A devil's requiem

[Anonymous]

It was another day, and Griever, as usual, was bored. He had been tossed out of every tavern and pub, and he was still sober. It was times like this that he truly loathed his own immortality. He had sat himself along the edging of a local cathedral, and watched as the townsfolk went by. He watched for a few hours, not moving a muscle. He was unsure exactly how much time had passed before he finally leaped from his perch, but it made little difference to him.

He casually began walking down the street, taking note of the fearfull glances he recieved as he passed by the townspeople. Although he couldn't say he enjoyed such attention, it didn't bother him either. Griever continued to watch ther faces, but failed to watch where he was going, and in a blind move on his part, he accidentally ran into another individual.

[Anonymous]

Satu always felt weird waltzing around Connlaoth. Too many humans. Was that it? No...she was used to crowds of any sort. Too many sticks up arses? Yes, that was the likelier answer. She rarely performed here for fear of accusations flying regarding her main art. Sure, it sounded silly, but the majority of Connlaoth was no stranger to pointing fingers.
Satu had mage friends here, but she always felt like it was a huge imposition to see them, therefore attracting so much attention to them, and so she didn't. She simply found herself there often, during those weeks with no direction when she'd made more money than usual.
It was a shame, really. Beautiful landscape.

Usually, the red-headed elf stuck out like a sore thumb in the streets of Reajh, but today there was one more defined person roaming the street. The swarthy-skinned young woman, standing at 5'6", did not have a foreboding presence, to say the least. Unfortunately, while Satu was occupying herself with the pros and cons of the place, striding forward with leather pack slung across one shoulder and onto her back, she took no notice of the increased amount of staring that was not dealt in her direction for once.

Due to the fact that her mind was crossing the border into the Sionad Tundra about now, Satu did not look where she was doing. Due to the fact that she did not look where she was going, Satu hit a rather tall, rather large stranger head-on. With an interesting little "gah!" noise, Satu stumbled shortly before falling directly onto the ground. Sitting up, she placed a hand above her eyes to shield the sun's glare, raising her gaze up to the stranger.

"Hey, you think you could level your eyes with the crowd next time?" She said, irritation apparent in her tone, and narrowed her golden eyes at him until the silhouette faded into a person. A big person.

[Anonymous]

Griever backed up after he had run into the woman and shook his head slightly as if he were coming out of a lackadaisical trance of some sort, bu he quickly brought his focus to the woman who seemed less then pleased with his lack of attention. "I apologize..." Griever said, but his cold  
persona prevented him from giving his words any meaningful sincerity. Griever took a moment to scan the woman, looking her over slightly as he continued to speak. "...I became sidetracked; this place is rather dull isn't it...?" Griever said, but in his mind, he was somewhat curious as to why a woman such as herself would be here. She stuck out rather badly, but then again, so did Griever.

[Anonymous]

Dusting herself off once her feet were back on the ground where they were supposed to be, she adjusted the leather pack, the contents of which clanked against each other with a series of light metal tangs.

"You could say that," she said, tearing her eyes away from the ground and letting her gaze travel up, up, up. He certainly cast a shadow, didn't he? Satu tilted her head to one side, taking no measures to make it seem as if she weren't staring - studying the striking paleness of his skin and overall phantom-like appearance.

"You could say a lot of things about Connlaoth, chances are they'd be correct," she said, sighing. "With the norms here, I think the two of us standing within close proximity at all will be giving everyone a headache." Satu, unsatisfied with the positioning of the strap, took of her pack and opened it up to take a look inside. As she reached in the sort a few things out, the sun glinted momentarily off a glass bottle of bright orange-red liquid. Resealing the bag, she threw it over her shoulder and re-situated the strap, looking back up to him.

"If you don't mind my asking, what are you?" she asked. The pointed ears gave an obvious hint, but he looked so peculiar that she simply thought she'd ask.

[Anonymous]

Grievers head fell sightly as she asked the question. That was something that even he wasn't certain of; not a mortal, not a devil; his identity had been veiled somewhere between them. His lineage was that of a moon elf, but after his execution and resurrection, he could not qualify himself as such. He looked up at the woman (or down which may have been the case) and looked solemnly into the woman's eyes. those hypnotic eyes. "I am many things..." Griever said as he voice seemed to fall to a somewhat saddening pitch. "...and yourself? I have never seen an elf other than those of the moon."

[Anonymous]

Satu blinked, pursing her lips slightly. It sounded like some one needed some serious cheering up, she thought. "I'm not sure either, really. I'm what most people would classify as a Wood Elf, but woods have nothing to do with me. I'm from Essyrn. Desert Elf, I guess?" She grinned. Satu had never heard of Moon Elves, which struck her as odd - but then it didn't. These days, she spent much more time in cities than in rural communities where elven people usually resided. No crowds there - more interest in work than entertainment. Cities were lovely centers of everything and everyone imaginable. Satu much preferred them.

"You have wanderer's sight, too. Walk with me, stranger," she said brightly, practically dancing around to his other side as she began to walk again, glancing back and gesturing for him to follow. "My name's Satu."

[Anonymous]

Griever was almost awe-struck by this woman; such joy she held, such hope. He envied her. As she danced around him, he turned his head slightly to keep her in his sight. 'a dessert elf?' Griever thought, as he turned to face Satu. Whoever this woman was, she was exactly what he needed. "...After you." Griever said, trying his hardest to crack a genuine smile, but only mustered an egregious, facial expression. He sighed lightly at his failed attempt, and only after that, did a more natural grin creep across his lips. He followed behind Satu for a moment, but quickly  caught up, walking side by side with the woman. "Tell me...Satu." Griever said, "Why are you here?" Griever asked. He normally never talked this much, especially to a stranger, but her spirit awoke something within him that he could not dismiss. He was interested to see what possibilities would come of it all.

[Anonymous]

"I'm passing through for a few visits with old friends, but they live in the mountains. Reajh is my stopping point for the night on my way to Arca. I'm basically just wandering around until I run out of money and need to do another show." Satu rolled her shoulders back, taking in a breath. The air and atmosphere was different past every border, she thought.

"I'm a fire eater-dancer-breather. It doesn't settle well with most people here, even if it hasn't anything to do with...well, you know. What about you?" Satu side-stepped two children, one running after the other, caught by their mother and shoved off from the crowd. Satu and the tall man had created an open, moving space within the traffic of the people who weren't willing to get more than two feet from the imposing figure and his fluidly stepping little escort.

[Anonymous]

"I do anything that needs to be done..." Griever said plainly,"...A jack of all trades, if you will..." Griever said as he scratched the back of his head. He couldn't believe himself; here he stood, conversing more with Satu, a woman he had met moments ago, as though they had actually known each other, but then again, the fact that he was talking this much was already far from his character. He couldn't explain it, but for the first time in a long time, he felt something besides grief, and whatever this was, he didn't want it to end.

Griever finally snapped out of his daze, to realize that he drifted off for a few moments. He looked down and watched as the children scampered between them. As he looked at the people that surrounded him, he began to truly realize how much he and Satu stuck out from the norm of this place, but in the midst of his thoughts, a dark presence manifested itself within him.

'Such wretched things....kill them.....'   The voice echoed within his mind, calling endlessly for the blood of those around him. Griever clutched his head for a moment, but did so casually as to not draw attention to it. He shook his head slightly, and returned his attention to Satu. "...I'm sorry, I haven't even told you my name." Griever said, "My name is Asura..." Griever's mind raced after the words escaped his lips. He had abandoned that name long ago, and yet it escaped his lips so naturally. He began to wonder what this woman was. A mage, a sorceress of some kind, enchanting Griever under a spell of some sort. "...The world knows me, as Griever." He said, the last thing he wanted was to remember his past; no, there was no turning back for him.

[Anonymous]

"Hmm, I prefer Asura, I think," she replied, opting out of mentioning his pause. Satu tapped one finger lightly at her bottom lip, placing her other hand at the elbow of the opposite arm.

"I wish I had more than one name. My father used to call me Meeka, which to my people means "little thing of no importance" - but that was just to make fun of me, though it's the closest I've ever gotten to being anything but Satu." Names were funny things, she thought. Only sentient beings, who were supposedly the rulers of the earth, needed them. They could be curses or blessings. Either way, names were always followed after with such desperate need.

Satu's eyes scanned over Griever once more, though she didn't turn her head until she spoke once more. The sunlight constantly played with the golden hues of her irises, providing insight into her thoughts. Her expressions were very animated - even when she was silently thinking without real expression of disposition. "Some people say I've done alright for a girl, but you must travel an awful lot to have another name."

[Anonymous]

In his mind, Griever chuckled lightly at her words, ' I suppose I have been around for awhile...' He thought, but it was rather his acts that proclaimed his pseudonym more than his grief. He turned his head slightly to look at Satu. Although his face held it's normal expression, or lack thereof, inwardly, he had to admit, he was enjoying himself. "Alright, you can call me Asura..." Griever said. The name still held an uncomfortable sway over him, but he was sure that he would cope.

"...Would you like a nickname...?" Griever asked, "..I think you are much more deserving than, Meeka."

[Anonymous]

Satu smiled like a kid in a candy store, her face lighting up. "I would. But it's hard to give some one a nickname when their name is so short and to the point. Besides that, I can't really think of a word that would define me like a name. If you can think one up, I'd be impressed," she nodded.

Turning her body sideways to slip around another stranger who'd strayed from the path (this time an older boy with a peculiar expression on his face as if he'd just been scolded and was far enough out of ear-shot of his parent to mumble his protests), Satu brushed past Griever. Because she was paying attention, she avoided bumping him again by about an inch. Her movements were strangely fluid yet totally natural, even when it came to wide gestures and twists or the tiniest shifts.

[Anonymous]

"I'll think of one someday..." Griever said, grinning as he walked. It was clear that he was enjoying himself, and for the first time since his rebirth, it was apparent to those around him. He wondered if fate had predestined this day to take place, or if it really was just dumb luck, but whatever deity or power that was responsible, he held gratitude towards them. "So, anything you feel like doing...?" He asked, as he shifted against Satu in order to slide through a group of travelers.

[Anonymous]

Cool air followed him like a shadow, Satu noticed in the moments they briefly touched. The opposite atmosphere prevailed wherever she went. It was a nice contrast. Satu thought about his question for a moment, looking up to the sky thoughtfully. Then, as if the answer had materialized just in time to fall upon her head, she straightened up.

"I know!" She exclaimed suddenly, reaching over and taking his hand in her own warm grasp. "Follow me," She tugged his hand a bit before wordlessly leading him across the street, left of their previous direction. Her movements were carefully timed with those of the crowd, though she had to stop abruptly a few times to let some off-guard civilian scurry past, clasping his hand with both her at her back to prevent him from shoving forward accidentally. Her golden eyes narrowed in concentration toward the destination as she laughed airily, resuming the trek.

It was easier once they'd come from the street. Satu led him past a few alleyways and through a few right and left turns into one alleyway that wasn't so foreboding. Up ahead a narrow, branching street with a visibly less run-of-the-mill majority running about it could be seen. Satu headed straight for the opening onto the street, lined with shorter, older buildings than the main street where they had met. "It's up here," she noted vaguely, glancing over her shoulder at him. It must have been a sight to see, the slight little thing with her jingling pack leading the way with tall, dark and handsome over there in tow.

[Anonymous]

Griever's eyes widened as Satu tugged him along through the bustling streets, initially, he attempted to pull away out of instinct, but her grip was to tight, and her mind to focused on her target; leaving griever to be the unwilling participant of whatever her whim might be. She dragged him along the city, gaining the attention of countless people as the two ran through the city. He was unsure as to where they were going, but he held no worry of the destination, although an explanation of where she was going would have been wonderful.

Griever continued to forcefully follow as Satu lead the way. '...the hell...?' He thought as he followed, but his lips grew stiff, and all he could mutter was:

"Where...are we....going?" Griever said; his words were scattered on account of Satu's constant jerks and tugs on his hand.