One Last Time...

Status
Not open for further replies.

Lapaki

Newbie
Marshal
Iso'bel leans back in the seat of her favourite corner booth, sighing into the small, delicate teacup held in her paw, drawing a sip. She still had some time before Sophia's errands were finished and the merchant was ready to leave the city. Just enough to enjoy one final pot of tea and reflect on what was to come.

So, after five years, her time in the capital had come to an end. A third of her life, spent within the walls of the enclave, in service to the Earth Weavers. Now, it was all over, her reputation ruined, thanks to one stupid, blind mistake.

Who am I kidding? It was a series of errors and poor decisions... boiled down into one desperate fight. The rabbit-kin shakes her head, still feeling the conspicuous absence of the staff that had been a constant, unwelcome companion for so long. I only wish it had not also resulted in sullying the names of those that I respect.

Regardless, what is done is done.
Sighing again, she places the cup back on the table. The only thing I can do now is live with the consequences, and carry on.
 
Hezekiah walked in and looked around. If she wasn't here he'd never find...wait. Was that her? In the corner?

He walked over to her, a tall figure dressed in plain, simple clothes.

"Pardon me," he said, his voice low and courteous. "Are you Iso'bel?"

He pulled his hood back to show his horns and ears. "My name is Hezekiah. I've come from the Breach, looking for you.

"I want to understand what happened. What really happened. And I think you're the only one who can tell me."
 
"I am her, yes." The rabbit sits up slowly, red eyes narrowing at the Tari-nor, her expression a mixture of distrust and curiosity. "Hezekiah, you say, from the Breach? Forgive me, but I will have to take you at your word. I am not familiar with many of the faces of the newer adventuring stock."

She lifts her cup again, taking a thoughtful drink before continuing. Her gaze levels with the man, critical of his intentions. "If you are referring to that which I believe you are referring... why? What do you believe you would gain from the knowledge? I have already been punished for that which I committed; what would it serve me to even tell you the truth?"
 
Hezekiah takes a moment before speaking, runs his hands through his hair. Finally he sits down across from her.

"I've never even seen chaos magic before. I'm too new, too inexperienced."

Frustrated at his need to say this correctly, to get it right. "What happened to you and the others frightened me. I understand the need to act fast against necromancy but..."

"You're not the only one to say they don't know what happened. That this magic came uncontrolled. The others I'm not sure of - they could be lying, trying to fast talk their way out of a stupid mistake...

"But you - you sounded different.

"I was there. I heard the pain in your voice, the terrible resignation and fear.

"So I need to understand what happened, what happened to you.

"The truth of things. Because that trial?" He lowered his voice. "That trial didn't seem like it was about the truth."
 
"It never is; about the truth, that is." She watches him sit down, her lips pulling in a tight smile. There is bitterness in her voice as she speaks. "And never will be, so long as the primary executors of our land's judicial system are inherently biased against Earth casters. They see what they wish to see in order to tighten our noose further, with the black and white nature of the law backing them up. It is simply the act that is of significance, circumstances or reasoning be damned."

"Though this is neither the time, nor proper... setting to be having that particular conversation." Emitting a small huff, her gaze passes over the room before returning to the man. "Addressing your concerns; yes, there was fear and resignation in my voice. Of course there was - I know the law, and therefore the inevitability of my fate. Inevitable because no matter my plea, the result would be the same. There was also the shame. Not shame that I had been caught - but that I had done it."

"Shame because I had let my companions down, and dragged their employer's name through the mud along with it. Because it was my fault. Because..." she pauses a moment, a pained expression coming to her features. "... because I was not strong enough."

Taking a deep breath, she lets it out slowly. "There is an event, in my past, that very few individuals know the full details of. This event left me with an emotional wound, that, despite my vocation , was one I never sought to properly heal. I simply buried it, and over the years, it has festered and rot to the point where in very select situations, I lose myself; my mind becoming lost in memory, and my actions guided by instinct."

"Despite my species, this instinct is fueled by anger, and not fear. And with the situation we found ourselves in that evening running a very eerie parallel to that which had caused my trauma... when I heard that man talking, boasting about what he intended to do with her... I lost my faculties. It was only sometime after the fight that I regained them, and realized what I had done."

"It is not that the magic came uncontrolled; it is that through I, uncontrolled, the magic came."
 
Hezekiah leaned back to consider that. One of the serving staff dropped an ale in front of him and he took a long draw, seemingly without tasting it.

Finally he said, "I won't pry into this...event that caused you so much pain - I'm a stranger to you and you don't need to share such things...unless sharing it would lessen it for you and then I encourage you to do so.

"But you hint at enough to give me a glimpse. And so this pain, this...blackness inside you made the world go away. And in the blackness you lashed out.

"Do you think perhaps something in you was striking not at that man but...the one who hurt you so long ago?"
 
"Yes." She says flatly, "I would say that would be precisely what happened. From what I can remember of the incident, I do recall believing that..." her lips twist in disgust, "...man was the antagonist of the situation. Hence my absolute desperation to end him, and its resulting actions."

"You speak of this darkness as though in and of itself it is a sentient being. Which it is not. " With a huff, she pours herself the last of the lukewarm tea in the pot. "It is simply a damaged part of myself, fed by instinct. Something I honestly should have seen a Stone Elf about, years ago."

"But no, I held onto the pain, thinking it would serve as a reminder of how weak I was then, and how strong I needed to become. Fat lot of good that did, obviously. I may have acquired skill, but no control." The rabbit drains the cup with a knowing smile. "Which will be the focus of this next stage of life I step into, now that I am free of the obligations of the guild. I may be fifteen, but there are still another ten good years left in me yet. One way or another, I will find resolution."

"And while I am not willing to spill my complete life story to someone I have known for only a handful of minutes, I will leave you with this warning; should you ever cross paths with an arcane scholar by the name of Blazestone, keep an eye on your Kyn friends. Especially those with a gentle spirit - he prefers the ones who cannot fight back, as his pets."

She picks something out of a pouch at her waist, putting it on the table and sliding it across to you. Lifting her paw, it reveals a gold coin. "In the case you require a portal home. If not, consider it for luck, as much I would appear to possess, to pass along. You do choose to remain in the Breach, after all. Luck may be all that remains on your side, one day."

Standing from the table, she nods to the Tari-nor. "If you wish to send correspondence, address it to Bradwardine Merchantile in Auric, on the Hobling island. I will receive it, eventually." She smiles to the man, pausing a moment in the case he wished to say something before she turned to leave.
 
Hezekiah had a somewhat sad and lonely look on his face. "I had wished... I had wished it was a real thing, this darkness. Something that could be killed or cured. That could be dispatched so it could not work this evil on anyone else.

"But such is not to be."

He smiled then. One of warmth and companionship. "I wish you well on your journey Iso'bel. I hope you find peace and joy along the way. Be well. And thank you."

He watched her move across the room with grace until she was no longer in sight. Then he sighed, his smile fading.

This wasn't some curse, some trick of a being of chaos. No, this had been pain, simple pain. Someone who had survived a terrible thing, but in a moment of memory, had nearly been destroyed.

What then, of his own pain? Would that too, rear up and try to destroy him one day in a moment of memory? How would he fare when it came to him?

He downed the rest of his ale in a single quaff, wiped his lips, and left. It was time to get back to the Breach.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top