Beneath the clock tower, the city lay silent and calm. It was quiet in the realm; the breath of the night-wind was as soft as a whisper when the lonesome thief snuck through the streets, infiltrated the local guild and effortlessly broke into its main building with a pair of keys she had been given by its master as a sign of their friendship. Some time had rolled into the land and she felt as though she was letting go of everything that stood between them and the bond both valued so very much. She was an old soul and thus the woman understood that dwelling on things was futile; for some of them, life was far to short after all. Nuala the Voidling had enjoyed weeks of sweet idleness after her last contract had been miscarried by her and perhaps some time away from trouble and chaos was just what she needed in order to regain the inner calm she cherished so much.

Tonight she was making first steps to returning to her usual, busy routine. Nuala was surprised to learn that no one was home; the guild hall was his personal choice of residency and she knew of no other places other than the vast wilderness of the world – which could very well be anywhere. ‘The Captain’s gone.’ Those were the words they chose and even though the guard, who failed miserably at his job whenever the thief tested him, had given no reason or location for her to begin her investigations, the Voidling’s ears perked up at the sound of rumours and and gossip that now travelled back and forth between the guild’s employees.

The night continued with a quick visit by his office, during which Nuala fiddled her way through his most recent paperwork and ended inside the library where she eventually fell asleep amongst a pile of books and maps relating to a multitude of independent islands that were all to be reached by ship from the coast of Astera. The next few days were quite the hassle for the Savannah-born female, who hated travelling by boat, but was forced to do so multiple times due to the fact that her horse, in all its magic and beauty, couldn’t fly to safe her life.

Nuala knew that the Captain was going through something very personal and while she had no intentions of creeping in on his private life, she wanted to be there for him as the friend he most certainly needed. If she could find him, that is. Kazimir seemed to have left to one of the many uninhabited islands within range of Astera and the Voidling saw no better opportunity to get both their minds off of the things that had been troubling them recently. A little dungeon crawl to brighten the mood, just like the old days.

There was one island in particular that caught her attention; the books she had read wrote about a ‘curse’ cast by ‘mythical power’ that was allegedly responsible for this places’ loss of population. A little more than a hundred and fifty years ago this island, albeit small, used to flourish with several small villages making a decent life amongst the island’s lavish flora and fauna. Now it was said to be haunted and even though rare plants and unique animals resided here, people had stopped visiting a long time ago. A perfect place for a Nephilim to find some peace, so she thought.

Upon arrival, Nuala could immediately sense and see the remains of the island’s former human population. The landscape was overgrown by ruins and everywhere she went, the woman could see traces of former life that were coated by an eerie sensation she couldn’t quite describe yet. Nuala wasn’t superstitious but she did believe that the island was surrounded by a fog of mystery. It was hard to explain, but her gut feeling told her that something had gone horribly wrong here – and whatever had caused all this loss of life was still hiding somewhere out there.

It was night time when Nuala arrived and even though she hated to adventure out alone in this unknown place, she immediately began her search for the Captain. Much to the Voidling’s delight, Kazimir wasn’t much of a pathfinder and thus he had stayed rather close to the initial village and its roads, making it relatively easy for her to find him. He was alone, sleeping peacefully at a campfire and Nuala silently snuck up on the Nephilim and took a seat by his side. She spotted a few flicked wounds around his arms which told her that he had been around for some time already. By what she had heard at the guild, Nuala was able to piece together the reasons for his escape, but decided to pay it no heed as this was not her story to think or speak about. Instead, she lied down beside him and propped herself up on her elbow.

Almost a month had gone by since their last meeting and a lot seemed to have happened to both of them. Even when asleep, the Nephilim looked tired, weary beyond his years. A few purple strands of hair had fallen into his face and Nuala gave herself the right to brush them away. If the Captain, who was so very used to her presence that he no longer seemed to actively register it, remained asleep she would stay by his side and watch over him until dawn.

Kaz had been spending his nights camping on a small island off the coast of Astera. Rumors of beast roaming the landscape made its way to the guild and it was a good chance for him to sneak away and clear his head. He dove headfirst into tracking the creatures.

The island's reflecting gleamed against the still ocean waters that wrapped around it, tugging at the coastline. Trees filled the landscape with peaks of rocks dotted throughout like jagged stone pillars haphazardly scattered around. The full moon illuminated the great forest and cast a canopy of shadows over the land, concealing threats and a dizzying maze of darkness. Birds took flight under the moonlit, scared off by the howls that pierced the unnervingly calm island.

A single flame gave light that pushed the encroaching darkness away from a small plot of grass and rock. A campfire burned, giving warmth to the mage that laid beside it. Kazimir scooted closer and reared his head up to hear the howling. Nothing more than a wandering pack of wolves.

The wind mage nestled Down on his small makeshift bed with no cover. Scraps and cuts ran up his arms from the minor beasts and monsters that lurked on the island. He laid on the bed, gazing up at the moon through the opening in the trees, His arms moving behind his head, to substitute for a pillow along with his folded up jacket.

It wasn't long before the mage drifted away into a light slumber. But one that was not disturbed by the presence of a familiar person. Her movements didn't alarm the mage and he slept through it, even with Nuala laying down next to him.

In his dream, he could almost feel the faint brush of her hand across his face it met it with a small unassuming smile. The night pressed on as Nuala eventually was taken by sleep as well. Kaz rolled to his side near her with the firelight still washing over them.

He felt a gentle breath breeze across his face. He clenched his eyes, nearly ready to wake up when he felt something soft graze his nose. His eyes opened and he blinked as if to cast away illusions to what he saw. Nuala was next to him, rolled over and their noses nearly touching.

His mouth opened to take in a sharp breath in surprise but as soon as the first puff of air filled his mouth he held it. If he breathed out she may wake up and he still had to make sense of it all. How did she find him and what now? Was all he could think about. Settling his breath, he eased his tensed shoulders back down. He found himself just looking at her for a moment. He lost track of just how many days he had been out here, but seeing her was more than a comfort. There was something different about the way she looked now, but he shook his head and dismissed whatever thoughts were there. it was only because she had been gone for so long.

Slowly, he pressed himself off the ground and inched away from her. He wasn't going to wake her just yet. Instead, he stood up and unfolded his jacket to carefully lay it on top of her. The light of the sun was just reaching the cover of the trees.

A small brown cloth bag was on the ground by the fire. He reached inside and brought out a few small things of ready to eat meals. Opening the package he would set one out for her as well for whenever she would wake up.

Kaz began to eat slowly, every once and a while looking back at her, "To think you found me all the way out here. I guess I am predictable," he said to himself with a quiet laugh and forked another bite into his mouth.

OOC:

The Voidling failed miserably at keeping watch throughout the night and only a few hours had passed before Nuala dozed off and snoozed comfortably past dawn. Unlike the Nephilim, her senses were sharp regardless of her state of mind and Nuala’s amethyst eyes shot open the moment she heard the Captain speak. She felt an ache climbing through her limbs and her entire body felt sore after travelling and sleeping on rock solid ground, even if it had been but a few hours. Truth be told, the guild’s lifestyle had spoiled her and she remembered being sturdier and tougher before joining Daeva Eye. After surviving forty years trapped inside the void, she didn’t think she would be complaining about the lack of a soft mattress ever again and yet here she was.

Nuala groaned and stretched herself like a cat before sitting up straight and turning her face towards Kazimir. Even though she had slept so roughly, the woman’s sleek hair fell perfectly below her hips and she didn’t seem the slightest bit ruffled up. The Captain left a different impression on her and before saying anything at all, Nuala’s eyes scanned the male’s body and found it to be covered in minor injuries. After taking into consideration Kazimir’s preference for grand halls, courtyards and neatly organized offices she didn’t think he was suited for an outdoor lifestyle anyways.

“You’re not,” she said and sought eye-contact with him. “I broke into your office and searched through your notes.” The Voidling got up and returned his jacket to him without hesitation. She placed it around his shoulders while kneeling down before the Captain and reluctantly placed her smaller hand on top of his. He looked miserable and she tried her hardest to shove away everything she was feeling and hoping for to focus on his well-being instead.

“If,” Nuala paused and lowered her gaze after all, “if you want to talk about what happened I’m willing to listen. But running away to an abandoned island and getting beat up by a bunch of squirrels and wildcats isn’t going to lift whatever is weighing on your mind right now.” Her fingers slid up his pale arms and a look of disapproval crossed her face as she noticed the nature of his wounds. She was glad no one else but her could see him like this, because frankly it wasn’t very guild master-like and quite uncharacteristic for the otherwise elegant and breathtaking Nephilim.

That aside, there was something about this island in particular that intrigued Nuala and since they were already here, they might as well investigate the entire situation. Now that she was here, the Captain didn’t have to worry about being harrassed by any more rodents and hopefully they could go both take some time off their schedules for an adventure. The clever thief had even smuggled all of the maps and one of the books from Phoenix Feather’s library and his office with her in case they needed more information on the current state of this place.

Her sudden voice jarred the mage and he looked over his shoulder at her stirring. He had forgotten just how long her hair was. he shook his head, "I see some things never change, but you know it's dang..." he didn't finish his sentence as she laid the jacket around his shoulders and kneeled down in front of him. It was so rare to see Nuala like this, he wasn't sure what to make of it.

The hand she placed on his brought a sense of comfort with it, along with confusion. All he could do was look into her eyes. He leaned closer as her gaze lowered, wondering what she was going to say and what she had tracked him down for. It struck him with his mouth slightly ajar. Could she be talking about... How did she know already? He blinked and averted his gaze concealing a flicker of sadness in his eyes. Her jest about squirrels and wildcats brought a gleam of a smile back on his face, even if it only survived to be a band-aid on a larger wound.

Her soft finger slid up his arms, giving him a chill. He turned his arm over as her fingers raced up it, letting her move across the clawed scars on the other side. It came with a look of disapproval that he also smiled at, albeit it faintly, "Thank you for coming Nuala. But it's dangerous here. And I promise it was a really big squirrel," he replied making a joke about what lurked on the Island, and while he knew she could handle herself, he didn't want her putting herself in danger just for him, but he couldn't deny having her there was wanted company.

The sun danced across the soft features of her face and mingled with the contours. "I..." he began and his voice carried the weight of his emotions. He started to bring up the pain and sadness that she was referring to. Instead, "Can you stitch up my shoulder. There is some stuff in my bag," he asked and lowered the shirt he was wearing to reveal a small gash in his right shoulder from a claw.

Part of what she said was true. He did run away to this island to get away from things. If she agreed to stitch up his shoulder he would continue talking, "I did run away to the island. I just needed some time to clear my mind again.  I've always felt more at home in the wild. I grew up in a forest you know. Running through the trees. Bathing in streams," he spoke with a fondness and one that took his mind away from the other topic, but also because getting back here was a way for him to re-find his roots.

"It's a lot like coming home." He took a deep breath and switched the topic, "So...how did you find out" he finally decided to ask her, between a wince of pain from the needle piercing his skin to close the wound.

If she had pulled the shirt down more to get a better angle, she would see the top of an old scar on his back that was a few inches wide and ran down his back. Having traveled together for so long she'd recognized the damage as something from wind magic.

“Kazimir,” she spoke softly and lifted up her chin to look into his face just in time to catch a glimpse of his smile. “Do you know how stupid you sound when you say things like that to me?” The Voidling knew that it was mostly her own fault–their first meeting evolved from her requesting his assistance in a matter she had been unable to solve on her own, but that didn’t mean that the woman was helpless. Nuala was an old soul working in a profession where men and women usually died young and the Captain knew better than to disregard her survival skill and killing intent.

Kazimir couldn’t muster up the courage to speak about his heartache just yet and so the Voidling simply nodded along with his request for aid. There was a small gash in his shoulder and even though Nuala had merely joked about the wildcats earlier, she was beginning to wonder whether the Captain truly struggled to fight off simple wildlife. Nuala grabbed his bag and began fiddling around with all the utensils he had brought along–which was way more than she expected–and eventually pulled out some water, bandages and a small tin of pain soothing ointment. The Captain began talking about how he had grown up inside the forest and enjoyed living in the wild and she couldn’t help but notice how uncharacteristic it was of him to mindlessly babble on like that.

The only thing she could really take from this was that he was hurting a lot and didn’t need her to open the wound any further. “Somehow I doubt that,” her response was spoken in a very matter-of-factly way and before he could protest, Nuala peeled the Phoenix Feather guildmaster out of his shirt. “It’s been days, yet you didn’t make it very far from the coast. You stayed close to the road and somehow managed to get hurt anyways.” Her words were rough, but she was unable to hide the smile that had found its way onto her lips once again. Nuala had never thought of the Captain as a clumsy person, but thinking that he could be made him all the more endearing.

She cleaned the wound first, then began stitching him back together expertly. Just below his smaller injury was an older, larger one. Nuala recognized it from the stories he had told her during their travels, but it was her first time seeing it up close. There was another one on his chest, both resulting from magical attacks. The Voidling absentmindedly ran her fingers down his scars and tilted her head to the side; she knew the destructive potential of his magic, but rarely got to see it. Whenever they shared a battlefield, Kazimir seemed to hold himself back from casting magic and she could only assume that it was quite hard for a wizard to aim their spells–something the rogue couldn’t relate to. Her daggers never missed a target, unless she meant to.

His question pulled her out of trance and Nuala returned his shirt to him once the injury had been treated and bandaged properly. “I finished my work in Astera and wanted to visit you before I continue my travels,” she explained and sat herself down properly. “Then I overheard some rumours while staying at the guild. I didn’t mean to pry, but I have pretty good ears as you know.” With her eyes now locking with his, the woman’s expression visibly softened. “Will you be okay?”

Nuala snapped back in a way that he should have figured he would. But he couldn't help who he was no matter how silly it sounded. "It may sound stupid to you, but no matter how talented and skilled a person is, it doesn't save us from injury and my concern for you will always be there no matter how much I know that you can handle yourself," he replied with his typical calm demeanor. He didn't want it to sound like she couldn't take care of herself but he had seen her injured a few too many times already. When they first met but most importantly when she took that blow meant for him the day she spoke heartfelt words to him in that crypt and they parted ways. He didn't want her to get injured again on his account.

She wasted no time in getting out the bandages and he was thankful for it. Things began to feel more like they did when they traveled together before. He was about to jump into another explanation when he felt her hands reached down to the seams of his shirt and begin to pull it off. Without a second to respond the shirt was already over his head, "Oh. Hey," The only thing he replied as the shirt was gone and he sat still. She then scolded him as if he was some runaway child, but he could hear the concern in her voice that made him smile. Instead of diving into the reasons for why he was there, he said, "I was just trying to make it easy for you to find me." He wouldn't admit it in the moment but there was something nice about being taken care of. He left out what it was there was on the island that he fought. He didn't pick just any island. There had been a string of strange occurrences in nearby islands with all manner of monster attacks. All of them seemed to lead back to this one.

He winced a bit at the first time the needle pierced his skin but stayed immobile. He felt her fingers stray away from the stitched-up gash. They traced down his back following the path of his scar, one that he knew precisely where it was. Her touch gave him s small chill, his shoulders pinched inward and his muscles flexed and tightened under her grazing touch, which felt like a dewdrop cascading from a leaf. He shrugged his shoulders down, perhaps a conversation for another time unless she asked about them.

"Thanks," he replied as he took his shirt and slid it back over his body. She gave her answer and it was clear. She did have a knack for picking up on things. He met her eyes and her soft expression cast away his trepidation. "Yeah. I will be. Me and Noyiah...we separated. In the long run, I can't give her a family. Honestly, I don't know if I'd want kids even if I could have them. But my long life span complicated things," he spoke with a semblance of sadness but it was loss he had grown accustomed to. "Some things just aren't meant to be."

He opened the meal package he brought out for her and handed it to her with a fork to eat with. A gesture to show that he knew she wasn't leaving the island anytime soon, that she was welcome company, and that they had a long day ahead of them.

“That is–” she paused, her eyes flickered with a hint of surprise and her lashes fluttered once he confirmed what she suspected. “I’m sorry,” her words were spoken with sincerity, but shortly after the thought set in a sense of sadness clouded her features. The concept of Immortality always lay heavy on the Voidling’s heart – to live forever and watch everything around you fade was a cruel fate, and she was only slowly coming to terms with it. Nuala never wanted a family. She knew she couldn’t have children and she knew that she would outlive every human she fell in love with – and regardless of how much it pained her, she had fallen in love regardless only to suffer the consequences of loss for eternity. She leaned her head back ever so slightly and looked heavenward. A breeze got caught in her purple hair and gently carried strands of it his way. The morning sun was warm and comforting.

“For all it brightens, love casts long shadows.” Nuala’s voice was barely a whisper now. They rarely crossed paths in the past and truth be told, she’d tried her hardest to avoid that woman. Her image merely served as a painful reminder to the things she wanted, but couldn’t have. It was difficult to fathom that everything still wasn’t enough for her, but Nuala realized that it wasn’t her choice to decide what ‘everything’ meant to someone else. “Find comfort in knowing that you are not alone and that you will live long enough to fulfill your purpose.” She had lowered her head again and looked into his eyes. “If you manage to stay away from wildcats and squirrels, that is.” Nuala’s mouth curved into a smile and she happily accepted the meal. She wasn’t particularly hungry, but eating something before a long journey was the right decision.

They finished their meal in silence and Nuala returned to her own spot at the fire. The weather was mild–they were lucky–and if she had to guess the time, she would say they were still in the early hours of the morning. The woman was dressed in a fashionable, yet comfortable attire. Over the months Nuala had worked on appearing more feminine and while there was nothing wrong with how she usually dressed herself, she no longer needed to look like a thief and assassin. She paired a pleated black skirt (‘combat skirt’ she she liked to refer to it as) with a steampunk corset and a shoulder cape. After finishing their meal, she thought it best to tie her hair up in a ponytail and once Kazimir had finished as well, Nuala pulled out a map and slid it over to him.

“Apparently there’s all sorts of things wrong with this place and people are too terrified to find out what exactly is going on. There’s an old temple not too far from here. Can I interest you in a dungeon crawl?”

He appreciated her care in these trying times for him. Her words were followed by a flicker of her own sadness as her hair was bundled up by the wind and strands drifted his way. He reached out his hand and put it on her shoulder. "Seems we both have things. Are you okay?" He asked in a hushed manner. While he had a long life span the pain of those thoughts may have been magnified in someone that could live forever. Something he knew was a reason she kept some people at arm's length. Her hair bathed over his hand that was on her shoulder.

"Shadows that are long and haunting," he replied to her heartfelt comment about love. He had to wonder what all she was speaking about. With such a long life span there was bond to be someone that made their way into her heart. It had been hard for him to deal with but being here had taken his mind from it and gave him time for it to settle in a little. But Nuala was the first one he had spoken with about it. Speaking it aloud seemed to make it all the more real. It was a strange mix of sadness and knowing that it was for the best.

"You've helped me more than you know today Nuala," he replied with a smile in finding comfort in her presence and her words a reassurance. He pulled his hand away from her shoulder as they continued speaking ad she made a witty retort about the wildlife.

"Smiling at my peril again," he said with a cocked brow and a grin. "I'm telling you...if you thought that business in the undead dungeon we went through was dangerous. Those Squirrels here," he shook his head with that same grin as things became more light-hearted between them once more. She had an amazing way of shifting between something serious and washing it away with a quip.

The meal was eaten in relative silence. Kaz looked over to notice how different her clothes had become. Much more feminine just like the dress she was dancing in when they met in Astera. She had even begun wearing a cap. Her time with the guild had definitely influenced her. Meanwhile, Kaz wore his same old blue jacket and black gi. He hid the magatama eye beneath his white bandana to conceal it. The same could not be said for the fluctuating golden hue in the seraphim eye he placed in his own eye socket.

The map from his office somehow managed to find its way into her bag as she pulled it out and slid it toward him. "I see you came prepared as always," he replied and it seemed she had already done her research on things here as well.

"You probably already know why I came then," he added as he took the map and turned it over to show the larger area map on the back. He pointed at a string of islands and coves that all formed some kind of jagged line. "Attacks have been happening from increasingly powerful monsters up this path and this is the next place on that route."

The map was set down in front of them and he flipped it back over. His demeanor shifted back closer to the one she knew, focused on work. He trailed his finger up the map towards the dungeon, "I think that sounds like a great idea. I've scouted some of the areas," he ran his fingers down some of the paths that led to the temple. "These ones were heavily covered by beasts and nests. But," he followed his finger up the road and then trailed off further up into the woods to loop around behind the temple. "If we take that path I think we should be able to avoid all of it."

He took his attention away from the map and back to her to see what she made of it all.

The Captain had done some scouting after all; he took the map and pointed her towards a route that was longer, but most likely safer than taking the direct way to the temple and Nuala swiftly agreed and began packing up. The Voidling stood up and kicked dirt over the remaining flames and once they were both ready to get going, their journey began. The island was eerie even during the daylight hours and Nuala couldn’t help but feel unwell. She had read many stories of all sorts of creatures that were rumoured to lurk in these woods and while she wasn’t exactly ‘human’ or ‘normal’ anymore either, the woman considered her own race to be of neutral rather than evil nature.

Kazimir and Nuala walked in silence for a solid hour; the woman let her mind float around a bit and focused on her surroundings rather than her companion and this wasn’t unusual for her – she had never been much of a talker and while she enjoyed his presence very much, she didn’t actually have to look at him or speak to him in order to feel that way. Instead, Nuala’s thoughts drifted into a multitude of directions and she began to wonder about things that were neither her business nor her problem, yet she couldn’t help how curious she was. The wildlife around them bloomed in lush colours but she couldn’t hear a single animal within range – Nuala hadn’t actively registered it, but the world around them had fallen silent as well.

“It’s almost ghostly here, isn’t it?” Nuala, who usually preferred to walk a few steps behind the Captain, had closed the distance between them and spoke in a low voice. “There it is.” The two emerged from the thicket of the forest and found themselves standing just a few metres away from the stone temple they had been looking for. It was massive; the heavy building had halfway sunken into the ground and Nuala had no doubt that they journey would lead them into the depths of this island. The walls were covered in moss and mandrakes and before the broken down entrance two large statues were standing guard. She didn’t know what they depicted, but their features were reminiscent of wolf-like creatures that walked on their hind legs.

“It’s quite strange, if you ask me,” she began the conversation and reminded herself to speak quietly. “This island doesn’t even have a name anymore, but the remnants of its former population are ever so present. I asked some of the fishermen in Astera and they all agreed this place is cursed–most of them didn’t even want to travel here.” Nuala knew that they were everything but alone on this island, but humankind had dealt with all sorts of monstrosities before, so surely they could handle a few beasts and whatnot.

She slowed down her pace and noticed that rather than leading them downwards just yet, the tunnel led straight ahead. There were a few rooms left and right, most of them empty or sparsely decorated with stone furniture and a few dusty urns here and there. The thief insisted on entering every single one of those rooms to check for valuable items and after walking through a few of them, she came to a conclusion. “This was once a place of religious worship, but I can’t seem to figure out what exactly was being worshipped here. Any idea?” Nuala had come to a halt in front of an ancient stone altar. She noticed smaller figurines, similar to the statues outside as well as a stench she didn’t recognize. In the middle of the altar, a large mirror clung to the wall and even though its glass was broken in some spots, she could still see the Captain’s handsome reflection standing behind herself.

Nuala put out the fire and Kaz threw his bag over his shoulder. The two of them made their way through the forest down the safest route, with Nuala walking a few steps behind him just like she usually did. It was nice to be back in the swing of things again. He led the way as the sun trailed over the trees. They walked in a common silence between them, both able to relish in a shared silence. The wildlife was beautiful and vibrant but Kaz's eyes didn't linger for too long. It was like a siren trying to lead a prey in to be slaughtered. The lack of animals was due in part because they knew the dangers of coming this far.

A whisper came from his side as Nuala appeared next to him. "Yeah. There are some plants around here that devour animals. But this is...unnerving." His ally pointed out the temple as they emerged. Dark and sunken just like the feeling in his gut. Upon closer examination, there were bipedal beasts as statues erect before the entrance.

Kaz was almost drawn to them, and he ran his fingers across the cold and weather stone. It was familiar and his eyes narrowed at the memory of beasts similar to this that he fought before. Hopefully just a coincidence or another fanatic.

He turned to her when she spoke about the island and the rumors whispered at the docks. "It's a strange place indeed. People haven't really come here for a long time. The land is largely undisturbed and no documents remain about the civilization here. The fisherman are right to be fearful. I asked them not to sail out here until I return unless it was necessary," he replied while looking deeper into the entrance of the temple. If his suspicions were true that had a longer night ahead of them than he thought.

Kaz entered and headed straight down the hall, only briefly looking into the first room to see nothing of interest, but was stopped by Nuala's ever-increasing desire to check each room in detail. he shook his head with a grin, "I'll be here making sure nothing comes down the hall." He often found himself acting as a lookout while she looted, but he didn't mind it was a good moment for him to slow his own pace and take stock of everything.

As she returned, he followed her over until they ran into a stone altar. "Worship huh?" he said questioningly and surveyed the area. He stepped closer behind her and saw their reflections in the old mirror with rusted edges. Beneath it was the clue they're looking for. More figurines of wolves. A stench rose up and Kaz waved his hand in front of his nose to cast it away, but it brought a flash of memory back to him. One of a dark tunnel and howls.

"I do," he responded to her question about what it could be down here. The look on his face was more a grimace than anything. "But I hope I'm wrong," he said as he picked up one of the figures and rotated it in his hand. "A long time ago I was on a mission with blue pegasus. There was a series of animal attacks on a village and we tracked it to a cave. Inside was a man doing experiments on himself, people, and animals. He was trying to make more of his kind," he set the figuring down and made eye contact with Nuala. "He transformed into a bipedal wolf monster. A werewolf."

He turned to look down the dark tunnel. "But there is only one way to be sure right," he said with a shrug and nodded towards the path that led deeper. As they moved downward it became steeper and steeper. The light from the outside was fading and its reach wasn't vast enough to curve into the pits before them. Kaz was moving more cautiously than before. Each step placed with care.

It was becoming too dark for him to navigate without being able to see in the dark but Nuala could. He reached back to find her arm but his hand met hers. Their fingers briefly grazing over one anothers, "Nuala" he said in a hushed tone and pulled his hand back. "Perhaps you should take lead."

The walls were not cramped at all, but if they ran their hands across the walls, the myriad of scratches and deep gouges could be felt. Years of claws racing up and down the dark path. The stench clung heavier to the air around them.

“Gross,” – that’s all she could say. The Voidling had her fair share of encounters with lycans; Aldenwald’s woodlands hosted an abundance of werewolves and Nuala had spent months hunting them, killing them and protecting the citizens from being eaten by them. They were savage and bestial creatures, with an immense physical strength and endurance that was to be envied. She had heard of more civilized werewolves and apparently the difference between true born or transformed was significant to their level of power and sometimes also their behavior.

“I read stories about the origin of werewolves,” she began and turned towards Kazimir. Even in the darkness she could perfectly see the outlines of his face and the colour of his eyes. “It always goes back to the blessing of some sort of god to make humans more powerful, to give them what they need in order to survive,” her head tilted slightly as a new thought crossed her mind. “I guess it’s not that different from us, is it?” She flashed him a bleak smile and they continued down the path; the Captain was leading and Nuala followed him with silent steps.

Kazimir’s words gave Nuala cause for concern; the idea of one person, insane and twisted enough to use black magic to make a human-wolf hybrid only to lose control over their own creation, was pretty terrifying. It also felt very familiar. After nearly four decades inside the void, Nuala had lost most of her humanity and turned into a feral beast – it took years for her to be rehabilitated, years she had spent inside the prisons of Savannah’s military, serving as a training tool for their soldiers. But that’s something she never spoke about – not even with the Captain.

After a short walk into the darkness, the Nephilim had reached his limit; awkwardly, but gentle enough, his hand found hers and the moment their fingers touched, Nuala’s expression softened. She didn’t mind holding it, but he pulled himself away almost immediately, causing her smile fade as well. “Poor Captain,” she spoke with a pressed voice, “I thought Angels were beings of light?” Nuala swiftly stepped in front of him and took her cape off. The Voidling’s naked arms and shoulders had thin, purple markings akin to those on her face, climbing down her skin on both sides; on Nuala’s back, a second pair of markings framed her spine and sculpted her hourglass figure beneath the corset.

Once she was ahead of him, a pulse of energy ran through her body and every mark as well as her eyes began to radiate a faint, amethyst glow. The light was dim, but bright enough for him to not lose track or get lost in the ruins. Nuala continued marching onward and her ponytail bobbed up and down in a rhythm that matched her walk. The walls were covered in slashes and cuts and deep gouges could be seen throughout the entire length of the tunnel and even though they were going further into the depths of the ruins, the flow of air remained consistent.

Once again there was nothing but silence between the two of them and Nuala took the time to focus on her hearing. There was nothing suspicious thus far and even the echo of Kazimir’s footsteps was relatively quiet – and she was grateful for it. After approximately twenty minutes however, the flow of air changed and when the Voidling heard the hollow sound of a breeze, she abruptly came to a halt. "I think.. I think this tunnel might lead into a cave?” She couldn’t see quite as far into the darkness, but the former stench had been replaced by scents of water, dirt, rock and air–all of which led her to believe that there might be some sort of underground cave ahead of them.

Having come from dhalia he should have expected she would have done her research on the breed of enemy they may now face. What she said made sense with what he had seen before. Although his encounter was only in a cave and not near a temple dedicated to it. "Well at least they have a pattern," he said and then smirked at her next comment on their own nature. "Funny if you think about it. A couple of non-humans the only ones out here ta face off with other non-humans." he avoided the term beast or monster. Even about the werewolves, part of them was human or at least once was. He gave her a small smile back and continued down the path.

Part of him could sympathize with the plight of the people and what they went through. The thought of their transformation made him wonder if the feeling was similar to what he used to experience with the animal spirit that dwelled in his magic.

He shook his head with a breathy but silent laugh, "I can't see in the dark and I can only make light when I transform but it drains my magic." She stepped in front of him and her slender figure was lined with markings when she removed her cape. She lit up with a dim yet captivating glow from the markings. It was an impressive sight even with all the times he had seen her do it before. She walked forward with her ponytail bobbing back and forth. The sway of her hourglass figure sent an unexpected thump against his chest and he averted his gaze to examine the markings on the wall as he walked, unsure of what he was feeling.

The wind mage ran his fingers through the slashes on the wall. He tried to get some rough idea about the size of the creature but many of them seemed to vary a great deal. It did serve to provide one bit of useful information, "I think there may be a pack of them in here." He gave a lengthy exhale through his nose. As much as he loved adventure, he hated the confines of caves and tunnels. His magic was ill-suited for spaces like this especially with needing to navigate around someone. He didn't bring up that the last time he fought werewolves in a tunnel he collapsed the whole thing around them.

Kaz slowed his pace when he felt the shift in the air. "Well, no choice but to dive in deeper," he said as he moved next to her and placed his hand on her back, accidentally slipping to the small of her back. Something he wouldn't have thought about before he knew about her emotions. "Sorry," he said quietly as he took his hand away.

The wind mage pressed deeper into the cave until it came to a pile of fallen rock and a tunnel that led upward. With Nuala still, close by he could see, and gripped the rocks to climb upwards. It wasn't long before he pulled himself out into an open cavern.

He reached down to help her up if she wanted it. The cavern had some natural lighting from a hole in the far center. They would be standing on something like an underground plateau. There were some cracks in the walls and a strong draft that crossed through the cavern. The hole wasn't jagged and looked carved in. Probably to allow for the light of the full moon to bathe into the room.

Kaz crouched down and inched closer to the edge, which was only a few feet away. The closer the would get to it the more the stench of animals and death crept into their noses. Over the side was a pack of men, standing around a large altar to a deity. On the walls were murals decorated with blood and entrails depicting a long lineage of werewolves.

When Kazimir’s hand came into touch with her lower back, something inside the woman’s mind clicked. She halted for another moment and tilted her head upwards ever so slightly while looking over her shoulder and at her male companion. It was only for a small moment, but the Captain appeared to be flustered and when he apologized, a bashful smile found its way onto the Voidling’s lips. Kazimir had always been polite, kind and dutiful – he was very knightly and his sense of justice would be charming, if it weren’t so twisted. She always found that quite interesting about him, but what really attracted her was the fact that he, in spite of everything, never judged her and shamelessly enjoyed her presence and the time they spent together. They shared a special bond and even if he didn’t admit it, he couldn’t deny it.

“Perhaps you can see in the dark after all,” she spoke sweetly and turned her head away to hide her grin. They continued on until the tunnels lead them upwards; Nuala kindly refused the Captain’s help and reminded him that his shoulder was still injured after pulling herself up and through the hole with relative ease. They entered into an open cavern and the atmosphere immediately shifted into a more sinister mood. Something inside the Voidling had been itching for some time now and she was slowly beginning to realize that it was bloodlust. Nuala shook off the unwanted thirst for violence – her life was different now and she didn’t need to be so wild anymore, even if she wanted to.

The scenery was grim. Nuala peered over the edge of the plateau and grimaced at what she saw; the stench of death hung in the air and she caught sight of a five men standing around an altar, worshipping god knows what. “What a bloody mess,” she whispered to Kazimir and shook her head in disapproval.

A thought crossed her mind and after contemplating for a few seconds, she decided that she liked it. Nuala reached down and pulled out her thinner dagger, a long blade that cut through armour the same way it cut through fabric. The Captain was on his knees, but the stronger Voidling pulled him down until he lay flat on his stomach. Nuala reached over his back, careful not to hit his shoulder, and pressed him into the ground. She then lowered herself down to his level and put her lips close to his ear. “Actually, my hit job was a fail and I have been dying for some activity ever since. Astera’s a mess by the way, but that’s a different story,” she hadn’t told him about all the things she’d been doing, but it wasn’t important now anyways.

Nuala slid her dagger through his sash and his necklace before stabbing the weapon into the ground, effectively nailing the Captain down. “I really want to loot this place and your magic always breaks everything, so just let me have this one, will you?” Kazimir wasn’t given a choice, as he was now chained to the ground. Of course she expected him to wiggle out of this little trap eventually, but his shoulder was injured and she knew from experience that his body wasn’t the strongest either. And by the time she’d finished speaking, the Voidling had already switched into her Second Skin, grabbed her main dagger, turned invisible and dashed forward.

There were five men standing in a circle around an altar and even though the Voidling remained invisible and soundless throughout her dash, they clearly noticed her presence and once she was within range, they turned around. Nuala didn’t pay much attention to their appearance just yet – they were all dressed in black and, by the looks of it, still in human form. Nuala aimed for the one on the left and her invisibility dispersed the moment her dagger cut cleanly through his throat.

She was already on the second man, when a very dramatic roar echoed through the cave and before Nuala could pull her weapon out of the second guy’s gut, she was hit by an unexpected force of magic that knocked her backwards and into the rocky wall of the cave. Two were down, two more had transformed into werewolves by the time she’d finished her assassination and the last one, who appeared to be the leader, was casting spells at her. Nuala groaned in pain and shook her head to regain her focus. “Seriously? Magic wielding Werewolves?” This whole thing was quickly becoming ridiculous.

Her reply to his hand, only made him lose his train of thought even more. "I uhm," he didn't expect that from her, but wasn't sure why. But something in the sweetness of her tone struck a chord within him. A melody that was yet to be played and held dormant even unknown to the wind mage. Not knowing what to do with his hand he just put it on the back of his head and smiled at her. The emotions he felt were still confusing and needed unraveling, but that knot was already pulling loose.

Setting that aside, he refocused on the mission and they both made their way to peek over the ledge. "Yeah. if they are all werewolves it'll make this difficult." Kaz took in a small breath and examined how much room he had to work within the tunnel as Nuala stealthily pulled out the dagger. He was ready to move forward when, "Huh,"He muttered as she pulled him down. In the flash of less than a second, he thought it was for something more until she pressed his body against the floor with her herculean strength. He huffed, at his one glaring weakness, in physical might.

He winced reflexively as she reached over his wounded shoulder and huffed again being pressed lower to the ground. Her lips moved close to his hear, giving him a chill on the back of his neck. "Hey, Astera's crime rate is down 15%. And what are you doing?" He replied in defense of his guildmate's hard work and confusion about what was happening. Everything fell into place as she slid the dagger through his amulet's chain and stabbed it into the ground.

"Nuala," he hissed in silence. "This is not a wise idea. It's too dangerous." His words didn't stop in the least. Some things never change and she was always a bit of a handful. "Nuala," he called out to her once more before she descended to the wolves.

Kaz quietly pulled at the dagger but it was secured tightly. He took a deep breath and looked down at Nuala approaching the wolves unseen. He settled into his spot. He had a plan to break free just in case but gave her the time she wanted. She was right about one thing. His magic was a bit too destructive in some cases. "Alright just be careful," he whispered to himself.

So far things were going good and one was down, but he inched his body as close to the edge as he could and gripped the amulet's chain. Before he could fully asses the danger of the situation, the remaining three transformed and the leader sent a concussive blast at Nuala.

The wind mage gritted his teeth. One of Kaz's biggest fears was not being strong enough and able to protect the people he cared for and someone he held dear was in danger now. He pressed his palm against the ground and sent a gust of wind crashing against it. Normally the dagger would have taken him a long time to yank out but the added pressure of the wind sent his body heaving upward and the chain tightened around the dagger's hilt and yanked it free. He rose up only about a meter and landed on his feet.

He stood on the plateau with Nuala's dagger in hand and roared as the image of a celestial tiger appeared roaring with him. A storm surged to life in the large cavern and a dozen tornados tore through the ceiling and crashed down around the werewolves with wind and debris. They ripped apart the rock and beasts, reaching up to a couple of meters away from Nuala. One of the tornadoes collided with the plateau sending it into the floor below in a cloud of dust.

Kaz dashed out of the dust in the blink of an eye toward Nuala. His clothes had cuts on it from his own storm. Frustration and concern were etched on the contours of his face. He looped his arm around her waist and scooped her out of the wall. "We'll talk about that later," he said as the rubble began to stir, and the alpha clawed its way to freedom.

With a large chunk of the roof of the cave collapsed in, Kaz pulled Nuala tight against his body, "Hold on," he spoke with still a bit of irritation overshadowed by concern. He stepped his foot down and a fierce gust of wind propelled them 40 meters straight up and through the hole in the cave. The rocks were a blur that was covered in little over a second and the two hung in the air above the open cavern with the temple beneath them surrounded by forest. They would land on a small portion of the intact roof.

The Alpha shrugged off the pain and leaped from one wall to the next, ascending toward them.

When Nuala’s body crashed into the wall a shudder ran through her limbs, followed by pain. Her Second Skin protected her from most damage, even though she still felt most of it and as she made an attempt to dodge whatever attack would follow up, a blast of magic shook the earth and the walls of the cave were beginning to tremble. “Oh shit,” she hissed and made a face. The Captain had freed himself or so it seemed and Nuala’s transformation dispersed the same moment he released his magic. She knew he didn’t want her to interfere when he was casting spells and somehow she had a feeling that he wasn’t too happy about the little stunt she had pulled earlier either.

From his magic, a storm surged through the cave, tore down the ceiling and sent tornados raging through the area and towards the remaining werewolves. Wind Magic – it really was the worst kind of magic to use inside small spaces and Nuala cursed under her breath as she watched everything fall apart in front of her. Her vision became vague between dust and debris, but Kazimir was already at her side, scooping her up from the wall and into his arms. The Voidling squealed at his sudden approach, but instinctively nestled into the Captain’s arms. She noticed the little cuts on his clothes, the warmth of his skin and the fast, but rhythmic beating of his heart and when he raised his voice, Nuala could only laugh at his attempt to scold her.

“Anything you say, Captain,” the woman responded with a grin and slid her arms around his neck. She could hear the anger in his voice, the concern and the frustration. Kazimir had never approved of her reckless behavior and the way she sought out melee fights and jumped straight into a dangerous situation, but at the same time this reaction of his was precisely what she wanted to see – and the way he was feeling was how she wanted him to feel. She wanted him to worry about her, look after her and focus only on her – and now he finally could. He blasted them out of the cave and she could feel her stomach turn at the sudden change of elevations; she had never been a fan of heights and his obsession with flying was one of the few things she didn’t understand about him.

Once Kazimir and Nuala landed on the roof, she acted immediately by pushing the Captain off of the collapsing ceiling and against a nearby tree. “You forgot one, that means I win,” she remarked and her voice was laced with sass. The woman took her other dagger from him and dashed off into the opposite direction and towards the remaining alpha werewolf. Somehow that thing had managed to climb up the walls regardless of everything around it collapsing and while it was quite terrifying to look at, the rogue had seen worse and fought more in Aldenwald. Nuala unleashed a blast of void energy from the palms of her hands at the beast and while it tanked the attack, the woman crossed the distance between them and simply kicked the werewolf back to where it came from – down into the cave where it got covered by falling debris and rubble.

The cave was collapsing, but the ground they were standing on appeared to be safe. Nuala returned to Kazimir’s side at once and before the Nephilim could say anything, she was back in his arms. She regretted parting from his embrace earlier, but it was necessary so the two of them could remain undisturbed. Of course Nuala would have to apologize to him later for forcing him to drain his magic and adding additional injuries, but for now she wanted this moment to last – and she wanted to be able to enjoy it while it did. Happily nuzzled against his body, the girl’s mind replayed the moment in which he saved her over and over again, adding it to every memory the two had shared over the past year. Memories she had kept close to her heart throughout the time. Eventually her head tilted upwards and Nuala rested her chin against his chest.

“I won,” her voice held a bunch of mixed emotions; she was teasing him, but there was also a certain amount of pride in it. What was dangerous and heedless to him was merely a game to her. “What’s my prize?”

Her jovial response to his scolding was even more infuriating but endearing at the same time. The voidling's arm slid around his neck as if she was just waiting on this moment and they weren't worried for their lives facing off with a pack of werewolves. She had nestled into his arms and sent his heart beating faster. Her slender waist fit easily and snug with his arm wrapped around it.

The reckless behavior she adored always made him worry and yet it never stopped her. It elevated it at times, causing her to do more just to pester him with it. Despite how talented she was and that he knew she used to mess with him, he was always there and reacted. If nothing else for fear that the one time he didn't would be the time it went south.

He dashed them out and he felt the pull of his stomach as they began to fall. He held her tighter to him so as not to risk letting her fall. The sky gleamed behind them. Her ponytail was free and strands snuck out flowing freely in the air. She wasn't a fan of soaring but it was often Kaz's best tactic and he made no qualms about her protest in the past and took her airborne if the situation called for it.

"Alright now..." he was interrupted as his get barely settled when she pushed him against a tree. His back hit it with a thud and a sigh. "Will you just," he gave up on saying the rest as she darted off. He stood ready to follow but she already blasted the beast with void energy and delivered a powerful kick. He clapped his hands sending out his senses and he felt the wolf fall back into the pit out of his range.

"Nuala," he was ready to protest when she linked into his arms once more just like the stealthy and cunning rogue she was. her presence pushed his back gently up against the tree once more.

Without a word, she nuzzled against him. Kaz laid against the tree with his arms around her and resting his hands on her shoulder blades. He hadn't expected this. After all that had happened before he didn't think she would be...here.

He let his arms relax around her and he drove the tension from his shoulders. Her body was cold and he never realized how she most of been constantly in this chilled state. He dropped his arms more around her almost to warm her up with his own body heat. He didn't feel a heartbeat against his chest from hers, but his beat enough for the both of them. Things became a little clearer to the airhead of a wind mage. All the things he had been feeling on their adventure today and the small moments he tried to play off.

She looked at him and declared herself the winner. A statement as frustrating as it was cute. She really did treat everything like a game. "You were reckless," he remarked as he looked into her eyes, and his hands moved to the center of her back, still trying to sound upset.

She asked what the price was and the breath from her words feel against his chest with a sultry breeze. He couldn't think of anything but how close she was to him and the last time they saw each other and she grazed his lips with her fingers. A touch far out shadowed by her embrace now.

He couldn't think of a price and pulled her in closer letting his hands hug her more. He brought his hand up to run across her cheek and find its way to the back of her neck with his thumb still grazing her jawline. "What if something had," the rest of his thought would have been asking if something had happened to her but he let it trail off and searched her eyes with his for a second before pulling her face closer to his and kissing her. If she accepted the kiss he would push off the tree just enough to grip her waist and spin them around to press her back against it.

“I always am,” she muttered quietly, her eyes flickering with anticipation. The Captain’s arms slipped around her waist, his hands gently tracing the shape of her body. He stumbled over his own words, lost track of his thoughts and as Kazimir’s focus got lost on everything else and fell solely on her, the woman’s mouth curved into a sly smile. She had won. It was almost visible in his eyes – every memory they ever shared was slowly being dipped into a different light, one after another. He would never see her the way he did before and things were beginning to change between them. Secretly, Nuala had wanted the Captain for herself since their first meeting and by the time it concluded, she knew he would be hers one day.

Nuala felt triumphant, but those feelings were quickly overshadowed by something far more real, something she wasn’t willing to think about just yet. The Voidling regretted losing her heart to him many times in the past and often wondered whether this moment would come; in times of doubt, she had cursed him and vowed to rid herself of those human emotions. Months had gone by and she was still absolutely lovestruck with him. When the Captain pulled her closer, a blush leaked into her cheeks and if she still had her heart, it would have skipped a beat in this very moment. “Captain?” Their eyes locked. A shiver went through the woman’s body, part in pleasure and the rest in tension. He tilted her head upwards and closer to his face and she parted her lips and swept them against his. It was a blissful moment–gentle and slow in its first bits, but swiftly turning into act of passion.

The Nephilim swept her up, spun her around and pressed her back against the tree and his sudden movement allowed a few quickened breaths to escape her lips. Somewhere amidst all of it, the girl from the void had forgotten how to breathe. Her mind numbed at the thought of being kissed by the Captain and although Nuala’s response was almost shy at first, she became greedy the moment their lips dared to part and she quickly brought them back together.

Throughout all of this, their bodies were tightly pressed against one another and she couldn’t help but notice how delightfully fast his heart was beating. Her lips parted from his, but only to trail down to his neck where she placed a few hungry kisses and gently bit him. Nuala’s hands were resting against his chest and once she found the will to pull herself from him, she pushed herself back against the trunk of the tree and gasped for air. “Captain,” she repeated with a playful smile and her voice carried a mischievous note. Strands of purple hair had fallen onto her shoulders and past her breasts, accentuating the quick lifting and lowering of her chest. She felt lightheaded.

"If we continue now, you might just lose your grace." Her smile was devilish. She had won and he was her prize.

She wasn't the same woman he had traveled with for the past year. Not the Nuala he sat beside and absentmindedly whispered the trials and triumphant of his life too or shared a drink with after a dungeon. Now, she was an alluring figure from his past, that he held dearly. Her touch wasn't a helping hand for a comrade but a sensual touch from lovers and he wanted it all. Whatever had lurked silently beneath the surface had burst forth all at once. It wasn't until she walked back into his life after running away that he began to realize the truth of his feelings.

With the chill of her body, and slow heartbeat he wasn't sure she could even blush, but seeing her cheeks flush with a soft hue only captivated the captain even more. Hearing her call him captain, sent a shiver through him, the way it rolled off her tongue was a whisper of intimacy. He pulled her closer as their lips pressed against each other's telling a story of unfilled passion springing to life.

When he pressed her against the tree, he thought of nothing else but her. it didn't matter where they where. Their lips parted and she immediately held back onto him and pulled him in again. He let out a small smile at her enthusiasm in the moment before their lips met again.

He gave a deep moan when her lips made their way down his neck. His hand ran up her spine and gripped her shoulder, pulling her tight to him. Strands of her chair fell across his chest. She pulled herself away and was as mischievous as she ever was and gave a devilish reply.

"Let's find out," he replied and moved his hand down her side and rested against her hip. His other hand brushed the hair from her breasts. Everything about her had become entrancing. This moment wasn't about heaven or the void. Just a small slice of indulgence on an island untouched by civilization.

He held her hip and pulled her into him once more, this time he brought his lips to the small area where her collarbone moved into her neck and followed it up until he reached her lips once more. He scooped her leg and pulled her off the tree to laid her down, "Nuala," whispering her name into her ear. They night came and the two spent it together under the open air with only their passion.

The Captain scooped her up, laid her down and somewhere between lust, infatuation and desire, the hours of the day rolled by and night fell upon their cozy little island. Bathed in sweat, the sly thief paid no heed to her sleeping partner and snuck off into the darkness for a few hours of solitude and to smoke a cigarette. Her mind was going into all sorts of directions at this point, a storm of emotions rampaged through her thoughts and in the end, confusion was all she ended up with. Nuala had always wanted him, and once it finally happened everything was perfect – every moment with him had been perfect. And somehow she still wanted more. Eventually, her confusion was swept away by excitement for what the future held and she silently returned to his side.

When Nuala stirred from her sleep, it was almost the next morning. The Captain was still in deep slumber (exhausted from all the hard work of the previous night) and she decided not to wake him – and to inspect the fallen ruins instead. She could smell death beneath the rubble and the debris and although the stench was most hated, it was a relief knowing that they were no longer at risk of being eaten by werewolves. The island’s strange atmosphere hadn’t faded however and Nuala never lost the unwell gut feeling she carried with herself ever since her arrival – whatever had caused the population of this place to die out was very much still alive and present. And the Voidling suddenly no longer wished to inspect this haunted place any further.

“Kazimir,” she whispered his name into his ear ever so softly and gently rubbed his side to wake him up. “I think we should return to Astera today,” she didn’t need to offer an explanation as the Captain was happy to oblige. His Gryphon had been somewhere on the island all along and while the beast came in handy, Nuala immediately noticed that it didn’t seem to like her very much and of course the woman knew exactly why that was – its owners scent was practically all over her after all. Their journey back to Port Astera was, as per usual, silent and while Nuala didn’t miss out on the chance to snuggle up against her Captain’s back, she was glad for the lack of conversation between them. Last night during their battle against the werewolves, the Voidling had felt it again – a tug on her soul. It was going to happen again soon and the timing couldn’t have been worse.

The Gryphon landed in Astera sometime between the late afternoon and early evening hours of the day. She knew he had to return to his guild and Nuala needed some time for herself as well. She requested to be dropped off at the hotel she had been staying at for the past weeks (a decent place, not too shabby with large rooms and cozy furniture) and upon their arrival, Nuala skillfully leaped off the winged beast and merely waved the Captain goodbye. She could tell that he was reluctant in letting her go and his unhappy face almost made her laugh out loud. “Don’t worry,” she said sweetly and flashed him a smile. “I’ll stay for a few more days before I return to the East.” And with that, the Voidling disappeared into her chambers and closed the door behind herself.

The following hours were spent eating a proper, warm meal and taking a long, hot shower. Nuala was contemplating a lot of things, but no matter how hard she tried to focus on the ‘important’ matters, her mind seemed to always drag her back to the night he had kissed her and they had slept with each other. One night had her feeling all sorts of things and the fact that he was gone now was bothering her more than she was willing to admit. By the time the woman had finished her entire night time routine, the moon had already climbed to its spot high on the sky and Nuala put on a nightgown and laid down on her bed. Her room was at the fourth floor–the highest in the building–and through a roof window she was able to look directly into the sky.

It's almost May again, she thought to herself. She would have to be careful.

Kaz drifted into a deep sleep next to the voidling as she had robbed him of all his vigor. The night had been perfectly unexpected, but it was like a weight was lifted from his shoulders, in letting what feelings were held inside of him out.

Not until he felt the tickle on his ear from her sweet whisper did he stir from his deep sleep. Everything about the way she said his name was different now, even tantalizing. Hearing it, he could rise up and take her again this instant. He smiled before opening his eyes and her hand rubbed his side gently. He reached back to place his hand briefly on hers, "Already," He questioned with a yawn. This was the first night of peaceful rest he had since coming to the island.

He opened his eyes and looked at the island that had been his place of solitude and solace. It was filled with battle, danger but now romance as well. He took a deep breath and pulled himself to his feet. "Yeah...I think I'm ready," he replied and a small part of him thought back to his old clan and the land there, much like the wilds of this island.

He whistled into the air and the griffon flew from over the tops of a few trees. It landed near them and as the two approached it narrowed its avian eyes at Nuala. The griffon craned its head and sniffed the air around her a few times. Kaz just smiled seeing the confusion of his winged friend. "You ready," he asked directed at the griffon, who replied with a small snort. Mostly because he didn't enjoy having to pack two people.

Kaz moved to hop on the griffon when the large beast gave him a small headbutt to his shoulder, more to get his attention than anything. Kaz grinned and jumped on and waited for Nuala. As they flew back to Astera, Nuala held close to his back. Kaz laid his hand across her arm as they flew. He still couldn't completely wrap his head around what happened. Just the night before everything had changed and he regretted none of it, even with the confusion it brought to him. He was still processing everything else that was going on in the chaotic moments but as befuddling and surprising as this was, it felt wonderful and stood at the center of the swirling mess in his mind. And it stood there clearly.

Everything needed to be sorted out but having her rest against his back only reinforced his desire for her and reminded him that it was real. All the memories they had and experiences culminated into whatever this was.The trip was in silence and he didn't know what to say even if they did speak.

He dropped her off as she requested and she could sense in his eyes both confusion and his compulsion to sweep her up again. Regardless, they did need to address the topic... maybe. But she had a knack for running off on him over their past few encounters. Her reassurance put a smile on his face, "I'll come to visit you in a few days before you leave," he said intending to give them both some space.

Kaz returned to his office and the griffon gave him a sly nudge with his wing and laid on the balcony. Kaz shook his head at his old friend and walked inside. "Alright. paperwork. let's see," he said and got the documents ready to write down some of what had happened on the island. He set them there to recount the night but could only think of Nuala and her breath in the night air. He stood up and removed his tattered gear. A shower washed away the remnants of combat and then lust. He wrapped his towel around his waist and took out a ready-to-eat meal to feed his hunger, but a more insatiable appetite was growing within him.

After eating, he returned to the paperwork only to find himself unable to get her out of his mind. He put on a fresh pair of clothes and flew out off the balcony, with his own wings to carry him now. He only had one destination in mind. It wasn't long before he arrived at Nuala's top floor hotel room.

He hastily flew over the rooftop window casting a brief shadow into the room that quickly vanished. There was a small outdoor balcony that he had dropped her off at. Just big enough for a chair and table with a door that led into her room. He landed without his wings as to be somewhat discreet but the night was silent as it often was.

The wooden double door was closed from the inside. He rose his hand and gave two silent knocks on the door and waited. There had been many times she had surprised him and avoided the front entrance and it was time to return the favor.

As soon as she opened the door he would say, "I had to see you again," and pull her close for another kiss. His hands holding onto her lower back and whisked her back into her room if she let him. Her nightgown sweeping across the floor. Kaz wore a simple gi this time without a jacket, something he simply donned in haste.

Nuala was counting the stars. The Voidling lie awake at night, her eyes gazing into the starry sky and her mind contemplating her next steps; a lot of things had gone into directions she was unable to foresee and even though she hated the unknown and how unprepared she was for it, the thief was glad that it had happened the way it did. It felt right and she wasn’t going to deny herself the happiness she thought she deserved. The Captain, of course, was constantly with her thoughts and while only a few hours had passed, she had already caught herself recalling his image countless times. It was different – she had never seen him like that before and if anything, Nuala would rate the entire experience heavenly and unforgettable.

But there were other, more pressing matters right now.

Nuala’s room held one large bed, two nightstands, a wooden table with two chairs around it as well as a sizable bathroom with a shower and a bathtub. The Voidling was a neat person and everything was more or less orderly – that being said, the woman didn’t travel with many belongings and thus she only had a few clothes neatly arranged into the dresser next to her bed, whereas cigarettes, alcohol and three apples could be found on top of the table. All of those items were placed around a small, black book which captured one of the three feathers of the Nephilim between its pages. The second one was inside Nuala’s diary–which was written entirely in the savannan language–and the last one was used as the quill she wrote her entries with.

She always chose her rooms on the top floor, preferably with a roof window so she could look at the sky before she slept and flee through it if she needed to. Her plans for the next few days were rather simple: rest and regenerate some of the energy she had lost during their little trip and everything in between, assess her current level of strength and decide whether or not it was a good idea to travel back to Dahlia City on horseback. Much to her dismay, she had forgotten about time in her everlasting conquest to win the Captain’s heart and now that she had finally succeeded, Nuala feared that she couldn’t stay for as long as she had promised him.

All those thoughts were swept aside however, when something softly landed outside her balcony and politely knocked on the door. Visibly shaken by this, the Voidling (who did not expect any other visitors for the night) threw her dagger at the door and only when it dug through the wood and she was able to recognize his surprised sounding voice from the other side, the woman relaxed and opened the gates for him. “You scared the crap out of me,–” she exclaimed, but her complaints fell on deaf ears. “You said you wouldn’t be back until another few days,” and although her voice mildly hinted at the fact that Kazimir had interrupted her with something, she didn’t exactly protest when he scooped her up either – and so she let it happen and happily gave herself to him. Their unexpected reunion ended with Nuala needing a well deserved nap and the Voidling fell into a faint slumber shortly after.

Kaz waited for the door to open. CRACK, the wood splintered in his face as the point of a blade bore through. He dipped his head to the side and the mirror polish of the blade reflected his wide-eyed look back at him. "Whoa. it's me. Kazimir." He began to rethink his bold idea of surprising her. Something he'd have to keep in mind in the future.

The gates flung open shortly after, revealing the voiding in nothing but a nightgown. Her complaints failed to reach his ears. Maybe it'd be easy if he didn't knock next time. "I decided not to wait. I hope that's not a problem," he whispered sweetly in the ever-decreasing distance between them. His words held no hint of regret in them.

He pulled away from her lips and took a step towards her bed. He reached out to take hold of the fabric from the front of her nightgown. The silky garment bundle up in his hand and he tugged her closer to him and the bed, "Come here," he said as the gown she wore tightened across her back pulling her into him for another kiss beside the bed. His hand moved to her back and caressed down below her waist. The warmth between them magnified as he lifted her up and her legs found their way around his waist. With a slow turn, he faced the bed and set her down, slowly moving over top of her. He grabbed her wrist and pressed it to the bed above her head and freely embraced all she gave him.

Nuala drifted fast asleep and Kaz rolled to his back and looked at the rooftop window. He turned his gaze back to the woman that had taken his breath away in such a short time. The thought of her naturally ever-cold body and lack of a heartbeat never bothered him. He had become so comfortable around her, it no longer crossed his mind. This was a new side of her. One of vulnerability. It was still hard to imagine that after all the time they had spent together they finally found one another sharing a bed.

He smiled, then leaned over and kissed her shoulder while she slept. Slowly he peeled away the sheets from his body and stepped onto the floor beside the pile of his clothes, strewn about the floor. His arms rose above his head, stretching out his back from the work-out she had given him. The bed barely moved and he inched off it, knowing how light of a sleeper she was. The room was spacious enough and he crossed over to the bathroom.

A small book was resting on the bedside table as he returned from the bathroom. it was a gathering of her belongings. Only a few apples and basics, but one thing stood out. A feather poked out of the top of a little black book. "Thinking about me all this time. Even when you hated me," he replied very silently to himself. It gave a small glimpse into what she actually felt for him. His hands grazed the top of the book and ruffled the old feather that was stuffed inside. Now it was probably over a year old.

One of his wings sprouted from his back only long enough for him to bring his wing forward and pluck a single feather from it. He reached down to carefully slide the feather out. He grabbed its top and gave a small tug. The black book scooted forward and the edge of a picture that had been hanging between the pages fell out. The wind mage cocked his brow and picked the image up. It was a familiar face, but why did she have it.

"Huh," he said and looked over at her to see if she was still asleep or had woken up. If she was awake he would ask, "Nuala. Why do you have a picture of him?" She had come to this town for a reason, and maybe that reason was not for the wind mage.

The Voidling was flabbergasted when the former Captain-Commander of the Rune Knights landed on her balcony and flashed her his most mischievous smile yet. She knew his thoughts were indecent the moment she saw that look on his face, and somehow it still took the woman a moment to gather her thoughts. Nuala’s mind had been tangled up in all sorts of worries and although the Captain played a huge role in the way she was feeling right now (confused, happy and very naughty), unfortunately there were more pressing matters at hand. The Nephilim didn’t seem to have a care in the world though – and she was unable to resist him. “Don’t sneak up on me,” she begged and once a sigh fell from her lips, he’d closed the distance between their mouths and pulled her into his arms. She didn’t really have the will to ask him to stop.

Nuala wanted this, but she would have never thought that things were going to be the way they were at this moment; the Captain was just as needy for her attention and love and he seemed restless the moment they separated. Somehow Nuala had never thought of Kazimir as an ‘affectionate’ person and his behavior made her realize that there was a side of him she simply would have never known about, hadn’t things turned into what they were right now. “It’s never a problem,” she assured him and pressed herself into his embrace. When he pulled her towards the bed, Nuala could only meekly nod at his demands and followed each and every one of them to his desires. Hours went by just like that and the woman felt exhausted, more so than usual, and fell into a slumber.

The thief who usually slept with one eye open was able to rest peacefully, but not for long. She felt his kiss at her shoulder and resisted the urge to open her eyes – to be honest, Nuala wasn’t quite done napping yet, but the foreign situation she found herself in and the urge to protect her privacy were ever present. She trusted Kazimir, but there was something inside the Voidling that wouldn’t allow her to completely turn her back on a person and still feel safe, regardless of what she felt for them. His lips on her skin sent a shiver down her spine, but she stayed still and patiently waited it out. She could hear his footsteps, but her eyes were closed. There was nothing out of the ordinary and hadn’t he spoken up before her, she would have simply asked him to come back to bed so they could finally sleep – but the Captain had other plans.

He intended to replace one of his older feathers with a new one, when he came across something she would have preferred to keep a secret. Nuala sat up on the bed, fetched her nightgown from the floor and slipped it over her naked body. The woman wrote solely in her mother tongue–one of the many languages of Savannah–and although she didn’t think that Kazimir could actually understand anything, he had come across something that didn’t need any sort of understanding, because it was someone’s picture. She had told him about her plans regarding that person prior to the sudden change of their relationship, but it’s been a month and if he’d forgotten she wouldn’t blame him. Nuala couldn’t help but notice the demanding tone in his voice however, and the way he arched his brow with suspicion and perhaps even a mild amount of irritation.

Enticed by Kazimir’s reaction, the woman climbed out of the bed and approached her partner. Her lips had twisted into a wicked grin, but it immediately disappeared when she stepped into his vision. Nuala sat herself on top of the desk, facing the Captain, and snatched the picture from his hand. Her eyes fell on the image of a young, human male and in that moment even the thief couldn’t help herself as her expression visibly softened, if only for a moment. She sighed wistfully and gently held the picture against her chest, where her heart would be. “Why wouldn’t I? He is quite literally breathtaking,” she smiled in a suggestive manner and a blush went into her cheeks. “Why are you going through my things and asking questions about other men in my life, Captain?” It was only once Nuala had spoken those words, that she realized the weight of their meaning and that perhaps she wasn’t ready to know the answer to them just yet.

Without a word, the voidling crossed the room and sat on the desk. If he knew anything about her he knew that she was about to say something devious. "Uh," he murmured as she snatched the picture from his hand and the wind mage crossed his arms. Her wistful sigh was the beginning of the sinking feeling in Kaz's gut. Then she held it to her chest and spoke longingly, leaving the wind mage with a hint of jealousy in his eye. A feeling followed by the warmth rushing to his ears as he saw the blush on her face. He couldn't quite explain what he felt. Could it possibly be...diving too deep into it may reveal something that complicated matters even more.

He hung on the statement, 'other men in her life,' and then took a breath and exhaled through his nose. He slowly realized she was trying to get under his skin, as they navigated this new and confounding situation they were in. She always did like to tease him and he often fell right into her lap.

He took a small step towards her and extended the feather, "You're right. I shouldn't have pried. I was just trying to replace that old thing with a new one, and the picture fell out." Her ruse may have completely worked if it weren't for the feather of his she kept. A statement that spoke more about her real feelings than the teasing words she said.

To think that after all this time she still held onto it. Even after their argument months ago where they parted ways. The day she confessed something to him and showed the vulnerable side she often had hidden behind her hard exterior.

"You know, I can literally create a vacuum and suck the air out, actually taking people's breath away," he said with a smirk comparing himself to being breathtaking as well but in his typical over-analytical way.

It was a joke that also served to give him time to process the question she asked of him and all the meanings that could be held within it. If his answer would shake what they already had going on or not. He began to latch on to a few things here and there, feelings that hadn't been spoken aloud for they were still not clearly understood. But one thing he did no is that it made him uncomfortable to hear her talk about other men.

"The man in the photo happens to be a friend of mine," he said, side-stepping the real question and at the same time his own real answer. When what he really wanted to ask was if there really were other men in her life. But Nuala knew him all too well over their time together and while he was concerned for his friend she knew there was something else there too. In the end, he would keep that in, what they had now was simple and he didn't want to muddle it up. For all the missions and experience the captain had...with all the changes that had happened in the past month he was still searching for his center again.

The picture was more than a point of concern as it could only mean one of a few things with her. He knew she came here for a reason, and whatever it was had to do with his friend. He'd hate to be swept up in some love triangle or worse.

When the Nephilim took a step towards her and handed her a new feather, Nuala pursed her lips and reached out to him; instead of taking the feather from his hand, the woman’s fingers wrapped around her lover’s wrist and she pulled him into her arms. He was warm, his skin was soft and she could see the little marks she had left alongside his neck – small, purple spots were becoming visible under his pale skin and amidst all of them she still found a place to add another one. She placed little kisses along his collarbone, all the way up to his jawline and wrapped her legs around him. Her fingers traced the muscles on his back, and eventually the Voidling looked up at Kazimir with rueful eyes. “It’s not just an old thing to me,” she explained and carefully placed the feather back where it belonged. “It’s the only gift you ever gave me,” – and one of the only gifts the thief had ever received. To say that it meant the world to her was an understatement.

Still, she was embarrassed that he found out about how close she kept his feathers at all times and while Nuala didn’t actually mind that he’d looked through her belongings, the woman felt a sudden rush of heat flowing into her cheeks when she realized that he knew what it meant to her – what he meant to her. She hid her face against his chest and sucked in a breath and the Captain’s comforting scent. He tried to make a joke there (or so she thought) but rather than laughing, she rolled her eyes and pinched his behind.

Kazimir had always been awfully analytical and almost stoic; his constant lectures about life, clever quotes about the wind and the overall nonsense that came out of his mouth when the day was long was exhausting and tiring, but endearing all the time. She very much preferred to see him frustrated, perhaps even a little jealous or flustered from time to time, because it made the Captain seem all the more human. She knew that physically speaking, Kazimir was something else now – and even though she’d never met him as a human, she felt as though his heart was still all the same.

“He was my target for a mission, but we came to an agreement so you don’t have to worry about that anymore,” she murmured into his chest, gently pushed him backwards and hopped off the table. “He’s fine, I promise. And if he’s not, then that’s not my fault,” with a flick of her wrist she had thrown the picture into the bin and pulled the Captain back towards the bed. She was feeling quite tired all of the sudden and for a split second, the sinking feeling in her chest made her question whether she wanted to stay the night or simply leave. But how could she if he was still around? “Do you want to stay the night?” Once he agreed, Nuala stumbled towards the bed and pulled Kazimir with her.

She was suddenly very tired and when she lay down, it felt as though something was pulling at her insides and a gasp escaped her lips. Her eyes darted over to the Captain, but rather than saying anything she simply took a sip from the nearest bottle of water and rolled over until she was lying halfway on top of him. “Sorry for messing with you,” her voice was a quiet, but had regained most of its mischief. “I'm glad that you finally care about me the way I want you to.”