RP Log: Change Of Heart

Esylana: Spring was coming, as was apparent by the small crocus that poked their little heads through the melting snows. Those little flowers always had a way of knowing when warmer weather was coming. They weren't blooming yet, however, and if they did, they'd probably have received a rather nasty surprise with another bout of frost. Winter liked to linger after all, and rarely did it relinquish its hold so quickly to softly romantic springtime. But the woods were quiet, it was early afternoon, and it was a clear sky. No clouds overhead meant no snowfall today, and hopefully not in the evening, either. They were near the edge of Espanino, the nearby town of Mosswood only a brief thirty miles away.

Aeternita: Nita walked leisurely through the woods, it had been quiet since her run in with the performers and she appreciated that the cold lost some of its bite. She had been traveling for so long, and none of it had been easy, but this break in the weather was certainly appreciated by the worn out Fae. If she was right, the trip to Mosswood would be over most likely by the next sunrise. She was a ways away from the road leading towards it and still several miles off so she kept her hood down, lowering her guard for a bit until she knew she would be in range of any Empire patrols.

Rheksas: She heard something out among the trees, the clanking of armor against the heavy footfalls of boots on snow. The drawing of a sword came next, then a long, whistling tune that sounded almost merry if all those things coming before it weren't tainted with that sinister edge. A black-armored figure came into view, a human man so pale and sickly-looking that it was any wonder he could stand upright in all that gear. His face was thin and characterized by its many scars, his beakish nose probing the air with great sniffs. "I smell me a fairy," he all but sang, clapping his blade against rocks and trees. "Come on out, fairy! I promise not to hurt you!"

Aeternita: Her heart jumped the moment she heard the familiar sound of armor grinding against itself, then that of metal slowly being pulled from it's sheath...if anything, she could determine where it was in relation to herself. Immeadiately she pulled her hood up and picked up her pace, hearing no hooves she figured he traveled on foot, or if he didn't his horse at least isn't around. He's encumbered with weapons and armor and she's in rather light cloth and a cloak, as long as she moves quietly and away from his clattering she should out pace him with little trouble. With her right hand she snapped off the branch of a tree she had passed and as she walked she dragged the leaves behind her, hoping to use it to erase her prints as she moved.

Rheksas: "There's no point in running," he called out, his voice calmer, less manic. A confident smirk spread across his face. "You and I have something to discuss, my fae friend." In truth, Rheksas felt a bit silly calling out in the woods like that, but had a feeling she was listening intently, wherever she was. He knew she was close, however; close enough for them to carry on a dilaogue even if she wasn't in sight. With any luck she'd yell back and reveal her location even more. "You're going to want to talk to me, girl. The lives of your friends depend on it!"

Aeternita: She stopped, her back against a tree wanting to hear what he has to say and also wanted to gauge whether or not he's gaining or not. Now she wasn't stupid...opening a dialogue would only benefit him in this situation, speaking of him...who was he and how did he track me out here? Questions she figured didn't really need an answer, priority is losing him so she can continue what she needs to do. Her nose scrunched as he mentioned "friends" and in truth she only really had one that she was aware of, the others she barely knew...and the one she did know, didnt know her. Not that she'd allow harm to them either way, not if she could prevent it. She sighs. "...What do you want from me?!" She asks before quietly slinking through the snow, taking a hard turn knowing he'd track her voice, she had to make sure she was elsewhere when he approached her voice.

Rheksas: He did indeed track her voice, but his pace was perhaps a tad more slovenly than even she expected. He was taking her capture slow and careful, whoever he was. "Why does the empress want you captured, Aeternita? You're some kind of collector's item to someone, but why you? What does she stand to gain from this? Why does she want the folks from the grove?" he called out, stomping audibly through the snow. "I've been hired to capture you, but I'm starting to second guess things here. I can't abide this cruelty any longer."

Aeternita: "If that's true..." she says stepping out from behind a tree some 40 feet to his right. She doesn't trust his words but this game won't end until he finds her, so she puts her trust in words. "...drop your weapon, stay where you are and we can talk." She lowers her hood revealing her soft features, her deep amythst eyes glued to him. Her head is tilted slightly to the side as she tries to read his expression, ready to retreat if she needs to.

Rheksas: With a scoff, he stuck his sword into the snow and stepped out into the open, distancing himself from the weapon. It was an intricately inscribed longsword, his many writings all but illegible to anyone who didn't know the language. "I'll give you this, fae. I'll give you this satisfaction if it will get you to talk to me. Tell me about the leylines, about Esylana. Tell me what the Empress has planned and what she's doing to keep herself in power."

Aeternita: She gave him a satisfied nod, before offering a half hearted shrug. "I don't have answers to all those questions. I'll tell you however, what I do know...and what I'm comfortable sharing." She paused for a moment as she thought out exactly what information that was. "...The leylines are..how to put this." She thinks a moment before continuing. "The leylines are the veins that pump magic across the world..." She stops to correct herself. "...were the veins.." Her lips turn into a soft frown. "The Empress, who I'm sure offered you quite a generous sum to hunt us down...had them stopped. Ceasing magic around the world..." She opened her arms in a gesture of futility, before they flopped back to her sides, her eyes glistening with the onset of tears, for the act she speaks of now left her essentially useless, broken and without a home. She then took a calming breath. "...Im afraid I don't trust you nearly enough to reveal anymore to you Sir. What I do know...is at one point you accepted this job for coin, and threatened people I care deeply about. So..clearly your morals are in question. " She rose a suspicious brow. "So, if that's all, I'd say this is were our paths part ways."

Rheksas: "Who gives a flying fuck about morals? This is about survival," he spat, folding his arms across his chest. "She's doing bad things, Aeternita. She's using children for those crystals, invoking dark rituals best left untouched and unremembered." His eyes glazed over, giving her a thousand-yard stare that seemed to imply he was looking through her, as opposed to at her. Indeed, it like he was peering into some part of his mind that knew of the darkest things, of some pitiful, terrifying past that he was desperate not to repeat. He broke out in a cold sweat despite the snow, his forehead showing a gossamer sheen. "She could do much worse if she is allowed to continue this. Something else will take notice, fae. It won't only notice her, but it will -answer- her. That will spell the doom of your world."

Aeternita: She blinked totally confused...the only crystal she was aware of was the one Esylana was doomed to become when she fixed the leylines. Rituals, children...the threat of some impending force that may come from whatever the Empress does...this was all more information than she ever had. "Wh-what are you talking about? I don't know anything about any of that. I've only had a few weeks of freedom since the Empire turned our world into...this. I spent the rest of my time living like some kind of trophy for my old master, chained and on display so he can show off his "rare catch. All I'm trying to do is save my friend and help her bring back balance to the world. So kindly..." She stares sternly into his eyes, a deep determination radiating from her gaze. "...step aside."

Rheksas: "She has a crystal, you fool! It came at the expense of child sacrifice. That's why she has power when others do that. She is monopolizing it all for herself. That is why the empire thrives, I'll bet you any amount of coin," he approached the fae, slow and deliberate so as to come off less threatening. Then again, it was Rheksas doing the approaching, so it was difficult for him to come off as anything BUT threatenining. Still, the man had to try. "She doesn't seem to understand that dark rituals draw dark powers. Giving life is an inherently dark thing. It will come back to her in kind."

Aeternita: As his voice grew more aggressive, and he began to close distance, Nita walked backwards cautiously. "St-stop where you are..." She commanded with as much confidence as an unarmed, magicless Fae could muster when confronted by a fully armored mercenary who's job it is to hunt her. "...Even if all of that is true, there's absolutely nothing I can do about it until the leylines are restored." She continues, her voice full of regret. Of course if that's true, which is in question considering who's in front of her. "Look at me.." She opens her arms. "...do I look like I can do anything for anyone?! I'm nothing! Useless in every way. The only thing I can do is try to learn what I can to save Esy! I can't fight, I can't heal...I can't...I can't.." Her lower lip quivers as tears roll down her delicate cheeks and along the line of her jaw. Finally getting off her chest all those feelings she has of being powerless now, once a powerful priestess who could do real good throughout the world, reduced to hiding from basically everyone with no way to do anything about it.

Rheksas: "Then tell me what you know. Tell me where Esylana is," he said, solemn and serious. "Something has to happen, Aeternita. If you cannot be this catalyst for change then I've no more business with you. Help me help your friends avert this terrible doom."

Aeternita: "..I..I don't know. I can only assume you've been to the caravan because you brought it up. If she's not there she could be anywhere, I don't know where the leyline sites are...but I'm going to find out, I'm on my way now to try and get into the Empires library, so I can learn everything I can to fix and restore magic to the world...and make sure Esy doesn't throw her life away doing it.." She stops backing up as she presses back against a tree. "...Its the only thing I can do." She adds looking up at him with pleading eyes, hoping he'll understand her position.

Rheksas: He retreated back to his blade and plucked it from the snow, but sheathed it rather than turning it on her. "Go then, and find what you will. If Esylana plans on giving her life to restore magic, I will find her and stop this nonsense. The darker this gets, the darker your future becomes. I will not let the madness from beyond claim more than it already has."

Aeternita: As he retreats her brow furrows, his words were disturbing and she can't help but wonder where it's coming from. "...Who are you?"

Rheksas: He paused. "Call me Rheksas. It's all I have to give to you and any others."

Aeternita: Her eyes widened and she stood there speechless for several moments. It had to be a coincidence clearly but what were the odds that she'd randomly find Esylana...and then so shortly after run into someone that's called "Rheksas". If fate existed it was certainly doing it's best to tell her she's on the right path. "W-wait...I'm coming with you." She said as she approached him. The Oracle essentially told her that her heart was her guide, she can't ignore this serendipitous event, there's significance to this person's presence and she needed to follow her instinct.

Rheksas: He looked to her like she'd grown a second head. "Huh?" his mouth drooped open stupidly. "Are you sure about that, lady? From what you've told me, you sound pretty terrible. Your words, not mine." Rheksa wasn't joking, but was more dumbfounded by her sudden offer. "I mean, if you're serious about this..."

Aeternita: Her lips pursed as she folded her arms over her chest. "...Its true I can't help much in a fight, but it seems unlikely you'd need my assistance anyway. What I do have is knowledge of the land, which I'm guessing for whatever reason...you lack seeing as how you don't even know what the leylines are." She looked at him smugly. "...I'm going to just follow you regardless, it's just a matter of how far back. " She almost winces, praying he doesn't just cut her down to end the conversation.