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["And what did you do?"]

There were no dreams or thoughts when the clerics had placed her in an induced sleep. For most of that morning and the day she was sound asleep. The most serious of wounds and conditions were cured with prayers and divine magic within the first hour, the rest however, was still something her body had to take care of.

After that initial ordeal, a quiet dwarven cleric would visit occasionally just to check on her sleeping form. Once she had woken, it was that same cleric who handed her what looked to be a list of things that was cured. The underground cult had begun various techniques of draining her blood, injecting her with various chemicals and compounds, along with various markings across her body that only looked to be surgical markers. When the knight had read through the list, she couldn't help but shiver.

She had been laying in bed, reading a book titled Milliana Jones: Kingdom of the Golden Skull when Kryas had come in with a wide grin.

"And what did you do?" Annia asked, though she had an idea. She at least had heard bits and pieces of conversations from the nurses and clerics.

["Kryas!"]

The knight waved towards the citizens that approached them. She was touched by the concern of those few passersby who noticed her condition. Not only that, she nodded her head in confidence and reassured those who looked questioningly at the pale figure beside her. She didn't try hiding the fact that she was injured, and with how she was feeling, she knew she wasn't in much of a position to try in the first place.

When they finally reached the large guild hall doors, both Annia and Vladimir had begun to open it. Annia recognized a familiar face the moment she staggered in.

"Kryas!" Annia began. Her outburst made her stumble, but she quickly regained her footing as she used Vladimir as a support. It was at that moment that some of the guild clerics started making their way towards them. One particularly quiet dwarven monk leading the group of healers. It looked as if Annia had wanted to say something, but instead all she did was lock her eyes on the bard. She wanted to tell him about Vladimir's rescue attempt, at infiltrating the lair of evil by himself, as well as his bravery and stalwart sense of character. But instead, she smiled as if to say that she was alright, and slowly, but meaningfully, moved to glance at Vladimir.

The clerics took her away then, despite her small attempts at arguing, she knew that it was for her own good. As far as other guild members were concerned, the paladin trusted that Kryas, among all the others, would understand. As the healers started to cast their spells to make her fall asleep and thus recover faster, she thought about their guild's resident bard.

She knew that Vladimir would be in good hands.

["The power of nature is a... cat?"]

"The power of nature is a... cat?" Annia sounded surprised, if not a little questioning. What was she supposed to do? Fight it?

[blockquote]Initiative 1d20+1 : 10 + 1, total 11[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Perform 1d20 : 1, total 1[/blockquote]

["Those two make quite a pair."]

The knight had never really accompanied or talked to Katrias very much, and she couldn't help but feel the awkwardness of sitting beside her without anything being said. They watched quietly as both Kin and Anastasia had their mini-reunion, and eventually disappeared towards the medical ward's office. After a few more excruciating moments, finally, Annia broke the silence.

"Those two make quite a pair." She said. To her surprise Katrias responded quickly and curtly.

"Never would have imagined the halfling to take a kid." As usual, her voice was monotone.

"How about you? I never would have imagined you'd take on an apprentice." Annia replied back. She wanted to say something about her age, but seeing enough of her outbursts in the past, the knight decided to gloss over that fact.

Katrias didn't respond however, she only remained quiet - her eyes never leaving where Kin and Anastasia disappeared off to. Eventually she shrugged.

"Me neither."

["You'll be up against some of the strongest in the guild. It will be no easy feat."]

In response Annia pulled out her blade as well.

"You'll be up against some of the strongest in the guild. It will be no easy feat." Annia said calmly as she moved herself to a fighting stance. She had a slight smile.

"You won't gain as much from sparring with dummies."

["For one so young, you have a lot of skill Nyuko."]

"For one so young, you have a lot of skill Nyuko." She made her way to the training dummies, examining the attack marks that Nyuko had left on them.

"Your cuts are clean and sharp." She furrowed her eyebrows as she examined the slight scorches and bits of ice left on the dummies. The knight glanced back to him for an explanation.

"I never realized your weapons were enchanted."

["You're up early today."]

The knight let out a low whistle, just enough so that her fellow guild member could here. It was still early in the morning, and Annia had already been up to prepare for her daily training routine. Her usual partner, Golas, wasn't around this morning due to some other obligations, but the knight was surprised that the young Nyuko would wake up so early to train. She always thought Nyuko was fiesty, the catboy had enough energy to upkeep his liveliness throughout the entire day. However, more often than not Annia would usually never see him up this early.

She clapped calmly when she realized that she had caught Nyuko's attention.

"You're up early today." She stated.

["Let us then."]

As she sheathed the sword back into her scabbard, the knight took the proffered hand without a second thought, as she used it to hoist herself up. When she did so, she realized her joints were still lethargic. When she moved she felt small tinges of pain shoot up legs, like before she ignored them however as she forced herself up. Soon enough she was standing beside the methuselan. Her body still felt stiff, and she knew it would be a few days rest until she was back to normal. Using Vladimir as a support she looked on towards the distance.

The city of Ternadan was still visible in the morning light. The sunrise giving an almost warm glow to the scene. It was her home, and specifically the guild that made its home there. She smiled warmly both to herself and Vladimir.

"Let us then." Her words were curt, but her voice was full of relief.

"Towards home."

["It was I who made a mistake..."]

Her eyes had been steady at first when Vladimir began his response, but as he continued to speak, her eyes continued to soften. Vladimir's words were true, and struck her deeply in a way that she didn't think was possible. She didn't quite know how to respond. The ache of her body, and the mental stress from the ordeal that she had been through had taken a toll on her. Compounded atop it, was what she felt. She blindly believed Jin would be happier if he had his own form without her as his wielder. She felt as if she was holding him back, and what right did she have to get into the way of something that made Jin happy? He had spent a lifetime as a shade-like creature, even if it was just a false projection, Annia saw the wonder herself in Jin's eyes.

But reflecting on Vladimir's words showed her that she was indeed missing something key. Wordlessly, she knelt down, closing her eyes and held the blade in her hands. She felt tears from her eyes, but began to calm her breathing. Just as Vladimir's words foretold, she very well knew that she was in her moment of weakness. Ever had she been to hold her own emotions, but the reality of it all of how Vladimir matched Jin so much more was hard for Annia to shake. She felt the comforting presence of her mentor then, but he chose not to say anything, only emit the warmth that Annia had been accustomed to. She knew she was wrong, a friend wouldn't give up another friend so easily.

"It was I who made a mistake..." Annia replied back, it seemed as if there was more to say, but the knight remained silent.

["I need to know how it happened. He has always spoken telepathically; a voice in your head. But I heard him too! It didn't occur to me until I saw him physically that I had been hearing his voice. He was here, more than just a shadow."]

The knight's eyes softened, though it was still plain to see that she was still worried.

"I need to know how it happened. He has always spoken telepathically; a voice in your head. But I heard him too! It didn't occur to me until I saw him physically that I had been hearing his voice. He was here, more than just a shadow." With that Annia focused her thoughts back to the katana she held.

"Jin, tell me what happened." Her words were sincere. Yet there was still silence. A few more moments passed and eventually Jin's presence eventually flooded her mind.

It wasn't my intention for you to see me in that form, knowing that you'll act like this. Jin said resignedly. I know what you want. With that Jin started to leech the energies requires from his wielder. Annia noticing this gave in, welcoming the intrusion even though she was visibly weakening. The knight was already tired, her strength all but gone, but Jin complied, drawing just enough to manifest his physical form but no more. The black form started to appear once again, like tendrils from the katana they would twist and conjoin creating a figure akin to a silhouette of a man, though missing many details, and looking to be more of a glob of darkness.

Annia's shoulders drooped from exhaustion, though she managed to keep herself up. Her eyes were haggard and weary, but she kept silent as she stared at Jin's dark form. It was familiar to her; it was a form she recognized to be her mentor and friend.

"When we locked eyes, I saw it then Jin. You looked happy, content even. It was because you looked to be more human, was it not? You've always told me stories of your past, and I could tell you were a proud man. You miss it, don't you?" Annia asked, her voice in a crescendo at the end, driving her last words deep.

There was no response from Jin then, and looked to be more an acceptance of the statement rather than anything else.

Annia gripped the katana's handle, and with blade pointed down, she locked eyes with Vladimir.

"Take him."

["Vladimir... Thank you."]

The sword Jin held hummed, speaking to him telepathically while Vladimir still held the weapon. Ultimately the choice is yours. But know that if it comes down to it, you have allies.

As Jin realized that Vladimir had begun to offer him back to Annia, the sword imparted one last thought to his wielder. It was of thanks and gratitude with splashes of warmth, but most importantly there was respect and acknowledgement.



"Vladimir... Thank you." Annia said, her voice strangely quiet. She wanted to say more, but she had her eyes locked on the katana. Slowly she began to pick herself up from her sitting position. And it was then that a hesitant Annia approached Vladimir, her face full of confusion. Almost out of habit she accepted the offered sword, gently landing into her open hands.

Upon contact, immediately she felt Jin's presence in the weapon. Though her mentor chose not to say anything, perhaps sensing the amount of confusion that plagued Annia. As she ignored the heavy pains her body suffered and the slow and seemingly heavy movements, the knight proceeded to hold the sword in front of her.

"Jin, come out." Annia pleaded, and though she knew Jin would be able to hear her even if she kept to her thoughts, too bewildered was she that she resorted to verbally saying it out loud. Her voice was somewhat on edge and had a tint of worry. Yet there was no response from the katana, and even though Annia clearly felt his presence and even though Annia attempted to will him into being, the sword didn't respond.

"I saw you Jin. Not that shadow that you always appear, but actually you. Please come out!" Annia insisted again, almost shaking the weapon. She paused for a moment to attempt to steady her rapidly increasing breathing.

"Please."

But there was nothing. Nothing but the quiet whisper of the wind blowing through the grassy fields. She was greeted with silence and Annia began trying to wrack her mind for answers.

She moved her gaze towards Vladimir, confusion still written plainly on her face.

As Annia listened, she couldn't help but feel her eyes start to water. She had been avoiding thinking about her odd placement with her peers in the Order of the Golden Dawn, but hearing Jin's words of gratitude for her decision was something she never had really expected. She had chosen a friend over the doctrines of her order, and likely, she would do it again.

She began to pull herself up, turning around to catch a glimpse of both Vladimir and Jin. Yet when she turned around, all she saw was Vladimir and a stranger clad in leather; no Jin. She was used to seeing a black form representing Jin whenever he showed himself, yet, when she looked at this stranger, she realized that the he was her mentor. He was middle-aged, hair tied back into a ponytail, his face full of surety, yet a subtle calmness balanced out the warrior's features. She couldn't find the right words to say, completely taken aback was she from the sight she was seeing.

Jin must have noticed this as well, and instead smiled and locked eyes with the knight for the few more moments he was still visible and tangible. His physical form began fading away, moving itself back into the katana Vladimir had with him.

Before seeing Jin, Annia had already begun figuring out what to tell Vladimir. Yet as she sat on the inclined hillside, facing towards the methuselan, her eyes slightly teary, she couldn't find the words to say anything. Only remaining silent as her thoughts cascaded down on her.

Everything felt so painful. The last thing she remembered was seeing Vladimir and one other before finally collapsing into unconsciousness. Yet she started to stir. Perhaps leaving the underground ruins diminished its effect on her, or whatever spell she was under had finally worn off, but she began to hear two separate voices. Vladimir's and... Jin's? Did she accidentally summon him? Is he talking to Vladimir?

She wanted to speak up, but her body still felt heavy. Instead she chose to listen just a little bit more, hoping her questions would be answered.

[blockquote]Attack 1 1d20+5 : 6 + 5, total 11[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Attack 2 1d20+5 : 3 + 5, total 8[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Attack 3 1d20+5 : 14 + 5, total 19[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Attack 4 1d20+5 : 17 + 5, total 22[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Attack 5 1d20+5 : 15 + 5, total 20[/blockquote]

["Now that Kin is awake let's give him some time, okay? I'm sure Callista would love to see you again too."]

The paladin smiled wistfully as she gave Alaenoria a slight nod. She stood up then, as she bent over Anastasia.

"Now that Kin is awake let's give him some time, okay? I'm sure Callista would love to see you again too." Annia smiled gently. She gave her hand out for the young child to grasp.

"And Lyolf, lets give Kin some privacy." She said with finality as she glanced at the elf in the room with them, ignoring the fact that the magus still had a bomb in his hands.