back with some of the villagers laughing at the boy.

"I see. There have been sightings at Helonia of an armored woman with white hair and glowing eyes. Maybe, if you go to Helonia, you may just get clue's." Sheila said, and this filled Maria with hope.

The woman was calling her to come find her, and Maria believed this woman held a key to her past, her heritage. It filled Maria with hope, hope that maybe her mysterious past could be unlocked. As they reached the road, Maria turned to everyone how had helped her throughout her journey, some of them she didn't really know, and many more she did know. She smiled at them, before she straightened her back, and made sure she had her sword's.

"Alright, well...I best get going everyone. I'll come back for visit's whenever I can, or send message's via bird, but I will return. Hopefully, I'll find my real home, and unlock my past." Maria stated, Sachi nodding.

"Please be careful Maria, and always remember, no matter where you are, where you go, or what you do, we will always love you." Sheila stated, and Maria nodded, even as the stars appeared, and the wind began to blow softly.

"I know, I will always cherish the people who have helped me mature, who have helped me grow into a world that doesn't seem familiar, and gave me a home when I had none. I will always be grateful." Maria said, and looked at the narrow road to Helonia, and sighed.

"Well...this is goodbye. I'll see you all someday later in the future." Maria said, and left even as everyone called out their bye's, said good luck, and asked her to return.

As she heard them leave, she smiled and turned around, seeing Abbadon there and he smiled at her, and she returned the smile.

"Well, shall we?" Abbadon asked, Scythe in hand as they both trekked downt the road to Helonia.

"Yes, we shall." Maria stated as her, Sachi, and Abbadon went down the road.

She would return to Port Skandia one day, and she would never forget the people who helped her. Though she felt unease as though as she left, fearing Kane would do something terrible, and wondering if Taka, who had gone ahead a day ago, was okay. Sighing, she erased the thoughts from her mind, it was okay for now, and she would be fine.