77. Almost Caught

Being close to death, Cris manages to get the soul he needs, but with complications.
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76. Time to Collect - Part 2

Cris receives Ziggly's news, as well as other undesired alerts he's well used to.
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75. Ziggly's Good News/Bad News - Part 1

Our favorite goblin has been rudely awakened...
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74. Betraying Thoughts

Cris finds out that the man who once sought to kill him because he believed Cris hurt his sister was now hurt by that very woman he called sister. Cris not only takes that moment to mend their friendship and finally forget his ex, but he also puts to rest any doubt he has about his current love.
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73. A Token of Truce

            He took heavy step after heavy step toward the mailbox. Why am I doing this? He asked himself. Perhaps it was the lingering memories that she had left with him about their past. Perhaps it was the urge to befriend her once more and let the past die, creating a new future. Whatever it was, he was walking toward the mailbox with a white box in his hand decorated with a red ribbon.

The “Love is in the Air” festival was going strong and he had managed to get a deal on a dozen cupcakes. He had sent five to his new friend Lady Sari and he had reserved six for his beloved Niela, but there was one he packed up and headed to the mailbox.

Why am I doing this? The question kept lingering in his mind. She had tried to kill him. She had threatened to kill him. She had betrayed him. Why am I doing this? Niela would surely have stopped him if she knew what he was doing, but she was busy and this was the only opportunity he had to send his peace offering. The box had a note. On the outside, it was the drawing of a wolf’s paw print while inside the read “To Rain.”

As he approached the mailbox, he stared at it for a long while, debating if he should send the cupcake or eat it and forget about her. “No, I have to,” he whispered, as if trying to convince himself and the mailbox. He opened the box and slipped the package in, hoping that the recipient would accept his peace offering.

Peace offering? He wasn’t guilty. He wasn’t to blame. He wasn’t the one trying to kill her! He wasn’t the one who said, “Go kill yourself, Rain!” He wasn’t the one who abandoned her because he loved another woman just as much as Rain. He wasn’t at fault! Everything was her! Every misfortune that befell them both was her fault! Everything was...

“Her fault!” The scream he gave as he kicked the mailbox alarmed several elves around him. That’s when he realized that he had screamed the last few thoughts he had. The cupcake had been sent. There was no retrieving it. Cristianno sighed and hung his head. The worst that could happen was that she would toss the cupcake away. After all, she wasn’t the same woman he once loved. That woman left the moment she left him for the rogue. The cupcake was gone. Sent. On it’s way.

Cris took a deep breath and walked away. Niela would know. He would tell her. As for Rain…she was just a memory. Nothing more.

72. My Love

Chaos and anger can lead a desperate man and woman to extreme measures, as our pirate Cris and his lover have done. Story inspired by "My Love" by Sia (Instrumental version)
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71. Dawn

Cris spends the night at Niela's "estate," a home filled with dark secrets. This is the second time he spends time in that home and he isn't used to it.
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