Spirits of the Earth

[Continued from HERE (http://spiritsoftheearth.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3333).]

It had been a few weeks since Nexus had to go into hiding to escape the followers of the Mother Sun. Apparently they took his roughing up of that young woman Niamh rather personally. Who would have thought it had stirred them so? Still, he was proud of how not a single death had been caused and he had not been seriously wounded. A few minor nicks and cuts, as well as some shredded clothes but other than that Nexus still had that strange arrogant attitude he held dear.

However, a few days ago they finally stopped chasing him. Maybe because he had gone only near places were Drow were heavy occupants, or maybe because he only needed five hours of sleep in total. Whatever the reason, he had emerged from his treetop hiding place only to find that no one was looking for him. The scent on the winds said nothing to him, it was as if they had disappeared. No doubt they thought a lost cause, too many people sent out, too much time wasted.

Did he mind? Not in the least bit actually. He was glad that he could finally have some time to himself. However, he wasn’t sure where he was. He had travelled far, far from the town called Ketra. He could smell the ocean, and in fact, he could see the ocean as well. However, he saw a rather nice sized town, complete with a port. Excellent! Now if anything went wrong, he could simply steal a boat and sail away.

His boots made little noise as he trod into town, his brim pulled down low to cover his eyes. Had he changed the style of his outfit? A little bit perhaps. He wore a silk button up shirt now, a dark forest green actually, covered by a leather vest of sorts. A pair of fine silk pants of lavender tucked into those muddy hiking boots of his. Still about his waist was that belt with the strange buckle that resembled an hour glass, satchels still tied to the belt in case of emergency.

He wore a different style of jacket however, something he remembered from his home realm. It was a long black coat with black onyx buttons. The coat went well past his knees to his shins, and could be buttoned up to about his waist or so. However, the large collar was already buttoned up, covering his mouth and nose, or at least hiding it behind the fine material. Whatever the material was, it was soft to the touch, but seemed to be quite durable, and able to keep the elements off. The sleeves went straight to his wrists, where they tapered off into button cuffs. A pair of the fingerless black gloves were upon his meaty hands, keeping them in check nicely.

In all honesty, he was a bit of a stranger. He stuck out, but didn’t match any of the descriptions were given out. It was a perfect ploy really, and he was giggling about it. On the inside at least. Right now his hardened face showed no emotions as he sauntered about town. He was looking for a tavern, a respectable one that he could get himself a delicious morsel and a tasty beverage. One day he would resolve to get drunk, or find a way to become drunk. One day.

For now however, he had to deal with the years of sobriety. He found a few taverns but they weren’t to his liking. No, they were all too dark, he wanted to be seen, to be noticed, and he didn’t want to seem like he had something to hide. Sighing wistfully he opted to go the market, maybe he could find something of mild interest there? The salty smell of the sea was thick as he got closer to the market, knowing he would find quite a haul of fish there. He despised fish for some reason, he never knew why, but they just weren’t his kind of animal. People had set up shops and carts to sell and display wares of all sorts, from fish to rugs and nets even.

He feigned interest as he mulled about the market square, simply enjoying what the people had to offer. He didn’t speak to anyone however, he decided not to open his mouth at this point.

Nexus knew he could however, the extent of that cult Mother Sun hadn’t reached here, or if it had, it wasn’t very well shown. Whatever the case was, he still stayed his tongue and lips. What were the chances though that someone he had met would be in this town? At least a million to one. He felt quite safe in this town, no more bothersome cult members trying to ‘bring the heathen savage to justice’ or some such nonsense. Just peace and quiet in this small little jungle that was called a town.

The shouting of fish mongers and sellers were starting to bug him, annoy his senses to no end. He had to get to a quieter place. The town square wasn’t far no doubt, so he decided to look for such attraction. He had been to some places where the town square was quite beautiful and full of life. Finally away from the market, his feet made gentle thumps as he walked along, looking for something to entertain him.

Already he could feel that ennui draining him, urging him to do something that would catch and maintain his interest. Eyes now scanned the roads, looking for anything that might hold his attention. There had to be something to do here.

It may have been a million-to-one chance, but dangit if it would be Niamh's luck to be that one out of a million.

As far as Niamh was concerned, everything that had happened weeks ago was over and done with. She'd made a point of pushing everything out of her head and forgetting it all, and she never told a soul about the, ah, new theological things she had learned. No, she made a point of forgetting that, too, or at least she did what she could to not think about it. It made sense, she could admit that even if she didn't want to, but anyone could make up a fictional story and have it make sense--it didn't mean it was the truth, just that the person knew how to work logic. Besides, after everything that had happened...no, there was no way she could ever believe the word of a madman.

So, overall, her life went on rather peacefully after that, and in the end, she secretly learned from her pat mistakes. In retrospect, she could look back on that whole ordeal and see it as, well, a sort of harsh learning experience. It hadn't been pleasant in the least, but it had forced her to face some of her biggest fears and weaknesses, stare them straight in the face--hells, but it had made her feel weak. Her physical weaknesses, her emotional ones, her spiritual ones...now that she knew where she was lacking, she could work to strengthen herself again, which was what she had been doing. She practiced more with her staff and she added some extra lines to her prayers, hoping to cover all bases.

And if something like that ever happened again...she could only hope she'd have the strength not to crumble and doubt.

It was a nice day out as she walked along the streets of Cerenis, far from Ketra where that last drama had played out. This time, though, she wasn't nervous about walking the streets alone because she knew other Lumenari were here this time, and she knew where to find them and where camp was. Her staff was back at camp, safely sheathed, but she wasn't unarmed--she'd been reunited with her dagger and that was tucked away at her belt as a precaution, and the blade of even that small weapon was forged with Incendia, the same strange metal that all Solisi weapons, including her bladed staff, were forged with. She'd learned from experience that carrying weapons around in a busy town were typically a bad thing and attracted too much attention (not to mention it was inconvenient), but then again, last time she hadn't had much of choice as she'd been stranded.

Indeed, things were much different this time around. Though she was much lighter than most of the folk here, sailors and people who spent all their time in the sun on ships or near the ocean sunbathing, she could still blend in, and she wasn't wearing anything that would make her stand out, either. Just a pair of dark gray breeches, a white shirt, and some travelling boots, and a small cloth bag was tossed over one shoulder. She wouldn't be doing any converting today, not that she had the confidence to try again, not for a long, long while. Nah. Right now she was just running a few errands and picking up some foodstuffs and any other random supplies they were running low on. They weren't going to be long in this town before moving on again, she didn't think.

Which was a good thing in her mind, because this place reeked of fish, and Niamh hated fish. Having come from a desert country, she never ate fish, really, and when she'd visited communities that did...oi, she hated the stuff. It was just so...fishy. And salty. And blech. There was only so much of the marketplace she could take before, purchasing a few extra apples, she finally had to escape to take a literal breather. If she stuck around there any longer, she would have probably started to dry heave. Ah, hopefully the apples didn't taste like fish...

Escaping out of the marketplace and filling her lungs with the fresher air as she walked along, she randomly plucked at the front of her shirt and sniffed it, as though expecting herself to smell like fish now, too. Guh. How could people live in those conditions? Well, she supposed just like with anything, if they didn't know any better they probably didn't know they stan--

That was about the time when she finally smoothed her shirt back down and looked up--only to see an all too familiar presence right there. In front of her. Literally feet away. With her nose to her shirt, she would have probably run right into him if she'd kept it up, but luckily she hadn't! Instead, for a moment, she froze, staring up at him with wide blue eyes. Nexus. Of all people. Was it seriously HIM?! Was he still stalking her or something?! WHAT THE HELL!</I>

"Oh shit," were the only words that left her mouth then, and she wasn't someone that cursed often! In the blink of an eye, she spun swiftly on her heel and started to head right back where she'd come from, not wanting to run because she didn't want to attract any attention in case he hadn't seen her or recognized her. But she sure as hell had recognized him!

For poor Niamh's luck as well, Nexus didn't blink. He stared. He wasn't facing her, he pretended not to notice her for the time being, but his eye wasn't facing forward, instead, it was rotated and staring at her through his skull. Nexus was actually very surprised to see her here, and somewhat proud. She had gotten over the little psychological incident rather well. He was like an old lion however with wounded pride. She had been the one he let go, the one he had released for his own benefit.

He had let her go, and he was berating himself about it ever since. The question now on his mind now was simple; was she simply bait to lure him away and into an unsuspecting trap, where he would be jumped by several Lumenari members, or was this all good fortune?

Right now, he would take that bait like a hungry fish takes a worm. He turned on his heels, and headed after her. First it was actually concern, he had genuine concern for the poor women. After all, by the time he had reached the forest with her, she was freaking out and crying heavily. He wanted to see if there was any lasting damage at first.

However, that concern faded and disappeared rather quickly. Now it was a matter of pride and revenge. Oh yes. Revenge. Revenge because she had been the one that got away, and that tormented him every time he fell into his trance to recharge. Oh the things he planned for Niamh, he swore he would follow through with them if he ever got the chance.

Torture was his speciality, and he had grown rather fond of it. The way a whip slices through the air and rakes across a person's back, the smell of burning flesh as he brands his initials into their shoulder blade, the look of blood streaming down white skin, reaching the floor and dripping into a small crimson pool. If there was one thing Nexus truly loved, it was torture. Psychological and physical were always the best sorts of torture, more so to women and the like. Women could handle childbirth, so they could grow accustomed to physical pain quite quickly, but psychological pain was something they couldn't always handle.

He had some ideas for psychological, things like pain association, and just being a heartless bastard when it came to tricks. Nexus had gone over some things in his mind, poison tricks, giving her a ray of hope to go on, and then taking it away, only to allow another ray of hope in. He had decided that keeping her...with the idea that there was hope, and then one day simply removing all hope would be a very cruel thing.

He was going to tame her, he was going to break her, and he was going to make her into  a meek and tame little slave. Oh the plans he had for her at this time. He was giddy with excitement already, his skin had goosebumps just thinking about it. He wasn't far behind her, and he knew that he should keep his distance, lest he get a dagger in his belly. That wasn't the most entertaining notions at this point.

Nexus had to make sure he kept himself from getting too over worked at this point thinking about the torture to come. Right now all he had to focus on was getting her, then he could begin thinking more about the torture. He wished he could remember the illusion spells and perhaps send a few images of him out into the crowd as well. Multiple Nexus's would probably scare her quite a bit. Pity he couldn't recall any of them at this time.

"Keep running little poppet." His voice was whisper quiet as he pushed past people, slipped by them, one eye always locked on her, while the other searched for more members of her faction. He didn't have a weapon out, but he had some spells prepared, waiting, ready to strike out. The thin threads of power hung from his clenched fists, red, blue, electric blue, and white. All of them wouldn't do much damage to a person, but it would no doubt make them think twice. That's all he would need if he got attacked.

How sweet it was going to be when he finally had Niamh to himself, tied up somewhere and ready for his own personal training. She would make a fine addition to the list of people that had been broken.

Ah, damn, he was following her, that much became obvious when she chanced quick glances over her shoulder at him. Argh...was it seriously too much to ask for that he just leave her alone? She honestly didn't know what she'd done to him for him to have such a weird obsession with her, following her around so that she bumped into him when she was certain she'd never see him again--and in the most random of places! She though that whole thing was over with, done, end of story, but apparently not.

Oh well. It was the middle of the day now and the streets were busy, quite unlike that time at dawn when he'd nearly kidnapped her, and Niamh wasn't stupid. She headed determinedly for the busiest part of the town she could find, sticking to the middle of the road so that she couldn't get pulled into any secluded alleys or anything, and she loosened her dagger in its sheath at her waist, ready to slip it out from its hiding place beneath her long shirt. Now she wished she had brought her staff, though part of her also knew the dagger at this point was more practical. Easier to hide, easier to maneuver, and if she somehow did end up tangled in that rope of his, it would be easier to reach it quickly so she could cut herself free. Thank the Light all Solisi blades were made with Incendia--that would make any cutting she had to do far easier.

No, she was quite prepared this time. Now she knew what to expect from him, knew what she was up against. But for now, she wanted to do what she could to avoid getting into that sort of a situation to begin with, and that meant trying to evade him. So, heavily populated areas it was!

That meant heading back to the marketplace, no matter how much she hated that fish scent. He couldn't do anything to her there, not without someone seeing, and she finally broke out into a jog as she maneuvered around people strolling the streets until she got there, doing her damnedest to weave in and out of people in an effort to lose Nexus. Niamh really wanted to head back to camp, but that was just outside of the city and getting there meant leaving the safety of the crowds, so...for now she would just stick around here and hope she ran into someone she knew.

When she finally stopped, trying not to breathe too deeply because of the fish, she was beside a vendor selling some sort of pottery and people were all over, so she finally allowed herself to relax then and pretended to browse over the merchant's wares. She wasn't really looking over the pots and clay figures, though--she was keeping an eye out for Nexus.

"Oh, how much is this?" she asked the merchant distractedly, pointing at random at one of the clay figures. Not really interested in it, of course--when she finally looked at what she pointed to, it was some sort of strange little statue, probably an idol...ugh--but she just wanted to get the guy talking, which he did, curtly answering her question though she quickly thought up another, filling the space with stupid questions like where it was from and what it meant and stuff like that even if she wasn't actually paying attention to his answers. Maybe Nexus would think she knew him. But at the very least, hopefully if he saw her talking to someone, he would lose interest, or at the very least decide not to take his chances.

She could hope.

She had spotted him following her, and now it truly was a chase. Could he blame her for wanting to run? Probably not. Was she going to succeed, even in this heavily populated area? Of course not. He had ways of taking people from places like this, some that involved leading them away, some that involved tricking them and stalking in a safer way.

What he had to do was get close to her and place a thread on her that would allow him to track her movements. Just like an animal actually, something he did quite often to train and hone his skills better. Smiling to himself he watched as she ducked and weaved about the people, trying to find a logical escape route was she, or just trying to hide amongst the people? It didn't matter, Nexus saw all at this point. Sometimes being an usually tall was an advantage.

His feet crossed the threshold between them quickly, but she ducked off and he stopped, his eye still following her wiry little form. Blast she was pretty crafty now, perhaps they actually taught her something at that church of hers. Now where was she headed this time? He remembered their first encounter had been around quite a number of people, so it stood to reason their second encounter would be around a lot of people. This time however no one was staring, at either of them oddly enough.

He stayed where he was for the time being, watching her try and lose him, but his eyes followed carefully. Hm. He knew what he needed. A small silver thread fell from his clenched hand, replacing all the other ones. He just needed her to stop at this point. Ah hah. She had made the first mistake of being prey. Stopping. That was the most dangerous thing one could do, as the hunter could now get close.

Which is exactly what Nexus did, he moved closer, simply parting the people in front of him. People just seemed to get out of his way, no doubt knowing not to mess with someone his attire and size. When he got close, he watched Niamh talk to the man, asking about things. She was distracted, and he was behind her. Slowly he looked away from her, to somewhere else, and started walking again, as if he had seen her somewhere else. When he was maybe a good fifteen feet away, he let the silver thread go.

It caught upon the wind, and started to float and drift away. With such a small thing, he could control where it would go. However, he had to close his eyes and drown the world out. All that mattered was the single silver thread floating on the wind. It was moving, dancing, streaming toward Niamh slowly. Thread was hard to control sometimes, as it was so light...but he managed in the long run. The thread slipped onto Niamh's shoulder, seeming to integrate itself into the garment. It was nearly invisible amongst her clothes, one wouldn't notice it unless they were looking for it.

Ah, sometimes he could be so cruel. Nexus let his eyes open and he saw a person leaving wearing a white white shirt and dark breeches like Niamh was. Better pretend to play it off like he had spotted her. He headed after the person, weaving through the crowd and grinning. He could still feel that little thread upon her, signalling her out, and allowing him to know where she was. He left the marketplace and headed to an alleyway, he would wait there instead.

In the shadow of the dark alley he waited, his eyes slightly closed, focusing on Niamh's locations. This was one of the better routes he had chosen, one that would lead to out of town. After all, she would eventually want to leave, and once away from people, he would get her. Oh he would get her good once more. He couldn't wait to get his hands upon her...first he had to focus though. No good fantasizing until he had her in his grasps.

Niamh had no idea how much of a mistake stopping would be. If anything, she thought it would discourage him because he, hey, in a large crowd of people chatting it up with some merchant...what could he do? If he hung around watching her or something, he'd only look suspicious, and it'd be easy for others to notice him because he was taller than anyone she saw around here. Besides, it would be safer for her--he was taller, which thus meant longer legs, which thus meant he could run faster than her so she sure as heck wasn't going to try and leave town until she was certain that he wasn't still following her. She just had to be patient and careful, even if she really did just want to bolt and get out of here now.

Ugh...why did this whole thing feel like one giant game of cat and mouse? And why the hell did people call it a game, anyway? It sure wasn't any fun. Whatever the case was, she was determined not to be the mouse. In fact, she was determined to free herself entirely from this "game".

Still only half listening to the merchant and still asking stupid questions--the last one had been something about the history of the place that item came from, and she was pretty sure the poor man was annoyed with her by now--she kept her eyes open, still glancing around the area as subtly as she could. Still no sign of him. Good, good...maybe she'd lost him? She hoped, but she wasn't going to make any assumptions yet, not until she'd waited a safe amount of time...

Which turned out to be a good thing! Because it was right then that he came into view, and she stiffened, quickly turning her head to look over toward the bored merchant though she was watching Nexus out of the corner of her eye. She watched him until, suddenly, he seemed to see something and take off through the crowd after it, and then she sighed and slumped with relief. He must have mistaken another person for her, or...something else. Whatever the reason was, she was going to use that distraction to her advantage, and for a while longer she was still, watching Nexus until she could no longer see him. That's when she finally sprung into action again.

"Thank you for explaining all that, sir!" she told the merchant abruptly, cutting off whatever he'd been droning on about, and without waiting for him to reply she took off through the crowd in the opposite direction of where Nexus had headed, this time at an all-out run. It was lucky she had such a slight build because it made it easy to dodge around all the people, and before long she had broken out of the crowd of the marketplace and was running full speed down a street that lead out of town, the same one she'd entered town by.

Good grief. This whole thing was so ridiculous. But it didn't really matter. Niamh was making a bee-line straight back to join the other Lumenari some distance outside of town and once she got to camp, there would be hell to pay, because right about now she was sick of being stalked. Maybe she should have waited a little longer, just to be sure that he was really gone and hadn't just been waiting for her to bolt out into the open--that thought struck her a little too late as she ran, feeling unnervingly exposed. But it was either now or later, and she'd at least rather do something reckless and bold when Mother Sun was at Her peak in the sky--because her power was also at its peak now, too.

There was some safety in that.

Of course, Niamh also had no idea about the thread, nor that Nexus was waiting in an alley up ahead. Man would she be pissed when she learned about that.

(((XD! "Man would she be pissed when she learned about that."))

Oh the Gods were smiling on him once more. She was a predictable little thing wasn't she? This made it all the better for him. He flattened up against the wall, his eyes opened and watching carefully. He couldn't see her, but boy could he see the thread right now. It was giving him a direct location for her, and he couldn't have planned this any better.

He needed...He needed something. This wouldn't be a regular thing, she had that knife now, and despite not knowing that it was made of a special alloy, he knew that ropes could get cut by sharp things like knives. Slowly Nexus fell to one knee, his palm flat on the ground as he concentrated. What he needed was something that would get her on the ground. If she fell, he could literally pounce. So what he needed, was a foot trap.

It would have to be like the ground, unnoticeable for one, but somewhat strong. Strong enough to at least trip her up and get her to lose balance. This had to be well orchestrated, and very carefully planned. Slithering it's way from his hand was a small rope no bigger than maybe an inch. It looked very similar to the brick ladened ground, and contained within was a piece of metal wire. This would make it strong, and the rope around it would make it easy to hide.

It was just like casting a spell, only in this case, the spell he cast was a noose. The rope made it out onto the road, and using the thread attached to Niamh he gauged where she would be, where she would no doubt step, and how her foot would probably get caught up in the run. Oh he was a bastard, this much he knew, but Nexus loved every minute of it. The only thing he had to keep in mind was that he needed to disarm her, quiet her down, and then find a place to take her.

Sigh. Sometimes he hated making plans on the fly, but he had a good idea where the warehouse district was. Once in one of those empty warehouses, she could scream until her throat was raw and it wouldn't matter. That also would give him a good storage area even, lots of open space for all sorts of toys and goodies.

He counted the steps he could hear, focusing on the thread as well as it approached. She was very close now. His had slipped from the ground of the alley to wrap the rope tight in his hand. He didn't stand, as it would make the rope more noticeable with it sticking out strangely from the alleyway, but he did however brace himself, one knee on the ground, his other foot planted firmly against the brick of the alleyway.

Oh she wasn't going to like this part one bit. No this would probably rate up there somewhere with the first kidnapping he had done to her.

[Ahaha! XD Nexus is such a sneaky bastard!]

So far, so good. Niamh was almost home free, she just had to make it through the final stretch, and she wasn't even short of breath yet. She always had liked running, she just didn't enjoy running from people, but if she treated this just like a race of some sort (...which it kind of was, a race against time, really, because she didn't know where the hell the guy was now) then it wasn't so bad. Oh, that man was going to get it, and she did plan on telling the other Lumenari that he was here. It wouldn't be difficult to find him. He was tall, his height alone made him stand out, so if they just walked around and questioned a few people, chances were they'd be able to sniff out his trail. Because, quite frankly? She had had enough. Let's see how he liked being tied up and dragged around, the bastard...

Only he'd probably end up being dragged behind a horse.

All was going well and good. No sign of Nexus anywhere, no sign of anyone anywhere. Just a bit further, and she could be back among her people, and that goal alone was enough to make her put on an extra burst of speed whereas before she had been pacing herself. Almost there...almost there...almo--

"Gyah!" Her foot hit something, maybe a crack in the road that she just hadn't seen, and she went down with a grunt and a distinctive thud. Luckily she'd managed to catch herself on her arms and save her nose, but her elbows and hands were now banged up for it and her knees were no better off, earning her a small tear in the right knee of her breeches and a little blood along her arms, and likely her knees--she had been running hard, and she fell appropriately. Wincing, she started to sit up, ready to quickly pick herself back up and continue on, even if now she would probably have a limp. Wonderful. At least no one had seen, she didn't think.

...How embarrassing, though. Well, maybe once she got back she could just cover her clumsiness up and say Nexus did it. Add more fuel to the fire. Like she cared, she was angry and exasperated enough right now to tell a little lie--she just wanted the guy gone.

((I thought you would like that one.))

Little did Niamh know that she could actually blame her tripping on him, and for the most part, it was the time when he had to pounce. If he was going to make this work, he had to pounce, and it had be now.

He didn't actually expect his little trap to work, but here was the proof right here, poor Niamh falling face first onto the ground. He let the rope disappear, and he quickly got to his feet, walking out behind her. He conjured for himself an electric blue whip, holding it tight in one hand. If she tried to run, he could stun her with it. That would work out nicely he believed.

"My beautiful little poppet. The one who got away. Here's the deal. I'm holding a whip right now packed with enough electricity to paralyse a raging bull. What you're going to do is throw your dagger ahead of you, and then I'm going to tie you up. If you even scream, I will whip you, and use your own dagger to remove your tongue from your mouth." Was he sore about losing her that first time? Yes, indeed he was. After finding she was a lost cause from that last time, he had believed she would make the perfect toy for him.

To show her that he wasn't messing around either, he cracked the whip near her face. Static electricity arced off the strange whip as it passed very close near her face, no doubt close enough to make the hairs stand up. A small spot on the ground, resembling a sort of burn was left. Not a smoldering hole however, but still enough to show her that he meant business.

"Go ahead now my darling little Niamh. If you dare turn around either, I'll stun you. If you move too fast, I'll stun you." Gods above he wished Carthax was here to witness this. The two of them used to have so much fun tormenting people like her. Also, Carthax had that unique way of fighting where he could hit pressure points to paralyse certain parts of the body. Damn he now wished he had trained with him on that. Oh well, too little too late for that wasn't it.

None of her Lumenari friends were close as far as he could tell, most of them were no doubt out in the camp at this time. Wondering just where Niamh had got to and why it was taking her so long probably. Oh this was divine, truly the Gods were shining upon him again once more. He kept his muscles taught, at the ready to give Niamh a shock in case she tried to attack him. One eye was focused upon her, while the other was spinning in his socket looking for anyone who dare try to attack him. After all, this wasn't Ketra where no one responded to the cries of a Lumenari girl being carted off by a strange man.

This was going to be one very exciting day for the both of them. More for him, she was probably going to hate her life after he was done with it.

Niamh had just pulled herself up into a crouch when, suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she froze, a chill going down her spine. Oh Light...you have got to be kidding me... Slowly she turned her head, just the smallest amount, so she could glance over her shoulder and confirm that, yup, it was him, now complete with a lovely whip. Him again. For one brief moment she could feel the urge to all-out scream building in her throat--not a scream of fear this time, but a scream of genuine frustration. Him! AGAIN! If this wasn't deja vu, she didn't know what was. Man she hated deja vu.

"Nexus..." she muttered back in "greeting", gritting her teeth to hold in said frustrated scream, even more so when he repeated that nickname or whatever it was he seemed to like to call her, the one she had hoped to never hear again. Lovely. Lovely. So it really had been him that had tripped her this time. Charming. Still not moving, she listened to his "deal", heart hammering in her chest, swallowing past the lump in her throat. Get whipped or get tied up. Again. And then he cracked the whip right in front of her and she jerked back a bit in alarm, staring wide-eyed at the scorch mark it left behind. She swallowed again and, in an attempt to keep calm, wiped her damp palms off on her breeches. Stay calm, stay angry...

Oh hells...

This wasn't much of a deal.

Still, she had choices...she had a few options here, even if they didn't look like much. Well, in any case, one thing she had learned from the last encounter, and been taught later by her peers, was that if she ever was put in a position where she was going to be kidnapped, the worst thing she could do was listen to them. Last time, she'd been fairly compliant, not making an attempt to fight back because she was scared of the consequences, and in retrospect she could see just how damned lucky she was to have been let go. If he hadn't let her go and she hadn't tried to fight...who knew what could have happened. No, even if he threatened her now, she couldn't do what he asked. The time to fight was now when she at least had a chance, not later when she was bound, and even if it failed miserably at least she would have tried. After all, he was threatening her now...what did she have to lose? If he wanted to kill her or hurt her, well, it was better to go down fighting now than it was to be taken prisoner, only to suffer the same fate down the road.

This was not going to be a damned repeat of that last episode! And as long as she felt like she still had a chance...she was fine. Calm. Yeah. It wasn't over yet.

Niamh's chest felt tight as she crouched there, frozen, quickly going over all her options in her mind--and she was rather proud of herself to find she wasn't so much scared as she was just...pissed. She couldn't believe this. She seriously couldn't. With a sigh, she slowly but calmly reached for the dagger at her belt. Alright, Niamh, think, think... She had to have a plan. If she just acted impulsively, it wouldn't be very effective; he'd just stun her, and it would be lights out then.

"Heh...you...you don't have a very good memory, do you Nexus...? I didn't get away. You let me go," she mumbled, slowly drawing the dagger out of its sheath, feigning caution like she was afraid to move too quickly, as she'd been warned not to, when the truth was she was just trying to think of what the hell to do. To be honest, his words seriously confused her. He was acting like she'd somehow managed to escape! One who got away? He'd cut her free and now he was acting like it was some personal front to him--after he'd been the one to screw with her to begin with! What was he going on about? Oh hells. He was insane. That's what.

She shifted the dagger in her hand, as though reluctant to let it go, and took the tip between her fingers before leaning forward and extending her arm out, as though getting ready to toss it in out in front of her as told. Alright. Hopefully she remembered how to do this, not that it mattered. She just needed a distraction...and it wouldn't hurt if she could hurt him a bit in the process.

But just as she seemed like she was going to chuck the dagger out onto the street in front of her in an under-handed throw, she altered the motion abruptly and instead threw the dagger over her shoulder and at Nexus--or where he seemed to be, judging by the sound of his voice. She had a little experience in knife throwing, not a lot and the dagger wasn't exactly suited for those purposes, but all she wanted was a distraction. She didn't even wait to see if it had hit, been knocked away, or had just gone terribly off course, for the second it left her fingers she lunged to the side in anticipation of the whip and went to scramble to her feet, ready to take off running again.

No, Nexus might have expected her to cave easily like last time, (she was banking on that, at least, and hoping that if he had such expectations it would lower his guard some) but she sure as hell didn't plan on it. She'd learned from the past--hopefully.

Oh good! She remembered his name then! That was always nice to hear ring through his ears once more. He even managed to smile after that. He watched her moving, more so after he had cracked the whip near her. She was scared, or...was that pure anger he smelled hang heavy in the air? Whatever, it didn't matter at this time. He was the one in control of this situation, or so he believed at this point in time. He was the one with all the cards, and for that matter, she still didn't take the rope off her leg. A big mistake no doubt, but that wasn't something that mattered right now.

He waited for her to comply, she seemed to be going through some motions, trying to think on this. It was almost cute to watch her try and wrap her head around what was going on. Almost. To him it was tiresome, she wasn't doing this fast enough for him. Hm. Would that make any sense? He told her to move slow, and yet she wasn't moving fast enough. That didn't make much sense to him really.

"I pitied you, but no more pity. You aren't worthy of it." Nexus did bear a hatred for women, it was because of his past of course, but no one really had to know that much. He just stared at her, keeping his muscles tense, his eye moving in all directions to look around just in case.

Both eyes locked onto her for a moment as he watched her getting ready to discard the knife. Finally. However, the way she was holding it sent off alarm bells in his mind. Ever so slightly his knees bent and he shifted his weight forward. He had a good idea what was going to happen at this moment, and it actually came true too. The dagger was sent hurtling toward him, smacking his shoulder with the hilt as it went screaming by. Nexus had shifted to the side a little bit, but was glad her dagger wasn't suited for throwing. She had just discarded the only weapon...and now she was in his territory. He didn't whip yet, he waited for her to have to scramble to her feet.

That would be the most opportune moment as she would have a hard time getting out of the way. When he saw her start to try and get up, that's when he struck, allowing his arm to crack forward, the whip following through. It was a precise strike, aimed for her lower back. If you wanted to incapacitate someone then that would be a good place to start, more so when using electricity. He wanted to disrupt her nervous system, paralysing her cleanly. Carthax might have been able to use his own hands to do this, but he had to make do with the powers he had at his disposal.

Nexus was going to make her pay for trying a stunt like that.

Pity? He had pitied her? He certainly had a strange way of showing pity, which really shouldn't surprise her too much since she'd already concluded weeks ago that he was a psychopath, but she didn't have any time to think any further on that because she was currently trying to get the hell out of there.

Discarding the dagger had been the only thing Niamh could think of, since he really hadn't left many options open--the guy had covered all his bases rather well, so even if he was psychopath, he was a smart psychopath, and that was even worse. So, basically, she had been positioned between a rock and a hard place. If she tried to move to attack him with it head on, she probably wouldn't have taken more than a step before that whip got her, so that would have been a wasted effort. Her best bet, she decided, had been a long range attack. Which sucked, because she didn't use long-range weapons, Nexus had such a weapon, and that would mean throwing away the only good means of defense she had on her. Well, she would have to give up the dagger one way or another, either by surrendering it as ordered or by throwing it at him, so she couldn't really regret doing it, though she did regret that she had to lose the thing, period--and she regretted that it wasn't a throwing dagger, because she would have liked to cause <I>some damage, just for spite's sake if nothing else.

Even a little cut, a little blood, would have made her happy.

But the lack of any sounds on Nexus' part let her know the dagger hadn't struck him, because if it had she couldn't think of anyone who could take getting stabbed without making some sort of sound, but that was okay, it didn't matter if it hit, she just needed a few extra seconds. Niamh didn't look back to see what was happening, only focused on pushing forward, and she had just managed to leap to her feet when it happened.

Something struck her lower back, and all thought left her as the shock jolted through her body, pain searing through her, muscles seizing so she couldn't even breathe or cry out, and for a moment everything whited out. She collapsed right where she'd started to rise, muscles still spasming though she found she couldn't move an inch except to gasp and cough painfully as her body ached and her chest felt too tight for her to breathe properly. But even that wasn't her moving of her own will, just her body doing its natural functions to keep her alive. Indeed, the blow had effectively paralyzed her for the time being to the point that it was hard to even think much beyond, Shit, that hurt... Which was also a huge understatement, but she could be forgiven because her mind just wasn't working well enough to use words any bigger than that.

But Nexus could rest assured that whatever thoughts she was coherent enough to have were nice little fantasies involving him meeting rather nasty ends. Repeatedly. Thank Goddess she was way too out of it still to really grasp just how royally screwed she was right about now.

Ahh, satisfaction as he watched Niamh fall after the whip raked across her back. That was sweet to say the least. She really had tried her best hadn't she, but he was just too smart for her. The whip disappeared slowly in his hands, replaced instead with a rather large coil of metal wire. There would be no escape for her this time, there would only be a whole handful of pain for her. He smiled to himself as he reached down, first his hand went across her back, to the rip in her clothes and to the small cut on her back from the whip.

Slowly he raised the blood to his lips, and sucked the crimson liquid from his fingertips. Delicious. She was going to be a sweet one. It was easy when they couldn't fight back like this actually, as he could now tie her hands behind her back, as well as bind her feet in manacle fashion. While she still would be able to move properly, the metal wire would restrict all movement, and if she tried to move her legs too far apart the wire would no doubt cut and chafe painfully.

"I still can't believe how easy this is." Nexus murmured as he finished binding her hands and legs, as well as ripped her clothes here and there. He splattered mud onto her face and clothes, even ruffled her hair up. Why? He wanted her to seem nothing more than a common criminal. That reminded him. His hand went into his pocket, more importantly, to that strange satchel at his side. He removed from it an odd looking device. It was two straps connected to an odd red ball with clips to hold the straps together. A ball gag. He fastened it in her mouth, clipping it behind her head. Perfect! Oh! He just needed one more thing.

After dipping his hand into the satchel one more time, he removed a fedora, more weather beaten and faded than his own, and plopped it securely on her head. Excellent indeed! Then with both hands on her shoulders he yanked her to her feet.

"Today Niamh is no more. Now the common criminal Tiama lives." He attached a length of rope starting from her neck and moving to stop at his wrist, giving a little slack. This was a bit difficult as she was still paralysed so he had to rely on holding her up on her own feet for the time being.

"That paralysis should wear off any second now. Then we can begin our trek."

Her mind began to function more as more time passed, but that did little good as she still couldn't bloody move, not even to wince when he touched the cut on her back, even though it stung. Bastard, bastard, bastard... Niamh couldn't look back to see what he was doing, which was probably a good thing as seeing the creep licking her blood from his fingers would have been, well, creepy to say the least, but she could feel what was going on and she groaned inwardy. Tying her up. Again. But no, she was not going to panic. Panicking last time had only caused her to lose her head and not be able to think properly and that was dangerous. No, she just had to not think about the future, ignore that clautrophobic, painful tightening in her chest and between her shoulder blades, and just...well, at this point, she just had to think of a way to make this as <I>difficult for Nexus as she could.

It wasn't over yet. They were still inside the city, and near one of its entrances. Anyone could see them still...but she couldn't count on it entirely. So even while she was immobile, she used her time wisely, mind racing. He might just want to rough her up again, then let her go, just like before with this whole stupid cat and mouse thing they had going, just like how a cat would play with its prey before letting it go every now and then...except the cat usually ended up killing the mouse eventually and batting around its dead body. Ergh...yeah. THAT was a bad analogy! Right! No more analogies, she sucked at picking nice ones. In any case, she still couldn't count on being released, couldn't take that chance. The guy was clearly instable, and that mean unpredictable. Which was bad.

One upside to all of this, though, if there was an upside? She found that she was able to move her fingers now. The paralysis was starting to wear off. Just not fast enough...

Just hang in there...stay angry...

It was surprisingly easy to stay pissed, too. If this had been her first time dealing with him, she probably would have been having another panic attack. But as he gloated about how easy this all was and began to rip of her clothes here and there and spatter mud on her face, even ruffling her hair...ergh, what the hell? And if she had been pissed before, she was livid when he stuck that...that...thing in her mouth, a small wave of panic washing through her--she really was claustrophobic and her initial, panicked reaction was that she was going to choke and suffocate before, of course, the logical side of her brain kicked in and reminded her that she still had her nose. The hell was wrong with him?! The paralysis was wearing off gradually and she was starting to shift on the ground, trying to work the feeling back into her limbs as quickly as she could even if they still weren't functioning properly. Damn him...damn him...

A hat was plopped onto her head and she was hauled to her feet, slumping because her body still wasn't cooperating--but it was cooperating enough for her to glare malevolently at him as he finished with the leash, probably not a very effective glare all things considered but a glare nonetheless. Bastard, he was the criminal! Trek? No way. She wasn't going. If he wanted to take her anywhere, this time he would have to drag her, because she was not going to be walking. Even if the leash was around her neck, even if, from the feel of it, the wire would cut her. She swore it. He'd have to drag her. She just wanted to make this as annoying and difficult as she could and if she passed out from choking or bleeding, so the hell what?! She didn't know what he had planned up ahead, what the hell was there to lose? And, as she'd been told, it was better to fight now than later.

Yeah, she'd had enough right about now...

So, the first thing she did as soon as she felt her body start to function more was shake her head sharply, knocking the hat off and onto the ground. It wasn't much, but her body was still out of whack and any little thing she could do to be annoying was fine by her!

Goddess, she hated him. No, that was too weak a word.

Nexus didn't look all too pleased with her knocking the hat off of her head, and he just bent down, grabbing it and placing it back upon her head firmly. He actually liked her this way, no arguments so to speak, just a struggle. It was fun for him to say the least. He smiled at her as he put a thumb on her chin and grinned.

"Oh stop your struggling. No one can save you at this point." For some reason, he almost sounded like he wanted her to struggle and fight against him. Why? Well, there were two types of criminals out there. The broken destitute ones who have given up and accepted their fate, and the ones who keep fighting till the bitter end. Honestly, no matter how she acted, people would see her as a common criminal.

"But just for you little Tiama we're going to play a game. I call this game 'Keep the hat on your head' alright?" He reached up and pushed the hat down further over her, trying to get it to stay in place properly.

"In this game, every time I see your hat become displaced from your head and land upon the ground, I'm going to cut a thumb off. When I run out of thumbs, I'll start cutting off fingers. Once we run out of your fingers and thumbs, I'm going to skin a strip of flesh from your arms about a foot long, and then I'm going to sprinkle salt onto the wound then cauterize it shut. When I run out of skin on your arms, I'm going to take it from the soles of your feet." Nexus had a very odd look on his face at this point. He was smiling, his eyes slightly wild as he watched her. The left corner of his lips were trembling, not twitching, but trembling in anticipation actually.

"Struggle all you want, but be very careful about that hat. We wouldn't want you to lose the game after all." Then he turned about promptly and started walking, giving the leash a small yank. Did he care whether she followed him or not? Not in the least bit actually. He would have rather had her out cold and being dragged behind him but...he doubted whether she would actually go to that extent. Luckily he had only used a soft rope around her neck, so it would simply choke her if she resisted, no cuts. Not upon that beautiful swan like neck of hers. No that was the spot he wouldn't touch. He couldn't bring himself to do that to a person's neck for some reason.

He just smiled and tugged the rope again. If she didn't have feeling back in her legs, she would no doubt just flop to the ground, but if she was regaining her strength, she might actually be able to walk, if not like a new born calf.

The walk to the warehouses wouldn't be all that long. He could break into an empty one, string her up and then start his fun. Mmm. That would be interesting. She had such a nubile young body, sweet and innocent, untouched...by the end of it all, she would be nothing but a broken, filthy mess of something people might have called a young woman at one point. Maybe he truly was insane, he couldn't tell at this point, nor did he really care about it. All he knew is that he was going to get her back for pitying her.

"Oh what fun we're going to have together." His voice was soft now, almost dreamy as he spoke. Yeah. He was off having a few perverted little day dreams, but he quickly snapped back into reality to let his eyes wander about, looking for any danger. He almost forgot about that part. People could still be watching, or people could recognize her, and he just couldn't have that.

The bastard...she jerked her head away from him when he touched her chin, the hat once again on her head, but she was still glaring openly up at him as he smiled, determined not to shy away from the eye contact. She didn't care if no one would save her, she wasn't expecting that because, thanks to him, she now looked like a common thief or something! But that wasn't really the point! The point was that she just wasn't going to hang her head and--

...WHAT?!

The glare slowly faded, and if there was such a thing as a classic "oh shit" expression, that would be the sort of expression Niamh was wearing right then. Her body froze up, her muscles locked with tension, and she just stared at Nexus with wide eyes. Reflexively, she balled her hands into fists behind her back, too, just for good measure as though to protect her fingers. He...was not serious. Oh, hell, he probably was very serious for all she knew, after all, even in their last episode he had followed through with everything he'd promised, even if for some reason he'd suddenly let her go in the end, thank the Light. And now, here she was, faced with a very serious dilemma. Continue struggling and hope he was just trying to scare her--and if he wasn't just bluffing, well, she'd find out in a very unpleasant way--or follow him calmly to...who knew what, he might just go ahead and cut off her limbs in the end anyway.

Finally she averted her eyes because she hated the expression on his face. He would like this sort of a game...way, way too much from the looks of it...how did he even think of those kinds of things?!

Unfortunately, the shock of that particular threat, of that game, had also shaken her out of her wonderfully angry state just long enough for some of that repressed fear to rear its head. When Nexus gave the leash a small yank and started to walk, she very nearly toppled right over again but managed to catch herself right before she did, her legs sore from her previous fall and now ridiculously wobbly like she was learning to walk for the first time, swaying precariously like a drunkard. Only worse, because now she didn't have the use of her hands to help with balance. Half dazed, not knowing what to do now, she chose for the moment to remain on her feet...because if she fell...the hat...

Rrgh...she couldn't give up, though! But...she also didn't want to be butchered...but what if that was just going to happen anyway? Or if he was just going to freak her out and release her? Maybe he was just waiting for her to crack again, maybe he got off on that. Light, there were so many "ifs" and "maybes"...nothing was concrete at all, and each option only seemed to present even more opportunities for her to just end up hurt. Still, she followed after him on shaking legs that were slowly starting to stabilize, though the rest of her body was starting to tremble now, too, a thin layer of sweat breaking out along her skin.

Niamh didn't know where they were going, but she twitched at his words. Fun. Right. Oh Goddess...she swallowed with some difficulty, given the damned gag made that hard to do, and forced herself to keep on breathing. No, no, no panicking, no panicking...she had to keep her mind active and open, couldn't let it seize up with fear, had to get angry again because that at least stopped her from really thinking about the severity of the situation--kept her mind more occupied with just what she'd like to do to Nexus when she got free, kept her plotting ways to get free. But it was starting to happen again, she could feel the tell-tale warning signs, her pulse pounding in her ears. What he'd threatened...if he'd threatened that much in passing, what was he planning on doing?

She drew a shaky breath through her nose, and let it out in a rush when she stumbled over a crack in the road and nearly fell again. Light...she really must have done something horrible in her past to have ended up in this predicament twice. No...she served Mother Sun loyally. The guy was just a psychopath.

Nexus had to swoop down and pick up her dagger from the ground, shoving it into his satchel with a small smirk. This would make for a nice souvenir he hoped, he might even have to use it on her as well. It looked strong enough to cut through bone he hoped. He started walking again, taking her along with him. He didn't go through the market, no way too many people. Instead he headed through back alleys, knowing this would be the safest route to drag his little prize along with him.

"That looked like such a nice dagger. I'll have to see what it can do later on to human flesh." Nexus said to her as he turned his head slightly to look at her for a moment, then to look ahead once more at the alleys as he manoeuvred through with her. The warehouses, that's all he needed to get to at this time.

He could hear her heart thumping, her blood rushing, the smell of fear thick in the air. Mmm. Gods above he loved that smell. It smelled like....well fear to say the least. He couldn't wait to get her into the comfort of privacy. He would just have to wait patiently however, as they would get there eventually wouldn't they?

He began to hum to himself, his left eye searching constantly for anyone trying to attack. Boy, he wondered how normal people functioned without such things. He just wished he had three eyes, that would be nice. Maybe if he saw Carthax again he could find out about having a third eye installed, another cursed one that was as helpful as his normal eyes.

"I still wonder how you figured this would possibly be a good idea. 'Let's go to the town where the crazed heathen savage was last seen near. It'll be safe.' Well, I guess we know that was the last mistake you'll ever make. Well, you're last eight fingered two thumbed mistake that you'll make. There will be plenty of seven fingered and one thumbed mistakes out there waiting to happen." Nexus really wasn't joking when he told her that he would cut her digits off. First, he was hungry, two, he wanted to assert his dominance upon her, and third, he wanted to test his new dagger out.

Pity that he would have to wait now wasn't it? Oh well, the moment she messed up he would get to have some fun. It would be much better once he was able to get her gag off. he was going to make an interesting little proposition to her that would put a good scare into her he hoped.

And there went her dagger, into that satchel, same one he'd stored her staff in, though she had no time to worry about it. She was just too focused on staying upright and walking, and on keeping her fear at bay, though that wasn't working very well--especially when he mentioned wanting to use her dagger and see how it worked on human flesh. Niamh blanched but quickly ducked her head as she followed after him, not wobbling quite so much anymore. Yeah...not going to pursue that thought any further. She didn't want to think about it, and anyway, well...ahah...needless to say, that dagger was very sharp and the edge never seemed to grow dull. Incendia was tough stuff, and it had that extra trick where it burned and glowed, hotter than fire. Yeah, it cut through stuff effortlessly...and could cauterize, too, if you used it that way. But she didn't think he'd be able to use it that way, make it glow and burn. He was a heathen, and as far as she knew only Solisi could trigger that.

Goddess, here's to hoping that was true. It would be even better if it backfired instead. She wished. But she honestly had no idea what it did when it fell into heathen hands...

Augh! Stop thinking!

As much as she wanted to struggle and fight back...Light help her, she couldn't. But he was already implying that he was going to hurt her...testing the dagger on human flesh...unless there was another human around...and yet, still...there was always that possibility that this was all just another sick joke. Or that it wasn't and...dammit! She was so confused, and...she shifted her arms a little, feeling the wire rubbing against her wrists, and then she pulled at her wrists a bit, testing the sharpness and the looseness and wincing. Too tight...she could hardly move them without it hurting, and they weren't spaced apart far enough that she could step through her arms to at least get her hands in front of her...

Ah...wait...maybe she could...it would be a <I>very tight fit and she would have to mangle her wrists all to hell...but when he wasn't looking, if she had the opportunity to spend some time working at it...

Finally, there was some hope, but Niamh didn't do anything yet. If he saw that her wrists were bleeding now, he'd know she was up to something, and besides, she had to be somewhere where she could stop and really have time to focus. Still, it was something. If she had the use of her hands...she could get free.

That small bit of hope calmed her a bit, though her breathing was still short and uneven, her heart still thudding almost painfully. Hope. A chance. She clung to that small bit of hope like a lifeline. Even if it didn't work in the end, for now it would keep her sane.

Meanwhile, Nexus just kept talking, seeming so damned cheerful, even humming, the bastard. Niamh could feel her throat tightening a little despite her revelation, but she just kept walking, head down, hiding her face and trying to think through the fear that was clouding her mind, ignoring the pain that shot through her ankles whenever she took too big a step--the wire was chaffing badly, maybe it had even cut her a bit. Her shoulders hunched when he mentioned coming to this town was her <I>last mistake...Goddess...but even when he clarified, it was no better. Light...was he seriously planning on torturing her? A shudder ran through her, but she just kept walking. This...this really wasn't her fault. She didn't know Nexus was last seen near this town...if she had, she wouldn't have come in it alone...or, hell, she wouldn't have even gone in with someone.

Not that she could say that now.

For now, all she could do was follow quietly, try to stay calm...and plot.

It wasn't over yet.

[Sorry if this is...incoherent! XD I should go to bed now. Also, I use the word "bit" a lot. *shakes fist* I must change this. But too tired to now! XD *toddles off*]

Would he actually use the dagger that she had? Never in a million years. That was like picking up a scroll filled with magic and reciting the words. Nexus knew all about booby traps and tricks on weapons, and he wouldn't dare use a weapon he knew nothing about. Besides, he was trained with his weapons, and by the Gods he would use them instead. It was much better that way, less chance of losing anything of his when the time came to the torture.

For example, his weapons included all the rope and wire that was surrounding Niamh. If he wasn't looking at her, he was simply focusing on the rope and the location, seeing it with his mind's eye once in a while. However, he didn't need to, as he kept one eye looking ahead, and the second one looking behind, mostly on her. He wondered if she could remember that he had the power to do this. Heh. Nexus truly wished he was a telepath, he might have like to hear what was on poor Niamh's mind at this time. It would have been interesting to hear her thoughts on all this.

Not far now though! They were already near the waterside, and near the port side of town, where he could see warehouses of all shapes and sizes. He needed a small one, one that was sturdy and would drown out most of the screams. Well. He didn't NEED it to drown on the screams. That simply meant he wouldn't have to expend energy on a bubble around her that ceased people on the outside hearing her.

"Hm, just need to find ourselves a nice small warehouse." Nexus said to her as his eye searched along warehouses. They were all nice sized thankfully, obviously this town hadn't built ones that were too tall, probably nothing of such quantity to store within. He had to find one that was degraded and broken without windows. Then he spotted it, the perfect one. Red, no windows to look inside with, about the size of a one story house and not too long. Only one door to go into as well! Joyous! It even looked a little run down which gave him the inkling that it would be empty.

Not very many people were down here too, those that were scurried away quickly to get away from them, and he was glad. Once he could see and hear no more people watching them, he went to the large doors of the warehouse and pushed on open, dragging her inside. It was dark save for the light that flowed in through the doors at the time. Dark until he brought forth a strange torch that's head didn't burn but produced light in a near three sixty degrees. He held it up, illuminating a lot around them. There was just some junk, boxes here and there, a thick later of dust everywhere, and a few knick knacks of no real importance. Nothing sharp either, nothing that she could use to harm him or escape with. Excellent. It even had some marble support pillars that touched the roof and held the entire thing up.

"Oh they must have known I was coming. This is perfect." For a moment, Nexus wondered if he had died and gone to heaven. Right now, he didn't care. He was eyeing the six support pillars with interest. He had enough pillars that he could tie at least three girls up in a spread eagled position. Hm, he might have to go out and find other women who got on his nerves. He dragged Niamh toward the support pillars, stopping just in front of them, inspecting them with a careful eye.

"Look at this dear Niamh, this is where you're going to spend your time. Now that we're in private however we can take that gag out of your mouth." He told her as he went to her, reaching one hand around to detach the gag from her mouth, storing it away for later.

"Now! Before you go off onto a tangent and start calling me names and insults I'm going to tell you another game.  Every time you speak and the sentence doesn't end in the word Master, I will remove an article of your clothing. When all your clothing is gone, I'm going to find something sharp and painful. Said object is going to work itself into parts of your body that can accept this long sharp object. When I tire of that, I'll start making new holes for the sharp object. You can speak normally to me, but every sentence must end with Master." Maybe Nexus was twisted, perverted, and a sadist but he couldn't argue with the results or the techniques. They were tried and true for the most part, and this always was the best game to play.

Now, he needed to get this all to work out properly. He knew exactly how he wants to her string her up, and how the pillars were going to help with all of it, but he had to figure a way to make it so when he took the existing bonds already on her, she wouldn't flee or try to attack him. Maybe the stun whip again...choices. One eye was firmly planted on her, watching every move, while the other roamed around in his skull looking for anything that might harm him, just in case they had been followed. He had at least remembered to close the warehouse door. He even set the strange illuminating torch on the ground for the time being.

"Though I think for my plan to finally fall into motion, I'm going to have to stun you again. What do you think of that Niamh?" A test of sorts, to see what she would do. It would be interesting to see if she could swallow her pride on this.

It was a good thing he couldn't hear all her thoughts, because she was still in the process of planning furiously--and it would suck to have any plans she came up with spoiled. Niamh kept her head down as they walked though she was also careful to make sure of her surroundings, watching where they were going and how they got there. Once she got free--and she would get free, she had to stay positive--it would be important to have a sense of direction so that she could effectively get away and not just be...lost and vulnerable. She could see the warehouses coming into view, and as soon as Nexus spoke she knew that's where they were headed.

Oh. Light. No.

She had no choice but to follow him as he lead her into one of them, because it was either that or get cut up if she struggled, especially if the bloody hat came off, stupid "game". Still, she couldn't help but slow her steps, pressing back against her bindings a bit until her wrists started to sting. She didn't want to go in there. She really didn't. Just the <I>sight of that dark, closed in room was enough to make her want to panic, but she swallowed fiercely and held onto her wits. No panicking. Can't panic, or it's all over. The instant she did, she was done. It's only a dark room. That's it.

...A dark room with a psychopath! And she hated the dark as it was, and hated closed-in spaces...Goddess, help her.

Niamh could hardly breathe by the time they got inside, her body freezing up completely, a tight knot settling between her shoulder blades. But then Nexus produced some light, and...that made it a little better. Light. Good. Light, heat, and fire were all sources of energy for Solisi...so as long as there was light...good, good. It wasn't over it. She took a deep breath through her nose and rolled her shoulders as much as she could, trying to work out the painful tension, just to give herself something to do as she looked around uneasily and did her best to block out Nexus' voice. He sounded so happy...but then she was, too. A little. Just a little when he finally announced that he'd take that damned thing out of her mouth, and then followed through and actually did it.

She seized the moment, working moisture back into her mouth and the stiffness out of her jaw briefly before turning to glare up at him, opening her mouth, about ready to tear into him with words--at least, until he started to speak.

After which she fell quickly silent, mouth closing with a slight clicking of teeth before licking her lips nervously. Shit. Another game. Wonderfu--WHAT?

Once again, she found herself staring at him in a hybrid of utter disbelief and horror, twitching a little. Master? He...she...what?! She could feel her face going through a lot of different expressions as he spoke before finally settling on a completely blank one, as though unable to really, well, come to terms with what he just said. He was sick. Oh Goddess. He wasn't serious. People...didn't actually DO that...er...did they? Well, in any case, she quickly decided that she was not going to find out. Oh hell, she'd call him master if it would make him happy and keep her clothes on and body...un-probed. The word wouldn't have any meaning to her. This was just about surviving. She swallowed hard when he finished, angry again but also scared, and while part of her wanted to use this opportunity and speak, to call him every crude name under the Sun she could think of--all ending in the word "master", of course--she held her tongue.

Instead, she simply shuddered and looked away, off to the side, not looking at him. "I...understand, m-master..."

There you go. Stop fighting...that's probably what he wants, for you to fight and insult...

Indeed, she was already starting to think on a completely different strategy.

Especially when another ooportunity presented itself to her suddenly. A small one, but it was there. His...plan? Stun her? Wait...he probably wanted to untie her...

Oh damn, she had to take this and do something with it, and fast.

"...I think..." She paused uncertainly, shifting a little, hands clenched behind her back and chest heaving with her breaths. Was she frightened? Hell yeah. She was terrified. But not yet to the point where she couldn't think at all, it was just more difficult. Okay. Think. Nexus was like a feral animal...animals tended to find things more interesting when their victims fought back. Well, if she was still using the whole cat analogy, that's how it worked--they lost interest once the mouse lost its will to survive, and last time Nexus had let her go when she had, well...broken. She assumed he lost interest, at least. Maybe he just liked the fighting and struggling and insulting, and as long as she kept it up, as was her instinct and impulse, he'd just keep pushing her. Alright, Niamh. Let's try a new method...pride didn't matter anymore, this was just about coming out of this alive with everything intact. Besides, it couldn't bruise her pride, anyway, if it was all just about pretending and acting.

Which would be easy to do, because her fear was genuine. No acting there! And it would be even easier to pull off since, last time...the same thing had happened. Nexus would really have no reason to suspect that he <I>hadn't pushed her to her limits yet again. She hoped.

Shivering, she shook her head, carefully so the damned hat didn't come off, and then bowed her head, eyes clenched shut as she shied back away from him as far as the lead would allow. Her voice was oddly thick and trembled--also not something she had to work at. "I...think I...please don't...don't do that...I'll stay put, Master...please..." she begged, much in the same manner as she had before, breath coming in shaky little gasps. Goddess she hated saying that, especially that one certain word...but she could deal. It was meaningless, it held no power over her.

Light, she hoped this worked, hoped that he would take off the bindings and not stun her. Because she sure as hell wasn't broken yet, and as soon as those bindings came off...no, she wasn't planning on running. Oh hell no. He'd have to get close to her to take them off, and he'd still be close to her once they came off--way too close for her to run. No, there would be no running--she still had a lot of energy, nervous, desperate, adrenaline induced energy, and she planned on using that energy and hurting him. She may have been smaller than him, but there were still some things she knew how to do when she wasn't tied up or too far away to do it. After all, she was a close range fighter; all the times prior to this, Nexus had had the advantage in regards to reach, attacking her and incapacitating her from a distance. This would be the perfect opportunity for a last ditch effort.

...All assuming he didn't stun her, of course. Goddess, please let this work...

This was going better than he had expected actually. She was listening to him, and even calling him master. He could really get into this part, that was for sure. She was lucky that he had brought the torch out, because he had no use for it personally. This was all for her benefit actually. He could see in the dark perfectly, while she probably could not.

"Mm, I do love hearing you say that word." Nexus told her as he started to create various lengths of ropes. He wasn't going to suspend her from the pillars, as that would cause too much stress upon her joints, and would also tire her faster. No, for this she would have to be free range to some degree. First off he tied her leash to the pillar before tying the strong half fibre, half metal ropes to the pillars. After all, he couldn't hold onto her forever.

"What do you think?" Nexus said idly as he checked his knots and rope strength carefully. Though they were normal fibre like ropes,.they held a metal core, something for strength even if she managed to cut through the fibre part of the rope. Nexus knew this was a little extreme, but he wasn't going to take any chances with her this time. For poor Niamh, where she thought this was because of her struggle, it was all about revenge. It was about revenge against women, one of them who had broken his heart and threatened his life for three days, squashing all his dreams of a 'happy ending' for him. This was about dominance as well, exerting his will and showing that he was not weak. That was something that had angered him the most. He had let her go. He had pitied her, and he was weak because of it. However, instead of punishing himself, he was going to punish her.

He wondered what was taking her answer so long, as he was done tying up the four lengths of rope, turning to look at her, his arms crossed. He was almost going to count this as a sentence, and the sentence hadn't ended in master. Before he could do anything about it however, she spoke once more, and even called him master thankfully. A pity, he was looking forward to ripping off an article of clothing. Well, she would slip up eventually wouldn't she?

"You will? Oh well I guess I can take your word for it then." Nexus said as he turned around. HAH! Like he would actually believe her and allow her to be untied. She was a fighter, and she hated him. He wasn't going to give her an opening, not like this. He just started to create a rope, not a whip this time, as he had no reason for it. Her leash was tied to the pillar, and it wasn't like she could go too far from him. Nexus turned around, holding the electric rope in his hands carefully, smiling at her.

"It's just too bad that I'm the master and you're the slave. Masters don't listen to slaves. Slaves listen to masters." He stepped forward with the rope, simply flicking it at her like one would flick a whip. He knew that the electricity coursing through it would send her body into another shock, paralysing her muscles and such so he could tie her up to the pillar properly. However, this wasn't meant to do any cosmetic damage, it was simply meant to stun her. This was going to be a fun day.

...He would like hearing her say that word, and the fact that Nexus seemed to be enjoying this so much only disturbed and irritated her all the more. Yet somewhere beneath her fear, Niamh made a silent vow to make the man hate the word "master". He wanted her to say it after every sentence? He loved hearing her say it? Fine. She'd do her part to drive him insane with that word. She'd bloody repeat it every other word just out of spite. Then let's see how much he liked hearing her say it! Those were her bitter thoughts as she watched him create more lengths of rope, though her heart sank when he tied her leash off to the pillar. Dammit...but...it was okay still. It didn't matter if her leash was fastened somewhere. If he came close and untied her hands, she could still do something, and untie herself later.

Wait a minute.

Oh hell! Forget about untying herself later! Her leash was made out of rope, even if the bindings around her arms and ankles were made of wire. Light, why hadn't she thought of this before? Probably because she'd been too panicked to think in their first encounter and in this one, well, her bindings were wire and not rope. Except for the leash, though she had only just recently noticed that fact. Wonderful. That was another thing she needed to work on, her reaction times, because she was just starting to realize just how much she forgot and overlooked when panicked--vital things that would likely cost her not...ugh...no thinking about that right now, just focus on the now...

Taking a deep breath to try and steady her nerves, even though she was still shivering, she glanced towards the torch. It might be enough light. If she just concentrated, drew upon the energy there, she might be able to conjur up the barest bit of fire, just enough to work away at the fibres little by little in a place that Nexus wouldn't notice right away. It was a long shot because it wasn't like it was bright as day in the room and her ability was weak as it was, but it was worth a try.

So, while Nexus was fiddling with more rope, she was doing her best to look afraid and meek--again not something that was difficult, given she really was terrified--while focusing all her energy onto one single task: burning away at the rope threads where the least was tied around her neck, her concentration directed to a place at the back of her neck where her hair covered the rope. It was a good area to work at since Nexus likely wouldn't be able to see it, hidden from view as it was, but it was also tricky because she had to try not to burn herself, too. Eyes downcast and trembling hands clenched, Niamh focused hard, focused on the light in the room, the energy, focused on that one spot on the rope at the back of her neck, and drew upon what meager power she had. It was slow work, but she had to work slow anyway, working on thread at a time. That was pretty much the extent of her ability with fire, anyway, at least without the aid of her staff, but that was all right...she wasn't aiming to burn completely through it because if she did that it would fall off her and then Nexus would know what she'd been doing. No, she just had to sever it enough so that a good yank would tear it the rest of the way, and though it was tedious and tiring, even though she knew it might not work, just having some task to occupy herself with was a little comforting. It made her feel like she was doing something that might, just might, help her.

Unfortunately, she had burned through only a few threads--a feat that was taxing in and of itself; the light source wasn't that great and so it only drained her more--when Nexus answered her, and Niamh paused in her work and looked up in genuine surprise, her concentration disrupted by that new distraction. Wait, what? Seriously? He was going to believe her, just like that? Good...she really had a chance, so long as she didn't screw this up and really planned out her move...though she didn't like the looks of that rope he was creating now. Still, she exhaled loudly and slumped a little, relieved. Okay. This could really work... "Thank you...master," she breathed out shakily, now on her best behavior. For the time being. Just until he untied her.

Which wasn't going to happen. It soon became apparent just what that rope was, and when he spoke...augh! She knew it. He was screwing with her again.

Her eyes widened, and she managed to take an awkward step backwards, the wire biting into her ankles though she didn't notice at the moment. "Nexus, don--!" was all she was able to get out before the rope touched her, movement far too difficult bound as she was for her to react fast enough to dodge. Once again she collapsed as her body seized and spasmed painfully, her vision blanking out for a few seconds as she must have temporarilly passed out. But she was conscious a moment later, if in pain and paralyzed though her muscles twitched as they recovered from the electricity that had surged through them. She coughed and worked desperately to gather her thoughts, though it was hard; it was always so difficult to think after that, like her mind had been fried.

Ah, again...dammit...he was going to pay...when she got free...

Nexus couldn't believe how nice it felt to see her relieved, and then dash all hopes as the length of electric rope touched her. Nexus knew how much electricity a human body could stand, and as long as he kept the shock away from her heart, and at a low amperage but high voltage then she would recover afterwards. He caught her afterwards, letting the ropes and wires around her neck and body vanish entirely.

"Ah you'll be fine poppet." Nexus murmured to her as he hauled her over to the pillars. First thing was first, tie up both arms. With the special ropes securely around her arms, she wouldn't be able to move, and it held up her semi-conscious form for the time being. This pleased him, and he was quick to tie her ankles up, just in case she decided to try to knee him in the face. Undamaged he moved away, to pick the torch up.

"Mmm, that is a sight for sore eyes." Nexus commented to himself. His stride was quick to move away from her, setting the torch down so it barely illuminated her. He didn't want her to see too much of what he was doing, lest it take all the fun out of it. Coming up to her he reached a hand out to gently cup her cheek, an almost kind smile upon his harsh face. The harsh fabric of his gloves slowly rubbed up and down the side of her face, his knuckles just barely touching the soft skin.

"First thing is first before we get to all the foreplay. I need a memento." Nexus reached for his belt, finding one of the satchels and opening it. A hand plunged inside which withdrew soon enough a small dagger. The weapon no more bigger than a finger, it looked like a simple multipurpose knife. In this case that was very true. The hand that was upon her cheek left, moving to her hair. He gripped a good lock, then moved the knife up to her head.

It was better to do this when she couldn't resist. With a quick movement, he cut her hair. Sliced right through the lock, getting a nice length. The knife went away, replaced by a piece of wire which he tied the hair up with. Then, as a final insult, and to show nothing was really sacred, he lifted the locked to his nose and sniffed it.

"Ahh, I'll remember you for a very long time." Yes, he was a creep, he was freaky, and he loved to mess with his...victims. He moved around her, going about the pillars till he was at her back. Mm, now  he had to figure out what he wanted to do. He knew he was going to have to brand her...the only question was...where. Where to put his name...where to put the reminder that she was nothing but...his.

"Niamh, I do hope you can talk at this point. I'm going to be very nice. I'm going to let you decide where you want my name on your body. You can pick anywhere you want. Lower back, breasts, leg, thigh, arm, cheek, neck, forehead, hand, stomach, ankle, pretty much wherever you want." Nexus's hand had found itself pulling the dagger out once more from the satchel, twirling it between his hands. After he branded her, that spot would only be touched by his fingers again. He wouldn't dare defile his own name, not when it was upon such a lovely creature.

"So, where do you want?"

Niamh was only vaguely aware of being carried and of her limbs flopping freely when they were suddenly released of the wires binding them, her arms and legs mostly unharmed except for a few thin cuts around her ankles that she could feel stinging. She couldn't move an inch as he hauled her about, not even to grimace as he spoke to her. The damned nickname again...and she'd be fine? That coming from him as he tied her to a pillar? But she couldn't do anything about it, limp and paralyzed as she was, and could only vaguely watch him go about his buisiness.

By the time he was done, she could move just a little, flex her fingers and shift her body slightly, though she was still too weak and out of it to talk or support herself. But even then she could only watch as Nexus moved the torch further away until only a little light was still on her, and with the light some of her power went, as well. But...it was still light in the room. It wasn't completely dark. As long as there was still light, it was okay.

If it was pitch black, that was a different story. At this point, she'd probably lose her head if that torch went out.

Not that she wasn't already on the verge of another panic attack as it was, especially when Nexus returned and started to rub her cheek. Niamh cringed, still too weak to jerk away, and if she had been able to move enough she would have bitten that hand--hard, to take out as much flesh as she could. Unfortunately, she couldn't move well enough to do that yet so all she could do was endure it, hardly breathing, her heartbeat quickening in a budding panic which only increased as he went on talking about...about foreplay and mementos and pulled out a knife, and all this after talking about stabbing her with sharp objects in weird places and cutting off fingers and strips of skin and petting her cheek and...and...

Light, what the hell was he planning? Was he going to kill her? Torture her? Rape her? Sell her into slavery? All of the above? Or was he just messing with her again, trying to scare her? If so, it was working! After all, he'd threatened similar before...he'd threatened to kill her last time, threatened to sell her to drow, threatened to "indulge" himself with her...he'd even choked her. But he'd still let her go in the end without really hurting her too much and certainly without fulfilling any of his threats. He might just do that again...though...this time he seemed to be taking it a lot further.

Then again, he hadn't actually done anything yet but tie her up...just like before...

She just didn't know...that was the problem.

Niamh's thoughts were snapped back to the present, however, when Nexus moved his hand to grip some of her hair before cutting it with his knife. And then he sniffed it and tied it off. A chill ran down her spine, the hairs on the back of her neck raising, and she pulled at her bindings, feeling a bit stronger now. Oh no...Goddess...she knew what that meant in some cultures, the whole hair thing. In some cultures she'd heard of, it was a sign of possession. Some people believed that if you possessed a part of someone it gave you power over them...and then there were those heathen witches that used stuff like that in their spells to manipulate and harm people. Niamh didn't know if any of that stuff was actually true, but it made her feel kind of sick to know Nexus had done that...but she also knew that kind of magic had no power over her...she belonged to no one but Mother Sun, she was her daughter, she had faith, she would be protected...

Even though she was so scared. And even more so when Nexus moved out of her line of vision and just kept on talking...and...what?! His name on her...no way! And of course the perverted bastard would pick places like that! She clenched her hands into fists and pulled hard at her bindings.

"Nowhere!" Niamh snapped, before jerking a little and tacking on a quick "master" at the end. And then she jerked again, shuddering a little. Yeah, right, like he'd take that for an answer, though she hoped he wasn't serious. Still, serious or not, she knew that if she <I>didn't choose, he'd probably just go ahead and choose a place for himself, and she likely wouldn't like what he chose. "I...I mean, one second, lemme think...master." But she was already thinking about it, mind working frantically. Anywhere, huh? Very well then. If she was going to have his name on her, she was going to make sure it wasn't in a nice spot, and certainly not in a visible place. Of course, she would also be sure to get rid of his name once she was free, even if that meant carving her own skin to get rid of the mark--she was not going to just leave his name there. Oh no, she was far too superstitious for that and it was already bad enough that he'd taken a lock of her hair.

Her first thought was her bottom because then she could sit on him, but then she remembered her pants would have to be lowered for that to work and there was just no way in hell that was happening. Her next idea was the sole of her foot so she could walk on him, but then that would also be bad because she wouldn't be able to walk or run without limping afterwards, and she needed to be able to run unhindered if a chance to escape presented itself.

Finally, she gave a slight snort and leaned her head back against the pillar, and she couldn't help the sudden nervous laugh that escaped her. That was the stress talking, no doubt. "Fine, master. My armpit, master. Put your name there, master. I'll think of you whenever I sweat, master. It's fitting, master. Don't you agree, master? Master, master, master, master, master, master, master! Don't you ever get sick of it, master? I know I'm sick of it, master. Oh Light, it doesn't even sound like a real word anymore...master." Another nervous laugh, only this one was shakey and faint and all too forced, and her voice sounded oddly thick near the end.

Honestly, babbling away like that was what was keeping her calm when all she really wanted to do at this point was, well, cry. Her vision was already slightly blurred much to her dismay, her eyes moist, but she blinked stubbornly and stared down at the ground. "...Why are you doing this...?" she muttered quietly, turning her head slightly. She did not like not being able to see him, and it unnerved her all the more knowing that he was behind her somewhere.

Nexus idly wondered if she had been listening to him the entire time. The first time he had asked her something he didn't listen, so why is it she expected him to comply this time? Was something different about this time? It couldn't be, it seemed exactly the same at this point. He just smiled to himself, ignoring her chattering ways of repeating the word master. Though he really did like to hear her say it, she was going overkill on the word. Well, that was slightly...disconcerting for him. He did so love that word after all.

However, something that really seemed to make him smile was the fact that she was nervously laughing and trying to cover up her fear. At least, that's what he believed. He didn't much like the idea of putting it on her armpit though, the smell wasn't going to be very pleasant after all. Such horrid sweat mixed with blood, it was going to hurt his senses if he smelled it for too long. Besides...he wasn't going to listen to her suggestion anyways.

"I hope you realize that I'm not taking anything you say into consideration. Remember, you're the one calling me master, which makes you the slave." He told her finally as he moved in close to her, pressing himself up against her. Thankfully she was pretty much suspended between the two pillars, allowing him access to her front or her side, with her arms splayed upwards and her legs splayed somewhat outwards as well. Ah he never could have planned everything to go this smoothly.

One hand was around her waist, his thumb just in the hem of her pants, moving slowly along the waistline as he hummed darkly into her ear. He was thinking, thinking of where to mark the poor girl's flesh for his own pleasure. So many spots...so many choices...One that wouldn't get in the way of a whip or a shackle...one that would be hard to remove by yourself...Ah. The lower lumbar area, near the pelvis and the coccyx. Yes. That would be a perfect spot.

"Now if you move my poppet...this is going to hurt more. So If I were you, I would stand very...very still." He told her as he moved away slightly. The hand that was at the hem of her pants moved around to the back, to pull down the back of her pants slightly. He smirked as he let the dagger press against her soft flesh. Both eyes were looking down as he slowly drew the dagger along her flesh. He moved it slowly, slicing the flesh, letting the blood flow freely. Ah...

"Mm, that is such a sweet smell my dear poppet."  He was done carving his initials into her skin, just two letters: NS.

He wasn't really sure how deep it was, he knew that it would scar at least, even a little bit. He lifted the tip of the dagger to his lips, sucking off the blood. Mmm, he did so love that taste. His hand travelled to her wound, dragging his fingers across and smearing the blood onto his fingers. Like before he lifted the fingers to his mouth, his tongue extending to lick the blood clean from his fingers.

"I might just keep you to drink your blood instead...Nah, that wouldn't be fair to all the lovely orifices you have." He didn't answer her question though as to why he was doing this though, he simply stayed quiet about it, he didn't say a thing to it.

She didn't think he would have liked that idea.

"Then why did you even ask, master?" Niamh managed to demand, summoning up some of her remaining courage even if her eyes were moist and her slightly strained voice shook, because she really was forcing the words out at this point. She had to keep talking. She couldn't break. She was no pushover, she never had been...it was just...she didn't know what to do or what she could do. Goddess, she'd never felt so trapped...but she just had to try and stay calm. If she lost it, it was over. She just had to remember that. Light, this was so hard... "It seems pointless, master, if you're just going to do your own thing anyway, master. Why even bother, master? Why even--"

At that point she cut off with a sharp gasp, almost a yelp, as he pressed against her, her blood going cold and body going stiff, her blue eyes widening. For a moment she didn't even know how to react, breath catching in her throat which had tightened almost painfully. And then his hand was at her waist, thumb just inside the hem of her breeches, and the panic suddenly took hold as she felt his thumb moving against her skin. She jerked her body forward as much as she could, desperately trying to move away from him. She didn't like him being that close, didn't like him touching her. Oh Goddess, oh Goddess...all this time she had been walking a very fine line between calm, rational thinking and outright panic, wavering over the line onto either side now and then, but now it all finally sank in as he hummed into her ear, as she thrashed as much as her bindings would allow, not that she could move much at all with the way she was bound. Oh Goddess, oh Goddess...

"Nexus...please don't..." Niamh hardly heard a word of what he was saying, just something about it hurting if she moved, but she couldn't help but move as his hand went to her back and started to pull the back of her pants down some. No, no, no...her skin crawled and she tried to jerk to the side a bit, to shake him off, and then she finally did yelp when she felt the dagger there, felt it begin to cut. Ah! Bastard! Bastard! She jerked forward at the pain, wincing and biting down on her lip, and the tears that she had managed to hold back up until now finally began to fall. It wasn't so much that it hurt...it did, yes. A lot, too, and he was cutting so slowly. But she was used to pain to some extent, having grown up as an active child who was also a clutz; she'd felt worse...broken arms hurt far worse. No, it was just the helplessness she felt...that someone else was doing this to her, that she couldn't stop it for once, that she couldn't move...

That he was enjoying this so much, licking her blood from the knife when it was over, running his fingers over the throbbing, stinging wound after so he could lick up more of her blood, which she could feel trickling down her skin...she flinched at his touch and drew a shuddering breath, shoulders shaking and head lowered so he couldn't see her face. Stop it, stop it, stop it...

And what he said next made her jerk her head back up. Keep her? Drink her blood? Orifices? Oh no...no, no, no...she shook her head, swallowing back a sob so that it turned into a hiccup. Oh no...think Niamh...stop it, Niamh...stop panicking and think! Use your damned head!

She clenched her eyes shut, more tears escaping from beneath her eyelids, and let her body slump defeatedly, this time not even attempting to hold in the sob that racked her. She really was exhausted. There was no acting there. Emotionally and physically she was spent. This whole thing had done a nuber on her mind, and her body? Well, all that struggling and those two shocks were certainly taxing. "Oh fine...go...go ahead...my fluids are bad, any...anyway..." she said softly, shuddering on another sob. "I don't care anymore...y-you're just gonna do what you want anyway...you're just gonna keep hunting me...so drink up...at least then I know you'll get what I have...Light, why are you doing this...?" she asked, still softly crying.

That was a blatant lie. There was nothing wrong with her blood. But already she was formulating a story in her head, just in case that made him curious as to what she was going on about. It was worth a try.

She would try anything at this point.

"Because I wanted to see if you learnt anything." Nexus told her with a gentle shrugging of his shoulders. Ah he did so love to be a jerk, he couldn't really be sure why. He noted the strain in her voice, but she was smart still and said master, that was always good. She hadn't been broken yet...he would know. A person who was forced to call a person master would stop such actions when they were broken, when they gave up. That is what he wanted to hear. When she didn't call him master.

He was getting a little excited as she tried to escape him, his touch, the pain as the dagger had slid across her skin. He had to keep himself calm, after all...he had days. He wanted this to last, just as all his sessions did. Nexus needed it to last, or else he would feel like it had been all for nothing. He did like it when she started crying, tears streaming down her face. He was going to be strong however this time, he didn't care if she was crying anymore. It didn't matter to him.

His knife went away, back into the satchel to disappear for the time being. All he had to do now was to enjoy some other things like whipping her and the like. He was going to draw more fluids, whether it was to be blood, tears, or some rather sweet juices he didn't care. However, something was strange however, she was speaking again. Her fluids were bad were they?

"I'm not sure I told you this my dear but I can't be poisoned. I can't be given a disease, and I can't get sick." Nexus told her with a chuckle. He'd eaten things that had some very bad blood, and some very bad poisons to them. He had been completely unharmed, didn't even get a sniffle or a teary eye. However, he decided to indulge her slightly into his reasoning.

He stalked around the pillars to get the torch. He grabbed it once more, sauntering over to her and coming to stop five feet in front of her. He reached with his free hand to his coat and shirt collars, pulling them away to show the strange cruel marks upon his neck. The skin was scarred and seemed as if it had been chaffed and burned by a rope of some sort.

"This is why. Look upon it, and that's all you know for now. Maybe if you're a nice little girl I'll tell you more." Nexus explained as he let his collar go back up to his neck, hiding the painful scar. The torch was tossed away, clattering behind him to roughly the same place as before.

"You shouldn't concern yourself with why either...You should concern yourself with ending those sentences with master." Maybe he was going to force her to say that word until it literally meant nothing. He didn't care at this point. He had to get revenge upon her, he had to torture her and make her into a mindless being. He began to create something between his hands, a black whip, one with a slightly barbed tip. Nexus wanted it to hurt when it was dragged along that flesh of hers. He wanted the whip to cause her stinging pain whenever it raked across her flesh.

He kept it coiled as he started his way around her once more to get to her backside. He knew his skill with the whip was rather good, and he wondered if he good make a large letter N on her back with it. He'd just have to try and find out wouldn't he? The whip uncoiled in his hand and he grasped it carefully. Then he cracked the whip once, not at her yet, only to make the noise to see hear the noise. Ahh, he did so love that noise...it was such a great sound in his ears.

"Now, every time the whip cracks along your body, I want you to count. Who knows, you might get let out for good behaviour." Nexus told her as let the whip fall to his side for a moment before he cracked the whip. This time it was right at her, to bright it down in a vertical line across her back. Oh he couldn't wait to have the smell of more blood in the air. Mm...that might drive him wild.

Niamh actually stared at Nexus, her sobs quieting for a moment in her surprise, though tears still dripped off her chin. What? Well, scratch that plan. He couldn't get poisoned or catch diseases or even get sick? Dammit. There went that bluff...

Still Niamh remained slumped where she was, biting down on her bottom lip to keep from cursing out loud. Great. Just great. She didn't know what else to do then...pretending to be diseased seemed to be a good option, a good last ditch effort since the effects of a disease couldn't always be seen and a person could look perfectly healthy even while carrying something deadly. But that had just been dashed away...pretending to give up hadn't worked, fighting back hadn't worked, crying hadn't worked...Goddess, nothing was working! And he was definitely taking this a lot further than before...he hadn't drawn blood that other time, not with a knife at least, her falling on her own didn't count. He had mostly been all talk...but now he was acting. Her lower back stung beneath her breeches, blood sticking to the fabric, and...she didn't know anymore. He wasn't listening to her this time. Last time, a few times she'd thought she'd seen him look at her with concern almost. But this time...

Nothing. No emotion. Just...enjoyment.

Niamh didn't know what to say after that. She could only watch him as he retrieved the torch, glad for the light, and she sniffled a little, still trembling as she fought to control her sobs, and she blinked a little to clear her vision when he returned and pulled his collar down, revealing a hideous scar. And...and that was supposed to explain why he was doing this to her...?

It made no damned sense!

"...W-what? I...I didn't give you that scar!" she said, straightening a little and shaking her head to toss the bangs out of her face, though her hair was sticking slightly where her cheeks were damp with tears. "That makes no sense...you...you're doing this because...because of something I didn't do..." Ah damn, she wished whoever had attempted that hadn't botched the job, though. And don't concern herself with why? Knowing why was important, though! She wanted to know why he seemed so obsessed with her, why he was threatening her, why he was keeping her here as his prisoner, why...just...why! It was better to have a reasoning behind it than to just be...hurt for no reason, just because someone feels like it. Well, not really better, but just...not so pointless. If she knew why, his reasoning behind it, maybe she could think of a way to get him to stop.

...And then it suddenly hit her.

Oh no...

It might be that <I>she didn't do it. But that one of the other Lumenari had, somewhere in the past. So now he was punishing her for it. That's why he had been stalking her. Why he had been so obsessed with asking her about her faith, questioning her, why he asked her all those questions. The Lumenari were responsible. And now...

She listened to what he said next in a slight daze, her pulse quickening and breath coming in soft, shuddering pants. That was what this was about. It made sense...oh Goddess of Light...

She was gonna die. He was gonna torture her.

Nexus brought out the whip, and panic gripped Niamh. She began to struggle more, her efforts weaker from exhaustion and the ropes chaffing her skin, but she didn't care. Her struggles redoubled when he walked around her, disappearing behind her and out of her line of vision. "Nexus..." she began, throat choked with sobs again as she didn't even try to repress them. And then the whip cracked somewhere behind her and she screeched and flinched, eyes clenching shut. It didn't hit her, though...but the sound took her off guard, and she shivered uncontrollably. Oh Goddess...oh Goddess...even as he spoke she was apologizing, only catching bits and pieces of what he said, just enough to know what he said. "Nexus...please, I'm sorry...Goddess...I'm so sorry for what they did to you..."

And then the whip cracked again, but this time she felt it score along her back, something sharp raking across her back, which exploded in pain. A sharp cry left her, cut off short by her raw sobs, and she thrashed all the more. But she wasn't done talking. No, she just wanted him to stop, whatever it took, she just wanted him to stop. "O-one..." she managed to choke out, coughing, her voice growing hoarse from crying. Light, how many times was he going to hit her?! In any case, she was going to count. He was probably lying again, but she had to grasp at any chance she was offered, even if it was fake. "Please...stop...Nexus...I...I don't know who did that...which band...but...but I'm sorry...I apologize for them...on their behalf...please Nexus...please don't...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

Had their last encounter shaken her faith? Well, this was an obvious answer: yes. He had certainly shaken her faith enough for her to apologize to a heathen for something she thought her organization did but that she didn't personally do. Something that would be perfectly right and good and honorable by her faith...

She didn't seem to like the fact he couldn't get poisoned. He didn't know if it was a bluff or a truth at this point, nor did he care. All he knew is that she hated him for it, and it made him feel really nice to say the least. That probably help to mostly improve his mood to some small degree.

Oddly, he wondered what moved through her mind at this time, after he had cut her, shown her the scars around his neck, and threatened her with things worse then death. Oh he wished he were a telepath at this point. Too bad for him really...though he was smiling for most of the time. He even liked it for the fact that she was having a hard time figuring everything out. No, it was true, she didn't do this to him...not her personally. She was innocent, she had just been arrogant at the wrong time and place. She had asserted her dominance in Ketra, which drove him to want to train her, to tame her, and to break her...He wanted to make her...his, to have her fear something. It was working. Oh how it was working. So what if he enjoyed it though, that was just a perk right?

Nexus noted her breath had become stranger, ragged and short...he hadn't a clue what it meant at this point, but it really didn't matter to him.

"For...what they did to me?" He asked her with a small chuckle. She thought that a bunch of people had done something to him? Oh that was classic...that was oh so classic. He just smiled as he gripped the whip tighter. His fist was shaking as he looked down to it, then both eyes looked up to her back. She had said one...that was good indeed. He was rather proud of it.

"I was...I was so young. I fell in love with a young Drow woman." He watched her carefully before he snapped the whip across her back once more, more of a diagonal line. The whip crack made his whole being shiver in anticipation.

"Your people didn't do anything. She did. Eighteen years old...and I was sure I was in love. However...she betrayed me. She hung me in a tree with a rope that wouldn't let me die. Oh no. I stayed on the brink of death for THREE DAYS. Three whole days. The noose tore my neck, as it was inlaid with sharp metal spikes. However I couldn't die." Nexus told her as he slashed the whip again with a loud cracking noise. It was another vertical line. There, a large letter N now lay in her back.

"She tortured me, pained me, hurt me, broke me...I vowed never again..." He coiled the whip up and moved forward to her, dropping the whip to the floor. He was behind her again, pressing up against her, his arm around her waist again, his chin upon her shoulder with his lips near her ears.

"Then I saw you when I came here. You were so arrogant...so strong...so brave...I knew I had to have you. I had to break you..." Nexus was slightly obsessed and slightly insane to say the least. His motives were revenge, and devotion to his Goddess.

"My life has been about three things...self indulgence, righting wrongs, and wronging false rights. Every time I fulfil another duty...I'm allowed to indulge my perverse ways. Well, I've been saving my time now, allowing my indulgences to go unheeded for the time being..." His voice was whisper quiet as he spoke into her ear, explaining a bit of his life to her, and his reasons. Nexus decided it was about time to tell her some things. After all, he got to whip her and was going to have a lot of fun with her, this would somewhat help her.

His free hand came up to her face, to slowly feel along her cheek, along the tears, wiping them away as best he could. He felt a little sorry for her but...he was going to enjoy her no matter how he felt.

"Do you understand...?"

Her next opportunity presented itself soon enough.

Nexus started to talk about himself.

It may not have seemed like much of an opportunity at all, but Niamh grasped desperately at it. If he talked about himself, shared his reasonings...she could do something with it, it would give her some power over him, maybe...just maybe. She could try and empathize and, in turn, maybe get him to empathize with her. If she could find something they had in common, something she could relate to and that he could also relate back to in turn, she might have a chance. Back stinging horribly, she did her best to listen even as she cried, even though her mind was wild with panic. She had to calm down...if she played the game right...Light, this could very well be her last chance...she was exhausted as it was, it was hard to think...

"A...a d-drow...?" she choked out, then cried out loudly again as the whip snapped against her skin for a second time, her back arching as though to try and bend away from the whip that sliced through her skin. Another sob racked her body, shoulders convulsing, and her body slumped again as her new wounds stung and throbbed and warm blood trickled free to stain the back of her ripped shirt and breeches. For a moment she couldn't speak, but she finally managed to find her voice, to work moisture back into her mouth, and she did her best to ignore the nauseous feeling in her stomach. "...T-two..." Only two...ah! No, think, go back to thinking. Drow...drow woman...she had to remember that detail. She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat, gasping for air as she listened to him continue, muscles taut as she waited for more blows. Drow woman...he was in love..betrayed...gave him that scar...he was eighteen...eighteen when it happened...okay, they had two things in common...she could use this, she could--

Another scream tore free as she was struck a third time, and once again she slumped and panted when it was over, hanging her head and letting the ropes support her completely, wrists aching. "...Th...three..." Niamh couldn't see the design he'd made, but for now she didn't care. She fought to clear her mind, even though it was foggy with fear, and listened as he continued. She'd let him speak without interrupting...she needed to hear his story, all of it, so she could know where to go, what to say, even as she waited queasily for the next blow.

Which didn't come.

Instead, she heard something drop to the floor and then he was against her again, holding her from behind as her back ached and burned all the more from the contact, and her body went rigid, a shiver running up and down her spine as he rested his chin on her shoulder and spoke into her ear. Keep calm...keep your head...just listen to him. He wanted to break her for being strong...? Light, he was insane...no! Just listen...don't think about how close he is, about...about everything. But it was hard when all she wanted to do was just scream or close her eyes and have everything just...go away.

Indulgances...oh great...so he was holding out and now he was just going to take it all out  on her? Just bloody--no, don't panic! She inhaled raggedly as he touched her cheek, closing her eyes tightly as he wiped away the tears, but more tears would only replace them soon enough.

And then it finally came. Her chance to speak.

"I...I do understand..." she said quietly, eyes still tightly closed. She didn't want to look at him, couldn't bring herself to. But what she was about to say, what she had formulated in her head based on the details he had given...well, they oddly weren't lies at all.

Which she might have preferred. Yet this was also better, because if she was lying, there was always the chance that he could tell. And if she had to lie, she had to make things up, which always took longer anyway. No, oddly enough, this came naturally. It just made sense.

"I also see th-that...We...we're a lot...a lot alike, then...aren't we, Nexus...?" Niamh asked quietly, drawing another trembling breath. She hadn't liked that part at all, saying they were alike. They weren't really, no, they weren't alike at all. But some of their circumstances were, there was no doubting that. "I...I don't like drow, either...they...they're bad...can't be trusted..I'm not surprised that...that you'd get backstabbed..." Another deep breath, and a soft hiccup as she repressed another sob stubbornly. She turned her head away from him, fists clenched above her head. "I'm eighteen now...and...and you're...you're hurting me...just like she did to you...when you were eighteen...you were strong then, too...and she...tried to break you, too...like you're trying to break me...for being strong..."

She swallowed, blinking back tears. "Will you...will you do it for three days, too...? Like she did to you? So you can...so you can be just like her...? Like the one you hate..."

Finally, even though his touch made her uneasy, made her sick and afraid, she allowed herself to slump again, muscles loosening. "I'm sorry..."

Nexus knew the one thing he shouldn't have done was open his mouth. He never should have given this woman the opportunity to know about himself. He should have kept his mouth shut and just said nothing, just continued to whip her and then take pleasure in her body. That's what he SHOULD have done...instead...he decided to talk, to let her know why he was this way. It was probably the worst thing he could have done.

He did like the fact that she was flinching, that always was a bonus. She even seemed to shiver, that had just been nice. To feel her entire body become racked with disgust from his touch perhaps? That could have been it indeed...Whatever it was...it was quite quite nice.

"That's good. I knew I had picked a smart one." Nexus commented quietly. His eyes stared straight ahead toward the torch light, something they could just barely see at this point. He shouldn't listen to her...shouldn't hear what she had to say, but then she opened her mouth and spoke, which got his attention.

"Excuse me?"

He decided to listen to her reasoning. Hm...He didn't mind Drow anymore, the incident had occurred many centuries ago but...then again, here he was with a woman tied up in a warehouse whipping and carving his initials into her skin. Maybe he disliked the Drow more than he knew? It was hard to say. He kept listening to her, and what she said finally...made him gasp as his presence from hugging her body was gone.

He had moved away from her, taken a step back from her as his arms crossed. Holy Vec...she was right. Was he no better than the Drow then...? Possibly. He came to move around the front of her again, to look her in the face instead. She even apologized to him. He thought about letting her go, cutting those bindings, and even offering aid to her...

"Touching. Very touching Niamh...You know a young girl tried this sort of thing before on me too. Actually she was about nineteen by Drow standards too. Said that I was no better than her." Slowly he lifted up his shirt, to show her a scar on his abdomen, on the left side of his rib cage.

"That's what happened when I showed weakness for her. She stabbed me good in the side. After that I tortured her and killed her, then my friend Carthax resurrected her and we made her body do many horrible things. Carthax even did a few interesting acts to the body as well." Nexus let go of his shirt, letting it fall down back to his waist. Ah, Carthax always was the strong one.

Slowly though Nexus sat down, his arms crossed as he watched her. To show compassion for her...or to continue with his original plan. It was hard to say...very hard to say indeed.

"If I let you go...in two days time I'll come looking for you. I don't know why, but I will. I'll hunt you down, and I'll fight my way through whatever guards you may have. Why? I can't say. I just know I will. I'll hound your every step...be in every shadow, amongst every crowd you see..." Nexus told her calmly, his eyes now fixed upon her body, examining her from this angle now. He should just get it all over with, all this frustration, all the pent up anger...as well as some other pent up emotions.

"There would be no where you can hide from me. I'll find you. You'll grow old...but I won't. Eventually you'll slip up. I think it's best that this happens now, while your still young and able to take such punishment." Had her words gone unheeded in his mind? Perhaps...but actually...he was stalling for time, until he could think of what he wanted to do about her.

Nexus only wished he could figure out why he hated her so much, and yet...why he couldn't leave her be. That strong will of hers did have something to do with it yes but...there were other things. He wasn't torturing her...he was molding her into something new. Something he could use, something he might actually want. The only trouble was that pesky mortality part. He didn't much like the idea of her growing old, no, that thought frightened him a little bit.

"I wonder how to turn a human into an immortal." He spoke out loud as he watched Niamh carefully, thoughts running through his mind. Ah if Carthax was here, making her into an Undead would be a snap. However, he didn't have Carthax here...so he would have to look into a different matter. He needed more time...

Niamh hadn't actually expected that to work. Nothing else had worked so far, so why should that? She was basically just grasping at straws at this point...but apparently that one straw had solid ground beneath it. Or something like that.

He actually listened to her as she spoke, or he was at least quiet throughout it, and then when he suddenly gasped and pulled away (much to her relief), she knew he'd heard everything and that it had impacted him to some degree--though she had no idea if it was for the better or for the worse, all she knew was that it was a reaction. After all, she was still treading on very instable ground, and one wrong move would mean the end. So all she could do was wait, tensing up again. She may have said the wrong thing...she may have pissed him off by saying that and then the situation would be only worse in that case, not that it could get much worse as it was. He already seemed bent on doing things to her. But still, there was always that possibility that she'd gotten through to him. Maybe.

A maybe was better than a definite no, though, and she was actually so surprised by this turn of events that her sobs quieted a bit, even though she was still shaking, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

Ahaha...right, she was praying that she'd gotten through to a psychopathic heathen. That was rich.

Finally, though, Nexus came around to stand before her instead of behind her, which was also something of a relief because the light in the room seemed to have gotten dimmer and the combination of the darkness and him being out of her line of sight was just...nerve-wracking. Taking a deep breath and biting her lip to stiffle her crying, she raised her eyes just a little to look up at him before looking away again. She couldn't read his expression in the faint light, didn't know if she had made a good move or a bad one yet, and the anticipation was always the worst. Her heart hammered away in her chest as she waited, praying silently and deseperately for strength and guidance...and hoping that she hadn't been deserted for what she was now doing, and for what she was about to do if this worked.

Finally, though, Nexus spoke.

And what he said made bile rise in her throat, though she quickly swallowed it back. Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap...she'd said the wrong thing...the drow woman had done the same thing...she was dead, it was over, he was probably pissed now! She watched in horror as he lifted his shirt to show off the scar, eyes widening, but she quickly took another trembling breath and bit back the panic. Talk!

"Is...is it so surprising that she stabbed you?" she said, working to steady her voice as she looked at the scar. But only a little. She didn't want to sound too "strong" since that seemed to be part of his obsession, to break her. She shook her head, blinking to try and clear her vision. "She's a drow...and she deserved that..." No, Niamh didn't have any love for drow. But at the same time, she really did want to ask Nexus what he'd expected. He had tortured the drow woman, hadn't he? So was he really so surprised that she'd stabbed him afterward? Had he really expected her to just go off on her merry way like nothing had happened? Light, but she fantasized about stabbing the man once she was free!

Of course, she said nothing of that. She had to keep walking that fine line, had to keep sympathizing with him. "But Nexus...I'm not a drow, and...and I can't hurt you...you have my weapons..." And then, just for him, just to try and seem even weaker, she swallowed some of her pride and added in with a low, shuddering sigh, "And...and even if I did...you're still stronger...you still have your ropes...you can still...Light, Nexus, you've caught me twice...I can't...I..." Another shudder, and more tears blinked free. Thank Goddess she really was scared; she wasn't like those women that could produce tears at will!

Hopefully this was still working. Nexus was at least no longer whipping her, or threatening her. Instead, he was sitting down in front of her now, seeming somehow less threatening that way. But still Niamh was praying in her mind. Let this work...

A small spark of hope came and went just like that as he spoke. If he let her go...he seemed to be considering it for a moment, seemed to be--and there it went, hope was once again extinguished. If he let her go he'd just stalk her. Again. Even when she got old. Even if she was around a lot of people. Good Goddess, what was wrong with him? Why her? She'd only met him that one time when he'd gone psycho on her and now he was going to commit himself to hounding her for the rest of her life?! It was like something out of a really fucked up nightmare...but the constant pain in her back, the feel of blood drying and crusting along her skin, told her this was all too real.

It still felt surreal, though. Kind of. Just...things like this didn't happen to her.

And punishment? For what?! She'd never done anything to him! She'd only been trying to get away from him!

This was insane...ah...maybe she really was being punished for something...maybe she'd done something horrible in another life and was being punished for it now...

Dammit...

And his talk of immortals and mortals...oh Goddess, what was he planning...?

Augh! No time to worry. She had to just keep talking, had to figure out how she could play him. Light she'd sunk low over the past few weeks...she was trying to bargain with a heathen. But...but hopefully Mother Sun would understand. She was no use to Her dead, after all. Right? In any case, she'd be sure to atone for this afterwards--not to mention she'd never speak a word of it to anyone else.

"Ah...I...I see...alright, then...don't let me go..." Niamh could hardly believe she was saying that, but she did, even if she wanted nothing more than to be let go, even if she was more than willing to take her chances and be stalked by him two days later. Maybe he was bluffing. But in any case, he wouldn't be able to deal with all the Lumenari...would he? Still, be this as it may, she also knew that if she begged to be released, his ears would close to her immedietely. He wouldn't listen to her. To him, she'd probably be just like that drow woman if she did that, and then she'd lose any sympathy she might have gained.

She was hoping she'd gained some sympathy.

"Like you said...you'll just follow me if you do..." But she also didn't want to sound too much like she was pulling a bad attempt at reverse psychology. "Nexus, I want to be free...I want to go home so badly...that's all I want now...I don't want to hurt you, I just wanna go home...but...but not if it means being scared for the rest of my life..." She swallowed, buying some time so she could think of where she was going with this, carefully planning her words. "I...I didn't hurt you, Nexus...the other woman did...I don't understand why you're punishing me for what someone else did...you don't understand why you'd follow me...so..."

Niamh lowered her head a little, staring down at the ground before closing her eyes again, eyelashes spiked together with moisture. It was the best sort of bow she could manage bound up as she was. "Please...please don't hurt me until you at least know why you're doing all this...please...then...if you figure it out...and if I'm deserving...well...then I guess I'll deserve it..."

Actually, she wanted to ask him not to hurt her at all, but again she didn't think that would go over well. Besides, if this worked the way she was going for...she could maybe start to earn his trust. Hopefully it would take him a while to figure out why. And hopefully by then he wouldn't want to hurt her anymore. She'd already gotten him to stop. He was listening now. She'd already made her way past some of his defenses it seemed. She just had to keep going.

All assuming this even worked. All assuming he even listened to begin with.

As Nexus sat there he began to think hard, running through his memories. His parents had never loved him...they treated him as dirt, like he was nothing, a child unwanted. His life after that hadn't been too great either...Not until he had met Carthax of course. Nexus would admit that Carthax and he had spent some time together in a more romantic way, but hadn't gotten into it too much before...well the Drow woman had come along. Then after that they started to drift away, which got to a problem. Nexus had been surprised she had spoken to him afterwards, after he showed her the wound as well.

Was he surprised the Drow woman had stabbed him? Yes. Very much so. He had been young, in love, and thought she loved him back. That wasn't really the case, she had simply used him and then...tried to kill him. He smirked when she said the Drow deserved it, which she did for that matter. He smirk turned to a smile as he looked downwards to the ground, his eyes closing. That did nothing. He could still see. He didn't want to even get into his mind either, he knew that it would hold no refuge for him.

"You've power. You've got lots of power though. Lots of powerful friends, and entire group of people devoted. If I were to let you go, you'd go back to them, and they would find out. Then they would be after me...and I might be in trouble. I can take on a few, but an entire religion would be a problem. That and who knows if your Goddess is real, and she might take revenge on me..." Nexus shook his head. No. He couldn't let her go now, not after all this...it would be bad. Very bad. He might end up with a lot more trouble than he wanted.

"Don't let you go? Well, alright, I can handle not letting you go then." Well that settled it didn't it? She didn't want to be let go. he almost believed that he had done something right and broken her. Of course that didn't seem to be the case did it, after she spoke once more and he shook his head.

"Why let you go and be free when you're here already? Too much trouble of letting you go just to capture you again." Slowly Nexus got to his feet and watched her darkly, a scowl coming to his face as he watched her.

"Don't lie to me either. I know you want to hurt me. I know you'd love to just carve my flesh up, beat me, drag me behind horses, throw me off a cliff, that sort of thing. Don't ever lie to me!" Nexus hated it when people told bold faced lies, right at him to. He couldn't...bring himself to let her go this time...or could he? Nexus wasn't sure what he wanted to do, or how to go about it. Part of him wanted to let her go...while the other part wanted her here, wanted her to stay where she was.

"Part of my problem is no one really likes me you know. I have...three true friends. One of them I've known since I was young...the other two are just like me...cursed...not as sadistic as I but...they are like me. The only way for me to have people like me is to break their minds and will, to make them into slaves. Their minds so twisted and changed that they see me as the only person who will look after them, and who will...like them. " Nexus reached his hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it slowly. Yes. That was the only way. He had tried normal courtship...a few times...and with disastrous results.

"No, you didn't hurt me Niamh. I've been the only one to hurt someone...you...and I can't stop. I've got to make you mine. I don't know why. I have to though. It's the only way. You don't deserve it but...I have to." Nexus said to her as he approached, his hand going to her cheek and he smiled, his eyes looking a little crazy as he watched her carefully. Nexus wasn't really insane...just he had been alone and used to his dominant will for so long he couldn't...really do anything else. He was in...well a rut to say the least.

He kept his hand on her cheek, his eyes closed now. Gods. This was the worst decision ever wasn't it? He had to choose between breaking the woman's will, spirit, and mind...and just letting her go free. That second option did not apply though...No...If he let her go, who knows what would happen.

"Hm, if I let you go Niamh, you have to wonder. What would happen to the next girl? What if I let you go, and that was it? I just moved on to a new person. What would happen to her? I bet you could live with that on your shoulders and conscience. After all, it's not like your the one whipping her, cutting her, burning her. No. You'd be safe. Who knows, she'd probably be a heathen. It's alright to hurt heathens isn't it?" He wanted to know her honest opinion on that. Nexus needed to know...because his actions were probably going to be decided that. Probably.

He thought she had power, and all while she felt so damned powerless. But...was he seriously afraid of her group? Her people? For some reason, Niamh liked hearing that. It didn't exactly make her feel empowered because that was kind of hard to feel when you were scared to tears and strung up with a back that was bleeding because you'd just been whipped and carved into, and all after being shocked and threatened and dragged around. No...it was just that he admitted that her religion wa powerful, and he was afraid of her Goddess' power. That was slightly comforting; it made her feel like Mother Sun was still with her, even in this dark place. She was still protecting her. She hadn't abandoned her. Especially not when this heathen was obviously wary of Her.

But she didn't say anything, and no expression flickered across her face. Her head was still bowed, bangs in her tear-stained face. She had expected him to say he wouldn't let her go, though. After all, he'd already made it clear that he planned on stalking her and...and who knew what. But it wasn't over yet. It really wasn't. So far, everything was still going as planned, not that she had much of a plan at all. Niamh was making it all up as she went and just praying to Mother Sun that it worked.

When she finally opened her eyes again and looked up, Nexus was rising to his feet, and she jerked a little when she saw the dark look that had settled across his face. Her heart leaped into her throat. She'd said something wrong...she'd blown it...and that became clear when he started to speak. Niamh flinched and shied back away from him as much as the ropes would allow, pulse pounding in her ears. Oh no...oh no...he'd caught the lie...and it was true, she did want to hurt him...but...but she couldn't be honest about that, either! Like that would go over! She shook her head quickly, averting her eyes, and spoke up quickly, desperately. "I-I'm sorry Nexus...I won't do it again, I'm sorry...!"

She really thought she'd blown what might have been a rare chance...but then he continued talking.

And telling her more about himself.

Maybe the stress and exhaustion was kicking it yet again, but she suddenly had the overwhelming urge to laugh, nervously at that but still laughter. But the urge quickly passed because, well, that also wouldn't go over well she didn't think. No one liked him...ahah...she lowered her head again, hiding her face behind her hair. Wow. Did he...did he seriously not know the reason no one liked him?! Ah, maybe that whole torturing and threatening and breaking and enslaving and stalking people thing had something to do with it! Maybe just a little!

Niamh looked up again when she heard him approach her, and when he touched her cheek again, it took all her willpower to keep from pulling sharply away. Instead, she tensed and stubbornly forced herself to remain still, even though his touch made her skin crawl, even though she hated it, didn't want to be touched by him. She met his eyes briefly before she had to look away again, not liking his expression. But she was still all the same, her mind working quickly. No one liked him...for obvious reasons. But it bothered him. Okay. She could work with this. And part of working with it would be to not act repulsed even though she wanted to. It took a lot of self control, but she supposed it helped that she was tired. She just didn't really have the energy to struggle anymore.

"Nexus...maybe...maybe people would like you if you...you know...didn't try and hurt them..." Niamh said quietly, trying to block out the other things he had said, about having to hurt her, about making her his. He was so crazy...Goddess she was in a mess... "I mean...a slave isn't really a friend...it's mindless...has no choice. A friend is...well...someone who wants to be with you...right...? I mean...having slaves...it can't be too satisfying..." She was pretty proud of how calm she sounded now, somehow managing to push the sense of claustrophobia, disgust, and pain towards the back of her mind for now as she focused on her new mission. It was still there, looming over her, but she wasn't panicking anymore.

She had something to focus on now.

"Nexus...if you promise not to hurt me...I can try and be your friend...but I can't if you hurt me...I can't like you if you threaten me...people can't like people that they're afraid of...it doesn't work that way..." She drew in a deep breath. "But you...you have to be nice..." She didn't think that would work, but it was worth a shot. If he was lonely...it couldn't hurt to play into that. "I mean...you're not going to let me go...right? If...if that's the case...if this is what I'm going to have to live with...I...well...I would at least like to get to know you...and I would rather not be a slave..." It would be hard to escape if she was badly hurt and kept tied up like this. And she really wanted desperately to be untied. She had to keep relating to him and just, well...playing the game. That was all this was. A game. A deadly game.

And then came something she dreaded.

He was trying to toy with her conscience...but...it was a valid point. Goddess...she would have to find a way to stop him. To gain his trust and, well...before she escaped, she would have to be sure that he wouldn't be able to stalk her again, or stalk anyone else. She couldn't wish that fate on anyone, and she didn't think she'd be able to sleep easy knowing he could still be out there. But as to that question...

That...was a loaded question if there ever was one. Crap. He was a heathen, after all. Yet...well...strangely enough it was a question that she could answer honestly, now that she thought about it...

And that fact scared her even more. Goddess forgive her for what she was about to say.

"No..." she began slowly, voice a little hoarse. "It's...no, it's not okay to hurt anyone...sometimes it's necessary...but...but no...I don't think it's okay..." And then she gave a convulsive shudder and jerked her head away from his hand, closing her eyes tight. She was trying not to cry again, and honestly, it was annoying her a bit. She never cried usually, but with the situation she was in, could she really be blamed for it? In any case, it was starting to give her a lovely sinus headache that could join all the other aches and pains and stinging wounds she had on her now. And it was making her even more drained. She could have probably passed out and slept solidly at this point--if she wouldn't also be afraid of sleeping.

"I've really sunk low...no, Nexus...it's not okay...I...oh Goddess. Nexus...we...we would threaten some of the heathens this way...like...like what you've done to me...I saw it when it was actually carried out. I never did it...I only helped fight when we were attacked. I'm still new to the group...so I wouldn't be involved in that...but...I was still there, and...and I didn't care...they were heathens, we gave them their chance...but..." She shook her head and exhaled loudly. "I couldn't do that again...I couldn't watch it...not after...not after actually feeling it..."

It was a painful and humbling thing to confess. She'd never had much empathy before for heathens. She pitied them and felt sorry for them, yes, but when they rejected Mother Sun, well, they dug their own graves as far as she had been concerned. But now...no, she could never watch a heathen getting whipped again, or anything like that; she didn't think she could be a part of that anymore. Not after finding out just what that felt like, the terror, pain, humilation, and helplessness...seeing that would only make her remember everything again. Maybe she'd just had it easy all her life, raised proud and rather spoiled as a pretty only child that had been doted on by her parents. As a result, she'd always been arrogant, and it didn't help her ego that she had been born with such a pale complexion, something that was highly valued in her culture, something she had always been praised for.

That hadn't changed much. She was still proud. But...this had also humbled her. It was hard to feel superior when you were at someone else's mercy and were basically begging to be spared.

"I couldn't wish this on the lowliest heathen..."

Nexus didn't truly fear Niamh. He feared her organization and what they held. If she had just been a simple woman, without the backing of an entire cult, he wouldn't be afraid, but he was. There was no telling what they might do, and no idea whether the Goddess was real or not. Still, he hadn't seen hide nor hair of any God or Goddess in this realm, so he was starting to believe that he was safe for the time being. That helped to bolster his confidence a little bit.

He was rather pleased with the fact that she was truly afraid of him, afraid of what he might do to her. It was nice to see her flinch, to try and escape his gaze, and the scared apology. Made him feel strong, powerful, in control of the situation. Nexus knew there was a power struggle at this point, she was trying to do something, whether it be lull him into a false sense of security, or to get him to stop his ways. He however, wanted the exact opposite, he wanted to continue, wanted to keep doing what he was doing.

He knew her ultimate goal was to escape from this place, away from him.

After his hand touched her cheek, he could feel the tension, her body seizing up. Not from fear. He knew what it a body felt like when it stopped moving out of fear. This was something different but completely familiar. It was disgust. Something he was quite used to wherever he went. People expected him to be like this, after all, he was cursed. So he had slipped into a mindset, instead of being nice, he might as well be how they want him to be.

"Really? I never would have guessed that much Niamh, thank you." His tone was scathing and mocking as he watched her, his eyes glaring just slightly at her. "Only one man wanted to truly be around me. Only because he was just as sick and twisted as I am. No person would want to hang around me. I'm a degraded filthy excuse for a conscious being. I love it too. I love pain, I love watching people in pain. I love the feel of a whip as it cracks through the air. The smell of blood seeping from a new wound. The screams of pain as they echo from the mouth." Nexus shuddered at that point, from excitement more than anything. Ah it felt good to have all those things happen...really it did....

"A slave is the only type of person who can handle such things. Some willingly, some not so much." He actually enjoyed this. Enjoyed listening to her try to bargain, try to change his mind, try to alter him even though she was the one all tied up. Someone had said that the master was never in control, but the slave. Nexus made sure he was always in control, even when it didn't really seem like it.

"I can't make that promise Niamh. You know I can't." Nexus told her, avoiding his gaze. He couldn't promise such a thing, it was against his beliefs really. As psychotic as he may have been, he had beliefs, and he had a religion of sorts too...His dealt with justice however. Funny wasn't it?

"Really...You don't think it's okay?" He couldn't tell if she was lying, as she jerked her head away from his hand. When someone lied there was ways to tell. Heartbeat, muscle responses, pheromones even...but he couldn't tell at this point. She might even have been telling the truth. A bit of a stretch and a surprise really. She continued to talk...continued to speak...and he smirked. She had sunk low? Not in the least to him. Hm, she even said that she wouldn't wish this on the lowliest of heathens.

"You've not sunk low. Blinded perhaps by promises of a Goddess that may not exist...but you've not sunk. Look at me...I'm scum. There isn't anything lower than I. Getting off on hurt, pain, death, torture...enjoying it for that matter. Gods I do so love it. Life dealt a harsh hand to me, so I've dealt that hand back to other people. One thousand four hundred and seventy one years have I done this. I've...tortured so many people...at least more than five hundred. I've lost count. Every time though...it's always there. The excitement...the lust...the power. It never grows old, just like me." He stepped away from her, to sit down once more in front of her. He took his hat off, placing it beside him, undid his coat, letting it fall away behind him to the ground, and then just watched her.

"Tell me about your life growing up. If we're to try a friendship, might as well start with our lives..." Nexus did...want a friend. He wanted someone who wouldn't be repulsed by his touch, maybe even someone he could hold. The appeal was stronger than his desire to hurt at this point. He would hear her out, might even cut her loose...to some degree. He couldn't risk letting her go. No...she was stuck with him now. There was no way for her to escape him.

Well...at least Nexus was honest, she supposed. Oh jeez...he knew he was fucked up. He wasn't one of those crazies that thought they were perfectly normal and just didn't know any better. He knew he was scum. And he liked it. That made this even worse...way, way worse, and Niamh could feel herself growing paler as he spoke. He enjoyed all this way too much, even shuddering...and that made her swallow loudly. What the hell could she say to that?! She couldn't agree with him, that was for certain. She...well...oh Light. How to handle this...praise him for it? What <I>could she do to convince him not to act out his, ah, desires on her? This was hard. She couldn't understand where he was coming from at all...

"O-okay...then...then don't promise anything...I don't need promises, they can be broken, anyway...right?" She really had NO idea what she was saying or trying to do at this point. She was running out of ideas, and it felt like her plan was crumbling fast. "I...I won't ask you to make any promises...okay? I mean...after all...you're the master, I'm the slave..." A weak smile was offered there. "But...can I ask you to please try and hear me out? Humor me a little, give me a chance? Ah...well...it...it might be a fun game for you, too. You like games, right? It...it can be a trial in control, or...or something like that..." Niamh was more than aware of the power struggle that was occuring--Nexus wasn't the only one with a dominant personality, and she had a lot of pride. She sure didn't want to submit, not to anyone, especially not to heathen scum. But bending a little, or at least pretending to bend, was a hell of a lot better than being snapped in two.

Niamh did, however, take offense at what he said soon after. Blinded? Goddess that may not exist? It was he that was blind, filthy heathen! But she bit her tongue; she was in no position to say anything on that matter, not when she was trying to bargain or at least appeal to what empathy he may or may not have. She wanted to agree with him, too...that he was scum, disgusting, lower than low...but again she only listened, even if her stomach began to knot at what he said. He'd...been alive that long and done this that many times...

Light help her...he'd probably heard this same thing that many times at least...he was going to torture her...he probably did the same thing every time...he was probably only humoring her now, toying with her. He probably enjoyed this part, too...he probably knew what she was doing...probably enjoyed listening to the victim try and outwit the "master"...

She closed her eyes again, working to remain calm and strong, to ignore the horrible pain in her back, to ignore how the ropes chaffed, how her arms were getting sore from holding the position for so long, how one hand felt a bit tingly like it was starting to fall asleep. Just stay calm. Even if he was just toying with her, this was all she had left. Giving up would be the worst thing to do, and she'd never been one to give up. Ever. She was a fighter.

Luckily, Nexus spoke up before she had a chance to try and think of something, anything, that she could possibly say to all that. Or, at least, something that wouldn't just come out as a squeak. Five hundred people or more...no, no, don't think about it!

"My...my life...?" Niamh asked, finally opening her eyes again--and she was surprised to find him sitting and, well...looking pretty comfortable, the bastard. Friendship...he...was he going to humor her? She exhaled slowly and said a silent prayer, then moved her eyes to his face, though she was careful to look just a little off to the side. He was something like a feral animal...it was never good to look an animal directly in the eyes.

"Alright..." That she could do. It was easy enough and would be something of a nice distraction. Besides, Nexus, despite what he'd been talking about, hadn't made any other moves to injure her and was currently just sitting there. His gaze was disconcerting, because it always had made her uncomfortable to be stared at, and especially by an insane heathen, but at the same time...he was sitting down and she was standing, if only because of the ropes at this point--she was exhausted. Sure she was tied up, but he was still below her. Lower than her. That was fitting. Okay, maybe she had lied a little...she could wish all that on the lowliest heathen, because that was him.

But she just nodded and cleared her throat. Best not to wait too long before talking, lest he lose interest. She had to keep him interested in <I>words. "Well...ah...I'm afraid if you like stories, it's, um, not very exciting." She'd be sure to draw it out, though. As long as she was talking and he was listening, that meant he'd be less likely to do anything. She hoped. "Anyway...the beginning I guess. I'm from Solis...it's a kingdom in the desert. I don't have a large family, I'm an only child, and, well...I guess my life has been pretty normal...oh, ahaha, I take that back, maybe it hasn't so much. I grew up around a lot of boys and it drove my parents crazy, heh. Always, you know, catching snakes and stuff instead of playing with dolls, broke my arm once falling out of a tree...yeah...never been too graceful. You might have noticed. And then there was the time I got a busted lip fighting with this one kid, Cyrus. Mom was so mad...thought I'd get a scar there...but he'd started it, he'd pulled my hair...yeah...dad always joked that he could have sworn he'd had a girl, not a boy..."

Niamh knew she was rambling, turning her focus inward to all those memories. And they were happy memories. Just...Light, she missed them...she missed home...

"So...I guess we did have our fights, but nothing big. Well, I mean, they were big sometimes, but not...you know? Nothing surprising...where I come from, there are expectations for girls. For boys, too, they have similar expectations. Girls...well...we're supposed to get married or become priestesses, to serve Mother Sun by serving Her directly in Her temple or by creating more children for Her. My parents, they wanted me to get married. Said it'd be a waste for me to just sit around in a temple, especially with my looks. I'm very light...this is very valued...anyone would want me, I could marry into a good family." Yeah, Nexus had asked to hear about her life growing up. So he was sure as hell going to get it all. But at this point she was actually enjoying it...it was like a sort of escape, the only escape she had right now, and she was becoming calmer as she recalled everything.

Damn...it was kind of weird. To think of where she'd come from and how she'd ended up here...

"Well...I wasn't interested..." Niamh had never liked the idea of being owned by someone. That's what marriage had always seemed like to her; light or not, she'd still have to become a proper Solisi woman, and that would mean giving up a lot more than she wanted to. "So...I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I considered being a priestess; they didn't just sit around in temples, the priests and priestesses had a lot of freedoms outside the temple and were very respected. But it was still too restricting...I studied in a temple for a little bit, though, mostly just to escape my parents' badgering, and, well...that's when I learned about the Lumenari, just last year when I was seventeen. One group was there recruiting at the time, and...it got my interest. They travelled. I'd always wanted to see the world. And they spread the Living Sun's message. There were men and women among them, some priests and priestesses too...all equals, all friends...I was sold.

"I knew it would be dangerous...they didn't sugarcoat it...but..." Niamh shook her head, pausing a moment to collect herself. Those happy memories were suddenly turning rather painful. "I guess I probably shouldn't have joined...heh...you know...I was so stupid. I never told my parents goodbye. Heh. Can you believe that. I wrote a note so they wouldn't think I'd been kidnapped--funny, huh?--and I gave the note to a friend to give to them, but I didn't even see them before I went. We'd had a fight the night before. I was still angry with them. But I figured it wouldn't matter, I'd just be home again in a few months, since the Lumenari stopped back in Solis periodically. No sweat. Well, those few months turned into a year...which...well..."

She offered Nexus a strange, unreadable smile then. Or maybe it wasn't so unreadable--it was just empty. Goddess she felt tired...and sick...and who knows what else. But she wouldn't cry anymore. She'd decided she wouldn't cry, no matter how much she hurt right now. Maybe she just didn't have anymore tears, or maybe she was just too drained to even bother. "I guess you know the rest. I'll never see them again, now. I shouldn't have been so damned selfish...hah, really stupid of me, huh? Light, I was so stupid..."

Of course Nexus knew that he was crazy and messed up. He understood that in a reasonable society his ways weren't accepted by a lot of people. That was find by him. He didn't want to be accepted all that much. Not by society. Just a few people would be so nice...Who knew how that was going to go. He did so like to see her shaking for some reason, though it seemed she was starting to...well, calming down wasn't the right word. Becoming exhausted.

"Right. Promises are just words, but I'll do my best." He liked to hear her say that he was the master, but it was an empty set of words. They held no real meaning to her, she was just saying them to please him, which was rather smart of her. She even mentioned something about it being a trial in control, and that was rather true. Ahh..control. He couldn't live without such control.

"Yes. Your life." He told her with a gentle smile upon his lips. She seemed to like the fact that he was giving this a try. He was being nicer than he usually was, he must have really wanted a friend...or just wanted to crush her dreams before her eyes.

He enjoyed listening to her life actually, it was interesting. It was different from his own life, which he would share soon enough. Her life had sounded a little easy...and she right about her looks. She did have beauty, which maybe he wanted to ruin a little bit. Her skin was quite beautiful...it wasn't abnormal to him, but her people might have found it so. It made sense to him. He was more interested in her talk of her religion and she got started with it. Ah, his was a much better story when it came to how he found his religion out. He'd get to that of course.

"I told you that I won't kill you. You'll see them eventually. You just have to...escape your religion. That can be a hassle and a half of course." He chuckled gently as he lay back, his hands behind his head. I guess it was his time to share. She deserved to know didn't she?

"I was born to a small town to a rather nice couple I'm told. The Pantheon had decided they wanted a small group of people who could travel to other realms and preform menial tasks for them. I was one of the unlucky bastards." Nexus laughed, it was a strange laugh to say the least. It had a sort of...pain to it.

"I never felt the sun upon my face till I was at least six. I never actually saw the world with my own eyes until I was...Must have been ten or so. Anyways, the school I went to really didn't like me...mainly because I was one of the smartest children in the school. I had a knowledge they couldn't comprehend, I seemed to surpass some of the adults...My father decided to fix me when I was ten." His head shook as his eyes closed, but of course that didn't stop him from seeing. It never did.

"He beat me into a coma. I awoke several months later to find my family was...gone. My father was dead, and my mother worked for the King. I removed my blindfold and entered the world. The Shaman was kind enough to take me in...but he seemed to fear me still. It wasn't till I was sixteen when I met this strange kid named Carthax Feratul. Turns out the creepy kid was a noble, and we spent some hours in the dungeons and such." Nexus passed a hand across his face, wiping the hair from his face now that it was free. Ah, those were some good times.

"Then there was the incident with the Drow woman...After hunting her for a year and torturing her for three or four days...she died, Carthax and I did some mean things to her but...anyways. We grew apart over the next few years. Carthax went insane and started to make an army for a Dark God. I wandered...came upon the Temple of Arkhanan, the father God of my realm. There was a monk within who revealed my destiny, my reason...my purpose for being. The Gods wanted me to explore realms and worlds..." Nexus sat up, looking at her, no emotion on his face. The Gods had given him this life...made him like this. He didn't truly blame him, but he did hate them sometimes.

"I stayed in my realm for a time, learning the ways of the Goddess who had truly made me. She was the Hanging Goddess...Feris, Goddess of Judgement. I spent some years with that woman, learning of why I was created, and what she wanted me to do. She was one of the greatest women I had met...one who didn't betray me." Ah, he did so love that Goddess. She was a physical being, not like Niamh's living sun. Heh heh, he wondered how that might go over with her.

"I left my realm after...to do my job. Explore...and to right wrongs..That sort of thing. I found some interesting people...but they would die...Even immortals that I met. If I died...I would simply go back to my realm and wake up with the Goddess standing over me. I was allowed to indulge my desires as long as I did my job here and there...Killing...torturing...hunting...things that hurt people...and actually things that helped and freed people from slavery..." He went quiet for a moment, standing up to reach into his satchel. He removed from it a long noose of some sort, one that glowed white and blue. He came up to Niamh, wrapping the noose around her neck. She would feel the wounds on her back close up, not so much disappearing, they would scar over but they would stop hurting. She also wouldn't feel the strain of the ropes so much.

"The same noose that kept me alive for three days will keep you alive now. I can't let you go, I can't cut you free...but I can ease your pain as best I can for now." Nexus...being nice? Even he found this a little out of character. He didn't care at this point. He was having a crisis...one of conscience for that matter. Urgh. This didn't have to be so difficult and yet...yet it was. He hated it. He hated himself, and he hated her.

"Tell me when you want to sleep...You might be able to convince me to tie you up in a fitting position for sleeping." He said finally as he headed away from her, his back turned to look toward the torch that was still giving off light. Ugh. The light.

Whether or not Niamh survived this, that wasn't really the extent of the reasons why she might never get to see her home again now. Truthfully, she wasn't just afraid of Nexus at this point--she was, she was terrified of him the most, but part of her was also horrified by what she had done and what she was doing. Bargaining, reasoning, with the worst of heathens, allowing her faith to be shaken. If anyone found out about this...it would be bad. It wasn't like she would tell anyone, but it also wasn't like she didn't have a guilty conscience, too...it was going to be hard even after she was free, that was certain. If she was ever freed.

And it wasn't like his terms made it any easier. Escape her religion? She'd grow wings and fly first. Wonderful that he seemed to find that so amusing, though she did have to admit she was relieved that he apparently didn't plan on killing her, at the very least; there was no hope of escape if you were dead. In any case, Niamh didn't say anything to that, only looked away. He really didn't understand...but how could he? He was a heathen, the kind that couldn't be saved, didn't want to be saved, didn't deserve to be saved. But...it was okay. She'd learned something else now--he wanted her to escape her religion, and she was more than willing to pretend.

Frowning down at Nexus as he got nice and comfortable down there on the ground--bastard--she slumped tiredly but forced herself to listen intently as he told his story, prepared to take in every detail. It was important. There might be something else in there that she could use.

And as she listened, well...she would have been lying if she said his story didn't surprise her.

Niamh didn't like the parts that involved this..."pantheon" of his, all that talk of false gods and the like. In fact, her mind immedietely went to reject that information as though programed to do so, which in a way it was. She had been taught to reject other gods, to view them as false, the creations of heathens that sought to reject Mother Sun in favor of their own desires and wants. But she forced her ears to remain open; after all, he honestly believed this stuff...thus it was a part of him, and a part of what she was challenged to work with. Hopefully she would be forgiven for this...but right now she couldn't be too worried about that when she had more immediete concerns.

There were parts in his story where...she might have actually felt sympathy for him if he hadn't done what he had to her. A father that beat him, family that abandoned him...all when he was young...drow woman who tortured him, hanging out with an insane guy...well...that did explain some things. Kind of. It didn't excuse anything he'd done, not by a long shot, but...well...she supposed she could see how that would royally screw someone up. But she also couldn't feel sympathy. Not when he enjoyed it. Not when he knew he was messed up and yet he said himself that he loved it. Not when she had to worry about what he was going to do to her. She could understand, kind of...but not forgive. Maybe she did feel some sympathy...she didn't know. This was just so draining.

And then it was back to his goddess...a goddess of Justice?!

How?! He claimed to follow a goddess of justice so...so how was this just?

Not that she actually believed it was a goddess. It sounded like it was just a woman, and heathens did often have powerful leaders in their cults, leaders that they looked to as gods even if they were flesh and blood. But she still held her tongue wisely and continued to listen, unable to help but stare at him at what he said. Killing, torturing, hunting...and freeing people from slavery? Thrown randomly right in there just like that? Like there was no difference between all those things? What the...?

Ooh...her head was really starting to hurt...she had nothing. She had no idea what to say. Her mind had gone oddly blank after processing everything, and now she just had a headache in addition to everything else. It made no sense. No sense at all. It was like he was one big walking contradiction. How the hell did HE go around just...doing gratuitous torture and then...righting wrongs...how did that work?

This was so confusing.

And it only got even <I>more confusing.

Quiet herself, eyelids drooping a little, Niamh watched him get up and go to his satchel...and then she snapped wide awake when he pulled out a weird noose and started to approach her with it, that panicked sensation returning. After all, while he said he wouldn't kill her, he'd made no promise not to torture her, and he might now have something else in mind. Her mouth went dry as he wrapped the thing around her neck, throat tightening even though she wasn't actually being choked, and then...

A sharp gasp left her when she felt her wounds suddenly close up, the pain vanishing, even the strain from the ropes lessening. It wasn't a gasp of pain at all, just of, well...surprise. She'd never actually been healed before, and that he was healing her, ah, yeah. That was kind of the last thing she expected from him. And as for what he was saying...

What?

It was an oddly eerie thing to learn, that he was healing her with the same rope that had tortured and healed him, and maybe it was just because she was really, really tired, but her mind just couldn't seem to properly process what Nexus was <I>saying. He'd injured her! He'd cut her and whipped her and shocked her and tied her up! He was the one torturing her! And now...he was healing her. And talking about easing her pain...like it was someone else who had done this to her and he was just the good doctor come to patch her up. If that noose hadn't been easing all her aches and pains, she would have probably had a migraine by this point. Ah...wait...well, maybe it did make sense. He was going to torture and heal her, just as was done to him. Or...or...oh hell, she couldn't even think anymore. Sighing, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back briefly before staring up toward the ceiling.

Maybe she was just going crazy. This whole thing was so crazy, it was plausible. Being shocked twice...maybe it had done something to her head.

"I, uh...think I wanna try sleeping now...if you don't mind, Nexus..." she said very quietly. She didn't think she'd actually be able to sleep, stressed as she was, and she didn't want to even think about what he could try to do to her while she was sleeping. Then again...there really wasn't much she could do about that even when she was awake, and she tended to sleep lightly; she'd wake up if he tried something, and...and then what? Well, she just had to pray he wouldn't. Ah, yeah, in any case she was sure that even if she did manage to drift off there would be a number of nightmares waiting for her to make what sleep she did get restless. But, sleep also offered another one of those temporary mental escapes, and she was also hoping that maybe if she went to sleep she'd wake up back at camp.

Then again, she might just not get any sleep anyway if she was going to remain tied up. Position fitting for sleep? Oh jeez...was he just going to keep her tied up the whole time...? If he...if he did that...she'd never be able to...

But even as she was thinking that, she really was fighting to keep her eyes open, her entire body limp against the ropes. "Thank you...by the way...I think..." she heard herself mumble, and she immedietely wanted to take that back. Oh...she really was going crazy. Thanking him when he was just repairing the damage he'd done. Yet...it couldn't hurt, could it? It was all part of the charade. Her mind was working funny right now, anyway. Always did when she was on the verge of passing out for the night. Or day. She didn't even know what it was anymore, having lost all concept of time in here. It felt like a long time had passed, but with her luck it had probably only been a few hours.

"Oh Light...Nexus...you confuse me..." Niamh muttered then, more to herself than anything as he turned away, her own eyes closing. "Just thought you should know."

Nexus knew that he was a little odd. A sadistic psychopath who worked for the Goddess of Justice. It was so strange to hear, and yet...on his world it was quite normal. Righting wrongs sometimes meant freeing nations, killing people, torturing, degrading, and other sick and low acts that could be preformed. He did them though, because he was meant to.

He just smiled though as he shook his head, more to himself. She seemed to have been really confused as he relayed all this information to her. He even noted the slight change whenever he talked of the Gods of his homeland. He would have to clear that bit up for her. She might not believe that he really worked for a Goddess or the like. All he had to go on was words though...

The gasp from her wounds healing made him smile, even just a little bit. However, it seemed that she couldn't comprehend that he was healing her, after beating her and whipping her. Ah. Confusion was so nice when it happened to other people. He didn't expect her to really stay anything about it. Nexus noted she just sighed and closed her eyes. Heh.

"In a moment I'll let you sleep." He told her softly, his back still facing her. His eyes had rolled about in their sockets, to focus on her. He turned around though, his eyes staying locked on where she was. He nodded when she thanked him...and then...she said something that made him smile. She admitted that he confused her.

"Picture this in your mind Niamh. Your life has been shit. You've been kicked, taken down, and made to feel that your existence was wrong, and you should never be. That you're a mistake, an accident, that you shouldn't be. Then...one day you come across a temple, where you meet a monk who tells you that you were meant to be. You meet a Goddess, a woman who came from the very heavens, a being of infinite power who literally rips your entire being apart, leaving nothing but your soul to hang in the air." He started to pace back and forth as he spoke, trying to put everything into perspective, and tell her about when he had met the Goddess of Justice.

"This is a being who literally created Justice in your realm. She literally control balance and order. Not a simple person posing as a messenger of a Goddess, but an actual Goddess. Now, imagine what would happen if that Goddess says your life was meant to be, and that she created you, and made you as you are." His feet didn't move as he shifted to look at her, his face somber, though his eyes held a sadness in them.

"Imagine hearing that the Gods themselves had MADE your life like that. The Drow...My Father...Carthax...It was all meant to be. You feel small, insignificant. Here you are in the presence of the very being who had willed you to be, and willed your life to be complete hell." Nexus might have been crying if he wasn't so good at keeping his calm. He didn't feel calm inside, but his exterior was soft and gentle for the time being.

"Then the Goddess tells you that your soul will never rest. Never. You will be in her personal three man army forever. You're told your job, that you are to right wrongs, any way that you can. That means you have to do things that would make normal people go insane. You don't though. Oh no. You love it. You love it because you were created to love it. You want to keep doing it because it feels grand, and it makes you feel alive." Nexus took a deep breath as his eyes closed shut tight. He was trying to stop himself from seeing but he couldn't. He would never stop. He would see everything, and he would love and hate every moment of it.

"You work for her, and soon she doesn't have to even give you orders. You know exactly what you have to do. You seek out people who have wronged, just so you can right them, so you can feel alive, so you can feel whole. You know that you should in turn be punished for what you do, but every time you die, you come back. I can never stop what I do. I don't want to stop what I do, but every time I do it...I love it...and I hate myself." Slowly Nexus raised his hand to the bridge of his nose, to rub it softly. He did hate himself, but he enjoyed it. It was the hardest thing to describe to people. They could never understand him, because he was so...different.

"I am a paradox, created by a Goddess to do her bidding and loathe but love every second of it."

Ugh...in a moment. Who knew how long a "moment" would be. But honestly, at this point, Niamh couldn't complain even if she were in a position to complain, which she wasn't. But at this point, she was just grateful that her pain and discomfort had been eased, and that he was only talking right now. Nexus seemed calmer right now, like some weird change had come over him. He'd been so vicious earlier, cruel, frightening, but now he was all gentle smiles and soft words. It...it was pretty unnerving, how he seemed able to go from one extreme to the next so unexpectedly, and she knew this just meant that she had to tread lightly. After all, he'd also been gentle in his mannerisms...while whipping her and carving into her. Oh jeez...he was unpredictable, and that was bad. There was no telling when he'd suddenly switch gears from calmly conversing to calmly cutting.

Luckily, for the time being, he wasn't done talking.

It seemed he was trying to clear up her confusion, finally facing her again, and she shifted a little to try and get more comfortable and keep herself awake. Even with the noose easing the strain (and healing device or not, having a hangman's noose around you was pretty creepy) it still wasn't very comfortable; she still felt claustrophobic, and the lack of light and closed-in space of the warehouse wasn't helping. It probably wouldn't be much longer before she caved and tried to convince Nexus to bring the torch closer, and to untie her so she could sleep...but that might be pushing her luck, and her luck was terrible.

In any case, Nexus' explanation...was unexpected. Another time and she might not have been able to really imagine something like that; after all, she'd had a comfortable, happy, sheltered life for the most part, and while there had been rough patches, and while she'd been in some stressful and even frightening situations after joining the Lumenari, life had still been good to her and she'd had a lot to be thankful for, a lot of friends, a lot of people she cared for and who cared for her. She'd always been an optimist, she had no reason not to be. Life, however, was pretty shitty right now, so it really wasn't too much of a stretch to picture all that.

The Goddess stuff, however, was another story...but...the way he was talking about her...suddenly it didn't sound like he was talking about some heathen cult leader. People like that couldn't tear someone apart to leave their soul hanging in the air...unless that was a figure of speech. Because how could it be an actual Goddess? Mother Sun was the only--wait...

She remembered something Nexus had said before, something she had tried to forget because it was blasphemous and yet it made sense. About the other worlds that were out there, about there being different deities to rule over each world, about...about something she'd even thought of, about how the scriptures never explicitly stated that there weren't other Gods, just that Mother Sun was the Creator, that other Gods were false. The scriptures never said anything about other worlds...never mentioned them at all. What if...what if She had created other Gods and Goddesses, but they had started to lead Her children away from Her? That was why they were bad...false...because they, a creation, were being worshipped instead of the true creator.

It made sense...but it also sounded like a dangerous thought to have, to even acknowledge the possibility of other deities. It was something she'd had in her head for a while after escaping Nexus, something that had tortured her. She'd tried so hard to forget about her new ideas, but now they'd been nudged to the surface again. Niamh swallowed. But he might also be lying still. He was a heathen...he couldn't be trusted...he was trying to lead her astray. There was no reason to believe this other Goddess existed...right...?

Yet could even a heathen feign sadness? At least...that's what she thought she saw there, and even if his voice was calm, his words gave him away. It...it was weird. Maybe she was just imagining things. This was a man that was making her life hell, terrifying her...

She should not be able to see where he was coming from. She shouldn't. But it all made sense...a little. The idea that he was made to do this. It didn't make it right, but it at least made a little sense, and that was at least better than all of this being for nothing...if that made any sense, which it probably didn't. Light, she was still confused. He loved it. Yet he hated it. Loved it because he was meant to do it. Hated it because he was meant to do it. Hated himself for doing what he loved. Niamh also closed her eyes then as Nexus called himself a paradox...which, well, she agreed with. It made no sense, it was sick and it was frightening because...because it meant there was really no way around it. To love and hate something...how did you escape that? How did it even work?

"Your Goddess...she sounds cruel," she said slowly, opening her eyes, before giving a start and shaking her head. "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant...I mean...I don't know...I guess I just don't see how--"

Suddenly she stopped.

...Holy Mother. Maybe it did make sense.

It was like what she did.

Niamh loved being a part of the Lumenari. She loved the adventure, the travels, what she got to see. She liked spreading the Living Sun's message to the unfortunate heathens that had yet to be saved. But she didn't like what happened when they rejected the message, when people were killed as a result because they refused to save themselves. Heathens or not, they were still living beings; it wasn't like she enjoyed what happened. But she watched it anyway because they had made their choice, and she fought when they fought back. She'd killed before. It wasn't fun, it wasn't pleasant, but it was what she had to do, what they all had to do. It was why the Living Sun had formed the Lumenari to begin with. It was their duty, to follow Her word. So, she did it. She trusted the Living Sun. She trusted Her word. Simple as that.

Light...

Finally Niamh opened her eyes again, her face blank. She couldn't believe this...and she felt even more tired now, yet also a little more awake, restless. It made sense. To do what you did because it was your duty...but to hate it in turn because...because...

Because deep down you also had a conscience?

Ahaha...yeah, right. Like Nexus had a conscience.

Drawing a deep breath, Niamh once again looked away, off toward the torchlight. "I think I understand..." she said quietly, clenching and unclenching her clammy fists nervously. Then she forced out the next set of words. She was loath to admit it, but she also knew it might help. Establishing similarities was one more step toward making a connection of some sort, right? And she wanted to make that connection. If she could do that, she might be able to save herself. "We...we may have something else in common, after all..."

But all his talk about justice had brought on another thought about a possibility that might make all of this in vain anyway. Nexus' apparent duty, if all of what he said was true. Without expanding upon her revelation, she only swallowed hard and looked down, afraid of the answer to what she was about to ask. "Nexus...am I being punished?"

A memory had flashed in her mind. It was of that first encounter with Nexus, right before he'd let her go, right when he'd asked if she was sorry. Sorry for what she'd done to the heathens. She'd answered no, and he'd let her go...and then he'd caught her again. He followed a Goddess of Justice, even if that Goddess was false, he still believed this. He was a heathen. If she looked at it from his point of view...her people killed his kind, and she was part of it all, she'd assisted with it, she'd watched it. By his...oh Goddess...by his views, he...he was probably enacting justice on her. For killing his kind.

And if that was the case...well...from what he'd said, she would be screwed.

If only he were a telepath he might be able to figure out what the young girl was thining behind those contemplative eyes of her. As he had spoke, he could see she was thinking, whether it was dismissing what he said, or trying to accept it he couldn't say for sure. All he knew is that she was thinking. That could be either good or  bad really.

He wondered if he had made sense. About how he loved it and hated it. He knew everything he did was wrong, but he loved it so. Ugh. He couldn't die, well, wouldn't stay dead. It was a horrible cycle that wouldn't end, so he just tried to live as long as he could. That would mean he didn't have to deal with seeing the Goddess again, and getting his memories given back.

"Cruel? She is...and she isn't. There has to be justice. There has to be a sense of right and wrong in the world. I admit, if there wasn't any justice, and no sense of right and wrong we would be just as fine. However, the Pantheons decree what they wish." Nexus shrugged his shoulders, he barely had noticed that she had stopped talking. His eyes watched her, wondering what she was going to say next.

"Y-you what?" He was confused indeed. He wasn't sure that he had heard her right. Did she say she actually understood what he was talking about? That was...that was a little unnerving actually. He didn't actually think she would understand him, or care for that matter.

"W-we have something in common? You'll...explain that to me won't you?" He said to her, a weak smile upon his face as he looked away, to the ground. He started to pace again, started to move around again. He felt antsy...he had to move for some reason.

"Punished? No...This is just my...pleasure. If I were punishing you, I wouldn't have stopped. My job is to punish the wicked and to right wrongs. If I were punishing you, this room would be filled with Drow and people who had a different religion than yours. As you can...somewhat see...it's just us." He looked around, making sure that was actually true. No one here but them.

He turned around and came over to her, looking at her carefully. Slowly he removed the noose from her neck, putting it away in his satchel. Might as well let her sleep now. He was careful as he untied the ropes from pillar. First her arms, well, her wrists, which he then tied together with one rope. He was nice, and carefully tied them in front of her body, so it wouldn't be too uncomfortable when she slept. Then he simply untied one of her legs so she could lay down comfortable.

However, to be very mean, he fused the rope together so it couldn't be untied. No knots. That was the greatest thing about the ropes being his own design and magic. He didn't want her going anywhere after all. For perhaps an added insult, or just because he could, he ran his hand up her ankle and outer thigh to give her rump a small slap with the palm of his hand. It was a simple gesture, and he even smirked as his hand fell away.

"Get some sleep now Niamh." It was indeed getting dark out. He headed into the darkness, well, darkness to her, toward the torch. He grabbed it, his eyes staring at the torch for a moment. It dimmed, until it gave off a very faint light. He returned to stand in front of Niamh, holding the torch. Things were barely visible now and he placed the torch on the ground near her. There was just a little light, to help her see just incase.

His hand was back into his satchel, and he was rummaging for something. Then...he pulled something out. Something very strange. It was a small pillow, one just for someone to rest their head on. He held it out to her, wordless as it were, his eyes looking to the ground, not focusing on her, but an interesting looking spot on the floor. More to the torch that emanated the soft light.

Nexus' reaction was unexpected, to say the least. He sounded surprised, and that surprised <I>her, too, so much so that she couldn't say anything, could only watch him as he paced restlessly. Explain that to him? Oh boy...she didn't want to do that, really, because it would mean actually saying it out loud, and that would really force her to admit it to herself. But for a moment at least she was spared as he answered her question regarding punishment...and she was both relieved and scared by that answer.

On the one hand, she wasn't being punished. On the other, he was doing this solely because he <I>enjoyed it. For once Niamh was actually glad it was pretty dark in the room because she was pretty sure that she was paler than usual now, her eyes wide. Room filled with Drow...if this was bad, that would have driven her insane. It made her sick just to think of it... "That...is good to know..." She guessed.

Then he walked back over to her suddenly and removed the noose, and the strain in her limbs could once again be felt. But she wasn't focusing on that at all--she was focusing on what Nexus was then doing. Untying her wrists from the pillars. Kind of. Niamh quickly straightened her legs to support herself, having been pretty much just hanging there and letting her arms take her weight, too drained to bother holding herself up, and she watched wide-eyed as he worked. What was he...was he actually going to untie her? Once again, kind of. They were freed from the pillars, but he still tied them in front of her. Still better than nothing! And then he even untied one of her legs.

He wasn't letting her go...but with her hands in front of her, she could easily untie her--crap. There went that option, as he watched him fuse the rope, biting down on the inside of her cheek to hold in a frustrated groan. He seriously had too much experience with this...dammit...but it was okay, this was a start, after--

"Erk!" Niamh gave a violent jerk and convulsive shudder when she suddenly felt Nexus' hand travel up from her ankle and up her leg to slap her bottom, just like that, and with one leg free, her first initial impulse was to knee him right in the face, or somewhere else. Thank Goddess she was tired and her reflexes were shot, because that gave her a much needed moment to think before acting. So instead, she grit her teeth and gave Nexus a tense smile as his hand fell away, even though she really wanted to kick that smirk right off his face. This was not good...a pervert in addition to a sadist...

Light help her. When she wasn't worrying about getting cut or whipped she was worrying about getting molested.

"A-ah...thanks...Nexus..." she said slowly, for a moment just standing there, tense, as though afraid to move. But then finally she settled down on the ground where she'd been standing, not yet laying down, just sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms looped over her knees. Then she even scooted a little until her mended back was against the pillar she was still partially tied to. It felt a bit more secure to be all huddled up in a ball for the time being, as well as to have her back against something solid so she didn't feel like something might pop up behind her--like Nexus. She really hated the dark, and it was probably way darker in the room to her than it was to Nexus because she had horrible night vision. Her vision during the day was excellent and she could look at things that most people couldn't look at without seeing sunspots, but at night, she might as well be blind.

Being alone with Nexus only made it that much worse.

As Nexus told her to get some sleep, she only gave a small nod and watched him walk off toward the torch and pick it up. And then she did something she dreaded. He started to dim it, the shadows lengthening around her, her breath catching. Don't turn it out, don't turn it out...but he thankfully stopped, still leaving it lit a little, and she stared at the torch. At this point, Niamh couldn't really even see anymore, but she could still hear, and the growing light and sound of footsteps told her that Nexus was coming back with the torch.

Which he set down next to her.

Thank the Light.

On impulse, she uncurled herself and slid forward a little so she could be closer to that torch, finding comfort in it. She could see a little better now with it faintly lighting up the space around her, and she was about to just flop over and finally just give in to her exhaustion, but Nexus was still standing there, making her uneasy. Glancing up, she saw that he was holding something out to her though she didn't really know what, at least not until she cautiously reached out and took it with both hands.

...A pillow.

Blinking, she stared down at the thing between her hands for a moment, then looked back up to Nexus, then back to the pillow. A pillow. He...was trying to make her comfortable? Oh jeez...this really was confusing. Maybe she was going crazy. Whipped, cut, shocked, groped...and then he was giving her a pillow. Shifting a little and setting the pillow down on the ground, she stared back over at the torch. "...Thanks...again."

A small shiver ran through her, but she finally laid down on her side with her head on the pillow, facing the light source, and quickly curled up into a protective ball, shoulders hunched, body tense and motionless. She was laying down finally, but she felt anything but comfortable--and not because of the cold, hard ground which the pillow did make a little more comfortable. She wanted to sleep, but she couldn't...so...she decided to talk instead. That always helped.

"Nexus?" Her voice was quiet, hesitant, yet she started to speak almost immedietely after. "Um...about what I meant earlier...about us having something in common...well...I mean I serve my Goddess, right?" A yawn made her pause, and she blinked to keep her eyes open, focusing on that light.

"Sometimes...sometimes I had to do...and see...things I didn't really like. But I liked it, too...because it was all for Her, and I love Her...I love to serve Her, love what serving Her lets me do. It lets me travel...it let me meet some wonderful people, and...it's my duty. But...but sometimes I don't like what has to be done...too much..." Another yawn, and her eyes were drifting shut, her breaths becoming a bit deeper and more even. She nuzzled further into the small pillow, relaxing more as sleep started to take hold. "Even more so...now...but...it's duty, right...?"

((I'll skip to the next morning in this post as well, unless you have something dire you want to have happen after they sleep :P))

At least she seemed to like his answer about her being punished...The only person who was being punished was himself. He truly was sadistic...every time he cracked the whip or dragged the knife along her flesh he knew...He knew he was hurting himself more. He knew it was wrong, and it felt so good to do it. Nexus wondered if he would slip in to madness one day because of all this. Probably. Eventually the strain would be too great for his mind and soul, and he would snap. No doubt then the Goddess would fix him...Ugh. He didn't want to think on that too long.

His groping had been more of a test. He wanted to see what would happen. As well as to cop a quick feel, after all he was still a man. However, he was pleased by how she didn't hurt him, reprimand him, or squeak too loudly. He wouldn't tell her it was a test though, as that would ruin all the lovely little thoughts that could run through her mind.

Nexus had watched her move closer to the torch, seeming to find some solace in the dim light that filtered through the stick. He wasn't going to question that just yet though...it made sense after being locked in a dark place like this, just barely able to see.

A chuckle would have escaped his lips as he watched her look from him, to the pillow. She seemed quite confused by it really, and that was a good thing. Confusion was the only thing he had to go on now. Eventually whatever he did she would just accept, no matter how strange, how painful, or how gentle it might be.

"Just...sleep." He murmured to her as he bent down to pick up his coat. He opened it up a little bit, draping it across her. It must have been cold...he didn't really know. He never noticed the temperatures that much. He believed she might actually appreciate the gesture. Luckily he hadn't kept any weapons in the coat.

Then...she spoke. He was about to answer her when she called his name, but she started to speak afterwards. He took that time to move away from her, to step into the darkness, out of the light, till he was naught but a silloheutte in the darkness.

"Religion is a powerful thing Niamh. Very powerful. Whether backed by an entity that makes itself known, or one whose existence is questioned, there is no doubt that Religion holds true. We devote ourselves, because we desire purpose, we desire  to be a part of something greater. We do anything we must for our beliefs, because we hold them so close...that they must be true." He took another step back, trying to completely engulf himself in shadows. He didn't want to be near her at this moment, for he knew it was wrong.

"We follow blindly, our eyes ever closed to new ideas and new prospects. We'll never be free Niamh. We'll always be...slaves." It was funny to hear himself admit that he was a slave as well. It was at that point he turned away from her and slinked away from her, leaving about a good twelve feet between them. Then he fell to his knees, a hand pressed to his heart...and he began to pray.

"My Pantheon, protect me and guide me in my ways. May I be brought back to the Path, and may I forever walk in your footsteps. For Justice and Order, for Truth and Right...may I be damned." His words were quiet, trying to make it so Niamh would not hear him, but loud enough for the Gods to hear if they so chose to listen. He wasn't going to sleep yet...he would wait until Niamh drifted off...and then he would wait a little longer.

Nexus had managed to get a good five hours of trancing in. He hadn't moved from the position, kneeling but facing Niamh. Just in case she had tried anything. Slowly Nexus gasped as his mind awoke and body started properly. His eyes darted and focused upon the sleeping form of Niamh, a smile crossing his face. She...had stayed. She had stayed.

Slowly Nexus began to move, his knees first of course, working out the stiffness. Then his back, and arms, neck, and so on until he felt limber again. Ah. Much better indeed. A thought had occurred to him as his eyes stayed upon Niamh's sleeping form. Would she be hungry? He couldn't stay if he were hungry, his stomach was remaining quiet at this point. He eased himself down once more, sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him.

All he could do for the time being was watch Niamh. Well. Watch Niamh and rummage through the satchel at his side. One eye wandered down to look at the satchel while a hand dipped into it. He had food, but he decided he could let the poor girl sleep a while longer. He knew what would happen when she would wake anyways. First...she would wonder it was a dream. There would be the hope that followed until her eyes opened...and saw it wasn't.

He knew that feeling well. Every time he tranced, he wished he would wake up in his town with the Shaman looking over him and barking orders to do some menial chore. Never. Those days were gone of course. He pulled out from the satchel now a small beaten and battered looking book. It was old, almost as old as he was actually. Tattered, faded, the pages crisp and delicate. Slowly he flipped open the book to a new page, pulled a quill full of ink from his satchel...and began to write.

No more than an hour or so later he was done writing the days events. Every time he died and was resurrected he would read the book. Maybe trying to better himself, understand himself, change himself...or maybe...just to improve himself...whatever the case was...he would keep writing. The quill and book were slid back into the satchel and his eyes were turned back to watch Niamh.

Soon she would probably wake. Maybe they could talk more...Maybe.

It was cold. Maybe not so much to Nexus, and maybe the temperature inside really wasn't so bad, but Niamh couldn't tell. She was cold and shivering a little, but maybe it was mostly from fear. That could certainly turn the blood to ice, and she curled in tighter to try and get more comfortable. One thing she certainly didn't expect was for Nexus to drape something over her which, after a jolt and a glance, turned out to be...his coat.

Which produced even more confusion. <I>Why was he being so...so...so suddenly nice? Luring her into a false sense of security? Having a moment where he hated what he did instead of enjoyed it? Just messing with her again? Oh jeez...it was like there was some strange switch in his head that she'd somehow managed to flip off...maybe that was the case, and the trick was keeping it turned off instead of activating it again. A scary thought. In any case, she really hadn't a clue, she just knew that it was jarring and she didn't know what to think about it. But she was also too tired to really think much about it at all right now except to note that it was warm, so she remained frozen where she was, not moving to adjust the coat or throw it off.

Instead, she just listened as Nexus spoke, frowning a little, her eyes closed. A part of something greater...hmm...guess they had something else in common...but...no, she wasn't a slave. She was never a slave...she wouldn't be a slave. Not to anyone...not to Nexus...and she certainly wasn't a slave to Mother Sun. She followed because she wanted to...because she loved Her.

She wasn't a slave...

When Niamh finally woke up, it was still a good ten minutes before she finally opened her eyes. For a while she just lay there with her eyes closed tightly, the pillow still beneath her head, the coat still keeping her warm, and the hard ground still below her, though she'd obviously moved around some in her sleep since she was more stretched out now and the coat was pulled up to just under her nose. Everything felt pretty much just as it had when she'd fallen asleep. It was quiet and she didn't really want to get up, to look upon her surroundings, because even though everything <I>felt the same as it had before she'd fallen asleep, there was still that chance that it had all been a dream, that she was inside her tent sleeping on hard earth somewhere--even though that was horribly unlikely. In fact, any weak hopes she might have had were quickly squashed when she went to stretch her arms and felt the rope that was binding her wrists together.

A shift of her legs, and she could feel the other rope keeping her leg anchored to the pillar.

Not a dream in the least. She was still a prisoner.

Well...much as she wished she could just keep on sleeping or pretending to sleep, in absolutely no hurry to face whatever this day was going to bring, she also knew that there would probably come a point where Nexus would just go ahead and wake her up himself. As it was, she was surprised that he'd even let her sleep like this and had allowed her to wake naturally, getting in as much sleep as her body needed. Yeah. It was best not to push her luck. Besides, as much as she was dreading the day ahead, the imagination was oftentimes worse. She'd rather just get the morning's confrontation over and done with than worry about what it was going to be like.

Her eyes blinked open, and...woke up to the very same darkness she'd fallen asleep with, the same faint torchlight filtering out into the blackness. Or, at least, it was blackness to her. Her breath seized for a brief moment, muscles locking, as a momentary panic and disorientation clutched her. Light, how much time had passed? It was still dark! What if she'd only slept a few minutes and where was Nexus?! But then she forced the air out through her nose, willed her body to relax, and after taking another deep and even breath she pushed up from her side and sat up on her knees, the coat falling off her, and looked blankly around the room. Calm down. Of course it would still be dark...the place had no windows. Only one door. Niamh gulped. Right, not a good thing to think about, ending that train of thought, besides there were more crucial things to think about.

Like where Nexus was. If he was still out of the light's range, well, she really couldn't see him at all. A normal human might have been able to see at least a silhouette, but to her, the space beyond the circle of dim light was little more than black, inky space. No shapes were distinguishable, nothing at all. That was certainly a good reason to be afraid of the dark, and it was one reason of many.

"...Nexus?" she called quietly, reaching down with both hands to try and awkwardly pull the coat back up, not something that could be easily done with bound hands. Niamh did it not only to give her something to do, because she was worried that he'd end up popping up behind her--which would not end well; she <I>hated when people did that as it was--but also because she was still a bit cold, goosebumps formed along the bare skin of her arms. She didn't really care if it was the coat of a man she despised--she just wanted to get warm right now, sitting as close to the torch as she could get and drawing upon that faint light as much as she could.

It was another effect that darkness had on her; even if the actual temperature was kept comfortable by the average human's standards, if she was exposed to the dark for too long without some exposure to the sun, she got cold and, after too long, increasingly weak. Fire, heat, and light were all sources of energy, of course, but they couldn't replace the sun...and the light source here was so frail.

Nexus was bored, antsy to say the least, but he had to continue watching her so she didn't make a getaway. He wondered what she would dream. He didn't really dream...he had nightmares of days gone by. Last night's was unfortunately one of the Drow woman. Ugh. He hated when he recalled that memory. It always made him sour. However, he kept his mood calm, he had to because he wanted to stay on Niamh's...good side.

After all, she wanted to try to be his friend...and he treated his friends right. Though he still had the unbearable desire to torture her, he curbed that feeling however, knowing he probably shouldn't. That would break down the very fragile balance and trust they had made. At least...that they were trying to make. He was taken from the thoughts however as he heard some rustling and straining, very odd sounds. He blinked, his eyes focusing as he watched her once more. She was awake, or at least, struggling in her sleep. Then...a voice broke the silence.

"I'm still here." He said softly, scooting toward her now and stopping just as the edge of the light. Nexus was rummaging through his satchel for something in particular. He knew she would be hungry, it made sense after all.

"I've...got some good by the way...and something to drink." His voice was soft as he removed a bit of cheese and bread from the satchel, as well as a wine skin. The food seemed to be perfectly fine too. He moved into the light, scooting on his knees as he sits down near her. He didn't mind being in the light...all too much. It seemed dimmer than he remembered which was a good thing for him.

His eyes were focused on her, and he frowned for a moment. She was cold. It was best not to get into the logistics of how he knew this, because it would no doubt anger her and make her distrust him even more.

"You're not cold are you?" He asked her, his head tilting to the side as he examined her. The coat should have been warm enough but...he honestly couldn't tell with her. It was hard to say since she was a human, and he wasn't close to such a thing. Though...he would soon rectify that mortality issue she had...once he could figure it. He would manage it, if anyone could it would be him.

A hand reached out to grab the torch. Slowly it released more light, illuminating him and the space around them better. She did so seem to like the light, so he might as well indulge her for the time being. He almost felt like releasing her, almost. Not quite. There still was much to be done no doubt.

Not that he could figure out what at this time. Damn he hated this sometimes...It was so...confusing...

If Niamh had dreamed, she didn't remember them--which was probably a good thing, all things considered. While normally a light sleeper, and while she could normally recall her dreams, she'd slept solidly and deeply for once and now woke up feeling rested, if cold and stiff from sleeping on a hard surface. While staring into the darkness for Nexus, she had managed to pull the coat up and around her shoulders and to adjust herself until she was sitting indian style with her hands in her lap, since the floor hurt her knees. Fortunately, Nexus replied--softly, too, otherwise she might have jumped--and she couldn't help but smile though it didn't touch her eyes.

Of course he was still there...

She watched him scoot closer until she could make out his figure, and he was also rummaging through that satchel of his--where her dagger was somewhere within. She still didn't know how that thing worked...if you could fit all those random and huge things in there, and so much of it, how did you find what you were looking for?

No matter. Because then Nexus was pulling out some cheese and bread as well as a wineskin while announcing it to her, and she stared down at the things he laid out. So...now he was feeding and watering her. Light, if only she knew his motives...now at least she kind of saw where he was coming from--even if she didn't necessarily believe it all--but if she could understand what he was doing and why and where he planned to go with this...Goddess heathens were confusing, and she had the luck to get stuck with the worst.

She didn't touch the food for the time being, though. Instead, she just looked over at Nexus as he asked if she was cold, rather proud of herself for not moving even though he was uncomfortably close.

"Um...I am a little," Niamh answered, reaching up to tug the coat a bit more firmly around her shoulders, to try and cover her arms up a bit more since she couldn't rub the goosebumps away herself. Guess she really had them bad, but then again she was also shivering just a little. She wondered what it was like outside...was it the daytime, and how long had she been asleep? Was Mother Sun shining brightly right now? She watched as Nexus grabbed the torch which started to grow brighter.

With a sigh of relief, she let her shoulders slump, relaxing, and smiled a little, if weakly. Oh good...it would take a little bit, but it should be enough to keep her comfortable for a while if it stayed this bright in here. Of course, there would come a point where she would need actual sunlight, but for now this would do, and she could actually feel her body starting to warm up slowly, and she started to feel more awake. Shivering and huddling more into the coat, she finally just decided to try and explain it to Nexus. It couldn't hurt, and if nothing else...maybe, if she was lucky, she could convince him to at least open the door for a few minutes.

"It's probably not very cold, really, so there's not much you can do about it. I'm a Solisi, see. Darkness makes me cold if I'm in it for too long, and tired," she told him with a small shrug. "I need light, especially the light from Mother Sun. Heh, I guess I'm kinda like a plant...or a lizard," she added with a hint of a wry smirk, rubbing her cold hands over her face so she could pick at the dried mud that Nexus had spattered there the day before. Hopefully Nexus would get the hint, but just in case he didn't, she decided to add some more subtle hinting. "What time do you think it is, anyway?"

And as for telling him the extent of her condition? Well, that was all she planned on telling him; there was no way Niamh was telling him about how she was completely blind in the dark, lest he decide to use that against her somewhere down the road. He was behaving right now, amazingly, but she didn't trust that he wouldn't just explode again, or that he wasn't just playing with her.

Wiping her hands off on the knees of her breeches, she reached out then for a piece of bread, setting it down on her leg, and then for some cheese. As much as she didn't want to admit it, and as little as she wanted to accept food from Nexus, she was hungry, having not eaten since yesterday morning, and she did know that she would have to keep her strength up if she was to have any hope of making a break for it. The food looked decent, anyway...there didn't appear to be anything wrong with it. Besides, in a way, sharing food was another way of displaying trust, and by accepting it, she'd be showing that she trusted him. For this to work, he had to trust her...

Putting the cheese on the bread, she then took a bite of it. If it was poisoned or drugged, well...she was screwed anyway so it couldn't hurt. "Hm...stuff stays pretty fresh in that bag of yours, eh? Speaking of which, what's in that?" She nodded toward the wineskin, not touching it even though she was thirsty. She knew what the skin was, she was just, well, hoping it wasn't something alcoholic. Niamh didn't drink, she didn't like how it tasted, and, well, she was a light-weight, too.

Hopefully she sounded as casual as she was trying to be and not as nervous as she actually felt. It was hard...but she was trying.

"I see..." He smiled as he slowly got to his feet, holding his arms out. His eyes were actually closed as he concentrated hard. Small golden strands began to weave themselves between his hands, back and forth, up and down, making a strange looking garment. It wasn't until a few seconds later that a large blanket took shape, which he grabbed with both hands. It seemed to be rather thick, and even in the somewhat dim light it seemed to shimmer strangely.

He said nothing as his eyes opened and he sat back down, holding the blanket out to her. She would know what to do. He didn't want her to freeze after all. He had noted that after the torch had been made brighter she was more relaxed by it. He was indeed wondering about that but she spoke. It explained...everything to him.

"It's at least two hours before noon." He told her simply. He could see outside perfectly, just as if the building wasn't there. Nexus did want to seem like he had some mystical powers though, just to mess with her head a little bit.

He was glad she at least took the food, which was good. It made him feel like there was a connection between them, or at least...some trust of some sort. This was good. The bridge hadn't been burned quiet yet, there was hope wasn't there?

"Moonberry Juice." Nexus said to her with a smile. Now, he would probably have to tell her that it was alcoholic to some degree. It was a Drow drink after all, but didn't taste very alcoholic. That was one of the strange things about it really.

"It's made from berries that only grow in small forests underneath the ground in extensive labrynths. Special crystals give off a light that lets the berries grow. It's rather interesting. It's alcoholic but weak. Like drinking wine really." He told her with a smile. Maybe if she was good he might open the door for a few minutes for her...to recharge her energy.

"What if I were to...find a way to get the sunlight to shine onto you by reflection?" He wasn't going to risk opening the door, in case she was able to escape somehow. That would just be bad wouldn't it? Well, it would be bad for him at least.

"Because I might be able to do something like that...but eat and drink first, help regain your strength without the ...Mother Sun for now." Nexus was being nice for the most part. Even if he didn't believe their sun was a Goddess, he knew it was important to her, so he would be nice for the time being.

Nexus surprised Niamh yet again, but once again it wasn't a bad surprise. He got up after she confirmed that she was cold, and then...there he went, doing something with those strings of his. As much as she had come to hate those strings of his, because those strings usually meant ropes that usually meant bad things for her, it was also fascinating in a way since she'd never before seen anyone with that kind of an ability. Well, except a spider, maybe.

In no time, even as she watched, a strange sort of blanket had taken shape, which Nexus was then holding out to her wordlessly as he sat back down, and after a small pause Niamh also accepted it silently. She set her partially eaten bread and cheese down on the ground beside her so she could wrap the new blanket around her front while Nexus' coat still covered her back, and for a moment she just studied the blanket. It was odd...it felt soft and thick, yet it shimmered. Strange how he could make something that was that pretty. "Thanks..."

Couldn't hurt to be polite.

She picked up her food again and was about ready to continue eating, but then he answered her question concerning the time, and she froze. How did he...? She quickly closed her mouth when she realized she was gaping, the bread raised halfway to her lips. And then she jolted and quickly took a large bite of her food, tearing into it a bit more aggressively than was necessary. If he hadn't answered so easily and confidently, as though he didn't even have to think about the answer, she might have thought he was just making it up. Hm...maybe he'd been outside? No, if he had, if he'd opened that door, she would have felt the light that flooded the room. After all, she was very sensitive to it, and even if it didn't wake her up she at least wouldn't be so cold now.

"How do you even know that?" Niamh asked once she had swallowed, looking back up at him while trying not to look too bothered by that. She was a little worried that he was psychic or something...it would explain a lot, like how she ended up running into him again.

That would be bad.

Niamh still wasn't touching the wineskin, but Nexus soon cleared up the mystery of what was inside it. Something that she'd never heard of, but he expanded upon that even more, and...that did sound interesting. Like something she wouldn't mind actually seeing some day, because she didn't actually mind forests if she was with somebody and they had adequate light. Of course, he opinion of Moonberries would no doubt have changed very rapidly if she knew that it was a Drow thing or, more specifically, that the drink Nexus was offering her was a Drow drink. Good thing he left that little fact out.

She still seemed a bit leery of it, though. It was still alcoholic after all, and she didn't want to wind up tipsy around Nexus. For now, she only nodded at his explanation yet held off. She was thirsty, but she'd wait.

"Huh? Oh...I guess that could work?" she answered with a frown, none too confidently. "I don't know, I've never heard of anyone trying something like that before--no need to--but...it's better than nothing." She took another bite of food, nearly done, and pondered it over in her head. Why couldn't he just open the door? It wasn't like she could run away because her leg was still tied to the pillar and the rope lacked any knots. And while she might be able to do some minor fire conjuring once her strength was back and the sunlight was on her, she didn't plan on trying to burn through the ropes right now--too risky with Nexus around and on guard, she wouldn't be able to bolt fast enough to escape his ropes, and then he'd probably be pissed. She just had to be patient for now and bide her time.

Figuring out some way to get the light to shine on her via reflections seemed a lot more complicated and time consuming than anything, but maybe he needed something to do. Well, something to do aside from threaten her and stuff, since for now he seemed like he really was taking her earlier words to heart. Best for him to keep occupied. If he got bored, that might be bad, and she knew she was getting ansty. She never had been one to sit around in one place for so long, and having her movements restricted only made her want to move around all the more.

"I'd appreciate it if you could do that, though...I really would." With that said, she finished off her portion of bread and cheese and, after a moment of hesitation, took the wineskin between her hands and pulled the plug out with her teeth. Alcoholic but weak...well, there was nothing else to drink, and the sooner she ate and drank, the sooner Nexus would apparently let her feel the light--he'd even mentioned Mother Sun properly instead of just saying "the sun" so disrespectfully like most heathens did. Hm...maybe she finally believed her a bit. Maybe that's why he was keeping her in such a dark place, he was afraid of revenge from her Goddess.

Niamh sniffed at the wine first, then took a sip from it and swallowed it down quickly, prepared for it to taste nasty--but was surprised to find it tasted fairly sweet, if a little bitter, but that could easily be ignored. Blinking, Niamh looked back over at Nexus and tilted her head to one side.

"You said it's weak, so you can't get buzzed off this, right?" she asked, feeling a little foolish immedietely after. Wasn't her fault, though; she wasn't a drinker, after all, she didn't know these things.

"It's...not a problem." At least he could be polite in return if she was polite. She seemed to appreciate the gesture at least. That was always a good thing. Ah he did love it when she froze up like that. It really meant he had surprised her even more. He wasn't going to give her the exact truth of it all, just make up a sort of lie that seemed plausible. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder towards the door.

"I watched the light from Mother Sun filter underneath the crack of the door. Then, I've been watching it grow brighter and change position. It's well into the morning, but not quite noon." Saying Mother Sun was odd, but it did roll off the tongue rather well. He wondered if there really was a Goddess, and if she would be insulted that he was calling her by her proper name. Well, no need to think on that right now.

"You'd still be getting Her light, but it would just take a little longer for you to do so." Nexus was already thinking on ways to get the ball rolling. He wanted to make somethign extravagant really, some very odd reflections that might help her out a little bit. He had encountered a race before that lit up rooms and building with mirrors and such. The Drow even had a system sometimes similar to that. Of course, he could use some magic to intensify the refelction instead of having it dim and fade.

"I'll see what I can do. With a few certain spells I might not even need that much light...Might even be able to make this place...brighter." He contemplated that, having the sun simply...light the entire warehouse up. Oh that would take skill, and time. Something he had a lot of. Heh heh. It would also be fun to see the look on Niamh's face when he bathed her in the light of Mother Sun with nothing more than some strings and ribbons.

"Oh you can still get drunk by it. However, the amount in that wineskin is enough to maybe dull the senses." Of course, he was going off of Elves and Drow he had seen drink the juice before, and they were experienced in drinking. Since he couldn't get drunk, he would just have to accept what they had told him.

"Now...let's see if I can't...help to bring Mother Sun a little closer to you." That is of course, without opening the door and simply giving away their position. No, that would end in some bad times no doubt. A fight, escaping from town and avoiding the Lumenari while stalking Niamh. Too much trouble.

Nexus stood up and walked into the darkness toward the door. He knelt in front of it, his hand running at the very bottom, where the light was just barely pouring in. He could see it, and it was bright, it almost outlined the entire bottom of the door. This would work perfectly. Slowly he laid out a silvery rope of some sort, one that was incredibly smooth and seemed to glow slightly as the light touched it. Ah, he hadn't used this sort of thing in a long time. The special rope would suck in the light from outside, then project it somewhere else usually of his choosing. Despite how it would shine ten times brighter, he knew he would need to string more about so the light could get to Niamh.

He watched the light hit the rope, then would somehow  travel upwards to the ceiling. Hm. He'd have to grow some ropes and such down from the roof wouldn't he? No matter, that was a simple task. He began to get to work, stringing ropes all around, bringing them down from the roof like vines in a jungle. Slowly he knew that it was getting bright in the warehouse, at least, where he was working. He had a total of ten vines stringing down from the roof and bouncing light off of each other, and three on the floor to direct it further towards Niamh. He kept making more of the strange silvery objects, letting them hang attached from the roof to bounce the light around.

It must have been at least twenty minutes later when he had to take a break, tired of creating all these vines and positioning them and making sure that they absorbed as much light then projected it out ten times brighter. Also, a lot of the light was starting to get to him, as instead of the soft golden rays that usually came from the sun, these were more of a soft white, the kind that would bounce off a field covered with snow.

After a quick break though he created one last vine, positioned it so light filtered in through one end of the rope, then was projected onto the sitting Niamh, bathing her in the soft white light. It was perfect, almost as if he had opened the door to try and illuminate the room. Slowly he took a seat, his face flushed and a bead of sweat on his brow. All that magic...at least he had his sleep time arleady. He would be good in a few minutes. Maybe some food would help.

A hand dipped into the satchel to remove a small piece of bread, which he quickly devoured to try and help regain his strength...Then...he rememebred why he was tired. He had done this for his...friend, Niamh.

"So did it...work?"

He...was calling Her Mother Sun again...

Niamh nearly choked on the wine when she took another sip, surprised that he'd used Her name again. Was he...accepting Her? Or...what? After all, proper name or not, if you called Her "Mother Sun" you were as good as calling Her your mother, your creator, which is what Niamh and the other faithful Solisi believed--that Mother Sun had created everything, the good, the bad...She had even created darkness. After all, it was light that cast shadows. Hmm...she'd have to tell Nexus more, though then again, it might irritate him; she still remembered their old conversation from weeks ago and how he had mocked her faith. So confusing. Quickly, Niamh swallowed the liquid down without coughing too much, and then she just held the wineskin between her hands, which didn't feel quite so icy anymore thanks to the torchlight.

"That's how?" she asked, looking past him toward the small crack beneath the door, almost longingly, before turning to watch him again incredulously. Jeez...he was good. She couldn't tell what position Mother Sun was at in the sky just by looking at light beneath a door! Weird as it was, it almost made her, well...jealous, and annoyed. Here a heathen could tell these things and she couldn't!

That uncomfortable feeling quickly passed, luckily, as Nexus went on to explain, well, to kind of explain. Niamh had no idea how he was planning to accomplish that or what kind of spells he could use, but she was interested. While normally the thought of magic would unnerve her (as the Solisi ability to control fire, heat, and light wasn't considered by them to be magic), and especially the thought of Nexus using his strings, at the same time she was curious and a little fascinated. Nexus seemed to have an ability to control light to some extent; after all, he'd lit that torch and controlled its brightness, something Niamh wasn't yet skilled enough to do. And something she also tried not to think much on, because that also made her a bit irritated.

Goddess...as much as she loathed him, his story had also stuck in her head, as well as those small similarities that she'd pointed out--dammit. That "Goddess" of his tortured him so much...she made him that way. She still wasn't convinced that it was an actual Goddess, but whatever entity it was, it was obviously bad and had him enslaved. If Nexus just abandoned that idol of his, he could be cleansed--and that would work well for the both of them, wouldn't it?

Crap, she was not feeling actual sympathy for the man just because he had shown her some random kindness by, well, healing her from wounds he had inflicted and treating her relatively well in a horrible situation that he was responsible for. It made <I>no sense! It was just...she didn't even know. It was best not to think about it.

Of course, that small bit of sympathy she felt would have probably evaporated back into pure hatred if she had known what was going on his head right about then, concerning strings and ribbons.

"Really? Hmm. That's good to know..." Niamh tilted her head and looked at the wineskin contemplatively. Only enough to dull the senses a bit, huh? Okay, that was a relief, then, because it didn't exactly taste bad and she really was thirsty after all that struggling and running and sweating the day before. She also hadn't drank anything since a few hours before she'd been captured and hauled off to the warehouse, yet if the amount in the wineskin had been enough to get her even a little drunk, she wouldn't have touched it at all. Reassured and completely unaware that Nexus couldn't get drunk and that the information he was relaying came from experienced drinkers, she continued to sip at it.

She'd have to ask Nexus for water or something later, when he wasn't so busy. But she was also reluctant to ask. That would probably mean him leaving for a bit, which either meant she'd be left behind and tied up to ensure she couldn't escape, or he'd take her with him as that "Tiama" thing. Ergh...

There was no time to worry about it, though, because soon enough she was thoroughly distracted as Nexus finally went to work.

Holy Mother...

Niamh didn't know how he managed to do it, but the room started to fill with light, and all seeming to come from that small crack at the door. But if she'd thought that was amazing, well, Nexus was soon going all out, hanging those strings from the ceiling like vines, a few on the floor, and all she could do was gape and watch, and for the first time since being taken captive she was completely without fear. Wonder replaced that, Mother Sun's light flooding the dingy warehouse, and the place started to look, well...a little surreal and far more alive with those silver vines projecting light everywhere. The room was no longer a dark, mysterious place where hidden dangers lurked, and the space suddenly didn't feel quite so confining. The walls were still there, yes, and that sense of being shut in was still there, but there was no longer all that suffocating darkness,

It didn't seem like a long time had passed, everything seemed to move so quickly, and her body was starting to feel warmer already. She waited patiently as he took his break before finishing up that final vine--and soon after her body was flooded with light, and she couldn't help but close her eyes in relief and even pleasure as warmth and strength coursed through her, a sense of completion filling what had once felt empty. Nothing was better than this, simply basking in sunlight--even if she wasn't outside. It was as close as she could get, and this light still came directly from Her.

After a moment she opened her eyes, shifted the blanket off her and shrugged off Nexus' coat, no longer needing them. It wasn't that she was hot; she just felt completely comfortable now, alive. Of course, the downside was that she was also full of energy and, well...she was forced to remain stationary. Oh well. Couldn't win them all, and she was grateful for what she got at this point.

Hell, she even managed a small grin over at Nexus as he sat down looking pretty beat. The sunlight had obviously brightened her spirits--though the half-empty wineskin that she held might have played some part in that, too. "Perfectly," she answered, still smiling, not even squinting in the light. "I don't know how you did that, Nexus...but...yeah, I'm not cold or anything anymore." She stretched a little, arms over her head, and drew in a deep breath. "Thank you, really."

As much as she may not have wanted to admit it...Nexus had done some elaborate work just to bring the sunlight in for her, to make her comfortable. He hadn't had to do it. He could have just been a sadistic bastard about it like he had been in the beginning. But instead he went through all that trouble...and...

It really was strange...

"A thousand years of sunlight and darkness tends to give you certain abilities." He told her simply. It was true though, if he couldn't see throught he walls, he could have done just that, watched the sunlight. However, making her believe he was greater than he actually was made him feel better about himself really.

"Don't worry about it. It's juice some fermented juice meant to help calm nerves for the most part. If I had wanted to get you drink, I would have given you the wineskin with the red cork. Heh. It's full of a very powerful alcoholic drink known as Wraith Ale. Very interesting concoction, one quarter liquid, three quarters of an intoxicating fog that you inhale." He smirked slightly as he watched her drink the juice. That would, as far as he knew, not get her drunk, just a little tipsy. He thought about giving her somethign stronger, but decided against it at this point.

He was glad though that it seemed things were working when the light bathed her. She even shrugged the blanket and coat off. That was...well that was good to see. Good to know that she was getting better now. It was good...really good. She even seemed to be getting better, which was a very good benefit no doubt.

"It's the strings. They absorb light, and then projects said light in a different direction. They also manage to magnify the light so it doesn't dim or dull it." Nexus explained quietly to her. He had to get his energy back right now, and all this...talking wasn't helping. The sun was actually helping a little bit as well, as the magic was slowly coming back to him as he sat there motionless.

"You're...welcome." Nexus was happy that she was doing better now. He wasn't going to let her go just yet, but he was thinking about doing something to give her a bit more freedom. Yes. He could give her more freedom...Not now. A little later though. He wasn't going to let her legs go free, but he was going to perhaps let her hands go. What could she do anyways? The rope binding her leg was rather strong anyways.

"I'm glad it's helping you though. Even in this...very strange situation you should be comfortable." He would get comfortable soon, after his magic returned to him. For now though he was happy to help her out.

Happy? That was an odd feeling. He wasn't beating anyone, he wasn't torturing, slicing, or doing any of the usual things that made him happy. Yet here he was...tired, but content. That probably wasn't a good thing. He wasn't changing because of anything this woman said? Yes...she said she would be his friend...Friends did things for other friends, and felt good about it. That's what he had been told, and that's what he felt...Hm. So very interesting.

Just meant to calm the nerves...well, she supposed that explained some things, like why she felt so relaxed and calm now, though that was also probably due to the sunlight and Nexus' strange change in attitude. Niamh did, however, raise her eyebrows slightly when Nexus talked about that Wraith Ale stuff, and she quickly made a mental note to herself to remember to never accept anything from him that had a red cork. She paused in taking a drink of the juice, then swallowed what was in her mouth, lowered the wineskin, but didn't cork it because that would just be too much of a hassle with her wrists tied together.

"I'll remember that. Red cork, got it. Do you actually drink that stuff? I've only been drunk once and I know that one time was enough for me, don't see how people can actually enjoy getting wasted," she said, deciding that now was a good time to stop drinking, even though she didn't want to. She was starting to feel a little strange and she knew when to stop--the last time she'd drank, and also the first time because the occassional sip here and there didn't count, she had been with the Lumenari and she didn't know when to stop, didn't know the warning signs. So, she ended up with a horrible headache the next day and just knew she was being punished for her stupidity when the light hurt her eyes and head and made her want to die. So, that had been the end of that! It wasn't worth it to be miserable over a drink that tasted gross anyway.

Soon her question as to how the heck Nexus had managed to pull that off was answered, and then she nodded slowly. That...was convenient. She tilted her head back to look up at all those silver "vines", noting that the warehouse, overall, looked better now. Or better than it did in the dark. Was this place seriously abandoned? Vaguely, she wondered if anyone ever even came here anymore...it was run down, but still.

That would have been nice.

Pushing some hair out of her face, she looked back to Nexus. "You can make those strings do anything, can't you? I mean...I guess you're the first person I've met who can do stuff like that. Never would have imagined simple threads could do things like this." It was certainly better than the uses he had put them to before. But she was trying not to think about that at this point. She felt calm now, and that was better than being afraid. Helped keep up the act, too. Niamh nodded at Nexus when he answered her "thank you" politely.

He looked surprisingly drained, she noted.

"Huh?" He was...glad it was helping? She should be comfortable? She...didn't know how to even respond to that, but at least he acknowledged that it was a strange situation? Because it really was. "Ah...well...I am comfortable. I mean, as comfortable as I can be, all things considered. I'm pretty used to sleeping on the ground and roughing it...only we had tents, not warehouses. This is a little fancier than what I'm used to." She gave a short laugh, not a nervous one like before, and stretched her free leg out in front of her when it started to get cramped. Oi, she wasn't used to just sitting around...she felt like standing and pacing.

She could stand at least, but for now she forced herself to remain sitting.

And then she kind of surprised herself. After a moment of silence, she suddenly turned and held the wineskin out to Nexus, since she couldn't cork it herself and he looked kind of beat, anyway, after everything he'd done. There was only about a third of the juice left, but he might appreiate a drink. But then, as though to rationalize that action in her head, she looked off to the side and gave her shoulders a shrug. "Hm...want the rest? I never drink, you know...I'm already feeling it a bit, so I probably shouldn't have more. Do you have any water by any chance?" Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't have any and she'd have a chance to be alone. Or maybe that satchel was packed with stuff. She had no idea. What about food, too? How long would that last? Well, guess she'd find out.

"Hah hah, people drink to forget or to do things without consequence. I'll never forget and I don't have a real big conscience so I don't need alcohol." He said to her with a shrug of his shoulders. He didn't want her to know about his ability to not get drunk. That might end badly for the time being.

He smiled though at her as he slowly lay onto his back, one hand over his eyes. Damnit. He forgot that didn't help at all. Ugh. Sometimes he wished he couldn't see, but the only way to do that would be to take his eyes out and even then...he was sure that wouldn't anything.

"People laugh when they hear my powers but...they respect them once they find out what I can do. Mages think they are all that because they can do magic and shoot things from their hands or conjure them but...I can make a thread and lay it for an entire mile and have a fireball explode from one end or even see what's going on at that end. Heh. Let's see a mage pull that off." He told her with a small chuckle. Ah he did love his magic, but he had no idea why it did such a thing. Not that he cared of course.

He barely heard the little utter that left her mouth, simply ignored it for the time being. That is, until she spoke, and he laughed along with her.

"I could have made you a hammock...maybe I'll do that tonight if I'm not too tired." That was the honest truth too. He could have made some ropes to suspend her from the ceiling just like a hammock did, or even between the pillars like...a spider. Huh. He should just spin himself a web sometime and see what happens.

"Hm? No, I already had something to drink." He was lying, but of course, he was good at lying at this point. He smiled though as he reached into the satchel, pulling out another wineskin with a blue cork in it.

"Water, still cold as well." He said with a small grin. He held it out to her and blinked once. The ropes around her wrists disappeared, but the ones about her legs just strengthened in reality. However, she wouldn't be able to see that, as the inside had become steel.

"That should help you out just a little more." He really couldn't believe he had just done that, and he wanted to go back on it but...he wanted her trust. This was one of the big steps to showing her that he trusted her. Hopefully she would appreciate it, and not exploit it instead. No...that would be very bad for her.

Niamh couldn't help but snort a little at that. Didn't have a very big conscience...yeah...like he needed to actually tell her that! She'd kind of learned that first hand. But she just smirked a little and shook her head. "So I've noticed. Hm. For someone who doesn't need alcohol, you certainly seem to carry a good bit on you, though," she went on conversationally. Probably so he could drug other people, though she wasn't going to actually say that! Mostly because she didn't want to know if that really was the case, but also because she didn't want to anger him. So far, everything was going surprisingly smooth, and...Light, even talking to him was easier. Yeah, that had to be the juice's work.

She watched him lay down and then listened as he talked, giving a small nod. After everything she'd seen him do thus far, the fact that he could also do things like that wasn't surprising in the least. Plucking at the fabric of her breeches, which was torn in places like the rest of her clothing, thanks to Nexus, she remembered what she'd first thought when he'd demonstrated his powers for her. "I didn't laugh about it. Then again, you made a noose when you first showed your powers off. Then later gold. Then...well, you know." She gave him a pointed glance, then shook her head. "Seemed like powerful magic to me right from the start."

Powerful magic that could both terrify and harm and, well...bring in the sun and make a shimmering, golden blanket.

Or a hammock?

"Really? Oh...well...you don't have to. I mean, I'm used to sleeping on the ground. This is nothing, really. What was something was when we ended up sleeping in this one place in the desert. Rocks everywhere. That wasn't fun." Which was the truth, but she was mostly just talking for the sake of talking, and...it wasn't like she would mind a hammock--the ground did still make her stiff--but she wasn't so sure she trusted Nexus' methods. Knowing him, he might end up tying her to the hammock.

When Nexus declined the juice, she just set the wineskin beside her and propped it up against her leg. He had? she hadn't noticed, but...she'd also been pretty distracted by the light, too. It was probably for the better if Nexus remained tired, though...she'd just thought that it couldn't hurt to keep on his good side and ensure he stayed in this surprisingly good mood of his. Damn...she didn't know what it was she'd said or done, as much of the previous day was a blur, but she really hoped she didn't do anything to set him off again. She still didn't know where she'd gone wrong the first time. Granted, she had tried to escape from him out a window, just because she hadn't wanted to spend anymore time around a heathen, but she hadn't thought she was being that bad.

"Jeez, how much stuff do you have in there?" Niamh asked as Nexus offered the water, and she blinked rapidly and reached out to take it--and it was then that she noticed how very free her wrists suddenly were, the ropes gone completely. Her breath hitched and she pulled back, not yet taking the wineskin, so she could feel along one wrist, as though to double-check that she was actually free and they weren't just invisible or something, and then her next thought was to reach behind her quickly and feel along her back. Her shirt was shredded back there but she slipped a hand under the material...and bit the inside of her cheek to keep quiet.

She could feel the new scars where the skin had once been smooth, as well as all the dried blood that flaked off under her touch. It was all done very quickly, almost as though she just had an itch that she'd been dying to scratch, and Niamh drew a deep breath and jerked her hand away before reaching out to take the wineskin. She didn't even bother to feel for the other marks on her lower back--they'd be there.

Dammit...those things would be there forever...

But, no thinking about that for now. Right now, her hands were free, so...she just had to take the good with the bad, and, well...when she thought about it, it would probably be worse if she came out of this without those scars. It wasn't that she liked them; Light no. But all the same, it was kind of proof of her ordeal. In any case, there was no use in worrying about what couldn't be undone, right? And right now, she was just that much closer to getting her legs freed, showing that her efforts were paying off. She just had to think about that.

"Whoa...yeah, that, um, helps a lot. Thanks, Nexus," she said, still clearly surprised, as she first corked the Moonberry juice wineskin before uncorking the water and taking a sip, even though she wasn't really thirsty anymore. Then she corked it again, brushed her hair away from her face, and stretched out onto her side, one elbow propped up on the little head pillow and her cheek resting against her hand. She was quiet for a long moment, thinking...and then she raised an eyebrow slightly. "So...er, what is it you do for fun? I mean...when you're not...you know...doing your justice stuff or..." She gave a small cough and rubbed at her temple with her free hand. "...Stuff like this."

It was best to just keep the conversation flowing. Her attempt at conversation was awkward, but the silence was even more so.

And she really was hoping that there was more to him than just...doing stuff like this.

"Alcohol is a good preserver, and helps to clean wounds as well. It can come in very handy when you least expect it. I have more non-alcoholic drinks though actually, a lot of juices, flavoured waters, different aged waters, and a whole bunch of other strange concoctions." Nexus said with a rough laugh as he looked over to her.

"Well...I know you didn't laugh at it...some do though. That's why you have to demonstrate your power sometime." He told her with a small frown. Nexus wasn't sure what to feel about it, whether to be proud or disappointed in himself. He didn't want to dwell on that though.

"Maybe I would like to? I mean...I can't...let you go...but I can make this place comfortable you. Keep that blanket around you though. It'll slowly absorb the sunlight and then when night falls it'll keep you warm." He told her with a small wry smile on his face. He had wanted it to just keep her warm, but it would absorb the heat from the sun.

"A lot of stuff really. The pocket of space that has been fit inside the bag is quite large, I don't know how large, but I've collected a lot of junk over the years." He told her with a small grin. He kept the grin as she realized her hands were now free, but it faded when she touched her ripped clothes and back. He looked away from her, staring intently at the ground. He had done that to her. He couldn't fix the scars, and they were there for good. One large N...and then the initials NS.

"Yeah it's...no problem at all."He still wasn't looking at her though, he was staring at the ground intently. That would serve as a reminder to him for sure. Whether it was a good reminder or a bad one he couldn't say. He almost felt like giving her a dagger to write her initials in his back but...then decided against that. He might do it himself later...

"I...create clothing, practise my magic...read...write in my journal...meditate...try to play the flute..." He told her quietly. If she looked close enough she might even see a faint blush appearing on Nexus's cheeks. He looked at her, smiling an awkward smile as she shrugged his shoulders.

"Just...little habits and hobbies I picked up. I even learnt how to carve wood but...I haven't done that in several hundred years. Heh. You pick up a few hobbies and interests when you live so long." It was true too. He knew quite a few vampires who had learnt to paint, act, dance, and play an instrument. That's probably why he was learning the flute at this point.

"What about you? What do you to relax and unwind?" Maybe while she was asleep he could acquire some things to help her feel more comfortable. That would probably be a nice gesture that would go a long way with her. He would like to make her as comfortable as could be, to stop her from wanting to escape and leave him here. After all, they were friends now.

That was true, but she'd never thought about that, about the healing or cleansing properties of alcohol. That made more sense. It was certainly better than the stuff her imagination had come up with. Niamh did raise her eyebrows a bit, though, when he mentioned he had more non-alcoholic drinks than alcoholic, considering the first thing he'd given her was alcoholic. Well, in that case, it was probably a good thing she'd stopped drinking...unless he really had been innocent about it and had just given it to her to loosen up, in which case it had worked.

...Ahaha. Him? Innocent? Er, right.

"I guess that makes sense..." she said as he spoke more about his power, but she didn't say any more than that, dropping it just as he did. What she really wanted to ask, though, was why he felt like he had to demonstrate it to her. She hadn't been threatening him or anything back there...oh, wait, maybe she had. She suddenly remembered what he had said, about why he had been so keen on hurting her to begin with. Because she had been proud, brave, and arrogant.

Maybe that really did intimidate him...hmm...

"Well...if you want to, I'd like that. If you're not tired and whatnot," she told him, reaching down so she could take a hold of the blanket before, after a moment's pause, just laying it across her legs as she laid there on her side. Just to ensure that it remained with her in that circle of light, as suggested. That was an interesting trick...so it would remain heated even in the dark because it absorbed the light. She pointedly ignored, or at least pushed from her mind, the part about him being unable to let her go.

Instead, Niamh just listened to his explanation of his satchel, not really understanding it. Pocket of space? How did...? Ah, probably best not to ask and to just accept it. After all, she saw how it worked. "A thousand years worth of junk?" she asked with a vague smile that also faded when she noticed Nexus' grin had vanished and that he was studying the ground, his words seeming to match. For a moment she was worried that she'd said the wrong thing, but then he finally spoke up again, answering her question.

And his answer surprised her.

He what?

Niamh realized she was staring as Nexus listed the things he liked to do, the most surprising of them all being that...that he liked to meditate, that he kept a journal, and that he...played the flute. For some reason, she couldn't picture him doing <I>any of those, but then again, given her experiences with him, that was a given. And...and was he seriously blushing? That smile was certainly awkward...but she supposed it might be a bit embarrassing. Big, tough, evil heathen who kept a journal and played the flute. So he'd lived a thousand or so years. It was still kind of...funny. If very--

"That sounds surprisingly normal..." she blurted without meaning to, her lips twitching slightly upward, but she quickly cleared her throat and smoothed out her expression. She would not laugh at him.

Argh! why the hell would she want to laugh, anyway? She was trapped here!

"Ahem. Right, sorry. Ah, well...I like kinda stupid stuff, I guess. I like to make sand paintings though I'm not very good at it if I don't have a pattern to follow--ever seen that, making designs with different colored sand? Ah...you probably have. Takes a lot of concentration and time, though. I like running and sparring for fun, wrestling, practicing with my staff..." Which was, of course, currently put away in that satchel. "That always wears me out and relaxes me. Horseback riding...practicing with my gifts...I have to practice that a lot, because I'm still weak in my gift." She meant magic, her ability to manipulate fire, light, and heat, but the Solisi didn't call it that, didn't put it on the same level as that stuff the heathens waved about.

"Hm...I tried fire dancing some back in Solis. That was fun, too, just...not for me. I'm too clumsy, almost set myself and my friend on fire the second time I did it. I'm not very artistic I guess, but I like trying new things, giving it a shot at least, even if I screw it up royally, which I usually do," she said with a small chuckle and a light shrug, rubbing the back of her neck. "I like animals, too...I always had pets. Never had a dog or a cat or anything like that because they made my mom sneeze, but I'd sneak in snakes and lizards. They never liked that." She looked down at the ground, for some reason feeling, well, kind of stupid.

All the things she liked, she realized, were very physical and hands on whereas Nexus' interests seemed more...intellectual. He meditated, for Goddess' sakes, something she couldn't do because it made her fall asleep. And he was a heathen.

It almost wasn't fair.

But Niamh shook off the thought quickly enough and instead just pulled the blanket up a little more, until she was cuddling into it. She may have been perfectly warm, but she had a thing for blankets. If there was one around, she was bound to end up snuggling it, whether she initially realized it or not. They were just so comfortable and soft...she couldn't help it. "...Learned any songs yet? On the flute, I mean."

Yeah, she likely wouldn't get over that one for a long time.

He really wasn't thinking about getting her drunk. He was just thinking about trying to get her to relax and not be so tense. If he had wanted to get her drunk, he could have used something stronger than Moonberry juice. It was just an innocent little gesture to her.

Heh. Innocent.

"My power slowly returns. By the time night falls once more I'll be able to make a hammock." Nexus told her, his eyes flashing over to look at her. She even pulled theblanket up, which was a good thing. He wondered if he could make that blanket release light at night instead. Hrm. No, that would drain him too much.

"Anything I find interesting I'll put into the satchel. Rings, neckalces, jewels, strips of strange cloth, bark, moss, sticks, weird egg shells, whatever I can get my hands on. That and food and drink." He still didn't look at her though when he answered that particular question.

He looked over at her when she told him that was really normal, and he chuckled.

"Like I said, you pick up habits when you live so long." It was true, whether they were good or bad habits it was hard to say really. He had picked up some very strange habits and hobbies to amuse himself over the long treks that he made.

He listened to her now, while she told him about her hobbies. Yeah, he never would have guessed that she would loved to spar and wrestle. Never would have guessed that! He didn't expect her to like snakes and lizards though...or pets. Nexus smiled as he watched her, grinning a little bit.

"I've...learnt a few songs. I don't know how good I am though." He reached into the satchel, removing a copper flute from it. He brought it to his lips which were pursed slightly, and began to play. His fingers moved along the small buttons, a rather melodic tune starting to fill the air. His fingers danced along the flute's surface, pressing buttons gently.

The song was slow, drawn out and morbid almost. It was a song usually played at a funeral in his home realm. However, it was reserved mostly for Dragons and Fae folk. The song was brought to a close with a final note and he rested the flute in front of him.

"I would actually complete the full song, but as this is a dragon tune, it goes on for about five days. Never go to anything hosted for or by a Dragon or a Fae, because it will last for days." Nexus told her with a small laugh, shaking his head.

"Maybe uh...Maybe one day you can show me that fire dancing of yours."

"Oh...okay. Thank you, then. Just...you're not going to tie me to it, right?" Niamh asked with a grin to show she was joking, even though she was actually worried about that. She'd already gained a lot of freedom, after all. "I mean, I'd just rather fall out of it if it flips over than hang upside down for a few hours."

She listened as he described what he collected, blinking slowly. Eggshells? She shook her head and chuckled a little--damn alcohol--only nodding when he said one picked up strange habits after living for so long. That was true enough; after too long, you'd probably start running out of things to do. Still, it was amusing. It sounded more like something a little kid would do than a heathen that apparently had a thing for targeting women. Still, it was a little...refreshing, would that be the right word? Something like that.

And it was also very strange and confusing. It was like...if she could forget that he was a heathen and if he had never done all those things to her, if she wasn't currently being held prisoner, if all that was just stripped away, he was the type of guy that she liked to hang out with. Because she found those types of things to be interesting, too.

Of course, all that wasn't the case and everything that had been done wasn't just going to magically go away. Her back was scarred because of him, she was locked up in a warehouse, he was a heathen, and she was still scared, if more relaxed and even if she could at least understand where Nexus was coming from. She was away from her people, away from her home, and she had no idea what the next few days or even hours would bring. She couldn't forgive him, didn't want to anyway, and even if he had never done any of those things she couldn't associate with his kind. That's why she had fled him in the first place, a month or so ago.

And yet she was still confused. Which shouldn't have been the case. She should have downright hated him, no confusion involved there...

Niamh sighed quietly when he brought out the flute and started to play, and the tune seemed fitting for her mood. But he played well, regardless of what he thought, or at least she thought so. Then again, she'd never heard the tune before so she couldn't really judge.

"Five days?" she asked with an incredulous laugh when he was done, sitting up, though she was still holding the blanket against her. "Oh man...well, it sounded good to me, but no wonder you know only a few songs, if you've been learning ones of that length. I'll remember not to attend any of those. Not that I know any dragons or fae...I don't think I'd want to, either. Not a fae, at least. These fae I've heard of remind me a lot of the djinn we have in the desert, and those are not to be messed with. They hate humans."

What Nexus said next...well, it both scared and excited her. On the one hand, it made her wonder just how long he was planning on keeping her, a scary thought indeed...but on the other, it showed that he was contemplating untying her completely. Eventually. Maybe not soon, but it was the thought that mattered, and just that he was thinking it was something. Her blue eyes widened a little, but then she just smiled and sat up straighter, brightening a bit.

"Really? Hmm, maybe, yeah...like I said, I'm not very good. But it is fun and it's sort of a tradition where I come from, to honor Mother Sun and defy the moon. Ah, I'd just need a long staff of some sort to do it, some wicking material, and some alcohol to use as fuel, though it seems you have plenty of that. Might turn the flames some fun colors, too, depending on what's in them...pinks, blues, greens..." Of course, she wasn't assuming he would be letting her do this any time soon--that would be hoping for just a bit too much too soon. After all, to do it, she'd need her body completely free and she'd also be using some pretty lethal materials. If he ever let her do that, it would show that he trusted her completely.

It was true, though, that she used staves when she did it and, in fact, that was the reason that a staff was her weapon of choice. It hadn't been too much of a stretch to progress from using a staff as an instrument to using one as a weapon, and when the bladed ends of her staff glowed, it did give off something of the same effect. But fighting with one was still different from dancing with one--it didn't require any grace or rhythm, so that was perfect for her.

"Yeah...I wouldn't mind showing you someday."

"In a hammock you might tie yourself up. Those things can be death traps sometimes." He laughed along with her, enjoying this sort of banter. It was refreshing from asking her strange things and then whipping her everytime she said the wrong time.

"Dragons and Fae tend to live for a very long time, so it makes sense that their festivities would last for so long." He told her with a shrug. It was true, creatures who lived long...well...they tended to have longer parties. Ugh. He remembered that vampires had parties that could last for weeks. That had been...interesting.

He did know that he would have to release her if he wanted to see her dance...and he was alright with that. Somewhat. He was going to keep an eye on her for sure of course. It would be nice to see it, and even if she tried to attack him...well...he could overpower her and take her down.

"Well, I would like to see it, and I'm sure some of the alcohol would make for some interesting colours..." Maybe when it got dark he could...let her go and see what happened. Yeah. That would be nice wouldn't it? He was going to do it, if things went well at this point.

"I mean, the most entertaining thing that I've seen with fire is a vampire juggle fireballs, and this one strange fellow who could control it and weave it around him. He did some interesting things with it, like fought a fiery replica of himself...and made a small play out of fire puppets. Dancing though, I've never seen dancing with fire." Nexus tapped his chin as he thought back to those times. Yeah, that seemed like the only things interesting with fire he had seen.

Nexus really did want to trust her, to let her go and not have her run away but he was afraid that she was just playing along with him. After all he was the one with the power and ability to hurt her easily. The scars on her body now showed that. Ugh. Friends didn't hurt friends...but...they hadn't really been friends. No...there were plans for her before that but...now...not so much. Now there was sharing, and learning about each other, which was good right?

"Alright...one day then."

"Heh, that's true enough. Well, then, guess any extra ropes are unnecessary then, eh?" Hint hint hint. Though hopefully the hint wasn't too blatant and was taken with humor.

Though she really was hinting.

Ahem.

It did make sense that older beings would have longer parties...they probably didn't notice time like mortals did, they had time to kill. That probably applied to Nexus, too, if he was teaching himself five day long songs. And in that case, she was glad he'd spared her from the whole thing, she thought a bit amusedly. But she had to give him an odd look when he admitted that he'd never seen fire dancing before, tilting her head to one side and raising her eyebrows.

"...You've lived over a thousand years and you've never seen it?" she asked, then snorted and grinned a little, leaning back on her hands. "That's kinda hard to believe, but I guess we're even, then. I've never seen anyone do fire puppets before or fight a replica of themselves. I mean, I've seen the more advanced people do all sorts of things with it, especially Solisi who are strong in their gifts and don't even need the aid of wicking and fuel. Some people I knew could even use multiple staves, or scimitars, or even fans, and create rings of fire around themselves as they went through their routines, or designs above and around them, like dragons or other animals. It's really amazing to watch...I don't know how they manage that level of focus, honestly."

She gave a bit of a sheepish smile. "I'd like to be able to do that one day...they say fire dancing is the closest you can get to Mother Sun short of actually meeting the Living Sun Herself. Well, there are other things you can do of course, that's just an expression. But for now, all I can do is a lot of fancy twirling while hoping it looks like I know what I'm doing. I never had much time to really seriously practice or anything. But anyway..." Niamh looked over at Nexus, meeting his eyes for once. "I guess it's a deal, then."

With that said, Niamh shifted the blanket off of her and folded it on the ground beside her, then she rose to her feet stiffly and started to stretch out her legs and back. All that sitting was making her stiff, and all that talk of fire dancing and physical activity in general was making her even more antsy. She just needed to move. She couldn't move far because of the rope around her ankle, but she started to pace a little nonetheless, as far as the rope would allow and back again, just to burn a little energy. She couldn't believe she'd said that. A <I>deal? You didn't make deals with heathens. Especially not the crazy ones. But it had just slipped right out, probably because she liked talking about stuff like that.

Ugh...she really had sunk low.

"Perhaps they will be." No. No way was he going to give her that much freedom. He had trust for her, but still, he knew why she was being like this. It was because she wanted to get free. Hrm. That disturbed him. Was she being nice because she wanted to be free, or because she wanted to be his friend? That was the trouble with her. After all, he was holding the cards, and was the dirty heathen who had captured her. Gods. He still could remember some of those Lumenari hunters calling him that, as if it were his name.

"Hey, I've seen many things but fire dancing isn't something I really looked into." He told her with a shrug. Hrm. He wanted it to be night so he could let her go and do the fire dancing for him. If she tried to run, she wouldn't be strong without the light of the sun. Would she? The light of the moon WAS the light of the Sun after all...just different. No matter.

"You'll get it. You just need a better teacher for magic." He could teach her. His magic probably wasn't different from her magic by that much. It still meant drawing in the power around them and in them to project their will out into reality. Something along those lines hopefully. If it was, then he could teach her to be a great mage...

"Alright. Deal it is." He wasn't sure what part he played in the deal, but he knew that he would have to let her go free to some degree for that sort of thing. Hrm. He could worry about it later. Maybe...she wouldn't try to run?

He watched her as she started to pace, started to move back and forth. Slowly he got to his feet and moved to her, placing a hand on her left shoulder softly.

"Stay still." He focused upon her carefully, his eyes narrowing slightly. It may have looked threatening to her, but actually, he was doing something nice. His energy had risen quite a lot, which meant he could do something for her.

He was fixing her clothes, where he had ripped. If he got back to full strength, he might have been able to even fix the scars on her back more, make them much less visible. Not now though, he would need to rest to do that.

"You're clothes have been mended." He said to her with a smile, letting go of her shoulder quickly now. He didn't know why he felt like doing that, but it had felt quite nice helping her out. Though...he still could remember when he cut her and whipped her. That made him feel exhilarated and quite good. Such a conflict that swelled within him.

It was true that the Solisi were not quite fully aware of how their solar system worked. They didn't understand that the moon was simply a rock that reflected the light of the sun, and Niamh had never noticed any impact the moon's light had on her. After all, most nights she just stayed indoors, especially when the moon was full, and even when she was outdoors it was only for a little while. It took an hour or so before she actually started to feel the effects that darkness had on her, so, overall, she'd just never noticed. No, to her and the Solisi, the moon was a false idol that shone with a false light to try and lead people away from Mother Sun. There was little worse than a moon worshipper...save Drow...and to even so much as possess water magic was grounds for being burned in Solis.

After all, it was the moon that controlled the tides.

"Oh, fine, you're forgiven, then." For the fire dancing bit, not for anything else. "I just can't even imagine what it's like to live for over a thousand years, y'know. Seems like after that long you'd know everything." She gave him a wry look, half joking and half serious. After all...she was only eighteen. Er, yeah. A thousand years was pretty much a number that didn't even exist to her. It was huge, and she couldn't even imagine all the things you could see or do in that amount of time.

Yeesh...it always had felt like she somehow ended up being the youngest amongst her friends--and she wound up being the youngest among her band--but this was a bit ridiculous.

However, then Nexus went and did it. He called her power "magic".

Niamh gave a subtle twitch and thrust her hands into her pockets uneasily, but she managed to keep it at that. She couldn't get annoyed or angry, not at this point. Instead, she would just patiently correct him in as non-confrontational a way as she could. Ergh, this was hard. The sad thing was, though, that Nexus was exactly right. That was exactly how her power worked. "You mean my gifts?" There, that sounded all right. "Yeah, I do. I need to practice more, too...I started slacking on that, and I shouldn't have. When I first joined the Lumenari and got my staff, that thing is actually pretty special. It also works as a channel for my power, magnifying it. I...guess it started to become a crutch..." she admitted with a frown, still pacing restlessly back and forth.

She continued to walk, giving a subtle nod when Nexus agreed to the deal, and she didn't even hear him get up or anything until his hand was on her shoulder, her back having been turned to him at that moment. She actually flinched, a shock going through her, and her breath caught. But she didn't turn, instead freezing up completely when he told her to stay still. What was he...? Niamh's body was tense as she glanced back at him nervously, indeed alarmed by the way his eyes had narrowed. Yes, it was pretty obvious that he still frightened her, that she still found him unpredictable, that she didn't want to be touched.

But then he let go and explained what he had done, and...Niamh just about wilted in relief. She pulled a hand free of a pocket and reached back to feel at her shirt and, just like he said, it was no longer torn, and a quick glance down at her breeches showed they were all patched up, too.

Letting out a long breath and relaxing her muscles, she let out a nervous, yet relieved, chuckle and passed a hand through her hair. "Wow...heh...thanks again. Didn't even know you could do that...oh, wait, right, you make clothes." For a second she'd forgotten that, but her mind had also gone blank for a moment back there. "Well...that's certainly handy. Hey, I guess while we're on the subject of patching stuff up...know any tricks for getting dirt and blood and stuff off? I don't think I could fool even myself into thinking I smell nice right now, and I doubt this place has good ventilation." She gave another soft laugh, this one not so nervous. She wasn't really serious--well, she was pretty sure she smelled bad, but she didn't really care. Rather, she was just trying to cover up that brief moment of panic she'd had just then.

Nexus could forgive the people for being ignorant of how the solar system worked. After all, he had only found out a few hundred years ago by a few people who called themselves scientists. People who worked at studying the physical world, instead of the mystical or theological world. Quite interesting work to say the least, but he could barely understand half the stuff they talked about.

"It gets lonely, and my thoughts can be a very boring thing to be left alone with...Heh. I barely know anything at this point. I don't study too hard when I go to realms. Just skim the surface of some topics, and go into depth about others." He told her with a small laugh and a shrug. Still, he couldn't wait to see that fire dancing of hers.

"Gifts? Yes they could be called gifsts." After all, not everyone could use magic, or wanted to use magic, so the people that could would be called gifted no doubt. He smiled though at her as she as she explained her lack of powers and the like. Yes, he could teach her. If a staff could magnify her 'gift' than it was just as his magic.

After patching up her clothes she thanked him even, then asked him something. He nodded actually to that.

"Funny you should mention that. Hold still." He put his hand on her shoulder once more and began to weave something around her. It was a strange multicoloured string of blue, red, and streaked with grey. He wrapped it from her shoulders to feet. It did of course constrict her for a moment, which worried him.

"This is a little trick. It's going to clean you, so be very still. As it's going to get warm, wet, and windy." He told her as he stepped back. Then, it happened. It seemed like warm water began to circle around her body. It started from her shoulders, moving downwards to her feet. However, a rather warm strong wind seemed to follow the soaking warm water, drying her clothes and body afterwards. The whole process took maybe two minutes, as it was thorough, but finally there was just a strange wind at her feet that had globs of water in it. He flicked his wrist irritably, the entire mess of dirty water and warm wind splattered against a wall with little more then a gentle noise.

"And there we have it, one express wash without taking your clothes off or having to dry yourself off with a towel." He told her as he eyed her critically. Yep. Her clothes seemed to be much cleaner now, and the bit of smell from her was pretty much gone.

"Though, you know...I would like to teach you how to use your gift better. I don't if you had a teacher or not, but I can help to make that gift truly strong." He really didn't understand how he was so nice. He patched her clothes up, healed her, fed her, made light shine on her, cleaned her as well, and now was offering to teach her how to use her 'gift' more. Maybe he truly was a lonely person and valued the idea of friendship. That was mostly the truth too, as he wanted to have a friend...but he also didn't want to let her go until he understood himself and her better.

Realms, plural? So he'd been to more than one? And here he said he barely knew anything. She had been about to ask him about that, but that thought was put on hold for the time being.

Niamh didn't flinch this time when he put his hand on her shoulder, just gave him a strange look, one eyebrow raised. Wait...was he serious? She hadn't been serious herself. Well, she'd been serious about not smelling like roses considering she'd been muddied and bloodied up, and it was true that having dried blood plastered to your skin wasn't the most comfortable of feelings, but other than that...

But before she could say anything, she was being wrapped up in more string, and she held her breath. She never did like how that felt, and after everything that had happened, that sensation did bring back some rather unpleasant memories. However, she only nodded at Nexus' explanation, relaxing a little and allowing herself to breathe again. Yeah, he was serious, and she was in no position to move, though she wondered how the hell this was going to work.

She learned that soon enough. And what he did made her gasp.

It wasn't that it was warm, wet, and windy, and it wasn't that it felt bad or that it hurt her or anything--it felt like a nice, warm bath, quite honestly, even if the strange sensation did take her by surprise--Nexus might easily interpret the sound that way. It was mostly just that he was using water magic on her, something that was expressly forbidden in Solis, something that was looked on with disgust. It was kind of ironic, really, considering that Solis was a desert kingdom and that in most such communities, to have water magic would be considered a gift and a godsend, but not in Solis. The moon controlled water. So anyone that controlled water had to be associated with the moon. It was truly backwards, but that was simply what her people believed.

Yet Niamh surprised herself. She held her tongue instead of demanding that he stopped like she wanted to, instead clenching her fists at her sides and enduring the whole thing, trying not to enjoy the sense of cleanliness and warmth that followed. Part of the reason was because Nexus did hold all the cards and she was still at his mercy--she didn't want to anger him. But another reason was because, yet again, she was simply confused, and this time not because he was helping her. He had power over light and, according to his own words as he'd mentioned "fireballs", he had power over fire. Gifts from Mother Sun Herself. Yet he also had water magic. How...did that work? It was true that Niamh hadn't yet been exposed to much of the world outside her own people, but...that just didn't seem even possible.

She was gaping up at Nexus as he cast the dirty water away toward a wall, her clothes and body quite dry and clean, and she wasn't even able to form words until he spoke of teaching her how to use her gifts.

In a split second, Niamh had snapped back to the present with a jolt, back straightening and hands returning to her pockets. Oh Light. She bowed her head a little, studying the ground intently.

"Uh...I don't think...that would work," Niamh began, trying to find the right words. She never had been the most tactful of people. Usually she just spoke what was on her mind, especially where heathens were involved. But the situation required tact and a lot of it. She nudged the toe of her boot against the ground, thinking. "That would be...well...I couldn't agree to that, I'm sorry. You see...ah, Light, I don't know how you do it, but you use water magic, too. That's forbidden where I come from." She shook her head and started to pace again, chewing on her lip. Crap. This was bad. And he was probably just being "nice" again, which made it worse, because she wanted to stay on his good side. He wasn't half bad when he was being like this, aside from all the obvious things. Just...a heathen.

Finally, she stopped and looked back up at him, a somewhat pained look on her face, conflicted. She was seriously worried about offending him, or rather what the consequences of that could be. "I'm really sorry, but I can't accept that kind of instruction from, well...from someone who doesn't believe." Being taught how to use your gifts by an unbeliever...yeah, that was more than just a little bad. Hands no longer in her pockets, she was fidgiting with the hem of her shirt instead. "Like I said, I'm sorry...but I've already blasphemed more than I would have liked to in my entire life. A lot of it is forgiveable...I think...but if I agreed to that...that's grounds for burning. Mother Sun sees everything and rules Solis in the flesh as the Living Sun. I just can't agree to that, I can't take that risk. Do you...understand?"

She didn't know how much Mother Sun saw, actually, but...it never hurt to be paranoid.

He was surprised at her, that she hadn't flinched, and he was rather proud of her at that point. He was worried that she might flinch or start freaking out at that point but...it didn't seem to happen. That was nice to see her not freak out at this point.

He had noted something though, she had clenched her hands. Hm. Was that because of being tie dup like that, or...something else. Meh, he would figure it all out. He was smiling at her though as she studied herself after he had been done, and then the ground. Why the ground?

"Oh?" She did explain though apparently, and he just chuckled lightly. Oh this was interesting. She was still...well she was superstitious and bound to her ways. He wondered if he could change this.

"We're going to go over this very carefully Niamh. I don't know if Mother Sun exists. I know in my realm, Arkhanan the Father God was locked in our sun for ten million years. As it stands, you can blaspheme all you want in life. Your Goddess won't burn you while your alive. You know who will though? Your friends. Your family. Not the Sun." He explained to her, his voice soft and calm as he stood there watching her.

"Magic, or your gift as you call it, is a simple process. You see, you draw in energy from around you, and from yourself, bringing it to sit into your body, and then you project your will into the world. YOU have been taught to use fire." He told her as he stepped back. Slowly the light began to glow brighter and brighter, illuminating the entire warehouse.

"You see? I control light. I can control fire." He told her as he created a fiery whip that held a small burning fireball on the end of it.

"I can control water." The whip slowly changed itself into a long strand of water which dripped onto the ground.

"I can control earth." He said to her as the whip began earthen brown and he carefully placed it on the ground. Slowly, the ground began to rise upwards into a bump of sorts.

"I can control the darkness." The bump disapepared, leaving a black whip. He picked it up and cracked it upwards. Slowly the room began to get darker until it was as light as it had been.

"Tell you what my poppet. We'll make a deal alright. If I show you that YOU personally can do all of this too, then how about you stay with me for another three days. If it turns out that I can't help you to do any of this, I will cut you free, give you back all your weapons, and I will tie myself up and let you take me to the Lumenari to be burned at the stake." Nexus turned his eyes to look at her, focusing on her carefully. This was a big stretch to say the least.

"You understand the risks I'm sure. I could be right, and your faith could be wrong...but if nothing happens...I'm completely wrong. Your Goddess exists, and doesn't want you to do anything but Her magic...and I deserve to die like a heathen for blaspheming." Nexus had a quiet voice as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his pants.

"I'm willing to risk my life to try this...If...If I am right...I swear I'll protect you, in life or death. I want to try it though." This was very strong, and this was very dangerous. He was pretty sure she wouldn't agree. After all, their people were always right, and he was just a Heathen, sent to lead her away from the Path.

"They wouldn't, Nexus, don't ever say something like that again," Niamh said more sharply than she had intended, folding her arms over her chest, eyes narrowed at him. She had glazed over the part where Nexus talked about that "god" of his, and about how she could blaspheme all she wanted--was he crazy?!--but she couldn't ignore the part where he actually suggested that her friends or family would kill her. That was striking just a little too far below the belt. Indeed, Nexus had struck a rather sensitive nerve.

"My family would never hurt me. I can't believe you could even suggest that. My friends, too. The law would be what would hurt me, and it would probably be my own damned fault. So much of this is already my fault...ugh...fine. I'll give you that the Lumenari would probably punish me, and they're my friends. But we all carry out the Living Sun's orders, we live by Her rules, and She's the one who formed the Lumenari. We all knew the risks. But my family...they wouldn't. They might not be able to protect me, but they wouldn't."

Right?

With an irritated huff, she leaned back heavily against the pillar that her leg was still tied off to, her heart racing for some reason and her palms a little damp. Yeah. He really had hit a sore spot, though her reaction surprised even herself. She didn't know why that upset her so much. Sure, it was always a touchy subject when your family was basically insulted, and she'd been insulted before, but...

But the truth was, she was a little scared.

She'd heard of families turning in their own before. Of mothers and fathers discovering that one of their children possessed a forbidden magic and...turning them in to be destroyed. She'd never thought much about it before, because that had, of course, never been an issue and her family loved her, and she them...

Luckily, her thoughts were momentarily redirected as Nexus began to talk about magic, and she listened in moodily, arms still tightly folded and body rigid. At first, she wanted to close her ears to what he was saying, to ignore it, because it probably wasn't even good to even listen to a heathen describing their craft and, well...she was kind of mad at him right now, instead of the usual fear or uneasiness. Niamh had been about to do just that, too, about to ignore him, but then he said something else that made her jerk in alarm. He described how it worked. Drawing from within and wthout and projecting it upon the world.

That was exactly how her magic worked. She drew upon the light, heat, or fire around her, drew upon it for energy, and then used the power that was already within her. That was how she did it. He described how it worked perfectly, and her blood went cold.

No...

She could only watch in a strange hybrid of horror and awe as he demonstrated everything for her, and she pressed back against the pillar, shaking her head. He could do all that...and he said it was the same. But it wasn't. She knew it wasn't. And darkness...that was even worse. Niamh flinched as though she was the one getting struck when he cracked the whip, and she swallowed uneasily as the room began to darken, though thankfully it soon became light again, just like that. It wasn't the same thing. He was just trying to trick her. That was all.

Her attention snapped right back over to him when he spoke of another deal, though.

And she did not like it at all. But she listened to him, absently rubbing her arms. There was no way she could agree to that...no way...

These were her thoughts for all of a few seconds. But by the time Nexus had actually finished speaking, Niamh found herself in a very precarious position, caught between a rock and a hard place. Her expression was blank, hardened in an attempt to not look as worried as she felt as she actually found herself considering Nexus' offer.

This was a huge gamble and she knew it, but if she was right and Nexus was wrong, she would be able to go free. If she wasn't...well, she wasn't going to think about the consequences of that now or she might just lose her nerve. She had faith, though, even if she also wanted to decline the challenge, and desperately so. Even humoring his kind of magic was bad, but actually agreeing to be taught it--even if it wouldn't work, and she was sure it wouldn't--was among the worst things she could imagine. Yet she couldn't refuse the offer. To back down would be to show that she was afraid and not as secure in her faith as she wanted to be, and she also didn't know what would happen if she declined. No, this was a chance to prove to him that she was right, that Mother Sun existed as a real Goddess, as the one true Goddess.

As for his comment about protecting her if he was right...she had no idea what he was talking about. The only thing she needed protection from was him.

Light...so many choices...none of them good...

She didn't know how long she was silent for, but after a long pause she looked up at Nexus and nodded once. Her voice was surprisingly firm. "Alright, Nexus. It's a deal."

"You sound so sure of yourself, and I sound so sure of myself. Hm." He didn't decide to dwell on that of course. He knew it wouldn't lead to anything good ever. He just smiled at her instead.

"The law is made up of words. The law won't hurt you. People hurt people. Words don't hurt people." He wasn't going to press that issue either, he knew he wouldn't be able to get her to change her mind after all. He did wonder though who the first leader of the Lumenari was. That is, the first person who supposedly ruled AFTER the Mother Sun disappeared and went back to the heavens.

He could tell he really hit a nerve with her though. Something he had said must have shaken her just a little bit. He was slightly proud of that actually. Slightly.

The expression that had flitted across her face as he described magic, and how he demonstrated the magic was an odd one to say the least. It looked like a horrified awe to say the least. He had seen that look many times before.

He knew that she would consider his deal. He knew that she would think on this. After all. He was a lying heathen. To her, this should have been the easiest way out.

However.

He could see that she wasn't so faithful. She had doubts. Why shouldn't she have doubts? It was interesting, like watching an eternal struggle. To turn down his offer, or to agree to it.

Oh this might be bad. He realized the ramifications if he was wrong. He would get burned at the stake by the Lumenari. Made an example of. His soul would rest in his home realm for a second...and he would exist in the flesh again...Then what?

Now he just wanted to see what was going to happen. She wasn't going to accept. Plain and simple. She was going to stay ignorant, in her little world of false ideas.

Then something happened. After the expected pause she actually responded.

She nodded.

She nodded and spoke to him.

This time Nexus couldn't help but stare at her in disbelief. She was actually...going to agree to it...

"It is?" He asked and then smiled, nodding once. It is.

"We start now." Nexus beckoned for her to step forward, the rope around her leg had extended quite a bit, gave her some very nice slack.

"Out of the sunlight. Into the darkness. You're going to create a gust of wind." He moved along to the darkness, out of the sun's rays that shone at one particular spot. He stopped where he wanted her to be, right in front of him. He pointed even to the exact spot for her to stand. This was going to be interesting.

It was true that it was people who hurt people...and honestly, that was exactly what she was worried about.

But for now, she wasn't worried. Nah. Right now, she was actually feeling pretty good.

"It is," Niamh repeated, just as firmly as before, unable to repress a smug smile. The look he was giving her was priceless, an actual look of disbelief. From him. Hah! She could suddenly feel her level of confidence increasing as she looked up at him, arms still folded. Maybe this time she'd been the one to shake him instead of the other way around, which would be a nice change to say the least--subtle revenge of a sort. He may have been bluffing, probably didn't expect her to actually take him up on that bet, and the stakes were rather high for him, too.

That made her feel rather confident about this. Nexus had always acted so sure of himself, after all, so arrogant. Sure, she was pretty arrogant, too, and she knew it, but she had a reason to be. She knew he was wrong about this whole thing.

But she hadn't actually expected him to want to start this whole thing now.

"Wait, you mean right now?" she blurted out, blinking owlishly as he beckoned to her, voice rising a little in surprise. Oh crap! She didn't want to start now! Of course, she knew it was better to get this all over with sooner rather than later and as quickly and painlessly as possible, like removing a splinter, but she wasn't ready! Granted, she would never be ready, but still. She didn't want to!

Yet even then she could feel herself moving, shuffling reluctantly out of the small circle of light and into the shadows as Nexus pointed out the place he wanted her to stand, just vaguely able to make him out. Niamh was actually squinting a little to see him; her vision really was crappy when she was out of her element. Unfolding her arms and letting them drop down to her sides, she rolled her shoulders back uneasily. She wouldn't mention the bit about not being able to see very well for as long as it wasn't much of a problem. It was still a weakness she didn't want him to know, because that just gave him that much more power.

Time to get this over with. Time to prove she couldn't do it. That it wasn't the same thing. Just for luck, she glanced over her shoulder to the sunlight, drawing on it for strength, saying a quick prayer in her mind and asking for a little forgiveness for what she was about to dabble in. Light help her, she couldn't believe she was about to do this, but...it was the best option she had and the surest way of getting free--assuming Nexus kept his end of the bargain. Then she looked back toward where Nexus was though she wasn't really focusing on any particular place on him. She could see him still, but she couldn't really make out any details; he was very blurry and obscured to her.

"Alright, then. What do I have to do? I'm warning you now that this isn't going to work, though," she said, placing her hands on her hips, her usual pride returning.

She reaffirmed him, and he was happy about it. He was really happy about it. It was nice to see her try and fight him about it. This was good...very good. There were many thoughts running through his mind though, very scared thoughts about what if he lost...

However, she didn't expect him to want to start now. He wanted it to work now, even while her Mother Sun was out, because well...she said her energy was strong with Mother Sun out...so...

Despite her reluctance though she shuffled forward to him and stopped where he had pointed. This was good for the most part. He knew she couldn't see really well in the dark but...that was alright by him for the time being.

He stepped forward and moving around her, standing close behind her. His arms came out and rested gently on her forearm, pulling them from her hips to bring them upwards and forwards, so they were stretched out in front of her. He had to bend his knees a little bit so he could put his chin on her right shoulder gently.

"Close your eyes Niamh. Focus the world around you. Right now. Focus on the darkness, the light, on me, on yourself, on the ground, and the air. Imagine each one of these objects has a river running through him. What you're going to do is move your river out to each one of these rivers and connect to them. Then, the river is going to suck them in and absorb them." He told her calmly letting her to take the time to do this. He learnt this exact way, and visualizing always worked.

"Now...what you're going to do after that is imagine a glass of water within yourself. Take away the glass but leave the water. Just a moving blob of water turning endlessly within you. After you have a clear visualization, push it out of your body. Just push it out." The magic was smart, it would know what she wanted to do. It would handle the rest of course. It would know what she woudl want to do. He figured the most she would do is make a bit of water droplets but she would still make it.

"Try it, focus hard, make it happen. Magic is yours to use. Make it work for you."

Niamh wasn't all that thrilled when Nexus came around and stood behind her, and her initial response was to resist when he took a hold of her arms. But then she relaxed a bit as he stretched her arms out in front of her, and forced herself to remain relaxed even when he placed his chin on her shoulder. That...bothered her. She didn't like the close contact, and it reminded her of how he'd held her after he'd finished whipping her...but, no matter, no thinking about this. If she just did what he said for now, she could prove herself right and go home. She could forget about all this, put it behind her, finally be free again; she wasn't even thinking about having Nexus burned, didn't really care, honestly, so long as she could just leave. Failure wasn't an option, not even something she was considering. Mother Sun would reveal her power, make her presence known.

Everything was finally going to be okay.

Breathing slowly and calmly, finding strength and comfort in those thoughts, Niamh listened as Nexus spoke, his voice calm and close to her ear. Her eyes closed and she started to focus, started to visualize the things he described. Somewhere in her mind, she knew she could probably find a way to fake this. She could pretend to do as he told her, pretend to concentrate hard, pretend to struggle with it...and have absolutely nothing happen. Then she could leave. She didn't think Nexus would have a way of knowing she hadn't really attempted anything...but then again he might. However, she wasn't trying to pretend. She was really trying, honestly focusing on the world around her, visualizing those little "rivers".

Part of her...part of her wanted to find out the truth for herself. That small part of her that was uncertain, that small part of her that had started to doubt, to lose faith...it wanted to know the truth. It didn't want to fake any of this. Niamh simply wanted to know everything for herself, first hand, otherwise she knew she'd probably always wonder about it, always have her doubts.

She wanted to prove herself right. And this, more than anything, frightened her. Because this also meant that she knew that, despite everything she said and wanted to feel, she could be wrong.

Niamh was shaking a little by the time Nexus started to speak again, a mixture of fear and anticipation. Please don't let it work, please don't let it work... She was praying even as she began to visualize the glass of water, her hands trembling out in front of her, but she was focusing hard, watching the glass that she had envisioned slide away, leaving only that water floating around, weightless, looking similar to the globs of water that had been floating around on the wind after Nexus had cleaned her. And then came the scary part. After she had that clear visual in her head, she had to act on it.

Goddess, so much of this was like what she did when she manipulated fire, light, or heat...the feeling was so similar, that slight tingle of warmth prickling along her skin like it usually did when she did magic. Only this time, she was trying to produce the very magic that was among the most forbidden. Light, how did she get to this point...

Please don't let it work...

She pushed outward finally, pushing the visual she saw outside of herself.

And then she felt moisture on her fingertips and her eyes snapped open. Only to see a few small droplets of water hovering there in front of her hands. Only a few small droplets, but they caught whatever meager light was available, and it was hard to miss them.

"SHIT!" Niamh wasn't normally one to curse, but a string of some very strong words left her mouth in a rush, and the water droplets splashed to the ground as she lost focus. With a jerk, she very nearly threw herself backwards and away from that water, but she couldn't because Nexus was behind her, so her back just smacked into him instead. She squeaked in surprise, then, panicked, just went to wrench away from him completely, panting. Oh Light, oh Light, oh Light...it worked...it actually worked...she didn't know what she was trying to do, but suddenly she just wanted to get away. Out of the darkness, back to the light.

Or maybe the darkness suited her better now.

He was mostly glad she relaxed when he touched her. That was probably the last thing she wanted him to do but he couldn't help it at this point. He had just as much riding this as she did. Of course, she only had her Goddess riding on it...He had his life...and a return to a place that would surely drive him to true insanity.

Things were going...to be very bad.

She did finally seem to start focusing, at least her eyes closed at that point. He could tell if she wasn't trying. He told her to draw in power from everywhere. From himself as well. He could feel it however. He could slowly feel something. Like he was being drained of his life. This was good. She was actually doing it. That meant she wanted to try.

Nexus didn't care if he was right, or if she was right. Nexus just cared about showing her, and teaching her. He wanted to at least know that he had tried at this point, made an effort.

He had waited, his eyes searching for the water to appear. He strained to look for them in front of her. Gods, this was scary. It was like waiting for the axe to fall or for the gallows's trap door to open. Even if she failed and just took her freedom and left...he wouldn't. He would tie himself up and throw himself into the nearest Lumenari camp. They would know him. They would kill him. He had made a deal.

He had pretty much stopped breathing at this point. Right now it was all about looking for that water. Then...then he saw something. In front of Niamh, he could see it. Water. Some droplets had appeared, even on her fingers as well. That wasn't him. His magic had to be done through ropes and the like. Also, the droplets were floating. That showed it couldn't be him.

Of course, he didn't except the loud curse word to leave her mouth, and the several others that followed suit quickly. Then she followed suit by throwing herself backwards into him, knocking a bit of the wind from him with an 'Oof!'

She was panicking, and why shouldn't she? She had just proved herself completely wrong. Nexus though...He knew what he had done. He had taken her from that world of hers, and put her into a strange new one. Gods. What had he done? This was probably one of the worst things he could have done. This wasn't a trick. This was all real. He had just shaken someone's faith. Lord. He wished he could go back. This was wrong.

So very wrong.

To believe in something all your life, to think it was so true...that you would kill, you would torture, you would separate families, and you would 'educate' the heathens about it. All of this...useless. Untrue. The words you spoke were but lies. Lies you told yourself, lies you told them, lies told to make you believe. Gods. He couldn't fathom how Niamh would take this...how she might react to it. Denial no doubt. After all, he was a Heathen, and was only out to convert her.

He watched Niamh as she headed, struggled back toward the light, to get away from him, to get away from the darkness.

"You did it."

To say she was panicked was an understatement, only it wasn't because she felt she had lost her Goddess. No, she still believed in Her. How could she not? It had been only a few years ago when Mother Sun had descended to Earth in the flesh, just as the prophecies had predicted. The Living Sun. Niamh remembered when it happened, even though she'd been a couple years younger. No, she'd never seen it, never seen the Goddess made flesh with her own eyes--she lived too far from the capital. But the Living Sun still ruled in Solis to this day.

All this proved to Niamh was that...that she was damned. That she was one of those unlucky Solisi to possess this kind of power. A power she didn't even <I>want. And why? She had always been faithful, always believed...Light, she'd joined the Lumenari to do Her will! Everyone always praised her for her complexion, for how she was the picture of what a Solisi should look like. And there she'd just conjured the most forbidden of magicks, something that would instantly condemn her if anyone found out.

Niamh felt like she was in a daze by the time she made it back into that small circle of light, dropping to the ground near the pillar and resting her back against it, her knees drawn up to her chest and arms hugging her body, huddling and trying hard to calm down. But this time, though the light warmed her body, it was no longer a comfort. She didn't feel like it was right for her to be there, to be in the sunlight when she was now tainted. What had she done...oh Goddess...she shouldn't have done that, shouldn't have tried...but her curiosity had won her over, her need to know had driven her over the edge this time. She was tainted. Maybe this was her punishment for doubting. For dabbling in something that she knew better than to touch. For being tempted, for letting a heathen challenge her faith. She was being punished. She'd done the unforgiveable.

She couldn't go back to Solis now. Never. She couldn't see anyone ever again, not her family, not the Lumenari, no one. They'd kill her, and rightfully so. They'd know. She didn't know how, but someone would find out. The Living Sun probably already knew. Light, she couldn't believe she'd done that.

A violent shudder racked her when Nexus spoke up, only reaffirming what she already knew and dreaded, and she pressed her hands to her face and grit her teeth. He didn't need to say it. She knew it. She actually did it. Just as he wagered she would. And then, somewhere beneath all that fear and self-hatred, anger peaked within her so suddenly it surprised even herself.

Niamh pulled her hands away from her face and glared off into the darkness blindly, though there were tears in her eyes and she was still shaking. So was her voice, which was also choked despite how she tried to control it. "You don't think I know that?!" she shouted at him, and then she groaned and buried her face in her arms, which were resting atop her knees. "You made me do it. You did this do me. Light, I hope you're happy now...you got what you wanted...you were right...fuck, I hope you're happy..."

Whatever went through her mind, Nexus could relate to. The same thing had gone through his mind when the Goddess came to him and told him about how this was all meant to be. How his life was supposed to have been like this so he could do his job like he had always done... Nexus was pretty sure that all sorts of thoughts of despair were running through her mind.

Nexus watched as she moved to the light and huddled against the pillar. What was she tinking about? Would she want to kill him? After all...he had done this technically. He had pushed her to this. He had issued the challenge of her faith against his ideas...and his ideas had won.

He didn't expect her to shudder so when he spoke, but those words probably weren't ones she wanted to hear. No doubt she wished he had said 'Oh sorry, that was me. Try again!' but no...He hadn't done a thing but guide her, give her the tools to do this all.

Slowly he stepped forward...and he could hear her. He could hear her shouting, and the tone of her voice. It told him everything. Was he...happy?

"Am I...happy? Am I happy..." His voice trailed off as he stepped into the light, his eyes watching her.

"I'm happy that you did it. I'm happy that you were able to make the magic work. Am I happy that I've just ruined you? That I've basically made you do something that makes you a Heathen in the eyes of the people you love and cherish? Happy that I've shaken your faith, and made you doubt everything you do? No. No I'm not happy Niamh." He told her with a shake of his head. His voice was oddly calm, as he had to stay that way, to ensure none of his true feelings, like sadness, escaped at this point.

"I wish it were different Niamh. I wish it hadn't worked. I wish right now you were free and I was in manacles being dragged to the nearest Lumenari camp. I truly wish that. It's not that way though. It's different. You're...well you're free Niamh. You told me you didn't like what happened to people, the torture, the burning, the suffering that was inflicted. You're free from all that. Gods Niamh I wish I were you. You at least can be freed." Slowly Nexus sunk himself to his knees in front of her, staring level with her.

"I don't care what you think of me Niamh. I don't care if you think I'm a filthy heathen. All I care about is that I tried to help you. That I tried to show you a different path. One that doesn't require you to listen to people telling you to kill, to torture, to destroy, all in the name of someone else's will." He told her as he stayed where he was, watching her. He had removed from somewhere a small silk handkerchief with his initials on it, handing the clean garment over to her in case she wanted to wipe her tears.

"Whatever you decide to do Niamh...well...It's all your choice. Not Mother Sun, not the head of the Lumenari, not mine, not your families either. This is your choice. This is your life. Weave fate for yourself." He slowly stood up, turning his back to her. He should probably release her now. Though he didn't want to, he knew he would have to soon. In...three days time maybe? Yeah. Just until he knew she was alright. He told her he would follow her though. He would stalk her. He would be there in the shadows.

Ugh. Why! Why was he doing all this?! What torture was he being put through now?! This had to be the work of his Goddess. He had done something very wrong no doubt, and now as new emotions and thoughts filled his mind...he was being punished.

"Kill me..." His voice was soft as a whisper as he slowly looked downwards to the ground. Ugh. If only dying was simple.

Nexus' answer surprised her a little...but it didn't make her feel much better. He wasn't happy about it? He wasn't happy about winning? How could he not be happy? He'd won. Plain and simple. He was right. Still Niamh listened as she spoke, shaking her head miserably as she kept her face buried in her arms, gritting her teeth as he said that she was free. But she wasn't free. She was still tied up, but even if she were cut free, she still wouldn't be free. Goddess. He didn't know what he'd done. She barely looked up when she heard him draw closer, only peeked her eyes out and roughly snatched up the handkerchief as he offered it. She pressed it to her eyes and hunched her shoulders, shivering and withdrawing further into herself.

She couldn't believe it...it was his fault...it was her fault...Goddess, what had she done...? That anger only built when she just barely caught his whispered words, the warehouse quiet and secluded enough for sound to carry. He couldn't honestly feel bad. He'd done this to her. He'd...he'd...

"Freed me? Is that what this was all about? All of this? The whipping? The threatening? This? It was all a test, all to free me, to make me see the 'error of my ways'?" Niamh snapped, raising her head up off her arms. Suddenly, just like that, everything made sense to her. Everything Nexus had done. His questions, his actions...now she thought she knew why he'd done it all. It was all a lesson. He had said it himself. He had tried to show her a different path. Tried to help her. That was what this was all about?! Everything he'd done...just a lesson...

Tears were rolling down her cheeks, and she pressed the silk garment to her eyes, drying them, but she wasn't really crying like before, not sobbing or anything. Apart from her words, her misery was silent. "You didn't <I>free me! You condemned me! You don't understand...you don't understand any of this!"

Then, just as suddenly as it had flared, her rage died down a little as another thought struck her. "...And neither do I."

She lowered the handkerchief from her face, finally, but she was also looking away, her head turned to the side, now and then swiping irritably at her eyes. "I...I don't know...I just don't know...I don't understand any of this anymore. I...when you hurt me, it...it made me think of what we did to heathens...and now...Light. I've heard of families being torn apart because of what I just did, turning in their own children to the law. I never thought anything of it. But now...oh hell, Nexus...I've been faithful all my life. I've studied the writings. I've prayed. I considered devoting myself to the temple! I joined the damned Lumenari, if that's all any indication of my conviction! I did this all for Her. And for myself. But I was faithful...I still am, even though now they'd say I walk beneath the moon! Now...hah...look what I just did. I'm little better than you, now. I'm tainted.  It doesn't matter what I've done or haven't done, none of it matters anymore. I did something that can't be forgiven. I'm one of the unlucky ones. All those people...they were probably just like me. They probably didn't even want it. Just like me. I never thought of that before...they were evil. But now I know it wasn't their fault...they..." She drew a shakey breath, pausing to get a hold of herself. "How the <I>HELL does that happen?"

She couldn't understand it, why Mother Sun would make some people be born with this curse, only to die for it, even though it wasn't their fault, even though they were just as faithful as anyone else. That was what she thought, too, that she was just tainted. She didn't understand that Nexus meant anyone could do what he had just done--she just thought he meant her specifically, that he had been able to see that power in her since he also possessed it. And if he told her that anyone could do it, she probably wouldn't have believed him, anyway. To her people, displaying any such abilities simply meant you were tainted, and that was that.

"I wish you'd left me alone...I didn't want to know this...I wish I didn't know this. But...I don't know. Now that I know, now that I know what other people like me have gone through...I don't know! I don't know whether I want to know it or not. I can't go back, though. You lied to me. You said I'd get to see my friends and family again. You said you wouldn't kill me. You have, though. I can't go back unless I want to be killed. Everyone will probably be worried that I'm dead now...and if I go back, then they'll get to see me die. I can't hide it. The Living Sun will know. Do you understand? The Living Sun rules Solis! She is <I>real! She descended two years ago, and She rules still. I..." Finally, her deluge of panicked words began to slow, and she slumped back against the pillar, leaning her head back against it and closing her eyes tightly, mentally exhausted. Her head was starting to hurt and she knew she probably wasn't making any sense.

No matter, nothing made sense anyway.

"I don't know what to think anymore...I don't know what to do...I don't...Light, I don't even know whether to hate you or thank you...I don't know anything anymore..." she said, voice barely above a whisper as she once again buried her face in her arms, hiding. Her entire world had indeed been abruptly flipped upside down and she was horribly disoriented and more afraid than ever before. At least when Nexus had terrorized her, she'd had her faith to draw strength from, to get her through it. Not even that had been as terrifying as what she faced now. Nothing was more horrible than having your entire perception of reality, to have everything you held dear, to have all of that suddenly wrenched away from you.

The very faith she had devoted her life to, the very same beliefs that had strengthened her, supported her, held her together in times of greatest need, the very same faith she loved and still honestly believed...it was the very same faith that would now persecute her. There was no fate worse than that.

"A GODDESS WOULD FORGIVE HER CHILDREN FOR SINNING!" Nexus whirled upon her, looking at her, his eyes flaring to life as he held a flaming whip in his right hand.

"Don't you understand? DOn't you see?! A true Goddess doesn't NEED believers, doesn't NEED followers and worshippers! A true Goddess has infinite power and has no need for you people to spread the word. MAN needs you to believe in him. MAN needs you to worship him. Does this make any sense to you? An all powerful being who created the universe, created it before Man was ever created. Existed for so long before man came to be. Yet your Goddess existed." He was tired of how she saw this Goddess as a Goddess, and not as trickery. It was angering him, and he had done so well keeping his rage in check at this point.

"I'm trying to free you, show you, open your eyes to the world around you! You don't seem to understand it. Everyone can do magic if they are taught it. Your people are ignorant little savages! Do you see what happens when you worship with the sun? You slaughter ever denisen that lives in the dark, because they oppose your Light." He discarded the whip behind him, knowing he really didn't want that out, because he might hurt her with it.

"Gods I wish I hadn't chased you. My life would be so much easier if I hadn't done all this." Nexus muttered angrily to himself as he looked from her, to the ropes hanging around. He dispelled them, the blanket as well he had conjured for her.

"You're in the darkness now. Free yourself. Harness the powers of the darkness and free yourself. Please. Show me that you can do it. Show me that you can be strong without the sunlight. Show me that you're not ruled by the word of Man." Nexus stood there, in the darkness, his eyes always upon herk, watching her very carefully. Only a faint light from under the door was there, but he had taught her much better. He had taught her to harvest energy from everywhere after all.

"Do it now! Free yourself! Show me that you are stronger!" Maybe this was all part of her ploy...maybe it wasn't? He stepped away from her, he expected there to be a lot of fire, and a lot of anger from her.

"Or are you as weak as I once thought you were?"

Well, that was one way to snap someone out of their moment of self pity!

Her head jerked up so abruptly that she nearly smacked it against the pillar she was backed against, the sudden change in Nexus taking her completely off guard--though it also told her that he was through with being "nice". That was enough to get her to move. But this time Niamh didn't freeze up. She was partially free, Nexus had a whip in his hand, and this time she wasn't just going to stand there and take it if he planned on using it on her. With a gasp, she lunged to her feet and slipped quickly around to the other side of the pillar, placing it between herself and Nexus and peering around it cautiously. But even then she could feel that familiar anger returning...and she was so mad at him. For everything. Forgive her for sinning? Not when Her children knew the rules and the consequences in advance! Though...though what of those who couldn't help it?

Never mind that! Just what was Nexus suggesting?!

"Are you calling the Living Sun a mortal?" Niamh demanded, pressed against the pillar and ready to move if she needed to. But for the moment she wasn't afraid, though it helped that he had discarded the whip. She'd lost everything. What more did she have to lose? "That's stupid! She's fulfilled all the prophecies. She was tested by the highest of priests and priestesses. She's done everything the prophecies said She would, things no human could possibly do, even recently! Our country was no more than a speck in the sand and once She came, She lead us to power--we've already conquered some nations around Solis, places that could once dwarf us! No human could pull that off. It was just as the prophecies said!" She couldn't believe he'd even suggested that...but he was a heathen. He didn't know better. He didn't know their ways. He didn't know what he was saying!

"Maybe your 'gods' are different. But here, She is the Light on Earth, sent to save it! That's what She needs the Lumenari for, to spread Her influence--" Suddenly she cut off.

Wait.

She was a Goddess. If She had infinite powers like Nexus said, like the Solisi believed...couldn't She just spread the word Herself? Why would She need the Lumenari to do it for Her? No...that was just because She was in mortal form! If She was in mortal form, of course She couldn't do that but...but...this was starting to not make any sense, suddenly. Or maybe it was starting to make sense. Niamh hadn't really been listening to Nexus, only vaguely, her ears closing to him in her anger. But suddenly it hit her, if a little too late. She was basically saying exactly what Nexus was refuting.

...Why would a Goddess need mortals to do Her work for Her? And...and maybe Nexus had a point...if She had infinite power...couldn't She just right the world on Her own? Why would She need them to kill and draw blood on Her own children? She'd created everything. Why would she place Her own children at war with themselves? Why would some people have that power and be persecuted for it if She was the one who created them, who gave it to them?

It...it made Her sound rather sadistic, and...She was a loving Goddess. That made no sense...and for the first time, Niamh was starting to see it.

But she wasn't done being angry. Nexus stirred that pot once more, and Niamh wasn't quite ready to accept what he had said. it was too much to think about. Too scary. Too complicated. Even if she was considered forsaken by her faith, it had been her pillar for so long. It was irrational. It was stupid. But she couldn't let go of it like that, not something that had been such a central part of her entire life. She was fighting it, and yet she was losing.

"My life would have been easier, too, so I guess we're even!" Niamh yelled back at him, still pressed against that pillar and watching him intently. And then came the darkness. The vines vanished, even the blanket vanished, and darkness enveloped her.

With a groan, she practically clung to the pillar as though needing something substantial to hold onto so she didn't get swallowed up, eyes wide but unseeing, unable to see even the object she was holding onto. Her breath caught in her throat, but she steeled herself, channeling that anger as best as she could. Nexus was speaking from somewhere, and she clenched her jaw. The "please" that he had thrown in there was strange, but she had no time to think about it. She was trying her best not to freak out, blind as she was--and she was also working quickly to do as he said. To dispell the damned darkness.

There was really only one way she knew to do that.

"Dammit, just shut up!" she snapped back at his final challenge, already desperately visualizing those rivers, visualizing them in everything around her, in her, in the darkness, in the air, in Nexus...everything. Light, she needed light...not even she was brave enough to touch darkness now, she was still too shook up about using water magic, and at least she had more experience with light. She had no idea how to use the dark to dispell the dark, but right now she was pretty confident that, with her prior experience with using fire and light and with the new technique he had taught her, she could do this.

Light suddenly flared into existence then, incircling the immediete area around her, and Niamh struggled to hold onto her visual, to keep her focus, though the light flickered uncertainly as though threatening to go out, her concentration wavering. She was still holding on tightly to the pillar, breathing heavily--though she didn't look afraid now. If anything, she just looked pissed. "There."

Nexus was very proud of himself actually. He had managed to stir her from feeling bad about herself, and managed to get her to start thinking straight for once. He knew his words had rung true with her. They made perfect sense after all. More so after he said the thing about infinite power. It was true, just as it were with his Gods...they were immortal, they were all powerful, and they could just fix things on Earth. However, They didn't. They didn't come down and raise armies, save for maybe Terrin.

"That exactly what I'm saying. An all powerful Goddess has no rules, no limitations, and no need for worshippers. Mortals however need people to worship them. " It made perfect sense. A Goddess who was powerful enough to create an entire universe, which was infinite and endless as far as he knew, did not need simple primates living on a piece of rock to worship her.

"If your Goddess created the Universe, created this world...then tell me...Why is she killing her own children? Why is she pitting Human against Drow? Light versus Dark? If she created Drow and Humans, then why does shes want the Drow dead? That would mean she made a mistake, and as an all powerful, all knowledgeable being...she made a mistake...and as we know...that doesn't happen." Nexus was proud of himself for bringing this all together. He had dealt with people claiming to be a God before, and despite being only to change a few minds, he had still changed them.

In truth...Nexus enjoyed this. He enjoyed being with Niamh, despite her little....ways of being rather....snooty. They were on par with each other really. Each one of them had certain aspects that were...interesting really. Nexus admired her really,  she had some dedication to her cause, and was stubborn like he was. He really was glad to have...ran into her so to speak.

He knew she was scared of the dark, he was counting on that to fuel her fire to speak. He was waiting for her to do something, and finally the fire and light came. He wasn't smiling though. He wanted her to move away from fire and light.

"No. Not there." It was a black whip, one that cracked loudly and struck her light, dimming it. Each time he hit the light, it dimmed just a little more.

"Focus on the Darkness. Focus on the power that the darkness has, all around you. Draw in from only the darkness. Then, change it. Change the darkness to become light." He told her as he dispelled his whip, standing int he darkness. He knew she could do it too, and he was going to keep pressing her until she did it. She couldn't possibly be tired after all...He...forgot one of the core rules. How to draw the energy in to keep with you.

"This time though, when you draw from the darkness, leave some of the magic within you. Don't move all the magic out of you."

It was such a strange feeling. Niamh still wanted to believe. Maybe it was sick and masochistic in a way, to want to remain loyal to a faith that had abandoned her, but it was all she knew. Everything in her life had been shaped around it. Her morals, how she viewed the world, how she viewed other people...and even if she lost her faith, those morals and ideas would still remain, they would be hard to change because they were just so ingrained into her very being. And yet, still, the only thing being challenged now, the only belief being stripped away, was that the Living Sun was really walking the Earth now, that the person who rules Solis might not be who she claimed she was. That she was powerful was undeniable--but whether she was really Mother Sun in the flesh...what Nexus said was making Niamh begin to have her doubts.

Mother Sun, however...Mother Sun was real. Just...

Maybe She wasn't what everyone thought She was. Maybe people had gotten Her all wrong. After all, if even darkness was Her creation, and if it was light that cast shadows...what Nexus said made sense. Yet there was still the fact that darkness did hurt Solisi. It made them blind, weak, cold, lethargic, even if the actual temperature was comfortable. There was no denying that. There was no denying that they drew their strength from light, heat, and fire, either. Solisi were meant to walk beneath the Sun, but if Mother Sun had also created the darkness...maybe that just meant other creatures were meant to walk beneath that, too.

She couldn't have made a mistake...that would make her as flawed as any mortal...

Which meant either She didn't exist. Or humans had just gotten her terribly wrong.

It had to be the latter. There was no mistaking Mother Sun's existence.

Niamh was frozen, only nodding slowly, her eyes rather large as it all came together in her head, her world changing all around her at a very rapid pace. It was disorienting. Everything felt like it was going crazy. But there was one issue that Nexus hit upon that confused her, her anger dulling as she absorbed all the new information and focused on keeping that circle of light strong and bright.

"...But...Nexus...if Goddesses don't need people to worship them...why do you worship your 'goddess'? Why does she have you do her work?" It was a weak attempt at challenging him and she knew it. But she still had to try, had to understand all this, and she was fighting tooth and nail to preserve what she knew. Even if she was failing.

But then Nexus had another whip, and it cracked against the light near her, making her jump and clench her teeth together so as not to yelp. He didn't look pleased, and the light was growing dimmer each time he cracked the whip, much to her horror. "What are you doing?!" Frustration welled up inside her, and anxiety as she was once again surrounded by black, and with a loud huff of irritation, she began to draw upon the light, ready to once again engulf herself with that comforting light--but she stopped that effort when he spoke again.

...He wanted her to draw upon the darkness itself. Of course.

"Augh! I can't do that, Nexus!" she said, voice strained. She wanted badly to get out of the dark, nervous as it made her, but she didn't want to do it the way he wanted her to. It would probably hurt her. "You know how darkness effects me! I can't do this." For now, the issue of just how deep of a hole she was digging herself by practicing these forbidden magicks...well...that wasn't an issue right now. As soon as she'd cast water magic, she was already an outlaw to her people. Already ruined. She couldn't taint herself anymore, so what would it matter at this point?

Yet in the darkness, with the fear and claustrophobia and uncertainty building...that was a pretty good motivator at this point, and she still feared not cooperating. Nexus had gotten so angry just moments before; she'd actually thought he might hit her. She didn't want to piss him off again; she wasn't stupid.

Before she knew it, her heart thundering in her chest, she was trying it, though, honestly trying, but while water was one thing, darkness was another. Her body was tense and shivering as she concentrated, just wanting to get it over with, just wanting to prove her point and all the while knowing she was crossing a line over which she could never return. But hadn't she already damned herself? Once damned, you couldn't really do any worse, and panic and stress drove her to act without thinking.

And it was also something of a matter of pride, to show she wasn't weak. She would not be called weak.

But try as she might, and much to her relief, she could not actually harness it...

Though she could fake it.

The darkness around her began to dissipate as she called upon her affinity for light and heat and fire, light flooding in to drive away the darkness around her even while fear and nerves made her blood go cold. What if he noticed? She shivered at the thought but held onto that light.

"...Is...is this good enough...?" she muttered through slightly chattering teeth, her eyes now open to monitor her progress, a strange light surrounding her, blotted with darkness here and there. Her gift never had been as strong or perfect as others in her group. "I'm freezing, thanks..."

Nexus wanted her to be free. She was his friend technically, and he didn't let his friend do this. No. Niamh had been, and still was pretty innocent. She didn't deserve this sort of thing. So he was going to correct it without going after Mother Sun herself and calling the woman out. He had no idea bout the tests she might have gone through at this point.

"You misunderstand. Worshipping someone is where you have free will. I serve her. I serve her like a slave serves a King. I was born to serve, born to be a slave and a master." He told her with a shake of his head. Feris didn't want him to worship her, no, she wanted him to serve her.

"You see, Feris isn't like as you describe Mother Sun. Arkhanan is the creator of my Realm. Then came Vec. Then came the Eight lesser Gods and Goddesses. She simply rules over Justice and Order. Not the entire world. It seems complicated but...it really isn't. She isn't the Creator of the world." It was just that simple. While she was all powerful, there were things that were much stronger than Feris, in retrospect. For instance, the being who created her, and the being who created her creator. It was all how things could be looked at.

"You CAN do it. YOu have to trust me!" He really wasn't sure if she actually could, as her people had some interesting abilities. Though...slowly he could tell she was going to do it. She was going to change the darkness. If she could do that, she would have nothing to fear ever again after all.

Ah. There it was. He could feel it now. He could feel the darkness being stolen, being taken away and sucked into Niamh. Oh this was a good sign. Would she use that though? Would she try it or just give up? He was actually excited about this.

Then...light began to filter around the darkness, just appearing here and there. He was glad to see the light for once. It meant she had succeeded. He had just taught her how to fight the Darkness, whether she actually realized that or not.

"Yes...Yes Niamh. It is." He had that blanket in his hands as he came near her suddenly, wrapping the golden material around her. Behind him however, the vines began to reappear. However, after the blanket was around her and the light began to shine again from the vines, he slumped to his knees. Too much. He had used too much.

"Ergh..." Slowly he looked up to her, grinning weakly at her.

"Regain your strength...you did me proud...I'll...let you go soon enough." After he got his strength as well. He felt...odd...being here, kneeling in front of her. Just a few moments ago he had called her weak and now...well here he was slumped upon the ground. Ugh. If she wanted to do away with him at this point, it wouldn't take that much.

With a sigh of relief, Niamh quickly released her hold on the magic even as Nexus placed the warm blanket around her, even as the sunlight began to flood the room once more. Whew...it was good that that was enough, because Niamh was stubborn enough to keep it up. There was little that she hated more than being called weak or being told that she couldn't do something, and it was a pretty good motivator, too! As for what Nexus had taught her, though, the lesson likely wouldn't sink in for a while longer. Right now, she was just all frozen and...more than a little irritated. She couldn't believe Nexus had made her do that. Not to mention her mind was occupied with so many different questions and answers.

It was all rather overwhelming. Her entire life had suddenly just changed in the course of barely two days, and whatever her thoughts on the matter, only one thing was certain: there was no going back to the way things once were. Everything made perfect sense, even down to Nexus' explanation on the differences between deities and the difference between worship and servitude. So far, he hadn't been unable to answer a single question logically and in a way that, well...rang true to her own experiences.

Ugh...

Pulling the blanket more tightly around her shoulders, still shivering though it was no longer like she'd just come out of a snowstorm, she turned, leaned back against the pillar, and was about to slide down it and sit but...that was when Nexus abruptly slumped to the ground.

Niamh stared down at him as he spoke, as he said he would be letting her go soon, as he looked so suddenly weak--and that had to be the first time she'd seen him weak. Oh, he had looked tired after creating that whole lighting system for her, but not actually helpless. He'd still been able to stand. But now it seemed as though his legs had just given out.

He would release her soon...

Heh. Yeah. How soon was "soon" for him? She'd lost their bet. Which meant he intended on keeping her for three days longer, and if there were any more bets, who knew how many days he'd rack up if she lost? Hell...who knew if he was even being honest? He might never let her go. He might snap again. There were way too many unknown variables, but what was for certain was that he was weak and unable to stand, and she was cold, slowly warming up, but still strong and standing. The thought did flash through her mind, that this could very well be her one and only chance to make a move, and that it would be easy to do, too. She didn't have any weapons on her, but she did have her arms and legs--and a rope. He had made the rope around her leg longer. It wouldn't take much; she knew how to grapple with an opponent. And then afterwards it would just be a matter of getting to his satchel, of cutting herself free, of getting out of the warehouse, and...

And then what? Where would she go from there? She'd be free, sure, but...but what? She couldn't go back home. She couldn't go back among her people. And she sure as hell didn't know the first thing about living out here.

She was going to regret this and she knew it...

It felt like she was staring at him for hours, weighing her options, but in truth only a couple of seconds passed. With a slow nod, she pressed her back against the pillar and slid down it until she was sitting beside him, legs drawn up so she could cover them with the blanket, too. The material of her gray breeches was thick, but the blanket emitted warmth.

"Heh...I'm way ahead of you, Nexus," she said quietly, not looking at him for a moment. But then she glanced over at him out of the corners of her eyes and frowned a bit. "Um...are you okay? What happened just then?"

Even as she spoke, she was reaching around behind her, feeling along the base of the pillar, until she found the wineskin, the one with the Moonberry juice in it. Pulling it around to her, she popped the cork, tilted her head back, and took a long swallow, nearly draining it.

Light knew she'd need it, because she couldn't believe the decision she'd just made. She must be going crazy.

It had been an interesting last two days hadn't it? For one thing, he had only hurt Niamh for maybe ten minutes. That was a first for him actually. He had changed his views and hopefully changed hers a little bit as well. That was...quite a feat of course.

He felt weak. Weak because he was kneeling in front of her, and weak because he was...well missing all his energy. It had depleted so much, and that was really affecting him.

He was really expecting there to be some pain right now. He was sure that he was going to be killed by her. She could easily overpower him in this state, and kill him quickly. However, that didn't seem to happen. He was...well...surprised just a little bit.

"Huh?" He looked over to her for a moment, an eyebrow raised. Oh. Was he okay?

"Yeah...I'll uh...I'll be fine. Eventually." He told her with a weak smile.

"Just too much energy making all those things suddenly...I mean...I had left a little piece of each thing so I recreat it but...recreating all those things in one instant...gets to me." He told her as he eased himself onto his back, his eyes looking upwards for the time being.

"One more night okay? I'll...let you go tomorrow. I promise." He told her quietly, his eyes shifting to look at her. He wondered where she might actually go, since he had pretty much taken her life away in a sense.

She couldn't go back home could she, and she couldn't go back to the Lumenari...Well...that was interesting. She would have no place to go would she?

"Where...where will you go Niamh? I've...ruined your life haven't I?"

"Oh...I see..." Niamh murmured as Nexus laid down, warming up more by the instant. She wasn't even shivering anymore. "Well, then, I guess we're even yet again. I feel...drained."

Tomorrow, huh? He'd let her go tomorrow...Light. Why did that idea scare her? It filled her with relief, and yet, at the same time...now she was dreading it. Tomorrow, she'd be on her own.

And she didn't even know where to begin. It was like...it was like being born for a second time, she imagined. That's what it felt like. Tomorrow, everything would be different. Tomorrow, she'd have to relearn everything, start over from scratch.

Goddess, that was scary...

Niamh turned then to give Nexus a very flat look, eyes slightly narrowed. "You think? Yeah, Nexus. You've ruined my life," she answered bluntly as she brought a hand up to rub at her left temple, which was throbbing a little. "Ugh...I don't know. I don't know anywhere I can go. I can't go back to Solis. I can't go back to the Lumenari. I do and I'm dead, and even if I managed to keep everything a secret, with what I know now...Goddess, I wouldn't be able to do it. It wouldn't feel right. I'd be constantly lying, to others, to myself...I couldn't do it, I couldn't fit in with that world now, not without feeling horrible every second of my life. And then eventually I'd get tangled in my lies and expose myself, and that would be that. And if I can't go back home, well, my only option is I'm stuck out here, right? Right."

She took another long drink of the Moonberry juice. "And what's out here? Hell if I know. I don't know anybody here, I don't have a place to live, I only have a little money on me. Nexus, I don't know the first thing about living out here. I don't know the laws, the culture, anything, and I don't even know if I want to! I don't even know where I <I>am. I've never even lived on my own before, I've only ever lived at home or with the Lumenari. I don't know what to do! Do you understand? I don't fit in anywhere now."

With another gulp, she finished off the Moonberry juice and tossed the wineskin aside moodily to skid across the floor, then she looked directly at Nexus, her face a little flushed; she probably had drank too much too quickly, considering she didn't drink. "You're the only person here I know. You're the only thing that's remotely familiar to me now. You're the one who did this to me. And now? Now I don't even know if I can leave even if you release me. Because now you're the only thing I know."

Niamh closed her eyes and rested her head back against the pillar. "Of course, now that you've done what you set out to do, you'll probably want to get rid of me now. So that's why...ugh..." She shook her head, eyes still closed. "So that's why I just have to ask you...if I can stay with you a while longer. I...I have a lot to figure out, now, and...Light, this is insane..." She couldn't believe she was doing this. "But it would all be under one condition, of course. And that would be that you keep certain, ah, urges at bay. I'm sure we both know what I'm talking about."

She must really be desperate, and she knew it, to want to remain with the same person that had screwed her life all to hell and turned her into the very thing she had persecuted. Yet at the same time...if he was like this and not all...psychotic as before...he really wasn't that bad. He had gone out of his way to help her--or rather, to repair the damage he had done. Ugh. But he didn't seem insane right now. And he had...well...he had done something during all this, something she was still having a hard time wrapping her mind around.

Opening her eyes, she looked over at him again, a strange, sad look on her face. Then she averted her eyes, looking down at the blanket. "It's strange, too...you've ruined my life. You've ruined me. Yet...it also feels like I've been saved. From what, I have no clue. You tortured me. You ripped everything I knew apart. It would have been easier if I hadn't been saved...that's for sure. But...I don't know. I'm not making any sense right now, am I?" she asked, laughing suddenly and running her hands though her hair. Then she snuggled deeper into the blanket and sighed. "Have anymore wine?"

"I don't think we'll ever really be even. You'd have to beat me up at least." Nexus told her with a small chuckle and a shake of his head.

"Yeah...I do. I know I ruined your life, and I'm sorry for it." He told her simply, as she started to talk again he closed his mouth to listen to her. Ugh...She would get killed if she went back to any of those places wouldn't she? He didn't really want that to happen. Nexus had promised her that he would protect her after all. He could help with that.

"Well, I don't know most of those things either you know...But I can learn and adapt. If a big brute like myself can learn such things, I'm sure an intelligent young lady like yoursef can." He was trying to bolster her spirits, as well as his own. He knew that if he let her go, there would be trouble. She'd get herself killed. No doubt calling someone a dirty heathen.

"Well er..." He watched the wineskin go skittering by as she spoke. Uh oh. She was just a little moody wasn't she? That might be very bad.

"I uh...Well I don't...want to..." The rest was some mumbling that followed as he managed to sit up and watch her. Nexus didn't want to let her go, but he was wondering what could be done about that. This was way too strange wasn't it?

"You don't have to ask. If you want to stay here with me you uh..." He didn't look at her at this point. Ugh. He was actually going to invite her willingly to stay. Geez, he had really changed from the old Nexus hadn't he? This would probably interfere with his job...or...it might make it more enjoyable.

"Yes. Sure. You can stay. I promise to keep those...urges at bay." Bah, taking away all his fun! Still, she was a friend, so he wouldn't let those urges out on her. It would be bad wouldn't it? That might cause some bad things. Yes, he would have to curb all of his...urges from now on while she was around. Either that or he could try to mold her into his apprentice. Nah. He didn't want an apprentice. He wanted a friend.

"You don't have to make sense poppet. If this time hasn't made a lick of sense, then why do we have to?" It was a rhetorical question of course, it didn't need to be answered. It shouldn't be answered anyways. He blinked a few times as she asked for more wine. Right, she was out of the Moonberry juice wasn't she?

"More? Yeah. Hold on." He reached into the satchel, pulling out a wineskin with a black and white striped cork. He held it out to her with a smile.

"There. Black and white is Fire Apple juice. It's just like the Moonberry juice. Just be warned, it's like the Moonberry Juice. Weak alcohol." She had asked him for her some more wine. He could have given her water, and he was regretting her giving her more wine. She was trying to drown herself in alcohol it looked like.

...He was sorry?

This wasn't the first time he'd expressed regret...and...she could almost believe it. It was strange. But what was new?

Niamh was silent as Nexus spoke, listening to him...and then she suddenly blinked and looked over at him curiously, something he said ringing true in her ears, reassuring her (and even stroking her ego some) even though she didn't want to admit it.

He...didn't know much about all those things, either? It was a bit difficult to believe--he'd been alive for over a thousand years, he kind of had a bit more experience than she did, at least--but it did at least help to encourage her. He was right. Oh damn. She could adapt and learn, a fact she'd completely glossed over in her moment of panic. And if she could learn to adapt, her life was far from over and...it...it wasn't really ruined, right? She was still functioning, after all. All her limbs were intact. She was healthy.

"You're right...oh jeez, you're right..." was all she said, very softly, eyes a little wide. Why hadn't she seen that before?

It wasn't over. It was just a new beginning. Light. What was she going on about? She had never been one to give up before, she'd always been a fighter, always been strong-willed and spirited, brave...even Nexus had called her strong and brave, he'd even tried to break her, but that hadn't worked; she'd fought back in her own way and survived. And here she was, practically giving up now of all times. What the hell was she doing? That wasn't like her at all.

Straightening up a little, she took a long, deep breath. Yeah. Brooding over everything wasn't going to solve a thing, was it? She could mope all she liked but nothing was going to change. The only thing that would do was make her depressed, and that never did any good, and while she had a very valid reason to be down, well...there was no going back. The only direction there was to go now was forward, and while that was frightening...she'd overcome other frightening obstacles before. Indeed, there would be time to mourn for what she'd lost, but now wasn't the time. Right now...she had to figure out what she was doing and where she had to go from here. Now wasn't the time to mope...she had to snap out of that.

Besides, she wasn't going to be alone after all.

Niamh tilted her head to the side a little as Nexus started to speak a little, sounding oddly...unsure of himself, which also didn't sound like him. He always came across as so...dominant. Jeez. Maybe they did have more in common than she'd originally wanted to admit. They both had strong wills, and this situation was making them both...awkward. That was strange, too; he'd seemed so intent on keeping her. But finally he answered, and even promised to keep his urges at bay.

Good.

To her surprise, Niamh actually managed a small smile, her spirits rising a little. Nexus wasn't even looking at her when he said all that, but she knew he was telling the truth. It was kind of funny. He seemed to look away like that when he was being nice, she'd noticed. "Ah, good...very good to know. Thank you, Nexus. I mean that, too. I know I must be asking a lot, after all," she said with a wry smirk, vaguely wondering how the heck they got to this point, from him terrorizing her to her asking to stay with him. Who knew, and who cared now? "And that's also good to know. I won't worry about making any sense from now on, then, alright?"

But when he offered her the Fire Apple juice, she took it and...didn't make an effort to drink any. Instead, she set it on the ground beside her, for later. A moment ago she had needed it; even if it was weak, it at least calmed her. But a moment ago, she had been on the verge of giving up, overwhelmed as she was. Now...no, she wasn't going to give up. Nexus was right...

"Thanks again." She took a deep breath, pausing, and looked down at her legs. Then she looked back over at him. "But, hey...could you do me a favor? Do you think you could untie me now? Really...I'm not going to go anywhere. No point in keeping someone tied up that's not going to run away, right? I did ask you if I could stay." And then she surprised herself. She grinned at him. "Besides, how can I beat you up if I'm all tied up? You said we can't be even until then, after all, and I like things to be even. Then again, if I beat you up...we'd be uneven again, wouldn't we? I'd be better than you," she said with a small chuckle.

If this was all about new beginnings, well...she supposed it applied to all areas. He was still a heathen to her. She didn't know if she'd stop seeing him as one, or stop viewing everyone else as one. But...at the same time...she also knew that she was technically a heathen now, too.

This was so confusing. But...she had said she would be his friend, hadn't she? Back then, she hadn't been serious. It had all been an act. And it had backfired on her.

Now, he was the only friend she had.

He was right? He was right then? He couldn't believe that she was actually admitting it. Though, he was glad that she admitted he was right. It was very odd to hear her say that. He knew she could adapt to the world, she just had to be open really. She seemed to be a doing a good job of adapting to situation already.

Hrm. How was life going to be with Niamh being around. He had to get used to this world, and so did she. Nexus was a traveller though, he wandered, he never stayed in one place for long. He would bring her with him though. He couldn't leave her in the world to fend for herself, that just wasn't going to be an option at this point. Heh. Still, it might have been fun to see what would happen to her. No... no it wouldn't be fun.

She spoke up, and he smiled a little bit at her.

"You? Asking a lot? No, you're asking very little from me." He smiled at her still as he looked away from her for a moment. He still couldn't figure out how this all happened really. It was confusing, how they ended up this way. One minute whipping her, the next they were talking about staying together and such. Sometimes life had some very odd twists and turns to it.

"Yeah that works for me. You stop making sense, and I'll keep myself in line." Nexus grinned weakly at her and laughed quietly as he looked away from her again. Ah things were going to be fine weren't they? Things had...taken a very interesting turn, and he was pretty sure he liked that turn. Yes. The turn was a very nice one wasn't it?

"Eh? Oh sure." Nexus looked over to her leg, to the rope about it. He blinked once and let the rope disappear.

"You think you can beat me up? I highly doubt it. Even in this state I bet I could beat you something fierce." Nexus grinned at her, even winking as he turned a little bit to face her. Heh, that would be an interesting fight. A weakened Nexus and a mostly strong Niamh. After all, she was in the light still, she would no doubt be stronger than he at this point.

He vaguely could remember a time that had been fun like this. When he had been with Carthax that is. Of course...Niamh's company was...more enjoyable. Carthax was always talking about death or causing pain to people but...Niamh's company was much better.

"Don't you worry about anything though. I'll look out for you. I'll make sure to keep an eye on you at all time." With that, he rolled an eye around in his socket while the other one stayed focused on her. Hm...they might even be able to leave this warehouse. Tonight. When the Lumenari weren't out in numbers. Yes. He'd feel much safer then.

"Alright, that sounds like a deal, then," Niamh said with a nod, stretching her legs out in front of her and lowering the blanket, finally all warm and toasty again. She was a little surprised when Nexus actually agreed to take off the rope; even though she'd told him she would stay, he still might think it was a trick. But, then again...she also hadn't tried to attack him when she easily could have hurt or killed him. That should have been enough to show that he could trust her now.

And when the rope vanished from her leg, that was enough to show that, finally, she could trust him.

Which was strange. That they were trusting each other now, all things considered. Oh well...she preferred this to how they'd started off.

"Well, that was surprisingly easy," she murmured, glancing down at her now freed leg before smiling over at him. But she didn't stand up, didn't make any attempt to leave or threaten to leave. She simply stayed seated and relaxed, crossing one leg over the other at the ankles while resting back against the pillar. Yeah...this was definitely a good turn.

Even if she still didn't like being stuck in this warehouse. But...heh, funny thing about that was that now she was a bit nervous about leaving it. The Lumenari, her...her friends--Goddess, she couldn't believe they would now be her enemies, but she couldn't think on that now; she didn't want to think about it--would be looking for her. Well, she hoped they would. She hoped they would because it would mean they cared about her, and she hoped they wouldn't because...that would probably make leaving the warehouse dangerous.

This was bad...

"Oh yeah? Think so, huh?" Niamh asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Nexus, snapped from her thoughts. Then she snorted softly and grinned, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'd take you up on that bet, too, but...it'd be too easy. I like fighting fair, not kicking puppies." Then she blinked. That...was a weird analogy to make. Nexus as a puppy. Ah, whatever! She was allowed to make weird analogies since she was allowed to not make sense. "Besides, both times you got me before, they were surprise attacks. One on one, both of us prepared...that'd be a different story, that I can promise you."

Okay, so maybe she was still a bit bitter. But who wouldn't be, it still wasn't like everything just went away! Besides, she was proud, and her pride had been wounded...she had felt weak. One day, she would get even with him. Not to kill or even injure him, at least not seriously, but she would get him back. Her? Hold grudges? Maybe a little, ahem. She was allowed to do that, too. She did have his damned markings on her, after all. Ugh. But...no use thinking about that now, either. What was done was done, and he had promised to...behave...from now on.

Promised. That was interesting, too. She could recall him saying he couldn't promise not to hurt her, back when he'd still been all...psycho. And she had told him not to make promises in her desperate attempt to get on his good side and get through to him. But she sure wasn't going to remind him of that!

Then Nexus did his weird eye thing, and Niamh rolled her own eyes and laughed a little, covering her mouth to hide that. That...was so bizarre. She didn't think she'd ever get used to that. Handy, she imagined, but still bizarre and kind of...creepy. "Light, that's still so weird. Ah, anyway, I take it you mean that, er, literally..." she said, shaking her head. "Well, in that case...I'm not worried. Then again, all things considered...I'm not so sure I can worry about anything anymore. Not when I have you as a...ah...bodyguard?" Indeed, having a psycho protecting her? And after seeing what he was capable of...?

"If anything, I'd be worried for everyone else," she admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. "Hm...speaking of...how much longer are we gonna stay in here? And what time do you think it is now, anyway?"

Ah, it was so much easier talking to Nexus now that she was all relaxed from Moonberry juice and assured that he wasn't going to be going crazy on her.

Well then, that was good wasn't it? They had a sort od eal, though silly as it was. He noted, that after her leg was freed...she didn't move up, or stood up, or even...really did anything. She stayed right where she was, and that...well that REALLY showed he could trust her. He felt...great that she wasn't going to run. That made him smile. It was a genuine smile at that.

"Easy indeed. Dispelling it a heck of a lot easier than creating." Nexus said to her calmly. He could eventually teach her how to make those ropes, though he wasn't sure if it would drain people to use magic in the form of ropes. Bah.

Nexus was going to take her out of here during the night. Away from this warehouse and the bad memories. He would take her somewhere else then, maybe to a nice Inn or something. Where she could lay in a bed, not on the cold ground. Mm. But not before he taught her how to use the moon like she did the sun. Ah that was one thing he really wanted to show her. Hrm. Maybe he should wait a while before teaching her that. Yes. There was only so much people should learn in one day.

"Oh really? So I'm a helpless little puppy am I?" He asked, an eyebrow rocketing skyward as he watched her. Now that had been a very interesting thing to say. Then he issued a sort of challenge to him. Hm...

"You know, that sounds like a challenge to me. So are you all talk poppet, or do you think you can take up that challenge? Not now of course. Later. When I'm back to full strength." He really didn't like the idea of an unfair fight with Niamh. She had a lot of pent up rage, and he had some bad things to her which might get her very...passionate about winning while he was weak and easily over powered.

He didn't actually expect some revenge from her. Not...too much revenge of course. He was sure that she might trip him up once in a while when he wasn't looking, or maybe try to put something in his drink to muddle his senses. Hah! If that could happen. He couldn't have his sense muddles. Still...he wondered if she would try to really endanger him to get revenge. Nah...that wasn't here style was it..?

"Well, I could try to take my eye out and give it to you but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't like it. So we'll have to just go with that then." He knew how creepy his eyes could be, but he loved them anyways. They were so useful and amazing! He grinned slightly at her words.

"You should probably just be worried for the people who try to get in your way." Nexus told her with a smile. Oh he was going to teach her how to be a strong mage. She would be unheeded by ropes and the like, so her attacks would indeed be great. Then she wouldn't need him to guard her. Though...that thought somewhat scared him. He actually liked the idea of having to protect her.

"Right now it's just after noon I would say. Maybe about two hours after." He made sure he looked towards the door with his eye, to keep up the appearance. He probably wouldn't ever tell her about his little...ability. After all, he was a pretty big deviant in her eyes already, and he was supposed to be truthful with her for the most part. He wasn't going to risk breaking the fragile state of trust that they had now after all.

"We'll leave here tonight. Find a nice Inn to stay in...then...figure things out from there. Unless you would like to sleep here tonight in a hammock." He didn't much care for this warehouse anymore. It had served the purpose that he had needed, and now that his plans had drastically changed, this place should be done away with. He was pretty sure that Niamh felt the same way about it too.

"Hmm...isn't that how it always works? It takes time and effort to make something, but only a few seconds to destroy it." At that, Niamh gave a slight cough. She hadn't meant that to come across as a jab, really, but now that she had said it, she could see how it might.

After all, it had taken eighteen years for her to get to where she had been, a member of the Lumenari, strong in her faith...it had taken barely two days to change all that.

Oh well...such was life. She couldn't stay too bitter, though, not now, and not when Nexus looked so perplexed now. A small chuckle escaped her, and she shook her head.

"I don't think 'puppy' was the right word, but it was the only word that sprang to mind at the time..." Niamh said, looking a little sheepish as Nexus gave her that look. Helpless probably wasn't the right word, either, because she certainly couldn't see him ever being helpless. Not exactly. But before she could think up a better word that applied, Nexus decided to take her up on that subtle challenge of hers.

Just as she had been hoping.

The sheepish expression faded, replaced by a smug smile as she regarded him, and she gave a casual shrug of her shoulders. "If I didn't think I could take it up, I wouldn't have even mentioned it," she answered simply, still not complaining about the apparent nickname he'd given her. She'd kind of grown used to it. "I didn't grow up around guys or travel with the Lumenari for a year and learn nothing, y'know, and you just so happened to teach me a new trick, too. No, trust me, I don't talk like this unless I can back it up with something." Which was true, even if in the past she had talked a lot about something that Nexus had just dismantled. But even then she had something to back it up with--like the rest of the Lumenari and scripture as well.

And Nexus was certainly right about the pent-up rage bit. Oh yeah, she had a lot of that. She had a lot of energy now, too, but unfortunately he didn't. Oh well. There would be time in the future to have their little competition, and in the meantime, there were plenty of other subtle ways she could vent.

"Huh?" She looked at Nexus sharply when he said he could always just try and take his eye out, and then she quickly threw up her hands, waving them slightly. "Ahah, no thanks, that's okay, really! Yeah, you just keep that eye in its socket, alright, Nexus? You give it to me, and I'll be sure to drop it, and I don't think you'd like that very much, either. Get dirt and grime and hairs all over it...ugh, that'd be a pain to clean." She made a face and wrinkled her nose, suddenly disgusted by her own visual. Ew. Oddly enough, though, Niamh wasn't actually all that queasy at the thought of him plucking out his own eye, though it'd be weird and she wouldn't like it a bit. But not all that much turned her stomach. She'd seen some pretty graphic things on her travels with the Lumenari. It didn't mean she liked it; it just meant she didn't faint at the sight of blood.

"Oh, you mean like you?" Niamh asked when he said she should be worried for those that get in her way, matching Nexus' smile with one of her own. Then she rose to her feet, once again needing to just stand, and she also glanced to the doorway as Nexus looked. She still had no idea how he did that...the light looked the same to her as it had hours ago, bright. Hrm. Well, if you had a lot of time to kill like Nexus probably did, she could see how he would know something like that; he was immortal, he could spend days at a time watching the light beneath a doorway if he got bored.

That visual almost made her laugh out loud, but she instead cleared her throat and nodded...then promptly jolted and shook her head vigorously. "No thanks! I like the idea of leaving here tonight. Tempting as that hammock idea of yours is, a bed sounds a lot better. Plus...uh... I think you've kinda ruined warehouses for me. I'll never be able to look at one the same again..." The last part was mumbled as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her pants, fixing him with a brief glare.

And only a brief one, because inns had beds and she was thinking both about getting out of here and getting into a bed. Light, a bed. The last time she'd slept in a bed was when she had last run into Nexus at that inn. But back there, she hadn't had the time to actually enjoy it, since she'd been all stressed and plotting to get away. Beds...man. She missed beds so much.

She'd just have to ensure that they got separate rooms or something. She wanted a bed and there was no way she was sharing, especially not with him. Haha. Like hell.

"We'll have to be careful, though. You know that, right?" Niamh asked after a pause. "People will be looking for me. Night is a good time to leave--" It was why she hadn't suggested leaving earlier, why she had been asking about the time so she could make her own estimations. "--because Solisi can't see well in the dark, at least not if we don't have a torch or Incendia with us. But there aren't just Solisi among the Lumenari, Nexus. The Lumenari accepts anyone who will convert and serve their cause. Race, even species, doesn't matter." She frowned a little, a bit nervous. That of course meant that there were some Lumenari among them that had excellent night vision, or even a very good sense of smell.

Indeed, they would need to be careful. Hopefully the fish smell of the town would help with that, at least.

"Not all the time. A mountain takes thousands of years to create, and just as long to destroy. Though, I'd say that's only one example, as everything else can be destroyed too quickly." He didn't feel it as a jab, but merely a truthful retort to what he had said. It was true after all, so he couldn't see it as an attack of sorts.

"Yeah, puppy just doesn't seem to suit me. Cornered wolf maybe?" After all, a cornered wolf might have been a little helpless, until you moved close and it started to attack you. That was just like him, except he didn't even need to be cornered. He just needed to be challenged. Just like she had done.

"So you think you can take me then? That's pretty strong words Niamh." Nexus cracked the joints in his fingers, looking at her with a grin. He only wished he had his strength back right now. Fighting with Niamh might actually be enjoyable to say the least. She had some idea as to what he was capable of, but he had learnt to grapple long before her, and had learnt quite a few dirty tricks to say the least. Most of those tricks he wouldn't actually use on her, as he never wanted to hurt her more. He had done that quite enough.

Nexus knew a way that he could regain his strength instantly. He could simple draw on the darkness, and from Niamh as well. That would regain his strength enough without trancing. Maybe he should do that instead...

"Are you sure? Because I can just pop it out right now you know." He had his teeth bared in a wicked grin as he let one eye spin about in its socket. She was probably right about the dirty part though. Ugh, getting a hair on your eye was bad enough but getting dirt and muck on it? That must be absolutely horrible.

"You're probably right though. It would be such a hassle to clean. I'll leave it in there I think." It would be easier to get it in than it would be to get it out. Why were they on this subject anyways? It had been such an innocent comment and now they were talking about plucking his eye out.

"I'm not gonna beat myself up. I'll leave that to you." He told her innocently as he stuck his tongue out at her. The back and forth banter was quite enjoyable, quite harmless as far as he knew. They were just two friends talking and trying to pass the time. Oh he had a few ways to pass the time, but he had promised of course not to hurt her and to keep his urges as bay. Bah, he'd have to sneak out late at night and find someone to entertain himself.

"Yeah, I can see how warehouses might seem different to you now. Alright, we'll leave tonight for an Inn and get you a nice comfy bed." He told her simply. He wouldn't even need a room, he could always head up on the roof or something rather. If he managed to draw enough power from around him then he wouldn't need to trance tonight. Ugh, that actually sounded like a bad idea.

"I know, we'll be careful. I can smell the Lumenari coming. You've all got a particular scent to you. The weapons you carry, the clothes you wear, they may seem different but the smell is the same." Nexus was very good at spotting the Lumenari. After all, when you spend so much time avoiding them and trying not to get caught, you do a really good job of picking them out.

"We'll be fine. We'll head to an Inn, stay the night, then in the morning we shall head out and move on to a new place." Hopefully it would be that simple. Hopefully it would be as easy as that. He had a sinking feeling though that it wasn't going to be so easy. There was always some complications to a carefully laid out plan. Right now though, he was going to regain a bit more of his strength.

He stood up and looked about for a moment, stretching his arms out. Ah, time to get rid of being all helpless and weak hopefully. He did just as he had instructed her before, focusing on the darkness. The rivers of power that flowed through it. Then...he began to draw on the power, absorbing it. As he did so, the warehouse got bright. After all, with the darkness receding, the light from his vines could travel farther.

"Ah this is good...this is real good." His voice was a whisper as he drew the energy into himself, finally feeling more energetic and alive. They had an abundance of darkness after all, so he could draw on that as much as he wanted. When he was finally done with the darkness, the room slowly dimmed, returning to it's normal state.

"I think I could take you on now."

That was true, she didn't know of anyone that could destroy a mountain, save for time itself. The wolf analogy also seemed to fit him better. "Yeah, I'd say that works just a little better."

Jeez. How on Earth did she get puppy of all things? Her mind worked in mysterious ways sometimes.

"I know, but like I said, I can back it up," Niamh said simply as Nexus cracked his fingers and she watched him cautiously. Er...was he prepping? Because just a second ago he'd said he wanted to do that later, not now, because he was too tired. Not that it mattered because she certainly didn't mind. She had a ton of excess energy and emotions to burn!

Even if she had to admit that she was a bit nervous about the whole thing.

Luckily Nexus moved off of that subject, and even more luckily, he wasn't going top pop an eye out! That...would have been more than just a little disturbing, to say the least, though it was a little amusing that he decided not to go through with it because of the whole cleaning issue. Sheesh. "Good, make sure it stays there, too. Light you're strange..." But she was smiling still, and smugly too when he said he'd leave the beating up to her. "Oh really? Hm. Seemed like you might be into that sort of thing. In any case, I'm glad we're on the same page then," she said with a soft snort. The banter was...different. Unexpected to be sure. But she wasn't complaining. It was either this or being completely miserable, after all, and she was slightly giddy from that juice.

That helped!

Another flat look was given when he mentioned the warehouse bit--all his fault!--but she held her tongue and listened as he spoke, talking about how they would leave and...about how the Lumenari smelled? An eyebrow arched--was she saying they stank?--but all the same she guessed it was a good thing right now. All that really mattered was that they would be getting away from here. She honestly didn't care where they went at this point, as long as it was just...away from the warehouse, away from this city, away from the memories, away from her people. Hopefully everything went smoothly. She couldn't help but worry about what a confrontation with the Lumenari would be like at this point.

Painful, that was certain. They'd want her to come back. She wouldn't be able to. They'd see her with a heathen. Bam. Trouble. And if she saw them, her friends...Goddess, she might start to second guess her decision.

In any case, she didn't know anything about this place, but that was something she did know, and it relaxed her a bit to hear Nexus sound so confident. Weird. "Alright, that's good. I guess I'll let you be the navigator then. I don't really care where we go, as long as it's not...you know...another warehouse." Niamh would not be letting him live that down for a long time. Like, probably never.

As Nexus stood up suddenly, Niamh instantly realized what he was doing. Well, maybe not instantly, but as soon as he held his hands out and the light started to grow brighter, she recognized it. He was doing...well...something. Drawing from the light? The darkness? Something else? She couldn't tell, but she appreciated the extra light, soaked it up, and relaxed even more until...

"What? Are you serious?" she asked with a jerk, having started to lean back against the pillar and close her eyes. But both the dimming room and his sudden announcement snapped her out of her relaxed state.

Erk. She'd been both hoping for and fearing for that. Hoping because she had a lot she wanted to prove, and fearing because...what if she totally blew it? That just wouldn't do, not after everything she'd been saying. But after her initial surprise, she tried not to let that slight hesitation show, and instead just straightened, cracked her knuckles, and started to stretch out her arms. Might as well just get ready, in case he really was serious.

"Really...huh. Well, then, I guess we do have a few hours to kill, eh?" she asked, rotating her shoulders, and then moving on to stretch out her legs. Being immobile, or pretty much immobile, had made her all stiff. "So what're the rules then? Obviously we're not gonna be fighting to kill or seriously injure, and we gotta still be able to walk--and run--when we're done if we ever wanna leave this warehouse, which I do. But other than that, how're we gonna do this? I mean, are we going all out, or are we just grappling, doing the hand-to-hand thing?"

There was a difference between a real fight and a friendly match, after all. While in the former there were no rules, in the latter, she liked to be very clear on all the rules.

Niamh finished stretching out her limbs and just looked at Nexus, her hands on her lower back, which she also popped, limbering up. When she was done, she stood there looking completely at her ease, even if her heart was drumming with anticipation. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but think how insane this all was. Here she was about to have a...somewhat friendly spar with a man that had tormented her. "Well? Whatcha think? It doesn't matter to me, really. I'll get you either way," she said with a grin.

The wolf analogy sat better with him than the puppy one. He wasn't cute enough to get away with puppy. Nexus was just rugged enough to get away with a grizzled old wolf though. That reminded him, he should shave soon. His stubble was starting to get itchy.

"Oh I believe you." He didn't, but he sounded like he did at least. There was grin plastered on his face as he watched her carefully. She did have a lot of spunk to her, and a lot of energy to burn. After all, she had been cooped up and chained to a pillar for a good day or so, and hadn't been able to move far. Oh it would be interesting.

"I know I'm strange, I like being strange. Much better than being normal." He told her with a smile. She was just as strange technically, but he would let her believe that she was normal for the time being. "We make a good pair. You want something to beat up, and I just happen to love pain. Of course, I probably will have to prod and poke back of course." Nexus wasn't sure, but had he just referred to them as a pair? What the hell did that mean anyways? Best to hope that was moved on from.

"I pick one bad location and suddenly I have bad taste in places. Fine, I won't take you away to another warehouse. A grand palace perhaps where the white marble shines and bounces the light everywhich way. On the side of a mountain perhaps overlooking a large valley where we can sit and watch the sun rise and illuminate the entire valley slowly." Actually...that sounded nice. Of course, he wasn't serious about it...much. He might want to find a place like that to stay eventually. it sounded heavenly.

"Why can't I be serious?" He asked her, grinning wickedly at her. He liked the idea of taking her on, head to head...no powers. No ropes. Nothing. Just strength versus strength. Or was it strength versus sheer will and determination? Niamh had a lot to prove to Nexus after all. He had ambushed her twice, captured her twice...She had to prove that she was strong to him, or he would think her a fragile and delicate little flower.

"Indeed, a few hours before the sun goes down. We might as well spend it productivly." She had the right idea at least. He just wanted to step up tot he challenge and show her that he could beat her no matter what. He was the Alpha Wolf after all.

"Let's go with no magic, no intent to kill, and no breaking bones. We should probably just grapple, as I think I might damage you with a few good punches. My...fighting style is very close to boxing for the most part." Though, he had studied pressure points and bodies with Carthax, and he knew some trick spots on the body that would serve very interesting.

"Sound like a plan to you?" He asked, already getting into a good grappling stance. Legs slightly outward with hands at the ready. All he had to do was get the good grip. As long as he could get in close, get a proper grip on her arms, he could throw her centre of gravity off and send her to the floor. Then he could pin her.

"oh, we're going for ten count pin, or do you think you can hold me for a full twenty seconds?"

Niamh couldn't help but smack her forehead and groan. "Oh jeez...you know, now I'm kinda not so sure about this whole beating you up thing. You're not supposed to like it, you know..." she said slowly, eyeing Nexus oddly and rubbing the bridge of her nose. But then she just shook her head. "Ah, anyway, just...don't do anything weird, like..." She made a face. "Like no moaning or anything." Fortunately for Nexus, she completely missed his whole "pair" comment. Oh, she heard it all right, but it didn't really register. The whole "I love pain!" thing distracted her from the completely, and perplexed her a well. Pain usually meant bad things like you were getting injured or mistreating your body or something! Bad things. You weren't supposed to like it, it felt awful!

Oh well...

Niamh pointedly ignored Nexus' little understatement there--one bad location? Yeah, best to let that comment slide, though she did shoot him a slightly annoyed look, frowning at him. However, his sudden bout of poetry was, well, sudden, and the annoyed expression faded out to be replaced by one of surprise. Okay. So one second he was talking about popping out his eye, and now he was using words to paint a rather gorgeous setting that she could actually picture vividly in her head, and even more so because she was dying to go outside again. Watch Mother Sun rise...for some reason, she felt a small pang of pain at that thought, but she pushed it aside. Her mind didn't really want to go there right now, so she just smiled.

"That idea doesn't sound half bad, actually..." she said slowly, blinking. "Better than a warehouse." Though she doubted he actually had access to a palace.

But then it was right back to planning their competition, and she listened a Nexus answered her question. Good, good...she liked that idea. No magic--which she was still getting the hang of, and which would likely freak her out for a long time yet--and no weapons; it would be a fair fight in that case, since she knew she wasn't a match for Nexus when it came to...erm...magic. With a nod, she followed his example and mimicked his stance, taking that as her cue to get ready. "Oh? Heh, I don't know what the heck my fighting style is. I guess it's just called 'whatever-it-takes-to-stay-alive', but I'll make sure to tone it down for you. I don't wanna hurt you."

Cough, cough, yeah right! She had been taught a few good holds that put pressure on the joints and caused quite a bit of pain, without actually breaking any bones, and she'd also learned how to take advantage of certain arteries and muscles in the body. On the same note, Nexus hadn't said she couldn't leave bruises! Just no broken bones or, she was assuming, lasting damage, so she'd make sure to kick him whenever she got the chance; she could just chalk it up as an accident. Yeah. Even if it sounded like Nexus planned on going easy on her, she didn't intend on going easy on him. This was about revenge as much as it was about killing some time, burning some energy, and having a little fun, and she could play dirty, too.

She gave Nexus a considering look. "Yeah, sounds like a plan. And how about we go for ten but I'll try for twenty?" Niamh answered with a cocky smile. She knew that was asking for a bit much, but it never hurt to try anyway. As it was, this was going to be...tricky. Nexus clearly had the advantage in terms of size; he was taller than anyone she'd ever met and she barely reached his shoulder! She was also pretty sure that he had the advantage in terms of strength, as well, so it was indeed going to be a match of strength versus sheer will and determination. That was all right, though. She'd taken on people bigger and stronger than her before--she hadn't always won, but she had held her own at the least.

Even if she couldn't actually beat him, at the very least she wanted to make sure he didn't beat her.

Flashing Nexus a playful grin, still poised and ready, she turned one hand palm up and motioned to him briefly. "Alright then. Ladies first, Nexus. I'm waiting on you."

"Oh well I'm sorry. Let me just change myself completely for you." It wasn't a hurtful spitting comment, but a playful one instead that ended with a fake huff of indignation. "I'll moan if I want to." He told her, flashing that particular grin of his at her. After all, he couldn't be expected to hold such a thing back. When you were in pleasure, you let out a satisfied moan, that's how it worked for him. Pain was pleasure and pleasure was...well pleasure too of course. He knew this was going to be a very interesting time.

"Yeah, I know, I've been to a place like it before. Not in this realm though. No, that was quite a number of years ago though. Maybe some place will exist like it here?" He highly doubted that though, as the amount of marble and rock that had to be carved and used to create it just didn't seem feasible at the time even. Though, he still liked the idea of being able to look out over an entire valley and observe the light slowly creeping across it. That was always beautiful.

"Oh, you're so generous aren't you? I'll make sure not to knock any of your pretty little teeth out." He told her sweetly in return. He was pretty sure that she was going to bite, kick, scream, and punch as much as she could. After all, he had pretty much said 'Hey I feel bad for what I did to you. How about you try to beat the stuffing out of me and we'll try to call it even?' He was just glad she didn't have any sharp objects on her, because he was pretty sure that she would try to carve her name in him as well. He knew it was about revenge and trying to get even with him, but for him it was about trust. He had set her free, and now was trusting her not to kill him.

"Go for twenty but it'll be ten. I'd like to see that." Nexus began to stretch his legs, his arms, twisted around to make sure he was nice and limber at this point. He didn't want her to hurt him after all, and he wanted to be able to relax the muscles in his body in case she did manage to pin him. Slowly his hands came together, his eyes closed, and he took a deep breath.

This was to help him focus, to help drown out all distractions, and for the most part, relax his body and mind for this. He would need absolute control over every digit and appendage in his body. Every muscle, every nerve, every tendon and ligiment would have to respond accordingly. This was a challenge. This was something he wasn't going to lose.

In the back of his mind he heard Niamh saying something, but the actual words were lost on him. When his eyes opened, he seemed a little different. He seemed completely focused and determined. Not a thing showed in his eyes or on his face, no snarling, no talking, no smirking or grinning. He stepped forward to her with his crouched position, coming into range so he could use his hands and arms accordingly. This was grappling and wreslting after all, not beat the living crap out of the person. He was guarding, one hand near his chest, so he could deflect shots either below the belt or above, while his other was on offense.

He was swatting like a bear would as he circled her, testing defences, cheacking to see how her reflexes were. When Nexus fought, he fought to win, even if it was two friends fighting. It must have been odd to see the strange transformation between joking or sadistic Nexus to Fighting Nexus. He kept himself well guarded, toying with her and swatting at her. He wasn't getting close, not until he knew the exact capabilities of her while she fought.

Oh this wasn't going to end well for poor Niamh.

Oh no...

Now she had a feeling she was going to be paranoid of him randomly moaning during this whole thing. Ugh. Which of course would be bad, because it would probably be distracting. Ergh. Well, best not to worry about that. She'd just keep her mind occupied with that lovely, imaginary place he described, instead.

"Good, better not knock any out. I like food too much, and if I couldn't chew I'd be pissed," Niamh told him calmly, smiling just as sweetly back, though she chuckled a little. He didn't think she could make it to twenty. Granted, she probably couldn't...but being told she couldn't do something only made her want to do it more.

"You wanna see that? Then I'll show you..." Niamh said softly, falling quiet as Nexus began to stretch and do his thing, and she waited patiently. While Nexus got "in the zone", she took the opportunity to work on evening out her breathing and focus on staying relaxed--but not so relaxed that her reflexes would be off, just relaxed enough that she wouldn't tire out any muscles before she actually used them. That was all very important, and now that it was finally on, she was really starting to take this seriously. After all, she did want to win, and she knew that even if he was taller and stronger, the thing that mattered the most in the end was how well one could maneuver and make use of the opportunities presented. Strength wasn't everything here, it was also about leverage and pacing. Even a smaller person could pin a larger, stronger one if they applied proper technique.

Finally Nexus began to move, the change in him clearly evident and...almost a little disconcerting. But Niamh pushed the thought from her mind, only noting that he seemed just as into this as she was. She took a few quick steps backwards, keeping an even distance between them, conscious of his longer reach--that would also be tricky--and she carefully guarded against his swats, not yet going on the offensive, simply guarding, watching, and carefully circling. Crap, crap, what to do...she had to admit, it was a little intimidating facing someone that towered over her, someone who had once kept her prisoner, but...

But nothing!

He seemed so cautious, careful...the real battle didn't start until they were on the floor, and she might be able to take advantage of his current pace. He might be expecting her to be cautious, too, maybe even nervous...but whatever the case may be, she had to be careful or this would be over before it began if he happened to get a good throw in.

That was it, she had to make the first move. If she could knock him off balance first, she might gain the advantage, because if he did that to her first--that wouldn't be fun. She'd learned to rely more on speed, at least in the beginning.

Closing in and swatting experimentally, both testing him as he'd tested her and trying to divert his attention to her hands, she suddenly ducked low and lunged for his legs, hoping to go under his arms so she could wrap her own arms tightly around his thighs. She was shorter, and attacking from the top would only put him in a position ideal for overpowering her, so the trick would be to aim low, which was also a gamble, because it also put her below him. It was a longshot either way, but she was banking on taking him off guard and throwing his balance off.

Hopefully he didn't expect her to be the type to make the first move, especially not a risky one like that.

Not that it mattered much. Once she got him on the ground, she really did plan on beating him up good--hey, he told her to, after all! Too bad she didn't have anything sharp on her. Hmm...maybe nails counted? Bah, too bad she kept them so short she couldn't even scratch.

"I probably wouldn't be able to understand whatever your saying if I took out all your teeth...or is that tongue. Bah, I guess I couldn't break your tongue. Hrm, oh well." He was smiling though right back at her. This banter was very refreshing, he actually enjoyed it. He'd have to see if he couldn't goad her into more banter later.

He was glad at least that she was taking this just as serious as he was. He didn't want to be fighting an opponent who was taking this as a joke. After all, this was a show of power, and a show of will. This was probably going to define their relationship from here on out. Nexus wondered how things would go if he won. Would she beleive he was too strong and would overpower her easily? Would it be opposite? There was too much to think about at this point, and he simply pushed these thoughts from his mind. This was about right here and right now. Damn the future and damn whatever consequences.

This was good. She was defending all his swats. She was showing him all about her. One eye was carefully watching her upper torso, while the other was looking to her lower torso. He was watching how she moved, how her muscles worked when she dodged and when she blocked his swats. This was perfect, he couldn't have asked for more. If there was one thing he knew, you could learn almost everything from a person when you fought them. Almost. This was more than he could have ever asked for.

He knew just what he was getting into, and knew just how to go about this. It was going to be interesting to see how she did this.

Focus.

Nexus could tell what she was thinking though. She was small, probably had some speed to her. Nexus had been running all his life though, so he could be just as fast, despite his large size. When she moved in and started swatting, he grinned ever so slightly, showing off just a few teeth as he defended against them carefully.

However, he was watching. He was watching very carefully and had a full view of her. She was good but he expected her to go for his legs. That wasn't his weak spot however. It was good though that she tried, as it was a logical spot to go. Both hands went down to her arms, gripping her around the forearms before she could even make it to his legs.

Was he being nice? Oh yes. Why? Because he hauled her upwards a little, trying to get her into a grapple. He wasn't letting go of his iron grip though. Oh no, he was going to keep this up and lure her into a top heavy grapple. That would allow him to pretty much bring her down nice and easy.

There...was something though. He was afraid. She might not have thought of this, but he had a weak spot that she probably could reach. He was pretty sure he had told her about it at some point, or for that matter....shown it. Oh he knew that he had showed her it. His neck. That was the weakest spot on him. Most people never got the connection that being hung for three days might make you sensitive to people touching your neck. In his case...it made him freeze up and stop completely.

Ugh. He actually got a shiver just thinking about that though. No. Had to stay focused on all of this. If he lost this, things would go badly.

Crap! Niamh hissed a curse under her breath when she felt Nexus' hands go around her forearms before she could even make it to his legs, and she grunted as she was hauled up. If Nexus was grinning, Niamh was gritting her teeth because this was taking all of her strength at this point.

The hardest part was always getting the other person to the ground without getting pinned yourself...but if she could manage that, and if she could be the first to assume a dominant position, she was fairly good at keeping it, her size and slight build letting her scramble around quickly and escape through unguarded gaps. And when it came to the actual pinning itself, she relied more on a joint lock of some sort, of causing her opponent pain, than she did on using her actual weight to keep someone down.

Then again, it also depended on how evenly matched size-wise she was to her opponent.

Acting fast, in the next instant Niamh was twisting her arms around in Nexus' grip to try and get them into a position where she could get a hold on him, her breathing still oddly relaxed and even in a practiced, focused sort of way, so as to keep from getting winded--though the thin layer of sweat beading on her brow showed that she probably wasn't quite as relaxed on the inside as her body was now. She knew what he was trying to do, though. Nexus was trying to pull her up, to use his height to his advantage and throw her off balance that way, but she knew better. Instead of falling for it, she kept her head down and threw her weight forward, wanting to keep low and balanced. Because if there was one thing that was certain, it was that it was her legs that were the strongest part of her body. Even if Nexus tried to take her down while she was bent low, she could brace herself with her legs and try to flip him instead.

On the flip side, even while her arms were strong from weilding her staff, they were still lacking, and that was the problem now. Nexus had an iron grip on them, and even though she was trying to stay low and push forward, she couldn't with the hold he now had, at least not if she didn't want to wear herself out this early on from straining against him. Kicking his legs out from under him wasn't an option from this position, either; she was leaning too far to get a good kick in, and she didn't dare lift a foot from the ground now anyway because that would make her vulnerable. Or more vulnerable.

Gah...maybe she would have to take the bait after all. She might be able to twist around well enough to be able to get an arm around his head or neck. He was crouched down, too, after all; it wouldn't be difficult to reach. And she knew how to apply choke and strangle holds; which she ended up using, well, that would all depend on what sort of grip and angle she could get on him.

And then, something happened as she worked to stay balanced and locked in that grapple.

Nexus shivered.

Close as she was, his hands on her, she could feel it.

Niamh didn't know what caused it, but it might mean he was distracted, maybe intimidated? Yeah right. Whatever the case, she was going to waste no time in exploiting it.

A new strategy in mind, she drew a deep breath and lunged up and forward suddenly, using that quick motion as the leverage she needed to thrust her arms forward, as well, trying to break his hold on her. She grappled for his head, or more likely, his neck, hoping to be able to hook an arm around him. If she could do that, she might also be able to use his own trick against him; it could be pretty easy to pull someone down if you had a good hold on their head or neck. Even better if you were cutting off air or blood. That could take them down within eight seconds if they didn't break the hold.

Nexus wasn't the only one thinking about how important this little battle was. Of course, Niamh didn't know it was important for Nexus, too--she just knew this would be a defining moment for her, her one chance to prove she was strong after having been rendered so weak, and dammit if she didn't make up for what she lacked in brute strength in sheer willpower!

Hah hah, this was good wasn't it? She wasn't expecting him to be fast like this, or at least this strong. It was good, she couldn't possibly knock him over while he was balanced like this.

Nexus knew the ins and outs of doing all this. He had to be careful to get her into a pin that wouldn't make it so she could reverse it and pin him. He knew a perfect hold, one that went arm bending and putting a knee firmly in her spine. All he had to do was keep her pinned on the ground for twenty seconds! How hard would that be?

She was twisting good wasn't she? This was rather interesting, but he kept his grip to stop her from getting out of it. He could see a layer of sweat on her, and that was good. She was at least tiring somewhat, which meant that if they grappled too long then he would be able to overpower her eventually. He was planning something evil though, he just had to wait for the right moment in order to do this. He figured...if he got low enough, he could do what she just tried. However, he was heavier, and could pin her easily.

With every push that she tried against him, he made sure he simply braced against it. He didn't want to push her and hurt her. He was being nice actually. Funny. The one time he was truly being nice was when they were fighting. Well. When they had been talking for the most part he was being nice as well...but still. He could have easily pinned her, broken some limbs, and had her unconscious from a simple move that Carthax had called 'The Brain Shaker.' But no, he was being good about this. He wanted her to unleash her full potential upon him.

He knew the shiver had been very bad thing, and he wished he hadn't thought of it. Sigh.

Something was wrong. He felt something, an arm around his neck. His eyes went wide open. Memories flooded into his mind at that moment. Every scar on his body was alive at that moment, on fire almost. The ones on his chest, his neck, his face, his legs, arms, everywhere. There was a sort of strangled choke from Nexus as he fell to his knees from the force around his neck.

He was gasping for air though, and felt as if the world was tightening against him. It felt just like a noose, even if it wasn't that tight. He couldn't breathe. Tears formed at the corner of his eyes, which were spinning around in his sockets.

So many memories. He couldn't stop them. Niamh had inadvertently found his weak spot, and with it she had turned the tide of battle completely. Right now he was lost in his own mind, lost in that one bad time.

"S-stop!" He wasn't sure if he was talking to the Drow woman or Niamh at this point. All he knew is that he wanted whatever was holding his neck to let go. Though, this was the perfect time for Niamh to get him into a hold while he was distracted. If only she would let go of his damn neck, he wouldn't be upset about losing.

He'd be happy that he wasn't back with the Drow woman, hanging on that tree with a painful noose cutting his skin and healing him at the same time.

Niamh hadn't really expected that to work, or at least not to work so well. She broke through his defenses and her left arm hooked around his neck while she quickly anchored the hold by holding onto that wrist with her other hand, her body turning slightly to adjust to the new position. But that wasn't the only thing that was unexpected. That was minor compared to what happened next.

What the...? Her grip was firm though she hadn't even started to apply much pressure yet, but Nexus had frozen up and...made it sound like she was actually choking him, even falling to his knees. For a moment Niamh was still, a very bad move to make though thankfully Nexus didn't seem to be in a position to do anything about it, but then she quickly snapped out of it and focused on the moment.

Had...she just found his weak spot?

Or maybe he was just messing with her to try and lure her into a false sense of security, get her to make a bad move?

Er...right, that seemed highly unlikely. Especially as he was gasping for air, motionless, his eyes wide and rolling.

He was panicking.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Niamh felt a little bad. The guy was panicking, or at least as much as she'd ever seen Nexus panic, and he was actually telling her to stop, his eyes looking oddly moist to her. Was he crying? Ah, whatever! He wasn't fighting back. He was completely helpless, and she wasn't even doing anything! Vaguely, she remembered him showing her that scar of his, the one from when he was apparently hanged by that weird noose, and her mind was able to make that connection then. It seriously scared him...maybe it even brought back some unpleasant memories. But for now, that didn't matter. She didn't stop. She had found his weak point, just as he had found so many of hers in the past, and he was telling her to stop, just as she had told him to stop.

And she wasn't going to stop, either. Not yet at least. No, she planned on exploiting that weak spot just as he had done with hers--wasn't like she was hurting him, he could do with a brief lesson in just what it felt like to feel completely helpless, at someone else's mercy! After all, that was what this was all about for her. This was more of a victory than what she could have ever asked for. She didn't care if she got to pound the stuffing out of him anymore--what mattered the most was that he felt just as she had felt a day ago.

If she got to draw any blood or give out any bruises during this, though, well, that was just an added bonus.

Niamh didn't say a word. Instead, she just tightened her grip on him briefly, partly just because she didn't think it would hurt to freak him out a little more and partly because she just had to in order to make sure this worked. That done, she wasted no time in swiftly adjusting her stance for balance and using her hold on his neck to forcefully yank him down and forward. Only then did she release him, and that was only so she could pounce onto his back, taking full advantage of his moment of weakness. She was quick to pin his arms beneath her knees, right over the backs of his elbows to lock him in place, as she sat crouched over the higher part of his back with her hands planted between his shoulder blades.

And then she began to calmly count, still in her own little concentrated zone. "One...two..." She would make it to twenty, but ten wouldn't hurt. She'd go for ten first.

Hah! Take that, Nexus. Niamh was sure of her victory at this point.

((Hope this works as a reverse for her attack))

If he had been smart, he would have guarded his upper half better. He never should have let her slip through his defences like he had. He should have crushed her when he had the chance. Now here was, memories of a very bad time going through his mind, the feeling that he was dying again, and being completely weak. Nexus knew what it felt like to be weak. That's why he had become a sadist, so he wouldn't feel that way again. She had done it though. She had made him feel weak.

He was...almost glad she didn't listen to him ask for her to stop. The first rule of fighting was no mercy. Ever. More so in this case. However, he felt the pressure around his neck disappear, and he could breathe again. Of course, he had no time to stop himself from hitting the ground flat on his stomach. Erk. That could have been bad, luckily he braced his neck and made sure his face didn't smash painfully into the ground.

His arms were pinned beneath her knees. Somewhat. She was light, this was ridiculous. How could she even believe that this would stop his arms? She SHOULD have used her knees to press his arms into his side, but instead, she simply sat her knees on them. First mistake. The second mistake was letting go of his neck. She was pinning his shoulder blades as well. That was fine. She should have exerted a full force onto the top of his shoulders, in order to grind them into the ground.

This was very reminsicent of a fight he had once gotten into. How was he going to get out of this? Exert full strength and weight of course. He heard her counting. Heh. Good try. His toes went straight, pressing into the ground. He had to do this just right.

That's when he struck. Using the full force of his arms he brought them spread eagled, right from under her knees. All he had to do was go fast and swing them like clubs and they were free. However he followed through with his movement, his arms swinging up to grab her wrists. Thank god he had limbered up or this might not have worked as he planned it.

With a firm grip on her wrist he pulled her forward. This was an jerky quick movement that would bring her to tumble over him and land on her back. With his feet having been properly put into place he began to move, twisting himself around her and swinging a leg over torso,

From there it was easy, no doubt having the wind knocked out of her from being toppled. He sat on her. Plain and simple. His knees were digging into her side, while his feet were pressing against her own legs to stop them from moving too much. He was sitting more on her thighs, this was to stop her legs from pushing her body upwards and bucking him off. He had his hands still on her arms on her upper forearms at this point putting pressure on them as he pressed her into the ground.

Nexus had this strange look on his face though. It wasn't anger though. It was...pride. For a very good reason too. Niamh had managed to take advantage of his weak spot, and use it to her advantage. However, her poor execution of pinning him had been her down fall.

"One one thousand. Two one thousand. Three one thousand." He was exerting all his weight, trying to evenly distribute it on her body to keep her pinned beneath his frame. He also didn't want those hands of hers getting near his neck. Would she be able to break the pin however? Perhaps. He would like to see her at least squirm and struggle. Ah. He did like it when she squirmed.

[I'd say it does! XD Hope this works too, ahaha!]

She knew she should have gone with a joint lock, instead of being nice and just pinning him. It couldn't have been that easy.

Damn...

Niamh only had time to widen her eyes and gasp before, suddenly, his hands were on her wrists and she was tumbling head over heels to land hard on her back, the air leaving her lungs in a loud "Oof!". For a moment she was winded and dazed, and of course a moment was all it took to turn the tides, and that's what happened here, because before she could twist around to lock her legs or arms around him, he had pinned her, his full weight on her thighs, knees pressed to her sides, feet against her legs, and arms held flat. Crap! She stared up at his face for a second, still getting her bearings, and was surprised to see the expression he wore.

One thing was for certain, it wasn't anger.

But she'd just have to wonder about that later. Because right now, she was kind of pinned and the battle was far from over as far as she was concerned. She just didn't give up that easily.

Her first instinct, of course, was to buck upwards to try and throw him, but with the way he was positioned, that wouldn't work and would only be a wasted effort, and to try and free her arms would be useless, too. No, there was no point in struggling yet. She just had to keep calm, quickly assess the situation, and use what was available.

Which happened to be her legs. She might be pinned, he might be heavier and stronger, but if she executed this right, she could throw him off balance; a lot of this was about balance, too, after all, so it wasn't over yet. His weight was on her hips and thighs, and his shins and feet were along her legs. Perfect. She hoped. Poor Nexus, though. He wouldn't get much squirming out of her yet; she was determined to keep her head and stay calm, and, well...until she was horribly losing and there was no way out, that was generally when she started to struggle like mad, because that was when she was out of options.

Besides, she knew how bad this probably looked right now. No way she was going to squirm!

As Nexus started to count, Niamh started to act, and act fast because she was running out of time. But instead of trying to draw her legs up, which wouldn't have worked as they were held flat to the ground, she quickly threw her legs open instead, as hard as she could, relying on the strength she possessed there in order to create some space between she and Nexus. Besides, the action would also abruptly push Nexus' legs apart which she hoped would throw off his center of gravity and maybe make him jerk forward a little. Even if it only tripped him up for a second, that was all the time she required; every little second was valuable.

Not pausing once in her actions, she used the widened stance of her legs for much needed leverage and began to twist sharply beneath him, rolling onto her side. It was awkward and a bit painful, considering his grip on her forearms because that only put more stress on her shoulders, but it still put her in a good postion to push up from her side in a desperate attempt to dislodge him. That was the part that took brute strength, trying to throw him off, and she was indeed struggling a bit now, her breathing becoming a bit sharper.

Hopefully that would jolt him enough to get him to ease up his hold on her arms--because the second he did, and she would wrench them free and commence the punching and neck grabbing.

Nope, she wasn't done yet.

((Whew, I hope you understand this somewhat. Yeh might have to really picture it in your mind xD))

He did wonder idly why she hadn't done any lockings or proper pinning techniques but for now, that didn't matter.

He had caught her off guard thankfully. Everything went exactly as he wanted it to. She didn't seem to take control of him by using his weak spot, and so he had been able to free himself. The wind had been knocked from Niamh, and as well she was dazed for a moment. That's all that was needed really. This was perhaps an unorthodox way of pinning people but...there weren't really rules to pinning now was there? Something about keeping a person from moving or reversing the pin within the time limit. All he had to do was make it to twenty.

He noted that she didn't struggle. She seemed to be assessing the situation properly. Just as one should do when pinned and having such a long time to think about it. After he had started counting, he figured that was it. Of course, it wasn't. That was never the end when it came to Niamh now did it? She was a fighter, and she would try to figure a way out of this.

He noted what she was trying to do with her legs. Every time they opened he allowed it, and when her legs moved back inwards he simply moved with them. She could try all she wanted to move his centre of gravity, but the more his legs moved outwards, the lower his centre became really. She was helping him to stay pinned.

However, he didn't really expect her to twist sharply beneath him. He had to push upwards with his knees to accommodate her shifted movement. He did something though that was probably cruel. A hand moved upwards to her shoulder and pushed her forward onto her stomach. With the way she had rolled, she would have effectively trapped one of her own arms underneath her body. This made it easier for him.

He had both legs wrapped around her left leg, effectively snaring it in a strange almost vice lock. One arm grabbed her free arm, bringing it behind her back and pinning it in a painful position, one where she could no doubt almost touch the back of her neck with her fingers. His other arm had looped under her leg and was holding it upwards. All in all, she would be bending like an archer bent a bow.

"One one thousand. Two One thousand. Three one thousand. Four one thousand." Oh this was too sweet. He just had to keep her stomach pressed against her own arm, and keep a proper grip on her. Nexus might have been a little cruel, as he kept pulling her leg up or giving a short jerky pull of her arm, just to cause a bit of pain and discomfort.

[Ouchie! Pictured that perfectly, indeed!]

Niamh couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated when, instead of disturbing his balance, Nexus simply moved with her, but then...she also had to remember that she was fighting with someone who was a thousand or so years older than her, whereas she had only been doing this for about five years, and only one of those years included actual training. Ergh...no matter, she wasn't going to let that phase her! If this was a life or death situation and not just something she was doing for fun or ego boosting, she couldn't let things like that intimidate her. No matter, he had shifted when she started to twist, giving her more space to work with, and when he let go of one of her arms, she latched onto that opportunity and started to--

...Topple over.

Something between a grunt and a groan left her as she suddenly found herself pressed flat onto her stomach, cheek pressed against the ground and her arm trapped beneath her, but before she could use that arm to try and push upwards, or rock her body enough to get her knees under her in a somewhat stable position--anything was better than being pressed flat to the ground; that was always hard to come out of--Nexus had wrapped his legs around her left leg, cutting off that option completely. But what was worse was when he wrenched her free arm up behind her back and also brought her free leg up, as well.

For a moment after being pinned, Niamh was still again, once again trying to find a way out, but truth be told, this was a type of pin she'd never had to deal with before, and she didn't know how the heck you would even begin to get out of it. There had to be a way; there was a way to get out of almost anything, after all, if you just looked for it. But she couldn't move her legs, one leg locked in a vice-like grip and the other held at an awkward angle, and her one arm was aching, her shoulder burning, as it was pulled back in a way it wasn't really meant to bend! The only other real option was her other arm--which was stuck under her own body. Still, nonetheless, after a moment she began to struggle, to try and wiggle her body enough to tilt it one way or the other--if she could just lift up even a centimeter, it might be enough to pull her arm free--but it wasn't working so well. As it was, it was difficult to breathe with her arm jammed firmly into her gut, otherwise she would have tried sucking in her stomach to free up her arm. And as Nexus began to put even more pressure on her already strained limbs...

Well, needless to say, she wasn't like Nexus. She didn't like pain. If she liked pain, this might have all been just fine and dandy, but she didn't and she tried to avoid it when she could. Yeah. If Niamh ever said that didn't hurt like hell, she would have been telling a dirty, nasty lie. In addition to the pressure he was already putting on her joints, every time she moved it only increased that pressure that much more. Now, her struggling was working against her rather than to her advantage.

Niamh was cursing beneath her breath, obviously a bit winded from the pressure against her stomach, as he counted, but she was cursing more so because she was losing and...well, also because it was uncomfortable. She tried to push back against his arm with her bent leg, but the tensing of muscles only made it ache more, and she made a soft sound of pain in the back of her throat and clenched her jaw in irritation. Dammit...! Still, stuck as she was, and painful as it was, she kept struggling through it all. Light, even if she was going to lose, she wasn't going to just lay there and wait for the count to reach twenty. Even if she lost, she wasn't the type to just submit.

...Actually, on second thought, that would just be stupid. Keeping her muscles tensed and locked would only increase the risk of injury, and hurt pride healed a little faster than torn muscles--because it meant she could just try again in the future! With a huff, Niamh slowly relaxed, and though her muscles didn't sting as much, her ego was defiitely wounded.

Dammit.

((Poor Niamh lost to Nexus. That's gotta hurt the pride more!))

His plan had been brilliant. Though he hadn't had much use for this certain pin, as it really didn't come up all that much in a regular battle, it still had been useful apparently! It was also good he could think on the fly like this. Ah, it was quite fun wasn't it?

He knew she would try to find a way out of this, but the pressure and locks he had put on her appendages would most certainly stop her from doing much. This had gone much bette than he had expected actually. He could let go of her leg and brought a knee firmly into her spine, but he decided against that idea. He just wanted to keep her pinned against the ground after all, not disable her for life. WHere would be the fun in that? He blinked his thoughts away as she started to squirm and struggle against him. He kept his weight forward, keeping her own body pinned against her arm. This was truly a good pin, he would have to use it more often!

He slowly let her arm relax, instead of pulling it from her shoulder and dislocating it. He wanted her to be sore, but not broken. They had agreed upon that. However he kept it bent at a good ankle so it would still have pressure and pain on it.

"Nine one thousand. Ten one thousand. Eleven one thousand." This was the point of no return. Nexus had gone past ten, affirming that he would count to twenty. However, her fight and struggle seemed to have left the girl, she seemed to be stopping and tensing her muscles less.

"Sixteen one thousand. Seventeen one thousand. Eighteen one thousand." The count was close, and he could swear that he felt her muscles relax under his grip. This was...this was good wasn't it?

"Twenty one thousand." Then, he let go of her. He let go of her arm, and both her legs, taking to a more straddling position on her, his arms acrossed over his chest smugly.

"You fought very well Niamh." It was the truth too. slowly hauling himself up to his feet he reached down, grabbing her by the waist and picking her up to her feet.

"You almost had me too..." He trailed off at that point, reaching up his neck to adjust his shirt around the scar, and to rube it carefully. She knew his weak spot. He figured that he would have to try and get over his irrational fear of being hung again if he ever wanted to beat her in a fight. Either that  or he could cheat...

[It's hurty and needs bandaids!]

It was really weird. Right now, Niamh was clearly in a vulnerable position, her muscles were burning, and it was Nexus, a guy that had once scared the living daylights out of her and who had scarred her back, that was doing this to her. And yet...she wasn't afraid. With the way he had her, he could have popped a shoulder out of its socket, snapped an arm, dislocated a hip, broken her spine...any number of things, really, and yet whether she knew it or not, she actually trusted that he wasn't going to do any of that. It was just like she was sparring with anyone else, whether it be a friend from back home or a member of the Lumenari. This was different from an actual fight in which you actually tried to inflict real, lasting damage--there was trust involved on both ends.

Niamh hadn't taken advantage of Nexus' crippling weakness to try and hurt him, and he wasn't doing anything weird to her now. It was true--aside from the obvious reasons they were doing this, this would likely define their relationship from here on out, and in a good way at that. At least on Niamh's end.

Didn't mean she still wouldn't try to beat him, though.

Niamh was glad when Nexus began to ease up on her arm a bit, taking some of the pressure off her shoulder. It still hurt, was still uncomfortable, but it no longer felt like it was about to be ripped free. And from there on, she could only wait, wincing but holding her tongue, and trying not to tense up again. She heard him reach ten, and a low sigh escaped her when he went on to eleven. He was going to go the full twenty. And she wasn't going to complain or ask him to hurry up or to get off because she was done. No, she'd wait. This was just how it went, and even though she'd stopped fighting, she hadn't submitted. Nah, giving up and submitting just wasn't something she did. There was a difference between relaxing and letting someone win to keep from getting injured and because you knew you were beat and giving up.

Giving up implied she wouldn't try again, or that she viewed herself as lesser and Nexus as superior to her. And that just wasn't her style.

This just sucked...because after all her talk, she hadn't gotten to follow through with it.

Finally Nexus reached twenty and let go, and Niamh exhaled loudly and let her freed limbs just flop to the ground bonelessly. "Ow..." was all she said, unable to move for the  moment--not just because she was sore, but because Nexus had taken to straddling her now. But that was preferable to being pinned in a way that made her feel like her joints were going to pop out. That wouldn't be very fun. Nah, for the time being she was perfectly content with just laying there on the floor, catching her breath and not really all that keen on moving and discovering how sore she was now.

Turning her head a little, she glanced back at him out of the corner of her eyes...and then scowled. Well didn't he just look pleased with himself? He looked like one of those stereotypical hunters posing atop the giant wildcat he had just slaughtered.

"Yeah, yeah..." she muttered tiredly as he finally stood up off her, her voice not hiding a thing. She was disappointed in herself. She had had him. When she pinned him, she should have placed her hands on his neck, since that seemed to cripple him, but instead she hadn't, and she wasn't quite sure why. Well...maybe she knew. It was because he had been helpless, and like she said, she didn't like kicking puppies. If she was going to beat him, she wanted to beat him using her own strength and technique, not just because of some weird fluke. Had it been life or death, that would have been different of course. But dammit if she wasn't the honorable type when it came to sparring. Either that, or she was just too proud to win just because of something like that. She wanted to win honestly, with the knowledge that she had done her best and he had done his best.

She should probably quit that. Because at least then she would have had bragging rights now.

Next time...

Nexus's hands were around her waist suddenly, and she blinked and gave a slight start when he picked her up and set her back on her feet, wobbling a little afterwards because her one leg felt about as stable as if it were made of water. Wincing, she reached a hand up to rub at her shoulder, rotating it a bit to work out the ache. And then she looked up at Nexus. "Yeah, I did. Almost..." She trailed off, frowning and not really looking at him. Truth be told, she felt stupid for running her mouth so much and then not being able to deliver.

That passed quickly enough, though. Her pride had a large dent in it, there was no doubt about it, but it wasn't shattered. Niamh had way too much of it--she had some to spare. She looked back up at him, her hand resting on her shoulder, and offered up a tired, sore, and yet...satisfied grin. It hadn't had the desired results, but she'd had fun at least. "So yeah, you better watch out, I learned some things about you, and next time it won't play easy. I will get you. Just to warn you." And she would remember about his neck. And she would use that. She hadn't given up, and she certainly wasn't acting like an Omega wolf cowering to the Alpha.

No mercy in battle, right?

((Ahhh No bandaids for you!))

That was the thing that surprised her the most. She didn't squirm. She didn't move. She didn't freak out. Here he was, pinned her and had her in a rather odd position. Yet, she was calm. That was the key in a fight. Stay calm, stay in control, even if you're being pinned. If you lose your head in a battle, you lose yourself. Nexus had thoughts of things he COULD do, things he might have wanted to do because she touched his neck so but...he stopped himself. Oh how he stopped himself. To him, it was two friends sparring, nothing more. Even despite what she had done, he had kept himself in control. He was proud of her because of this. Very proud.

He still didn't understand why she didn't take advantage of his crippling weakness when she had the change. It was the perfect oppurtunity at that! She could have just held his neck like she had and pinned him. However...she hadn't.

She wasn't submitting when he held her ther ethough. She was just relaxing. After all, something he learnt from her is that she never submits. Ever. This was good for him. He liked a challenge of course but...was he trying to break her? He really didn't know. He didn't think he was trying to anyways.

Ah she looked like a ragdoll when he had let go. It was kind of...well, funny. He kept a mostly straight face at that, just because he didn't want to hurt her feelings after all. He did have a pleased looked though while he had straddled her. He couldn't help that after all. She had talked so big, and now he had beaten her, even while she had tried to beat him. That wasn't a big problem though. It was just a weird bit of luck he had. Now that she knew his weak spot, she wouldn't make the same mistake. No, he knew this much about her. He had won, and now the next time was going to be a matter of true pride and showing him up.

"Just walk off the soreness. It'll go away." He told her as he noted that she wobbled. Her leg must have ached rather badly. He hadn't been gentle after all. He had been a little bit rough he would admit but he didn't mind. He was pretty sure that she minded though. Ah well, he couldn't go back in time and change that particular thing though.

A grin spread across his face though as she spoke and he winked at her in return. He didn't need the warning really. He knew exactly that she was going to beat him next time. He probably wasn't going to like next time all that much, but Niamh would enjoy it immensely probably.

"I think you'll win quite easily. You know my weakness after all, I don't believe I stand much a chance after this. The real challenge will be to win without exploiting that weakness." That's all there was to it. He had issued a challenge for the future. Winning by weakness was easy, but winning with strength was a real hard challenge.

His eyes travelled to loook just towards the door, to see what time it was. Their fight...hadn't been too long had it? The sun was already going toward the horizon. Nah. That couldn't have been. Well...perhaps, it was getting there at least.

His eyes focused back on her, smiling lightly now. She was quite the interesting girl. A moment ago, drowning herself in alcohol, and now she was simply wrestling and joking with him.

"So poppet, what would you like to do now?" He asked her as he slowly settled himself onto the ground into a comfortable sitting position. His legs stretched out in front of of him while his hands were behind him, fingers splayed out on the ground to support him.

"We have maybe an hour and a half until we can leave, find an Inn. Maybe I can even get a bath in." He wasn't too dirty, it had only been a day since he bathed after all but still. He did like to feel clean to some degree. Not like how he cleaned Niamh either, but actually clean.

"I'd rather not grapple again if that's okay with you, I've had enough fighting for today. I'm sure you have too." It was a simple comment, idle, trying not to bring up any bad memories for her from what had happened today, just a simple comment really.

[But bandaids make boo-boos all better.]

With a nod at Nexus' suggestion and knowing it was the best thing to do, Niamh wiped the drying sweat off her brow and began to slowly walk in a wide circle around the warehouse--though she stuck to the lighted areas. At first, she limped as she walked, but it did gradually begin to wear off as she went. Which was a good sign. She hadn't pulled a muscle or anything, just got a little...roughed up.

Yet again.

Man, that had been happening a lot lately, but this time she hadn't minded it. Sure, being sore afterwards was never fun and the outcome hadn't exactly been ideal, but hopefully she'd been able to prove herself to him just a little. She'd kept her cool, after all, and that was something she was proud of--but she also supposed the difference here was that they had agreed not to mutilate each other and she knew she would be released after twenty seconds.

She did have to stop, though, when Nexus said that she'd win next time, and at first she thought he was just pulling her leg--figuratively speaking this time--or trying to make her feel better, but what he said about weaknesses and strengths...well, those had been her exact thoughts. Maybe he was serious, because it was kind of true. It wasn't hard to reach out and grab someone's neck in a grappling match, though it was often hard to hold on. But with Nexus' weakness, that wouldn't even be an issue--it hadn't taken hardly any effort on her part at all.

"That's...actually why I didn't win this time, I think," Niamh muttered, making her way back over to Nexus, her leg a bit stiff still but otherwise all right. "I'm not being sore, either, I'm serious. Just so you know. I mean, I told you I don't like kicking puppies. If I'm gonna win a match like this, I wanna do it knowing we both gave our all...you know? Not just because of some fluke. Light, I know it probably makes no sense, but if I'm gonna brag, I wanna have something to brag about, I guess." She gave a small shrug and a slight smile. It seemed like they were on the same page here, at least.

And she had accepted his challenge, even if he hadn't actually vocally issued it and she hadn't vocally accepted it.

Finally done walking and for once actually wanting to sit down--she had successfully burned off all that pent up, nervous energy for the time being--Niamh lowered herself down to the ground carefully before letting herself sprawl out on her back, folding her hands atop her stomach which rose and fell slowly with her calm, even breaths. She turned her head a little to look at Nexus when he spoke, asking what she wanted to do, and there was that nickname again. Still she didn't complain. She just started to think on that question--or at least, she started to think up some suggestions. Honestly, right now she was perfectly content with just laying here lazily for a while, but at the same time she didn't want to leave the suggesting up to him.

Just in case.

"An hour and a half, huh?" Niamh said, glancing around to look toward the door as well. She was still trying to figure out how to do that trick of his (since she didn't know the true reason!) but this time she could kind of see it. The light beneath the door had grown dimmer, and for once in her life, Niamh was actually glad that it would be dark soon. Because that would mean getting out of here, and getting certain things over and done with. Really, it was the anticipation that was always the worst, and Niamh was worried that they would end up running into one of her own people. After all, she had the worst luck, even if it had been a bit better lately.

"Good, the time should go by pretty quickly then. Heh, I can't wait to sleep in a real bed...last time I did was when I first, er...met you." She arched an eyebrow knowingly at him, then reached back behind her for that little pillow before sticking it under her head, shutting her eyes. "Wouldn't hurt to get clean again. Dunno about you, but I'm making time for that. I've missed those, too...real baths in warm water instead of in a cold stream. Gah, those are awful," she said with a chuckle and a shiver.

After all, even with how he'd cleaned her, he had really just rinsed her off, he hadn't even gotten her hair, and she'd gotten kind of sweaty since then. Yeah, a quick rinse was way different from getting all scrubbed up with soap, not to mention a nice, long soak would be good for her muscles and bruises. Light, she was looking forward to that.

"As for what I wanna do, no worries. I didn't plan on asking to grapple again. Well, not yet. I'm kinda all comfy now and I've had my fill for now." Besides, her ego was still hurt, and she didn't want to injure it any more so soon.

Nah...she'd just vent here and there in "subtle" ways until she was ready for another match.

"Hm...well, Nexus, I dunno about you, but I could probably get in a nap at this point, and we should probably be at our best when we go to leave, just in case...something happens. I'm kinda nervous..." she admitted, rolling onto her side so she could see him better.

((Hows about Nexus kisses it better? XD))

At least she listened to him some of the time. His eyes followed her around the room as she walked, obviously staying in the light. That would probably help her recover faster. Hm, that might have been another point for him to add. Despite her being a Heathen now, the sun still seemed to soothe her and help her heal quicker. If Mother Sun was real and considered Niamh a heathen, that wouldn't happen. However, he didn't say anything on that subject. No that would be rude and pointless.

Nexus wished he could get over his irrational fear. It had been locked with him, one of the many things that kept him fighting. Despite being healed, there was still a pain, a sting around his neck that hurt. He couldn't figure out why, but he was sure it had something to do with how...unorthodox his Goddess could be. It was a reminder at least, a reminder to tell him not to get too close...to not trust...and yet...here he was. With Niamh, trusting her completely. Maybe because he was sorry for her, he felt like he had ruined her life, and now would have to help the poor girl along.

"That makes perfect sense to me poppet. I won fairly, or at least mostly fair. I hadn't taken advantage of any fears or  weaknesses I really knew about. I gave it my all, and thankfully that was enough. Soon we'll get into different types of fighting. Magic, armed combat, that sort of thing." Nexus realized what he was saying. That he was going to keep Niamh around for quite a while. Hell, he wasn't sure he'd actually let her leave him for that matter. He had grown mostly attached to the young woman, she had a certain spark and flair about her that Nexus was drawn to. He didn't want to put any of these into words, as he might look...like he actually cared for her.

He was glad that she was finally settling down. That and she was accepting the nick name that he had called her. It was a habit of his to call people poppet. He didn't know why. He loved that word. It was so...strange and foreign. Yet it just rolled off the tongue like any other word. He smirked some as he wandered over near where she was, looming somewhat over her. Of course, he stayed out of her light, since he knew how important it was to her. He thought she was small before, but now he really had to look down. He wasn't really sure what they could do. In this little span of time he had broken her faith, she had changed him for the most part, to be...better than he was, got him to realize some things about himself, taught her how to do magic, and even wrestled. What the heck could they even hope to do now?

"That was three weeks ago Niamh. Even I slept in a bed during that time." Of course, he didn't really need much time to sleep, and the farmer had been busy tending his field and rounding up all the cattle that had mysteriously gotten out. Slowly Nexus sat down near her head, smirking as he crossed his arms.

"Hey, I'm with you on that bath one. It'll be nice to be able to get clean with warm water and soap. I'm gonna stay in it for at least twenty or thirty minutes. Just get nice and relaxed." Nexus did enjoy hot springs and Saunas for the most part. Just how it relaxed a person, took away their tense muscles and relaxed the mind. "Ahhh...This is a seaside town, one inn should at least have a room with hot rocks to pour cold water on. I'm going to absolutely love that one." Damn it! If this warehouse wasn't so big, he could just fill it up with steam. However, that was a feat that might drain him, and look suspicious. A warehouse with steam escaping never looked normal.

"That's good because I would really decline a challenge no matter how much goading." Nexus grinned at her, arms crossing over his chest. If she pestered him enough though, no doubt he would have to give in, if just to shut her up finally.

"Hm. Perhaps you are right. We wouldn't want to be caught off guard and not have the energy to fight." He reached down and messed up her hair, grinning as he stood up and retreated from her quickly. "I'll just be over here then, after all I'm sure you don't want me to cuddle up to you." He told her as he pointed to the darkness. He wouldn't sleep. He still...he still was worried she might run. Even if he was perhaps a little tired....he would just sit there, and watch, to see what happens.

[As long as they're not blood kisses?]

Ugh. Somehow, he knew just the right words to say. Niamh smiled a little, a genuine smile, too, as she shook her head. "No...you won fair and square, Nexus. There was no 'mostly fair' about it..." It was the truth, too. He hadn't used any tricks, as promised, no magic, no strings, nothing like that. Just his own strength and technique. The only thing that could have been counted as unfair was his advantage in size and overall strength. Still, that wasn't cheating--that was just how it went, and she was glad he hadn't gone easy on her. If anything, that would have made her feel...belittled, and she appreciated him saying that he had given it his all. Besides, in a real battle, you were often faced with someone who was bigger or stronger, and you just had to learn how to deal with that situation.

Indeed, Nexus' words proved that she had at least posed as something of a challenge to him. That took away some of the sting of defeat.

She was a bit surprised when he went on to mention training in armed combat and weapons, and...it did sound like a bit of a long-term plan that he had in mind there. But, strangely, she didn't protest, not even in her head. After all, for the time being, she was living purely in the present. The world was still a confusing place to her, she still didn't know what was going on, there were just...a lot of things she had to think about and come to terms with, and she was still shocked at the way she and Nexus' relationship had progressed. It still confused her, too, but...she really just had to go with the flow at this point. No matter what he had done in the past, the point still stood that she trusted him now and that, at this point, she was all she knew and had and...the company was enjoyable now that he wasn't crazy.

She really had made a connection, it seemed. She just hadn't expected that connection to work both ways.

Really weird...

Niamh watched as Neus walked over to her and stood over her, yet out of her light, and she blinked up at him, wondering why he was looking at her like that. Then she snorted and snuggled a bit more into the pillow, still stretched out on her side.

"Oh, and just what're you trying to say?" she asked with mock indignation, though she was smirking a little. "I know that was three weeks ago, but...well...we couldn't exactly carry beds with us and there was no way we were gonna try and stay in an inn for obvious reasons, and not just because of how many of us there were. So, we had tents and blankets." Then she furrowed her brow, suddenly realizing something. "Wait...how did you manage to pull that off, anyway? If I remember correctly, there weren't really any inns or anything for a lot of the distance we travelled...oh, Light, I probably don't wanna know."

If she was tired before, all that talk about baths and whatnot wasn't helping. Especially not when he mentioned the hot rocks. That roused her curiosity. "Huh? I don't think I've eve tried out one of those, or even heard of one. Then again...I haven't been in many inns, and in Solis, you don't really have to worry about hot water...it's hot enough there, and if for some reason you need warm water, you can heat it up yourself . In fact, you mostly crave cool water there. Heh, it's kinda funny how that goes, I never used warm water until I came out here and nearly froze...ah,  I hope we find one of those..."

With a sigh, she curled up where she lay, not yet needing the blanket with the light still filtering in, even if it was starting to grow dim. That was what was really tiring her, truthfully. Niamh was a morning person, and she tended to rise with the dawn unless she was exhausted. But that also meant she tended to go to bed early, getting sleepy when Mother Sun began to set and the sky began to darken. The light from the moon, even while it would give her strength (unbeknownst to her) was still rather meager in comparison to the daylight, after all, and her body clock was just programmed differently.

She gave a nod when Nexus said she was right, grinning a little and saying a simple, smug, "Of course I'm right." And then he did the unexpected and ruffled her hair, and she reached up to swat at his hand quickly, though she missed and just let her arm flop back to the ground. "Hey! Yeah, no cuddling, thanks. I have this pillow to cuddle, and it suits me just fine." Sticking out her tongue at him, she shifted a little more to get comfortable--or as comfortable as you could get on a hard surface--and finally let her eyes drift closed once Nexus had moved off into the shadows. "Just wake me up when it's time to go, and...I apologize in advance if I'm cranky," she murmured. "I'm not a night person."

And that was why she needed that nap all the more. She'd need the extra boost for when it was dark.

((Bloody kisses for all!))

"Well not totally fair, I mean look at my size. However, there are some ways to beat an opponent larger than you. I remember one time I wrestled a half ogre. That was a trial and a half. We broke our weapons, and just decided that whoever could snap the other's neck was the winner." Nexus chuckled and shook his head. He wasn't going to say whether he won or lost of course. Mainly because he lost actually...

"He was a pretty tall fellow, nine feet maybe. However, his follow through was his downfall at that point. I just had to wait until his centre of gravity shifted and he came forward. Then it was a matter of dodging back and bringing him down." Nexus wasn't going to tell her that he had slipped, fallen, gotten his legs crushed by the half ogre's chest and then had his neck snapped right then and there. No, he'd leave THAT part out. After all, he was Nexus! Nexus didn't often lose, and if he did, he simply left it out of the story.

Nexus was rather happy that things had turned out this way though. His plans for her had been simple, now...now they were complicated. Much too complicated. Not that he didn't like them of course, but they all seemed to end in a...happy manner.

"No Inns on the way but plenty of farm houses with cattle and livestock that suddenly learnt how to escape from their pens." This was said in a very nonchalant manner. After all, he didn't want to seem like a total bad guy. Even though he technically was but that really didn't matter now did it?

"Besides, I'm sure your people could have brought carriages or carts and wagons full of hay to create makeshift beds out of. 'Course, when I went on a trip and did that, we ended up having to feed most of the hay to the animals..." Nexus grinned slightly at her and shrugged his shoulders. There was many ways to make a comfortable bed in the wilderness. One just had to know what they were doing, that's all.

"It's really quite relaxing. It's a wooden room basically that's been sealed with a few vents that allow the air to come in and recirculate, but not leave very fast. In the centre is a basically a bunch of large rocks that have been heated up to quite a hot temperature. Then, you take a bucket of water and a lathe with you, and you spread the water on the rocks creating steam. The steam fills the room, your muscles and joints relax, and you have a grand old time. Of course, most places have special burning fires under the rocks to allow for them to stay warm." Just talking about a sauna made him pine for one. Damn it, if they didn't have one, he'd make one of their rooms into one!

Nexus could handle that sort of heat, and the cold. He was all day person. With the right amount of trancing, he could stay up for two days before fatigue set in. Ah it certainly was odd to watch the sun go down, then rise, and then go down, then rise once more. However, Nexus never had a reason to stay up that long, save for when the Lumenari were chasing him. That's mainly why he had been able to out run them. Then he would trance for a nice long while, they could catch up, then he would be off again, running for another two days straight.

"Bah, I knew you would be opposed to such an idea." He sighed wistfully as he walked away from her into the darkness, taking a seat upon the ground and getting comfy. Well...not as comfy as he might be in a hammock or something but comfy enough.

"I'll teach you something when night falls. You'll be...no. Never mind. I'll save that lesson for another time. Good nap Niamh." With that, he pretended to go into a trance. Trancing wasn't like sleeping. One didn't snore, one didn't move, one didn't look anywhere. They just stayed in one position like a boulder and stared straight ahead, lost in their mind.

Nexus finally moved again after what seemed like at least three hours. The moon had started to shine, and the Sun was gone, leaving the land bathed in the pale light. Slowly Nexus pulled himself up onto his feet, stretching his arms out. Ahh. Much better. He did a quick stretch, making sure everything was ready for some walking, as well as for fighting just in case. He dispelled the ropes from the room, which still shone brightly, but not as bright when the sun had been up. Oh! He had almost forgot that the torch had been left out. He trotted over to it, scooping it up and staring at it. Slowly it grew brighter, until most of the warehouse around them was visible.

Nexus then ventured over to Niamh, looking down upon her. D'awww. She looked so peaceful and content, lying there sleeping on the ground. It was almost a shame he had to wake her. He stared at her for a moment, thinking about how to do this. Oh he could do any number of mean and nasty things to get her to wake up. Finally he decided upon something. He knelt, his free hand being placed upon her shoulder, and gently, he shook her.

"Hey poppet, the sun's gone and the moon is up. Time for you to get up as well." His voice was soft and gentle as he let go of her shoulder, scooting back a foot so she could get adjusted and not feel scared of this large man looming over her.

[Mm, copper!]

"...A half-ogre?" He'd beat a half-ogre?! Light, he had to be kidding. Of course, she didn't know the whole thing about him losing--that might have made her feel both better and worse. Better because he had lost and wasn't totally invincible (gah, he'd beat an ogre!), and worse because, well...that would have been a story about failing to take down someone larger! Niamh blinked rapidly at Nexus. "Oh Light...yeah...you'll have to pass on some of that knowledge, then..."

And, well...that explained how Nexus got his bed! Jeez...someone really liked beds. She just shook her head at him and rolled her eyes. Carriages would have been impractical and, like he said, they'd have to worry about keeping all the all the animals happy and healthy, which would require way too much effort than what they were willing to expend. It was best to travel light, to be able to move and leave and pack quickly without having to make a big procession out of it--just in case they had to leave an area in a rush. They didn't need more than what they could pack up on their horses.

His talk about that sauna thing of his, though...ugh. It wasn't helping. Or maybe it was helping, because she was finally starting to drift off as he spoke. That did sound nice...she chuckled lightly as Nexus walked away. She hoped he was just kidding, but even so, well, at least he was using his head. She was tempted to ask what he had wanted to teach her once night fell, but though she was curious, she was more tired. Besides, she had learned a great deal already, a lot of it things she had never wanted to know, so knowing Nexus' lessons, it might be wise to put it off. She might not like what he had to say...

Even if it might be good for her to know. Good knowledge wasn't always pleasant knowledge.

"Thanks...night, Nexus..." she mumbled, drifting off.

Niamh wasn't an incredibly deep sleeper. While she wouldn't rouse at the sound of footsteps, the feel of a hand on her shoulder and the sensation of being gently shaken was enough to wake her up. Her eyes fluttered momentarily, she grumbled something into the pillow, and she weakly lifted her arm a few inches off the ground as though to try and smack Nexus' arm before she just let it drop back to the ground, too tired to even bother with carrying the action through. But even if she was resistant to waking, she had already been pulled from sleep and once she was awake, it took her a while to go back to sleep.

With a soft, annoyed groan, she cracked her eyes open, and for a moment she was disoriented as she made that adjustment from sleep and dreams to being conscious and functioning. Functioning was questionable, however. It was a good thing that Nexus had thought to move back and speak softly, because if the first thing she saw upon waking had been him, she might have yelled and smacked him. Accidentally, of course. It freaked her out whenever she woke up to find anyone hovering over her while she was sleeping, much less a strange man. It was also a good thing he had that torch there with him so she didn't wake up to complete darkness. That would have scared her. After all, most of the time when she slept, she made sure there was a light on.

"Ergh..." She rolled onto her stomach, burying her face into the pillow as Nexus spoke. Blargh...moon was up. That wasn't a time to be up, that was a time to be sleeping. But she remembered that she had told him to wake her, and that this was pretty much their big chance to get out of the warehouse and into an inn.

Inn...bath. Oh Goddess. She remembered what Nexus had said, about those great baths with the rocks and the steam and...oh yeah. That was good incentive to get up.

Getting up before she smothered herself in the pillow was also good motivation.

With a heavy sigh, she pulled herself up and sat on her knees, rubbing at her eyes with her fists and glowering balefully over at Nexus, just because she could. Her eyelids were still heavy, eyes red, her hair all messy, and...yeah, she just generally looked like someone who wasn't too thrilled about waking up.

"Ugh...alright, alright..." she said with a yawn, blinking sleepily. "Let's hurry up and go then...uh...you still have my dagger. Think I can have it back now? Just...you know...in case." That thing was made of Incendia; it made a pretty good weapon in a pinch, not only cutting but also burning if she desired it to, and it provided good light. Unfortunately...that was the only weapon she'd brought with her. Her staff was still back at camp or wherever the Lumenari were now, since she hadn't brought it with her to town. Light, she was going to miss that thing, because it certainly wasn't like she could just have another one made. Incendia, as far as she knew, was native only to Solis.

Oh well. No way she would even <I>entertain the fantasy of sneaking around and getting the thing back. It just wasn't worth it in the end.

Slowly she rose to her feet and stretched out quickly, to wake herself up more and get ready to leave. Wouldn't do to be all stiff and sore. Man, was she looking forward to that bed. "Well...I know I have everything. You ready?" Time to get this over with. Only once they were in that inn would she really feel safe--and out there in the dark, that was what she was dreading.

"Half man, half ogre. Therefore, he is a half-ogre." Yes, it probably was the best idea he had to leave out the losing part. She seemed to have been really impressed by that little story it seemed. She might become disillusioned by the fact that he lost the fight, so he should keep it quiet. Not like he was lying after all. He never said he won after all, so he wasn't being a liar, he just wasn't giving the full story.

"Just because one is on the road doesn't mean they have to give up comfort." Nexus had once tried to fit a bed into the satchel but...it hadn't worked as he planned. One he got it in there, it had been really hard to take out once again. So he had to stick to creating hammocks and rope beds strung up in forests. Not like those weren't comfy after all. "Besides, there are cots that you people could carry with you, hammocks are light weight and can be set up anywhere there are two trees." Ah logic! How he loved it. of course, not all the places you travelled to would have trees that you could hang the hammocks with. Bah.

Well, it looks like she was waking up now finally. He smirked when she tried to swat at him. Well, that hadn't been too friendly. He couldn't blame her, as she probably wasn't a very good evening person. Well, he would fix all that in time. Eventually he would divulge the little secret of the relationship between the sun and the moon to her, then she would be able to stay up at night better if she so chose to of course.

He was smiling at her as he watched her fiddle around, probably wishing she could go back to sleep. He had a few thoguhts of just dumping cold water on her or picking her up and hauling her outside with him but it was best to just...let her come on her own then. Still, it was funny to see her try to wake up at least. Well, when he came from a trance, he panted and was breathing heavily, trying to gain his surroundings. He had no idea what it was actually like to sleep though.

"Your dagger?" He blinked a few times as he thought on this. Yeah...He could probably giver her it back couldn't he? Smiling he opened the satchel and reached inside, looking for the blade. He pulled it out and stared at it for a moment. It felt warm...how odd. Bah. He shrugged it off and looked to her with a smile again, holding the blade out to her. "Just as long as you don't stick this in my back. Too hard." He winked at her and chuckled, shaking his head. That...reminded him. He could do something for her.

"Later on Niamh I'm going to...heal those scars on your back." Nexus was smiling gently now as he thought of this. It wasn't truly healing the scars. They had already been healed. This was more or less he wa putting the scars from her back onto himself instead. Of course, he would make it seem like he was healing her. Ugh. Nexus wouldn't tell her that part of course. He didn't like the idea of having his own initials in his back but he didn't think it was fair to Niamh to have his initials etched into her. Soon enough though...soon enough things would be back to normal.

"I'm almost ready." He couldn't forget his coat, pillows, or hat even. Which he put on, or put away in the case of the pillow. Wrapping himself up in the coat he nodded to her and smiled. "Alright, we can go now then." He headed to the doors of the warehouse, throwing them open and peaking outside. The coast was clear. This was good. Very good. He couldn't smell them either. Heh. If they worshipped the sun, would they really be out at night anyways? Bah, he could take on whatever was thrown at him anyways.

"Coast is clear, let's go." One eye had rotated in his socket to focus on Niamh, just in case she tried to dash. The other one looked ahead, scouting for anyone. He left the warehouse, leaving the doors open for her as he moved. This would be quite an interesting thing wouldn't it? This was the final test of trust.

Good thing Nexus had decided against dumping water on her or hauling her around. Because if she was moody now, that would have...upset her. Ahem. Especially with the water bit. Cold water and white shirts did not go together.

For a moment, Niamh wasn't sure if she was going to get her dagger back or not. He seemed to be considering it, but he might wonder about how wise it would be to allow her to have a sharp, pointy object after everything that had happened. It was a gamble, for sure. After all, she could still be pretending for all he knew. She wasn't at this point; that had stopped hours and hours ago. But still. She gave a little nod at his question, waiting, but then he went ahead and started fiddling around in his satchel, soon pulling out her dagger. With a small, tired laugh, she took the offered dagger, lifted her shirt a little so she could get to her belt, and stuck the blade through a loop in her belt. Then she looked over at him, eyes still half shut.

"Not too hard, huh? Heh...would carving my own initials into you count as too hard?" she asked simply, pulling the shirt back down so it covered her belt, and the dagger, again. It was meant as a joke--a morbid joke, at that--but...okay, so she was half serious. What could she say, she was still angry about that.

But she was a little less serious when he mentioned healing her scars.

If she had still been tired, she snapped abruptly awake at that, her eyes widening as her full attention jerked over to him. "You can do that?" she asked in shock, but Nexus was smiling, giving her the answer she needed. Niamh assumed he meant that he could get rid of them completely, since he had already healed the wounds at least...but she hadn't even known that was possible and had, well, resigned herself to living out her life with someone's initials etched into her, always there to remind her of what had to be the single worst day of her life. Well...one of them. The next day was both better and worse, and that one day three weeks back was certainly up there.

"Thank you, Nexus...if you could do that, I'd, ah...really like that," she said, rubbing the back of her neck. "I mean, much as I appreciate the autograph, parchment works a bit better."

After that, it was just a matter of waiting for him to collect his things, and she yawned again as she waited, running a hand through her messy hair. Her pulse was starting to race as she watched Nexus, and she found herself shifting her weight from one leg to the other, fidgity. She didn't often go outside at night, and...Goddess, she just hoped everything went as planned.

By the time Nexus was done and had thrown open the doors to the warehouse, Niamh's mouth was dry but her palms were damp. Augh, this just sucked...freedom finally, but it was at night and they were probably being hunted. Okay...no stressing out. Being cooped up in this warehouse, where she'd been taken hostage and briefly tortured, was way worse. Yeah. She just wanted to get away from the memories and...just think about that. About the freedom and nice, hot bath and bed that was soon to come. Nodding silently at Nexus, Niamh walked over and, once he had announced that the coast was clear, she stepped outside after him before she could second guess anything.

This was indeed the final test, and to say Niamh didn't consider bolting as soon as she crossed the threshold would be to tell a lie. The thought flitted through her mind as she trailed behind Nexus, glancing around the area and breathing in the fresh, clear air of freedom. The salty smell of the outdoors had never smelled better, and only yesterday she had been complaining about how bad the fish scent was. Now she loved it, because it meant she was finally out of that nightmarish warehouse.

Nexus was right, too...the coast was clear, and she couldn't see or hear anyone around. She might be able to do it, get away from him. Take off now, run as hard as she could, and even scream to draw attention--if there were any Lumenari in this town, they'd hear her, and even if Nexus caught her, they'd be onto him. It might not be too late...she might be able to go back still, to pretend none of this had ever happened, to forget what she had learned, to go back to her old life...her friends, her family...

To watching heathens get killed and whipped for faults that she also possessed, knowing that she should also be burned for something she was equally guilty of, to passing judgment that should also be passed on her. To having to live a lie. To being a coward.

Drawing in a deep breath and steeling her resolve, instead of moving away from Nexus, she actually stepped even closer to him. That was it. She'd finalized her decision. There really was no going back now, and if any Lumenari happened upon them...she now knew that she'd be forced to fight her own friends, no matter how painful it would be.

Light give her strength.

"Alright...let's hurry, okay? Do you know where any inns around here are?" Her voice was a whisper as she wrapped her arms around herself and pointedly avoided looking skyward, toward the moon or stars. The night sky creeped the hell out of her. All that endless blackness...it always made her feel like she was going to get swallowed up by it, fall right into the sky. "Because I sure don't. I saw some around the market, but I have no idea where we are now..." She reached down absently as they walked, drawing the dagger out of her belt so she could play with it as they walked, careful not to touch the blade, though. That was for a very good reason, too, because it had started to glow and, even while it didn't give off heat, if she were to touch it, it would probably burn her skin right off.

Still, one day soon he was going to wake her by doing something she wouldn't expect or like. Not in the next few days of course, but soon enough! The cold water thing really might be a nice touch.

He found it odd that not only had he given her a weapon. He was pretty sure that she was going to kill him with it...and that might be a bad thing. Hah! Might is a very weak term actually...It would be a very bad thing! Yes. That was about it. An eyebrow raised as he watched her put the dagger again in a loop in her belt. Huh. Amazing. She wasn't going to stab him. Well...that showed something didn't it? Something really good.

"Nope. Sounds just about right." He grinned in return to her. Ah if only she knew that he was planning on doing that for her she might have not said anything. Well, no matter at this time. He didn't want her to have to bear his name on her anymore. They were becoming friends for the most part.

He noted she awoke when he told her he could heal the scars. He felt proud of have finally stunned her without having to ruin her religion for that matter.

"After you bathe and such, then I'll heal the scars. I promise you." He was hoping to entice her actually. To get her to stay. He knew that she would run. HE was pretty sure she would, and then some very bad things would have to happen to her afterwards. He didn't want to have to do them, but he would if she ran. It was like extreme punishment really. Sigh. Please don't run. That's all he wanted. He actually had a friend, and he realized that it was just...well...an odd friendship but he was fine with it.

When she stepped out with him, he held his breathe. He watched her carefully as he stepped forward, heading for the streets. She followed. She actually followed him around. He was expecting either two things to happen, or maybe both of them to happen. She would plunge the dagger into his back, or run. Maybe both would happen? Maybe she would plunge the dagger into his back, and then she would run, perhaps not to kill him, but to disable him. Either way...he braced himself as he walked, waiting for it happen. It never did though. Instead she stepped closer to him. He let the breath escape...and he smiled. He could swear that his heart skipped a beat. Maybe he just been nervous. He hoped that at least.

He nodded as she spoke though, his eyes facing forward for a moment, and taking a deep breath. He needed to find the smell of clean linens, food, drink, and that sort of thing. He caught a whiff of many things...mostly sea water and fish. He caught something though....the perfect smell. Ah. He knew where they needed to go. He swore though that if the Inn's name had anything to do with fish or mermaids he was going to a new one. Heh.

"Indeed, I know where one is." He told her quietly, his head swivelling slightly to look over his shoulder at her. His eyes moved to look at the dagger, which she drew. He said nothing at this point, simply kept walking, heading for a particular scent. Barely, he could smell the Lumenari. It was too faint, it told him they were probably outside of town, or at the very least, they weren't near their location. Good. They could walk in peace for the time being.

He led her mostly through side streets and alleyways, but kept to where the moon shone for them. He wasn't going to tell her about the reason why of course. This was good however, because he could smell it getting close and closer, the right place that he wanted to be. He stopped in front of a large wooden building that seemed cheery enough. It was at least two floors tall, and seemed large enough to accommodate enough people. Nexus pushed open the building and stepped inside the room, looking around.

The common room was great, nice and cozy with a couple of fires going strong, a bar counter off to one side, and some tables around the room. Nexus weaved his way to the bar counter, knowing this was probably where he would get a room.

"Two rooms please." He reached into his pocket, creating a golden coin of course. He brought it out and put it on the counter, sliding it to the barkeeper behind the counter. Two keys were given back and he smiled to the barkeeper.

"By the way, bathing house and sauna equipped?" He asked the barkeeper carefully. Boy...he really hoped that they had something to clean themselves.

"Yes, there's four rooms to bathe in here on the main level, as well as two saunas. One for males and one for females." The keeper told Nexus, who sighed in relief. Gods that was a stroke of bloody luck. He turned to look for Niamh, holding a key up for her. He could have gotten them just one room but he was pretty sure she would have kicked him hard if he even suggested it. Heh, ah well.

Now they could get clean and he could finally relax in a nice long steam.

"Alright. Sounds like a deal, then, and I'll hold you to that. It's either that or my name goes on you!" Niamh said with a wry grin, though she had really been hoping he would heal her before the bath. Because where there were baths, there were usually mirrors, and once she found a mirror, curiosity would take over. And she really wasn't so sure she wanted to see what he had done. It...probably looked horrible, to make an understatement, and if he couldn't get rid of her scars...augh.

She had no idea how nervous Nexus was as she followed after him, playing with her knife--a nervous habit, and she also liked the light it emitted. It was a completely innocent action; she just liked knowing she had something to defend herself with, it was reassuring. Honestly, she would have probably liked to know she made him nervous, though--it would have made her feel powerful, probably, and more than a little smug. Heh. Too bad she didn't know, though. On the contrary, she felt jumpy, like her nerves were all wound up into tight little springs. Sure Nexus would have said something if he smelled danger, but then again, he could have also just not said anything if he smelled danger just to make her not...freak. Besides, the darkness was scary. They had light and all, but her vision was still shoddy and anything beyond their circle of light was obscured.

Still, they made their way through alleyways and down streets, and they didn't run into any problems. The fatigue left Niamh as well as they walked, but she just assumed it was because she had finally woken up all the way and the crisp night air was getting to her. She would have never assumed it was because of the moon, of all things. But the anxiety stayed with her, even after Nexus assured her that he knew of a place, and it didn't leave her until they finally reached an actual inn. And in one piece, too!

Finally, she could relax. They were safe.

Stepping inside the much warmer room after Nexus and rubbing her arms to ward off the goosebumps, and her attention was instantly drawn to the fires in the room. Ah...yeah, Niamh could probably be called a bit of a pyro. She really liked fire, she just hadn't always been very good at producing it. With Nexus' training, however, that would likely change. Now she knew another way to do it.

Niamh was content to stand back and let Nexus do all the talking--especially since he was the one with all the money. She had a few coins in her pockets, but nothing to brag about or buy a few rooms with. Besides, he got her into this mess, he could pay!

But Niamh didn't stand too far back. No, she made sure to stand just close enough to listen in on what was being said--and to be in kicking range. Because if Nexus failed to get them separate rooms...he was in trouble. Because she would be getting that room and he could just sleep out in the common room or something. He was still making up to her, after all. He still owed her a lot.  Jeez. But Niamh still refused to think on the details concerning what he owed her for. Just getting close to thinking about it made her stomach knot. It was best to just...keep distracted, as she'd been doing. Live in the present and don't think about anything else.

And right now? It was bath time! Yes! Whatever had happened before, this was enough to raise her spirits considerably. That, and she was out of the warehouse. And in an inn. And they hadn't run into any of her people. This was good.

Even better, Nexus was good about getting two rooms, and the place even had baths and those saunas he'd been talking about! Excellent. Grinning as Nexus held up the key to her, she swooped in and snatched it up not a second afterwards. "Thanks, you did very good! Well, anyway, I dunno about you, but I'm off to get clean. So I guess I'll...see ya around in like an hour or so somewhere?" She glanced down at her key, a number five etched into it. "Yeah. I'm number five. So I guess if I don't see you around down here afterwards, just like...knock on my door. You're healing my back tonight."

No ifs, ands, or buts about it, her voice was decidely firm on that subject. She had taken his words to heart.

With a quick wave, she turned and headed off to seek out those bathrooms, sticking the key in her pocket as she went, an extra bounce in her step. It wasn't long before she found an unoccupied one, too, and hunted down someone to draw the bath for her. When all that was taken care of, finally it was time to relax.

It was a rather cozy room with a large tub in the middle, and there was even a small mirror at the far side of the room, much to Niamh's relief and morbid curiosity. Ugh. Now she just had to look. So as soon as she had made sure the door was securely locked, she stripped out of her clothes, set them off to the side, and made her way over to the mirror. She knew she probably didn't want to see it, but she was curious as to just what Nexus had done to her, since she had been able to touch the scars but unable to actually see them. They felt bad enough, but...

Bracing herself, she turned her back to it and peered over her shoulder...and promptly cringed as she took in the damage. A huge "N" stretched across her back, the scar ugly and raised, and below that was a smaller scar, probably from when she'd been stunned the first time. Then, at the lowest part of her back, there were the initials "NS". Lovely.

She raised a hand up to her temples, rubbing them as they began to throb, and decided it was time to just get in the tub. Yeah. Nexus had better be able to get rid of those things. Now that she actually saw them...oi. As soon as she was done bathing, she was demanding he got the things off her right away. But for now...time to forget everything and just soak for a while. A long while, at that, because with her affinity with fire and heat, she could keep the water comfortably warm for as long as she liked.

After a nice bath and soak, and after amusing herself with playing with all the different scented soaps--in the process of getting cleaned, of course--she reluctantly had to get out when she started to turn into a prune, dried off, and with a slight frown of distaste, got dressed in her old clothes. She didn't really want to put them on again after getting clean, but...oh well, they were all she had. In any case, after that, she did feel a lot better. Relaxed, warmer...she could have easily gone straight to bed, but she did have to get her scars fixed. She didn't want to wait.

Leaving the room, Niamh headed out to the common room to check around for Nexus first. She didn't know how long she'd been in there, but it had to have been a good half hour at the least. Maybe longer...she didn't know. In any case, she went out there to see if he was around, and if he wasn't, she decided she'd sit around the fire for a bit, let her hair dry, and then just head up to her room. She didn't really want to stay out here longer than necessary, not alone.

Truth be told, it was a bit...awkward. Niamh always felt odd around a lot of strangers. Especially heathens.

Even though she was a heathen...

This was complicated.

"I figured the whole eye for an eye and mark for a mark might come into play here." Nexus said with a shake of his head. Of course, he was grinning though. He would wait till after the bath however, as he wanted to get clean and such, ready for the whole ordeal. His body had so many scars already, he wanted to put off adding some more for at least an hour or two.

He was glad that he had managed to get two rooms, despite the fact he wouldn't need it for very long. Did it matter? Not really. He wasn't wasting money after all. He could make more if they needed it. Nexus just wanted to keep the peace between them at this time. However, if he had been wrong about the Lumenari, and they had spotted them and followed them...he would have much rather prefered one room. Hm. Maybe he should forget sleeping and just being watchful? Neh. He would need to sleep soon, so it was better this way. Still. One room would have offered much better protection. Niamh was a light sleeper, and he could only awake after one hour of tracing...so he would have to rely on her. Damn. Maybe he'd bring this up after the baths and such.

"Yeah, just meet back here in the common room." Nexus was going to have a quick bath then a very long steam. He headed to the bathrooms, seeing which one Niamh was in, and headed into a free one not far away. Ah. This was perfect. Large bathtub in the middle, mirror to one side. Hm. He only wished he had remembered to create some new clothes for Niamh so she didn't have to wear her old one. Ah well.

Stripping his clothes off he simply dispelled them, or in the case of his boots and coat put them into the satchel, absorbing their energy. Ah. That helped to wake him a little. He went to the mirror, to examine himself in it. He had a nice body he thought, muscular but not too muscular. Of course, he felt ugly with all the scars on his body. His neck had the large scar, his face had some scars, his chest had large scars here and there. His hand touched near his hip, where the letter D had been carved. Deyannias. Ugh. If he could get rid of one scar it would have been this one. He ran his hands along the large scars on his chest and arms, shaking his head. If only his goddess was kind enough to give him a fresh body everytime he died.

Accepting his scars however he turned and climbed into the tub. It was a quick scrubbing that he had to do, a few of the scented soaps, then he dried himself off. He didn't get dressed, he simply wrapped a towel around himself, grabbed his belt that held the satchel on it, and quickly left the bathroom. Niamh's door was still closed, and he knew she was in there too. Smiling he went across the way to where there was two doors. One with faint M marked on it, the other had a faint F. Heading into the M, he was greeted by a blast of hot steam. Gods.

The room was wooden and small with some built in benches, a large construct in the middle with a bunch of rocks sat neatly. He could feel the heat. A bucket of water with a large cup inside hung on a small hook near the construct. Bringing the cup from the depths of the water he poured it onto the rocks, the familiar sound of the water turning to steam filled his ears and he was happy. The cup was returned to it's original location, and Nexus found himself lying down on the a bench, a towel still wrapped around him. Ah. This was...this was good. He was surprised, it was empty in here...many people should have been in here...it wasn't THAT late.

Nexus wasn't sure how long he lay there, but he decided it was probably about time to leave. His steam had been nice, and he was prepared, his muscles relaxed and his mind unaware. Slowly he reached into the satchel, pulling out clothes. The same clothes he had worn when he first met Niamh actually. He quickly put them away. Best to leave those for travelling. Instead he opted to create himself clothes once against. A charcoal grey silken shirt that hugged his body was an excellent choice. Thick wool pants which he held up with his belt now of course. A large very dark, past crimson red over coat that hung loosely upon his shoulders. Socks were next, and then his boots were tied up.

He stepped from the steam room, eyes looking about. Niamh's door was open and vacant it seemed. Guess he had been a while? Of course, he found her in the common room thankfully, near a fire. She stayed. She hadn't run. Nexus felt a sigh of relief escape his lips as he crossed the distance between them, stopping beside her with a smile.

"Let's head upstairs to your room. I'll heal those scars up nicely. Un-mark your skin as it were." Nexus wasn't sure how this was going to work out, it would work of course but he would need to head back to his room afterwards to dry the blood. The process wasn't easy, as for him the wounds would be fresh and tender, and would bleed, then dry and scar over. Damn...but what to say? He couldn't say he was tired. Hopefully she wouldn't want to talk or anything afterwards. Hopefully he could just escape to his room and she wouldn't be the wiser.

He would just have to be careful not to show the girl his back. Yeah. That would be an easy challenge wouldn't it? He smiled slightly at this thought, his eyes focused on her. He gestured with a quick nod of his head toward the stairs at the back, to where he headed, quickly climbing them and finding the number 5 room, where she was staying. Then he waited.

Niamh hadn't been waiting around for Nexus for very long and, in fact, she had only just taken a seat down by the fire, choosing a corner table away from all the other patrons, when Nexus came up beside her. Startled by his voice, as she'd been busy watching the flames and refraining from playing with them even though she wanted to--she didn't want to draw any attention, after all!--she twisted around in her seat to look up at him, then smiled a little at his words. Wow. She hadn't even had to remind him, he'd remembered and seemed pretty keen on getting this done...and look at that. He looked none the worse for wear, even a bit refreshed.

And he had new clothes on. Lucky...

Wait, right! He said he made clothes, didn't he? Ergh...maybe she'd be tempted to ask...these old dirty things were kind of annoying.

In any case, he really did seem apologetic for what he'd done. Maybe he really was genuinely sorry, since now he was going to remove the scars, however that would work. Ugh...sure, it didn't make everything else that happened yesterday go away, but it at least showed that he felt bad about it, or so she assumed. Actions spoke louder than words and all that. Light...she couldn't believe it, but if this worked, she might just be able to forgive him. A little. There were still a lot of things she had to come to terms with and accept, but...was it really his fault that he'd wrecked her life? Yeah, for kidnapping her it was his fault. Yet he'd also just exposed her to the truth. She couldn't hold that against him.

Maybe she would be able to forgive in the end. So many weird thoughts. Ugh.

She sighed in relief and pushed her chair back so she could stand. "Light, you have good timing. I just got out here not five minutes ago. Anyway, great...I'll meetcha up there, then," she said, because he had already started to head upstairs. Niamh was quick to catch up, though, bounding easily up the stairs, far more energetic than before, though feeling comfortable and safe had something to do with that, too.

Reaching the top of the stairs, she turned and heading a short distance down the hall to where Nexus was standing in front of a door with the number five painted on it. Then she nodded in greeting to Nexus, fished around in her pants pocket for the key, and turned it in the keyhole until the door clicked open. "Don't you try anything weird, now," she muttered, but there was a wry smirk on her face as she slipped inside, leaving the door open for him.

Really, she wasn't worried. After all, she'd spent the night in a warehouse with him, and aside from feeling her up that one time, he'd kept his hands to himself. That had been when she'd been worried, but nothing had happened. He could have done anything back then when she'd been tied to that bloody pillar and she would have been helpless to prevent it, he could have carved her up some more or taken advantage of her while she'd napped again later, but he hadn't. Seriously, if she could stay the night in a secluded warehouse with him and come out of it in one piece and if she could survive the wrath of his earlier rampage, she really wasn't all that worried about him coming into an inn room with her for a few minutes so he could do some weird healing stuff to fix up her back. At this point, that would be just silly.

The room, like the rest of the place, was pretty warm and cozy yet very simple, with a washbasin along one wall and a single-person bed at the end of the room, with a small nightstand next to it. Niamh was quick to light the candles that rested inside a few wall sconces, drawing upon some of her power to ignite the wicks so light flooded the space, and then she came to a stop in the middle of the room. Spinning on her heel, she turned around to face Nexus and folded her arms across her chest, head tilted to one side curiously. Clearly she wasn't one to beat around the bush--she was eager and anxious to get this done.

"Alright, so...how does this work, exactly? What do I have to do?"

He could almost chuckle from how jumpy she was, but then again she was probably lost in her thoughts while she stared at the fire. He wondered about that...if it brought up bad memories. He was trying to make this transition for her as...painless as possible. He couldn't exactly help her mind all that much, but he could make it as comfortable for the mind as he possible could. Nexus frowned slightly as he looked to the clothings he wore. Yes, he would have to fix that. Couldn't have her running around in such...dirty things could he?

"Really? Well then..." So she hadn't been waiting long. That was good. He wasn't sure what would happen, what she might do if he HAD let her wait the full hour or so he wanted to be in the steam room. Ah well, he could always revisit the steam room after Niamh went to sleep. He might even decide to trance in there, he wasn't sure at this point. He smiled and nodded as he headed away, but she just seemed to catch right up with him quick as a jack rabbit.

"I'm Nexus remember? Everything I do is weird." He corrected her as she stepped inside after her, closing the door behind him. Gods above he was glad no on else was upstairs at the time. They might have thought odd to see him, a 6'2 man going into Niamh's room. It might look...suspicious to say the least.

Nexus knew what had to be done, his eyes scanning around the room at this point. He didn't need much actually to do this. She could stand for that matter. It wouldn't hurt her. No. Not her. It would hurt him though, but he didn't mind. Pain was pleasure after all! He smiled at her as she addressed him. He stepped up to her, putting a hand on her shoulder as he stared her down to some degree.

"Just don't move. I just need to have a connection." His other hand moved up to slowly cup her cheek. He needed to have skin on skin contact, so his magic would be able to feel where the wound was. Well...he needed skin on skin and skin on clothing contact. This was perfect. One hand on her clothed shoulder, one hand on her cheek. He watched her, letting his magic work at this time. It was in her clothes, he could feel the tiny fibres touching the scars.

"You're going to feel a slight tingle, as well as your back is going to become cold." His voice was soft as he still had his eyes locked onto hers. He knew exactly what he was doing and how this was going to play out. There was a slight rush through his body as he felt Niamh's skin smoothing over, the scars themselves disappearing and becoming one with the skin again. It would be like nothing ever happened to her. However, on his back it was a hold different matter. He could feel the slices happening, appearing in his back. He clenched his teeth to stop himself from clenching his hands, which might hurt and alert Niamh to the situation.

He could feel trickles of blood from his body as the crimson liquid stained into his shirt. Luckily he had worn his jacket, and it wouldn't be too visible. He kept a very straight face though as he let go of her, smiling a little bit. His back ached and he could feel all the blood but...it had been done.

"Tomorrow I'll uh...make you some clothes. Just think up what you want and you can tell me tomorrow. Right now I need to lie down."  He stepped back from her, winking and then quickly exited the room as fast as he dared. He bolted for his room, number six, getting the key out and unlocking the door. Once inside he closed the door, forgetting to lock it of course. His jacket came off, then his shirt, his hands reaching back to feel the wounds. He could somewhat trace the entire length of the N on his back, as well as initials at his hip. That was the price of removing scars. In magic, just as real energy, nothing is ever created or destroyed. Just changed or transferred. His eyes closed as he created for himself a towel, trying his best to clean it from his back.

This was probably one of those things he shouldn't tell Niamh. Nah, it was probably best if he kept it a secret. He wasn't sure why though....he probably could tell her if he wanted to. It shouldn't bother her after all. She had been wanting to do that to him anyways, so she got her wish in a way. That was the sacrifice he had to make though. He didn't mind too much when he thought about it that way.

"Forget? With you around?" Niamh scoffed, raising her eyebrows in mock disbelief. "Heh, it's kinda hard to forget, Nexus. You're just so...unforgettable." Weird? Hah...that was an understatement. The man was out of his mind most of the time, but Niamh didn't really mind it--as long as he wasn't making her bleed or trying to cop a feel. Yeah. Everything else aside from that was pretty much fine! No violence directed at her, and no...perversion directed at her. That was really all she asked at this point.

Oddly enough, the thought of anyone else seeing them enter the room--a hotel room--together never crossed her mind. At this point she was just way too distracted and excited to really stop and think about what other people would think, and her mind was already wrestling with so many different topics that some very basic ideas seemed to escape her completely. It was a good thing, too, because otherwise she might have turned very red. Luckily, no one else had been upstairs in the hall and luckily her mind was occupied with other more important things.

Nexus stepped up to her, and she quickly sobered up and glanced down briefly at his hand when he placed it on her shoulder before looking up at him, his strange eyes locked onto hers. Connection? She didn't really understand what he meant, but she'd just...well...trust him on this. "Alright, got it, holding still now" she said quietly, though she couldn't help but jerk a little when he cupped her cheek with his other hand, still jumpy and a bit uncomfortable with this sort of contact from him. Then again, she had a right to be! The last time he'd done that had been when he'd been on his torturing rampage. It would take some getting used to, for sure; right now, those memories were still pretty fresh. After all, it had only been a day.

But she quickly relaxed again, holding still and watching his face, and she listened to him softly explain what she should expect from this, something she appreciated. The unknown could be a bit scary, so it was nice to have an advance warning. Alright, slight tingle and a little cold, that didn't sound so--whoa! The tingle raced through her, and she shivered as her back did indeed become cold, the hairs on the back of her neck raising. To her own credit, though, she managed not to gasp too loudly, just a slight hitching of breath as she could feel the healing take over. Her blue eyes did widen, though, but other than that she managed to hold still.

Unlike other types of magic, this didn't bother her, though. Although she had been healed for the first time by Nexus, healers were quite valued among the Solisi, and there had been a few among the Lumenari. She'd just been lucky enough to only sustain a few minor cuts and bruises for the year she'd been with them, never taking any real damage until meeting Nexus. Heh. Light, a lot of the injuries she did receive were the result of her own clumsiness, hence why most of them were on her knees and elbows.

She had no idea what was happening over on Nexus' end as he healed her, though with her eyes locked on his face, she did notice that the muscles around his jaw tightened, like he was gritting his teeth and trying to hide it. That was strange...maybe this took a lot of effort and energy, and he had used a lot of his magic earlier and become exhausted from it...

Soon enough he was done, though, and had stepped back from her, and she was quick to reach around beneath her shirt to trace a land over her back, where the scars had once been. But instead of uneven, raised flesh she felt only smooth skin, and she didn't even try to hold in her loud exhalation. Thank Goddess...it had worked...she'd look in a mirror once Nexus was gone, just to be absolutely sure, but for now...

Well, it finally felt like things were starting to go back to normal. Or, as normal as they could get. Her body was whole again, at least. Her mind was another story, but like Nexus said, she would just have to adapt.

Grinning earnestly now, Niamh turned her attention back to Nexus as he told her he could make her some clothes, seeming awkward, but she didn't care. He really had gotten rid of the scars. He'd upheld all his promises and gotten them to a safe location. Maybe she was just really tired, still a little effected by that juice she'd drank, or just genuinely that happy--or all of the above--but she could have almost hugged him at this point. Almost. Just almost. That was the important key word.

"Thank--" she began, but that was all she was able to get out. With a characteristic wink, Nexus hastily existed the room, and the smile faded from Niamh's face, leaving her to just stand there with her mouth still open, blinking.

That...was odd. He'd practically fled the room and...he needed to lay down?

That wasn't typical Nexus behavior at all. Not that she knew what typical for him was, the weirdo, but he'd just healed her and then just...left and bolted for his room like he'd been spooked.

Shaking her head, Niamh sighed headed out of her room, shut the door behind her, and locked it as a precaution, and it only took a few steps before she reached the room right next to hers, number six. She'd heard his footsteps and and the sound of a door shutting, it had come from this direction, so she only assumed this was his room. If it wasn't, she could just apologize and knock on more random doors.

She rapped her knuckles firmly on the door. "Hey, Nexus, you alright in there?" she called. She wasn't going to even test the doorknob. She didn't know whether he had locked it or not, but she wasn't just one to burst into people's rooms. That sometimes had...embarrassing results, and it was rude, anyway. "You sure left in a hurry...and...um...I just wanted to thank you, is all. For like the fiftieth time today. Yeesh. But seriously..." And then she flushed slightly. "And, erm, if this isn't Nexus' room, uh, sorry and I'll be going now."

"That's good. I wouldn't want you to ever forget me then. That would be a bad thing after all." Banter was so fun sometimes wasn't it? He grinned to her and winked, it was good that they could laugh and play nice. They had to stick together after all...Nexus needed company and Niamh needed guidance. That wasn't so bad. They had to exist together so they could stay alive, and so they could be whole together. It was quite a good existence though in his mind.

"Shh. I told you to hold still." He told her quietly, smirking ever so slightly. He couldn't believe that she was so calm. It was the strangest thing in the world wasn't it? She had flinched so much before and...ah...when his skin came to her cheek, she did jerk slightly. Wasn't that quite predictable of her? Oh well...she would eventually get used to his touch...right? That would be nice at least, it would show that she was comfortable with him finally.

Nexus was surprised she was alright with healing. Water was a big taboo for her but...it seemed the healing was alright with her. That was...good at least? He wasn't sure if she was always alright with it, or if that was a recent thing....Ah he wouldn't push his luck right now. He was doing pretty good for the time being, and he didn't much feel like getting kicked.

In his hotel room, Nexus was wincing as he felt the pain in his back. The stinging of the large N, and the searing pain of the deep NS. Ugh. He had inflicted that upon her hadn't he? It was a bad pain he knew this but...to him...it felt great. It felt really great to say the least. However, he pushed these thoughts from his mind as there was a knock on his door. Erk. Who the bloody hell was that?

"Uh...yeah. Yeah I'm fine!" His voice had an odd quality, it was one of satisfaction and pain at the same time. He had thought he locked the door, so he really wasn't sure if he should check. More so if she tried the door when he was near it.

"It's no problem Niamh. Just trying to be nice that's all. Just...stay out there. Go to bed or something." He had to do something about all of this. He didn't want her to know what he had done. He didn't care what she thought of it, just...not now. She'd probably be disappointed that she wasn't able to hurt him personally but...in a way she did. Bah. Sometimes emotions were so damn confusing couldn't they? He smiled slightly to himself as he stood up and looked to the door. Good. She was going apparently.

He went to the window, to look out it. He even through it open. He could go. He could just leave her right here and be gone. That would end everything wouldn't it? He liked to do that. He liked to be that strange son of a bitch who showed up, messed around with your life, your thoughts, your beliefs, and then was gone sometime in the night...No. That wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be fair to Niamh. Why her though? Blech. If his Goddess was here, she would just tell him why.

Blast. Here he was in a strange world with a strange woman and all these strange emotions. Maybe it truly was getting to him? He would have to go back to his home realm sometime soon. That would fix him no doubt. His Goddess would be able to fix him without a blink or a gesture. He would just be fixed. Ah, wouldn't that be grand?

He could feel something on his back. Finally. The wounds were starting to heal, slowly. Just like threads too, just sewing up his body very slowly. One thread of skin at at ime, just trying to heal it. how ever, there would be a scar. There would be a scar, just like hers had been on his back now. Ah...that was alright. It would be a reminder for him. Besides, the N could stand for Niamh then. However, the NS would have to stand for something else. Niamh Solisi perhaps? Hm. Yeah he could stand that couldn't he? Mm, yes that was very true wasn't it?

"What am I doing?"

[...Whoa. o.o Never once thought about the Niamh Solisi thing. Craaazy! XD]

"Uh..." Niamh blinked a few times, and stepped back away from the door quickly. His voice sounded...strange...and he seemed really keen on her leaving him alone, even telling her to go to bed like she was a kid. However, that wasn't why she suddenly felt so awkward, her cheeks burning. Maybe she'd, erm, interrupted something. It woudn't be the first time. "Ah...okay, right, never mind! I'll leave you alone, then. Sorry. Night," she mumbled hurriedly, before promptly dashing back to her room, opening the door, and slipping back inside. She was careful to lock the door behind her, too, before making her way across the room and to the bed.

With a sigh, she plopped down on top of it, rubbed the back of her neck, and then just shook her head. Jeez. Men. They were the same all over.

Oh well.

In any case, since there was nothing better for her to do, and since it was late, she decided that it couldn't hurt to follow his advice and go to bed. It was odd, though. The bulk of the day today had been spent wondering about leaving the warehouse and planning for the great trek across town and to the inn, so she had known what the immediete future held, but now she had no idea what was going to happen tomorrow. She doubted they were going to stay in this town where the Lumenari had last been seen, and where she had last been seen, which meant they would probably be looking for her still. So...they would probably leave it, right? But...to where?

Ah, not that it mattered. Anywhere was fine. Just...anywhere they'd be safe.

They. She and Nexus. She really was thinking of them as a team now, she really was planning on sticking around him for a while.

Niamh ran a hand through her still slightly damp hair before reaching down to her belt and removing the dagger. That she placed under her pillow, always one to play it safe, because who knew how well that door would hold if there was an emergency. She kicked her boots off, drew back the covers--hurray for sleeping in her clothes again! Man, these things had been through a lot--and was about ready to crawl into bed when she remembered the obvious. Duh! Her scars! She wanted to see if they were really gone! Bouncing back out of bed, she headed over to the small mirror above the washbasin, turned, and lifted her shirt up so she could peer over her shoulder at her back...which was notably free of scars! She breathed another sigh of relief and pulled the back of her breeches down a bit so she could make sure they were all gone, but indeed, it looked just as it had looked before she had been whipped.

Now she could really start trying to push that nightmare out of her head...

Her curiosity sated, she finally went and crawled into bed, burrowing under the covers and pulling them up to her nose while nuzzling into the pillow, curled up onto her side facing the window that was just above her. The candles in the room were still lit, as she liked to sleep with lights on, but instead of focusing on the little flames as she tried to drift off, she found herself staring out the window, through a small gap in the curtains, at all the inky blackness. But after a while she had to close the curtain all the way and roll over, close her eyes, and try to force herself to sleep and block out both the light and the darkness, though of course when she closed her eyes she was left with the dark. Light...of course. Now that she wanted to sleep, it wouldn't come. That was always how it worked...she was tired, too, so why couldn't she sleep? The bed was warm and cozy...it was her first time in an actual bed in three weeks, and it felt so good...

And yet, she was crying. Noiselessly, completely silent, but she could feel her shoulders shaking a little, tears falling onto the pillow. It took her a little while to actually realize it, but even as she did it pissed her off as soon as it registered. Why the hell was she crying? Everything that was done was done. It wasn't like it was going to change anything. It never changed anything. It just gave her a headache, that was all. But...but...

"Dammit..."

But those same old thoughts had started to float back up to the surface the more she lay there in silence, alone, no more distractions, finally given time to actually think. And thinking was bad, because it was all about regret, and she regretted so many things right now...and missed so many people...

Her eyes clenched shut tight and she rolled onto her stomach so she could bury her face in the pillow.

Ergh...she hated this. She hated thinking those thoughts...she hated feeling helpless, but now it felt like her life was spiraling out of control yet again, and it felt like no matter how much she fought to regain that control, in the end, she was still just being bounced around from one thing to the next, not really having much of a say in anything. As much as Niamh had tried to put on a brave face, tried to prove she was strong...ugh. She was still weak. And getting all teary wasn't helping with that. Light, she couldn't even control that.

Dammit...why did it have to be this way? And why did she feel both trapped and liberated?

She hated thinking. She hated the night. And she hated being alone. Because thinking usually happened when she was alone at night. And thinking officially sucked.

In the morning, though, she knew she'd be better. Right now, though, she needed the cleansing. It was one step closer to accepting things, after all.

((That what I thought up at like 3 in the morning XD))

Nexus glanced back at the door as he waited for her to say something. Finally...she said that she would go and leave him be. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard her footsteps retreat now. Ah. Thank the Pantheon then. She was going to go to her room and that was the end of that. He ran the towel over his back again to mop up any extra blood as the wounds closed themselves and stayed closed. That was perfect, as they would soon just be scars and bitter reminders of this very strange time.

Nexus decided that before he went to bed he would create for Niamh some clothes. After all, if he did it before he went to bed, then he wouldn't be tired tomorrow. That was a perfect idea wasn't it? He thought so. He had already healed Niamh's wounds, and had gotten a feel for the type of clothes she wore. Now it was just a matter of making the right ones. Nexus held his arms out as he began to focus on what Niamh looked like. Hm. Clothes. Clothes...First...an undershirt. A simple slip on long short sleeved shirt would do. colour? Crimson. Yes. That slowly materialized in front of him, and he caught it quickly in the air. Just perfect. Next was something to wear over this. Vest? Hm. Nah. Maybe a sort of bodice top. No she'd kill him. He settled on a deep myrtle tunic finally. Yeah. She'd no doubt wear that. A pair of sturdy cotton leggings came afterwards, black of course.

Then there was the thick ashen grey cloak that he conjured up next for her, wrapping the rest of the clothes in it. Perfect indeed. He took a deep breath as he pulled his shirt on over his wounds and such, gathered up the garments and headed for the door. He stopped though....stopped himself from going any further. Should he really bother her at this time? It might be a good thing right? After all, she did want the clothes and all.

Steeling his resolve he slowly opened his door and crept out to her room, standing in front of it. To think. He trusted her enough to be in her own room. Trusted her not to run like last time...trusted her to simply stay in bed. He couldn't believe how far this had gone...it was...interesting really.

His hand went to her door and he knocked, several times. She couldn't have gotten to sleep this fast. She should have been tired and for that matter, it seemed to take her a while to get to sleep after all. He was smiling though as he stood there, leaning in toward the door so he could talk.

"Hey, Niamh, it's me Nexus. I went ahead and made you some clothes, so I wouldn't have to make them tomorrow and waste energy." He told her as he waited, gulping down some fresh air for a moment. He wasn't sure if she would be okay with it, I mean, none of the things he made were revealing or too tight, so she couldn't possible complain about them. Could she?

He could look straight through the door though, to where she was. On her bed...crying...An eyebrow raised. Why was she crying? Had...it been all the stress leading up to this? Perhaps. Maybe it was all bad after all, and her body was finally getting around to crying. Hrm. He couldn't just go away now...and he couldn't say he saw her crying. She'd figure it all out then.

Damnit. He just had to go and stare through the door didn't he? Hm. Maybe he could just...seem like everything was alright? Maybe he could be pushy at this point?

"Niamh? Hello? You alright in there?" He asked her, knocking again. Maybe he could force her hand so to speak, get her to tell him that everything wasn't fine. Yeah. That might work out! It was better than nothing after all.

[Haha, sleep deprivation can spawn the best ideas! XD]

The sound of someone knocking on the door was enough to snap her from her thoughts, and she went from laying on her stomach to crouching on her knees in a matter of seconds, the blankets all tangled around her still and her heart practically leaping into her throat. At least, until the person at the door announced that he was Nexus, and that...he'd made some clothes for her? Really? So...then that's what he'd been up to. He must have been a mind-reader--she'd been meaning to ask him about that, had planned on asking after he'd fixed her back, but then he'd gone and rushed off.

Yet again, there he went, being all oddly nice and thoughtful. But she still couldn't relax, still couldn't get rid of the queasy feeling in her gut.

Exhaling through her mouth since her nose was all stuffy, she quickly wiped her tears away with the sheet, and she didn't answer Nexus right away because the last thing she wanted was for him to know she'd been busy feeling sorry for herself--she hated crying in front of people, especially when she was trying to act all tough; Light, she just hated crying, period, because it just made her feel stupid for some reason. If she spoke right now, her voice would probably give it away, especially since the tears hadn't quite stopped. So...well...if she was lucky, he might just think she had been sleeping and that she wasn't too quick at that whole waking up thing, which she wasn't. That would give her some time to collect herself.

Or better yet, he might give up after she didn't answer and go back to his own room.

...Or get suspicious when she didn't answer and just try and come in. He might think she'd tried to ditch him again, and she'd learned from experience that that only made things worse, that there was no getting away. Hadn't he promised that he'd just hunt her down again.

Better answer right away, on second thought.

Niamh sniffed quietly a few times, trying to clear her sinuses, and that was when Nexus knocked again for the second time and asked if she was okay. Erk! Time to answer before he thought she'd deserted. "Oh...oh, yeah! Yeah, I'm fine! Be right there, just hold on a sec." Then she cringed as soon as the words left her mouth. Oops. Well...she totally failed at sounding like she just woke up; in her haste to answer, she'd forgotten to feign sleepiness, and her voice still sounded thick and forced. Well...maybe the door muffled that some, even though it hadn't muffled Nexus' voice all that much.

After disentangling herself from the sheets and comforter, she rolled out of bed and quietly padded across the room in her socks, stopping once by the washbasin to give herself a quick once-over. Her face was still flushed from crying and her eyes were red, but...yeah, that could just be explained away by the idea that she'd been asleep and he'd woken her up. Right? Yeah. It was a good excuse. Now, if only she could do something about the congestion. She rubbed at her eyes quickly again just to double-check, then she finally approached the door, unlocked it, and opened it a crack, just enough so that she could peek out at Nexus.

"Um...hey. You, ah, you said you made me clothes?" she asked, clearing her throat and looking him over briefly, eyes locking onto the garments he held in his arms--it was a great focal point, because it meant she didn't have to raise her eyes. Then she mustered up a smile and shook her head, running a hand though her hair absently. She still wasn't looking at him, though.

"Heh, or was that just an excuse to check up on me? You weren't worried about me ditching again, were you?" There! She sounded pretty much like her old self again. Sort of. She still felt like crap, but he didn't have to know that.

((BWahaha! Hurray for 3 am!))

Nexus wanted to be a good friend to her, a good friend as he could be at least. He was new to that whole thing though as...well he wasn't one to have them. So he was trying to keep Niamh happy and comfortable. Apparently, as he could see from her crying, wasn't doing all that good was he? Still, it might have just been all the stress that accumulated.

He watched her through the door carefully, as she tried to make it look like she wasn't crying. He watched, his eyes almost boring a hole through the door as he frowned to himself. Shaking his head he sighed quietly as he continued to look through the door at her. He felt nervous, his palms sweaty and mouth was very dry. Why? Probably because he was scared that she was crying...

"Alright, take your time." He told her in return. He could hear the quivering in her voice, trying to cover up the fact she was crying. It wouldn't be good to tell her that he could see through the door and all that. Nah. She probably wouldn't understand all that. Best to keep it quietly. Most likely easier to use some very clever lies.

"Hey now. It was a bit of both. I...eh wanted to make sure you didn't leave...and as well I wanted to make sure you didn't have to wear your old clothes." He told her quietly, his eyes still watching her with a small smile. Now was the time for some really clever words and to see if he couldn't help her out just a little bit.

"You were crying." He noted, staring at her intently. Ah this was going to require a lot of skill right now.

"Before you ask how I know, I torture people for a living, and have been around for over a thousand years. I know when someone's been crying. I can smell it, see it on your face, in your eyes, or what I can see of them at least." A smile faded from his face, simply watching her carefully. She was quite a beautiful little thing, despite the fact she was crying.

"Would you like to talk about it Niamh? I can listen quite well you know." It was the truth after all. Nexus just wanted to help her out, try to keep her here with him. He would do all he could to stop her from leaving though, to stop her from wanting to run away. She was a friend, and he couldn't let her go. He would do just as he had promised, he would stalk her if she left. Damn it! Why? Why the hell would he do that? It just didn't seem like something he would do.

Well. Maybe to scare the daylights out of someone...Heh.

Niamh shook her head at that answer, mustering up a hollow chuckle. "I told you I wouldn't leave..." she began, still pointedly staring ahead at the bundle of clothes he held, and she was about to thank him for doing that--even though she'd have to look them over before deciding if she was actually going to wear them--but what he said next made the word freeze on her tongue.

Instead, she actually flinched and jerked her head up to look at him, surprised, but anything she might have been about to say was silenced as he went on to explain how he knew. Not that it was too surprising, she guessed. Her voice still sounded all funky and from what she'd seen of herself in the mirror, she looked awful. She was never too great at hiding her emotions, which was why she tended to like to vent in private--or on other people. One or the other worked! Where tears were involved, though, it always took place behind closed doors or tent flaps, preferably.

With a soft huff, feeling caught, she leaned her shoulder heavily against the doorframe and let her eyes close for a second, holding back a shudder. Did he have to bring that up? She'd been trying to forget. Trying not to think about that nightmare, because it was bad enough that it was real, that it kept revisiting her. She couldn't hold his lifestyle against him, honestly, because she was just as guilty--she'd kind of lied, now that she thought of it; she'd never played an active role in torturing other humans, but she had participated in tormenting the drow they brought up to the surface, as drow weren't regarded as anything higher than rats that needed exterminating. In that, she and Nexus were, once again, kind of alike. So no...she couldn't judge him for that when she was also guilty. But that didn't mean she couldn't still be scared. He'd removed her scars and she said she forgave him, but he could never remove those memories or what he'd done.

She had noted the way his smile had faded shortly after he'd said that, though, and...well, she knew he didn't really like torturing, right? That whole love it but hate himself for it thing? That whole ordeal that she could also relate to.

"Uh...of course...eh heh, yeah, I guess you caught me," Niamh said softly after a pause, opening her eyes and peering up at him again. Her hand passed awkwardly through her hair and came to rest on the back of her neck, and she shook her head and looked away. "Right, right...that makes sense, though I wish you could have left the first part out. Eh, not that it matters. Don't worry about it. I'm over it." She inserted a weak smile there, just to continue to play it off like she had recovered. There she went, bottling everything up again. Hopefully he wouldn't press more on the matter if she also made no attempt to take it any further than to admit that, indeed, she had been crying. It was so much easier to be angry than it was to be hurt, after all. At least, it was for her.

Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the case.

He actually asked her if she wanted to talk about it.

Blinking a few times and staring up at his face, she opened her mouth, about ready to insist that she was all right, that she just needed some sleep, stuff like that. But instead, nothing came out. Instead, she closed her mouth, dropped her gaze, and took a step back away from the door, leaving it open for Nexus.

"Not really. I mean...I dunno. I don't even know where I'd start," she mumbled, shaking her head. But her actions contradicted her words, since she was pretty much inviting him in without saying it, and even if she wouldn't admit it to herself...maybe she did just need to talk. And as corny as it sounded, even to herself, she felt lonely right now.

Pacing across the room, she slumped back down onto the bed, sitting on the edge, and folded her arms over her stomach like she was sick. Maybe she was. She had that whole stressed, knotted-up feeling going on there, shoulders tight, muscles tensed to fight or flee. "And besides...you've pretty much heard it all before, though I guess I was probably...yelling it then. It's just a lot of...missing people I'll never see again. Stuff like that." A shrug. She was making sure to keep her voice very distant sounding, to distance herself from the subject. She was not going to get weepy again, not around him. She'd already broke down enough; now she just felt empty.

"That's all."

"Still. I can be worried that you might can't I?" He asked her with a small smile and a shrug of his shoulders. He did hope she would wear them, he tried to make them as modest as she usually wore after all. Hell, he was sure she might kick him if he handed her anything that showed off her in a way that might get leers. Yeah, kicking would be a bad thing, more since she would aim for the front instead of the shins. Erk.

At least she believed him about the crying. He was almost sure she might not, but damn! All he had to say was 'I've been around a thousand years...' and end it with 'don't you think I might have learnt how to-' and then she would seem to believe him. Hm, that was good wasn't it? He would have to keep using that as much as he could until he didn't have to say it anymore. Excellent! Excellent indeed. It was like a trump card in a way.

Nexus wasn't human. Not in the least bit. Humans slept, humans died after about a hundred years, humans couldn't travel realm to realm without certain...powers, humans had to eat and drink and couldn't breathe under water for the most part. Nexus was a Savaros, a whole different being in a different way. Ah. He hadn't tortured his own kind. His own kind were two other men who did the same thing as him. No. What he had done was simply torture others just like Niamh had done. He wouldn't lay a hand on his own people, but he had no problem hurting other races. Ah. Just how life worked hadn't it?

"I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have said it...but you have to accept that part eventually..." He told her with a small shrug of his shoulders. He wished she could understand that part about him. Nexus had to torture people, it was his job, it was his life, and that was it. She would have to accept it eventually, because she had gone through it, and knew why he had done it. Well...She didn't REALLY know why he had done it...neither did he. If he knew, he might have told her it by now.

"I know where you could start." Nexus was quiet as she moved from the door, he stepped inside it, closing it behind him. He set the clothes down on the ground carefully near the bed. He was quick to sit beside her on the bed, his hands folded on his lap for the time being as he listened to her. It sounded like she was holding things back. Like she wasn't saying everything. He knew she might want to keep it all hidden but still, it was best to talk about it.

"I wish I could help there but it took me two days to open your eyes, all those people, I'd be working for a thousand more years." Nexus told her, his voice was serious at this time. Slowly he moved his arm up and put it around her shoulder gingerly, pulling her close to him. This was a bit of a risky gesture really, but he wanted her to be fine and dandy at this point. Well, as fine and dandy as Niamh could be during this whole strange situation.

He knew what he wanted to say to her though, something that she might not want.

"Cry Niamh." He told her quietly his eyes shifting to look at her. She needed to cry, and she needed someone to be with her during this time. It was never good to be alone when you had to cry, not when the person who was the reason you had to cry was there, and willing to let you cry.

"I won't think your weak, and I don't mind at all. You need to cry. You've been going through a lot of mental anguish...just cry Niamh. I'm here. Let me be your shoulder." His voice was comforting as he continued to keep an eye on her, smiling just a little bit. It wasn't a smug smile, it wasn't a sad smile, it was just a calming smile. Something not often seen on Nexus. Though, ever since he had met Niamh, he smiled a little more without having to hurt people. He knew they had grinned quite a lot after the wrestling match after all.

He was just trying to be as helpful as he could for the poor girl.

"Now just let yourself go Niamh."

It was true; that "I've lived for over a thousand years" line did get her every time. It only made perfect sense to her, since she still couldn't help but think that if you were that old, you would have seen a lot and gained a lot of experience in various things. Certainly more than an eighteen-year-old human.

If only she knew that Nexus was planning on using that as his little trump card.

Niamh gave a small nod when he said she would have to accept that whole...torturing aspect eventually, knowing it was true. It would be hypocritical for her not to, after all. She was really no better in that regard--even if she'd only been doing that for a year and not for over a thousand years. Still, she'd done it. That was what counted. That she'd done it. It wasn't right, what she'd done, and what he had done also wasn't right, but...they'd done it, they were both guilty, and she just had to accept it. It was as simple as that--or, it was that simple in theory, at least.

Looking up from the floor as Nexus spoke up, saying he knew where she could begin, Niamh tilted her head and watched as he entered and shut the door, as he strode across the room and set the bundle of clothes--which she would examine later--on the ground near the bed. She looked back down to the floor as he sat down beside her, half surprised at herself for not moving away, and...and even more surprised to find she was glad for the company. It was strange. This was the person that had started it all. He'd made her life hell, wrecked it completely; he'd hurt her and torn her world apart. It made no sense for her to be comforted by his presence, but maybe it was all just because she needed someone, anyone, at this point. And he was all she had.

She swallowed but kept her eyes on the ground, staring at her feet, her hands clenching and releasing the fabric of her shirt as she listened to him speak. "I know..." Niamh muttered, shaking her head a little and still not looking at him. "It'd be impossible...I mean...I'd struggled now and then with my faith before, and...I was probably one of the easy ones. I don't know..." She trailed off, not even knowing what she was trying to say.

Not that she needed to. Because that was when she felt Nexus' arm go around her, pulling her close.

And while her first instinct was to resist and jerk away, a jolt of fear racing down her spine, and to probably give him a piece of her mind for thinking he could pull something like that now--those thoughts quickly died when she heard what he had to say next, his words hitting the mark.

Cry...

He didn't mind...he wouldn't think she was weak, he...Niamh shook her head as he spoke, biting down on her bottom lip, head down, eyes shut stubbornly, and his arm around her still, but for once she didn't mind it and she didn't attempt to speak. She couldn't. Because if she did, it would have come out choked and unintelligible because...because...

Light, she was not going to cry...

"Damn you..." was all she managed to choke out, voice thick, as she felt the tears escaping to fall down her cheeks, his words ringing so true that they struck a chord in her. Without even thinking about what she was doing, she wrapped her arms around his midsection tightly and huddled close, pressing her face against his shirt as she cried, shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. He was right. She needed to do this. She needed someone to be there for her. It was strange...strange that of all the people that would be there for her when she needed it most, it would be him. And yet, here he was. Holding her, telling her to cry, and now she was crying openly and practically clinging to him and not even caring that she was doing so.

"Why...why do you...always have to be right?" she forced out between shaky sobs, grip tightening on him--a death grip, almost.

It was true that Nexus had a lot of experience in his life. He had read many books over his time, in many languages, and on many different subjects. However, a lot of Nexus's intelligence came from his physical experiences. So when he used the line about living for over a thousand years, it wasn't just him blowing smoke. He usually knew what he was talking about, and if he didn't then he just lied about it. He was very good at lying after all, very good at being deceiving that matter.

She seemed placated by the fact that he was here with her. Usually she wouldn't like him to be here with him, trying to stay separated for him but he could see that she was thankful that he was here now. He was very happy to see that she wasn't getting upset with him being around her during this time. No doubt in the morning she would be back to normal. Heh, at least Niamh was more normal than he ever could hope to be. Ah well, all was good wasn't it?

"I was only a few years older than you when I met my Goddess Niamh." He told her, though he was just trying to say something. It didn't matter, he was just trying to help put it into perspective for her. It was the same sort of thing he had told her before, and he was reflecting whenever he said those words. She was about as old as he had been...if he could survive, she would have no problem. After all, she was just as stubborn and strong as he was!

It was...odd, after he had put his arm about her. She didn't move...she didn't seem to react, probably because he caught her off guard with what he had said. Thankfully he had, because he really didn't want to think what she might have yelled at that point. Ugh. That probably would have brought the entire Inn.

Oh it was coming too. He coudld see her bite her lip, head fall down, and her breathing because strange. She was going to cry quite soon no doubt. She didn't speak either, so he knew she was thinking about it too. He just waited patiently, watching her with a somber expression upon his face.

That's when she spoke, and his eyes opened slightly. Heh. He hadn't really thought she might say that. However, it seemed that she was finally starting to cry. He was surprised that she suddenly wrapped her arms about him tightly. His free hand came up, to slowly pet her hair, and he sighed, shaking his head. This was all she needed, and he was glad she finally was getting around to it. She would be stronger, and her mind would be much clearer after all of it.

"Because I'm mean and nasty and you hate it so." He told her quietly, his voice gentle as he slowly stroked her hair. He knew that she didn't like him being right, and that was alright with him really. She would eventually be right just as he was. It would just take her time.

"All the pain I caused, all the sorrow, all the confusion, just let it go Niamh. Let it fall to the earth with your tears. I'll keep you safe. I'll take care of you. Not like you can't do that on your own of course." That was the key of all this. Don't make her feel weak. Never make her feel weak. He just wanted her to know that she would be safe with him. That was all. It was a good technique he thought, and he did hope it worked. He didn't mind the extreme pain around his midsection though. He was fine with pain after all.

Even when Nexus began to stroke her hair, she didn't protest, didn't try to pull away or push him away. If anything, it just helped to calm her more--and assure her that this really was all right, that she wasn't just making a big fool of herself right now, that he actually...cared? That was a strange thought, but right now, she wasn't about to question his change from Psychopathic Nexus to Nice Nexus to Goofy Nexus to...Kind, Thoughtful, Comforting Nexus? Everyone had more than one side to them, after all, and Goddess knew her emotions had been all over the place for the last few days, seemingly going from one extreme to the next. Maybe she had confused him, too, even though right now she wasn't confused for once.

She knew what she had to do, and she was doing it, finally submitting for one rare moment.  Not to anyone else, that wouldn't happen. Just...to herself, to her own emotions. It was a rare thing for her to just let herself go like this, much less around someone else. Then again...they were on the same page, weren't they? Like he said, he'd met his Goddess when he was around her age and he'd told her the story of how that had gone, how he'd felt pretty much just what she was feeling now. It had changed his life...and it was changing her life now. Only, she hadn't met any Goddesses, on the contrary, she'd just had her entire belief system altered and her home taken away from her.

Well...meeting a Goddess had done the same to Nexus, too, come to think about it. So it was the same kind of situation and...

It was nice to know he could relate. It always helped in times like these to know you weren't alone.

Somewhere between the sobs, which were finally starting to soften, an unexpected, hoarse laugh escaped and Niamh just held on even tighter for a moment as though trying to crush him, maybe trying to get back at him even now. The truth was, though, that she just needed something to hold onto and Nexus had become her temporary, living stress ball. She wasn't really trying to hurt him.

"Oh...you...shut up..." Niamh said, but then her grip on him began to loosen until her arms were limply around him, though her hands were still clutching at his shirt and her face was still hidden against him. It seemed like she was finally starting to wind down, though, even if the tears were still coming and her body was still lightly shaking. But then, just when she thought she was finally recovering from that sudden onslaught of emotion, Nexus had to keep on talking and being his oddly sensitive self, encouraging her to cleanse her mind, and a fresh new wave of tears came.

Ugh...how the hell did he do that? Know exactly what to do and say? Oh...right...thousand or so years of experience. It still felt so odd, though, to be crying in the arms of someone who had caused her so much fear and anguish. And even stranger to actually feel comforted when he said that he'd keep her safe and take care of her, even while managing to say all that in a way that didn't come across as patronizing. But right now, she just didn't care how strange any of it was--just that whatever it was he was doing, it was working.

It was a few moments longer before her sobs gradually stopped and she ran out of tears, but even after it was over she didn't bother to move, just remained slumped heavily against Nexus, face still hidden. Niamh's breathing was still shaky and uneven, catching in her throat now and then, but her body was relaxed and she felt...well...a little better. Not physically, really, because now her nose was stuffy and she had a bit of a headache, but emotionally, at least, she felt...cathartic. Maybe she'd just finally worn herself out, but Light...she'd forgotten the good a nice, solid cry could do. No, it wouldn't change anything, but it had helped to at least release some of the crap she'd been letting build up but had kept bottled up.

"Thanks, Nexus..." she heard herself say after a long pause, when she felt like she could speak again. Then, with a deep breath, sniffling a little, she finally started to pull away so she could rub at her eyes, catching the tears his shirt had missed. "Ugh...sorry...I think I just gave you another bath..."

She never protested, and he was happy. She was calming perhaps. he couldn't say for sure but this was nice for him. He needed a connection of some sort, someone that he could look after and something that he could care about and take his mind off his life. She was the perfect distraction, more so now that he had broken her faith for the most part. He was going to help the poor girl along, because in this transitional period, she needed a pillar to hold strong for her. His hand continued to move through her hair, slowly going through her short hair absently.

They were both the same in some experiences really. He wasn't sure that she would accept it any time soon, but he only hoped she would in the end. She would have to accept it all eventually, as it was the last step to a transition really. At least both of them had their faiths shaken in one way or another. He shook his head slowly as a frown found its way upon his lips. Had he ruined her life just to be like him, or because he was worried about the girl's soul and what happened to her? Ugh. He didn't know anymore at this point. He didn't care about it either. He had done it, and that was that.

Still, he sort of wished that her life had been changed by meeting a Goddess instead of meeting a pretentious and sadistic jerk like himself. Well, there was no accounting for fate now was there?

He had agreed to be her crying shoulder, he recognized this, but he never knew he agreed to be a giant squeeze toy. She had one of her hands on the NS on his back. Irk. That wasn't good. Would she feel the blood soaking through? It hadn't quite healed at this point, and he knew that it would be a few minutes before it actually healed over. Ugh. He just hoped she didn't get any blood on her hands, she might ask questions and he wasn't sure he had any answers for it.

"Eh but I like talking." His voice was calm, and there was just a hint of mirth that filled his words. Finally though he felt her releasing her death grip on him. That was good...that was a lot better. She was shaking a little bit still, but he held onto her, his hand that had been stroking her hair now just rested on the back of her head gently. Though, what he said had brought more tears, and that was perfect actually.

He wanted her to not be able to cry anymore, for everything to have been released and for everything to be good once more. Well, as good as their strange lives could be of course. Nexus didn't know how it came to all of this. One day he was whipping this poor girl and telling her about some degenerate things that he would do to her...and now he was holding her in his arms telling her to cry. Life truly was strange wasn't it? Things had worked out better though, he preferred this instead of the warehouse.

She was...stopping now though. Well, sort of stopping wasn't it? Her breathing was different, shaky from crying so much, but that would improve. Oh. He let his hand fall away from her head, creating a small silky handkerchief for the girl. He held it for the moment, smiling at her and waiting to see what happened next. Would she yell at him? Would she try to hit him? There were too many ifs and buts at this time. Sigh. There were too many questions at this time, but then she spoke to him. She said something. Something he never thought would hear. She thanked him. Well, that sounded very strange to hear from her.

"It's okay poppet." Both about helping her to cry, and about his shirt. He looked down at it for a moment, handing the handkerchief over to her with a smile.

"A shirt is just a shirt after all. It can be cleaned. It'll be cleaned anyways. It's got more than just tears on it." And it was new. Blech. He should have just come in wearing a big tissue or something. He wondered if that would work anyways...It would be strange to see wouldn't it?

"It seems like you're doing much better now. Crying always helps." He hadn't really cried back in the warehouse, but he sort of cried anyways. Tears might have fallen, during the spar, and during the night. He wouldn't tell her that though, he didn't want her to think he was weak after all.

"You're going to be alright Niamh? I'm here for you, just to let you know." He smiled at her lightly, the comforting smile of course, not the condescending one he usually liked to wear.

Niamh took the handkerchief wordlessly and wiped her face off with it, drying her tears, and she mustered up a weak smile. Good...so he really hadn't minded. That made her relax a bit more, and she nodded slowly. Right. Nexus could make shirts, of course--but that didn't seem to be what he was saying, and she understood that. Dabbing at her eyes a little more, she finally set the silk garment down on the bed next to her.

And then she looked up curiously at Nexus when he mentioned that bit about crying. That it always helped. "Yeah?" He was right in that it did help, but that wasn't really what she was questioning. Crying helped. That statement implied that he was speaking from experience, and, honestly...Niamh couldn't see him crying. Well, that had been that time when they'd sparred, when she'd grabbed his neck, but his eyes had just gotten a little teary. Crying...he just didn't seem like the type that would or even could. After all, he was that big, bad, tough heathen that tortured people for a living and for kicks.

If you did that all your life, how could you even retain the capacity to cry?

Not that that mattered right now. Because he was still being his comforting, reassuring self. Light, he was on a roll, wasn't he? Now he was saying that he'd be there for her...

"I know..." Niamh blinked a little at that as soon as she said it. She knew he was there for her? Well, he'd better be there for her. He was the one that got her into this mess, after all, and the only thing she had left. But never mind that--right now, she was just glad he was here. She gave a small sigh and sniffed again, but she also sat up a bit straighter and pushed some hair away from her face. Then she drew in a deep breath. It was a bit shaky still, but she was recovering. "But...yeah...I'll be fine now. I feel a bit better now...thank you..." And it was the truth. Her head felt a little achy, sure, but she felt better, clearer. It was like a weight had been lifted and for now, she could get her mind off all that crap. On the flip side, she did feel more tired because crying could be pretty taxing, but it was bedtime anyway so that didn't matter.

Speaking of... "But...ah..." She lowered her hands then, letting them drop to her lap where she stared at them intently for a long moment, as though thinking, before she spoke up again. She couldn't believe she was about to ask this. Her voice dropped to a low mumble. "Do you...um...do you think you could...maybe--what?"

Whatever she had been about to say, it was put on hold then. With a small jolt, she yanked one hand up and held it close to her face, palm up, as she examined it intently, eyes narrowed studiously at first before widening. She hadn't noticed it before until then, but...there was a strange red splotch staining her palm, which was otherwise mark free, and certainly had no wounds on it. How the...?

Her eyes then turned to Nexus. Wait...vaguely she could remember having felt something strange when she'd been squeezing the life out of him, a sort of moisture beneath her hand, but she hadn't thought anything of it at the time. She hadn't exactly been at her most lucid and she'd just imagined that it was because her palms were damp for some reason or his shirt was still damp from his skin after bathing. Both of which made absolutely no sense, really, but she hadn't been thinking, either.

And the shirt thing especially made no sense because it was then that she finally realized the obvious--he was wearing a different shirt now than what he had been wearing after his bath. Before healing her. She couldn't smell the blood now and she hadn't been able to then, either, because her nose had been stuffy from crying...

It all clicked together very suddenly, and without a second thought and with the only warning being a sudden frown that crossed her face, she leaned into him, reached around him, and tugged his shirt up a bit in the back, just enough for her to slip one hand under it and...touch the tell-tale stickiness of an open wound. There on his back. With a sharp wince, she jerked back away from him and wiped her hand off on the front of his shirt; didn't matter, it was already soiled anyway, right?

"Light Nexus..." Her eyes were locked on his face, brow furrowed. It was all coming together, because she could then remember how he'd practically bolted after healing her and how he'd sounded so strange when she'd knocked on his door to see what was up... "Why're you bleeding? What'd you do to yourself?" she demanded then, rubbing her temples with her clean hand, but she already thought she knew the answer. "And...Light, why aren't you bandaged? You're just gonna bleed all over the place and get infected and...ugh...Nexus...you didn't really heal me, did you?"

Give her enough clues and she'd make the connection. Come on. After all his fishy behavior and then a wound shows up where her wounds were? Yeah...

"Well, yeah. A good cry can release all the tension, all the pain, all the emotions, and leave you feeling refreshed." He told her gently, smiling at her carefully. She had actually been right though to bottle it all up and then release it at one point. Luckily he was here to help her, and to comfort her. It was always good to have a friend to cry with after all. He didn't...actually cry all that much. He got very teary eyed and sometimes a lone drop might fall away but...still he didn't truly cry like she had.

"That's good, don't you forget it." He'd always be there for her though. After all, he was immortal, so it worked in the end didn't it? "I'm glad  you feel better though." He nodded with a smile to her. At least she seemed a bit more relaxed and calmer than before. She had removed all the negative, and it would be replaced with positive. That's all that really mattered to him at this point.

"Do I what?" His eyes travelled down to look at hers, at to what she was looking at. Erk! There was a red splotch on her hand from his back. It was his blood. Damn it all! He had been just a little bit careless hadn't he? Yeah, he should have worn a better shirt, one that absorbed blood better.

He watched her nervously, his hands folded on his lap but wringing slowly over each other. She was figuring it all out wasn't she? That...was a bad thing. He knew she could be much too smart for her own good.

However, he didn't expect her to pull his shirt up at the back, feeling around. It stung just a bit when she felt around his wound, and he winced a little. It was a good sting though, just as all pain was for Nexus. He smiled warily and gave a shrug of his shoulders when she asked.

"I healed you." He told her simply. It was the truth. However she wanted to expand upon it of course. Bah, getting messed up in the nitty gritty details wasn't she? "Because I can't get an infection for one...I've got a shirt over the wound which will close in about ten minutes or so..." Nexus had a calm demeanour going on at this time. He was just trying to be nice after all.

"Look, here's how it is Niamh. When a healer heals people, the wound seals itself up, the process of healing just speeds up. However...with my healing...the wounds are transferred onto my body. Scars are just old wounds that have healed...so they became new wounds on my body." It was hard to explain how it all worked, he just knew that they worked in a very odd way. He never really questioned it, he knew it was a punishment. No regrets and that sort of thing.

"It's not a big deal Niamh. I've tons of scars on my body already. What's a couple more between friends anyways?" He didn't really care, so why should she? It wasn't like they wouldn't seal up after all. He smiled warmly at her and shrugged as he slowly stood up, stretching his arms out.

"So is there anything you'd like to ask me while I'm here? I was thinking I might head on down to the steam room or something." He felt like it might be a good idea really, it might be a great thing to do. He wanted to just relax, and he could trance down there hopefully without it being suspicious, or dangerous for that matter.

Well...yeah...he had healed her, but the wounds hadn't really been healed, had they? If that made any sense.  Niamh didn't say a word, though. She was looking at Nexus expectantly, waiting for an explanation of what he had done, more than just a statement of the obvious. After all, she'd never encountered this brand of healing before. There were healers in Solis and among her people, and that was accepted and good, but their healing was all the sort that simply sped up the body's own healing processes, and sometimes a really good healer could patch up a wound without leaving any marks. It was always easier if the cut was a clean, even one though, of course.

"Well...even if you can't get an infection and even if it'll heal...you're still bleeding all over..." Niamh muttered, and slid off the bed then to stand up. "And blood isn't fun to clean up. I hope you didn't get any on my bed..." Despite her words, though, the look she gave him was oddly relieved, and even as she recognized that emotion she gave herself a mental kick. Oi...had she really been concerned?

Maybe a little. He had just let her sob on his shoulder, expressed concern and sympathy for her, and made some pretty large promises, promises not even her own people could make to her. To protect her. They'd burn her if they knew what she was doing now. Yeah...he had gotten her into this mess, but...ugh, but if she really was planning on moving forward in her life, she knew she would really have to let go of the past. Especially the immediate past, for one, if this strange...friendship was going to work and she was going to accept everything.

It wasn't like it was a bad thing to admit she'd been a little worried. After all, he was her guide in this world! She'd be on her own if something happened to him. Yeah. That was all. That was a lot easier to admit than to admit that a bond of some sort had formed between them. It was all still so weird, but nonetheless, she was slowly coming to process and accept everything. She was even starting to process the idea that a friendship with him really might not be so bad as long as he stayed like this.

It really was like he had become a totally different person. Maybe...she could just think of it that way. That he had been a different person altogether back then.

Shaking her head, Niamh walked a little ways across the room to the washbasin so she could wash the blood off her hand. Not that she was queasy, but...it wasn't exactly sanitary, either. Then she took a hand towel that was folded nearby and dipped one of its corners in the water and started wiping off her face, since she was sure it was streaked with dried tears and everything; her skin had that dried out feeling to it. Even as she did that she turned around to watch Nexus, leaning back a little against the table the basin was supported on. If he hadn't started up explaining again, she would have prodded him for more information.

She nodded as he explained how a traditional healer worked their skill, understanding that, but when he started to explain how his healing worked, she gave a little twitch. Well...Niamh had thought it was something like that after she'd started piecing things together and had felt the wound on his back, she just didn't know the why of it. "So...you basically just...switch things out," she concluded, and then raised an eyebrow. "...And now you have your own name on your back. Well, I guess as long as you don't mind it and it's off me, it's all good. Though I guess I was just hoping all that had just...vanished. You know?" She shook her head again. "Oh well."

Light, he may have said it wasn't a big deal, but that still seemed like pretty big stuff to her. He really was apologetic, to take on her scars. He didn't have to do that at all, after all, and yet he did. And truth be told, as soon as those scars had vanished from her back, she had lost the desire to carve into him. What would be the point then? The damage was undone, after all, and if there were going to be no marks on her to remember that experience by, she didn't really want to put any marks in him, either. It was a clean slate, now. Except, now he was still carrying the marks of what he'd done to her...only on himself. Niamh really did wish they had just vanished altogether, though. That her physical reminder no longer existed anywhere in this world...

As Nexus stood up, she watched him curiously--and then blinked at his question, which...reminded her. She'd been about to ask him something before she'd seen the blood, hadn't she?

"Huh? Oh...er...right. Yeah, about that..." Niamh began, folding the towel she held back up and setting it back down beside the basin. Crap. It was much different to ask something like this in the heat of the moment when she was still in the process of recovering from a breakdown and not thinking clearly than it was to ask it now when she felt...well...considerably better and far more lucid, if sleepy. Now it just sounded stupid and weird.

"Uh...well...neh. I dunno. I think I was gonna ask you if...like..." She rubbed the back of her neck. "...You wouldn't mind, you know, maybe staying up here a bit longer or...uh...something. Like, just until I fell asleep. Er...that sounds really dumb. But I'm better now, anyway, so it's okay. That was all so, yeah! Have fun in your steam room thing."

To quickly switch topics, it was then that she bent down and scooped the clothes Nexus had brought up and started looking them over. "Hey, these are pretty nice..."

Well, the leggings were a bit too...tight for her liking, she imagined. She'd never worn them before, but had seen what they looked like; she preferred loose breeches that hid everything, just like all her other slightly over-sized clothes! But she decided not to say anything--or at least not for now. Beggars couldn't be choosers, and it wasn't like they showed any skin or anything. Everything else, though, looked great to her!

Did it matter how she had been healed? He had healed her just as he had promised her. That should have been good enough. There shouldn't have been any further discussion of the healing afterwards and well apparently that just wasn't going to work was it? Well he would have to figure a way out of this, he didn't want her to worry about it of course, there wasn't a need to. It would heal in a few minutes, and things would be normal.

"Blood isn't fun to clean up unless you know how to vibrate the very threads of what the blood is soaked into." He told her with a small grin. She was worried. He could tell that much. It was strange, but he was very happy to know that she was even a little bit concerned. Not for her bed but...for him. That was a real good feeling.

She did sorta owe him. Wait. Did she? Let's see...He almost took her into the dark forest and was going to sell her to Drow...then he kidnapped her, whipped her, carved his name into her, broke her faith. What did he do in return then? Hm, he freed her, broke her faith (It went both ways!) healed her, and let her cry on his shoulder. Well he still sorta owed her then didn't he? He would have to find a way to make it up to her. More clothes perhaps? Take her shopping when they reach the next town or city? Might be a good idea.

He watched her as she went to the basin, his arms crossing over his chest. Probably the best idea to clean the blood and tears from her face. There was just so much to tell her in such a short period of time wasn't there? He'd manage it though, he always did after all.

"No, not my initials. See on your back they meant Nexus Savaros. On my back however, they mean something else. I've decided they mean Niamh Solisi." That probably was going to shake her just a little bit but he did so love to shake her up like this. Nexus did like how it worked out though, because he would have a reminder of her just in case anything bad happened. Like she ran away, or they met some Lumenari and got into some...very bad trouble. He didn't want to think of such a thing though, because honestly he didn't want to watch her die. No, her dying would be very difficult for him. Still, he wasn't sure why though...Damn. He'd have to think on that wouldn't he?

A smirk was there as he watched her, waiting for her finish the rest of her sentence from before. He had a dubious expression though as he waited for her. This seemed like one of those very interesting questions, and she seemed to be stuttering and confounded by what she wanted to ask. He would wait for her to finish though.

He was going to respond but she suddenly switched the topic, but he wasn't going to let it get away that easily .

"I'll stay if that's what you want Niamh. I don't have to go just yet. If you want me to stay and wait for you to go to sleep, I'll do it. I'm afraid I don't have any books to read you goodnight." He sat back down on the very edge of the bed, where her feet would be so she could hop underneath when she wanted to go to bed.

Ah he was going to stay. Nexus had no place to go after all, and he didn't really want to leave Niamh alone just in case she wanted to cry again. His eyes stayed upon the girl as she examined her clothes. Best to switch to the topic of those clothes now.

"If you need any other clothes or such made, don't hesitate to ask. Now do you want me to go back to my room or do you want me to stay here with you?" He was nervous, though he looked rather calm on the outside. After all, what he asked was pretty...well it was pretty intense to say the least. Did she want him to go, or did she want him to stay? Argh, he was very worried about what she might say...It would be refreshing to hear her say yes...but at the same time no might be more suitable? He couldn't say. He wasn't planning anything...he would stay with her till she slept, and then he would be back in his room.

Not his initials? Niamh gave Nexus a puzzled look as she watched him and shifted a little, clearly expecting him to expand upon that. What, had he been able to alter the wounds' designs so they appeared differently on his back or something? That turned out not to be the case at all, and what Nexus said made Niamh's jaw literally drop, her body freezing so that she was still holding those black legging up in front of her, having still been in the process of looking them over.

She hadn't even thought about that! It hadn't even clicked that their first names both started with the same letter--she could be forgiven for that, she'd had a lot of other things on her mind!--but for Nexus to even make the "S" tie in and make sense...Niamh Solisi. That...that was a really crazy coincidence. Sure, Solisi wasn't her last name--it was actually Mera--but damn, it still worked so well it was scary. So it really was like she had taken a knife and a whip and carved her name into his back, only indirectly. Like he really was finally experiencing the pain that he'd caused her, or the physical pain at least; he would never be able to experience the other effects.

For a few moments she just stared at Nexus, motionless as she processed that. Finally, when she could speak again, she lowered the leggings when she realized she was still holding them up and cleared her throat. "Oh...well. That worked out...I guess?" What was she supposed to say to that? She couldn't think of anything, still stunned and uncomfortable. But Nexus seemed to be taking this all rather well, and he didn't seem to mind that still. And she now had her name carved into someone's flesh. She was not sure how she felt about that.

Luckily the subject soon changed, and it took her mind off the matter for the time being. Best to just move on for now. Ahem. She could probably even forget about the whole branding thing completely once Nexus stopped bleeding.

Ooh, ouch. Niamh couldn't help but cringe a little at what Nexus said. Not at the part about him staying if that's what she wanted--that part was okay, even if she still felt kind of silly and childish for even requesting that to begin with. But when Nexus made that joke, the one about not having any books to read her to sleep with...guh. That pretty much finalized it. She'd already been iffy about the whole thing now that all the tension was released and she had recovered. Seriously, she'd actually asked Nexus that, and that in and of itself was proof that she was still being thrown for a loop, but hey, she supposed considering everything else that had happened, that was rather tame. And it was true, she didn't like being alone, but...yeah.

The book comment...

Another time and Niamh would have found it funny, but right now when she already felt foolish for her request, it just made her feel even more childish, like she was being poked fun at because Nexus saw that too. Still, she managed to cover all that up and just roll her eyes with a scoff instead. She rolled folded the clothes she'd been examining back up in the cloak and set them down where she'd found them, on the floor near the bed.

"Alright, if you say so, I'll have to hit you up on that. I guess when you get time, if you could make me some breeches like...well, like what I'm wearing now, that'd be great," she told him, motioning to the loose, comfortable gray pants she still wore. Then she looked up at him quickly and smiled sheepishly. "I mean, not that the tights aren't great!" They were tights to her, at least. "Just these can take more damage and stuff. So, yeah. Just when you get the time, no rush or anything." After all, even if she didn't like the leggings, she still didn't want to sound ungrateful. He had done all that without her asking.

And that brought them full circle and back to the original point that Niamh had been avoiding. Whether he stayed or went.

Nexus probably wasn't going to like the answer.

"Anyway...ah...now that I think of it, I think I'll be fine on my own, so...you can go enjoy the steam room. Besides, you don't have any books. And what good is that if you don't have any books?" She gave a wink and a smirk, deciding to just play off of that comment as she once again leaned back against the table, obviously waiting for Nexus to get up. Yeah. It'd be better if he went. She didn't know what she'd been thinking to begin with--then again, she hadn't been thinking much at all at the time. But indeed, it probably wouldn't be proper if he stayed and...ugh. She was a big girl. She didn't need some strange heathen--ah, right, the word didn't apply anymore--tucking her in to sleep, and she was already a little embarrassed now about crying on his shoulder like that.

Besides, she didn't want to have to ask him twice. It had been hard enough the first time.

Light...what was she doing? She was still messed up she guessed. Not all sad anymore, not for now, but she was still trying to figure out what exactly she thought of Nexus, trying to sort out her own jumbled, disconnected thoughts.

"Thanks though, but yeah, I'm okay now. I could probably sleep like a log now." As though to accentuate that point, she yawned right on cue.

Heh, he was pretty sure that sounded crazy, even to him. The initials weren't a bad reminder to him, no they were a good reminder. They would remind him of when he met Niamh, and when he saved her from wasting her life being told what to do in the name of a false God. At least, in the name of a misiniterpreted Goddess. Yeah. He couldn't disprove the Goddess yet as he had no real insight into her.

Maybe it was fate that made it so the NS was interchangeable. Maybe it was just Nexus's brain working too hard to find a correlation between them. Whatever it was, the NS worked in the end for both sides. Nexus would get a nice reminder and some pain, well Niamh would get the satisfaction of knowing that he was getting payback. Still the giant N on his back was going to be a little bit...interesting to explain to most people. Maybe he wouldn't have to, maybe he could just ignore them! Yeah. That worked for him.

Nexus hadn't meant for the joke to sound so bad. He did want to stay, but he was trying to pass the whole thing off as silly. After all, why would she ever want him to stay with her? That didn't make too much sense in his mind. Ah, life was so confusing wasn't it? He hadn't really wanted her to feel childish by his comment but understood exactly how it came off as that. Sigh. That had been a mistake hadn't it? Yeah...It had been a bad one.

"Hm? Oh of course. I'll get started on that right away." Right now actually, with his hands behind his back. Nexus was staring at the pants she wore, trying to duplicate them as best he could. He had a talent for that sort of thing, so this would be a sinch to say the least. He did it as well, created a pair of breeches that were almost identical to the ones she wore. He left them on her bed however, a present for her really.

"Ahhh right you are then poppet." Though there were good spirits, Nexus felt a little sad by that. He had been looking forward to staying but...well she seemed to be doing fine for now, her mood having improved and the like. Slowly he stood up and stretched his arms out, smiling at her. A steam would help him think. Yes. That would work.

"Well then, I'll see you in the morning. We'll get breakfast from the kitchen and then head out." He told her the plan for the day before striding to the door and pulling it open, his head turned slightly to watch her.

"Have a good sleep...if you need anything...I'm next door or in the steam room." He would eventually move back to his room. Spending too long in the steam room could be dangerous yes?  More so if the Lumenari found where they were and came for Niamh. That would be bad. Very bad.

It took Nexus only a minute flat to reach the steam room. Towel around his waist, missing his shirt and pants but not his hat he went inside and found it was, like before, empty. Pouring some water on the rocks, he found a place to sit, and began to meditate. He had to go deep into his own self conscious to discover his emotions and what they were. He found his own mind could be a scary place. Sometimes it was kind to him, and gave little trial and tribulation, while other times...it was the scariest place he had ever been to. Filled with demons, beasts, doubts, and punishments. They weren't real though...no...they were just his mind attacking itself and trying its best to stop his meditation.

Nexus had to discover what those feelings were. The last time he had them...had been...the Drow. The large D that was cut into his skin was a painful memory for him. So that was...what it was. He had a crush for Niamh. His eyes focused once more as he was brought from his meditation.

No. No way was that true. This was...Niamh after all...why would he have feelings for her? Maybe it was pressure. Yeah. From being around her all day and getting to know her. Eventually one would start to have these feelings! That seemed like a perfectly logical explanation for him.

Except...Back in Ketra....Maybe that's why he had let her go. Argh. It would explain why he felt regret for letting her go and why he had to kidnap her again. It's why he couldn't leave her alone, why he couldn't let her go. Because he was infatuated with her. Why? Her beauty played a factor in it he supposed, she had a rather beautiful look to her but...he had lived a thousand years! He had seen beauty that was unmatched by even the Goddesses...It was her personality that had probably got him the most. The way she acted, the way she was who she was, how stubborn she was, how she could fight for survival. It was the little things Nexus adored.

Well, she was little wasn't she? Still. Niamh was...Eighteen...nineteen? Now Nexus didn't LOOK old but he knew how old he was. How did that old saying go? Something about robbing the cradle. Something along those lines at least.

Still. Nexus didn't like these feelings. The last time he had them...he had become a monster. It had been his second step to becoming a psychopath. The first step had been his parent's abuse to him. Taking a deep breath Nexus closed his eyes and focused back into his mind, blotting out the world around him. It was better not to grow such feelings for Niamh. Yeah. It would only hurt when she betrayed him. It would only hurt more when she turned on him, said it was all a ploy, how she used him, and sold him off to the Lumenari for scrap lumber. No. Niamh wouldn't do that. She was changed. He had changed her after all! She was a better person. She wouldn't do that would she? They were friends after all...they were friends.

Gods above he hated emotions.

[Alright! I'm gonna skip to the morning in this post! If there was anything you'd wanted to do before the skip, though, I can always edit! ^_~]

When Nexus had said he'd get started right away, Niamh hadn't thought he'd meant right away. Of course, she hadn't even realized he was working on creating them on the spot, and she wouldn't realize it, either, until a few moments later. "Thanks," she told him with a smile, and she was also relieved to see him take her sudden change of heart rather well. He also seemed to take the hint, getting up and heading toward the door.

She grinned a little as he announced the plans for the morning. Ah...finally, they'd get out of this town. Nothing had ever sounded better--except maybe his announcement that he'd finally untie her, that had sounded wonderful at the time. "Great! Heh, finally something other than bread and cheese, eh? G'night, Nexus. See ya in the morning."

As soon as the door had closed behind him, Niamh walked the short distance to the door and locked it before returning to her bed and practically falling onto it--except she stopped just before she could as she remembered the knife she'd stashed away beneath her pillow. So instead she just climbed into bed like a normal person, checked the dagger's position and slid it back farther toward the headboard as a precaution, and started to crawl under the covers--except something caught her eye before she could. Sitting up, she found the pants Nexus had left for her on her bed...and another smile found its way to her lips as she looked them over. An exact replica...Light, he really hadn't been kidding when he'd said right away! So that's why his hands had been behind his back.

Sneaky, very sneaky...

Ugh...why did he have to keep being so nice? It just...made her want to like him. To really be his friend...even though he had hurt her. Even though it felt wrong.

It was confusing.

Folding those up and setting them aside fondly, she finally just curled up in the sheets and comforter and closed her eyes. Her stomach rumbled a little as she lay there and waited for sleep, a reminder that she'd only eaten a little bread and cheese since she'd been, ah, "taken in" by Nexus, and for a moment she considered dropping by the kitchens to see if the cook was still up and she could snag something. But the bed was warm and soft, and she decided that if her stomach had waited this long, it could wait a little longer. In the morning, though, she was pigging out!

After that, it wasn't long before she was asleep, her mind calmed after her cry and the fatigue from the last few days finally catching up with her. Normally a light sleeper, Niamh slept deeply this time and when morning finally came, she couldn't even recall any of her dreams. She'd been sleeping a lot more deeply since winding up with Nexus, but that was probably because by the end of the day, she was completely worn out.

The candles had finally gone out by the time Niamh woke up, rising when the first beams of light peeped through the gaps in the curtains, warming her pleasantly. Stretching and yawning, and reaching up to open the curtains fully and let the sunlight pour into the room, it wasn't long before she was wide awake. The sunlight was probably directly responsible for that; it always made her feel more alive than she already was. For a few minutes, Niamh just sat cross-legged on her bed, staring out the window without squinting. It was a beautiful day, just a little past dawn, the sky more golden than it was blue...and Niamh knew for sure that Mother Sun was real, a real Goddess. There was no way all that beauty could just...happen, no other explanation for why she felt so at peace when bathed in Her light. Peace. Yeah...She was real...the Living Sun wasn't Mother Sun in the flesh, just a, well...a very powerful woman she imagined. But Mother Sun was real...

Her people had just gotten Her all wrong...a peaceful, beautiful Goddess wouldn't tell people to kill and die for Her...would She?

No, Niamh's faith wasn't broken, not exactly. But it was changed, that was for sure; a lot had happened to open her eyes and she had even learned a few hard lessons in empathy. Bowing her head and closing her eyes, she whispered a morning prayer, something she'd been neglecting--though she also hadn't had much time, nor had she really had much of a concept of time while she'd been in that warehouse.

"Light of the world, Mother of us all, grant me the strength and clarity I'll need in the days to come, guide me toward what is right...and...and please forgive me for all I've done. Forgive my people, too. May they also see the Light, or if the Light I've seen is false...may I turn to ash for speaking lies and wandering astray." She released a quick, sharp breath when she was done, knowing that she was taking a big gamble saying something like that. It wasn't that she expected her Goddess to incinerate her on the spot, but if she was wrong, the Lumenari might find her and burn her for Her. Er, well, maybe that wasn't really a fair wager. Even if the Lumenari did get a hold of her and burn her at the stake, it wouldn't necessarily mean she was wrong, just that they were blind. Ah, the wager still stood. She was simply trusting her Goddess to protect her, because she knew the days ahead weren't going to be easy.

After that, Niamh got up and got dressed--or rather, undressed so she could get dressed in the new, clean clothes. She pulled on the new breeches Nexus had made, the ones that were identical to her old ones, and then she slipped on the crimson undershirt before tossing on the myrtle tunic. She pulled her belt off her old pair of pants and secured it around her waist, cinching in the tunic as she looked herself over in the mirror. Hm, not bad! The clothes fit rather nicely, were loose and comfortable, and they looked rather nice, too. For not knowing her very long, Nexus did have a good grasp on her preferred style. Her eyes moved a little further up toward her face, and she frowned when she saw the state of her hair. Bed-head. Augh. It was all sticking up on the left side.

Oh well.

She shook her head and dipped her hands in the water from the basin before finger combing her hair with her wet fingers for a few seconds. Then she went over and Slipped on her boots, collected her dagger and returned it to her belt, and gathered up her old clothes to take with her to wash later--she liked those clothes! That done, Niamh finally left the room and headed downstairs to go to the kitchen. She didn't know if Nexus was already up or not, but she didn't bother to knock on his door, either. If he was still asleep (for she wasn't aware of his trancing) she didn't want to wake him. After all, she was just naturally and early riser, and she understood that a lot of people liked to sleep in. In any case, she was too hungry to dawdle; if he saw that she wasn't in her room, he'd know where to look.

There were already a few other people downstairs in the common room, also early risers, who were getting their breakfast when Niamh got down there, but she paid them no attention, just a quick look to make sure she didn't recognize them. Good. Maybe she should have waited for Nexus just in case the Lumenari did happen to be around, but he would have told her way before this if anything was amiss, right? Right. So she breezed past the tables and walked right on over to the bar where she leaned her arms on the counter, glancing around for the barkeep or someone. She wasn't really sure who to ask about food.

And she also wasn't aware of the way one dark-haired man in particular eyed her or the way he'd been watching her the whole time. She'd noticed him, but hadn't recognized him. But he seemed to recognize her because shortly after she'd turned her back, he got up, spared her one last glance, and left the tavern, his meal half-eaten.

((Morning it is! I'm assuming the fella is Lumenari so I hope this works.))

Nexus had a rather interesting time when he had finished meditating. He spent time making the room hotter, and after pruning up somewhat he made sure he was wrapped up tight in the towel then hurried up to his room. The wounds on his back had healed over and the blood wiped away with the sweat, he quickly dressed and sat down on the bed. Time to trance then apparently...Sigh...He had been looking forward to watching over Niamh while she slept. Huh...that was a little bit of a creepy thought.

Nexus fell back onto the bed, having gone into a trance at this point. Thank the Gods for trances. No dreams, no thoughts, just waking up refreshed after five hours. Nexus however...stayed asleep for about six and a half hours, until he was forced to awake. Well then, he hadn't figured that might happen. Well. He was awake now, wasn't he?

Nexus wandered on downstairs. Hm. Empty wasn't it? Just the replacement bartender, what looked like a weary elven woman. Nexus approached her and got himself a drink. Juice of course. The woman had given him a strange look when he drank it greedily. He also filled up on supplies, refilling old wineskins and new food. The woman didn't seem surprised by his satchel though, which was a good thing. He hated explaining it to people, well, random strangers. After filling up, he gave the woman the key back and headed outside.

Yep. Still dark. He was going to do exactly what he had done last time he had stayed in at an inn with Niamh. He had scaled the rooftop once more using a rope or two. Then he sat up there, perched on the edge, watching. One eye on the ground, and the other on the sky for the time being. He wasn't thinking Niamh would run away. He was thinking they might be found out here. If so, he wanted to have the drop on them. However, the night was..boring actually. Very boring for him, who only had this thoughts to be entertained with. Ugh.

The hours went by, people came in and out, and the sun finally rose, the first bits of light flooding the town. Ah. That was bright. He averted his eyes to the ground once more, now to focus on the people coming in and out. He knew someone who was going to be getting up soon. Crack of dawn as always it seemed. He lowered himself down to the ground, just as someone moved passed him in a bit of a hurry. Alrighty then...That was a little bit strange but maybe he had to be somewhere? That was a little strange but then again, this entire world was strange wasn't it?

He moved inside, and saw Niamh standing around waiting for him. He smirked and moved to her and stepped up behind her. Hm. To do anything bad to the girl? Nah. He slipped to her side, leaning against the counter to look down to her, smirking a little.

"Morning poppet." He said to her with a smirk. Ah he did so love that word, and it worked well for her he thought. Smiling to her he put a gold coin down on the counter near her and grinned.

"Get some food Niamh. You'll need your energy...for..." He sniffed a few times as he moved away from her, his eyes looking about wildly. Something was off. Something smelled familiar and off. It smelled like...like Niamh did. Like the hunters had. Like he did at this moment. He sniffed his arm where the man had bumped him.

Oh Vec no. He knew that smell. He had smelled it for the past three weeks, and it smelled just like Niamh but different. He knew what that smell was. He ran over to her, grabbing her by the shoulder and staring directly at her.

"We've got to run. Now. They've found us." That's why the man had been running. He had seen Niamh...and now he was going to get back up. Gods, this wasn't what he expected but it meant...it meant they had to get out of this town, and they had to go very fast.

"Keep a hand on your dagger, and keep your ears open. We need to run, and run fast." He told her as he bolted toward the door, throwing it open and gesturing for her to follow. His eyes were looking outside already, finding no one. He must have to run to the camp outside of town, which gave them some time. As long as they had some time, he could get them out of the town, into the wild, and then...then they would survive. Nexus would have to listen to the wind, have to go by his wits to get them somewhere safe.

"If you know any place the Lumenari wouldn't go, now would be a terrific time to tell me."

[It definitely works!]

Fiddling with her key as she waited for the barkeep to return, Niamh had been completely unaware of Nexus' presence until he suddenly popped up right next to her, drawing out a yelp and a curse.

"Nexus, don't do that!" she exclaimed, having indeed jumped when he was just right there out of nowhere. Yeah, she was jumpy. Who wouldn't be after what she'd been through? Exhaling, she relaxed against the counter again.

"Ah...anyway, good morning," she added as an afterthought, then glanced down at the counter as he slid a coin over to her.

Yes! Food, finally! One could probably buy a whole lot with a gold coin. With a grin, she snatched it up, already planning to fulfill her late night dream of pigging out since she really was famished, but that was when Nexus trailed off and started acting...weird. Which wasn't saying much, since this was Nexus, but he moved off and seemed to be looking for something, and he was sniffing his arm. Eh? Niamh raised an eyebrow, blinking rapidly, and was about to ask if he was okay, but that was when he rushed back over to her and grabbed her shoulder.

And said what she really hoped she wouldn't have to hear anytime soon. She didn't know how he knew, but that didn't matter--she trusted him on this matter.

"Are you serious?!" she groaned, her grin melting away, but she was bolting after him as he went to the door, her right hand resting on the hilt of her dagger. Crap! Well, so much for pigging out, her stomach would just have to suck it up and wait a while longer--wait! Why the hell was she even thinking about that right now? Ugh! Slipping outside, her eyes darted around the area and she was practically bouncing from foot to foot anxiously as she waited for Nexus to get going and start running. After all, he was the guide and he could apparently smell them.

Then came his question. Right! That would probably be helpful, huh?

"Uh, well..." Crap. Where the Lumenari wouldn't go? Ahaha. This was going to be rather painful, because she had been a Lumenari, too, so the places they wouldn't want to go were also places she wouldn't go unless she was dragged there! It made it even worse since Nexus had tried to take her to one of those places the first time she'd met him, right before he'd decided to release her: a forest. With drow. She really didn't want to say it because the second she did would probably also be the second Nexus decided that they were going there, but...it seemed it was either that or possibly get captured. Or Nexus would get captured at least. The Lumenari would just figure they were bringing Niamh home safe--until they learned of everything else.

"Oh Light...well...um, places with drow for one," she said hurriedly, her voice not hiding her reluctance. "They'll attack a lone drow or two, and they'll even invade some smaller 'nests' so to speak...but if there's a lot of drow, there's still too few of them in that particular group to really take on a large colony." A shudder ran through her, and she quickly started thinking of alternatives. She didn't know if there were any such places around here, but she did not want to find out. She'd almost rather take her chances just running from the Lumenari.

But then, as she took a deep breath of the salty sea air, and glanced off to the side where the ocean spanned out into the distance, another thought struck. "Ah! Large bodies of water! I dunno if anyone's ever been out there, but I know I wouldn't wanna go out there. I mean, I only saw the ocean for the first time half a year ago! I don't think they'd go there."

Niamh was just throwing things out there, mind working furiously to think of even more alternatives. The idea of sailing was another freaky thought...she didn't even know how to swim, and being out there in the middle of all that water...ugh. But anything was better than drow. "And...uh...cold places! Yeah, we're all from the desert and cold isn't fun...ah, any of those work? Should I keep thinking of other things?"

Scaring her was really fun actually. He was going to have to make a habit of it it seemed. She was easily scared it looked like, and probably for good reason actually. Ah the poor girl...no matter though....she would learn to toughen up eventually!

"Sorry, did I startle you?" He made it seem as if he had no idea he scared her. He knew he had though...oh and it had been grand! Of course he would never admit that to her, as she might want to hit him. Hm. Actually that might be a good thing. Ahem. Best to save that for later. Yeah. Later was a much better idea.

"The stench is heavy, It hangs like a bad cloud." Thank the Goddess for his particularly heightened sense of smell. Sometimes that's all he could rely on in trying times. One sense at a time was always handy. Great eyesight, pinpoint hearing, and a nose that was just as good as a blood hounds! No. An old wolf. Yeah. No comparing himself to a dog when there were wolves to be compared to.

"Hn. That's not good enough Niamh. We need to go somewhere they wouldn't follow, but you could go." The darkness would be the death of her, even with the teaching he had given her, and the cold would probably be worse on her. He could survive in some pretty cold and hot temperatures, but he wasn't sure that Niamh could. Actually he was pretty sure she couldn't. Damn it all. The North would be the best idea, but Niamh might not be able to survive there. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He had seen a map before, he could recall it. He just had to think about it carefully.

He wanted to take Niamh somewhere that still had a village or town, but a place the Lumenari wouldn't go. Also, someplace away from large bodies of water. He wasn't going to cross the ocean or anything like that,

"Are there any mountain towns? Not villages but actual towns?" His eyes snapped open as he looked to her, starting to walk quickly , motioning for her to follow. Though the Lumenari might not go near the ocean, he wouldn't either...he had a slight fear of large bodies of water like an ocean.

"A mountain town would be perfect, as if we need to, we could escape to caves...damn it. If only the Drow had surface towns here." The Drow would definitely provide protection to them, if the Lumenari had such a bitter hatred for the Drow, then the opposite was probably true. However, it would mean taking Niamh straight into Drow country, and he wasn't sure how that would work out for her. They could simply go to one of their Underdark cities, but that would mean Niamh would be devoid of all sun light.

Damn. She just had to be a Solisi. He'd figure a way to keep her safe though. Even if he had to sacrifice himself. After all, he had many lives to live, while she only had one, as far as he knew. Nexus was jogging at this point, but short strides so Niamh could keep up. He didn't want to leave her behind, that would be bad. Very bad. That would end in her being burnt for being a heathen...or a heretic? Heathen Heretic? He couldn't be sure which one it would be, but it wouldn't be pretty.

"Keep throwing ideas out Niamh."

A bad cloud. Yeah, that sounded right. Which was sad, because these were her friends she was thinking about, fleeing from. Goddess...it was amazing how things had gotten to this point. Fleeing like an outlaw from her own people. For a moment, Niamh felt a sharp pang of pain in her heart, but she quickly pushed it away. Best to just not think about it. No looking back now, the only direction available to her at this point was forward, and once they were out of this town...things could only get better.

Right now, there was only the present. And the present issue was that the ideas she'd offered weren't good enough.

Niamh had been both hoping and fearing he'd say that because she didn't want to go to any of those places, and yet they would be the best spots to go if they didn't want to be followed. It was true, she could go to those places but she probably wouldn't be able to last very long in them. The darkness wouldn't do for obvious reasons, and as for the cold...she had grown up in the desert! Sure, she'd seen snow and experienced the cold since leaving Solis, but she'd also been among a lot of people--a lot of highly skilled people, people who could do amazing things with their gifts of fire, heat, and light. Needless to say, she hadn't been very cold overall, and she'd also been dressed appropriately.

Of course, when she'd named off those options she hadn't been thinking in the long term. Ugh, what else could work? Where could she go that they wouldn't also be able to go? With a slight huff of frustration, she followed after Nexus as he began to walk quickly, taking a few extra strides for each one of his.

"I'm not so sure about the mountain town thing, but I know where we can find some mountains at least..." Niamh offered as they walked, then winced at how unhelpful that sounded. Yeah, so then they could get lost in the mountains and freeze! Nice, Niamh. Great observation skills there. Mountains were easy to find--she could see them quite clearly in the distance--but actual towns were another thing entirely.

Resisting the urge to slap her forehead, she listened to Nexus and couldn't help but be relieved that drow apparently had none of those surface towns around here. Good! No way she'd go into a drow town. And if she had to, that would probably be the one and only time in her life that she would try to get drunk. She would also be sure to make Nexus swear on every deity he worshipped that he wasn't going to get some great idea like selling her to the drow for a little extra coin.

Not that he needed it and not that she didn't trust him enough by now, but still! Never hurt to be safe, and drow...she didn't think she'd ever be able to think of the things differently, and if Nexus had said out loud that the drow would provide protection for them, Niamh probably would have laughed out loud.

Picking up her pace as Nexus began to jog, she trotted easily beside him, breath coming easily and evenly as she paced herself. She rather liked to run, and she'd developed a lot of stamina. Light, this was nothing considering she'd done the bulk of her training in the desert heat. "Alright, let's see...well...like I said, there's a mountain range North of here, past this one river. I know because we crossed it on our way here from that Ketra place. The river, I mean. That's about two weeks away, though, roughly...we might be able to find a town if we ask around, but..." She frowned and stared down at the ground as she jogged, making sure there was nothing there for her to trip over as she thought, since she was notorious for tripping over her own feet.

"I know past the mountains there's also a country there that the Lumenari weren't planning on going into anytime soon...something about that place having a bad feeling. A group went there once before and couldn't use their gifts, only a few people came back alive...that's what I heard at least. Ah..." Yeah, she didn't like the idea of that place either. But she was still just throwing anything out there at this point.

Augh, think...what other things would work? Places, places...Light, this was difficult!

Then a sudden thought struck her.

"Nexus...do you know anything about this town? Or this country? Because if we went somewhere with a lot of security, with guards and soldiers and the like...the Lumenari won't go there," she told him quickly, hope rising in her. Light, why hadn't she thought of that before? It was the obvious answer, and it was some place she could go without worrying about freezing to death from cold or the dark. Or meeting drow. She drew a deep breath in through her nose and quickened her stride to keep up, panting only a little now and that was just because she'd been doing so much talking.

It was amazing how calm she felt right now, even to her...but she also trusted Nexus right now. He knew what he was doing and he said he'd look out for her. And if there was one thing she'd learned, it was that he tended to keep his word--for better ot for worse. "We stuck mostly to...convincing smaller towns where the security was easy to deal with. Our numbers are too small to do any serious work in any big villages, see. Think that could work?"

Then she looked over at him and gave him a knowing frown. "...Unless you're wanted for something here already, of course," she added dryly, then gave a small yelp when she nearly tripped, only some quick footwork on her part saving her. Figures, the moment she stopped watching where she was going.

Considering Nexus' line of work, though, it really wouldn't surprise her if he was a wanted criminal. But hey, she pretty much was one, too--her people just didn't know it yet--so they were even. Kinda.

Nexus figured if they got out of town quick enough, there wouldn't be an easy trail to follow. They get out, they head into the forest, follow a pre made path, and then escape the forest and flee to...well...he still hadn't figured out where they could go. There wasn't any real place they could go to...right? Damn, this just had to happen didn't it? It figures, he'd find a nice (nice was a relative term) person to be his friend and then they'd end up running for their lives. Sigh. Such was his life.

"Mountains might be good. Less way of tracking us. We could head into the mountains...double back, and run back the way we came to a town in the different direction." That was a great possibility. He didn't Niamh's help on locating the mountains however, they really weren't that hard to find. He could see them after all, jutting upwards into the sky. Ah, he liked mountains, and mountain towns were pretty nice. The cold crisp air, walking around at dusk or dawn, maybe watching a storm fall around the mists...Ah. A mountain town would be grand.

"We can't go there Niamh. I need you to still be able to use your gifts, and if my 'gifts' get negated too, we'll be in trouble. Best to stick to lands where we can operate." However, that wouldn't be a bad fall back plan at least. Head to a place where the Lumenari were vulnerable. Mm, that might even the scales to some degree!

"I know that the capital is Arca and this nation is called Serendipity or some such thing. You think we might be safe in the capital city?" That was a long stretch. A very long stretch. What if...what if complications arose? The capital city was after all filled with guards. That could work to his disadvantage.

"And I've never been there thank you very much!" He was quick to help her as she tripped, steadying her as she managed to help herself back into a good walking position. Geez. She really was clumsy. Maybe that day he captured her she had just tripped on her own. Wouldn't that have been embarrassing? Poor Niamh.

"You be careful poppet. Carrying you with a sprained ankle, while enjoyable, would slow us down." Nexus wasn't sure if he just said carrying her would be enjoyable. Yeah. He was pretty sure he did. Bah, best not to dwell on that actually. Best to play it off as nothing. Yeah. Nothing. That was a good idea.

"So we'll head to Arca then, and go into hiding there. I think that will be for the best." Yeah, that would mean assuming fake identities. Oh he did actually love to pretend to be someone else. Acting as it were. It was fun! They would have to make a cover story, and then try to just live as normal inhabitants. Uh oh. Nexus knew what that meant. It meant he might have to open a store...and as such...he would have to be a tailor. Ugh. He really...really felt weird about being a tailor. It came so natural, and of course made perfect sense but still...It just seemed so...out of character for him.

"We're almost out of town. We'll head about and go toward Arca. Hopefully we'll be safe there."

"That sounds more tiring than anything," Niamh said, between lightly panted breaths, a little fatigued but only because she still hadn't had anything to eat for a while. Go all the way to the mountains, two or so weeks away at least...and then come all the way back? That sounded like a lot more work than it was worth, then there would be the chance of running into the Lumenari on their way back if they had been followed. It might be good to actually stay in the mountains for a while, sure, even if it would be cold...but going all the way there just to come all the way back sounded like more trouble than it was worth. Of course, this was all assuming they were even followed to begin with. If they lost them in this city here and now, the Lumenari might not even have a trail to follow if they hadn't even the slightest idea of which direction they had headed off in.

Luckily, it looked like Nexus was currently considering all of her ideas. So that wasn't set in stone! Whew. Right, that weird place probably wasn't a very good idea, that she agreed with, but again she'd just been throwing out anything that came to mind. Even if some of them were bad ideas, there might be some that could actually work.

She listened as Nexus spoke, nodding. Arca and Serendipity. Alright. She'd remember that, and he was right, if this "Arca" place was the capital city, that'd be the perfect place to go. Capital cities always had the most security! So as long as Nexus wasn't really a criminal there or anything, they should be fine. And as long as the Lumenari didn't do anything in Serendipity. If they made a name for themselves, it might have bad results...not that anyone needed to know that she was a Solisi, nor that she had ever been a member of the Lumenari. After all, how many blonde-haired, light-skinned women were there out there? A lot. Maybe not a lot in this town full of sailors, but go further inland and there'd be a ton.

Niamh had been about to answer Nexus' questions and confirm that it sounded good to her, quite relieved that he'd never been in that town before--that would make things a little less complicated--but that had also been around the time that she'd tripped, and he'd even helped to steady her as she ran. Not only that, but he'd also gone on to say something pretty strange. Yeah, Niamh wasn't going to let that one slide!

"Right...thanks, I'll be careful, I--huh? Did you just say enjoyable...?" she repeated slowly, quizzically, though she wasn't looking at him now. Best to focus on where she was going! Because, uh, yeah, being carried would be kind of awkward to say the least, and embarassing, and so many other different things. And it would slow them down! Yeah, that was the real reason, it would slow them down. "I don't really see how that'd be enjoyable. More painful for me and more tedious for you..."

She cleared her throat and ignored the persistent, uncomfortable growling of her stomach. Rrgh, now just wasn't the time! Shaking her hair out of her face, she threw another quick look Nexus' way, one hand still hovering near her dagger. "Anyway! Moving on! Yeah, I think that should work. Like I said, they'll stay away from places with heavy security. A capital city should have that, right? And if we lose them here...it shouldn't be that big of a problem...I don't think...I mean, they can't follow us if they can't find our trail, but until we lose them, they'll follow. You took one of their 'sisters' and they won't give up easily."

But they were almost out of town according to him...and that was a good thought. She didn't know how far away Arca was or what it was like, but she was looking forward to getting there.

And man...it was probably a good thing Nexus hadn't mentioned his idea of being a tailor. If he had, Niamh would have probably collapsed in laughter and been unable to walk for a while. She'd probably find out eventually, though--if he did indeed go through with that idea.

Then another thought struck, and Niamh exhaled on a groan and started to slow down a little. "Nexus, wait..." she said, reaching out to grab at his sleeve. "How many entrances are there in this town? Because if we're gonna leave here, we can't use any of those roads. Knowing them, they'll probably have people positioned at all the various entrances, watching everyone who's leaving. Or...I don't know...can you smell them or anything, tell where they are? They might not have done anything like that yet, but just make sure."

"Running from a group of angry people is always tiring poppet. There's nothing refreshing about it." Unless by happenstance you were running from a group of people who were releasing exponential amounts of magic and recharging you. Ahem. That wasn't the case at this time though. This was running from a bunch of people who dearly wanted to get their defiled denizen back and then string you up and burn you alive, then afterwards probably discover you made her a heathen and give her the same, if not worse fate than yourself. Yes this was a time when even if it tired you out, you couldn't get caught. He could hope they took time to organize, or perhaps saw that Niamh was 'safe' and didn't pursue her.

Who was he kidding? This was a fanatic cult. They were going to keep their members until death. Damn it all. Why did he always get involved with the really crazy ones?

"I...may have possibility said something along those lines." Yes, just pass it off as a harmless comment. That's all it was! No hidden meanings of any feelings there. After all, he was Nexus Savaros, torturer, defiler, and dead inside without any conscience at all. Yeah...That was him...That was him to a T wasn't it?

"A capital city should have walls and siege engines. That's how they did it my world. You didn't assault capitals in my world...Well...I know one person who did..." Nexus bit his lip as he thought about that. He had been told  by Feris some of the deeds his good friend Carthax would do. Carthax did it all in the name of...his God. Driven insane perhaps by the whispering of power, the gentle prodding and pushing of a God who wanted more...

"Yes though, we should be safe in the capital city. If the Lumenari won't go there, then we'll be fine. No doubt they'll hire mercenaries and the like to retrieve you but, I haven't ever met a mercenary I couldn't best." Nexus was good at fighting, it was his life, but he was good at many other things. Kidnapping for one. However, he never ever had a kidnapped person who WANTED to be kidnapped. Usually he dragged people kicking and screaming. This however...this was different. This was good. She wanted to go with him. Wanted him to take her away from all of it. This would be a piece of cake.

Nexus stopped when she grabbed at his sleeve, forcing him to either stop or drag her right along with him. He stopped though, as he was sure she had something good to say. That of course was true, as it made him blink several times. He lifted his nose to the winds, his hand going up to tip his hat up, and he sniffed. Oh she was good wasn't she?

"I knew you were useful but I didn't expect you to be out thinking me already." The thought of guards and sentries never crossed his mind actually. He believed it would be smooth sailing and they could just leave town easily. Luckily this was just like most towns, too rural to afford large scale walls and the like. Hell, not even a fence. After all this town would be evacuated and burned at the first sign of trouble wouldn't it? Ahem.

"We'll cut off the road then here, and head through the alleys and make our escape out one side of the town." Nexus turned his attention to a nearby alley, which he gestured for her to follow as he started walking again. The smartest thing Nexus SHOULD have done, and he realized this, was to head directly to the camp and leave that way. The Lumenari would have sent all their troops in through different ways to find her, that only a few would be left in the camp. A head on strike was always a surprise. This would have to do however.

"We'll get out of here Niamh. I'd put my life on it."

Alright then. That was a little strange, but she wasn't going to pursue it. Come to think of it, she probably didn't even want to know what had been going through his mind then. Niamh blinked, then frowned when a couple of memories flitted through her mind, certain events which involved him feeling her up in some way, shape, or form. Riiight...enjoyable...that pervert. But it was odd that he seemed a bit awkward about it for once--the change was noticeable. That was a bit strange, but...probably best to just let it all slide, since that seemed to be what he was trying to do, too.

Besides, there were more important things to think about! Like getting out of the city.

As Nexus explained about capital cities and the like, she nodded, not answering so she could save her breath, though she did wonder who the heck would try and assault a city like that...and if he was successful. She'd have to ask him about that sometime, though maybe not now, because if that person was successful, she didn't want to kow about it now! Alright, good, that was like how Solis was and how many of the cities she'd seen here were, though it would be just her luck if this Arca place was the one capital city on the planet with minimal security. She doubted that, of course, but it never hurt to be cautious! In any case, once they got there, all would be well...they wouldn't assault the city, they weren't stupid, and again it all depended on if they could lose them or not. If they lost them early on, they would be home free and wouldn't have to worry about--

"Mercenaries?!" Niamh blurted, her eyes going wide as she jerked and looked up at him. "Good grief...I hadn't even thought of that...ugh, they would do something like that, too." He was right. There were many experienced people among the Lumenari who were good trackers and warriors, but if all else failed, they might go so far as to hire others, even heathens, to help, people who knew the land better than they did. They were all dedicated to each other, fiercely loyal, and like Niamh said they all considered each other to be brothers and sisters under the Sun. If one of their own was in danger, they didn't just let it slide. Oh Light. Another time, and she would have appreciated their steadfast dedication, but right now...

"We just have to lose them here and now, is all," she mumbled. "So they don't even know where to look to begin with." Yep, she really did want to be kidnapped right now. It still felt odd, but, eh, what was she going to do about it? A lot had changed. She never knew so much could change in a matter of two--well, three now?--days. Or three weeks if you wanted to be really technical, because that was where it all started.

Her words seemed to have impacted Nexus, for he stopped when she tugged his sleeve and even sniffed the air, and she stopped beside him, waiting patiently if anxiously. What he said next, though, made a lot of that anxiety melt away.

Not because she was comforted exact, but for another reason.

Despite the situation, Niamh couldn't help but feel a surge of pride at that and she could even feel the beginnings of a smug smile tugging at her lips. Oh ho, so he hadn't even thought of that, had he? Now probably wasn't the time to be concerning herself with matters of the ego, but she just couldn't help but feel, well, good about finally one-upping him, petty as it probably was. She was just naturally competitive like that and especially so around someone who had just about as much arrogance and pride as she did. Oh man, two dominant minds working together. That probably couldn't be good. But, no, she was probably being bad! She shouldn't be competing with him now, not when they were in this together, he was trying to help her, and they were kind of fleeing for their lives. Right. Bad, Niamh.

"You don't hang around the Lumenari for over a year and learn nothing," she told him simply, though there was a cocky smile there that she couldn't quite repress. Heh heh, if she couldn't beat him physically, she could at least keep one step ahead of him in terms of thinking! Not that she was trying to beat him now. Nope. Ahem. She passed a hand through her hair. "Besides, I was one of them. I know how they work, so I've got a bit of an edge there," she added as she once again started to walk, following him into the alley, trusting his judgment here.

This should work. Their numbers weren't large enough to circle the city or anything, so they'd probably just focus on the major entrances and exits. Sticking close to Nexus, ignoring the rats that scampered about picking at the old garbage that was littered there, she looked over at him. Since they were just walking now, she wasn't too concerned about having a clutzy Niamh moment. "I know..." she told him, honestly believing him. He hadn't lied yet, and...ugh, it was strange that she trusted him. Then again, she supposed that was all she had left now. "Be careful, though...you already are putting your life on it, you know. Both of our lives."

Then she went quiet for a moment, just letting him lead the way and listening to the sounds around them, to the sound of their footfalls and the skittering of small animals. Then finally she spoke again, still keeping her voice hushed. "So...how many times have you done something like this?"

Yeah, she probably didn't want to know or try to understand what was going on in Nexus's mind. Not even HE knew what was going on in there, and he really didn't want to focus on it. He could remember quite a few times when he wasn't sure what was running through his mind...like the time when he decided to let his hands roam a little bit along Niamh's body. That had probably been a wrong thing to do, but at the time he didn't really seem to care.

At least Niamh wasn't talking that much, she seemed too focused on running and jogging to seem to want to talk. Heh, that was good. Sometimes she had too many opinions for herself and that could be a little...interesting for most of the time. Well, he liked a person that could speak their mind no matter what. Even when she had been tied up she was pretty...vocal. No screams though, a pity really. He had wanted her to scream oh so much but she never had.

Once more he had thought of something she hadn't eh? That made him feel a bit better about all of this. Heh. "Great, so everyone is a suspect now. Just when I thought that things might go smoother." It was too late to fake their own deaths. Niamh had been spotted alive and well, though he hadn't. Maybe...maybe they could use that? He wasn't sure how to use it yet but...eventually he could use it. He'd have to think on that and figure it all out. Well, not think right now, as he had to think on how to escape and the like.

"I think your right about that Niamh. I really think you are." Sigh, that meant he was going to have to be the bait. He had a rather good idea on how to do all this, but he couldn't allow it with Niamh with him. He could easily lose a group of people inside a town, but not when he had to look out for someone else. However, finding out if people were at the exits was a much more...interesting topic anyways. When he finally did smell them, he was a little concerned, but at the same time...he had a brilliant plan. Mostly brilliant plan.

"This is true. At least some things have stuck in that mind of yours." It was banter, not an insult. He was proud of her really, and the tone in his voice showed it. He smiled lightly as he continued to walk along through the alley ways. They had at least slowed down from their running and jogging, as they had to be very careful and not make too much noise. Ergh. Would Niamh mess it all up and start tripping over rats and trash cans? That would be...well that would be bad wouldn't it?

"I promise you this Niamh, you'll be getting out of this alive." Would Nexus sacrifice himself for her? Absolutely. She was his friend, and he was fiercely loyal to his friends. He would set himself on fire and run into some exploding gunpowder if it meant Niamh could get away safe. Of course, this was always because it meant that he wouldn't have to deal with his emotions anymore, whatever it was that he was feeling for that matter. He wasn't even going to delve into those personal matters until they were safe and sound and could...talk it out.

"Over a thousand times at least. I lost count about six fifty." He told her quietly as he stopped suddenly, turning around to look at her. Carefully, he reached up and removed his hat, placing it onto Niamh's head.

"Niamh, you're going to count to a hundred. When you do, you're going to walk through these alleys and exit the town through them. You're going to run. Run as fast as you can toward the forest, then hide there." Nexus had a quiet somber expression on as he stood in front of her, putting one hand on her shoulder, smiling ever so lightly.

"If anyone tries to stop you...just...use this." He produced a fiery looking whip of burning orange and red. The hilt was quite cool to the touch however, so it would be safe. He assumed she knew how to use this of course, but this was special.

"Crack the whip to shoot a fireball at the target, wave it around to create a small wave of fire in the direction of the whip. Good luck." Then he winked at her and he headed back, exiting the alley and started stalking the streets. He was headed for the actual exit, and he was going to do this as...carefully as he possibly could. There was a large amount of danger involved here after all.

It took him no more than thirty seconds to reach the main exit, and as predicted, it was swarming with Lumenari. He had thought there was nine, but there was only seven, and they didn't seem all that happy. Of course, they spotted him right away, and he stopped dead in his tracks, a surprised look on his face. He had to act this one out perfectly, lest the ruse would not work.

"You'll never find your precious little sister. The poor bitch has been branded and is being held by me! Not even that whore of a Goddess can save her now!" Harsh language, Nexus knew this much, but as they started gathering up spells and weapons, he knew it worked. That's when Nexus began to run, dodging by rays of burning light and fireballs. A few grazed over his skin, and he gasped with pleasure and surprise. He patted the fire out on his clothing as he ran, dodging to the right just in time as a Fireball soared past his shoulder.

There was shouting and screaming from behind him, and as he knew, they were following. All of them. All seven angry mages and such chasing after him yelling and attracting more attention. A rather surprised looking Lumenari man stepped out in front of Nexus, but was quickly struck down by the crack of a whip. Lightning coursed through his body and he fell immobilized to the ground, which helped as Nexus vaulted over the man. Ah! This was just like old times now, perhaps a little bit odder but still...like old times.

Nexus had to get them all away from the east area, and he was doing just that, soon with the Lumenari scanning the centre of town as he led them on a wild chase. He had no idea how many seconds it had been, but by this time Niamh must have gotten out of town. This was probably the best time for him to make his daring escape and hopefully be free of the wretched Lumenari. Many threads began to appear in his hands, ones of grey, black, and blue colours. Ahhh, this was going to be chaos! He started waving the threads everywhere, sending small blots of the different magic around the fish market. Fog began to form, as well strange vortex's of black wind and the like. He was instilling chaos into the surrounding area, sending everyone that was there into a panic. Thankfully a crowd was somewhat forming, so this was good.

Nexus quickly weaved his way through people, escaping amongst the utter insanity that was now the market square. Then he started a weak jog toward the exit. He had to get out of here...he COULD get out of here. He had to...for Niamh. Yes. He promised her. No. He had promised her that she would get alive. It was inconsequential if he made it out alive at this point, all that mattered was if Niamh made it out alive. He had to head back to the alley, go through that way to see if she actually moved, and then go on to the forest if she wasn't in the alley. Hopefully...she didn't get captured.

[Doot doot doo, feel free to manipulate any NPCs here. ^_^]

Heh, so she was right yet again! Man, if this kept happening, she'd just have to start keeping score. So far, she had two points and Nexus had...er, maybe it was best not to think of that, actually. Yeah. Score-keeping might be a bad idea. She'd just take her victories and be happy with them. She did have to snort, though, at his comment. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" But she knew it for banter, and she stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm young and sharp minded, what can I say! As opposed to, y'know, a senile old one-thousand year old guy." She winked at him, somehow managing to be calm and even a little cheerful now--somehow, this kind of banter just helped to calm her more, maybe because it just downplayed the severity of the situation. But she did trust what he said. They'd get out of this.

She failed to notice how he never said "we".

Niamh stared at Nexus after her answered her question, eyebrows arching as she gaped at him. "Holy...! A thousand?" she repeated quietly, her voice a mixture of bemusement and amusement, since she wasn't quite sure which emotion to settle on. A thousand times at least? And he was, what, some amount of centuries over a thousand years old? Yeah, she was already doing the math. She looked back out ahead of her and shook her head, blinking rapidly. "So...that means you've done this at least once a year. Light, I don't know whether to find that comforting or--" That was when Nexus stopped and turned to face her, and she paused as well, cutting off her tangent just like that.

For a moment she was tense, thinking he'd heard or smelled something. But then he just went on ahead and removed his hat and set it on her head, while she glanced up at him in confusion.

That confusion was soon cleared up as he started to explain, his hand resting on her shoulder though this time she didn't react to it like before. Instead, her eyes just grew larger. Wait! He was leaving her? Niamh opened her mouth, wanting to ask what he was doing or where he was going and any number of other questions, but he kept talking, and anything she'd been about to say died on her tongue when he produced the whip. Despite herself, Niamh just about dropped it when he gave it to her, though she made sure to grip it firmly even if she did shoot Nexus a sour look. A whip. Why a whip of all things? Her sour expression faded, however, when he explained what it could do, and when she finally looked at it and noticed that it seemed to have been made of fire, her element.

Okay...maybe it wasn't that bad. Except of course for the fact that she'd never used a whip before (nor had any desire to!) but she could figure it out! Didn't seem that hard, just...crack it or wave it around. "Alright, got it, but Nexus, where're you--oi. Alright...see ya..." she sighed, seeing as he was already walking off, leaving her. "You better be careful," she added in a low mumble as she stared down at the whip, even though she knew he probably couldn't hear her.

Which was a good thing. She wasn't worried about him, after all! Psha, no way. She just needed him to survive, that was all! Really.

After that, she wasted no time in counting, knowing he was up to something. He wouldn't ditch her, not when he'd gone through so much, uh, trouble to get her in the first place. Splitting up was probably a good idea. She just hoped he wasn't doing anything stupid and life-threatening...

Twenty one thousand, twenty-one one thousand...

Eyes and ears alert as she waited, she leaned back against the alley wall and quickly decided to put Nexus' hat to some use. She stuck the handle of the whip between her teeth and reached up so she could tuck her hair under the fedora, then tipped it down and forward a little to try and hide her face with the brim. Eh. That probably wouldn't do much, come to think of it. Her clothes--wait, she was wearing new clothes, wasn't she? Great, maybe if she did run into anyone she could just slip on by! The whip might draw attention, but other than that...okay, yeah, this would be fine. Just go through the alleys, run to the forest. She didn't know the way, but she was sure she could figure it out. If she just kept following these pathways then it they should eventually lead out. They had to end somewhere.

Too bad she didn't know about the man who had seen her earlier at the inn, the man who would have likely also given out details of her updated attire. Nexus had never told her about that; she had just figured he had been able to smell them close by.

The sounds of shouts and screams in the distance made her blood go cold, and even though she had only been up to eighty-three, she figured it couldn't hurt to go seventeen seconds early! In a second she had pushed off from the wall and begun to jog through the alley, holding the whip in a white-knuckled grip and reaching up every now and then to make sure the hat didn't fall off--har har, kinda like the game she and Nexus had played. Speaking of...

You better not get hurt, you psycho... she thought, wincing when the sounds of commotion seemed to increase. That...didn't sound good. But she couldn't stop and go back, and whatever it was he was doing, Nexus had experience in doing it, right? Over a thousand years of experience. It would be fine. Reaching the end of one alley and rounding around a corner, she wound up behind a cluster of buildings and paused for a moment to orient herself. Good, good...the alley systems weren't much different from Solis. Glancing skyward briefly, she took a deep breath and continued heading East. That had been the way Nexus had been leading her, so she stuck to it. Thank Goddess she had a good sense of direction. Confident that she was almost out of this, she picked up her pace.

Shit! Only to skid to a hasty stop when two figures entered the alley then from the other end, two figures she immedietely recognized. One a man with hair even lighter than Niamh's, a bleached white, the other an older woman with red hair, both unmistakingly Solisi with their light skin. Jahi and Ket. Both friends of hers.

Both froze just as surely as she did. Niamh ducked her head to shield her face and hoped beyond hope that they hadn't recognized her. She had changed her clothes. They shouldn't be able to recognize her--

"Niamh!" Niamh jerked. Oh shit. "Niamh, thank the Light! You're not hurt are you? If that fucker hurt you..." It was Ket, the red-haired woman, that was speaking as she approached her, and Niamh could only watch as she and Jahi closed the distance, her hand tightening on the whip. Oh Goddess. She had to use it. She had to use it now. These were her friends, but they would kill her if they knew...if they knew.

Oh no...

She had been so sure of her decision, but now as she saw them, her friends, her adopted family, lines of actual concern etched into their faces...once again she began to waver in her decision, knowing good and well that this was it. She could go back to her old life if she wanted and take her chances. Or...or she would have to hurt them, and then everyone would later learn from them that she had become a heretic and a traitor, and the news would reach her family and friends back home. It would officially be the end of her old life and nothing would change that. Light...tt was so easy to decide to leave and start anew when she wasn't actually looking at her loved ones. It was so easy to fight when you weren't fighting people you cared about. It was so easy when the consequences and the choices were still all abstract and not actually standing right in front of her.

Niamh felt strangely distant as Ket took her by the shoulders and gave her a once over, checking for injuries--and doing a double-take when she saw the fiery whip, since Niamh was known for being weak in her gifts--as Jahi stood over them both like a sentry. The woman was a healer, not a fighter; that was why Jahi was with her. But strange whip or not, Ket wasn't concerned with that for now.

"Are you injured, Niamh? Niamh...? Hey!" She snapped her fingers and Niamh jolted and looked at her. "Fuck...he hurt you, didn't he?" Ket asked, obviously taking Niamh's silence and stiffness as evidence of that, when the truth was that Niamh was just torn. No...she wasn't torn anymore, actually. "Come on...you're going to be safe now, that bastard's being taken care of now. You're going to be okay...let's go, we'll talk when we're out of here. Jahi, let the others know we found her." She laid her hand on Niamh's arm, and Jahi nodded and turned to head off to do just that.

Without even thinking, Niamh abruptly twisted and slammed the heel of her palm into Ket's nose before following through with a swift elbow blow to her gut, and the poor bloodied healer went down with a thud. Jahi spun around then in shock and started for her, and Niamh drew her arm back and cracked the whip--only to watch the damned fireball fly off course, her aim off. Gah! Not her fault! A staff was one thing but a whip was another! Acting fast, she waved the whip instead, but with a sharp motion of his hand, Jahi dispelled the fire before it even reached him, and then he was on her before she could do much else but draw her arm back to strike him with the whip itself.

He dodged expertly and grabbed her wrist, giving it a sharp twist so that she yelped and dropped the whip. "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you possessed?" he demanded, a mixture of anger and exasperated concern in his voice as he roughly shoved her back against the alley wall, the air leaving her as her back smacked it and her head followed, and for a moment she saw spots of light. "What'd that guy do to you?"

But Niamh wasn't through. Disarmed, she began to struggle wildly, and he cursed loudly when she brought the heel of her boot down hard on the toes of his, knowing good and well how easy it was to break the bones there. She used that small distraction to thrash one arm free and grab for her dagger, which began to glow, and she was more than ready to use it, not to kill but to injure. And she would have, too, if he also wasn't quick enough grab that wrist, though she continued to kick and thrash in his grip, even biting him at one point. Thank Goddess they were...friends. That bought her some time as he struggled to figure out a way to subdue her without injuring her too much, clearly thinking she'd lost it. Maybe she had.

And Niamh hated every second of it, but she knew she had to do this--both of them had to be incapacitated, otherwise the whole escape plan just wouldn't work; they'd know where she and Nexus went. Thank Goddess she'd pretty much stopped thinking at this point and was just acting.

Nexus was perfectly safe as he stalked his way through the alleys. There had been one reason he gave his hat to Niamh. It was because then he could have mistaken identity. With his hand on he was Nexus Savaros. Without it, just another brownish haired man in the crowd. That's what he had been hoping to use to his advantage. However, Nexus now slumped against the wall of an alleyway, his breathing was quick and ragged for a few minutes. So much magic. He had used so much magic in this time and...he was so tired.

Bah, he had gotten a good sleep hadn't he? He couldn't remember anymore. That wasn't the point though. Mighta been outta the frying pan but now he was into the fire. He had to move, he had to keep on going and make sure that Niamh got out alive. Pushing off from the wall he forced himself back to walking, trying to take his mind off being tired. Instead, he thought about the wounds, which got his blood pumping so to speak. The pleasure had been a nice distraction from the weariness at least.

Nexus found himself back at the alley way where he had left her, then continued on when he didn't find her. He was following her scent at this point, she had such a unique smell it was quite easy to go by. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, or if it was real, but there was some sort of commotion going on. Someone was yelling and screaming, struggling and the like...He knew exactly who it was. He was back to running, coming around the corner and freezing with a small grin on his face.

This was a sight he never expected to see. Niamh was fighting with the Lumenari. He expected her to just turn on him and go with them but she was fighting the man that was holding her. This didn't look like the Niamh he knew though, the one that had stalked and looked for his weaknesses. The one who had subdued and grappled with him. This looked like a frightened child fighting for her life. That's what snapped Nexus back into his thoughts. He looked down to his hand, where a small whip of electricity materialized. Uh...no...that would go through him and into Niamh. Best to save that for later. The electricity stopped coursing through the whip and he grinned. Yes. Much better.

The first whip crack seemed to freeze the strange fellow who was grappling with Niamh, more importantly because it had been a pin point strike to his arm. The second crack brought the point to his side, finally making him realize it wasn't Niamh who was doing this but someone else. His eyes fell upon Nexus, who was standing there with whip in one hand, and a grin planted firmly upon his face.

"Now I don't think the lady wants to go with you sir, try looking for a date somewhere else perhaps." Insults were the best way to get someone's attention really. It made them focus on you instead of their main target. That's exactly what happened too, as he pushed Niamh away to rush at Nexus.

"You bastard! What did you do to-" The man never got to finish his sentence however, as Nexus got the upper hand so to speak. Well, technically he got his hand around his neck and lifted him from the ground. He thrashed wildly in Nexus's grip, trying to fight for air at this point. Nexus tossed him aside into some garbage bins, just because he was nice and didn't want the man to be too hurt. That's when the whip glowed with power and he struck the man's chest, sending the electricity coarsing through his body. That stopped him, paralysing him for the time being.

"Glad I got here just in time poppet." Nexus dragged the bloodied woman and the man together, tying the two of them up quickly with a strong rope he created. Ugh. He should start carrying ropes on him instead, all this creating was going to make him tired. With the knots all done up and the whips put away, he went to Niamh to make sure she was okay. He did take his hat back of course, putting it onto his head and smiling.

"I'm...glad you're alright Niamh. We need to get going." Show emotions later when it was appropriate. When they were both sure that they got away. However, Nexus had one more thing to do. He knelt down in front of the struggling, still awake man, smiling at him calmly.

"My name is Nexus Savaros, the Thread Master. When you're eventually found, I want you to take a message back to your superiors. Leave me alone. Don't ever come looking for me or for Niamh." Nexus's voice was quiet, it had a sort of finality in it that made most people shiver.

"You're nothing but heathen scum! The Mother Sun will punish you for this you bastard!" That was the only reply that came back to Nexus, but he didn't show any sign of recognition of what had just been said to him.

"Tell them that every person they send, I will kill. Whether it's Lumenari or Mercanary, I will kill them. If I have to I will blot out the sun and I will destroy every one of you. I will hunt you down, and I will make you all suffer. The smartest thing they can do, is forget. If they dwell on this, they will die. I promise you that." Nexus stood up and turned his back, walking forward to stand beside Niamh. He readjusted his hat carefully then with a beckon of his hand he began to walk.

"They'll come looking for us Niamh. To kill me." His voice was quiet as he spoke, his arm had moved to around Niamh's shoulders to bring her forward with him out of ear shot of the two of them. This he didn't really want them to hear of course.

"Now let's keep moving shall we?" The focus here was to get the Lumenari to hate him so much they would forget Niamh all together and want to kill him outright. That's what he wanted to have happen. If they forgot about Niamh then she would be safe, and well...he would be raised again in Heiroth. He could always come back to this strange realm once more and find Niamh...hoping of course she didn't get lynched without him. Maybe it would be a better idea to stay alive so Niamh didn't get herself killed. Huh. Oh well.

The sudden, sharp sound of a whip cracking and Jahi's gasp of pain made Niamh give a start because, well, that sure hadn't been her. Her whip lay discarded on the ground, but maybe she'd just been imagining things; she had no time to consider it. But then came the second whip crack, and Jahi once again flinched and this time turned, pausing, and it was then that Niamh had a chance to glance over his shoulder, also instinctively freezing--only to see Nexus standing there, grinning like the self-assured bastard he was and looking a little roughed up, but very much alive and himself. Niamh's eyes widened and much to her own surprise she could feel some of that wild fear leaving her, replaced instead with pure relief, even though she was still currently pinned.

Thank the Light...

Dear Goddess. Niamh had never thought that she would ever be relieved to see him again, but she was. Wasn't that ironic? She had dreaded encountering her friends, and yet the tension eased up a bit when she spotted Nexus. It seemed backwards, and yet she didn't even care. He was okay, she felt better just knowing that...and he couldn't have had better timing, either.

It didn't take long. Nexus made that comment of his, something Niamh could have laughed at if it were any other time, and in an instant Niamh had been pushed away, grunting as she hit the wall again and nearly toppling over, but she quickly braced herself against the wall before she could. Jahi hadn't been angry with Niamh, and she knew it...he'd been exasperated and worried, but not angry at her. From what he'd said and the tentative way he'd handled her even when they were fighting, that much showed, otherwise she'd probably be in a world of hurt right about now. Who he was angry with was Nexus, because it was he who was responsible, and angry was indeed an understatement. And after all, he didn't realize what Niamh had done, either, or that all this was her choice at this point, that she was equally guilty now, that she wanted to go with Nexus; she hadn't said a word throughout the encounter because, honestly, her throat felt too constricted to speak.

Nexus was quick and efficient, and Niamh watched, hardly breathing, as Jahi was almost effortlessly taken care of and then tied up with Ket. For a moment, she was worried about what Nexus would do to them, ready to step in and intervene even now--they were still her friends--but he didn't do anything. In fact, if anything, he had been a bit gentler on Jahi than she had been on Ket, which is to say he at least didn't break any bones while she was pretty sure she'd broken Ket's nose. Which she felt really, really bad about...

But it was all necessary.

She took a deep breath to calm herself, heart drumming in her chest, and gave a faint nod and weak smile at Nexus' words even as he took back his hat, her hair falling back around her face. She still didn't say anything, though, didn't say she was glad to see he was alright even though she felt it. Not when she was still within earshot of her old friends. Maybe she should have been more honest instead of just letting Nexus take all the blame, but right now they just seemed to think Nexus had screwed her up and taken over her mind or something, and she would be silent and let them continue to believe it.

At least then when they brought news of everything to her family, they wouldn't be shamed and hate her for being a heretic and a traitor. She didn't want to be remembered like that. Maybe it was cowardly, but...so what?

Niamh pushed off from the wall and sheathed her dagger as Nexus knelt and spoke with Jahi, a slight shiver coursing through her as she caught the words, the finality. Light, she hoped they listened. That they didn't follow. That they gave up. She didn't want to have to fight them again--it had been hard enough this time--and she didn't want anyone to get killed over her, whether it be Lumenari or...Nexus. Damn, this was complicated. When Nexus rose again and started to walk, beckoning her to follow, she practically leaped at the chance to get away, purposely avoiding looking at her old friends as she trotted after Nexus to catch up. She still felt slightly dazed, a little too distant from everything, but it wasn't because she'd been injured or anything. Aside from a bump on the back of her head and a wore wrist from getting the whip wrenched away, she felt fine.

Maybe it was because she felt so out of it that she didn't complain when Nexus put his arm around her, didn't even try and jerk away or resist. Then again, that couldn't really be all that, because that odd feeling began to wear off the further away they got from the scene as it finally began to register that, yeah, she'd actually done it. She's actually fought the Lumenari. And come out of it. And she was glad to be away from it all.

...Damn...

But Niamh simply continued to walk with him, then exhaled slow and long, the tension melting from her muscles. "Yeah...let's get outta here," she agreed quietly, staring out ahead of her as she walked. Then, even more quietly, she added in a mutter, shaking her head and still looking everywhere but at him, "You better not get killed, either...I kinda need you, y'know."

Then she gave a violent jerk and hunched her shoulders, still pointedly staring at the ground, especially now, though her eyes were wide with horror. It was really difficult to hide a blush when you had light skin, after all--the blood showed through quite vividly! Gah! That came out so wrong, and it certainly snapped her from her dazed state completely! "Around! I need you around! I don't know what I'm doing, so, uh...yeah. Anyway. Glad to see you're not too hurt, you kinda gave me a scare back there, leaving like that without any explanation. Don't do that again, or I'll kick your ass."

But her words lacked the bite she was going for, and instead came out all awkward and forced, and she still wasn't looking at him. Though she did clear her throat and step to the side when she realized his arm was still around her. She rubbed at the bridge of her nose to give her an excuse to feel her cheeks and gauge whether she was still blushing. Ergh. Stupid...phrases that could be taken wrong. "Ah...thanks by the way. For not hurting them. And for, well, you know. You have really good timing."

Well, at least Niamh was...happy to see him? Well that was just a little odd but was he going to complain about it? Not in the least bit. He felt a bit better that she was fighting and actually glad to see him. Looks like she had changed...and that was about the time he knew that he could probably full her trust her from now on. There would be no need to be wary of her anymore. That would be a large relief, having to look around for danger and over his shoulder at Niamh in case she tried to stab him. Yeah, that would be much better now that he didn't have to think about that sort of thing.

Nexus kept his calm, despite the fact that he was quite angry at the man for shoving Niamh into a wall. Yeah, he should have killed him for that. However, Nexus kept a level mind and knew these were technically Niamh's friends and family...so no. He couldn't kill them. If he did, then she might never forgive him and that wasn't a good option.In the days of Old, when he had more time, poor Jahi would be sliced and broken. Nexus would leave a mark of the encounter, break a bone and then set it so he might have a limp, or cut the man enough that he would be dizzy or disorientated, but wouldn't bleed out for a while. Not now though. He had changed a little bit.

There was that hope, that hope from the Old Nexus that they would follow, that they would come, so he could wipe the land clean of them...but...there was also that wish that no one would show. That wish that they would be fine and no one would come after them after this. Oh that would be marvellous actually. Then he could live in peace with...Niamh hanging around for amusement. Yeah. That's what she would be there for. Those feelings would get sorted out later. Much later. When it was safe and they had such time to go through things like that.

Nexus never expected these events. Not true actually...Nexus knew something like this would happen. Nexus was leaving his legacy so to speak. He did it where ever he went, to every realm. He left his mark on the world itself. Many realms had his picture and offered a reward, but they never knew the extent of his notorious actions. He was following orders in a way, he was simply doing his job, and yet...the people he helped never knew it. Nexus helped a lot of people, but that sort of help involved hurting many...many others. He righted wrongs...and the people who were righted suddenly never knew he had done it. He was just a murderer, a thief, and a heretic.

His thoughts were suddenly jostled from his mind as some very interesting words cut through the air. Had he just heard what he THOUGHT he heard? His eyes travelled to focus on Niamh, who seemed to be blushing darkly. Oh my. such fair skin was a blessing and a curse apparently...that was no matter though.

"Niamh, save those thoughts and that blush for another day. Now is not the time for us to go into something like that." If this had been ANY other time, where they weren't fleeing a small town and escaping from a group of fanatics , Nexus would have grinned and made some lewd or snide comment, but right now wasn't the time for such things. Right now was a time for them to be get out while they still could. He noticed that she moved away, slipping from his grip so to speak.

Barely a smirk came upon his face as he watched her, now stepping from the alleyways into the sunlight, onto some beaten dirt. They were out now apparently. After the dirt was an expanse of grass and forests onward. The forest would make a good hiding spot. Damn, hopefully Niamh could handle it...hopefully.

"I knew you would be mad if I hurt them and...well I knew you'd be very angry if I didn't come back. We had a bit of a deal after all." More so the deal was between himself, to keep her safe. Though he had made the deal to her as well hadn't he? Yes...that's another reason he couldn't just give himself to the Lumenari, because he wouldn't be able to protect Niamh. She was in a very bad transitional state, confused about the world and everything around her, so he had to protect her until she knew what she was doing.

"It'll be a quick walk to that rather nice forest over there. It'll provide us cover...we'll head into the middle, camp there for the night then leave at dawn." No names to be used here, just in case some how, someone was listening to them. He wasn't going to be the one to reveal their targeted location. Oh no. Arca was going to be the perfect hiding spot hopefully.

Of course, the fact that Nexus actually noticed her blushing and just had to comment on it didn't help. If anything, that just made it deepen, and Niamh grit her teeth. Not her fault she embarrassed easily! "Something like what?" she hissed, voice a strained whisper, and despite herself she stiffened and walked just a little more quickly. And just what thoughts was he talking about? Oi, she probably didn't even want to know.

Gyah, it wasn't her fault she was blushing. She'd made an innocent comment that she then realized could sound kind of wrong and then she'd corrected it! That was all. Wasn't her fault she was playing it safe with him, but...maybe she'd just gone and made it worse on her own by correcting it, he might not have noticed otherwise. Maybe she was just still all high on adrenaline and nerves and should shut up now because she was speaking stupid. Heh, yeah, maybe. That sounded like a good idea. Yet shortly after she said that, she peered at Nexus out of the corner of her eye briefly before averting her gaze again. "Never mind. Don't answer that..."

But after that, she fell quiet for once as they walked, deciding it was for the better at this rate--and because talking a lot when you were trying to evade a group of people wasn't too wise. It was difficult, though! After all, she was a talker and she especially talked a lot when she was nervous (as Nexus might very well know) and right now she was still all jittery and shaky from that encounter, still in a state of disbelief at what she'd <I>done, the blood still rushing loudly in her temples. Jeez. It would probably take her a while to come to terms with that, because she still felt weird about what she'd done, if...relieved.

Well, Nexus should savor the moment, because the only other times she was ever this quiet was when she was asleep or trying not to cry. Or if she was gagged. Ahem. And even when she was asleep she sometimes snored, so she'd been told. She denied it.

Her cheeks were blessedly cool and she felt a little calmer by the time they came out of the alleys, and Niamh sighed with relief as the sun warmed her skin, glancing up at it as they walked and still not looking in Nexus' general direction. Finally, they were out of that town, although she did feel a bit...unsafe out here on this road, out in the open like this, and she did step a little closer to Nexus as a result, still silent, daring him to say a word about that. Though from what he'd said before, he wouldn't; they were in danger, and he was being serious...which was good. Lowering her eyes and staring out ahead at the forest that stretched out before them, she gave an uncomfortable shrug. Forests. Ah, well if this didn't bring back memories, heh...weird. It really was weird. Last time, he'd been dragging her struggling and flailing toward a forest, and now they were walking side by side and she wanted to be there.

Then Nexus finally spoke and stated the obvious, and Niamh gave a soft snort, snapped from her thoughts and glad for the distraction. Yeah, she would have been just a little angry if he killed some good friends of hers! Just a little! Unable to hide her small, wry smirk, she finally turned her head and looked up at him. "Yeah, you did good, I'm actually proud of you," she told him, breaking her silence, though she went quiet again as he explained the plans. Ugh...spending the night there...well, it wasn't really too big of a deal now she supposed...

In truth, she didn't mind forests that much, not in and of themselves. They were pretty during the daytime and often the trees were spaced apart so that just the right amount of light filtered down through the gaps in the leaves and branches. However, she wouldn't like going into one alone. She'd been born and raised in a desert where the land was flat and the only plants around were desert shrubs, yuccas, and the occassional joshua tree. Well, okay, so there were actually a lot more plants than that, that was an understatement, but the point was that the vegetation was spread out and low to the ground. You couldn't really get lost. Forests she couldn't make heads or tails of, but it was fine if she was with someone else. She'd gone through a few forests with the Lumenari...but, gah, she was assuming she and Nexus wouldn't be able to make much of a fire since they were trying to remain unseen.

Crap...

Oh well...it was only for a night...

"Hey, Nexus, speaking of that, um, I don't know about you, but I feel kinda...really out in the open like this," Niamh told him, picking up her pace and jogging a few feet ahead of him on the dirt road. Even if she didn't particularly care for forests, she wanted to be found by the Lumenari even less, so for once in her life she was actually a little uneasy being out there in the open. Then again, the town wasn't far behind, and the Lumenari could potentially come out here at any moment. You never knew. She spun around to face him, walking backwards and in front of him for a few paces as she spoke.

"So I dunno about you, but I'll meet you at the forest, alright? Snail." And with that said, she turned and bolted, eager to get off the road and out of sight. The possibility that Nexus could be walking because he was tired or injured never crossed her mind. He looked like he'd had some close calls, but he'd dispatched Jahi so easily that the idea never even occured to her.

Once they got there...hopefully they could finally relax.

It was hard for Nexus to miss such a comment and the blush, but he wasn't going to dwell on it. Whether it was subconscious for Niamh or just a slip of the tongue he didn't care. All he wanted was to make it to the middle of the forest and then collapse in a hammock. He almost groaned as he thought about that. Making a hammock. Gods. He wasn't going to be able to rest today. He couldn't possibly trance for five hours, not while the possibility of being chased was about.

"Just...never mind. Forget I said anything." So maybe it HAD just been a slip. And here he thought she might actually care for him. That was probably a good thing if she didn't, it meant that he wouldn't have to worry too much or get too attached to her. Why bother investing feelings into someone when those feelings couldn't possibly be returned? He was a heathen after all. Scum, dirt bag, murder, cut throat, rapist, thug...He was everything that he stood against, and he damned well knew it. Still, Niamh was free, and that made him feel better about himself. He had freed her from the Lumenari, opened her eyes to a different light.

Nexus gave a look over his shoulder toward town. He could see some smoke rising from the fish market. Excellent. Apparently one of his little attacks had caught something on fire. That meant that the Lumenari would stop to help put them out. He wondered how they would handle the ice and such that he threw about. Heh, if only he could see what's going on in town. Damn he wished he could scry and see what was going on with that place.

Her words brought him from his thoughts as he looked toward her with a couple of blinks from his eyes. She was proud of him? Wasn't he the only one to dote such comments upon her? She almost sounded like he was a dog who hadn't piddled on the new carpet. Hmph.

"I think I deserve a cookie then." There was only a hint of joking within his voice, but not enough to take away the serious edge that he had going at this time. He was after all fleeing for his life, so he had to be pretty serious at this point. Nexus knew that the forest was a touchy subject with her though, and was worried about the outcome. At night, they couldn't have a fire. It wouldn't be very smart...and if he had the energy he would create another one of those...solar blankets for her to charge during the day. At the time, the best he would be able to do is make a small handkerchief.

"Very well Niamh. I'll be there soon then." Nexus wasn't going to run. Nexus COULDN'T run at that point. He was just so tired, after outrunning the Lumenari, using all his magic like that, and then saving Niamh in the heat of the moment...he just didn't think running would be a good idea. However, he didn't like the idea that she was going to make it to the forest first without him. What if the Lumenari hid there, or the Drow for that matter? Niamh would be a bloody prize for those Dark Dwellers after all.

So, heaving a sigh of annoyance and pain, Nexus set off at a run toward the forest. Though his legs told him it was a bad idea, and his body got a little weary, he ran, catching up with Niamh easily. He kept his breathing long and constant so he wouldn't run out of energy too fast. It only took them a few minutes to reach the forest at their pace, and when they finally did Nexus stopped and slumped against a tree. Removing his hat he reached up and wiped a few beads of sweat from his brow. Damn it, he was wasting too much energy. He needed to eat. THEY needed to eat actually.

However, as he placed his hat upon his head, he watched the town. No one was coming for them, even as he squinted to get a better view he saw nothing from the small seaside town. Excellent. They were home free for the time being it seemed. Now all they had to do was move a bit further into the forest, and then find a good place to set up a temporary shelter of sorts.

"When we get further in, we'll stop and I'll give you some food and drink." Water of course, not wine like he had the first time she asked for something. After an exciting and eventual day like today, water would be a nice treat. Cold and crisp water straight from the Glacier Mansion of Naughtros back in his homeland. Yeah. That would be a nice treat wouldn't it?

"Now let's keep moving." With that, Nexus began to walk again, heading into the forest. He wasn't going to take the beaten path, but instead was heading through the rough landscape. He moved slow so Niamh could keep up and wouldn't get lost. That wouldn't be too fun, having to track Niamh through the forest to find her. The more time they wasted on not hiding, the more chance they had of getting caught. Too risky to get Niamh lost in a forest, she might very well freak out and have a nervous break down.

Things were going to be alright though...everything would work out in the end.

It was weird that Nexus didn't seem in much of a hurry, that he wasn't running with her, but Niamh just sort of shrugged it off. Besides, she was halfway to the forest when Nexus suddenly caught up with her, having obviously changed his mind--either that, or he had just been giving her a head start. In any case, it wasn't long before they reached the forest, and Niamh trotted to a stop beneath the shade of the trees and leaned over to catch her breath, hands resting on her knees. Good grief...normally such a short run didn't tire her, especially after getting a good night's sleep and with Mother Sun giving her strength, and yet she was winded and panting just the same. Still short of breath, she lifted her head and looked to Nexus, who looked just as beat, even more so actually; he was slumped against a tree and wiping his brow, and it alarmed her. He had looked just as exhausted after he'd created that whole lighting system in the warehouse, and he'd hardly been able to move then.

Light, what had he done? She hadn't even thought he was tired, because he hadn't looked it. But that was probably because he was good at hiding it. In any case, she noticed it now. Or maybe he was just tired for the same reasons she was--because he was low on energy from not eating. Or maybe he just hadn't gotten a good sleep. Who knew.

Drawing a deep breath, she straightened again and rolled her shoulders just to keep moving, because if she stopped altogether she knew she probably wouldn't want to move another inch. After all, Mother Sun could only give her so much energy; she still needed to eat, and that seemed to be something she and Nexus had done way too little of these last few days. She knew she was feeling its effects, feeling more queasy at this point than anything and a little light-headed. Water and food would be really nice...but she wasn't one to complain. She could go without if necessary, and now wasn't the time for a picnic. They couldn't stop until they were safe, and even if he'd offered her food here and now, she would have declined.

They certainly seemed to be on the same page in that regard, and Nexus at least seemed well enough to keep going.

"Ah, alright, that'll be great..." Niamh agreed, stretching her arms over her head before letting them flop back to her sides. "You better eat, too...I can't be the only one starving. And then you can even have your cookie," she added with tired amusement. "If you have any cookies in that bag of yours at least." With another deep breath, she started to follow after Nexus as he stepped off the beaten path and tromped through the folliage, ignoring her stomach's protests and forcing her legs to move, watching the ground for roots that could pose as a tripping hazard. The light was dimmer here and the air was cooler, but she wasn't cold; the light was enough to keep her warm so far, and it did take her a while to start feeling the effects of the light's absense, anyway. For now, it wouldn't pose a problem.

Night...well...she'd just deal with that when it came. It wouldn't be comfortable, but Solisi weren't so weak as to be in mortal danger from a few days or nights of darkness. They could go a while, actually, but it would make them weak, cold, and uncomfortable. It wouldn't kill them, however, unless they were in darkness for...well, actually Niamh didn't know how long. But she assumed it would have to be somewhere around a week, maybe? A week at least of total darkness without any light at all before it actually posed a mortal danger. Other than that...it was miserable, but it wouldn't kill her. She didn't think. She wasn't going to test it, either.

It was easy to keep up with Nexus' slow pace, and she stole occassional glances over at him, a little worried over his condition. Something must have happened back in town...it did look like he'd been hurt, because she thought she could recognize a few burn marks.

After a while of just following him and focusing on where they were going--and swatting at some biting insects that decided to take a liking to her blood--she finally spoke again. "Nexus, you're hurt, aren't you?" she asked tiredly, picking up her pace a little to draw closer. Hopefully wherever they were headed, they were close to it. She couldn't wait to just sit down and forget about the Lumenari and being chased for a while. Light, she couldn't wait to just get to Arca for that matter. "Because you really look like you got...got." Maybe it was a statement of the obvious, but she didn't really care at the moment.

Nexus was used to this feeling, a light trancing followed by a nice long run and no food. Ah so many days and nights had been wasted doing exactly this. If he could stop, God knows he would. He would stop living this life and try to be normal but he couldn't. He really couldn't. This was how he was programmed, and this is what he was meant to do...Well not this specifically. Saving a young girl from a cult of people who wished her to kill and torture all those who were different. No. This wasn't usually on his repertoire, though it had happened once or twice.

Luckily the forest was good shade and cover for them.It was enough to get the sun off just enough to be cool, just not too cool. Ah, maybe he'd be lucky enough to find a stream or something in this forest, something to cool him off with. Must have spent too much time in the Sauna perhaps, his muscles were a little too relaxed. Heh, that must be it.

"I could eat a little bit yes. A cookie would be good but alas, my satchel holds nothing of the sort." Not that he knew of anyways. Things could stay fresh almost forever in that bag of his, so by all means there could be a cookie in there from five hundred years ago that would still taste the same as the day it was baked. He'd have to look into that, perhaps a cookie was tucked off into a corner of the magical pocket he didn't know about.

Night would be a good time for them both though. He'd leave Niamh to sleep soundly in a hammock or something while he tranced. However, he would make the hammock a little ways up in the tree for protection. Hm, he could almost picture Niamh falling out of the tree though during the middle of the night. Bah, guess he'd think of something later. Later when he had the energy to do such things.

Nexus didn't know the extent of his damages, a few burns here and there, and a nasty elbow or two he had received in the market place. His side stung a little bit, but the pain only excited him and sent a shiver down his back once or twice. He had in truth actually fractured a rib from a rather bony elbow he had received from a confused Lumenari. He had ignored the stinging as best he could each time he breathed. In retrospect, his long winded breathing that he was doing during running was the worst idea, and he was paying for it now by an acute pain in the side.

"I'll live...just a couple of burn marks from a few Lumenari and..." He reached to the lower left side of chest to feel around, wincing. Yeah. That was a cracked rib. "A cracked rib I think. Nothing I haven't lived through before." He'd make a compression wrap later and let the wounds heal on his own. It would take all night for the cracked rib to set itself in place and heal but by morning he would be his usual Nexus self.

"Don't you worry though, by morning I'll be healed." After all, this wasn't a huge setback. No, this was just some minor things that would go away. Thank the Goddess for speed healing, at least she was nice enough to give him that.

It didn't take them too long to reach a spot Nexus saw was suitable. He couldn't see through the tree line in any direction, and he had led them about several ways so even if the Lumenari did step inside they wouldn't be easy to find. There two fallen logs that moss had grown over, thankfully they formed a right angle, which would be perfect really. Somewhere to sit against, and cover if needed. Nexus carefully walked around the logs to the leaf laden ground on the other side. Hm. This would work out.

"Welcome to tonight's campsite." Nexus said as he started to go around, gathering up branches from the ground. They would need a fire, and in the daylight it would be hard to find. At night he would use an Everglow torch set to a low light setting. Just for Niamh, because well, he didn't want her too uncomfortable. After gathering up enough wood to start a fire for some breakfast, he found some stones to put around the fire so it couldn't spread. Thankfully all this work was taking his mind off the pain of his cracked ribbed and the odd sensation of his burns.

"I'll have some food cooked up in no time Niamh. Just have a seat." The fire was going after a small red thread had been wrapped around some of the logs, setting them ablaze almost instantly. Ah, this was more like it. Soon the fire was going, not giving off too much smoke thankfully. Nexus began to remove things from the satchel as the fire was burning away. A special metal stand to hold a frying pan over the fire, a small frying pan, and of course, the food. A couple of large looking eggs, some diced up potatoes, and strips of bacon. Nexus didn't care what they ate, he could eat the trees and the ground if he so chose to. However, if he didn't have to, then why bother right? With spatula in hand he started to fry up the food, first the diced potatoes, then the bacon, and then the eggs.

"The food will take a little while...so in the mean time uh..." Nexus took out a wineskin with a white band that had a small blue stripe on the cork. Ah. The Netari water. She might actually like this water.

"Try not to drink so much of this water. It's very hard to come by and it's rather special.." That's one way the Wraiths of his world got people to become Wraiths. They forced them to drink their water, which despite having no added drugs, was delicious, refreshing, and made you feel energized. People needed more and more, the only place to get it was the Netari Glacier Mansion, otherwise known as Naughtros. Then...they would turn you into a wraith. You wouldn't care though, because you were so close to the water you dearly loved. Until you found out that Wraiths have no need to drink or eat. It was a horrible ploy but it worked so often.

"I think there's only a few mouthfuls left in there, so only take a couple gulps. I'll give you more water later if you need it after." He had another wineskin full of this water, but still, he didn't want her to become attached to it. This was just to give her a little boost and pick me up, like a stiff shot of whiskey. This water would perk her up after that bit of running and escaping they had to do. Now though he focused back on cooking, wondering if he had remembered plates. Ah he was pretty sure he had at least bowls in his satchel.

Oh...right. Fast healing. Niamh kept forgetting about that, even though Nexus had explained it before when she'd found the wounds on his back. It was just he looked so human that she forget he was something else entirely. Wait, or was he? He'd never told her what he was, so she found herself alternately assuming he was a human and assuming he wasn't, and it could work either way really. Some humans were gifted with a speedy recovery time and he had apprently been created by a Goddess, so...it was possible she gave him that. But no human she knew of drank blood, either...and he'd kind of liked licking her blood when he'd been in psycho-mode. Vampires did that, but he wasn't a vampire. At least, he didn't have the fangs or the aversion to Mother Sun that she'd heard those creatures had.

Huh...she'd have to ask him what he was sometime, just for curiosity's sake. It wasn't like it really mattered, in any case, because odd as it might seem, while Niamh and other Solisi were prejudiced against a lot of people it rarely had to do with species or race. If they were some creature of darkness, like a drow or vampire or something like that, then species and race mattered. But by and large the main issue was simply religion, and others could be accepted as their own if they only converted, not that any of that mattered anymore to Niamh. Not really. But it would certainly take a while for her to get over her kneejerk, biased reactions when faced with other "heathens". Old habits died hard.

"Er...okay, as long as you're sure you're not gonna keel over or anything," Niamh said slowly, giving a sympathetic wince. Even if he said it was nothing...ow. A cracked rib would have to hurt. She'd broken a bone before. She could sympathize. "You might wanna put some cool water on the burns at least. That'll make them feel better until you heal." She didn't know what to do about cracked ribs, though, so she couldn't help him there.

She also forgot about that other little detail about Nexus liking pain. Maybe she was just conveniently forgetting it since it just...boggled her mind so much.

Finally, they got to a Nexus-approved location after a lot of walking and going in a lot of random directions. Niamh was thoroughly relieved when Nexus said the magic words as they came across the leaf and log littered area, and she stopped and slumped onto one of the moss-covered logs without having to be told twice. She felt a little silly, being so worn out after that when she was used to walking and riding many miles a day with the Lumenari and having energy to spare, but then she'd gotten plenty to eat to prepare her for a trek like that. She was running on empty now, so she had a reason for feeling drained! Still, she didn't complain and she wouldn't, either. It was just a relief to finally be away from town and the Lumenari and someplace safe and secluded.

Well, she might have complained about Nexus going around and gathering up wood like that and offered to do it herself, considering his rib, but...he was a grown man and as stubborn as she was, so she held her tongue. He'd lived over a thousand years. He probably knew his limits.

She did have to blink in surprise, though, when he started to prepare them some food. "Whoa...so you cook, too, huh? Man, I could get used to being waited on like this," she told him with a grin, watching Nexus take out the various supplies he'd need after he got the fire started. Oh Goddess. Eggs, bacon, and potatoes. For once she didn't wonder how the heck he was able to keep all those things in that pocket of space without them getting all smashed or old or something, and instead Niamh wrapped her arms around her stomach to try and muffle its rumble of approval, especially as he finally started to fry up the food and its aroma filled the air. She'd never smelled anything better...though she did have to admit, it was a little difficult to keep from laughing as Nexus went about cooking. Honestly...she was starting to see a lot of different sides to him, and for some reason she hadn't really been expecting...this.

It was kind of funny in a way. He seemed more like the type to tromp out into the woods and slay some...bunnies or something. He had that whole rugged thing going for him and he seemed to like blood! But instead, he kept going and doing surprisingly normal things like this. Oh, she still wouldn't get over the fact that he kept a journal...

But for a moment she was distracted when Nexus offered her the wineskin of water, and she accepted it gratefully, thirsty as she was. Another person might have given Nexus an odd look when he called that water special. After all, water was plentiful here and it all tasted the same, right? What could be so special about one of the most common resources? Niamh, however, gave a nod of understanding as she took the wineskin and pulled out the cork, and if Nexus told her to only take a couple gulps, she only took one before she swallowed and plugged it back up again, holding it back out to him. When you came from the desert, you tended not to take water for granted; it was a precious resource.

"Thanks,  Nexus, I think I'll be good for a bit," she told him, wiping her mouth off on the back of her hand before sitting back and watching him again, crossing one leg over the other, ankle over her knee. She felt surprisingly better after that small drink, but it never occured to her that the water had special properties to it--she just figured it was because she'd been thirsty and it had helped.

Then she tilted her head to the side, eyeing Nexus ponderingly as the food-smell filled her senses. "All you're missing is an apron," she blurted before she could help it, finally voicing some of her amused thoughts, and then her eyes widened and she promptly clapped a hand over her mouth. "Ah, I'm sorry! Er, just ignore that! I'm hungry and feeling weird, uh...yeah. Never mind. Do you need any help or anything? With anything? You're the hurt one and all..." she added quickly to change the subject

Nexus was just Nexus. Well, the classification his Goddess had given him was 'Savaros' which had by no coincidence been his last name when he was born. It wasn't so much that Nexus survived off blood or anything, but it was a cultural thing. The most personal thing you can do is drink someone's blood. Blood is there everything, carries their magic, carries their DNA, their essence, that sort of thing. To drink their blood, is to basically drink the person. It's also a show of dominance for that matter, just like most of the things Nexus did, it was to show that he was the dominant person of the group.

Sometimes Nexus wished he was back on Heiroth. It was easy on Heiroth. Religion was simple really. Did you like this God? Well then follow that God. There was no bid for power over regions there, as the Gods were active and often told their followers not to kill and try to convert others. If you wanted to worship the God of Fire in a place mainly run by followers of the Water Goddess then you weren't really oppressed. However, there were racial problems in Heiroth. If you were a Fire Mage Drow in a city of Water Mage Elves, chances are you weren't going to last very long. Nexus never really fit in, because everyone seemed to know he wasn't a human. He was like...something else completely. A foreigner. Still. Heiroth was his home.

"I'll be fine. I've walked with broken legs and climbed mountains with broken arms." That...wasn't exactly true. He had walked before with a broken two and a smashed up foot...but he wasn't stupid enough to walk with two broken legs. As for climbing mountains...well he could remember a time when he had to scale the wall of a castle one with a broken elbow and a sprained index finger..."The burns feel fine. They're already healing. The skin however will look a little toasted for a few days." He never understood why his burns didn't heal properly. They always looked a little bronzed for a few days, then they would heal.

Whether Nexus liked the pain he was in at the moment was hard to say. It hurt for sure, but it also made him...excited you could say. It felt good, but he still felt the initial sting.

Nexus had to make sure they weren't easy to find. Though, if you travelled in a straight line you are less likely to get lost because most people when in a forest can't walk completely straight. Bah. No need to worry about that though, he knew they had travelled pretty far and in good directions. They were safe for now. At least he wouldn't have to go cutting down trees or anything for firewood, there was an abundant supply of fallen branches and the like already. Forests were always ready to provide for those in need. You just had to know what to look for.

There weren't very many limits when it came to Nexus. He could do everything he used to be able to do when injured, maybe even more things. Being injured drove him to do a better job, so he wouldn't be injured again, and because he wanted to stay alive. Besides, this was just a cracked rib and gathering up some fire food.

"Going back to my trump card of living for a thousand years, you learn how to take care of yourself real well." Nexus didn't...really mind actually doing all this work. It made him feel useful at least, and he felt like he was helping Niamh out after what he did to her. It was his fault she was out here after all, his fault that she was being chased by her people. Though weary and in a bit of the strange painful pleasure he was experiencing, he at least felt like he was redeeming himself. That and he liked to cook because things usually smelled terrific, more so to someone like him with his heightened senses. Cooking smelled great to him, and he could tell when things were done being cooked. That was always the really great thing. Usually there was very little burnt food when Nexus was involved.

Nexus was a very complicated guy. He looked like rugged and mean, but he was intelligent, resourceful, and actually had thoughts and feelings there didn't involve killing things and drinking blood or even pain. He was an enigma to say the least.

"That water is from a special place in my Home realm. The creatures who make it are terrible beasts but...they water is some of the best. It refreshes a person but they can become addicted. A terrible fate for anyone." Nexus didn't know if he could be affected by addiction...it would be odd if he could become addicted to things. Hm. Well he was addicted to pain..sorta...kinda? It was hard to understand if he was addicted to pain, as he seemed to get into painful situations a lot after all. Maybe he just longed to feel the pleasure once more? Who knows.

"...An apron. Very funny. I've got half a mind to just not feed you know." His tone was just as amused though, so he wasn't truly angry at her. He really hadn't expected her to say it though. It had almost been funny too. However, he started removing plates from the satchel, placing them on the ground and then dishing some potato slices onto each plate. Then he began to cook the sausages. "I'm good right now Niamh. I've been hurt a lot more than this before. It'll heal in a few hours." He told her with a shrug and then a small wince. Still, it was going to feel very odd for those few hours. Blech.

Toasted skin...well, if that didn't sound just lovely! And appetizing. Oh well, as long as he would be okay. Which, erm, if he could climb mountains with broken arms and walk with broken legs, it sounded like he would be just fine. Still, just the thought of that made her wince and shudder. Just...gah. Maybe it was best she didn't ask how he managed that; she'd broken her arm once, and that had been hell, she couldn't even move it much less think of moving it. "Ow...I don't know how you pulled that off, because I broke my arm once and...yeah, that wouldn't be happening. But if you say so, I guess I'm not too worried," she said slowly, rubbing her right arm, the one she'd broken when she was younger, thoughtfully. Ow.

She did have to snort, though, when he called his age a trump card, finally giving voice to her own thoughts. "Right, right. Yeah, I'm sure you do." Hopefully now that he knew it was a trump card he didn't try and use it just to gain an advantage. Whatever advantage he could gain. She hadn't the slightest clue, she just knew it wouldn't be very fair! "Still, you didn't learn how not to get hurt," she pointed out with a wry grin, leaning back with her hands behind her on the log, comfortable and relaxed.

It was nice out here...still early in the day as it was, the forest wasn't all dark and foreboding and the temperature was pleasant. Birds were singing...finally she didn't have to think about the Lumenari or what she'd done--ugh, she didn't even want to think about what she'd done. It was true they weren't out of the woods yet--no pun intended--but it was a start.

However, what Nexus said after she'd drank the water snapped her out of her relaxed state promptly.

"Hold up, what?" Niamh jerked and looked up at Nexus sharply, a bewildered expression crossing her face--which had paled some, even if it might not be noticeable given her complexion.

"Addicted? That much isn't gonna make me addicted, is it? What I just drank? I just had a sip, even less than what you told me..." she said hurriedly, sitting up straighter and swallowing, concerned by what he just told her. Gah! He shouldn't have told her anything! After all, her faith and culture was purist for the most part, and even if she had split off from the faith the culture was still a part of her. No drinking except in moderation and never to the point of losing your wits or getting addicted. Remaining chaste and modest--unless you were married of course. No...well, anything should be had in moderation, never to the point of addiction, never to the point of losing control, and never to the point of abusing your own body. The body was the temple of the soul, after all, and you couldn't very well serve your Goddess, or respect Her, if you abused Her creation--yourself. That's just how it was and those were just some of the values that were engrained in Niamh all her life.

And all Nexus' talk about it being a terrible fate, getting addicted to that water...gah! Maybe she was just paranoid, but she just didn't like details like that being tossed out after the fact! Even though she knew--or thought she knew and hoped it was true--that Nexus probably wouldn't let her drink or eat something that would have adverse effects, so...probably what she had was perfectly harmless? Biting her lip, she drew a deep breath and let it out in a huff. "You...wouldn't let me drink that much if you knew it'd be bad, right?" she added after a pause, giving him a look that said he had better answer with a "yes". She shook her head.

Yeah, he probably wouldn't offer that sort of thing if she'd get hooked...and she wasn't feeling any effects. So, it was probably okay and she was just being paranoid. "Light, just warn me in advance next time, will ya?"

Good grief.

Well, at least Nexus' reaction to the apron thing made everything better! He took it with good humor, and Niamh cracked an amused grin. "Hah, you wouldn't dare. I get cranky when I don't get fed and I don't think you'd like that. Besides, that'd be mean if you didn't feed me. Feed me?" She raised an eyebrow at him, smirked, and then reached down to swipe a slice of potato from the plate that she'd apparently decided would be hers, before hissing through her teeth and promptly dropping it back onto the plate. Ahaha, yeah, it was hot. That probably wasn't too bright. She shook her hand out and continued on like she hadn't just done something stupid. But dammit, she was hungry and impatient and it smelled good! "So what am I now, a dog?"

She stuck her tongue out at him to show she was teasing, then sat back again, willing herself to patience...and frowning when she saw his wince. "If you say so..."

"It's not so bad, by the time I was done I had healed up." Best to make her feel like he truly was all powerful in a way. Besides, it wasn't lying to her, it just wasn't going fully into detail. Yes. That's exactly what it was. He should keep telling himself that shouldn't he? Besides, he did like to play with her mind like that. It was harmless fun after all wasn't it? She couldn't get too mad at him for it. He needed to occupy himself, and he never really had a travelling companion before. You never needed one when you were running and hiding from different religions or law enforcements.

"Maybe I wanted to get hurt because it feels good?" He said simply, a grin of his own crossing his face. Nexus understood that she wasn't a very big fan of the whole pain for pleasure thing but he still liked to freak her out with it a little bit. It was fun, she was so...well innocent could be a good word perhaps. Naive might work just as well at this point. Still, if you didn't grow up in an environment where his condition was common then what could be blamed at that point?

"Yes, addicted. Like one gets addicted to tobacco or gambling. The feeling of being alive, you need it more and more with every drink you have...and soon you're showing up at the door of the creatures I mentioned. They welcome you in, and turn you into one of them. Then you're stuck there, and you no longer drink water or eat food...it's a lure, but it helps when you need to be perked up." He explained to her like it was some every day experience. Well for some people it probably was really.

"Don't worry about it Niamh. I wouldn't let you drink enough to get addicted. You might have trouble sleeping tonight because you're a little active but...that's about it. I'll warn you next time I give you something potentially ah...addictive though." He told her with a small chuckle. She was pretty worried over all this now wasn't she? Well her fears should be put to rest, Nexus wouldn't let her become addicted by something like that. She was a strong girl, so hopefully she could handle it all. Hopefully. He'd be there just in case she needed him to hold her hand! Hah hah. She probably wouldn't like the sound of that.

He chuckled when she tried to steal some of the potatoes but ended up just burning herself. "Here I thought you people could control heat and fire. Hm, teach you to try and swipe some potato. Now be a good girl and just wait for your food." Then Nexus turned around and pointed a finger at her. "Stay! Staaaay...ah! I said stay!" Then he went back to making sure the sausages weren't burning. He had to be careful after all, didn't want them burning. Soon the sausages were cooling on the plates with the potatoes, the eggs now cooking merrily away. Scrambled of course, much quicker that way.

It only took two minutes by his count for the eggs to be done. The fire was left to burn while he dished out the eggs and picked up the plates, moving to sit beside Niamh, handing her a plate. He got them forks from inside his satchel, which he knew he should probably get for Niamh. These things were handy, and no doubt someone here on this world could make them. If not he could make one! Just...not not while he was tired.

"Like I said, I'll be fine Niamh. Seriously. Don't you worry about a thing." He told her warmly as he handed over a fork to her now. Damn he really wanted to eat this...it was pretty delicious actually. It had to be, it smelled just as delicious so...Now he started to dig in, spearing some potatoe with his fork and lifting it to his mouth. Mm. Yes it was a little warm but damned if it wasn't delicious actually!

"You'll like this...it's pretty delicious..." He told her after swallowing the current morsel he had been chewing. Manners before compliments after all! It was the polite thing to do. He smiled as he looked back to the food and continued to eat. Mm, it was delicious, and this would help him get his strength back thankfully. He reached into his satchel to remove a wineskin without any sort of colour on the band.

"Here, take this. Water. Plain old water. Nothing different about this stuff." He traded it for the other wineskin, which he promptly finished off drinking. Ah. Energy was nice! So very nice. Was he addicted to this stuff? No...not really. It was good to keep on you for emergencies, but he never felt a need to go back and refill the wineskins. He started out with about three wineskins, and was now down to one. That was over a span of four hundred years so...it was a good record he was sure.

"So, what do you think?"

Niamh just stared at Nexus for a few moments, unblinking. Yeah. She still didn't get that, how something that hurt could feel good. It was kind of disturbing. Well, more than just kind of. "Isn't that like an oxymoron or something?" she finally asked, knowing she probably shouldn't question this whole stupid thing and that she should probably just try and forget it, but she was way too curious for her own good. Besides, seeing as he was now her travelling companion she figured she might as well start trying to understand him. Genuinely understand him, not just dig up dirt on him that she could try and use to save her skin--since saving herself from him wasn't an issue anymore. She didn't think.

"It can't feel good if it hurts...can it? That doesn't make any sense. Besides, that's really kinda stupid y'know...you could really get hurt or killed doing stuff like that." She shifted uneasily where she sat, still watching him oddly, head tilted a little. Ugh, she probably didn't want to know, but it was like...seeing the aftermath of a battle. You didn't really want to look, but morbid curiosity compelled you to. This was kind of like what that was; she didn't really want to know the answer--too bizarre--and yet she did. Ah, maybe she was naive...she didn't think she was of course, but it was true that she hadn't had much experience outside her own culture and, well, she'd never even heard of something like what Nexus was talking about.

After all, it kind of went against the whole body being the temple and taking care of yourself thing. "I mean, why not just...get a back massage or soak in a tub or something? That feels nice and isn't, uh...weird." For lack of a better word.

She was relieved though when he told her that, no, that hadn't been enough of that water to get her addicted. Because that whole story of his? It sounded pretty miserable. She had no idea what those creatures were, but it did not sound good. And she liked eating, anyway! Food was good. Especially right now when she was really, really hungry...she'd go crazy if she could never eat again, because it was just so tasty and Light those sausages smelled good. That would be a depressing existence. To never eat again. Maybe this was just the hunger talking, but man, it seemed like the worst fate ever at this point.

"Ah, good, very good to know...had me worried there for a sec..." she muttered, and she could certainly see what he meant about having trouble falling asleep. Because Niamh felt wide awake right now, and she knew she would probably perk up even more once she got some food in her. Hopefully it would all wear off by nightfall because she'd need her energy for the next day, she was sure. She didn't know how far away Arca was, but she was sure it would involve a lot of walking to get there.

And then Nexus said something that made her flush faintly in embarrassment and fold her arms over her chest, almost sulkily. "Hmph...I <I>can control heat and fire..." That probably made it a little worse, since she could have avoided burning herself by just using her gift to cool the food. Problem solved! Of course, she sometimes forgot to use her power when it came to menial tasks and usually she just waited for food to cool or blew on it. No point in wasting energy on something small like that, right? "I just kinda...forgot. Can't blame me! You haven't been feeding me enough so I'm allowed to forget stuff."

Then she snorted and rolled her eyes at him when he answered her dog question by...talking to her like a dog. Hoo boy. Part of her wanted to be offended and yet she found herself smiling, trying hard not to show her amusement by outright grinning like she wanted to. What the hell was that? But she supposed it was her fault for asking the question to begin with. Instead, she just raised her eyebrows and looked at him curiously,lips pursed in a failed effort to contain her amused expression. Finally, she just gave up and chuckled at him, bowing her head and pressing a fist to her lips to hide it, even if her shoulders shook a little as she still struggled to repress it. She didn't even know why she was hiding it, really...except that they'd just escaped from a bad situation and she was still getting used to Nexus. Or, rather, the new, nice, warm Nexus.

"Eheh, woof? Goddess, Nexus, you're so weird...ahem...right, so, uh...do I get my food now? And before you even think it, no, I'm not doing any tricks."

Finally the food was done and Nexus came over to sit near her, which for once didn't make her feel uncomfortable. Then again, he had the food! And Niamh had a bit of a one-track mind at the moment. She took the plate gratefully, the wonderful aroma strong to her senses, and she would have been perfectly happy to just eat with her hands. She didn't care, manners be damned! In fact, she probably would have gone straight to it if it weren't hot and Nexus hadn't held out a fork to her. Niamh blinked a few times in surprise as she took it--he really did have everything in that satchel didn't he?--before she stabbed a sausage.

"Yeah, it smells really good!" she told him, blowing on it to cool it since she'd learned her lesson, before taking a large bite. Ah, Light...she actually closed her eyes, savoring the flavor. Right then, at that moment, it was the best thing she'd ever tasted. Ever. Either Nexus was a good cook or she was just really hungry, but she didn't care which it was! In any case, she made short work of that sausage and went to work on the potatoes, distractedly trading wineskins with Nexus as she ate and swallowing when Nexus asked his question. Manners be damned indeed. She was practically shoveling food into her mouth, but she did pause long enough to speak at least and she knew better than to talk with her mouth full!

"Hm? Oh! I think it's really, really good, Nexus." As if that weren't obvious. "You're a good cook! Either than or I'm just hungry. But you obviously you learned something over the years, heh," she added with a teasing grin.

If Nexus could understand why he felt pain, he might actually be able to fight it, but all Nexus knew that if a whip were to drag across his skin or a dagger to slice the flesh then he would shiver with excitement and think only of what might come next. There was no true explanation as to why he felt pain as he did, maybe it was Feris's will for him to feel it, or perhaps it was his own demented ways. Sigh. If only he could figure it out, but no amount of meditation would reveal the answer to him. Only the voice of a certain Goddess could answer such a question.

"It's...it's really hard to explain...My brain tells me that it hurts, that it's bad, but my body craves for more, wants it to happen again...There is the feeling of excitement and pleasure...but at the same time there is pain. It's mixed signals." He really didn't want to try and explain it, to comprehend why he was...as he was. He had met a lot of people like him, where a whip across the back would feel oh so good. It was just how some people were at least.

"What feels nice to some Niamh may not feel nice to others. I've met an entire culture once who being touched by a living creature caused them physical and mental pain. I remember this one culture that believed themselves to be so pure that even if they touched each other they had to spend an hour praying to their Goddess about how unclean and imperfect they were. It was...well it was time consuming." He told her with a wry smile as he thought about the race. They were a strange bunch and Nexus couldn't have been happier to get the hell away from them. All the praying and telling their 'Goddess' how shoddy they were. Ugh.

"I'd never go about getting you addicted to something Niamh. Addiction is a horrible thing, and may seem harmless at some aspects but..." He didn't finish that subject, he just went back to cooking. Nexus had to deal with a woman once that had been addicted to a very strange substance. It was magical in origin and destroyed many lives, including a poor woman who he had to really help out. Ugh...He really didn't like his job sometimes, because it got to him most of the time. He was always dealing with people who were higher in status and abusing that power on the lower class folk.

"Really now? Well then I guess that sensation in your fingertips was nothing then." It was a quick quip back, and Nexus was proud of it really. Nexus would teach her all in time, like instead of using energy to cool off food, sucking in the energy of the heat from the food. There were so many ways in life to gain energy, but then again there were twice as many ways to dispose of energy wasn't there? "Oh I haven't been feeding you? I forgot that I was in charge of that. Would you also like me to dress you and clean you as well? Maybe make your bed and clean your home?" Nexus inquired, a slight, ever so slight hint of sarcasm playing in his voice. Oh yeah. It was funny to him. Though, the bathe and clothe thing might not be a bad idea. Ahem!

At first he expected her to snap at his dog comment, or to even respond by saying he would be a lower dog or some such thing. Anything just to get a word in edge wise. However, ther ewas a bit of silence...and then...chuckling. Oh he had caught the chuckling quite nicely. It make him smirk as she tried to hide it though. Nexus could see her, even if he was watching the food at this time. Ah multidirectional viewing could be a bliss at times right? In more ways than one too. Nexus liked this better though...what they had right now. It was like...a peace...they could joke and they could laugh...they could just act like a couple of regular people. That was...that was truly nice for Nexus, who never really fit in with anyone but his brothers. They of course had been made to be like him, and in this world it was much more different.

"Oh darn. I was going to make you do a back flip and then sit up and beg while you balance a piece of potato." Nexus idly replied as a grin spread to his face. Alright that was called for after all. When Nexus sat beside her...she didn't flinch...she didn't move away...she didn't seem to mind. That was...interesting perhaps? Maybe she was just too weary to even care. That might have been it then.

"Well I do try my best here you know. Glad you like it at least. I'll make us up some bread and meat later for lunch." Lunch would be a long way off, and it wouldn't be too elegant. Just a bit of cheese, some bread and meat to feed on. After all, he wanted to continue on soon enough. It was only an hour or so after dawn, and they would need to find a better spot to hide. That reminded him though, about something that he should take care of. His hand came out to watch the fire, focusing on it. Ah. That's what he wanted. Slowly the flames seemed to draw toward him in the form of a rope, connecting with the palm of his hands. However, it did not burn him. Oh no. It wouldn't do that. Then with a small sputter the fire was out, and the coals were dead. No smoke or steam would be produced that could give away their position at this time.

Nexus went back to munching on his food, one eye on his plate, the other was focused intently on Niamh. Thankfully it just looked like he was staring down at his plan, though no doubt if she looked carefully she would see the noose of his eye watching her carefully. A burden and a curse it was, much easier for someone to know what he was looking at. Ah well. He didn't mind one bit at this point.

"I always liked forests. They're peaceful places for the most part. Nature coexisting with itself. Heh, you mortals could learn a lot from forests you know. I don't hear much about insect wars and oak trees banding together to overthrow the evil and different redwoods." He grinned at her as he looked to her, a sort of 'only teasing' look gracing his face for a moment. He couldn't blame her for what she had done...but now...he had saved her. Feh. Good bunch of saving though, straight out of one perilous journey and into one that could spell certain death for the girl.

Hard to explain or not, it was enough for Niamh even though she couldn't even fathom what it was like for something painful to feel nice, and she couldn't help but give a subtle shiver at it all. Mixed signals. It made sense, or as much sense as it could make, and she decided not to persue the subject any further. It was enough for her and Nexus seemed to dismiss the topic, but it was still kind of worrisome. Pain after all was the warning your body gave you to let you know it was injured or in bad health and it was an added incentive to stay out of harm's way. But if it instead felt good...that could be really dangerous. So if Nexus liked getting hurt, well, he could knock himself out! As long as he didn't literally knock himself out. She kind of...well...

She just didn't want to be alone, she guessed...

But as Nexus went off on a related but different subject, Niamh couldn't help but comment on that one. "Seriously? But...how...how did that first race even raise children then? Or the second even? I mean, you gotta hold your children and stuff...you have to touch them to feed them, clean them, bathe them, but if that would hurt the first and the second would be praying all day as a result..." Her brow furrowed as she ws obviously trying to work out the logistics of it all, but she finally gave up, took another bite of egg, and swallowed. "That's just kinda crazy. And really sad," she concluded. "I mean, my people are all about purity, but...not like that! Ligh, time consuming, indeed. Their 'goddess' must have had one sick sense of humor."

Not that there was nothing wrong with her own culture, of course; she was beginning to see how screwed up it actually was, the religion at least. But it was still easier to see the craziness of another culture than it was to see that of your own.

When Nexus assured her that he wouldn't get her addicted to anything, that addiction was a horrible thing, part of Niamh found it kind of funny. In a twisted, dark sort of way. He could say that addiction was a horrible thing and that he'd never do that to her, but...he'd never even apologized for kidnapping her and whipping her and scaring her all to hell. Then again, maybe he had apologized to her in other non-verbal ways though, like healing her, taking the scars onto his own body, helping her escape, taking her under his wing now, and he had genuinely looked like he felt bad about it at times...but still...maybe she was just old fashioned, but a verbal apology would be nice, too. An admittance that what he'd done to her had been wrong and horrible and he regretted it. Something like that. Sure, actions spoke louder than words...but it still would have been nice to hear. Bah. Stupid thoughts, really...especially since she had forgiven him. Hadn't she?

But she said nothing about that, feeling foolish for thinking about something she kept trying to forget so she could just move on with her life, and just smiled a little instead, reassured nonetheless. "Good, because no, it's not harmless. It's never harmless to let something else be in control of your life," she said with a firm nod, glad that they both seemed to be on the same page here.

And that their conversation was heading for happier topics.

"Uh...well...that was more like me kinda being impatient and whatnot..." Niamh answered sheepishly, lowering her eyes to her plate and giving a discreet cough. "C'mon...I can control heat but it still burns, so...uh...yeah. Anyway." Yeah, she had no real comeback for that. But at least she had one for what Nexus said next! Straightening up and fixing her gaze on him, she grinned wryly at him. "Hey...you know what, now that you mention it...sure, I wouldn't mind you doing the cooking and cleaning and making my bed while you're at it. Just like a good housewife should! Always hated chores like that and you'd probably look good barefoot in the kitchen with an apron and ladle. Like you belonged there."

Her smile was perfectly innocent even if her tone was light and teasing, just friendly banter as she slowly started to feel a bit more comfortable around him--he seemed to be okay with joking and all. She nonchalantly munched on her food, rolling her eyes skyward in thought. "But I think I'll take care of cleaning and dressing myself, though, thanks! I'm pretty sure I can handle that. Perv." That she added in quickly while shooting Nexus a very dry, knowing look. But, actually, that did bring up a good question now that she thought about it. No! Not the cleaning and dressing thing or perv thing, something else, though, something else that was momentarily put on the back burner as the teasing continued.

And that she did laugh at, not even trying to hide it this time, and she very nearly choked on her food. Luckily she didn't, though, and managed to get it down before she could cough, only thumping herself on the chest once. "Ahaha, yeah, sorry to disappoint, Nexus, but if I attempted a backflip I'd probably break my neck, my sense of balance also sucks, and I don't beg. So, yeah, that wouldn't work out very well. Besides, why do tricks for food when you already gave it to me? That was your first mistake." And with that said, she mixed the last of her potatoes and eggs together and finished them off happily, feeling considerably better and comfortably full. Not knowing what else to do with her plate, she set both it and her fork down on the ground and finally took a sip of some of the water--the normal water.

Ah...the infamous cheese and bread. Oh well...while that would seem pretty meager compared to the egg, potato, and sausage breakfast beggars couldn't be choosers and it might be a good idea to eat light while they walked and everything. "Sounds good. I think I'll be good for a bit on this, though. Thanks!"

Niamh interestedly watched him finally put out the fire, still finding his whole ability pretty...well...fascinating in a way, she had to admit. Using threads and strings like that. It had shocked and surprised her the first time he'd done that weeks ago, and it hadn't stopped having that effect yet. He really was like a human spider in a way. Only he could make anything it seemed. For a few minutes she just watched the fire pit absently, relaxing for once while Nexus ate--and totally oblivious that she was being watched--at least until Nexus finally spoke up.

She turned to look at him, shifting her body on the log a bit, and then actually ducked her head and hunched her shoulders a little, a slight flush creeping to her cheeks. Crap. Once again, he had a point and was...right. Even if he was obviously joking, still, it was valid and she could finally see it, whereas another time she might have just looked at him like he was totally stupid. Damnit. Lifting an arm, she rubbed the back of her neck slowly. "Er...heh, well...you never know, trees and insects don't exactly talk, either, so...maybe they do and we just don't know about it, eh?" she said with a sheepish grin before chuckling and shaking her head. She looked briefly away from him, instead looking out toward the trees. "Hmm...I like forests during the day if I'm not alone. They're very...well, they're very green. Kind of disorienting, too. But they are pretty...just a bit closed in I guess. I'm so used to wide, flat lands where you can see for miles and miles, but honestly...I don't know which I like better. They both have their beauty..."

Then she blinked and gave a small start, twisting around again to look at him and holding up a finger. "Oh! Hey, speaking of, before I forget...this is kinda random, but, ah, I was just wondering...what happens when we get to Arca? I mean, where're we gonna stay and all that?" She didn't think you could live in an inn since it sounded like they were going to be staying there for a while, but you nevr knew. In any case, she was curious.

It was dangerous indeed for Nexus. He loved his pain, but he wasn't going too much out of his way to get himself hurt. Well...he might, it was really hard to know what exactly he was going to do to feed his pleasure. Nexus was glad though that he could still feel normal pleasure, but not pain, just...it would be more pleasure for him. Nexus was at least in control of it all though, he had a good grip on his pain and pleasure.

"It was very complicated and they wore a lot of clothing. I never really understood the xenophobic race but they could pray before hand as well, but they avoided eye contact as much as possible." He told her with a small shrug. He went back to eating, almost finished for that matter. "Heh, there wasn't a Goddess that ruled in their land. It was two Gods actually." Nexus commented with a shrug. A lot of the time Nexus got to meet different Gods, because he wasn't from their realm.

Nexus didn't think her race was that screwed up, he knew her religion was screwed up but not her race. It was very...interesting for that matter.

Nexus was a big man, in both size and in ego. HE didn't apologize very often for what he did, instead, he would apologize in ways that he didn't actually have to say he was sorry. Nexus had done some pretty bad things to that poor girl, but he had all tried to make it up to her. If he had to make her clothes and food for the rest of her natural life than he would do it. If he had to stand in front of daggers and arrows to protect her than he would. He was going to protect her and care for her until he had made up his time.

"Ah, well in time I'll teach you to control heat properly, so you will not burn. If I had more time in the Lumenari fight, I would have been uninjured by their flames." Nexus looked to his burns as he set the plate down on the ground, shaking his head. "Oh? Well then just for you I'll wear nothing but an apron and hold a ladel for you." He told her with a small smirk. She wanted him to wear nothing but an apron after all! "So you don't want me to pay for your baths and make all your clothes then? Well then if you think you can." He said innocently, turning it right around her to make her sound like the pervert.

"Hm, well I guess next time then I'll have to hold the food back until you do a trick for me. Thanks for telling me this or I never would have got it." He was planning to do that though, to just see what the girl would do for a trick. Mm, maybe begging would be sort of nice to see her do. Heh heh heh. That would be really interesting now wouldn't it? Later though...later. Maybe for lunch? Yes...for lunch he'd get her to beg!

"You are most welcome." He told her as he set his plates now upon the ground beside hers. He'd clean those later, right now he just wanted to enjoy the feeling of being nice and full. Ah delicious to say the least.

"Who is to say that I don't hear them? I knew a God who had nothing better to do than to just listen and talk to animals and insects. Strange and hyper fellow. Apparently they think we're silly, according to him at least." He moved his arm suddenly, putting it around her shoulders and grinning at her. "Don't worry poppet, I'll protect you from the darkness and the big scary forest." He actually meant that too, but it did sound a little...playful as well. Maybe he was mocking her just a little bit, but he would protect her. Nexus had to keep his promise to her after all.

His arm fell away when she turned to look at him and he smirked slightly, nodding. "When we get to Arca...well I was thinking we'd buy a shop or something along those lines. I haven't much thought on what we'll do. We'll need a cover, a place to live, that sort of thing...so once we get there...I'll think on what we'll do." Ah there was too many things to do at this point. He wasn't sure if the tailoring thing would work...Niamh would have to use...her talents eventually.

"I need to your skills Niamh...if we have to get jobs and such. I don't think bounty hunter or priestess will do for such jobs. Honestly I was...thinking...I could be a..." He stopped as he coughed, looking completely away from her to the fire pit. "Tailor." He mumbled quietly as he tried to cover it up. He knew that she was going to laugh...he knew she would laugh at that.

Niamh had been about to ask Nexus what he meant when he said he would have been uninjured by the flames, but...other matters quickly diverted her attention.

"What? No!" Niamh exclaimed with a jerk of alarm, color rushing to her face as she stared up at Nexus in horror. What the...! How did he get that out of what she said?! She threw up her hands quickly. "Not what I meant, so not what I meant! I mean...you...just...gyah!" With an exasperated groan, she slapped her palm to her forehead and just shook her head, quite obviously embarrassed, but when you came from an conservative and traditional background, well, she couldn't be blamed! Hah hah. And he looked just so innocent and happy about making everything she said sound wrong, didn't he? Yeah right. Sure as the Sun, he was not innocent.

"Just...forget it. Keep your clothes on. Yeah..." she finished weakly, before raising her head again and glaring mildly at him as he continued to be all...embarrassing. Oh great!

"You better not. I would advise you don't try it...I'm not doing tricks for food," she told him firmly, suddenly a little worried. Er...he was just joking about the whole trick thing, right? Oi! She could never be too sure about Nexus, that was one thing she'd learned since the first time she met him--he was unpredictable as all hell. It was also probably a good thing she didn't know about his little thoughts concerning begging, otherwise...she wouldn't be a happy camper. It was even worse since she knew that if she was hungry and if Nexus really did hold back on the food until she did a bloody trick, she'd likely cave. If she couldn't get to the food using force. Because force would be her first resort, like tackling him and stealing his meal instead.

Light...he better not be serious about that.

She nodded at him when he told her she was welcome, still a bit preoccupied with hoping he wouldn't remember the whole trick thing, but she was blessedly distracted when he started talking about that god of his. Niamh still wasn't sure what she thought about all that, but at least the story was amusing? With a scoff, she smirked over at him. "Heh. Well, I guess I can imagine we would seem pretty sill..."

The words trailed off abruptly when Nexus put his arm around her shoulders then, her mouth still hanging open and body tensing a little out of reflex. She shut her mouth quickly though, glanced down at his arm, and then looked back  up at him slowly. Uhh...Niamh swallowed audibly, and a nervous laugh escaped her when he told her that he'd protect her from the "scary forest", but she held still for the most part, much to her own surprise. She was probably too surprised to move. It was one thing when she was crying on him in the heat of the moment because she was having a melt down--something she was still embarrassed about, honestly--but...

"...Ahaha...yeah...um...gee, thanks for that...I feel better already knowing big, bad Nexus will keep me safe! Uh, yeah, right, heh." Whoa, she was proud of herself, her voice didn't squeak or anything even though her heart was suddenly racing. Wow...this was really awkward, too. But then he moved his arm away, and she swallowed again and cleared her throat, straightening where she sat and rolling her shoulders back. Whew.

Then he went on to answer her question and she folded her arms over her stomach, still feeling a little weird, and she nodded slowly. A shop...? Yeah. They would need a cover and place to live, a shop made sense. They'd need jobs. Speaking of that, her skills?

He was right. If they had to get jobs and live like regular citizens, she'd have to start thinking about what she could do and crusader or priestess wouldn't cut it. If she hadn't left Solis to spread the Living Sun's message, she probably would have become a priestess since she found that more liberating than her other options. But she couldn't exactly do that here. Not without getting lynched or blowing their cover. Or both. Er...but what else could she do? She'd never actually had a job in Solis, and had instead gone to study at the temple. And while she had her skills, she wasn't really sure which ones would actually be useful for a real sort of everyday job.

Horseback riding...burning stuff...sand painting...fighting with a staff...fire dancing. Niamh stared down at her hands as she thought about it briefly, but she didn't get far into her thoughts because Nexus was speaking, and his tone was much different than usual. Curious, she watched him, noting that he seemed...uneasy? Be a what? He looked away and coughed, and she waited for him to finish his sentence, and when he finally did, it was such a low mumble that she almost didn't hear him.

Except she did. And when she did hear him, she was pretty sure she had heard wrong--for all of a few seconds at least.

Wait...did he...did he just say what she thought he did? Niamh blinked rapidly as the word slowly sank in, puzzling it out in her head. Heh. Her lips twitched. "A...ta...tailor...?" she repeated blankly, bemused. A tailor. Was he...was he serious? She bit her bottom lip then to try and keep quiet as a sudden wave of amusement washed over her, then drew her lips together tightly, but still she could feel the impending giggles welling up in her chest. No, no, no, she couldn't laugh at him...she couldn't...she had to be nice...she had to be--!

"Pffffwhaaat?!" Niamh burst out abruptly, finally unable to hold it in any longer. For the first time since knowing Nexus, she burst out into uncontrollable laughter. Not just the little chuckles like before, but real uncontained laughter, arms wrapped around her stomach and tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, shoulders shaking, and she'd very nearly toppled right off the log. She didn't even know why it was so funny, really, but it just...was!

Oh Light, she probably shouldn't be laughing at him about it, either, but she couldn't help it and for once it just felt good, like a weight had finally been lifted. Everything for the past few days had been frightening and stressful and she'd found herself completely wound up into a tight ball of nerves, so this...well, it just felt nice! And besides...Nexus! A tailor! Psychotic Nexus who had tied her up and done such horrible things, and...and...TAILOR! He wanted to make CLOTHES! And he looked actually embarrassed about it, too. Maybe that was what made it so funny. The way he'd mumbled it and looked away, like it was an awkward topic for him, like he hadn't wanted her to hear any of it. Oh man, no...she was not going to let him live this one down <I>ever!

"A...a tailor! Ahaha, Light Nexus, that's...that's...just...eheh...ow...ow..." She struggled to rein in her mirth, reaching up to wipe at her eyes and gasping for breath, her sides kind of sore now. "Heh...I'm...I'm sorry, Nexus, I'm not laughing at you, I just...that's...no, really, that's just great! I mean...a tailor...hehe...it's a good profession! Really! You...you'd be good at that...eheh...designing clothes...and...oh Goddess, I'm sorry!" she finished lamely, finally just biting down on a knuckle in an attempt to shut up, though that didn't help much. She was still snickering at him.

A tailor...

Heheh...

Goddess.

Nexus wasn't innocent since he was about eighteen or so. He was actually sort of proud of his debauchery that he had incurred in his life. It was really nice to know that he still could make poor Niamh blush like a tomato. It was really cute how she looked, and he couldn't believe how easy it was for that matter. Eventually she'd become to immune to his little comments no doubt, so he would have to live this up.

"Are you sure because I can take them all off with the snap of a finger. Hm, I could take yours off with the snap of a finger." He rubbed his chin absently as he thought about it, grinning slightly and then chuckling at her with mirth. Ah, this was just too fun wasn't it?

"Are you sure about that Niamh?" He replied carefully, his eyebrow raised slightly. This sounded like a challenge to him actually, and he LOVED challenges after all. Hm, now just how would he get her to do tricks...and for that matter...what tricks COULD he get her to do. Probably shouldn't go too taboo. Yes, best to be tame about it all, instead of...well...you know the usual debauchery that he dealt with. He didn't want Niamh burning up with redness after all. Though he did idly wonder if that blush travelled across her entire body. He could always CHECK after all, his eyes did have that power...Nah. Best to just...imagine. Yeah. Late at night probably when no one was around. Ahem.

He did enjoy talking about the Gods of his world. They were interesting to talk about, and people found them just as strange for that matter. Yes though, Nexus was homesick for his world, there was no surprise about that though. It was just like his pain and pleasure thing. He loved Heiroth, but if he went back, things would be bad. So he would have to stay here and just live in the nostalgia.

"I got you out of the town alive and unharmed, I think I'm doing a pertty good job so far." He was also quite proud that she didn't manage to flinch or shied away from him. Still he could jsut smell how nervous she was. That was alright though, she had a reason to be pretty nervous about him being so...close. He didn't know why, but he loved invading personal space.

Oh yeah, she was going to laugh. He knew it. His arms crossed over his chest as he watched her carefully, his eyes glaring slightly. Nexus's foot was tapping as he waited for her to start laughing, he could hear it...he knew what she was going to do...She was going to laugh at him, he could see it though.

Yeah, there it was. He sighed as he shook his head. Maybe he should just...keep his damn mouth shut shouldn't he? Yeah, now he regretted talking, and letting her go. Well, at least during their little escapade in the warehouse, she had truly feared him then. Now...now he was sure she wouldn't ever fear him. Ugh. That wasn't a very calming thought to him. He liked to be feared....but with Niamh....Argh he wasn't sure anymore. He felt rejected and hurt whenever he went near her, because she always flinched away from him. Always was afraid of his touch. They were friends after all....

"Yeah it's REAL hilarious Niamh." He muttered as he looked away from the woman, toward the dead fire. Was it really that strange? After all...he could make clothes easily, and his nickname WAS the Thread Master after all. It seemed a little obvious what he would be good at...It might have been a little odd yes but...she shouldn't be laughing THIS hard about it. He was pretty sure that she was going to break a rib laughing so hard...

"Like hell you're not laughing at me." He didn't have to put up with this did he? She had just prodded the sleeping bear, and Vec knows he wanted to take his anger out on her right now. Just slap that little grin off her face and cut the laughter. However, that was NOT an option. It never would be a choice for him. No. Instead he just tried to focus himself on something else. Something that wasn't as...embarrassing. Nexus didn't know what to do about the still snickering woman beside him. So he just brooded at this point, trying to think up some petty revenge schemes. Anything. Anything at all to get back at her.

"At least I've some useful skills." He shot a look toward her before his face faltered for a moment. Alright...that had been too far. He realized it the moment he had spoke too.

"I...I didn't mean that. I'm sorry." It was a rushed apology, and Nexus was on his feet, stepping over the cold firepit now to the opposite side of their little camp. Whether it had offended her or not, he didn't know, but he shouldn't have said it. Hell. Maybe he should cut his tongue out to stop him from talking...Ugh. He wished he wasn't here right now. Maybe on a beach relaxing, dozing lightly, instead of being chased by a fanatical gang trying to get back a priestess he had shown the light to...Was Nexus feeling guilty? Was that possible? He really couldn't tell...but it felt like...it felt like that he wasn't himself.

He was being affected...Something was affecting him, making him feel strange...different...like...

"Show yourself!" Nexus yelled as a whip of silver and electric blue formed in his hand. His eyes were scanning all about, the weapon held tight as he looked about. Nexus rarely felt such strong guilt, something was making him feel this way. He idly wondered if Niamh could feel the emotion as well. Nexus couldn't see anyone near them but he could feel it, a strange and powerful presence, one that seemed to resonate in his very soul.

"No need to become hostile Savaros. I was never your enemy." Nexus felt a wave of relief pour over him as this strange voice reached his ears. That strange presence had become calming and soothing to him, and for that matter...brought a sense of familiarity to mind. The whip in his hand slipped from his grip, falling to the leaf covered ground with a small thump.

From behind a tree stepped a peculiar looking man. Just a few inches taller than Niamh, if anything he looked like a Solsi. His strange garb of downy white and golden hue shone brightly even in the dim light that was the forest shade. His hair a golden blonde fell in silky waves in front of his forehead and eyes, or lack there of. Instead a silken blindfold had been carefully wrapped around his face, covering his sight from the world. Soft pink lips were turned into a most serene smile as he stood where he was, looking between the two of them, his bind folded gaze easy to follow.

He seemed to make little noise as he crossed the forest floor, stepping over the fallen tree carefully, not to dirty his clothes any. As if that looked possible even, for his clothes were spotless somehow. Nexus had what could only be described as the most shocked look upon his face, stunned even.

"V-Vec...!" Nexus fell to his knees, his head bowed and hands clasped in front of him. The young looking man just gaze a small chuckle as he put a hand on Nexus's shoulder, lifting him back to his feet with surprising ease.

"Hello Childe. I am most pleased to see you too." Nexus had a smile on his face as he looked to Niamh for a moment.

"Niamh...this is Vec...the God of Nothing." Vec turned his sights upon the young woman and nodded to her, a rather pleased look on his face. There was something about this odd almost glowing like man.

"Immortal of Nothing now. I  have relinquished my Godliness so I might come to this realm and visit." Vec spoke in a voice that seemed warm and friendly, obviously a charismatic man of sorts it seemed hard to fear or hate this strange God or...immortal as it were. Nexus wondered just how Niamh would handle meeting a former God as it were.

"...Huh...?"

Niamh knew the look on her face must be pretty comical as she looked up at Nexus in a mixture of horror and disbelief, an odd, small smile on her face. The sort of smile you tended to wear when you'd just been told something that was so beyond your realm of comprehension that you didn't even know how you wanted to react because your brain was still processing it all. Had he just...had he seriously just said what she thought he'd said? Yes. Why yes he had. In fact, he even looked like he was contemplating it with the way he was grinning, chuckling, and rubbing his chin. Well, if there was one thing she'd learned about him, it was that he was completely unpredictable and she often couldn't tell when he was being serious or just kidding around. To be on the safe side, she'd started to just assume everything was literal.

Snap...of a finger...? Clothes removed...?

And then, just like that, everything registered and, much to her dismay, she only blushed harder. Waitaminute! If he could...uh...if he could create cloth and make the stuff he created vanish...and if she was wearing the clothing he had created for her...

Oh HELL no!

Her body went rigid and she shook her head vigorously. "Ack! No Nexus! I'm really, really sure!" she said hurriedly, her voice a bit strained--all while busily scooting a good foot or so away from him on that log, suddenly feeling really uncomfortable. Could he really do something like that? And more importantly...would he? All the same, she also had to mentally curse her damned blushing; she could feel the heat spreading down her neck, and it just made this whole thing even more embarrassing somehow. Guh! How did he manage to keep turning this around onto her?

"So, yeah. Let's just be...leaving all our clothes on. Okay? Besides, we had a deal about your...uh...urges," she said, glancing over at him warily and crossing her legs and arms protectively. She really wanted to ask if he could actually make her clothes vanish, just so she could be more on her guard depending on his answer, but...she decided it was best not to. He might want to demonstrate it.

After all that, when he asked her if she was sure about the other issue--the tricks one--she actually wasn't so sure then. The look he was giving her...er...it made her stop and think about it. Well, yeah, she was sure actually. But that look meant trouble so now she wasn't sure after all. At least, she wasn't sure of how she should answer. She bit her lip, but after a second she stubbornly decided to stand her ground. Lewd comments throwing her off guard or not, it was all still something of a power struggle to her--probably because he'd made her feel so powerless in the warehouse and her pride still stung--so she finally just gave as nonchalant a shrug as she could. "I  wouldn't have said it if I wasn't sure."

Never mind that she'd run her mouth over their whole grappling thing and had only ended up losing, when she'd been so "sure". Ahem.

In any case, the fact that Nexus looked so disgruntled while she laughed only made it all that much more amusing, and while some strange part of her wished he could also see the humor in it and share a chuckle about it, a much larger part of her was just getting a kick out of how grumpy and moody he looked. It was like...well, it was kind of like revenge. He'd been so intent on "taming" her in that warehouse and making her a "slave", and here she was laughing at him while he looked all pouty about it, even looking away from her. It was really kind of sweet! And also a bit surprising. He'd seemed so tough and scary before, but ever since then...well, she'd been exposed to another side of him. A much more human side that...was pretty nice. He was still all tough, but no, no he sure wasn't scary anymore. Maybe a bit, uh, scandalous, but...

"Ahaha, sorry, sorry, it is...eheh...it is pretty funny, c'mon..." Niamh panted, still covering her mouth to uselessly muffle her snickers and any other giggles that might surface. And then, before she could help it, she just had to answer his little moody comment. It sounded a bit familiar. "Hell has many forms, Nexus!" she murmured under her breath, echoing something he'd said to her on their first meeting.

This was all so oddly ironic and great. Maybe it was mean, but he'd had so much fun at her expense, so why shouldn't it be the other way around for once?

Unfortunately for her, that wouldn't be the case for much longer. Her mirth had finally started to wind down, but it was Nexus' sudden comment that cut it off short. Her body gave a violent jerk and she grimaced, the humor leaving her, and for all that she reacted it was very much like she had been slapped. Only in this case, it was a verbal one, but it stung just as much. Probably even more so since it echoed some of her own thoughts, but it was even more painful to be actually told that you were useless. More or less. Hurt even more when you were told that by someone you were trying hard to prove yourself to, and much as she hated to admit it...that was the case here.

For once, she had no real words to respond to Nexus with. She was always so mouthy, even in the warehouse, but now...now she didn't look angry or scared. She just looked hurt, looking over at him silently, face tight and brows drawn together. It was one thing to exchange physical blows, those she could handle, but there was really no defense against words.

Even as she heard his apology, she didn't respond or even move, just looked down toward the ground as he got up and moved away, not even looking up to see where he'd gone. He'd actually apologized for once, and right after not long before she'd been wishing he would apologize. But it had still cut deep and she kind of wondered if he really didn't mean that or if he was just saying he didn't because he hadn't meant to let the words slip. Ugh. Her jaw tightened. Why should this even matter to her? His opinion shouldn't matter to her...so...why the hell did it?

Finally, frustration and anger began to mingle with the hurt, but fortunately, she wouldn't have much longer to brood about it. Nexus' sudden shout made her jump, and when she saw the whip in his hand and registered what he had said, she lurched to her feet and drew her dagger quickly. The Lumenari? Crap, they just couldn't get a freaking break, could they? But wouldn't Nexus have known? Still, the blade of her dagger began to faintly glow as she looked around the area, tense but ready for what may come...at least until a voice answered Nexus.

And a man followed.

Niamh's mouth went dry as she took him in, the word "Solisi!" leaping to mind, and she quickly jerked her attention back over to Nexus, looking back and forth between the two uncertainly. He looked...like a Solisi. Goddess, but he even dressed like one! Kind of. The leader of the Lumenari band she'd been with had dressed in gold and white and a lot of high ranking Solisi did, like priests and soldiers, and he was radiating light, practically glowing. How would Nexus know a Solisi? Well, aside from her. Had he known any before her? But...but...it made no sense! Maybe he liked going after Solisi? Yet...he couldn't be a Solisi. Something felt strange about him. She felt something with him, something she never felt around anyone else...

And besides, Nexus seemed to not only know him, but...be subordinate to him? In fact, he even fell to his knees before him. WHAT?! Yeah! That was no Solisi! And Nexus? Kneeling to someone? Huh? Much less, kneeling to a man much shorter than him that had no problem hauling him back up to his feet?

What...

She took a step backwards without realizing it as she watched the two interact, clearly on good terms with one another. And Nexus actually looked happy. That...was really confusing. And a bit scary, actually. What kind of person must that be if someone like Nexus would kneel to him?

"Whoa, what?" She hadn't been paying too much attention to everything that had been said, too focused on working the mytery out in her head, but when Nexus spoke to her and introduced them...

That...was a God?

That was a God. Nexus' God?

Niamh blinked a few times, just looking blankly at the two. Then she tilted her head slowly, one eyebrow arched, brow furrowed, and shifted her weight from one leg to the next. The dagger in her hand had stopped glowing, and she slowly sheathed it and cleared her throat. She looked suddenly very lost and yet very oddly amused, and felt it for that matter, but she somehow managed a small smile and a weak, half-hearted wave. "Um. Hi, Vec. Eh heh. Ah, Nexus? Can you...can you repeat what you just said...?" she asked slowly, not taking her eyes off of Vec. "I...heh. I thought you just said he was a God. Heh heh. Stop messing around..."

She gave a quiet laugh, her voice very low, and shoved her hands into her pockets, but when Vec spoke...and only confirmed what Nexus had said...only adding that he'd relinquished his Godliness and...was now an immortal and not a God? Of Nothing, too. Oh Goddess. Oh Goddess...she pursed her lips, and then promptly slapped both hands over her mouth and spun around on her heel, turning her back to them both.

Because she was laughing again, and hard.

And that...well, that she knew was terribly rude and inappropriate. But Light, she couldn't help it! That had to be the most inappropriate reaction she'd had to something yet. But she couldn't help it. It was just so freaking insane that it was hilarious! How many times did you meet someone claiming to be a God? It was crazy! And he looked human, not like a God! Yet still, that Nexus was kneeling to him proved that he had power at least, but...were these the sorts of Gods heathens worshipped? It was kind of sad--wait! Why was she even reverting back to that way of thinking? She was a heretic now, after all.

But...still...Goddess...

Oh Light, help her. This was all so wrong. And she couldn't stop laughing for some reason, which was kind of scary, too, because she didn't want to get on either of their bad sides, but...she couldn't stop! But she also knew that part of that reason she was laughing was because she was nervous and...she just didn't even know anymore. The idea of other Gods or, hell, of even meeting one was actually rather terrifying. She just...she just didn't even know anymore. Maybe she was the one going nuts.

Oh Nexus was always thinking about new ways to get her to blush, and new ways to embarrass her for that matter. Would he figure the reason now as to why? No, probably not. She should probably just be very careful because he had the power, and he had the audacity to do something so cruel to her. Even if she hadn't been wearing the clothes he made, he still could manipulate the threads of her clothes. However, it seemed that everything dawned on the poor girl very quickly, and he was proud. Things just seemed to...click into place, didn't they? She scooted away even, which hurt just as much as her flinching.

"Aw, a shame." He sighed wistfully and dramatically, pressing the back of his wrist to his forehead in a display of overacting for sure. Damn though, that blush of hers was something else. Like her entire body was just heating up because of it. He'd have to remember that if he ever got chilly then.

"I know, and I curse my tongue every hour for making such a deal." He winked at her when he spoke, knowing further blushing could be quite entertaining. Hm, he even thought about new ways to make her blush. This was a game to Nexus at this point, since she couldn't make him blush, he would be the winner in the end then wouldn't he?

"I do hope you know where you're getting your next meal from then poppet." Nexus always tried to have the upper hand in most situations. He was the dominant male after all, the old wolf that led the pack usually, or the lion that watched over the entire pride. Nexus was angered yes, by the fact that Niamh wasn't so scared of him anymore, that he didn't have the power to make her obey him all that much. The warehouse he had the power, but here, as friends, he didn't have much to his name anymore. That's one thing he didn't like about being out and free anymore...there was nothing for him here. Well. There was the fact that he had a friend, an honest to god friend who wanted to share her time with him. That was better than the warehouse.

Nexus knew the moment the words left his mouth, there was going to be trouble. Of all the things he could have said to Niamh, it had to be something as bad as that. That was it wasn't it? She wouldn't forgive him, she would leave, and he would be here alone now, without a friend, and without a companion. No! She couldn't leave HIM. He told her he would follow her, and find her. Yeah. She couldn't leave, because she was in so much trouble as it was.

Vec was always mistaken for something else. The young girl that Nexus was with seemed to have thought he wasn't a friend of sorts. Must be something to do with that nearby town that was all in an uproar, and the camp that had been disbanding. No wonder those people were so adamant about him 'getting back to the camp' then. They had mistaken him for one of their own. It had taken a few minutes but Vec had been able to explain to the men that he wasn't part of their organization. He could have sworn he heard one mutter something about being a heathen impostor. Luckily it took more than a few mumbled words to ruffle Vec's feathers.

"That's not to say I'm not without a great amount of power. After all, a God can reaccept his powers when needed." Vec had without a doubt found quite a number of loop holes and the like that could get the rest of the Pantheons of worlds mad at him. When you looked outside the box and viewed things differently, you saw what was needed. Vec could get his Godly powers back, he was sure of that, even in this world if he so desired. The painful thing would be doing so perhaps?

Nexus didn't like it that she was laughing directly at Vec. Yes, he had a chuckle at her Goddess's expense once in a while, but to laugh in the face of Vec, while he stood there? It should have angered him. It should have made him mad but...with Vec's presence, he couldn't bring himself to that level. He could only be...disturbed as it were by Niamh laughing. Let the God handle the laughing woman perhaps.

Vec smiled pleasantly as he looked toward Nexus, who was grimacing slightly. She was giggling at the God of Nothing, which had to mean something bad. Nexus swore that he could see a twinkle behind Vec's blindfold. Slowly the man began to speak to Nexus.

"Nexus, why not go clean yourself up. The creek isn't far from here. I would like to speak with Niamh." The God never seemed to take his blindfolded gaze off of Poor Niamh, who probably had no idea what she was getting into. Nexus contained himself as Vec pointed the way for him to go, which he quickly headed off toward.

"Now Childe, let us walk amongst the stars in the days of passing. I will show you the beginning." Vec's hands undid the blindfold and let the silken object fall away from his face. Where eyes should be there was only the purest of lights that shone brightly from them, a strange light that seemed to cut into the very depths of everything, and they were upon Niamh. At that time a great wind seemed to have picked up only around Vec. His clothes seemed to flutter and and wave without any outside source, and he seemed to shine with the intensity of a newborn star. The forest they had once been in was no longer there, instead, they were in...space. Stars burnt around them, twinkling to themselves, and behind Vec was a massive spiralling galaxy that rotated ever so slightly.

"Welcome Niamh to the beginning of your world. Beautiful isn't it? This is the galaxy your world belongs to. This is just one of...well, the number is astronomical to say the least." Vec turned his gaze upon the spiralling galaxy, a soft smile upon his face. The absolute beauty of watching the galaxy slowly spinning...there was no possible way to even comprehend the purest beauty they were looking upon. Untouched and unspoiled, felt only by the slow passage of time. It was an awe inspiring sight indeed, to see the twinkling lights of the galaxy as it swirled. Of course for the sake of argument, Vec had placed them in a state of accelerated time passage.

"Makes you feel kind of small doesn't it? Your planet is right...there I believe." Vec pointed to a portion of the galaxy, squinting slightly at it. Then he smiled. Yes. That was right. Slowly the Galaxy became larger and closer to them, they zipped through it, moving and dodging through wondrous nebulas of blue and green, past strange singularities of red and white, until they came upon a rather large ball of fire. Orbiting this sphere were 8 planets it seemed, they focused upon one in particular.

It was a green and blue planet with swirling clouds above them. A large white moon spun about the planet, dancing a cosmic dance of sorts. Vec smiled as he looked upon the planet, then focused his gaze upon Niamh.

"Such beauty...this is the beginning Niamh. This is before any sentient being truly touched your world...It is so beautiful. So pristine, defiled not by the petty wars of the sentient life." Vec had a soft tone in his voice as he smiled sadly, reaching out and almost stroking the planet. He sighed to himself quietly as he shook his head in dismay.

"No matter the land, no matter the realm, the world, the Gods...there will always be a need for Dominance. We give you ingenuity and you use it for weapons. We give you imagination and you just torture each other. We give you the power to feel and all you do is hate and envy. We impart knowledge and you abuse it on each other. We give you free will and you kill and maim each other." Vec's arms came to cross over his chest as he looked to Niamh with some dismay, his mighty head shaking.

"Niamh I want you to listen to me. Put your faith NOT in the Deities. Put your faith in those around you, put your faith in yourself, and put your faith in hope. No Deity can help you. You must decide for yourself what is right and what is wrong." Vec uncrossed his arm, stretching it out to lay upon Niamh's shoulder. He was trying to give to instill to her a feeling of inner peace and clarity, like the world would make sense.

"Don't let a voiceless Goddess push you around and will you to do things. If any Pantheon asks death of another race...the God is flawed. Oh...here is my favourite part Niamh. The sun rises." Vec's hand left her shoulder, and is it did, no doubt the feeling would leave her as well. He had turned his attention back toward the World, where indeed, the first rays of light began to rise from over the horizon of the world, breaking the darkness of the land and flooding the world with light. Just seeing it was a sight to behold, and very few would get the pleasure to see such a sight.

"Magnificent."

Hoo boy. If the whole situation hadn't been so bloody embarrassing and unexpected, Niamh might have had a good laugh at Nexus' little dramatic display--which was equally unexpected and looked just...silly when he did it. Unfortunately, she was more worried at the time about the whole clothing issue, though it seemed he at least remembered his deal. Which was good! As for the food issue, though...ahem. Well. She'd just have to cross that bridge when they got there. Oi...she was not looking forward to that.

Even with her back turned and laughing as she was, she could still hear Vec's words. Ahaha. Sure he could reaccept his powers. Hah! Then why didn't he? That didn't make much sense to her. Psha. God. Yeah right. And Nexus liked to poke fun at her Goddess! Granted, the things he said did make sense and she'd reconsidered a lot of things regarding her faith and the true nature of Mother Sun, but...ugh, seriously, so much had happened in the course of a few days, and now to meet someone who was claiming to be a God and then seeing Nexus actually kneel before him on top of it all...Light, it was just one crazy turn of events after another, it seemed!

Her thoughts cut off abruptly when she caught what said Vec, however, and suddenly Niamh regretted laughing. She knew it had been a bad idea as soon as she'd started, known it had been one of the worst things she could do, but she hadn't been able to stop it; it was just one of those uncontrollable, astounded reactions. What did stop it was when Vec said the dreaded words: that he would like a word alone with her. No freaking way!

Niamh's laughter cut off abruptly with a gasp as she caught those words, and she spun back around, her expression painfully sober though her wide eyes and stiff posture probably gave her away, arms crossed over her chest. Oh...crap. Those were some words you never wanted to hear from anyone, because it tended to mean you were busted.

And then her face fell when she saw that Nexus was indeed leaving her alone with him. Ack! No! If Nexus actually obeyed this strange blindfolded guy, she didn't want to be left with him! Blanching, though it might go unnoticed to the untrained eye, she looked back and forth between the departing Nexus and Vec, looking and feeling rather trapped, and for a moment she even considered just bolting after Nexus. She didn't know Vec, after all, but...well...she also trusted Nexus, as odd as it was. Trusted him about most things at least. He wouldn't leave her with someone dangerous, right?

Er...then again, Nexus was also technically dangerous himself, so...

Unfortunately or fortunately for her, though, she didn't get a chance to make that choice. She was still frozen when Vec spoke again, and she had no time to try and understand what he was telling her when he removed his blindfold and she was enveloped in light.

At least, that's what it felt like to her as she stared at his eyes, as he shone brightly, as the wind that wasn't really wind picked up about him, as the forest vanished around them and was replaced by inky blackness and stars twinkled around them. She should have been freaking out at that point, should have been staring in horror or...something, and even in the back of her mind she knew she should have. Yet she just stood immobile, eyes locked on Vec's, lost in the strangest of sensations. She knew something was terribly wrong right now and yet...she could feel nothing but peace, calm, and...guilt. Niamh found herself wanting to look away in shame, yet she couldn't, and part of that was because she didn't want to. As much as she wanted to close her eyes and avoid his gaze, which felt like it could see everything, as much as she wanted to hide, at the same time she just couldn't.

Because even with all of this, she couldn't feel afraid. It was odd. Like nothing before this point in time mattered, like all her fears and worries were gone as his gaze pierced her.

At least, that was the case until he turned away from her to look at the galaxy behind them, breaking eye contact. The feeling faded as well, and--beginning of her world?!

Was he...was he serious...?

Niamh pretty much stopped breathing as Vec explained it all, as he pointed out where her planet was, as she took it all in and came to terms with the fact that there was so much out there. That everything looked so small, if breath-taking. She gasped finally when everything started to move and they were suddenly zipping through space, and it was probably only that lingering feeling of calm and peace that kept her from panicking during it all. When they finally stopped before the eight planets orbiting around Mother Sun, she didn't even recognize it at first. Of course, her people had very little knowledge in the way of astronomy so of course she wouldn't know what they were looking at.

Not until Vec pointed it out, that is.

He was really showing her the beginning...Light...it was right then, at that moment as she stared upon her planet and recalled what it had felt like when he'd looked at her...it was then that she knew he wasn't lying.

It was such a frightening realization. All of this was. As he spoke to her about wars and the need for dominance, as she stared upon the Earth in its untainted state, it felt like he knew exactly what she'd done and she had the feeling that he really had seen inside her soul. He knew. He knew what she'd done. The killing, the torturing, the hatred...Goddess...it was all wrong. Niamh swallowed hard as Vec looked back to her and shook his head, and she could feel it all again--she could feel just how wrong she had been, how wrong she was...and yet it was okay...somehow it was okay...

A real God would forgive its children for sinning...isn't that what Nexus had told her?

Oh Goddess help her...he was real...

When Vec placed his hand on her shoulder, oddly enough she didn't jolt or anything though she was eating up every word. The idea of putting your faith not in a deity but in yourself and others was a foreign concept to her, but at that moment, and as his hand rested on her shoulder, it made perfect sense. Even the part about a God never asking one to kill another. Nexus had said the same thing to her before. She could remember that. A true deity didn't need mortals to carry out their work for them.

And then his hand left her, and she once again felt alone, even as she looked toward the fiery orb that all the other planets circled. Oh Goddess...Mother Sun...that was Mother Sun.

"It...it is beautiful...more than beautiful..." Niamh admitted after a long pause in a breathy whisper, throat tight with building emotion and eyes locked onto the sight before her. Mother Sun...she could actually see Her rise for the first time, way out beyond Her, see the first rays of Her light shine upon the Earth. It was amazing, a sight beyond words or even comprehension, a scene that would be burned in her memory for the rest of her life. But even as she watched the scene before her began to blur and waver, and then she felt the stinging in her eyes and the wet warmth upon her cheeks. Mother Sun and the false idol, the moon.

It wasn't...it wasn't supposed to be like this...it wasn't supposed to look like this...the moon looked like nothing more than a rock, and the Earth spun mindlessly around Mother Sun instead of Mother Sun rising over the Earth. Everything suddenly seemed so different. Small. Insignificant. Even Mother Sun...immobile...lifeless...their creator, the one who had created everything, yet She was so small...and Vec had said their solar system was just one of many. She didn't understand what that meant, really, but...

Nothing was like it was supposed to be...and everything suddenly felt wrong.

Niamh finally had to close her eyes and turn away, bowing her head, but she made no effort to try and hide her tears like she normally would. It wouldn't matter. It was true. Vec...Vec was a God. He'd know anyway. He really was a God. Or had been a God. It all made sense now, because how else would he be able to show her something like this, and how else would he be able to say the things he had, knowing about her Goddess, knowing about...about the things she had done. And she...oh Light...she was so wrong...

"I...I really have been so damned blind...haven't I?" she whispered to herself, shivering lightly and hugging her arms around her stomach as though for protection, eyes finally opening though she was pointedly avoiding looking over at Vec. There had been calm and peace while his hand had been on her shoulder, but now she just felt sick as everything pieced itself together, as she remembered all the things she had done for her Goddess. A Goddess that now might not even exist. A Goddess she had followed without even thinking, just because she had accepted it was right and true, because it was how she was brought up and all she knew, all she truly believed.

"There really is no Goddess, is there?" Even as she said it, she was hoping he would say her Goddess existed. Hoping for a heathen God to validate her Goddess for her. "It's...Light, it's all wrong...I can't believe this...I can't...I...oh Light...you're right..."

They were both right. Nexus that is. He had said it first, and while she had accepted it somewhat, this was a bit more like being smacked over the head with the truth.

Even when he wasn't here, he was right...damn him...

Surprising even herself, she abruptly dropped to her knees before Vec then and bowed her head low, hands clasped together in her lap and eyes tightly closed, eyelashes spiked together with moisture. This was probably the most humble anyone would ever see Niamh. Not that this was the first time, as like any good Solisi she was humble before her Goddess, but it was certainly the first time she had been so in any other circumstance. She just didn't bow to people. Not to anyone but her Goddess. Not usually. But what if She wasn't real now? Vec, however, was real.

Light, she was so confused.

"Forgive me, Vec..." she murmured quietly, not knowing what else to do. It was proper to beg forgiveness from the Solisi Goddess when a sin was committed, after all, and that was all she knew, and even if Vec said he had relinquished his powers...still. It just didn't feel proper to her any other way. And the things he'd said...the things she'd remembered...

She felt guilty for it all for the first time in her life. For what she'd done, everything she'd done...Light, even for laughing at Vec.

And yet somehow she also knew she was forgiven. She didn't have to say everything that was on her mind, either. If he really was what he claimed to be, he would know, right? That was a good thing, too, because she didn't want to speak now. She didn't think she could without choking.

Nexus knew that his little display had been overly dramatic and rather silly for that matter but he was happy with it for that matter. Ah, this was going to be a most interesting thing wasn't it? Just a snap of his fingers and she could be nude but...of course he had made a promise. Damn that promise, nothing but a hassle for him wasn't it? When it came to food,  he wasn't sure what he would do to her. Humiliation just seemed so...bland at this point. Maybe just making her do something silly instead. Yes. That would be quite the interesting thing to do.

Why didn't Vec just automatically re-accept his powers when he arrived? Vec didn't NEED to be a God to be himself after all. He could just be himself, and believed he wouldn't need to do something as silly as being a God. After all, he hadn't really been planning on being to open about this one actually, instead he had planned to just stay low and not bother anyone too much, just surf through this place and visit some familiar faces. That didn't seem to be something that was going to happen though, as a religious group had already mistook him for a member. That had been most interesting.

Vec would never harm Niamh, after all he knew how much the woman meant to Nexus. Of course, Nexus hadn't realized this to the fullest extent...and Niamh hadn't realized just what Nexus meant to her. Ah, this would be a very interesting little prospect. Vec was a sucker for couples after all.

However, he was glad at this time Niamh realized she had done something wrong, and that she was almost sorry that Vec was here. Ah it was going to be a very nice little expedition for Niamh. After all, she needed to learn never to laugh in the face of a God. Well, not a God like Vec anyways who loved to be a bit of a show off. Well...showing off was a harsh word, Vec liked to entertain people through various means of his power. Yes, maybe just a little showing off. Just a little.

Niamh seemed very surprised that Nexus actually obeyed him. For a man who listened to almost no one after all, it must have been horrifying to see this rebel of a man suddenly listen to someone like Vec. Vec was pretty sure that Niamh looked just slightly...pale...more pale if possible. It was hard to tell with the strange woman and her very light skin. Hm, that might explain a few things about Nexus though wouldn't it? Heh heh, he could get to that later then couldn't he?

If there was one thing that Vec truly enjoyed was to  stay in space and just watch the beauty of it all. The things that one could see out in space were truly amazing and it made him even feel small by the majesty that was out there in the endless void. Ah though, that's one thing that happened to everyone. They got locked on his eyes, such a distraction they were for him. He could barely take the blindfold off, and that didn't matter much to him because well...the silk of his blindfold was comfortable and soft to say the least. Ah, the guilt seemed to be setting in with the poor girl, a cruel reminder of her past times perhaps. It was just too bad his eyes were enigmas on their own, you could feel peace and yet you would feel the guilt. Ah...guilt was a powerful thing to have on your side. Everyone could feel guilty, perhaps not normally but...a lot of people could be enticed to feel guilt.

Fear was never common when Vec was around, no one could truly fear when he was here. Well, they could fear him but after a while they wouldn't fear him for very long.

Vec was always serious, though he had this mirth to him that made you wonder often enough. Vec of course was an enigma of sorts, you could never truly guess him and get him, you only had to accept him for what and who he was. He did so love the unspoiled beauty of it all, and just because of the power that one could command out here.

Of course, Vec could see the soul, and as such, he could hear the laments of the soul. Ah, it was such a strange sound, and it never lied either. He could hear what it told him, what the body and the mind had done despite the soul. Each death was another mark, each thought of hatred another scar, each pang of jealously was but another scratch.

Vec could almost hear things click within her mind, things were finally starting to make sense, and then things went wrong perhaps? He couldn't say for sure just what was going on in her mind though, but he was keeping an eye on what was happening to her. She was going through an entire mental break down as it were. Things were confusing her, and things seemed all too real for her and she started talking at this point. This was a good thing perhaps.

"Not so much blind Niamh, but misguided I believe." Vec told her quietly as he kept his gaze and hands to himself. He couldn't let things go at this point for her, she would have to get rid of her guilt herself, and with it, get rid of her problems. With a simple touch and a look her way he could make her feel all better, but for now, that wasn't going to be an option. No things would have to go her way at this time, not how he wanted.

"There could be, but I tell you this...it is not the sun that is a Goddess." He whispered quietly to her as the sun finally rose and broke properly, the fiery ball of light flooding the surface of the earth with its giving power. He blinked however as he looked over at her sharply, with what she had just said.

"I will not do that Niamh. You have to forgive yourself." Slowly the world around them began to return, began to form again, and they were on the planet again, in the exact spot they had left in. He smiled at her though as he slowly pulled his blindfold around his eyes and tied a small knot at the back. Slowly his hands went to Niamh's shoulders, slowly lowering the girl to the fallen log to sit her down.

"Now Niamh, you seem like an adorable child, so now, dry those tears of yours." Vec had suddenly in his hand a small handkerchief in his hand and was wiping underneath her eyes like a protective parent. He was a God after all, and did like to help people out the best he could. He couldn't forgive a sin, but he could console them until they forgave themselves. That was the most important thing.

"You can talk now Niamh, I am quite up for talking. After all, I would dearly like to know why it is that you are travelling with Nexus. Even for me it seems confusing, his habits are...very questionable and you seem much too innocent for his regular tastes." That is to say, she was too innocent to be travelling with Nexus without there being some rather interesting back story. The poor girl though, Vec could see a very interesting turn of events that would happen soon, and yet he would not change them. No, he didn't often interfere with the events that would happen in the future even if he could see them clearly.

"So, do you believe you are up for telling a story to me, or do you perhaps wish to cry a little more? I have been informed by many people that my shoulder is quite soft and comfortable." Vec was still smiling calmly at her, holding the handkerchief in one hand just in case she started to cry a little bit. That's all Vec wanted to do though, was to help people, and though Niamh might not realize what his little display of power had done right away, he knew that in time, even as little as a few days, she would come to realize just how he had helped her then as well.

Ah, he always loved a happy ending, and this would be no exception either. Though Nexus and Niamh couldn't see the future, or understand what was happening around them, Vec knew that things would become most interesting for the two. Ah. It was going to be nice.

She knew it. It was so bloody obvious now as she knelt before Vec, eyes averted to catch glimspes of the day breaking over the Earth out of the corner of her eye...such a strange thing to witness, yet she still felt that odd sense of calm, if sadness was mixed in with it. The sun wasn't a Goddess...how could it be? How could something so mindless, that just remained motionless like that, be a Goddess? Something so small and insignificant in the big picture, like...like a firefly hovering above the ocean at night. Niamh shuddered still. It still changed everything. Her whole faith, everything about it, it was just all wrong and everyone was really just worshipping something that didn't even care one way or the next. Oh Light. So the Living Sun in Solis really was just a mortal. It was just how Nexus said. He'd said that all along, and while she'd started to see his point...she still hadn't wanted to believe that it was all false...

Maybe it was a good thing Nexus had at least prepared her in advance. She'd already gotten some of the mourning out of the way and...this didn't hurt nearly as much as it could have. At least not now. Maybe she was still just in shock.

Vec's words then sent a chill racing down her spine and for a moment she felt sick, her muscles tensing, almost like a flinch. He wouldn't forgive her? Well, if that wasn't a slap in the face, she didn't know what was. Luckily that feeling only lasted for hardly a second, though, because that was when he said something she wasn't expecting.

He couldn't because she had to forgive herself...

That was the first time she'd ever heard something like that, and she snapped her attention back up to him, her tears no longer falling. She just had to forgive herself. That was it? Nobody else had to but her. That...was it. Such a surprisingly simple thing, yet at the same time she realized it probably only sounded easy. Her next shock, however, came when the galaxy around them started to vanish and the forest began to reappear, and with a small gasp of surprise she scrambled back to her feet, just as the forest finally solidified completely in her view.

That was so weird...they hadn't really gone anywhere...

"Oh!" She gave an involuntary jolt when Vec's hands found her shoulders, so caught up in just absorbing what she'd just experienced that it just took her off guard, but she relaxed again soon after and let him sit her down on the log. She didn't need to be told twice! Her legs felt shaky enough as it was, so she just sort of plopped down onto, hands on either side of her and lightly gripping at the log. She blinked a few times, looking up into Vec's now blindfolded face, and she surprised even herself by giving a small, dry laugh as he dabbed at her tears, then sniffled, though she was no longer actually crying. Oh man...heh...he was just like her mother...

Ah, yeah...three weeks ago and she would have balked at being called a child, never mind an adorable one. She had gotten mad at Nexus when he'd called her "kiddo". But...wasn't it the truth? Nothing made you feel younger and more inexperienced, insignificant even, than an actual God--or former God--and a guy over a thousand years old. Adorable...well...she offered up a wry smile at Vec. She wasn't going to argue this time.

"Tha...thanks..." Niamh said after a time, and reached up herself to wipe at her eyes, willing them not to cloud up again, before giving a hoarse laugh. "Questionable? I really think that's an understatement..." And as for his tastes...she wasn't so sure she wanted to know what that meant.

But what Vec was asking was interesting and not a chance she wanted to pass up. Light, finally. She didn't even know the man, but something about him made her feel like she could confide in him. And after all the craziness that had occurred, she really, really wanted to just be able to finally tell her story to someone, what she'd gone through. She hadn't even told her Lumenari friends about the first time--not the whole story, that is, as all she'd told them was that some crazy heathen tried to rough her up. She hadn't wanted to say more and give anything away. So much had happened, though, and...there was still so much she was trying to sort out. Finally saying it all out loud might help her better understand it, and since Vec obviously knew Nexus, he might be able to understand it better.

So much to figure out...then there was the Goddess stuff...ugh, no, she didn't want to tough that yet. She just...one thing at a time...

Taking a deep breath, Niamh lifted her shoulders in a quick shrug. "Thank you, Vec, but...I think I'm alright to talk. I'm tired of crying, I've done too much of it lately." Hopefully she didn't while retelling everything. Ugh. "Light...you don't know how much I've been wanting to tell someone about all this. I...um...hope you don't mind...it's kind of long, but...it's been an interesting journey, to say the least. Ahem..."

Another deep breath, and she wasted no time getting started, absently picking at the bark on the log as she spoke, just needing something to do. "Alright...so...I met Nexus for the first time three weeks ago. I'd gotten kinda lost, separated from my group, and I ended up bumping into him in town. It...didn't go so well. Looking back...part of that was probably my fault."

Then she shook her head, grimacing, obviously thinking better of that statement. "But that was no excuse! I mean, I was rude, but he was rude, too! And he insulted my religion. And then he just creeped me out. Like he seemed far too interested in the fact that I was alone, stuff like that, and he just wouldn't leave me alone or take a hint. Then on top of it all he insisted on staying in the same inn and invited me to breakfast come morning. Well, more like told me I'd go to breakfast with him. I thought 'no way' and tried to give him the slip in the morning, but...he anticipated that and, ah...caught me. I probably just should have just had the damned breakfast with him..."

Niamh shifted a bit uncomfortably and crossed one leg over the other, ankle propped atop the knee. Yeah, everything was still etched very vividly into her memory, and why wouldn't it be? That whole thing had scared the ever living hell out of her, though of course not nearly as much as its continuation. "Anyway, yeah, he…literally lassoed me. Tied me up, dragged me around, threatened me, and at one point choked me. And then...he just let me go, unharmed. Just like that. Untied me, gave me back my weapon, and walked away." She blinked at that and rubbed at the bridge of her nose, still way too confused about that first encounter. She still didn't know why he'd let her go, and he'd never told her his reasons behind it. Her only guess was it was some weird cat and mouse thing.

"I was reunited with my friends shortly after that and I thought that was the last I'd ever see of him, but...haha, nope. Three weeks later and I literally ran into him in that town back there. So of course I tried to get away, but...he caught me again, tied me up again, only this time he took me to a warehouse and..." A shudder coursed through her and she was staring very intently down at her hands, fidgeting with them to hide their slight shaking.  

"Well, at first I thought it was gonna be like the last time. That he was just gonna try and scare me, maybe rough me up a bit, even if he was taking it way further and his threats were even more…well…you know. They scared me. But I don’t think it actually sank in until he tied me between some pillars and…he made me call him master, cut some of my hair, and…then he cut me. Put his initials in me. Then whipped me. Said he was just doing all that for...just because. Um…but he stopped after three lashes…I said something that got him to stop, but I don’t remember what, just that he stopped. I was pretty much just trying anything, you know? I really thought he was gonna try and kill or rape me...or just torture me, which he already was. But...he never did anything else after that. We kinda...talked...and he told me about his past and I told him about mine...and...he just got calmer and actually nice." And it still confused the hell out of her!

"Er...then...after that...things just got better. He healed me, he started untying me little by little and...he seemed like he felt bad about everything...and...well...I guess I understand some of where he's coming from now. 'Cause it's kind of like me. Kind of. But to make a long story short because I'm already talking your ear off I think, I just...he's surprised me. He did those things to me, made my life hell, but then he started helping me too. And...it's like...it's like he's two different people." She paused for a moment, trying to think of how best to explain it.

"I mean...there was the person I met three weeks ago and in that warehouse, the one that was a complete bastard who made me honestly fear for my life. But then there's him. The guy that's playful and makes me clothes and breakfast and saves me from my own people and promises to keep me safe and lets me cry on his shoulder and wrestle him and I'm not afraid of wrestling him because I know he won't really hurt me and I feel comfortable around him. Whew. That was...a really long sentence. But anyway, then I'm still afraid, too...because of what that 'other person' did...and that it'll just happen again, maybe be even worse next time. And I wanna trust him, he's proved himself, but...I don't know if I can. Ugh! I make no sense." With a suddenly frustrated groan, she thumped one fist against the side of the log, then winced and rubbed her hand, finally looking up at Vec.

And then she blushed lightly.

"Er...so...yeah...uh. Well. I think I kinda did more than answer your question...I went off on a tangent. Sorry if I killed your ear..." she said quietly, coughing. Yeah. That had turned into more of a rant toward the end, there.

A wayward child in the dead of night, surrounded by darkness, but filled with light. Oh the cruel lashings of fate, each like a thread in a spiders web. Her path broken and cut, only to follow another line now. Yes, that sounded about right to him. Vec often had little cryptic thoughts about the future, and this one had played quite nicely in his mind. However odd it was to have foresight in another realm about a child that wasn't of his own creation, that was the oddest part of it all. Of course, Niamh's vision had been a part of Nexus's vision, so it only made sense. The two were at least interconnected in a way. Of course, what would come soon enough would be quite the interesting experience, for no true end was in sight. Many possibilities arose, but no end was going to be the correct end.

Vec wasn't very fond of people asking forgiveness of him. It didn't work that way. Vec could say he forgave them till the end of time, but that was no absolution. They had to look within themselves, and they had to forgive themselves. Maybe that's how Nexus had survived, after all, Vec had passed those words onto the man before he left Heiroth.

It was easier said than done for most people. YOu would think complete absolution would be easy but it was quite complex and difficult. Vec knew that she could do it though, that she would do it, and for her, it would be like this great weight simply lifted from her shoulders. He would be happy to see her finally cleanse herself of all those sins.

Heh, they had gone somewhere, just Vec was kind enough to return them to the right place afterwards.

Vec was often accused of being a parental figure, and he didn't fight those accusations. He looked out for all creatures, making sure that they were taken care of. Sometimes of course, he had to do this on a personal level, like with Niamh. What she needed was a pillar at the moment, someone to lean on and get her woes out of the way. While she could not have her mother here, she could have instead Vec. A rather nice trade off really, it wasn't every day that one got to have a God lend them an ear to listen to their troubles.

"It is the only word I believe in the common tongue to suit the purpose at the moment." After all, Nexus had his good and bad side to him. The only problem was, some of his motivations and the like were just a little...questionable. Yes, that would be the only word to suit Nexus at the moment, until he could find a better one of course. However, he was pretty sure that wouldn't be one.

Vec knew poor Niamh's plight to some degree, well, he could surmise most of it from this point. After all, she was hanging around Nexus, and had been a rather 'holy person' in her religion. That of course was all changed now thanks to Nexus. Ah. Nexus was the pivitol character in this story. She had so much to say no doubt, all bottled up, all her worries and pain within her, just needed to break forth like a river being held by a dam. Vec was quite eager to hear the story however, as it was always good to know the full truth instead of just what you believed to know. It would be quite...interesting to hear her side of the story. He was interested though in Nexus's side of the story.

"I love a long story Niamh, they are my favourite. Please, by all means." Vec got comfortable so to speak, shifted slightly on the log, crossed one leg over the other, and began to listen. Time to committ this little story to memory perhaps? It would be best to remember all this, he could get Ler the Bard to perhaps create a nice little tune of it all. Yes. Perhaps.

Three weeks ago. So for Nexus and Niamh, it had been quite a while ago, a chance encounter if he ever heard one. He smiled however at her. Yes, the best way to get Nexus's attention was to asert dominance. After all, he was the alpha male, and if any bit of his power was challenged, he would strive to return it to himself. Being rude never really helped either, and having an over zealous position on your religion always made for a clash with Nexus. This poor girl had probably been the target of Nexus the moment he laid eyes on her. A strong willed independant woman all alone without anyone to protect her. It was like an antelope being seperated from the herd.

Of course, Nexus always was one step ahead of his prey it seemed. Though Vec hadn't given Nexus the gift of foresight, the man seemed to know behavoiral patterns quite well. Though, he idly wondered just how it would have turned out if she had just gone to breakfast with him. He probably would have left her alone. Instead she...challenged him by running. That was a horrible thing to do, because Nexus loved a challenge and a chase.

"He...let you go? Nexus let you go on his own will..." Not much surprised Vec anymore, but this...this was different. Nexus wasn't capable of mercy. When he had first been created, mercy wasn't something that had been included. However... now it was clear to Vec that Nexus was learning, evolving, understanding, and changing all on his own. Without the influence of his own realm, of his own Pantheon, he could be free to exist as he pleased. However...Vec rememebred something at that point....and he spoke up.

"I know why...I know why he did it. When Nexus was captured by the Drow woman...she dragged him through the forest kicking and screaming..." It had to have been the only reason Nexus would let her go. Literally, he had been scared of himself for being able to copy the woman who had hurt him the most. Vec understood just how much that encounter with the Drow had meant to him, it was the final straw on the camel's back, the last injustice that snapped his mind and made him into Nexus Savaros, the Agent of Justice. Deep down however it seemed that Nexus had a heart.

Vec was unsurprised by their next meeting, or by the fact that Nexus sought a revenge of sorts. All of his actions seemed to be standard at this point, whipping, branding, a lock of hair...All of her reactions at that time seemed to be of survival. Begging, pleading no doubt, things to get him annoyed. Though...Vec couldn't believe he stoped, that he actually listened and talked with her. Yes, Nexus was changing wasn't he? For the better really, yes. There was that thing, about if a wild beast meets a human just as wild, they might bond. Vec had seen many murderers of sick and twisted ideas band together with wolves that had been cast out from their own pack. Perhaps Nexus felt kinship with Niamh? At this point, Vec wasn't going to rule anything out.

"That...sounds about right. If Nexus can identify with someone, then they are his friend, which are very few really. There is something about you that just...brings out the innate good within Nexus. He tries to seem cold, uncaring, sick, and tiwsted most of the time, for that is who he usually is, but he has that private side." There would be no doubt in Vec's mind that for most of the time that Nexus seemed to be 'nice' was when no one was around but the two of them. However, the man had really seemed to become someone else while Niamh was there.

"He is battling with himself though. With what he knows. Women are evil to him, they hurt him, they twisted him, they made his life hell, and he resents them. That is not just the Drow woman's experiences talking either. It is my own daughter's fault as well. However, the other side of him is saying different about women." Nexus was always in a conflict with himself, trying to battle his demons as best he could. It would be a hard road for Nexus, but if anyone could handle it, the strange man with the hangman eyes could.

Vec smiled at her as she apologized, his head shaking lightly as he put his hand on her knee gently. "Niamh it is fine, I enjoy listening to people talk, it is the best way to gain understanding and wisdom." He explained to her quietly, his hand leaving her knee to rest on his own. She was just a poor child stuck between a man and his demons.

"I would trust him Niamh." Vec's words were always something to take into consideration. "After all, here is a man who was bred and trained to be a complete killer, without mercy and compassion, but you come along and confuse him by stirring these emotions in him. Though it may not seem like a good reason to trust him, I assure you, he is changing." He explained to her, smiling all the while as he watched the young girl with his blindfolded gaze.

"Whenever he becomes angry toward you, it is because he does not understand you, why you stir such emotions, why he feels this way. It is all new for him, and you must be patient with him. Besides, if anyone can keep him in line, it would be you." This would be a good time to have eyes, so he might wink at her. However this was just another cryptic message to tell her. Whether she realized it or not, Nexus had feelings that ran real deep for her. It would be...interesting when their emotions came to fruition.

That was why he let her go? Oh! Suddenly a previously forgotten detail clicked in her mind, and she sat up straight, blue eyes wide. "Ah! I remember why he stopped the second time now, too, I remember what I said," she said, and shook her head a little. How could she have forgotten about this? It had been such a pivotal moment, the turning point of that whole nightmare, but she had been worn out by that point, emotionally and physically; it stood to reason that she might forget some things, either because she wanted to or just because she had been so tired. But now it was all coming back.

"That makes sense, then! The second time, he stopped just after he told me about the drow incident and I asked him if he planned on doing the same things to me. Because he was eighteen back then too, and I'm eighteen now, something like that. I guess I made him realize that he was mirroring what had been done to him, because I remember he gasped and went away from me. So that's why he let me go the first time...because again he was doing the same things she'd done to him...Light that had been bothering me for so long! It seemed so random back then." Well, that enigma had finally been solved! Finally! Still, nonetheless, Vec had seemed so surprised by the fact that Nexus had let her go.

It didn't sound like he let many people go. But she could have guessed as much.

But then she listened to Vec as he spoke, and she nodded in understanding. Yeah, getting him to relate to her had really been key in her survival at that point, pointing out the similarities in their lives. She still didn't know how she did that except that every instinct she had possessed had kicked into high gear then, which she was grateful for. The Lumenari hadn't taught her how to survive a situation like that; she'd had to improvise completely. Thank the Light she was pretty good at recalling details and decent at memorization. She had never imagined that all those painful exersises copying down scriptures and devotional prayers and having to commit them to memory, too, would be good for anything outside the temple, but it had apparently helped with her memory and made her observant. That had come in handy.

Niamh did raise an eyebrow and look at Vec oddly, though, when he said that she brought out the innate good within Nexus. She did? It became even more surprising when he went on to explain Nexus' resentment for women. Erk. He...really did have no luck with women. No wonder...though...damn. That kind of put her at a slight disadvantage, if he'd be critical or distrusting of her just because of her sex. That...could be tricky. Though, heh. She knew it. His daughter? Well, if Vec was a God, his daughter had to be a Goddess. And as far as the Goddesses of Nexus' realm went, she only knew of one, that Goddess of Justice of his, the one he had told her about. Niamh gave a little sigh. "That doesn't surprise me. She did make his life hell..." she mumbled.

Indeed, for all that Niamh had gone through, she did understand now where Nexus was coming from. If Vec was real, so was his Goddess. There was no doubt about that now. And that...well...that made it all just a little more sad. Nexus said he loved what he did yet hated it--or rather, hated himself for it. But he had to do it. Because he was created to. If you were created for a purpose...what could you do but what you knew? Ugh...it really was cruel...to him, to everyone else. And it was true. Nexus was cruel in the beginning. But then she had started to see his private side, the side that did seem to care, be thoughtful and warm, the side that was even a bit...self-sacrificing...

"Hm?" She was lightly startled out of her thoughts when he placed a hand on her knee briefly, assuring her it was okay, and she smiled a little, that simple, quick gesture oddly calming--hell, she was surprised at just how calm she had been through this, for aside from getting a little shook up as she retold the warehouse story, her palms were dry and her pulse was normal. She nodded a little after. Well then, she wouldn't be worried about talking too much, then!

Except what he said next did come as a bit of a shock.

"Me keep him in line? Are you serious? Me, the one he used to like to lasso and drag around?" Niamh repeated incredulously, both eyebrows arched as she looked at Vec owlishly. Then she barked a short laugh and shook her head, grinning weakly and running a hand through her short hair. "I'm not too sure about that one, but that's not to say I won't try my best of course. Wait. Actually...we did make a bit of a deal earlier..." Her grin grew a little then, almost mischievously as she thought on it, and her eyes brightened as realization clicked into place. "Ah, Vec! Maybe you are onto something! See, the deal we made was that as long as I'm around him he has to behave himself and repress his, um, urges. Maybe you're right now that I think of it. He was starting to get a little suggestive earlier and when I reminded him, he shaped up. Hah! Nice, I'd never thought of our deal like that!"

She chuckled again and beamed over at Vec, suddenly feeling one hell of a lot more cheerful. "I hadn't even thought of how strange that was, either! So much was happening at the time, but...heh! And he'd told me before that he couldn't make any promises! It's odd though. I mean, it seems like this whole thing is even surprising you, and you're his...his..." She swallowed. It was still a sort of difficult thing to admit. "God. I'm guessing he doesn't let many people go...and you said he usually resents women...but that for some reason it's different with me, that he's changing now..."

Niamh trailed off thoughtfully, her tone gradually becoming more sober, and she brought a hand up so she could rest her chin on her fist, eyes glancing off to the side to watch a leaf as it fluttered down from one of the trees around them. She frowned slightly, then looked back over to Vec. "I don't really understand why I'm so different when the man's been alive over a thousand years, but...still. Vec, everything you said, if all that's true like you say...I'm going to trust you on this. And that means I'm...I'm gonna trust him. I wanted to trust him. I just needed to hear it from someone else I guess, to know I'm not going crazy, that it wouldn't be a foolish mistake. I've just been...confused. So much has happened in just a couple of days."

She still couldn't really believe that she was actually talking casually to a God, or former God, right now. But she also realized she was either probably still in shock, or so much had already happened that she just wasn't so sure that she could be surprised by anything anymore. Her mind had probably just temporarily shut down to protect itself.

Then, suddenly, she crossed her arms over her chest, uncrossed her legs to plant both feet on the ground, and gave Vec a considering look. "I also hope you're planning on giving Nexus a similar lecture," she told him with a half-joking smirk. "I daresay he needs one more than me."

"My...You really are a smart girl aren't you Niamh?" It wasn't a condescending tone that escaped from Vec's mouth, it was one of congratulations instead, an inoffensive sort of tone. He wasn't making fun of her, he was really quite impressed. After all, mortals had so much potential and when they finally did get to using all their creativity and ingenuity, he was impressed. It hadn't be hard to put together why he did it the first time, the second time however now was shed completely in light, which was a good thing. They needed to really know the man behind the eyes and the hat. Nexus was wanting to torture Niamh, but for some reason she had jogged in his memory his own feelings from when he had been tortured. It was...quite an interesting thing to say the least.

"It was all supposed to happen. From the moment my daughter wanted three Agents to control, it was to happen that Nexus's life would never be the same. Even his name had been chosen by the heavens. However, I resented how much she wanted to torture him, so she could gain complete control of him. However, he has mostly broken free of her, but still he holds his tenancies, subconscious ones of hate." Vec was on the fence about Nexus though, he always had been. Nexus wasn't a bad guy, he was just lashing out at any world because of how he had been treated. Things were different now. Niamh was in the picture.

Vec would have to talk to Nexus next though, and that would be an interesting little feat. Vec had seen into Nexus's mind, he had heard what his soul had said, and he had been surprised. Probably a little later he should tell Niamh about what he heard. It would make for a most interesting conversation no doubt.

"You may not realize it Niamh, but you control him more than you know. As I understand it, he killed no Lumenari when leaving the town because of you, and I happened upon a nice couple tied up in a back alley. Seems they were quite alive, though a little shaken up. I know you must have given him an order, for the Lumenari would lay dead and the town would be on fire." Technically speaking the town had been on fire, but Vec could tell the magic did not come from Nexus, it came from the Lumenari. He smiled when she continued on and told of the deal she had made with Nexus.

"There you go. You keep him in line with a simple deal, one that even for him is very straining to uphold." Vec told her with a small smile. This was most entertaing actually. Nexus had agreed to keep his urges at bay, which meant one thing. He wanted her to be around him, so much so that he would change himself for that to happen. Whether it was good that Nexus was changing so much, or bad, Vec could not say, did not want to say. It did not really matter at this point. Inside Nexus there would always be that lurking beast, but Niamh might be able to help keep that beast at bay.

"He seems to be holding his promises rather well. It is quite good to see him trying to be just and upholding. Also, I am pleased you admit I am a God. It makes some things so much more easier. Oh and he does resent you, but he resent himself for every moment he is with you, because it goes against what he believes, but he can not stop himself. No matter how much he despises it, he wants to be near you. Just as he wants to torture people, but understands it is wrong, but loves it so. You are his enigma, and he is your enigma. Quite a pair I might say." Vec's smile had never left him as she suddenly tried to become very serious and tell him something, to which he chuckled.

"Rest assured Niamh, he will get a similar lecture. Which remind me, I should probably go and find him at this point." Slowly Vec stood up and stretched his arms and legs before placing a hand on her shoulder. "You should stay here, as Nexus has given us privacy, he will need his privacy as well." With that being said he started walking toward the direction that Nexus had gone off to. He had stopped for a moment, his gaze falling upon her once more.

"Also, you should know. You stir within Nexus the same feelings that the Drow girl stirred within him. Maybe that is the thing he is most confused about. A thousand years without feeling that emotion, and then you are here, and you make his heart a flutter. Ah. Just like a bashful little boy again." Then, before he could get a reaction or an answer from her, he started walking again. He wanted her to think on that privately, it was all as fair after all.

It took him a few minutes to reach the small creek that Nexus was at, haunched over it and washing his face. He turned about quickly, holding a small whip in his hand, but when his eyes fell on Vec he sighed and dispelled the weapon. Only Vec. He felt edgy right now, and he had no idea why.

"Hello Nexus." Vec said politely as he stepped up next to the man, who slowly stood up to his full height. "Vec. How did it go?" Nexus wanted to know what they had talked about, what had been said. He had been immensely curious about it, and it wasn't fair that he was being kept so far in the dark. After all, he knew the conversation had been mostly about him, so why not let him on the secret conversation.

"It went very well Nexus. Now I must talk to you." Vec told the man as he looked to him and blinked several times. Talk to him? That didn't sound very good at all. Slowly Nexus lowered himself to a seating position, his eyes never looking away from the slightly glowing man. Nexus kept a close eye on the man as he spoke to him, trying to figure out just what the strange God was talking about.

"Your soul has spoken to me Nexus, sung if you will, and I have listened to it carefully. You know what is the most amusing thing I have found? It has told me that there are feelings, strange feelings that you have only felt once before in your seventeen thousand years. I understand everything about you Nexus." Vec spoke softly as he turned his blindfolded gaze to the slightly blushing man. Nexus wasn't sure if Vec was right about the feelings...ah hell, was Vec ever wrong? Probably not.

"You resent her for what women have done to you, and yet, at the same time, the other side of you says that you want to trust her, to get close to her, to be her friend. You are ripping yourself apart because you can not understand this." Vec explained to Nexus, who just sat there with a sober expression processing all of it. He knew this too, and he knew that he was being controlled by Niamh but...he didn't care. By the Gods it felt good for him, all the conflict, all the pain...DAMN. If he hadn't made a deal with Niamh...it would be so much the sweeter.

"Well...as long as you realize you like her, and that she likes you. This impasse has been eliminated. Excellent." Vec smiled slightly as he turned his attention toward the forest. He was not going to head straight to the camp yet, there were things that had to happen first. Like the capture of Niamh.

"Wait...she likes me?" Nexus blinked several times as Vec nodded, smiling. "Yes, she does. She trusts you in a way as well, more now. However Nexus...I'm afraid I must do this to you." Nexus went rigid as Vec gripped the carotid artery in Nexus's neck, cutting off blood. Nexus was unconscious in a few seconds, slumping backwards. Sighing, he looked at the forest.

"Sorry Niamh. This is something that must happen. You will understand soon enough." It was past noon, and the sun would be going down in at least four hours. That would give them one night. One night. Vec smiled as he waited, his special sight showing him Niamh's location, waiting. When things finally happened, he would then wake Nexus up and they could go to the Lumenari camp and things would finally start going the right way for Nexus and Niamh.

What?

WHAT?

For one of those rare moments in Niamh's life, she was rendered completely speechless, unless you counted a small, soft sound of surprise she made in the back of her throat--more of a choked sound that she'd been unable to form into a word. But aside from that, nothing. She couldn't speak, couldn't move, and could only stare at Vec's back in dumb shock as he walked away, mouth hanging open and eyes wide, and considering how vocal she had been even in the warehouse under the direst of circumstances, indeed, shocking her into silence was no small feat. Yeah, Vec was certainly right. Niamh may not have been the strongest of people when it came to brute strength and skill in battle, but her mind was at least sharp, and it took all of a few seconds for his words to register and make sense.

Drow girl. Nexus had liked the drow woman. More than liked, he said he'd fallen in love with her if her memory served her correctly. And Vec was telling her that she stirred the same feelings in Nexus as that woman? Niamh shut her mouth with a slight clicking of teeth, but she was still staring at the space where Vec had once been. Was he serious?!

He...he likes me? Like THAT?

Oh jeez...maybe Vec was joking...but did former Gods joke. In any case, she wasn't so sure about how these things worked, considering she'd avoided the affections of some boys back in Solis, but she was pretty sure that kidnapping someone and whipping them generally wasn't considered a form of courtship or flirting! Usually you brought the girl flowers or sweets or some sort of gift, unless you were a little kid in which case, well, yeah, sometimes you beat the crap out of each other then. But Niamh didn't see it! Or...wait...maybe she did? He did stop, like Vec said. He had been going out of his way to make up for the damage he'd done. He was listening to her. He hadn't harmed her friends--and what was even more remarkable about that was that she'd never told him not to, because she'd never gotten the chance. Whereas Vec seemed to believe that she gave Nexus an order, Nexus had been even a step ahead of Niamh. She had given him no such order; he had spared them all on his own.

A shiver ran down her spine, and she folded her arms over her chest. Light...maybe Vec was serious...

The same feelings as the drow woman, though?

She still couldn't believe it, and even worse, she couldn't figure out why she was blushing. Again. Dammit, that seemed to be happening a lot lately...and it was getting on her nerves. Even worse, Nexus seemed to be the one responsible for all that blushing.

Ugh, this is stupid!

Even though Vec had told her to wait here, to give he and Nexus their privacy, she was sorely tempted to follow after Vec and eavesdrop--because she just knew they would probably be talking about her, and she wanted to know what they were saying!--but the temptation came and passed. No, they'd catch her, and besides, maybe she was just being paranoid? She probably had a right to be paranoid but the main point was that they'd catch her if she tried to listen in, so...she'd just be forced to wait around here and squirm. Then again, why did she care?! It was stupid! If he had a crush on her, then oh well, he'd have to deal, she didn't care! It shouldn't bother her.

Her stiff posture and anxiously tapping foot told otherwise.

Dammit.

How long were they going to take, anyway? And more importantly, what were they saying?! Damn Vec for leaving right then, leaving her hanging like that after saying something so big! And...oh crap. Suddenly the thought occurred to her of how awkward it just might be when Vec and Nexus returned. Light...it was just one thing after the other, wasn't it? One big event and revelation after the next. It was probably a testament to just how much she'd been through in such a short amount of time that she suddenly felt that, after this, she didn't think anything could surprise her. Let's see...she'd already been kidnapped, tortured, become a traitor and a heretic, lost her faith, met a God, witnessed the beginnings of her planet, and become friends with her tormentor who apparently liked her and she didn't feel as upset about that as she felt she should. Yeah. That probably covered everything and she was fairly certain that most people didn't experience all that in their lifetime, much less a few days. Nothing could surprise her after this. At least not while she still felt numb with shock.

Feeling oddly frustrated and restless, Niamh finally rose to her feet and started to pace the small clearing, just needing to move and do something as she waited, her steps brisk and jerky. She didn't know how long she waited and paced, but sometime during this a twig snapped behind her in the undergrowth, and she came to an abrupt stop, looking around. At that point she didn't even think to be afraid; Nexus was somewhere close by with his keen senses so he'd know if something was up, and now there was a former God among them too. Needless to say, she felt really safe for once.

"Nexus?" she called quietly, since Vec seemed too silent when walking so that was the only other option. No answer. It was that lack of an answer that made her nervous. She reached to her waist to draw her dagger and spun around, prepared to head for the place where Vec and Nexus both had gone. "Nexus, if this is some kind of--"

The words froze on her tongue as she came face to face with a tall man with dark blonde hair, his white clothes trimmed in red and gold, his skin a bit darker than usual for a Solisi. "Nexus, hmm? You lot sound awfully cozy, Niamh," was all that registered in her ears before she felt the pain in her lower stomach, realized she couldn't breathe, and everything went black.

When she woke up again, she was no longer in the forest.

That was the first thing she noticed when she opened her eyes dazedly. The forest was gone, replaced by, as far as she could see from her position on the ground, a lot of grass. There were trees, too, she could make out what she thought was a forest, but it didn't look like the one she and Nexus had been in. In fact, she didn't remember there being hills around where she and Nexus had been...and the sound of bustling activity around her, of horses stamping and snorting, of weapons clanking, the familiar sounds of camp being made...ah damn! The Lumenari! It had slipped her mind completely in the disorientation that came with waking.

The next thing she noticed was how sore her stomach was when, in a panic, she jerked in an effort to sit up; Ishan hadn't pulled his punch a bit. With a soft groan, she let herself flop back over onto her side in the grass, and it wasn't just the soreness that had discouraged her. As soon as she'd tried to move, she'd also become aware that, surprise surprise, she was bound, ankles tied together with thick rope and arms tied firmly behind her back. Wonderful. Heaving a sigh, for a few moments Niamh was more annoyed than anything since, well, it seemed like she was always getting tied the hell up lately. However, that brief sense of annoyance soon faded completely when a pair of sandaled feet appeared before her.

"About time you woke."

Looking up, Niamh winced when her eyes met Ket's. The older woman was frowning down at her, hands on her hips, but her nose looked remarkably better at least. Another healer had tended to the wounded healer, it seemed. "Niamh..." She sounded tired as she slowly knelt down to be more on a level with her, releasing her breath in a long sigh. "I don't think I need to tell you that you have a lot of explaining to do. Do I? Sit up."

Hands gripping Niamh's shoulders, she helped her into a sitting position, but she didn't remove her hands after. She continued to grip Niamh's shoulders, fingers digging in a bit, making Niamh shift uncomfortably. But she was looking into her face, her expression serious and concerned. "Niamh...we're going to start with what's going on with you, okay? And I want you to answer honestly. Jahi and Ishan are pissed right now so I thought it'd be best if I was the one to talk to you. But you have to be honest, and I'm not going to lie...you're in a <I>very dangerous position right now. People are starting to talk, and starting to believe that you have forsaken us to run around with a heathen. By choice." She paused for a moment, meeting Niamh's eyes unwavering.

"...Mikeil saw you at an inn with the heathen this morning."

Niamh's blood went cold. Oh...crap...

"You didn't appear to be in distress, he said, and from the looks of it, you had spent the night there. With him. Is this true?"

"Uh..." Once again, Niamh was rendered speechless, and much to her horror, her cheeks felt hot. To think, she hadn't once thought how bad that might have looked. And of course she hadn't counted on any of the Lumenari actually seeing. She hadn't counted on being caught, either. Where were Nexus and Vec?! "Yeah...I stayed in the inn, but...not like that! He was there too, but not with me and--"

"Mhm. And after that? You attacked me and Jahi, Niamh. Then your heathen came and intervened, and you walked off with him. He wasn't holding you against your will, Niamh. You walked away with him. I saw it. And then later in the forest? When Ishan found you? You called the heathen's name, he said. It doesn't sound like you were trying to escape." Niamh was stunned into silence, knowing full well the truth of what Ket was saying, and Ket gave another sigh, lowering her voice. She looked at Niamh almost pleadingly.

"Listen...we've all been worried about you since that incident three weeks ago. You're our sister under the Sun, we look out for each other...that's why Ishan tracked you down, even insisting on going alone despite the dangers because he knew that was the only way to remain silent, the only way he had a chance of getting you back. But some of us...well...there are some who feel like you've betrayed us and feel that you should be judged accordingly. We need to know the truth. Myself? Even after what you did, I know you better than that. All of this...it's not you. And while some among us may not be that experienced in the ways of heathens, I know what they can do with their sorcery, and Niamh...if he put a spell on you...if he was controlling you in some way we couldn't see...everything can be forgiven, do you understand? You can come back to us. We'll protect you and we will make that heathen pay. Niamh, talk to me."

Niamh knew full well what Ket was asking her, and her heart beat wildly in her chest as she thought it over. That was all there was to it. It would be so easy. All she had to do was agree that, yes...he had been controlling her. He had possessed her. They didn't know about everything else she had done.

All she had to do was betray Nexus. Then she could go home.

Then she could go back to killing and hating just because some false religion told her to. Ah. Yeah. It was so easy to let something else make all your decisions for you...telling you who to like and who not to like, who to hate and who to kill. Who to die for. What to die for...all blind ideals.

"I...knew what I was doing..." Niamh said very quietly, and she had to finally avert her eyes. "I was with him because I wanted to be with him. I fought you because I didn't want to go back. I knew what I was doing." She shifted a little, balling her hands into fists behind her back. She hoped her trembling wasn't obvious as she willed her voice to remain controlled. "It was all my choice for once."

Ket withdrew from Niamh as though stung. "You can't mean that."

"I do...I'm sorry, but it's all true, and you're all wrong. You're all being mislead and used. I didn't believe it at first, either, but the things I've seen and learned...Ket, none of it's true! The sun's not even a Goddess and--"

"Oh Light have mercy, Niamh..."

"The heathens have it more right than any of us do. Ket, if Mother Sun's so right and the Living Sun's so powerful then why doesn't she just come down here and do everything herself--"

"Enough, Niamh!" Ket raised her hand in frustration and Niamh flinched, but Ket never had been a violent woman. She took a deep breath and let her hand fall back to her lap, then raised it again to rub at her face, shaking her head. "Goddess...and you said you studied in a temple...Light..." She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "It's still not too late. I don't know what happened and what you were told...Niamh...you'll be put to death for this. You know that, right? This is a burning offense. Walking beneath the moon...forsaking Mother Sun...betraying us...Niamh, please..."

Ket was torn, and Niamh could see it. She was Niamh's friend, but she was also a Lumenari and she served Mother Sun and the Living Sun first and foremost. The laws were very clear on this matter, and those particular laws were written in scripture.

"I know..." Niamh closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to keep her breath slow and even, even though she felt panicky. Then she looked steadily over at Ket. She didn't want to appear as frightened as she felt right now. "I know what I'm doing. Three weeks ago, Ket, and I was willing to die for Mother Sun. I thought I was going to, and I was prepared. I was always ready to die for my faith and...I...I still am. A different faith now, faith in myself and others, but I'm still willing...if it comes down to it...I won't betray him or what I know to be true, I won't go back to doing something I now know is wrong, even if I'll die..."

Ket drew another deep breath then, shaking her head, she rose gracefully to her feet. "Then you will." And with that said, she turned and walked briskly away without looking back. Her voice had sounded oddly thick, yet there was resolve in it.

Niamh slumped when it was over, and it was only then that she allowed the severity of what she'd done to sink in. She'd...actually said all that...she'd spoken honestly...

Light, what am I doing...?

She'd just sentenced herself to death. And if she knew Solisi customs, she knew they would waste little time in carrying out the sentence. Especially the Lumenari. They had no need for lugging prisoners along with them.

But it was also true that she did have faith...wasn't that what Vec had said? Put her faith in herself and others?

Light help her if she wasn't doing that now. She didn't know where Vec or Nexus were, if they were safe, if they even knew she was gone yet, but Nexus had made a promise. He'd said he would protect her.

When she started to silently pray then, it wasn't to a Goddess, it wasn't to anyone or anything really. She just prayed he'd find her in time. She'd done this for him as much as for herself...

While Vec stayed beside Nexus, watching the events unfold, Nexus stayed still. He had just been knocked out after all, and now he wasn't sure what to think. Vec was supposed to be his friend after all...Now though he was knocked out laying beside Vec as Vec used his second sight to view things from afar. Great.

However...something strange was happening. Nexus...started to dream? That wasn't possible. He didn't dream or have nightmares when he tranced, so this was a very odd and very new thing for him. He wasn't exactly sure he understood just what was going on...It seemed so surreal at this point, like he was there, like...this was really happening.

He was running. He was running through a forest. Was it the forest he was in now? He wasn't sure really. It seemed like the forest. It smelled like the forest too. It was night time, or it looked like night time. It was dark but he could still see clearly, perhaps that was just his vision working properly? Damn it he was confused! He could see the moon and everything but...at the same time...it was light out. This couldn't be real, it just didn't make sense!

Finally he emerged from the forest, his eyes coming upon a small encampment of Lumenari, with Niamh tied to a large stake in the ground. There was a sudden pain though as he slammed into something solid, sending him carreening backwards onto the ground. Vec was standing there. Vec that arrogant and smug little bastard. Standing there smiling with...with Feris beside him?! What the hell!

"Vec! Please! I have...I have to...Niamh...She'll die!" Nexus slowly got to his feet, only to find them bound with ropes that connected to Feris's hands. That devil Goddess was smiling all the while, her perfect lips curved upwards and her sand coloured eyes glowed bright as she kept her gaze firm upon him.

"Niamh father? You let him consort with a lowly mortal? Pitiful. I thought he learnt that he was mine!" Feris's voice was strong, sharp, very commanding, and Nexus hated it. He closed his eyes tight but that didn't help of course, he could still see everything! It was...painful...it hurt him to know that he could never escape it.

"Well, even fools have dreams dear daughter." Vec said simply as he turned his attention toward the encampment, just as bright lights began to appear around the stake that held Niamh. She was screaming, he could hear it, he could see it, and he struggled. He had to get to her! He had to save Niamh from the fire, but...he couldn't! He couldn't get free, not while Feris held the reigns. It tore him up, the ropes cutting his wrists and legs as he tried to lubricate them with blood, which seemed to help. He was able to slip free of them, and he was able to start running toward the Lumenari camp.

Until a hand touched his shoulder and he froze completely. It was Vec of course. He knew the hand well, because he felt a rush of emotions. Not good ones either. Fear. Loathing. Shame. Guilt. Pain. He wasn't sure what he felt at this time, it was just a rush that him. Slowly he fell to his knees. He could see her. She was in pain. She was crying out for him. The fire had already started to catch on her, burning her and scarring her. He...he could take those wounds. He could save her still! If only...Vec would let go of him.

"No Nexus, you will watch. You will watch as punishment for all your crimes." Feris cooed into his ear as she came to stand beside him, watching as Niamh was completely engulfed in the flames. The screams had stopped abruptly. He...he couldn't take those wounds. He couldn't save her now. She was gone. She was gone and he was to live...just like it should be.

"She didn't have to die! I could have saved her! I could...I could have made sure...I could have gotten to her...Damn you! Damn you all!" Tears flowed freely down his face as a bright light engulfed the three of them. It was...it was a woman...dressed not unlike Vec actually...breathing fire and light from her eyes as she slowly came to rest in front of Nexus, Vec, and Feris.

"Thank you for keeping him here my children." The strange woman said as both Vec and Feris nodded and smiled politely to her. Who...was this? Arkhanan? No...that God was golden and not feminine after all. This wasn't Arkhanan, this was someone else, or, something else at least.

"You are most welcome Mother." Vec said as he let go of Nexus and moved away from the man. Feris did the same and Nexus felt incredible fear strike him. Mother Sun. Oh...hell...He had openly insulted her hadn't he? Scoffed her for the most part and said that Vec was the one true God...and...maybe he was wrong? This sure as hell made it look like he was wrong though. Mother Sun.

"Nexus Savaros, you have defiled my child, and as such, that is grounds for the most painful death possible. You brought this upon yourself mortal." Her eyes began to glow brighter and the fire he felt got hotter. His clothes started to burn away, his eyes closed, and for once, he saw darkness. That is, until the layers of skin on his body began to burn away, with it, his eyelids were ash in the wind. He opened his mouth to scream at the intense heat he felt, but that only allowed the fire to travel down into his body further. Burning, Scorching. Turning flesh to ash and sending it away. Before his brain was turned to ash, he could only think one thing. He failed her. He deserved this.

Nexus awoke with a start, looking around wildly. Where...the hell was he? Why was he floating and moving through the forest? His eyes finally came upon Vec, and he blinked several times. Vec. So...What he had felt...earlier was false perhaps? He couldn't be sure. The dream had seemed so real, and Vec had acted different so it couldn't have been real. He refused to accept that Vec would let both himself and Niamh die. Still...it sounded and had looked like Vec. Had he just had a vision perhaps?

"That was a dream Nexus. A nightmare actually. I am not taking you to the Mother Sun, Feris is not here, and Niamh will not be burned at the stake." Vec's words calmed him a little bit, but at the same time Nexus was scared. Very scared. Wouldn't an all seeing being try to convince you that a dream was fake? That what he saw wasn't real? Of course! Vec was just lying to him. That had to have been it.

"Nexus I promise you that you will save Niamh tonight, and that things will work out. I am not trying to trick you. You should know me better than this. If you want to save Niamh, then you will just lie still. You need your rest." Vec told him as they finally exited the forest and stopped. Nexus slowly got up off...it was a strange transparent lavender disk of some sort. Vec put his hand on it making it shrink down to the size of a gold piece, which he pocketed.

"Vec?" Nexus was very confused by what he saw. He really couldn't be sure, but why would Vec have something so strange? "I am not a God here Nexus. Yes I can put on a very nice little act and use empathic powers on people, but I am no God." Vec wanted to try to make that clear at this point. It was why he didn't want Niamh worshipping him, or asking him to forgive her. He couldn't do it because it was wrong, and because he wasn't a God. Like he had said, he had given up his powers to enter this world. Poor Niamh might be rather miffed if she knew that the trip they had gone one was just an illusion. Albeit, one where he had to keep her mind from looking for flaws and feeding her emotions but still...an illusion none the less.

"I'm going down there. I'll free her and kill every one of them." Nexus already had a silver whip in his hand. That was a dangerous whip, made with strands of metal so thin it was almost impossible to see. Something that could cut a man in half with a simple flick of the wrists. However, Vec shook his head as he stepped in front of Nexus quickly. It almost reminded him of his dream, and fear struck his heart.

"Nexus, this will be done peacefully. I am planning on getting the entire camp down there to disband and forget about you. As it stands right now, only that group of Lumenari know about you and Niamh. I aim to keep it that way. If they disband, you two will be safe. If you slaughter them now Nexus, there will be no hope of escaping their wrath." Nexus slumped down to his knees, the whip disappearing. Why did Vec always have to make such sense? This wasn't very fair, he wanted to rescue her now!

"Why?" Vec asked Nexus suddenly. Nexus looked up at him, blinking. "Why...what?" The question hadn't made much sense, even for Vec. "Why do you want to save her." Nexus gulped as he tried to think about that one for a moment. Why did he want to save her? What was the point to saving her?

"I promised to keep her safe." Nexus kept his gaze off the God, as if...feeling ashamed almost. "You are Nexus Savaros, since when do promises mean things to you? I have seen you make three promises in one minute and break them all about a second later. Why is this one different?" Vec was right of course. Vec was always right it seemed. Nexus just knew that he had to honour this promise. It was the right thing to do.

"How the hell do you know about the right thing? You are a murderer, a rapist, a thief, a brawler, a killer, a lunatic!" Vec was practically yelling at him, and Nexus wished that the dream HAD come true so he wouldn't have to deal with this. It was harsh to hear Vec call him all these things, and he didn't understand why he was saying it all. It just didn't make sense. However...he was getting angry. Very angry.

"Because alright! She's like me! She's going through what I had to go through! The pain, the torture, the confusion! I wanted to do to her what the Drow had done to me! No one should have to go through that!" Nexus was on his feet, seething mad as he kept his gaze level on Vec. He wasn't a God, he could strike him down and go rescue Niamh right now.

"I wondered where that spark had gone." Vec said idly as he watched Nexus with a smile now. This made Nexus blink several times, the hand that had been rolled into a fist slowly released. "It's because I know what is right and what is wrong. I was trained...to know the difference. This is wrong. I have to make it right." Oh...Gods. Nexus sort of realized everything now. He was going to do this because it was the right thing. Also because...why else?

"Because you want to see her again." Vec had a curt smile as he turned to look toward the Lumenari camp. Ah poor Nexus didn't understand complex feelings like love. Simple feelings like Lust, Anger, Sorrow, he could understand those, they were universal, but love was the most confusing thing to someone like Nexus. Vec was right though, Nexus did want to see her again. It...he.... had no idea what these thoughts were all about. Niamh was just a strange girl who had challenged him and yet...he felt that if he lost her he might lose a part of himself. Why? Why had they met up again?

In the warehouse he used all his energy to make her feel at home. To make her feel like she should be there. He had saved her in the town from her 'friends' and had... lured them away from her. Risked life and limb for her. Why? Why would he possibly do all these things for her. Was it the right thing to do? Yes. It was. Still...the right thing to do would be to let her go and be on her way, but he felt...selfish. That he wanted to just...keep her with him. So that no one could have her but him.

"You can sort those feelings later Nexus. We need to keep watch. Right now Niamh is praying for rescue. When she is removed from that tent, and they put her on a stake, that is when we shall act. You will go around back, you will free her, while I distract the Lumenari and fill their heads with some new information. Then you run Nexus. You take her and you run as far and as fast as you can go. Never look back, and never stop. Just run." If the Lumenari didn't accept the words and the ideas he was going to speak to them...Vec knew they would kill him. It would still be a distraction enough for Nexus and Niamh though.

"Thank you Vec." A smile was still on Vec's face as he nodded once. He did this because he knew what was right as well, and he knew just what had to happen for Nexus and Niamh. They deserved a life, even Nexus deserved his own little life after all. This would serve to give them a nice taste of things. No Lumenari, no troubles, and no worries. Of course, leaving the country might very well be a good idea. That was a given after all.

Soon the real show would start, and true tests of strength and bravery would be shown.

Niamh's time was far less eventful than Nexus' for the most part.

After Ket left, she found herself completely alone in the small tent with nothing to occupy her time but her thoughts.

Which were all decidedly unpleasant.

It was only then, while Niamh was waiting for someone to actually come and announce her sentence, that she started to really regret what she'd done. Just waking up and in the heat of the moment, she'd been taken off guard by Ket's interrogation and...Light help her, but pride had reared its head. It was all her decision and pride demanded that she make that very clear, because after all that she'd been through, after all the helplessness she'd felt, it just felt oddly important to feel in control in again, to let it be known that she wasn't being controlled. She wasn't just some pawn that got pushed around, she made her own choices, and...ugh...she'd also felt the inexplicable urge to defend Nexus. And maybe she did like being right. She knew what the Lumenari believed was wrong, and...yeah, maybe she had said too much. In any case, now that she was left alone in the tent to actually reflect on everything, she realized then just how stupid she had been.

She really hadn't been thinking at all.

In the warehouse, she'd been impulsive too, it was true, but she'd been thinking! She'd used her head to survive and played a game initially to save herself. If she had been thinking, she would have done the same here. She would have taken up Ket's offer and agreed that, indeed, she had been under a spell and that she hadn't been acting of her own free will. That would have allowed her to stall for some much needed time and then...well...then she could only hope that Nexus would come and that he'd understand why she'd said what she had.

Of course, she hadn't thought about that then. Then again, it was also true that she was a poor liar...oh, she didn't know! That plan could have still backfired and, after all, even if Ket was willing to forgive her...she wasn't so sure if everyone else would be so quick to believe a story like that.

There were so many unknowns...but it was too late now. After everything she'd said...no, she'd sealed her fate.

Gritting her teeth, Niamh worked desperately at her ropes as she sat there, feeling her wrists begin to chaff and burn as she rubbed a layer of skin off them in her efforts to loosen the knots. Fire had proven useless; the first thing she'd done when Ket left was prod at the ropes with the smallest bit of fire she dared conjure but she'd found the ropes resistant to it. Sigh. She should have guessed as much. It only made sense.

Unfortunately, the knots were also tied expertly and wouldn't budge.

Light, she'd made a huge mistake...

Niamh didn't know how much time passed before Ket returned, pushing aside the tent flap and ducking inside. All she did know was that a good few hours must have passed because it was growing steadily darker out. It was almost night...and still no sign of Nexus. But it wasn't over. He should have noticed that she was gone by now, and...well...it might just be that he was planning on getting her back in the night. He'd learned from her that Solisi were weakest then...that had to be it, and it was a comforting thought. Burnings tended to take place during the day, especially in the morn--

"It's almost ready, Niamh," Ket announced tonelessly after a long pause, her gaze equally flat and expressionless even as she avoided looking at her. "It's happening tonight."

Cold fear shot down Niamh's spine and she froze, yet her mouth was working and the only thing she could think to blurt out was, "What? Tonight? But I thought...the morning..."

"No," Ket answered coldly, still not looking at her. "Sari said that if you wished to walk under the moon, you might as well be given over to it completely. Since it's what you want, and everyone wants to just get it over with. Ay...I was just told to tell you that...and if you think this is easy for us, Niamh...I..." She didn't finish her sentence, instead turning on her heel to leave.

"Wait, Ket! What if...what if I was possessed?"

Ket only laughed hoarsely. "Too late for that, Niamh. You had your chance, you're a heretic now. If you're lucky, you won't go alone tonight, though...that is, if this heathen of yours is loyal after all and tries to show his face." And with that said, she hurried out of the tent.

The remainder of her time there passed in blur. No one else came to see her, but Niamh didn't expect that, either. She knew how these things worked, she'd seen and heard of it before back in Solis. She was a heretic which meant that she was already dead to them now, and perhaps that was just how they coped with situations like this. It was probably the only way to cope when you were being forced to kill your own friend. For her part, Niamh also felt oddly cold and distant, like none of it was real, and all she could do was wait and watch as the shadows grew darker and the cold began to seep into her body. But she wasn't so sure that was the real reason she was lightly shivering. This all felt...familiar. She was back in the warehouse again, tied up and powerless in this small, dark space, about ready to be...well...tortured.

Though this was different. There was no way to fight against this and there was far too much waiting involved, which meant more time for her to think about what was coming. Death by fire wasn't painless...if she was extremely lucky, the smoke might suffocate her first and then she wouldn't feel the flames. If she was unlucky...she'd feel everything and it could take a while.

If she was very lucky, though, a miracle would happen. But there was still no sign of Nexus or Vec and it had been hours. Funny, that. In the warehouse, Nexus had been her tormentor and she'd been praying for rescue by the Lumenari. Now the Lumenari were to be her tormentors and she was praying for him to rescue her. It was so screwed up and...Light...none of them were so different from him at all...

She was painfully aware of that now. They were all just like him. Tormentor, friend...the line between them could be very thin depending on the situation, couldn't it? Funny that now, of all times, she finally understood it all. Really understood it. And it was also then that she truly forgave Nexus. She'd understood before but it had still been a bit murky and confused. Now it was clear as cut glass.

He really wasn't a bad person...he was no different...it all just came down to circumstances and situatons in the end...

Maybe he wouldn't rescue her, though...maybe it was true, she had no useful skills so he didn't want to put forth the effort to retrieve her. After all, he'd already fought the Lumenari once for her, got a cracked rib, done so much for her and what had she done? Been a burden is what. But...Vec said Nexus liked her! And Nexus had promised...what if he was just too late...and...gah! Why was she thinking these thoughts now of all times?! Probably because she wouldn't have much longer to think them.

Please come...please Nexus... Another time and Niamh might have been crying, but she was fresh out of tears. Not that they'd do much good anyway, they'd just shame her if anything and she wanted to do her best to put on a brave front. Praying probably wasn't doing much good either but at this point it was all she had left. Light she hated this...she hated feeling this powerless. Maybe in the end she deserved this, though...hadn't she witnessed burnings before, even participated in them? But she was sorry...Light was she sorry...

The moment she was dreading came all too soon. Two men she only vaguely recognized silently entered the tent and one held her legs as the other untied the bindings there, ensuring no one got kicked in the face. After that, she was yanked up to her feet by the collar of her shirt and made to walk. Much to her own dismay her legs wobbled like a newborn calf's and she felt sick with nerves. This...also felt familiar. Tied up, made to walk off to a grisly fate...only this time it was still her own people doing this and this time the objective was obvious.

She was pushed none too gently out of the tent and into the cool night air, stumbling, and amid all the flickering campfires that were already set up, lighting up the grassy area, she could see it: a thick stake driven into the ground some distance away from the tents, a few feet taller than she was, with crude kindling set up around it, branches, twigs, dried brush and some logs that had been gathered from the woods nearby. A small crowd had gathered around it, waiting, talking amongst themselves in hushed voices as she was dragged closer though she couldn't make out their faces--not most of them. But she could make out the tell-tale robes of one of them: the priest chosen to carry out the duty. That, if nothing else, was what snapped her out of her surreal daze.

Please, Nexus...please...

She pressed back and dug in her heels, resisting as best as she could, stalling for time, but she was still pulled along effortlessly even as she fought. Screw "going with grace", she could care less about that! She just needed more time.

Before she knew it, her hands were being untied--but only so she could be shoved backwards against the rough post in the ground, her arms bound behind her to the stake before she could even attempt to land a punch. More rope was wrapped around her, securing her waist and legs despite her struggles, and when all the knots were tied and she was in place, the gap around her feet was filled in as the kindling was pushed in close around her, pressing against her shins.

Light, where are you?!

Everything was soon in place and ready and it was then that the priest she'd seen stepped forward, young, maybe only a decade older than she as he looked at her impassively. Disappointed. Then he turned to face the crowd. "It is with much regret that we find ourselves here tonight to witness the just and lawful punishment of one of our very own Sisters, Niamh Mera, who has been found guilty of heresy by her own confession. She has rejected Mother Sun, consorted with a heathen, and proven a traitor to us all of her own free will. For this, as the scriptures state, there is no other fitting punishment but death." Here he turned again to Niamh, who was shuddering, her breath coming in short gasps with budding panic. "Have you anything left to say?"

Somehow, she managed a shaky nod. "Y-yeah...um..." She swallowed around the lump in her throat. "Please don't tell my parents and...ah..." Another deep, steadying breath, and even with her life hanging in the balance she felt the urge to slap herself. Light, that was probably a weird request, but in her stress it just sorta rolled off her tongue. Besides...if she died here, she didn't want them to remember her as a traitor. Shaking her head, she made one last attempt at pleading. "...You're wrong doing this. So wrong. Please, I swear to you, the heathens, Nexus...they're all right, they have it right! Light, the sun's no Goddess, I <I>met a God! Father, we're the ones that are fucked up savages and if you'd just listen then--!"

"You've said enough," the priest interjected, giving her a look both like he pitied her and like she'd sprouted another head. "May the fires of Mother Sun cleanse your soul and may you find peace in the Otherworld."

And that was when the fire started, sparking into existence at the edges of the kindling and catching quickly on the dried materials, spreading fast. This was it then. Still no sign of Nexus, of Vec, of anyone...and already she could feel the fire's heat against her legs, no pain yet, just the growing heat. It wouldn't be long. It wouldn't be...

Even despite her shaking, she'd been doing her best to stay visibly calm, as collected as she could, not wanting to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her break down. But as the fire grew around her and the smoke made her choke...Light, she couldn't help it. There just came a point where you couldn't take anymore and the fear became too much.

Light help her, but for the first time she found herself actually calling for Nexus when she wasn't coughing, and she couldn't tell if her eyes were watering from the smoke or tears.

Please Nexus...

"I really don't want to wait around forever Vec! We can save her in an instant! How about before they notice us maybe?" Nexus asked as he looked at Vec, fire in his eyes as he takes a step forward, finding his foot touch a weird cloth of some sort that shimmered. It...huh...so it was a cloak or blanket there? What was that all about. His foot came back and he looked to Vec who just smiled a little at Nexus in return.

"They can not see us right now. I put up a special blanket that will make us invisible...as long as we stay behind it." Vec explained to Nexus carefully. However something still seemed fishy about it all. How did the blanket get held up anyways? He couldn't understand it.

"How is the blanket being held up then Vec? Magic?" He looked smugly toward the man who just laughed and shook his head.

"No, actually. There are two sticks on either side in the ground. However, the blanket is wrapped completely around the sticks so as long as they stay apart like this, the blanket is held up." Damn, and here he thought Vec had used some powerful anti-gravity magic to make the stick stand up. Well, that was ah...it was disappointing to say the least. Sigh. No matter.

"So we just...we just stay here standing?" Nexus asked again, looking rather antsy. Vec shook his head as he lowered himself to the ground to sit upon it. "No. You can stand, I shall sit. The time needs to be right. My vision said the sun would be at this height when the burning began, but it seems that my second sight is not completely accurate here." Vec kept his gaze toward the camp, which was preparing a strange stake, gathering kindling. Thankfully they didn't come up this way.

So the day wore on, Nexus pacing and fidgeting, always trying to take steps toward the camp but being stopped by Vec of course.

"I'm scared Vec. I really am."

"I know Nexus. You should be. This is a pivotal moment." Vec said, now laying back and watching the clouds it seemed. Nexus sighed wistfully as he watched the ground.

Why wasn't Vec taking this serious?

Why didn't he just understand that this was...huge? Hell...why did Nexus care so much? This didn't seem like him...it was off.

"You swore to protect her and keep her safe is why Nexus. Also because you have deep routed feelings for her since she is a strong woman who defies you, even tricked you for that matter." Vec spoke softly to Nexus, getting his attention even then. He looked to Vec, saying nothing at this time. He just...well he had no answer for the truth.

Sometimes he hated Vec for when he spoke the truth.

"Vec...the light is fading." Nexus was up, looking toward the camp. He could see her! They were leading her out there! To the stake! He was ready to go, already he was summoning his whips and his threads to keep all around him. However...he was calmed by a touch on his shoulder by Vec.

"Oh...Gods..." Nexus blinked as he couldn't move. His vision was coming true! Gods no! This wasn't fair!

"No Nexus, calm yourself. I am not stopping you, but asking that you take the back route, while I will go straight to the front." Vec told him as he stepped passed the man, who nodded. Yeah...that was a good idea then...? Alright.

"I'll do it then Vec. Please hurry, she's going to burn." Vec smiled and nodded as he started down toward the camp. Nexus could see him glowing already. He just had to NOT look at Vec's eyes. Nexus began to run, heading to the back of the camp, crouched low and using all his power to keep himself quiet. It would be the only way to survive this is to not be noticed by the Lumenari. That is, until Vec had them all distracted. Flashy words and guilty would be the ally.

"Let her speak!" Vec spoke suddenly, getting attention of a few Lumenari. Of course, he had the smile on his face, and he was moving through the crowd unharmed somehow, approaching the priest.

"Blind Childe, you keep your eyes so shut to everything. The Sun holds no Goddess for you. At least, not in the sense you believe." The priest seemed...well...pissed that Vec would speak so brashly about such a subject. However, before the priest could spit out something in response, Vec had his hand up to his eyes, pulling the blindfold off. The pure golden light burst forth from the sockets, falling on everyone in the crowd. Ah, this was good indeed.

"Listen carefully to my words Children. Your Goddess is wrong, why do you exterminate each other for her? A Goddess would have created everyone to worship her, and yet there are heathens everywhere. You kill and maim them just because they walk the darkness. The Drow are not your enemy, they are your brothers and sisters and yet...kill them still." Vec shook his head, making sure he kept his gaze on them.

"Good work Vec..." Nexus was quick to start running to the stake while Vec had his eyes on everyone. The fire was interesting, but Nexus was prepared for this. Holding a hand out, he sucked the fire to him, into a whip, causing him to be holding a fiery whip in his hand. He dropped this of course when the fire burnt his hand. Ick. He forgot to make the handle flame resistant. No matter. While the whip burned on the ground, he quickly drew his dagger and ran to Niamh, quickly cutting her free.

"Children please, We did not give you creativity, ingenuity, and emotions to murder, maim, kill, and destroy your own brothers. We gave it so you could flourish, so you could heal, you could create, you could nuture, and you could love. Why do you focus on the hate? The pain? The jealousy? Why? Why would you use such hurtful emotions on each other?" Vec's voice wa gushing with emotion as he talked, and Nexus almost felt sorry for the poor people. They were having to deal with the full force of Vec's guilt tripping. Well, they deserved it, because they tried to kill Niamh.

"Just...hold on Niamh. I'll get you out." With a final cut he was through her bonds. The dagger was put away, slipping back to where it was supposed to be. "C'mon Niamh we have to go now." There was only one thing to do. Scoop her up in his arms. He was going to do what Vec had told him to do. Run. Run far, and fast. His legs pumped and he kept Niamh with him, ignoring the strange pleasure in his hand. No time to be thinking about THAT of course. No...that could all be settled  later when he could heal it. Right now he just had to run, and run fast.

"So why? Why would you abuse the greatest things we could ever give you?" Vec knew that this alone was going to be a guilt trip. He could see it one the faces of the people in the crowd, their downcast looks, not even realizing that Nexus had taken Niamh yet. This was good, this was really good. Vec's plan was going off without a hitch now.

"From now on friends, live for yourselves! Not for the bodiless scriptures of some God. Free will is a blessing, but you are squandering it by going around and following these disgusting orders!" Vec had been going over this speech in his mind for quite sometime actually. He had to make the people disband and forget about the Lumenari. If he could get them that far then...everything would be safe. Vec began to tie the blindfold up around his eyes again. Ah right. The forgiveness part. He had almost forgot about that.

"Children, if you want to be forgiven by the higher powers, then I tell you this, that will never happen. No God or Goddess will forgive you. That is...until you can manage to forgive yourselves. Look deep within yourselves, if you can forgive yourself, truly forgive yourself...then you will know that you have been forgiven by the powers that be." Oh speeches were fun! These weren't all lies and snake oil of course, a lot of it was true. Vec believed the path to salvation was to be there for yourself. Yes, people SHOULD have religion with him, but one that taught them the true values of being alive. These people were only being taught how to butcher and kill their own brothers and sisters.

Leaving them all stunned, even the priest beside him, Vec began to walk away through the crowd. No one said anything. They were hushed, they were quiet, they were deep in thought. Nexus, you better be running friend. If this sermon does not stick then we are in trouble. Vec thought as he started heading to the invisible blanket on the hill to collect it. After all, he really wanted it back. Not only was it comfy and warm, but it was perfect for being...well invisible.

Nexus was running, and he was running fast. His eyes focused straight ahead as he ran through the forest as fast as he could. Jumping over fallen logs, dodging around tree and ducking under branches. He even ran through some brambles, which he turned around and made sure Niamh received no scratches from it. His clothes, arms and back too the brunt of the sharp thorns however. Hah, running backwards was a cinch when you could see through your own skull. God it felt good too but...he had to focus on something else. His whole body was feeling rather...nice so to speak. The exquisite pain rippling through his body. Damn. He almost wished he could head back to town to find him some entertainment. Wait...why would he do that? He had Niamh right here...No! They had a deal. His...urges would be kept at bay. Yes. That's what she had wanted from him. When they emerged from the brambles, Nexus just kept running, despite his worn condition. He didn't feel tired, not even the least bit. His breathes were still long and even, and his muscles urged him on.

So he kept on running, holding Niamh in his arms carefully.

Heh, I bet she hadn't expected him to rescue her. Not like this at least. It was a change of scenery though that made Nexus come to a grinding halt. The forest had ended suddenly, and they were looking at more grassland. He could easily run across it with her, but he assumed that she could walk now.

"Niamh." His voice was thick and hoarse as he gently put her down on her feet, his eyes never leaving her form. "Are you well enough to walk now? Not that I couldn't keep carrying you of course." It might even be a good idea too...considering they had to just keep running. She didn't seem injured though, so he suspected she would be able to run or walk along with him. If their pace got too slow then he would indeed scoop her up again and just start his marathon running again. It must have been that nap that Vec put him in...it had given him quite a bit of energy so far. Still, he wasn't fond of dreaming so he would stick to trancing.

The words that rang out suddenly cut Niamh's cries off as surely as it hushed the other Lumenari and she strained to hear then, a single thread of hope weaving through all the panic. Who...who was speaking for her? Yanking at her bonds even then, she squinted to try and see, the smoke stinging her eyes and blurring her vision, but she couldn't distinguish anything anymore. Except for the voice, which spoke up again.

Vec! It was Vec! Oh Light, they'd found her! Or he had at least...but at the moment she didn't care. If Nexus had come or not, right now it didn't matter. The flames were eating at the wood, drawing ever closer, and it was finally starting to get uncomfortable and a little painful, just from the sheer heat of it all. The flames weren't touching her yet, they were still burning slowly inward, but it was still way too close for comfort and the smoke was already making it difficult to breathe. Besides...she was worried about the sparks, too. If one caught on her clothes or hair...she wouldn't be able to put it out. Light! No! No thinking about that! No, she just wanted out of here! If Nexus didn't show, she could...oh...she'd either make him pay for it later or she'd just be too happy about being alive that she'd let it slide. She didn't know, it didn't matter! But what was Vec doing?! He was talking to the Lumenari, and the lines sounded really familiar...way too familiar.

Niamh groaned loudly and briefly shut her eyes against the smoke, leaning her head back and wincing slightly when her skull thudded lightly against the stake. You gotta be kidding me... He was not.

"Vec!" she shouted, desperate and hoarse, and a bout of coughing wracked her quickly after. What was he doing?! He wasn't seriously going to preach now. He could free her first and then preach, but not now! But he was, and Niamh could have screamed in frustration if she could get enough air in her lungs to do it. "VEC!" Light help her, but this was probably the first time in her life that she'd ever entertained the thought of punching a deity and if her hands were free and her reach long enough, she probably would have if she could have. He was not doing this to her. She was not going to die with help only a few feet away! The help of a GOD much less! Former God or not, he was still...what was he doing?!

She was gonna die...he was gonna do his stupid preaching, and she'd die in the meantime...she was already having to shift her legs as much as she could as it was finally starting to really hurt...Light help her...

And then the fire suddenly vanished.

Niamh was left trembling and staring around her in bewilderment, blue eyes wide with terror and then with confusion as for a moment she didn't even know if it was real. But the pain and heat was no more even if the smoke was still heavy in the air, clouding her vision. What...had...had they stopped? Had the Lumenari put it out, believed him...? And then somebody was near her then and she could feel her bonds being cut.

She heard his voice before she was able to look at him. And right then, at that very moment, it was the most gorgeous sound she'd ever heard. Not that she'd ever say that ever for so, so many reasons. But she could think it right now, she had a right! "Nexus!" she heard herself gasp, twisting to try and look at him. Light, she didn't think she'd ever been so happy to see someone...

"I...I don't really...have a choice, Nexus," she managed to mutter wryly, though her voice still shook, when he told her to hold on, aiming for her usual attitude in an attempt to hide just how scared she'd been. It was true, anyway! She was tied up, she wasn't going anywhere! But then she probably revealed just how she really felt when she added in an urgent, almost pleading, "Hurry...!" She just wanted to get out of there and as far away from this place as she could.

Then the bonds were cut, and Nexus was scooping her up into his arms. Niamh didn't protest. If anything, she only encouraged it, tightly clutching at the front of his coat in a white-knuckled death grip and huddling in close to his chest, still shaking, smelling of smoke, and sweaty from the heat but she didn't care. Oddly enough, on the flip side...she felt safe now. He'd come, he'd kept his promise...and whether it was just from sheer exhaustion, relief, or trust, she could feel her tense muscles unlocking as she relaxed a little, though she still held on tightly, not daring to let go.

Lucky for them both, she'd remembered his neck phobia right at the last minute, which was good because her first instinct had been to wrap her arms around his neck. That could have been disastrous. Of course, she also had no idea about Nexus' little problem with his hand, about it being all burned and feeling probably a bit better than it should have. Best that she didn't know.

After that, all she could do was hold on as she was whisked away from the Lumenari camp and, well, it was certainly quite the ride. Niamh kept her eyes shut through most of it, not really because she was afraid anymore--she was still shocked and stunned, but she was no longer afraid--but because her eyes were sore and she felt exhausted, physically and mentally, a sensation that was starting to become really, really familiar to her. Not that she could relax much, though, because with Nexus leaping over obstacles and then even turning around and running backwards through some brambles, well...that was a bit distracting. The bramble part was the most distracting, though, because...uh...maybe she really was out of it and sick on smoke because...running...backwards?

She gave a quiet groan and pressed in closer, clenching her eyes shut and holding on. This whole thing felt kind of odd. It was one thing to ride a horse, but she couldn't say she'd really been carried around by another person...

Not that she was complaining.

She might have complained if she knew what effect the brambles were having on Nexus and the types of thoughts, concerning herself, that he was having.

Another thing that was better not to know, especially considering that, right now, she didn't mind the close contact. If anything, right now, she wanted it.

Finally Nexus came to a halt and lowered her back to her feet, and her knees buckled for a moment before she reached out and grabbed Nexus' arm to help steady herself. Ugh...she was still all wobbly, still shook up, but she steeled her legs and finally let go of Nexus' arm. "Um...yeah...I'm alright," she told him with a nod, rubbing the back of her neck, and it was the truth. She was fine. Aside from getting the daylights scared out of her, rubbing her wrists raw, and probably looking pretty terrible with ash smudged in her hair and her face streaked with smoke stains and sweat, well...she was fine. She hadn't been burned. She was okay.

"I can walk, too...I'm not hurt or anything." She didn't necessarily want to walk--much less run--because her body wasn't agreeing with her there. Truth be told, she really just wanted to curl up and pass out and forget about everything that had happened for a few hours, and Nexus' offer to carry her more sounded tempting, but she'd never say that. She'd keep trudging on stubbornly. It was night, but for now she felt warm. Go figure, she'd almost been burned.

Then, she further surprised herself. No sooner had she said that than she suddenly turned to face Nexus--and wrapped her arms around his waist in a tight hug, completely on impulse...and forgetting about the wounds that were probably covering him from the thorns. "Thank you...I...just...thank you..." she trailed off and paused for a long moment, but then her grip on him grew suddenly tighter. "...But could you have waited any longer?! Light! I almost didn't think you'd come. Bastard." But when she let go of him she was smiling faintly, tiredly, but in relief. And then, just as though she hadn't just done anything strange at all, she turned around and took a few slow steps forward. "Alright...so...where're we going now...?"

Wherever they were going there had better be a bed. Passing out never sounded better. Ugh...she'd think about what had happened, and almost happened, later. Right now she was still too stunned to think.

Mother of Light...when was she going to get a break...?

Back at the Lumenari camp, everyone seemed stunned into silence as they dealt with the consequences of what they had seen when Vec had spoken and looked at them. Some...well, some had more to deal with than others. The priest happened to be one of them, for her served Mother Sun directly and many of the group's decisions was based off his word.

No one followed Vec, even when they saw that Niamh was gone, the wood, untouched in places and the stake unmarred, showing that the burning had not been carried through.

No, maybe that was a lie. Vec wasn't completely alone.

Scrambling after Vec as he walked away, Ket broke off from the group and started after him. A healer herself, her sins were relatively few. Unlike Niamh and the others, she healed, she didn't fight, and so perhaps forgiveness came a bit easier to her. Ishan, seeing her go after him, gave a start and also followed. It was protocol to keep the healers safe, and while Jahi was her partner and always stuck with her, he...well, his sins were greater than even Ishan's, the tracker who had gone out of his way to bring Niamh back to begin with.

"Stop!" Ket shouted, stopping short of Vec, cautious, as Ishan pulled up next to her. "You're going to just leave now? And where's Niamh?"

Well, at least no one had expected Vec to interrupt. He could even see Niamh didn't expect it. Heh, she probably wasn't too happy that Nexus wasn't in plain view at this moment. Vec had many eyes to use at this moment, one to watch the crowd, and one to watch over Niamh and wait for Nexus to make the rescue. My it seemed like people were always captivated with his nice little speeches. Well, when you had guilt simply running into you then well...you didn't have much choices now did you?

Oh dear, Niamh seemed rather miffed that he was preaching!

Like it mattered though.

He could see Nexus already doing his job at this point. Freeing Niamh from the evil flames that would threaten to consume her. Oh she did appear to be so happy to see him, that was always good wasn't it? Expected though of course, because she did have that little thing for him after all. Aw, love blossoming even in such weird and harsh conditions, it really was admirable actually. He just needed to keep talking while Vec and Niamh made a get away, which would serve very well for all of them. He knew that if he wasn't careful he could lose the grip on all of them. Hah! As if. Vec was careful as could be, more so when a lot of people's lives hung in the balance.

He could see it now, Nexus had free Niamh and they were off and running. Well...that was a good thing wasn't it? His extended vision followed them as far as possible, and then when it ended that was it, he could follow them no more.

If only Vec had known what Nexus was thinking.

Thinking however, not like he would ever go through such a thing.

"That's good..." Nexus said as he gave her a once over. Yes, she seemed alright. Still...the hug was sudden, and he smiled lightly, patting her on the back awkwardly. "It wasn't my idea. Vec told me when to go. Saved just in time it seemed." Nexus smiled at her as he shrugged his shoulder, pointing somewhere over the grasslands. "That way I guess. We walk, Vec said we just keep going and we don't stop until we have to. If you want...you can try to sleep and I'll carry you." Honestly, he could just keep going, and going, and going. She might slow him down, because she might have problems after the smoke inhalation and the like. Sigh. Well, if it wasn't needed though, then he couldn't FORCE her to be carried...could he?

"Niamh...I'm pretty sure it will be faster if I carry you anyways." Then with a quick move he scooped her back up again. At least the pain in his hand wasn't as bad, and some of the cuts on his body were disappearing. This was good to say the least. "And...Niamh...I'm glad you're safe and that...you avoided touching my neck." She may not have thought he noticed it but he had actually. Nexus was sorta surprised that she had remembered his little...problem. However, he was...glad at the same time too.

"Come on Niamh. Let's get the hell out of here. Leave it all behind us." Then he began to jog, holding her in his arms and leaving the horrible memory behind him. Vec would find them after all. He had done it once before. No doubt the seer had a few games to play before he left anyways.

Vec smiled as he continued to where he was, but did stop when someone shouted it out. He reached out in front of him and began to pull the blanket down. It must have been a sight for sure to see, two poles just standing up suddenly. He folded the blanket it carefully and put it away into an expanding pocket. Nexus wasn't the only one with something that could hold many things. Smiling he turned around to look at the two people.

"Yes, that sounds about right. I have done what I need to do now. I have given you the light to see, whether you truly follow it or walk under the same path is up to you." Vec said as he kept his gaze steady upon Ket and Ishan. Well, they seemed to be...angry in a way? It was hard to say.

"Niamh? Oh she is safe now." He told the two of them. It was true after all. Nothing safer than being in the capable hands of a psychopathic murderer. Ah, Nexus was just misunderstood. Yes. That's exactly what it was.

"I am glad that you two seem to have gotten over the effects of the little sermon. Your friends still seem a bit flabbergasted. That is alright, to each their own. Hmph, as if a healer would have less to forgive herself for." He could see the aura around Ket, and for the most part, the energy that came with healing. At least, he hoped in this world the healing energy was the same as in his world.

"Now, the both of you, we must go over this carefully. Niamh is with Nexus now, and I tell you this now, they have grown a certain kinship together. I implore you to not go looking for her, your lives depend on that. You should be so lucky I was here, Nexus was planning on slaughtering your entire camp...and I almost believe he would have done it with ease. Ah think of the shame...twenty or so Lumenari, against one unarmed man. Worthy of the greatest Epic poem I am sure." Vec's voice was quiet, calm, collected as he spoke to them, not taking his blindfolded gaze off of them.

"I only hope you listen to my warning, and if you do pursue, you best hope you announce your presence to them before Nexus has the chance to catch your scent. He has been known to strip the flesh of his victims and eat them alive you know." One of the more...disgusting habits that Nexus had, but that was because Nexus could gain sustenance from almost anything. Not dirt perhaps, but if it once was food, or in the case of people, meat, then he could gain nutrients and energy from it.

"Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to go now. You two however are going to go back to the camp, and like your friends, you are going to disband, and go the ways of the Path. As I said, which path that is, I cannot say." And so Vec turned on his heel and he began to walk way. Of course, his hand was at his chest, the light encircled about his fist as he kept it there. Just in case they decided to attack. Or to say if the companion of the healer attacked, then there might be trouble. Vec wouldn't hurt the man of course, he would only subdue them with a few spells.

"Goodbye friends, I hope your lives are long and bountiful, and may your family extend a thousand years!" Vec called over his shoulder as he raised his glowing hand up to wave goodbye. Also to let the flash of light go, simply blinding most people who looked at it. This gave Vec time to pull the invisible blanket out and cover himself with it. Hee hee! He did so love to be so sneaky!

“Yeah…just in time…any longer and I’d have been baked,â€? Niamh muttered in agreement, giving a light cough, still recovering from the smoke; nope, for all their affinity with fire and the like, Solisi had no immunities against the more adverse effects of their “giftsâ€?. Vec told him when to go, huh? Well, jeez, they’d certainly waited long enough, a whole day really, but now she thought she understood. Night made sense. After all, she’d been the one that had told Nexusâ€"and inadvertently showed himâ€"that Solisi were weak when separated from sources of light and heat. No, it had been a smart move on their part that they’d come in the night, because in the day time…that just would have been bad. They would have been at their strongest and Vec’s glowing light show might not have been as dramatic. So, that must mean that Vec had just been a distraction and that’s what had been up with the preaching? Alright. Made sense, and she couldn’t really be miffed at him about that anymore. Even if she did have a right to be irritated, she was still too worn out to make the effort.

Her eyes followed where Nexus pointed, over the grasslands that seemed endless, and her shoulders slumped as she suddenly felt even more tired. Oh…man. Keep going and don’t stop until they have to. It was a good plan because she sure didn’t want to hang around here, she wanted to get as far away from here as possible, to another country if it came down to it, she didn’t care. Anywhere could workâ€"as long as it wasn’t like…snowy and freezing because she probably wouldn’t last long there. But at this point, she had no home, no attachments anymore. Anywhere in the world could work for her, though hopefully for now they didn’t go too far. Just because she was tired of running.

Unfortunately, they’d probably have to continue running for a long time, but she could still dream about the future and being able to stay in a town for a few days without worrying about being hunted. Even better if they could find somewhere to call home.

…They…? Er. Whatever.

“Alright, then. Let’s just…keep walking then and…huh?â€? She blinked over at him blearily, then gave a tired smile and shook her head slowly. “Oh, ah, nah, it’s okay. Really, I’m alright. I dunno if I’d be able to sleep anyway, it’s a bit too bumpy and stuff and I don’t wanna…â€? Another small cough and she glanced away, looking back out over the grasslands and lowering her voice. “You know, be a burden or anyâ€"gah!â€?

Niamh only had time to yelp in surprise before she was scooped up yet again, and once more she didn’t have the energy to resist or protest except for a small bit of flailing when she was first being picked up--only because it had taken her off guard. Afterwards, though, she simply hung relaxed in his grip before sighing and looking up at him. She folded her arms over her stomach, a bit awkwardly. Guh, the guy was like a mind-reader, or he would have been if her body language weren't so damned obvious probably. "Er...never mind then."

Another time and she would have been embarrassed by it all, like if she were more awake and less stressed, but right now she couldn't be. Then again, right now she didn't mind it; she felt safe. Kind of like back at the inn when Nexus had consoled her...it was just one of those weird "in the moment" sort of deals and she wasn't going to think about it now.

"Heh. I'm glad too..." she mumbled in agreement, already leaning her head against him and closing her eyes, only nodding vaguely when he told her he was also glad that she'd remembered his neck issue. Yeah, that whole thing had stuck with her. Mostly because it was just unusual and memorable because of that, and also because, hey, she'd just committed it to memory because it was a mode of defense! Not that she was worried about anything now, obviously. Light no. She'd seen the best and worst of both her own friends and of Nexus, and now, more than ever, she really found herself trusting him. Really trusting him. In the course of a few weeks, he'd gone from a demented psychopath in her eyes to, well...a true friend and hero.

Already starting to drift off, assured that she could sleep, Niamh could only murmur in agreement as he finally began to jog. She might have found it all jarring earlier, but with flat grasslands ahead of them without all the crazy jumping and dodging, it was easier to drift off than she'd thought it would be.

Yeah...time to put it all behind them. Everything. It would be good to start anew.



Strangely enough, Ket didn't attempt to argue with Vec, not even when he told her that Niamh was safe with someone that Niamh had weeks ago described as little more than a terrorist. With a soft sigh, she nodded once, completely calm and collected, even if that mask did waver a bit when Vec mentioned Nexus'...habits. A grimace twisted her features for a second before she smoothed them over quickly.

"I wasn't going to follow her, not anymore. I just wanted to make sure that was the case; I hadn't seen where she'd went. I...she told me about the heathen, a little bit. She told me she was doing this because she wanted to. Niamh doesn't do anything she doesn't want to do, so I just have to trust her judgment on this," Ket answered, and looked back at Ishan. "In any case, we'll ensure no one follows. If the others do not share our sentiments, Ishan..."

"I can lead them on a false trail," he said, voice quiet. He seemed a bit distracted, probably still digesting what had happened.

Ket nodded again, seeming pleased, and looked back to Vec. "Trust me, I didn't want to see my friend die. None of us did. And...I think all of us are secretly happy that this happened. At least for the time being. I don't know what will happen in the morning, but you have my word: whether what you just did was sorcery or truth, you will not be followed." She paused. "Personally...I am convinced enough. And I will be returning home, though not with the Lumenari." She wasn't going to go into what she saw. Maybe she truly hadn't accepted what she had done and was only playing it off like she'd recovered. But whatever it was...it must have been damned convincing.

As Vec turned to leave, so she and Ishan also did, having no choice as the light blinded them. The same light that had opened their eyes.

"Keep our Sister safe."

"I sort of noticed. I was afraid we might get there too late and you'd..." He cut off the sentence, not really wanting to finish it. They had arrived in time, got her before the flames did, and managed to escape without the Lumenari giving chase. Vec was still going to see to that of course...at least he hoped he had. He wasn't going to be too happy with Vec if the Lumenari came calling quickly. He only wished his brother Rift was here...at least with Rift he could open a portal that would take them away from here quickly. Well, one step at at a time...saved Niamh, and now they got to live free...ish. There was no telling who would come for them.

Nexus had smiled, knowing exactly where they were headed really. To Arca, to the main city. Would they be safe there? In a sense yes. What they would do for a cover story was beyond him though. He knew Vec would suggest opening a tavern or something like that, and he had thoughts of a tailoring business. Maybe it would be better to live without a story? Just live there, in a house, hiding? No! He wouldn't hide, not from anyone. If the Lumenari sent in bounty hunters then he would take them all on. If only it was easier to break people's faiths...maybe they could just be left alone. That didn't seem like much of an option at this point though.

Heh, Nexus didn't listen to slaves after all. Not that...Niamh was his slave. He did wonder which of them was actually in power at this time. Niamh seemed to have a good hold on him after all...he had been ready to take on the entire camp of Lumenari just to free her. He didn't even know why...he just...knew that he had to. It was the right thing to do. He kept telling himself that but...the more he said it in his mind, the more he wondered if that was just what he wanted to keep telling himself...Ahem. No, it had to be the right thing, Vec had said so. Hadn't he?

"You're not really in a condition to walk. It's fine." Nexus however was in rather good condition at this time. He felt he could keep her in his arms and run for days. What had Vec done? He never felt this good after a trance...maybe Vec had someone made him fall asleep and...be completely refreshed? He wouldn't put it past the man though...the man. That's all Vec was now. Just a man. It showed too. Vec was using items and such to achieve his ends.

Nexus smiled as he looked down to Niamh. Poor girl could probably sleep a week. He wasn't one for upper body strength but...then again he had carried many corpses ove the years...She was by far one of the lightest bodies he had encountered in this time. Looking away from her he focused on the grasslands as he walked. One eye looking ahead, the other looking to the ground for any obstructions or holes. He wasn't going to be the one responsible for tripping and sending Niamh flying.

He'd never hear the end of it.

Not that he would mind. Things were no doubt going to be different.

A good kind of different.



Vec was glad to see that at least Niamh had a few friends amongst the Lumenari, or what could be called the Lumenari. With their faith shaken, there was no telling how many would stay the path and how many would leave. The sins of one could weigh heavy on the soul and the heart if they weren't careful.

"Oh it was the truth my dear. I make it a habit of not lying to people. I will admit that I used a bit of sorcery in it, I cannot help it when my eyes are involved but..." He just gave a smile and a shrug. Before leaving, his hand reached out, and he touched her, giving her a moment of the joy that Niamh had once felt. This was a bit of sorcery, but it was also what he called...filling people with spirit. "Free will to use as you wish, for good, for bad...I hope for good." Yes, Vec was a little bit pushy at times, he enjoyed it when people followed a path of happiness and individuality. Live for yourself, live for your happiness. Of course, if the Lumenari made someone truly...deeply happy...then they would no doubt stay with the Lumenari. He couldn't stop them.

As he disappeared under the blanket he could hear Ket call after him and he smiled. "The light of the heavens will shine upon her!" He called back. Of course at this point it was just a disembodied voice, echoing as he walked through the forest. Vec had a dramatic soul, and had the dramatic flair that some people lacked. It was just his way though, being so old, he knew how to make things...quote worthy perhaps.

Now. To find Nexus and Niamh. He knew which way they were heading. Nexus would find the nearest metropolis and hide within it, just as he always did. Nexus was usually easier to find in the open forests and grasslands, but in an urban setting he could be comfortable and...disappear really. Nexus had a strange resourcefulness to him as it were...however...now with Niamh it would be different. He might as well go to the registry board in the city and look for any house purchased by a young, odd, mismatched couple.

Yes, this was going to be...grand.

[Continued HERE (http://www.spiritsoftheearth.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4442).]