The two heroes basked in the glory of the kill. The warrior and the healer, aware that they had done the impossible, both weary from battle, but strangely energized.
Something had happened here, something special. These two combatants against this evil beast, these two people who had never fought side by side before had done the unthinkable. As they both looked at the dead carcass of the beast they had slain, neither knew what they felt, they just knew it was good. The "Hurrahs" of their wounded cohorts and the many exhortations they received afterwards by numerous friends meant little compared to the bond that had been formed. It was as if, in fighting the beast, alone, but together, these two heroes had formed a bond that surpassed mere camaraderie.
In the days following this triumph, many more battles were fought, and many more evils in all forms were defeated. The pair became closer and eventually realized that the monsters they fought, in all forms, real or imagined, were what had drawn them together. They shared the same quests, enjoyed the same rewards, and were generally content when they journeyed together. But, under the surface, something was growing. A need to progress. To move beyond simple treasure hunting and questing. Something was there, just out of reach, and they had to find out what.
And so began the quest to find the quest. The heroes began doing things they had never done before. They strayed off the beaten paths, they explored exciting, and sometimes frightening new places. Sometimes, they walked alone, sometimes together, but each was always drawn to the other, as if somehow they were looking for the same thing. In time, the two did find what they were looking for...each other. Out heroes realized that they were as the melody and harmony in a song, both different in many ways, but completely complimentary to the other in many respects
Our heroes didn't know where their paths would lead them or exactly what they would end up in the end, but they knew after all their journeys apart from each other that the way they wanted to travel them was side by side. This unbeatable pair who had overcome so much adversity in their short lives, together realized that whatever lay ahead held no sway over them as long as they could face it with the other by their side. As they set out upon the trail to the next adventure, the pair couldn't help but think about from where they had come and how quickly their purpose had become apparent, but they still walked on, unafraid of the future.
To be continued...
