Esylana: It was late night, and Esylana woke up feeling sore and worn out. They'd come back in the late afternoon after the unicorn attack and Alaihandra had rushed to help them with what she could. Both she and Crystal had been bandaged and laid to rest inside the wagon, and Alaihandra had not been pleased. She had scolded and lamented and fussed over them, in a way that only a mother could, and even though she was not their mother, she was the closest thing. And it was in that painful moment that Esylana was grateful for her mentor, more so than ever. And looking over at Crystal, she felt her heart ache with concern and care as well. "You should have run," she'd murmured to Crystal. But that'd been hours ago, and now the moon was high. It was a cold, clear night, the stars shining almost as brightly as the full moon overhead. The full moon that illuminated everything much as though it were a softer day. She got up and came to sit out by the fire. Nearby Alaihandra was asleep, under some furs, and she did not wake her. She prodded the fire, got the embers worked up, and sat there staring silently at the flames.

CrystalOnyx: -Ouch. Ow. Geez she was sore. It had been a few hours since the attack had stopped. Limping back to the peaceful grove as the women hugged each other for stability. Thankfully Alaihandra was there or they would certainly had been in trouble. Of course there was the scolding and the lecturing that only a mother figure could express. Now it was night, it was pretty chilly but it was clear. Alaihandra had fallen asleep and the grove peaceful once more. Movement caught her eyes as she noticed Esylana moving to poke at the fire. Hearing the soft words of what she had said. Slowly sitting up on the pallets of furs they used for beds she sighed softly.- "You know I could not, come here." -She motioned to the open space on the pile of furs.-

Esylana: Esylana was startled, she had thought she was the only one awake, but she smiled warmly at Crystal and joined her on the furs. "Oh, my gods. I don't remember unicorns being so vicious...I guess I'm not in Aegara anymore, huh?" She laughed, but it wasn't a "haha, funny" laugh, it was more of a "that was a mistake and never again" laugh. She leaned herself back slowly on her good elbow. "How are you feeling?"

CrystalOnyx: -Crystal glanced over the woman as she took a seat.- "We are definitely not there. ." -She chewed on her lip as she turned her body toward Esylana.- "I believe I am fine, I am not in extreme pain so it did not pierce any vital organs. It must have been just muscle. How about you?"

Esylana: She gave a small move of the tightly bandaged arm, and winced. "...I'll be honest...I don't know if I'll ever have full use of this arm again..." She looked over at Crystal with a wry smile. "I won't be shooting a bow for a long while, that's for sure..." She blushed, and looked at the fire a moment, before taking a deep breath. "Listen, what you did back there today...I mean, thank you. If it hadn't been for you, I-..." She shook her head, unable to finish the thought out loud.

CrystalOnyx: -She shook her head as she laid back on some of the pillows that were behind her. She could still her friend as she turned on her side, curling her knees up slowly.- "It was nothing, I couldn't have just left you." -She starts to whisper after the word 'anyways'.- "Anyways. . . Alaihandra would have killed me if I didn't come back with you." -She gave a small playful smile as she returned to speaking normally.- "I just couldn't turn away, I'm not like that."

Esylana: She smiled wryly at the mention of Alaihandra, glancing over at the sleeping woman as she slowly moved in her sleep, changing positions. Esylana sighed deeply as she closed her eyes, bowing her head. "I am so sorry. I never meant to put us in danger like-...that..." She now looked over at Crystal again, then winced. "Li-...listen...I...have to go get these leylines fixed, but...I mean, I don't want to put you in anymore danger...not like today...I couldn't bear it if something happened to you, because of me."

CrystalOnyx: -Letting out a sigh, she sat up slowly. She moved closer to Esylana as she placed her chilled hand on the woman's cheek.- "I'm going with you, if something happens we'll get through it. Whether you have to drag my body back or not."

Esylana: She gave a sad laugh, almost a whimper as she replied, "That's just it, I don't -want- to drag your body back. I want you walking, talking, and being alive..." She hesitated, looking up at Crystal with sad, hazel eyes, before swallowing slowly. "I haven't...been entirely honest, either..."

CrystalOnyx: -She let her hand fall as a confused look came over her face.- "You haven't been honest?"

Esylana: "Uhm..." She lowered her gaze, the guilt washing over her. "There's a reason Alaihandra has been so...against me going to fix the leylines and then tether them down with a Master Crystal...why I have been collecting these symbols..." she pauses to pull aside the leather covering the full symbol of air on her skin. "Making a Master Crystal is...it's..." She was fumbling with her words, she wasn't sure how to tell Crystal. But she couldn't just do this, she realized, and leave people in the lurch...it wasn't fair.

CrystalOnyx: -Crystal stared at Esylana, she could tell by the look on the woman's face.- "It what?" -She waited for an answer as she fiddled with her fingers in her lap.-

Esylana: "...In Aegara...when I first joined the Magi, we did not know where our Master Crystal had originally come from. There was speculation. And I took great time researching, and exploring, and trying to find the answers..." She inhaled slowly, gods, why was this so hard. "We finally found the answer, deep below the sea, in a dome that was built for research by the ancient founders of our guild..." She met Crystal's gaze, and nodded. "Enchantment is done with inanimate objects. Not biological matter. It doesn't...go well. But our Master Crystal was made by accident, and an overload of elemental power. The man died and his body became...the Crystal..." She trailed off, letting her words hang in the air.

CrystalOnyx: -A horrified look came over her face as she started to shake her.- "No. . No. Are you saying that if we continue on what we're doing and go to make the crystal, then you will become the crystal?"

Esylana: She averted her gaze then, staring at the fire. "..." She forced a hopeful smile. "Well, maybe...maybe it'll be different here. Maybe, because I'm willingly doing it, I'll be okay..." She lowered her voice, the pain nearly dripping from it. "Maybe there'll be a miracle..."

CrystalOnyx: "Esylana." -Crystal tried to blink away tears as she stared at the woman. Mixed emotions could be seen on her face as the fire crackled near them.- "I. . I can't let you do that. I forbid it. We will find another way. ." -She tried to search her brain for an answer, but nothing came to mind. After a moment a tear broke through and rolled down her cheek.-

Esylana: "No, please...please don't cry, I can't..." She sat up, ignoring the sharp protest her wounded shoulder gave as she reached out and embraced Crystal. She pulled her close and gently laid her head on her good shoulder. "There...we'll try to think of another way, of course, but...I've researched, and studied, and tried to think of another way, and...there isn't...I can't just get the leylines going again, I have to secure them. Tether them, make sure the Empire can't just go back and break them again...and this is the only way..."

CrystalOnyx: -She cried into Esylana's shoulder as she shook her head, her tears making the fabric of her top damp.- "There has to be another way. . You gave me a life here I can't just let you go. ." -She sniffled, gently wrapping her arms around the woman's body.-

Esylana: She held her in silence, letting her cry. She wasn't sure telling her had been the right choice. But if Crystal had time to process and work through it...perhaps it wouldn't hurt so much when..."Let's get the leylines going...and then we'll see what we can do...if there's another way, I haven't found it yet...I know Alaihandra has also been trying to think of another way..." She smiled wryly, remembering the numerous arguments when no one was around. The pain in her shoulder was nothing like the pain in her heart at this moment.

CrystalOnyx: "If you think it's the right thing to do. . ." -She sobbed, as she took a hold of Esylana's top in her fingers. She didn't want to let go, not even for the pain that it was causing to her back injury.-

Esylana: Did she think it was the right thing to do? No, not necessarily. But as she had told Alaihandra over, and over, and over again, she couldn't see an alternative. But now as she was looking at Crystal, she knew one thing for sure. She couldn't let Crystal know about her own uncertainty. "Yes, Crystal. I know it's the right thing to do."

CrystalOnyx: -Calming down some, she pulled away from the embrace as she winced heavily. Her whole back was feeling like someone had set her on fire as she continued to move around. She soon wiped her face with her sleeve.- "Could you promise me something?"

Esylana: She nodded gently, even as her own shoulder gave another protest. Unicorn attacks were nothing to laugh about - so much for all the romantic poetry and song about their beauty, grace, and purity. "What is it, Crystal? What do you need me to promise? I will do my best..." She tilted her head, listening.

CrystalOnyx: "Promise you'll take me when it's time to go. I want to be there to help." -She stared into the woman's face as her eyes were red and puffy now. She gave another sniffle as a piece of her black hair fell over her face.-

Esylana: She was taken aback by this, briefly. She had planned to go and do this alone, to sacrifice herself without putting anyone through more pain by being a witness...but as she looked at Crystal, she could only sigh and nod mildly in agreement. Tonight was not a night to argue with her over it. That time was still a long ways off to come. "I promise."