[15:58] <@ChillyWilly> The trek towards hopeful civilization continues steadily, with eyes on all sides of the wagon ensuring that they'll be aware if anything foul rushes out to attack. Even in the dark of night, a blue light rises up to the west of their current location from far below the horizon, the faint light melding with Lunacy's golden shine and the desert's own rose sands. Watching from the front is Jaded Soul, walking up by the horses,
[15:58] <@ChillyWilly> staring directly ahead. The horned woman is quiet, tail curling and laxing, her focus upon the desert ahead.
01[16:15] <Humble_Soul> Long legs make catching up with the Jaded Soul easy for her companion of the Order, the Humble Soul's treading through the pink sands with ease. Sand, mud, rock, little seems to slow or trouble the Killer as far as the path to be travelled, but what happens upon it seems to be far more treacherous. The musclebound Humble pulls alongside the tiefling, silently observing her as he considers the opening move. "You overflow with emotion. Pour out to this one, it is safe to do so."
[16:20] <@ChillyWilly> From her side, he can see her nostrils flare as she keeps her pace steady with the horses, eyes darting towards each of the sandy hills ahead in turn - looking, but not truly observing. "This one... doesn't know how," comes out as though painfully forced.
01[16:31] <Humble_Soul> Humble doesn't know either, but it won't stop him from trying to help his friend so obviously in great distress. If he were in the tiefling's shoes, what would he desire? An idea, maybe that? "Tell this one of the things you want of, even if you would never pursue them. He will tell no one."
[16:35] <@ChillyWilly> "A part of this one would want nothing more than revenge," Jaded Soul breathes out, fists shaking as she clenches them. "That part knows that the one who caused all that pain, all that death, is /right/ there..."
01[16:50] <Humble_Soul> "And yet. She is also not there." Part of what has made this so shocking is the temperament of the Zosime they know; the clumsy well meaning but childish elf maiden, a conquerer, butcher? Practically unthinkable, the idea even comical if not for the wounds it has reopened. Reaching out carefully, Humble takes Jaded by the closer wrist, a tether that waits for the hand below to open. "And part of you would be hurt to see the one you know placed beneath the wrath of the revenge you desire."
[16:54] <@ChillyWilly> Her arm jerks, muscles flexing, but she does not pull her arm free, nor does it lax. "This one /knows/ that! That's the one there, the Nameless One, but at the same time it's /not/ her, not in any way. That one was once the Nameless One, but's Zosime right now, even this one knows that!"
01[17:04] <Humble_Soul> "There is a battle within," Humble softly observes. "Jaded Soul of the Order of the Mind's Eye struggles against Seyziv, Daughter of the Murdered. And you are uncertain of which is stronger." What can he do? How can he aid in this? "This one would hear them both."
[17:08] <@ChillyWilly> "It's not that this one's unsure which is stronger," she lets out in a low hiss, eyes closing. "This one hasn't /felt/ like this... in ten years, ten damn years. All these feelings and urges, from attacking to just running away and never looking back, or stranging her or hugging her or, or... It's too much, this, I can't even THINK! There's feelings I forgot I even /had/ tearing me in half! Didn't feel them for ten damn
[17:08] <@ChillyWilly> years, and now, just..."
01[17:24] <Humble_Soul> Remaining silent for a half dozen steps after the Jaded Soul's words gives Humble time to think. There is so much pain behind the Jaded Soul's mask, pain that not even she had known still throbbed within herself. What might the Grandmaster say? "...Uncertainty. It may help to focus on that which you know to be truth regardless. First this one would remind; this one is your friend no matter what is decided. That will not be changed."
[17:29] <@ChillyWilly> Jaded Soul remains quiet for longer than Humble did, but her strong breathing is more audible all the while. "What if that's not certain? What if this one can't stop thinking about what she now knows?" comes out more quietly, her grip starting to loosen.
03[17:32] * ChillyWillyMk2 (~ChillyWil@Rizon-3090B750.tpia.comwave.net) has joined #IronTrailsIC
02[17:35] * @ChillyWilly (~ChillyWil@Rizon-3090B750.tpia.comwave.net) Quit (Ping timeout: 240 seconds)
01[17:40] <Humble_Soul> Slowly but firmly, Jaded is pulled closer by the arm, so that the two Adepts touch at the shoulder. Calm, staunch in his declarations, the Humble Soul looks the tiefling in the eye and delivers all he can. "We have shed blood beside one another, fighting for one another's lives. We have traveled far afield, with naught but the other to lean upon in fatigue. In cold and uncertainty, we have laid together and found comfort. Tell this one what you think you could do that would make these things untrue."
[17:48] <ChillyWillyMk2> There's a jerk of the eyes, like she wants to look away, but her yellow eyes lock on to his instead. The emotions boiling up within her, conflicting, bouncing around madly, are full on display in those few seconds, though he can see the one that overpowers them: fear. "I... don't know... This one doesn't want to think about what she could do to cause damage, she doesn't /want/ to cause damage..."
01[18:05] <Humble_Soul> Fear. An emotion that Humble knows well of, how to banish it from his own heart, and of a promise made not long ago. It is his duty to stand strong, so that others will not fear. /That/ is what Jaded Soul needs of the Killer, someone to slay her fear. "This one would not allow you to cause damage. This one would chase you if you ran. He would defend against you if you sought revenge. He would hold you close if you broke down and could do naught but weep. In all, he would not wonder why. He knows, and you would still be his friend."
[18:19] <ChillyWillyMk2> Tense muscles loosen, and Jaded Soul's head bows down, much veiled by bangs. Even still, below it, Humble Soul can make out the faint trace of a smile. "Thank you."
01[18:41] <Humble_Soul> Relief for the Builder and the Killer both. Humble lets himself hang that somber smile of his own, slipping his hand down from Jaded's wrist into her now far looser hand. "It is as you tell the Ram Knight. This one is powerless to deny a lady in distress."
[18:51] <ChillyWillyMk2> Her fingers squeeze lightly, but no more than that. "It's true, you know. This one's seen proof for ten years now," she chuckles lowly, shaking her head. "This one knows Zosime's feeling bad right now too though, meaning you'll have to do something about that. So when you go back, could you tell her... this one's dealing with everything she's repressed for a decade. This one isn't angry at /her/..."
01[19:22] <Humble_Soul> "This one will speak with her, and make sure she knows." While Jaded is the closest to Humble, his success here has not blinded him to the very real possibility that he will have to banish yet more fear. For Zosime, this could perhaps be more difficult, but is not so different from Jaded's split convictions. "But not until the Jaded Soul feels well enough to send him away. Until then, this one is beside you."
[19:29] <ChillyWillyMk2> There's a subtle nod, Jaded Soul's hand twitching. Though he has defeated the fear, this is not so simple a trauma that he can so easily solve it all. "Thanks. This one... may need you for a little bit more, sorry. In her distractions, she's not keeping an eye out for danger nearly as well as she could be. Her heart's still pounding, if you can believe it."
01[20:18] <Humble_Soul> It will require a gentle vigil, one that Humble is prepared to stand as long as the tiefling needs it. Watching the now settling tiefling closely, Soul's face softens and his tone sweetens. "This one is holding your hand, he can feel the beating of the Jaded Soul's heart. She should not think of time, this one is very patient."
[20:24] <ChillyWillyMk2> She smiles again, both a little more happiness within this one, and a hint of guilt. "Trying to become the Patient Soul? I'm sorry you have to deal with this. This... should be a time when we all get to be happy, with Sage back like this..."
1[20:44] <Humble_Soul> Turning his eyes out over the goldlit dunes, Humble heaves a sigh as they continue their plodding walk. "Ask not for forgiveness, and speak not of 'should'. This is a time that the Jaded Soul needs the Humble Soul, and he serves her need knowing she would not hesitate to do the same."
[20:49] <@ChillyWilly> "Yeah. Guess that settles that then, huh?" His larger hand is given a gentle squeeze. "In that case, thanks again." Jaded Soul brushes her hair back into a more orderly fashion with her free hand, offering Humble Soul a far more relieved smile than any expression she bore when he showd up. "If you need the favour back, you know who to come to."