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Post by Raisa/Darkmoon on Apr 15, 2015 20:21:22 GMT -5
Darkmoon cursed. All around her was forest, but not the forest she recognized. There had been a blinding flash of light, then nothingness for what felt like a fleeting moment and a vast eternity all at once. And now she was...where was she exactly? In a forest, that was evident. She gathered her bearings. The forest floor was covered in dense pine needles and sloped steeply upwards. A mountain, then. And an old one at that. Well, where there was night shaded woods, there was familiarity to the elfling. She looked up, only to be greeted by almost a completely solid ceiling of leaves. Lithely crouching, she sprung up and leapt from branch to thick branch dozens of feet into the canopy. Breaking through the tender branches, she stuck her head up cautiously. The air was swift and clear, pushing aside the wisps of clouds that shrouded the stars. A waning moon hung brightly in the sky. Good, at least the moon was the same here, and in the same phase here. Where ever "here" was.
Her pointed ears pricked at a shrill call splitting the silence. It wasn't any animal she recognized, and she felt a twinge of fear. All her life, she had been chased. But she had also been the skilled hunter turning on her pursuers. A skilled, strong, deadly hunter. Now, she may very well become the hunted if she weren't careful. Crouching down below the treetops, she hovered on a branch high off the ground, melding into the tree's cover of darkness. Darkmoon reached overhead for an arrow instinctively as she heard the snap of a twig on the forest floor not far off, only to discover that her quiver was missing. She looked around frantically, patting herself down. Her bow was missing, too. And her staff. Without her staff, she could be in serious trouble. Finding that was a priority. By some miracle her brother's sword was still strapped to her hip. She clung to the hilt defensively as her dark eyes scanned the underbrush, searching for an attacker.
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Post by Velox Sicarius on Apr 16, 2015 22:06:41 GMT -5
Velox lay quietly in the foliage below a large pine tree, soaking in the sounds of the forest around him. It would be more apt to say he was meditating than sleeping, though the reality of it was that his mind simply felt at ease in the solitude away from people and social drama. He wore is trade-mark smokey gray robes, and his headband bearing a raven pictured on it was pulled just slightly over his eyes to blot out whatever light managed to make it through the myriad leaves around him. He was perfectly and spiritually alone.
The air shifted, and Velox's eyes flew open immediately. He didn't budge any other muscle any his body, instead looking around for what could have caused such a strange change in the wind patterns around him. This was a forest far removed from any city or town...there should be nothing that could cause this to occur easily. A flash of light caught his eyes, no more than a mile away from his own location. He squinted, propping himself on his feet before jumping into the branches above. Securing his belongings underneath his robes (which included more than a few blades and weapons), he then proceeded to gracefully move between the branches and trees, fleeting between them with style unusual to any common man. He made careful not to rustle any of the leaves along the way, and aside from that, the only sound he did make was that of the wind moving around him, as if it was a simple breeze carrying leaves.
It wasnt long till Velox arrived at the rough location that the light had come from. However, by the time he got there, he saw no sign of what had created it. A shrill sounded....possibly some eagle-hawk or another creature scared off by something. Was it scared by what ever had created the flash of light? Velox was not about to make himself visible just yet, not knowing what was in the area. He scanned his eyes around the area, pulling out one of his trade-mark knives at the ready.
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Crossover
Apr 16, 2015 22:45:10 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Raisa/Darkmoon on Apr 16, 2015 22:45:10 GMT -5
Who could it have been? The entirety of the Night People's hated her...which didn't narrow it down any. She could have been translocated across the world. She could be in a completely different world. She could be cursed. She could be caught in a mirage. But who? The vampires hated her most. Especially the clan leader. But vampires didn't have magic. The only ones who would have done something to her this extreme were the King, one of his acolytes, or...
It couldn't have been the Forest King. He was far too kind to her. He knew her plight and her misfortune. He wouldn't have done this. And his acolytes drew their power directly from him. If he hadn't allowed it, it would not have happened. Then...
Darkmoon squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her jaw. Her pointed incisors bit into her bottom lip. She wouldn't think of him anymore. She couldn't. But she had to admit, he did have the power to do something like this. And they hadn't spoken since their fight the morning after Samhain. But he wouldn't resort to this, would he? Could he? Did he even know how? A sick knot of jealousy and betrayal formed in her stomach as she thought of him finding a new teacher. No, it couldn't be. He wouldn't-
Darkmoon's thoughts were interrupted by a new sound. A heart beat. Not far off, and coming closer. Her midnight eyes cut through the night with ease. The night's shadows did nothing to hamper her vision, built for the darkness as she was. Darkmoon nearly held her breath as she strained to hear that faint sound in the otherwise silent forest. Somewhere, somewhere...
There. Footfalls. Darkmoon silently rose from her perch and fled like a demon through the treetops. Her bare feet whispered over the bark of the sturdy bows. The noise was close. As she sped through the canopy, she heard the footfalls stop. Momentarily pausing her pursuit, she grabbed the hilt of her sword and hunted her target out of the night.
It was a man. Or a boy? She couldn't tell. But he was standing just off from where she had first appeared in this strange world. His stance suggested he believed to be hidden, though he did not escape her sharp gaze. Nor did the glittering dagger in his hand. Darkmoon's lips curved down in a scowl. If he was here to hurt her, there would be others. She had to stifle this problem before it grew.
With blinding speed she flew from the tree tops as silently as a bat. She launched at her would-attacker from behind, knocking into him with all her might. Her lethal swiftness was all she could rely on right now. In an instant, she had him on his back. She slammed his wrist hard into the ground, forcing the dagger from his grip, then secured both of his wrists in an iron-clad lock no human would break free of. Hopefully, the man was human. She pinned his legs down with her feet, one knee digging up under his ribs. With her free hand, she swept his fallen dagger from the ground and pressed it to his throat.
"Who are you?!" She demanded, dark eyes glaring down at him and jet black hair flying wildly. She bared her fangs, hoping to frighten him. It was not in her nature to kill, and she would not even hurt another being if she could avoid it, but if he gave her trouble...
Realizing this man was not one of the Night People, she switched from her native tongue to common speech. "Who are you?!" She repeated, the syllables feeling forgein in a language she hardly used. "Why are you tracking me?!"
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Post by Velox Sicarius on Sept 30, 2015 18:14:29 GMT -5
It was all Velox could do to keep his composure as a lithe figure slammed into him. While he could track all the movements, he was powerless to prevent himself from being knocked to the ground and pinned. He mentally chastised himself from leaving himself so unguarded from behind, but he couldn't help but wonder at how anyone else was capable as moving as fast as he could. He'd only ever seen Aang match his speed, and even that wasn't very common. Shaking his head clear of his diverging thoughts, Velox focused at the matter at hand and the stranger ontop of him who currently had him pinned in a rather compromising position.
It was then that he noticed that this strange was a young female with unusual dark locks and features. She was beautiful in his eyes, but seemed....out of place. Not just out of place, though. It was almost as if she wasn't entirely normal. It took him a brief flash of a moment to discover what disconcerted him as she bared it to him in failed attempt at putting fear into him. The fangs, a feature common on animals and something he had never seen a human containing. This fact, along with the bright flash of light and her overpowering strength could lead him to only one conclusion: this was likely a spirit having crossed over into their realm.
He had very little knowledge or contact with spirits outside of a relative connection with that of Air. Spirits were the avatar's territory, and Velox had little idea of how to handle himself around one. Traditionally, he would find it in his best interest to attack someone back who had attacked him to at least get him into a guarded environment. In this case, if this was a spirit, that may not be the best course of action. He decided to hold off until he knew more. In the very least, he still had several tricks up his sleeve for which to defend himself with.
"I was not tracking you so much as the source of the disturbance that occurred here. That is no crime. And considering you are a stranger to these parts, I still have yet to find a reason not to be on guard against you." Velox said directly. He was not about to allow her to deny that she wasn't a stranger to the area. Her display of fangs had made that far too obvious, whether she was a spirit or not.
"I usually try my best to ensure this forest remains peaceful and unaffected by the activities of the Triad, so thus is why I am on guard against anything....unusual. If you mean no harm to anything in this area then let me up....and only then will I introduce myself to you. If otherwise is the case....I will do what I must to ensure this area remains peaceful." He finished, his eyes portraying that he was not bluffing in the slightest. In such a case as this, in a way, honesty was the best policy. He would leave it up to this "spirit" if a fight was to be started or not, and he most certainly did not have any shortage of weapons at his disposal.
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Post by Raisa/Darkmoon on Sept 30, 2015 19:33:19 GMT -5
Darkmoon weighed her options as the strange man spoke. With her ribs pressed against his as they were, she could feel at least two more weapons concealed beneath his robes. That, she did not like. Particularly when she herself was missing her own arsenal. But the man didn't seem to be frightened by her, as she had hoped he would. On the contrary, he seemed so at east that she wondered if this were not the first time he had had an encounter like this. Something about the nonchalance with which he addressed her unnerved her - if he were hunting her, then of course he wouldn't do anything rash that might cause her to flee. And that made her even more uncomfortable. But the man had bright green eyes that pierced through her and rooter her to the spot, and she wondered if she would have been able to run had she wanted to. They were so bright, and deep, and captivating...
It was that alone that made her consider the man's request. If she let him up, then she could be in for a fight. However, she knew from past experience that, strong as she may be, she was far too light to keep a bigger opponent pinned. She was sure that if the man wanted to, he could just sit up and brush her off like a leaf on an autumn branch. And he said that he tried to keep the peace in the forest...against her better judgement, he swayed her in his favor someone with that statement as well. It could all be a ploy, she knew very well. But she had never known someone to lie about love of the forest. Of course, that didn't mean he was her ally, either. Many of the forest guardians had threatened or attempted to kill her. But those eyes...
Darkmoon blinked at him for a long moment, before her scowl lessened into a grimace. Her pointed ears quirked as she listened for any accomplices he may have nearby. There were none that she could tell of. "Kardic" she swore, "Fine. Though do not think I will hesitate to kill you if you do anything to threaten me." Darken begrudgingly lessened her hold on him and, swift as a winter breeze, swept off of him and back into the safe darkness of the underbrush. There she stayed crouched, no more than two bright feline eyes in the darkness, awaiting his next move. She took his dagger with her, knowing that she may have need of it, and it seemed that he would not be missing that one. "Answer a question of mine, and I shall do the same for you." Again, the common speech halted her communication as she carefully remembered the language. She could not lie in her native tongue, and she did not know how to in a language that allowed it. It made her all the more irate. "I want to know who you are. Who sent you?" She thought about what he said again, keeping the peace. He did not appear to be a forest spirit, but guardians often came in strange guises. And strange he was, but in a forbiddingly enthralling way. "And...you said you keep the...peace...what is meant by that?"
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Post by Velox Sicarius on Sept 30, 2015 19:53:05 GMT -5
Velox smiled slightly to himself when the stranger consented to let him up. He watched with curiosity as she fleeted to the nearby underbrush, her predatory eyes watching him as he locked his gaze with her. Velox stood up swiftly and swatted the dirt off of his clothing, ensuring everything was in its proper place. Satisfied, he turned to face the cat-like eyes directly and performed a slight, formal bow.
"My Name is Velox Sicarius. I was previously Guardian to the Earth Kingdom Princess. Now I serve the interests of the remnants of the air nomads. I was sent by no one. I come to these areas of my own will to avoid the thrall of people and drama in all the nearby villages." Velox stated, indirectly avoiding any topics or statements that might delve a bit too far into his history for his own comfort.
He was caught off guard when the stranger asked why he tried to keep peace in this area. After all this nation and world had gone through, he would think anyone, spirits included, would understand that train of thought. Why this person didnt baffled him slightly, though he tried his best not to show it.
Velox choose his words carefully "After the war with the Fire Nation, and the activities of the Triad....I do what anyone these days tries to do. I simply try prevent the spread of needless death and destruction....this world has already seen enough it to last lifetimes, don't you think?" Velox questioned, curiosu to see if he might gleem as to why she asked that question.
"And what of you, do you have a name?"
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Post by Raisa/Darkmoon on Sept 30, 2015 23:08:12 GMT -5
Still crouched, she watched him curiously from under the dogwood. She found herself transfixed, wanting to know more about this stranger, despite her dire predicament. Her long, strong fingers dug into the supple earth, while her booted feet perched tense and ever-ready to fly. Her name? No one, save one individual, had ever asked her that. The resemblance he bore to her former pupil was striking, and also non-existant. She couldn't figure out his pull on her. "My name..." she repeated in a whisper to herself, and then louder, "Aer ahliya Darkmoon." She wondered for a moment if he could have had her staff, the one thing she anxiously needed above all else, beneath his robes. Darkmoon remembered the cold, hard stab of weapons under her skin when she had held him to the forest floor, and how she had found him in the place she had arrived in. Could he have found her precious staff? Perhaps...perhaps it was best not to attack him just yet, but to keep him nearby a little longer and ascertain that she didn't have her dear instrument.
As much as she wanted to feign interest, it was her true interest that made her hesitant, and forced her to remain in the shadows. She watched him with earnest, eager to see a flash of her staff from underneath the whispering fabric of his cape, or at the very least to discover if he were friend or foe. She did not miss that he skirted answering her question directly, and did not give his name, She had given hers, but it was only one of many, a title given to her by the Night People, and not her true name that had been forgotten so long ago. Still, it troubled her that he would evade pertinent information, and only made her more suspicious.
Her dis-ease was only strengthened when he began speaking of worldly events that she knew naught about. Granted, she lived her life in the shadows of the forests, but even there news of the outside world reached her ears. But this...this was nothing that she was familiar with. Goosebumps pricked up her arms and thighs and sent a shiver trailing down her spine. The words the man spoke were alien and foreign. Panic rose up in her chest once more, as it had when she had first found herself in this strange environment. "Triad..." she repeated, "Fire Nation... I know not what you speak of." Her sharp nails scoured the soil in her discord. "What manner of trickery is this? Explain yourself!" Darkmoon had meant to sound foreboding of punishment to come if he did not comply, but even she could not miss the waver in her voice. Alone, she had always been alone - but this time, she feared she was in over her head. Over a century and a half she had managed to keep herself alive and lost amongst the darkness, and always she knew the day would come when her cleverness and stealth would not be enough to save her. She shivered while thinking that day had finally come.
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Post by Velox Sicarius on Oct 1, 2015 18:18:45 GMT -5
After Velox finished speaking, he carefully watched Darkmoon's reactions, as it appeared her name was. Slowly, like gears settling in place with each other, he began piecing together the clues to the true breadth of this girl's situation. As the pieces fell into his mind, his earlier calm and stoic expression faded to one of worry and confusion.
There was the bright flash of light, the unfamiliarity with the area, her active hostility and survival instincts in full gear. Then there was the confusion with modern events, the inhuman characteristics, and her tone of voice dripping with unease. Spirit or not, she didn't come here of her own free will. She arrived here by full accident, and did not seem to be aware of where "here" really was. Like a forest creature relocated without warning, she could only act on what she knew and instincts to survive at all costs. The question then was where did she come from....the spirit world? And how was it that she arrived here if not on purpose.
Velox was extremely careful to choose his words and sound as honest and friendly as possible this time "Darkmoon...I think there is a chance that you may not be where you think you are. I can help you...but where is that you came from? Was it the spirit world?" Velox asked sincerely. The best course of action to approach a frightened animal was to show it kindness. Such was the best action in this situation as well.
Sighing, and deciding that he might as well consider himself involved in this strange event, Velox sat back down on the ground cross legged, removing his outer Gray robe along with all the weapons it contained and tossing it to the side, a sign of trust and showing that he would no longer keep on guard. His arms were now bare to the night and showed off their silvery-gray arrow tattoos, and the toned muscle he had earned from a lifetime of training and combat.
"I can explain anything necessary to you, but I am beginning to think this best be something taken slowly..." He finished. He continued to wonder how this spirit had made it to their side by accident. This would mean he would have to track down and consult Avatar Aang on this matter, which would be hard enough to do alone.
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Post by Raisa/Darkmoon on Oct 1, 2015 21:15:05 GMT -5
While the man had answered her when questioned as she had demanded, he did not answer her questions directly, and for that she did not trust him. However...he was the only chance she had of obtaining any answers. Right now, she would have to go against her better judgement and work with him. She could not lie in the ancient language, and she doubted her blood would let her lie in this language, either. She had to tell the truth, or at least half-truths, to all he asked. It wasn't lost on her that he still was not giving her any useful information. Well, if he would not be transparent, then she would not, either.
And then the man did a most startling thing; he disarmed himself. Darkmoon pressed herself closer to the earth at the cold gleam of the metal weapons in the moonlight. There were far more than she had expected. Clearly, he was not one to be underestimated. She noted his physique well - even if he were not the behemoth size of Cain and his werepack, he would be a formidable opponent, particularly since she had no idea what he was capable of. But despite his intimidating stature, he was seated and non-threatening. And then she saw them - the silver swirls curving over his muscled skin. Markings like that were reserved only for the highest ranks in her culture. Whomever this man was, he was clearly of some import.
Silently, she tensed, and pounced out from the dogwood, landing lithely in a panther-like stance on her hands and feet. She stared at him, trying to discern any amount of information she could from him. But everything seemed to be concealed behind those guarded green eyes. "Velox..." she said slowly, his name as foreign as her surroundings. "I...do not understand what you are speaking of, or any more of how I came to be here than you do. The Triad, Fire Nation...your Princess...I know naught of them. As for where I come from. You called it the Spirit World. That is not a realm I am familiar with, but names of realms are different to all who speak of them. As for myself, I am from home..." her gaze dropped to the ground as she felt vulnerable and exposed, "...and that is where I am trying to go."
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Post by Velox Sicarius on Oct 1, 2015 21:50:27 GMT -5
Many of Darkmoon's actions continued to further the primal-like vision Velox had of her, something that might intimidate others but more than intrigued him. It was a curious thing, watching such dangerous beauty gaze back at him, especially when this beauty contained such great levels of worry and anger and confusion. Perhaps it was because her attitude reminded him so much of Raisa that he could not find himself to leave her to fend for herself. It was hard to say why, but he only hoped this wouldn't lead him through too much trouble. In the very least, he could try to get her to someone who was capable of aiding her. However at the moment, given it was so dark and they were so far from any major village there was little he could do other than his original plan when coming to this forest: camp for the night.
"Well then, Miss Darkmoon, we may as well start with basics. We know two things: that you are not from this world, and that you were sent here, which would indicate there is some method of sending you back. To the end, we must seek out and consult Avatar Aang, the spiritual 'bridge' of this world and best source of knowledge concerning anything....out of the ordinary". Velox decided it was best at the moment to leave out the fact that this spiritual bridge was a rather young boy. "I can at the very least help guide you to him so that you may potentially discover a way.....home"
Velox got up and stretched slightly "However, for now, given that it is night and there are no villages nearby, I would suggest making camp for the night and worrying about that in the morning. I can answer your questions about this world's history over a warm fire tonight" He offered to her, trying his best at a slight smile. Part of the reason he offered was just so that he could enjoy the relief of a nice fire in the woods, a peaceful and relaxing idea in his own mind.
Velox skirted off briefly into the trees to gather dead wood, sticks and brush to start a small fire with. He made haste with setting this fire up, being careful to surround it with rocks so it would spread to anything else in the area. He then sat himself around it, cross legged once again and immediately feeling his body and mind calm back down to the state it had been in before meeting Darkmoon.
Once she was ready to hear it, Velox delved into a brief overview and description of the 4 nations and their cultures, the 100 year war and the Avatar's Role in stopping it, and the most recent events with the Triad. It was not a long account by any means, but it still took longer than he previously expected it would, perhaps in part due to how nice it felt to talk about such a thing with someone unfamiliar to it.
"It was a rushed summary, but I hope that gives you a better understanding of the place you currently find yourself in at the moment, Miss Darkmoon. I apologize for being so with-holding earlier. It simply in my nature to remain guarded until im absolutely certain that I need not be..."
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Post by Raisa/Darkmoon on Oct 1, 2015 22:44:03 GMT -5
Darkmoon withdrew as Velox stood up, but instead of rushing back into the treetops she forced herself to remain put...though not without grasping the hilt of her brother's sword for support. As Velox moved around to gather wood, Darkmoon kept a very close watch on his behavior. He was either truly not sent to hunt her down, or was very good at acting in such a way as to convince her of that. At any rate, she decided to play along with his game for now, chastising herself for the small part of her hoping that it wasn't a ruse. She didn't give his dagger back, though, and instead sheathed it in the top of one tall boot.
His movements did interest her, though. She rarely met anyone out in the forest this late - or at least, she assumed it was late given the time it had been in her own forest and the position of the moon here. It had been late fall in her home, and the air here foretold of impending winter as well. Velour seemed dressed for the temperature, unlike herself. Though when he had removed his outer robe, he did not seem affected by the cold as she would have expected. Then she noticed his eyes strain to search for wood in the dark, which was clearly a diurnal trait, but his silent movements hinted at something of her kin. In the end, though, it was his mentioning of "making camp" for the night that solidified her impression of him, and made her believe that he was not an immediate threat to her. Not unless this mortal had some secret she had yet to discover in the history of any race. And considering he used no sort of inhuman power to start his small fire, she guessed that she did not have much to worry about.
Velox's recounting of the Four Nations didn't help to keep her nerves settled for long. It wasn't uncommon for her to learn about a culture she had never even known existed, considering how long she had been banished to the shadows. But even still, this history did not seem to coincide with the day realms beyond her own. These people seemed to align closely to natural elements - which was refreshing - though their lifestyles seemed rather archaic compared to the peoples she knew of. An icy pit of fear clamped in her stomach and she shied farther away from the fire, never letting her stance relax from its crouch. Decades had passed during which spell weavers had threatened to send her to the abyss, though she had always taken comfort in knowing that it was not even certain whether the Forest King himself could accomplish such a feat. But if what Velox said was true... perhaps it had finally been done. Something if accepted doom and resignation to damnation fell over Darkmoon in a cold curtain, clinging to her heart like a leech. Velour continued to explain of the natives here, and this Avatar who may be of help, but she felt it was hopeless. Spirit bridge or not, he was part of a race that committed genocide and who operated under the mass delusion of boundaries and separation. None of them would be of use to her.
Darkmoon lightly stroked the filmy leaves of a plantain that had sprouted through the needled forest floor. "I do not need your Avatar," she said at last. "Nor do I need him. I know my best chance of returning home, and I find it doubtful that he would have what I need." Her gaze transfixed on the dancing flames. She felt the heat of the fire prick her skin. It was not something she was accustomed to sitting by during the night. "If anyone would be of use, it would be your spell casters. Though, you did not mention such an individual just now..."
Her lips curved down and her eyes narrowed as she watched the hungry flames devour the small kindling. "And you would do well to keep your guard up around me. I have been told I am quite dangerous. Especially," she added this based on her observations, "since you are only human." She turned her head towards him, her skin thankful for the coolness away from the fire. "Though if you truly wish to help, I am loathe to admit I may need it. I do not know this place, and I need to find -" her speech hesitated momentarily as she felt a twinge at trying to lie "- I need to find what is mine. I do not know you, Velox. Do not think for a moment that I will not be watching you for hostility." She did not say this meanly, but almost apologetically. Here was someone who honestly seemed to be offering aid, and yet her heart could not trust and accept. But trust had only ever left her betrayed, and accepting anything meant owing someone else, or leaving herself vulnerable to be heart. Caution and self preservation was the only way she had survived as long as she had, after all.
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Post by Velox Sicarius on Oct 3, 2015 10:19:29 GMT -5
Darkmoon's continued hostility rubbed Velox the wrong way it set him on edge of wanting to lash back out at her, though he was loathe to admit it wasn't without reason the she acted this way. Though it did also irritate him a little when she refused his suggestion despite knowing nothing of this world. He was beginning to believe she truly wasn't a spirit and rather came from.....somewhere else. That, and she made mention of needing to recover an item of hers. He sighed, admitting defeat within himself. He would help this girl, but he was now sure he would not like one bit of it.
He pointed his gaze at her with a slightly more stoic look this time. "I know well of dangers, Miss Darkmoon, and you would do well to not assume anything around you is in any way weak, especially us...'humans'" He said plainly. It was an insult he grew tired of with each passing day, a person assuming something else was weak for being what it was. He had personally witnessed humans doing this, benders, and even spirits. In every case, either the person accepted the insult as true and lost, or denied it and showed themselves as more than they appeared. He himself was born as a result of an entire nation assuming the air benders were weak. It was an attitude he was not very tolerant of, and he knew if Darkmoon continued it that it would inevitably lead to trouble. Until she experienced and learned the ways and dangers of this world, assumptions could put her life at risk.
"Back to business, though. We have no "spell casters" in this world, only in fairy tales and stories told to children. Spiritual mediums, benders, spirits, and gurus are the closest we have to what you refer to as 'spell casters'. But if its an item of yours you are looking for, and it is no longer in this area, chances are if it was picked up by anyone that it could have made its way to Ba Sing Sey, capital of the Earth Kingdom and the biggest city in the area." More like its own country, and one filled with memories both good and bad for him. He was hesitant to go there, but if it was an item she sought, it would be their best bet after ruling out that it was not laying anywhere nearby.
"We can head there in the morning, if that's alright. Many of the trading caravans head out in the early hours and we can check them for this item of yours"
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Post by Raisa/Darkmoon on Oct 3, 2015 12:12:18 GMT -5
Velox's tone had abruptly changed, and it made Darkmoon scowl. She opened her mouth to retort, then thought better of it. Alex had often told her how obstinate and impossible she was, even when she hadn't meant to be. It had been one of her more difficult traits for Alex to deal with more than once. Something about Alex was reflected in Velox then; the same exhausted irritation that she was so used to seeing in her former pupil. Darkmoon ground her teeth, closed her eyes, and took a breath to quell her anger. She knew she was behaving poorly, and fear for her current circumstances was not an excuse. Velour seemed genuine in his offer to help, and he had no reason to other than to aid another. Mentally chastising herself for her rudeness, she flopped from her predatory stance and sat crosslegged, staring drearily at the fire.
"Velox, I...am sorry. I did not mean to offend you," she said at last, realizing that he had probably taken her statement as a blow to his ability. "I know better than most the potential strength of humans. And I did not intend for that to come across as a threat. I only meant... where I come from, humans cannot be in the realms of the deep woods at night. If one were to be found by the Night Guard after they'd seen someone of my kind, the human would be executed immediately." Darkmoon sighed softly and pulled at the end of one long, thin braid. "You obviously had some skill, or you would not be marked as you are. Markings like that are not bestowed lightly in any culture, I think. And I know of your culture only what you have just told me, which is likely very little. You said nothing of a Night Guard or something similar here, but if there are still members of this Triad, or others of similar mindset, I would have to think that the forest at night is not safe." She flinched again at her faux pas. "Not that you would not be safe. If you were entrusted to guard the Earth Kingdom Princess, then surely you can take care of yourself. I only meant..." Her sharp nails dug into the loose soil under her hands.
She needed to find her staff. And another weapon. Her sword was strong and sharp, but if it was needed for close combat, it meant that she had not disposed of threats before they identified her and exposed her hiding place. She wished her bow had ended with her as her sword had. Or her staff. A bow was replaceable. Her staff, however... "Thank you, for... for your offer of help. It is selfless and unmerited but very generous. And I don't know my way here, or anywhere for that matter, in this world. And if you think what I need could be going to... Ba Sing Sey?... then that is where I will go. But, if I may say so, you do not seem to want to go to that place. Your tone changed when you mentioned it. Is it a dangerous place to go? I thought you said that that was where your Princess resides. Would she not welcome you if you were to return?" Darkmoon bit her lip, realizing that the social hierarchy and customers here were probably as rigid and absolute as they were in her world, and he may not have the freedom to just walk into another kingdom on a whim. "That is really none of my business. But, if you think checking there or caravans is the best course of action, then that is what I will do. I do not expect you to come with me. Your help so far is more than I could have expected. If I may return the kindness...your kind sleeps during the night, yes? When you need rest, just say the word. I can stand guard for the night."
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Post by Velox Sicarius on Oct 3, 2015 12:41:21 GMT -5
As Darkmoon spoke and ground out a sincere apology, Velox relaxed his tone once again and smiled lightly. He could hear something of frustration in her apology, as if she had to back-peddle against her own nature, but the apology was spoken regardless, and it seemed an honest and kind one at that. Now that had gotten past, it seemed they could find common ground with which to speak and converse and finally openly discuss how to proceed without the risk of bickering about the difference between worlds.
"Thank you, Darkmoon. I may have gotten slightly more irritated than I should have, but as you will soon learn in this world, it is words such as your that are the most common reason for fights and wars to break out. AS I am sure was common in your homeland, there are those who fight for equality....and there are those who fight for power. The Avatar often tries to keep the peace in each era, but no one can be everywhere at once. What you call the night guard....and those who apparently lived in the forest....that divide most closely resembles our divide with that of the spirits. There are very few humans in this world who have ever spoken with a spirit, and less still that understand their intentions. I, personally, am neither of those. Air nomad I may be, but I am certainly not very spiritual...." Velox spoke, his mind beginning to wander off on tangents. It was one short-falling of his that he had never been able to overcome, that despite being one of the most powerful and deadly air benders alive, that he had almost no spiritual connection with the world, one of the greatest strengths of airbenders.
"As for my markings.....in the ancients culture of the air nomads, arrows like these are earned when one is considered as having become a master air bender. Normally they would be blue, however for a great many reasons mine are purposefully...different...." He informed her, running his hands along the length of his arms, grazing the silvery markings. He could still remember clearly when he first got them so long ago.
"And you are indeed right to be wary of the Triad, in any environment. They tend to flock to cities, but they have been known to initiate attacks even on people in the forests." He smiled, leaning back and folding his arms behind his head act as a pillow. "We will plan on traveling to Ba Sing Sey in the morning then....I will take some brief rest until then. Your offer to stand guard is....appreciated" HE said in thanks. He did not plan on sleeping for long, but after everything that occurred, he was ready to close his eyes from the world. He layed back, casting Darkmoon a thankful glance, and then shutting his eyes and letting his memories wash over him until first break of light.
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Post by Raisa/Darkmoon on Oct 3, 2015 13:32:15 GMT -5
The moment Velox closed his eyes, Darkmoon took advantage of her superhuman abilities and leapt around the fire. Silent as a ghost, she rummaged through his cloak for what weapons he had. Knives, daggers, small curved blades she knew nothing of their use...all smaller weapons intended to be concealed. Disappointed, she took several of the knifes and sheathed then in her boots and belt as she had his first, and skirted away from the fire and to a nearby white pine. Near the top of the ancient tree, she took post above the canopy. She had a clear view of the small clearing where Velox lay, as well as a fair vantage of the surrounding forest. Perched on a bow , she leaned back against the trunk, examining the blades she had taken once more in the moonlight. Darkmoon had never been an expert knife thrower, and they would never compare to the security of a bow, but she had to trust in her own unique powers in this world to keep herself, and her unlikely ally, safe. Especially if this Triad Velox spoke about was truly as dangerous as he made them seem.
But then Velox was a master of... air bending, it was called? She knew nothing about bending, but she had been counseled on the energy of the four elements in her world. Air was swift and intelligent. Velour would likely sense danger on his own, even if she were not there. She could pursue the aforementioned traders on her own and he would be fine, but... no, that wasn't right. Darkmoon had been on her own for far, far too long. She was forgetting how to have a companion and work together. Forgetting that it was okay to look out for one another and rely on each other. She glanced down at Velox, far below on the pine needled floor. He had taken her offer so easily, where as she had to struggle to accept his help. And there he lay, trusting her to keep her word. A master he may be, but there was a child-like trusting quality about him, too. She remembered how, not many hours ago, she could not ascertain whether he had been a man or a boy when he'd first arrived in the clearing. He spoke and acted like a man who had seen many great battles, but as he slept, he seemed far younger than she had thought him moments before.
And he had friends here that would help him, too. The Avatar, the Earth King, his Princess - all people who would help him, and take care of him, and cared about him. Those concepts were completely alien to her, but also something of an almost forgotten dream. Even in her own world, where ever that was now, she did not have anyone she could rely on. But it was her world nonetheless, and it was where she needed to get back to. Back to her forests, and her plants and stars. It was then that she looked at the stars - even the the constellations here were different. Everything was different but for one things; she was alone. No matter where she was, she was alone. Was there anyone back home looking for her? Did they even notice that she was gone? Darkmoon wrapped her arms around her knees and tucked her chin into her thighs as she stared out at the vast, foreign lands. Never in her life had she felt more utterly and completely alone as she did then.
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