The Hearts of Men (1x1 with Eternal Chronicler)

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Tia------------------------------------------
------------------- Anjez

The sea is my life

"Answer to who you choose to answer to," Tia said, a flash of something in her eyes that could not be labeled. "And it is you who is called by one that you have not answered to before," She bent to pick up the blade but recoiled at its touch and stepped away, looking curiously at the blade. "As for Jack, you must accept that he will always love his ship, the ocean, freedom, but you must also remember that he also feels great love for you, more than he shows," The woman looked away, back to the ship, moving slowly up and down in the port.

[OutrageousObliviousCats:]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

}------Fienna Morael------{

I have seen many falls.

Many deaths, countless uprisings.

Even now, it calls my name.

And I have answered.

Death comes unto me,

But I do not repay Death...

I pay it forward.

Fienna stepped out from a nearby shadow, her scythe nowhere in sight. The single greatest relief to her was that Tessa did not immediately set about to her guard, though the woman maintained a healthy distance all the same.
"Something far too many lack, as it seems. The difference between a child and an adult, Tessa Orinae... is whether they can stand to act when the time comes. My question then, is which are you?"
The shaft of her scythe appeared in her hand behind her, though it remained bladeless, her appearance suggesting neither raised guard nor hostility.

Obliteration On Cheetos:
 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Tia------------------------------------------
------------------- Anjez

The sea is my life

"You have no place here," Tia said, the harshness of her tone accentuated by her islander accent. "Leave us be," Her eyes hardened with fury, the seemingly shifting blue of her eyes honing into a deep blue, nearly black in color. She made no move towards her weapon, but her stance was not friendly, or inviting. It displayed a hard defiance and a hidden nature, one that eluded sight and thought.

[OutrageousObliviousCats:]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

}------Fienna Morael------{

I have seen many falls.

Many deaths, countless uprisings.

Even now, it calls my name.

And I have answered.

Death comes unto me,

But I do not repay Death...

I pay it forward.

"No... she's right."
Tessa held out her left hand to Tia, as if to stop her but her movement was so weak it could not begin to accomplish the task if needed to. She relaxed her right hand and winced slightly as the blade shattered on the surface below.
"If I cannot stand up for myself, then who am I in the end but a lost child in search of her mother? Fienna..." She looked up to the other, "if you have not come to kill me, as your words and actions lead me to suspect then why are you here?"
Fienna shrugged, turning away and drawing the shaft out as if to indicate Tia.
"Evidently I have no business here. A pity, too; I would have enjoyed making my intents known."



Obliteration On Cheetos:
 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Tia------------------------------------------
------------------- Anjez

The sea is my life

Tia's gaze grew sharper as she studied Fienna. "Your mind games hold no charm, either state your intents or leave," She said with the same tone as before. She looked back to the ship, to the tavern, to Tessa, and back at Fienna. "Well?" She asked, tipping her hat up more on her head, allowing her to watch the girl closely, unbladed scythe or not.

[OutrageousObliviousCats:]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

}------Fienna Morael------{

I have seen many falls.

Many deaths, countless uprisings.

Even now, it calls my name.

And I have answered.

Death comes unto me,

But I do not repay Death...

I pay it forward.

Fienna turned to Tia, smirking slightly. She lowered the shaft of her weapon and held it idly behind herself, blade forming at the lower end.
"Very well then. If young Tessa hasn't told you already, I am the daughter of Saedhe Morael, often known as Death himself. The only reason I'm doing any of this damned henchmen's work for Illumine is because she holds enough power to force me to follow his steps in his own practice. I am not so fond of dying as one might think, but her allegations that she can raise my father disgust me. I would rather see her pay for what she has done than atone for it. As it is she has reason to be wary of me, but you would be surprised how easily I can exact my vengeance with a little evident submission until she's dead. All I need is a single blade, a show that supposedly she has my loyalty. No more than a day later, she finds a draining scythe in her back, I return the blade, we're all fine. You would be without myself nor she on your tail, Tessa but for the duration you would be caught without your weapon and companion."

Tessa did not even move, but she did step back to and crouch down at Seriel, hovering immediately over its edge.
"What reason do I have to trust you, Fienna?" She asked, "What reason is there that I can believe Illumine is being bluffed here and not I?"
"You have none, Tessa. Again I ask, do you have the faith and courage to act in the face of such a doubt? Can you risk your lifelong duty to forever stay the hand of another evil? Or will you fade into distant memory like the rest, forced into it by the hand of Death? Even I am not without reason, surely you know this..."



Obliteration On Cheetos:
 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Tia------------------------------------------
------------------- Anjez

The sea is my life

Tia's breath hitched for a moment. If what this girl said was true, then the threat of the seas becoming captured was unlikely, but if not...And what of the day where the sword was in Illumine's grasp? Tia's gut told her not to, but she found herself nodding, but found a warning jumping to her lips. "If you fall through, there will be the wrath of a goddess upon you," She said, although she did not specify which one. Her gaze however did drift to the sea for a moment with a brief smile.

[OutrageousObliviousCats:]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

--<._.-'--.__Tessa Orinae__.--'-._.>--

So cold...

All the same, all about me.

The wit, the wisdom.

Here I stand,

Here I live...

The truth of a revelation, frozen in fear.

Slowly dying...

"Tell me, Fienna," Tessa said quietly, "how much of a fool do you think I am?"
She picked up her blade and stood, keeping it lowered at her side in a similar fashion to how Fienna's scythe was down. The look in her eyes and face alone betrayed her sheer will.
"You just spoke of the difference between child and adult being the will to act, and now you ask me to simply surrender? Call me foolish, but I would much rather be a fool than a pawn in both your game and Illumine's. If you plan on taking Seriel it will have to be done the difficult way."

Fienna spun her scythe about to her front, the blue energies ever-shifting about the blade. Still quite calm, she merely smiled at Tessa's sudden boldness.
"I see why they looked to you for inspiration, Tessa. Your father would have been proud. Very well, if you will force me to kill you then I will not complain in the least; you would have died anyway."



Obliteration On Cheetos:
 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Tia------------------------------------------
------------------- Anjez

The sea is my life

Tia sighed and stepped in front of Tessa. "Talking about foolish," She said quietly, sharply, before she turned to Fienna. "You act as if it is your duty to deal out death Fienna, and yet you say you have not fallen into the steps of your father," She said. "I am not sad to say that your plans will stop here," She still however, made no move towards her weapons, or towards Fienna. Her eyes did not even cross over the scythe, merely studying the girl's face.

[OutrageousObliviousCats:]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

}------Fienna Morael------{

I have seen many falls.

Many deaths, countless uprisings.

Even now, it calls my name.

And I have answered.

Death comes unto me,

But I do not repay Death...

I pay it forward.

Fienna shook her head slightly, but within an instant her blade had gone entirely blue, and she quickly sidestepped and raised her scythe, hurdling it down at Tessa's stomach and lifting her from the ground with apparent ease, pink wisps of energy flowing from the wound through the shaft. Tessa herself could not even manage to breathe.
"You make a daring argument, although I choose my own path. I will do anything necessary to be rid of Illumine, and your meddling will not stop me."
She swung the scythe to the side, hurling Tessa into a tree but taking care to sever the belt Seriel rested on. The blade fell to the ground harmlessly.

Obliteration On Cheetos:
 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Tia------------------------------------------
------------------- Anjez

The sea is my life

Tia's eyes silvered as she seemed to disappear, only to reappear behind Fienna, aiming a quick strike at the pressure point in her neck, before flitting away to Tessa, looking over the girl, before her head snapped up to see Fienna. Within an instant, Tia had begun to strike again, this time at the crown hua point, her hand perfectly pointed as she had learned how to. Years of living in the islands, working closely with the mystics, had given her chance to learn how the body worked, and how to stop its energy flow.

[OutrageousObliviousCats:]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

}------Fienna Morael------{

I have seen many falls.

Many deaths, countless uprisings.

Even now, it calls my name.

And I have answered.

Death comes unto me,

But I do not repay Death...

I pay it forward.

Fienna found herself briefly dazed by the sudden strikes, but she quickly recovered and raised her scythe defensively. She quickly stepped to the fallen blade and knelt over it, her hand gripping the sheath tightly.
"I have what I came for, now I see no particular reason to kill you," she uttered under her breath, "I am not as you make me seem to be."

Obliteration On Cheetos:
 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Tia------------------------------------------
------------------- Anjez

The sea is my life

"And my prior warning still stands," Tia said bowing her head and stepping aside. She fixed her hat brim and waited for Fienna to depart, eyes not leaving the girl. Her eyes partially silvered for a moment before returning to normal, the fierceness gone from them. She silently hoped that Fienna would stick to her word and return the sword. For not only Tessa's sake but for hers as well. And for every sea going vessel that would feel the wrath of the sea.

[OutrageousObliviousCats:]
 

[Kares-Eternal Chronicler]

}------Fienna Morael------{

I have seen many falls.

Many deaths, countless uprisings.

Even now, it calls my name.

And I have answered.

Death comes unto me,

But I do not repay Death...

I pay it forward.

"I fear nothing, girl," Fienna breathed, "but I will be watching either way..."
Fienna came back to her feet, blade in hand. The weapon itself glowed brightly, but the girl seemed to pay it no heed. She vanished in a single wisp of blue smoke.

Tessa's fallen figure remained, her injury strangely producing no blood from it despite the grievous wound inflicted upon her. Aside from the faintest rise of her upper back from the ground indicative of her breath, there was no telling she was even alive.



Obliteration On Cheetos:
 

[The_Scarlet_Lark]

Tia------------------------------------------
------------------- Anjez

The sea is my life

Tia chuckled quietly at Fienna's words. "You will know fear child," She said after Fienna had left. Then, she went to Tessa's side and looked her over quietly. She muttered words in an island language and crushed white sage before looking around, eyes wide. She closed her eyes and whispered a different language, one that flowed like water past her lips. A white mist spread from where she placed her hand on Tessa's shoulder. It flowed into Tessa, and spread to the ground around them, healing. Once Tia was finished, she recoiled her hand and looked around, her eyes flitting from side to side, her head unmoving.

[OutrageousObliviousCats:]