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Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 1: Lives Not Yet Thrown Away


Nanami Touko
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"H-huh?" Marina's focus (or lack thereof) was brought onto Taliyah as she suddenly approached her, "No um, I meant with... them hating me for being human." She shook her head, "Don't worry about it, I'm..." and then she was stopped seeing the coin given to her from the half-lizard. She took it, eyeing it, before removing her coin pouch from her bag and placing it in the pouch, returning it to the bag. "Thank you, Taliyah."

Then, there was only a look of confusion and shock as Taliyah talked about the thought of being thrown away by her. Marina placed a hand on her shoulder, "Don't talk that way, Taliyah. We're..." How easy could she throw the word around considering the place she's in? No, no doubts, "We're friends, right?" and a light smile broke out on the girl's face. She would've continued until Nessraya's sudden intrusion.

Marina gave a slow nod, "I understand, Nessraya," and gave look around. "I just... didn't expect what happened. I know I'm not welcome here... much less if 'I were the Hero'. I have a lot of work to do, and that showed me how much harder I have to work." She sighed again, "Wanna know what'd be nice, honestly? Just one day to relax a bit... where I don't have to look over my shoulder. But I guess it's too late to have one of those, huh?" And she followed with a nervous laugh.

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Seeing as Gabriela had no wishes to interfere with this family reunion, or to find out how much Xalrei looked like her mother, so it's probably a better idea to wait outside. "Oh, Xalrei! I will wait outside with Nessraya and the others. Excuse me!" Having said that, Gabriela floated outside. She came just quick enough to hear Marina's woes about het busy life. "Oh, Cianna. You should really relax a bit. What do you find relaxing to do? Maybe we'll figure something out together. I can accomodate a lot, you know. Or do you want to hear me sing? We sirens have great voices, did you know?" She ended the conversation with a wink, awaiting the hero's response, feeling glad Lavinia wasn't here to scowl at Gabriela and take Marina away.

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That voice... No... A quiet groan escaped Bladen's lips as the steam was wiped away by a fox's tail. Of course, the one person he would have chosen to not be here was here. "I thought you were looking for rumors..." he quietly muttered, staring down at the ground. She was wearing a towel, of course, but it wasn't exactly the type of thing that left much to the imagination. "I can see why you would want to stop here," he replied at a more audible tone, still keeping his eyes fixated on his feet. "She banged you up pretty well, huh? Didn't see you as being the easily caught type. Though, I suppose from what we saw, she wasn't exactly easy... What's the situation with her anyways?"

It wasn't really a question he expected an answer to, not with the lamia working for the Demon King apparently, so he continued on talking without waiting for an answer. "As for what brought me here, well, similar to you I suppose. Not much in this town that interests me, I have a perfectly serviceable weapon and I would prefer to save my money for... several reasons anyways, so no interest in shopping. The baths are appealing too, though that will likely be a visit I make after this. So, that left talking to people, the area, and here. Fighting for sport isn't something I'm used to, so that wasn't a draw. Talking to the villagers... Well, either I hide my wings, and people think I'm human. Or I leave them exposed and then I draw attention for being one of the only fallen out and about in that last several centuries. Better to avoid that attention, I would think. Our group needs less of that." He shrugged, leaning back against the wall, closing his eyes. "So that left here. A place to relax and get rid of some of the knots the road has gifted my back. A place away from prying eyes. Well, most prying eyes." He chuckled quietly, shaking his head as a quiet whisper escaped, "You're something else..."

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Xalrei took a step back, towards the counter, as she was released from Laselia's hug. The naga was still between her and the door, so she couldn't doing anything but watch as everyone piled out and left her alone with her 'mom'. "Wait, he didn't ordering you to haul me back?" She hadn't expected there to be any sort of good news from all of this. It was a bit of a relief, honestly. Even if Laselia and Dorian pestered her to no end, they would really increase the group's fighting power. "Well, um, a-as much as I can in a group like this..." Would punching Agni count? And I'm using Requiem, too... As she thought of the cursed weapon, her claw moved to hide it from view, much like a child hiding a stolen cookie behind their back.


"I wouldn't worry too much about that. If Laselia did bring her back, well, she'd have to go right back to her other assignments. As long as Xalrei isn't trying to throw her life away, I don't imagine she'll do that anytime soon." Despite his seeming confidence, it was a worry of his as well. Dorian was sure that, if Laselia really wanted to, she could drag Xalrei back all on her own.

"How long are you planning to stay? Just the night?" Depending on Lavinia's answer, they might have to get new mounts; they'd run their horses hard to beat Xalrei to Aensbrook. If that was the case, that job would fall to him with Laselia out watching the little miss. "I'm glad you've no issue with our presence. I can't speak for Laselia, but I don't intend to butt into this business more than I already have. However, if Xalrei needs me I won't hesitate to act."

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Jade smiled naturally and raised a hand to accept the offered key. But her smile faltered, and her shoulders drooped, when the clerk continued into much the same 'concerned suggestion' as had been given on her last visit. In truth, calling it for what it was, the man was informing her of the soft ban on her use of certain facilities, based solely on worry and assumptions.

"Really, Geoffrey," Jade let slip with a little disrespect while managing to keep a steady face. "You think so little of my memory, as if I've forgotten the concerned suggestion from before? I'm hurt." She made sure through tone and expression that the falsity of her fake outrage was obvious; the better to conceal the actual indignity she was feeling. "I'll be careful. But, thanks."

She wasn't rotten, she wasn't infested. The merchant took great pains to keep things that way. But such was life, wasn't it? Prejudice was everywhere. Everyone got a little taste, for one reason or another. If it wasn't this, it would have been something else from someone else. "Just past six, in the dining room," she echoed, committing those details to memory as she attempted to move on, to not let her spirits get dragged down, especially since the man was already apologizing. Mealtimes were a good way to keep up on information, whether she was partaking or not, being the natural gatherings they were. Jade wouldn't miss this one.

The merchant then nodded, as updates on Lavinia's and Bladen's current business were provided. Her curiosity about the vampire's conversation partner wasn't really resolved, though, still burning slightly below the surface. She hadn't remembered any mention of a meeting with anyone in town here. No matter. Leaving the clerk behind, Jade soon passed the pair, still in conversation, though there was a lull in the talking, as if a question had just been asked and awaiting an answer.

That was good enough to butt in slightly. Addressing Lavinia, she informed her, "I'll be in my room, if you need me. Or maybe in the baths, I haven't decided." Then she turned to the gentleman, and gave a bit of a curtsy. "Good day, sir." And she smiled and prepared to move off, to let them get back to whatever they were discussing.

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"Adorable? Me? Hah!" Taliyah snickered, smiling. "You tell some pretty funny jokes, Nessraya. I'm ugly for a human, and practically a naked lizardman. Good on you for cheering up Mar-- Errrrr, Cianna, though." Taliyah patted the hero a bit, stretching after. "If you say we're friends, then we're friends! I'm really happy to have any friend, really. Even a human, so... Don't beat yourself up, huh?" Hoisting the girl onto her feet, Taliyah started thinking... "Well... Maybe, we go to the arena?" She nodded and smiled wide after. "Yes! You're really good with that sword, and I know how to protect myself. Alongside Nessraya, maybe we can make a really big impression! Get people off our backs a bit. Right?" A good idea? Maybe? Monsters valued strength and prowess, so even if they booed Marina initially, if she could show she was tough, maybe they would let up on her just... Being a human. I know they'd let up on me, at least...

"If you wanna hang out with Gabriela instead, that's cool too. I hear Siren songs are really good for relaxing the mind. Wha'cha wanna do?"


"Good, then! And... As much as I'd like to stalk you around town, I know that you must want to hang out with your new friends. Honestly, you make your mother so lonely..." Laselia sighed, definitely playing it up, hoping she could get just one more chuckle out of the little dragon. "In any case, have fun, and we'll be around to help you if you need it. Okay? So... Please, take care of yourself, Xalrei. I can see what you're trying to hide, and I'll talk to Lavinia about it." With nothing more to say, Laselia slipped away from her, giving a glance to the chunk of people outside the armory.

"Nessraya. She stays safe, you understand?" Hopefully the general understood. "And no mommy jokes. It's your head." A knife motion with her finger, the snakewoman slid away, with some other business to deal with.


"Ohhhh, Bladen, you sound so disappointed... I am looking for rumors, by the way~ Just not this me... You get the real deal while the copy gets to hear what I need to hear. Isn't that wonderful of me, Bladen~?" Sliding ever closer to him, Asami finally ended up brushing her arm up against him, chuckling quietly. "Erephis did leave a bit of a mark on me, so I decided it would be best to relax it off... Not many inns offer a sauna, let alone proper baths, so freshening up was a must. Lo and behold, you come in for almost the same reason. How nice of you, hee~" A small sigh, the kitsune stretched her other leg out, glad to have company, even if it was reluctant. "Saaaaaay... Since we're here to relax, after all... What say you to a small massage? Your shoulders seem a bit stiff... I can always work them into shape." A gentle lean of her face onto his shoulder brought her ever closer, wondering what he would say.


"A day or two at best, yes. I take no issue with either of you being here, so by all means, stay as long as you wish, follow as you wish. We may need your aid with the coming battle..." Dorian and Laselia would be more than enough to handle Ithraxl, but that wasn't quite the point, and they could hold back reinforcements so long as they were around to help. That would leave Marina and her group more than able to deal with the lizardman, and give Marina the clout she needed to survive in her role.

Speaking of plans... "Oh. Oh, actually, Jade, this is good timing. I was just finished with Dorian here-- Dorian, this is Jade, she's been helping us travel. As I was saying, I've finished speaking with him, and you don't quite know the full extend of why we're out here, do you?" Turning fully to the zombie, Lavinia smiled. "Would you mind if I accompanied you, so that I may explain in full? The last thing you need is further surprise. Traveling with the hero must already be troubling, to an extent... What say you?" Hopefully one undead wouldn't mind the presence of another... And it would keep Lavinia out of the sun longer.


"Wait... Wait, what? How do you know her... H-Hold on!" The elf chased after Agni as he went to change, standing outside of his booth, dumbfounded. "M-My name's Elvira, you... How do you? How did that happen? What?" She was far too curious now, a frown forming on her face, as she reached into her pocked for a key, and locked the stall Agni was in. "I'm not letting you out until you explain how this happened! You've got me way too curious now, just what exactly is a human doing out on a mission for the demon king?"

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Marina listened to everyone, nodding along to what both Gabriela and Taliyah offered. What did she like to do? Well, a lot of stuff she can't do here. She tapped at her chin, "Well, uh... what DO I like?" She asked, mostly to herself. "Let's see, uh..." Video games... out. Comic books... out. A movie? Definitely out too. "Hmm..." Thankfully, Taliyah came up with an idea to go to the arena. Marina really didn't want to get into any sort of fight, but she honestly thought maybe going and at least having something to destress out with would be a good idea.

"Maybe a bit of time at the arena would be a good idea. But..." She looked at her clothing, "I'd like to get some new clothes first. I... don't want to damage Jade's outfit if I went fighting at the arena." She turned to Gabriela, then back to Nessraya and Taliyah. "If you'd like, you two could go ahead. I'm sure Gabriela would keep me company, right?" and she looked back to the Siren, "Then we can all meet up later. Unless, we find something that catches my eye?"

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Gabriela gave a smile. She didn't have much interest in the arena herself, but hanging out with others is never a bad Idea, certainly not if she is going to fight with them on the battlefield. Keeping Marina company while she changed seemed like a wonderful time. "Of course i'll accompany you, Cianna. We can go whenever you're ready."

She looked at the other 2 girls, waiting what their course of action was.

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Bladen didn't quite know how to respond, but finally forced himself to look into Asami's eyes. "Ha... Sorry, had just been, you know, planning on some alone time. And had forgotten about your fancy double self ability so you caught me by surprise. That's all." She wouldn't buy that, but he could pretend it, right? "A massage..." That was dangerous, sure, but also it might make him feel better and she wouldn't be disappointed. She had been so disappointed when he'd refused to play her games earlier. This was just another one of those, almost certainly, but perhaps it would be a better move to play into her games instead of fighting them?

"Well, ok, I suppose it couldn't hurt this once. And I could try to return the favor, though I can't say I'm very good at giving massages. It's not something I've done much, so I guess I don't really know how good I am or not. But still, it would be rude of me to accept and not at least offer in return. I may still be a young Fallen, but I do know my manners. My mother made sure of that." He grinned, wondering how she would respond to all of that.

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"Well Cianna, if I recall this town's amenities correctly, there should be some nice baths available for relaxing during the evening... but that aside, yes... this world has become one where relaxing is... difficult. We have much to do." Nessraya began, a pensive look adorning her face as Gabriella made her appeal to Marina. She didn't have an issue with the duo spending time together, she had hoped to keep watch over both Marina and Taliyah. Well, she couldn't corral them forever.

"Just... do be careful, the both of you. As you've now seen, feelings towards humans in this area are... strained. If you go off shopping, I won't be there to step in." Nessraya warned, before reaching over to give Taliyah a quick pat on the head as she watched Laselia slither away

"Nonsense, no jokes. I know this may be difficult to believe in your situation, but not everyone is raised to look down on you folk. And of course, Laselia. I have no intention of allowing harm to befall Xalrei."

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Wagon Wheels

 

Everybody had bundled into, or onto, the wagon, so Jade gave the flick of the reins that let the 'mares know to go. They were extremely intelligent, and generally needed only very little in the way of guidance, which allowed for the chance of a conversation free from distractions.

A tail gently whapped Jade from the rear, courtesy of the fox curled up behind her.

Nearly free from distractions, then. The zombie had offered to postpone the discussion to whenever the vampire was most comfortable, but apparently she was well enough in daytime as-is. To be fair, the extra bit of cover from the wagon was certainly more than she'd had while travelling before Jade arrived, so that made some sense. It was still very curious she was out and about by day at all, but... pressing circumstances, and diurnal group members--Jade turned and gave the humans, hero included, another curious glance.

Then it was eyes back on the road, and after a minute or two things had already settled into an easy rhythm. The passengers in the back provided a somewhat low level of ambient noise, which of course mixed in with the omnipresent sound of hooffalls and wheels turning. It had been long enough for people to have gotten themselves comfortable, and for it not to seem impatient of her to start things off.

"Well, you mentioned having no idea how it made the journey, but you did claim some close knowledge of the weapon, what did you call it again? Anyway, feel free to start wherever feels most convenient, I'm sure I'll find any of its stories interesting."


The nightmares seemed far better steeds than any horse, the ride, while bumpy, still more comfortable than things had previously been. Enough for even Asami to get some shut eye, and perhaps everyone else. These fights had been tiring, not for her, but for everyone else. It wasn't exactly fun to fight in the sun, though, with the slightest chance of damage meaning exposed flesh, on her arms, legs, Nyx forbid her head. She'd kept her hair like this for far too long, to let some ruffian with a lucky strike burn some of it off. The battle had gone well enough, at least, and so rest came... Or, discussions?

"I hadn't thought you'd wanted to discuss it so soon, but... I don't mind, just warn me if we're approaching a hefty bump, so that I can grab my hood. The last thing I need is to have escaped that scuffle without ruining things, only for an accident to do it for me. The sun is quite dangerous, after all~" With a smirk and a moment to gather her thoughts, Lavinia sighed, gauntlet against her cheek, elbow on her knee. "Let's see..." Where best to begin... She didn't know everything there was to know about it, those secrets died with Tharasonis.

"It's called Requiem. Least, that is the name I have been told. A sword infused with the spirit of a living being, of whose origins I was not privy to. Forged from mythril, mined out beneath the castle, it's quite a surprise the church's forces managed to damage the thing... Wear and tear may have gotten to it over the years. In any case, ahem... Right. Because it is a 'living' weapon, Requiem requires life, or magical sources, to function properly." A concept Lavinia hoped Jade would simply understand meant: It needed to kill.

"By striking the blade against something living, or something terribly infused with magic, it can absorb its target's energies, empowering itself, repairing itself, and strengthening itself. I do believe it has a limit, so to speak, of how powerful it can become, but it has certainly lost that power over these past decades, hasn't it..." The weapon the Queen had used in that fateful night was bristling with energy, sparking and crackling, firing waves of power through hordes of enemies... A truly nightmarish sight to behold.

"As well, so long as the sword... I suppose, weapon, fits better... So long as the weapon is fed, it can conform to the user's most comfortable needs. A sword, a lance, an axe, a bow... It can even become a tome, and fire magic, or in your case... Yes, Requiem can become a gun~" Lavinia had only seen that once, and it had been... Shocking, to say the last.

"Any questions? That is the gist of things, though I'm perfectly fine with going deeper into any point, if you require it."


Oh, had she missed signals? The vampire had offered to ride next to her and explain, but, well... maybe she'd wanted some time to think to herself for a bit, there was a lot of road they would cover, she'd have maybe been planning to bring it up when she was ready? Apparently it was still fine though, and Jade was just overthinking, Lavinia agreed to get into things after a little light banter, which deserved to be answered back.

"Don't worry, I won't be running into any bumps I can avoid. Big rock, big rut, big root? Could spell a broken wheel, or worse an axle. And when that happens, it's no joke. Accidents on the road can be very brutal, and very fatal." Jade's voice was low and steady, conveying the matter of fact truths of the road in a very sober manner. Was it just reciting the words of wisdom passed down by older journeymen, or was there perhaps personal experience at play in there? Maybe Lavinia could suss it out, with her decades of experience.

"That said," the zombie finally lightened up and eased into a small smile, "There were only a couple spots of really bad terrain on this stretch of road, well, least that I saw when I was coming from the other direction. But I should expect this way will be much the same. Well, for today's trip anyhow, that is, accounting for the assumption we'll be stopping at nightfall," Jade again stole a quick peek back at the living. Then returning her gaze to Lavinia she added, "And sure, for any of the smaller jostles I'll try to say something, or if I see you not reacting, do what I can to cover for you." The grin broadened, and since the vampire saw fit to joke around about it, she decided it was safe to join in, "Shame I don't have any parasols in back, though."

When the story began in earnest, Jade listened intently, her mind only the once dancing off onto a slight tangent, as she imagined the secret mineral riches in hidden caverns deep beneath the king's castle. Mined out by dark dwarfs, or deep gnomes, perhaps? She reeled herself back in when Lavinia got back on track quickly enough though and was alert enough to tap the vampire lightly on the thigh as they were about to round a bend, possibly changing the angle of incoming rays. The vampire had begun to discuss the shapeshifting properties of the weapon, and it was better safe than sorry to make sure she'd be ready to adjust her posture if needed.

"If it bleeds, it feeds..." Jade echoed in almost a murmur. "There's enough of a link with the ammunition then? To drain the life force, if it's a gun or a bow... which by the way," she quickly changed gears, "If you're ribbing me about using a pistol, I'm very well going to have to turn the same thing back on you. I mean, yeah, neither of us are exactly using what our kind are known for." At this she drew her lips back, exposing a surprisingly full set off teeth, only missing one canine, and gave a few quick airchomps before breaking off into a snort and finishing snicker. She had a few other questions, but she needed a bit more time to fully form them.


Lavinia made sure to adhere to Jade's warning, adjusting her hood as she needed... Ending up laughing at the zombie's motions, once she'd finished explaining. "Yes well," she began, pausing to flash her own teeth, much more perfect, with the expected sharp canines, "most won't stand still and let their blood get drawn out. Not a very effective combat technique... And strong as I am, I'd be mad to rush someone barehanded and hope to take them down. A bow works just fine... As I'm sure your pistol does, Jade. I meant no insult~" Still, she chuckled, it was nice to see that Jade could find amusement in her own existence.

"There is enough of one, yes... So long as the weapon is currently fed. In its state, as it is, I'm surprised it even became a bow for me. There'd be no way it would fire... So, I'd say, you'll have to wait before you can wield a magical hand cannon." Hopefully that wasn't an issue, Jade seemed quite accurate with her current arms.


Jade giggled a little as the vampire played along with her jokes, then nodded again as Lavinia elaborated a little further on Requiem's shape changing, and current power levels. She was a little disappointed to hear it probably wouldn't work for her personally, currently at least, but maybe...

Well, that would be a matter for later. There was still the curious issue of how the piece had found its way to her possession. No, she didn't mean about the merchant she'd picked it up from, she was well familiar with that exchange, but more how he'd gotten it, and so on back the chain. Though there was also another bit of curiosity; if its maker were still alive, would they know a better way to repair it? Which should she ask about first?

"How long has the weapon been with the royal family? And I suppose how long ago did it go missing? Given your surprise at seeing it, I assume it's been a while now? In which case, I'm doubting the current King had it commissioned, so was it ordered by the previous then? Or has it been an heirloom passed down for generations already, with the smiths who forged it no longer around to ask about other means of repairing or restoring it?" Jade managed to do a reasonable job of linking the questions, getting them both out on the table.
 

A new bout of questions left Lavinia moderately stumped. "Let's see... It went missing after the death of the last King. Tharasonis... I don't know if you were old enough to know about him, but his wife used it when the church's previous hero raided the castle. She was struck down... And the sword was lost. I feared it destroyed, or perhaps squirreled away by the church somehow, but... It does my heart good to know where it is, after all these years." Six decades this thing had been missing about the countryside... Where exactly had it been?

"No, Thesephine didn't make it, hah. I doubt she'd want to, as well. She much prefers to bring her magic to bear when trouble is afoot... Tharasonis had it made before my time working for him, so I've now the knowledge of when or how. I wouldn't know where to go to fix it, either, so I'm simply hoping restoring its power will allow the weapon to repair itself." Hopefully it would be that simple, but Lavinia felt something would go awry.

"At least it's in the hands of someone trustworthy, at the moment... I don't know how you got yourself stuck between those bandits, but for a zombie... Pardon my mild discrimination of your race, but, for a zombie, you are incredibly eloquent, and seem rather pleasant and contained. I've... Not spoken to many a sane undead, outside of my kind. It's truly a pleasure." Lavinia couldn't stop herself from thinking about it, which brought it to the surface, in a rather awkward manner.

"Pardon me, if I've offended you. I... Should have worded that better. A compliment, rather than a backhanded one."


"Tharasonis? No... that was, well before I was born. Maybe before my father's time?" Jade frowned, performing some quick mental math. "...Yeah, not by much, but it was." The old demon king's name hadn't been forgotten after his passing, so she knew of him in general, but what was just bogeyman stories and what was actual history had become a bit of a blend. "Sorry, yeah, when you get like this, it's hard for people to guess your age right... as I'm sure you're well familiar." Jade nodded and smiled. "No hard feelings. You look good, by the way," she added, then finding it hard to resist a joke followed with, "Grandmother."

The zombie then shut up for a spell, allowing the vampire to continue to explain: the short summary of which was that they had no real leads. Nothing beyond, "let the sword do what it wants, and hope for the best". Which, honestly, Jade was more than fine with. Restoration might be slow, but here and there some fool of a bandit would sacrifice their life for the cause, and that wasn't anything to feel guilty over.

The 'for a zombie' comment might have hurt in the past, but Jade had had five years to get used to it by this point, and honestly, after a run-in with some less fortunate members of--well, not exactly her 'race' but, it was probably as good a label to use for it as any. Anyway, a brush up with some of the less well-off recipients of her brand of unlife left her with a much better understanding. She'd promised herself then and there she'd never go feral, become one of them. The rare unhappy accident may be unavoidable--she still wasn't sure if it was, there might be a way to mitigate them--but as far as day-to-day life goes? Absolutely not. She'd sooner die. Again.

So, the prejudice barely elicited more than a sad, wan smile, and a wave of the hand. "Morwen was pretty pleased with me too, actually. So it's always good to hear that sentiment echoed. To know that I've still got it. Especially as in the time since then, I've grown to see why our general reputation is so poor. The warnings about Hunger, Degradation, and the like, I'd thought they were just meant to scare me but..." Jade trailed off, losing herself in a memory.
 

"Grandmother," Lavinia replied, with a bit of incredulity, and a smile. "I suppose you aren't wrong... Judging by the fact that Tharasonis was before your time, I may well be twice your age, if not more... Glad to know I look as beautiful as I did over a hundred years ago." With a sly smirk, Lavinia sat on what Jade had finished with, wondering about a few things.

"I... Take it you have not always been, like this." If Jade was new to being a part of the undead... "My apologies. I have been, far too rude." How to go forward with this... "We... Are monsters. I'm sure the church has shown you... Or perhaps you have heard, about what feral creatures live in Vaia. They like to leave us at our worst, for weeks, just to parade the deepest parts of us in front of humans. So..." She was definitely going somewhere with this, nodding.

"What you thought was simply meant to scare you... I would agree, it is just that. You did end up in the bottom of the barrel, when it comes to different races. Zombies are quite ready, to give in to their urges. They're so easy to do, so why not? You're stronger than most... And that means you have a buffet ahead of you." Surely, it would sound like Lavinia was telling Jade to just give up, but... "That said, we are not those urges. I could turn on anyone here, drink them dry, but... I won't. Just as I know you won't. Just as I know any human won't give into their own darkest parts, just like that."

With a bit of a sigh, Lavinia shook her head. "I'm waxing poetic, my apologies... I simply... I hate what the Ilrios Church tries to do with us. To boil us down to our worst natures and urges... To make people like you, who are so... If I'm wrong, correct me, but, seemingly new to this life. Make us afraid of ourselves. There's nothing wrong with being what you are, Jade. I... I just hope that you know that. I apologize for my words, I didn't want to make you think of... Anything unpleasant."


"At least as beautiful," Jade agreed, playing along. Those would be the words she'd wish to hear, if she were still sane and sprightly in so many decades, so it was only fair to pay them forward, despite no knowledge of how Lavinia had looked in her past.

The topic swiftly moved on to the time of the zombie's own turning, which was only natural. They'd played around with the vampire's history in the course of the discussion on the demon king's sword, and one thing flowed into the other. Jade nodded, she hadn't been a zombie long, and certainly not from the start, if that were even possible. Or maybe what was being driven after was that she was a human zombie, and not a monster zombie? Still true, and still worth the nod.

When Lavinia described Jade's future as a buffet, the merchant had to raise an eyebrow. There was something more coming, obviously, given the vampire wasn't practicing that preach herself. And sure enough, the message soon came through. It's how you act on your instincts; it's your choices that matter. Not the base desires themselves.

It was a little odd, getting the full pick-me-up lecture, perhaps she'd come off as too melancholic. She wasn't actually intending to give in or anything. And so Jade wasn't quite sure at first how to respond.  That prompted an apology, which the merchant was quick to wave off as unneeded.

"No, no, you're fine. And you're right," she continued. "It's only been a few years. The first... was the hardest, things have been better since, on the whole." Jade was a bit hesitant to launch into a full autobiography, so she just gave a minimum more for now. "I was from Hwein, originally, in Vaia on business at the time. But now that's been basically flipped on its head. Funny, huh?" Coteon was the main hotbed for the Ilrios church, so perhaps this bit of added info would help address a few of those concerns as well.


"So you were human... I'm sorry, then. You've joined this life at the worst possible time." It was good that Jade hadn't been upset by her words. Lavinia had been quickly worried over the woman's situation, and give that she used to be human, Lavinia felt those worries were heavily justified. It was good to know she'd been living in Hwein, at least, and not some poor soul stuck in this situation from Coteon. I think any self serving church goer would have killed themselves out of fear or denial... I can only be happy that Jade's situation was so close to this.

"Funny, I suppose... I'm simply glad that you seem alright now, Jade. It has been quite some time since I've been able to speak to another immortal, so this is... This is nice. Should you ever wish to talk to me about anything, know that you can confide in me. I'll do whatever I can, for my fellow undead~" They were 'sisters' in this unlife, now. It got to some quicker than others... Lavinia could only be there for her, when she needed it.


"Maybe not the worst," Jade countered with a slightly speculative tone to her voice. "Given the comparison between the tales I've heard of the first hero's crusade, and well," the zombie turned to look back at the current hero for a moment, before quickly returning her eyes to the road. "How the current one has turned out. Though, I'm not sure if there's really a best time to die either, so, there's that too."

Spotting a landmark--the corpse of an old weeping willow, felled by lightning, off some yards from the side of the road--forced the merchant to make a bit of a diversion in the conversation. "Ah, yes, we will be getting to one of the minor rough patches I was warning you about earlier soon." A sudden thought struck her, and she removed the straw hat she'd been wearing, holding it out to the vampire if she was interested. Keeping its rays off of Lavinia if they caught a bad jostle was much more important than a little harsh glare getting in Jade's eyes.

"I really have to agree though," she segued back to the previous line of conversation. "This has been a rather pleasant chat. I can only assume you don't sleep, correct? I can't either, so I'll probably wander by to bother you, while we pass the time the others need for resting."
 

Lavinia quickly took hold of her hood as to not let any errant bumps ruin this pleasant conversation. "Not really sure there's a best time to die, hmm? ... I'm sure I'll find one eventually." A somber smile met Jade's choice of words, and Lavinia wasn't sure if the zombie would understand. They were, for all intents and purposes, immortal. Their lives would not end until they were forced to... Had Jade understood that, already? Or perhaps simply not thought of it. There would definitely come a 'best' time to die. When that time was, only they would know.

"I can sleep if I choose to, if I've been missing dreams and the like, but... Since you can't, and someone needs to keep watch through our travels, I would be more than happy to keep your time occupied, Jade. Spin my ear with whatever's on your mind, and I'll share what's on mine~ Pleasant company is almost as good as dreams, yes?"
 

Oh, interesting, the vampire took her comment to be about the future, instead of about the past. Jade supposed that was just a matter of perspective. Perhaps the farther she got from her first death, the less it would seem like such, and any discussions on death would trend to focus the next one to come. The final one. For whatever reason, thinking about the the future seemed to have depressed Lavinia's mood a bit. What was she thinking of, as she mused with muted smile? Part of her wanted to pry, but the more respectful part figured she'd let well enough alone. Everyone had their secrets. If the vampire felt ready to share someday, she'd share.
 
For now, the merchant contented herself with enjoying that the lucky accident with those bandits had ended in her finding someone with a unique perspective very close to her own, and who didn't mind sharing her time and thoughts with her. It had been awhile since Jade had had a friend; the nightmares were pleasant company of course, and fiercely reliable, but not what you'd call a 'friend'. Not in the real meaning of the word as someone who could talk back, when you talked to them.

Dreams or no, she couldn't find herself looking forward to the night. She open and shut her mouth a couple times, struggling to come up with the right words of thanks. In the end, she settled on something rather less than genuine, a joking tone to distance from the embarrassment and full appreciation she really felt.

"I'll make you regret that, if you're not careful," the zombie finally managed. "After the fourth time I bother you about the price of tea in Sochavar, I'm sure you'll beg off to take a trip to dreamland. But... thank you," she finished softly.

 

"Dorian," Jade mouthed quietly to herself, cementing the name in her memory through use and association. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance." When Lavinia offered to accompany her, and fill in a few more missing details, perhaps things that had been jogged by having run into the gentleman standing there before them--would she mind, "Not in the slightest. You're more than welcome to join me, whether you want to get in and soak yourself, or even just sit on the sidelines."

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"Hmph. Don't think you can guilt trip me about needing some space after you hugged me like that..." As much as Laselia hovering over her bothered her, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a bit relieved to have her here. She could confide in her without worrying that it would somehow get spread around. "Wait, what do you mean we?" There was no way her father had come out here himself; that would've caused too much of a stir for no one to have noticed... "Geh... I will..." Her body had betrayed her, only drawing more attention to the cursed blade. It was more embarrassing than anything else.

Xalrei stepped out a bit after Laselia, having paused inside to glance around the shop not that she wasn't intimidating the dwarf behind the counter. That was long enough to miss Laselia threating Nessraya. Gabriela and Marina seemed to have made some plans of their own, but Nessraya was still hanging around Taliyah. Of the duos present, that was definitely her preferred group. "Hey, what'd I miss? We sold your gem, so did you have any other plans?"


"As long as I'm not doing the hero's job for her." Whatever the Demon King had planned by getting the hero to resolve the current crisis would be pointless if word got around that Ralsvelgr's agents had stepped in to take care of the mess. The way he saw it, the less he helped the hero the better, if only for that reason.

"The pleasure is all mine, miss Persyn. Allow me to thank you on Xalrei's behalf for the use of your wagon." He doubted the girl had done it given her disposition. His business with Lavinia concluded, and with the two women apparently heading to the baths, it was Dorian's cue to leave himself. If he was going to go about securing mounts for his and Laselia's continued use, as much as it pained him, he'd have to change out of his current attire.

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Agni couldn't believe the click he heard, followed by that elven clerk's voice once more. "Excuse me?" He pushed the changing room's door with force, only to be met with resistance and noise from its lock. Well, that was deserving of the deep sigh that followed. Agni should have kept his mouth quiet, instead of fighting the clerk's own berating remarks.

"I'd rather not deal with this... I am under her orders because I... abandoned my post. I am effectively a prisoner of war, serving under General Nessraya as she tries to fix internal conflicts." Perhaps that was... the most eloquent way to put it. This clerk would not enjoy knowing that he was part of the invading humans, but so long as he kept his rank a secret... "And yes, before you ask, she is here."

Perhaps alluding to having been a deserter would make her take pity on him, even if that wasn't the whole story.

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"W... W-Well... Alright, Nessraya. I wouldn't want to call you a liar..." Taliyah seemed a bit uncomfortable with the push to ensure the praise was legitimate, but she wanted to believe Nessraya, she truly did. Years of abuse made it difficult, but this was the general of Vaia... Surely she wouldn't be lying for sport, or amusement. She was someone trustworthy!

"Oh, Xalrei! Uh, Mari-- Ccccccianna! And Gabriela are gonna go shopping... I'd like to visit the arena. What about you?" Maybe Xalrei was interested in spreading her wings a bit, and getting some exercise in.


"Oh, you like listening to mother dearest, hmm?" Asami shuffled herself, climbing up a bit onto one of the benches behind him. An ample spot to reach his shoulders. As she began to dig her fingers into his back a bit, a wily grin slipped onto her face. "If you miss her... I don't mind you calling me mommy~" A chuckle followed swiftly, his reactions were always worth these teases, he was even playing along this time! "Your back's really tight, by the way... Shoulders too. You should stretch more~ This will certainly help, but your body won't be as spry as you want it when you're fighting, or... Otherwise..." An even heavier snicker came after that, her tail swishing as she enjoyed this. "Just let me handle it and you'll be feeling wonderful~ You'll even regret wanting to come in here alone." Her fingers were already making sure of that, digging into the little knots of muscle spread around his upper half.


"The general's here too!?" The elf had heard more than enough of what she'd wanted, unlocking the stall and walking away from it. If the human got upset, whatever, this was too juicy to not get some info on. "Goodness gracious... How interesting! Maybe I'll close early and hop about town, see if I can find her or this group you're with. Not every day the actual general of the country comes through Aensbrook... Fascinating."


"As it should be, Dorian... And I'll join you directly, Jade, should there be room for the both of us. I may not feel the warmth, but my muscles will still appreciate it, nonetheless. I'm sure Geoffrey gave you a key, every room should have their own conjoined bath. Let us be off, yes?" Lavinia was making a mental list of all the things Jade needed to hear, hoping it wouldn't take so long as to have the water end up cold... The zombie could still feel temperature, yes? A question to ask, if they had time for idle chat. "Just glad for a moment of relaxation..."

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Bladen was suddenly extremely glad that Asami was behind him so that she couldn't see his face turn bright red. What was she even.... Gah. "I... Wh... That's not what I meant! It's just a turn of phrase, come on..." His voice trailed off as he couldn't even make himself continue. All of the teasing aside, he couldn't deny the fact that he was starting to feel better. "I... Mmmm..." He closed his eyes, head drooping forward slightly. "You're right. I've forgotten my teachings. Stretching always seemed so silly when I was training. But now, well..." The combination of the heat, the pressure from her hands, and her voice were all working together to soothe his stress. And as he was relaxing, a small thought popped into his head, perhaps a way to turn the teasing back on her just a tad. "I'll say... If it gets me this, I'll call you mommy any day of the week."

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"Thank you, Gabriela," She thanked the siren with a smile. And then a moment of hopeful glee hit Marina as she was told about baths. That'd be a nice time, just to relax at least for a little bit. Something to look forward to at the end of the day. Then, she followed with a slow, understanding nod,

"I understand, Nessraya. I'll only be a bit. I just want something small," She looked at her outfit she was wearing, "It's nice, pretty, but... maybe a little... too nice and pretty for me. And it's not even mine. My plan is to go there, get some new clothes, then just make it over to the arena." A small smirk emerged from her face, "If anything, I do have the strong, graceful siren mercenary to protect me if something goes wrong, right?" A pause, before turning her head to Gabriela, "Right?"

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"The arena, huh? I didn't take you for someone who was into that sorta thing, but it's right up my alley. If you want to go then I don't see why not. I'll even have someone to showoff too." The thought of having someone to watch her fight was encouraging, almost empowering, until she remembered what had happened the last time she tried to show off. That had seen her bloody and beaten on what had probably been the worst day of her life. It wouldn't turn out like that again, right? She hoped so; she didn't want to disappoint Taliyah.

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"Just be careful, is all I ask. We'll try to soften them up for you." Nessraya replied with a quick wink, Xalrei predictably on board with the idea of giving the arena a go. She could only trust that after her first run-in with resentment against humans, that the hero would watch herself until they reunited.

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Gabriela gave a smile back. "We could relax later you know, after we're done with the rest today." She looked at Nessraya, who was understandably a bit worried after what happened earlier. She gave a thumbs-up with a wink. "Don't worry, I got this. It's been way too long since I went shopping, let alone with a friend. Don't think i'm going to let anyone stop us out there. Oh, and Cianna? I am sure I can find JUST the thing that will look cute on you. We just have to find the right store first. I'm sure you will be alright. If they ask, let's say you're...a werewolf? Surely that would work, right?" she turned to Nessraya. "We'll join you when we are done, Nessraya."

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When Jade opened the door, the sight laid bare her earlier mistake. Lavinia's words ought to have been enough, but there had been a slim chance. It might've been the vampire that had gotten her memory confused of which inn it had been that had that nice round soaking space, recessed into the ground and rimmed by heated stones--spacious enough for maybe four at a time to indulge in it--and which had had a more conventional setup.  Now, there was certainly nothing wrong with the tub here, it was certainly luxurious by any standard--a full length footed basin large enough that one could stretch out very comfortably in, to such an extent that only maybe the tips of their toes and fraction of their forearms would hang out, exposed, over the edges. But add a second person, and well, while it wouldn't necessarily become terribly cramped or anything, it was certainly not what she'd originally been envisioning while extending the invitation.

Not to mention, the merchant was beginning to feel self-conscious about her scars. A vampire, lord of the night, was an existence standing at the top of the hierarchy of undead. Lavinia's body was probably flawless, most certainly in comparison to her own, which she'd had to stitch back together on more than one occasion. Jade found herself wishing she could still get drunk, and manage to lose her concerns the easy way, but her body rejected the influence of any toxins these day, lumbering on unphased. Well, what was done was done, and what would come would come.

The zombie brought in a small side table from the main room, putting her self care kit atop it, and also her pipe. She could at least rely on that to calm her some if needed, though the effect was all mental. Making sure the water was heated appropriately, she then begin filling the bath, a task that was soon enough finished. Lavinia would probably be arriving any moment, a brief stop at her own room being all that stood between them. A small pause, eyes closed, and Jade calmed herself enough to disrobe and enter the tub. Out of anyone, she could expect the vampire to be the most accepting. What had she called her again, 'a fellow immortal'? That kind of inclusion was a comfort she had almost forgotten, with reactions like the innkeepers' being more the norm.

Things would be fine. As a knock on the door announced her guest, Jade called out. "I've left it unlocked. Took the liberty of getting everything set up and slipping in first," she added, before nervously--in spite of all the convincing she'd just given herself--biting on the mouthpiece of her pipe, then stealing a quick puff or two.

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Asami stopped for a moment, showcasing a blush that she was glad Bladen couldn't see. "You would, would you?" Her hands' motions became slightly erratic for just a second, going back into properly kneading those poor shoulders. "Stretching is very important, you know... In all sorts of situations~" There, back on track. He didn't seem quite like the type to fire back, and yet...


"Alright! Arena time! Have fun Cianna!" Taliyah was gonna win all the money today. "Let's go! Hahaha~" It was the first time she was having this much fun.


Receiving such a swift response, Lavinia smiled. "Thank you for getting everything setup, Jade." A gentle entry into the room was followed by a lock on the door, making sure to avoid any disturbances. This was about relaxing and discussion, after all. As she began to work at her gauntlets, a curiosity formed and had to be spoken, one metal glove hitting the floor. "Jade, can you feel temperature? I'm sure I've mentioned that I cannot, but we are different strands of immortal, after all." 

As the other left her hands, Lavinia stretched her fingers, glad to be free from the sun's deadly rays for a time. With the window where it was, and the time of day at hand, she would be safe for quite a bit. Hood coming down, she began to work at her greaves, following with the sabatons, cuisse, tasset. Last to go was the breastplate, giving her space to breathe. A harness came off, and her tunic and pants were slipped out of, undergarments resting gently atop the pile as the last bit of coverage faded. "Feels a bit dangerous to be so exposed during the day, but I can't pass up such a soothing experience." 

Taking steps to enter the side bathroom, Lavinia smiled over at Jade, pulling a pesky strand of her still white hair out of her face, as she approached the bath. Perhaps to the zombie's relief, Lavinia was quite scarred. Several heavy lines ran across her body, while some odd scars ran the entire circumference of her arms and legs... Rings along her skin, at varying angles and degrees. She paid herself little mind, slipping into the water, making sure not to stretch her legs out and push into Jade. She couldn't feel the cold, so her knees would be fine out of the water.

"Mmmm... My muscles needed this, really. Thank you for allowing me to come along, Jade~" Though, they did have business to discuss... "What shall we tackle first?"

Edited by SnakeMomMelissa
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It wasn't far to walk to the arena from the armoury... likely by design, those who won big tended to be the sort interested in weapons, and where better to spend those earnings? As the trio entered, they were greeted by a simple, rather no-nonsense front desk, a zombie, who had clearly seen his fair share of combat were his scars anything to go by, sitting behind it. Little fanfare, straight to business... which made sense for the arena. All of the fanfare would take place in the ring itself, the check-in nice and efficient for people to swiftly collect their bet money. A swiftly served gambler gambles more, after all. But that wasn't why they were here.

"Hello hello~ My kind sir, do you think you might enlighten us as to what games you've set up for the day? We aren't regulars in town, you see~"

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Watching the trio of them walk away gave Marina a semblance of joy. It was good to see at least part of the party being happy despite everything around them. Bless that, I hope we have more of that in the future, and she turned, giving a nod to Gabriela with a shy smile. "I guess it's just the two of us then."

She didn't know her way around, unfortunately. Marina one-hundred percent spent too much time being held up in a castle. She didn't know her way around, or what to look for. She motioned her hand in some random direction, unsure if it was even the right way, "Gabriela, if you'd lead. I... have no idea where to look. And I think you'd be better leading the way than I." Was she being too modest? To her, being modest would be better than trying to act out amongst a town on monsters.

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Seeing the three of them walk away gave Gabriela a sigh of relief. Nessraya is the only one of them she could stand, so she didn't mind one bit that they decided to go to the arena, while her duty was to get some new clothes for Marina first. Gabriela looked to Marina. "Yes, i guess so." 

Gabriela wasn't exactly a regular around here, so finding her way around will be a bit of a challenge, but if Gaby remembered correctly, she saw Agni head to a tailor. Where was it again? It's then when she saw Marina do a hand motion in the complete opposite direction of where she thought the tailor was. "Sure, sure. Stay close to me though, and remember what we discussed! You're Cianna the werewolf now!"

With that, they started moving around town. It took about 5 minutes to find the place they were looking for. "How's this?" She pointed towards the door of the first tailor they found. Gabriela didn't actually want to wait for Marina's reply, and instead opened the door and started her introduction. "Hello! My name is Gabriela, a siren and this is my friend Cianna, she's a werewolf. Glad to me-" When she looked, she saw two people in the store. A woman that appeared to be an elf, as well as.. Agni? So this is where he went after all.

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"You'll go... well, have your fun." So Agni would end up sending this weird curious woman Nessraya's way. Fine by him, so long as he was unlocked.

Perhaps too much trust was given to this store clerk... too late to ponder now, it'd just be small talk, surely.

He had finished readjusting his clothes... the coat was nice for his size, the shirt mayhaps a size too large, but that'd do for now. It was a bit too casual for him, and lacked the vibrant color of his uniform, opting for a muted maroon coat. All sacrifices one had to make.

On the way out of the changing room, some familiar faces were coming in, surprising for Agni, but not terribly so. He nodded in acknowledgement, walking up to them. "Gabriela? Well met again, you too, Marina." He was particularly thrown off by this werewolf Gabriela spoke of, who was...?

Oh. Hm.

"...Cianna." Agni tried to correct himself, shaking his head, "Here for a change of clothes as well?" Mayhaps changing the topic quickly would do best.

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