Jaek

The afternoon passed slowly. Trudging along quietly. After awhile it got monotonous.

It was easy to just fall into one's thoughts while walking like this. Jaekel glanced over at Rune who was walking a little in front of him. He wondered what she was thinking.

Of course he could ask her. And most likely she would tell him but sometimes it was fun to imagine what she could be thinking.

Honestly it was probably curiosity about their companions. Especially Talon. She probably wanted to crack the mystery that was their new companion.

Jaekel smiled at the thought. His best friend was rather easy to understand. Her love of discovering was actually rather adorable.

She honestly would have made a good choice as a successor of her father's job. Even though she would never get to. He felt kinda bad because she had always sort of wanted to follow in her dad's footsteps. But her fate was something a bit different.

And he was sure she would help her brother out quite often really. He shook his head to clear it of thoughts of the future and focused on the here and now.

His eyes fell on Talon. The young man almost seemed to keep nearly forgetting they were following him and kept having to double back to find them.

His pink hair swayed around his twitching ears as he moved much like a cat through the woods. He seemed both alert and yet relaxed at the same time.

Honestly, Talon was a bit disconcerting. It was nigh impossible to get a real read on him, especially after witnessing how he had changed within one night. What was he really actually like?

This more shy and subdued fellow or the confident man from yesterday. How could one even be sure?

Eventually the sun was going down and Talon found them a camping spot.

As they set up camp and Niliah started making supper for them, Talon hovered as if unsure what to do after fetching water. He seemed unsure how to help set up camp.

He seemed relieved when Niliah gave him a chore.

It was just stick gathering but he looked so pleased while accomplishing it. Jaekel shook his head and focused on helping Rune set up her tent.

He cleared his throat, "So, any theories yet?" He was sure she would love to talk about it and he was more than willing to listen to her prattle on. He loved hearing her happy voice as she discussed her theories on different subjects.

His best friend beamed at him, eyes almost shining. Seeing her looking so happy brought a smile involuntarily to his own lips.

"Not really no. I have never heard of anyone like this. Why did his hair change color? The closest I have ever seen is the Lumnan royalty, but this seems different. It seems to affect his personality. I don't know if we should be wary of it or not. There is a chance it might influence him to turn on us." Her voice came out as a whisper. "I just mean we should keep an eye out. He seems fairly harmless though right now."

He nodded, but changed the subject. He did not really feel it was fair to Talon to talk like this behind his back. "Well, anyway. Is adventuring what you thought it would be?"

She grinned to herself, "I love it. Sleeping outdoors, the thrill when we got into a fight. Even better that it is with you."

He answered her grin with one of his own, "I know, no one else I would rather have an adventure with."

He tucked a strand of her hair that was hanging into her face back behind her ear and then turned back to finish setting up the tent.

Dinner was served, and they ate quietly. Niliah almost seemed to want to say something but kept quiet in the end. Talon seemed to be too shy to actually say anything.

Before turning in, Jaekel bid Rune goodnight with a hug and a sweet dreams. As he walked to his tent he saw that despite the shyness that Talon had displayed all day he seemed to have very little problems letting Niliah use his lap as a pillow again. Well, he was blushing and all but he stroked her hair and looked quite contented.

"Several decades prior, in the ruins of Nix'Ryl,

It was raining hard as a woman with long reddish-gold hair and a dark haired man walked up to the door of a sprawling house that had a huge tower reaching for the sky coming out of it. They knocked loudly, seemingly unconcerned with the rain.

The woman, though beautiful looked haggard. She had a firm grip on the man's arm. The man had a wild look in his eyes and seemed like a tight round spring, His arm that was in the woman's grip looked normal but his other one ended in claws that he clenched tightly as blood dripped down.

The woman shouted right before thunder cracked, "Rena! Let us in! Its time."

A few moments passed and the door swung open and a dirty-blond haired man ushered them in. A darkness hung over this man, and he seemed overshadowed by something gloomy. But he smiled sadly at them, "Hush. They're taking naps. Are you sure it is time already? Can't it wait a few more years, Astaria?" As he finished talking he coughed into his hand, leaving blood all over it.

"I'm afraid not. Zervin is slipping faster and faster. And this needs to be done now. I am sorry. I know what this asks of you two, but if we don't act now the cycle will just continue. This is for Rena's good as well. Her curse will only be lifted when all is righted."

He sighed. A troubled look crossed his face, "I – we aren't ready. I still want…"

"…You don't have that much longer yourself. Another reason it has to be now. Rena can't do it. And with my brother the way he is now I might have to deal with him. And I don���t want to involve the children in this. They shouldn't have this on their conscience."

He fell silent. A door behind him opened and a red haired woman entered; she was carrying a child pressed close to herself. A scar ran done her rather beautiful face and she looked upset. She patted the child and pressed a kiss to its head before handing it to the blond haired man.

"Rena…" Astaria said. Her eyes filled with pity, "Please. Think of the children. All of them. I promise all will turn out alright."

Rena sighed. And she looked at the man and child with loving eyes. "I don't like it. But I will pay the price of what my sister wrought. I will set in motion the coming of the crossroads. Just give us a week more please? I… I know it might be selfish but I just…"

"Of course. I understand. It is unfair to you, I know that.'"