Completed [Temple of All Gods] Before the eyes of all

[Fallon]

78th Fall 513 AV
Evening


Fallon sucked in the night air, her eyes staring on ahead towards the great symbols upon the walls. The temple was silent though, wrapped only in the dull light of lanterns, the seats baring an invisible audience. But it was here she stood today, her feet firmly placed upon the ground her hands clasped behind her as she stared on with a grim determination. Her eyes did not lift or move as she continued her stare, a whisper of a prayer only briefly upon her lips. The toughest task was yet to come, the final act and execution of it all being so vital. It needed to be done, it needed to be clean else it would only turn into a festering wound.

Her brow pinched together, a gloved hand pinching the bridge of her nose. Too soon had it come, the tolling of that final bell, the hollow ring. She wanted it to last for longer, truly to. But that would be far from possible, she knew that. And by the gods it hurt. Releasing her hold she returned to attention, her eyes turning between the symbols and marks designed to represent the beings of something much more. Here she stood, bare and open, to have a witness to her words and actions, to ensure that she would remain true to such words. It was here on this holy ground that she would speak her intentions and deal with them to the end. And it was here that she would tell him good bye.

She kept her self clean and smart, her form presented to the best of her abilities. The mane or hair was pulled fully back from her face, the tunic being thrown over the shirt. It was her last attempt of looking nice before the wildlands once more called her. The rest of her equipment that she would usually donned was kept to one side somewhere secure and safe, it would only get in the way tonight after all. Her thumbs tapped against the sheath of the kukri, of course, that one article would remain with her out of simple respect and honour. Exhaling she gave only the tilt of the chin up, her brow meeting in the middle. She had called for him, she had requested him to come, and it was only a matter of time before he showed his face. If he showed his face.

”Markus… Gods above…” she shook her head and set herself to waiting for what must be done.

[Markus Andres]

Markus moved through the hallways of Syliras. Most of all he wanted to head home and kick back and just relax for the rest of the evening. Get some much needed shut eye in before the next shift started in the morning. Back on duty to protect the merchants from opportunistic pick pockets and keep greedy merchants from going at each other throats. Keep the greedy Zeltivan merchants and their fleet safe. He was determined to not let that become his life. No. Markus shook his head and a smaller human male's expression turned puzzled when he saw the knight shake his head. Being dressed from neck to toe in plate armour meant that everyone and their mother recognized that Markus was a knight, even without looking closer at the single sword emblem he carried. Signifying his unranked knight status. The civilian did not pursue and Markus continued onwards alone. Bastard sword hanging by his left hip, large metal heater shield was strapped to his back. The Bastard's smaller sibling, a dagger gifted to him by Fallon hung just above the bastard sword. Thinking of the dagger brought him to the reason he was trekking through half the citadel rather than just head straight home. Fallon had asked if he could see her at the temple when guard duty was over. Markus' thoughts had often pondered what she wanted. That was the reason why his steps were quick. Partly out of curiosity, mainly because he didn't want to keep Fallon waiting too long. He had not been to the temple since that strange water creature had told him about Imass. News he had been struggling with ever since. He could hardly believe that Imass was gone, forever. He took a deep breath and pushed those thoughts aside. Tonight was for Fallon. She needed him for something and was determined to be optimistic, life couldn't keep shyking on him. The young knight entered the temple in search of his girlfriend. Hurried steps brought him up the center until he saw Fallon and a natural smile spread across his lips. One of the first times he had smiled so widely in the past quarter of a season. May have seen her earlier that day, but seeing her again made him feel rejuvenated and did much to soothe the nerves that had begun to tear at him. He could see that she looked uncomfortable. It was something big they were going to discuss, yet the smile remained on his lips, as genuine as always. "Hey hon' " Markus said in a brisk tone of voice, as he got nearer and leant in to give her a hello kiss on the lips. "So, why are we here?" He asked, skipping to the matter at hand, although he wouldn't mind just sitting with Fallon a little and wind down from work.

[Fallon]

She could not help but tense when he entered. Her shoulders rose, her heart sticking in her throat as the clank of metal armour. Her eyes gave only a turn, hesitant as he made his approach. Swallowing she put on a brave face, her hands wringing together as she forced to meet his gaze. There was a flinch, lips trembling and chasing after his - needy and craving of that final touch. She hesitated, a bad habit that had grown whenever he approached her in a state of turbulence.

But, she pressed on. She had to, less the wound would be left to fester and rot. Gesturing to the pew for him to sit, she took a moment to still her mind. It came out in a pace and pivot, her body animated with all the anxious energy that was turning within. Or at least until she finally stopped and clasped her hands around his. She held it, determined and struggling as she tried to communicate beyond simple words. Fingers stretched and touched his face, running down the features. Tips shook, but remembered. The feeling, the texture, the colour of those green orbs before finally she pulled away. Clearing her throat she met his eye, "I... personal duty requires me to leave Syliras. I do not know how long for, or when I will return."

Done. Quick, clean and simple. There was a release of a heavy sigh as she spoke, her shoulders slumping forward. It was a sting, sharp and piercing even for her. But it was done - there was nothing left to it. Par his demanding questions, soon they would come. Too soon. She would have to give answers, to face his rage and hurt. Taking a step back she sucked in the stale air, "I am telling you this, because it would be cruel to say nothing and disappear. And that is a fate I do not wish upon you. Ever. I... I am sorry."

[Markus Andres]

Although not by much, the temple was a warmer place than the docks with the ever present cold wind tearing away the body heat. Just getting inside, really inside and not the corridors made him a little warmer. Though Fallon seemed distressed, something nagged at her mind. He let the thought be pushed aside as she gestured for the pew. Easy to understand gesture. Heavily armoured the knight sat upon the pew, it creaked a bit under the sudden weight of over a tenth of a ton sat upon it. Looking to her eyes with fondness, but hers were filled with worry and she were far tenser than he ever recalled seeing her. Something was definitely off and he did not like it one bit. Her hands clasped around his and he noticed how much smaller hers were. Soon it moved to his face, trailing down the side of his face and the fondness in his eyes as he looked up into her eyes had been replaced with a worried curiosity. Not yet convinced the news would be bad, but eager to hear what she had to say, none-the-less. The simple smile that had been on his lips froze when the words finally escaped her lips. She were leaving him. His face stiffened into a mask as the green eyes looked for anything. Anything. That might mean she were jesting, had there been just the tiniest of smiles upon her lips as she spoke, Markus might have laughed at her words. But there was nothing. They swirled in his mind, questions, her words, everything made no sense. Why? What she said next did little to clarify. Except puzzle him more, had she even considered leaving without telling him? That would have torn him apart in worry about her. At least now he knew she were gone and he might not be getting her back. The wilderness was a dangerous place. "What?" Was the first word that escaped the confines of his mind, it was barely more than a whisper. Eyes staring into hers, rapidly shifting between her eyes. The hope for a terrible got'cha joke being uttered diminished for every passing moment. Until nothing but the cold reality that this was really happening loomed over him. Still, he clung to that sliver of hope. He would miss her when she were gone, he knew that, but he did not understand where this came from, if it had been a sudden realization. More importantly, when would she back home with him again? He get up from the pew and looked down at her, eyes a mixture of love and hurt. How could she leave him so soon after they had met? He reached out and brought forth her left hand and held it in his as he spoke. "Where are you going - when?... and why?" He tried to sound stoic as the questions came rapidly, but his voice betrayed him, betrayed the hurt that she were leaving this early after they met. But she had said personal duty. It mattered a lot to her. So he was not angry. Only hurt that whatever it was mattered more to her than he did. "And when will you be back home with me again?" He stroked her hand absent-mindedly as he looked hopefully down at his girlfriend.

[Fallon]

So it began. Sucking in the air, the girl looked upon him. The cracking of the voice, his pain and worries on show. Chewing upon her lip she stared, a stutter and a stammer as she tried to form words into something much more. There was a squeeze of his fingers, a seeking of her own personal composure as she calculated an answer in her mind. Licking her lips, her eyes softened - glassy almost in their appearance.

"I don't know when I will be back. Days, seasons, years, I cannot put a value on it. And I would not want to out of fear it would be untrue," she answered honestly, "I will be leaving tomorrow at first light. More or less." Meeting his eyes she held it, a rapid succession of blinks and stiffness consuming her. How long would he stay calm for? How long until his temper got the better of him and he became enraged? Sucking in the air she continued to force her words to fall, "There is something, my mentor - he is not a thing - I must put to rest, properly. And there are other things that I must do, things I need to work out. Something I should have done long before returning and being a squire of the Order."

Pausing she halted the wavering of her voice, that subtle trembling of the limbs. She needed to maintain focus - she could not break, not yet.

"There is too much energy within, too much internal conflict. Chaos, I..." she gave a wince, her squeeze lifting, "And it is with this conflict I cannot focus upon my duties, my true duties. In whatever form they may be. It is a calling to me, and I cannot let it wait any longer. You understand Markus?" Eyes pleaded, begged for the knight to comprehend her words. It was difficult enough to explain as it was, and so, swallowing she continued. Somehow.

"I... will not anger if you find another whilst I am away," Her gaze turned up to the front of the temple, catching the shadow of the insignias of the gods, "And I cannot promise I will return as a squire or have the goal of becoming a knight. But, one day, I will come back. One way or another. And we will meet again."

[Markus Andres]

"Tomorrow..." The disillusioned knight repeated with a hollow voice. Markus sank bank onto the pew that creaked once more in protest. Too preoccupied to hear the noise Markus felt defeated. He would be losing Fallon once morning came. Why had she told him so late. Why not sooner and allowed him to get used to the idea. To spend the days with her better. Might be years before she might be back again... and she could not give him a single day. There was a sadness in her pleading eyes, mirrored in his own as he hid his face in his large hands. But he had seen the determination behind those amazing eyes of hers. The determination that surprised him time after time. The determination that had attracted him to her in the first place. One of the reasons he had fallen so deeply for her. It would be hard to fight her once she had set her mind on something. He felt it was a lost cause to get her to stay already. She had made up her mind and that broke his heart. She continued pleading her case, for him to understand her. He could not understand. She had business to attend to, but she would be walking out on the knights, the city... Most importantly, Markus. He closed his green eyes and took a long deep breath. She was leaving him for her own reasons. Vague reasons that she has to do something... Another aspect of her past she probably deemed irrelevant for him to know about. But no matter how she tried to explain, it would not help him. It would not comfort him knowing she left for some grand purpose. For she would still be missing from his life. Still he remained seated, let the anger fester inside of him. Nothing could be gained from exploding into a furious wrath. She had made up her mind already and anything done or said now would be pointless. 'I... will not anger if you find another whilst I am away.' His neck hair stood on end as a uncomfortable chill went down his back. There it was... If she hoped for them to be together after this, she would not be okay with him sleeping around. This was a definite end for her. The vague promise of them meeting again some day only further aggravated him. Pointless... perhaps. Would feel good though. The knight rose swiftly as his watery green eyes glared into Fallon with a barely contained fury. "You give me a single petching night for me to come to terms with you leaving... Why didn't you tell me days ago? You have obviously given this a lot of thought. Prepared to leave... And you only think to inform me now? I thought I meant more to you than this... Just an afterthought." Markus said as the fury seeped from his words. "And find another...? I don't want to find another petching woman to replace you... There are none that could take your place. I don't want anyone but you, Fallon" The passionate fury of his voice changed to a quieter, yet still passionate tone. "I... love you. I don't want you to leave, I want you to stay with me... Please don't go. I need you... need you here." Markus had always been proud, never one to reach out and ask for help when it came to personal matters. Never one to lean on others for support when it came to feelings. But he needed Fallon now more than ever and the idea of losing her now terrified him more than anything.

[Fallon]

Fallon straightened her back, her hand pulling and retreating away from his grasp. Anger and fury would be her foe now, that sharp bitterness of attack and rejection. Perhaps it was better this way, to have her denied and discarded before she even had a chance. To be dubbed a 'heartbreaker'. Of course, she knew her errors of her ways - but he was not exactly helping either. She was trying to keep it clean - yet there he sat, seething and spitting. Soon things would become twisted.

"Because I'm a coward," she finally answered him, "For I was scared. What you have rather? Me to simply disappear without a word? That is cruel. And now you wish me to stay? In a city that I will only fret and stagnate in, to forbid me from answering my own dreams?" she posed the questions on him, then sucked the air back, "It is so, I do not change my mind. So I cannot be convinced to do otherwise. I cannot... I cannot allow myself to falter. Not now."

Turning her back on him she focused her stare to the front, breaking it away and giving that much needed respite. And it was there that she kept her gaze forward, refusing to turn and look upon him. To do so would risk breaking her plans, and her decision. She could not buckle, she could not break and turn her mind now. She had her task, her duty and goal. Her target that she had been shouted at for from a friend, the task that she must rise up and grasp. But why did he have to make demands of her now? Why at such a time like this? He never made much demand of her before, to ask of her? Her jaw tightened.

Greed?

Skin crawling she kept her eyes forward, her hand cupping together. He did not need her, she knew that. He had the order behind him, his support and his shield. And in return he served them, his sword his weapon to cut and defend the city and its people. He did not need her for that. Sucking in the air, the girl cleared her throat, "I must go. I need to go and put things to rest. I need to do what is intended to me. And... I need to be able to let go." For a moment there was a croak, her throat constricting before finally a trembling hiss emerged, "I need you to be here. I need you to just... give me a home to return to. I need you to do that. And whilst you're defending home then... I will go further. Please understand, this is not a good bye. This is only a see you later."

[Markus Andres]

Nothing... The woman he loved withdrew from his touch. Incapable of returning the words. The knight felt as his heart thudded slower within the armoured shell. Arrogantly thought himself invincible in the shell, but Fallon had wounded him deeper than any physical weapon might ever have done. First he had lost Imass and now Fallon. Barely left standing after the first blow, he did not know how he could continue without Fallon to lean against. Her agitated words screamed back at him. Calling herself a coward. Fearing Markus' reaction? Might he have reacted differently had he known ten days earlier? Would that just have made their last ten days together sour? Did not matter. He had had a right to know. Not just drop it off the night before she left. Laying the blame on him, for not wanting her to leave him. For daring to believe they should be together. As she turned away from him he feared she would leave. Just walk away and leave with those most depressing words. Without even acknowledging that he loved her. Barely a reaction as he opened up his heart for her, just a cold shoulder. Harsh words and accusations of him being selfish. Despite everything, he reached out with his right hand. It hovered there, right behind Fallon. Within reach of her shoulder. Wanting to grab her and pull her close. Pull her back to him and embrace her closely. As if that would solve everything. Make the time rewind a couple of chimes and make everything okay again. He closed his hand and the arm fell to his side. It would not matter. She did not care for him at all. Why bother reconstructing the lie around himself again just to spare his emotions. The tear that stubbornly made its way down his cheek finally fell to the temple floor. He closed his dark green eyes and saw the darkness. He was not sure if she were just mocking him then... Not saying goodbye, just an indefinite see you later. Add insult to injury. "Why?" An exasperated sigh escaped his lips as he opened his eyes again. "Why do you bother? Why do I bother. It is obvious you don't care about me, care that I love you. Give a damn about us, if you had cared you would have asked me to come with you. I would have liked you to give me a choice! Given me a chance to share my life with yours, see what you see, experience the world together... Why did you not ask me to come with you? You knew how I felt~ how I feel. Or were you afraid I'd come with you, so you would have been forced to keep up your charade... Fake your feelings for me. That there was an us. All just a lie." The tear. The one that had dropped to the floor. Was no longer alone. Many had fallen around it. Many more would probably fall before the night was over. ”And I believed it.”

[Fallon]

It came as a stab. Even to her.

"So that was all it was to you then? A veil of lies and deceit," pinching her brow she gave a choke, reigning back the emotions, the feelings and understanding into the great darkness within. What was the point in trying?

Lies. Lies. You're just a liar. Judged and damned.

"You have already judged and trialled me it seems. Already laid down your execution of words and damned me to my punishment and pain," the tongue turned sour, trembling, "Why do I bother talking? You have made your views on me clear. And that nothing I will say will change your mind. Because I'm just a liar to you now. Even through all my trying of doing the right thing, on trying to bring courage to at least see this done." It hurt, even to her it hurt. To be branded such when she thought she was doing the right thing. The hollow nagged and gnawed at her.

There is no point. Why try? Why not just... become nothing? A void. That shadow that none care about. Weak.

"And what?" she croaked, "Ask you to forget your duty? To toss it aside so you could be with me? What would you choose then Markus? Us or your brother and sisters in arms? The knights, the order that you have pledged yourself too?" Sucking back the air, she gave a shudder and forced her foot round to face him. It was obvious she was trying to keep control; the muscles and pinched around her eyes, the lips forced into a struggling straight line. Even now she fought to keep up a wall, to shield herself from an onslaught that was quickly approaching. But this was a defeat, no matter what happened. It was just the degrees of loss now, the numbers and how long it would take for such things to recover. Yet still the eyes screamed back what words could not; hurt, pain, the feeling of betrayal that he thought such a thing, that clinging of wants before it slipped away. Fallon retreated into her mind, that dark place of safety where none could follow. Lips trembled, "Everything is a lie now, that is what you have decided. I... I see that now."

Her own arms hung heavy in defeat, the gaze lowering to become little more than some glassy, unfocused sheen. Foot jerking out to the side she moved, or forced movement at least. Words whispered in her head, the repeating tone to surrender. Forget love, why bother? It only hurt in the end. Forget feeling, why bother? It only sliced deep within.

Should just disappear.

"No point in words. All just lies to you. No point, why listen?" lips mumbled, near incoherent as she spewed forth what was possible, "Nothing matters. I... Should just... not care. Yes. Not care. Only hurt, only ruin. Suffocate. Destroy." The second step was hard, the weighted foot refusing to budge. Hands went up to her neck, her physical form cocooning inwards almost for safety. It stung, "Excuse the one you call liar. Unless... you to judge and damn further."

[Markus Andres]

Head hanging heavy as those tears splattered against the ground. Staring at her back. Hearing her response. Those first words through he lips told him he had gone too far. Told him that he was dead wrong about his assessment. He had made a grave mistake. But he still did not understand her. How could she just pack up and leave so suddenly? How if she cared for him did she not give him a choice. Give him time. Anything but just a single night. She still refused to face him as she spoke, so it was only her voice that he heard which tore away at him. It flayed him alive. Words of condemnation. Why did she insist on not looking at him? Why could she not turn around and talk to him face to face. It felt so wrong to talk to her back like that, made her seem like she cared less about him and he could hear in her voice that this was tearing her apart as much at it did him. "I..." He stammered lowly. Trying to defend himself. Gather his wit and try to salvage the situation. But his voice got stuck in his throat. Unable to utter a word of reconciliation. An apology. Anything. Just stared at her as the tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. She finally turned to him again and it was worse that way. Seeing her eyes. Those wonderful green and blue eyes. But the pain she felt was directly reflected in his own dark green eyes. But there was also wrath in his eyes. Wrath at her words. Pushing the fault to him, blaming him. Making him out to be the bad guy in this situation. Fallon started to move. As if to leave. All of his heart screamed in outrage. Her arms hung in defeat, his heart did likewise. She could not go. not now. Not ever. Just a moment more. ”I didn't... not meant like tha- Don't put this on my shoulders! I know how I feel for you, how much you mean to me! And~” He looked right at the ground. Hands clenched tightly to control his wrath from exploding in a single self-destructive outburst. His dark green eyes looked up at her again, tears still softly sliding down his cheeks. He looked up at her again, wanting to see her eyes as he spoke. ”I could not... cannot leave you... So if it was not a lie, how can you leave me without even trying? I can't understand how... How can this seem so easy for you? You don't even give me a choice, for this is not an either or decision. I could come with you and still be a knight. I would toss nothing aside! This is a choice you made for us. I know not why, maybe you feared I would spurn your love and choose the knights. If you had given me a chance, just a chance to prove that I love you. I would have done everything I could. Find a way to come with you even if it meant I would delay my goals~ for you are more important to me than those ambitions. I would rather be by your side as a knight than be without you as a sergeant." Markus spoke the truth, Tyveth was among his favoured deities and lying would be spit in the face of the great god. It was hard on him, to leash his anger and not let it control his actions. Seemed that the young knight had matured a bit. "You are precious, Fallon. Not only to me, you are the kind of person I live to protect. You carry a mark of Eyris, a most revered goddess, not only among us knights. They would have let me go, to protect you, a marked follower of Eyris. If only you had given me time, if you had allowed me! I would have tried to move heaven and earth to come with you. Share the wonders of the world by your side. Experience the good and the bad~” Markus would reach out and attempt to find her slender fingers and hold her small hand in his. Find the warmth of her touch. To calm the emotions that had been laid bare before her. Press it to his cold armoured chest piece. His eyes would not waver from hers as the tears blurred his vision. ”Experience everything together. Would you not like that?”