2024-07-20 - The Strength to Stand

The next hand to find Xlyoth’s shell wasn’t confident. The Tower’s thoughts were gloomy, but yet she kept trudging on.

The words about Igith that Mother had thought — that time would have been better than trauma — came to Xlyoth’s mind, and she wondered if that was true for this candidate as well. She was broken, but not quite defeated.

All is not lost. Xlyoth promised the young woman. That which has been broken can be rebuilt. Lost ground can be regained.

She didn’t know if the candidate could understand her, but she poured her heart into it anyway. Hope would win. Trust! Don’t give up! Keep going!

Xlyoth wasn’t sure if she’d helped at all, but she’d tried.

After that came Strength and Xlyoth’s first response to him was gratefulness.

Here was a helper. He loved without wanting something back. Loved without an ulterior motive.

This was the first ‘he’ that Xlyoth had found that was humble like dirt. Here was goodness. Here was someone who hadn’t given up, despite everything that had happened out there.

She wanted to know more. Wanted to know what it was he wanted from a dragon-bond. She was ever so curious about him, this one that didn’t seem to want, except wanting to do good.

Help Her. Xlyoth sent as a parting thought to Strength as his fingers slipped away from her shell. Help The Tower. Don’t let her fall