A Curse Disguised as a Blessing

[Linwelin]

Vladimir could only nod in agreement at Jin's words. It must be confusing having a physical body that could become incorporeal at any moment. He thought to himself. But nonetheless, the strike succeeded, and the necromancers' minions collapsed at their masters' deaths. "It's time for the real fight." Vladimir said quietly, placing his hand on the door. Whatever was past here would prove to be a difficult opponent. Possibly the most difficult he'd faced yet. They were his perfect, unnatural enemy. He steeled his resolve before pushing the doors open.

It was now that the ruins really showed themselves. Old, decrepit stonework with intricate masonry made up the entire room, with archways acting as windows from other floors stretching high up toward the ceiling, looking out over the large, expansive room. Alcoves lined the walls of the ground floor, some with statues still intact, while others were shattered or cracked. There were archways near the back of the room that seemed to lead deeper into the structure, as well. Vines and roots crept along the stone surface, draping down the walls from above. It was honestly a beautiful sight.

That sight was ruined by what was in the center of the room. A ghastly aura emanated from a centered, circular dais, where a once holy altar was desecrated by necromantic arts. There, two figured stood, robed in black and holding artifacts of power. It seems this had once been a temple, though it was unclear to whom it was once dedicated. Vladimir still could not see Annia, though there was still a chance she was in the room. For now, the immediate goal was clear. Suppress and destroy these mages and their ritual.

"This doesn't look to be easy..."

[Annia Siadon]

Pain. That would be the best word to describe what she was feeling. Yet the ever altruistic paladin worried more for the captives back in those two cages that they had been thrown in what seemed to be a lifetime ago. She was conscious, or at least she thought she was, though her memories seemed to be a blur. She could hear voices and sounds, yet for one reason or another, her eyelids felt too heavy to open. She felt her mind start to blank away, feeling the urge to venture into nothingness, but she resisted the temptation to give in. Ironically, it was the pain that helped kept her conscious. She was being moved, she could feel it, as she felt the swinging motions that could only result in being carried.

Two robed wizards carried her. One on either side of what was a make-shift stretcher. They entered a large and expansive room, with two other robed men at the center surrounding a stone dais. They were chanting as glowing lines pulsated and a ghastly aura emanated from the center. The two previously in the room noticed the newcomers, and one of them spoke.

"The preparations are ready. Place her on the dais." He commanded, and soon enough the two bringing the paladin made their way to the center, gently placing her and the stretcher down on the stone structure.

"Check on the others, we'll need a few more... bodies for this next experiment." He waved his hand away, and the other necromancer who had previously been chanting with him nodded, then moved off towards the exit - the very same one Vladimir and Jin had been waiting at.

[Linwelin]

Vladimir mentally exclaimed his excitement to Jin, Perfect chance! We need to take out the supporting mages as soon as possible. I'll take this one as a distraction, being sure to be seen momentarily. While I do that, sneak around and kill one of the others while they're caught off guard. They both nodded to each other, and Jin began circling around in the dark while Vladimir prepared his ambush. He laid in wait in an alcove near the door, obscured by darkness so that the lone necromancer was none the wiser of his presence. In fact, he hardly even noticed the rapier run him through from behind until he saw the glint of blood on the blade protruding from his chest. It was over instantly, and his death knell immediately alerted the others.

Jin took the opportunity presented to him, lunging from the darkness, taking only a few more long strides before cleanly severing his targets head from their body, leaving the corpse to fall to the ground limp. With two of the four already dead, the necromancers began to panic. The final novice began to run for his life, having no means to defend himself in close quarters. He could not have made a worse decision, as Jin's blade fell deep across his back, partially opening his spine, nearly cutting clean through it. "...One left..." The shade murmured as he stared down the new opponent. Oddly enough, the mage had already composed himself. He was not like the other goons they'd slain on the way here. Vladimir got that sense through Jin's perception, bringing up his guard as he carefully closed in on the robed figure to flank him.

"So you're the rats that've been running rampant in my domain." He spoke coolly, taking a more defensive posture. "Had I known they would be slain, I'd have used those fools for the final bodies...ah, well, merely a set back. You'll do nicely in their stead."

"What makes you think you'll be the one surviving." Vladimir said, trying to act intimidating. But the confidence behind the necromancer's speech and posture unnerved him. It didn't become any better when the man began to laugh, causing both the swordsmen to flinch.

"Imbeciles. Don't you dare compare me to those cattle you've slain. I know my way around a battle, even a disadvantageous one." He waved his hand before either of them could respond. Suddenly, all three bodies rose from their resting place, thralls to the man's power. "Though I hardly consider this MY disadvantage. Really, leaving corpses in a den of necromancers. You've a deathwish, I'm certain of it." He spoke sinisterly as you felt the air chill slightly. "Allow me to grant it!" Both swordsmen's combat instincts told them to jump back, and not a moment too soon, as the ground froze within 10 feet of the mage. "So you could tell? A pity."

Vladimir knew they needed to act fast. This man was dangerous, and now they were just as outnumbered as before. Circle him, then strike one after another! We must catch him off-guard quickly! He shouted in his mind to Jin, and they quickly began to step around the robed figure lightly. Vladimir started the assault, leading with the katana with a vertical slash. He saw that the man would dodge, so he followed up with a thrust with the rapier in his off-hand. It was odd wielding this exotic weapon with his main piece as a support, but in order to keep Jin steady, he couldn't relinquish the blade. Instead, he awaited Jin's follow-up, having trapped the mage between his two blades.

Jin responded quickly, having seen what the second attack set up. Good! He said with a victorious grin, swiping diagonally up and to the right, leaving no room for escape. Or so he thought. Suddenly, the mage wasn't there, and they could hear laughter behind the three undead that had been raised. "My, my! That was a close one. I'll need to be more careful around you two." He said as he began to prepare another spell while the undead approached. Teleportation magic! It was too quick to be a spell, he must have an item of some sort. How do we pin him down?

I've no idea...but if it is an item we can only how it isn't limitless. Just keep the pressure on him to keep him from casting anything big! Vladimir respond telepathically as he charged forward once more. Only this time, he needed to get past the undead.

[Annia Siadon]

Her will was being pushed, deeper and deeper as her consciousness continued to fade. Yet with one concerted effort, she forced her eyes to attempt to open, and slowly, they did. Everything was a blur first, but soon enough shapes and figures started to form, even as she fought to keep her eyes open. She saw them then. Vladimir, that stranger that had knocked on their guild doors a night ago, and one other. He seemed familiar to Annia for some reason, but she couldn't place it, nor was she able to think upon if further, as her heavy eyelids eventually collapsed.

That man... who is he? She managed to muse to herself right before her mind completely blanked, falling into the dark well of unconsciousness.



The spell he had cast, somehow lingered for a moment, as wisps of light flickered between his hands and fingers.

"I wondered how the two of you could sneak by my defenses, especially through the ward I have around my domain. You're were either brought in from somewhere..." He glances at Jin shortly, but then locks his eyes with Vladimir. "...or too far removed from life." The necromancer released his spell then, unleashing its magic on Jin.

The warrior stood still for a moment, as his form seemed to almost flicker. The katana that Vladimir held hummed in alarm, as the shade that was Jin started to further flicker and lose form. Shades of darkness appeared again, then receded, and continued to go back and forth in the span of a few seconds. Jin looked towards Vladimir for a few moments, his eyes locked with the man's. They were almost unreadable, though they were determined. In a few more moments after that Jin vanished. The sword that Vladimir held continued to have Jin's presence, though it felt more like the lingering presence of a particular strong being that left it's mark on the place that it inhabited for countless decades. The katana was still magnificent, though it refused to hum with any more power.

The necromancer then pulled down his cowl, revealing a grotesque face consisting of various pieces of flesh stitched together. It was a hideous sight, but the man only smiled as he regarded Vladimir.

"Do you not recognize me Vladimir? Have you already forgotten that large sum of gold that I 'purchased' you with." He placed two fingers on the side of his neck.

"Or the neck which you pierced your fangs into?"

[Linwelin]

Vladimir stood stunned as he watched the shade that was Jin vanish, leaving only a faint trace of power within the blade he inhabited. The methuselan slowly sheathed the katana and stowed it once more while staring down the necromancer from behind his thralls. As he prepared his own weapons, he felt odd. Something about that man's visage was unsettling. Do I know him? No...what could he-

The necromancer then pulled down his cowl, revealing a grotesque face consisting of various pieces of flesh stitched together. It was a hideous sight, but the man only smiled as he regarded Vladimir.

"Do you not recognize me Vladimir? Have you already forgotten that large sum of gold that I 'purchased' you with." He placed two fingers on the side of his neck.

"Or the neck which you pierced your fangs into?"

He could feel the cold sweat flowing over him. No...he can't still exist! I killed him! His nervous panic got the better of him.

"I drained you cold! I killed you for your deceptive offer and sorcery! WHY DO YOU STILL EXIST ON THIS PLANE!?" Vladimir's mind was crumbling. To have the shade of his own past revisit him in this hellish form, the cause of all his pain, regrets, sorrow and loneliness for nearly a century, was starting to be too much to bear. His mind began to freeze, his eyes wandering and becoming unfocused, but he froze when his eyes settled on Annia's unconscious form. His senses returned slowly at the realization of what running from this fear would cost him.

"...Your offer. The one I never should have accepted. It cost me my family, my humanity, and any chance for a truly happy life. And yet you still plague me? Our deal was not eternal. You don't own me. And your past deeds have repaid my debt in full. That you somehow survived is something you should be grateful for. Yet you continue your selfish mistakes. You've threatened those important to me once more, and unlike my wife and child, whom I stupidly left to fend for themselves to follow you, I will defend this new bond!"

He readied his rapier and kukri, crouching in preparation for a lunge. "You shall taste my fangs once more, and for the last time!" Vladimir's battle senses had returned after the multiple mental shocks. No, he willed himself back from losing his mind. Yet another reason to thank his new friends once more. For once, he truly hoped for a better future. And whether he was to be with the guild or not, that he'd saved this paladin's life would be the starting point of something better.

And so, the methuselan smiled confidently, still brimming with anger, as he dashed forward and past the zombies. There was no way they could touch him as he passed, with such sluggish movements. The mage thought he was safe behind his wall, but Vladimir had quickly closed the distance, now crouched low in a point-blank thrusting position. "Die once more, fiend." Vladimir whispered as he pierced the necromancer straight through the chest, following up by carving the mage's side clean open.

At least, that's what he'd intended to do, but his strikes were avoided once more by a quick teleport. The laughter echoed throughout the room once more as the age-old wizard cackled maniacally. Vladimir was then left open to a flurry of attacks from the undead thralls. Though he avoided most of the damage, he was not nimble enough versus three opponents, and ended up taking a decent hit to the back.

"You may have more skill, Vladimir, but you're still as foolish as ever!" He called, having retunred to the other side of his thralls once more.

[Throndir]

"You have no idea what you put me through. Leaving me for dead on the floors of my own abode. You should have realized that I'd spent my life looking for ways to prolong it. Do you really think I'd let my own creation kill me? When my eyes finally opened, that was my first death. The death of who I was, for that Vladimir you have my thanks. Silly I must have been, offering mere gold for bodies, when cities such as these have them... in abundance. All of these human trappings that bind our actions, ever have I skittered along those very thin lines of right and wrong. But once I've thrown it all away... it was freedom."

He cackled, as he began weaving his hands in an intricate manner, forming his next spell.

"Ever since creating you, my masterpiece, I haven't succeeded since. Beginner's luck, or a fluke, either way Vladimir, I have come to realize it was you that made it possible. There is something about you that made the transformation easy. It would have been something I could have applied to myself. And instead, look at me! My life has gone far longer than it naturally should, but no where as perfect as you. The scars. The operations. The self mutilations... I had thought your wife or even son had answers, but they did not." He smiled sickeningly.

"Yes, I seeked you out when I had recovered. I dug out those graves hoping to find my answers. Even as I picked the very flesh from their dead bodies, and reassembled them over and over and over... No secrets could I find. Your wife? Your son? They were useless." He spat his words harshly.

"I've waited nearly a century Vladimir! All these years I have waited for this moment! And now... you die.

... So that I may live."

With those words still echoing, he released his spell.

[Linwelin]

"You're mad...you were before, but this..." Vladimir was gritting his teeth to keep himself from wailing and losing himself to his anger. "You dug up Liliana...even little Soren? You've killed how many for your twisted desires?" Tears welled in his eyes, soon after sliding down his cheeks. Disgust. That's what he felt. Vladimir was disgusted at the...thing before him. But he was also disgusted at himself. The man he was 80 years ago failed so miserably in killing his captor that now countless lives were lost. There was blood on his hands now. Innocent blood. And he was disgusted by it.

It dawned on him, as he stared at the creature speaking and cackling before him, that this is what would have happened had he discarded his humanity. Had he welcomed undeath unconditionally, he would have rotted inside and out just like this. He shuddered at the thought of joining their ranks, and falling to pure instinct and chaos. Yes, he was undead now, and had been for years, but he wasn't the undead of horror stories. Vladimir maybe not be able to put the difference between he and wizard into words, but he finally could say confidently that he wasn't innately evil. Most likely, he was the exception to that rule of the 'evil undead', but that lone was enough for him.

Then the wizard's spell was released. He felt it attempt to grip him, hold him in place as the wizard prepared his next evocation. But Vladimir's anger bolstered him, and he was able to will himself from the invisible bindings. The wizard noticed the bindings failed, suppressing his surprise as his hurried his casting. Vladimir moved as quickly as possible, once again avoiding the undead thralls, heading straight for the wizard once more. Yet, at a mere 5 ft outside of reach, Vladimir was confronted with the wizards unleashed magic once more, the wizard grinning with success. He'd read Vladimir's movements and had instead prepared the area of effect burst he'd used before. Vladimir had almost no time to react. He realized he was already too deep within the radius to roll backwards, and going forward wouldn't help. Or would it?

The wizard was surprised to see Vladimir vanish from right in front of him, the darkness aiding the methuselan's movements. As the blast went off, he'd decided that the safest spot was in fact right next to the wizard. Or more precisely beneath him. Having successfully evaded the blast and gotten in range, Vladimir took his kukri and slit the back of the wizard's ankle, causing the grotesque beast to collapse under its own weight. Vladimir stood over him, glaring down with his red eyes mercilessly. His speech was cold as he responded to the madman's claim. "You? Live? If you truly have been around these 80 years as I have, you should know that neither of us know anything of life any longer. Our very forms embody death now. And your pitiful form will embrace that death shortly. And some day, I'll do the same, despite my immortality. Because that is our curse."

[Throndir]

The mage had fallen abruptly, landing hard against the wall of the temple with his Achilles tendon being sliced apart. The wizard never felt the pain, so far removed was he from his natural body, with the decades of experimentation and augmentation done in order to both preserve his life and reach his goal of immortality - of lichdom. Yet more so than physical duress, it was Vladimir's answer to him that gave the necromancer pause, cutting into him deeper than any sword could have accomplished. It swiping the sickening smile that had been on his face for much of the entire fight.

"And what do you know!" The necromancer yelled, his voice throaty, finally losing his apparent cool. "I still walk do I not? I still think. I still can accomplish my goals. My wishes! In any way that I want to. How little you think of it. How little you believe in that power of yours. Even when you have that body!" He spat angrily, his hands trembled as he clutched them tight.

"Many would have killed for what you have now! And you would throw that gift as if it was a curse! Do not belittle what I've spent my life on accomplishing. You, who dangle your gift in front of others who crave for it far more, who deserve it far more than some miserable farmer. If it weren't for me, and what you have, you would have been dead by now. And you would be nothing."

His magical items spent, and with his ankles broken, he knew he wouldn't be getting out of the way anytime soon. Yet, the man continued to look hauntingly at Vladimir, refusing to let his creation undermine his beliefs, and bolster the gnawing doubts that had assaulted him for the last few decades.

He started laughing then, a hoarse throaty life that was devoid of any mirth or emotion. A moment later, the man pressed into the wall behind him, triggering hidden mechanics that rumbled in the temple-like room.

"My final parting gift. One last thing for my creation."

[Linwelin]

Vladimir cringed at the corrupt man's statements; he cringed not in recoil, but in pity. "Life is more than accomplishments and amassing knowledge. It's meaningless without the threat of an end. This immortality dulls the very essence of what it means to be alive, even more so when, in order to gain it, you've lost all your goals and dreams in the process. Tell me, you power-hungry cretin, is immortality worth it if, once achieved, you've nothing to work toward? You've been wishing for 'this body' this whole time, striving to the point becoming the inhuman beast you are now. Could you hope to continue the path you were on before you started? There will be no fame. No allies. And possibly worst of all, no kinship. You will be alone, left to be the only one amazed by your accomplishments while the world seethes with disgust toward you. I am not belittling my condition, I am simply seeing it as it is; taking in its pros AND its cons. It is you, blinded by ideals, that views it with too much grandeur."

It was then that the necromancer began spitting curses back at Vladimir. Why did I even waste my breath...well, no matter. It did give me a chance to say what I've thought. Why is it always in situations of life or death that I can finally speak my mind?...Unfair. Vladimir grimaces at the necromancer's continued envious slander, but right as he was about to silence him, the wizard leaned back and seemed to trigger something. Vladimir could tell he had no time, and fearing that the wizard would somehow escape once more, he acted on that impulse first.

Vladimir swooped down, arcing his rapier upward and catching the wizard under the jaw and up through the skull. He lifted the man up with the thrust strength, then swung his kukri full-force toward the man's neck, almost axe-like. The tension from hanging on the rapier made the cut clean, swiftly decapitating the man. "Fool...this time, stay dead." With that, the methuselan was now 6 seconds late to react. The room had begun to collapse from high up in the rafters, leaving Vlad to sprint and dodge through the falling debris toward the dais where Annia lay. She's lost consciousness after all. Well, it's better this way, I've no need to hide my form now. He took full advantage of the body that the necromancer had praised, darting for the room's exit. He slid out just in time, as the larger slabs of rock finally topppled down to the ground, burying the entire room and blocking the door.

He took a moment to correct Annia's position for easier transport, in the end giving her unconscious form a piggyback. The first goal was the room full of belongings. He decided to head out from there so he could leave markings along the walls to trace his way back. He'd been luck enough to find a piece of chalk there, and promptly made use of it. This way, the survivors could recover their possessions,..as well as mementos of those who'd not made it out. It was a long while before he was finally outside again, at which point he promptly set down the paladin nearby and took a rest. Dawn was approaching, giving him a good view of the sunrise as it began to appear over the horizon. He spent some of his rest tending to Annia's wounds, though there was not much he could do.

"I'll be sure to get you back to the guild soon enough. And then, considering the situation, I'll take my leave once more." Vladimir mused to himself as he finished his novice wound treatment, proceeding to lay back and stare into the dawn sky. "Who would have thought I was connected to such a thing...really, it's quite depressing..."

[Throndir]

The katana Vladimir had with him hummed. He had risen from the nullifying magic the necromancer had cast soon after the fiend's death, though he kept quiet, unsure how Vladimir would take in the revelations he had discovered in such a short time. Though he was asleep, he had enough senses with him to understand the conversation the two combatants held. As Vladimir laid back to stare at the dawn sky above, Jin willed forth what power he could again. He increased his presence, imparting a simple thought towards Vladimir that he was around. A moment later, Jin's shadow appeared forming into a thicker substance. He still felt a lot of the stored energy that Vladimir had given him, and even he was surprised at how persistent it was. Was it because of Vladimir's nature that so much power could be granted? Could the negative energies that created Vladimir have caused the strange transformation?

These questions and more still had the sword wondering, but he willed forth the physical form that he had only ever seen once before. Like before the features started to appear, and when finally it completed, Jin was sitting on a large rock outcropping near Vladimir.

"I suspect I wouldn't be able to hold this form for much longer." Jin replied. "And because of that I must ask you not to tell Annia still unconscious over there. She is a true warrior, and I would not have her think that she wasn't worthy, or relinquishing me to be her best course of action."

He stopped as he looked at his hands, as if seeing them again for the first time.

"Though... I am glad for this gift, if only just this once after the centuries since..." He paused again as he moved his eyes towards Vladimir a few moments later.



"You really do remind me of myself." There was that familiar chuckle.

"I am Jin. Jin Osioh, first warrior of the Laen-sou dynasty, yet, I am not. I have the man's memories, his likeness, one may argue even his spirit, but I am not him. I had been made only through the deaths of hundreds of my own people - their lives consumed to create me. And for what purpose? Nothing so grand, but for the simple curiosity of a powerful magic user seeing if they could plant a being into a weapon. We've both been used, even played by life's design. Yet it still is our lives, though strange or different it may be from anyone else's.

Every new day brings itself a new start. And though you may have the hauntings of yesterday still lingering, or the holdings of your origin lingering over your head. The fact you resist your nature, only builds who you are. You've lived your life as a true warrior Vladimir, let not your origins dictate your own path. This curse that affects your, our, existence, can indeed be a desolate one.

But does it have to be?"

[Linwelin]

Vladimir turned his head, still lying on his back in fatigue, as he watched Jin coalesce from the shadows once more. He'd known he had returned, and had been wondering why he'd not made his presence known outright. If it was out of consideration for Vladimir, the methuselan appreciated the sentiment. It certainly allowed him to focus on his way out of the cavernous ruins. At the warning of Annia's knowledge of his 'summoning', Vladimir gave a tired laugh. "You need not worry, Jin.  She will not know with whom I had allied, assuming she saw us fighting. Besides, getting you to that state, whether due to our affinity or otherwise, was a desperate act. I nearly killed myself doing it. That was why I had to...harvest for a while. It was not an enjoyable act, but I would have died without it." Vladimir saw Jin's excitement at having a body once more. "It is a shame I could not make your form more permanent. May you one day find the means to do so."

As Jin reintroduced and described his existence, Vladimir nodded along agreeably. "I'm seeing why we have such an affinity. Both of us simply remnants of our pasts. Let alone, results of the 'wonderful' curiosity of the arcane arts." But suddenly, Jin's speech took a rather musing turn, and Vladimir laid still to listen silently.

Indeed. Desolate. Empty. A life of immediate discrimination, forced upon us.

"Yes, I certainly have been living, it is as you say. Living while not being alive. Such a strange concept. And as for what that curse can and can't be, we have no true say in. All we can do is offer ourselves, to stand against the world's bias. It's up to them whether we might be accepted or not." Vladimir finally sits up, having regained a bit more energy. "I would enjoy living at the guild, but from their response, I'm doubting that I'm welcome. Yes, I told them. Well, only a few, but it was enough. They froze and stared in uncertain disbelief. Not a single word. Just like all the other times. Thus, I'll only face them once more, the return my friend safely. I won't beg to stay somewhere I'm not welcome." Vladimir said with a sigh. From what he understood, this was the most 'understanding' establishment on this continent. Yet still only a few treated him as a person after his revelation. If the Guild of Galas'nor did not even harbor him, perhaps he'd return to wandering once more?

[Annia Siadon]

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.

[Throndir]

"A strange band of misfits this one. Some members questionable even, but for the most part I see them get along. Stout in heart, and true to your ideals, isn't that what counts more than what you are perceived to be?" Jin asked as he moved his gaze towards Annia's seemingly unconscious form. He spoke softly then, his eyes looking distant.

"She has accepted you. But she isn't the only one. Kryas too had come to terms with it readily, and ever did that bard have a sharp sense of character. Prejudices are hard to kill, and though I cannot guarantee that the guild will solve all your problems. I do believe it is a step in the right direction. You have two people willing to vouch for you. A third if I am counted as well.

It is true that Annie too keeps me hidden. On the surface, it would seem as if she was concerned about my nature or what others might perceive of me. Or perhaps even a lack of trust to her comrades. However, her motivation stems from the prejudice of her order, and her desire to have those particular seeking eyes away from the guild." He paused as a smile appeared.

"But I believe if your actions are true, then everything else will follow. Ever was Annia concerned for appearances, yet the true heart of a warrior is not bounded by something so trivial. In her own heart she knows this, yet her order says otherwise. My allegiances to my emperor centuries ago had always been aligned with his own ruling, but I can very well imagine the conflict within Annia, having her own mentors teach something different to what she felt was right isn't something that can be so easily shaken.

She accepted me even when she was faced with opposition. Yet she still carries the name of her order proudly, and though her goddess accepts this, her friends and mentors of the past do not. She is an outcast from her own people. It has been years since she last had any correspondence with them, including her own parents. Yet this is what she had chosen. She knows the supposed evils of the undead, of all the tenants her order had given her. How could she not? But that knowledge is tempered with something even more precious. It's tempered with an understanding; a desire to put herself in others' shoes.

I've never thanked her for her decision. Though I am simply a relic of a time long passed, the last decade with the knight has brought me more life than I could remember for a long time. She is a true friend, a knight for her ideals, and loyal to a fault."

As he continued to speak, Jin realized that the remaining energy he had to maintain his form was starting to fade.

"It's amazing whatever you did." Jin said again as he looked at his own hands - rough, firm, and the color and texture of his skin rather than the dark mass he had been accustomed to.

[Annia Siadon]

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.

[Linwelin]

Vladimir spent the entire time Jin spoke in silence, offering no response, comment, nor argument. Especially once he recognized that the warrior had little time left in his physical form. At Jin's comment on this form, Vladimir had little to offer. "I don't even understand how I did it. I just wanted to keep my new friend safe, whatever the cost. It was one of the few moments in my rather long life that I've not cared what was thought of me and simply acted. Maybe that sincerity and desperation was the key?"

"And it's not just about being accepted. I am truly happy and wish to stay, but I know those involved with me will face the same discrimination I have. They'll be viewed as accomplices, and receive the same scapegoated blame that I will. I could possibly ruin the reputation of this establishment by simply associating with it. I took as huge risk admitting to my condition, but I know full well I can't openly speak of it. It would be a lethal mistake, as I witnessed within the guild earlier. Not everyone within the halls is as accepting. I...I'm torn. It's been so long since I've felt this unsure about anything."

Vladimir looked up to see Jin fading, but locking eyes with another. The methuselan turned to see Annia, fully conscious, and stunned in surprise. Vladimir assumed that this was due to Jin's now-fading form and took to silence once more until the moment was passed. Once Jin had returned to his blade, and a small time of silence had passed, Vladimir addressed the paladin knight. "I'll take it you heard, then? He did not wish to reveal himself to you like this. At least not yet. Looks like I could not keep my promise with him after all." The methuselan approached and offered the katana to the knight holding it out horizontally at the center to lay it in Annia's hands. "Are you well enough to move? We'd best get back to the guild, everyone was worried about you."

Vladimir turned away to address the town in the distance. He was trying to avoid bringing up the inevitable topic of what she'd overheard. He was already ashamed that it was his past that ended up endangering the town. He'd failed to kill the only truly evil entity he'd ever met the first time, and it nearly cost him.

We'll return, and then I'll depart once more...I think. He thought wistfully.

"It's been a crazy two days...but it's still the most alive I've felt in a while." Vladimir muttered to himself.