Elwyn Dineris

[Xinjay]

Elwyn had woken up before the others, something in her subconcious afraid that they would up and leave her if she didn't keep an eye on them. They didn't have any obligation to wait for her if she slept in, after all.

But they had all gotten up and going with no complications, Elwyn hanging back as usual, until they had gotten to the base of the mountain, and she saw Nivrithi waiting for her. She patted her horses neck as her steed walked up beside his, Marie floating off somewhere else.

Elwyn looked up at the mountain before her, wondering about Fyre's apparent fondness of them.

"He's up there?" Elwyn asked, though more to fill the silence rather than wanting to hear the answer to something she already knew.

[Spectre]

"Mmhmm," Nivrithi confirmed, nodding once. He started walking, starting a gradual ascent towards the cave Marie had said Fyre would be in. Curiousity getting the better of him, even getting the better of his sensibilities, he turned to Elwyn, "So...care to fill me in on why you two suddenly split?" he asked calmly.

[Xinjay]

Elwyn mockingly gasped, bringing a free hand to her chest. "Why, I didn't know you cared!"

Smiling slightly at her own humour, she shrugged, lowering her hand again.

"I already told you. He overheard our conversation and left me," Elwyn grimaced, "that made it sound like we were a couple and I got caught committing adultery with you. I meant... he told me he was a threat to me, and thought it was better if he wasn't around..."

Elwyn seemed to realise that she was talking a lot, and groaned in frustration. "Wait, why am I telling you this?" She asked, mostly to herself as she looked straight ahead, a little embarrassed that she was starting to feel comfortable enough with someone with questionable motives to start talking more openly, even jokingly. Stop that, she mentally berated herself.

[Merolg]

Fyre lay there on that stone, almost as if he were dead, but he was conscious, very conscious, he felt the presence of two people walking up the mountain. He pulled his mind back to his body, albeit a sore body with broken emotions, They're here... He thought to himself with a mental sigh.

[Spectre]

Nivrithi chuckled softly, "If I didn't know any better, I would say we were bonding," he sneered.

Looking forwards once more, he spotted Fyre's prone form ahead. He turned back to Elwyn, "Ladies first~," he uttered calmly.

[Xinjay]

She looked at Nivrithi with an arched eyebrow, but at his next words, she turned back to look in front of them. They were at the opening of a cave, which she hadn't even registered until now, and inside...

"Fyre!" She said, hoping off her horse with ease as she ran forward and dropped down beside him. He looked still, and for a moment she feared that he was dead.

"Fyre?" She asked cautiously, eyeing him over and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

[Merolg]

Fyre turned his head to face Elwyn, his body remaining still, "Hello Elwyn. You and the assassin found me then. With the help of a Seer, no doubt."

[Xinjay]

"I'm sorry, I didn't have any other way of finding you after you ran off like an idiot," Elwyn said with a small smile on her lips, trying not to show how she really felt, "are you okay?"

[Merolg]

Fyre thought for a moment, "I am saddened. Did you tell the assassin what I told you to tell him in the letter?"

His face scrunched up in pain as the Spell tried to get him to abandon this 'plan.'

[Xinjay]

Elwyn looked at him, shaking her head. "Not all of it. I told him you would give him the answers he wanted."

She spoke quietly, for some reason not wanting Nivrithi to hear, but chances were he would anyways. She didn't tell the assassin that Fyre would let him take him back to the King without a fight, because that was a stupid request so she decided to ignore it.

[Merolg]

"I had a feeling you might not." He spoke quietly as well, his strength still waning, his face paling, "In some ways, I almost wish we never met, I truly have caused you much pain, pain made worse by my cowardice."

[Xinjay]

"You haven't done anything to me, not yet, and you certainly won't in the future," Elwyn replied, looking down at him.

"I am not weak of heart, or body," Elwyn paused for a bit, looking away, "And I have faith in you."

She got up then, as she heard a sound behind her, and she turned around to see Nivrithi finally joining them.

(( We should wait? ))

[Merolg]

((We should))

Fyre turned his head to face the ceiling, he closed his eyes, "I know you aren't. I never said that." He said sadly, "The sentiment is heartening... Perhaps something will happen that will change the tides."

Hearing the noise as well, he decided to switch to something else, "I do have a question, for both of you, did the Seer tell you why I chose to flee to this mountain cave in particular?"

[Spectre]

Nivrithi stepped inside, barely registering the discussion between the two. Understanding the mage's last statement, he finally piped up. "I don't know where you're getting this 'Seer' idea from, but no, my contacts shared no information on this mountain. As far as they, and I, are concerned this is just another mountain," he commented, his voice showing no signs of his use of a 'truthful lie', as he put it.

[Merolg]

"This cave was where my mentor, the Ancient, taught me to master the raging inferno of magic that lies within my body and mind. I found it suitable to return to the beginning, as it were, to meet my end."

Taking a quivering breath, "I got the Seer 'idea' from the fact that only a seer could find me as I had removed the physical evidence of my flight, but neglected to clear the magic trail that all people leave regardless of whether they are magically inclined or not. The Ancient told me that only Seers can see those trails."

[Spectre]

Nivrithi rolled his eyes, "And I would say that you and your fancy ancient are running on old information. My contacts can trace anyone, as well as track them. You can remove your physical trail all you like, but you sure as hell weren't completely invisible," he snarled. "The sheer idea that my contacts are in any way mages or 'Seers' is an insult to their skill, an insult to His Majesty, and an insult to me. So pick your words wisely, Cinder, I can still collect your bounty by killing you here and now."

[Merolg]

Suddenly swinging himself off of the stone, he stood up to his full height, "Then do it! What Elwyn didn't tell you was I give up! I'm tired of running. But remember, kill me now and you will lose out on precious information about the scar on your arm and whatever else you want to know. The letter I left Elwyn stated, 'Concerning our friend, the assassin, if you see him again, tell him that I've given up, if and when he finds me I will tell him all that he wants to know and will go with him to the king to be executed without argument and without struggle. I have grown tired of my run, tired of senselessly killing my fellow man, this is my penance.' All I ask is that a piece of the bounty is to be given to her.... She was the one who captured me, if it weren't for her, I wouldn't be here." He cast a look over at Elwyn, his expression a strange mix of sadness and grief.

[Xinjay]

At the mention of killing Fyre, Elwyn felt her magic rise. It bubbled warmly under her skin as she grew anxious, telling her that it was ready to use at any given moment, and she had to force it back down as she watched the other two wearily.

Though at Fyre's sudden outburst, she grew angry. She thought that when she got here, she would feel sorry for him, or worried for him, and she was, she admit it. But she was outraged at how Fyre could just give up so easy, without a fight, when he was one of the few people alive that knew how to break the famly free from their curse, which would let him live in peace afterwards.

But at his last words, she faultered. "What was that supposed to mean?" She looked at Fyre, seeing his expression but not knowing how to interpret it.

[Merolg]

Fyre looked away, a tear dropped from his cheek to the floor of the cave, "I meant what I meant. I was a raging inferno before I met you, but you...tamed me. Tamed the beast that lives within me."

[Xinjay]

"And that's a good thing, right?" She asked softly, but then remembered his earlier words, and how it had made her angry. Elwyn steeled her expression, not wanting to let any emotions show as she looked at Fyre, eyes narrowing.

"Then why are you giving up? If... if things are better now, why are you willing to just let it all slip away? We both know what the marks are," She gestured to Nivrithi's hand, who was pretty much standing beside her now that she had turned to face Fyre fully, "so tell him what he wants to know, but don't just give up! Even if all the things that Nivrithi told me are true, to me you have been a good man, and think about the knowledge that you have about the curse!"

She started yelling now, her magic rumbling just under the surface of her skin as she got angry and started losing a little control. "You have the chance to make a difference but you're just going to let yourself be dragged off to your death? Are you stupid? If he decides to kill you, you have the power to fight back, and together we--"

She stopped herself from finishing the sentence, remembered that her magic was supposed to be a secret, and she balled her hands into fists to control herself before any magic leaked out and made a tree explode or something.

"Tell him," she repeated a little more calmly now, "but don't just give up."

Elwyn didn't mention how she thought there was a chance that Nivrithi would reconsider everything once he learned the truth, but that was a small chance. Even so, no matter what happens after Nivrithi got the information he came for, Elwyn didn't want them to give up.

[Spectre]

Nivrithi chuckled, pulling out his knife from it's sheathe and holding it in a fencer's grip, "Now now, Elwyn, the man gave a request," he stepped over to Fyre, holding the tip of the blade to the man's neck, "But first, he has to honour his first promise..." Nivrithi pulled his sleeve back, exposing his pale skin and the scar Shade gave him, "Make your last breath worth it, Cinder, what can you tell me of a man named Shade?"

[Merolg]

Fyre stood there, neck at knifepoint, "My master spoke of an individual by the name Shade many a time while I was under his tutelage, he also called him Nivrithi more often than not. A... Tallfellow Halfling that possessed an ability called 'aftertouch,' the ability to change the direction of a projectile at a whim. This man said that Nivrithi assisted him and several others in the defeat of the King of the Demons, Zagato, but Nivrithi vanished soon after the final battle. My teacher said that he had a degree of mastery over cold magics, similar to you. That's...all I know."

[Spectre]

Nivrithi blinked, rolling back his sleeve whilst dealing with the shock, "So...he wasn't lying about those stories, all those years ago...the man truly existed, made a name for himself...and he didn't joke about the 'halfling' bit..." Nivrithi sheathed his blade, "As tempting as it would be to kill you, I'm due soon for the usual time my 'superiors' check in on me. Gotta make a show out of it," he turned to Elwyn with an outstretched hand, "I escorted you here, so it's high time you paid up. Fyre is present, accounted for, and very much alive, so...the collar, if you please."

[Merolg]

Fyre held up his hand, "Wait, I have to ask, do you want to know the meaning of the scar on your arm?"

[Spectre]

Nivrithi turned to Fyre and shook his head, "It matters little to me, I only wanted to know if he was, well, real. Now I know, and now to hold you two to your bargains."

[Sponsored content]