He'd expected her to ask about his longevity and his sword, but the surprise was evident when Rilana had asked about the other 'she' he'd mentioned. He sighed, the pain in his eyes at the forefront, [color=fff200][i][b]"She... was a woman, a human woman, Chillborn. She was the handmaiden to the princess at the time, a glorious honor back then. For as handmaiden, she was tasked not just with serving the princess, but protecting her, training her in the arts of the world, be they creative, martial, intellectual, even magical. Her name was Juloya. She was a powerful mage, having mastered several disciplines, familiary among them. She was kind, selfless, endlessly patient."[/b][/i][/color]

He looked out at the lake, remembering those days vividly, [color=fff200][i][b]"Did you know we had gods back then? Not far off, unseen gods that required faith to believe existed. Gods that walked among people, beings of so much power they could wipe out empires on a whim. And there was talk that a god was attempting to spread his domain, to become the God of Magic. None of the previous gods had ever had the strength or the audacity to attempt such a feat. If he'd succeeded, and all evidence indicated that he would, he could rip this world apart. But not just this one, all worlds, all distant lands, all peoples. And it would be so very easy for him. Thankfully the process took a good bit of time."[/b][/i][/color] 

He drew his sword swiftly, laying it across their legs. It was cold to the touch, glowing slightly, [color=fff200][i][b]"The leaders of each major empire, Ebonfort and Frigmount included, got together with their best mages, to figure out a way to stop him. And they did, a very nearly impossible task. One step of which resulted in what I am, and what happened to your city. We had to kill this world's magic."[/b][/i][/color]

He reached over and gently took her hand, and pressed it flat against the blade, and a memory forced itself into her mind, his voice narrating what she saw. Beneath her city, for she could feel that it was Frigmount, there was a massive crystalline stone, made of the same substance as his sword. Around it were a group of people, including a smaller, younger version of Svarak, standing there behind another Knight, presumably his Patron. [color=fff200][i][b]"Our task was just one small part of the massive ritual that was required. That is the null stone, it is a very rare substance that is seemingly resistant to all magic, divine or mundane. Juloya, there,"[/b][/i][/color] the memory showed a platinum blonde Chillborn standing before the stone, her body glowing with power, [color=fff200][i][b]"Was going to use her magic to sort of... amplify the stone's power. It's complicated... a lot of the technical details above my head even now."[/b][/i][/color]

There was a crimson flash in the memory, and Rilana could feel the fear of young Svarak. A man had appeared in the group, smiling smugly. Svarak's patron gave a single shout, [color=39b54a][i][b]"Protect Juloya!"[/b][/i][/color] The man charged with several others toward the black robed human. With a flick of the wrist, their souls were plucked from their bodies, and floated before him, before he consumed them. Svarak drew a regular steel greatsword, but was thrown hard against the null stone by an unseen force, his body breaking under the impact. She could feel his pain, his surprise that he was somehow still alive. 

[color=fff200][i][b]"Juloya saved me."[/b][/i][/color]

A purple shield surrounded the robed man, and he looked annoyed, casting spell after spell at it, only to not have any effect. So he spoke, his voice velvety, [color=ed1c24][i][b]"This won't hold me long mage, and when I'm free, you'll suffer a pain worse than death." [/b][/i][/color] The woman cast a blinding white light for a few moments over Svarak and his body knitted itself back together. As he struggled to rise, he saw his sword was useless, but his body had snapped a piece of the null stone off, a shard that looked exactly like the sword he held now. 

Then her sweet voice filled the air, [color=f6989d][i][b]"Svarak... with all of them dead, I don't have the power to fuel the magic myself. There's still a way, but I need you to swear something for me."[/b][/i][/color]

The young man nodded, [color=f6989d][i][b]"When magic returns to the world, I need you to kill me."[/b][/i][/color] Rilana could feel the pain and anguish during this memory that he'd felt. She could feel the memories young Svarak and Juloya had shared. While she was researching how to perform the ritual, he assisted her, spent much time by her side, looked up to her. She taught him much about the world, about art, taught him their language. And he fell in love. But she never returned the love in the same way. She'd always be the woman of his dreams, and he'd always be the little brother she'd never had. 

Juloya then cast the glow forth from her body to the sphere that trapped the robed man. Her body forced its way through the shield, merging with the man's. She was in control, so she held her own physical semblance, her eyes burning with the crimson light the man had exuded earlier.[color=fff200][i][b] "If you don't kill me, it was all for nothing. I don't know how long it will take but..."[/b][/i][/color] she cast a blue light over him, [color=fff200][i][b]"That will ensure you the ability to avoid the ravages of time until your purpose is complete. You can still die to blade, poison, and other mundane means, so you must train, train until you are unbeatable. Then slay me when magic has returned." [/b][/i][/color]

She then smiled at him, before the shield around her expanded rapidly outward, through the stone of the catacombs they occupied, encompassing the city and surrounding region, invisible to all others. She then walked toward the young Charr, touched his cheek gently, [color=f6989d][i][b]"It will be okay."[/b][/i][/color] She then walked through the nullstone, somehow, turned to face me, before one final flash burst forth, one the entire world saw. And that Svarak knew, thus Rilana now knew, that was the moment the world lost its magic. He saw her there, seeming to be asleep within the stone. And he wept.

He looted the bodies of his fallen brethren for anything of use, then buried them there next to her. Then Rilana was pulled from the memory, [color=fff200][i][b]"And that is how I came to be, how the world came to be, and why I am coming with you. And that, Rilana Aurorime', is my story." [/b][/i][/color] He stood now, shivering, turning away as a tear fell, [color=fff200][i][b]"We should head back to camp. This wind... it isn't right. Even you will freeze if you stay out here for too long."[/b][/i][/color]