Fickle, she admits. Fragile, she claims. Easily manipulated...
What was the meaning of this 'Fate' that Unzan's daughter had come to accept? Where the Xaelan came from, Fate was something set in stone; immovable, unchanging, predetermined. There could be no other. What meaning could be placed in such an empty concept when a mere change of the wind foreshadows failure and despair for a man to whom had been prophesied all? Disgruntled thoughts. Nhogai's visage soon returned to it's familiar, stony appearance once more. No longer were the placid woman's words entertaining, no longer was the tease of murder interesting. All that would remain on the forefront of the Xaelan's mind was the sharpness of her sincerity, each word as precise and meticulous as an arrow intended to puncture, not kill. "Insane" she described the concept of sacrifice, yet here she stood adamant upon an insane ideology. 'Absurd' indeed was how he would continue to revere her convictions, though in the end, his curiosity would be seduced by the succubus's limitless stare... and the uncompromising tone upon which her call was carried.
No doubt the change in mood has been noticed by the perceptive Raen at that point. Her target has been marked and the arrows loosed.
A dark, almost displeased stare would treat the woman for a brief time before Nhogai then turned away from her. Silence accompanied him on his brief journey toward the centre of the room where his bedding offered scant decoration to the modest floorspace. A brief nudge of his foot saw the fabrics flung aside, revealing a section of loose flooring that appeared to have previously had a little encouragement from it's resident. A number of faint 'thunks' would echo coyly within the relative stillness of the room as displaced wood was lightly stacked upon the adjacent, solid flooring. It wouldn't take long before the purpose of the Xaelan's actions were made clear.
Reaching down into the space created by the displaced floorboards, Nhogai's hand soon withdrew back into view once more - a large weapon with an appearance familiar to Yura now contained within it's grasp.
"....Unzan would never have let me walk out here alive, not without something in return" he at last gave voice to closed-minded thoughts while slowly rising back to his feet, dark eyes closely trained upon the large weapon contained solely within the strength of a single hand.
"I couldn't care less really, but at the very least I would make sure to die with weapon in hand" he continued while effortlessly extending the blade out before him, occasionally adjusting the angle as he absent-mindedly inspected the quality of the blade against the light before his glare would eventually fall back upon the fragile form of the female before him.
"That is how the Xaela speak. Through action... with strength".
A sudden hiss of air whipped against their eardrums as Nhogai threw a downward slash across his frontside and, with an unlikely speed, brought the massive blade to an abrupt rest out by his right side - all with what seemed to be a mere flick of the wrist.
"You want me to to believe in you, Raen? Then earn my belief" he spoke firmly, his gaze piercing deep into his quarry.
"Maybe then I'll permit you my name".
His footing adjusted slowly while his body squared up to the target before him, everything about even his most subtle of movements was treated with an uncanny sense of ease... nothing was shielding him from the appearance that he were ready to charge right for the woman at any given moment, nor that he bore any real will to hesitate.
"Your reflexes are slow and your body weak. A mere guess is your only hope of evading my attack" he explained, lightly swaying the large weapon to emphasise the absence of room for error on her part.
"But if you trust in the fate you saw in store for yourself, you already know you can choose no wrong".
Nhogai peered deep into the female's eyes then; curious... anticipating of her response though wholly uncertain of just how far she were willing to take her beliefs.
"Do you accept?"
What was the meaning of this 'Fate' that Unzan's daughter had come to accept? Where the Xaelan came from, Fate was something set in stone; immovable, unchanging, predetermined. There could be no other. What meaning could be placed in such an empty concept when a mere change of the wind foreshadows failure and despair for a man to whom had been prophesied all? Disgruntled thoughts. Nhogai's visage soon returned to it's familiar, stony appearance once more. No longer were the placid woman's words entertaining, no longer was the tease of murder interesting. All that would remain on the forefront of the Xaelan's mind was the sharpness of her sincerity, each word as precise and meticulous as an arrow intended to puncture, not kill. "Insane" she described the concept of sacrifice, yet here she stood adamant upon an insane ideology. 'Absurd' indeed was how he would continue to revere her convictions, though in the end, his curiosity would be seduced by the succubus's limitless stare... and the uncompromising tone upon which her call was carried.
No doubt the change in mood has been noticed by the perceptive Raen at that point. Her target has been marked and the arrows loosed.
A dark, almost displeased stare would treat the woman for a brief time before Nhogai then turned away from her. Silence accompanied him on his brief journey toward the centre of the room where his bedding offered scant decoration to the modest floorspace. A brief nudge of his foot saw the fabrics flung aside, revealing a section of loose flooring that appeared to have previously had a little encouragement from it's resident. A number of faint 'thunks' would echo coyly within the relative stillness of the room as displaced wood was lightly stacked upon the adjacent, solid flooring. It wouldn't take long before the purpose of the Xaelan's actions were made clear.
Reaching down into the space created by the displaced floorboards, Nhogai's hand soon withdrew back into view once more - a large weapon with an appearance familiar to Yura now contained within it's grasp.
"....Unzan would never have let me walk out here alive, not without something in return" he at last gave voice to closed-minded thoughts while slowly rising back to his feet, dark eyes closely trained upon the large weapon contained solely within the strength of a single hand.
"I couldn't care less really, but at the very least I would make sure to die with weapon in hand" he continued while effortlessly extending the blade out before him, occasionally adjusting the angle as he absent-mindedly inspected the quality of the blade against the light before his glare would eventually fall back upon the fragile form of the female before him.
"That is how the Xaela speak. Through action... with strength".
A sudden hiss of air whipped against their eardrums as Nhogai threw a downward slash across his frontside and, with an unlikely speed, brought the massive blade to an abrupt rest out by his right side - all with what seemed to be a mere flick of the wrist.
"You want me to to believe in you, Raen? Then earn my belief" he spoke firmly, his gaze piercing deep into his quarry.
"Maybe then I'll permit you my name".
His footing adjusted slowly while his body squared up to the target before him, everything about even his most subtle of movements was treated with an uncanny sense of ease... nothing was shielding him from the appearance that he were ready to charge right for the woman at any given moment, nor that he bore any real will to hesitate.
"Your reflexes are slow and your body weak. A mere guess is your only hope of evading my attack" he explained, lightly swaying the large weapon to emphasise the absence of room for error on her part.
"But if you trust in the fate you saw in store for yourself, you already know you can choose no wrong".
Nhogai peered deep into the female's eyes then; curious... anticipating of her response though wholly uncertain of just how far she were willing to take her beliefs.
"Do you accept?"
![[Image: ecec20e41f.png]](https://puu.sh/xvMxb/ecec20e41f.png)
Characters: Andre Winter (Hy'ur) / K'nahli Yohko (Miqo'te)
