— Natala, Odile & Liza —
She hated rain. A little further north and it might have been snow but right now it was raining. Natala was wet and cold, regretting not getting a rain cloak the last time she had gone into a city. There was supposed to be some ruins or something nearby. With any luck they would be able to find some mostly dry wood nearby as well.
Soothing. That was the word that Odile knew to describe the rain. He could hear each drop colliding with stone, grass, moss, dirt, and even his own flesh. Each collision was like a drum beat, carrying the rhythm of his home. The rain always reminded him of home. Too many memories to count. Without so much as getting bored of each drop trickling on his skin, he lay in the soft grass, embracing the world. It was enough to forget.
He had ran further ahead of his companion. After all, he could not resist the allure of the soft grass contorting to his whimsy.
Rain was... an unpredictable tool that played after its own tune. It could, however, still be manipulated. While it held true that a downfall was capable of washing away the the thoughts of an Artist after she had already put her mark on the world, rain was just as much capable of being part of the craft itself.
In case of the Virtuoso however the rain was, as of right now, simply annoying. The young woman had finished her painting in the close town of Skaiskan just recently and it was simply not in her nature to bless the people of a single community with more than one artistry in such a short amount of time... not to mention the chances of being caught increased tenfold if she'd do a deed more than once at the same location.
So, in the end the robe and mask wearing light-blonde was simply enjoying the scenery. Some may call it
hiding; for the traveling Artist known as 'Liza', who drew pretty much anything including scenery such as this, it was simply to stimulate her muse - or so she could explain to anyone who'd find her in a weird place like this.
Even with her garment however, Liza wasn't particularly keen on getting wet without reason and thus the young woman was simply taking cover under the remains of a stone-roof.
Her travelling partner had run ahead again, something she was long since used to. Natala picked up the pace, eventually catching up to where Odile was sprawled out on the ground. She walked past without a word or backwards glance, well used to this sight.
Natala quickened her pace, eager to get under some sort of shelter. The less time spent out there, the better. There would be no pity for someone who apparently enjoyed being wet and miserable while she sat warm, happy and dry in front of a fire.
The ruins soon came into sight and shortly after that she ducked into cover, coming face to face with a masked figure draped in red and black. There was a moment of surprised hesitation before she grabbed the hilt of her sword and partially drew it, baring a third of it's blade.
Odile rested rather nicely. It was comfortable to be himself, rather than wear the rags and try to adapt with all of those people. They boy laughed and smiled to himself. When Natala, reached him and walked past without saying so much as a word, Odile sat up. He stared for a brief moment and, like an animal who had just seen their master.
Rather quickly, Odile rose from the grass and began to follow Natala. He didn’t want to become lost, after all. He followed her from a distance, like he usually had. He never liked walking so close to her. It was never something that he did. The two rarely spoke, despite them travelling together so often.
Liza was more-or-less minding her own business until an Angel descended. The artists cheeks flushed upon the sight of her. Just… how? Usually, Liza’s urges were sated for a good while after she had done a good deed. Usually, it took her at least a week. But this? It hadn’t even been two days. Just looking at the small frame of a girl made Liza’s mind explode. She couldn’t quite say what it was that made the ex-slave so attracting… but the feeling was anything she had ever felt before. This… this had to be it. Liza knew it. This unknown
being had the potential to outperform anything and anyone. Liza would make her great. The greatest. Yes, Liza was sure the second she had laid eyes upon this wonderful canvas, that was the one that would make her father proud.
A few long seconds passed without the masked stranger saying any word, more-or-less busy calming her aroused self down, before the artist put up her defenseless hands and began to speak.
”No need for weapons. I mean no harm.” Yes, Liza’s appearance was unusual - not to mention her distorted indistinguishable voice. While it was meant for protection the girl was also aware that nobody deserved the ugly sight of her. After all, Liza had been a bad girl.
As for the monstrosity that was following the Angel; Liza hasn’t seen him yet.
After another few seconds Natala exhaled her held breath. It was possible the... whoever was telling the truth. Aside from the mask and the weird voice they hadn't actually done anything threatening. That didn't mean that they weren't potentially dangerous, but they weren't actually being a threat.
She let the blade drop back into the sheath and looked back out into the rain. Natala didn't trust them but was done with being wet.
"I'm already soaked so I'll go find something to make a fire with."
Odile, watching the two of them converse, was rather jealous. He couldn’t speak as eloquently as them. What little murmurs came out of his mouth were garbled by the unnatural action of his voice. He was filled with frustration. He wanted to be with them, but every step he took towards them was harder and harder.
But as he slowly approached, he smelled something. Foul. That was the word to describe it. However, this was a smell that he and Natala shared. It was the smell of blood and Talze Utera. The smell was worse than both of them. Overpowering, even. Even Odile’s simple mind could grasp one thing - whoever this robed figure was, they could not be trusted.
Odile walked towards the two of them. Even though he knew about the danger, Natala didn’t. Closer and closer he walked until he reached them. He was in plain view by the time he stopped.
