Althior listened carefully to what Arthur had to say, never breaking his glare at the horizon. The warm orange light of the sun gleaming on the two men. He was right, he had brought joy Alexis. How could he abandon her or any of his other friends? He couldn't lose them all, not yet. "You're right, Arthur. I'm blessed to have all I do. The darkness isn't that bad. It's the manipulation of it. Abraxas has bent it to his own will, and that's what the problem is. Light isn't all that great either. Without Light, there would be no Darkness. Remember that Mage you showed me in that quest book? She was a Darkness Mage, and after having read the book a few times, I can tell she's a fine hero," He looks to his hand, watching the mark ripple there. "You've changed me, Arthur. I now realize I can no longer avoid and run from the Darkness. I have to embrace it fully, promise not to use it for evil, and keep the light with me at all times."
"That was his plan all along. This mark means nothing, it's a mere persuader. It does nothing to me. It was to steer me off the path of Darkness and to try to bend towards the light. Abraxas is a Human, however Demonic he may seem, he's just another man. It shows you what a single man can do. You can make a huge difference in the world. You can affect so many others lives." He stares off into the open fields. "I wish that none of this had happened too. I want to be back in Eubric, sailing to her home with her. I want to hear her voice, to feel her gaze. I want to tell her I love her with all my heart, and that the world means nothing to me without her." He grabs his locket and looks at it, shaking, "I want to keep her safe, unlike how I attempted to save my sister and my grandfather. We want that. Love is an adventure like none other, and that's how any single man wants to die. Living the adventure. I hope that you can die living the adventure someday, Arthur," He returned to his silence after saying one thing more, "It would be my honor to take you as my apprentice Arthur, if you'll be willing," He offered his hand for a shake.