[-----DUSK'S POINT OF VIEW-----]

Free City, Truce - Fountain
A tiered fountain marks the center of Truce, water gushing from its
summit and trickling into a deep, wide basin, wrapped by a ring of benches.
Roads flow like rivers away from the fountain, and houses sprout like weeds
all around them. Not far to the east, the ocean roars in the harbor.

Kyrk strides in through from the northern boulevard, cape flowing about his body in league with his swift movements. He stops just in the vicinity of the fountain, looking thoughtful for a moment as his eyes scan the region, sunlight glinting off his chestpiece.

Lenai looks up at the sky, lying down on one of the benches, barely taking notice of the man walking up. She twiddles her thumbs as she thinks, hard, concocting and revising a plan over and over.

Kyrk catches sight of Lenai all-but instantly, and nonhesitantly walks around to the front of the bench, stopping just there. "You there. What is your name?" His tone is serious, but it seems to lack any -real- urgency.

Lenai gives the man a puzzled look, and grins, purring a little. "It's impolite to ask a lady her name without giving yours first, mister!" she says in a seemingly oblivious tone, giggling, "So I'll wait for you first."

Crossroads felt it fortunate that she had stumbled upon Lenai before that attack she saw happened. For now she was following the girl, hiding and waiting for the event she saw to happen. Both the people involved were seen in town recently. And unless one left she imagined the event would happen soon.

Seeing the two talking, Crossroads tensed, waiting to spring forward if she saw it nesissary.

Kyrk doesnt bat an eye. "I am Kyrk Vanier. A wishborn, like yourself. I need to speak with you of a matter of grave importance."

Kyrk says 'You accept the wish, you maintain the obligations. The fault is your own if you failed to realize there was more to it than the words spoken. You should have been less careless.'

Lenai says ' But I did ask what my end of the deal was. When you fulfil a contract, you have to be given full notice of what that entails, otherwise the contract is null and void. So, hehehe, that's that.'

Lenai says ' Feel free to wallow in your black while I enjoy my time getting out of a cheap trick.'

Kyrk smiles faintly, but there is nothing held in the action. "It isn't something you just 'get out of', I'm afraid. And it isn't a cheap trick, either."

Kyrk says 'I'm afraid that's not how any contract works. Full details are to be requested, else anyone can leave anything out and sweeten any deal they make. Are you that oblivious to the way the world works?'

Lenai says ' No, but apparently you are. Contracts must be given to someone in full details before they can accept them.'

Lenai says ' So, give me my freedom or I'll take it back myself later. Now stop bothering me.'

Kyrk says 'The details were there. Your greed was your undoing.'

Lenai says ' The details were absent. Purposely avoiding telling someone the full details nullifies the contract.'

Lenai says ' I would be happy to reverse what's been done, if you'd like. Give the wished thing back and end this.'

Kyrk says 'You can't undo the contract. It is a lifelong obligation. Something some of us know too well by now.'

Lenai says ' Ah, see, that was another thing. He failed to mention life long. These things mean the contract truly is nullified, considering hehe, I'm not alive now, am I? No soul in my body, no bodily functions.'

Kyrk sighs, resigned. "As you would have it, then. Hand me your Soul Gem, and I will free you from the contract and your obligations."

Lenai grins, baping the man on the head. "I'm not stupid. You're just going to corrupt the gem and kill me."

Kyrk tilts his head swiftly to one side, a brief shadow forming where his head once was, and Lenai's hand passes through it ineffectively. "Corrupt? I am a wishborn not unlike yourself. In case you haven't heard, we fight the corruption, not instill it."

Lenai looks at a pink Soul Gem in her inventory.

Lenai says ' Fine. But you have to promise to simply undo what the contract did to my soul. Understoof?'

Kyrk nods solemnly. "I agree to this fully and one-hundred percent. I will undo the contract and release you from its binds. That is all."

Lenai gives a pink Soul Gem to Kyrk.

Lenai says ' Do you need the wish too?'

Kyrk shakes his head, accepting the soul gem. "I don't. This will suffice. From this point forward, the contract you have signed is at its end of obligation." In one swift and decisive move, Kyrk takes Lenai's Soul Gem and grips it firmly; too firmly. The pink egg-shaped object is brutally crushed in his grip, shattering into an uncountable number of glistening shards of useless glass.

You say 'How easily you quit, Lenai. Does your pride restrict you from everything?'

Crossroads blinks from her hiding place. Something changed. It was weird sort of sensation. As if one waiting for something to happen while watching a clock count down found that nothing happened once it reach zero.

Dusk, or rather, Florence, appears seemingly from no where.

Lenai says ' ...'

Lenai wields a gatling buster in her hands.

Lenai points the gatling buster at Kyrk's face.

Lenai says ' You lied. Prepare to have yourself ended.'

Kyrk lowers his hands, letting the shards of what was once Lenai's Soul Gem scatter on the ground and out of his hand. He looks up for a moment, and dusts off his hands before looking down at the... mobile corpse?

Kyrk says 'I didn't lie. I averted a problem that would have surfaced later had you continued your fascade. In the process, I released you from your contract. In death, you are no longer under any obligations. This was what we agreed on.'

Kyrk looks unphased by the gatling gun in his face.

Lenai says ' You owe me. Give me something worth equal to my gem, or I'll take something from you by force.'

Dusk grinned widely as he watched the soulless robot aim her gun the man. Lenai was something of both an ally and enemy to him. He found the scene both humorous and saddening.

Kyrk smiles faintly. Again, it seems to be just a gesture, and nothing else. "Once the contract is made, there is no 'escape clause', that you so hopefully were looking for. Only through the end are you free from your bindings. I have done just as you requested." He pauses, still unmoving.

Dusk suddenly laughs loudly for a few seconds.

Kyrk says 'You cannot hope to win against me if you can no longer transform. I know not what you now are, but without your soul gem, there is no hope for you.'

Lenai begins firing rounds from the gun, knowing she would miss. He was obviously prepared to dodge, and it was unlikely he would bluff in this situation.

You say 'Don't you see? You've already obtained something of equal value!'

Kyrk does indeed dodge; his body literally phases out of existence, reappearing a few steps away only to do the same thing as more bullets come after him, continuing a phase-in-phase-out game of dodge-the-bullet.

Kyrk does not, however, seem to be going on the offensive at all. Simply... avoidance.

Lenai stops firing, and flies up into the air, looking down at Dusk, puzzled.

Lenai says ' Why are you so keen on making assumptions?'

Lenai says ' If it were so easy to obtain something of equal value, I wouldn't have worked so hard to get it back. It's illogical.'

You say 'You're right. You've actually already had it all along.'

Kyrk phases in one more time, the same place he started. He looks up at Lenai briefly, before turning and going on his way, kicking aside a few glass shards on the ground as he heads north.

Lenai quickly takes note of where Kyrk is going, and lowers herself to the ground, walking over to Dusk.

You say 'Your pride! The power pride offers is virtually limitless, up only to the one who wields it. Don't you see?'

Unless stopped otherwise, Kyrk would leave north, exiting the center of Truce and disappearing from sight.

You say 'Who needs a soul when you're so proud! Hahaha, HAHAHAAHAHAHA!'

Lenai says ' I can no longer feel pride. I feel nothing. I know I wanted my soul, and there must have been a reason.'

Lenai says ' I'm going to get it back.'

Crossroads carefully makes her way North in attempt to follow Kyrk.

Dusk stops laughing and smirks, 'A valiant desire.'

Dusk glances off toward the north then to the ground, at the shards of Lenai's soul gem.

Lenai grabs Dusk by the collar. "Are you helping me, or are you going to be useless again?"

You grin evilly.

You say 'I only help myself. If you are in the way, then good for you.'

Dusk adjusts his glasses, "However..."

Lenai says ' I'm going to where souls rest after death. I'm sure you can find use from there.'

You say 'Your presence may be needed in the future.'

You say 'As such, I find myself hesitant to leave you in such a frivolous state.'

Lenai lets go of Dusk's collar, staring at him with hollow eyes.

Dusk points to the shards of Lenai's soul gem, "You may wish to hold on to those."

Lenai nods, and sets down a sack, brushing all of the shards into it for safe keeping.

Dusk twirls his soul gem around, "I may be able to help you, once you've found your soul."

Lenai says ' Putting it back in this vessel is not the optimal action. It has to be back in my body.'

You say 'Hmhmhmm, indeed. We still don't know what other tricks could be in store you..or all us, really.'

You say 'That vessel is simply a backup plan.'

You hold a cyan Soul Gem in your hand.

You say 'The nature of my wish has..enlightened me on the aspects of soul transition.'

Lenai says ' That man needs to be exterminated, either after or before my soul is back. If I'm to get my soul back, I'll need to find information on a physical passage into where the souls rest.'

Dusk looks off to the north.

You say 'Then it would seem that we need to follow him.'

Lenai says ' Then to a library.'

Lenai nods, and begins walking off to the north.

You say 'Ahh, a library! Yes, that brings back pleasant memories.'

Lenai says ' ...But wait. How will we defeat the man without enough power?'

Lenai says ' You saw how he dodged. Unless...'

You say 'Violence isn't always the answer.'

You say 'As much fun as it is.'

You grin evilly.

Lenai says ' Course of action is obvious. We make him use his gem until it corrupts him into nothingness.'

Lenai says ' Until then, we observe.'

You say 'A worthy plan.'


[-----MEANWHILE-----]
[-----CROSSROADS' POINT OF VIEW-----]


Truce Canyon - Scenic Trail
Leveling out, the road comes to the top of the western wall of Truce
Canyon, before turning east, then and running alongside it. The road to the
south runs down the shallow side of a hill, while to the north, it turns
eastward before running into a large boulder. A steep drop to the west ends
in a bramble thicket.

Kyrk is standing along the wall of Truce Canyon here, looking at
something on the wallface that is unseen due to being right in front
of it. Whatever it is, is must be pretty small.

Crossroads catches up to him, "You!" She calls to the man, hoping that
he about to make another dissapearing act.

Kyrk looks up, and glances over his shoulder at the newcomer. "The one
called 'Apple Knower'. I'm sure that what you witnessed may have been
tragic, but it was for the betterment of everyone. It is our job to
avert impending catastrophes, no matter how far off they may lie in
wait."

Kyrk speaks openly and without holding or hiding anything. It is of
theopinion that he probably knew Crossroads was there the whole time.

"You would have attacked her if she hadn't given up her soul gem, am I
correct?" Crossroads steps forward, not bothering to correct him by
giving him her actual name. " What do you mean by the betterment of
everyone?"

Kyrk says 'The primary goal was safety. Averting a threat. The
secondary was only because she was not living up to her expectations.
When you sign a contract, it doesn't matter the terms. Your signature
is there. Front and center. On paper, it is a penmark. In our case,
it is a soul gem. I merely removed her signature, voiding the
contract as requested.'

Kyrk looks back at the rockface, and steps aside, revealing a small
black gem embedded into the rock; it pulses softly, and is extended
somewhat via a long thorn.

Kyrk says 'Do you know what happens when a wishborn's time is up?'

"Is that what you believe?" shouted Dusk, er, Florence, as he, er, it,
approaches from the south. "It looks to me as if you're just helping
the enemy."

Crossroads looks at him sternly, " And what exactly would have made
that girl a threat at that moment?"

Kyrk looks at Crossroads for a moment, then Florence as it comes in
from the south, and gives a sigh. He gestures to the black gem
embedded in the wall. "Do you see this? It is black. It is the birth
seed of a witch, which, by all accounts, should have manifested by
now. A grief seed is also this color. Tell me, what color does your
soul gem turn as you partake of its power?"

Dusk nods his head quickly, "I know where you're going with this. You
are somewhat correct in thinking the way that you did. However.."

Black. Much like the grief seed. So the two were connected. Crossroads
frowned as she started to make the connection, "So that is what
happens if they aren't purified."

Kyrk inclines his head. "I hadn't meant to keep it from you, but I
know the truth can be a painful thing for those able to feel it.
Kyuubey might have wanted it left a secret, and I have transferred to
this region only recently. It was at his request."

Dusk adjusts his glasses, "In ending her contract, you've eliminated
an enemy just as much as you've eliminated an ally. Tell me, fellow
'wishborn'..are we not, as 'heroes', obligated to push each other
along to fight the darkness that corrupts us?"

Crossroads shakes her head. " And what is to guarantee that she would
have become an enemy? There is no certain future for anything. There
is no promise that you're going to be right. I could have killed you the
first time I met you because I had a vision that told me you would
have attacked her. But that is not what happened. In that vision, YOU
were a threat to avert.'

Kyrk looks at Crossroads for a moment; something flickers behind his
rose eyes, but it is only briefly. "You remind me of myself when I
was younger. I have eliminated no allies, only eventual adversaries
that we now no longer have to fight. Your friend Tyrranis tried to
convince her, as have I, just now. She was adamant in her refusal.
In that sense, she is the 'traitor' you are so hastily branding me."

Kyrk looks back at Florence, then at Crossroads again. "There is much
you don't yet understand that is tied to this contract you have made.
You must understand that I have done the right thing."

You say ' And by that logic, you had also eleminated a potential grief
seed that would have purified a few of our souls at some point. Maybe
you both are traitors. Eitherway, what gives you the right to decide
her fate?'

Florence grips its soul gem firmly, trying to draw out Dusk 's
passionate feelings to fill its otherwise empty heart. "Look into her
eyes and tell me you did what's right."

Kyrk says 'I stopped a threat before it became a problem. She would
have spent her years looking for an elixir that does not exist, and
been consumed in her search. She would eventually realize her
stalemate, and those feelings would eventually consume her soul gem.
She would have become a witch, like so many others in that same, same
position. These choices are not easy ones to make, but they must be
done. If anything, I have made the easier of the two decisions.
What happens later, when people have grown to love and care for this
person, and eventually they are resigned to their fate? Would you
like to be the one taking down Tyrranis if he were rendered the same
situation? Would that not hurt you?'

"What the--? What are you doing in here?" asked Dusk puzzlingly,
looking at his shadow inside of his virtual world within the soul gem.

"Shut up! I..need your help." muttered Florence. "My help? Heh, why
not? You already have my body." replied Dusk.

You say ' We all have potential to be threats, even you. And what of
it if she did spend years searching? what if people did grow to love
her? This would have been the fate she had decided for herself. Her
mistake to live with. Her hope to have. Just because someone is doomed
by their choices doesn't mean you have the right to destroy them
against their will.'

"It never ceases to amaze me how little this bothers you." growled
Florence as Dusk chuckled over his own 'joke'.

Kyrk says 'I didn't destroy them. I offered another contract, albeit
not in the same format Kyuubey had. It was her mistake to fall into
the same 'trap', as she so lovingly referred to it as, twice. If
you're going to take a job seriously, keep your knowledge up to date.
You can't afford to make any mistakes, especially not what you signed
up to fight against.'

Kyrk is calm and relaxed through all of this. In all of his
mannerisms and lack of theatrics, it's almost as if... he is speaking
without feeling. Without regard. Without... emotion?

"So whatcha need?" asked Dusk. "..your heart, as strange as it sounds.
I can't find it in myself to feel bad someone. If I don't follow this
'light' path that's expected of me, this gem will darken and you'll
disappear. Then I won't be able to control your body anymore."

You say 'Kyuubey wouldn't have attacked us if we refused."
Crossroads says flatly. " You would have attacked if she had. Not like
Kyuubey's contract at all"'

"Oh dear! That sounds like quite a pickle! Well, um..let me just reach
in here and.." said Dusk as he started rubbing around his chest. "No,
you idiot! Just..I don't know, feel bad or something! Imagine your pet
kitten nibbling on a cake and being sentenced to death for it."

Kyrk looks at Crossroads again, for longer than a moment this time.
It dawns on him, now, after going over what she said. "So... that's
why he calls you the 'Apple Knower'. It isn't just a pet name. I
see."

"You knew about Mr. Snuggles too?! But I tried so hard to keep him
hidden from the other knights! No, they can't do that! How could
they!? They should look into his eyes and tell him that he has to die
for nibbling on the cake!" cried Dusk. Florence blinked slowly. "Yes.
Good Dusk. That'll do! Just keep that up. I'll be back later."

Kyrk looks remote for a moment, then gathers himself. "You all need to
prepare. A day or two, tops, and this witch will be fully manifested.
You'll need to be at the top of your 'game', so-to-speak, if you want
to have any hope of destroying it."

Dusk says 'Don't let them kill Mr. Snuggles!" shouted Dusk as Florence
left the soul gem world and returned to their body on the cleft.'

That statement takes Crossroads by surprise, "Wh-what?!" She didn't
think it had any meaning beyond her claim to be an apple inspector in
order to swipe some of Tyrannis's apples. Crossroads then glances at
the grief seed. Two days? That didn't give them much time.

Dusk says 'Indeed? It's such a shame that we are now a person short.'

Kyrk nods. "The Apple of Enlightenment. It knows everything, and I
can only assume your nickname is a result. It is very clever, I must
admit. So you are clairvoyant, I see."

Dusk says 'I have one more question for you.'

Kyrk says 'But later. Right now, you must go and make whatever
preparations you need. This will not be an easy task, so I implore
you to take whatever means necessary to be ready.'

Kyrk pauses, then adds. "I know in your heart is is difficult to
grasp. But please believe me when I tell you that I am not the enemy.
I promise you that. I'm here to help see this through. I've been at
this 'game' far longer than any of you."

Dusk says 'Where do the lost souls go?'

Kyrk looks up, and at Dusk. "It depends on how they are lost."

Dusk says 'In the case that their soul gem is shattered by your
unofficial release of contract?'

Kyrk says 'If the soul gem is destroyed, then it is gone.
Extinguished. The soul gem contains the soul, and its destruction
marks the same fate of that which it contains. This is why Kyuubey
stated that you should protect them no matter what the cost.'
Kyrk seems hardlined on those last five words.

Dusk says 'I don't believe that. All spirits go somewhere.'

Dusk says 'I may need her help to find the hidden truths behind the
cleft. I'll find her soul one way or another.'

Kyrk says 'All spirits go somewhere based on their release. Normal
souls are exhumed from the body upon death, released to be judged in
whatever realm they are associated with. But his is not the same case.
If it was that simple, why make soul gems? All one would
have to do is break them, then they have their soul back. It doesn't
work that way.'

Kyrk clears his throat, his voice raising somewhat. "This is a matter
for another time. You all need to focus on the task at hand, and I
can do nothing more for you. Again, I apologize for your anguish and
sorrow, but this contract you have become wrapped up in is as
dangerous as it is encompassing. Eventually you will understand, and
I'm not going to ask you to trust me outright. But you will understand soon.
I promise."

Dusk glances at Crossroads, "Watch yourself around him..and don't
worry about her. I'll find a way to get her back." then starts to head
south. "I'll see you in a couple days, I guess."

Crossroads stares at Kyrk for a long time, then heads back to Truce.


[-----LATER THAT DAY-----]
[-----TYRRANIS' POINT OF VIEW-----]


Kyrk is standing against a wallface along the trail here, half-leaning and half-standing. He gazes out over the Canyon dropoffs contemplatively, and beside him on the same wallface, a small glack gem is embedded into the rock, pronounced by a sharp thorn that acts as a focal point. It glows softly.

Walking slowly as if to conserve energy, Tyrranis walks up the trail to the north. A sheen of sweat covers his body, and a few small wounds are already quickly healing themselves. His eyes however are not far off as they usually are, they are sharp. He seems to be thinking at a furious pace.

Kyrk doesn't look up from his contemplative state, though he does speak. "Tyrranis. You're working hard."

Tyrranis looks at Kyrk, and nods to him. "I cannot wait for the battle as I can usually. It is nessicary to organize a force, after all. We are better prepaired and rewarded if we band together to slaughter this Witch."

Kyrk says 'Better prepared, yes. Rewarded, no, unless you consider victory as its own reward. There will only be one seed to split between the lot of you, so you must take that into consideration as well. But I admire your fighting spirit, and I am glad at least someone here is taking this seriously.'

Tyrranis studies Kyrk, and takes notice of the seed behind him. "I consider it like this. If one man can bring down a Witch, but suffer heavy damage, then three would take lighter damage. The lighter the damage, the further the seed will go towards soaking corruption. Thus, greater reward."

Kyrk looks over his shoulder, consideringly, and nods an affirmation. "Indeed, this is true. It isn't always the case, but when it is, it is true. You are a decent tactician beyond that of a fighter and his instincts."

You say ' Much to my chagrin. I dislike this noble business. I am in no way truely fit to be a commander. But no one else, or no one fit, will step forwards. So it falls to me. I will take the part until I can let it go.'

Kyrk says 'Well said. I have no ambition to lead other than as a elder's voice to his students, else I would assume command for you. I merely don't wish to see any mistakes made, that's all. I would see the lot of you off on the right foot.'

You say ' We will have a better mark of which foot that is after this battle I assume. The Apple Knower, to my knowledge, is the only one who has fought a Witch. I have not collected the details yet fully. I have a plan for how we shall act in the battle though.'

Kyrk nods slightly, his thoughts looking to change for but a moment. "Indeed? I hope this rings true, then. Be prepared for anything you wouldn't expect, however, as this is almost always the case." He pauses for a moment, then pipes up again. "You're a practical man, Tyrranis. You know well enough that threats need to be eliminated before they become problems, am I right? This is the best solution to a painless ordeal."

You say ' A threat is only a threat to those who cannot handle it. This is one of my only memories. A man sitting me down in a tent to talk to me. The fire within still blazes in my memory. "Listen" he said. "We all shall die. Our purpous in life is to make use of it. Before it is gone." This speaks to me. It tells me that anything can be used before it is gone. Of course, if the need is squandered. Then it must be crushed. A hydra cannot grow heads until one is cut off.'

Kyrk smiles; it is an empty smile void of any obvious feeling behind it, but a smile nontheless. "Thank you. You have answered my question in the best way possible. I only wish for a favor, then, from you. A small favor, but of possible importance."

You say ' What would you ask of me?'

Kyrk says 'Make your clairvoyant friend, the one you call 'Apple Knower', see this truth. If you cannot make her, try your hardest. I fear her emotions may not be stable, and this is the first step toward corruption outside of power usage. Keep an eye on her, and make sure she remains sharp where it counts most.'

With that, Kyrk turns back to the horizon, his rose irises blinking but one time.

Tyrranis rubs his chin, and then nods. "I will talk to the Apple Knower. This information should be within her knowledge. If you'll excuse me for now, I must go survey battlegrounds. The center of Truce is hardly and apropriate place for this to occur." With that Tyrranis turns to continue along the mountian trail.

Kyrk doesn't say anything, or even seem inclined to. He merely watches the horizon beyond the Canyon.