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

[Ursali]

Though she didn't have the best view, Xalrei could still see some of the damage Ithraxl had inflicted on the fortress city. Her fists clenched, a glare settling on her features. Who does this bastard think he is, doing this to Vaia when... Hearing Bladen addressing her, she turned to face the fallen, mind quieting for the moment. Truthfully, she had felt a bit awkward around him ever since she'd stoned Asami; it was no secret he and the fox were at least a little close to each other. She hadn't necessarily avoided him, but she hadn't initiated any conversations with him either. He still seemed amiable, maybe he hadn't picked up on her being distant with everything that had been going on? Asami likely wouldn't have told him what happened, if her identity was such a big secret...

"Yeah, sure, I don't see why not. Was probably just gonna wander aimlessly otherwise." She answered as she stood and streched, her sleeping muscles forced back awake. She had no reason to turn him down; if anything she ought to accept, he was one of the few who agreed with her misgivings on trusting the Hero. Climbing out of the wagon, dismounting with a jump and single flap of her wings to ease her landing, she turned toward her feathered friend. "Did you have anywhere you wanted to go in mind? Or did you just wanna look around first?" 

[Nanami Touko]

Lavinia hadn't expected Marina to cling so tightly... Was she truly scared to be here? Maybe something was spooking her, but there was another human with them, walking about as if nothing had happened. Lavinia gave the girl a gentle squeeze in return, smiling as much as she could from under her hood. "Things will be fine, Marina." Hopefully, at least. This Amera seemed to know Nessraya, but Lavinia knew nothing of the girl personally. Tepel was still standing, so there was a good chance she at least knew what she was doing in regards to running the place.

---

A moment of walking later and the group was inside the fort. It was in immaculate condition, likely able to hold out under any assault that managed to breach the walls of the city... That wasn't exactly the problem that would arise if the walls, fell, but it was heartwarming for the vampire, just a touch. At the least, the citizens could retreat inside and be kept safe. Amera led them along to a rather large meeting room, enough space for all of them to stand around the table situated in the middle of the room.

"Alright, Nessraya, miss head knight, let's hear your whole deal... This is Seilan, by the way. Now acting captain of a squad of men that had come from Hwein. I'll let him explain his issue once you're done talking... Hopefully we can help him with that once everything here in Vaia is settled." Amera lazily sat herself up on the edge of the table, one leg curled under her, the other hanging off the edge. "Oh, go grab the problem from the jail." She motioned to the guard that had followed with them. It took him a moment, but he nodded and made his way out of the room.

Lavinia wasn't quite sure what to make of her, even now... She was far too carefree, were all beastmen like this? "Right... Well, let's get the hostilities out of the way."

"Hostilities?" Amera was taken aback by that, a small frown developing as her fists balled and tightened.

"Yes. This... Is the Hero that Coteon brought through Vaia." Lavinia stayed in front of Marina, to her right, hand on the hilt of the sword she carried. If Amera moved to attack her, she would defend the girl without a moment's notice.

Tepel's commander couldn't help the instant scowl, smile, and twitching of her eyes that followed, as if she'd been told a joke too bad to be true, yet still infuriating. "Is she?"

"She is... And from orders of the Demon King, she is helping us with the restructuring of Vaia through the defeat of Ithraxl, and tasks beyond, like recirculating trade in Hwein."

"Wow, you aren't fucking with me. Hoo, boy! You sure are lucky Nessraya is here or I'd be bounding across the table to twist that sprout's neck, through your sword or not!" It was impossible for the cat to hide her anger towards the very reason they were currently under siege, but rather than kill herself trying to remove what she perceived as a problem, she simply growled and hopped off the table, arms folded, trying to contain her feelings. "Alright, sweet! We can have the damn 'hero' swing her holy sword right through Ithraxl's stupid mug and end this ridiculous coup he's trying to push."

Lavinia let out a sigh she hadn't been completely aware she was holding. A part of her was convinced that was about to get bloody... She could only be glad it hadn't. "Marina will do all that she can... That is the biggest announcement I had to bring to your attention, Amera. I'll let Sir Seilan speak before I go into anything else, given your issue hasn't shown up either."

"Fine, whatever." The frustrated cat growled again and started pacing, unsure of what to do with the broil of emotions that had just been set.

"Well, this is a party," Asami idly commented, going at her nails with a small nail fi... Where did she get that?

---

As Ren walked away from Ayane's little stroll, leaving the princess defenseless... Without a whisper of sound on the wind, an armored figure approached her, hand reaching for her shoulder...

"Excuse me, miss. Might I have a moment of your time?" The voice, a girl's, held an oddly familiar tone, one Ayane might recognize with a bit of thinking. Her identity, though, would have to wait. Save for her mouth, a dark blue mask covered the entirety of her face, in contrast to the stark white of her armor. From what little Ayane would be able to make out under the mask, her skin was dark, either natural or tanned, and her hair was a dull white, close to silver, fitting in with the palette of her armor. "I'm visiting this town for the first time, and was hoping someone would show me around, but the guards suddenly went away with another group... I've no guide at the moment, and It is definitely a bit rude to impose, but given that you're armed..."

Taking her hand away from Ayane, the girl gestured a gauntlet to the sword at her hip, tilting her head with a smirk. "Perhaps a stretch, given that and your appearance, I assumed you one of the city's personnel as well. Was I wrong?" Despite seeing almost nothing of her face, the bright green of her eyes behind the mask's small slits was certainly striking.

---

The bar tender took Ren's money and set a second drink for him, leaving him to his moment. No one else gave Ren a second glance, assuming him just another tired soldier, given the weaponry he was carrying... Until.

"Oh, poor, poor oni, all tired and sad~" A rather familiar and likely annoying voice graced his ears, Asami sitting down next to him. "Surely you didn't just come all the way out here to wallow in booze, hmmmm? Come on, lend me your ear, I haven't had the chance to speak with you this whole time we've been together~" Obviously because they hated each other, but Asami was more than please to see Ren so down and out of sorts... Her amusement aside, she did have something to tell him, but she wanted to tease the life out of him first. When else would she get such a chance?

---

"Hwah!?" Erephis jumped, glancing back towards Taiyute. She hadn't expected any of the group to want to bother with her little chores, let alone the Genasi, but it wouldn't hurt to have her along, would it? With a small nod, Erephis sighed to catch her breath, and started back towards the vendor. "I-I don't mind, T, Ta-Taiyute. Sure..." Why her, anyway? No use in thinking about it much longer, having another person suited to magic would make shopping easier, if nothing else.

Approaching the vendor with her new tag along in tow, Erephis gave a gentle wave to the spider running the shop and quickly went about looking over the tomes on the shelf. Should... Sh-Should I talk with her? I don't think I've ever spoken at length with a Genasi before... uhm... I-I wonder what she'd want to talk about. Maybe she likes magic too? Or maybe she's bored of it since, she's made of, it... I, hmm... I don't know...

---

"R-Really!?" Taliyah looked so happy at Agni's agreement, it was like she'd forgotten her father was soon to be on the group's chopping block. "Th-That's great!" That was, until Bridgit reminded her of who else they were buying gifts for. "Ahh... I, r-right... If you r-really want to, I mean... I, I guess..." She shrunk a bit at that, but nodded, and agreed, not wanting to fight their wishes. "As... L-Long as we do both, I, suppose."

Aithlin was a bit weirded out by the sudden diffusing of that happiness bomb, taking a moment to pat the lizard on the back. "It'll be fine, Taliyah, we'll get it all done. Hope y'all don't mind if I lead us, then~" Aithlin started off, the lizard awkwardly following along after her.

"Y-Yes, we will! Uhm... L, Let's go, Agni! Bridgit!"

The city, while dotted with plenty of housing, was rather compact, and it only took minutes to reach a suitable destination. "Thrift store, huh..." Aithlin eyed the sign, 'Tia's Thrift', shrugging as she made her way inside. An excitable beastgirl smiled at the sudden customers, tail on full wag.

"Hello! Welcome! Soldiers? From the fort? How can I help you all?"

"Well... I do suppose since we're working with them now, that isn't inaccurate. Little miss here's gonna ask you what she's looking for, though. The elf pushed Taliyah in front of her, taking a step back towards the others in their group.

"I wha!? I, hwahh, ahh... Can... C-Caaaaaan, I ssee what, magical items you... Have, f-for, sale...?" Taliyah had flushed a brilliant red upon becoming the star of this show, the owner of the store giving her a pitying smile and nodding gently.

"O' course you can. Give me a moment to fish them out of the back." Off she went, tail still wagging one mile a minute, disappearing behind a curtain just beyond the counter.

"Hwahhhhhhh..." Taliyah melted on the spot, almost falling over, held up by her tail.

"Cute, ain't she?" Aithlin gave Agni's shoulder a pay, before staring at Bridgit. "Agni can handle the lizard and Marina's little present. You and me, we're gonna find Taliyah something in here. Sound good?"

The thrift shop itself looked more like a clothes store, though what of it was used and new, would be impossible to tell. This Tia seemed to keep everything in tip top shape. On shelves were hats, cloves, boots, and other apparel, that would be less needed upon racks. There was another small show case with several necklaces and rings inside, but, given she'd retired to behind the storefront, the magical wears were kept elsewhere.

Edited September 28, 2020 by SnakeMomMelissa

[sweet podado]

The edge of the glass didn't even reach his lips as he hears the one voice he didn't want to hear...now and never.

His response is instant, but there's less bite in it than before.  "Oi, fuck off," he snaps, only loud enough for her and the bartender to hear him.  There's clear irritation marring his features now, the ex-human going back and tipping the drink all the way up to down his drink.  He lets it burn his throat and settle in his stomach, before ordering another drink-

No, two drinks this time.  He motions the bartender towards Asami, before side-eyeing her in silence.

"...My treat."

Ren looks forward at nothing, waiting for the drinks as he then lets out a long and tiring sigh.  "I'm sure you have another reason to be here, other than to add to my misery," he deadpans, still not looking at her.  "There's only so much I can handle at the moment so can you please go easy just once?  Everything's...too much right now."

Whether she listens or not that's her prerogative, but it's not like he shouldn't try at least once.

---

The pureblood holds back a sigh, but the twitch of her lips shows just how amusing this situation is for her.

It'll do no good in pushing Taliyah to the point of being unable to communicate, but small pushes here and there are good enough.  So as they follow the undead elf through the city, the vampire simply observes their little group with a curious gaze.  When they arrive at one of the stores she feels her head tilt slightly at the name of the shop, not knowing what to make of it at first.

Once they enter though her eyes brighten, floating about but keeping close to the group.  It's tempting, wanting to poke and touch at certain things that catch her interest, but before she actually did so Aithlin brings her attention back to their main task.  "Ah!  Yes, yes of course," she agrees, having missed the whole of the conversation, but understanding the gist of it.

Sticking to Aithlin she leaves the other two and goes to actually look at the wears.  Her attention is mostly towards the boots, wanting to brush a delicate hand over them, but then she shifts towards the jewelry...mainly the rings.

"Hm, what would the girl want...." she mumbles softly, tapping a finger against her chin.  

Edited September 19, 2020 by sweet podado

[TheRoon]

Ayane's senses were usually sharp, well according to her anyway. Her constant training and duty to her kingdom kept her on her toes. However that was not the case when she was lost in thought, which happened to be the case when the masked newcomer approached her and took her shoulder. "!" Ayane quickly turned with a surprised look upon her face, her flight or fight instinct was triggered. But only for a moment, it quickly went away when the woman spoke out with a calm voice. Ah so she was new to the city as well, didn't surprise Ayane much considering it's size. "I'm afraid you are mistaken, I am no guard." She slowly relaxed herself, but she kept a little weary regardless. Sometimes a mask tells more of a story than a face, and Ayane was uncertain what to make of it.

"If you wish to have a guide then Ren here can gladly as...Ren?" She turned to her side, fully expecting her dear cousin to be there staring deeply at the armored woman. But for the first time in quite a while he was nowhere to be found. Her right hand and most trusted aide went off on his own. "Ah..." She was a bit surprised he left without a word, or perhaps she was so lost in her mind she failed to pick up on his words. Ayane had easily travelled from Nanbu alone, but having her family back and so close has left her reliant on his constant shoulder. '...no. I can't rely on him so deeply.' Again, lost in thought. 'I am princess Ayane Kusanagi, I need no escort...in fact if someone needs an escort...' She turned to the girl, eyes full of determination. "I am no guardsman, ma'am. I'm just as new to this place as you. Yet despite that, I would offer my services as an escort if you'll have me." She had to admit, she wasn't sure what she was saying at first. Perhaps she wanted to show independence?

Edited September 19, 2020 by TheRoon

[Ether]

"I understand that this comes as a shock, Amera... but please, I'll vouch for her. I hope you're willing to trust my judgment." Nessraya added... it was good that she hadn't immediately pounced, but the tension in the room certainly had escalated when Marina was brought up, as expected as that unfortunately was.

"And if you need to vent your understandable frustrations, I would be more than happy to oblige you once we've gotten things settled, hmm~?"

[GoldsbroTSG]

The genasi formed a smile as she kept good pace, walking side-by-side with the lamia. She seemed shy, awkward, much like Taiyute felt as well, though it seemed Erephis wasn't as good at hiding it. It was fine, it just meant that opening her up was going to be a tad more challenging.

Once they entered the vendor, she did follow behind Erephis, as the two next to one another would break down the doorway. Once entering the building, she gave clapped her hands together with a head bow to the shopkeeper, a spider it seemed. "Many greetings miss," she greeted as she looked around the shop as well. Checking the money she was given by the fox woman, it was only 1000 gold. Shame she arrived so late into Aensbrook, she could've won some money in the arena. This was fine, she was bad at handling money most of the time.

Looking at the shelf of tomes, she took a look around.

Thunder, Wind, Flux... She read off spells in her head, pondering things, Lightning, Shine, Fir-- nope. Shooting her head away from the fire tome, she noticed something up atop the shelves. She tried to reach up to get it, she couldn't see it's name from where she was. Whipping out her wind tome, she looked up again, seeing the two similar in color, but different cover patterns. She had to see, she could get it! But...

"Miss Elphis? May I have assistance, please?" She approached the lamia, pointing upwards to the book, "The tome up there, I'm not... in right size, to grab it. Could you help?"

[mcd900]

Seilan found himself unconsciously reaching slowly toward the handle concealed within his cloak at the less-than-pleasant introduction of the Hero, only catching himself upon seeing the vampire’s hand on the hilt of her own blade. Hopefully nobody had noticed his movement amidst Amera’s frustrations; as much resentment as he had for Coteon and their prized Hero, if she was under the protection of Vaians, there was little he could do here.

The question at hand, then, was - why was the Hero now fighting alongside the Vaians? If the invading forces back home were anything to go off of, Coteon’s soldiers were zealots, and their Hero was surely no exception, from the way they spoke of her. And yet here she was, fighting a rebellion in Vaia in the name of the Demon King… and past that, possibly even providing aid for Hwein. It sounded too good to be true; but he couldn’t afford to linger on these thoughts any longer. Amera seemed content enough to leave the matter alone, and that left everyone’s attention on him now. He looked once more at the faces around the table.

“Right, then. We were sent on a mission to request aid for Hwein. You all may be aware that trade between Hwein and Vaia has fallen off as of late; this is due to the arrival of Coteon forces, who have occupied our capital, Desaix. They’re led by a noble from Coteon, a certain Baron Edwin Vernon, whose troops are stopping any of our merchants from heading here.”

Seilan paused for a moment, glancing at the Hero. It occurred to him that she didn’t exactly fit the image of the great warrior he’d heard of, though it was pretty easy to believe Coteon’s soldiers were more than a bit biased.

“Humans not in open resistance against Coteon have been mostly left alone, but… the occupiers are attacking monsters almost unresisted. Hwein doesn’t have the strength to defeat them alone, so I’m asking for Vaia’s help in fighting them off. I know now that you’re dealing with a rebellion here… the rest of the mercenaries under my command and I are willing to assist you, if you’ll help us in return.”

Steadying his nerves, he nodded to indicate the end of his explanation. It wasn’t a great offer for them, but hopefully it’d be enough. It would have to be.

Edited September 20, 2020 by mcd900

[GoldsbroTSG]

Marina nodded, and kept hold of the vampire as they made their approach into the fort. A gulp, hoping that Lavinia would be right...

Before entering the meeting room she had let go of Lavinia's hand. This was time for her to put what was steeled of her will to the test. In a room with someone who may not be too keen on associating with her, and... another human. Seilan, according to the woman's words. Marina was kept behind Lavinia, for good reason in her eyes. The moment Lavinia placed her hand on her blade, almost out of the corner of her eye, she caught the human also preparing himself...

Too much had been going on, too much about her, her in the spotlight of everything. She closed her eyes, and gave a deep breath. It was time for her to make her stand, to try to make some form of amends, if only small.

Stepping forward, Marina steeled herself for what could come after, "Alright... Please, if I may," she began, "I don't condone what the church wanted to do, what they had me do. I didn't know better before, and I wasn't able to make my own decision without Nessraya's help," A small look to her, then back to the other two. "No matter what I tried to do, the knights would pressure me back into fighting, or threw me out of the fight entirely." Her fist balled up, thinking more and more that there could've been things she should've done. The thing that made these feelings suck, was that she knew she couldn't go back.

"I don't expect you to believe me, or to trust me. You don't have any reason to. All I ask is to be able to prove myself through my actions. I'll do whatever I can do to help, and..." Another deep breath, "I intend to accept all punishment from the Demon King for my actions when this is over."

Then, Marina directed herself toward Seilan. Hwein was having a bit more of an issue than she had realized as well, "Captain Seilan, yes? If that's alright? When we were finished here with Ithraxl, that was the next part of the plan we had in mind," A nod of confirmation towards Lavinia, and once again turning back to Seilan.

"Once he has been defeated, re-establishing trade was our next priority. If that is the cause of things, we'll figure out how to fix it, I'm sure." A nod to him as well.

Edited September 20, 2020 by Silver Gallade

[scorri]

He hadn't exactly thought too far ahead. His first instinct was the weapons shop. But even as he opened his mouth to suggest it, the realization that she was more than set thanks to that... cursed blade made him shut it right back. Well, even if her weapon was special, he could still use some sort of improvements, right? Maybe the forge then... Yes, that would work. Really, he mostly just wanted to spend time with someone that wasn't either trying to bite his head off or get into his pants. Both options scared him in very different ways and he just wasn't up for it right then.

"Well, I was thinking maybe we could head over to the forge. I was thinking about the weapons shop, but I actually found a nice sword in the wagon. Must have been dropped by one of our enemies. And, well, you clearly don't need the weapons shop, not with that... weapon you have already." He'd almost called it a thing but for some reason felt that was inappropriate. He didn't like the weapon. It was too... something. Something he couldn't put words to. Still. "Shall we?"

Assuming she would follow, he wandered off into the streets, quietly watching their surroundings. He didn't really have much to talk about and just paid attention to the people that flowed around them. Scared and anxious. Those were the two emotions he saw the most. Hopefully they would be able to do something to change that.

[Xinnidy]

Bridgit's intrusion was unexpected... but no words flew from her as she met eyes with Agni. She didn't seem to be in the best terms with Marina yet, but that wasn't a time to argue. The more the merrier... besides, it was true that they were getting a gift for Taliyah as well --who seemed very happy that Agni was there, too.

"Hah, of course, Taliyah. Why wouldn't I want to help here?" The lithe lizard's excitement was, in no small part, adorable to see.

With a smile plastered in his face, Agni followed Aithlin and the others towards the city for an appropriate shop. It didn't take long, at all, and they found a shop managed by one of the beastfolk in here. Interesting. They seemed to be the majority kind around these parts.

"Heh..." Agni couldn't deny Aithlin's claim. The way Taliyah was so demure and lost but eager at the same time was something else --welcome after their long journey and brushes with the supernatural, for sure. "Good luck, I'll keep an eye on her." He nodded, and approached Taliyah and the shopkeep promptly.

"There, there. Don't forget I'm here. I'm sure we'll find something to Marina's liking." He patted Taliyah's shoulder, hoping to mellow the lizard a little --before she shrunk below the counter, at this rate.

[Nanami Touko]

"Wow, 'fuck off'? That's not as eloquent as I expected the elder cousin to be." Asami did not, in fact, fuck off. She simply wagged her tail in amusement, though... "Oh?" A drink and a plea? She wasn't expecting that, either. "I suppose I can put my claws away... Mmm... I'm not one for drinks like this, but I'll oblige you, just this once." She didn't drink much of it, but it would have been even more rude to refuse something gifted to her so earnestly. "I'll get down to business, then... There's another tail nearby. I'm not quite sure which one, but, I figured I would tell you first, given that we are your problem that drifted over here. She's definitely not in town... I've been feeling her since we left the castle, really, and the further south we went, the stronger the feeling became."

Taking another sip of the drink, she felt her tail shiver, setting it down, likely for good. "Too strong... Mmm... What this means for us is one of two things. It's one of the nice, kind, and caring girls, like yours truly~ ... Or... We'll be fighting more than an annoying insurrectionist lizard. I figured you'd want to, warn, your liege? Before hand? But, I'm afraid she'd cut me down for approaching her... Such a nasty aura about her, so very, lethal. Do push this information to her, hmm? As for your misery... Since we're being nice, for now, would you like me to listen? I'm as good at solving problems as I am at causing them~"

---

"What would a girl like Taliyah want..." Aithlin echoed Bridgit's question, trying to think for herself, fingers brushing gently against her chin as she wandered through her thoughts. Taking a glance back at Taliyah, the little lizard that barely wore anything and seemed to not have a darn thing to her name... "Hmm. Probably some proper clothes, for one." She wasn't wearing scraps, but unless there was a reason for it, walking around in those clearly too old shorts and tank top, she was due for a change in look. "Can't get her any fancy shoes because of her feet... Unless we want to cut the front of them off, haha." A part of her parents' genetics she'd inherited, the characteristic feet of a lizardkin, clawed and scaled. No shoes would fit those, let alone boots. Maybe sandals...?

Glancing back at Bridgit, she was eyeing the rings, now. "Her fingers don't look too big for rings, and she is part lizard, so I'm sure she appreciates nice and fancy jewelry. Prolly just never had a coin to her name to get any... Want to get her a nice little accessory then, Bridgit? I'll help you pay for it, if you're settled." The clerk had left for the magical ones, so these were likely not that expensive. No enchantments meant you were just buying the craftsmanship. Still valuable, but far less than anything with magic in it. "I'll probably get her some new shorts, at least... With a lot of pockets." Taliyah had quick hands, and a quick tail. More places to hold things could only help.

"Hwah!? Ahh! A-Agni! Right... I'm, uh, t-trying." Tali was more than a little tense, Agni's hand on her shoulder making her jump back to standing properly. "I, I just, I've never gotten a gift for anyone, not, since..." Taliyah trailed off and got quiet, not saying anything until the shopkeep came back out with a small lockbox.

"Here we are, little miss dragonewt~" Setting the contents of what was inside of the box on the counter, Taliyah slowly stepped up, confused as to why she'd been called a dragon, but too shy to correct her.

"Uhm... S-So, what do a-all of these do?" Hopefully Agni would be able to help her tell which of these were real, and if they would be useful for Marina.

"I'm glad you asked! I've got a few rings of protection, a necklace to ward off evil spirits, and an amulet I've been told can reflect holy powers!" Tia didn't seem to be lying, but some of her claims were rather grandiose. Taliyah wasn't sure what to make of any of them, looking towards Agni for direction.

"Uh... Th-Those all sound, uh, g-great. Agni?" There was also the situation with the medal... Could she sell it here? Without Agni noticing...?

---

"Really? So heavily armed in a fort city but not one of its guards?" The masked woman seemed amused by this, a smirk slipping on her face as Ayane continued to go through a few paces. Someone named Ren, as well. Not present, it clearly seemed, though as the oni continued to speak, it appeared his disappearance would cause no issues. "You can't really act as a guide if you're new here too, can you? That's fine, though. I do have a specific destination in mind, and if you're willing to escort me, I'd love to have you along." Taking steps past Ayane, the mystery figure turned and motioned for her to follow.

"I've heard tell that the guard here are rather famous for their defense of the fort city. Anyone with any knowledge of fighting is sure to know what's going on in Vaia right now. A marauding hero, monsters infighting, the country in shambles... Yet their biggest defense against said infighting remains standing even after weeks of constant assault. I had half a mind to see for myself what the people keeping this city together fought like. Since you aren't one of the guards, but, given your attire... Is it safe for me to assume you're more than an amateur when it comes to combat?" Swords, some moderate armor, and a build that suggested she hadn't picked up the sword yesterday. "I wanted to see the barracks, so hopefully you're interested, miss..."

I suppose it would be rude to not introduce myself, first. Though... I can't give her my real name. Not with who she's traveling with. "My name is... Hmm. You can call me Ari. That'll do for now. You are?"

---

"Many greetings, magical being," the spider offered in return, not much for a chat, as she resumed looking over a few books that had been opened on the counter.

"Huhwha?" Erephis hadn't expected Taiyute to speak with her at all, given they were both here for their own reasons... To get a book? Was the genasi really not tall enough, to... "Oh... Th-That really, is far up. Uhm..." Extending her tail, Erephis took a moment to fetch the book for her, meekly handing it out for her to take. "Th-There you, are. I, uhm... I should, h-have figured you'd be interested in, wind magic. Ahah... Uhm... Y-Yes." There was one extra thing that needed addressing, though. She'd thought Taiyute has been speaking quickly before, but... "I-It's, Erephis. By the way..." A bit of a mumble, hopefully it was caught in the quiet store.

"I should, r-really find what I'm here for... L-Let's see..." A certain dark tome had caught her attention the last time she had been in Tepel. It was time to see if it was still in stock...

---

Amera would have growled obscenities towards Marina's little plea, but the pacifying from the general had her quietly grumbling instead. The scowl on her face told enough of a story towards her trust of the little heroine.

"Then, it's decided... We'll deal with Ithraxl, and once we can meet with the King after such action, we'll begin the march to Hwein to deal with the disputes going on. This isn't good for either of our countries." Lavinia was quite unsettled to hear that they were going after monsters simply living in the country. The occupying forces, how far out did they extend? There was no way they had taken over Hwein entirely, not that quickly, especially if Marina was here with them, now... What sort of things were going on, down there?

"Ma'am! We've brought the prisoner!" The guard Amera had sent off had returned, and right on time.

"Good. Bring her in... We've settled the current goings on, for now... Alright, Lavinia, Nessraya. Hero... Tell me what this is." Despite saying her, Amera referred to the person that was quickly ushered in with less recognition... Lavinia was quite understanding as to why, once the guard was finished, and once again resting against the meeting room's door.

"What... Are you?" Despite the humanlike appearance, even Lavinia could feel the magic radiating off of the creature. It was old. Much older than her. Something akin to how Asami felt when she was casting, ancient methods and magics that the world hadn't seen in several centuries.

"We have no idea, but my boys arrested her outside the city limits thinking she was human. I could tell she wasn't as soon as they brought her back, but... She's not like any monster I've ever met." Amera was rightfully stumped.

"I'm... I'm not sure." Could she even understand them? Lavinia wasn't sure that even Nessraya would know what this being was. Perhaps she'll answer for herself...

Edited September 27, 2020 by SnakeMomMelissa

[Xinnidy]

"Hmm... stay calm, Taliyah. It'll be fine. We'll choose something fine for Marina. I'm certain of it." In the middle of excusing herself, Taliyah got into a tangent that clearly brought her more discomfort. It was best to let it go, at least for now.

Agni was about to correct the shopkeeper on mistaking Taliyah's race, but the many trinkets provided dissuaded his train of thought quite confidently. "There's... definitely something there in some of them." He checks some of the rings, touching them to vaguely sense their enhancements...

"Two of these... have some notable enhancement. The necklace too. As baffling as holy protection sounds, there *is* some magic here. It could go either way with one of these. Do you have an opinion, Taliyah?" Agni turns to her, quite confident in his assessment."

Edited September 27, 2020 by Xinnidy

[mcd900]

He’d caught wind of a prisoner held within the fort over the past week, though the dungeons hadn’t exactly been his first concern, and so he joined the rest of the room in their surprise as the prisoner was brought in. Amera had called this creature ‘the problem’ earlier, though for Seilan she presented more of a curiosity than anything else. The fact that the Vaians were mystified as well had him even more interested; if anyone could have known, it would have been them.

Amidst his confusion was a small feeling of relief, as well. The Hero, oddly enough, had spoken for the Vaians, and they had decided to march to Hwein as soon as the rebellion was quelled and they met the Demon King.

An unpleasant thought crossed his mind, and he couldn’t help but wince slightly as he realized the duty of being Hwein’s representative would once again fall upon him, whether he liked it or not.

He certainly hadn’t particularly enjoyed it this far.

[scorri]

It seemed patience had won in the end. A being had come to get her, leading her out of the room she had been placed in and into a larger, cleaner room. One filled with many more beings than she had previously encountered. Though one was familiar, being the one she had been brought in front of when first arriving in this city. The one who had sent her to the place called jeil. She gave that being only a quick glance before turning towards the other faces in the room. Strange faces... Almost worried faces. Were they scared of her? Why? She had caused no harm since coming here. A question though. Asking for her identity. At least that's what she thought the armored woman was asking for. She tilted her head curiously, trying to remember all the right words. It was hard, sometimes. There were so many words that she had heard in her dreams over the many years she had slumbered in the cosmos. Some of which these beings had used, some of which they hadn't. None of which were used by her people. Though words were not quite right for the communications of the cosmos.

Still, a question had been asked. It would not do to be rude to these beings, especially with how young they must be. They could not have the wisdom of many years. Perhaps her people were not known here. A sad thought. Had none of her brethren made their way here after falling? She had hoped she was not alone... Finally, after a long pause, words chosen carefully, she replied to the question that had been asked of her. "I am a fallen member of the sky, the remnant of burnt out flames." She stopped, a small frown appearing for a second. No, that was wrong. It wasn't the sky she was a part of. Not really. Though these people perhaps did not have a word for the place beyond the sky where her people lived. Would they know then what she was? Or would they think she was simply a member of this world they did not know? No, she knew they had a word to refer to her people... What was it again? Ah, right, how could she forget? "Ah, perhaps thou would recognize better if I said that I am a star?"

Edited September 27, 2020 by scorri

[Balcerzak]

Ah, there it was. When Gabriela suddenly apologized for having been rude, on the heels of what was essentially Jade having doing the same thing, in her own fashion, everything clicked. The slight awkwardness behind the muted responses to her attempts at conversation along the way here, what had felt like being the siren avoiding her during their travels since the marsh, everything. A light laugh and the merchant shook her head. "Oh, you're very welcome. And I think it must all have been a misunderstanding, strung nerves from the fight on both our ends. If no offense was intended, swoosh," Jade made a small sweeping motion with her hands as she added a sound effect into the conversation. "Off under the bridge it goes."

And how could she not? When the siren's bright smile came in response to hers, there was only one thing to do. Stepping into the stall first, pushing her way past the simple sign at the front, "Fortunes Told", a distinct contrast to other more grandiose claims that might have been made, Gabriela's concerns about the trustworthiness of the whole affair briefly flickered back to the forefront of Jade's mind. But, there ought to be an easy, and amusing way to deal with that. Ought to be.

Smiling lightly, Jade strode up to the empty chair across the table from the fortuneteller, whose crystal ball reflected back the starry pattern of the stall's ceiling when gazed upon. The purple-scaled lamia certainly had a knack for setting the tone. Was that veil... silk? It looked nice, either way. Very atmospheric.

"Excuse me," the zombie began, before swiftly moving on to business. "We came here to get our fortunes told, me and my friend here, but I guess you already knew that, huh?" A gentle laugh at her own joke. "What sort of services along those lines do you offer?" It was important to confirm they could get what they wanted. If the prognosticator could only see the future, that wouldn't really get them what they came for, after all.

[Ursali]

"The forge, huh? I was actually thinking of going there too, to see if they could fix Requiem. It already did that by itself two weeks ago when we were in the forest, so maybe it won't be as hard now." Or as expensive... While Xalrei wasn't new to the idea of her own money, Ralsvelgr had made sure she worked for her more extravagant purchases, the young dragon still had little idea on appropriate price points for something like this. Would Bladen have a better idea? Wasn't he kinda sheltered too? "We can go to the weapon shop after too, if you want. Just because I have Requiem, doesn't mean I don't use other weapons, as much as it doesn't like me doing that. Being prepared is more important that"

Following after her feathered friend, Xalrei still couldn't help but wonder if Asami had let something slip, no matter how unlikely that was. There was no way for her to really get that information out of Bladen, anyway. Not without making him suspicious. As Bladen lead them through the crowd they eventually arrived at the forge, Xalrei entering without any fanfare and holding the door open for Bladen to follow in after. 

[GoldsbroTSG]

 Marina took one look in the direction of the beastkin, and looked away, her eyes said everything she needed to know. She never expected Amera to trust her. With the important part discussing Ithraxl, and Marina's plea over with, she was ready to leave, until this new being was brought in. She was definitely strange, Marina had not seen someone like her before. A star? Marina had a thought,

"Hmm... A celestial..." She muttered, "In my world, sometimes, that's what we call beings from... the sky? Well, we call it space. Sometimes we use the term for gods, but others... not so much, it depends on what you're reading." as she spoke. She followed with a shake to the head.

"S-Sorry, didn't mean to blabber a bunch. If you'd just like to be called a star, or if celestial is used for something already, I'll... I'll shut up now."

---

The wind spirit took the tome into her hands, embracing it as she got used to the weight. "Very young, still. Um... I'm not good at the natural magic still. The others like to laugh," she answered, her voice a more meek, shy tone than normal, "This helps me, be strong. So I use it, yes," and she followed with a nod.

Then there was a correction, once again Taiyute had messed up someone's name. She shook her head, "A-Apologies miss... Ele-Erla-er... Er-Erephis!" She spoke, "Erephis, Erephis, Erephis..." She spoke softly, repeating the name so she'd remember. Soon, having what she really needed, she followed the snake around, thinking, "You are... much strong, yes, miss Erephis? You feel strong. I have not yet seen you fight yet," she had asked a question, her words going at a mile a minute again,

"A-apologies again, please... If I must slow my speak, please tell me."

[Ether]

"A... star?" How curious... the magical energy coming off of this "star" certainly was unlike anything Nessraya was typically used to interacting with. It was discernably magic, but incredibly foreign.

"Well, I can't directly verify her story, but this feeling is certainly odd enough that it's believable at a glance... but if you're a star, why are you here now?"

[sweet podado]

Ren bit back an apology that almost came out.  He felt bad, but not that bad.  Still, as he finally glances at the fox he lets his frown lessen slightly to a grimace.  As he listens to what she has to say, the ex human can't help the tired sigh as he gently rubs Ukogi's head when the bird starts to peck at his fingers.  "Great, another problem we have to face....further south you say?  Hm, that may pose a problem," he offers, not helping the amused huff when Asami pushes away her drink after one sip.  "Lightweight?  That's cute..."

But their problem isn't, and he can't help but agree with her that he should tell Ayane about this.  "I'll tell her; no need to have you maimed for no reason," he finally says after a moment, finishing his second drink.  He doesn't order another, and instead thinks about the fox's offer.  "Funny how our problems love to run around to other countries, instead of staying put where we can settle them on our own instead of bringing in foreign bystanders.  As for your offer..."

Really, did he have anything to lose at this point?

"Would you believe me if I said I am scared?" he asks, keeping a close eye at Asami.  "While my cousin's fury can be quelled with Ouka's sake, all I feel is a cold anger brewing inside me.  I don't bring it up because unlike Ayane I don't have the urge to suddenly fight everything in my sights, but..." he shrugs, and offers an empty smile.  "A ticking time bomb is probably more dangerous than an active one, wouldn't you say?"

"I don't want to harm anyone once my time's up.  Everything is hypothetical of course, and the only one that can truly know is Ouka herself, but if I were to lose control-"

"No, before that.  I'm sure you wouldn't have any problems in cutting me down if you notice anything suspicious right?"

He never was the self-sacrificing one to begin with, but his family was everything to him.  If he became a liability to Ayane then it'd be best to nip it in the bud before it had a chance to ruin more lives.  Even if Asami ends up laughing at his request, he'll find other ways to do it himself.

---

Aithlin has a point and the Pureblood taps her chin and hums.  "We propose armor? Although you are right; her clothes, while not a problem are...not quite adequate for what the group has been facing," she adds, and floats back over to the clothing section while leaving the jewelry alone.  At the mention of sandals she perks up, but then brows furrow since the elf did have a point.

"Maybe if this Bridgit had time, we'd be able to modify a pair to fit her needs..." she murmurs, until Aithlin came up with a solution that the vampire's more than happy to oblige to.  Nodding, she looks back at the rings and offers a small smile.  "Yes...yes, that could work.  Something useful, and then something cute," she quips satisfyingly while pressing her hands together.

The idea of the footwear, however, didn't leave her mind as she thought of ways to dre- help! Yes, help their reptilian comrade.

Edited October 4, 2020 by sweet podado

[TheRoon]

"Ah well..." The masked woman did catch Ayane off guard, she couldn't be a proper guide with no knowledge of the location they were at. The princess chose not to show her surprise however and instead kept her poker face. She then began ahead with a few steps and motioned for the Oni to join. To which she simply nodded and followed behind. Despite her lack of direction of the land she couldn't very well take back her offer.

Marauding hero? The country in shambles? Well even as a foreigner Ayane knew enough to put those events together, Marina and the kingdom's infighting. Ayane certainly had her own issues to deal with, but Vaia was a different barrel of fish so to speak. "Aye, that I do. Though I am not from Vaia it's hard not to know what's going on in this side of the world." She scanned her surroundings while she kept her paces behind the masked woman. "And you are correct, I am no greenhorn with a blade. I've seen more battle than I'd wish upon anyone." And then came the introduction: Ari. 'Ari is it...interesting. I'm not sure how far I can trust someone with a mask, but she seems genuine at least...if only a little. So that being the case...' "Ari you say? Is that a nick name then? Either way it's fine with me." So she returned the favor with a slight bow of her head and some of her upper body, a very Eastern flavored greeting. "You may call me Aya, a travelling Ronin. A pleasure." She rose once more. "And of course I'm interested in the barracks, I always seek to improve my bladework for my mission...speaking of which, I don't suppose you know of another Oni like me? A woman in foreign clothing perhaps?"

[scorri]

Entering the forge, the first thing Bladen spotted was a well muscled orc lady working on what appeared to be a drawing behind the counter. Beyond that, it was a relatively tidy shop, though it smelled of metal and fire. A good sign for a forge, he supposed. "Maybe we can visit there then, later. For now, I wonder what all she offers." He didn't get the sense that she was going to be capable of doing much to Requiem. While he was certain she was very skilled at her trade, the fact of the matter remained that Requiem was not exactly a normal weapon. The ability to change shape, the drain it put on its user, no, this was not the type of weapon that this orc would likely be able to do much with. Still, it couldn't hurt to ask.

Taking the initiative, Bladen walked over to the counter with the dangerously barbed sword he had picked up somewhere along the way. "Good day to you, ma'am. I was wondering what it would cost to have some work done on this blade? With everything going on out there in the world, it can't hurt to try and get the extra edge for battle."
Inquire as to costs for forging or upgrading Barbed Sword

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Curious. It seemed that these beings were even unaware that her people existed. A frown settled onto her face at that thought. They didn't even know about those who watched over them. A tragedy. How could they not know? After all, her people dreamed of their world. Surely, there must have been some way of knowing of their people. Were they truly destined to guard over the world, only to die in a moment, with the people below not even aware of their existence? Still, perhaps it was just these few. Surely someone knew of her kind.

She couldn't let the sadness of the situation affect things too much though. The one human who had spoken up had some interesting words. Her world? Ah, perhaps she was similar then. If she too had come from a far off location, perhaps there was a similarity there. She tried out the words the girl had spoken, mulling them over. "Ce-les-ti-al. Celestial... Yes, this is good. Thou may call me that. As for the sky, we are not from there. We are from beyond the sky. Space... Space is an empty thing. Why would thou call beyond the sky such a thing? It is not empty. It is full of all my kind. It is... cosmos. I am from the cosmos. But thou say thou too have traveled far to get here? Perhaps thou too are from the cosmos? From some other far off world?"

And then a question, from another one who could sense her magic. Her being. Calling it odd. She sniffed slightly at that. It was her magic. How could it be odd, it was her own. Still, as for the question. That was easy enough to answer. "My light died. It happens to all of us eventually. Most just continue sleeping forever, though we do not think they dream anymore when they do. A sad fate. Others fall as the lights burn. We always believed those who fell would land here on this world. As I did. When I landed, I woke up. I knew where I was from my dreams. Or at least, I knew of the world. But I was all alone. So I tried to find my other fallen brothers and sisters. And instead I found the beings who brought me here." She gestured towards the woman who she had been brought to originally, though it was a slightly awkward gesture due to her bindings. "And then she put me in jeil, and then the guard brought me here, and that is why I am here."

Edited October 5, 2020 by scorri

[Nanami Touko]

"A, star?" Lavinia was very plainly confused, unsure of what exactly was being referred to here. Somehow, Marina, of all people, seemed to have an idea. A celestial? Space? What were these things? Were they something commonplace in Marina's world...?

"Celestials and stars. This is some real old legend stuff, here. You really want us to believe you're one of the Gods' creations?" Amera felt like talking now, eyes off Marina. "I don't know what miss star has to say about all of this... Maybe you didn't look into any of it, Lavinia, because you've been so focused on being a knight, but..." Amera sighed, this was getting way too crazy. The hero, and now a star. "In old fairy tales, about the Gods and Goddesses, it's said that while Hess became the world, Ilrios became the sky and the stars. We were all born of the world snake, Hess, while the lights that shine at night, the air above us, was made of Ilrios... That's... What I know, anyway." Her magic was definitely unlike anything Amera had felt in the almost century length of her life, so was she telling the truth?

"Well... Whatever the case, you aren't a human, so I have to apologize for holding you captive. We'll return all of your belongings, and you're free to go on your way, to do... Whatever, stars do. Once they burn out. I need a drink..."

"Born of the Gods... That's... If that's true, I..." Lavinia had moved on from confusion, to being at a loss. "It, is a pleasure to meet you, miss... Celestial... If... Do you have a name?" Were stars given names? Lavinia had never given much thought to the things that shone above at night. The moon, perhaps, and the Goddess connected to it, but the rest she'd always assumed was some magic that was beyond the mortal realm.

There was still much to discuss about Ithraxl, but this deserved its moment.

---

"Yes. I did... Miss Jade Persyn, and Miss Gabriela Zima. A pleasure to meet you in person." The lamia smiled wider underneath her veil, the corners of her mouth barely visible. "Names, and expectations, those are the easy part. Now that you have come to see me... I shall tell you of your past, your present, or your future. Hopefully, for expending my magical powers..." Her tail slid under the table and pulled a jar out from under it, the quiet rustling of coins echoed inside as they were shuffled. "... You will be willing to spare some coin. Though my hut is small, I have my own expenses." She didn't have to go into detail of how expensive it was to feed herself, there was a lot of lamia to upkeep.

"Hopefully, my knowing your names is enough to tell you that I am no fraud... But, for just, a single gold, I shall give you another expression of my sight, to further your belief. If you need it... Though, coming in here of your own accord, surely you have some faith." A giggle this time, the tail relaxing back into its position. She slid a small parchment onto the table with her crystal ball, listing her services and prices. "Ah... Something not on the list, for you two beautiful ladies... I do predictions of romance at no charge~" She winked, but they'd never know.

---

"... Hmm? Hm! Oh. Sorry." The orc spared Bladen a few words as she set her drawing down. A rather intricate and ornate design for a set of gauntlets, perhaps on order for someone, or simply something she designed in her spare time. "Odd sword... Where you find it?" A sword with a razor like edge was definitely not the norm. This seemed made for sawing rather than cutting... Quite the cruel implement, it didn't match the man who'd brought it in. "Hm. Forging... Thousand gold. Upgrades... Not sure. Weird edge. Difficult to improve. Would need to test. Might take a while. Can promise quality... Hmm..." The orc woman seemed rather quick to speak, and few on words. She was very focused on how exactly to take something like this to the next level. "Fifteen hundred. Two options... First. Improve the blade. Remove the razor. Durable. Sharp. Good for cutting..." She paused to think again, taking a second to look at Xalrei. Requiem peaked her interest at just a glance, but one customer at a time.

"Second. Improve razor. Better at what it does. Lose a bit of durability. Lot stronger... Your decision."

---

"Y-You don't have to speak, s-slower. I understand, just fine." Was she strong? In a certain sense. It wasn't a strength that she wanted, though. The memories were vague, through the lens of her glasses. It was done this way on purpose... Perhaps her other self would know much better about her own strength, but that, was... "I... I-I know a lot, about magic. I would say, that... Is m, more accurate. Uhm... I don't... I don't really, e-enjoy fighting that much. At all, really... So I hope, that you n-never have to see me, like that. But... Well, if you have any questions about magic, I-I will do my best, to answer them." It felt odd, telling a genasi that she could inform them of magic, but if she truly was only adept at her own element, maybe it would help?

---

"Baffling?" Was holy protection odd? While Taliyah wondered, Tia didn't seem all that bothered by the implications in Agni's statement. She was more so glad that any of them were real, an odd peddler had sold them all to her on a bargain. She could make her dollar back quite easily!

"Either of the rings are one thousand gold. The amulet, two thousand~ They're rather precious magical items!" Full of herself now that she truly knew they were real, she did her best to sell them just a little bit higher than they were truly worth.

"Wh-Whoa... That's a lot of gold... But..." Taliyah bit her lip, looking between them. "Can... C-Can I get it, all?"

"All!?" Tia's eyes lit up with dollar signs, staring down at the lizard. "Certainly! I'll give you a discount if you do! Thirty five hundred!"

"Mmm... Th-That's..." It was a bit more than she could afford, but... Maybe... "A-Agni, can I have a... A moment to think? Can, you go s-see how the other two are doing?" She needed him to leave... There was no way he'd let her get away with selling this in front of him.

---

"Ren..." Asami felt a sigh coming, but rather than patronize him with it, she held it back. "Mmm... Ren, I do want to make one thing explicitly clear. I don't hate you. I don't even dislike you, or your cousin. I simply... Well, if we're having this soul sharing moment, I was afraid, too. Seeing the two of you here, turned into onis... It could only mean that Ouka had won. Somehow... If she'd won, she was coming for the rest of us. That scared me to no end... And I lashed out. Considering the weight on you two already, that was undeserved... If you'll accept my apologies, you can have them. I'm sorry, Ren." Asami swiped her drink and took a heavy glug, shuddering from the taste and sensation.

"Disgusting... But it'll help me unwind some. Mmm... It's fine if you're scared, Ren. It's fine if you're worried... And no. I would take no pleasure in ending your life. I've never been a fan of fighting, in the first place..." She finally let go of that sigh, leaning against Ren for just a moment. "Thank you for being so understanding... I hope you'll be alright, Ren. Make some friends, here. Hold onto that humanity... It might save you, in the end." That was her last piece of advice before getting up and moving to leave. She had a meeting to start commenting on...

---

"Well... Choose what you want then, Bridgit. I'll help you pay for it; we'll split the cost. Make it a good present from the both of us to Taliyah. As for my pick..." Aithlin let Bridgit continue to look as she stepped over to a high shelf, fetching a sunhat off of it. "Girl's barely wearing anything and all that uncovered skin isn't gonna last in all the sun we've been seeing. She isn't a vampire, but it'll do her some good. Plus maybe a few new tunics... Proper clothes, instead of what she's been stuck with." They probably couldn't convince her away from shorts, considering pants would probably scratch against her scales. How troublesome it must've been to wear clothes as a lizardkin...

---

"Aya the oni? Well met, then." I'm not surprised she's lying to me, I'm doing the same to her. Calling her on it would just increase how suspicious I am, so I'll leave it be, and play along. Curious as to how this will go, though... I do hope to see their true natures. The church has decried them as heretics to be slain, and monsters are exactly that, but... I can't help but be curious. I've stopped the other knights from killing the villagers as we passed, at least. Ari thought to herself as they walked towards the barracks, thinking over her plans, thinking about one specific person. "As for your oni friend, I'm afraid you're the first I've seen here in Vaia. You said you're not from the continent, right? Don't you think it'd be strange to see more than a few of you wandering around at all?" [/i]Monsters from other continents, though... How very curious. How did they get around the sea currents that surround Vaia?[/i]

Something to worry about for the future, the barracks had come into view. The sounds of training and combat could be heard, quietly floating through the air towards them, growing louder as they approached. Several of the fort's militia was training against each other outside their tents with wooden weaponry, going at each other rather hard. "Well! That's a welcome sight. Nothing better than soldiers growing stronger. Shall we join them, Aya?" Ari continued towards them, a few noticing her, and despite her bemusing presence, some of them smiled and waved.

"Hail, traveler! You and your friend look rather well equipped. That's not all for show, is it?" A rather happy lizardman grinned teeth towards them. "Care to join us, if those aren't just for show?"

"Ain't those the folks that came in with Amera's group?" Another asked, jabbing him with his elbow.

"Probably... Even better, really. Means that gear really isn't for show. Probably give us a good time."

Ari smirked, glancing back at Aya. "Shall we, then? I don't mind going a few rounds with them... Or you."

Edited October 4, 2020 by SnakeMomMelissa

[Michelaar]

It seemed that any bad blood Gabriela and Jade might have had had disappeared. Whether Jade's paying for the fortune teller was part of some sort of apology or not, Gaby was certainly not going to say no to a gift. When she entered, the place felt... strange, mysterious, magical. It felt like she had entered another world entirely, one only spoken of in children's books. And there she was, a purple-scaled Lamia. She wore a veil, covering much of her appearance, creating even more of an air of mystery. Jade took charge with questions, teasing the Lamia, who did not seem bothered at all. She immediately began saying the full names and last names of both women. Gaby does not use her last name very often, so the veiled lady knowing it somehow threw her off. Could that mean her powers are truly genuine? Almost immediately, a jar full of coins was pushed into their faces. It seemed like she required quite a bit of upkeep to perform her services. While Gabriela did appreciate Jade's gesture, she was not about to rob her off everything, so she would first need to find out exactly what these services meant. ''Well, if this so called 'romance reading' is free of charge, I'll take it, but i'd like you to get into just a little bit more detail about your other services. What do you mean exactly with 'my past, present, and future?' Can you truly probe into all of that? Because I do have a few things i'd like to know...'' She looked in Jade's direction after with a worried look, hoping she would know what to do.

[scorri]

Bladen frowned, staring down at the sword for a few seconds. He didn't have that much gold. And honestly, he wasn't sure how much benefit he would get from working on this sword. It seemed like it would work fine as it was. But... He sighed. "Hmm, well, that's very useful information to have, thank you. I'm not exactly sure if I'll take you up on your work just yet. I need to make sure I'm making the best choices with limited finances after all. But still, it's good to know what you can do with this. Always nice to have expectations set after all." He glanced over at Xal. It was her turn now, so far as he was concerned. Time to see if this orc would be able to do anything with the blade. Not that he expected a positive response, given how she hadn't even been sure if she would be able to do much with his blade.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It seemed as if at least one of the other beings had started to understand what she was trying to say. The creation of her people being a part of their myths didn't surprise her. After all, they shared similar dreams among the cosmos. Still, there seemed to be some hesitation, though she didn't quite understand why. "Thou asks if I claim to be a creation of the God... And yet, thou speaks of how thou are a Goddess's creation too, no? The divine snake, who created those who live here on the ground? If she created all of you, is it that strange that those created by another God would be their own people?" She truly must be alone if they did not have any stories at all of the cosmos having life. She sighed and shook her head sadly. "Perhaps it is a sad twist. Those above dream of those below, see thine history unfold, and yet thou down here know nothing of us. Yet you wake and live and get up to so many things, while all we do is dream."

It seemed like at least she would be freed from her bonds. That was encouraging to here. Though as for what she was planning to do, well, that was not an easy answer. The name was an easier one to respond to, so she focus on that one first. "Ah, yes, please forgive this lack of manners. I am called Astraea, or at least that is close to my name. And you may call me that. As for what I intend to do... I had hoped to look for others of my kind that had fallen. And yet, if thine stories are so lacking in any hint of my people, perhaps... Perhaps I am running an errand of a fool. And if that is true... I do not know what I will do with myself now." There was a strange sensation in her chest, a tightening as if someone was grabbing her core. Her face felt strange as well, as if something were running down it. Reaching up, she wiped at her face, pulling her fingers back to find a bright glowing droplet. This... this was crying, was it not? She remembered seeing this in her dreams. Sadness... Yes. Sadness at being alone in the world, cut off from her family, alone on a world that had no knowledge of anything even close to her. She was completely alone.

[Ether]

"Mmm... I can say for certain that you are the first I have come across to give off magic as you do... I would certainly recall having met another. That doesn't mean that there aren't others, of course... but none within or near the courts of Vaia, or making themselves known enough to be investigated. If there are others of your kind in distant lands, or laying dormant... well, it stands to reason that news of them may not reach us here." Nessraya chimed in, looking Astraea, as she called herself, over, tail swishing about behind her. Whether she was being truthful of her origin was yet to be seen, but at the very least she was no ordinary mage... and it was difficult to think of a more outlandish story to try to fake.

"It's possible Erephis may know something... if there was ever something recorded of a similar story in a book, she's the one who would have read it. I'm afraid that is the extent of what I can suggest at the moment, insofar as knowledge of your people."