Messmer wanted to be a God, and to do that, he needed to be selfish, even if that meant telling his wife that he was leaving to go travel and not coming back. He felt bad, of course he did. She was the only person who really cared about him.

He didn't hate her. He could never hate her. But he wanted power, so much power. He led a crusade on the people of the Shadowlands without mercy, to say the truth. He was thinking about her the whole time. It was embarrassing really, it bothered him sometimes, sitting alone in an empty thone room with nothing but his snake.

Did he miss her? Well, that was subjective. He loved her, but he loved power more. Too give up one was to take the other. It was funny, sometimes he thought he heard her laugh when he walked the halls but when he turned; nothing but cold hard stone. Almost like her memory haunted him.

Small events like this tormented him. But he made it too far to give up, not now, not ever. This was his curse, always wanting more. Even now, sitting in an empty and quiet throne room staring at the flames, dance on the walls, even they had more life than him.

Then, something happened, a spark? No, maybe a whisper, well whatever it was seemed to make him take notice. He sat up a little. The fire around him seemed to dim a little. Even his snake eyes had a hard time seeing in it.

His door creaked open. Then, footsteps. Slow, controlled, deliberate. The snake on his shoulder hissed slightly, lifting off his shoulder to get a better peak at the person. Then-

The snake settled, like it was someone familiar. It curled back up to its place, going dormant once again. But the face that Messmer saw when the figure walked into the light closest to him was unexpected. He leaned forward slightly to get a better look. Was it really her? Why did she travel between worlds to come here? Why didn't she hate him?

All of these questions bounced around his head, but his throat went dry. His voice did not work, and his heart did not work. Oh- his heart. It hasn't beat this fast for a long time. But why? He chose power, not her.