[center][h2]Hello Again[/h2][/center]
[center][b]Day 2, Afternoon[/b][/center]
[center][i]Akime, Lazarus[/i][/center]


Akime strolled, or rather, marched, into the library and crashed heavily into a sofa with a sigh. Luckily the horrible furniture from the Tower's early days was long gone, else it might have collapsed under the sheer force of the impact. She threw her legs on a coffee table and paused, suddenly apprehensive. Her boots were still muddy from the trip and she hadn't even brushed her hair. Her brow twitched as a piece of soil slipped from the leather to a book.  

“Well.” She resigned with a sigh, throwing her head back. She'd looked worse.

Day two of his stay at the tower and it was still a drag. Lazarus pushed the door to the library open and strode into it. Muddy footprints marked a pathway through the middle of the room. “What the..?” Lazarus tracked the trail through the library until he came upon the couch. “You know Senechal isn’t a huge fan of cleaning up after people.” It suddenly dawned on him that this person was quite powerful as he touched on her aura. “Oh, my bad you must be one of the Mistresses.”

Akime turned to look over her shoulder, her hair slipping from behind her back to spill over the back of the chair. Spotting him, a grin blossomed on her face. “I must be, yeah, though I sometimes forget.” Of course, for the Mistress of Sight there were few coincidences and this wasn’t one of them. “I’ve been expecting you. I’m sorry I didn’t request a formal audience; I was a bit busy and didn’t have the time to research on the channels of attaining one.” She turned, leaning an arm on the chair’s back and resting her chin there. “Don’t worry about the mud, it’ll either magically disappear or… disappear in a non-magical way later on.”

“Im sure that Senchal will appreciate that..” Lazarus looked at her for a long moment. “Do I know you from somewhere and why do you want to meet me?” Lazarus wandered over and sat down across from the strange woman all but passed out on the Library couch. “Why does it look like a ferocious animal dragged you through half of the Shadowmarch and back.” Leaning back Lazarus set his swords up against the side of the couch.

 Akime giggled. “Because that’s almost exactly what happened.” As the crinkles around her eyes smoothed away and her eyes fixed on him again, she explored his features, wondering why he didn’t remember her. Then again, he’d probably had a fair share of soul trades in his life. “We’ve met before, a few ages ago.” Her eyes ran down his swords, the desire to reach out and explore them sparkling deep in her eyes before being hidden hastily. “I got curious when I sensed your presence here again, I joined the Knights much later than you but in all those years I haven’t seen you around..” She saw no recognition in his eyes so she trailed off and gave him a hint. “You did me a favour before, at the end of the second Stygian war. You smuggled a soul for me, or perhaps you were just doing as Shard instructed. Do you remember now?” 

Revelation appeared in Lazarus eyes as it dawned on him who exactly was sitting on the couch. His body tensed for a second but if she meant him any sort of ill will it would have come out while he had no clue who she was. “Why in the world did you join the knights?” The question was strong and on the brink of outrage as he stared at her not comprehending what in the world was going on. It might have been a long time since he left Shard and a long time since he’d been imprisoned but this was something he’d never in his life expected to return to. Hazumi sitting on the couch in the Library of the Tower of stars. Lazarus blinked several times taking it all in. “The reason you haven't seen me is because I’m not a Knight, I stopped being Lazarus Master of Words years ago. Besides, it seems like he’s found himself a new and improved Master of Words and a Mistress of Sight to go along with that too. Lazarus frowned. “Why in the world are you here given how Shard treated you?” Peering into her face he searched for some sort of clue as to the answer.

His snappy tone startled her and reminded her that she was being a bit careless. Again, she was assuming too quickly that people she didn’t know well were friends on foes purely based on their affiliation. Her forward way of communication didn’t always go down well, which is why she appreciated having Ibuki around to reign her in when necessary. “How do you know how he treated me? Furthermore, why would it outrage you, he was more than fair given the circumstances.” She put her feet down and leaned forwards, resting her arms on her knees in an overall very manly stance and stared into his face. “You were a Master of Words? Wait, did he use those titles even back in [i]those[/i] days? Goodness, talk about ambition!” She paused again, running her eyes up and down his frame. He’d changed, and for the better, she thought. At least looks-wise. “So you’re not Lazarus anymore? And why are you here?” She cut to the chase. A small spark appeared in her eyes that could be interpreted as intrigue or maybe as hostility. 

“It was my job to know what Shard did. Yishreenok made a deal with Shard and I was part of it but it went both ways. I saw everything that happened in that room.” He frowned “and yes he did use the titles back in those days. I think they meant more when technology wasn't as present, but then again the titles meaning has probably changed with the times.” She was different, her eyes didn't gleam with war like they used to and she wasn't wearing the armor or any sort of weapon. “I most certainly am Lazarus, if anything I'm more so than ever.” What had changed her she seemed so different than the first time. “As to why I'm here it’s because Shard broke me out of the Twilight Prison.” He offered no more that that as an explanation.

She scoffed gently. He was speaking in riddles. How could someone be more themselves than ever? And what the hell had he done to end up in the Twilight prison? But most importantly…
 
“Do I need to worry about you? You said it yourself, you’ve been replaced. This is my territory now and I’ll protect it if I have to.” Okay, maybe she hadn’t changed all that much. This was clearly a provocation. 

Lazarus gave her a long look “Please. There is only room for one Avatar in the Knight’s Hierarchy, you are welcome to be part of it.” Lazarus sat back smugly, it was clear he wasn’t under any illusions about his current place. It was very apparent that Lazarus was a guest. It was only a question of how long he stayed.

Akime smiled at his smug look. Being dismissive about someone’s threat was a nice way of making them feel embarrassed and she liked the ease with which he’d switch the tables. Her threat had been half-hearted to begin with, but the grin that ensued was genuine. “Great!” She clasped her hands together. “Now that we have that cleared up, only two questions remain: do you want to be friends and do you care to join me for brunch?!”

The startled look was apparent as Lazarus eyed her suspiciously. “Is this some sort of test? Because the answer is probably yes and yes so long as you promise to not try and kill me.” He waited, she was far stranger than he had thought the first time they had met some many years ago and yet she was oddly appealing. Most people simply scurried and hid when the mortal conduit of Yishreenok’s power wandered by yet here she was. 

On her part, Akime found his calm and slightly suspicious demeanour oddly endearing. He reminded her of a cat, one that took it’s time to let people touch it, and that made him twice as interesting. “I don’t think I can kill you unless you let me.” She considered for a moment before continuing. “But I don’t think I have a reason to try. We started off on a good foot and I’ll never forget you helping me out that time. I would have gotten Amber’s soul one way or another but your generosity was more than I was hoping for. Besides, you didn’t get anything out of it, so if anything, I’m indebted to you. I’m not saying we’re gonna be best friends but at least I can treat you to a meal, right?” She smiled brightly, getting up and extending a hand to help him up.

Lazarus extended his hand and then hesitated. “Maybe I’d better not.” He gave her a sheepish look. “I don’t mean that as an offense but I’m not sure how much Yishreenok pays attention to me of late but unlike Shard I took my mantle as a service not as a birthright so IT can see through my eyes and I’m not sure touching you is a great plan. Since it might alert the Grand Lich.” Lazarus gave her a rueful half smile and stood up. It was really just paranoia, he was pretty sure that such a thing wouldn’t get Yishreenok’s attention but it was better safe than sorry. “Alright where are we going?” Picking up his sword he buckled them back onto his belt as he said it.

“Ugh.” Akime grimaced. “Must be unpleasant, sharing your eyesight with someone else. Then again…” She chuckled. “It might be a good way of punishing him, by staring at a dull picture of flowers and sunshine all day long.” She felt curious suddenly to ask what the god is like in Lazarus’ eyes and what their relationship is, and why Lazarus was imprisoned for so long but… later. All in due time. Patience, Cole always said. Then again, he was the one to talk….

Akime shook her head, returning to the here and now. “Unless your tastes now swing to raw hearts and baby hands, I recommend the ‘Lazy lamb’ in town. It’s not too far away and they make excellent fusion cuisine… have you ever tried fusion cuisine? It’s an overblown way of saying “mixing things from different places” and it works quite well in my opinion.”

Nodding Lazarus smiled “I can’t say I ever have and I’ll let you make the calls, my knowledge of Angel’s Landing is a little outdated to be honest.” Walking down the hallway Lazarus called the elevator and held it for Akime. Gesturing for her to enter before him. “You’ll have to be patient with me, it's been a while”

“I get that.” She smiled as she entered the elevator with a fleeting shadow of compassion in her gaze.

The trip to the restaurant was an interesting one in itself. The cityscape had changed in the past hundred years, the segregation in the society becoming more evident like a badly infected wound. The taxi hovered around the middle of the buildings that have become taller and more luxurious but at the same time its foundations had become hollower and darker than ever. Of course, this taxi was created with this in mind, the usual tempered glass floor that allowed passengers to feel like they’re floating, was replaced by a simple non-transparent polycarbonate one.  Still, looking down from the windows, one could see that slums had become even darker and more rotten than before. In contrast, the middle section of many of the buildings was open to the street, revealing cafes, restaurants and shops lined up by terraces and walkways lined with flowers and trees.
Yet one thing united them. Here and there one could spot the holes in the skyscrapers with no obvious pattern. Many of them were small, but some were bigger.
 
“The Stygian Blade have been active. This has allowed more petty criminals to execute their own Justice as well while the police are too busy trying to deal with the bigger issues. Some even openly assassinate people on the street or in closed-door venues. Where we’re going is safe though. There was an assassination attempt a month ago so it’s unlikely they’ll come back.” The driver glanced over his shoulder but didn’t say anything. Something about the man in the back seat was giving him the chills so he’d rather not prolong their trip.
 
The restaurant was named that for a reason. It wasn’t entirely what Lazarus had expected… whatever that was. There wasn’t a grand sign lading to it, no advertisements aside from the logo above the door saying Laz Sheep since one of the antique plastic letters had been smashed. Unlike most places in the city centre, Freeman street was populated by more shy establishments. They hid their faces and guests behind turning doors and their windows were tinted to prevent anyone from looking in. A worn-out menu tried to draw customers in, but the job was better done by a pretty girl wearing a lamb-like hat and beckoning people in by offering small samples. Inside, the modest exterior suddenly exploded in a splash of vivid colours. Two oversized cardboard cacti stood at the entrance. One had lost one of its “arms” and then regained it with the help of some duct tape. A banjo was conversing with a shamisen on one of the walls, next to it were two crossed guns from two separate continents. A big mosaic on the wall to the right depicted the union of gods and magic schools, surrounded by pictures of an ethnic family, the occasional celebrity spicing things up. Tables were scattered around the space with no seeming logic behind them, many chairs at odds with their neighbours. Boots lined up the walls, the old tables illuminated by fishtanks that played the role of walls, or sculpted bushes with intricate patterns cut into them. The whole place was surprisingly bright, illuminated by different coloured lights that made patches of colour dance around the tiles on the floor… and it was surprisingly empty. Only one table was occupied by a young couple who spared them no more than a glance as they entered.Or maybe it was unsurprising, given the restaurant’s recent history and over-the-top decor.
 
The hostess, however, was right at their side, smiling brightly and clasping her hands. She was old and half the size of Akime but her voice was loud and cheerful. “Table for two? Would you like a bush or a tank table?”
 
Akime looked at Lazarus. “You can pick. There’s an upstairs too.”

“Upstairs if you please.” Lazarus gave Akime another sheepish smile. “If I stay too long it might drive out any kind of business on the floor.” With that he gestured for the hostess to lead the way. “As for the table of choice I have no preference as I have no idea what either are.” 

“You’re not giving yourself enough credit.” Akime commented. “And she simply means you can choose if you want to sit between two dishes or two fishtanks. They always presume you want a booth if they have one free.” Akime explained as they followed the hostess upstairs. The old woman told them to take their time deciding, handed them two thick menus (one green and one orange one) and hurried downstairs. The upstairs was more modest, the only decorations here being the booth-walls and the occasional lucky bamboo or palm tree. 

And, of course, the centrepiece. In the middle of the room there were five life-size sheep-models. They were in various stages of jumping over a fence, with the last one laying on the grass, curled up like a cat. The sheep weren’t even very realistic, obviously representing the vision of a sculptor who hadn’t seen one up-close, but the set-up couldn’t have been sheep if only by virtue of the fact that three of them were floating above the ground. Even more unsettlingly, the one that was asleep had its chest rising and falling evenly. Sand covered most of the second floor, and it was deep enough to bury one’s feet in. It felt pleasantly warm to the touch. A long bar lined the façade-wall, which must have once been covered by window-planes but now was mostly concealed by rustling plastic sheets.
 
“This is where the shooting happened. You might be able to feel some of the blood that soaked in the sand but I can fix that if it bothers you?”

Lazarus shook his head as he took in the whole scene. It was fascinating to see how things had changed in his absence. The towns surrounding Angel’s Landing were nowhere near so metropolitan as this was. Infact some of the towns in Korvan and the southern provinces were actually closer to medieval in comparison to the tech of Angel’s landing. Lazarus scanned the menu without really looking. Recognizing next to nothing on the menu, he suspected it was because he recognized some of the cuisine from other places but it was becoming clear what Akime had meant by fusion. “I think I’ll have to go with whatever you go with since this is an entirely new experience for me.” Squinting at the plastic sheets he let his eyes cloud with quicksilver for a moment. Before he returned to the present. It was amazing what people would kill over. Infact, it was amazing how people really were so callous about killing.

Turning to Akime, Lazarus began to study her. She hadn’t exactly aged since the last time he’d met her but it was clear she had changed. “You never resurrected them did you?” The question just sort of slipped out. He could see the ghost marks around her. After saying it he averted his gaze, it was still new for him going back to interacting with semi normal people.

Shock painted her features at his question. She stared at him in disbelief for a few long moments before uttering a fragile “...what…?”

“Your..” He didn’t finish the sentence. “You have, Ghost marks. It’s what happens to the living when the dead linger around them. I’m sorry I can’t help but notice things like that, I didn’t mean to pry or anything but I just noticed cause I was taking a look at the whole shooting thing and...yeah…” He lapsed into silence. All too clear that he was well out of practice with talking to other people.

Akime stared at him for a few more seconds. Then she looked down, suddenly looking incredibly vulnerable. The world was spinning all of a sudden, past and present blending together in a dazzling fury of light and memories. She didn’t want to hide… but this was something she didn’t want to talk about. The dilemma twisted her stomach and suddenly she lost all her appetite.
 
“I…” She started but felt the words grating painfully against her throat. “..’scuse me.” She stood and hid in the restroom. 

Lazarus stared at the table top for a long moment. “Fuck…” The waitress didn’t approach as she saw the brooding look on his face and turned tail, fleeing back down the stairs.

Akime’s breaths came shallow and ragged and when she looked at herself in the mirror she realised she was almost blending in with the tiles behind her. She exhaled deeply, running a hand through her hair and resting her forehead against the cool glass of the mirror.
 
[i]Are you okay?[/i] Ibuki’s worried voice sounded in her head. [i]Yeah.[/i] She tried to sound convincing. One amber eye was staring back at her in the mirror. They said eyes are the only thing that doesn’t change from the time you’re an infant. But surely that was the only thing that hadn’t changed, right? She heaved a deep, shaky breath and closed her eyes. It didn’t matter, did it? He wasn’t the first to find out… But… she still felt violated and exposed. But then… since he’d already seen, there was no point in running anymore, was there? Akime took another deep breath, feeling like crying and cursing both.
 
“None of that. Get a grip and behave like the normal human being you are.” Ibuki’s voice sliced through her thoughts. Akime scoffed. “Human in the broad sense of the word.” There was a smile to his voice.
 
Then she shut her thoughts and emotions to him and straightened her back. When she went back, a faint smile twitched on her lips. After all, her reaction had been nothing short of hysterical and it was unwarranted… mostly.
 
“I’m sorry.” She apologized sincerely as she sat back down. “I’m not used to revealing my secrets and regrets on a first date…” She remembered how the first time they met, he saw clear judgment in her eyes and she hadn’t even attempted to hide it. Now that she indirectly felt like he was doing the same, she had to admit he’d taken it better than her.  

“That’s okay it wasn’t polite to do what I did I was just taking a peek at something unrelated and I noticed.” Lazarus shrugged. “You may have to call our waiter back i think I scared her away.” Tactfully Lazarus steered the subject away from the outburst. It wasn’t like he really needed to know any of the reasons it was just a curiosity question really.

[i]Best to avoid that at least for now[/i] 

Something suddenly dawned on Lazarus about the words that had come out of Akime’s mouth. He sat there slack jawed for a moment before he snapped his jaw closed. “We’re…..on a date?” She was probably teasing but it was always best to check. Especially given how many social norms had probably come in and out of fashion in the last hundred years or so. 

He scared the waitress away? What, already? And she had a pathetic panic attack caused by a single innocent question? Akime shook her head mentally. They were both such a sorry mess…
 
Then came the question. Was that a date? Now [i]that[/i] brought some blood back to her face. “Em… no… I mean.” An awkward smile and she even managed to meet his eyes for a second. “No offence, it’s just.. force of habit. Despite my best attempts, everyone still remembers my very first nickname so I tend to joke about it. Every time I’m out with a male companion, I call it a date. And sometimes with women too.” A weak chuckle. “If they’re gonna assume they know me, might as well have some fun winding them up.” She finished, burying her toes in the sand.

This seemed to relax Lazarus as it was clear that she had been infact joking about it. “Good to know, I was going to say that might be a bit of a stretch for us right out of the gate like that.” Lazarus picked up the menu giving himself something to do. It had been actual centuries since he’d had anything resembling a date. So probably best not to lead out with something like that. “Sorry about the waitress thing, it's sort of hard to control. You know how Shard does the whole ‘Avatar of Storms’ thing? He doesn’t actually do that on purpose.” Lazarus continued to scan the menu, “It’s a function of the mantle, it reacts to our emotions which is why the whole storm clouds and feeling of death thing happens when you piss us off.”

“Oh really?” She asked, the old curiosity sneaking into her. “I can imagine that has its own drawbacks.” If anything, it must be hard to hide your own emotions when you don’t want them seen. What could make you want to do that to yourself? Akime wasn’t a shy person but she was somewhat secretive when it came to her own feelings and putting them on display sounded odd/ She wanted to ask Lazarus so many things. Why did he choose to become an Avatar of death, what it entailed, why he got imprisoned. All things she couldn’t ask. Finding a safe path along this conversation, littered with traps for both sides to fall in, was going to be a lot trickier than she’d expected. But then again, no effort was ever wasted. “And I always thought Chris, I mean Shard was just showing off.” She stood up. “How about I go order us something to eat after all and then you can tell me how you and Shard met.”

She came back not a minute later with two tall glasses full of a milky-green substance and decorated with mint leaves. Passing one to him, she explained it’s a green-tea milkshake.

Lazarus nodded at that giving her a grateful smile. “It can be a problem yes but it is largely the rest of our emotions remain hidden. It happens for things like anger mostly, sadness, and occasionally surprise. As far as Christian and I go. Well, I killed a Lich by the name of Thomas Pavaine a very long time ago, in the process I gained the attention of Yishreenok. Before that I was an alchemist for the Blackened Throne, the lord of Korvan at the time tasked me with clearing the Black which is a massive forest in Korvan. After I killed him the Avatar of Death appeared to me channeling Yishreenok. As a result I was given the mantle of a necromancer. When Shard came looking for Thomas I had taken the phylactery and was studying it. This was prior to the war when we met; he offered me a job and I took him up on the offer. That was how I met Shard. So...why did you end up at the Tower?” Lazarus folded his hands in front of himself to keep from rubbing them together.

Akime listened, appreciating the small lecture like a rare flower you didn’t expect to find. To suddenly find a question you’ve never asked before and find out the answer straight after was a very satisfying feeling indeed. 

“Hmm, so you’ve always been on the front lines, more or less.” She took a sip and wondered what his life had been as a royal alchemist. Would he have had a family, a wife and friends or was he the studious type who had no time to mess about like that? Did he lust for the power he received or did he reluctantly accept it? Was he like the fae, just a speck caught up in the storm of power and influence or was he a master of his own fate. And was Christian looking for powerful artefacts sensing that a war was brewing? Maybe one day she’d ask all that. 

“I think it was an interesting string of events how I ended up joining.” She admitted, taking another long sip. “For one, since I was exiled I’d never truly been able to settle anywhere. I dealt with my anger by joining any war or conflict currently plaguing the world and I was at it for almost a thousand years.. Then a very close friend, the one whose soul you gave me, was killed in battle and that changed a lot. She was truly innocent and idealistic and the way she perished without having realised any of her grand plans struck me as an utter waste.Thus when I resurrected her, I forbid her to fight. But… like any teenager she acted out and it took a lot of persistence to convince her there must be other ways of helping people than sowing death…. and to figure them out for myself. Eventually, we promised each other that none of us will kill again unless absolutely necessary and that we wouldn’t join any wars henceforth. So we started travelling. Then we met lady Raven Marrowblade, who turned out to be in love with no other than Shard. She told me quite a bit about him and thus changed my perception of him. He had offered me to join him shortly after I paid-off my debt, you see. When I met him next, I viewed his offer to join the Tower as an offer of shelter and a home and not a cage and leash. Unfortunately Amber still can’t forgive him which is why we can’t take permanent residence there but I keep an eye on it no matter where I am.” She smirked, looking into her beverage. “We’ve all been young and foolish, I suppose. We can only hope that with age and experience we can turn our mistakes into something positive and teach others not to make them.” She looked up to him and scoffed with a shy smile. “And I’m sorry how I treated you the first time we met. I’d like to hope I’m not so prone to killing anyone who looks at me funny anymore. You’re welcome to try.” 

The waitress came and brought their breakfast then. It looked like a burger with a thin slice of chicken breast instead of the beef and a thick knot of roasted noodles with broccoli instead of the bread. On top of it all was perched an egg Benedict and some curry-like sauce. 

Akime took a bite from her odd burger, pointing the fork to the centerpiece of the room, steering the conversation down a more lighthearted path. “I never got to ask the ice-breaker question. Why do you think this hideous thing is here? Do you think it’s just bad taste or is there more to it?” 

“Don’t they call that artwork nowadays?” Lazarus started eating before actually considering the food for a moment “I would also call [i]this[/i] artwork with the same condescending tone.” A smile lingered on Lazarus lips at that. “And to be honest I thought you were rather justified with your attitude to be honest.” Lazarus continued to eat at an alarming rate consuming the entirety of the meal in between comments.

This was probably the first time he had anything with taste to it in several hundred years as a result even his comment about it being art was really meant as a conversation piece. She really had changed since the last time, although it was interesting to hear anything about her past. It might be a bit too private of a question but something she said had snagged on his own sense of curiosity. “Wait what do you mean exiled? You’re True Fae, I thought that you would have had your own realm?” Confusion was written across Lazarus face as he continued to think about it.  “Actually of all the questions I actually have to ask you I’m most curious as to where you came from [i]before[/i] I met you; come to think of it...does Shard even know?” 

Lazarus continued to appraise her, as much as he’d have preferred to simply look at her as she was beyond beautiful but now he was searching for something else. Why [i]was[/i] Yishreenok after her? At Least in the vaguest sense of the word; since he had yet to receive an order or summons to find her. So much death, was that the real reason that Yishreenok was interested in her? It just seemed so simple of a reason and yet that was the most apparent one for it; what made her different?

“I don’t think they’ve ever called this art in any age or place. My best guess is that the owner won it in a bet or that it was made by his children.” Akime giggled and then eyed him curiously as he literally consumed the whole burger whole. It was reassuring that he seemed to appreciate it despite its oddity. It felt good to know that she could make his re-entering on the social scene at least a bit easier. After all, you could tell that his ordeal had taken a toll on him when you looked at the wrinkle between his brows and the pale complexion of his face. She remembered him smiling the first time they met and had the sudden urge to lure that smile out again. It was there for sure, the smirk and the jesting were just the foreshadowing of it. She wanted to see it.
 
“Shard probably knows.” She nodded, looking back down to her plate. “At least partially. He knows I didn’t grow up in Galendar and I remember one of his thugs—pardon, mercenaries, calling me the “Bloody one”. That’s why I assumed he’d made my background known to all of you.” She looked at Lazarus again and couldn’t help but smile, thinking back to that day. He’d been the one good thing about it all. “I was born and raised in Hell, in a small state called Zentra. It was conquered by its neighbour Ssakr. After an unsuccessful marriage to the prince and his untimely demise I was banished and haven’t looked back since. That’s another thing that’s made settling pretty hard, aside from the fact that my ill fame escaped Hell with me. But I was normal before that. I didn’t even know what a “true fae” is before I came here as my tutors didn’t deem it essential knowledge. Just being born something doesn’t make you that and if I have my own realm, it’s something I’ve never felt for myself. Maybe one day it will come to me but for now, I’m well and truly stuck in this one.” She grinned. “Not that I’m complaining, it’s not all bad. So… you can decide not to answer if you don’t want to, but how about you? Don’t you miss your own home? The people you left behind?” 

Lazarus sat enthralled by her narrative, there were certainly more questions to ask such as why things were unsuccessful with her marriage and why she was banished because of it. Lazarus frowned, it was certainly unusual for a denizen of Hell to leave, but what made it even more unusual was the fact that she was a True Fae. He was highly tempted to ask which of her parents was an Angel, but decided against it. “Don’t have a clue; I’m missing a big chunk of my memories. There is a type of death magic that erases personality. While I was fighting Thomas I got hit by an erasure spell and it wiped everything prior to my time just preceding my journey to the Black. When Christian found me I wasn’t sure why I should return after I’d made a pact with Yishreenok. So I turned my back and never looked back; silly maybe but at the time It was either go through the pain of finding anyone who would have cared about me and trying to explain to them that they mean nothing to me now, or go with the Avatar of Storms and start over. As you can tell I took the second option.” 

Lazarus frowned settled in even more as he stared at the mint milkshake. “I know it seems weird; like why wouldn’t I want to know more about anyone I left behind? I’ve just never felt the need to do that.” [i]Why am I telling her this?[/i] With a sigh Lazarus sat back in the seat. “Sorry, just because I’m the Avatar of death doesn’t mean I have too be morbid right? After all we are what we choose right?” The ghost of a smile came back as he gave her a look that said he was joking about her being a True Fae and yet clearly not.

Akime gave him a long, serious stare. Then remembered to return the smile. “I suppose in a way it’s better that way. After all, for some things you just have to follow your heart.” Sadness appeared in her eyes as she removed them from him. She remembered how she wanted to discard her own memories and the guilt… she’d even found a few methods but never actually went all the way. She’d chosen to live with her grief… but admittedly, sometimes she regretted it.
 
“So…” her eyes rose again. “The avatar of death... how did that happen. I mean, are you happy with your life as it is now? What are your hopes for the future?” A thought occurred to her and she couldn’t help but laugh. She leaned over the table, her hair curling on the table in a soft spiral. Dangerously close to the milkshake. “I’m sorry, this is sounding more and more like an interview now. It’s just… for a person who should be my mortal enemy you’re surprisingly likeable. I thought the Avatar of Death would be my complete opposite yet here we are.” She shrugged. 

Lazarus snorted at the mortal enemy comment. “Would it make you feel better if I leapt over the table and tried to kill you?” He leaned in to match her lean. Resting his arms on the table and propping his chin in his hand. “It’s a pain honestly, I really don’t DO all that much. Largely I’m free to do whatever the hell I want since typically Yishreenok doesn’t do too much either. Occasionally I have to go kill someone who isn’t a necromancer but has power over life and death.” Lazarus paused and gave her a teasing look. “But then again...You’re kinda pretty so I’ll let it slide.” His face had split into a huge grin at the comment. This was fun and it was about damn time that he had some of that. Between prison and all the wars and one thing after another Galendar hadn’t been good to him for the larger part of his life. Finally he found someone to joke with and yet it was dangerous because what if Yishreenok did decide it wanted Akime to die? Stifling the train of thought he pushed it away. [i]I’m going to cross that bridge if we come to it.[/i]

“Shard killed him, the previous Avatar of Death I mean, I inherited the Mantle.” Lazarus waited to see her response to Shard killing yet another person. 

Akime felt for him as his job description sounded more boring than it ought to be for someone with such a high and mighty title. Seems like it was more trouble than it was worth, if all it got you was a reason to be imprisoned by the Twilight council and no clear daily duties. Then again, maybe that was the true essence of power. There were those living on the lower steps of life who were prisoners of routine, and those who don’t even fit on the staircase and get to do what they want. Whether they were blessed or cursed to have to create a path for themselves, was a matter of perspective.  
 
The woman laughed at his compliment, her cheeks blushing slightly. Her eyes lit up as he grinned and her lips stretched further. The comment about his attempting to kill her was amusing but void; he wouldn’t be the first to attempt it, nor the last. If anything, it would be interesting to see him try. Perhaps even a bit scary? Looking at his face she couldn’t imagine any interaction that wasn’t enjoyable, though, and god knows where a fight could lead as well?
 
Just as some indecent thoughts started creeping in, Lazarus changed the topic again. Or had this always been the topic? She smirked, pleased that her connection with Ibuki had been temporarily cut. He didn’t enjoy such thoughts.
 
“Shard has killed more than we can count, hasn’t he? As a force of nature, it’s only natural I suppose. I can’t hold a personal grudge anymore, I understand that it’s not a matter of choice as much as a necessity to you Avatars.” She leaned back, pulling the straw to her lips again.  “The only question that remains is if you’re still holding on to your identity throughout your service and it seems to me there’s plenty of humanity left in both of you still. Once that is gone, I see nothing wrong with disposing of the husks of the people you once were. After all, your only remaining natural predators are the likes of you or people of your calibre, of which there are few. I don’t suppose you disapproved yourself, did you?”

It was strange seeing her blush at the compliment; he wasn’t use to seeing such a response from a woman. While it hadn’t been uncommon for him to indulge during the war he’d never bothered to court all that much. For a moment he considered the possibility of having to fight her, it would probably be less than enjoyable. Would he even consider doing it? 

Since his thoughts kept returning to it Lazarus finally considered the possibility of Yishreenok telling him to kill her. Lazarus considered it for a long moment; could he do it? Finally he settled on his answer and that was enough as he went back to listening to her. It was strange to listen to her talk about Shard, especially since the first time she had been pissed about him and now she was at the very least friendly with him now. 

“Yeah, he really is a force of nature isn’t he?” Lazarus considered it, strange really. Was it because Shard was an Avatar? That didn’t really seem right for some reason, “I think it is more than that with Shard; maybe it's because of what he is. You’ve seen him in his natural state I assume?” Lazarus smiled up at her, she probably had but it was at least worth asking. “And for the record no; I didn’t disapprove of the killing. Azorian was on an absolute tear at the time, the collection of souls I was doing was a sham. The Avatar was taking them and using them to build an army. So Yishreenok decided to ask Shard to help since Azorian was such an ancient Avatar and Shard had a God weapon. So in the end I helped and we brought Azorian down. The result was my ascendence.” Lazarus swirled his milkshake using the straw. His thoughts swirling like the melting green liquid, it was rather strange really here she was. Realistically one of the only beings that Yishreenok probably cared about and he was going to sit and talk to her. “Thank you.”

“His “natural state” is one of the most unnatural things I’ve seen.” Akime giggled. “I’m kind of happy that there aren’t many men as fearsome and powerful as he is.” She commented, then sat and listened to Lazarus’ story. It captured her imagination, even though it was just a sketch and she wanted to find out more. Of course, there were ways to see that vision…. But he’d refused to even touch her so if she wanted to peek into his memories she’d probably have to steal a little of his essence instead. He might not appreciate that.. but the temptation was there. Back in the castle she’d often been greedy for more, plain words never quite cutting it when actual memories were on offer. She’d violated more than one servant’s memory and even a few generals’.
 
Her eyebrows shot up as he thanked her. Then her expression relaxed into a smile. “You’re welcome. I appreciate good company and you’ve not disappointing. Would you like seconds or are we ready to leave?”

He looked up at her “I think I’m good on seconds.” Studying her face for a moment he tilted his head. “I see those questions in your eyes. What do you want to ask?” It was an open invitations since it was clear that when he talked it wasn’t always the whole story but just enough to make her want to ask more about it.  Maybe he’d done it on purpose, after all it was nice to have someone pay attention from time to time. As he let her think he turned to look out the window at Angel’s Landing. The skyline had certainly changed over the years. He wasn’t sure if it was for the better but the people had certainly changed as well. If Akime was any indication of that then he was sure to find plenty of other interesting people. Turning back he gave her an encouraging smile. “I promise I won’t bite, don’t miss your opportunity thinking too long what it is you want to ask” clearly teasing he settled in with a smug grin on his face as he awaited her question of choice.

She seemed surprised at first before deciding to match his expression. It was a poor attempt, not because she couldn’t pull it off but because right now her curiosity was quickly shining through without much reservation.
 
“Do I only get one?” She couldn’t hold back the grin. “Okay then…. How did that fight go?  And how many other influential people have you taken care of? Brag a little, I see you want to.” She teased, her aura suddenly expanding to twice its original size. It crept towards him like a hand sliding over the table and stopped a centimetre from his face, an ethereal silvery shimmer in the air. “You can tell me, or you can show me. Would you dare?”  

Lazarus smiled at that and looked at her aura through his magic sight. “The real question is do you dare?” This was all kinds of dangerous but at this point Lazarus didn’t see any reason to hold back. If Yishreenok wanted her then this was the best opportunity ever. If not then it would confirm Lazarus’ sneaking suspicion that for whatever reason Ysihreenok really didn’t care all that much.

“I’m not the one worried about what the gods think. The only thing that matters is me and you.” The grin widened and her aura closed in. It cupped his face like gentle palms and then went through his skin, slowly, attentively. It smelled of something sweet, an exotic flower planted on temple grounds and used for worship for generations, and of fresh grass and subdued fires and again, not quite either. Akime reached out and grabbed his hand, for reassurance more than anything, as she peered into his soul. 

Shifting forward to meet it Lazarus collected up her other hand and gave in a gentle squeeze as he felt the aura meet his. It was her, wrapped up neatly in a single feeling and scent; there was certainly nothing more appropriate he could think of as he relaxed the wards around his soul. 

If Shard’s soul was like a storm then Lazarus’ was like being plunged under a river that had long since frozen over and never bothered to thaw. Raw power tugged at the edges of Akime’s aura threatening to submerge her for an eternity below the icy surface of Lazarus’ essence. As it tugged her deeper into the dark it became clear that this was the mantle as something warm brushed against her aura; it was like waking up cold and afraid in bed only to have your lover tug you back under the covers. The scent that rose to meet her was that of a forest on the edge of a distant ocean. Salt hung in the air but the press of wood and water waded in on the ocean tang as she finally met the aura covered by his icy mantle. 

Akime smiled. The initial alarm she felt had subsided and now she could enjoy the whole array of his essence. The scent of pines and bark and the sea in all its beauty…. Her aura snuggled closer to his, enjoying the ethereal embrace.

With a tug it shifted to bring the memory forward. It was a mire that stretched on for hundreds of miles in all directions. A constant drizzle fell over the whole area and a large roar resounded in the sky [i]she[/i] had been on the monsters trail for days now- a skip and she could see a figure wrapped in an old ragged cloak plunging further forward into the muck of what was now a swarm. The warm rain continued on end. They called one city in Shadowmarch the drowning city because of the incessant rain. The Dragon roar was closer this time; [i]she[/i] could feel it in her chest as she slogged after the figure- another skip. Magic, the air was thick with it. Scattered corpses and bones littered the swamp around [i]her[/i], cuts and burns covered [i]her[/i] arms and chest and it felt like [i]her[/i] lungs had been squeezed. The figure was dead, floating face down in the water with a spear of lightning sticking from his back. Shard grabbed the spear and tugged it out of the dead Avatars back. A black energy began to bleed out of the man slithering across the water. Plants, insects, animal, anything living and close enough to be touched by it died as it slithered across the water. It wrapped around [i]her[/i] ankles and surged up [i]her[/i] body plunging into [i]her[/i] heart. It was like drowning, drowning in the awesome power of death itself. 

 And like that it was over.

She gasped and recoiled before composing herself. Her eyes focused on the present as she pulled her aura back slightly but still lingering around his. “Well then…” She smiled. “…that was a new experience. Not entirely pleasant, I have to admit. Any other visions you want us to share?” Her heart was pounding but there was a warmth left behind that she didn’t necessarily want to lose. It had been quite a few years since she’d been allowed so close to someone and it felt like a bad drug. And even when she had, it was rarely so oddly pleasant. Welcoming… It was an interesting cocktail of emotions, the bitterness of the memory itself and the warmth of Lazarus’ own attitude. “I appreciate your honesty.” She let out a small breath, still somewhat shaken. “I feel like I should repay you somehow...?”

Lazarus smiled at the question. “Tempted are we?” The smile said he knew he’d caught her. “If you feel like braving it again I have something else to show you. Not nearly as relevant to anything we’ve been talking about but it might interest you.” Lazarus held out his hand again, offering the way to another instance of memory. “And as for repaying me you could always spend more time with me. I’ve been bored out of my mind in the tower lately and this has been a nice change of pace.” It had been strangely pleasant having her share the memory with him, while he’d never done anything else like it but it had been pleasant.

Akime nodded, a grin slowly spreading her lips. “Gladly!” She said genuinely and gripped his hand again, her essence washing over him in a warm wave. She didn’t specify in what sense she said it. She didn’t have to.

This time Lazarus drew her right through his mantle like his aura swept her off her feet and carried her right through the freezing river which covered his soul. This time [i]she[/i] stood on a sea cliff looking over a rock littered cove. A massive ship was impaled upon the rocks, long since left to rot on the spires of rock rising from the ocean. With a heave of power the ship shifted and moved, but it wasn’t a kinetic magic. It was necromancy. Death magic poured into the ship as the ship shifted off the rocks. The water rose to meet it as the holes in the ship sealed themselves and the ship settled on the ocean. 

The vision ended slowly as Lazarus released Akime’s aura gently, lingering on the contact. His face was a smug grin as he let the vision and the implications of what he had done settle in. Still smiling he waited for the response. Hands still gently holding hers.


It took a few seconds to completely shake the vision off. The colours were so vivid and every inch of the hull and mast had been saturated with crisp detail. The way the holes simply shrunk as wood rose from the sea bed to restore the ship’s original shape, the way the sails seemed to grow out of thin air like a flower bud going into full bloom… It was amazing. Sure, she could animate objects and juggle with souls but this was entirely different. It was almost like defying time itself.
 
“Lazarus…” She stared into his eyes, half-dazed and half-amused. “You’re making it very hard to let go of your hand.” She admitted. And that was a dangerous thing because in the past she had wanted to keep people close to her forever, and she had managed to imprison their souls within her own. It wasn’t something she could easily forgive herself, even though the compulsion was still there at times. She looked down and retrieved her hand and her essence. “I never knew necromancy could be so… beautiful.” She tried to sound lighthearted despite the growing unease. Inside, her essence was rearing up, greedy to take more than it should. “But… considering you’re Ysihreenok’s avatar, what would happen to you if he suddenly retracted his power? If he starts disapproving, what would happen to you?”

Contemplating for a moment he tapped the table. “I’m not sure he can.” This was certainly an odd statement but it was more or less the truth. “I mean considering that I’ve been in the Twilight Prison for so long and yet he still didn’t remove the mantle?” More finger tapping followed, the heat from her hands still lingering on his as he ran his hands over each other. “The other question to consider is why would he have needed Shard and I to kill his previous Avatar. I mean I know I inherited the mantle which means he has a lot more control than if I had taken it but still. I’m not sure he can.” continuing to think he looked back up at her “Why do you ask?”

“I’m just worried. I don’t like to think of people having power over my friends.” She shrugged, playing with her straw. It was funny, now none of them was quite sure what to do with their hands. “I mean, I suppose technically we’re all more or less at the mercy of nature, time, death and such, and perhaps even the gods… but I like to think we each have our individual freedom and independence as well. Clerics, Avatars, Mantles… those are things I don’t completely understand and in a way they scare me.” She went quiet, considering the possibilities. She wasn’t quite aware of how the gods and avatars worked but if Lazarus was allowed to take the mantle from the previous avatar, then Ysihreenok either couldn’t stop it from happening, or approved of it. In the first case there was probably no reason to worry as it meant that once separated from the him, the god had no reign over the power of an avatar. And yet she couldn’t shake the troubling sight of that dark power slithering across the swamp to enter his body. It reminded her too much of a parasite that was moving from host to host, leaving nothing but a trail of death behind. She glanced up at him again, this time weary. If he was being puppeted by the god, then she should be cautious about how close she lets him. Not because she feared death, her time was long overdue, but because the thought of it taking her loved ones away was unimaginable. 

But then, looking at his face she couldn’t deny she felt worried about him as well. More worried than she should be, given that she barely knew him. [i]He’s just a man.[/i] a small voice told her, but the memory of his essence was speaking louder. It had opened up to her, embraced her in a way very few people had. To be pulled in was a completely different feeling than to be pushed away. And it wasn’t one she’d experienced often. 

She let out a long, defeated sigh and played with the sand around her toes to distract herself. Her mind was saying “stay away” but her heart disagreed. She had a hunch one of them had already won.