Complete Private ✪ Finweald The Curse That Keeps On Giving

[Lune]

When she changed her appearance, Lune did not think of the larger-scale repercussions. Moonsong was a well-known platinum-ranked adventurer, but right now she's just a random blue-haired woman who somehow has a platinum tag hanging on her neck. How would she be able to take on jobs now? Guildmembers might mistake her for an identity forger and arrest her on the spot.

"... Fuck" She sighed, looking at the headquarters building.

Just walk in as if she belonged in there, and hope the guild receptionists aren't going to be suspicious of a never-seen-before cloaked adventurer? Or maybe she can just sneak into the archives again like she did times before, and try to change her records?

Yeah, might as well try.

Walking into the complex with swift feet, she quickly opened the door to the main hall before bumping into a figure. Yeah, her fault for looking down like an idiot. Not wanting to cause any ruckus (like the Guild Hall has on a daily basis, surprisingly), Lune quickly apologized while still shrouding most of her face behind her hood. "Ah, sorry," before trying to continue on her way.

@Jin

 

[Jin]

He didn't care much about faces, or really for that matter, who was a member of the Guild. Other than himself, and perhaps Zelrius or Toko, anyway. People of consequence, who had useful traits or abilities to him. People who proved invaluable as resources to further his exploration and by proxy, his enjoyment of this vastly unknown world. So just a Platinum tag didn't really attract his attention, much- he had one too, and there were quite a few others who had garnered notoriety since the Isulus debacle.

What attracted his attention when the woman collided with him suddenly, the urgency with which she kept her face hidden notwithstanding, was the way his investigation mode flagged her body. He often kept it on when entering the Guild Headquarters, if only to assess who was strong, or who might be interesting to observe.

This woman fell immediately into the latter criteria.

If she was respiring, it appeared to be a hollow functionality, almost like a force of habit. Her body was pumping blood, but the oxygen flow was abnormal. It didn't regulate her core temperature the way blood and internal organs were intended. She was noticeably cool to the touch.

But that was a reptilian trait, and she did not appear to be any kind of Beastkin.

"Not a problem," he said in a voice slightly louder than normal. "Do try to be more careful, we are inside a building, after all."

He did this for two reasons. The first was to bring attention to her, in case anyone had an idea of who she was, and thereby identify her by listening to their conversation; and to keep her there for a moment or two longer, so that if someone did recognize her they would be able to stop her before she left the area.

@Lune

 

[Lune]

She almost got away before the man spoke a little bit too loud for comfort. "Do try to be more careful, we are inside a building, after all." Recognizing the man as Jin, one of the Guild's prestigious platinum-rankers made her want to walk faster before he could attract any unwanted attention.

"Haven't seen you around here." A pair of gold-rankers approached her, one rudely lowering her hood to reveal a woman with blue hair while staring at her necklace. "Platinum tag, no less."

Shit. The man did this on purpose, didn't he?

"I'm from the Tertoria branch, here for a business."

The way she spoke was so particular, that no one was able to notice that she used Harmonic Magic just by speaking elaborately in tones. Both of the lower-ranked adventurers were quickly affected, and let her off the hook like they were hypnotized. "Oh, right, of course." They walked away, as if nothing of interest had happened.

"You," Quietly growling, she closened the distance to the man to no more than ten inches, slightly looking up to gaze straight at the hemomancer's eyes. "What the fuck do you want?"

If he paid attention, he could sense an absurd amount of lifeforce currently compressed into a small vessel, embedded where her heart should be. The lifeforce started to pour into the rest of her body as she tensed and visibly enraged.

@Jin

 

[Jin]

Tertoria, was it?

His lips thinned into a knowing smile as the other man revealed her face with a quick motion, doing all of the work Jin had intended and more, even as he lingered just out of reach.

No Adventurers came from Tertoria and made their business public. They were the secretive type- a fact that she well knew, given how quickly she leapt to use that to leverage her identity as valid. But to a more observant member of the Guild, especially a more experienced member, that kind of claim only made her more conspicuous.

The application of magic to her voice didn't do her any favors with Jin, either. His investigation mode revealed the fluctuations in her tone and the amount of ambient magic that saturated the subtle susurrations as she gave the unwitting adventurers their unspoken cues to leave.

There were few Adventurers in the Guild today who would dispute her claim, and less who were within earshot. Luckily for her, and perhaps, for the Bloodsworn.

What the fuck do you want?

Jin's expression became one of doubt as she closed the distance between them, and his brows furrowed. It was clearer now that he was able to get close enough to confirm that her body was not giving off heat. There was something out of place, though without a proper inspection he couldn't confirm anything. What he could sense, given his understanding of the vitality and spirit of the body through magic, was that the natural flow was disrupted.

Everything about the humours of the body that made it function did not apply to this woman.

His expression of doubt was quickly absolved by amusement, and he offered a small smile. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean, it was a simple bit of friendly advice." His voice had noticeably lowered, and all attention that had been on them before had scattered to the wind with her dismissal of the two Gold ranks a moment before. "You should always be mindful of where you're going," he continued, "and of who is around you."

As he said this, he further lowered his voice, leaning in close.

"The less experienced members of the Guild aren't informed or qualified enough to question someone with a Platinum tag," he said, reaching into his cloak to reveal his own Platinum tag, letting the chain dangle from his thumb, "but we're among the most notorious members of the Guild. You don't make it to the upper ranks without someone knowing your name or your face, especially at Headquarters. I don't know if you're aware of the consequences for taking the tag from a member and trying to pass yourself off with a false identity, but they are surprisingly steep."

Jin pulled back slightly.

"What I'm trying to say is that you're in no position to be asking questions," he told her, "so I'd like to know what it is that you want?"

And perhaps with this line of questioning, he could learn more about her... condition.

@Lune

 

[Lune]

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean, it was a simple bit of friendly advice."

Said with a small, fake-ass smile. The audacity of this guy, moving even closer to her, leaving only so much distance left between their face. Yet, her gaze remained sharp.

"I don't know if you're aware of the consequences for taking the tag from a member and trying to pass yourself off with a false identity, but they are surprisingly steep."

He said with a low voice, almost whispering while showing his tag. Bumping into Jin, the Bloodsworn was a really big mistake. "I am a member," Lune growled back, with so many teeth showing it almost like she was going to bite his nose. What the fuck was his business? He's not the type to care about Guild rules.

"So I'd like to know what it is that you want?"

There's no way out here without causing a ruckus. Eyes locked with burning glare for what seemed to be almost an eternity before the woman yielded, sighing while taking a step back. "Let's go to the back." She motioned with her head for the man to follow her, popping up her hood back.

They slowly made their way behind the Armory, where no one was around at this time of day. The blue-haired woman then leaned on the wall, arms crossed in front of her chest. "I don't know what to say to you. This is my platinum tag, I earned it. I just come here to do some quests, that's all. Unless..."

The songstress ripped the platinum necklace tag off her neck, dangling it off her hands as if to prove a point. "... You're implying that I somehow took this from a platinum-ranker. You do realize the platinums are a force to be reckoned with, right?"

That should be enough to send the message: If she took that tag, she's strong enough to defeat a high-ranker.

"Which one of the platinums that I took this one from, then?" She challenged his theory, which was probably an excuse anyway. His eyes were scanning her body, every inch of it with an interest.

@Jin

 

[Jin]

He followed her behind the Armory at her insistence. It wasn't that he cared much for her discretion- it would have been a simple matter to make this everyone in the Guild's business. But Jin was more interested in her secret, and if he made them all aware of it, it wasn't something that he could hold over her. No... this way made things much more interesting for everyone involved.

...You're implying that I somehow took this from a platinum-ranker. You do realize the platinums are a force to be reckoned with, right?

"Adventurers die all the time," he replied with a shrug. "And we all know what happens to a person's inventory after the third death." If she found someone's tag after they had been forced to drop all of their items, it was simple to pick it up and make off with it. No, her logic would have been sound... if not for her demeanor.

"If you are who you say you are, then you would have no reason to hide your identity," he made a gesture with his hand dismissing her threat and defensiveness. There was a reason he was confident about his interrogation. "Relax, I don't care whether or not you actually are," he told her, "if you aren't, they will figure it out eventually with or without my prompting an investigation. However, none of that slakes my curiosity," Jin leaned back against the wall, finally looking away from the woman in favor of watching others move around nearby, careful to judge how close they were, and if they could overhear anything being said.

"We both know members of the Tertorian branch have little to nothing to do with the other branches," he added after a pause. "For whatever reason, they don't reach out or keep in contact with Astorea. There's that, and the impressive flow of magic in and around your body," Jin tipped his hand ever so slightly.

"I want to know what you're hiding, because the best thing about this game isn't what you know, it's what you don't... and I can't quite put my finger on what's off about you, but it is most certainly off."

Jin folded his arms and closed his eyes.

"So, if you don't want all of them breathing down your neck and asking you questions, you can simply opt to answer mine." He glanced up at her. "Isn't that a fair deal?"

@Lune

 

[Lune]

"Adventurers die all the time,"

"True. The way she disappeared from this world was easy, yet painful." She played with the platinum tag, tossing it from one hand to another. Yeah, technically this tag was both Moonsong's and hers, and the birth of the monster erased the Lunar Melody from existence.

"There's that, and the impressive flow of magic in and around your body,"

Of course, it's gotta be that. She really need to make suppressing the spiritual pressure a habit if she didn't want to get detected as a walking mass graveyard. "What, being strong is weird now?" The woman chuckled naturally.

"I can't quite put my finger on what's off about you, but it is most certainly off."

She couldn't help but think that the man might have noticed one or two abnormal things about her physiology. Well, she couldn't reveal any of this. Or this would've put her partner-in-crime in deep trouble. And she made an oath. Her face remained calm, waiting as Jin proposed a term that was in actuality a one-way threat.

"So, if you don't want all of them breathing down your neck and asking you questions, you can simply opt to answer mine. Isn't that a fair deal?"

"No," the woman closed her eyes. refusing to make contact with his glare. "Do I look like your little bitch? I'm not here to bend down to your stupid deal." The index finger of her right hand was then raised, indicating that she was not yet finished speaking. "I, however, appreciate the fact that you have an eye for quality. So let's play something more interesting." Lune tied back her Adventurer Guild's tag on her neck.

"Two truths, one lie." The woman smirked at him, seeing if he's gonna play ball. "Three questions, I will only lie once. I only take yes as an answer, Bloodsworn."

@Jin

 

[Jin]

Do I look like your little bitch? I'm not here to bend down to your stupid deal.

A crass woman, yes, but weren't they all? If not their demeanor, then their intentions. He sighed. It appeared the woman misunderstood her predicament. He had her at quite the disadvantage.

It would take only a few words in the right tone of voice to make everyone who was going about their day and ignoring her entirely to suddenly hound her with questions.

Three questions, I will only lie once. I only take yes as an answer, Bloodsworn.

Out of all the more famous- or notorious- members of the Guild, Jin counted among one of the lesser well known. That was by design, of course. While it was true that people knew the title Bloodsworn, it was a rarity for someone to understand its meaning. That did not seem to be the case here; but what did appear to be present was a basic and working knowledge of his identity, and that served to make him even more curious.

"I don't know you," he said, stepping forward from the wall and turning to face her, "but it would seem that you do know of me, though not terribly well considering the manner in which you invoke that title."

Like a serpent coiling around prey, he half-circled her, observing. If she thought his gaze prying before, she would feel naked before it now. "Fortunately for you, I am someone who understands and respects a healthy desire for secrecy," he said, resting his arm across the hilt of the weapon sheathed at his hip. "So I will afford you the pretense of a game to preserve some of that anonymity."

He smirked.

"Because it amuses me more than you simply folding and answering my questions would have," his expression grew a bit broader as he added, "and certainly not because you are... what was it...? Ah, yes. My little bitch, as you put it."

Deals, games... the format mattered little to Jin, so long as he came out with more knowledge than he had before.

"How do you know of me?" he asked his first question of three. Jin would know if she was lying about this answer, because short of knowing someone who knew him directly, there was a very short list of ways people would have heard of him specifically, at least to the point of being able to identify him visually.

He already had a plan to get all of the information he needed.

@Lune

 

[Lune]

The old Moonsong would've broken down in anxiety around that gaze, but she's a different monster now; a literal one.

"I will afford you the pretense of a game to preserve some of that anonymity. Because it amuses me more than you simply folding and answering my questions would have,"

At least he's playing on her terms now. Even when technically she could half-lie on every single question, Lune was confident enough to find out what the man actually wanted rather than just some 'curious knowledge'.

"How do you know of me?"

"We're both platinum tags, aren't we?" She showed her necklace again, this time more of a mocking tease rather than an explanation. What's precise information, yet still vague enough to not give anything out about her? "I've certainly seen you during Red Fever, not sure if you were already a Guild member back then."

"You think you're discreet, but a monster recognizes another monster," She paused, getting off the wall to walk closer to him, putting away her hood so the man could stare into her eyes directly. Up to him if he just wanted some pretty blue gems to look at, or if he could tell that there were no lies, "just from seeing the eyes."

The woman sighed, closing her eyes but maintaining a close distance. "That was a waste of a question. Second question, now."

@Jin

 

[Jin]

She repeated her claim that she was also a Platinum tag as if it held weight he should be recognizing, but for reasons he'd already disclosed, it didn't give answer to his question. If she was a member of the Guild, she had no reason to hide her identity. Jin smirked as he continued to circle her.

Then she mentioned the events of Isulus, almost as if that were proof enough that she'd been there. But that wasn't necessarily the case, was it? She could have been there, or she could have been well informed. Regardless, it indicated a knowledge either of the events, or knowledge enough to link him to the events. The question yielded far greater fruit than the woman knew.

"A waste, was it?" he asked, filling the gap she'd left by pushing off the wall to approach. Now, she couldn't simply retreat to the safety of having the wall at her back. It was either stand there in the open, exposed, or flee.

And she didn't want the attention. She was completely under his scrutiny. Now, she would feel it, like the hot light of an interrogation room.

"Remember, you only get one lie," he reminded her, "and if that was it, then everything else you say is purely profit for me. But I think we both understand the rules, don't we?"

Just from seeing the eyes.

Oh yes. She was beginning to feel the discomfort. She even closed her eyes to stave it off.

"The nature of the strange magic permeating your body," he said, not breaking form, not missing a beat. "Unnatural. Abrupt. Flowing, but not the way that circulation ought. As if the body is functioning, but its been made to do so through automation... its not Spirit Magic, nor a deviation of blood flow. Your own doing? Or someone else?"

@Lune

 

[Lune]

"Remember, you only get one lie, and if that was it, then everything else you say is purely profit for me. But I think we both understand the rules, don't we?"

"That's why the game's quite fun, isn't it? You never know which one was the lie, or even if I lie thrice, twice, or none at all." She shrugged, moving backward while tilting his head, taunting the man, "Just gotta trust me, I guess."

"As if the body is functioning, but its been made to do so through automation... its not Spirit Magic, nor a deviation of blood flow. Your own doing? Or someone else?"

Well, well. Looks like this newly sculpted vessel was getting attention already.

"So you're interested in my body, should've just opened with that." She laughed openly, pacing around before giving a straight answer without any explanation. "Someone else." The woman paused, gauging Jin's reaction before suddenly adding again. "But I am sustained with Spirit Magic."

Raising her index finger, she waved it at Jin's face while smugly smirking, "If you keep behaving nicely, I'm going to give bonus information like these."

@Jin

 

[Jin]

"Trust? No," he smiled wryly. "Lying is expected," he reached up to stroke his chin in amusement. "It's part of the game's very nature. That's what makes it worthwhile to play." He closed his eyes slowly, then opened them more thinly, the smile on his face more devious than before. "It's almost as much fun as the subsequent process of picking someone apart."

But I am sustained with Spirit Magic.

The things people would let go when given the right bait were astounding. Simply mentioning Spirit Magic was not involved erroneously prompted the woman to verify his suspicion. So, her body was animated- that made sense. But that did not fully answer the question of why it was necessary. It did, however, verify that there was another pair of hands involved in the process. This, then, was not a lie.

If it were her magic that facilitated the disjointed aether that fluctuated erratically through her form, she would have had no trouble hiding it through the same means.

He traced the edges of his lips with his index finger, tapping several times once it reached the edge. At this point, he could ask her for the identity of the caster who facilitated such a spell, but that would undoubtedly prompt a lie from her. That spoiled the fun of the game, because it would be blatant. No, instead, he would ask a better question.

"Why is it that you don't want to be found out?" he asked. While it was true that this was something she intended to hide, it was much less of a secret than the identity of her mysterious benefactor. Because of that, if she did lie, it would at least be a good lie- one tempered with an ounce of truth.

And he could learn more from an ounce of truth than a heaping pile of bullshit.

@Lune

 

[Lune]

"It's almost as much fun as the subsequent process of picking someone apart."

"Mentally and physically. Glad we see eye to eye on that, then." Lune nodded, knowing Jin enjoyed playing her as much as she was playing him.

"Why is it that you don't want to be found out?"

Well, it was a good thing that he asked this question as the final one, rather than just asking outright who made this thing possible. Time to make him think back on which one of her answers was a lie, then.

"Hmm, that requires a little bit of rephrasing. It's not that I don't want to be found out, but it's more that I don't want to stand out. Like you." She put her hand on her chin, thinking, before pointing right at Jin's chest, almost poking it.

"You don't want people to know that a literal nuclear bomb is walking among them, do you? People might get too cautious, or they might try to control me, or figure out how to replicate me."

"I mean, feel free to try. And good luck." She confidently shrugged, but the taunt felt like it was directed toward Jin by the intensity of the gaze and her smirk, and not at the other people she mentioned. The blue-haired woman then went back to lean on the wall.

"And that's three questions, mister Bloodsworn. Are you happy now?"

@Jin

 

[Jin]

"Like me indeed," he mused as she moved to lean against the wall again. He circled outward from his position, facing her directly again as she continued to speak. No... he'd asked the question accurately, and she had been forthcoming, just as he intended. He could have asked more piercing questions, but she would have resisted. Instead, he gleaned what she must have perceived as seemingly useless information, or at least, information that was not imminently dangerous to her.

Fortunately for her, Jin was more interested in the circumstances than in the woman herself. When her finger trailed perilously close to his body, Jin's eyes did not move from hers. His expression did not shift in the slightest.

You don't want people to know that a literal nuclear bomb is walking among them, do you? People might get too cautious, or they might try to control me, or figure out how to replicate me.

At least one of those things was true for both of them. But it was a stretch to call her a nuclear bomb, because her body was built with the intention of longevity, not volatility. He sensed an erratic flow that shakily held it together, but the energy was nothing remotely like a fission reaction. It longed for cohesion.

So she was lying, just not about her circumstances. She wanted to be left alone, so she was presenting as a hedgehog did with spikes. Adorable, but one would be a fool to reach out and touch it. That was how she deigned to be perceived.

I mean, feel free to try. And good luck.

"I have no interest in depriving you of your independence," he replied. "I have everything I wanted from this conversation." He touched his fingers to his lips, hiding the soft chuckle that came at her expense. "Do enjoy what freedom you have left, little songbird."

Whether she would realize that he understood how the magics woven over her body worked or not, the comment was laced with no small amount of scathing irony.

And that's three questions, mister Bloodsworn. Are you happy now?

"Quite," he replied as he stepped past her, toward the lobby. He was now completely aware of another user of the Forbidden Arts somewhere in the world. At some point, they would make themselves known, and he would find them, and he would have their secrets for himself.

For now, however...

"You shouldn't bother with trying to hide your face," he offered, "those who would question it would be more inclined to doubt you. Directness, and some tempered honesty go a long way with those in positions of power."

He knew all too well how much those types loved to pretend to be all-knowing, and how they loathed to be kept out of any loop.

"Astorea is unique. They are more readily amicable to strange conditions that beset Travelers. They will keep your secrets, if asked," he paused for a moment, then smiled. "For so long as it benefits them to do so."

@Lune

 

[Lune]

"Do enjoy what freedom you have left, little songbird."

"I will, thank you." Surprisingly, the blue-haired woman appreciated the notion, knowing well herself that even with a technically immortal body, she would soon destroy herself going through this path she aligned herself into.

If she doesn't grow quickly enough.

"Directness, and some tempered honesty go a long way with those in positions of power."

"That shit isn't bringing people anywhere," Lune said in a mocking tone, eyes rolling above. "Power and deception do." What kind of mumbo jumbo was this man spouting? He didn't seem to be the person who has this kind of shitty belief.

"For so long as it benefits them to do so."

"Exactly. They'll toss you once you no longer fit their... agenda." She motioned flicking motion with her hands. "The same with the Guild and Cessia."

"So why are you still licking the King's boots, Jin? I didn't take you for the type that would risk your life playing bloodhound." That one was strange indeed. The nefarious Bloodsworn, departed in the same group as Zelrius during the King's rescue. She almost couldn't believe her eyes when she saw them leaving Camp Hope.

But for now, it's time for her to reap some information. Unlike Jin who did it methodically, tiptoeing around with elaborate questions, she preferred to pry it open directly.

"What secrets are you chasing other than mine, now, Bloodsworn?" She emphasized the word mine, knowing well the man would now try to find this one person.

@Jin

 

[Jin]

That shit isn't bringing people anywhere, power and deception do. They'll toss you once you no longer fit their... agenda.

Jin turned to glance at the woman with an unreadable expression. His eyes moved over her slowly, up and then down, and then back to meet her own. "What power you imagine you have," he spoke in a calm voice, quieter than before, "slips away the moment you refuse to play the game by the rules. The moment they think they cannot trust you, your foothold slips."

So why are you still licking the King's boots, Jin?

"You feed them like the pigs they are, as they frolic about in their own waste, with bits and pieces of the truth. Enough to placate their need to have something tangible to lord over you, enough that they think you will dance to their tune, even if they have to stifle their vomit when dealing with you. You mold yourself to fit, and you conform to that mold whenever they are watching. You do nothing to give them even an inkling that you might step the slightest bit out of line, because the moment you do, any semblance of power you do have evaporates. Because the difference between the power that they have and the power that we do, is that their power is systemic. It's rooted deep in bureaucracy and tradition, and they have fought tooth and nail to make it that way. We, on the other hand, are outliers. Creatures that have made no headway with the Landers, but can be looked upon as worthwhile enough for our ability to contribute in ways that they can't, for fear of their lives. We're cattle to them. Easily slaughtered, easily replaced. We need them more than they do us."

He closed his eyes and smirked again, at last. "If you don't even understand that, yet, the nature of our relationship with the Crown and its associates, if you think for a moment I care about them, then you needn't worry about the secrets I seek after," he positively beamed at her, now. "Focus first on dealing with the enemy you know, and worry less about the enemy you don't."

@Lune

 

[Lune]

"The moment they think they cannot trust you, your foothold slips."

"Trust is indeed important."

"We're cattle to them. Easily slaughtered, easily replaced. We need them more than they do us."

Maybe it was a string of bad luck that brought him to Jin, but he would be a very important asset, if she could win him over. Let's just listen to him and then try.

"Focus first on dealing with the enemy you know, and worry less about the enemy you don't."

"And that is why, the hierarchy must change. I'm focusing to know who's my enemy and who's not."
She nodded, agreeing with him, before slowly circling around the man.

"Bloodsworn Jin, I'm currently working with a group of people. Like-minded people, who shared your view and mine." Lune stopped in front of him, looking him straight in the eye without any signs of animosity. "I'm willing to bet that you'll make a fine addition to this group. No downsides, just people helping others achieve their goals, however wicked that might be. Your enemies will be ours too."

She opened her arms, a gesture of non-hostility.

"Would you consider it in the slightest?"

@Jin

 

[Jin]

He listened thoughtfully as she spoke; if she felt so strongly about it that she would approach him with this kind of proposition, he supposed it would not hurt to simply hear her and give a response. The things she said were the stuff of Anarchists, those who would deliberately turn the system on its head and sew discord. While he had no particular moral qualms with the notion, it did not actively serve his interests.

No, in fact, any manner of destabilization, however short lived was a setback in the otherwise smooth sequence of events that was already in motion. Jin saw no need to disrupt that status quo.

Bloodsworn Jin, I'm currently working with a group of people. Like-minded people, who shared your view and mine.

"Mmmm..." he'd mulled over the words long before he wove them together, but the delivery was deliberately slow, such that it would seem as though he properly considered the invitation. "On the nature of Astorean leadership, we do share similar thoughts," he admitted. "I would sooner trust them with the testing of children's toys than running a nation. However,"

Jin turned slowly away again, raising his arm slowly.

"Over and over the wheel turns," the man said, weaving his hand dismissively in a circle. "At times, you sit atop it, other times you are crushed beneath its weight. The majority of the time is spent clinging on for dear life. Such is the fickle nature of this game you would have me play with you. Whether the current regime sits in power or you manage to usurp their position, there is the delicate balance to be considered. The work that must be done to upkeep a Kingdom, and to maintain it's rule."

"Our visions diverge at that point," he told her plainly. "You see a noble cause, and perhaps you are right to do so. Such is not my concern. The backbreaking labor and sacrifice that go into seeking and attaining such a cause, the success or failure of the venture, and the grueling, thankless torment that is the struggle itself- these are chains I would not take on for any reason."

He smiled back at her, the least mocking smile he had given her since they crossed paths.

"You asked why it is that I continue to remain in the shadows, allowing them their farcical reign- it's because, simply, I wish to be free. And songbird- if you want to live free, you must learn to live quietly. No, I fear, I would not entertain the idea under any circumstances."

He snapped his fingers and held the index up to indicate there were one more point of order.

"However, I wish you well in your endeavor," he said simply, "and please, call me simply 'Jin.' Titles weigh needlessly heavy when spoken."

@Lune

 

[Lune]

"These are chains I would not take on for any reason."

She understood it the most. The real heroes, like Corvella, were never remembered or appreciated. A lot of responsibility, without any of the pay-off. It's a lose-lose situation, though they're looking to remedy the problem by not even trying to play hero at all.

"it's because, simply, I wish to be free. And songbird- if you want to live free, you must learn to live quietly."

"I'm way too deep into this now." She muttered while sighing, knowing her inevitable fate would make it pointless to pretend that she was living in freedom.

"No, I fear, I would not entertain the idea under any circumstances."

"Can't say I didn't try." Well, too bad. The woman shrugged, not pushing the offer further, and respected his decision. If he's not an ally, doesn't mean he's an enemy. Lune was looking forward to growing the group though, so she's quite disappointed. He did point out the key differences between them and declined without hostility.

"However, I wish you well in your endeavor, and please, call me simply 'Jin.' Titles weigh needlessly heavy when spoken."

"Well, names are for friends, and we're not that close yet. But if it's okay with you, I will call you Jin, then." The blue-haired woman reasoned, looking at the Adventurer's Guild members walking in the distance. "You're the one who kept calling me songbird, though. A cute nickname, but way too grim. I don't need to be constantly reminded of my fate." She chuckled lightly, finding humor in the fact.

@Jin

 

[Jin]

He listened to the woman resign herself to the fate that had been dealt to her with an expression devoid of any sentiment. In truth, Jin could not imagine a life where he simply accepted things as they were. Not again. Not ever again. The cogs of fate began to turn so long ago now, the point where Theo ceased to exist and Jin began to thrive was all a blur. The creature who so quickly and readily cast aside his humanity so tilted his head in fascination with her readiness to grapple with the mundane like a child in wonder.

He had watched people break, both physically and mentally, but it still fascinated him to see how much or how little that they could withstand before crossing the threshold. It was apparently that she had taken that final step long before this moment. She was content to be flung across the void at the behest of others, dancing to a tune while someone else pulled at the strings.

Pitiable, however, he had no pity for someone who seemed to embrace their fate.

You're the one who kept calling me songbird, though. A cute nickname, but way too grim. I don't need to be constantly reminded of my fate.

When she said that, however, she earned herself a smirk. "A creature that has not shared its given name ought be called by what it is, don't you think?" he asked, reminding her that she had never shared her name with him, and he had never asked her. In spite of all of his questions and any fear she felt, it had never been his intention to learn who she was.

By extension, a great deal of her secrets were preserved from the very start. Only now did he extend to her the courtesy to decide whether or not she wanted him to know her name. At her own prompting.

"A name is simply a thing which one is called, and assigned value by familial and societal constructs," he told her. "Mine was chosen for its meaning, simply, "man." Because that is what I am. A man."

He gave a quiet chuckle as he glanced once more toward those gathered in the Guildhall. The time crept farther along and the sun cast a long shadow through the doors. "And the power of choice is a great thing indeed," he mused.

@Lune