| abstract
| - Old Habits Die Hard is an optional quest in Chapter IV given to Geralt by a Naiad he happens to meet on the lakeshore.
- By Kaeyll It wasn't one of those nights where sleeping was a luxury. It was a chore - a dirty, sweaty, painful chore - and Kaeyll didn't like it. He tossed and turned on the hard cobblestone ground, groaning with discomfort as the combination of the heat in the air and the cold of the rock left him uneasy and unfulfilled. Finally the young Sin'dorei sat up in the alleyway and let out a long, drawn out sigh. He knew there would be no sleep for him this night, much like many of the others lately, and so he stood to greet the night. Silvermoon was one of those cities that did not come alive at night, at least not on the surface. The Arcane Guardians roaming around seemed so commonplace that Kae rarely noticed them passing by, spitting out their programmed commands. "Happiness is mandatory." Rolling his eyes, Kae continued from his alleyway home to the fountain at the Court of the Sun. There was so much peace in the sound of the running water - so much serenity - he'd give anything to have that in his life. Kae never knew peace, or happiness. So how can he follow the rules if he doesn't understand the terms? Right, that's what brought me to this in the first place. Rules? What rules? Survival is all I know, and survival is about making your own rules. It's about being your own boss. It's about... His thought trailed off as another Blood Born approached. Flashing a quick glance at Kae and lifting his nose in greeting, Kae flicked an ear dismissively at the young elf and motioned for him to sit. "Kae, this is the fourth night in a row I've found you here. What are you doing up? You know we've got a big day tomorrow," the voice was just above a whisper from Kae's best friend Vashari. He stared blankly at Kae with his brilliant jade eyes and waited for a response - waited for the response Kae gave every time. "I can't sleep knowing that there's more than this out there, and I don't have it." Vashari sighed. "I mean, c'mon Vash. What are we doing? What are we working towards? What are we gaining?" Kaeyll swirled a finger on the bench between the two of them as he spoke, not bothering to look up at the obvious expression on Vash's face. "Kae, we're in this together. The Blood Born is strong these days. We're so big I don't even know half the names of any of these new Blood Elves. Since the Scourge attack we've grown considerably in numbers and I am damn proud." Vash brought his gaze down to Kae's face and forced their eyes to meet. Kae turned his head away. "That's just it. We feel stranded, abandoned by this city and it's people because we're not doing anything to be a part of it anymore." "Kae, what we do is-" "I know what the hell we do!" Kae raised his voice and immediately clasped his mouth shut after the exclamation, checking to make sure they hadn't drawn any unwanted attention. "I know what the hell we do," he repeated himself in a whisper. "Why can't we do it and be a part of something? This isn't living...this isn't even surviving. This is just cowardice." Vash reared his head back, appauled, and slapped Kae quickly across the mouth. "You bite your tongue. You and I built this. You and I may not have started it, but we made this little band of ours what it is today. You can't turn your back on that kind of commitment...that kind of friendship." Kae sighed and let tears form in his eyes before looking straight at Vashari and replying, "this isn't friendship, Vash. This isn't commitment. This is foolishness and I won't bow to it. I want to live, and we're dying. No guarantee that we'll eat each day. No promise that we'll even live through each day. These kids coming in now, they don't have any level of maturity or respect, and they pick fights with each other sometimes ending in bloodshed. I want out, Vash. I don't want it like this. I want to earn my keep, not scrounge for it." As Kaeyll stood to leave Vashari reached for his wrist and pulled Kae down so that his ear rest against Vashari's mouth. He whispered wickedly, "you aren't turning your back on this, Kae. We made a choice, a decision, and we have to hold to that. What else have we got? What else have you got, orphan?" Kae pulled himself away from Vash and grimaced at the madness in his friend's eyes. "I've got a lot of living to do, Vash. So do you. It's not too late." Kae turned away again. Vash's blade felt cold, like the cobblestone. Kae winced in pain and let out a dull groan as he looked down at his ribs, clasping his hand instinctively over the wound. The blood rushed out for a moment before stopping under the pressure. Vash pulled back and stared his friend down. It was a cold, hard stare. Kae knew he had not inspired anything in the elf but anger. This was his choice. "I'm going to forgive you for this, Vashari, and continue to walk away. I am warning you not to follow me, and to let me go in peace." Vash laughed heartily, unaffected by the volume. "Peace?! Do you see what you are, Kaeyll? We don't get peace. We get cold, bitter, miserable survival...and only if we're lucky. You've been such thus far, and I'd hate to have to take it from you. You can't turn your back on me. I made my choice. You made your choice." Kae limped over to Vash, pressing harder against his ribs as he approached and resting his free hand on Vash's shoulder. "You're right, old friend. I have made my choice. I have fought hard to survive, like you." He wept for a moment, leaning his head into Vashari's chest. Kae's blade must have felt cold, like the cobblestone. The blood from both wounds met on the floor of the Court of the Sun that night, not for the first time - but for the last. "And I'll continue to fight for my survival. No one, not even you, old friend, is going to stop me." Vash fell to the floor, twitching slightly and looking up sadly at Kaeyll for a moment before going limp. Kae has aimed a bit higher and had dug his blade deeper. He was a surviver, and now he was on his own. "Goodbye, old friend."
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