Well he certainly couldn't return to New Alteros now... at least for a little while. He sat in the shade of the trees, staring at the mask in his lap, the stone features carved by himself. It was a practical disguise, yes but... well there was little use for it anymore. After all he had sort of ran over to the Queen herself while in the disguise and threatened her...

She deserved it mind you but... Perhaps if the anger could be abated it wouldn't have gone this poorly but. Well, when a guard spits at you and then summons his friends to try and beat you up... He didn't have much of a choice in the end really. Mord was lucky his head was still squarely on his shoulders. Gorandis had been very close to simply wrenching it off...

But, for now he had to stay out of everything. Valeria had her warning. Celeana had been sent his message. And people now knew not to mess with him anymore. It wasn't anything close to perfect, but it was at least a... nicer scenario than he had expected going into this. It had been such a dumb spur of the moment thing too.

There was no way he could really be a father...
(Masked Wanderer)
A characteristic thing would appear before Gorandis- This had been one of the most common ways for the two of them to stumble into each other, the only difference this time being that the meeting was entirely intentional. She had, for once in her life, utilized the magic of Rifting for the sake of meeting him.

A literal tear in reality itself and from it, the Redeemer came- Her sapphire blue eyes was laid upon the man who had taken her innocence and was soon to be the father of her child. Of course, she was angered but one could barely pay attention to that given her enlarged stomach... She seemed... Unnaturally unthreatening. Truly an oddity, though it was doubtful Gorandis had even seen her as a threatening figure in the first place.

"A note... I did expect more." A sigh escaped her lips and a hand inched down to her stomach, "You wish to be a part of the child's life, you say..."

Her head tilted, eyes squinting down upon his figure, "Why the sudden interest? I thought you only wanted to see how it grows and develops, not truly be a part of its life."
(Celeana Feuer)
The rift had been unexpected... He truly didn't believe the pair of them would meet again for a long while but... it's hard to escape from someone who can teleport to wherever you are... Tired eyes looked up at her, the mask still lay in his lap and, curiously, it seemed to be looking at her just as much as he was... It must have been a trick of the light.

"I don't see why you expected more... I couldn't exactly come see you when the entirety of the town's guards were ready to skewer me... or rather die trying. And that is what I thought to but... I can't seem to be as distant from everything as I'd like to. I've never been a good one for letting things go really... I suppose that's a part of the problem."

His eyes wandered down to her bump. "I see you're getting on well at least... But you shouldn't have come here. I have no idea what rift travel could do to a growing child... our child. And, more importantly, I'm not someone for you to go about chasing around the place. Not as willy nilly as you seem to be doing so at least."

"You know that I'm... unwell."
(Masked Wanderer)
By no means was he wrong- It was foolish of her to chase him. He was completely unable to be part of a 'normal' child's life should it ever come to that and utilizing Rift magic might have its side-effects, but even then she... Had expected more.

"Very well then- I see how it is. I merely thought you might wish for a way to reach both me and the child should it ever become necessary, but if you feel like it is not an option, then so be it." A sigh was quick to escape her lips, the woman shaking her head a few times.

"I was going to propose utilizing the power of Rift Runes to allow you to teleport to me or the child when you wished to visit, but if you do not trust yourself then I suppose it cannot be helped."
(Celeana Feuer)
"I'll turn up when it's necessary, I don't need runes for it. I... I don't need an easy way there. I don't want there to be an easy way there don't you understand? It's so very easy to set me off, especially now in that town... Anything just seems to push me over the edge I didn't realise I was standing on... I do... care for you as I have discovered..."

"I thought it'd be something to help you out, something mainly for you and I could stay... Detached from but. But well I am still human under all of this apparently. Still weak, still vulnerable... Still... caring. I never hoped to care, I never wanted to. After all how could I? It's bad enough dealing with myself but... if anything ever happened to you or the child I..."

His fists curled up tighter, his knuckles white with the strain. "Well, you know how far I would go. It is for the best to just stay away... that's what my humanity is screaming at me. To keep you away. Before you get tainted too..." His hands went to grasp at the edges of the mask and he brought it around to stare straight at its passive features.

"I don't know when I'm pretending anymore... Pretending to be human, pretending to be a monster. If I truly care or not I... I just don't know. My mind is all..."He lapsed into silence and drew the mask close, hugging it to his chest lightly.
(Gorandis)
Had he... Fallen in love with her? It certainly sounded like it. If anything, he was starting to feel like a father to say the least- He got attached, like she had, to something that was not even born yet. It truly was odd to be... So out of control. Even her body was changing in ways she did not want! It was so unfamiliar. It felt like anything but her, but it also felt... Completely like her.

"I... See." Her gaze averted, her voice growing slightly softer and softer with each word escaping her, "It seems I read the situation wrong, I... Apologize." A cough.

An awkward silence would soon grow between the two- What was she supposed to say? Was she supposed to try and comfort him? Was she supposed to leave as quickly as she had come? It was... Unusual for her to be so confused as to what to do. Normally everything was quite easy to read, but this situation was simply too unfamiliar for her.

"I understand... You do what you have to do, Gorandis..." A turn on her heel- Seemingly, she was starting to walk off... "But, if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me..."
(Celeana Feuer)
He sat there, clinging to the mask. His eyes cold and unfocused, staring vaguely at the grass ahead as he listened to her words. He was becoming... No, he already was unhinged but. Well he was deteriorating. "I... will try to see you again. When I can be certain I can I will try but... I don't want to hurt you, I don't. You're the one thing that seems to be steady in my life."

He looked over at her retreating form almost desperately. "The one thing that has kept me moored in stormy seas. But I can't risk hurting or losing you... I'm sorry, I am but..." He sighed, staring back down at his own hands. The thick bile of anger had been threatening to rear its head, it had been sat there like a guard dog, one eye on the surroundings.

He was stupid to think he had any sort of control over it really. He doubted he could do anything to stop himself if he ever truly turned against her. The woman carrying his child... And he'd kill her in a heartbeat. He knew he would and of course he still tried to fight it. After having embraced it so much so far... he was now trying to push away from something that had its claws deep within him.

An action that would only tear him apart. "Go, please..."
(Gorandis)
Had she hoped he would attempt to stop her? Perhaps so to some degree- She was uncertain herself. Or was it because of him mentioning how Rift magic might hurt the child? In either case, she had found herself for the first time in over a decade... Walking away. No fancy portal opened to cheat the travelling part- No, she walked and slowly at that.

There was plenty of time for him to catch up and halt her, yet he never did. It left her... Odd feeling, to say the least. Was she supposed to be sad or happy that he was leaving her life? She had gotten what she wanted, the child of a strong man. Yet, now she craved something entirely different?

But... She was not simply a woman; She was a Redeemer. A Vindicator at this point. One of the strongest, most loyal warriors in Azrael's name. She could not allow her emotions to overtake her like this. She had to walk away.

So she did.

In silence.
(Celeana Feuer)
He reached out... he wanted to stop her, to draw her in close, to be with her. But his outstretched fingers curled, his eyes dampened and the mask was securely placed back upon his face. What he wanted and what would happen were two different things. He did not deserve her and she certainly deserved someone better than him...

At least in his own, damning eyes.

"I..." He started, the mask once more giving his voice a familiar muffle. "I will visit... in the future... I will come back to see them... This is goodbye but... it is not a last goodbye..." If she turned or not didn't matter, he nodded to her, the tears hidden away. His voice holding above the choke. Quietly clearing his throat he turned and began to part ways.
(Gorandis)