First Breaths in a New Realm, Pt. II ((obfuscator!))

[Anonymous]

((con't. from Draconi Forest))

"Hehe, come on then." Aya said grabbing Angel by the wrist and pulling him into the portal.

It seemed not a moment later that they appeared on the other side in front of the inn.

"Little disoriented?" Aya said eyeing Angel. "It took me awhile to get used to same-dimension travel...tran-dimension though...thats another story." Aya said with a chuckle.

Angel suddenly felt himself being pulled in. He saw the forest one moment, then the next thing he knew, the two of them were in front of the Sleeping Dog Inn.

True, Angel did feel rather uncomfortable after that little experience, but he shook it off easily. "Nah, I've been through worse," he said. He then eyed the tavern. It was just as he had described. "Well, I'm going in. Wanna come?"

[Anonymous]

"Only if you promise to take me to the guild later..."  Aya said with a chuckle as she followed him in.

[Anonymous]

"Yeah, sure," Angel said. "Just need a bit of rest first." The two of them entered the tavern.

It sure looked like every other tavern that Angel had come across; a bar lined with barstools, tables and chairs arranged neatly throughout the room, a fireplace with a couple more chairs in front of it, and a set of stairs leading up to the rooms.

A burly man who looked aged with wisdom stood behind the bar, cleaning a mug. He saw Angel and another person come in, then put on a tired smile. "Hoy there, Angel," he said, jolly as ever to see him.

"Hello there, Menson," he said with a smile.

"I haven't seen you in months," Menson said. "Take a seat."

Angel sat on one of the barstools and invited Aya to sit next to him. "Have a seat," he said.

[Anonymous]

Aya sat down somewhat shyly as the man called Menson eyed her.  She turned her back to the bar, placing her elbows on it to support her arms.  She looked around the tavern marveling at how different this realm was from her own.  As she scanned the room her glance fell upon Angel.  She smiled and let out a cute, quiet chuckle.

[Anonymous]

Angel smiled back at her, then turned to Menson. "A mug of dark ale, please," he said.

"Sure thing," Menson replied. He then looked at Aya, then looked back at Angel. "Is she that girl you've been looking for over the past twelve years?" he asked.

Angel's face turned red. "N-No!" he sputtered in annoyance. "That's not her at all! I thought you never forget things."

"Ah, I was only kidding with ya," he said, chuckling a bit. He then turned to Aya. "What can I get ya, miss?

[Anonymous]

(sry for the hold up mate)

Aya turned to the man as he spoke to her.  She really wanted some wurmproot tonic, but she doubted that they knew of such a thing.

"Um...just some water would suffice, thanks."

She then turned back to Angel.

"Seems you are quite familiar 'round these parts..."

[Anonymous]

Menson nodded and went to get their orders.

Angel smiled. "Yep. I've been through here once or twice in my travels, and I've befriended a good amount of people here. Maybe I should live here when I'm not leading so mobile a lifestyle.

[Anonymous]

"Seems you'd be quite comfortable..."  Aya then looked down with a saddened look on her face.

"...I wish I was able to go back home."  She said in a barely audible voice.

[Anonymous]

Now Angel's hearing is not on par with the elves' hearing, but he heard the last part Aya has said. "Why's that?" he asked innocently. "Couldn't you just use the Void to send yourself back there?"

[Anonymous]

"Well...I suppose I could, but those remaining from my race would try to seize me for treason.  Of course I wouldn't let that happen.  Theres nothing left for me there anyway."  Aya said looking up to Angel.

[Anonymous]

Angel nodded in understanding. So they were both outcasts...but for completely different reasons. "I see what you mean," Angel said, a saddened expression on his face. "I come from a land that's very far west of this one...and I hope to never return there."

[Anonymous]

"There lies the difference.  You hope not to...I cannot.  I hold the power of a god in this hand..." Aya said raising he gloved hand. "...yet it doesn't change the fact that it was unlawfully obtained through acts of theft and murder.  That is why I cannot return to my home."

[Anonymous]

Angel nodded again. So he wasn't the only one who has committed the irreversable crime of murder for a cause. "I see," he said, a haunting emptiness showing in his different-colored eyes. Simple greed and thirst brought her to murder...but was he not the same? "I wish I could help you overcome that, but...I guess you're right. What's done is done. You can't change the past...nor can you dwell on it forever. Look towards the future and see what it holds for you."

Menson arrived with their drinks. Angel smiled at him, but his eyes still retained that haunting emptiness. He reached into his coat, pulled out a few silver coins, thanked him, and handed them to him. As he did this, a voice inside his head said, Angel, you damn hypocrite! What were you thinking, saying that? You're one to talk, knowing that every week you drown yourself in the loss of your loved one! You don't even know if she's alive or not!

Shut up, mind, Angel thought, taking a sip from his ale.

[Anonymous]

Aya took a sip of her drink and looked toward Angel in awkward silence.  She sighed and turned back to her drink with a look of worry for both of them.  She wondered if anything could ever quell the pain and guilt she felt inside.

[Anonymous]

Angel read that expression on her face. He then tried his best to smile. "Why don't we change the subject?" he offered. "This conversation about murder and not able to go back home is wearing on me a little." He could have sworn that the scars on his body were beginning to ache slightly.

[Anonymous]

"O...ok."  She smiled at his kind nature and then took a sip of her drink.

"Then...tell me the guild.  What do you know about it?"

[Anonymous]

Angel smiled. Knowing that he had an ear for everything, he took a deep breath and began. "Well...the Thieves' Guild is a secret band of thieves who operate all across this continent. Their primary base of operations is in the Niahi Woods, which is not too far north of here. From what I've heard, they operate in smaller bands to maintain secrecy. They'll accept any thief that wants to join, as long as they can prove themselves." He paused, taking a sip of his drink. "That's all I know from overhearing conversations between a few thieves."

[Anonymous]

"Sounds like fun...I'd like to try it...how about you?"

[Anonymous]

Angel shook his head. "Nah...I'm a lone wolf thief these days. Besides, even if I were to join the guild, they wouldn't approve of my ways of thievery."

[Anonymous]

"Oh I see, but is there technically a right thievery?" Aya said with a chuckle after finishing off the last of her drink.