[action- west caedarva mire (nashmau.)- closed (vincent, rishfee).]

[immortal-lion.livejournal.com]

[After the battle with the experimental lamia, Rishfee had been left reeling. Not by Hellmasker -- Vincent had always referred to his demons in the plural, even told him of some of them. But by Lilisette. Immortals had abilities that most humans could only dream of. One of which was the ability to percept auras. Stronger, more powerful Immortals than Rishfee could even twist reality and predict the future. And he wished for nothing more than that ability after he percepted and pinpointed the change that had come over the dancer during the battle. The Dark Divinity. She was linked to him in some way- even if just for a moment, when those black markings appeared on her face. When she'd changed, he'd felt the Astral wind and the flames of Asgarth both -- and it had confused and terrified him at the same time.

He'd said nothing. Merely treated her after the battle with the same courtesy as Vincent, practically dragged the pair away into the small settlement that he had been trying to keep a secret. They were both wounded. Taking them back to the staging point would have not done. One, or both of them would have keeled long before they had even reached it.

So the pair of them had been left in one of the abandoned buildings; amidst curious qijirn healers and a multitude of woven blankets. He was wounded, but he could not rest. Night was falling, and the qujirn were barricading themselves indoors as was Near Eastern custom. Not a soul wandered the streets after dark apart from him -- lying, head in hands and half dreaming upon one of the highest ramparts the ruined settlement afforded, eyes fixed upon the mist of the mire which surrounded it. ]

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[chaos-vessel.livejournal.com]

[Hellmasker, and the battle with the Lamia, had left Vincent drained, certainly. Having been injured before the transformation, then during it, certainly didn't help with that. He'd been just dazed enough after the fight to accept Rishfee's insistence that they not return all the way to the staging point. He would have gone back all the way if it had been necessary. Rishfee, however, and not seemed to want to do that, so instead Vincent had taken the time to rest- though he'd ignored the qijirn healers in favor of patching himself up, and finding somewhere to rest for a while.

He'd barely waited long, just enough so that he felt somewhat recovered. It wasn't long before he was joining Rishfee at the top of that rampart, near-silently walking up until he stood only a few feet away from Rishfee.]

[immortal-lion.livejournal.com]

[He'd thought he'd heard some high-pitched protests across the square. That was the problem with Nashmau. Like Aht Urhgan Whitegate it had been built to accommodate a lot of people. When it was empty, things tended to echo. He tilted his head slightly when he felt the other's presence, moving from his position to sit -- reclining against the tall wall, yet still keeping an eye on the mire; through one of the long cracks in the stone.]

Glad to see that you're feeling better.

[He doesn't have many words for the other, but he means them. Most of him is too tired to say much, regardless. There's a slight smile to go with them -- again, quite honest and actually with meaning. He'd been concerned that the battle might have meant the end of one, or all of them. ]

[chaos-vessel.livejournal.com]

[After the battle to retrieve the myrrh drop, all of them were too tired for much, even if it wasn't obvious in Vincent- he didn't speak much anyway, even around Rishfee. He nodded, and folded his arms across his chest, gauntleted hand over the normal one.]

Hmm. And you?

[For all that Rishfee might as well have been in charge after the battle, he hadn't escaped unscathed either.]

[immortal-lion.livejournal.com]

Scratches. Nothing more.

[He doesn't want to worry the other, and he knows he'll heal in time. So he merely glances away, back to the mire -- and keeps his eyes there. He's crosslegged and quite comfortable even considering how cold it gets around these parts at night -- skyphone in front of him and scimitars at his side. He's been resharpening them after the battle as he's been at guard.]

...May I ask a question?

[Something's been bothering him. Something unrelated to the other things which bother him which recently have begun to grow more numerous by the day. This though, the one he speaks of, is far more important than any of them.]

[chaos-vessel.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't quite trust that assessment, but he says nothing. As long as Rishfee isn't going out into the middle of a fight again sometime soon, then there's no reason to force him to get healed, especially not when Vincent himself had just escaped healers as quickly as he could.]

If you want. [It's as much of a go-ahead as Vincent ever gives. He doesn't direct his attention toward Rishfee- the fact that he asked permission in the first place indicates that it's something sensitive.

[immortal-lion.livejournal.com]

[If he sees anything coming toward Nashmau from the mire, he will -- at the narrow bastion Nashmau has built for such a purpose. Just like he won't sleep tonight. It's part and parcel of this area, what he's been used to all of his life. In the Near East, night is not simply night. It's a time of dread. He's used to going without sleep. (Truthfully, Immortals don't need as much as humans) He's also used to standing guard during nightfall.]

Thank you.

[He takes his eyes from the mire and draws them to a small lantern beside him with about four brightly coloured fireflies within -- the only source of light in Nashmau currently. Any light by fire or other artificial means during nightfall isn't recommended. Anything from the mire would be able to see it. There's so many fireflies of the same type in and around the mire that these aren't of any notice to anything looking for the settlement.

Subconsciously, he pulls a thick, black blanket of karakul hide -- something akin to a sheep pelt, just shaggier and longer - around his shoulders from where it had previously slipped, the chill of the night starting to get to him. He still doesn't look at Vincent. His voice is quiet, considered -- betraying none of his tiredness but a forced sense of calm and rehearsed clarity- the sentiment of accepting whatever the other is to respond. Even if it is not what he wants to hear. ]

I have been listening to the skyphone. Mainly about a portal to our worlds, the risk involved... and other things. Garland, and Lufene to name a few. And it is my feeling, however worthless the feeling may be compared to whatever eventuality is to happen that all of this is to change.

...I want to know what you plan to do. Do you wish to return to your world?

[chaos-vessel.livejournal.com]

[Vincent listens, and stops for a moment, taking the time to consider and phrase his answer.]

No.

[immortal-lion.livejournal.com]

[Not what he was expecting. His eyebrows furrow, and his response is just as short.]

Why not?

[chaos-vessel.livejournal.com]

[Another pause.]

Everything I needed to do in my world is done. Any reason I had for living there is gone.

[He won't go as far as to say that he has some reason to live here on Gaia, but it's implied.]

[immortal-lion.livejournal.com]

[ Implication taken. He now merely looks curious.]

What should keep you in this world?

[And what could be more important than Lucrecia?]

[chaos-vessel.livejournal.com]

The people I care for are in this world.

[Lucrecia is important... but the only thing he truly has left of her is her cave, and the protomateria.]

[immortal-lion.livejournal.com]

... Heh.

[The expression of slight amusement is muted, and marred with a twinge of pain. His injuries are still bothering him, enough to make his features contort for a small moment. But he opens his eyes again and looks to the other, voice distant.]

Yes, I understand. I hold the same sentiment... but you...
...Come closer?

[He shifts. He isn't one to ask such of anyone, but he's still pained and his voice is showing it. It's quiet, morose, and normal mannerisms and even volume is quite painful still.]

...When the way is safe, when there's no risk to my world, or your world, or any of the others, I will have to go back. Vincent... I haven't told you this -- but something happened on my world, to me, before I came here. I last recall losing the Empress - and ordering a mercenary to find her. But.. The mercenary could not escape the mamool ja savages which had swarmed us at this point. There was only one way to clear the way and ensure the mercenaries escape-- it was to expend my life to destroy them all.

[It's funny. He can't even remember the mercenaries face now. How long has it been since he came here, anyway? His tone is morose, but he's showing a distinct lack of emotion -- especially for someone talking about the end of their life. ]

...That is on that world. Here... I realize now how selfish what I asked you to do for me really was. For you to kill me when this eventuality happens, it's--

[Laughing hurts, but he tries. It's short-lived, though. Very short-lived. Funny how conversing with Lilisette, and her asking the same of him makes him realize how immature it all is.]

-- I will hurt this world one day. I will hurt you one day, as well. Possibly kill you. I'm stronger than Nareema ever was, or ever would have become. I don't want to do that.

[chaos-vessel.livejournal.com]

[Vincent steps closer, then crouches down next to Rishfee. He listens, with eyes closed, as Rishfee speaks. It's familiar, the story he's being told, even if Rishfee hasn't told it to him before. He knows the sentiment behind it. And he listens without speaking for some time.]

One day.

[He opens his eyes to look out over the marsh, then glances down at Rishfee, flicking out his cloak to add it to the blanket Rishfee had draped around his shoulders.]

One day, my demons may do the same as Chaos, and break free of my control. Without Chaos, their powers may grow, until I no longer exist. Should I ask you to kill me now, or when it happens?

If you transform, or if you begin to, I will stop you. But not until then. There is more to think about than just yourself.

[immortal-lion.livejournal.com]

You don't understand. This is everything. I'm marked for death. I have been since I allowed this to happen to me -- either by transformation or by my actions there. My actions there did something. They changed something. It was no longer an eventuality, it --

-- You are different than I. The one who altered you was a demon, there is no doubt about it. He wished to condemn you to wilt and die underneath your demons. But you're more powerful than them. Can't you see that...? He failed. Your strength far surpasses them. They are to you what my magic is to me. Things of great pain, great burden and greater worry, but they cannot control you. I know what I see.

[He wants to laugh, but he can't. Instead he uses his good hand to move the other's cloak closer to him. As battered, torn, frayed, and rough as the fabric is, it's welcomed.

It's funny. Hojo wished to destroy Vincent entirely, but he failed and instead turned Vincent into a being of great power. The imperial alchemists wished to turn him into something akin to that, but they failed and had destroyed him in the way Hojo wished to destroy Vincent. He sees none of the hostility and mannerism of the Immortals, those doomed like him in Vincent, losing control. Nothing at all.

He finally takes his eyes from the other and he looks to the ground; shaking his head silently. The monster he really is can smell the summer on the air. With summer in these parts brings rain, chigoes, and brings disease and plague. Something Vincent would probably not do well with. Being a native, he has a resistance. ...Not even being human any longer means he's got more of a resistance than most.]

... I smell the rain.
It won't be safe for you in the mire when the summer comes. ...You're still human, and you haven't built any resistance to the plagues that will come.