Fantasy Chronicles of Cre' Est

[Mothman]

She kept her defensive posture and fear of being cut down until Linde put her hands on her shoulders. A heavy inhale escaped her as she felt her touch, as if she were gasping for air after being underwater. Even once she snapped out of it, her breathing stayed extremely erratic, and her eyes stayed wide open from fear.

“I-I’m sorry, I thought...” Shaking her head, she wiped a few tears from her eyes that had started to fall during her hallucination. “I thought that he was here, and that he was gonna...” Swallowing the last words of her sentence, she took a few deep breaths, which came out awfully shaky, as she tried to calm herself down. If she had been thinking, she would have avoided using the word ‘he’, or explaining the hallucination in the first place. It would only prompt more questions from Linde.

“How am I supposed to demand something like that out of my mind...” This threat of the Red-Eyed Demon coming after her was all-encompassing by now. In her mind, she was living on borrowed time, until he caught up with her, found out she was the one who had killed Utoros, and ended her then and there.

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde waited patiently as Whimsey sought peace from the terror which had taken over. And as Whimsey asked about demanding something like the hallucination from her mind, Linde gently pulled the girl into a hug, holding her head to her chest so she could hear Linde's slow, steady heart beat.

"It's as simple as I said. Hallucinations aren't that well understood. But one thing I've found works for my patients is to face the hallucination. Become part of it. Let it flow. And when you are in the throes of terror, you stand tall and demand that it banish itself from your presence. It's but an illusion of the mind, after all. It can scare you. It can prevent you from sleeping. It can do almost anything it wants... Except hurt you." She cooed, stroking Whimsey's hair before slowly releasing her and putting her hands on Whimsey's shoulders again.

"There is no cure for hallucinations other than to overpower them with your mental defenses. It will take time, and it won't be easy. Given how strong they seem to be, they may continue to persist for a few weeks at least. If they go away sooner, then all the better. But be prepared to face them for some time yet." She urged softly.

Linde stood and offered Whimsey a hand up.

"I'm not sure why you are seeing him in your hallucinations, but it's not my really my business unless you decide you want further treatment or advice on the matter." She said calmly.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

As with any physical touch she had gotten so far, Doctor Almna moving to wrap Whimsey into a hug made her freeze up. Her muscles went tense, and a short inhale of surprise escaped her. Though, once she had been in her arms for a short moment, the embrace was far more soothing than she would have been willing to believe. The sort of thing that she never got growing up as a child, and never got from any friends or other family at her age. In truth, she didn't even know if she had other family in the first place. Only God knew where her mother had run off to, and the woman likely had changed her name, hair, and everything in between. And nowadays, the only people she communicated with were those she was working with. No friends, no comrades. Even if this was just a kind gesture to help calm a woman who was clearly on the wrong path, and suffering from things she couldn't even comprehend, Whimsey found herself appreciating it all the same.

She didn't speak until Linde let go of her, and as she did, her eyes moved down to her lap for a long moment. "To face it..." She shuddered at the thought, unsure of what she would be able to muster herself to do in the face of a demon like that. If it were just some sort of scary dream, like a ghost or something of that sort, she could probably convince herself it wasn't real. But with the Red-Eyed Demon, she knew it was real. She had a piece of paper in her pocket the practically proved it, and with so little public knowledge about the Red-Eyed Demon, save his brutal killings and unknowable skill, how was she supposed to feel confident that he wasn't actually watching her at all moments, ready to kill her when he saw fit?

A few small sobs escaped her, just from being overwhelmed from the whole situation, and her hands quickly went to cover her face. She hated crying. In her eyes, it was a show of weakness, and unless it was part of an act she was using, she avoided it like the plague. There were much better ways of venting one's stress, in her eyes, and the main two she flocked to were drinking and killing. At this point, though, she could take no more, and the tears simply started to flow. Out of frustration with herself, she quickly wiped her eyes clean and tried to relax, and a few more long, shaky breaths followed her before she responded to Linde.

"I'm sorry, Doctor Almna, for the trouble..." Knowing that her unfortunate state wasn't anything to do with Linde, and not her problem outside of the medical part of it, she didn't want to burden her too much. With a small sigh, she took Linde's hand and got up to her feet, letting the rest of her words sink in. Overpower it with her mental defenses? Sure, maybe it was possible, but she just didn't have that kind of time. She would be begging on the streets by the time she could get her mental state together, and before that, the Red-Eyed Demon would have likely gotten to her. Sure, it was one hundred percent possible something like that would work for the average person, and maybe if she had chosen a different path in life, and had others to lean on, it could work for her too. But with all the scenes she had been causing, the target she needed taken care of, and the human need to keep food in her stomach, the job came first.

"I know I'm taking up a lot of your time, Doctor Almna..." She trailed off, unsure of how she wanted to voice the thought in the forefront of her mind. Others feared the Red-Eyed Demon, right? If she didn't mention that the Red-Eyed Demon was after her, or more specifically, the one who killed Utoros, the fear would be at least slightly justified... Right? "...But I guess there's no harm in just saying it. I've been hallucinating about the Red-Eyed Demon... All my nightmares, hallucinations, constant paranoia... All about him coming after me. I haven't felt safe since this all started. I feel like he's watching me, like he knows where I am at all times..."

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde smiled as Whimsey took her hand and stood up, and helped brush her off a little as an added gesture of kindness.

However, when Whimsey said she'd specifically been hallucinating about the Red-Eyed Demon, Linde's smile faded and her face grew as calm and serious as a warrior with an enemy in their crosshairs.

"Since this all started." Linde repeated calmly. Her voice firm and slightly deeper than before.

"It's not my business, but... One confession deserves another." She said as she crossed her arms beneath her breasts.

"I don't like to toot my own horn, but I sized you up the moment you walked through the door to this office. Your neck and arms speak of a lean, lithe athleticism that I've only seen in a few places: circus performers, dancers, mercenaries, and assassins. Whichever one you are is your business, and I won't press the issue. But if you're either of the latter, then I'll presume you had something to do with at least one of the killings which have taken place in this city recently. That, or you at least know something about them."

She held up her left hand, with four fingers extended.

"Kelfi Nevaal," one finger curled, leaving three extended.

"Elias Truesdale," another finger curled.

"A nameless vagrant," another finger curled.

"And Utoros Geilam," her hand returned to its previous position as the final name was dropped.

"... Save the vagrant, all three were found killed in their homes. Their bodies were brought to my clinic for identification, and preparation for funeral pyres which will burn at the end of the week." She said softly, her eyes and face softening from the serious mood they previously bore.

"I don't know why you believe that he would be after you. But if your reasons for thinking so are well-founded, all I can do now is recommend that you keep a low profile and don't move at night. Find an inn somewhere, shut the door and windows, bolt them if you have to, and take the spoonful of Volarian Kiss to help you sleep." She said calmly.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

Whimsey's eyes quickly moved down to the floor beneath her as Linde spoke on the topic of what her occupation might be. In truth, she was almost certain that Linde knew what she did, as it was pretty damn obvious she wasn't a dancer or a performer. She was carrying a belt of knives and had just hurled one across her office, after all. Maybe if she was smart about it, she could convince her that she was a mercenary as opposed to an assassin, but even then... It was unlikely. When she connected her to a few murders that had happened in the city as of late, she swallowed and listened to her name off a few names. Even as she said only the first one, she just knew that Utoros' name would be upon the few. It was likely public news by now, after all, and Linde would have seen his body, most likely.

She affirmed that fact for her only a moment later. For a long time, she was completely quiet, unsure of what to say to the woman who had hit the nail on the head. "And if I told you that you were correct... You'd report me to the guard, isn't that right?" Walking past Linde, she took the knife out of the wall before sheathing it with a small sigh. Her head was still throbbing, but she was trying her hardest to ignore it.

"As for the Red-Eyed Demon... You talk like you know how he operates. He's been known to kill people in broad daylight, too, if I'm not mistaken." At the very least, that was what the rumors she had heard told her. "Keeping a low profile is my job. But... I can't just not be out at night. I'm here for business, and if I don't take care of it, there's gonna be trouble." With how much Linde had analyzed about her at a glance, she didn't feel the care to sugarcoat things anymore. Sure, she probably wouldn't come out and say 'I kill people for a living', but she was almost certain that Linde had her figured out. It was impressive, in truth, how much she could draw conclusions about Whimsey in the few minutes she had been in this room.

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde observed calmly, keeping her arms crossed under her breasts and turning to stay facing Whimsey as she retrieved her knife from the wall. At Whimsey's jab about seeming like she knew how the Red-Eyed Demon operated, Linde took in a slow, self-calming breath.

"... Whatever your business is, it's yours to tend to. All I ask is that you take care to know your targets before taking their lives." She said, walking behind her desk and sitting in her chair with her hands resting on the desk top.

"For as many corrupt and guilty bodies as I've seen enter this clinic, I've seen ten times that number who are innocent. People put hits out on each other all the time, but it doesn't always mean they deserve such a fate." She said with a short sigh.

"Cheyanne will sort out payment for services rendered today. Please tell her about the massage, the bottle of Volarian Kiss, and the consultation." She said with quiet finality.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"You'd be happy to know I do..." A hand reached to her bag and held the side of the book she carried with her. It had started out being a sort of note taking book that she kept intel on people she was targeting in. Their habits, schedules, home, things of that sort. It slowly started to evolve into something where she would write down far more than that. From what sort of person they were, to their reputation, and as far as the people who would be hurt by their death. Sometimes, those lists were quite long. She had yet to call off a hit for any sort of moral reasoning, but kept all the records of them as some sort of memorial of the people she had killed. Her eyes shut for a short moment as she wondered just how many different names were in the book of hers, a number that she really didn't want to know.

As Linde reassured her that she wouldn't report her to the guards, she nodded and crossed her arms, similar to the doctor. "While I won't change your mind, I'm quite surprised... I would certainly consider someone like myself a 'guilty body'." Laughing to play down the deprecating words, she let Linde finish the conversation before turning to the door. "I appreciate your time, Doctor Almna. Oh, and, last thing... Does the name Faliea Lunan ring any bells to you?" She let the question hang on the air as she waited besides the door. In truth, she doubted Linde would give her any information on the woman now that she knew Whimsey was a hitwoman, but it was part of the reason she had come to the clinic in the first place.

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde closed her eyes.

"No."

Her eyes opened.

"But if you need to find out, ask around the city for Lucas Killkreg. He's a know-it-all among thieves, and operated out of the slums. Also, he's quite arrogant. So check your temper around him."

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

“Mmhmm. Thank you... Doctor Almna. I mean that.” With a short bow to the woman, she turned and gave a wave as she walked out, before walking back over to the counter.

It immediately hit her that, not only was it obvious that she looked like an absolute mess, but Cheyanne had probably heard at least part of her outburst. “Doctor Almna told me to see you...” Her voice was far from thrilled, and she had already tucked away the bottle Linde had given her, both arms tucked under her cloak as usual. “Regarding payment.” She had just been paid by Ernest, but she was more than worried that this payment to Linde would sap most of that money.

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde watched Whimsey depart, and as the door closed she interlaced her fingers.

"... Hm..."

She curled her fingers, gripping tightly as she closed her eyes.

"Peur'Tia, protect her." She whispered as she glanced out the window.

On the building opposite the clinic, Shadow was crouched on the edge of the rooftop. His eyes gleaming like blood rubies backlit by the sun. Linde walked to the window and opened it, gesturing for him to come inside.

She had just managed to sit down in her chair when Shadow stepped up beside her, not so much as a single sound heralding his arrival.

"Sit."

He locked the door leading to the lobby so they wouldn't be interrupted, and shook his head.

Linde's expression darkened.

"You swore to me you would keep a low profile. What do you call the other night?!" She whispered forcefully.

"Observation." He whispered as he stood before her on the opposite side of the desk.

"'Observation?!'" She repeated on a soft growl.

He nodded.

"So it wasn't you?"

He shook his head.

"But you were there?"

He nodded, and Linde sighed.

"How can I trust what you tell me?"

Shadow removed his daggers and handed them to her.

"... Okay." She whispered softly.

She handed them back to him, and sighed.

"But you're why Tei' Sai didn't escape the guards, aren't you?"

He nodded.

"Well... At least your honesty's improving. I heard rumors of you fighting with Tei' Sai in a residential house, crashing through the second story floor to the first floor. You kept your face hidden, but I know your style."

He nodded once more, and Linde sighed again.

"That's not keeping a low profile, Shadow. Please be more careful."

He nodded. And in response, Linde looked past him to the door.

"Were you listening to my conversation with the girl?" She asked quietly.

He shook his head.

"How long ago did you arrive on that rooftop?"

He held up one finger, indicating one minute.

"Good. I know how curious you are sometimes. And protective."

Saying the last word made her smile ever so slightly.

"You're not worried about me, are you?"

He nodded, and she chuckled softly.

"Thanks."

She stood up and walked to the window, holding it open for him. And as he walked up to it, her left hand came out and rested on his chest.

"You heard the King's announcement, right?"

He nodded, and her hand on his chest gripped him a little harder.

"Be careful, Shadow. The King doesn't make a habit of making promises he can't keep."

Shadow's brow furrowed.

"Neither do I." He whispered.

Linde smiled, and patted his chest before removing her hand. And with that, Shadow leaped off the windowsill and ascended to the rooftops again before making his way back across the way and disappeared beyond the roofline.

Meanwhile, Linde sat back down and heaved a deep sigh.

"So he doesn't know." She whispered, looking at the door to the lobby.

"Seems you're safe for now, Whimsey." She whispered.

___________________________​

Meanwhile, Cheyanne helped Whimsey with her payment.

"It'll be ten Copper for the consult, two Silver for the massage, and five Silver for the bottle, miss." She said cheerfully.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"Yeah..." Whimsey pulled out the box Ernest had given her the day prior, this being the first time she had actually looked inside the container. Thankfully, Ernest had paid her as he had said he would, and the right amount was inside. Though, this would certainly put a decent dent in the money she had on her, and at this pace, she'd have to pick up another target right after Faliea. She'd only have a handful of nights she'd be able to eat here, after all. Ernest paid as he said he would, and the two had been working for quite some time together, but it was far from a healthy business relationship. Ernest was one of the people the knew everything about what had happened between her, her mother, and Cabaten, and never let her forget it. It was almost blackmail, in a way, that he threatened to turn her into the guard if she didn't continue killing the targets she requested. In her own mind, she had always believed that his orders came from someone with power of him as well, but she had no real proof of that. All she knew was that Ernest seemed to give her people that had literally no connections to him, and refused to ever tell her reasoning behind it.

In truth, she was surprised Ernest even paid her. It was far, far less than she charged other targets for her services, sure, but it was enough to keep her on the ground. It was why she didn't take kindly to having to pay all this money, even if in the grand scheme of things, it was decently cheap. But, there was little she could do about it, and as with many things in her life, she was bound to her path. With a small sigh at seeing the minimal amount of coin in the box (Ernest would pay her a bit more if he was in a good mood), she rummaged around in it to pull out the coin Cheyanne was requesting. Part of her wanted to just forego the tonic that Linde had given her and spare her wallet the trouble, but the idea of a good night's sleep sounded heavenly, and she was willing to skip a meal or two if needed.

"Give Doctor Almna my regards..." Giving a wave to the woman after placing the coin on the table, she tucked the box of the remaining coin away with the small bit of coin resting in a pouch in her bag. "Angel is a good word for her..." Muttering under her breath, she turned and walked out, back on the streets of the city. Once out, though, she was far from eager to get back to investigative work. She did certainly feel a bit better than she had when she arrived, but that didn't make her any less paranoid. For a moment, she contemplated heading back to the Inn and taking some of that tonic now to get some sleep, but that would leave her with only the night to take care of her business. Linde had recommended she stay off of the streets at night, too...

Letting out a short yawn, she made for the marketplace again, this time with the intentions of asking about this Lucas Killkreg. Hopefully he could point her in the right direction.

GojiBean​

 

[Mothman]

"Maretu, come on, you've been ransacking every library in the capital..." A sigh escaped Tsubaar as he watched his friend dive headfirst into another book, the two sitting across from each other at a table in a local library. "...And you still haven't found anything. Do you really think there's gonna be something in these random public libraries?" He raised an eyebrow at Maretu, who seemed completely spaced out as he was searching through a heavy volume in front of him for something to get his research advancing. Though, the man had been met with nothing but roadblocks after speaking with Linde. Sure, that had only been a few days ago, but with his lack of knowledge and reasonable way to learn on it, he was right back where he started. His hope had been to find at least some studies about it mixed in with other medical volumes in the libraries of Valkyom, but so far, his search had turned up nothing at all.

"Honestly, Tsubaar...? I don't." Shutting the book he was looking through, he added it to a growing pile of busts that he would have to get back on the shelf. "I need something, though... I didn't leave my family to let all of this die out." He truly had stake in his research, and sincerely believed that if he could manage to get somewhere with it, it could potentially save lives.

"Jeez, man..." Tsubaar ran a hand through his hair, combing it with his fingers as he tried to find something to say to lighten the mood. He hated seeing his friend in such a slump, but it wasn't like he was hiding some sort of treasure trove of knowledge that would help Maretu out. '...I've been meaning to ask. This research kick you've been pursuing for years. You never told me what started it." Perhaps it was a bit of a heavy question, and one that Maretu simply sighed at.

"I have told you, in fact. I want to help people, Tsubaar. It's as simple as that. Seeing people's lives ruined by trauma and heartbreak...? It's worse to me than seeing a man simply die of an injury..." He trailed off and stood, scooping up the stack of books and glancing back down at Tsubaar. "I'll put these back, and we can go. Sorry to keep dragging you around. I can meet you back at the house, if you'd rather."

"Don't stress it. I'll wait outside." Tsubaar stood up, walking past the woman at the front counter and giving a small nod to her. "Sorry we've been here so terribly long. He'll be out of your hair in a second." The librarian simply gave a kind chuckle at the words and a wave, doing the same for Maretu when he walked out a few minutes later.

"I know it's late, Tsubaar, but I've gotta go run an errand." Even as he spoke, a small yawn escaped him, and he looked like a man who hadn't taken a minute to relax in days.

Tsubaar simply sighed as Maretu came out to the street and was immediately focusing on just what to do next to advance his research. "What you've gotta do is chill out a bit and stop being so focused on this. I get it, Maretu, it's your 'life goal' and all, but you've got your whole life to do it! You're a young, handsome man, and you never let yourself relax. Even when we're eating, you've got one hand on a fork and the other on a pen."

Maretu's hands moved to the pockets of his coat, eyes drifting down to the stone street below him. "I'll relax when I've made some progress. I've been stuck for years, Tsubaar. Even if I tried to relax, I can assure you I'd be way too focused on getting somewhere to really kick back." Rolling his eyes, he let out a small yawn before turning. "Let me have this, Tsubaar. Please."

There was a long moment of silence between the two, Tsubaar clearly not pleased that despite his concern, Maretu was set on continuing to stress himself out with this. "She wouldn't like seeing you like this." The words prompted a slight reaction from Maretu, who's eyes went wide for a short moment. "She'd want you happy."

"...I'm going." Maretu shook his head before turning and walking off, though Tsubaar took a step forward and grabbed his shoulder to stop him before he could get away.

"No, you're not! Maretu, you need to stop running from this! You're never going to get anywhere like this!" As he desperately tried to reason with the man, Maretu was quick to shrug his hand off of his shoulder, turning back to him one last time, removing his hands from his pockets. They stayed at his side, one gently toying with the strap of his bag.

"I'm not running from anything, Tsubaar. I'm doing all of this for her." Shaking his head, he finally turned and walked off. A few minutes of walking, and he was just outside the familiar clinic he had been to just a few days prior. It was almost sunset, and he worried that Doctor Almna had likely already left for the day. Even so, he stepped inside and pushed the door open, approaching the receptionist with a forced smile on his face.

"Sorry to barge in so late. Doctor Almna wouldn't happen to still be around... Would she?" He let the question hang, unsure if Linde would even want to sit and listen to him prattle on once again. God knew that Tsubaar was getting tired of his crack theories and things of the sort. Maretu was, in truth, surprised that his friend even listened to them anymore, after so many theories that didn't get anywhere.

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

In the Noble District, and nestled safely beneath the shadow of the Royal Palace, the home of one Senator Rafael Si'k overlooked the rest of the city in silence. As the most affluent and influential Senator in the nation, he held a great deal of respect and admiration from many among the populace. However, such affluence doesn't often come without consequence...

Rafael's back slammed into the wall before his legs buckled, causing him to slide down into a forced seated position with a heavy knee slamming down onto the meat of his right thigh. And as his mouth opened to shriek in pain, a large powerful hand slammed over it muffling his cry. And as Rafael's mind adjusted to the pain he forced his eyes open and beheld two glowing red spheres glaring straight back at him.

The Red-Eyed Demon held up one of Utoros Geilam's family heirlooms. A small, unassuming steel chain necklace with a single black pearl at the center.

Shadow removed his hand, and gripped Rafael's robes at the lapel and pinning him back against the wall.

"I don't know anything about it!" Rafael said in a forced, hushed breath.

The Demon's eyes narrowed, and the hand holding the necklace brought it closer and closer until the pearl sat right in front of Rafael's left eye.

"I swear! Geilam's business was his own! I severed ties with him years ago!" He pleaded.

Shadow snarled and forced the necklace around Rafael's neck before drawing one of his 14" orichalcum daggers, with their translucent green metal and black liquid core, and holding it up to the man's chest with the blade pointed directly at his heart.

"What do you want from me?! I've told you everything! I don't know who or what Geilam was doing or why he ended up dead! I don't have ties with him or his business anymore!!" He begged.

"But you know his past." Shadow growled, his eyes flashing brightly.

"Y-yes. Yes! I do know his past!"

The blade pressed harder. The tip slicing through the fabric of his robe and poking his flesh beneath. Not enough to draw blood. But enough to cause pain.

"Okay, okay! Okay!... Before I severed ties with him, Geilam was getting involved with more and more unscrupulous clients. Some of whom he wouldn't even name to me. I remember questioning him about Te'i Sai, and he was very evasive! I wouldn't be surprised if he had some sort of relationship with them!"

Shadow's eyes flashed again as he bore his teeth. "Te'i Sai doesn't recruit cowards like him!" Shadow barked.

The blade pushed further, slicing through the first few layers of flesh and drawing a small amount of blood that began to stain the white fabric of Rafael's shirt beneath the robes.

"I don't know any more than that! It's just speculation! Like I said, he wouldn't tell me much about the way his business was progressing! But I know who would know!"

Shadow's fist gripping his robe tightened and pushed him harder into the wall, causing a gasp of breathlessness.

"... Cough... Ernest! Ernest Selev! He does a lot of hiring out mercenaries and assassins for all types of clients. He would know what Geilam was up to and why he was targeted."

Shadow's eyes narrowed, and his fist gripping Rafael's robes pushed up higher against the base of his throat.

"Cough! Cough!... I swear this is real! Ernest knows too much about the Dark World in Valkyom! He'll know what's going on and what happened!"

The grip on his robes released, and Rafael took a few seconds to cough and clear his throat after the pressure previously placed on it. By the time he looked up, the Red-Eyed Demon was gone. And so was the necklace he'd placed on Rafael. When did he slip that off?

It didn't matter. He was alive, and the Demon was gone... But for how long, he could only guess and dread that a definitive answer found him someday.

Mothman

 

[GojiBean]

Cheyanne was prepping her things to get ready to leave for the night when Maretu arrived asking about Linde.

"The Doctor? Yes, she's still in."

She walked over to the office door, gently tapping on it with the back of her hand. A muffled "Come in!" followed, and she opened the door to ask Linde if she'd see mister Arjun.

"Certainly. Send him in, please."

Cheyanne backed away and pulled the door open for him.

"The Doctor will see you, mister Arjun." She said with a smile.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

“I appreciate it.” A nod followed his words to the receptionist as he waited for her to go and check in with Doctor Almna. A moment later, when she returned, he let out a sigh of relief and walked inside.

“Sorry to be intruding again, Doctor Almna... I know I’m here at an ungodly hour. Is now a bad time?” He came in and immediately set his bag down on one of the chairs, taking a seat in the other one and rubbing at the bridge of his nose for a moment.

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde was sitting at her desk with her back straight and a pleasant smile on her face.

"The hour isn't so late, mister Arjun. I didn't expect it to be this soon, but I'm happy to see you again."

She gestured in offer for him to take an apple from the fruit bowl on her desk.

"What can I do for you?" She asked.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"You're welcome to call me Maretu, if you wish." A small nod followed his words as he glanced over at the fruit bowl, blinking a few times before making a realization. "I appreciate it." Grabbing one of the fruits and turning it in his hand for a moment, he sighed and took a short bite. "Haven't eaten today yet..." It was less of something to tell Linde and more of scolding himself for the fact. He'd have to throw some real food together when he got back to Tsubaar's, but worried the man would be less than thrilled to see him when he got back.

When the actual reason he came to see Linde was addressed, he paused and adjusted his glasses. "I'll, er, keep it brief. I need more info on what we discussed last time. And, well, I understand you're a horribly busy woman, Doctor Arjun, and I would never ask you to personally teach me. If I could at least learn where you learned it from, even, that could go a long way." His voice lacked a lot of the politeness and cheer it had a few days ago, and it was clear he had been working himself half to death with the research. "Once again, even with this big information, I haven't gotten anywhere more than theories and conjecture..."

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde smiled until he revealed he hadn't eaten today.

"That's not exactly healthy, Maretu. Even in the heat of research, you should always make time for at least two good meals a day." She chided.

However, the smile then came back as a hand partially covered her mouth.

"I believe you're more tired than you realize as well. Calling me Doctor "Arjun."" She laughed.

Her hands both came up as her laugh faded, interlacing her fingers in front of her chest.

"As for what we discussed, I'm afraid you have me at a bit of a loss." She said with a hint of apology. "What I've learned may have its foundations in what I was taught by my mentors, but everything I've discovered about the nervous system I did on my own through years of private study and practice. Sometimes I would ask my parents if I could practice on them. Or my friends. And it didn't always go well. However, you learn far more from failure than success. And in a field like this, it's no exception." She said, stretching her arms above her head with a yawn.

The back of her left hand covered her mouth, and as she dropped her arms her breasts jiggled slightly while her hands re-interlaced the fingers in front of them.

"I'm afraid I don't have much more to offer than that. There's really no big secret to what I've learned. It's just what I've managed to come up with after years of failure stacked on failure, and trial after botched trial." She said.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"I know..." Maretu didn't have much to say on the eating topic, his mind much more stuck on other parts of the day. His fight with Tsubaar, yet another day of brick walls when it came to his obstacles. "I assure you this isn't normal for me. I used to be with the knights, I take pretty good care of myself." Forcing a laugh out, he once again rubbed at the bridge of his nose.

When Linde pointed out how obvious it was that he was exhausted, and the small mistake in his speaking, a legitimate chuckle escaped him, though it trailed off into a small sigh. "Sorry about that... You're right, I'm exhausted, but I wanted to come see you and ask you about this."

With that, he shut up and let Linde explain just how all this information fell into her lap, and how she was so knowledgeable on the nervous system. Sure, he knew it was from her years of medical service, but for some reason, he hoped there were others that had that kind of information. Even if it were just books, records, or others with theories like him. They surely had a chance to exist, but Maretu was one man who couldn't simply search the entire continent for that kind of knowledge.

"Of course..." A small exhale followed as he took a bite of the apple in his hand, unsure of where to go from where he was. Linde's office unfortunately wasn't the best place for him to figure out his next move. "I suppose I'll have to make do, then." A shrug followed as he stood up, tucking his free hand in his pocket. "I'd best get home. The friend I'm staying with... We had a disagreement." It was far more than that, but Linde didn't need to hear about it. "I should go and get things resolved. Thank's again for taking the time, Doctor Almna." There was an obvious pause in his speech to keep himself from calling her the wrong name, and he blinked a few times as if trying to keep himself awake. "If there's ever anything someone like me can do for you, don't be afraid to ask."

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde's left eyebrow arched slightly in a sympathetic way, along with a half-smile.

"Are you sure you'll be all right? " She asked, slowly making it to her feet and grabbing her bag which she slung over her shoulder.

"Nights in Valkyom have been a bit tense of late, what with the recent string of murders and all. If you'd like, I can at least accompany you as far as your lodging to make sure you get there okay. And if you have more questions, I can answer them as best I can on the way." She offered.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"Then I'd have to offer to do the same for you, Doctor Almna." A small chuckle escaped Maretu as he realized he was about to leave without his bag, before turning around and scooping it off the floor. While he didn't love the idea of going out so late, either, the last thing he wanted to do was drag Linde into it and potentially bring danger her way. "Now that I say that, you've gotta get home eventually too, huh...? If you're leaving soon, I wouldn't mind heading that way. On second thought, I might just grab a room at an Inn... My friend can wait until tomorrow." The more he realized just how ready to conk out for the night he was, the more he hated the idea of going back to Tsubaar and let him drill things about things that he wanted to keep in the past.

"I've heard about those murders... I take it you've had the unfortunate task of dealing with all of the cleanup with them? I never knew that there was so much bloodshed in the world... Even in the knights, I never got exposed to much. Just training drills and polishing weapons, day after day..."

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde walked to the door, opening it and holding it for him.

"I have." She confirmed, in regards to the task of dealing with cleanup.

"Unfortunately death is a daily occurrence in this world. Not always here in Cre' Est. But somewhere in the world someone is dying right now, and no one is there to help them." She said sadly.

"And don't worry about me, Maretu. I have someone who will see me home once I've escorted you to your lodging." She assured him.

Together they walked to the lobby entrance, and Linde called back to confirm that Jessica would lock up. Which she confirmed, allowing Linde to leave with a clear conscience.

In the street, Linde walked beside Maretu with one hand holding her bag's shoulder strap and the other gently swaying at her side.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

“I’m sorry.” He kept his thoughts on how horrible he felt that Linde of all people, while she was saving lives on the daily, also had to deal with watching so many people die, whether in her care or outside of it. Yet another painful reality that one of humanities best had to endure. “I wouldn’t wish things like that on anyone. I can’t stand corpses, or blood in general, really. It... It makes my skin crawl.” His eyes moved down towards the ground, a scowl creeping onto his face for a short moment.

Once they got out into the streets, Maretu’s eyes went wide for a brief moment. “Oh, goodness... I didn’t realize it was this late. I thought we would be leaving just around sunset. I must have spent more time at that library than I realized...” Timeliness had never been a talent of his, unless it came to important events in his life. But, as for casual meetups, gatherings, and things of that sort, he would almost always either get lost or lose track of time. “I appreciate how considerate you’ve been with humoring me, Doctor Almna. I’ve no significant findings to show from your help, but that blame rests on me. I’ll find something, with time... I have to.”

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde chuckled.

"Piece of advice, Maretu?"

She looked up towards the moon, shining overhead in a subtle crescent shape.

"Know your limits." She said with a hint of sadness.

Her right hand came up, and she seemed to be examining it in something of a trance.

"Despite any obvious differences, I was pretty much you when I started on this path of medicine. I must have been nine years old when first I tried to learn all of the names of every herb on the entire continent in a single night. And by the time I'd only just begun to remember about one tenth of the number of herbs in the area around Valkyom alone, it was the next morning." She said with a bit of a laugh at her former self. "I kept pushing my limits every night. And often I wouldn't sleep for days at a time. And it didn't take long, in fact not more than a few months, before I had my first nervous breakdown. My mother had to rush me to the clinic she worked for at the time since we didn't have the provisions at home to take care of me."

Her hand slowly fell and swayed at her side once more, and she looked at Maretu with a knowing, yet still subtly saddened smile.

"It's good to have a healthy appetite for knowledge. It's part of what drives us in this field. But if you let that appetite overrule your understanding of your own limitations, things will end poorly for you after a time." She shared, looking back to the road.

"The lesson my mother taught me that has driven me to my current success is to respect your limits. Because if you don't, you'll destroy yourself. And if you allow it to come to that, you'll be of no use to anyone." She said quietly as her hand began slowly moving to cover her chest between her breasts.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

Maretu was mostly silent as Linde went on with her advice. The woman was a hundred percent right, and Maretu knew it well. He was overworking himself, desperately looking for something to advance his research even just a step forward. He had known that his research was getting nowhere for months, but he needed something. "I know, Doctor Almna... And it's amazing that you've come so far. People come far and wide on the wings of hearing about your amazing achievements. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just a bit jealous. I've never wanted fame or anything, really, but... I've just wanted to help people." A small sigh followed as he ran a hand through his hair, unsure of just what it was he wanted to get across. He wasn't about to spill things that he hadn't told anyone in years to a woman he met just a few days ago.

"I don't want to sound negative, Doctor Almna... But I feel like I'm not of any help to people already. Wounds of the heart... Maybe they are incurable. I've actually, er... Been considering a career change." The words came out blankly, as if he himself wasn't sure of it either. What else would he do? For a short moment, the click of his shoes again the stone beneath him was all he focused on. "Jeez, look at me... This is pathetic. Tsubaar would smack me over the head right now if he heard me saying stuff like this, so would she..." Shaking his head, a hand drifted up to his neck, a finger coiling the chain of a necklace around it. "A-Anyways!" Wanting to change the subject, he tried his best to perk up and smile. "Your mother sounds like a wonderful woman. Is she a doctor as well?"

GojiBean​