The Hunt Begins...

[Gilashi]

Gilashi followed her, a few paces behind, surveying the sunset, a sight he had not stopped to relish for quite some time. It was quite beautiful, though fleeting. 'Like life.' he though to himself. He turned his attention towards Avalon and nodded. "Horses would be quite useful on the journey. As for setting up camp, I suppose we could both do with a rest. Besides, I need to wash the smell of death off of me." Gilashi chuckled, thinking once more to himself.'You truly think you will ever rid yourself of that?'

[Avalon Silvasti]

Avalon stopped walking and looked around the area. They had stopped in a clearing that had a nice view of the sky and the trees seemed to form almost a perfect circle around the open area, there was a flat rock that sat in the middle of the clearing. Avalon started to gather some fallen branches and limbs, carring them to an open spot as she started to make a camp fire. She hummed a tune as she worked on the camp fire. Avalon took a few steps back as she finished the fire, she sat down on the ground near the fire and smiled looking up at the sky above the clearing, stars littered the sky and she smiled thinking back to her childhood. She looked over at Gilashi and blushed a bit. "Thank you for saving me, i noticed that i never really did thank you. You could have left me there to die but you didn't. You barely know me yet you saved my life. May i ask you why?" She asked him as she averted her eyes and looked at the fire that snapped and popped in the brisk night air.

[Gilashi]

Gilashi came forward and stood beside Avalon at the fire, his arms crossed gazing into the blaze. He laughed and smirked. "Hey don't get me wrong sweetheart, any other day I probably would have fed you to those wolves..." he sighed becoming serious once more. "I don't know why I cared. Partly because I am seeking redemption. Partly because I wanted an explanation for the noises I heard. Partly, because your blonde." And Gilashi left it at that, enigmatic and somewhat confusing. He at first considered sitting by Avalon, but decided against it, instead taking a seat across from her, at the other side of the fire. Digging deep into his pack, one he left deep in the forest; he bought forth a tarnish lute, delicately tuning the strings upon it.

[Avalon Silvasti]

Avalon watched him tune his lute while she sat in confusion. She didn't understand what he meant and thought not to pry anymore for fear he may get angry at her. She thought about what had happened today and wondered if the sorcerer could get in her head and toy with her memories, who else could. She smiled and relaxed a bit pulled a tiny canteen out of her bag and took a drink, she started to put the lid back on and stopped. She placed her finger at the opening and coaxed the liquid out with her finger. She pulled her finger farther and farther from the hole and the water followed, snaking out and wrapping around her finger. She placed the canteen down and playing with the string of water, she used her hands to shape it into a tiny palm sized sphere, then she molded it into a star. She waited a few seconds and turned it back into a ball. She giggled as she played with the water, it was part of her powers, she could control the water elements ever since she was a little girl. "Your know people used to think i was the reason why our kingdom had a few terrible thunderstorms." She giggled not taking her eyes from the sphere in her hands. "When they found out that I was a water Mystic and my sister was a fire some of the children were scared of us and stopped playing with us. As we got older the people asked me if i could make it rain to save their crops... Alas i can't truly make it rain but i can carry water from one place to the other like so." She held up the little sphere in her hand. "My sister was the one that was outcast the most, her element was fire, destruction. As we got older and was able to control it more people started to trust us and soon people didn't want to keep their distance." Avalon smiled thinking back to the Moon Tree Festival and the events that happened before her parents death. "My sister started courting one of her personal guards, i admit i was jealous of her. It seemed like the perfect romance but i had no time for that I needed to study and learn all i could, I had sword fighting lessons, poetry reading, and i had to take lessons from this guy from a land in the east called martial arts." Her look became distant as she gazed at the water ball in her hand. "Iori became one of my father's Royal Guard's and he asked over and over to be one of my personal guards. I thought it was funny and cute, but at the time i didn't understand why he wanted to be my guard instead of my father's, any man in our kingdom would have given their life for the position that Iori wanted to step down from, but my father didn't cave. So Iori deviated from his tasks once in a while to follow me, to talk to me, and to spend time with me." She blushed sinking into those memories. "The night I escaped when my kingdom was attacked Iori sacrificed himself to the Asgoth to make sure i had a clean get a way. He surrendered to the army as I, like a coward, crept away..." A tear slipped down her cheek. "The Asgoth army will take any able bodied man and put them in their army weather you want to or not, they do something to their men that make them stronger, faster and more deadly, it's some kind of potion, drink or spell they use. But whatever they use leaves you with some distinguished features, like the eyes, with enough treatment they will either turn violet and stay that color or only change when you are enraged and filled with blood lust." She brought her other hand up to wipe away a tear. "I knew that Iori was one of them... The marking on his arm told me that he was a general. The markings on their arms are like tattoos, branding them, a constant reminder that they are the Asgoth slaves. I hope that Iori fought them to the end on those treatments, I know now that he rests with the Gods but i can't imagine the torture he must have gone through to escape. He never spoke about it. We had only just met back up in the village that day and he ran into the woods saying he would take care of the wolves..." She shook her head as a few more tears tumbled down her cheek. "I'm sorry for going on and on I must have bored you half to death." She placed her finger at the hole on the canteen and the water slipped back into the canteen.

[Gilashi]

Gilashi stopped picking at his lute as Avalon began speaking. He knew she had a lot on her mind and decided for once, not to be rude. He watched as we manipulated the water with her fingers. She was quite interesting, this elf. He listened to her explanation of her sister and her gift as well. He realized what it was liked to be shunned because of being different. He thought back to his childhood, but shook his head, wanting to remain focused on Avalon.

Though at the mention of romance between a personal guard, Gilashi felt a strange pain in his chest. Then he let out a weak laugh, 'Of course.' he thought, 'I have a heart again...' Gilashi finally stood, shaking his head. "No, you haven't bored me. You are quite the intriguing young elf. Even if your story is quite saddening."

[Avalon Silvasti]

Avalon turned her face letting her golden locks to cover her face trying to hide her soft blush from being seen by Gilashi. She stood and took off her tunic, the pale moonlight washed over her pale skin and highlighted her every curve. She placed her tunic on the ground and sat down on it, her long slender legs sprawled out in front of her, she smiled and gently crossed them at her booted ankles. She looked over at Gilashi, "I'm going to catch some sleep. It's going to be a long journey at day break." She smiled warmly at him, "Good night."