Demon

[laraine]

"All I need to do is fine one man." Raine said, her tone fading into the wind. Raine noticed that it was now starting to slowly become midday. She sighed, the rain had long ended, but her clothes were still drenched. "All right, we can chat some more once we get food and possibly a warm bath on my part. Lets head towards the next town." She took a few steps before turning to the others. "Since I don't know where my horse went to, I suppose I have to walk on foot now." She shrugged. Glancing around the beast was no where to be seen, and despite her obvious calm demeanor, she was worried about the horse. But, for now she had to at least get the boys some food or something before either collapsed on her. That was something she didnt need.

[thedookienut]

Samuel turned and scanned the surrounding area, unable to see any other horse besides his own. He took hold off the reins and lead it as he walked along behind Raine, deep in thought as he did.

He wanted to know what it was that Silvarn was actually siding with the Lockners for. He'd worked out that it had to be something powerful or something with a high value. As he trudged on behind Laraine, he decided one thing - He'd find out what the mage was up to before Raine found the person she was looking for.

[Silvarn]

She is completely mad. Scorcahr sneered.

"What makes you say that?" Silvarn asked a passing fern.

She trusts you, even after you blatantly betrayed her. the demon explained.

"I am certain she has her reasons." the grey mage's cold eyes darted at Laraine's proud form.

"Speaking of reasons..." Silvarn sidled up to her, a cold mischief in his eyes, "Who is this man you seek? It must be important..." his cruel smirk returned, "The chance to say one last 'goodbye' to a loved one? Revenge, perhaps?" he hummed with pleasure, "So many scandalous possibilities."

[laraine]

Raine blinked as the mage slided besides her, cruel intent on his features. Raine rolled her eyes and pushed him with a hand so that they were a few inches apart. Then she continued to walk, looking at him, her eyes a deep purple.
"Revenge." She answered simply. "I must warn you, he will be a part of the Risk demons and isn't as easy to kill as the others were." She looked back at the road, her face showing no humor, no kindness.

"That demon took everything from me. So I intend to return the favor." She wouldn't tell him of her past. Besides, he probably wouldn't care anyways. He was using her for the goal, whatever the witches wanted to give him anyway.

She would try to be his friend, but, she didn't yet want to give him a part of her soul.

Instead, she changed the subject and her eyes brightened, gazing at Silvarn again. "What about you? What's so important you need something to help kill a poor innocent girl anyways? Maybe some hidden secrets to destroy a enemy? Or save a beloved damsel in distress?" It was Raine's turn to smirk at the mage. She then turned to Samuel.

"Hey Samuel! Can you see the village yet? We should be getting there soon."

[thedookienut]

Samuel was once again in his own thought pool. He was wondering back to the few previous days. From the moment he reached his burning village. He still felt he needed somebody to blame for it. A entire village couldn't burn to the ground because of on log fire. Somebody had to have set it off. Goblins. Demons. Some other foul being. He didn't know who to blame. Some part of him wanted to blame Silvarn. Probably out of hate, but it still exsisted.

He jumped back out of his thoughts and peered along the horizon. "Not yet." He called, scanning every inch of it, sheilding his eyes from the sun.

[Silvarn]

Silvarn stiffened at the physical contact, a stray strand of silver energy playing across his right hand, concealed by the rest of his body from Laraine's view.

Laraine's insinuations further irritated him. His usually apathetic face betrayed a small amount of distaste. "Firstly, I bear you no ill grudge. Under other circumstances, I would be inclined to let you go on your merry way. I assure you, my dealings with the Lockners is strictly business." There was no reason to keep the facade up any longer.

Oh, good... Scorcahr sighed, For a moment, I thought we were her targets.

"It is rather unfortunate it is not." he continued, "But, to answer your other questions..." he chanced a glare back at Samuel, who seemed preoccupied, "Out of you two, I believe you would best understand my plight. You see, there is a reason I mastered the spell of Banishment." his cold eyes grew icy, his voice soft yet harsh, "I seek to leave this world, escape all the wrongs I have committed. And if I have to commit a few more to achieve that goal," a shrug of indifference, "so be it. I have already done enough harm to this world -- what is a little more?"

[laraine]

Raine's demeanor changed once again. "Ah I see, you believe its too late to change whatever you are. If that is truly the way you wish to go, without any regrets then I say go for it." She smiled wanly at the man she had just recently met. "I knew you had some kindness within your soul. You don't want to hurt anyone else." She chuckled. "Just like me I suppose. I don't want to hurt others anymore either. Just being with me is a death sentence. Because of my family...and probably because of me as well." She couldn't help but think, "I wonder what would happen if I did turn 21...maybe the world would end..am I so dangerous?"

[thedookienut]

Samuel walked alongside the two of them, though hanging back so he could still see them both. His mind was now wondering, twice as fast as before. He pulled himself out of his thoughts once again, continueing to scan the horizon. It wasn't long now. They would reach Alharmor before sundown. Even if they were walking.

[Silvarn]

"I knew you had some kindness within your soul. You don't want to hurt anyone else." The girl mentioned almost haphazardly, yet the statement rocked Silvarn to his core, yet his years of training allowed him to mask the shock of the epiphany.

She is right, is she not? Scorcahr asked.

Silvarn ignored the both of them, focusing solely on his inner struggle.

What was that poem Khul'Yddis always mocked us with? The one that actually gave us hope?

"How happy is that blameless vestal's lot,
The world forgetting by the world forgot
Eternal spirit of the chainless mind,
Each prayer accepted, each wish resigned." the grey mage muttered, a strange, fleeting, uplifting feeling welling in his chest.

"You are correct, Miss Laraine. To put it simply, I want a clean slate. I think that is what both of us want, really. Even if your relatives did not kill you by your twenty-first birthday, they would still hunt you down. You want to escape that, do you not?"

Silvarn's bleak grey eyes brightened, and something of a friendly smile twitched at the corner of his lips, "We are not so different, you and I -- too powerful to live, but too stubborn to die. Perhaps..." Silvarn's normal cold, calculating expression returned. "I have been known as a double-crossing backstabbing fiend; but, in this case, I think my 'change of heart' is justified. If I keep you alive to see your twenty-first birthday, will you use your foretold power to help me steal the Lockners' grimoires?"

[laraine]

Raine seemed shocked by his statement, her purple eyes boring into his grey eyes for any signs of deception. But what she found there was something that made her smile gently. She turned back to the road before them before answering.

"Yes, I will help you Silvarn." She looked at him with a kindness that she had long kept hidden away. "But you don't have to promise to keep me alive. The last person who did that died in my arms." She walked past him towards Samuel on his horse, as if to hide her face from Silvarns.

But as quick as she walked away, she turned back to say one final thing. She grinned, as if excited. "Oh and no more of this Laraine stuff, Laraine is what my family calls me. To everyone close, its Raine. Raine, got it? Good." She turned back to Samuel and ran over. "Hey Samuel, how are you doing?" She looked worried at him, he had been so kind to her. "I really am sorry to drag you into this."

[thedookienut]

Samuel listened still, trying to work out what exactly was going on between the two of them. From what he had gathered, Raine still trusted Silvarn even though he'd betrayed her and almost had them both killed.

He turned round as he heard Raine walk towards him. "I'm fine. Weary, but fine." He replied, giving her a small, half hearted smile. "You may ride if you like. I need to streach my legs." He dropped down from the saddle, after pulling the horse to a halt. He gave her a quick look, one that said 'It's okay'. "It's not your fault. I was the one who helped you out of the village earlier this week. Don't blame yourself."

[Silvarn]

Silvarn watched her depart from his immediate company. "Raine, then..." he mumbled after her.

You are going to kill her, are you not? Scorcahr sneered.

"If the need arises." he addressed Laraine's back.

And if she turns out to be too powerful to contain?

"Then, hopefully, I will have Banished myself to another Realm."

And if she turns on her word and attacks you before recovering the grimoires?

The grey mage intentionally ignored this question. As eager as he was to leave Valear, preferably forever, he was not fond of the concept of death. In fact, it frightened him. What lay beyond this mortal existence? Worse, was there anywhere to go once death claimed him? Was death the End...no more feeling, no more perception? Not a step from one life to the next, but the end to life altogether?

"If things take a turn for the worse and she goes back on her word, I will, hopefully, have the aid of both the Lockners and the Risks. And, hopefully, that will be enough. For now, I hope the prophesied power does not go to her head."

As it has yours?

[laraine]

Raine gratefully took the offer and jumped up onto the horse, looking around her surroundings.

The field was open and filled with tall grass, only occasionally seeing a beautiful flower blooming. The storm that had raged through their battles had ended and the dew on the leaves glittered in the evening sun. Raine could soon see signs of life, humans walking on the same road as they were and after a few more miles she saw small houses. They were finally at the town.

Seeing the town, Raine jumped from the horse and towards the nearest Inn.
"Finally! A bath!" She turned around just a few feet from the Inn and frowned at the men still walking at a snails pace. "C'mon you two! food and a warm heavenly bath await!"

A stray thought entered her mind as she entered the Inn, Would Silvarn really kill me?

[thedookienut]

At the sight of another town, Samuel flipped his hood over his head, preparing to obscure his vile scar. He'd often been to the surrounding villages and town that rest around Lake Lonea, his home. He breifly glanced at Silvarn, wondering. He glared slightly and followed Raine into the Inn.

He wasn't against a bath and food, but he knew he wouldn't be able to settle his thoughts. Not yet. Not until he knew what Silvarn was planning. Even if it was just what he was saying.

Samuel hurried his pace, wanting to reach the Inn before the mage, stroking the neck of his horse as he passed it. It was a good companion.

[Silvarn]

"A bath?" Silvarn asked.

Such useless things, these baths. They do not preform the task properly. If you really want to purge your body of parasites, then you should take a dip in an acid pool.

"You miss the demon realm, do you not, Scorcahr?"

...especially since Khul'Yddis is not mucking things up there anymore. I want to know if --

"-- if things have changed?" Silvarn cut in.

...yes.

"If and when I find how to Banish myself, my next task will be returning you the demon realm."

Would you, really? Scorcahr asked with dripping skepticism.

"Yes." Silvarn replied without a second thought.

Scorcahr remained speechless.

"If that is what it takes to shut you up, maybe I will have to make more flimsy promises to you in the future."

***

Upon entrance to the city, Silvarn isolated himself from the other two. He kept both dead eyes on them, shouldering past several people to do so.

He followed Laraine into the Inn silently, immediately dissociating from her upon entrance. No need to draw more unnecessary attention to her. The grey mage chose for himself a secluded corner by the fireplace, observing all of the inn's patrons, looking for a wisp of pink hair or sparkle of purple eye.