Beyond the Sky - Session 35.3

-10th Winter's First-
On the morning of the day of departure, Night Eyes calls everyone into her room to speak with them, indicating importance of the discussion.
Ginei sits crosslegged on the floor, next to Valaire, humming, while Narik leans against a wall.
Kylisae sits in Ginei's lap, fluttering her wings occasionally.
Night Eyes sits at the far end of the room, in a ritual circle, finishing some markings on her mask.
Adrian sits against one wall, trying to examine the ritual circle unobtrusively.
Night Eyes: "So, I have to thank Kylisae for some inspiration, but I think I managed to reverse this mask's effect. I... I can take it off, at last."
Valaire: "Without the expected backlash, you mean."
Ginei: "Oh! That sounds cool. Why are you wearing it?"
Night Eyes nods to Valaire.
Kylisae: "(She was using it to hide from someone that doesn't like her.)"
Adrian: "Splendid news. You can be yourself again at last now?"
Night Eyes: "Very soon... I can finally explain."
"Though at this point, I do not even know what I really am."
Adrian: "We can figure that out together."
Valaire: "Living as someone else for long enough causes you to forget who you are..."
Night Eyes: "Thank you..."
Night Eyes's voice quivers, as she lifts her hands to the side of her mask, channelling a faint arcane energy trail.
Night Eyes: "(...contain yourself.)"
Night Eyes mutters an incantation, slowly lifting the mask, and with a spark of blue energy, lowers it to the ground.
Night Eyes: "...how is it? My face must be so pale, now..."
Adrian: "...Nothing that time won't heal. I very much prefer it to the mask, in any case."
Night Eyes raises a hand to her face, feeling the sensitive, pallow skin.
Ginei: "Oooh, you look really pretty. Is the person who didn't like you gone away now?"
Valaire looks nonplussed, casually resting her chin on her arm.
Night Eyes: "(I imagine I would, too...)"
"It would be difficult to be rid of Silske's inner circle, quite honestly."
"But as he seems to have his own agenda, and we're already beginning to make a wave, it should be fine."
Narik Albion: "You pissed off Silske? Oh dearie me."
Valaire: "Let them come as they may. I have many words to share with them as is."
Adrian: "We're going to be opposing him one way or the other, it seems; may as well do so on our own terms."
Night Eyes: "...Yes."
Ginei: "(I... think I heard about 'Silske'. He's a really bad person, isn't he?)"
Kylisae: "(He wants to hurt the Earth Mother--the woman I told you about that made Priffdinas.)"
Night Eyes: "I'm sure you had already figured it out, but I was once an operative for the Eriban government. Before Silske even came to power, actually."
Narik Albion: "You worked for the Emperor?"
Night Eyes: "Not directly. Well, occasionally."
Valaire: "You were one of these... 'Shadowscales'... weren't you?"
Adrian: "I had guessed as much, yes. You've too keen a mind for intelligence, otherwise. But you turned against them, did you not?"
Night Eyes: "I... for a brief time, I had that mantle."
"For my whole life, I'd been raised to treat kidnap, murder and theft as ordinary measures. It was only at that time did I ever question it."
Valaire clicks her tongue in irritation.
Night Eyes: "...ngh..."
Night Eyes clutches her head in pain.
Ginei: "(Are Shadowscales bad, too?)"
Kylisae looks at Ginei, looking concerned.
Kylisae: "(They... hurt your mom and dad.)"
"(They're the bad guys Valaire and the others saved you from.)"
Adrian gives Valaire a vicious glare, before turning his attention back to Night Eyes.
Ginei whimpers.
Ginei: "(...was it her?)"
Kylisae: "(She says she quit.)"
"(She gave up on being a bad person and decided to be a good person several years ago. That's why she helped save you.)"
Night Eyes: "Part of their training involved emergency measures. Ways to off oneself, or conceal their identity."
Valaire: "So, even before Silske, Eribe was looking into human weapons."
Night Eyes: "Nothing like that, though..."
Adrian: "Naturally, such precautions would be devised."
Night Eyes nods to Adrian.
Valaire: "Perhaps they didn't see a need to step it up until they realized their Shadowscales could disobey."
Night Eyes: "I used those very precautions to create Night Eyes and fled Eribe. I needed to figure out just what anything was worth. ...it was only really when I saw the incident with Genevieve did I decide where I stood."
Valaire: "(Perhaps what happened in that cave would never have happened if you just went about things in a more subtle manner...)"
Adrian: "You needed a chance to see life for yourself."
Night Eyes: "Exactly. To see the smaller picture."
"To see just what kind of tragedies I was trained to cause."
Valaire: "Seeing the trees in the forest, to subvert an idiom."
Night Eyes: "Yes..."
Adrian: "Numbers are a useful tool, but look at them too long, and you can learn to forget that you speak of human beings..."
Narik Albion: "There's only so far you should go to for improvement..."
Night Eyes: "It's funny. I was the product of an abduction, myself. I can't even remember my parents' names or faces."
Valaire: "Human weapon, indeed..."
Night Eyes: "Well, my past masters never did anything like this, though. ...it scares me to think that I could have met a fate like the young girl's, here."
Ginei pulls her hood over herself.
Adrian: "So, such measures are not new..."
Valaire: "The methodology is the same, they just are refining their method."
Narik Albion: "Do we still have to call you by your code name?"
Valaire reaches over to Ginei, trying to persuade the child to rest her head on her lap.
Valaire: "She may not have a real name."
"Not without any memory of what her parents used."
Night Eyes: "That's exactly it, Valaire."
Valaire: "We know this dear girl is Ginei because she was old enough to remember her parents. She remembers their faces, what they called her, how they tucked her in at night."
Adrian: "I see... is there something else you would prefer to be called, though?"
Ginei whimpers, her ears drooping, holding herself.
Night Eyes looks into the night outside.
Valaire: "(I'm sorry, dear darling Ginei. I'm on your side. I truly am.)"
Ginei: "(I know. It's just... it's so sad...)"
Night Eyes: "Dhaltra is acceptable for now, but... it doesn't sit with me. I might need time."
Valaire: "(You're saved. We won't let this happen to you.)"
Ginei: "(Not just me... lots of people had this happen to them. Maybe not as bad, but...)"
Valaire: "So you need to invent a new name. One to differentiate yourself from your code name."
Night Eyes: "Yes."
Night Eyes nods.
Ginei: "(I don't want people to go through what I did.)"
Adrian: "You will have that time. Choosing a name of your own is nothing you need to rush."
Valaire: "(Darling Ginei... you have gone through so much. I know more than you have ever said and I understand.)"
"(You likely know things that we never will. They call you names that aren't yours, and you were punished for protesting that you were called Ginei.)"
Night Eyes lets out a deep breath.
Valaire: "(You lost so many friends, friends that at this point only you know the names of.)"
Night Eyes: "Well, that's me. Something else happened just now, possibly a side-effect of the ritual. ...I remembered the face of our elusive friend."
Valaire: "You speak of Guile."
Adrian: "You know who he is?"
Ginei: "(I... wish I could stop them. I wish I was older.)"
Valaire brushes her claws softly through Ginei's hair, consolingly.
Night Eyes: "I do not. But I can remember him clearly, now. ...actually, the circumstance irritates me further."
Ginei rests her head against Valaire's chest, closing her eyes.
Valaire: "(They're not dead. As long as you remember them, they're not dead. All your friends that you met there, your parents... they never truly die as long as you remember them.)"
"So you have a face, you have a clear picture in your mind, and yet the singular key details still elude you."
Night Eyes nods.
Night Eyes: "The thing is, he might not even be an enemy. I remember him questioning me about Silske."
Narik Albion: "Sorry, can you get me up to speed? Who's Guile?"
Adrian: "I'd answer, but I don't know any more than that."
"It's a start. A way to search for him properly. Talk to him if we can, one way or the other."
Valaire: "We know that he is called Guile, and that he does not want us to know who he is beyond that."
Night Eyes: "Any time anyone has tried to remember him, they've been pained and blocked from doing so."
Narik Albion: "Huh... so we're looking for a guy we know almost nothing about."
Adrian: "Exactly."
Narik Albion: "Like the worst game of hide and seek."
Valaire: "We know he has connections with very powerful individuals."
"He has secrets. And he is very clearly trying to hide them."
"Doesn't that make you want to find out what those secrets are even more?"
Night Eyes: "Right now, I just want to find out where his allegiances lie."
Narik Albion: "Of course! Knowing you don't know something's like having a horrible itch you can't scratch."
Adrian: "It's a clear priority."
Narik Albion: "Anyone else you know he's been talking to?"
Valaire: "One of the Eriban Greymages, for certain."
Night Eyes: "Yes. LIkely he has infiltrated the entire inner circle. It's alarming, now that I think about it."
Narik Albion: "So he's talked to the important people in Eribe, and he doesn't want anyone finding out, not even them?"
Adrian: "So it would seem."
Narik Albion: "...sounds to me like that's this guy working against them."
Valaire: "You can tell why he is suspect."
"Either he's working for them, or working against them. Either way, it gives us reason to find him."
Night Eyes: "Yes. It is also entirely possible that he serves Silske himself as a foil for any betrayers. I just hope he is not."
Adrian: "There's just so much unknown about him."
"...do you know what did happen to your family?"
Night Eyes: "I don't think they would have been killed by the old regime. With Silske, however... I just hope that they were able to find somewhere else to live."
Valaire: "But finding out who they were with so little information... not even my magic is enough for that yet."
Night Eyes: "It doesn't concern me that much, truthfully."
The mask seems to start glowing white-blue, while on the ground, a new rune appearing on the ground where it once was.
Narik Albion: "Uhh... is that meant to happen?"
Night Eyes turns to the mask, her hand covering her mouth.
Night Eyes: "...no..."
Valaire: "...Curious."
Adrian turns to stare at the mask, startled.
Night Eyes reaches out to the mask with a gloved hand, as a spectral avian figure emerges.
Mysterious Owl silently rises, looking at Night Eyes.
Adrian: "...a bird?"
Valaire: "Your mask is an owl."
"Do you have any particular reason why your mask is an owl?"
Night Eyes: "It's... Night Eyes."
"Hm, I do recall saying I preferred to be an Owl than a doll, once."
Valaire: "You mean, the code name the Shadowscales gave you?"
Adrian: "Yes, I recall that."
Night Eyes: "No, Night Eyes was of my own choosing."
"It was the identity I gave myself, with the mask."
Valaire: "Did you have no name before then?"
"Not even a false, Shadowscales name?"
Adrian: "I don't think she needs to tell us that. It's her own choice."
Night Eyes: "My first master had his own name for me - Invesse."
Valaire: "Whether you use it or not is up to you. If you are shedding the mask that is Night Eyes, you can choose what person is underneath that mask."
Mysterious Owl flaps closer to Valaire, perching in front of her.
Valaire: "Of course, this... would appear to be the mask now. Representative of the identity you shed?"
Night Eyes: "That's correct."
Adrian: "I suppose you did not know it would do that."
Valaire: "Spending a couple years as someone else is bound to make that someone a person..."
Narik Albion: "Still... why is the mask turning into an owl?"
Night Eyes: "My ritual was to reverse the flow of magic from the mask. I guess it took some of my own recent feelings with it."
Adrian: "Do you think it was harmful to you?"
Adrian shifts over to peer more closely at the owl, curious.
Mysterious Owl tilts its head backwards to stare at Adrian.
Ginei shifts from her half sleep rubbing her eyes quietly and turning back.
Ginei: "(I think I dozed off... wha- Owl!"
Adrian: "Hello, owl. You look less confused by this than I."
Kylisae shivers at the owl's proximity, trying to hide behind Ginei's cloak.
Mysterious Owl hoots contentedly at Adrian.
Ginei: "(Are you okay, Kylisae?)"
Kylisae: "(Birds... birds are scary.)"
Night Eyes: "I'm not really sure what to make of this spirit. I'm quite tired."
Ginei: "(It's okay, I'll protect you from any birds, okay?)"
Adrian: "Nor am I, but... it seems innocent enough, anyway."
Kylisae: "(I'm just really scared.... When you look like a moth at a distance, it turns out a lot of birds try to eat you.)"
Night Eyes: "As innocent as something like me can be, at least."
Night Eyes rests a hand against her forehead.
Valaire: "But still. If it's representative of the 'you' that fled from Silske, and not the 'you' that was a Shadowscale, it likely is not harmful."
Adrian: "If it is something like you, then I have no concern about its presence."
Valaire: "While the 'you' that you are now is the one who found the resolution to become more confident."
Mysterious Owl flaps up to Adrian's shoulder, resting on it.
Night Eyes: "...right. Thank you, both of you."
Valaire looks at the two girls near her, sighing.
Adrian raises his hand to pet the owl, smiling faintly.
Valaire: "Though there is a certain cruel irony to crediting Kylisae with the idea, then the mask becoming a fear of hers..."
Night Eyes laughs quietly.
Night Eyes: "I suppose so."
Ginei pats Kylisae gently.
Narik Albion: "Right... so should I call you Invesse, or Night Eyes, or Dhaltra, or Spinach or anything?"
"I get this is... probably hard, but it'll probably help if we decide on a definite name for now."
Adrian: "It is going to be a little confusing if the owl is also Night Eyes."
Narik Albion: "That was my first thought."
Night Eyes: "I think this bird has claim to 'Night Eyes', now, though I'll understand if it takes a while."
"But yes, that does leave an issue. I do like the name Invesse, but it carries weight I would rather leave behind."
Valaire: "It's not like you cannot give the name a new meaning."
"If the memories associated with it are negative, give it new ones."
"Be a different Invesse."
Night Eyes: "I... I do like that..."
Night Eyes smiles weakly.
Ginei: "Be an Invesse who's a hero!"
Valaire: "Heroine, in this case."
Adrian: "(You are a weapon no longer. Not for Silske, not for Eribe, and never for me. You are far more than that.)"
Ginei: "Heroine!"
Night Eyes: "I'm no Heroine... but there is someone I would dearly like to protect. ...and something I strongly desire to correct."
Valaire closes her eyes, returning to her pained expression from several days prior.
Ginei: "(If... Shadowscales are controlled by that Silske person... that means you're gonna beat him up, right?)"
Adrian: "Heroism is for stories. Life is never truly that simple. I think that's as heroic as it is wise to aspire to."
Valaire: "(Yes, she wants to beat them up. The Shadowscales are the people who did horrible things to you and your friends, and Silske is the person they work for. They're all bad people.)"
Night Eyes: "Thank you, Adrian..."
Ginei: "(You're gonna beat them up, too, right? I don't want... people to suffer like this.)"
Valaire hesitates, finding herself at a loss for an answer.
Night Eyes catches herself misting up, and decides to reposition herself beside Adrian.
Valaire: "(I... don't want them to get away with what they've done, what they are continuing to do.)"
"(But... there is something more important for me to do. Someone more important for me to be.)"
Night Eyes: "(It is willingly that I'm by your side, Adrian. If you do anything that worries me, I will let you know.)"
Ginei hugs Valaire.
Ginei: "(It's to do with me.)"
Adrian: "(I know. And I'm more thankful for that than I have words for.)"
Valaire: "(Let's talk, Ginei, when we get the chance. I... want to speak to you, now that you have made leaps and bounds over the last several days.)"
Night Eyes: "(I want to protect the Adrian I love. That means guarding his body and soul.)"
Ginei: "(Okay.)"
Night Eyes: "...Ginei?"
Kylisae: "(Is the owl gone yet?)"
Ginei: "Yes?"
"(It's still there, but don't worry, it won't hurt you at all.)"
Kylisae peeks out from behind Ginei's cloak shyly.
Night Eyes: "I'll do what I can to right the wrongs that were done to you. It would do me good, too."
Ginei: "Mhm... beat them up, or even kill them, for us?"
Adrian: "Exactly. Whatever we have to do so no more children are taken from their homes."
Valaire: "The world doesn't need what they did to your friends."
Night Eyes: "...whatever needs to be done to stop this happening again."
Ginei: "I'm not strong enough to fight back... none of the others were either... You can fight back against them and teach them a lesson in my place."
Valaire: "Don't worry, little Ginei. We won't ask you to fight."
Night Eyes nods to the child, finding herself yawning abruptly. She leans in against Adrian, closing her eyes.
Adrian: "Get some rest, and I can let you know when we're leaving, if you wish. This has been a long week for you."
Valaire: "All the Gineis of the world deserve happy lives with loving families. Not being stolen and made to fight for someone else's agenda."
Night Eyes: "Mmm... that would be good, thank you."
Valaire: "Let's leave them be, Ginei. Come... dawn is approaching, and once we have breakfast, I need to read from my book again."
Ginei: "Right."
Ginei gets up, stretching.
Mysterious Owl turns to Adrian, before dispersing into a fleeting mist.
Ginei: "Whoa!"
"...that thing disappeared."
Adrian: "...curious."
Valaire: "'It's likely just a little more magic. Don't worry... I suspect it will return when Ni--when Invesse wakes up."
Narik Albion: "Easy come, easy go."
Narik Albion opens the door, heading out and to his own room.
Narik Albion: "I'll see you guys down at the wagon later."
Valaire: "If it is Night Eyes, and Night Eyes is her, then it's her, too."
Ginei: "(Magic is so cool...)"
Adrian: "It does make sense. In a way."
Valaire: "Do take care of her, Lord Adrian. I'm sure it goes without saying that she trusts you completely."
Adrian: "I will. You have my word on that. You should know I would never hurt her."
Valaire: "Then, see you two later~"
Valaire picks Ginei up, bringing her and the sprite hiding inside her cloak outside of the inn room to give the two privacy.