Helo

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Forests outside Roshmi City
Interactions: Cora @Potter, Elsea @Tae, Umber @FunnyGuy

Cade grinned proudly as Elsea thanked him for the food. “Of course I enjoy a good early morning hunt, best way to start the day.” He said greeting the second human as she joined them as well. While he ate, Cade listened as Cora listed off several strangely named places from Earth, though he understood none of it. Her claim of being from the future was very strange, humans from different places certainly made sense but from different times was a lot to think about. If she came from the ancestors who were Ayita’s enemy was she an enemy too? Cade was certain if he met an Orc from the future that he would also consider that his enemy, but humans seemed a much more complex race than Orcs and he knew nothing about conflicts from Earth. He remembered hearing that Ayita’s lands had been burned, and he had seen Cora casually playing with fire in the palm of her hand. Was that just the human getting used to her magic, or something more sinister? The destructive nature of the white tribe whose motives had been as dark as the lich himself. Would she too burn the forests of Avalia for greed and power?

Watching as Cora tried to hide the obvious disgust at the meat, he found it difficult to imagine her being as evil as those Ayita had described. Cade had listened to Cora speak with a willingness to lay down her life for the same cause he believed in. Cade studied Cora for a moment; he thought on her statement of having been alone on Earth, and the pain hidden in those words, and he couldn’t see her as an enemy. He knew he was with these humans for a reason, they were who Avalia chose as her champions and he was meant to help them. While he knew much less of Elsea than he did of Cora, it occurred to him that all the humans brought here were alone, separated from their own tribes or families. When Cade had traveled with Ayita and Sakura they had all looked out for and cared for each other, much like a tribe. He decided these humans needed that too, all the humans now in Avalia likely would, no matter what place or time from Earth they came from.

Before Elsea had the chance to respond to Cora’s question something shifted in the air. Cade had an immediate feeling that something was off and as a gust of wind rustled through the leaves he jumped up, hackles raised and his ears flattened against his head. Cade made a low, guttural growl, his lips curling to expose his teeth as he searched for the source of the noise expecting a threat but instead he saw Ayita and stopped. Cade stood shocked and confused as she shouted at him, claiming a betrayal. Cade didn’t understand what was happening, Ayita at the ball had told him to get these humans to safety, but before he had the chance to respond she was running off into the woods. How had she even known about Cora and why was Sakura not with her as well?

”Ayita!” Cade shouted at the image as she ran from the edge of the camp. Cade started to follow but stopped, he couldn’t leave the other humans alone. ”Come, we have to follow her.” He added to both Cora and Elsea who seemed concerned with something else entirely. He couldn’t understand why they were not already ready to chase after Ayita, did they not understand that it was dangerous for humans to be alone here?

Ember Grove - Reboot

Time: Evening
Location: Wandering Ember Grove being the Pet Detective
Interaction with: Alexander Drake @FunnyGuy

Though Noah tried to sleep away what remained of the daylight hours he remained restless. The little sleep he had managed to get remained haunted by the dream vision the rooftop witch had forced upon him. His mind still lingered on the nightmare of being stalked, being caged, being prey, and of coming face to face with the better Noah. The version expected of him, the perfect monster he was meant to be and that some small trace of his human life held him back from. Noah lacked the patience for time to wash away the remnants of humanity, he needed to become better now. Even as he woke and the dreams left the feeling they gave still lingered. He was still failing. He hadn’t found Shay or caught a hint of the witch, and he had gotten nothing useful from the rooftop witch. While the bruising around his eye had healed during his nap the lack of depth perception reminded him of that failure. There would be time enough later to repay the rooftop witch, for now Noah focused his energy on Shay.

He was finding his first plan, tracking and torturing witches until he found a useful one, was going far too slow. He would keep leaving messages around town, not because it was working, but it was fun. Still he needed something more. It occurred to Noah that he had been looking at the problem all wrong, it wasn’t just that Drake needed the witch found, but his master had lost his pet. For once Noah found the human memories to be useful, he too had once lost his pet. When Noah was ten the family cat had run off, and his mother had helped him put missing posters all around town. He remembered several people calling the house about the cat, and eventually it had worked. So Noah made a flyer, he had no pictures of the witch to use so he did his best to jot down what he could remember regarding her appearance. Missing, the flyer read in big bold letters, followed a brief description of the witch, and at the bottom, his cell phone number. He thought about it for a second, then added ‘reward for any information’ followed by some dollar signs.

Noah used the public library to print off hundreds of copies of the flyer. Noah and a handful of other vampires spent hours putting those flyers up everywhere. They were taped or nailed to signs, utility polls, trees, anywhere they could. They plastered them onto the walls of buildings, stuck them in the wiper blades of cars, and shoved them into mailboxes. The downtown area, the airport and bus station, and especially the local campus were completely littered with them. The majority of Ember Grove would see them, if Noah couldn’t find Shay he would at least make it far more difficult to hide. Maybe he would catch her trail from it or maybe it would apply enough pressure that she’d get sloppy. He was sure it would at the very least make his hunt more interesting, and if nothing came of it, at least it was something better to do.

Noah was hard at work putting up his flyers, when a scent that emanated from an alleyway drew him in. It was a fascinating mixture of both things he found foul and sweet; blood and burnt flesh mixing with the scent of horribly musky animal. The inside of the alley contained a stunning work of art, blood and chunks of burnt carcass splattered across all surfaces in a Jackson Pollock-like mess. Noah recognized the animal smell, only one creature smelled that repulsive, and to see what had been made of the werewolf put a grin on Noah’s face. It looked like something had torn the foul beast from the inside out, and the remains of something that reminded him of static that clung to the air made Noah suspect a witch. He felt a slight sense of disappointment to have missed running into the witch; he would’ve liked to watch a werewolf explode. He lingered at the brutal scene among the small crowd that watched as the towns authorities tried to keep them back while they investigated.

Before he continued on Noah used his phone to snap a quick picture of the alleyway. It occurred to him that something like this might be of interest to Drake so he sent his boss a series of text messages. The first read ‘no luck finding shay...yet’ followed by a frown emoji. Then another text, ‘but working on it, found this in an alley’ with a grin emoji and Noah attached the picture he’d taken. And another text that read ‘smells like werewolf, looks like soup’ with a crying laughing emoji. Followed by a final ‘thought that might interest you’ and a thumbs up emoji. Noah slipped the phone back into the pocket of his stolen jacket, his mood brightened by the beautiful scene in the alleyway and continued back on his mission to track down Shay.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Forests outside Roshmi City
Interactions: Cora @Potter

Cade was relieved to find that Cora neither thought he was crazy or wrong for bringing up such a dark topic. For someone who, by her own words, had not experienced war or even hunted, he was surprised at how much like a warrior she spoke. He did not doubt that she meant what she said, and he nodded in agreement; it was better to die fighting than to simply not try. “Avalia chose well in bringing you here. Some believe that the DROMs are simply random, but I doubt that. I think Avalia, the very soul of this place, chooses her heroes carefully. The humans who came here long ago were great heroes, we have stories and songs to honor them. Perhaps one day people will tell stories and sing of our bravery as well.” Cade said with a smile as he retrieved the gamey rodent meat from the fire.

“Do you not come from a tribe? It is both like a community and a family…” Cade began explaining what a tribe was confused by her question from early. Then it occurred to him that perhaps she wanted to know about the tribe Ayita was from rather than not understanding the word itself. “Ayita, the first human I met, shared stories from her tribe, about their lands in the plains and mountains and the sorts of creatures they would hunt. She also told me of her tribe’s enemy, white men, who destroyed these lands, motivated by greed and power not unlike the lich who rules here. From what you have shared, your home sounds different. You have no need to hunt and have not been to war, are you from a great city? Like Roshmi? Are you of the noble class to have your food farmed and prepared for you?” Cade asked.

From the little Cora had shared about her experience on Earth it sounded very different from what he had heard so far and he found himself intensely curious about what the cities on Earth must be like. Were they as impressive as Roshmi? Cora herself was interesting as well, neither a hunter or warrior by trade, but still so willing to fight. It was a vastly different outlook from the majority of those he knew in Roshmi. So many creatures here had allowed city life to make them soft, willing to live with tyranny rather than take the risk to fight for something better. He didn’t see how it could be just mere luck that the very best of humanity was often who stepped through the DROMs. Cade offered the freshly cooked meat to Cora atop a large leaf to use as a plate, then grabbed one for himself, and left a third for Elsea as well. He could tell Cora looked much less excited about the breakfast than he was, and grinned slightly. “Not as grand as the feast from the ball but it is certainly better than eating cave bugs.” He added, teasing the human.

Cade was using a lot of his self control to keep from overwhelming the human with questions. While there were dozens of things he still wanted to know about Earth and what it was like, more than certain that many if not all of her answers would be different from Ayita’s, they needed to eat quickly so that they could get moving. Questions could always be asked later as they traveled and he wanted to cover as much ground as possible and get as far away from Roshmi as they could before they would need to rest again. Cade tore into his own portion of meat quickly, even though the food at the ball had been good he much preferred this. He could hunt it himself and he didn’t have to use the silly cutlery that the elves liked so much to eat it with.

Ember Grove - Reboot

Time: Evening
Location: Alleyway and then Alexei’s
Interaction with: Vivian

“Brother Elias, has the lost sheep finally returned to the flock?” A voice asked as two men approached, one on each side of him. While the tone sounded friendly Eli knew better than to expect a warm welcome from these two.

“Did you really think you could come back here and we wouldn’t take notice?” The other voice on his right asked, this voice was harsh and honest. It lacked the forced warmth and veneer of beveloance that the other man liked to maintain.

Eli didn’t need to look at either man to know who they were, Levi and Isaac. Two of Father Xavier’s most zealous followers and their appearance was not a good sign for him. Ironic, as there was a time when he considered the two of them to be his closest friends. “Mac sold me out?” He asked, his surprise not well hidden. He tried to keep himself relaxed even as every instinct he had from hunting screamed danger. He took a long drag on his cigarette just on the off chance that it was one of his last but rationally he doubted Xavier would have him killed in the middle of the streets. At least not by those who were among his less expendable.

“No, we’ve been keeping a close eye on you. Father Xavier really hates to lose a member of his congregation. By our accounts, you’ve been in town for a while now and every Sunday we don’t see you we start to ask questions.” Levi said. His friendly tone continued paired with a smile and hollow eyes.

“We can’t help but wonder if you’ve lost your way.” Isaac added, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

“It’s a small town, I think I can find my way just fine.” Eli said before taking another hit from his cigarette. The glib remark slipping out before he had a chance to think better of it. As soon as the words left his mouth he felt the cigarette being snatched from his lips and pressed into the side of his neck. As Levi casually flicked the remnants of the cigarette away Isaac sent a sharp hit to his ribs. “I’m due back at work, they’ll notice if I don’t get back soon.” Eli added, showing little reaction to the pain. Escalating this wouldn’t help, he could run but he had little doubt they’d find him again, it really was a small town.

“Relax, we’re just here to talk. You work at Alexei’s, serving witches now. I gotta say Father Xavier found that bit very disturbing. Makes us all wonder where your loyalties lie. See I think no way Elias, of all people would, betray us to Satan’s minions. But Isaac here, well, he’s not sure. He thinks you must be in there conspiring with witches.” Levi continued with his tiring game of good cultist bad cultist.

“They have no idea who I was, wouldn’t be welcomed there if they did.” Eli’s still wasn’t entirely sure what their endgame was but there wouldn’t be this much talking unless they wanted something. Did they just need some sort of proof he wasn’t actively working against them? They were by their own admission already watching him, he wasn’t sure what else he could offer to prove that.

“Was? There are no former Holy Saviors save for those who have died in our holy crusade.” Eli much preferred the bluntness that came from Isaac. In truth it had been naive to hope that Xavier would just forget about him, and there was no question that if the choice was to return to Holy Saviors or death he’d pick the latter, it was better than living with the things they would ask of him. Maybe that was the reason he came back to Ember Grove, maybe he really did have a death wish.

“Isaac makes a point. You want to miss out on the meetings and chase the bloodsuckers, that's one thing, but we’ll need proof you haven’t forgotten where your loyalties lie. Next time you see us you’ll have names, information we can use, and we’ll be assured we can count on your loyalty. If not we will be happy to show you exactly how retirement works from our crusade.” Levi dropped his act, revealing the cold man that resided beneath it, with a smirk.

“See you soon, Elias.” Isaac added with a rough smack against his shoulder pushing him forward before the two men left.

Eli headed in the other direction towards the one place in town that wanted something simple from him; manual labor in exchange for money. Why couldn’t the rest of Ember Grove just be that simple? Once he was back at Alexei’s he found things there a bit more out of control than usual but nothing unmanageable. The busted door was a new one but a problem that he was much happier to have than current ones that occupied his mind.

“Viv! What happened?” He asked as he spotted his co-worker on the phone with someone. “I’m gone for a minute and the place’s falling apart more than usual.” He added as he grabbed a broom and went to work cleaning up the shattered glass and bits of broken door up. Then he noticed that with Vivian on the phone the only one left working the bar was Jimmy and that kid had once asked him what was in a rum and coke. Eli sent Jimmy to finish cleaning up the door and to take out the trash while he grabbed drink orders hoping that Vivian was in the process of sorting out the door business. While he worked he also helped himself to a couple of shots because today was already a lot and last call was hours away.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Forest outside of Roshmi
Interactions: Darius@FunnyGuy, Elthrael@Dezuel, Zephyrin@Howlsofwinter, Kenia@Tae

Bowyn simply shrugged and returned the smile as Kenia thanked him for bringing back fish. It had seemed the best way to contribute something to the group; Darius could provide water, Kenia had seemed to unofficially put herself in charge and, more importantly, had supplied them with mead, and while Vaeril seemed to mostly keep to himself he was at least useful in a fight. On the other hand, Elthrael’s biggest contribution currently seemed to be running his mouth, which, at least, made him entertaining company.

“Do you not agree that any sign of danger should be swiftly dealt with? Or are you so blinded by a pretty face that you forget just how much danger we are already in and just how much more there is to come?” Bowyn asked, glancing towards Elthrael. While he hoped the forest fairy was simply planning a game of poke the bear with Kenia, he didn’t know Elthrael well enough to know if he was the type who would put his own conquests before the safety of the group. He didn’t doubt Elthrael would keep a close eye on the newcomer but would he actually be watching her for any sign that she was a threat? While Kenia’s approach was blunter than his own, it seemed necessary to make clear that any betrayal would not go unpunished.

“I see that despite Elthrael’s best efforts you seem more interested in Darius. I’ll echo Kenia’s sentiment; we have extended trust to you, betray that and it will not end well for you. But if your interests really do lie in adventure, and maybe even in doing something that truly matters, then you will find yourself welcomed here. The same protection we extend to each other, would include you as well.” Bowyn returned his attention to Zephyrin, using hollow words and an empty smile to frame the rebellion as something appealing to one he saw as young and naive. While it remained to be seen if anything they did would actually matter, it did matter to Bowyn. He had goals he could at least grasp at, and if he was willing to fight and even kill for them, he was certainly willing to stretch the truth for them.

It certainly did not escape Bowyn that manipulating someone into the rebellion was upsettingly close to being just as bad as using humans as pawns in a war. He could rationalize, tell himself that Zephyrin had a choice, not a great one either way, but it was still there. What he couldn’t deny though was the knowledge that if anyone had told him just how much rebellion could cost, back when he still had things to lose, even when he had been young and naive, he would’ve chosen differently. But full on rebellion had been brought here, and with it meant sacrifices, not just of lives but of any claim to moral highgrounds. One thing that was certain was that Aklenroth would not hold back, the lich would be ruthless in his pursuit of victory. If a rebellion were to succeed they had to be just as willing to cross lines. Bowyn found himself now willing to sacrifice parts of his humanity for the safety of those he cared about and for his newfound goals. Perhaps this was a similar realization Risa might’ve come to when she chose to bring humans here. As Bowyn readied himself to leave, he wondered if he had in fact judged the princess too harshly. He hoped whatever her motives were would become clearer once they reached the port.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Forest outside of Roshmi
Interactions: Darius@FunnyGuy, Elthrael@Dezuel, Zephyrin@Howlsofwinter

Bowyn raised an eyebrow at Zephyrin and grinned slightly. “If I was being held captive would they really let me go fishing all on my own? I’’m Bowyn, and strangely enough I am actually here of my own free will.” He said finding it amusing. Traveling in the company of a pair of elves, a human, and forest fairy in the southernmost part of Avalia was certainly not how he’d ever thought his life would go. Bowyn could barely surpress the urge to roll his eyes at Elthrael’s flirtatious magic show he put on for the newcomer. While Elthrael’s talent with magic was more than respectable, it was clear to Bowyn the forest fairy was more preoccupied with chasing skirts than he was with the rebellion. While there were many circumstances in which he could see this being a hindrance currently it occurred to him that the forest fairy’s brand of charm could be of use; because Zephyrin was a problem.

Though she didn’t appear to be an enemy, she had already seen Darius using his magic. There was no way to pretend that he was anything but a human, and while most winter fae weren’t exactly chomping at the bit to help Aklenroth there were many circumstances in which he could see her selling them out to their enemies. Be it for the sizable bounty on the human’s head or to save herself should the lone fairy run afoul any dark elves. To allow her to part ways with the group would be a huge risk, but keeping her around would mean they could at least keep an eye on her. So he kept quiet while Elthrael went on about fruit and roses, keeping any sarcastic comments to himself and hoping the forest fae’s charm worked better here than it had at the tavern. Instead Bowyn went about eating his breakfast and thinking more on the present situation. Why else would a winter fairy travel so far from their village alone if not out of a sense of boredom and need for excitement and adventure.

“You mentioned you were lost, I hope you were not on your way to Roshmi City. We just came from there, it’s absolutely littered with Dark Elves, not really the kind of place that would be hospitable to a winter fairy traveling alone. But if you happen to be more interested in adventure and less concerned with the destination then I think you’re more than likely to find that if you stick with us. And there is safety in numbers after all.” Bowyn offered the invitation with a forced smile after Elthrael had finished his bit. He hoped he had pegged her motives correctly. Though it felt slimy and underhanded to manipulate another into the rebellion, the danger of dark elves tracking them down concerned Bowyn much more than the ethics of his actions. He would feel worse if he were to die in this forest without accomplishing anything, and even worse still if dark elves managed to follow them to port town where Torvi and Belle were likely going to be as well. The fate of one of his own race paled in comparison to fates of those he already considered friends and to the entirety of the rebellion.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Forests outside Roshmi City
Interactions: Cora @Potter

Cade stared deep into the crackling fire as he thought about Cora’s question on what had made him join the rebellion. From the moment he lost his brother becoming a part of the rebellion had felt less like a choice and more like the only path he could imagine being on, the only thing that felt right. It wasn’t something he’d ever had to put into words, those in Avalia that felt the same never needed such a thing explained. He wondered what his world must look like to Cora, to see so immediately all the darkest parts of Avalia, all the evil the lich brought so up front and to experience the apathy of so many in Roshmi to it all. To think that doing the right thing seemed an extraordinary thing when to Cade it was the only thing when faced with true evil.

“For a long time I did not give much thought to rebellion, it has, of course always been whispered about here and there, but I was young and selfish. The lich and his evil never really seemed to have a big effect on my life but my brother saw things differently. Shadow was always the brave one, the one who stood up for the right thing, and that got him killed. It wasn’t until the lich’s rule really affected me that I was able to see it clearly for how evil it is. Avalia is my home, the evil that reigns here, it touches and corrupts everything. I have to fight, both to honor what my brother stood for, and died for, and because to know what is happening and to do nothing would make me no better than those who serve the lich. I have seen the pain his rule has caused so many people, sometimes I think I can even feel it in the ground beneath my feet. So, even when faced with sights as terrifying as a dracolich or the demon from last night I feel it in my blood that this fight is worth it, this is something that is even worth my life.” Cade spoke in a tone much softer than usual, taking great care in his choice of words, and trusting the human with his complete honesty.

After he spoke Cade realized just how little thought he had given to the likelihood that this rebellion truly could result in his death. He wondered if it was strange that the possibility of death held no sway on how he felt. Even the thought that it might be for naught, that they could very well fail didn’t hold any weight to pull him for this path, there was only the sense that if he can do something to make this world better than he must. He thought about this as he removed the cooked meat from the fire for him and the two humans to eat. Cade wondered if something was wrong with him, fear of death was natural, but it wasn’t as if he had ever lived with great thought towards the future.

“Do you think it makes me sound crazy? That I’m not even afraid to die for this? I mean I don’t want to but thinking about it, that I might, I just feel strangely like that would be alright.” Cade asked Cora. He realized his question was probably too morbid, it wasn’t like he was the one with a large bounty on his head, and bringing up the subject of death with the human was not the best way to start the morning. Cade fidgeted uncomfortably and shook his head. He spoke again before Cora had any time to answer his question. "Nevermind, that is poor breakfast conversation, my apologies. Tell me more about Earth, the other human I met shared marvelous stories from her tribe. Earth sounds like a fascinating place. Cade smiled as he changed the subject quickly, hoping to turn the conversation towards a lighter topic. They had a long journey after breakfast and he didn’t want to put the group into a somber mood.

Ember Grove - Reboot

Time: Late Afternoon
Location: Ember Grove Pawn
Interaction with: Mac (pawn shop owner)

Eli used his break time to head over to the small pawn shop which sat conveniently right near both Axelei’s and the local bowling alley. A bright red sign read Ember Grove Pawn, while numerous smaller signs promised ‘fast cash’ and ‘we buy gold.’ The windows were lined with bars, and the sturdy door chimed as he entered. The shop's owner was a large bearded man with an expression that told you he did not tolerate nonsense. Camera’s tracked his movement through the shop, though Eli knew that the security measures one could see were not the full extent of the measures that the owner, Mac, took to prevent any sort of theft in his place of business. Like most things in Ember Grove there was more than meets the eye to the pawn shop as well. For those who knew how to ask there was more than just the second hand jewelry and collection of pawned goods that could be bought here.

“I’m looking for something a bit more peculiar.” Eli said as he approached Mac who gave a single nod before leading him to the back room.

The back room of Ember Grove Pawn held a collection of goods that would only confuse the local authorities but held things that many of the supernatural creatures of Ember Grove would find dangerous and even deadly. A dusty locked cabinet contained a variety of potions, many of which were likely outright banned by various covens. Other displays held a variety of cursed and enchanted objects, most of which were beyond what he could recognize and held little interest to Eli. A pair of werewolf pelts were hung on the wall, and Eli noted that the last time he’d been back here he was almost certain he’d seen three. Eli briefly wondered who’d bought one, and for what purpose but like many things involving shady dealings, he figured it was probably better not to know. He certainly knew better than to ask.

Based on the few times he’d seen Mac handle silver bullets he was confident the man was not a werewolf, but beyond that whether he was a supernatural creature or just a human with connections remained a mystery. It didn’t seem to matter anyhow, Mac held no allegiance to any faction within Ember Grove, other than to himself and to money. He knew of Mac and his backroom from years ago, Holy Saviors often bought guns from him. None of the guns sold at the front of the store, or course, for those were all legal and traceable, but for the right price Mac was always able to get just about anything a customer requested.

“What’ll it be, kid?” Mac asked with his usual gruff tone.

“UV rounds.” Eli replied doing his best not to let his gaze wander the collection of oddities any longer.

“Again? You know with all those vampires you’ve been hunting you could make a nice bit of cash if you bring me back a few teeth.” Mac said as he slid over the box of ammunition. Eli picked up the box, taking a second to slide it open and glance at the soft blue glow the UV rounds emitted before closing the box. He took the money from his pocket and handed it to Mac.

“Thanks for the tip, but I’m not one for taking trophies.” He said, refusing the offer, not for the first time. Much like the werewolf pelts that hung on the walls, Eli also never asked what one would even want vampire fangs for. There were only so many glimpses into the darker side of the supernatural world that he could process at a time for the sake of his own sanity.

“You know some of Xavier’s boys were in here asking about you not too long ago. Seemed a bit upset that you’ve been in town for so long without stopping by to see ‘em. Told ‘em I’d pass that along if I happened to run into you.” Mac added.

“What’d you tell them?” Eli asked, the box of ammunition clanked slightly as it gave away the slight tremor in his hand as he fumbled to slide it into his pocket.

“You know I don’t discuss my customers. But, if you decide you need anything a bit stronger than those UV rounds, I’ve got a few things I’d be willing to part with. Maybe for some fangs, or a nice wolf pelt, or something more valuable. Just something to think about, next time you’re out hunting.” Mac said, a further extension on a long standing offer.

“Thanks for the tip, but I’m not sure I’m up for the extra work.” Eli said before heading out, declining the offer as amicably as possible.

What Mac really wanted was another hunter willing to help him add to his connection in the backroom. It was an offer Mac had made to Eli when he’d first came back into town stocking up on hunter gear. Mac wanted trophies from supernatural creatures, and if Eli should ever find himself back in the witch hunting business, Mac wanted mystical items as well. The offer was easy to turn down, at first, but the longer he stayed in Ember Grove the more it felt like unseen threats were constantly looming, and the more it seemed like just a gun and a handful of special bullets wasn’t anywhere close to enough. The longer he stayed in Ember Grove the more tempting the offer became, the more obvious it became that Mac certainly had things that could prove more useful than glowing bullets. Even as the temptation grew the fear of what agreeing to such an offer would cost him kept him from accepting. How much more of his humanity could he afford to lose?

Eli kept his mind focused on all reasons why Mac’s offer was out of the question as he walked back to Alexei’s. He stopped about halfway there to smoke a cigarette near the bowling alley to calm his nerves. It wasn’t the money that made the offer more tempting this time, it was the thought that there might be some way to either stop Father Xavier or at the very least keep him and The Holy Saviors far from him that made such a disturbing offer more appealing. There was also the fear that he was powerless to stop something he had once helped grow into the horrible thing it now was, or even worse that he would fall back in with The Holy Saviors, and the knowledge that if he did he certainly didn’t have the strength to leave twice.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Forests outside Roshmi City
Interactions: Cora @Potter

Cade found Cora’s request a bit strange; did she not know how to hunt at all or did she wish to learn how to hunt like a cat did? It seemed unlikely that a human could hunt like a cat, they lacked the teeth or claws for it, but he could always give her pointers on how to stalk one's prey. “I could try and give you some pointers, how do you normally hunt?” Cade asked nodding as he thought on the subject. “But it’s certainly not a burden, in case you haven’t noticed, I am built for it after all.” Cade said grinning as he flexed his claws for her to see. Even as he tried to lighten the mood, he could sense that she shared the same anxious energy he also felt. He watched the human as she tried to warm herself with fire, noticing how unlike few the humans he had met so far differed from the old stories he had heard of past humans in Avalia. These were not the grizzled heroes from stories who always knew exactly what to do to win, who could easily conquer any foe set before them. Instead they seemed so much more real, more like him, just trying to do what they could when facing impossible tasks.

“I imagine you have sacrificed a great deal to be here, to be taken from your own home, and to be in a strange place during its darkest time. The way I see it, Avalia herself chose the very best warriors of earth to come to her aid, and you, and those like you, answered that call. So to me, that makes you one of Avalia’s most honored guests, and any assistance I can provide is no burden, but an honor and a privilege. I am grateful that you are here, that you are willing to stand with us even while so many who call Avalia their home would rather turn a blind eye to everything that is wrong here. You showed great bravery last night, you should be very proud.” Cade spoke earnestly, doing his best to make sure that Cora knew that he could be trusted, that she was welcomed company, and to say the sort of things he would want to hear if their roles were reversed.

---

Time: Morning
Location: Forest outside of Roshmi
Interactions: Darius@FunnyGuy, Elthrael@Dezuel, Zephyrin@Howlsofwinter

Bowyn, startled by the stumbling fairy who approached, jumped up from his spot near the campfire where he had been crotched as he tended to the cooking fish. Darius spoke first, though Bowyn would hardly agree that he had caught the stranger. It would seem picking up strays was becoming a habit of his, though he had to admit that thus far it hadn’t really turned out poorly for him. ”Sorry, I guess I should’ve been paying more attention, didn’t realize I was being followed.” He said to Darius. Bowyn made note of this, it was careless of him to not take extra steps to ensure he was alone before heading to the shared camp, and he was admittedly lucky that he’d been followed by a fairy and not some dark elf or demon.

He eyed the stranger with suspicion, although she did not seem outwardly threatening. Something about her was eerily familiar but it wasn’t until Elthrael spoke, referring to her as a ‘wintery rose’ did it click with him, what an odd twist to run into one of his own kind this far south. To say Bowyn had conflicted feelings in regards to his own people was an understatement but while he had no intention of ever setting foot in his home village seeing one of his own kind here was different. Even so far south of his village, he still felt that slight hint of shame as he stood before another winter fae. Shame that out of dozens who had made a small stand against the dark elves he had been the one to return home when all of them deserved that more than he did. But he also felt the sting of nostalgia for the good parts of his home, the better memories, and the parts of his village that he rarely allowed himself to miss.

“Well, since you were right about the demi-human last night, got any thoughts on this fairy?” Bowyn asked, turning towards Boreas.

“Kinda looks like you, smells a bit like you, so probably nothing but trouble.” Boreas answered as he noted the disheveled appearance of the winter fairy. He left the picked over remains of his breakfast and flew to Bowyn’s shoulder, and the merlin’s watchful eyes studied Zephyrin.

“Excellent news, the bird here approves of you, though he has a history of taking to mud covered fairies wandering around forests.” Bowyn said, now addressing Zephyrin, while also teasing Boreas. Bowyn glanced at the fish and back at Zephyrin, recalling his childhood, when sharing everything he had was second nature, even when what he had fell short of enough. “Feel free to join us for breakfast.” Bowyn said, extending a similar offer of hospitality as Eltheral had, and he gestured towards the fish and the campfire. He didn’t regard his own people as a threat, and it didn’t seem right to disregard the type of hospitality that was so common amongst his people.

Avalia

Time: Evening/Morning
Location: A summary of his time leading up to the present and into the woods near Roshmi
Interactions: Alone

Being lost was a strange and completely unfamiliar experience for Valok. He had never been truly alone, never had the terrifying uncertainty of having to decide things for himself. The entirety of his life up until now had always been decided for him; he always had orders to rely on, someone to tell him what he should do and what he should think. Now there was only him, left alone with his thoughts. At first he thought he liked being alone, he could stare at the stars and there was no one around to bother him or think it strange. But he quickly ran out of pleasant things to think about, and spent hours thinking about what a terrible mistake he had made. He had left his post, he was a deserter. They would never let him back into the army now, once he was caught his life would be over. He knew this was exactly why he wasn’t offered choices, why he just followed orders because the first time he did make a choice, it was to betray everything he’d been taught.

But then at night there was the dream; the torture of the human and of the rebels that Valok had witnessed at Chism, vividly repeating inside his mind whenever he slept. He would stand, watching as he was ordered to, keeping anyone from interfering with what was happening. Occasionally glancing into cold eyes and at the sadistic smile on the face of his commander who inflicted the slow torture. All around him he heard the deafening screams and cries for mercy. Then he watched as his commander's cruel face and empty eyes slowly morphed into his own face, and then his face mimicked the same cold expression. Every night since he deserted he watched himself commit the acts that haunted both his sleeping and his waking mind.

Valok understood the truth within his dream; this was what the army wished to make of him, a twisted and cruel monster. It was not a question of if, but of how long it would take, just how easy would it be before all humanity left him and he was no different from those who tortured for fun? How many times would it take for him to witness such horror before it became another thing he grew numb to, and how long after that before he too was a willing participant? The visceral feeling of being horrified by acts that could only be described as evil was one of the few things that truly cut through the constant numbness he’d always felt. It had made him feel real in a way he hadn’t for a long time. Impulsively he made the choice to hold on to that feeling, searching for where it would lead him. Every time he woke from the nightmare he was left assured that he had made the right choice, but his resolve would slowly ebb away throughout the day until he faced the nightmare once again.

He kept choosing to travel south, further and further from his home and everything he had known. The first town he found himself in was small, composed of mainly light elves and demihumans. It was there that he first noticed how the townsfolk watched him, with looks of fear, distrust, and occasionally anger. It was a disconcerting experience, to know that strangers already saw him as something he feared he might become, something already evil. Was he evil? Was that what being a dark elf meant, should he revel in another’s pain like so many of his people did? The townsfolk were afraid of him, he could see it, sensed it like a palpable aura. That feeling, and those glances, remained even after he traded away anything that marked him as having come from the army. He had no answers for the questions he was just beginning to form and only hoped that more clarity would be found if he kept moving south.

Eventually he found himself in one of Avalia’s largest cities, Roshmi. Val found himself struck by the beauty of the city, even at night it felt bright and warm. Even the air had a welcoming smell and freshness to it, and he caught whiffs of unfamiliar foods and spices. The southern races that called Roshmi home walked with a spark in their eyes that was unfamiliar to him, though when their eyes met him, he found the same gilmore of fear. At least in a city as large as Roshmi it was easier to hide. Valok had always found it easy to blend in with shadows, to remain unseen and unnoticed. All it took from him was to remember that he came from nothing, he felt nothing, he was nothing. Then through his dark magic he could become nothing; at least to the average and untrained eye. It was more comfortable to be someone unnoticed, more like how he felt back home, and this was how he travelled through the city until he came upon a strange sight in a town square.

A bright orb, glowing just as a moon did, broadcasting a message through magic to all the towns folks that gathered close around it. It was as if Halastra, the goddess he was taught to worship above all Elven gods, had guided him here, to this moon like orb. Valok watched, entranced, as a young fairy gave an impassioned message of rebellion. He found himself mesmerized with curiosity; it was not the sort of message he expected, not the words of someone who wanted to see peace end but someone who wanted the world to be better. Her words against the dark elves, spoke to him in a way that eerily reflected his own thoughts and fears about his people and himself.

She had also called dark elves slaves to Aklenroth, and the king himself a mad one. It was jarring to hear someone say such things with such strong conviction when everything he knew told him the opposite. No dark elf he knew was forced to serve Aklenroth, he and all he knew did so willingly, out of loyalty for the only leader that had ever shown his race kindness. While he couldn’t agree with every word she spoke, the whole of her speech resonated with him. This was someone who could help him understand; why the rebels wanted a war in a land that had known peace for so long. This fairy, Risa, was someone who spoke as if dark elf was not synonymous with evil, and as someone who wanted an Avalia that was better for all who inhabited it. Was that what he wanted as well?

He had been taught that it was right to hate the light elves, and all the races who flourished south of Daka, but the why had always been hazy. It had been the light elves alone who had banished his people, and that had been centuries ago. How many light elves still existed old enough to have been responsible? How long should old wounds be allowed to fester before rot set in and nothing remained salvageable? Unlike so many of his kind Valok only felt apathy in place of anger and hate when he thought of light elves, fairies, and demihumans. Perhaps in this his hollowness had been a gift, preventing him from falling into the trap so many of his kind had. He felt no reason to cling to the past, no reason to seek vengeance against creatures he’d never met, at least not without someone telling him that it was what he was supposed to do. He had seen first hand the pain his kind brought to others, and he knew enough to know that was not the kind of elf he wished to be.

He wondered if Risa’a words were just words, or if they held truth. If he might find the sort of answers he was seeking or a new purpose if he found these rebels. Would the articulate fairy accept a dark elf into her band of rebels? Did he even want to be welcomed amongst rebels? He could see clearly where the dark elves were wrong, where he had been wrong, and the flaws in so many of the things he had been taught, but was that enough to betray his king? It seemed the only way to really know was to try and see.

Risa’s message ended with a grizzly sight; another fairy, this one dead and covered in thorny vines. A strange way to end a message but it did not seem to be Risa’s doing, and with the energy of the crowd beginning to rise; soon heated words became heated actions. Now would be a poor time for him to get caught by guards. As the city descended into chaos, Val knew it was time to move elsewhere. Though this had once been the ideal place to run into the rebels it was no longer safe for them either. He knew exactly how his kind would likely lock down Roshmi and Valok made his way out of the city before the worst of it happened.

Another night spent alone in the woods faded into another morning where he awoke cold with sweat from the repeating nightmare. He again set off with nothing but a vague destination in mind, but he figured any rebels who had left Roshmi would be somewhere nearby. Their leader, Risa, had claimed heritage from the River Kingdom and he was sure the dark elves would have that area locked down tight as well, making that location not the ideal direction to head. A more likely option would be for them to head towards the Flower Kingdom, a terrain with plenty of areas to hide rebel camps. If this was the case he might be able to run into rebels near the coast or one of the port towns. The other option was that might head towards the Sun Elves or the smaller demi-human towns even further on, but that was much further and a larger area. So, Valok headed in the direction of the cost, hoping his guess was correct, and if not, well he was a deserter, all his time was borrowed anyhow what did it really matter how he spent it.