[center][h3][u][b]Szayeis and his Pet[/b][/u][/h3]
[i]Collab by: [@yoshua171] and [@Celaira].[/i][/center][hr]
It was atop a building of decent height which he stood, the night sky a blanket of blue-black overhead, while his eyes shown and his form remained still 'cept for his coat and hair blown by the wind. He was four blocks away, and yet still he felt the pulse of his pet, it brought a small smile to his lips as he felt it grow nearer.

She was coming to him, just as she always did when he was near.

The fingers of his left hand tightened around a cane that, just a moment ago, had not been there. At its top was an ornate design, much like the coils of a snake wrapped around a small sphere, in which was a pulsating purplish-black core of crystalized vis. A soul core...Aeris' soul core. The cane's head glowed softly from the pulsation of the core as well as sigils that were inscribed all over the surface of the object. He could feel the vis weaving its way through the artifact that he used not only to taunt his pet, but as a uniquely powerful Focus, should he ever require one.

After all, he was a practical man of many talents, so there was hardly any reason not to utilize a valuable asset as utility and leverage both, that was except for the chance of it being stolen, one might think. He chuckled at the mere thought of it, as the device was attuned to only one person, the one who held it now. Even though the soul core was not his own and belonged to the still living Aeris, its own attunement was secondary to the item he held.

Aeris moved with a purpose, her stride long and determined as she made her way toward her [i]former[/i] Eximius. As she moved, the hollow pulsing in her chest became stronger, allowing her the knowledge of the distance shared between the two. 

As she walked, her eyes drifted up to look at the sky, its blanket of darkness lending aid not only to her abilities, but to Szayeis' as well. The knowledge that his power grew with the falling of the sun had her questioning what else he might be doing elsewhere in the city. However, that wasn't the only reason she was looking up at the night, she was searching, searching for any Prae Vanguard that might be patrolling the airspace. When she didn't see anyone, and the pulsating in her chest became too much, she stopped walking and closed her eyes. A moment or two passed before she felt the familiar movement of her wings as they folded into place against her shoulderblades.

With a grin, she shot up into the night like a rocket, her body spinning in a corkscrew motion until she was just above most of the buildings where she came to an almost screeching halt; were it not for her wings slowly beating down the air she surely would have pummeted to the ground.

Once she was in the air, it didn't take her long to spot the Nightwalker who stood alone on a rooftop. WIthout a word she flew over, and then dropped down from the air where she landed, facing him, though she stood closer to the roof's edge than she did to the center.

[color=#3098C1]"[i]Szayeis[/i]."[/color] His name left her lips in an almost growl, her hands balled into fists at her sides. The pulsing, and pulling her soul-core caused her to look at the staff where its pulsating light had become multiple times brighter than it had previously been. 

His grin became a full smile as his pet came into view, her winged form magestic even in his opinion. She found her perch on the building, standing only several meters from his person. He twirled his cane, which he had dubbed Ichabod's cane for...personal reasons. [color=#00001A][b]"[i]Aeris,[/i]"[/b][/color] he replied, the staff coming to an abrupt stop before the bottom end met the surface of the roof with a sharp [i][b]crack[/b][/i]. [color=#00001A][b]"I'm so glad you could make it dear, though I admit I didn't expect you to be anywhere near here. You never seemed the [i]sort[/i],"[/b][/color] his close-lipped smile became a teeth revealing grin, wide, malicious...mocking. 
[color=#00001A][b]"So what brings you here? No wait, let me guess,"[/b][/color] he tapped his chin for but a second, [color=#00001A][b]"...it's your dear brother isn't it. My [i]second favorite plaything.[/i]"[/b][/color]


[color=#00001A][b]“So, [i]pet,[/i] why [i]are[/i] you here?”[/b][/color] The question was more serious, though his face still held a smile. She would know better than to rebel here, though her hatred of him might drive her to do so anyways, not that it mattered. He couldn't harm her core to harm her, but he'd learned some new [i]tricks[/i] lately, not to mention that Ichabod's cane was a relatively recent addition to his arsenal of tools. She had only seen it twice before, and had yet to learn to a healthy [i]respect[/i] for the device.

He would change that at the first opportunity. After all, he relished such things.

Aeris bit back response after response as Szayeis spoke, her eyes boring into his form. If looks could kill, he'd be naught but a pool of blood on the pavement. As he continued mocking her, trying to read her expressions no doubt, all he would be able to completely read would be a wall of hate.

As if reacting to her emotions, brisn began to well up along her skin and clothing, leaving her body alight in a soft blue glow.

[color=#00001A][b]"Going to keep mum are we?"[/b][/color] he said, that same mocking smile on his lips even as his eyes met hers--the look in them was one that said one thing, [i]how futile[/i]. It was a look of pity, condescension, and amusement all wrapped into one neat nuanced little expression.

One step, two, three steps, four, five...six...eight...ten and the distance between the amused Eximius and his enraged [i]pet[/i] was closed. With so little space left separating them, the licentia reached for her cheek, a smirk on his lips. In his right hand remained Ichabod's cane, which contained and restrained her soul core. Its nearness to her caused a resonance of sorts, causing both core and her own pulse to synchronize and speed up, yet in the same breath an interruption in the resonance asserted itself.

Aeris' heart would briefly flutter in her chest, uncomfortable...perhaps even painful, but only just. If she let his hand reach her cheek, nothing further would be done, and the fluttering would cease.

[color=#3098C1]"Not silent. You're just not worth answering."[/color] The vitrol in her voice was palpable, but even with her face marred by anger, she was smiling, wide and unafraid. She chose to ignore his pitious gaze, instead choosing to meet his eyes dead-on.

When he began to walk toward her her body stiffened, but she made no visible moves to stop him.

As his hand met her cheek her eyes glowered up into his own. He had made contact with her Brisn, but it clearly wasn't affecting him, not that she was surprised.

In fact, not only had her brisn not effected him, but it flowed over his hand for a moment, as if caressing it, which was odd since the vis was one that tended to [i]burn[/i] licentia. He leaned in closer to her, his eyes on hers, his stature putting him several inches taller than her. Using that slight advantage, his direct contact with her form and his attunement to the cane, he spoke, [color=#00001A][b]"I should remind you, that I hold you accountable for both your and your brother's lives. If you step too far out of line, I can always [i]trim[/i] the family tree."[/b][/color] As he said it, an unpleasant, almost sickening prickling spread from his hand and into her face, before disipating into her body, and settling somewhere in her torso.

He pulled his hand away from her and took one step back, still smiling, clearly unfazed by the blaze of her hatred. [color=#00001A][b]"Now, let me ask you again, dear. Why are you here?"[/b][/color]

[color=#3098C1]"See, but then you'd lose your actual leverage over me."[/color] Aeris' response was simple, curt, the truth. If he removed her brother from any form of her life, she would have absolutely [i]no[/i] reason to even pretend to obey him. He would lose his favorite pet, and she knew that he wouldn't risk that, not yet.

When the prickling sensation spread over her body she grimaced, but continued her glare. [color=#3098C1]"The answer to that is simple. I'm here partly because you have something that belongs to me. But then, you know that."[/color] She paused, looking over at the head of Szayeis' cane, before looking back at the licentia himself. [color=#3098C1]"The other part of my being here is because I want to know why you decided to come to the surface now, what's changed that has you wanting to gallavant around Medius? Especially with you being the posterboy for the Prae's war on Licentia to begin with."[/color]

In response he only smiled at her, before pointedly turning and walking along the edge of the roof, away from her. As he did so he twirled the cane in his right hand, his arm held out over the edge of the building rather precariously. [color=#00001A][b]"It's funny how little you seem to value your own life,"[/b][/color] he commented almost absentmindedly before turning to walk more towards the center of the roof, still not looking at her. [color=#00001A][b]"As to leverage,"[/b][/color] he laughed then glanced at her, grinning, [color=#00001A][b]"...well, let's just say you're more fun as a pet, but more [i]useful[/i] as a tool. Besides, you can't kill me."[/b][/color]

[color=#3098C1]"Well, its easy to devalue something when someone destroyed it multiple times over. And, I never said I'd kill you."[/color] Aeris' response was calm, a lot more calm than she was.

He met her eyes with confidence as he made that last statement, before tearing his gaze away and glancing in the direction of the meeting. He seemed, for just a moment, not to be focused on his surroundings, and then the expression was gone, his focus returned entirely. He still hadn't answered her question regarding his presence in the city, but he had never intended to truly answer that query.

Instead... [color=#00001A][b]“You know, I've always [i]liked[/i] humans,”[/b][/color] he began, before seating himself on one of the radiators that dotted the roof. [color=#00001A][b]“They're such intriguing creatures. Capable of so much, yet so easily snuffed out with a thought,”[/b][/color] he snapped his fingers and a not so distant scream echoed through the night, before the piercing sound faded into memory. He grinned at Aeris while elsewhere in an alley, a poor unsuspecting homeless woman lay dead, children at her side, shaking her and crying frantically for her to wake up, asking if she was okay.

Aeris didn't visibly react to the scream as it tore through the air, her eyes remaining on the seated Szayeis. His displays of power had long since lost their grandiose shock value for her, leaving her rather subdued in cases where family or friends weren't involved.

It hurt some part of her to ignore grevous loss of life, but there was nothing she could do, even if she wanted to.

He stood and walked back over to Aeris till he was beside her. He turned his head and met her gaze, [color=#00001A][b]“Come,”[/b][/color] he said, his expression now serious, suggesting only punishment awaited someone who disobeyed.

Then, a mere moment passing, his gaze turned to the open air before him before he leapt from the rooftop. His humanoid form, in an instant, became inky black darkness, like pitch flowing through the sky. After lingering a moment, the dark mass that Szayeis had become, shot forwards and away, intending Aeris to follow. He was going to show her something.

With a reluctant sigh at his command, she took a moment to let him leave the roof before she herself rose into the air and followed after him.

How she hated having to pander to him.