Arachne's Loom

[Storyteller]

Oakley
| It was supposed to be a quick adventure. It shouldn’t have taken longer than an hour, but when did anything ever go as she planned? The second she stepped through the mouth of the cavern, she should have turned and ran the other direction. Instead, she continued inside, her steps hurried, until her heel caught on a pebble. That was all it took to send her falling forward, arms wind-milling in a feeble attempt to find /something/ to steady herself and stall her rapid descent. That something happened to be another vampire, her fingers gripping carelessly at their shirt. It only took a second for her to right herself, her hand patting anxiously at the stranger’s chest in a flimsy attempt to smooth out the wrinkles she had created in his shirt. Once she was sure that he was fine, she gave him an apologetic smile before taking a few rapid steps away to continue her directionless journey through the caverns.

Oakley
had only made if a few feet before she found her first gem, and as she bent to pry it from the ground, the emerald sparkling in the dim light from the screen of her phone, she nearly fell. Teetering on her heels, she careened forward, phone clattering to the ground, flashlight pointed up – and right into the face of the most grotesque creature she had ever witnessed. The scream that built in her chest was never heard, even as her mind went into overdrive, her thoughts slamming against her skull with such ferocity that she couldn’t process them all. Each one was more frightened than the last, and all she could think as the creature advanced was that she was going to die. It was going to open its massive maw and use it’s fangs to peel the flesh from her bones before devouring her, and since she couldn’t make a sound, no one would come to her aid. She was left to die – alone.

Azraeth
The paper was spread open in front of him. Yes. The actual paper, and not some online approximation or some media playing on his television in the background (though that was equally true). Az was officially looking for a new job. It was true enough that he had several projects to work on, including a new relationship that was still effectively in its infant stages. However, the mystic was a creature of productivity. He needed to feel like he was doing something with his time, or he had this almost painful urge to get up and get something done. He had, since he’d been let go at the university, cleaned his apartment ten times, and he was beginning to worry that his carpet was going to start going threadbare if he didn’t stop. The paper itself was open to the classifieds. There were a few things circled in cliche red ink, but overall nothing that he suspected was going to be engaging. He was probably going to have to phone a friend. Maybe he could reach out to the DragonFox and see if she had any openings anywhere. They had some things to discuss anyway.

Azraeth
He was about to get up and look for his phone when he was assaulted by a mental voice. Well. Not assaulted, but it was ‘loud’. If he had been able to pick up emotion from it, he would have guessed there was either fear or anger laced in it, and he recognized it immediately. Oakley. She said something about spiders. Which meant that she’d either had some sort of lapse with reality, or she was in the caverns, in the dark. Whatever the case, he wasn’t about to sit around and do nothing. He triangulated her with a little knick of his thumb on his fang. And then he teleported once he knew about where she was. He ended up right at the mouth of the cave. It didn’t even occur to him that he was basically clad in just his favorite pair of harem pants (which he used for yoga), and a black t-shirt with Bob Marley smoking on it. He was barefoot, with a sword drawn as he entered. “Oakley?!” He called out.

Oakley
She was going to die. Hadn’t she already assessed that? It was simple math, really. The monster was gaining speed, and she was sprawled out on the cavern floor without her flashlight app to guide her. Of course, the only thing it /actually/ seemed to do was highlight the creatures nightmarish features, and she couldn’t seem to crawl away fast enough. When she managed to scoot a few inches back, her dress snagged on an upturned gem, the fabric ripping as the sharp edge sliced her thigh. The pain was minimal compared to what she was going to endure if she couldn’t get away, and yet, she focused on it. Her gaze zeroed in on it, eyes watching the blood drip down her skin, staining the porcelain flesh red. She became transfixed by the contrast, her mind unable to process the information that was bombarding her.

Oakley
Oakley quit (kicked from Algonquin Caverns by noflood)

Oakley
There was a sinister half-human, half-spider rushing her with the intent to eat her, and she could do nothing more than stare at the small cut on her thigh. It wasn’t until the creature was within touching distance that she snapped from her reverie and gasped, her hands scrambling against the stone in search of her phone as she bolted to her feet. Swaying unsteadily when she was upright, she managed a step away – and tripped for a third time. This time, she didn’t connect with the ground, and instead, found herself sinking into the stick, unforgiving web tucked into the corner of the corridor. Her panic fueled by the entangling embrace of the web, she started to fight, her attention torn between the sadistic glee in the spiders eyes and the silken strands that encased her. Just as she was beginning to accept there was no hope for her, his voice boomed through the caverns, causing her to sag with relief.

Oakley
:: Az! It’s going to eat me. Oh god, it’s going to eat me! Is this a web? Oh god, this is a web. WHAT IS HAPPENING? ::

Azraeth
The voice was in his head, which meant that he couldn’t follow it back to its source. He could however follow the woman’s aura, or spiritual ‘scent’. He wasn’t an expert at it by any means though. For a moment, he really wished he had dragged Jean along with him so the dark spirit could help him. The caverns themselves were pretty heavily trafficked, which made things a little harder, but after a moment, he was able to pick up her trail, following it ironically like a spider following a string towards its prey. Seconds later, he rounded a corner onto the sight of a demi-fae, one of the sirens, trying to wrap Oakley in webbing. Did sirens eat vampires? Okay, so note to self: Self. Find out if sirens like to consume vampire flesh. Well there really wasn’t any time to lose. The being had two extra arms, which were long, slender, and bone white. When it turned to look at Az, he could see that it had extra eyes as well, and it might have been the lack of light, but it almost seemed like the thing was dripping venom.

Azraeth
He didn’t take the time to think about it. He had seen these things any number of times before. They were the things that were running the Hebigumo Foundation. The ones who had instigated a lot of **** behind the scenes over the years. And to say that he didn’t trust them was an understatement. Which was saying something, because the mystic rarely dismissed any intelligent being outright. He lept towards it as it came racing towards him. His blade flashed through the air, and sliced cleanly through one of the arms, only to get caught in the one immediately underneath it. He jerked at his blade to try and dislodge it from bone. “What the actual ****, man?!” He called out. He at least had the foresight to stop himself from telling the ugly thing off for covering his adoptee in white sticky stuff. There was a time and a place for everything. Time and a place.

Azraeth
He pulled the blade free finally and reared back. The demi-fae swiped at his chest when it was opened, but that only brought it in arm’s reach, which meant that when Az reversed his sword, he was able to drive it right down through one eye socket. The creature slumped dead a second later.

Oakley
She had given up the fight the moment she heard his voice. It was like a blanket of comfort that covered her entire form, causing her muscles to relax. Of course, the second she did, it was as if the webbing had come to life. Instead of sitting still, allowing her to peel herself from it, it wrapped tighter around her torso, embracing her as a mother would her wounded child. It lacked the tenderness, however, because the heavy silken thread kept her immobilized as if it was had a mind of its own. Was it afraid she would escape while its master turned its frightening gaze on her mentor? Was it possible that the webbing could even think for itself? She had watched a thousand horror films, had lived her own version of a nightmare, and yet, she had never thought any of this through. In the films, the walls usually pulsed with demonic energy, the objects within the building having a life of their own. Was it possible?

Oakley
As her mind worked at the speed of light to begin piecing together the thousands of new thoughts that assaulted her, she saw a flash of black step in her peripheral. The darkness didn’t hinder her ability to identify the newest member of their little party, the flickering light of her phone catching the angular lines of his face with ease. Her body remained lax, even as he delivered a mere two blows that sent the creature collapsing to the ground, massive body twitching as death claimed it. Her eyes widened as its remaining legs curled in on the corpse, mimicking the death of an actual spider. Was that what it truly was? It had to be genetically enhanced, didn’t it? There was no such thing as – oh, god. Who was she kidding? She was a vampire. What was there to say that massive spiders didn’t just roam the streets?

Oakley
It wasn’t until the creature stopped twitching that she finally moved, her arms pulling at the sticky material that kept her in place. When it didn’t give like she thought it would, the panic flared anew. Swallowing thickly, she gave another sharp pull of her arm, before her frantic eyes found her mentor. :: You’re not getting a thank you until you get me out of this, you know. ::

Azraeth
No sooner did the monster fall and crumple in on itself than Az heard that voice in his head again and his gaze shifted to Oakley once more now that the danger seemed to be subdued. Of course, they were in the caverns, which were crawling with these things, so who even knew how long that was going to last. So he moved deftly. He dropped to one knee, because he couldn’t get the right precision work with a sword. His weapon clattered to the ground, and he reached for his ritual dagger, so that he could begin to work it into the webbing, only to rip upwards, slicing through the fibers as they attempted to wrap more tightly around Oakley. It reminded him of one of those Chinese finger traps. The more pressure you applied, the tighter the grip. Or maybe it was like quicksand - more movement meant you just sank more quickly. Either way, he had to be careful if he didn’t want to cut her up whilst trying to free her.

Azraeth
“How do you even find your way into these scrapes?” he asked with a grin which really only appeared when he was certain that nobody was coming to attack them and that he was going to be able to get her out of the sticky stuff. Mirth made his gaze seem all the more animated, his pupils having expanded from their serpentine slits until they nearly consumed most of the blue of his eyes. Adrenaline? Darkness? Seconds later, he was sheathing his ritual dagger and grabbing his sword so that he could offer the woman a hand while he got vertical himself. “Also, I seriously don’t need any thanks. You can call me your friendly neighborhood super mystic though if you really really want to.” He commented.

Azraeth
And that was when he realized that he had never actually heard Oakley’s voice before. And yet the Russian accented softness hadn’t seemed foreign to him at all. His brows furrowed. Slow processing. Slow processing. “You can mind speak now.” He said. Revelation of the century. He had to nervous laugh a little bit at how long it took him to put that one together.

Oakley
She knew that he would help her. After all, it would be a foolish waste of time for him to simply kill the monster and leave her for another one to feast on. Where was the point in that? As he dropped to his knees on the darkened stone to cut away the webbing, she studied him. How long had it been since she had seen him? She couldn’t remember. All she knew was that she had tomed home one day to find the apartment completely barren – and she hadn’t heard from him again. She had convinced herself that he had abandoned her, or worse, that He had gotten a hold of him. Of course, watching how easily he had slaughtered the threat to her, she was certain that He would have been just strips of flesh if He had even thought to try and come to become a personal threat to the dragon. As it were, he ran from Quaid.

Oakley
Oh, ****. Quaid. The thought of her childe turned lover had her cringing, her hands covering her youthful features the moment she was free to do so. He was going to kill her. He had /demanded/ that she stay home until he got back. He had promised that he would take her to the caverns himself – and she hadn’t listened. Instead, she had done exactly what Azraeth just accused her of and found herself in another ‘scrape.’ Prying her hands from her face, she smoothed them down the front of her dress, the green cotton that hugged her curves completely unhelpful for her hunt for treasure. She would have been better in jeans. Shaking the thought away, she lifted her gaze up – and up – until she finally met his, the serpentine gaze filled with a mirth that had her pursing her lips and placing her hands on her hips.

Oakley
It seemed, even able to speak, she still preferred to be animated with her body language. Blowing a tuff of auburn from her eyes, she twisted her lips into frustrated disdain before tossing her hands in the air. :: I don’t know! I’m cursed, I guess. Why don’t you use a little voodoo and find out for me? :: The sarcastic tone was laced with amusement, and as she ran her fingers through her hair, she raised a brow at his final observation – and laughed silently at the look of utter surprise that lit his features. :: I can. It’s only been with Quaid. I couldn’t connect with anyone else – except, I guess, you. ::

Azraeth
“Knock on wood.” He said almost absently as he watched Oakley. He noticed that her dress was a little bit torn around the thigh, giving it an impromptu slit which normally would have been reserved for something floor length, though equally form fitting. Vampires seemed to actually pick up random curses from time to time. For example, one of them might have no issues at all being around crosses or on holy ground, whereas another might burn as if flame were being held to their skin in the presence of either. Maybe being really super unlucky was like that. Whatever the case happened to be, he noticed that she seemed mostly unharmed, and with the danger gone, she was returning to her old very expressive self. That had been one of the reasons the mystic had been drawn to Oakley. Well. Aside from the fact that her quiet form hid an intelligence that normally wouldn’t have a chance to flourish or blossom in a place like Harper Rock. He appreciated about her that there was this fundamental honesty about her. A purity in how she communicated, which he found absent in dealing with many other vampires.

Azraeth
“It feels like it’s been ages since I saw you last. Did you get stuck in a wall again?” he asked. In truth, Az was very used to people coming and going in his life. There were childer he had turned years before, who had disappeared, and he still hoped for their return. Like. Mr. Scratch. That old, smooth smokehouse of a man. Dragons didn’t take on the role of sheep. They didn’t ask permission. They didn’t wait. They acted and they struck out on their own when they needed or wanted to. It was his job to keep the home hearth warm so they knew they always had a place to return to if they ever wanted. He smiled, revealing the question to be a joke, before he pulled Oakley into a hug. Well awkward, one-armed hug because he still had his sword and no sheath for it. He’d missed her. “Oh, so I’m special is it?” he asked when he finally pulled back, one hand on her shoulder, giving a soft squeeze.

Azraeth
“We should get you out of here. Those things are all over the place...and speaking of Quaid, I assumed he’s been with you?” He asked before turning, his arm sliding across the woman’s back protectively.

Oakley
Reaching up, she plucked a bit of webbing from her hair, the silken thread twisted between her fingers as she stared up at the man. He was tall – even in her heels, she didn’t meet his chin. Of course, that was mostly due to the fact that she was absolutely, one hundred percent, vertically challenged. She was the type of short that had to jump, climb and shimmy just to reach the /middle/ shelf. She couldn’t recall how many times Quaid had mocked her before he literally swept her off her feet just so she could grab what she needed to, as though she were a child and not a wealthy, responsible adult. Just thinking of it now had her twitching, her arms crossing in defiance over her chest as she tried to stretch her height to match her mentor’s, to no avail. She’d need some medieval torture device to manage that.

Oakley
With another indignant huff, she worked her lower lip between her teeth as she watched him watch her, before he spoke once again, stating the obvious – and her fear. :: I went back to the apartment and it was empty – and then I got lost in a wall… or five. :: It was a lie. It was written in her eyes, across her face, in the stress of her jaw. She had lied – and she failed at it. Her shoulders slumped, her nose crinkled, and she stomped her heel once – and regretted it. The cut stung, and she hid the wince by collecting her phone – and the gem that had started this entire fiasco. :: Actually, there was only one wall. My past came back to bite me in my ***, and Quaid was with me, da. He won’t go anywhere else, over-bearing, protective, jealous man that he is. You weren’t at the apartment, though. Why? ::

Oakley
There was a touch of disappointment to her voice, and she focused on him once again, eyes narrowing – even as he moved to embrace her. It wasn’t an angry glare, more of a quizzical one. She was studying him, trying to break into his mind and hear his thoughts. It worked with her partner, would it work on him? As he started to lead them away, she didn’t fight, especially when he mentioned others. Instead, she started to pluck gems from the walls as she stumbled and teetered behind him like a drunken sorority girl during finals. :: I guess if you can hear me, that means your special, just don’t let it go to your head. It’s already fairly large. ::

Azraeth
“You know, I always knew you were fiesty, but hearing it in your own voice rather than written on your features adds an entirely new and pleasant level.” He said as an arm tightened around the woman’s middle - not enough to crush her or anything like that, but so that he knew she wasn’t about to run off. “The sass is real.” He continued as they made their way towards the entrance of the cave. He noticed that she was yanking gems out of the walls as they went, which resulted in dust and other rocks crumbling onto the ground near their feet. He thought he could smell blood, which he hadn’t noticed before. “You okay?” He asked just to be sure, though that might have been in relation to the physical harm or the retort about getting lost in several walls. Because something about it didn’t really ring true to him. Not that he ever got a chance to explicitly ask her if she was being honest with him, because she elaborated somewhat only a moment later.

Azraeth
It didn’t surprise him that she had been attempting to deal with some of her past mostly on her own. It was exactly the sort of thing he would have done. Taken care of his problems all on his own. But there was part of him that immediately chafed at the idea. More out of concern than anything else. Because he knew how lonely it could be to face adversity without anyone there to hold onto. “The Beta Tower apartment? Oh. I moved. I posted about it on the Dragomir CrowNet. I decided to take up residence in the Dragon Tower, because it’s super close to the Cryptozoological Society - which I founded. Convenience thing...anyway. Yeah, the Beta apartment doesn’t have much in it anymore. If you want, I can update your tome with the new location. I uh. Probably should have told you in person.” He admitted. Because Oakley seemed to be legitimately displeased about it, which naturally bothered him. He hadn’t intended to leave her in the dark.

Azraeth
When they took another turn, he caught sight of the moonlight filtering towards them through the dense darkness, which hinted that they were getting closer to the entrance. “Don’t think I’m letting that ‘past biting you in the ass’ thing go. You’re not going to distract me talking about my perfectly proportioned ego. What happened? Do I need to pay someone off? Take a cheese grater to someone’s face? Are you alright?” He assumed if Quaid was in the picture, the man was probably ensuring Oakley didn’t get into too much trouble. Just like he assumed Quaid would have told Az if something was going on that really really needed his attention. But that wasn’t about to stop the mystic from shoving his nose squarely into her business. “I mean.” He said, realizing he’d thrown a lot of questions at her. “You know if something is going on, I’m here for you, right?”

Oakley
:: I am not sassy! :: There was no point in protesting, and yet still she tried, her hair tossed over her shoulder as her heel once again stomped against the ground. It was immature, it was childish, and yet, she didn’t care. There was no reason for her to care – she was an exuberant vampire, and she showed it in every little thing she did. However, to be called sassy, well, that seemed to upset her in a way, mainly because it was true. She had a wickedly sharp mind, built from years of being unable to vocalize her thoughts. Instead, they festered in her mind and strengthened it, and until recently, no one had been the wiser. Now, of course, the man at her side had a fast track to the true insights she had to offer.

Oakley
The random inquiry to her well being had her stalling, her fingers mid-pluck of a rather interesting looking gem. At first, she thought he had meant how she was handling her past, and then she noticed the twitch of his nose. It reminded her of the gash on her leg, the wound already piecing itself back together, and despite the blood that stained her skin, she was fine. :: Da, I am okay. :: Her voice was quiet, and as she finally pried the gem from its home, she smiled. It was the small things that kept the woman delighted, and with each gem that she acquired, she was one step closer to being able to purchase the mystical faseshard that was rumored to possess the ability to open her mind.

Oakley
:: I do not venture onto the forum often, so I suppose I missed it. :: There was still that disappointed undertone to her words, but her eyes brightened minutely. It seemed that she found the excuse to be acceptable, and she quickly spun her pack in front of her – only to lose balance as she did. Had it not been for his arm around her middle, she was certain she would have been eating stone. Righting herself against his side, she rummaged around in her bag until she found exactly what she had been looking for. Prying the tome from its safe – and almost forgotten – confines, she pressed it deliberately against his chest. :: You should do that soon. I might get lost again, and that is usually the one way I have to get free, especially if you or Quaid are busy, and da. I am not letting you off the hook. You should have found me. You know that I am… different. :: Sticking her tongue out at him childishly, she tried to ignore his next inquiry, his questions pummeling her until she had to close her eyes and concentrate.

Oakley
:: I am fine; no you do not need to hurt anyone. It is being dealt with. If I need you, you know that I will ask. Until then, please, trust that I am okay. I need to handle this one my own. :: Nudging him with her elbow, she tucked a few loose gems into his pockets just as they reached the opening.

Azraeth
He was beginning to think that clumsiness was a legitimate curse. She did have a point though, Oakley was different, and he should have done more to check in on her. Especially after the move. And he was more than happy to use said clumsiness as a means of squeezing her tighter against his side when she very nearly face planted a wall. It was a brief affection, because she was in the process of smoothing her dress over once more, but there all the same. And then he felt the tome, which had been inscribed on a human bone, smack into his chest. He grunted and wrapped his fingers around it, only to hold it in the same hand that had a grip on his sword. Actually overwriting the existing location wouldn’t prove to be too difficult he wagered. He’d actually done it recently with Starla’s, and made a new one entirely for Flynn. Flynn, who Oakley had yet to meet. Something told him that meeting was going to be fun to watch. He suspected Oakley was going to end up falling on Flynn at least twice trying to discover if he had any ulterior motives with Az. Or maybe she would just silently judge. There were times when she was a difficult read.

Azraeth
But that was a problem for future Az. And present Az wasn’t all that happy with the answer he got. He was proud of her, that she wanted to handle her business on her own. That she was laying out boundaries. That she was a lot stronger than one might have expected when first meeting or seeing her in action. His adam’s apple bobbed with a little emotion. He wanted to pick her up. Shake her. Put her down. Tell her she needed to let him help. “Alright. I won’t interfere. But I want to see more of you. I don’t care if it’s just to chat over some blood or to watch an episode of Game of Thrones or something. Even if I can’t directly help, I can still be here to listen to you.” Maybe he felt a little guilty that he hadn’t done more for her. Or maybe it was just growing pains. Him realizing that he couldn’t protect her forever. That she wasn’t really a fledge anymore. That she was going to make her own choices and fight her own battles.

Azraeth
He ended up stopping at the entrance of the cavern so he could turn to face her. His lips pressed against her forehead. “And be careful. With everything going on right now...the way humans are reacting to what happened at Longslade. It’s dangerous out there. Now did you wanna head back to my new place or do you...have a plan for all of those gems?” He asked, suddenly very aware that she was collecting the shiny objects the way a squirrel might have hoarded nuts.

Oakley
Turning her phone over in her palm, she quickly slid her finger against the cracked screen, her thumb turning the flashlight off – just as a message appeared. She knew without having to read the contact who it was – it was the only person to ever text her. Within seconds, the app was filled with an onslaught of messages, all appearing far too quickly for the human eye to assess. However, for her, it was as easy as breathing had used to be. Locking the screen, she dropped the phone into her bag and closed her eye, head tilted towards the elder dragon, even as her mind picked apart the slew of texts from her boyfriend. :: One second, Azraeth. :: Concentrating, she was able to cut the link with her mentor and connect with her boyfriend’s mind, her answer to his worried questions simple.

Oakley
It only took a second, and she was squeezing Az’s hand again, brow raising as he spoke. He was worried. She didn’t have to be an empath to know that. It was written on his face, in the way his arm tightened on her. :: I have no idea what Game of Thrones is, but da, we can do that. I promise, if I need you, I will let you know. If I do not, Quaid will. He might be stubborn, but he is not stupid. :: The words were finished with a smile, and she stood as far on her tiptoes as she could – swaying and all – to kiss his cheek. Of course, she was so short, it was the end of his chin that she managed to reach. Laughing silently, she fell back into her heels, eyes catching the sight of a final gem before they left.

Oakley
Reaching out, she stole it, too, and added it to the collection. She was sure she didn’t have enough – not even close – but it would do for now. She’d have to find another place to venture. The caverns were too dangerous, too overrun, and she was not ready to ever face one of those beasts again. :: Of course I am careful. I found a few e-mails, and I have those locked away. I did not go there. There was no point. :: Shrugging a shoulder, she smoothed her hand through her hair and pursed her lips :: I have heard of this… faeshard… that is meant to unlock powers. I am trying to afford it. I want to see what more I can do with my mind. Have you heard of it? Is there any truth to it? ::




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This thread was submitted via a live roleplay chat in the Algonquin Caverns area. Participants and rewards were: Oakley earned 4325 RPP. Azraeth earned 3888 RPP.

[Azraeth]

Didn’t know what Game of Thrones was. What?! Okay. He decided. We are going to have to fix that. Soon. The reassurance was what he needed to hear though. Of course, he was always going to worry, because that was who he was. It was why his intimate circle itself was so small. Because he felt an undeniable responsibility towards those to whom he was close. Knowing that Oakley could take care of herself, that she would reach out to him if she needed. Well. It meant he didn’t have to worry about false inevitabilities. And he was fairly sure their relationship was going to be stronger for it. More equal. That was precisely what he had always wanted. What he had wanted from the Dragomir for years, actually. It was why he had never been afraid of the ‘younger generation’ rising quickly through the metaphorical ranks. Because being a Dragon, to him, was about empowering other people and then letting them decide what to do about that freedom and that power. If they did good things? Then reward them. Give them more. And if not? Well. Those were stories that often acted as cautionary tales.

Mortll was an excellent example of this. She had struck out on her own early. Had made a point to ensure that she didn’t need anyone. It had only been when Az and her had approached in terms of equal footing and mutual respect that they had been able to strengthen their bond. And now? Well, now Az looked up to her as a leader in Voodoo Dragons. Which was exactly how he wanted it. Because close-knit bonds weren’t just formed by the ways in which people helped each other. But in the ways which people admired one another. Because an intelligent man or woman only surrounded themselves with people whose traits they wanted to take on.

And independence. Strength of character. Those were things that Az respected in anyone.

What was it that he liked most about Oakley specifically? It was probably the silence of her strength. Though they had never really talked about it, and though Oakley was almost comedically afraid of some things, it was clear that there were deep reserves of stalwart fortitude inside of her. Which wasn’t to say she would never need his shoulder to lean upon. That was what family was for, after all. He got the impression that she had seen things in her life. Things that would have shattered most people. He’d read it between the lines. Maybe it was related to the past which had come back to bite her, no less. Whatever the case, she had stared it down, and he had no doubt she would be able to do so again. And she didn’t need to brag about it. Didn’t need to show it off. She was content to let her actions speak for her. Wasn’t that something to admire? Azraeth certainly thought so.

He glanced down to the hand she squeezed for a moment. “We should go somewhere less gross.” He said, before glancing away from the cave in the direction of the city. They were close enough that he could just see the lights through the trees. “But I think you may look a bit conspicuous with all of those gems.” He pointed out. “So tell me where we’re going and I’ll get us there.” He offered. Also, he was carrying around a big sword, which probably wasn’t going to garner them any positive attention. Things were a little one sided like that. The humans had recently passed a measure to allow people to carry firearms on them, for protection from vampires. But the undead? Well. Something told Az, that the police wouldn’t take too kindly to him flashing a sharp bit of metal. Even if it was less dangerous in his hands, than a firearm in the hands of an untrained mortal. But that was the problem with politics.

Actually, going anywhere public these days came with its own string of potential problems. While most marches and protests only happened during daylight hours, there were some at night, when the vampires were awake. Most humans stayed in past night fall it seemed like, except for people who just didn’t care, or didn’t know, or the occasional sympathiser. So doing something at night meant maximizing damage to vampire life without also impacting your average joe human. It was a real pain in the ***, is what it was, though it provided an odd juxtaposition of thoughts concerning a human curfew. Curfew meant fewer people to feed from (though that didn’t impact Az directly, since he got his blood from a very willing donor), but also fewer people to try and stir up trouble.

“You talking about that ritualist up in the mansion at the north of the town? Yeah. Getting a faeshard allows her to sort of...open you up to new possibilities, I guess would be the best way to put it. I did that a short while back, so I can vouch for how effective her methods are. I think the black market shop owners know how valuable those things are too, which is why they charge an arm and a leg.”

[Oakley]

The closer they inched towards the mouth of the cavern, the more sure she became of herself. The darkness had started to ebb away, the faint glow of the moon washing away the shadows. It was easier for her to see, to breathe, to become more certain that she was safe. With the final gem tucked safely into the overrun pouch she had claimed for her travels, she pulled a plump lower lip between her teeth and peered up at him, his silence deafening. Of course, his expression was purely comical. It was as if he couldn’t swallow the fact that she had never heard of his Game of Thrones, and it left a bad taste on his tongue. For a second, she worried he was a second from having a fit, but finally, the lines in his face smoothed out, gracing her once more with his usual youthful jubilance.

It struck her as odd, how young he appeared, despite the wisdom that lurked within his eyes. It was those eyes that she focused on now, as if she could pull his secrets from his gaze alone. She knew that she had to seem deranged, the way she was squinting and tilting her head as she stared at him. When she found nothing but silence after her handful of minutes prying – and having only earned herself a headache – she turned her attention back to the grass field that surrounded them and pressed her fingertips to her temples. It wasn’t unusual that she came up with silence, but it was… strange. Lately, she had been finding herself tossed into the skull of an unsuspecting passerby, their thoughts devouring her own, until she felt as if she were drowning beneath their secrets. Yet, when she tried – nothing.

It was absolutely maddening.

Shaking her head, she wrapped the silken thread of her pouch around her fingers and gave it a tug, sealing the mouth of the bag closed. Or, well, trying to. The last few gems she had snatched from within the stone forced their way out of the opening, their unique colors shimmering in the low glow of the moon. Releasing a quiet huff of air between her lips, she pulled her tote from her side and started to shove her boon inside, her fingers carefully ensuring that they wouldn’t spill out. It was one thing to explain what she was doing to her mentor – to have to answer Quaid’s questions while he glared at her with his perfect face, perfect arched brow – well, that was another thing all together. He had never been too fond of her venturing into the world on her own, and if he knew that she had been thieving gems in order to purchase some rare shard, only to lose it a second later to a strange woman within an empty, abandoned, debilitated mansion – well… she wouldn’t live that down. Surely, he would lock her away.


When she realized he had spoken, his voice a quiet, velvet hum over the chaotic sound of her thoughts, she shook her head like a soaked dog and lifted her gaze back to his. He wanted to go someone – he wanted to clean up. It only made sense, didn’t it? They were disgusting. They were toting around swords, covered in silken webs, dirt… and was that a piece of spider brain stuck to his cheek? Oh, god. Yeah, they needed to clean up. Even as she realized the truth of this, she didn’t know where to go, and so, she shrugged a slender shoulder – which caused her to topple over, her arms wind milling before she clutched at his shirt, righting herself. ‘I am not sure. Where would you like to go? The family apartment seems a decent place. I haven’t seen it yet.’ Her voice was quiet; though it was clear she was still sulking about the entire ordeal. He had abandoned her, whether he saw it that way, or not. Of course, she couldn’t help but to pull on his heartstrings for a few more moments.

‘She is worth it, then? There is truth to this rumor? I do not know what she can offer me, but I would love to find out. I am close, however. Between my businesses and my… adventures, I am only a few handful of thousands off. I was not sure if it would be worth it, though. Does it hurt?’