"Or, I'm sure we could find something to prepare here. I think I have a few rogue ingredients laying around," he replied. He received that same thin-lipped stare in times past. But when it came to food, he had no problem in letting her take the lead. He couldn't help but wonder what sorts of devious thoughts ran through her mind when she flipped her hair. Almost like every word gleaned with seduction.

"Not that all attention is unwanted. But If mine went missing I'd have to go searching for it," even though it was all in playful joking, the thought of that journey was enough to bring weariness to his mind.

And as quickly as she had teased him she was within his arms congratulating him. "Thank you. It came as a surprise to me as well. To think that they count me among some of the top mages. It's something that I am grateful for," he squeezed her hand in return.  It wasn't often that the charming thief let him sneak something away from her.

A short breathy chuckle accompanied her laugh at his attempt at humor. His greatest weakness was his lack of strength. And in everything physical aspect but speed, the Voidling outmatched him and strength many times over. But it was never odd for him to be held by someone so delicate who could also overpower him physically so easily. If anything he admired her hard work in honing her body into a masterful instrument while keeping her elegance.

He walked back to the kitchen but still felt her loving gaze tickling the back of his neck. He peaked over his shoulder at her, "You won't have to," he reassured even if they both knew those words weren't necessary. What she said was almost possessive, but it didn't seem to bother the wind mage, rather it was pleasing to here something so straightforward and earnest.

He blinked as her cheeks flushed a beautiful red that he adored and she pulled away. His fingers falling from the final button of the jacket. He stepped toward her with a hand ready to hold her arm when she faced him and snuck her hand into this hair. The small binding came undone and his indigo hair fell freely about his shoulders and below. "You know that isn't a quick process to bundle that all up," he replied but was quickly shut up as he gave into the wet kiss that followed. He held the small of her back and pulled her closer. His other hand grazing up her side to her shoulder.

"What is it?" he replied. It was not typical for her to be so coy about things but then again she had been harboring unspoken feelings for him over a long time. And he was more than happy to answer anything she had.

"I'm a pretty simple guy. I have no reason to hide what we have, but if you prefer it be more secretive for a bit, I'm alright with that too." He leaned against the doorframe that led into his private chambers. The door was only cracked open.

"But guilds or not, It won't cause me to hesitate. My guildmates would probably be happy for me," he smiled. "Things have progressed rather quickly haven't they," his long hair fell to the sides of his face. He returned to her and held her arm, pulling her a few inches closer.

"Whatever speed we're going at. It feels right."

“If you are hungry, I’ll make something for you,” she suggested and curiously peeked beyond him and into the kitchen. Nuala didn’t think the Captain had anything nutritious laying around whatsoever, and with her upcoming metamorphosis the woman didn’t see any point in consuming human food at this point–she’d throw it up in a few hours anyways. Nuala counted seconds every time Kazimir left her embrace and once he’d returned, and she'd untangled his hair tie, she could sense the slightest amount of genuine frustration with his hair coming loose. He made a playful complaint and the woman’s amethyst eyes sparked at the thought of finally being allowed to see him like this as much and as often as she wanted.

“I like your hair like this,” she confessed, her lips showing a meek smile. “It suits you. You are very handsome.” The Voidling wasn’t one to compliment, but she couldn’t help herself with him. It was a rare moment, and once she regained her strength and nature they would without a doubt diminish. If anything, Nuala was known for being aloof and apathetic and while most of her behavior stemmed from the fact that she had to withhold her feelings for the Captain, she also thought of romance as something too childish and humane for her to relate to. But for the time being she was both of those things and so she would voice her feelings for Kazimir freely and earnestly.

They kissed for a long time and Nuala could feel the heat of the sun lowering on the horizon tickling her neck. Just a few more moments with him, she thought to herself and when he held her arm and pulled her closer again, the woman immediately gave in. “It’s not about hiding,” she whispered and rolled her eyes with a smile. “It’s about my shady reputation possibly affecting yours, especially now that you carry such a fancy title. Although if I could hide you from the rest of the world and keep you all to myself I would,” she admitted, without shame or regret in her voice. Nuala’s fascination and obsession with the Nephilim had been obvious (at least to her) ever since the day they had met and she had fantasized about being with him long before she came to understand the weight and meaning of her own feelings.

Nuala ran her fingers through his long hair and tiptoed to get closer to him, until their cheeks touched. She gave it a sniff and nodded approvingly. “You smell good.” Clearly distracted, and clearly longing for a bite, the still human girl wrapped her free arm around his neck and pulled him closer. When he commented on the quick progressing of their relationship, Nuala wanted to laugh and go for another kiss, but instead a painful thought crossed her mind and she clenched her fist. Burying her face against his shoulder, the woman took a moment to contemplate whether she really wanted to say something now, or simply keep it quiet. “It feels fast to you, because you ignored our bond to protect the comfort of what you already had.” Her voice showed no signs of reproach, but it appeared that Nuala was still hurt by his rejection.

Surprised and taken aback by her own honesty, Nuala’s eyes widened as she searched for the right thing to say. “Sorry,” she apologized and shook her head; raven locks danced around her skull and her expression softened. “I didn’t mean it like that, I just–,” she paused and inhaled sharply. Lowering her gaze, the woman took a few deep breaths to steady herself. “I just need to get back to normal, I hate being this emotional. Please don’t take this the wrong way, you’ve been absolutely perfect.” Forcing a sheepish smile, Nuala’s fingers nervously thrummed against his skin.

"I won't argue with that," he replied with a soft voice. The kitchen held a few sparse ingredients. Mostly vegetables, fruits, and nuts that he had foraged on the way to the city. They were stacked on a small countertop beneath the window.

"I suppose I'll have to keep it like this more often," he smiled back at her compliment. Now that they were together he was able to see the more romantic sides of Nuala that he was pleasantly surprised by. "I only have it wrapped up because it's a pain to travel through the wind with it." There were many times in his younger days that the hair swooped into his face and even now blew more freely than he'd like at times.

"It's nice to see you like this. So open. It's rather lovely."

"oh," he gave a small chuckle at her eye roll. "Then don't worry about a thing. You seem to always be looking out for me like that. But I don't even worry about it. Don't let it bother you. I have no problem with a beautiful thief at my side. I'd say that's more of a reputation boost than anything," he waved off the severity of her worry with a small joke laced with truth. He really didn't care. As long as he could still help people and live freely.

He took in a deep breath as she brushed her cheek by his. His hand made it's way to her back, lightly pressing against. it. "Maybe it's from rolling around in a meadow all afternoon," he responded and the wind mage was still in a more tranquil mood from the day's events.

The sudden sharp words held the wind mage in place. His hand drifted down her back to her waist. It was a painful whisper that echoed from his shoulder. He was at a loss for words in the abrupt mood shift and regretted having brought it up.

When she apologized the tension rolled from his shoulders. Worry that built up from fear of where the talk would go. "Don't think anything of it my love." He put his hand on the hand that the voidling was thrumming on his chest as if to calm it.

"There's nothing wrong with speaking how you feel. but we have each other now and I'm not going anywhere," he brought her face back up to look at him.

"How about when you leave to get your powers back. I'll make sure we have a nice night inside away from the distractions of the world."

He looked back at his private bed chambers, "Maybe it's about time you stayed the night with me." He had already been inside one of the most personal places of hers. And while a hotel room was hardly a comparison it was still a bridge they had not crossed yet. Despite all the times she had broken into his various places of rest and relaxation.

Nuala adored Kazimir’s innocence; his virtue and sweetness was both attractive and endearing. The Voidling often wondered if her Captain simply chose to turn a blind eye to the chaos she wrecked, and havocs she left behind or if he truly did not know. He chuckled at her and his words melted away at her heart. With a heavy sigh, the woman nestled back against his body and gave his lips a tender kiss. “Beautiful, cunning and clever,” she spoke softly and with a smile. “And don’t you ever let anyone tell you otherwise.” With the Captain in her clutches, Nuala didn’t think she’d ever have to worry about anything again, and while she knew that that moment of heightened emotion and bliss was going to be just that–a moment–she still found it in her to appreciate it and all the heart flutters that came with it.

He tilted her head back up, and a simple look into his eyes was all it took for her tension to disperse and her racing heart to calm. “I like that idea very much,” the still soft-spoken human whispered and gave her partner’s hand a grateful squeeze. “Thank you, Kaz.” He dismissed her concerns, and his reassurance immediately lightened her mood. The Captain was understanding and empathetic, and she found it curious how easy those emotions came to him and how effortlessly he reflected them back to her. His suggestion furthermore peeked the girl’s interested and she tiptoed around him to take a look at the door that hid his private rooms.

“Now I can’t help but wonder what you are hiding in Astera,” she teased and a chuckle found its way past her lips. “But you are right, I need my strength and my senses returned to me first,” her voice trailed off, much like her thoughts, the moment Kazimir brought that topic up. “In spite of the stellar performance I gave you earlier in the meadow, I’m growing significantly weaker by the minute and it’s been far too long already.” Her tone held a sense of cynicism in it and Nuala would be lying if she said she didn’t purposefully  push back the reclaim of her powers in order to enjoy more intimate moments with the Nephilim while being both fragile and human. It added an interesting twist to their relationship, one she wouldn’t be able to explore again for another year (or until Kaz decided to finally start lifting).

“I suppose it’s about time that I excuse myself then?” Still playing coy, the Voidling placed a final kiss to his mouth to bid him farewell. “I will be back before dawn, and don’t you dare worry about me,” with her now taking the time to reassure him, the woman thought I would be a good idea to pull out her dagger and demonstrate why she was fine on her own, regardless of the circumstances. “I wasn’t born to be a master assassin after all. I trained to be one!” With plenty of confidence in both her voice and on her face, she took a few steps towards the door and flicked her trusty weapon up into the air; the dagger twirled and with Nuala failing miserably at catching it, and accidently cutting herself in the progress, it fell to the ground, where it got stuck in the wooden flooring.

“Oh f–,” she muttered a few curses under her breath while her cheeks flushed crimson. “Nothing happened, nothing to see here!” Picking up the dagger as swiftly as she’d dropped it, the now deeply embarrassed Nuala gave her sweetheart an apologetic smile and waved her empty hand in a dismissive manner. “This happens all the time, it’s a strategy to keep your enemies unbalanced at all times,” she promised and ran out of the door.

She was headed straight for the woods behind the farmlands of Marigold; the sun was setting and the streets were almost empty. Nuala took a deep breath; the air was always more refreshing on the countryside, and she was glad for it each and every year that she visited. The forest was quiet already at this time of the day, and the location she sought out was secluded and lonely (or so she hoped, it’s not like she could actually tell). Once she’d found the perfect spot, Nuala kneeled down and let a few drops of her blood trickle into the moss-covered grounds.

It didn’t take very long for the earth to begin to rumble, and eventually split open. Stout-hearted and dauntless as she was, Nuala bent forward and reached into the Void. It only took her other half a few minutes to find her, and she could feel it tugging at her fingertips, slowly dragging her in. Then, with a sudden shift, the void creature grabbed her whole and fully pulled her into the darkness.

Her kiss could always sweep him away and her sweet words even more so. He had a smile on his face as she left his lips and spoke. This more human side of her never seemed to be without sentiment. He squeezed her as she spoke. "How could anyone tell me otherwise when I'm with such a stunning and compassionate woman." The tender moment flushed Kaz with warmth as he held her, long enough to try an make up for lost time.

"Good," he replied at her acceptance of the next step with them even if it was a literal one toward his room. He let her slide from his hold when she moved toward the door. A room that probably held less mystery than she would be thinking. They had never gone into his chambers together and an air of excitement loomed around him at the thought of further opening up to her.

"hmm. Well I suppose you'll see soon enough. But it's nothing too grand." He came forward again and wrapped his arms around her from behind and planted a kiss on her shoulder. His mind raced back to the passionate rendezvous in the meadow and his heart beat against her back softly. She was still warm to the touch, but he was ready for the familiar chill of her body on his.

"Alright," he said reluctantly about waiting until dawn and leaving her on her own. "But you know I'll still worry." Their hands slipped apart as she moved toward the exit. A flare of confidence in her voice when she whipped out the daggers. Kaz crossed his arms with a smirk and was ready to see the expert performance. The dagger sliced down her hand and the wind mage half-dashed toward her with wide-eyes.

"Are you," he began to ask as she cursed. He stood with his hand still in the air from reaching toward her. "A strategy?" he asked full well knowing they both knew the truth. He had never seen her drop one before let alone cut herself. This being human really changed her abilities. He didn't wanna press it seeing the embarrassed flush of her cheeks already, but she didn't have to be brazen around him. "Just be careful and maybe not use that tactic while human."

He climbed out the window once she left and watched her roam down the streets to the woods. He stayed on her trail dashing across the roofs. "Maybe she won't even notice me. I'll just be here until she gets her powers back."

The woods were shrouded in darkness. He stood on the thick limb of a tree and tightened his grip as the earth shook. His eyes narrowed on Nuala trying to capture all that was happening. He averted his attention to the surrounding area and let his senses extend into the wind to catch any movement that would be making a move on his loved one. His attention on broken with a wide-eyed look at the void being that pulled her into the depths.

The Void was dark and full of terrors. When Nuala was pulled inside, the creature clinging to her arm hauled her into the obsidian world and with this, a process of rebirth began and continued on for many hours. It wasn’t painful per se, but terrifying and seemingly without end. The Voidling felt her strength returned to her eventually, but her human body always needed time to readjust and adapt. Motionless and lying on her back, the immortal woman stared into a grey, starless sky, wondering if she’d ever get used to this never ending darkness and the fear that befell her at the thought of one day being unable to return to the world above, when there was so much she’d left behind–and so much to return to. After what felt like an eternity, the girl stopped freezing. A familiar chill spread across her pale body and re-etched into her skin, the glowing marks of the void returned. She wasn’t weak anymore.

Whereas the Void had dragged her inside almost gently, welcoming home a familiar face, she was spit back out with much less affection and Nuala only had enough time to brace herself before she was sucked back out and thrown into the dark woodlands around Marigold Town, Fiore. The moment her armoured body hit dirt, Nuala was overcome by a wave of pain and shock as her senses returned to her at once. The helmet covering her face dispersed and she gasped for air; droplets of sweat rolled down her temples and disheveled strands of purple hair clung to her hardened skin. She coughed, rolled onto her belly and slowly–and on all fours–began to straightened herself up. On the horizon, she could see the sun slowly rising and after everything that had happened recently, a heavy sigh of relief rolled over her lips. Her body felt strong again and Nuala clenched her fists, wondering if she’d grown a little bit more powerful than she was before.

Slowly the Voidling rose to full height and with every motion a loud crack sounded from her body–the adjustment of her improved physique and the living thing that resided inside her. Amidst all that strength, there was also a lot of weakness however, and the Voidling always struggled to navigate with her improved senses after being practically blind, deaf and clumsy for some time. Especially with the Captain around to protect her, Nuala had let herself go more than ever and she was now suffering from the consequences, albeit only mildly.

Well aware that she was still being hunted for revenge, the woman’s head immediately turned the moment she heard the faintest of sounds. It could have been anything, but her vision blurred from the sudden movement and her ears were still unable to pinpoint its exact location–she only knew that it was there, and that it was dangerous. Naturally, Nuala leaped into the direction from where she’d picked up the noise, moving further away from where Kazimir was hiding. She was fast–faster than him for sure–but it was that exact speed that now gave her trouble and when she caught sight of something from the corner of her eye, Nuala’s mind was unable to keep up with what her senses were telling her. Instead the Voidling now came to a halt within an area of the woods that was far more dense, with rich thicket that kept her line of sight limited to what was immediately in front of her.

And because of this, Nuala didn’t notice the incoming attack, nor was she able to dodge it. A single, poisoned arrow pierced her throat from behind, and instead of words a helpless, bloody gargle fell from her lips. A second arrow hit her into the back of her knee, and the third one pierced her thigh. The pain was bearable, but she was now unable to run. Blood ran down her jaw, onto her chest and spilled onto the forest trail before her. Her hands reached up to her throat, but the moment she touched the wooden weapon she realized there was no way for her to remove it–and that she’d die if it stayed in there for any longer. Pearls of cold sweat rolled from her forehead and before she knew it, a fourth arrow had pierce her chest, where her heart would be.

Soundlessly, Nuala’s body collapsed to the floor.

The time ticked by and as she defended into the void he released his detection spell. The danger was gone now and once she emerged she would be fully equipped once again. And yet he waited to see what would happen. Waited for her to emerge and know for certain that all was well. His eyes grew heavy as the hours passed.

His concentration snapped back to focus as the void opened up once more. He jolted to a standing position as her body was spit out. He was ready to jump down to her but braced against the tree instead. If he went down now it would only show that he had followed her.

He held his breath until she gasped for hair and her purple hair tumbled free from her helmet. He exhaled and leaned back against the tree. She was safe and sound, but he didn't expect it to have taken that long. He wondered what she had gone through in there.

She seemed off balance. Kaz leaned further down from the tree branch and focused on her. Trying to gather if she did indeed need his help. But instead of faltering, she snapped her head toward the faint sound in the distance. She darted off and Kaz instinctively dashed along the trees. His magic propelling him faster than she could move but he slowed down to match her pace.

The trees of the forest were smashed together in a thick canopy. Thousands of interwoven branches and leaves cast a net around the area. Kaz pushed through a heavy bundle of branches that scoured the tops of the trees and forced his foot, leg, and then body through.

Kaz's breath was stuck in his lungs as the arrows pierced his beloved. Her blood spilled onto the ground and his eyes flashed white with divinity. A chill washed over him and was quickly replaced by a rush of warmth.

He pushed off the branch of the tree leaving a whirlwind trailing behind that tore through the thicket. The branch split in half and the wind mage landed next to her motionless body. The sounds of the leaves still rustled from the arrows that had ripped through them.

"Nuala," he whispered and cupped her head in his hands. White feathers materialized on his back and a few slowly fell to the ground around them. He held out his hand and the guild symbol appeared on Nuala. A drop of rejuvenation poured through her lifeless shell guiding her soul back to her body. Once the wounds closed and the faintest of breaths came from her lips, he would gently set her head down. "Don't worry. I'll be back"

Kaz stood up with all the gentleness of his life faded away by cold wrath. His wings spread outward and flared with fire more akin to a phoenix than an angel. "You have committed murder. Now you will face punishment." his words designating them as criminals in the eyes of the guild. Thousands of red glowing feathers burst out across the area. They moved through Nuala without harm and rushed out to 100 meters. Howls of pain echoed from the thicket of the forest as the archers took massive damage from the feathers tearing at their bodies.

The wind mages' hands turned to ash and slowly the rest of his body was consumed. All he possessed turned to ashes until his head and wings were the last to fall into a pile next to the avoiding. Magic still radiated from the mound of ashes.

Cold.

For the first time in a long while the Voidling felt cold. Nuala snapped back to consciousness the moment Kazimir’s hands gently nestled her into the ground and she coughed; there was a lump in her throat and she felt a stinging pain in the rest of her body, but no wounds. Her shell faded and left behind a pale skinned body, still dressed in that stupid white dress she had chosen as human. Nuala’s fingers twitched ever so slightly, and she barely managed to mouth his name before the Nephilim had rushed off to fight her enemies for her–unaware of what had happened and why she suddenly felt so weak, the Voidling was left with no choice but to slowly lift herself into a standing position. The ache in Nuala’s neck was still present, but when she ran her hand over her skin there was no wound to be found.

Odd, she thought to herself. I remember getting shot–, her train of thought ended abruptly when her gaze fell onto an arrow stuck inside the bark of a nearby tree. It was adorned by red feathers and an obsidian head and the thief immediately recognized the weapon and its origin. The memories were there, but they made so little sense to Nuala that she refused to even attempt to understand them and instead she began to look for her Captain. He wasn’t too far from her, but before the woman could approach him, he’d already cast a spell and a wave of magic rippled through the area–much to Nuala’s surprise and in spite of its intensity, she remained unharmed. “I could have totally taken care of this by my–,” she began, but her voice got stuck in her throat when she watched her partner turn into a pile of ash.

“Oh my god.” The Voidling went pale at the sight of what had just happened and barely made it to the nearest bush, behind which she was sick all over the floor. Nuala didn’t know what had happened in such a short span of time, but luckily the Voidling wasn’t one to panic either–the reference to his guild wasn’t lost on her, and she was certain that this was yet another one of his fancy little tricks, be it his magic or his divine origin.

After a moment Nuala had gotten herself together and was back on her feet. Her strength was slowly but steadily returning to her and she paid her ashy boyfriend no heed–glad to have left the majority of her emotionality in the void–and headed deeper into the woods to find the corpses of whomever Kazimir had slain. There were more than she had anticipated, four to be exact, and Nuala recognized them as members of her former brotherhood. “Even though it’s been years, you never stopped hunting me,” she heaved a sigh, speaking to herself. She had intentionally left this part out of her conversation with the Captain, because Nuala really did believe that she could handle and take care of her own business–she had been on her own for longer than he had been alive, and she didn’t see why any of that had to change now.

She quickly hid the bodies further down the dirt path, making sure to push them behind the trees and bushes, letting them disappear within the thicket of the woodlands. It was her best bet to avoid having to explain herself to Kazimir, even though Nuala also knew that if she wanted to do this relationship justice, she would have to learn to be open and honest with him in all aspects, and stop hiding things and running away. And she would start doing all of that – tomorrow. The sneak thief emerged from the darkness and returned to where Kazimir had cremated himself to see how he was fairing.

“Honey, are you okay?” Hopefully she wouldn’t need to fetch him an urn and transport him back to Astera to perform some sort of melodramatic revival ritual, she really didn’t have the time nor the nerves for that now.

He heard the fleeting words of concern she called out as the final pieces of his form fell into an ashen pile. It made him more eager to reform as quickly as he could to let her know he was alright. And perhaps tell her he'd avoid blowing himself up the next time.

A faint red glow emanated from the pile of ashes. Small embers trickled out and onto the grass with small sizzles. The ashes rolled around and shuffled.it's color turning into bits of lightly colored flesh and leather armor. They spiraled into the air as a cloud, obscuring any unsightly rebirth from ash into man. The dim red light flickered with feathers and with each swirl of the ash another piece of the wind mage was reformed. The ashes were gone and replaced by Kazimir who patted the various parts of his body. "Everything seems intact."

"Nuala," he quickly called out and spun around to see the area. Fearing that his attack had failed and she was lost to the unknown enemies. Something he'd have to ask her about but he knew she was a wanted person by those she had left behind or wronged in the past.

A soft call from the darkness in a familiar tone put his heart at ease. The tension left his shoulders and he turned to face the purple-haired beauty that walked toward him. As she walked he looked over her body and at the place of the injuries to see they were all healed and smiled. 'Honey' he thought to himself and found it nice that her touching sentiments had not gone with her human form but he was glad to have the woman he loved back in her most true form.

"I should ask you that," he said as he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her over once more before giving her a kiss. "You had me worried. But I'm glad to have you back here." for now he didn't think to question who they were as he was just happy she was alive and well.

"Sorry about that show back there. I hope I didn't make you worry too much. It was my first time using it." He shrugged.

"But are you holding up okay? You were down there for a lot longer than I expected." he said not realizing until it was already said that he had revealed his presence there the whole time.

Once they were done with the pleasantries in the wild, he would escort her back to his home. "Shall we." As they were going, she mentioned needing something from her home. Another quick stop along the way and once she was done they'd carefully make it back to Kazimir's simple abode.

Along the way, there was another brief stop at the only market in town open late to pick up a few ingredients, mostly for breakfast tomorrow. Once they arrived back at Kaz's apartment, he opened the door for her and then crossed over to his bedroom.

With his hand on the doorknob, he looked back at her and pushed the door open with his back. Turning to the side so she could enter the one place in his life she had not been yet. Within it was a bed big enough for two with a travel bag at the foot. A wooden closet leaned against the inside wall with two doors. One door was open, revealing the three nearly identical uniforms within it. A wooden table was pushed against the far wall, just below the window. On the table was a pile of documents to be filled out and a teapot. Not exactly a place to call home but it was also not his permanent residence.

"It serves it's purpose for travel. Best not to carry much," he added. If she was nosey enough, tucked inside the bag was a purple scarf. Beneath that and pushed against the side of the bag was a contract made of human flesh. hanging on one of the straps of the bag and folded inside was a rune knight's pendant. There were chips on the rounded edges.

The Voidling dodged Kazimir’s kiss by turning her head sideways, and she did so instinctively. Instead, Nuala took hold of his chin and tilted it downwards, forcing him to face her although she knew he’d have done so regardless. “I’m fine, I have been fine the entire time.” Her lips thinned into a line and even though her eyes showed nothing but love for the Nephilim, she was unhappy with how things went–and the little blackout she’d experienced earlier, which she was slowly beginning to understand. “How can you expect me to be honest and upfront with you about my plans, when you can’t respect my privacy?” Of course Nuala was grateful for his help and assistance, and she appreciated his desire to protect her, but the Voidling was a secretive being, both in nature and in personality. She exhaled sharply, shook her head ever so slightly in disappointment and pulled him into a quick and tight hug.

This whole relationship thing is more difficult than I expected, she thought to herself and reminisced about her days at Nadir’s side–a man who’d been much more free-spirited than the Captain, and far less protective. Their difference was outstanding, but she still loved them both equally, although that might change as time went on. Kazimir was quickly becoming irreplaceable and as that thought crossed her mind, she tightened her grip around him.

“Yes, let's go home.”

From then on, Nuala took the Captain’s hand and silently returned him to Marigold Town and the safety of his temporary home, with a quick detour to her own place to pick up a few things she needed for the night. The woman didn’t speak much throughout the entire journey and when they were finally back inside, she gave him a weak smile. “It’s really not that big of a deal,” she said and gently rubbed her hand across his back. Nuala didn’t expect much, and although there were probably some curious findings to be discovered, the Voidling was in no mood to investigate. Instead, she walked over to the bathroom, entered and locked the door behind herself. What followed was a long, hot shower during which she took the time to reflect on whatever the hell had just happened–and how she was going to deal with it.

In the end, it took the Voidling a solid hour to finish up her bath time rituals that included blow drying her excessively long hair and putting on a lovely set lingerie that perfectly matched the colour of her eyes. The rune markings adorning her pale skin shimmered in the darkness, and when Nuala stepped into the bedroom she was pleased to find that Kazimir had already closed the curtains and was waiting for her. Instead of entering immediately, Nuala hesitated for a moment and leaned against the open door frame. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and quietly took in the picture she saw before her: the Captain was cozied up in their shared bed, waiting for her to finish up and join him. She hadn’t thought much about it up until now, but realized quickly that this is something she wanted to last for a long time.

“I never knew how much I’d like for us to be like this, even though it’s still odd seeing it like that,” she admitted to him; her tone was quiet, and the softness in her voice indicated how flustered she was by all of this. A sigh rolled over her lips and she finally crossed the distance; the purple-haired woman nuzzled herself up against her partner and pressed her lips against his for a hungry kiss. With her strength returned, it was easy enough for the Voidling to roll over and pull the Nephilim on top of her instead. She leaned against the pillows and allowed for Kazimir to rest his head against her chest. Another kiss was planted to the top of his head, and she gave him some well deserved backrubs.

“So, about that little magic trick of yours that saved me earlier,” she began, and he could clearly hear the hesitation in her voice. “Can you use it on yourself?” There was a plentitude of things she needed to talk to him about, but she decided to start with what she was most curious about. She knew that magic was a powerful thing, but what Kazimir had done was completely out of order and far from anything she'd expected him to be capable of–and yet none of that would matter to her if he couldn't use it to save his own life.

He frowned at her dodge of his affections. She made a good point but there was more to it than that for him. "That's true. But you weren't honest when you said you could handle it."He turned her palm over where she had cut herself on her own dagger as a human. His thumb ran across the place where the scar once was. Now healed by the return of her powers. "It's okay to lean on me. Especially when its harder for you to fight." He spoke with compassion and lovingly squeezed her hand before they embraced once more. "Speaking of privacy. Aren't you the one always breaking into my home and ruffling through my paperwork," he added to lighten the mood a bit.

The first thing Nuala did was head to the shower. He nodded, knowing that was probably what he would do if he had gone through the same thing. He also knew how long her showers could be and sat to meditate for awhile while she did so. Eventually, he removed his armor and set everything to the side, clearing his backpack out of the way. She was hunted by people and a small flame danced in the back of his mind, lighting up the fear that his own past would find her as well. Something he'd have to deal with later.

Soon enough he made his way to the bed and laid down. The sheets a pleasant reprieve from the night's activities. His gaze was set out the window until he heard the door creep open. Nuala was standing as stunning as ever in the doorway. Waiting. The idea of her coming from the shower and joining him in bed was something he could live with day in and day out.

"I like it a lot. It's better than all those long treks inside dank caves. Maybe a bit odd. But perfect." IN the next instant she was with him and a kiss enthralled their senses with one another. Her purple hair flowed over his body and onto the bed. He could feel the returned power in her body. She easily rolled him over on top of herself, and Kaz gladly let himself be taken away. His head rested on her chest and the gentle backrubs that followed felt more divine than his heavenly connection. It was as if being human had left her with a lingering amount of gentleness. Or maybe they were just settling into their love for one another. He reached upward to wrap his arms beneath her back and massage her shoulders.

His lips spread wide into a smile as she turned the topic back onto what had happened with his trick. A conversation he figured she'd bring up, albeit now was an impromptu moment. "Yeah," he replied.

"Always curious," he replied and kissed her chest. "Yes, I can. In a way. The guild's history and pact with the phoenix gives me some dominion over life and death. I can resurrect people that have recently been killed. It's costly but I can also put a mark on myself that will automatically resurrect me if I was to die. It's not something I can use often though."

"I'm glad I can only use it sparingly though. If I had that kind of power all the time. I may be even more casual about life than I already am." He didn't know if she had realized fully before this moment that she was resurrected but there was no mistaking what he said now.

"The Other ability lets me consume a large amount of magic and strike down any I see as having committed a criminal act." she didn't ask about that one, but he felt it was coming sooner or later. The wind mage nuzzled up further and held her tighter.

Nuala couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the Captain’s ever so gentle and compassionate approach; he really was a saint, and it was a bit annoying sometimes. “I know that,” she gave back with a pout and nudged her elbow into his chest. “And besides, I’m not breaking into your home – I’m inviting myself in. I like spending time among things that remind me of you,” her voice became a little quiet at the end, and she turned her face away to hide the obvious red flush that had rushed into her cheeks.

The night went by in a heartbeat, and as they were reunited in his bedroom Nuala thought about everything that had happened, everything they had been through in such little time. He had used spells she’d never seen before, but Nuala wasn’t too caught by the magic, for it had always been something fancy that she understood only little off. When he told her more about the spell he’d used just now, she furrowed her brows and looked him up and down. “That sounds ridiculously unbalanced, even for someone like you,” she admitted and pinched him in the cheek. He didn’t look threatening at all, and sometimes she found it hard to believe how much power he wielded in that dainty body of his.

“If you ask me, it’s best not to toy with life and death. Besides, I wouldn’t have died,” she said with a chuckle and pulled him closer against her. “I’m immortal, remember?” Nuala’s voice indicated that she was in denial, not because she didn’t believe he had that kind of power but because she didn’t want to admit that she was vulnerable, just like the rest of them. “You really were a perfect fit for the Rune Knights, weren’t you?” She didn’t like seeing him in the military–or anywhere else that wasn’t with her, for that matter–but she couldn’t deny the chemistry he had with those kind of professions, and his unending potential when it came to being a soldier.

“Anyways, enough of that. Now that I’m back to normal I’m going to leave Marigold and head to Hosenka Town – the guild has plans there that I wish to be available for. You are free to join me anytime,” and with that she pushed him back onto his back and, for the rest of the night, served him a reminder of how much he’d be missing if he chose to go separate ways again.

"Inviting yourself in? That's a convenient way to look at it," he replied with a soft chuckle at her delicate way around words and evasion. But he couldn't even pretend to be mad at her when he saw the faint turn away and tenderness she spoke with. "Well, you're welcome to roam wherever you would like. Unfortunately, there isn't much of me around this temporary place." He looked around the room at the baren walls. The typical look of a place visited by many people over the years, all of whom never made it a home.

He reveled in the time they spent within the confines of the room. The night was swift and fleeting in her arms. "Hmm," he replied surprised at her reaction to the spell he described. "Unbalanced? I suppose it is odd to be able to bring people back from the dead. But Magic throughout the world possessive such destructive and resolute capabilities to bring death...it may be nice to be able to bring people back to life." He smiled when she pinched his cheeks, but his thoughts drifted to the rare times he actually used the ability to bring people back to life. A gift he used only sparingly. "I still have a few tricks up my sleeves. There's plenty of room with how tiny my arms are," he joked back at her.

He didn't comment on her statement about toying with life and death. So many people brought death so suddenly, it was nice to be able to pull people back from the brink of eternal cold. He squeezed her tighter as she snuggled into him. Words of denial about the moment, but then he had to know it was hard for anyone to think about having actually died.

"Thank you," he said wistfully, thinking about his time with the knights, but pleased that it ahd all led him to here. " I miss them. but I suppose change is constant. And it would seem that the world no longer desires an organization like that. I may have to find a new way, rather than clinging on to what is comfortable.

"Oh, so suddenly. What's in Hosenka? But of course. it's headed back towards the guild anyway. And It'll be nice to..." The wordy mage was shut quiet as the woman pushed him back for a night of ecstasy to leave as a hint of more to come in the town filled with hot springs.

Once morning would come he would set out

-Exit-