Completed Red is my favorite color [Eosi please]

[Leo Varniak]

Timestamp: 31st day of Winter, 512 AV

Boots rustled softly in the grass. A casual observer would have seen a man, dressed in traveling clothes, walking aimlessly and at a leisurely pace somewhere in the Rivarian outskirts. Changing directions suddenly and without an apparent reason, yet with obvious purpose to his motions, he did not give the impression of being drunk or otherwise intoxicated. His right hand extended in front of him, palm facing the ground, he advanced with his eyes one slit away from being completely shut. Wherever he walked, small tremors seemed to shake the land in his wake. Most were so tiny only a sensitive person would take notice of them, and a few shook the crust of Semele just hard enough to be slightly annoying.

Leo Zaital was following the whimsical path of a fault line. The minor quake at the very end of the last season had worried him enough that he was now in the process of securing balance in the underground. It was a good exercise in meditation, as well. Sync your breath with the land's. Walk with her. Listen to her voice. See where you cannot see. Shift the pressure across the ends of the fault as you shift your weight from one leg to another. At the risk of sounding trite, as above so below. Leo found the practice useful. It was rhythmic, precision work that took his mind off his other burdens. He could never maintain this kind of focus for long, however, before some foreign thought started intruding on his fleeting peace of mind.

'An Avisata should be doing this, not a Zaital.' And 'I should be drawing maps of these fault lines for the future. I should do that for the whole continent.' And 'It's way too much work for one man. I need to start delegating things.' And the inevitable 'Good luck finding people to delegate things to. It's a one-man show here.'

Three years before, it had been relatively easy to find associates. They had simply showed themselves at the Fire festival in Syliras, and they'd taken things from there. It was by far the best way of acquiring new allies, willing for them to appear. Unfortunately, he'd tried the same trick at the Fire festival in Riverfall, for old times' sake, and it had not worked twice. Maybe the Djed storm had given people more urgent business to take care of than running off in the service of a deity. And that was the one topic his mind should have avoided like the plague; the storm always soured his mood whenever it touched the strands of his thinking. Too late now.

'The Drykas risk extinction now. How many thousands just here in Cyphrus, so far away from the eye of the Storm? The total across Mizahar could be in the tens of thousands...' He grimaced then, and lost focus for an instant, unleashing a slightly larger quake. The ground shook in response, and a flock of birds took flight in terror. He gave a deep sigh. 'This thinking leads nowhere. All you can do now is save the remaining hundreds of thousands.' Simple logic at work, really. He straightened and realized he had never been around here before, but he had heard vaguely of the place. Here was the fletcher and fur trader's hut, with an archery range for target practice. He could think of safer places to walk blindly into, to be honest.

Leo took in his surroundings and hoped the small tremor hadn't frightened anyone nearby. He made his way forth more gingerly to assess the situation, half-expecting someone to spring out of a bush any time now and turn him into a pincushion. Such things always had the potential to ruin someone's day very fast.

[Eosi]

The Stained Pelt

Deeply she inhaled, the rushing sound whooshing in her ears. The half-Inarta woman stood slightly behind the fifty-yard mark, the ephemeral chalk line half erased by the shuffling toes of amateur archers. Despite how upright her body appeared, she was the picture of relaxation. Slowly she released, breath whispering out from parted lips. The meditative stance was a necessary ritual before practice. If you did not discipline your mind as well as your body, the two could not function together. Her creased lids were shut, rejecting distraction. She endeavored to become a blank mask, a vessel for energy. Though it required patience, it was nonetheless absolutely essential.

The ground trembled ever so slightly and in her zen state she recognized the shift. Irritable, her eyes snapped open. Eosi glanced around at her surroundings, searching for the source. Of course, what exactly would cause such a thing? The side of the range stood open to passerby, while still remaining connected to the domed building. Chastising herself in silence, she sighed and attempted to focus back on the task at hand. From there forward she resolved to get more sleep. If her mind was manufacturing phantom earthquakes, it was more than likely a feature of her recent insomnia. Sleep deprivation did lead to hallucinations, after all.

Of course, this generated a number of unwanted thoughts. Eosi ran one slender hand through her mane of cherry locks. It was not going to be easy to regain focus. However not one to give up, she shifted back into her trance like state. ‘Breathe in, breathe out.’ Her thoughts took on a musical cadence, until they faded into nothing. Her lungs compelled onward, and after a few moments she was where she’d previously been. After a time she felt free from the outside elements. Her left hand raised the simple wooden bow in front of her, and her right sinuously slipped an arrow from the quiver belted to her back. In one smooth motion she set the shaft against its rest and drew, the taut cord emitting a metallic sound. Her thumb sighted from the side of her cheek, one eye intently focused.

The ground quaked again, this time with more force. Startled, the woman released her grip, the projectile soaring off balance and clattering uselessly to the ground. For a single second she stared helpless, brows furrowed. But as the archer regrouped, her visceral response immediately sprang to anger. Something moved in her peripheral vision. Methodical and slow she turned to face the approaching stranger, suppressing the mounting irritation that clearly set her on edge. The lioness’ face was cautiously impassive, despite the fire dancing in her chest.

The solemn young man seemed wary, near to surprise as she looked him over. Not remarkably attractive nor terribly plain, his dark eyes were framed by heavy rings. Perhaps a blood condition, perhaps an aversion to the sun. Lips twitching upward, she even considered the fact that he too had difficulty sleeping. His features were somehow appealing to her. There was a transcendent feeling he exuded, some intangible thing that her mind clung to. In that moment, the red-haired girl felt like something significant transpired. The feeling was… Quixotic. Still angry at herself and annoyed by the mysterious tremor, she dismissed it with brutal efficiency. ‘Nonsense.’ The critical tone of her thoughts rang.

“Good afternoon,” she greeted him politely. “I am Eosi Barlowe.” Formality was ingrained her. Feline, she took a graceful step forward to engage with him further. “You haven’t happened to notice the earth shaking lately?” The words seemed foolish as they left her lips, but it was worth asking anyway. If he hadn’t, she’d conclude it truly was her imagination.

[Leo Varniak]

A quick scan of the area revealed only a single figure practicing with the bow in the neighboring range. Leo chided himself softly for his carelessness with the Release. Had he been more watchful, he wouldn't have tried to manipulate the flows with people around. No point in trying to fix things if the solution was just as bad as the problem. Subtlety did not come easily to those who wielded Ivak's powers. Theirs was the ability to increase, never to reduce. A slip-up and the fault might have swallowed an innocent in the blink of an eye.

He narrowed his eyes as he approached, slowly enough not to be perceived as a threat. Here outside the walls, everyone and everything could turn out to be one. Nor did he have any particular wish to replace the bullseye in the woman's practice run - for a woman it was, he thought. Her mane of red hair brought back memories of Wind Reach and the Inarta. The feeling of dejà vu was quite powerful as he connected the memory of the hair with that of the bow. While he hadn't seen the Inarta hunt much, having visited in the winter, he had seen them loose arrows every now and then.

He had left them in such terms that they might have loosed them on him if they had seen him.

Her lack of unnecessary movements was not lost on Leo. It took much more nerve and focus to stand still than was commonly thought. One more reason not to rush things. He supposed she had felt the quake and it had unsettled her enough to set her on edge. Her facial expression, as soon as he came close enough to see it, confirmed his initial assessment on all counts. Someone who was Not Happy with the situation, and only had one other than herself to blame it on. Her features also reminded him of the Inarta, though perhaps more of the Dek (once you got through their various layers of filth) than any other caste. They differed from the others in that they were often considered impure, or simply not Inarta enough for their standards. Leo wore a frown of his own. Certainly she couldn't have followed him from Wind Reach? No, he didn't remember her. Preceded him? Maybe. She wouldn't be hunting for him then.

He stopped a few meters away from her, not wishing to intrude on a woman's personal space, much less an armed one. The businesslike introduction was amusing in retrospect - he might have gone about it in a similar way, especially in the past. He tilted his head slightly at the question and spoke calmly. "The earth shakes thousands of times each and every day," he explained, "and when we ignore her whispers, she screams until she has our full attention. But yes, just now she called out a little louder than is polite in civil conversation." He found the steel in her eyes agreeable. All in all, the day was shaping up for the better. Was she expecting an explanation? Was he going to give one? Perhaps it would be more interesting to analyze her train of thoughts instead.

Leo bowed his head ever so slightly in a display of good manners to the fairer sex, tempered Cyphrus-style. Here no-one cared to know if a glassbeak was male or female when one stood in front of them. Honestly, though, she shouldn't have reminded him of a glassbeak. She was actually quite easy on the eyes, just... he could feel a razor-sharp beak somewhere. "They call me Leo Zaital, when they call me at all. Formerly of Syliras, now just a human being like you." He gave a little smile, but he clearly didn't do that much, for it seemed to require a little effort.

He blinked and his eyes channeled Ssena's mark as he gazed upon Eosi. He was curious to get a glimpse of her worst fear, only because she looked strong. It was always fascinating to discover what frightened strong people, and sometimes, just sometimes, Leo could even help with that. When it wasn't him they were afraid of.

[Eosi]

His slow approach mirrored her own, which put her slightly more at ease. There was something almost defensive in his the way he moved; it was in line with the wariness he’d displayed a beat earlier. Seconds passed between introductions, the interaction very nearly becoming tense. The mysterious gentlemen kept his distance. Perhaps out of politeness, or perhaps something else. Yet Eosi was certain he did not fear her. No, not with that level of self-possession. "The earth shakes thousands of times each and every day," he replied softly, "and when we ignore her whispers, she screams until she has our full attention. But yes, just now she called out a little louder than is polite in civil conversation." The woman found his cryptic reply puzzling. His words were poetry, yet he did not strike her as a romantic. Her trimmed brows raised subtly and the corner of her mouth tugged up into a half-smile.

The incline of his head was appropriate in the least. "They call me Leo Zaital, when they call me at all. Formerly of Syliras, now just a human being like you." The smile that followed didn’t seem to reach his eyes. Those dark, onyx stones were polished and unfeeling. They regarded her shrewdly. This man was not a romantic, but perhaps an intellectual. It was heartening to meet someone clearly in possession of more than half a brain. The faint amusement that played across her features went unexplained and dissipated, fading back into her previous neutral stare. “There is truth in what you say,” Eosi replied. “It is good to meet you.” The woman’s hazel green gaze was calculating, thoughtful even as she lapsed into internal dialogue. There was no cause beyond what had already been said to continue the conversation. If she were to inquire about his cause for being in Riverfall it might seem intrusive. Still, in order to demonstrate interest in knowing him, she’d have to make some sort of inquiry.

“May I ask your purpose for being here? You don’t seem equipped to practice archery.” That faint amusement returned in force. It was clear she’d come to some sort of conclusion on the matter, muscles uncoiling. “Perhaps you’re taking a walk?” She volunteered, hoping to provide a smoother transition into open speech. The color of her eyes shifted ever so slightly from a chestnut to a muddied, woodland hue. Green mingled more freely with the brown, triggered by good humor.

The vision was clear; the setting was just blank, empty space. Eosi held a little bird of red and gold splendor atop both palms, tears openly rolling down her cheeks. Free of the restraint he saw in real time her expression was of horror, and her eyes haunted. The creature’s neck was twisted unnaturally, clearly broken. It was clear she had done it. Her greatest fear manifested – losing control. Destroying something innocent, beautiful and free. The poor beast struggled to sing, its beak opening and closing only to emit no sound. With its every attempt Eosi agonized alongside, tears burning lines into her insipid face. Branding her with shame. The torture of looking upon her actions, knowing what she’d done. Watching it struggle to live.

Unblinking, she watched him blank for a fraction of a second. This man was unlike other men, her brain concluded. It intrigued her.

[Leo Varniak]

As the vision burned the vast plains behind his eyes, Leo accepted it without casting judgment. Gods knew he had done more than enough of that to last ten lifetimes. If anything, he could relate to an incident just like that one, only with people involved. Many a songbird would never sing again because they had been unfortunate enough to share a world with him, and it would never end as long as he drew breath. Still, he found it in himself to look puzzled and answer her question. "Maybe a walk was taking me instead. Just a matter of perspective."

Leo didn't really know why he had resorted to vagueness. Probably, he just enjoyed watching Eosi's reactions. She looked sharp as a brand new dagger - exactly the kind of dagger that had not cut anything yet. He could feel potential bubbling dimly within her thanks to yet another one of his gnosis marks, and wished he could make better use of Xhyvas' imprint on him. How come the darker gifts were always the easiest to take advantage of? He stopped for an instant, regarding Eosi in her whole before he spoke again, and in that short time he noticed a shining dot on her person that he hadn't caught before. It rested around her neck, stealing the attention from - or perhaps steering it towards - the generous shapes of her heart.

"That is a beautiful pendant," Leo observed, thoughtful for a moment or two as he wondered. She did not look like she was wearing much more in the way of jewelry; perhaps she was making a statement. All in all it was enough for him to reach a decision. "Is it just a decoration, or does it hold a special meaning to you? Because, you see, you could say a flame is the reason I happened to pass by. There are flames burning miles deep that make the earth scream. They ache for release. We can either wait for them to find it, the hard way, or give it to them little by little, and in doing so maybe prevent disaster."

His speech flowed without hesitation and almost devoid of accent. He must have learned the ways of correct speech from an early age, and stuck to them ever since. A subtle change had taken place in him, however; now he was taking a keen interest in the way her expressions and body posture spoke on her behalf, but with a wariness of sorts. As if he was readying himself in the event things got ugly with her. "It is not my specialty, so to speak, but there was a quake a few days ago and I could not discount the possibility of a larger one building up. I suppose you could blame that annoying shaking on me."

He added no more, having said more than enough. Leo had made a resolution to keep his status relatively private until he was finally granted an audience with the Council. If things went over well, he would be able to come out in the open and actively begin his important work in Riverfall. And if they didn't, well, he would have formed no attachments, making it easy for him to just ride off in the sunset - except there was no land in that direction. He was making an exception for Eosi, for reasons not totally clear even to himself. He wondered if she would make anything of it. At least he was too close for the bow, which was an improvement from before.

[Eosi]

For some reason or other he looked confused. "Maybe a walk was taking me instead. Just a matter of perspective." Though it was true enough, the vague response seemed just as cryptic as his previous synopsis on fault lines. Eosi’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, becoming somewhat dubious. Anyone acting that oddly usually was concealing something. It would certainly explain the wariness with which he entered the situation. Still reserving her suspicions, she nodded. “True enough,” Eosi said again.

When his eyes fell on her pendant, she realized just how acutely aware of it he was. "That is a beautiful pendant," Leo remarked, now steering the conversation. Gladly she let him take the reins for surely he’d reveal something. That was only logical, given he’d already had the opportunity to walk away. "Is it just a decoration, or does it hold a special meaning to you?” At the inquiry, her whole body tensed. It was a subtle shift, but anyone who was paying attention would perceive that slight movement. It represented a facet of her that could prove very dangerous. Yet it didn’t seem an accusation. He continued. “Because, you see, you could say a flame is the reason I happened to pass by.” Her eyes widened a bit. A flame brought him? “There are flames burning miles deep that make the earth scream. They ache for release. We can either wait for them to find it, the hard way, or give it to them little by little, and in doing so maybe prevent disaster."

Of course, he obviously spoke of volcanic activity. That much she’d learned in her studies. Yet the double meaning became suddenly obvious. That was the significance, she concurred. Eosi relaxed, tension flowing out of her. Taking a deep breath, she maintained attentiveness, eager to hear more. "It is not my specialty, so to speak, but there was a quake a few days ago and I could not discount the possibility of a larger one building up. I suppose you could blame that annoying shaking on me." Eosi knew of the small tremor, as she’d first settled into Godvia’s Refuge. It seemed relatively unremarkable, but all small quakes did. When it seemed like he’d finished speaking she gave him a shrewd glance. They sized one another up for a moment, before the half-Inarta woman spoke.

“You know.” It was not a question. His pointed interest in her pendant told her more than his pretty speech could have. ”If you take its meaning… You’re not here to kill me?” For certainly his hesitance could be attributed to that. When they left her lips, the words seemed moot. He’d taken her aback and Eosi was suddenly uncertain how to proceed. Something occurred to her then, something riotously funny. Unable to contain the irony, a small tinkling laugh erupted from her curving lips. ”It was you, then.” Shaking her head, she sighed. The whole affair had blown her away. “You had me so livid. I was meditating, about to shoot.” Regrouping from her little outburst, Eosi cocked her head to one side.

”If you know my secret, and you’re not here to kill me then..?” Her trailing sentence allowed for him to fill in the blanks. What could he want from her?

[Leo Varniak]

In Leo's experience, most people felt the need to explain every link in their chains of reasoning, no matter how simple, and thus reduced their speech to the complexity of a recipe book. It felt somewhat unusual to watch Eosi connect the dots by herself while not sharing every little thing going on in her mind. As her expression changed, so did Leo's assessment of who she was, and what she was hiding. It appeared that each been walking on eggshells around the other when no such caution was needed... probably. He looked at her, somewhat amused too when she laughed, and interested in what she had to say. Which wasn't much.

If he knew her secret, and he didn't want to kill her, then... "... then anything follows from a false premise." Leo was fond of logic - he could recite most types of syllogisms as well, courtesy of a certain acidic spinster who had occasionally tutored him in his youth. His gaze was serious, but not unkind. If anything he appeared to have relaxed alongside her; his hands now roamed more freely with his speech. "I didn't know your secret; at most I may have suspected, and even now I'm not quite certain. But you looked like you could take the truth and the flame sealed the deal for me." It was how he really felt; he often resorted to incompleteness, but never to falsehood. He could not remember himself outright lying to anyone, ever.

"You can make of this as much or as little as you prefer," he continued, taking his time now that the tension had evaporated. "The odds of finding someone who pays respect to the fire right here, right now, upon an active fault line... it is good to meet you regardless of what it means, but I've long stopped believing in coincidences. There's no such thing in my life. Events just line up like your hand, the tip of the arrow and the target." He eyed the bow, eyed her face and finally opted to sit down on the grass, albeit in as tidy a way as he could manage. He was feeling a bit tired from all the Releasing. A break would be nice.

"No need to share your faith if you don't want to, but if you believe in Ivak, as I suspect, then it's my duty as an Azenth to offer guidance." He made no motion for Eosi to sit near him; that would have to be her choice and he wouldn't have minded if she just kept on practicing or even decided to leave. Free will was a big thing to Leo. He would never force his presence or will upon another like that. Simply knowing there were Ivak followers in the first place had done enough to lighten his mood. "People are grateful for fire on a cold festival night, but when they remember it can burn them..." his voice trailed off, pensively, and he did not finish the sentence. Paying her back in her own coin.

[Eosi]

His expression was amused alongside hers, which was a comfort. Eosi poised to speak and he looked somewhat interested in what she had to say. Were they hiding the same thing? It was a hunch but... Leo's purpose had yet to be revealed, and she felt far more content to let the interaction continue at that given juncture. "... then anything follows from a false premise." That response intrigued her. Having taken classes and read books on the application of logic, a small fondness formed for this odd individual. Logic was something she very much appreciated. Those characteristics, albeit vastly different from what she was used to, endeared him to her somewhat.

"I didn't know your secret; at most I may have suspected, and even now I'm not quite certain. But you looked like you could take the truth and the flame sealed the deal for me." The young woman had gotten that line before. The hardness of her eyes seemed to invite people to plague her with their unsolicited honesty. It’d been happening since she was very young. For a moment she was annoyed with herself beyond belief, having given something away before he’d have guessed. But still, his speech seemed unfinished. Leo was building up to something, and if nothing else the redheaded woman was always very patient.

"You can make of this as much or as little as you prefer," he plodded on. "The odds of finding someone who pays respect to the fire right here, right now, upon an active fault line... it is good to meet you regardless of what it means, but I've long stopped believing in coincidences. There's no such thing in my life. Events just line up like your hand, the tip of the arrow and the target." Eosi glanced down at the bow she still held, having forgotten it was even there. A natural extension of her arm. Moving swiftly, she took a step back and placed it down amongst the rest of her belongings.

"No need to share your faith if you don't want to, but if you believe in Ivak, as I suspect, then it's my duty as an Azenth to offer guidance." He took a seat on the ground nearby, clearly fatigued. The dark circles. Eosi felt a deep sympathy for this person. But then… The word Azenth rang clear as a bell through her ears. Sinuous and decisive she folded neatly onto the ground next to him. There was no insecurity about his lack of invitation. She simply followed her desires so long as they were appropriate. "People are grateful for fire on a cold festival night, but when they remember it can burn them..." It seemed he too had a talent for leaving unresolved statements to float in the open air.

”They suddenly turn against it,” she obliged. ”If what you’ve said is true, which I do not doubt, then I feel an obligation to assist you.” Her tone lost much of its previous edge. She lounged back against the flat of her palms. ”I have worshipped our god for as long as I can remember. I follow fire and light.” He could infer from that statement just who she really was in terms of faith. But the way he wilted against the grass concerned her to an extent, and her train of thought redirected itself. ”You’re tired,” she said with a hint of tenderness. ”Perhaps you might eat something.” It was just a suggestion, one that she assumed he’d ignore. It wasn’t often she had someone to even be concerned for. Most people tended to avoid the statuesque woman.

”To more directly address what you’ve said,” the speech flowed crisply from her mouth. ”Guidance would be appreciated given my current aimlessness. I’ve found a cozy place in staying here temporarily, but it too is not enough.” Eosi took precaution not to overshare, but it couldn’t hurt too much given the details she’d already provided. ”My life has lost its direction, like an errant ship in the night. I must say that I agree with your position on fate.” The faintly amused look yet again returned, Eosi tilted her head to one side. ”Tell me… Are you the bow, the arrow or the target?”

[Leo Varniak]

As Eosi sat next to him on the grass, Leo felt a powerful sense of inadequacy. Here was someone whom he was supposed to guide through the long, dark night of the soul, like the priest he had become; and he didn't even know where to start. He had always ruined everything. He had established a Triad, recruited followers, moved pieces across the board, only to virtually dissolve it all overnight as he chased his own beliefs. He hadn't been fit to be a leader before, and what had changed to make him one now? What had he learned? If only he could do things right this time around. Someone like Glav, someone with true empathy, would know what to do. Leo would just have to do his best, and hope it was enough.

"Fire and light, hand in hand," he mused, wondering if it was Priskil or Syna she was talking about. He knew little of either goddess, but decided not to inquire further. Prying into her faith was not his goal here. The suggestion that he may want to eat something made him smile in spite of himself. He was still recovering from the nightmarish journey through Kalea in the aftermath of the Storm of his own making. "It's a kind thought. If only this exhaustion of mine could be cured with food. It is a burden I must carry in exchange for what our god gave me." The anvil of worry weighed down on him constantly, countless facets to consider and act upon. His life was no longer his. "But I regret nothing."

He took the time to observe Eosi's face a little better. Once liberated from the excess of sharpness, she did not look nearly as aggressive or intimidating as before. He did not reply right away - hers was a beautiful question that deserved consideration. Was he the bow, the arrow or the target? "There are arguments for all three," he broke the silence at last. "If I had to choose one, though, I'd say the arrow." Saying it felt a little saddening, but made it no less true. "It flies true, faithful to the bow, and hits what it must. Some might call it cruel, that it should be expended in the process, but the arrow alone gets to experience the thrill of flight." As long as it lasted, there was no higher, or more sublime place to be than with the arrow.

He realized at that very instant that he wouldn't trade his worries and burdens for all the gold in the world and the next. Even the burden of so many lives lost was a peculiar pain that felt entirely his. "You say you are aimless, Eosi," Leo said, calling her by name for the first time, "a feeling I know well. I used to be that way and it nearly destroyed me from the inside, but in the end I had to make the first step towards change. It didn't come easily." He made eye contact for an instant to gauge her reaction and went on. "It was about trust for me. Do you have any idea what the first step could be for you?"

He couldn't have imagined himself trying his best to give someone direction. Just a year ago, it would have impossible for him. Maybe it was true what Kavala said, that people are not born in their roles, they grew into them. He sure hoped it was true.

[Eosi]

His preoccupation gave her an opportunity to truly see him. As Leo lost himself in thought, her eyes traced the line of his jaw up to his cheekbones, finally falling upon his weary eyes. Eosi found that she enjoyed looking at him so directly. When he found the words he’d been searching for however, the woman’s gaze shifted away. Being stared at was unnerving and she’d barely made his acquaintance. The rigid discipline she held shifted more or less to an air of self-containment. Still, she wanted things to go well between her and the compelling young man.

"Fire and light, hand in hand," his voice was thoughtful. The connection was obvious. Leo seemed very reflective, displaying yet another admirable quality. The even pacing of their talk suited her well, as she was unwilling to rush any interaction of such importance. He was an Azenth. Anything he said would carry unprecedented weight in her mind. The responding smile to her suggestion of food pleased her tremendously. "It's a kind thought. If only this exhaustion of mine could be cured with food. It is a burden I must carry in exchange for what our god gave me." Eosi knew all too well how double-edged a god’s gift could be. Reflexively, her hand rubbed the back of her neck where Syna’s gnosis lay, hidden behind her mass of red hair. "But I regret nothing." Her smile deepened with that thought. It really was worth it in the end.

"There are arguments for all three," he responded, after mulling over the philosophical query for a time. "If I had to choose one, though, I'd say the arrow." Arching a brow, she scrutinized his expression. "It flies true, faithful to the bow, and hits what it must. Some might call it cruel, that it should be expended in the process, but the arrow alone gets to experience the thrill of flight." The beauty of his words struck her. Leo was quite profound. Smiling, she expounded.

“Humans are the arrow, Leo.” Her eyes were wistful as she spoke. ”The gods are the bow. They shoot us toward their goals, and we make the best of it. We taste the fleeting beauty of life, love and power before our time is up.” Sighing, she faced her own mortality. ”But I must say, if they lend us meaning then I truly have been blessed.”

"You say you are aimless, Eosi," the Azenth carried on. Hearing her name from his lips sent an inexplicable thrill down her spine. Confounded, she simply blinked. “A feeling I know well. I used to be that way and it nearly destroyed me from the inside, but in the end I had to make the first step towards change. It didn't come easily." Of course, change never came easily. His end was a tad more specific than that. "It was about trust for me. Do you have any idea what the first step could be for you?" His lingering eye contact unnerved her. Unable to speak for a moment, she cleared her throat.

”To comprehend.” Yes, that was her ultimate motivation. When something truly impacted her, it was because she understood it. Simply knowing something was not enough. It hinged on empathy, connection; the ability to actually perceive those thoughts and ideas in some tangible way. Eosi was too analytical to let knowing be the ultimate end. Still, she caught his meaning. He was reaching out to her. It made her just slightly less guarded.