The moment he turned to face her and returned the greeting, she knew something was different. She merely returned the smile as she fully sat up. When he turned back to his pack, violet orbs traveled curiously over his form. Her head tilted ever so slightly to catch his words better as he asked about his mask. It was not just his tone that was different but also in the way he held himself and his body language. She noticed it the most when he turned and moved closer to her.
It seemed to her as if he was not as burdened. There was a weightlessness to him that the Eclipse she knew could not achieve. She then realized that the reason why she enjoyed shocking Eclipse was because it was in those milliseconds when his guard dropped enough that she glimpsed something similar to the Tracen before her now. Razhiel wondered at the differences. Eclipse knew she did not know where his mask was.
“Razhiel.” She said softly as he met her gaze and offered his assistance, a small smile upon her lips at his concern. The body language indicated an entirely different person as there was no hesitation when looking at her. She was unsure of what he all knew, her repeating her name would give her a clue based on his reaction since Eclipse knew her name. The smile disappeared. Razhiel was the one to look away first as she dropped her eyes to her lap, the thumb of her right hand running from the palm of her left hand and down her fingers. “I believe you lost your mask in the water when you saved me last night… I am truly sorry.” Though any time she saw him last night, his face was bare and she had not seen the mask despite this she thought her guess to be right. She knew what that mask meant to Eclipse. His behavior last night indicated its importance.
Returning to his offer to help her, she changed the subject. “My jacket was on the cliff. But I am not sure it is even still there.” Besides her heritage and magic, the jacket was her only possession from home. Another illogical attachment as the jacket was neither magical nor powerful except in her regard to it. The more time she spent with Tracen, the more she realized just how illogical she was.
Post by Tracen Tenshou on Sept 14, 2015 3:59:23 GMT
The name introduction threw him off, maybe he wasn't missing as much of the puzzle as he thought, just the last few pieces. Tracen had thought they would have been past the names now, considering they were the only ones on the boat. Then again, maybe trying to hide his identity, was the wrong way to go about this. It felt dishonest in a certain sense. "Tracen," he introduced himself. "The truth is, I don't remember saving you," he admitted, gaze also breaking from Razhiel's, and to the ocean, to the floor. It felt like she could see into his soul somehow.
"Actually, for a while now I haven't been able to remember much of anything, even my name, if not for the Templars that recognized me. Sometimes my short-time memory isn't the best either, and I can't remember how I got there or where I was going. I'm not telling you this for you to feel sorry for me." Pity was the last thing he wanted, which was one of the reasons he had stopped telling people about his memory loss. "What I'm trying to say is... thank you," his eyes flickered from the floor, back up to Razhiel. "Until today, I was never completely sure what I was like, in those times I can't remember. I could do something awful, and never even know it. But if I'm still helping people, then I'm still someone I can be proud of being."
"Sorry for rambling... I know it all must sound pretty unbelievable," he scratched his head. The experience was surreal, but in a happy way for him. It was hard not to share his thoughts, especially with someone he felt an innate bond with. "You don't need to apologize for me losing something. It sounds like it was worth it."
This was the second time the cliff had been mentioned, and from Razhiel's few words and response to his question, he could piece together what he'd been going to do. "I'll see if your jacket is up there. Who knows, maybe I'll even find my mask there too," he smiled. Knowing that he had been helping someone before waking up, maybe he was closer to finding his true purpose. It had always been a guessing game, trying to figure out where he was going or what he was doing, but now he had a clear point he could follow. "Stay here and rest, and I'll be back soon."
~~~
He'd reached the top of the cliff, the climb fairly easy for someone of his strength. Injured would have been a different story, and there was likely no way Razhiel would have been able to make it easily. The sun had risen completely by the time he reached the top, the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks below. A few seagulls called and circled lazily. There were traces of blood and a scuffle on the rocks around him. Conflicting smells confused his mind... some of it smelled faintly of Razhiel, while another predominant smell almost reminded him of himself. “No jacket...” He walked around carefully, even lifting a few rocks. He took his time to look, but it simply wasn't there. Before leaving, he took the time to look out at the sea from the top. It was a beautiful sight, and he could clearly see Hargeon below. And there, in the rocks where the waves crashed... No way, it looked like something was caught there. Was it his imagination, or was it his mask? It was certainly white and he thought he saw a flicker of red, but it was difficult to tell from such a distance.
~~
When he returned, it was to give Razhiel the disappointing news. “Sorry, no jacket...” he had really wanted it to be there, since it seemed like that had been his original goal. “Do you have any other ideas where it might be?” Even if it wasn't there, they could still search elsewhere.
His name gave her what she needed but he took it a step further and admitted to not remembering snippets of time. Razhiel wondered if during these moments, Eclipse was in the dark or if when he ‘took over’ he remembered what Tracen had been up to. Because of her own predicament she thought of them as two people instead of one. But that was not true was it? What happened in the darkened depths of Valland had done this to him. At the mention of the Templars recognizing him, she wondered what position he had held.
At the mention of feeling sorry for him, she almost grimaced. Pity was not something she did and she knew had she reacted that way with Eclipse he would not have opened up to her the little bit that he did. It seemed Tracen felt the same way. It brought to mind more questions. “Life happens. You seem to be doing pretty great with your situation. I am proof of that. Very thankful proof.” Smiling in return, she realized that the softer side of Tracen brought out a softer side of herself and that in itself was troubling. If only because she could not fathom the why and more questions surfaced. Did softer in this case mean ignorant? No. Not quite, she believed.
‘Pretty unbelievable.’ If only he knew. It was more believable than he thought it was. She wondered at the curiousness of it being her who knew both sides to Tracen. And why did she feel a sudden responsibility especially when he mentioned being someone he could still be proud of.
“Thank you and I won't go anywhere.” A smaller smile at her own joke as he left to climb the cliff and search for her jacket. Her mind wandered back to her time in Magnolia. That was the reason why Eclipse said the invitation to hunt was only with him. What exactly did Eclipse remember that made him want to hunt dragons and dragon slayers?
The moment he left she tossed the blanket off. Rest. Right. Besides nature calling, she needed to stretch and see how well she could move before they reached Hargeon. The fisherman gruffed at her but he seemed to sense her determination and kept his muttering to himself. The standing part was probably the hardest and she had to hold onto a pole until the dizziness left. Yes, definitely preferable that only the strange fisherman saw her. She understood quite well not wanting to be pitied or especially worried over. It was not the last time she would be silently cursing the dragon within.
Clearing her mind and taking a deep breath, she began to walk towards the few steps into the mini cabin below which really only held a bed and a curtained area to do said morning business.
It went relatively well. She got down the steps with only a light sweat, did what she needed to, drank enough water to fill a trough, finger combed her hair, wished for a bath-which was rare- and made it back to the steps before trouble hit. Going down stairs was easier than going up. Razhiel was too irritated to try to make sense of that.
When Tracen returned, Razhiel was sitting with her back leaning against the pole, eyes closed. “That is alright. I appreciate you making the effort of searching for me… Someone grabbed it I assume.” Eyelids lifted, violet orbs focused on Tracen. “You saved my life and the jacket, while sentimental to me, is inconsequential.” Compared to her life it was not important, though that did not mean she did not care for it. However, she did not want to tell him that either the Templars or a dragon slayer she started a fight with had it. Her luck, it was the latter of the two. “Did you happen to find your mask?”
Post by Tracen Tenshou on Sept 19, 2015 6:20:35 GMT
Even though Razhiel told him that it was alright, Tracen just wanted to find her jacket more. Doing any less felt like leaving things unfinished. If he had helped Razhiel thus far, it only made sense to see it through until the end. On the question of where the jacket could be, however, she was surprisingly unspecific. He wasn't sure if she was withholding information on purpose, or if she had forgotten that he lacked memories of any interaction with her. "It's not inconsequential," he held her gaze. The attachments he felt towards his spear and mask were likely more pronounced than others with their items, but he didn't think that feeling was exclusive to him. "Although people change and grow through different seasons of life, important possessions are prints of specific moments for that individual. That history, tied to a symbolic item, is pretty much part of your identity."
He realized he was probably being more serious than he intended, becoming a bit self-conscious and running a hand through his hair, breaking his gaze with Razhiel. "Well, that's what I'd like to believe," he tried to leave it as a simple opinion. Opinions had gotten him into some fights with strangers. The thing was, he spent a lot of time thinking about a lot of simple things in life, and what made something important. He could be wrong, but it was hard not to share what he was thinking. And if he was wrong, he preferred an alternative view, rather than an outright hostile response. He wasn't trying to question anyone's respect or credibility, even if it was taken that way.
"Actually, that hike gave me a pretty good view. I might have found the mask, or maybe just some flotsam," he returned to an easier subject, one that was difficult not to be excited over. He was trying to keep his hopes low, since the chances of it being his mask were equally low. The ship was already moving, towards where Tracen thought he'd seen his mask. It was on the way to Hargeon, so even if he was wrong, he wouldn't be steering them off course. "I guess we'll see soon enough. What were you planning to do in town? If you don't have any friends there, I can help you at least to the inn. You're going to need some time to recover before traveling again." With what little he'd pieced together, combined with Razhiel's scent, Tracen still planned to look for her jacket when they got to Hargeon. A jacket couldn't have traveled very far in a short time. And of course, he would need to search for his mask too if he was wrong about its location.
Razhiel listened quietly, violet gaze upon the waves as the boat travelled closer to shore. A particularly hard bounce on the water had her bracing her hands on the planks beside her. He was passionate about possessions. In a way she could understand. Tracen’s only impressionable memory was that mask. He may not understand why it was important to him but he knew it was. It was there every time he ‘awoke’ from the darkness that claimed him at times. When he tried to downplay it, she turned her head to him and replied just as seriously. “I agree. Especially when you have no one.” Her jacket was important to her but his life was more important. It was not important enough for someone else to get hurt over. And when you had no one, certain possessions were not only reminders of that part of your life but who you were.
“I was in a fight. The fight was loud enough that it attracted the attention of the Templars which ended the fight. Since the jacket was not on the cliff, it is safe to assume that the person I fought with or the Templars have it. Based on probability, that person would have taken it. He is most likely gone by now. Our paths will cross again; it is only a matter of time.” She was honest. Had she not told herself last night that he deserved the truth no matter how he reacted? Though she had not anticipated the switch of personalities, her honesty in regards to him still held. Razhiel was not sure if Raven would go back to Hargeon. She hoped not. She had to recover for one. For another she needed to recoup and figure out herself. If there were any chance of her making a decent scratch on that slayer than she needed to work together with the entity inside of her. Fighting both Freya and Raven just about killed her.
A smile in response to the possible location of his mask. Razhiel would have searched the entire bay for it or felt oddly guilty for having been indirectly responsible for the loss of his mask. Her gaze had strayed towards the approaching docks when he asked of her plans. “I had no plans exactly. I merely wander a good portion of my time though I tend to navigate towards coast towns and cities when I have no true destination… I love the sea, the water. It is a powerful force of nature, constantly changing the land it touches.” It was not just the power that the sea held but the force of will and unforgiving nature. One did not tame the water.
At the mention of friends, the left side of her mouth turned up as she turned her head and regarded him. “You are my only friend Tracen.” For a man who, for all intents and purposes had just met her that morning she wondered how he would react to that. The first time they met in this land she had vowed to destroy those who would seek to reclaim him and she had meant it. Besides her father, he was the only other person she had taken a knee for, now that was interesting and something she had not considered before. Amusing was her current feeling. Saving her life last night and the resulting conversations just solidified the bond she felt towards him.
Post by Tracen Tenshou on Sept 25, 2015 19:07:28 GMT
She seemed aware of his hesitance, even speaking up to make sure he knew that she agreed. Tracen was honestly relieved that he hadn't sparked a theoretical war, but more than that, Razhiel seemed to take him seriously... and was paying attention even to small details. He nodded shyly, also not quite sure how to respond to her 'especially when you're alone' part. It was true, he was very much alone, and it sounded like Razhiel was in the same position. Quietly he listened to her more thorough explanation of events. If it was a fight that had attracted the Templars all the way up on that cliff... it must have been quite the scene. It was probably safe to assume that Razhiel wasn't friends with the Templars, because otherwise she could have gotten help from them instead of Tracen. But they would be easier to check first than the person who Razhiel fought against. Either way, starting the search in Hargeon sounded like the best plan.
“He sounds like a jerk. Not only hurting you, but taking something away to make you chase him.” Assuming that's what actually happened. But it certainly seemed like a good possibility. As they approached the docks, the boat slowed down to the rock where Tracen thought he'd spotted his mask. There was certainly something there, wedged between the rock and the wave, still difficult to discern what exactly. The boat got as close as it could without dashing itself upon the rocks, Tracen taking out his spear and using it to prod the caught item. “I love the ocean too... even when it works against me like this. It seems like it's alive, stretching out to take the rest of the land with it. Even the sky and winds behave differently under the sea's gaze.” His spear caught the end of the item; carefully he shifted his weight and began to pull it in closer.
It was indeed his mask. He grinned faintly as he took it properly into his hands again, the eyeholes staring back up at him. Using the edge of his shirt he wiped off some of the water, it was still going to be a bit wet and some of it had faded... but it was clearly his mask, and he was grateful to have it back. It really was like having a piece of himself, and he didn't want to lose it ever again, even if he didn't plan on wearing it.
“You are my only friend Tracen.”
He stopped what he was doing completely, looking up and meeting her gaze with pure bewilderment. As if somehow he could see the truth of what she really meant. They'd just exchanged names only moments ago. But there was a weight behind her words, that she meant it in a way of taking care of each other. Again he thought that this was not their first meeting. She knew him better than he knew himself, and was willing to trust him as a friend, even if he couldn't hold the same memories of their time together. That was what he felt, even if he couldn't prove it.
“Then I'll take good care of you,” he promised, smiling warmly. If she trusted him that much, he had to become equally dependable. If she was alone, then he would stay with her. “At least, until you don't need me anymore.”
‘Taking something away to make you chase him.’ That gave Razhiel pause. Why would Raven take her jacket? She was sure that he had. Maybe the Templars had it. But if Raven had it, why would he not have just left it there? So it was ensured they did meet up again? But why? It is not like he exactly welcomed her presence. If anything, he was angry and distrusting. Rightfully so on both accounts since she did attack him.
About to comment saying she attacked him first, she stopped. It was a complicated mess. While she did attack him first and ensured he got angry enough to take her seriously, when Raven did get serious she hesitated and it cost her. Maybe it was what she needed to push her in the right direction.
As Tracen spoke of the ocean, adding his own description she smiled thoughtfully. It was like he took how she felt when she looked upon the fierce water and put it into words that she could not. The ocean was an entity in its own right. It demanded respect and there in laid its beauty.
When he pulled his mask from the water, she felt immensely relieved. Why? Was it because she felt indirectly responsible for the loss of it in the first place or was it because she did not want to see Eclipse off balance again? Given his behavior with just her and the fisherman on an isolated boat, she could not imagine his reaction had he been in the middle of a town without it. Maybe it had more to do with vulnerability and her fear of it and not wanting to inflict it upon others, indirectly or not. At his bewildered stare in regards to her statement of him being her only friend, she wondered if she being open in how she felt may be a mistake. After a moment, his genuine smile had her responding in kind. His own promise and sincerity left her surprised. The feeling of trust and safety she felt by his promise caught her quite off guard and slightly out of breath. She nodded with a small smile, unsure of her voice and what she would say in return. The sudden quiet as the fisherman turned off the boat motor had her glancing around.
The fisherman guided the boat, softly and slowly to the nearest dock. The boat drifted slowly forward until it pulled up beside the dock neatly. The man deftly jumped from the boat to the dock and began to anchor the boat to the dock cleats via lines.
The blanket was folded neatly beside her as she stood, slow and sure without tightening her upper body muscles. Her control was good enough that her expression remained neutral, a very slight tightening on the corners of her eyes the only giveaway. Her breathing steady, hand using the pole as support. She closed the distance between Tracen and herself, hands held out with the palms up. “May I?” Razhiel asked, eyes on the mask in his hands. Without waiting for an answer she gripped it gently. Ensuring he was not holding the mask, she focused the little amount of magic she had left that had built up over night into her hands. The technique she used now was similar to what she used to explode trees but on a much smaller level with a greater amount of control. The intense heat from the small sparks dried out the mask. Moisture beaded on the surface in which she used her sleeve to wipe away. Letting the magic go, she placed the now dry mask back in his hands and smiled up at him. “The least I could do.”
Post by Tracen Tenshou on Oct 16, 2015 18:42:18 GMT
The ensuing silence after his last words was more of a comfortable thing for him, the ocean filling in the gap of silence. Razhiel had been more on the quiet side from their interactions, so her quietness felt natural. The boat docked and Tracen helped the man tie it to the pier. From Razhiel's story, Tracen had wondered if they were now on the wrong side of the law. But if that was the case, there were no Templars waiting for them. He gathered his belongings and picked up his mask again, when Razhiel approached him.
It was clearly a lot of effort for her to move so far, as she moved extremely carefully, even if she was good at hiding any indication of pain. He had been planning to come back and help her, considering her condition. A little surprised that she had been so determined to travel to him, he wordlessly handed the mask to her. He had no idea what she would do with it, but he trusted her. Magic was common but the amount of control needed for such a delicate operation was precise. And probably a lot more effort than it was worth, since Razhiel should have been resting.
“Thank you,” he accepted it back gratefully, meeting her eyes. It was ultimately her call to decide what to give, and to him the effort and thought behind it was what made it valuable. Instead of putting the mask on, however, he stowed it away in his pack. He stepped onto the pier, turning back to Razhiel. In response to her question, he offered his hand to help her take the step up. Like he said earlier, if Razhiel needed him, then he would stay for her however long she needed.
