Encounters on the Road

Amora stretches out as she awakens that morning from her position on the grass and dirt that is the ground. She slowly get up without any sound of complaint. Being rather use to sleeping on the ground from that being all she had done for most of her life. She looks around the area slowly and with a analytical gaze as she found nobody, and nothing that could harm her immediately. Amora takes a calming breathe and looks towards the town with a small frown having found it to be not what she wanted it to be. The town in her eyes not having any interesting jobs for her to take to earn whatever these people use for exchanging things with each other. She focuses in back on her task of what she needs the most in this land. A way to make whatever the currency is, an ally that she can trust to not pounce on her in the middle of the night like a hungry tiger in deer hide, and a way to get stronger. The thing that makes the universe spin being strength, so having that is a goal that must be accomplished quickly.

If you have strength you get to decide who survives, who dies, and who is allowed to join you at your side. Having been raised in the wild this is a truth that Amora knows very well. This truth for her having been formed from her experiences of needing to survive. Amora focuses on her surroundings once more as she starts to make her way out of this area and towards the main roads of this land. Knowing the likelihood of finding a ally would be found at those roads. As she starts to make her way through the trees she spots a figure in the distance an quickly make her way towards them. Hey! who are you? Amora calls out towards the person that she can see. This person making her grin as she get closer towards them. Knowing that they are strong. Just having this sense that she can't explain only knowing they have this aura about them.

Oras walked along the path, thinking about the plant he had analyzed from the job in Beanstalk village.  The plants weren't magic producing, yet there was a form of magic essence that lingered.  Oras was assuming that someone created the plant without magic, and then used a spell of sorts to alter or enhance it's functions somehow.  He had no way of knowing what the properties of the plant was, nor what it's purpose was.  Everything about it was an utter mystery to him.  Which he didn't like.  He hoped the woman who had assigned him to the job came up with an answer for what the plant did soon.  More thoughts, minds and opinions were always important after all.  With multiple people working together they could probably figure out the purpose of these plants.  There were not natural, but manmade, so the question was what was it's purpose?

That's when he heard movement behind him.  He tried peering through the edges of his visor but saw nothing which meant that they were directly behind him.  He was about to summon an illusion when she called out to him.  Oras turned his head enough to see her through his black visor.  The girl was fair skinned with black hair, and from what he could tell she had just woken up.  Especially obvious with the blades of grass that remained in her hair.  So she didn't sleep in an inn then.  Seeing these details he summarized that she must have been near the entrance and woke up only recently.  This entire time Oras did not cease to walk.  He turned his attention back to the road.  "No one you need concern yourself with miss."

Amora looks the stranger from head down as best as she can. Not able to see much about them as she stares them down hoping to find something telling about this individual. As Amora hears your response to her question she shakes her head and just follow right beside you. The response not having been satisfactory for her. So mister where do you seem to be going to? You know that no matter how strong you are. Traveling in even a pair is a much better benefit. Wouldn't you agree? She asks you while walking beside you.

I am not totally useless if that is a worry of yours sir. I am a mage and can defend myself, and i know i don't need to worry about you. From what i can tell from the air around you. You just...feel like you could handle any problem that would come at you. Amora says to you while looking at you. Not really knowing why she has this sense of strength from you. Just know that it is their and she can't help but be curious from that sense, and the clothing you are wearing.

Amora frown a bit at your silence. The fact somewhat irking her as she look towards you. Trying to figure out why you aren't responding, but can't get a single clue at all from the fact that you are fully clothed. She slowly thinks on what this could be, but finds no clues at all from any of your actions on what it could be. The fact she knows next to nothing about this person also not helping in her cause to figure out the why for the silence. Furthermore, having no experience at all in terms of social interactions besides when she was young impeding her ability to understand why people would be just quiet in a conversation.

Thinking back to those Amora tries to think on how they could apply at this moment, but finds nothing that would be fitting. Sighing softly she just remains silent also. Knowing that you will have to speak eventually, and that she has all the time in the world, and not caring that much if you just walk in silence since she just wants a couple things from this. One is her just wishing to travel with someone to maybe see what other mages are like, or if their is a place for people like me, or to make a friend. She shivers a bit remembering briefly the vivid memory of seeing my parents getting stabbed, and then seeing my house in flames when i had looked back for a brief moment when running. This memory coming up from the thought of the word mage coming to her mind as she is reminded why she is out here now.

Amora quickly lets go of those memories to focus on the present as she just continues walking and looks around not caring how long it will take for this man to answer. After all she is a earth mage, and like the earth she can wait all day long till she hears a answer that is needed. The silent not bothering Amora that much since she had lived in a cave for most of her life. You become use to the silence after spending that much time in it.

Oras allowed the 'silence' to continue for a long while now. And at first she seemed disappointed but to his surprise she quickly recovered and simply walked beside him as if this were normal. On occasion he would glance at her through the corner of his visor but nothing more. For the most part he was rather enjoying the lack of verbal communication as he was able to collect his thoughts. There wasn't total silence of course, as they were traveling. Birds, the breeze, he could hear and feel every vibration within thirty meters thanks to his ability. While this went on he tried to think about the plant and what it may bring... However at the same time he couldn't concentrate very well with the fact that someone was walking beside him the entire time. Neither of them shared names, or anything about themselves. They were silently traveling together for reasons beyond Oras. What he could determine however was that the woman knew the value of silence and seemed perfectly fine with it. Eventually he felt that he had tested her patience enough, getting a good idea of where she was. Without turning his head he would speak at last.

"There is no true silence. Silence is nothing but an illusion... Who are you? And why do you follow me?" Oras was very philosophical. He was ready to discuss and debate, ready to prove your statement null at any point in time. He didn't care what others thought of him. He didn't care how others saw him. He was in this world to survive. While he secretly would like someone he could call an ally, he doubted this would ever happen. Most people hated him for how he acted or spoke to others. Some individuals hated him for his analytical personality, always attempting to learn about others. As of late he'd been having issues with a wizard named Ruvel, and he couldn't seem to establish any sort of stable footing or relationship. He was wondering of he should abandon ties with that wizard altogether.

I continue walking in the relative silence as i hear the birds chirp, and the wind rustling the leaves. I just continue looking around in always just idle curiosity wondering if anything new or exciting could come. I then hear your voice, and hear your words as i just nod my head. Thinking to my time in the wild. Of the leaves rustling like they are now, to the droplets of waters along the ground, to any other idle sound that could exist. Even the breathing of a person breaking the true silence. I mean that is true. Their is always some kind of sound happening. No matter how small it could be. Even our breathing makes it impossible to have this true silence you speak of. i say with a nod of my head. I then hear your other question of who am i, and why i am following you.

I look towards you. Haven't you heard before. It is best to give your name first before asking it of others. I say to you with a grin. If you must know right away though. The name is Amora, and i don't really have a reason for following. Just looking for ways to get stronger, and as i said earlier you seem to know what you are doing. I figure i could just follow you and get stronger. That is all that matters in this world after all. I say to you with a shrug of my shoulders. I mean strength dictates all. The beasts of the wild know this best, and that is where my lessons have come from. I say finding no reason not to say this since you asked me this.

Oras listened as she agreed with him in terms of silence and he was glad to see that she didn't need further explaining. Most reacted with a question, or just stared at him blankly in confusion. She however didn't do so and understood what he meant. Of course even if you did hold your breath, your thoughts would fill your mind. Even further still, if you managed to silence everything around you, your mind processed the sound of the air molecules bouncing around your ear canal. Nothing was stationary. Absolute zero, while it did exist, never remained so for long. Everything was consistently changing, nothing remaining the same. The laws of nature were no different, and could be broken. Quite easily in fact. Magic was the easiest example of this. There were others of course, but nobody admitted to these others unless they had an open mind to the concept of reality being an illusion and nothing more.

She then questioned his method of asking for her name before he had told her his own. After she said this she went ahead and gave her name away. He turned his head slightly to see her face better and watched her say the name. He could tell that it was her legitimate name. That was a very dangerous action to just hand it out like that, but then again most people did. He listened to the rest of what she had to say and it was very very much inaccurate. It would seem she also felt that strength determined everything. What a foolish girl he thought. So she wasn't as mature as he had originally thought. Just patient is all. He listened as she told him she learned from the beasts of the wild and turned to her. "Then watch again. A bear can be outsmarted by a fox quite easily. To say that raw strength, whether physical or magical makes one superior, is an illusion everyone blinds themselves with. Most would rather believe the lie than the truth. The truth is that strength dictates nothing. It only makes the fall that more destructive."

I smile and turns to you. I never said what strength was. Did i? I ask to you with a smile on my face. Strength is the wits, physical strength, and strategy that a person puts into combat. As i said i have learned from nature. That means i have also learned that trapping, and planning are needed for a successful hunt. Those factors makes a animal strong. How physically strong they are, and how they use their advantages to overcome their prey. I say to you with a smile on my face as i notice you still don't give a name. Taking note of that fact in my mind to never give my name so easily next time to people if you do so. Thinking it must be a human thing for protection.

You like to use the world illusion a lot. I say taking notice of that as i notice you also mention magical power. You a wizard of some kind. One that uses illusions? I ask picking up the pieces that have been layed out and putting them together into what i think is the answer. Having never heard the word be used so much to me. Not really knowing how much it is used in normal conversation, but it seems to much to me to be a coincidence.

Oras heard her immediate response to his words, and he began to be a little intrigued of this woman now. Up to this point, no one had actually continued a conversation like this with him. Still, she failed to realize that there were still flaws in what she had said just now. It would be up to him to point these out to her. "This does not change the outcome. The strong fight the strong. One leader replaced by another. The weak join and overthrow the leaders. Leaders make mistakes that cause them to perish. Strength is an illusion individuals believe in to feel secure, to feel dominant over others. Nothing is without weakness and blindness. An Achilles heel that one inevitably finds and reminds all that nothing is truly mortal. You may last a little while longer with strength, but you are just as vulnerable as any other when it comes down to it."

He heard her mention how she was guessing he was an illusionist due to him being a wizard and that he mentioned the word illusions a lot. He smiled under his mask as it seemed she had some ability to figure things out. He doubted it was as good as his ability as he had been trained specifically to gain intel and survive. He wondered how sure she was, or if she was just making an attempt to confirm her theory. "I use the word illusion because it is accurate. An illusion is something false, unreal, that others can be fooled by. I am a wizard but I am not an illusionist."

Well that is the nature of all things. We all make mistakes whether we realize it or not mister...whatever your name is still. You make mistakes and i do to. Beasts make mistakes when they get content same as us people do. That is why you need allies to stand by you to protect you from the stabbing of the back that can happen. I mean you said you are a wizard so do you think if you go by yourself to everything you can protect yourself from a knife in the back by a employer? I ask you with a smile on my face having picked up some terms that i have pieced together what they mean during my travels of hiding in the dark and listening in on people who walk by where i lay.

Do you wish to be one of the ones who are lax, or become to aware of everything trying to sense everything, but eventually missing one thing since they look everywhere. They miss the one spot their enemy goes for. I ask you calmly. Wolves got it figured out. travel in a pack and you have a harder time being sneaked up on. Hierarchy that is learned is hard to overcome since people just follow it. You can also follow the wise owls teachings of knowing your weakness, and doing your best to protect that heel you mentioned.

I grin liking this conversation that is happening glad to actually be talking with this stranger as i listen to his words. Knowing that they hold strength, but i am curious if the wild's teachings can overcome the teachings of the homes of man. Considering myself more part of nature then civilization do to my upbringing. I then hear what you say about illusions as i just shrug. I don't know humans well enough to figure out if what i am thinking is true so i shall keep it to myself till i learn more about these false teachings, and ideas people seem to blind themselves with. I say simply knowing when i am beat and retreats from the hunt that is this talk we have been having. Just going into a not talking part unless spoken to.

This time when Amora replied, she failed to argue against his thoughts on strength. Instead she seemed to passively agree with him and tried to add more to her argument, stating how strength in numbers was enough to cover those weaknesses. When in fact it could easily cause even more issues. This was because of human nature. There was a reason the seven deadly sins were named as such. They were traits that existed in each human, corrupting them from the inside out. The more she spoke however, it seemed that she didn't understand life outside nature. What this could mean was something that needed research. "You may call me Verus. And you cannot work with others whom you cannot work with. I doubt now that you have had much interaction with others, so you do not fully understand the true corruption of mankind. Know this first and foremost: If you trust someone from the start, you will perish in this world. There are those who can and will use you. As for me? Is see the backstab coming before they can even think of it."

She then continued, mentioning how she didn't know humans well enough to know if she's right or not. That confirmed it for him. She had been separated from society for a long time, perhaps her entire life. She learned survival from the animals and nature, which meant she would be able to see closely for details. However this would also mean that her understanding of human culture, society, social cues, and detecting lies would be very poor indeed. "How long have you lived in the wilderness then? And how have you come to know magic?"

I listen to your words and hears the name and nods happily thinking it is your actual name. Not realizing the phrasing you can call is not similar to saying your name is. Well mister Verus you say some people would use me, or something like that, and they can't be trusted. However, you seem smart enough to know that i would have no chance of using you. That means we can try to go strong together since i won't use you whatever that could entail, and i'm sure i can take care of myself enough to maybe pick up if you tried to do that to me. I say with a smile. My tone not being cheerful more so a calm, and slightly neutral tone with a bit of a happier tone to it. But i'm sure you won't try to use me. You seem like a nice person who just wants a friend on the inside. I say in a somewhat innocent and kind tone. Showing that even though this girl is definitely not a child. Their is still some of that mentality in terms of her outlooks on life in some areas.

How long have i lived in the wilderness...hmmm lets see i think i left when i was ten, so that means. 9 or ten years? I kind of forgot how long after living in a cave for the entire time. You sort of lose track of time. Just having to remember how many seasons pass to have any sort of idea of years at that point. I say with a smile, and then the topic of magic comes up and that causes me to wince a bit as i take deep calming breaths as i start to speak. Well from where i lived being a mage can get you killed. I think its cause others are different they get scared. I say as i think for a bit. And well i knew of magic and was taught to be scared of it, but instead i formed magic with myself. I can mess with the ground, and all the things in the earth to use for myself. I tell you.

Eventually the town found out, and....and.. I say pausing as i fight back tears able to do so except for four tears escaping my eyes. I take a calming breathe and continue. They killed my parents before my eyes, but i managed to escape using the magic that i can and then just ran...and ran..i think for two days. Till i found my cave and had to learn how to survive. . I tell you.

She didn't agree with him on other people, which meant she didn't believe everything she heard right off of the bat. That was a good thing. However she then mentioned how he seemed smart enough to determine that there was no chance she could use him in any way. This part wasn't true. Once again he didn't know what her age was. She could be hundreds of years old and he wouldn't know it. She could be skilled in deception, playing off as an innocent girl who needed assistance. She then said something that sounded rather close to what she said the last time. Traveling together in order to become stronger, how she couldn't do anything to her, and believed herself skilled enough to determine if he was wanting to do the same to her. He narrowed his eyes. What the hell did she want from him? And why was she pressing so hard to get him to allow her to join him? Then she said something that shot his nerves. She said he seemed like someone who wanted a friend secretly. "Why do you want to join me so badly? And what on earth makes you think that?"

She then began to describe how long she had lived in the wilderness. When she finished answering, he figured out what age she was telling him she was. She then mentioned how she had lived in a cave the entire time, but refrained from looking at her and let her continue. He listened as she described her history as well. How the world she lived in was a place where mages were killed and she had to be scared of magic. She explained her magic to him as well, which sounded like it was directly connected with the earth. She then told him how the town had found out but stopped, forced by the memories that seemed to painful for her to continue with. He guessed the rest and lo and behold she had confirmed it for him. Her parents had died and she escaped. Oras was silent for a while. He had gotten over his parent's death, and the death of his entire village. However it was his goal to abandon his past. And live to see the next day. He watched her eyes for a little, and could tell she wasn't lying.

"You are strong then. You are a survivalist. Despite your age you were able to escape a crowd of people who wished to kill you. You were stronger than me when I was young. Yet what reason do I have to trust you? Especially enough to let you travel with me everywhere I go?"

I smile and just look at you. I don't know much about this world just know enough on how to survive on my own. You seem like you could use a friend since you don't trust easy. That is something i have picked up while talking with you. You seem like you don't like people being close to you. Maybe you got betrayed before, or you worry of that. This leads me to why i want to join you. I want to prove to you that you can have people to rely on. People who can help you out and be that ally, and friend to stand by your side. I tell you with a smile on my face. Knowing i am not the smartest person in the world, but you don't need to be smart just aware, and able to think clearly to pick up little pieces throughout a conversation to figure a person out.

I am not that strong mister Verus. I just use the skills i have to make the most out of my situations. Be it my physical or magical skills, and also the ones up in my head. I say with a grin and a smile. So what do you say? Want to try letting yourself be more open with others by starting with me? I then pause and seem to try and form a sentence having difficulties. What's that word when humans do a pact together. Hmmm business? no that sounded like a thing rather then a action. I say softly trying to come up with the word deal, but not knowing that word at all, or at the very least having troubles remembering it.

She then just shrugs and looks at you. Whatever that word is but lets make a pact. Try to open up to me, and if you do forrr. One job thing you mages do. If you don't like me i'll get out of your life.

She cleared out his questions quickly and simply with two sentences. She did not know this world enough to be able to survive in it properly. She also said that he seemed like he could use a friend since he doesn't trust anyone easily. For good reason he thought to himself. She added to this, stating that he didn't like others getting close to him. He had never thought of it that way before. He didn't want others getting the best of him in any way. He had never once thought of it as keeping others from getting close to him. Then her last words regarding this. She wanted to prove to him that there are people he can rely on... Someone he can rely on? Up to this point there was nothing. No one. His partnership with Ruvel was currently not even a partnership. There was too much confusion, too much risk at the moment. Friend? Oras only had one real friend, and she was either missing or dead.

Amora tried to discourage Oras in the belief that she was strong, stating that she only makes the most of a situation and the skills she has at that moment. Like he said, survivalist. She was right of course. No one was strong, no matter what they said. She then tried to get him to agree to a pact of sorts, where he opens up and he gives her a chance during a job. If she disappointed him, he could kick her out. He simply could not believe this. Was she still going on about this? He had given her no indication that he wanted this at all. "You would want to make this sort of pact with a complete stranger you know nothing about? Quite a foolish thing to do Amora. And I will open up, once you prove to me that you're worth opening up to."

I grin a bit not being discouraged instead seeing a oppurunity when you said i had to prove myself. I look towards you with a smile on my face. Then lets take the first steps into not being stranger Verus, and while we're at it i can try to prove i am worth opening up to. I say to you in a happy tone. As i look around where we are currently wondering if the scenery has changed that much during the walk. Having not been paying attention to where i have been going since i was focusing entirely on the conversation i was having with you.

Also yes i would make a pact with a stranger. As i said you seem nice, and you have had plenty of opportunities to kill me. You have stated i seem to be trusting even towards a stranger like you, so i would never expect a attack from you. This proving you could've killed me at anytime if you were truly wanting that as your intention with me. I say with a nod of my head. Knowing who is the stronger of the two of us. Who is the Alpha in terms of pack language. You are clearly more experienced with this world, and its inhabitants, and you are stronger mentally, and probably magically since you stated your a mage, and you seem to know more then i do at the moment.

Oras listened as she continued to make attempts to convince him. Convince him to let her work with him. She mentioned how he had plenty of opportunities to kill him, yet what if he had plans for her? What if he intended to use her? She wasn't kidding when she said that she was ignorant of how humans were, as well as their society. Oras wanted to pull another test on her. Just to see how she would react. Depending on what happened, and how she reacted to the change in his personality... Oras drew his right dagger which was hidden behind his void bag, and held it to her throat quicker than the blink of an eye. At the same time, his fear aura, which had already been fully charged, he activated. He didn't make it seem as if he had demonic attributes like horns or infernal things, but the world darkened almost immediately. The sky seemed filled with black clouds with dark lightning firing in each direction. Black robed individuals rose from the ground around them, appearing to be shadows almost. Oras stood there, his black visor now appearing like an entrance into the void itself, and the rest of him looking dark and unforgiving.

"You would trust a stranger then? You are a fool to do so, Amora. You think that I would have killed you the instant I saw you? Assassins, dark wizards, thieves, even amateur bandits know better than to lash out at anyone they see. They wait until the last second. They see how they can use an individual before manipulating them into their services. They find and exploit weaknesses. And you Amora. Have an incredible weakness. You are too trusting. You are ignorant, too innocent to survive the world outside your little cave. You say you feel like you can trust me?" He pushed his blade just enough to cause her to bleed just a little bit, but nothing fatal. "Such blind, foolish trust. What reason can you possibly have to offer that would keep me, or any other man on this rotting, corrupted earth, that would stay my hand from ending you here and now, and stopping your misery?"

i can feel primal fear bubbling up within me as this happens. As the world darkens and the skies instantly turn dark and thunder. I grin a bit though even through this primal sense of fear, and threatening my life i just look at you. You just proved you use illusions Verus. Not good at keeping that under wraps are you. I say with a smile fighting through the fear that i feel. Having been risking my life with every hunting mission i had went on. I am use the feeling of death coming at me. I have learned to ignore the fear that could consume my being every step of the way.

And you're right. I am to trusting, and i may not be the most knowledgeable of this world. Which causes this ignorance, and innocence as you say. I may be wrong about my assumptions of people and humans. I don't know anything besides idle conversations i overheard from those people that sell things. That is my only interaction with your world. I am not scared, and i am not afraid of losing my life. That doesn't mean i seek death, i just don't fear something that will happen eventually. I have seen death, i have almost greeted death. I have no reason to fear something that i know quite well. I tell you in a calm, and serious tone. Dropping the cheerful or happy tone to treat this as seriously as possible.

Also can you save the scary act for people who want to kill you? I mean i haven't done anything yet to harm you, and the only reason you would have to kill me is if you were just a murderer. I mean i have nothing on me as you already know since i told you that i was raised in a cave basically, and had my parents killed so i have nothing to steal from. I ask you with a gentle smile. Not fearing this personality shift. Just thinking it a act you are playing on to try and do....something. Not really sure what it is, but just taking a guess it is meant to scare me away.

Oras watched her grin a bit despite the world around her, and heard her words.  He knew he had given that up, but his full potential was still completely hidden from her.  There would be no way she could defeat him, even if she did know what spells and abilities he had.  Especially once he had created more of his master spells.  The only thing that had really gotten to him, was that she was resisting the aura.  It had to build up of course, but he could see her resisting it rather well.  It was only stage one of his aura however, and despite her best efforts, she would be at the mercy of his aura by the time stage three had kicked in, which would have the chance of immobilizing her through sheer terror.  The only way she could resist it completely would be if she were a stronger mage than he was and that was not the case here.  Still, the fact that she was able to resist it at all was a sign worth noting.

She then spoke about how he was absolutely right.  How she was too trusting, how she lacked the required knowledge to survive this world.  She acknowledged that she may be wrong about her assumptions, and how she didn't know anything besides worthless conversations shared between traveling merchants.  However when she said she wasn't scared and how she wasn't afraid of death, he could tell she was telling the truth.  Why?  Why did she not fear death?  Didn't she have a goal of some sort?  To learn about this world?  To grow strong?  She was young, there should be many options for her to climb and fight for.  She sounded like the exact opposite of Oras.  He refused to die, and chose to be a survivalist to the end.  He wanted to live long enough to find someone he could trust.  Someone he could spend his time with.  And even with Amora here, reaching out, he still doubted that day would ever come.

She asked him to save the terror act for someone who actually intended to kill him and began to give out her reasons.  She hadn't done anything to harm him.  She had nothing on her he could use.  None of these were logical reasons for him not to kill her.  He made the action as if he had just slit her throat, and while she did have some blood thrown out into the air, making it seem as if it had actually happened, as well as the blade sliding across the already cut skin, unless she was extraordinarily skilled in observance, it would seem for an instant as if he had just killed her, which he didn't.  "There is no reason you can give to someone who's painted a target on you.  Hear my words now as a lesson.  Never, ever, trust someone you meet from now on.  Not until you have legitimate proof you can trust them, and be cautious even then.  Family, best friends, loved ones, partners.  Throughout history, they've all betrayed, backstabbed, and butchered each other in hideous manners for the lowest of reasons.  The art of deception is a powerful one Amora.  Do, not, underestimate it..."

At this point the fear aura would be at stage two, which meant that when he 'killed her', the urge to give into fear would have been stronger.  However at this point he would cast it away.  In an instant the world was back to normal.  Oras sheathed his blade and pulled out a cloth, as well as a few herbs.  He dampened the cloth, placed the herbs on it, and placed it against her neck.  "Hold this against your neck while we walk onwards."  If she did as he said, it would sting some but would eventually begin to quicken the blood's clotting process, allowing the skin to seal itself quicker.  With that he began to move forward.

I look at you and hears such thing not knowing this from being very unknowledgeable. Not knowing of the killings through betrayal that have happened through history. Only knowing of basic fairy tails they tell children to try and teach some moral lesson. I feel the knife against my neck as i am very careful to not move it by any inch just taking very small shallow breaths to avoid cutting myself deeper on this weapon. I continue seeing thunder strike the ground, and these weird cloaked people around me. However, i don't find myself frightened by these images. A little bit anxious probably do to the natural setting promoting such a response, but not fear.

After your words on trust between strangers i find myself a bit glad as the darkness fades and the knife is moved away from my neck. I gladly take the cloth and put it to my neck letting out a small little hiss of pain from the stinging sensation. I continue to follow you and looks towards you wondering what pushed you to be like how you are at this moment. As i think that i can only think of such a appropriate way of going about this like how i always deal with my curiosities of what i find to be a need to know topic. I search it out right away through the best means of doing. With the current best means being asking you.

Well Verus if i can't trust anybody i meet then how do you go about trusting anyone? If you always doubt things they say, or doubt every action they take then you will never find a companion to be with. You need to learn that not everyone is out to stab everyone else in the back. That you can open up to others without worrying of a attack by a wolf in sheep's clothing. Also, why are you like the way you are? Why do you doubt everyone around? Did someone betray you once or something? I ask you curiously as i keep the cloth near my neck ignoring the stinging sensations.

He knew it was a bit extreme to have done something like this, but she didn't disappoint him. Rather than reacting out of emotion, she took shallow breaths and furthermore had kept extraordinarily calm through the entire event. He watched silently as she took his cloth and put it against her neck, hissing a bit from the inevitable, yet small portion of pain that would be coming her way. She was strong for certain, however she was taking far more risks than she needed to make. Not only that but her lack of fear for death could very much easily get her killed, despite the fact that she didn't plan to seek death out. In this world, death would seek her. If she didn't learn this quickly, she could easily be caught by it's grasp and be lost to the void. Whether or not she actually cared if that happened or not was up for debate of course.

He heard her mention how she was confused about the process he took to trust someone. How he wouldn't be able to find a companion to be with. Telling him that he needed to learn how not everyone was out to stab you in the back, how he could open up without worrying someone was a wolf in sheep's clothing. She was wrong. Carefully watching and listening to someone's actions and words. Analyzing their behavior and personality habits. There were many ways he could use to determine whether or not someone was trustworthy, or worth his time, while keeping himself at a safe enough distance. While she may not have seen sense in this, however he would take precautions where necessary. This was a very minor precaution that allowed him to keep out of the hands of thieves, assassins, cultists, dark wizards, organizations, even government.

She then asked him a question that he didn't expect, or rather it wasn't the exact question he'd been expecting from her. Which was why did you do this to me in the first place? Her question was why he was the way he was. What happened to him in the past. He walked silently, for a few moments. "I was shown the nature of humans whereas you observed the nature of the forest. I know more about humans and their intentions than you ever could at this moment." He was silent for a greater moment of time before adding. "You are able to remain absolutely calm no matter what the circumstances, unlike other's I've met."

I hear you mention the nature of humans as it makes me curious what is the truth about these humans. I can only have a small bit from what i have seen from my own experiences. Knowing that humans tend to fear something they either don't know how to control, or things they can't understand. That being known to me from my town's fear of magic when their dosn't seem to be anything to fear besides if you mess with the wrong people. Thinking of that makes me wonder more upon your words of how humans are. How can you tell if someone is this wrong person then, and what spawns fear to make my town hate mages. I think of what i have observed and can only conclude my town was attacked by dark mages at some point in its past and views all mages as evil after that.

I think on this nature of humans from what your words have told me of what they are. People who are evil and are not worth trusting right away. To be safe is to analyze them and their intentions and wait to see if they act on anything against you that would be negative towards you. I begin to wonder what processes i need to go through to know how good someone is and what sort of people do i wish to associate myself with. I look over to you as you call yourself more experienced in the nature of humans when compared to me. I can only agree since i have barely interacted with anyone as of late so my knowledge, and understanding is absolutely nothing since i don't truly know how people act.

I am able to remain calm since i don't fear death. I don't fear death since i have seen it before many times. Those times being my family, almost myself quite a few times, and in every animal i have had to kill to survive. I got use to seeing death, so at the same time i am not afraid to kill anything that tries to go in for a kill against me with the true intent to do so. However, i won't know till it is to late what people will be like that if what you say is true, so knowing this i would i would like to ask you to please help me try to understand the human nature better. I would like to learn something you clearly know more about Verus so that i may have a chance of survival out in this world. I say in a respectful, and humble tone as i bow my head to you while keeping the cloth against my neck.

There was a good long silence for a moment, which gave Oras a sense of familiarity. He preferred not to speak often, especially whilst his mask was on. Since he nearly never took the mask off, he rarely talked a great deal. He didn't really see the need to either. Most of the time it only took one or two comments to shut someone up, prove them wrong, or simply finish the conversation. He didn't see the need for extra words, gossip, or general, idle talk. He enjoyed the silence because of this.

However she began to speak again, telling him how she didn't fear death and thus was able to remain so calm. She explained how she had seen death many times, whether it was her family, herself, or an animal she had to kill in order to assure her survival. Killing an animal however, and killing a human were two different things. He wondered if when the time came to it, she could kill another human being. Oras had. And if it meant his survival he would again. While she stated that she could and would kill someone who intended to end her life. The question wasn't whether or not she believed she would, but whether or not she could actually do it when the time approached. She said nothing about his lack of information on his history which he was satisfied to note. He had essentially created a red herring, giving her information that satisfied her, but betrayed none of his history. "It is good to have a straight face in the eyes of Death, but a fear of death is also good to have. Fear pushes the human body beyond it's normal limitations in order to keep you alive. You do wish to live do you not?"

She then emphasized on how she didn't know what people were like, and then asked him to help her to understand human nature more. To learn about him more clearly so that her chances of survival would be better in this world. He saw her stop and did the same, looking over his shoulder to see her... Bow her head. He stood there in silence for a moment before lowering his head, placing a hand over his mask and under his hood, and sighed. Why him? Of all the people out there who wished to help others and train them like his own mentor had, why him? Then he recalled one of the things his mentor had told him in the middle of his training. How he had been learning new things himself by teaching Oras, and how if the time came, Oras would come to learn more about humans if he ever trained someone. He was silent for a good while before letting out an exasperated breath of air. "You want me to teach you what humans are like? You wish to understand me more? I will do this on multiple conditions. You follow my rules. You do not pry into my personal matters and affairs. And you will be trained in combat by me as well. I warn you I will never go easy on you." While his terms were rather harsh, particularly the combat bit, he never wanted any apprentice at all. The only reason he was even considering it was because it was clear she wasn't lying, she was able to remain calm in a tense situation, she had no idea what the human race was like, and he may learn something from this himself.