Is It Possible, Such Things? (P)

[Salzem]

Aeizith let out a sigh of relief as he saw the elven girl walk stagger out of the cloud of dust and tired but very much alive. She smiled at him and reminded him of her promise, that she would be back... tears began to bubble up around the corners of his eyes and, in response to her reminder, Aeizith stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the girl, pulling her into a hug that they both seemed to desperately need. For once, Aeizith's pale white flesh felt not like his blood was ice nor his soul a glacier. For as long as he held her, his body felt warm, soft, fragile... just as she was right then... The little dragon could feel the weakness in her form, the pure exaustion that gnawed at her muscles and tugged at her mind... He knew that she was only a moment or two away from losing the ability to stand on her own... He could see it all in her eyes if the way she held herself wasn't obvious enough. Slowly, he would pull away, his sanguine eyes seeming to dance with happiness. It was only just now did Aeizith notice the clouds and the rain falling upon them from above. With not even a gesture, a small icy sheet formed above the pair, acting as an umbrella might as it redirected the rain anywhere but on their heads. Aeizith still clinged to the girl, but more to keep her steady than to express his pleasure she was safe. It looked as though any moment her legs would fall out from under her and she would come crashing down into the mud below. The little lonely dragon smiled softly when she asked if he knew any places to rest, clearly wanting to recover from the horrifying experience that was this place...

"Y-yeah... I know a few..." Without any warning, the smaller being would scoop up the elven girl, holding her in his arms so that one held her legs and the other, her shoulders. He seemed to hold her up with seemingly no strain whatsoever as he started to walk off, away from this hell-hole. "Y-you seemed.... tired..." Aeizith explained after a minute or two. "I.... w-want to make this... the t-trip..... easier on y-you...." A soft blue blush seemed to arc across his nose as he said this only glancing down now to peer into the dirty, but still gorgeous face of the half-elf Silver. Many men would have taken advantage of this opportunity, to make them seem even more heroic or "manly" in the eyes of the woman he held. Perhaps sneak a kiss, perhaps hug her a little tighter to their chests, something to get her to see them differently. Aeizith did none of those things... He couldn't... he didn't have the strength... Maybe somewhere, deep beneath his meek, humble nature, he might have wanted to do some of those things... In fact, he was sure of it... In the few moments they had known one another, Aeizith had grown somewhat infatuated with the beautiful elven girl... even though he desperately tried to hide it. His eyes flicked back to the land ahead, walking in silence for several minutes among the wood before coming across a large oak, a trunk so thick, Aeizith had to wonder if even he could break through it. All other trees seemed to be an extension of this mighty plant, their presence only required to feed it their share of the nutrients. It's branches and leaves seemed to create a ceiling that blocked out a good majority of the moonlight and rain, leaving the floor dry and dark. Aeizith glanced down at Silver and nervously smiled, adjusting his hold so that he had a better grip should something unexpected happen.

"H-hold on..." He murmured, his feet seeming to frost up as he planted one firmly upon the ancient trunk, the frost seeming to catch as if it were an adhesive. It seemed Aeizith's habit of freezing himself to the floor had come in handy after all. Slowly, the little ice dragon would walk up the tree, gently pushing or walking around the branches that jutted out from it's surface. Eventually, near the top and hidden well amongst the green, They would come to a constructed house supported by 4 sturdy branches... Of course, this house was small and granted, it was merely wood, but it was a safe place to rest for a little while... Aeizith walked along a wide, thin branch to get to the entrance of the house, ducking inside and making sure Silver didn't knock her head or feet on the way in. It was merely a single-room place with a small bed-roll of in a corner, not a light to speak of beyond an ancient lantern that sat off adjasent to the bed. Softly and carefully, the little dragon set the elven girl upon the bedroll before he sat himself down across from her, watching over Silver protectively.

"W-we're safe here...." Aeizith said with a sigh, relaxing a little. "G-get some sleep.... o-okay...?"

[Blink]

Slightly taken by the hug all Silver could do was just stand there. Normally on any other occasion she would push herself away out of pure hatred of it, but she was simply too tired. She did notice however that he did not feel as cold as he did before, but instead more... human. Not really taking notice of the icy sheet above them all she could think about was that at least the rain had finally stopped, but it hadn't. And then she was scooped up by the boy and it took her completely by shock. She hated this... that she was so weak she could no longer even keep her own legs underneath her. She hated that she had to rely on someone to do one of the most basic abilities and walk. She was about to protest but then his adorable stuttering voice explained that he was simply trying to make things easier for her.

Even so she refused to let herself drift off to sleep as he carried her, not wanting to show how tired and weak she really was. If Silver had learned anything over the years it was that you could never trust anyone completely... even a suspected comrade could quickly become foe. She wanted with everything to trust the boy she really did... but she just couldn't... not yet. Before long they came to a brief stop at the base of a large oak tree who's canopy towered above all the others with no issue. She felt Aeizith tighten his grip on her before muttering for her to hold on and then... he was walking up the tree. Completely shocked she could do nothing but look around as he easily deflected any stray branches and before she knew it they were at the top. Except for at the top of the tree was not a vast look at the forest but a hidden away safe-house instead.... genius.

Aeizith then carried her inside and set her down on a small bedroll in the corner of the room before he himself sat down across from it and just stared at her. It would have been so easy for her to allow herself to just fall asleep, but then that feeling in her gut still lingered. She still hardly knew this guy and would not likely leave herself so vulnerable as to sleep with him right there. "Or we could talk..." she leaned her back against the wall resting the backside of her head on it as well. "We still have to fix that head of yours or did you forget?" She raised a tired brow at him before yawning and stretching out her arms to make herself more comfortable in her sit-down position. "So Aeizith... why do you hate yourself so much?" her glare was determined to get a straight answer. If he tried to lie to her she would be able to pick up on it, learning to read people was something she had to learn all in order to prevent herself from ever being in a situation like she was years ago. "Tell me your sins and struggles and I will share mine... deal?" Holding out a hand she wanted to shake on it, only to let him know how serious she was.

[Salzem]

Aeizith's eyes widened as Silver sat up from her place on the bedroll despite her exhaustion, giving him a glare as  she demanded he spill his secrets, specifically those that explained why he despised himself the way he did. What she asked wasn't truly what shocked him, rather, the demand for absolute honesty in her look alone. It was as if she wasn't going to let him stay like he was, a certain determination to make sure he defeated whatever demons plagued his soul. Honestly, Aeizith didn't know how to react... He simply stared, wide-eyed and silent for several seconds before letting out a soft, defeated sigh, his eyes dropping to the floor as well. He couldn't really weasel out of this one, even if he tried to... The look on Silvers face seemed to threaten that she wouldn't take whatever lies he might conjure or any attempts to change the subject. She had offered to spill her own sins if he spilled hers and one way or another, she would hear his plight. Despite being forced into this corner, the little dragon managed a small grin, pleasently surprised that she cared this much about him... Silently, he reached out and grasped the tired halfling's hand gently, pulling his back only when she released her grip.

"I....I'm helpless in my o-own power!" The young dragon blurted out suddenly, unexpectedly, something that likely caught both the half-elf and Aeizith off guard alike. A darker blush surged across his face, clearly embarrassed at his lack of restraint, but vaguely aware that this act seemed to emphasize his point. "I can't control myself.... I need blood to live... my ice is unstable... I only seem able to hurt..." Aeizith's voice seemed wracked with pain as he undid the stitches that kept this wound closed. "I never wanted to hurt anyone... I never wanted this power... This..." Aeizith raised a hand, a ball of frosty air surging and swirling within Aeizith's palm forming within seconds. "...All it does is hurt.... k-kill... Its all I am able to do... Those people back at the camp...? T-they were the latest example...." Aeizith retracted his legs inward, pulling them against his chest once again, resting his chin against his knees as his eyes seemed to gore the wall to the side.

"I can't control it... me... a-anything... And now... if that w-wasn't bad enough... I've become this... A v-vampire... I hurt to live.... I cut people open and s-suck their b-blood... just so I don't have to die... I'm stronger... faster... I can use more ice than ever before... all the more to hurt people with... I'm a monster... I should just..... disappear... I'm a prisoner of m-my own p-p-power..." Aeizith lowered his hand and the ice faded to nothing as it hung in the air, leaving only a slight chill within the room. The lonely ice dragon only now looked up to see Sliver's reaction through watery, sanguine eyes. A pacifist weapon, a toothless scourge, a monster with morals... A being that hated everything it was because it was everything it believed it shouldn't be... Aeizith hated himself because what he saw in the mirror was all wrong... perverted... And there was nothing wrong with that mirror... What he saw was real. It was him and it was disgusting...

[Blink]

The fact that he took the first step in telling her the honest truth was enough alone to make her trust him just a bit more. His hand extended she held it until he would finish his story, not letting it go until she was certain he was done. "I think you misunderstood my question Aeizith. Just because you have power that you cannot control does not explain why you lose control." She herself could feel the curiosity building inside of her as she leaned forwards a bit ready for him to spill what was actually bothering him.

"Why are you a monster?Why can't you control it? What has you so insecure about yourself that you explode magically?" Silver could recall the time when she herself lost control. She could argue that it was simply because she was a talented elemental, but all power must be controlled with emotion. Even now when she got mad during a crossfire her powers spiked and sometimes the repercussions of that were devastating. Lifting her hand to her chest in a matter-of-fact gesture and not a hurt one she covered her heart. "I happen to know a smidge about ice magic."

"Just like my wind it is an element that reflects what is within your very soul. Ice though instead of wind encases what you feel rather than push it away. If I were to allow my emotions to slip even for a minute..." she paused looking around the dark tree house. "Well your tree house would be blown away. No I am not boasting about my abilities I am just saying that is what it does... you lose control. That is why you are always freezing up, quite literally." The way she spoke about ice magic made her eyes light up, as if reciting an exciting children's story.

"And then there is the whole vampire problem. Yeah vampires drink blood... so what? I eat meat and don't feel sad about it. Just because your food hits closer to home than most you shouldn't be ashamed of it. Basically what it all boils down to is that there is something deeper going on that is causing your abilities to pour out of you so easily. Why do you have no will? Or better question.... who made you forget what makes you yourself?"

[Salzem]

"I........" Aeizth tried to respond, but he didn't know what to say... Silver had torn his explanation to pieces, claiming that there was something deeper, something more that made him believe he was the monster he claimed to be, something that made his magical stability so... unstable. The dragon stared at their hands intertwined as she asked WHO made him this way, so weak of heart and scared of himself. That was a loaded question... there was hardly any one person that turned the little dragon into who he was today... Anyone besides himself that is...

"I don't WANT this!" Aeizith almost yelled, his voice growing more forceful. "I don't want power! All it does is hurt!" Ice seemed to arc from under him instantly, climbing up the walls and around up the ceiling, stopping just short of the Silver as he realized what was happening. Slowly, the frosty coating retracted, slinking back within the dragon almost as quickly as it exploded outward. The little dragon buried his face yet again into his knees, realizing that not only had he almost hurt the girl trying to help him, but he had also only reinforced her point as well. Very quickly, any anger or burst of energy he might have displayed a moment ago withered and died into the shivering mess in the corner that was Aeizith Black-Hearth, pathetic worthless reptile of his family, the only one who couldn't live up to Emilia's expectations.

".......No one... It's all my fault........... It's always my fault....." Aeizith pulled himself tighter and tighter with his one free arm, refusing to look up and face his judge. "I'm a disappointment... a fool... I've never lived up to my siblings... It's not like they ask for much but......" The little dragon shrugged half-heartedly. "I try to be like them... to be proud... a-and strong... and..... I can't.... I can't do that and they wouldn't understand why...! I'm not trying to defy them or undermine them..... It's not MY fault I'm weak! I love them...." Aeizith went silent for the longest time, the room seeming to grow darker and darker, and not just from the change in weather outside.

"....I never liked hurting people......... Wh-when I got the power I was looking for and became... this... I thought I'd be happy.......... I could return home strong.... But I never went home... I never liked hurting people.... All the blood... the... screams... A prisoner in my own body.... I watched as I ripped people apart for what they had inside.... they had friends.... family... and I've killed them... I am ashamed...... I HATE this..... reminded every time I have to eat... I can't go home... not like this... I don't want to hurt anyone...

[Blink]

Silver was growing frustrated with Aeizith as he still was not getting what she was trying to say. Even his little outburst did not cause a single flinch to spread across her body. "Aeizith!" her tone was one that commanded attention, and she was sure he would give it to her. "So what if your siblings think you are weak! So what if they think everything is your fault... let them." The look in her eyes was that of pure disgust as she thought of what his siblings must have put him through, no wonder why he was so broken. They had to be the root of all of this... making him think he was never as good as them.

"I would assume they hurt people right? Who says you have to? Who says you even need their approval?" Pulling back a bit she searched for words that he would understand.  If she had the strength to get up and slap him she would have just to get her point across. "Life is about living and being happy! It's not about what other people think and its not about pleasing people! If... if you live your entire life feeling sorry for what you have done then well... whats the point in living!?" This conversation had twisted in a way that struck a nerve within the girl. Something deep down was emerging and it was filling her with fire. "If I had someone to yell at me like I am you right now then maybe well... I would not have wasted six years of my own life feeling sorry for myself!"

Her face was contorted into an angry one as she grew mad at her own self. It was all true, every word she said. If someone had sat her down and yelled at her when she was upset and blaming herself for everything then maybe just maybe she would already have a new life. "I killed my entire family!" lifting her hands up she spread them out and faced her palms towards him as if to show him the tools of destruction she carried. "I killed the man who was a father to me and every member of my clan! All because I couldn't get my emotions in check! I let some piece of shit demon control me and it was so easy for her because I did not love myself!" Her hands would slowly fall to her sides and her gaze would travel downwards. "... I killed my fiance'..." when she spoke of her deceased betrothed her voice turned softer. "He was an ice magic user" her gaze shot up at the next part. "Except he embraced his abilities and made them into something beautiful and feared all at the same time."

"When I first met you it felt like a dagger struck me straight through the heart the moment I saw your ice and how... how unformed it was." She didn't mean to be insulting him but it was impossible not to. She needed him to see how serious she was. She needed him to know that if he continues down the path he was on he would lose everything and now it was up to him to decide if that was what he really wanted. "Yet I did not let my abilities grow out of control... not once. Even just now as your ice shot out of you it made me think of him... and yet here I am not a gust or spark in sight..."

She was done trying to convince him.. he would either have to leave it or take it. There was nothing else she could say to make him understand. Nothing else she could do to make him see how he was wasting such a beautiful life....

[Salzem]

The little dragon snapped to attention when Silver commanded his name, his neck raising at such a speed it might have been painful. Aeizith was silent through her whole speech, first about him and how he shouldn't care about what his siblings thought of him. He should be out there living his life the way HE wanted to! His family cared whether or not he saved someone's life? Well screw them! It was his life to save!... At least, that was what she was telling him to do... Silver wanted him to take command of his existence, to disregard the restrictions imposed on him by his family or himself... He shouldn't live his life to please them while also making his own existence a living hell! That wasn't what life as about, after all. Aeizith stared, wide-eyed as she asked the question what good was life if he spent it all looking back on his past and feeling sorry for himself? From up until this point, Aeizith simply thought that was what life was... He didn't know much of anything else beyond the shared satisfaction of his family when he DID do something right... He wanted to be more than that... he wanted to grasp at the rest of the life he was missing, but he never had the inner strength... the confidence to do so... Aeizith was so afraid of failure that he had come to embody what he had hoped to avoid: a failure. Ironic, and he had only now discovered his TRULY disturbing transformation through a half-elf girl he had only met a little while ago...

With a face engulfed in rage (but not necessarily at him...?), Silver declared that she had, in fact, killed her entire family, raising her hands high into the air, palms spread wide. She killed her father-figure, her clan... her fiance who just so happened to happened to possess similar power over Ice that Aeizith did... All because she had made the mistake that the little dragon had... Her eyes glared daggers at him when she commented that the difference, the TRUE, DEFINING DIFFERENCE, between them was that her fiance had decided to make something out of his powers rather than live in fear of them. Her sorrow was obvious when she mentioned how painful it was to see Aeizith ice magic and how "unformed" it was and that despite everything, she didn't allow her powers to grow with the violent emotions within her. That he reminded her of her fiance even now and not a single blast of magical energy was anywhere to be found...

Aeizith said nothing as his gaze lowered yet again to the floor, then to his hands as he turned them to stare at his palms. He said nothing as ice began to shape calmly, deliberately within the confines of his hands, not a single stray gust of wind or excess chill escaping from the icy confinements. He said not a word as the ice began to take shape, forming into a general shape of a person, standing proud and strong. Aeizith refused to speak as pieces of ice shattered off the shape, forming intricate and more detailed designs, becoming more and more like the girl sitting before him, tired, exasperated, waiting for his response. Silently, Aeizith brought his face nearly pressing against the icy statue of Silver that he held in his hands, breathing a glowing blue mist from his mouth within the frozen mimicry, a soft, warm blue glow emanating from it's walls. With a head slightly bowed, the dragon held the item out to the half-elven girl, his face a mix of complex emotions. To the touch, the ice was not freezing, but cool, smooth, throbbing as if it were alive. The ice would never melt, fore it was infused with the dragon's life-force. For as long as he lived, the statue would exist with her, a small, pocket sized gift from the person she was saving right now.

"...I'm sorry..." Aeizith murmured. Not for himself or his actions, but that she had lost everything because she had done what he had done... Her father, her family... her partner... all gone because she couldn't control herself... Silently, Aeizith came to the consensus that he would try... He would learn to accept himself and what he was... Aeizith let out a soft, tired sigh, the smallest wave of mist escaping from his lips.

[Blink]

Watching his every move Silver had already let the ball drop and now she just had to wait... would he pick it up? Both of them were silent as he crafted something with his hands... a figurine of sorts. It was beautiful how when she talked some sense into him what he could truly do. Before she knew it she was staring at a beautiful almost glass like figurine that strongly resembled her own image. It was truly breathtaking and she could barely contain that happiness it filled her with, but she did. Reaching at first for the figurine and then passing it allowing her hand to rest on the top of Aeizith's bowing head instead Silver simply ruffled his hair. "And stop saying sorry all the time! What are you sorry for? Sorry for feeling something?"

Removing her hand she placed them in her lap staring at the figurine. "Do me a favor? Keep the figurine to remind you of me when I am not around? Whenever your feeling upset with yourself and weak perhaps assume its going to electrocute you at any second!" she was being sarcastic as she poked at him with an extended finger sending a very light shock into him, only slightly stronger than natural static electricity. "Actually here.. lets just guarantee that is what will happen." Redirecting her pointing finger from him to the figure she concentrated as a much larger bolt of electricity escaped her fingertip and traveled inside of the figurine. Sitting back she was kinda surprised how it looked like it was almost dancing around inside of it ready to escape as it bounced off the inside walls of the figure.

What she wasn't thinking about was how already exhausted she was and she had just not only given Aeizith a little zap, but sent a much stronger bolt into the memento. She couldn't help what happened next as her eyes rolled back a bit and she fell forwards her head resting in Aeizith's lap. She was beat... exhausted more than she was ever going to let him believe. If she had any strength she would have continued to fight it just sitting there across from him but she could not. By the time her head hit his lap her eyes were already closed and she was fast asleep, almost comatose as her body turned itself off to recover.

[Salzem]

Aeizith smiled a bit when Silver placed her hand upon his head, ruffling his hair, but remained silent when she asked what exactly she was sorry for. He didn't want to bring up her dead family again, the family she had killed herself. For the first time since he saw the half-elf, the little dragon laughed as she jabbed her finger into his unprotected stomach, sending a light shock into him as if he were touching a static object. Deciding that he should keep the statue himself, Aeizith watched as the girl pointed her finger towards the mimicry, sending a glowing bolt of electricity into it's walls, coagulating into a ball of pure light at the center of the ice-statue's chest.

"Okay..." Aeizith responded, his hand's now hovering just below the statue to avoid getting shocked. At least in one way... As soon as Aeizith spoke, Silver fell forward, her head landing right in his lap as her consciousness drained out of her. His eyes widened in surprise as her head hit his legs, not expecting... such an immediate deactivation. A dark blue blush flashed across the dragon's pale white face, his upper body quivering softly before he slowly set the statue down a foot or so away from them and placed a hand on Silver's shoulder. Her skin was soft, smooth, but scarred in some places and somehow that only added to her beauty. While a lot of girls would spend countless hours on their outward appearance, Silver managed to maintain a gorgeous exterior while maintaining a heart that the little ice dragon craved to be his... With a soft, shaky hand, Aeizith gently brushed the half-elf's cheek with two of his fingers, careful to not wake her but also wanting to know what it.... felt like... She was a tough, powerful individual within a goddess' form... The little ice dragon held nothing but the silent attraction in his heart, and the very obvious respect up front.

The little ice dragon began to feel drowsy himself, however, sensing the sun's first peak over the horizon just as how creatures of the day could feel the rise of the moon at dusk. through exhausted, sleepy eyes, Aeizith smiled down upon his snoozing little Silver, one hand resting on her shoulder, the other pulling his jacket hood over his face to avoid the sun's vengeful rays. Far more slowly than she, the little ice dragon began to slip into his own little restful sleep despite his resistance to do so. After a hard-fought battle that took place over a minute or two, Aeizith eventually slumped up against the back wall, his eyes drooping closed. There, the two slept quietly together as the sun peeked it's head over the tree-tops as if to spy on the young pair, making sure the two were just fine.

[Blink]

Her eyes opened to the darkness of the tree house. Slowly she sat up looking around at where she was or better yet who she was sleeping on. And there still sitting up but sound asleep was Aeizith,the boy she had met the night before. She noticed how his hand had slipped off her shoulder as she sat up and would have blushed if she had not been so embarrassed. Stupid, stupid, stupid pushing yourself that far... The thought pounding in her head as she stood up. Wandering how long she had slept she creeped over to the door and and just barely opened it. To her surprise the sun was already beginning to set in the sky, she had slept the entire day away.

Turning back to check if Aeizith was not only asleep but not touched by the light of day she smiled before slipping out of the door. Once outside she looked around to take in the high up view and was completely breathtaken by it. Not able to help it she reached out a hand and grasped a higher branch that was growing out above the tree house. Climbing up she soon found herself standing on top of the tree house and just sat crossing her legs in front of her as she turned to face the setting sun. It was moments like this that she was reminded how beautiful the world truly was no matter what was happening elsewhere.

"How beautiful the setting sun, its ruddy ray. Still strives to light the dying day. And air of quiet finality of time slipping away from me. Yet for a while I feel at one and timeless as the setting sun." The way she spoke the poem was so personal anyone watching would have felt how precious it was to her. She recalled a time sitting at camp with her mother, sister and Eldrin all watching it set and how her mother would recite it. The wind picked up a bit and gently blew through her hair, it reminded her of how it felt when her mother would brush her fingers through it. Her mother always loved her hair and the color it resembled... Silver.

The setting sun always seemed to make her remember her mother, it was hard not to as the colors it created were so warm and beautiful, just like the woman she always looked up to. See it was moments like this that she tried to remember, not the bad ones. Sitting up just a bit she felt the warmth of the sun touching her skin and it made her smile even more. In this moment Silver was happy... and she would rather be happy than dreading what life had in store for her.

Closing her eyes she took in a deep breath before firmly planting her hands on the rooftop "That's it!" Standing up she turned her back to the sun and made her way back down to the door of the hidden home before shoving open the door. By now the sun had set so much that there was no way its rays could reach Aiezith now in the shadow of the tree. "Aeizith we are going to town. We need to find you a way to feel the sun once more!" If she had awoken him she did not care, and if he was already awake she didn't even acknowledge it. She just needed him to get up and get moving.

[Salzem]

Aeizith's eyes fluttered open drowsily as the Silver's shouting rang in his ears. It was late evening, the sun already setting, but he might as well have been waking up REALLY early in the morning.

"Hmmmm.....?" The dragon grumbled, holding up a hand to his head, shaking off the frequent headaches that came with waking up in such a manner. "W-what...? What do you mean.... 'find me a way to feel the sun'...?" Aeizith's tired little mind could hardly comprehend what the elven woman was saying at that point. He was tired, he had just woken up, he could barely tell the difference between his left and right hands this early in the morning. Despite his failings, however, he forced himself to his feet, raising an arm over his head and groaned, satisfied, as he stretched his muscles. By now, what Silver had said had begun to sink into his awakening mind, causing the little dragon to look at her strangely. Aeizith knew of only one ring that might give him the ability to "day-walk", Crimson Pettle, but he had long lost contact with the keeper of the ring and had absolutely no idea where she sat around now. Especially for those of his kind, there were hardly any little trinkets around that allowed beings to transcend their natural limitations to such a degree they become nonexistent. In his case, bypass the bane in his blood that made the sun burn him and his kind to ashes.

"T-there's nothing around that has t-that kind of power.... b-believe me, I've looked...." Of course, Aeizith wanted to believe that there was something that would make him more into what he once was, but with such a lack of success in his own endeavors, he could only remain a little skeptical. Still, the enthusiasm and energy in Silver's voice was attractive to say the least, perhaps even contagious. He couldn't help but feel his heart flutter in his chest with the energy and impact behind her little declaration. It made him want to believe that she had a plan, that she knew of a way to make him able to live his life in the day as well as night...

"...B-but... I trust you, S-silver... L-let's go...." Giving the half-elven beauty a soft smile, the dragon stepped out into the night, immediately feeling the remaining heat of the sun upon his skin despite the fact it had ducked behind the horizon. It was akin to feeling the chill of dark for the people of the day, uncomfortable, but it too would fade as one got used to it's bite. Slowly, the pair began their decent back down into the ground, the whole trip through the trees taking at least a solid 5 minutes just to reach earth. The two would then make their way back on the path to their nearby town with Silver leading the way, her confidence a shining star in the night. Aeizith could hardly keep his eyes off her.

...Perhaps that was why he couldn't detect he was being watched...

[Blink]

She couldn't even contain her excitement as Aeizith stood up and stretched. Her thoughts barely even shifted to something else as she watched his muscles flex and relax... but they still did for a mere second. The way he was, everything about his sensitive demeanor seemed to light a very small flame within her. In this moment as he said he trusted her she could almost feel her heart as if suddenly it was beating again, but in a way she had not felt for a long time nor thought she would ever feel again. In response all she did was simply smile back at him trying to hide the very light blush that was now present on her cheeks.

Shaking off the feeling she went back to her normal giddy self as she descended the tree easily making it to the bottom without a slip. As she climbed she could not help but share her plan. "You see Aeizith..." she paused to concentrate for a moment as she took the last leap before landing both boots on the ground. ".. you have to know where to look... and who to ask."

Giggling she began skipping towards town as Aeizith followed her, so happy in fact she did not even think to take her normal precautions of walking with the wind. Soon the lights from the town were in the distance and she could no longer just skip there. "Come on Aeizith!" she laughed as she grabbed his hand and began tugging him to move at a faster pace.

Silver would drag Aeizith along until they came to a small merchant stand where an older man sat reading a book behind a table covered in some old jewelry. He didn't even get a chance to look up before Silver was leaning over his table staring him down. "Why hello there.... Isaac." The old man peered past his book tipping his nose down to look over the brim of his glasses. The way she addressed the man was so serious, a change from what she usually was. Even the man mirrored her demeanor as he silently stared her down before setting down his book and standing up pushing his chair back at the same time.

The two continued to stare at each other until suddenly the man's eyebrows lifted and a smile crept along the edges of his old lips. "Silver!" Both of them ran around the table to hug the other, Isaac even picking her up a bit as he hugged her tightly. Normally Silver hated hugs, but from old friends it was all okay. "You are looking more and more like your mother every day! The man then grabbed a strand of her hair letting it slip off of his fingers. "Your hair alone is enough to make me think I am actually looking at a copy of her!" Issac then paused and his smile faded a bit as he looked at her uniquely colored eyes. "Except you have his eyes"

The two shared a silent moment before Silver turned her attention towards Aeizith. "Isaac I want you to meet a good friend of mine. His name is Aeizith and he is looking for something... unique." Isaac simply tilted his glasses once more before looking the boy up and down. "Mhmm..." was all he said at first as he shot Silver a hardened glare. "You know Silver this boy looks awefully a lot li-"

Chiming in Silver cut him off before he could finish. "Can you help me or not?" She herself let her tone slip a bit before crossing her arms over her chest to look more serious. "Still have your mother's attitude I see..." The man then went back to his chair sitting down and folding his arms on the edge of the stand. "Aeizith was it? Before I help you find anything I should just let you know that if anything ever happens to this girl you will have an army after you. Most of us around these parts have known her since before she could even float a feather." The way he spoke was like one of a concerned father. "So..... what is it your looking for?"

[Salzem]

The little black dragon blushed darkly as the previously stoic and serious girl from just last night took his hand in hers, pulling him into more of a jogging stride as she encouraged him to move faster. Without even thinking of resisting, Aeizith simply followed along behind her as if he were her pet, smiling like an idiot the entire way. It was hard to compare the feelings he felt when he saw her smile like that to anything he'd ever felt before... there was so much joy and energy across her face, the way she bounced with each step... She was like a happy little rabbit, rejoicing in her freedom and encouraging him to do the same... And he loved it... Unlike Silver who tried to hide the little blush that flooded her cheeks, Aeizith's face flashed blue along his nose and his own cheeks openly, the biggest real display of how he felt that he was capable of on his own. Together, the pair ran off into the small town Aeizith had been inhabiting for days, running right up to an older man, A merchant by the look of things. He sat behind a stall of trinkets, his head in a book of which Aeizith could not read the title... the symbols were either too faded or some language that evaded a 7000 year old dragon... He seemed like a crusty fellow, the kind of men one would see working a the docks, passing crates and singing songs, all to the tune of being half-dead-drunk in the merry kind of way.

It seemed he was just that kind of man this.... Isaac when Silver first spoke, the two sharing a sort of silent glare that lasted several seconds. Needless to say, Aeizith was growing more and more uncomfortable with this little exchange as time went by, practically hiding behind the half-elven girl, peeking his head out when the two burst out laughing together like old friends. Letting go of his hand, Silver went and embraced the old fellow, Isaac remarking how she looked more and more like her mother every day, her hair seeming to make her a clone in it of itself. The little dragon looked up into the man's face, though when he noted that she had "his" eyes... Who was he? What did that change in expression mean? What was that all about? Aeizith had so many questions, he felt like a hatchling again, probing his siblings up and down for what the meaning of life was. However, he remained silent, meekly waving when Silver introduced him to her older friend. Internally, his heart was practically jumping in his chest. She had referred to him as a "good friend"... It touched his heart she felt that way about him... that she was willing to invest that much trust... The older man, however, didn't seem quite as willing... He looked the young dragon up and down, his eyes like scanners, taking in every last significant detail in an effort to find an excuse to give Aeizith the boot. The little dragon squirmed under the man's intense gaze, his powers barely contained beneath the promise he had made to himself... and to Silver... Before the man could come to a very likely conclusion as to what he was, Silver, being the divine, gorgeous and considerate half-elf she was, intervened, giving the little ice dragon a moment's breathing space. He smiled at her softly, but his smile soon dropped when old crusty Isaac referred to him again, warning him that if anything happened to her, it'd be on him, Specifically an army.

"Y-yes sir..." Aeizith murmured, eyes wide, fearful somewhat. Seeming satisfied with this reaction, Isaac asked what exactly they were looking for, a stern, almost fatherly expression upon his face. To his own surprise, Aeizith spoke up first. "Um.... Mr. I-Isaac sir.... um... I'm looking f-for a ring called 'Crimson Petal'... I-It's got this little f-flower thing with a r-ruby in the center of it...?"

[Blink]

ac simply stared at Aeizith for a long while after the boy made his request. Silver on the other hand was happily picking through Isaac's inventory while the boys talked. "There is a man I think who may be able to help you." The older man's attention then turned to Silver who was holding up a silver hair pin, likely stolen. "Silver there is a new gent in town but he seems honest enough. He collects... odd... merchandise."

Turning her attention she set the pin down before the old man grabbed her hand and placed it back in her palm. "Keep it..." was all he said before making her wrap her fingers around it. Silver simply smiled tucking the pin into her bag. "Anyways... He has been working from a small cart just a few miles out of town. He doesn't seem much like a people person but he seems honest enough."

"Well then I guess that is where we are going! Come on Aezith!" and before the man could say anything else she had grabbed Aeizith's hand and was off again. "We will get you to feel the sun before you know it!" and with that she was almost running to find the man and his cart.

Meanwhile Isaac watched as Silver ran off smiling. He was happy for her.. that she had moved past everything that had happened to her. He had known her since childhood and was actually an ally to her clan's objective. It was funny how he had outlived all of his friends, including Silver's mother. Looking at the girl run now he was almost brought to tears with missing his old friends. But still he got a sense from that boy that made him a bit uneasy. Not only did something seem off about him.. but he looked so much like him. The boy who shattered Silver's world before she really even had a chance to live in it. Why would she choose him? Why would she allow herself to even know the boy who resembled her dead love so much? It had to hurt for her to even look at him. These and many more questions clouded his mind as they ran out of view.

[Salzem]

"O-okay..." Aeizith responded to Silver, grinning as she took his hand again and sped off into the other side of town. He didn't even get the chance to say "goodbye" to the old man with how fast they were gone... To be honest, despite Aeizith's apprehension for talking to strangers and whatnot, he was having the most fun he ever had right now, just zipping from place to place with his friend. Really, the ring didn't matter to him... not really... It was more important that Silver was laughing, smiling, the warmth of which flooding into him and seeming to hold back the chill that always washed over him when he was alone... She was very quickly becoming the source of his warmth, his happiness and he didn't feel guilty about it one bit. Her company was the sweetest thing to this little ice dragon and he couldn't think of one place he'd rather be.

It was only a few minutes before they got to the place they assumed Isaac specified. Surprisingly, the oddity's shop was nothing like the other stalls most of the other merchants ran... For one thing, it was an actual walk-in building, a  sign on the front titling the building "Krem's Oddities". It was as if this man, Mr. Krem, had bought a house, then decided to turn said house into a place purely to run as a shop. Perhaps he was a rich entrepreneur or... something...? Why would an oddities shop require such a large space..?  Aeizith didn't know, but that was what made him curious. This place by it's title alone promised the weird and unorthadox and he and Silver were going to see it together. If they weren't just recently established as "good friends", the little frost dragon might have fantasized this to be a date of some kind! Taking the lead for once, Aeizith smiled back at his friend before pushing open the door, revealing the inside of the shop.

The first thing Aeizith noticed about this place was that it was far larger on the inside than it was on the out. While the house appeared to be 3 stories at most (including attic and basement), this place possessed at least 5, each floor leading up to a different level with different kinds of oddities. There were gems across counters, staves, a glowing sword or two flashing different colors... Scrolls and..... a stuffed head of a monster Aeizith couldn't even begin to describe right above the counter and this was only the first floor! Behind said counter stood a rather thin looking man, broad shoulders, with a smaller face, but a smile so kind and warm, one might've thought him a parent welcoming his children home. He was taller than both of them by FAR and wore a certain elaborate coat of purples and blues, the softness of which could not be overstated as with his baldness.

"Welcome to Krem's Oddities!" The man grinned, spreading his arms wide as if to encompass his shop. "I am Krem, pleasure to meet you!" He extended a hand, first to Silver then to Aeizith. Whether or not the elven girl took the man's hand, the little dragon would not, his sanguine eyes shifting from his palm, to his face, back to his palm, almost as if he didn't know what he was trying to do. In reality, the young dragon had sensed something was off here... something that felt... strange... It was probably just the oddities around here but still... Eventually, Aeizith did return the man's gesture and he smiled widely, perhaps too widely... wide enough to be painful to the average man. In an instant the look was gone and the small-faced man appeared just as normal as he did when they walked in.  Aeizith could feel his body begin to tense up already, frost already forming at his fingertips. As if sensing Aeizith's mood, the shop-keeper's smile waned a bit, as if he knew he had done something wrong.

"Well, feel free to look around the shop! Let me know if something catches your eye!"

"A-actually.... um... w-we're already l-looking for something..." Aeizith managed to say, his stutter seeming to become more pronounced. "I-Its a r-ring.... um.... One by t-the name 'Crimson-Petal...?'"

[Blink]

She was taken back a bit simply from the outer appearance of the shop alone, but once walking inside she was practically speechless. Even with all of the shiny things covering shelves and adorning the walls that were higher than she initially expected Silver was on edge from the moment they walked in. First and foremost the man behind the counter was too nice. Secondly, Silver had lived most of her life in this region and frequented this town often, so why hadn't she heard of this man before?

Holding out a hand Silver extended her own the man shaking it while giving him a curious look. "Likewise." was all she could say before seeing Aeizith start to freeze up a bit. Amazing how even though she had known him for such a short amount of time that she was picking up on how uncomfortable he was as well. She would however say nothing until Aeizith stated what they were looking for.

As subtly as she could Silver flicked a wrist causing a very light breeze to fill the large space. To anyone else it would have seemed like nothing more than a slight draft, nothing unusual for a space this big. It would take a while for the wind to return to her so while she waited she pretended to look at a few of the items near the front of the shop. There were all sorts of jars and vials displayed perfectly in line on many shelves as well as weird creatures in jars filled with liquid and sealed shut. Some of the labels she read were things she had never seen before. Tooth of a werewolf, Tongue of a Siren, Eye of a Mermaid, Blood of a Tainted..... (haha see what I did there XD)

The entire time as she pretended to be perusing she was anxiously awaiting to figure this place out.

[Salzem]

"Oh...? The shopkeeper asked, looking at Aeizith as if he had asked for a weapon of mass destruction. "That kind of ring isn't particularly common to come across... In fact, I believe there are only a few like it in existence... Lucky for you," The man slipped a hand into the leave of the opposite arm, rummaging around in there for a second or two before extracting a small golden ring, one that matched the description of the one he needed exactly. The shopkeeper smiled, almost seeming as if he were trying to be nice, but also trying to hide something beneath the curl of his lips. Aeizith could swear, this man was nothing like what he tried to be... His instincts told him so... Still the little ice dragon couldn't help but stare at the beautiful golden ring and smile just the tiniest bit. He could already feel the loving embrace of the sun upon his pale flesh once again.... "...I happen to have it. Krem held the ring away, wagging his finger at Aeizith as if he had tried to snatch it from him. "Such a rare item doesn't come cheep, you understand.... and money wouldn't quite cut it..." It was as if all the light from outside had faded away into nothing but blackness, nothing visible out there but a small stretch of road leading out from the door of the house into the abyss. It was as if the sun had died out there and nothing but the coldest black swept over the world. They floated in an island of nothing, but if Krem noticed, he didn't seem to care. He simply smiled as a chill ran down the little dragon's spine, Aeizith feeling a strange sense of vertigo as if he could feel the house bobbing on the waves of darkness.

"Silver! We're leaving!" The little dragon commanded, grabbing her by the hand and immediately rushing towards the door. Krem only watched, smiling his salesman smile, as with all Aeizith's unnatural strength, he was unable to even make the door budge.

"Sorry... It's closing time... the salesman's voice seemed to drop a thousand octaves, the store around them starting to warp and twist, various vortexes of what once was books and bottles not mere color dotted the room and in the center of it all, where Krem once stood was a tall, muscular man, his upper body too large for his frame with a faceless, smooth head seeming to glare into them without any need for eyes. "...And no body is let in or out..." Aeizith's body immediately flashed black as his scales shifted over his human-form's flesh, daggers in hand before either of them could react. Aeizith held his twin curved knives in front of him defensively, taking a step forward so that he was between him and... whatever Krem was. The being let out a ghastly chuckle, the noise seeming to emanate from the realm around them.

"And what can you do.... Aeizith...? You're weak... pathetic.... you're own family rejects you..." The demon spoke the dragon's secrets, insecurities as fluently as one would their own interests. Silver there...? She doesn't feel for you like you do for her if she does at all. You're alone...

Before the dragon-vampire could even react, something heavy, powerful slammed into the side of his head, tossing the little dragon far across the warped shop, slamming into the twisting tiles 20 feet away. The creature's massive ape-like fist retracted slowly, twisting at unnatural angles to revert back to it's normal shape back at the monster's side. After a second or two, the little ice-dragon rose to his shaky feet, half of his polished black scales were pushed in slightly where he was struck, some peeled right off his face, laying bloodied on the ground. He said nothing as he raised his curved daggers again, his sanguine eyes glowing in defiance, an eary chill filling the room.

[Blink]

Listening in on the conversation taking place Silver pretended to be examining a jar that contained an odd creature. It seemed as though Aeizith had picked up on the eerie feeling as well, she could tell by his body language. Her theory was then confirmed with he grabbed her by the hand and demanded they leave. Of course she would not argue with him as he dragged her to the door, she was just as ready to leave as he was. And then the man stated it was closing time, but his voice was very much different than it was a few moments ago. "I knew it..." a statement she muttered under her breath. Except she was not afraid by what was happening, more or less she was strangely turned into a completely different person emotionally.

Aeizith did not enter the third hand stronghold with Silver, he would not know how differently she acted when a demon was standing in front of her. In a way all the advice she had given would be thrown out the window as she herself could not keep from loosing her temper. As Aeizith began to shift into a more dragon form Silver herself reached to her sides to grab her daggers and took a defensive stance. It was so like a demon to try and emotionally take them down first, bring up the darkest thoughts and throw them in your face. He even had enough audacity to mention her feelings towards Aeizith.. he didn't know the truth, not even she did.

"That is a lie" each word sharp as it darted off of her tongue and towards the demon. If she could cut simply with words she would have, but even that is an impossible feat. Then the demon smashed Aeizith with an extended arm and caused him to fly across the room. She would have reacted if she thought the strike alone was enough to take Aeizith down but she knew what he was and that it would take much more than that to kill him. This demon had clearly underestimated the two of them and had no clue what or who he was up against.

Studying the way his arms were able to extend beyond the normal lengths of his body Silver knew she would not be able to completely block and elude a direct attack from him. Her normal stance would have been to evade using her opponents natural limits as an aide but she could not do that this time. Instead she would simply have to make it a nuisance every time he came within inches from her body with an electrostatic aura. It only took mere seconds for her to be able to conjure such a feat, and she had even mastered it so much that the demon would not be able to tell until well... until he touched her.

[Salzem]

The demon would have smirked if it had a face, instead leaning it's neck to the side humorously as Aeizith rose to his feet. It wasn't as if he didn't know what Aeizith was... It was his job to know who and what his targets were, the extent of their abilities, and so on so it was a very simple matter to discover what he was trying to hide from everyone else. Kid was a Dragon-Vampire hybrid, a being that the lonely ice-dragon seemingly hated with all his heart and soul. He despised conflict, disliked hurting others and was over all a general softy... but something the faceless demon wanted with his collection... People would pay exuberant prices to get their hands on such a rare specimen, even moreso if he was caught alive... He was actually somewhat impressed the little frost-lizard managed to stand up from a blow such as that, one that would send the heads of normal men spinning. Clearly, he had underestimated them... But he would not do so again. No-Face snickered at Silver's defiance of his comment, very amused at her trying to refuse the obvious truth.

What... You think he doesn't know it? Look at him! It's obvious. The faceless creature gestured towards the black-scaled dragon with his hand. Aeizith said nothing, his head slightly bowed low. He's in love with you, girly... You don't need me to tell you that. Sad thing is... You'll be dead... and he'll be a nice addition to this stor- In an instant, Aeizith was gone from his position, reappearing behind the demon as the curved blades plunged into the back of the monster's neck and out the throat, hooking into windpipe and ripping it further, but causing not a drop of blood to be shed. Before Aeizith could do any further damage with his weapons, the demon sent him flying backwards with a mighty pulse of invisible magical energy, nearly crushing him against the floor. Luckily, the little dragon's speed and agility played in his favor as two black leathery wings erupted from his back and spread wide, catching the air and slowing his movement just enough so he could land on his feet. The warping ground cracked beneath the pressure of his landing, causing it to remain still for only a moment. the little ice dragon rose to his feet slowly, his wings spreading wide behind him as a cold, icy blue aura began to emanate from his flesh. Even with his daggers lodged in the throat of the demon, Aeizith was far from defenseless. Ice began to harden around his fingers, growing into long, curved icy claws on each one, gloves of death that were likely more damaging than the weapons he'd lost. Aeizith lunged at the monster with a flap of his powerful wings, crossing his arms across his chest before unfolding them quickly in an X-slash the instant his claws got in range. Unphased by Aeizith's previous attack, the demon quickly side-stepped the weaker being, his arm extending, slamming down into the ground below Aeizith before springing back up and smashing him in the stomach with a fist as if it were a spring. The force of the blow alone was staggering, stunning, causing the little ice dragon's breath to leave him before another fist smashed into his cheek, breaking a few more scales and sending him tumbling into one of the warping shelves. No-Face then turned to Silver, his smooth, expressionless head seeming to smile sadly before he lunged at the girl, his fingers protruding past their normal length, looking to impale themselves in her chest as if they were arrows. They were moving faster than Silver could move to dodge, her electrostatic aura barely slowing them down... Suddenly, they stopped just short, something holding them back at the base. Teeth... Aeizith was there, blood running down the side of his head with his neck long and serpantine, his skull in it's long draconic shape. His dragon-fangs plunged deep into the demon's flesh, crushing bone and ripping muscle but that was only where the pain began. Icy spikes jutted out from within the demon, exploding further and further up his arm, approaching his shoulder before... it fell off. No-Face slipped away as his arm came loose, a new one growing in it's place within a matter of moments. Even after all that, he seemed relatively unfazed.... perhaps even satisfied.

You see my point. No-face said seriously, looking in Silver's direction as Aeizith spat the arm out. He won't even let me touch you even after a blow like that... Shame he'll never tell you himself. Kid's a coward. And Aeizith said nothing.

[Blink]

Silver watched on as the fight between dragon and demon ensued. She was clearly outmatched and she knew it but it would not shatter her determination. As Aeizith fought with all his heart so would she, even if she knew the truth. It didn't take long for the demon to turn his sights on her and instead of running or even trying to dodge she stood tall waiting for his hand to impale his chest. Well if your going to go at least you will go down fighting was all she could say to herself as she counted down the milliseconds for the hand to close in on her, but it never made it.

Stopping just centimeters from her flesh the hand was taken by Aeizith's mighty jaws halting the assault in its tracks. The demon then began speaking to her once again telling her how he thought Aeizith felt about her. This was so like demons, saying and doing anything they could to distract you. "Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up!" her screams seemingly traveling farther than normal. Whether she wanted to admit it or not the demons words had indeed struck a nerve within her and she was beginning to show it. With each scream escaping her mouth it seemed as though the natural electricity surrounding her intensified greatly. It was very visible now as unpredictable jolts began to spit off of her skin and then dissapear a few feet from her body. "You know nothing!" her declaration growing louder with each passing step she took towards him. "So just shut up already!" the last words before several more large bolts of electricity began to emerge from her trickling off in unpredictable patterns.

The sound alone the electricity was making was deafening to sensitive ears. But it wasn't so much what it appeared to be doing to her surroundings but more so about what it was doing to her itself. Her body began to seem more unrealistic as if flashed in and out of focus closer and closer to the demon and Aeizith. Her steps were more of a blur as she gathered the last bits of bio-electric energies she could, sucking them in like a black hole and her body its host. If the demon tried to hit her again she would simply dodge the attack as her body now responded and reacted at speeds almost faster than light itself. Even her blades seemed to be pulsating with an aura all on their own.

She did not have the abilities to end this damned creature permanently, but she did believe that if she timed it just right that she could burn this ass where he stood. Fire was one thing but nothing compared to the heat of electricity pulsing threw your every muscle and nerve. If the demon were more human she would have already ended him, knowing exactly where to hit to stun him to death. But this 'being' could reconstruct limbs and take fatal blows to the neck where precious arteries should have been. It would not be that easy. As she continued taking steps closer and closer the air began to pick up around her whipping past her and towards the demon but with it was the force of hundreds of daggers to slice at his flesh. This was how she would figure out where to hit him. Whichever wound healed last... and when that last wound would begin to slowly heal Silver would strike him down with everything she had.

Sending out a charge greater than anything she had sent in a long time a bolt of energy propelled towards the demon's slowest healing wound as she herself tried to stop him on her own. She didn't want Aeizith to go through this anymore... she didn't want him to feel the pain of killing another being on his heart again. She was doing this for him... and if that didn't reflect how she truly felt well.. then nothing would.