[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220419/d955e440c95ac6f731dc5e649ad359eb.png[/img][/center][hr][hider=Suspicious Tainted nonsense]Kyreth’s room - his own [i]room![/i] - was grander than he ever could have imagined. The structure itself was palatial; the door was solid, the walls were strong, and it even had [i]two windows[/i], one overlooking the garden and lake the other the forest. Inside, the cozy space was furnished with a desk and chair, some shelves, the locked trunk the Lord had promised, and, above all, a [i]bed[/i]. And not just any bed; a bed with sheets and blankets, with a mattress and pillow and a frame that didn’t bow when he sat on it. A bed he didn’t need to draw straws for or fight over. Hells, the windows even had [i]curtains.[/i] Kyreth had never stayed in such an upscale place in his life. 

And not only that, but there were already some things in the room, accompanied by a note encouraging their use. On the shelves were a few books, ink and paper as the Lord had promised, and on the desk, his very own candle and flint. They were all for his studies, but still, it felt good and strange in equal measure to suddenly be possessed of more than he could fit in his pockets. 

There’d also been a large drawstring sack left inside, filled with enough travel rations to last Kyreth the ten-day trip he was so wary of going on. To buy those provisions himself would have cost him nearly every copper to his name. He’d been doing his best to keep track of his debts to this place, but the sum quickly grew beyond what he could quantify; he’d have to count them all as blessings for the time being, having no other way to count them.  

The cherry on top of it all was a washbasin and warm water, which Kyreth took advantage of immediately, even before he was stunned once again by someone in the House staff delivering a hot, hearty meal to his door. Kyreth could have sworn he was living in a dream, and very much didn’t want to wake up. 

By the time he’d washed up, eaten, and given thanks to Selene for her boundless generosity, the sky had gone dark, and it was at that point Kyreth realized he’d yet to see Lilann. Well, it was no wonder; privacy made you miss things, it seemed. 

Well, no time like the present; he needed to thank Lilann for her hand in turning his life upside down. 

He crept through the Bounty House like a child up after bedtime, nervous to disturb any other residents on his way back down to the lobby. Fortunately, Lilann had found her way back up, and was resting in the common area. She must have remembered that he owed her a good story. And Hells below, did he ever have a wild tale to spin. 

Even as he drew closer, it took Lilann many moments to realize he was there. She seemed distracted, with her hat doffed beside her, and her head leaned back in the seat. She was staring up at the ceiling, face pinched in thought. When she did notice him, the tension left her quickly, blinking like she’d just woken up. 

[color=skyblue]“Kyreth,”[/color] she said, rising shakily from her seat and steadying herself on the arm rest. [color=skyblue]“Oof, sorry. Took a small nap and still haven’t quite come out of it.”[/color] She rubbed some of the tiredness from her eyes, then regarded him with a smile more like the ones he’d seen before. [color=skyblue]“But look at you, you’re back–and in one piece! How did your errands go?”[/color]

Kyreth moved instinctively to catch Lilann in case she fell, his concern easing (but not entirely disappearing) as she composed herself. He had to crack a ghost of a grin at her comment, nodding. 

[color=8E939E]“Yeah, I’ve been back a while now - sorry I didn’t come find you sooner,”[/color] he replied. Rather than answer her question, though, he gestured to the stairs. [color=8E939E]“I have somewhere more private we can talk, if you don’t mind… I have a lot to tell you.”[/color]

He led Lilann up the stairs to the second floor, hooking a hard left at the top and showing her to the room at the very end of the hallway. He couldn’t hide his satisfaction when he pulled out his key, face painted with the grin of a child with a new toy as he unlocked the door. [color=8E939E]“Check this out.”[/color]

The door opened to a modest dormitory-style room with a bed pushed against the wall in a corner with a trunk at the foot, as well as a desk and chair complete with a set of shelves. Two windows decorated two of the walls, looking out over the bridge on one side and the garden on the other. 

[color=8E939E]“They’re letting me stay here,”[/color] he explained, his voice coloured with awe. He stepped inside, gesturing for Lilann to follow him. [color=8E939E]“Can you believe it? I have so much to tell you.”[/color]

Lilann stared wide-eyed at the room, stunned for just a moment into complete silence. This wasn’t just a room, it was a [i]room[/i]. She doubted even the ones at that hoighty-toighty inn back in town were furnished so nicely–and rightfully not, this was a [i]lord’s[/i] estate after all. 

Finally she looked back at Kyreth, and briefly wondered if she was seeing the same boy from before. He was smiling, he seemed happy, maybe even [i]proud[/i]. 

A part of her was wary. No, she couldn’t believe it, at least not normally, and she couldn’t help the way her mind bristled at the idea that something else was afoot here for someone as evidently powerful as lord Mystralath to extend such generosity to a Tainted. But it seemed today was a day for believing incredible things, so she decided, for now, to take this for what it was. 

[color=skyblue]“I can tell that you do,”[/color] she said, letting herself smile like he was. [color=skyblue]“And I’m [i]very[/i] eager to hear it.”[/color]

Kyreth wasn’t blind to Lilann’s moment of skepticism; honestly, if he was smarter, he’d have held on to his own much longer than he had. But he’d promised he would accept Selene’s gifts as they came, and if that had consequences, well, he’d know for next time. 

He ushered Lilann inside, closing the door and pulling the desk chair out for himself. He’d let her sit on the bed; she might need someplace to fall over when she heard everything. [color=8E939E]“I’m still processing it myself, but - well, let me start from the beginning. Apparently [i]I’m[/i] an [i]aetherborn.[/i]”[/color]

He had to laugh at his own ignorance, realizing the truth was pretty clear in hindsight. [color=8E939E]“I know, seems silly now, but, well, you know, growing up where I did I would never have dreamed an [i]aetherborn[/i] would pop up, let alone [i]me.[/i]”[/color]

He continued fervently, telling Lilann everything from the tense first meeting with the Lord, to the proposal of apprenticeship (and the alternative of an excruciating fiery death), the ups and downs of the trip into town, and everything since. As he spoke, Kyreth was more animated than he could ever recall; he flipped between the heights of awe and gratitude and the depths of dread and apprehension like a weather vane in a storm, standing and sitting and pacing with nervous energy as he wove his tale. In a way, the news was as fresh to him as it was to Lilann; he was still coming to terms with things even as he explained them, and it wasn’t until he regaled it all to another that it all finally started to sink in. 

[color=8E939E]“And… yeah, I guess I’m coming with you tomorrow,”[/color] he finally finished, falling back into his chair. He pulled his hood down at long last, locks of damp white hair flopping down over his forehead. His tail slid out limply from its hiding place around his waist, exhausted, and his eyes were focused somewhere off in the distance, his expression an unreadable mix of shock and contemplation. [color=8E939E]“Man, saying it all out loud… it sounds even crazier than it seemed.”[/color]

After a moment, he finally fixed his gaze back on Lilann, his eyes glowing with the vigor of Soft Haven’s aether, even more brightly in the gathering gloom. It was an odd contrast to the rest of his face, marred by the exhaustion of a long and harrowing day, but painted all over with wonder. [color=8E939E]“Can you believe it? I mean, is he crazy? Am [i]I[/i] crazy?”[/color]

Admittedly, watching Kyreth so lively was more than a little amusing. She rarely saw her kind get excited about things, let alone things like [i]this[/i]. Though, as he continued to explain his position, she felt her spirits wilt under the oppressive, ineluctable shade of cynicism. To her ears, it sounded like Mystralath was very good at explaining himself, without necessarily [i]explaining[/i] himself. Taking Kyreth under his wing was an act of magnanimity so great that even the part of her that wanted to be happy for him just…couldn’t. No one was that generous without agenda, no one, but especially not nobility. 

And as long as their employer’s name began with [i]‘Lord’[/i], that’s all he’d be to her. 

Blessedly—or perhaps not—she was distracted by the revelation that Kyreth would be accompanying them on their contract. Hours ago that wouldn’t have fazed her; in fact, she’d have been quite relieved to have him along, considering the rest of the company. However, having seen what she’d seen today, the idea of him being out in the woods, group or not, set a small twist in her stomach. 

[color=skyblue]“I…no,”[/color] she said at last, falling back to sit on the bed. [color=skyblue]“No I don’t think you’re crazy at all—neither of you. I think Lord Mystralath knows exactly what he’s doing, and you…deserve the opportunity regardless of his intentions. I know I don’t have to tell you to be careful, but…well, be careful.”[/color]

For a few moments she sat, contemplating what to say, and how to say it. She had questions, plenty of questions, but where to start? 

She shrugged with her lips. [color=skyblue]“Hm. So it’s fire, then? I’ve seen one or two aetherborn like that in my travels. They are…certainly a force to be reckoned with.”[/color] She smirked. [color=skyblue]“Not what I would have pictured for you—no offense.”[/color]

Kyreth smiled, but it was a strained look, his discomfort evident. [color=8E939E]“Yeah, don’t remind me,”[/color] he chuckled coldly, rubbing his face. [color=8E939E]“I used to think it was a curse - still do, honestly. That’s why I’m… certainly not very excited about accompanying you—no offense.”[/color]

He chuckled again, more sincerely this time. But his levity didn’t last long, and his face once more grew serious. [color=8E939E]“But, really… if anything happens while we’re traveling, just—give me a wide berth, okay?”[/color]

Shaking his head, he left the ‘I don’t want to burn you alive’ part unsaid. Instead, he opted to change the subject. [color=8E939E]“Anyway. I’ve been rambling enough, I think,”[/color] he proposed. [color=8E939E]“Did you come upon anything today? You were looking to learn about that… thing, right? That left the claw marks?”[/color] His nose wrinkled in discomfort. 

Lilann was savvy enough to know when she’d struck a nerve, and Kyreth was particularly emotive as it was. Normally that was proof she was on the right line of questioning, but she wasn’t spinning a story about him. She didn’t need to pry, even though a part of her wanted to. It sounded like he was already quite familiar with his gifts, regardless of how he’d viewed them.

[i]Another time,[/i] she thought.

Besides, he’d managed to turn the conversation on her when she’d been distracted. Clever boy. [color=skyblue]“Oh dear,”[/color] she said, growing a strained smile of her own. [color=skyblue]“Seems it’s my turn to sound crazy, then. Well, you might have noticed that I don’t have my sword…”[/color]

If she could have seen herself tell Kyreth about what had happened, she would have been furious. Normally her stories were bold, energetic, incorporating a variety of voices and props and aetheric trickery for spice. Here, she only sat still, hunched tiredly over her knees, like an old crone at her fireplace.

She told him about Cerric’s guidance, about the walk, and how the music had come to her again—and did he remember that music? Had he heard it? She couldn’t recall—and she didn’t even mention their duet. Instead she described that…place. The dreadfulness of it, the paleness, the stench of death that morphed into the presence of death itself. She told him about the Rancor, its hideous face and its terrible strength that she knew right away she was no match for. It had chased her madly though the colorless woods, until the music returned.
Then she stopped, and strained because the closer she drew to the end the fuzzier her mind felt. Somewhat reluctantly, she told him about the figure that had rescued her, and how the world had gone pure white.

She did not tell him about the dream—she hardly knew how to approach it herself.

[color=skyblue]“Then I woke up. I was in the apothecary’s home, Agitha Hawthorne. She and her ward—little Tainted boy, can you believe that?—they were both very kind to me. Sent me on my way once I had my bearings.”[/color]

She sighed, sitting back and regarding him with a shrug. [color=skyblue]“I don’t suppose you happen to believe me, do you?”[/color]

Kyreth listened with rapt attention, gripping the side of his chair like a child listening to a ghost story. And that was what he felt like; the same deep disturbedness he saw Lilann concealing in her own eyes gripped him openly as the tale went on, his stomach turning over on itself as Lilann described her too-close brush with death. 

When she finally finished, Kyreth sat mutely for a moment, stunned. The truth was, no, no he didn’t believe her - he didn’t want to. The thought of something like [i]that[/i] lurking in walking distance from the Bounty House and its lush foliage and oblivious staff - no, that thing lived on another world, another plane of existence entirely, one Lilann clearly spun herself to frighten drunks for coin. 

But he couldn’t dismiss it. Because he [i]had[/i] heard the music - he barely remembered it, and would never have given it a second thought if not for the mention. There’d been so much on his mind the first time up this way, and with the aether buzzing his nerves and Ceolfric with a blade at his back, there’d been much more important obstacles at hand. But he [i]had[/i] heard it, and, he realized now, he’d heard it to and from town as well. And there were other parts of her story he couldn’t deny, either. 

[color=8E939E]“Moon’s Mercy…”[/color] Kyreth muttered to himself, voice full of fear and reverence as he traced a crescent on his forehead and clutched his pendant. He was too stunned to say anything more for a moment, staring at the floorboards in horrified disbelief. 

Eventually, he shook his head. [color=8E939E]“No—I believe you,”[/color] he replied, still visibly shaken. [color=8E939E]“It’s… I mean, it’s insane, but last night, I…”[/color] he squeezed his eyes shut, momentarily gripped by the same potent [i]malignance[/i] that had washed over him in the wee hours in the graveyard. [color=8E939E]“I mean, I’m sure you felt it too. Whatever left those marks was… very much real.”[/color]

He raked a hand through his hair, hooking his fingers around one of his horns. [color=8E939E]“But… h-how—you mean to tell me something like [i]that[/i] is just out there—”[/color] he gestured to the window, now less enthused about having two of them, [color=8E939E]“—just right out there, and you can just [i]find it[/i], and nobody cares? How is the whole [i]town[/i] not dead?!”[/color]

It was an odd thing for her to tell someone the [i]truth[/i] and hope they believed it, but she relieved nonetheless. He asked her questions she didn’t know the answers to, but felt like she ought to have, and had to resist the urge to just make them up.

[color=skyblue]“I don’t know,”[/color] she admitted. [color=skyblue]“It wasn’t particularly talkative, and while I’m being honest, the place I found didn’t feel…right. Maybe you [i]can’t[/i] just find it, or maybe it can’t leave—speculating is great for stories, but won’t help us much in reality.”[/color]

She shook her head, looking back up at him. [color=skyblue]“Tomorrow I’ll tell Cerric what I found—I doubt he’ll believe me, but he ought to know, anyway. I’ll tell Ceolfric too, since he seemed the most eager to find the wretched thing. Maybe he’ll have better luck. The stories make it old, Kyreth, and I can’t help wondering…well, don’t take this as a slight against our employer, but if Mystralath went out of his way to scoop you up because you [i]might[/i] be a threat, then I’m finding it hard to believe he’s not at least aware that this creature is real.”[/color]

Kyreth nodded along, wondering the same things Lilann did and more - like how he found it hard to believe that Cerric had enough knowledge to lead her flawlessly to the monster, but not that it actually lurked where he said it would. But the mention of Lord Mystralath gave him pause. 

At first, he was tempted to correct Lilann, tell her in no uncertain terms that in his state he very much [i]was[/i] a threat, but she made an excellent point. Not only was it a good inference, but what little more he knew than she did about Mystralath seemed to support it; eccentric as he was, Kyreth doubted the Lord would hear such a story and simply brush it aside. But what did it all mean? And more importantly, would he have the guts to ask about it? 

[color=8E939E]“I'm sure you're right,”[/color] he admitted. [color=8E939E]“I mean, the man is… his-- [i]our[/i] school of aetherborn can be a force of nature, like you said. Maybe he's not worried because he knows he could be done with it with a snap of his fingers.”[/color]

But that didn't sit right, either. [color=8E939E]“Of course, that begs the question of why he hasn't just dealt with it already,”[/color] Kyreth conceded, deep in thought. [color=8E939E]“Maybe you're right, and it's not a threat unless someone goes looking for it…?”[/color]

That theory raised more questions than answers, too, and Kyreth was in no condition to contemplate. He could feel the edges of his mind straining, the fatigue from his earlier foray into aether manipulation still lingering. After a long moment, he shook his head to clear it. 

[color=8E939E]“Well, I have some dealings with Cerric too - seems he's going to be supervising me so I don't… well…”[/color] he rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, deciding not to finish that sentence. [color=8E939E]“Gotta say I’d rather keep on his good side, but let me know what he tells you. More importantly, I doubt any trade roads run through whatever hellscape you found, so we should be safe on our trip… right?”[/color]

Lilann nodded, though she was no more comfortable than before. Suggesting Msytralath had knowledge was a far cry from confronting him about it, which she had no intentions of doing right now–and even less did she want [i]Kyreth[/i] to do it. Gods, he’d only just gotten such a good position, the last thing he needed right now was to have it jeopardized. 

[color=skyblue]“I hope so. There are going to be quite a few of us, and I suspect Cerric is no pushover himself. Besides, now I know if anything [i]does[/i] happen, we’ve got you!”[/color] she winked. [color=skyblue]“Like you said, a wide berth.”[/color]

Lilann rose from the bed, and this time she didn’t even wobble. She fixed Kyreth with a smile as genuine as she could muster. All told, she [i]was[/i] happy for him. She would have preferred he kept to the relative safety of the town, or at least Mystralath’s walls, but if this was the way things were going to be…well, that wasn’t so bad. 

[color=skyblue]“Alright, I should go try and get some real rest for tomorrow,”[/color] she said. [color=skyblue]“With any luck, this little journey will be over before we know it. And if we’re not lucky, well, who knows? Maybe the beastie will only eat Ceolfric.”[/color]

Kyreth cracked a guilty grin at the joke. While he worried she was making too light of the danger he posed to her and the group if something [i]did[/i] go wrong, he had to admit that the joking did put him a little more at ease. A polished skill for sure, honed by a career of storytelling, but he appreciated it all the same. 

[color=8E939E]“Good idea, I'm supposed to be taking an early night myself,”[/color] he concurred, standing up with her. However, before he opened the door for her, he had one more thing to say. 

[color=8E939E]“Um, before you go…”[/color] he started hesitantly, [color=8E939E]“Listen, I can tell this whole… [i]thing[/i]--”[/color] he gestured around at the room [color=8E939E]“--makes you a little uneasy. And, I mean, believe me, nobody is more nervous about it than me. But…”[/color]

He paused for a moment, meekly rubbing the back of his neck as he debated whether to say it or not. [color=8E939E]“...I wanted to thank you. Truly. Without you I don't think I ever would have even walked up the hill.”[/color] 

Kyreth’s cheeks darkened a touch, a little embarrassed, but he pressed on all the same. [color=8E939E]“Seriously. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to call on me, okay? I owe you.”[/color] 

There was something crushingly familiar to her in the way he spoke, and his meekness stoked memories that seemed as alien to her as the fog that had followed her deliverance from the Rancor. Standing there, it struck her quite suddenly that they were alien because they weren’t hers. They were Livean’s. 

She struggled for a moment for a steady breath. [color=skyblue]“Hah…”[/color] she muttered, composing herself. [color=skyblue]“Well, don’t go underestimating yourself. Leave that to everyone else–trust me, feels a lot better proving [i]other[/i] people wrong.”[/color] She patted him on the shoulder, smiled again, more naturally this time. [color=skyblue]“But if you really want to pay me back, just get through this contract in one piece, hm? Let’s start there.”[/color]

Kyreth nodded knowingly, returning Lilann’s good will with a tired smile. Whatever was behind that little falter, he wouldn't speculate; after the ordeal she'd had, she deserved more than a little deference. [color=8E939E]“Alright, it’s a deal,”[/color] he agreed, finally opening the door for her. [color=8E939E]“I’ll see you bright and early, then.”[/color][/hider]

Lilann was no stranger to nightmares, but she had never been plagued by a [i]pleasant[/i] dream before. Yet, that night, the warmth of those unreal sands, and the awe of its towers, even the fear of their destruction—all of it set her to waking again, and again, only for her to return to it when she drifted once more. 

She stood on that marble platform, reaching for a hand outstretched but never feeling their fingers touch. 

She woke feeling terribly alone, and sought to remedy that at once. 

The air in Soft Haven was bitter and damp. She’d spent so long under the gloomy skies of Dranir that, even though she’d seen more snow than rain in her life, she had a feeling the day wouldn’t stay as meagerly dry as it was now. Oh well, a good wash never hurt anyone—and if she was going to be sharing a convoy with the hedgeman, she’d likely be thankful for a little cleansing rain. 

Donning her mask once again, she proceeded out of town to meet with their employer. She found Cerric alongside an unfamiliar woman—the client, likely. Esvelee, if memory served. Ceolfric had shown up, as well as the impish boy. And, ah, there was Kyreth. The thought of him coming along, especially after what she’d seen, still didn’t sit right with her. But she’d resolved to trust him, and if ever there was a time to stick together, it was now. 

“[color=skyblue]Good morning![/color]” she announced, voice projecting easily from beneath her mask. She nodded pleasantly to Cerric, and bowed theatrically to Esvelee, head dipping low enough that her hat nearly eclipsed her whole body. “[color=skyblue]Lady Buckman,[/color]” she greeted. “[color=skyblue]Lilann Storyborn, at your call.[/color]”

With that she went on to join Kyreth and Ermes, striking up on the former’s unoccupied side. “[color=skyblue]Good to see you. And—oh, look what the night coughed up,[/color]” she said teasingly, waggling her fingers at the shadowy boy. “[color=skyblue]Hello, Ermes. Ready for a nice trip?[/color]”