Sensing that nothing is amiss with the lady, I head over to my spot again where I sit down, wrap myself up and begin to eat a slice of meat on bread. My blade placed beside me, within easy reach. While I am eating I look up at Gaza, then the fire and finally back at Gaza. "Was the skin comment a joke and what is an Elf? The word sounds very familiar, but I can't put my finger on it. Her skin is different, the same warmth as fire. I've never seen that before, or have I?" Realising that I am probably staring, I look down towards my food again and continue to eat.
now I am myself again know more it coms to mind, I know I come from a land of ice and snow, I know of the hunt, of the races there, we came south looking for new things to see o know what the world was like, then came the thing in the sky many where in fear and meany came, then i know no, my inner self lost its thoughts of the past and now we are here. but i know of the sword and spell, of elf and dwarf of human and orc, I can see you are like my inner, you have lost your past, what ever that may have been, and i know you not so I can say little of what that past may have been. But I will help with what little I know so come before me if you won't and I will tell you what I see. with that the great bear is silent.
The woman finally cautiously approaches, seeming to keep more distance from Aylya and Elarya, watching Elarya a little more carefully... almost even confused as if she expected something. "...So you've not seen any of the demons here, truly?"
Aylya notes she keeps away,
You seem to know something about what you call Demons, yet you have not as yet told use what you think a Demon is Girl, how should we know what one looks. But what would like to know is how dos someone, who says they have no memory, know what one looks like?.
The grate bear head turns to look at her
I sniff a lie.
Elarya keeps her eyes on the strange woman, trying to puzzle through what was going on.
She seems honest, but I can't shake this feeling. I know what ever I felt is coming from her, even if it's not her. I wonder if I'm just too paranoid.
...
Why does she keep looking at me like that. Did she expect something. and if she lost her memories, then why would she expect something, unless...
"I believe I do as well."
She speaks up to be heard by everybody as she addresses the newcomer.
"Mayhaps we're seeing one now. We were with a woman in white robes and with hair of silver. Perhaps you know where she went or what became of her. I have been feeling a sickening presence, a ill omen if you will, for some time and I believe that you or something you carry is the cause. Do you care to explain which it is?"
Elarya, perhaps paranoid, perhaps guided by some divine hand, or perhaps just expecting a battle to be inevitable, stands and readies her shield and hammer. She takes care to not to be overtly threatening, but something was ringing alarm bells in the back of her mind. The same mind that probably allowed her to survive such a horrific catastrophe.
She intended to heed those warnings.
Torr listens carefully to Elarya and hears the first concrete explanation from any of his companions as to why they are so suspicious. He tenses slightly, frowning. She senses something wrong about this girl but isn't sure what it is. Perhaps Elarya has some preternatural senses that I lack. It would be wise to trust her for now, I have no reason not to.
Since the girl shows no sign of being deterred by the distrust, Torr watches her cautiously, wishing he could get some sense of the wrongness about her. For a small man, he seems unassuming and non-threatening, but still he almost growls deep in his throat. He bristles slightly, something rankling in the back of his memory that he cannot place... this woman is ... what???? Something about her... about them all, but still I've placed some amount of trust in a few of them since coming to this place.
she thinks
"I feel something about her,
something familiar.
But was it a good or bad thing?"
The woman frowns, "I never once said I couldn't remember anything, I said I woke here and the place was abandoned... of course I remember plenty...are you saying none of you have your memories?" Her eyes flick over to Elarya again, "I have no idea what would cause you to be uncomfortable around me... generally I am a likable person." She answers with a faint smile.
Gaza finished her snack and is now just fiddling with her rope dart.
Torr grumbles under his breath. NOW I don't trust her... she has all her memories, and I don't like that smile... He verbalizes only a syllable of it here and there, nothing discernible.
So then girl I ask, Again and this time answer, Who are you? what do you want?
The grate bear gets up and looks around again
and are you alone?
Once Elarya explains why she is so tense, I also stand up. Weapon drawn, standing next to her. I watch and listen to the new-comer, "Maybe she knows my name, but if she did why has she not said it yet?"
Noya notices the smile, and thinks
"Time to get ready for a rip."
"I have told you all twice now I am alone...." She comments, taking a few steps back forward. "Now please answer mine... have you all really lost your memories?"
"We never said we doubted you were alone," Torr practically growls the words. "Yes we've lost our memories, though we've recovered some already. What difference does that make?" Perhaps he's not the best person to answer, his skills with people not his forte, but he is the first to speak.
she thinks
"Idiot, that should be under wraps and not talked to strangers we just met."
Aylya's and other know some of what they where, "but that is for us to know and others to find out" The bear thunders up to the girl and puts its it huge face in hers, in a growling voice it says
"and I! have asked twice, who are you and what do you want, I will not ask again"
The woman suddenly narrows her eyes, "I answered you the first time you asked, it isn't my fault you didn't listen... I have done nothing but try and be civil here and you keep threatening me."
Remember plenty do you, yet you have told us little other than you had a sleep, that there are Demons and one word, Ellis, but Ellis the what?
with that the bear turns and walks off into the darkness to scout around as it gos it says.
others may do better with you
The bear plods away into the darkness.
"Prehaps, but being civil and giving us a reason to trust you are not one in the same. You keep looking at me like I am about to cave your head in with my hammer. I have kept myself from doing so despite having reasons to not trust you. Perhaps if you gave us a reason why I would do that, or explain why I feel this sickening feeling I sense coming from you, would go a long way to building that trust."
Elarya's voice is even as she talks. Her expression remains neutral, but her eyes give away her true feelings. I trust her less and less. Something keeps telling me that this one is not to be trusted, but I can't say why. Why can't I remember anything other than my name? Why do I feel that sickening aura around and the others don't?
"So Ellis, Why do you remember but tell us nothing?"
"Us demons can be civil, but trust is a commodity that should not be shared thoughtlessly."
I look to Gaza, still holding my blade, "So she is a Demon ...? They must be friendly then, so why is everyone worried that there are Demons around if they are nice?"
I turn back to face Ellis, a bored look on my face as I listen to everyone question her repeatedly. I give her a curt nod before I take out a piece of cloth and start to wipe down my new blade, trying to get it clean.
she replies to Gaza
"I think you're the exception, not the rule."
"What about the bear demon?"
"I feel that she is as far from a demon,
as a mouse is to a fish."
The woman grins slightly, " Intuitive little paladin... lost her memories but knows somehow not to trust me... the little demon is right... -some- of us can be quite diplomatic and some can't... I cannot answer what has happened to all of you but I suspect that it is related to what cleared my home here... I don't expect your assistance but I assume you want your memories back so I am offering that we work together on this... I do wish to know where all of my people have gone to."
The woman steps in closer, her entire form ripples into a more shapely humanoid form. Wings fan out behind her, luckly she still remains clothed.
"When the crystal appeared the others started simply vanishing before our eyes, only a few of us got away... mainly those who could magically do so as myself."
Torr looks surprised... then a bit angry at being tricked into thinking this was a human woman. "Trickster... shapeshifter... what other deceit do you have planned for us?" He doesn't look at all trusting of her, especially now.
Gaza peeks out, "All of your people? And they didn't go to the field of dead people?"
she thinks
"dam, her curvy figure is like my curvy figure,
well, minus the wings and tail.
And add that I appear to be the more muscular one.
Even her hair is the same shade of red as mine."
suddenly a question arises in her mind.
"Am I related to her race in some way?"
You may hear sounds that the PanserBjørne is starting to head back to the group after his wondering about in the dark
Seeing the woman change her form I look surprised, but continue to clean my blade. "Well this must be nice for the red lady. Another Demon, they both seem nice ... so why is everyone so cautious? So why all the talk of mice and fish ... I'm hungry now."
By the time I have finished thinking to myself my blade is as clean as it is going to get, with that I tuck the cloth into my belt. I continue to hold onto the blade though.
Elarya takes a step back and raises her shield. She's clearly surprised and tries to keep from stumbling as her foot catches on a rock. She manages, just barely.
She just changed shape?! If demons can change shape, then who else might be one? How do I know who to trust? Doubt and fear begins to poison her mind, just a little, but then another voice, very much like her own, maybe even her own, speaks in her head.
You didn't get that feeling from the rest of them. Trust them.
The great bear comes back into the fire light and stops when its sees the winged being by the fire, looking for a moment it then carry's on to the fire and sits down next to Elarya.
"I have a feeling our little lost girl just grow up in an intent, so we now have the who, what and why of you, I take it, because you are showing your true form, what we now need to know now is are you of any use to some of us, because then we could offer you some level of protection, but we will need you to aid some of us, for they need true Knowledge of things.
What say you to that lass"
The woman laughs, "I do not need protection from you, I merely wanted to inspect the situation before I showed myself. I cannot be everywhere at once but I believe you guys want to know what happened to yourselves and I think the answer will tell me what happened to my home... its a simple trade, I will tell you more about what I know and allow you to remain here unharmed and you all will report to me what you find...." She muses for a moment, "...we can make in an official deal... binding and all that."
"I don't really like deals,
especially binding ones who have certain entities as one of the contractor or contractee.
Trades though are another matter."
"Mmmm... smart girl... but binding ensures we both get what we are after hmm? No double crossing and all that? You guys are clearly in no rush to trust me and with that in mind, nor am I in any rush to trust you."
"I was more worried about the fine print,
and I have seen some very fine print."
The great bear sniffs, "So no more lies, you smell of the hell's and they like there deals, I tell you all now make no deal with that's binding with this one, for me, you have nothing I need, time and teaching I can do myself. But you need us to aid you, a Queen-dome has been lost here, yes I think I spot the contempt and self control of a ruler or some one close to power when I see it. So a Queen-dome lost and no subject's to rule, ye best ask nice and pay well or the rats with be your only subjects my lady" The great bear bows its head then looks back at her.
Torr nods as the others basically state what he is thinking, no binding agreements with the likes of this one. He stands ready to fight still, if it comes to that, but in truth he hopes she will just leave.
"I find myself agreeing with those two. I'll have none of this contract, no matter how fair it seems. If staying here is a problem, then I'll leave at first light."
Elarya keeps a wary eye on the demon, even if she lowers her shield and hammer.
If you are willing to let me live that long. She knows us, or seems to... Why can't I remember anything!
The woman seems less then amused at the answer. "And you all are mistaken, I could -use- you but I do not -need- you. Stay as long as you like, I don't care, I can't promise any other returning demons will be nearly so friendly as myself, especially without my protection."
"other returning demons"
The bear looks at her closely,
Thank you for naming yourself Demon, and telling us you know that the others like you will be coming back, This is why you are not like the others here, and now you offer us some kind of -Protection- from you fellow Demons.
The bear sits up and gos on
Yet what could be? I have a feeling that you see to own us, to put your mark on us so that the -other Demons- well respect your property- My lady.
I know this from my outer, But unlike Devils who love rules as much as power, Demons have respect only what they can take, so knowing that, put yourself in our place, would you trust you my lady? I can see by your face you would not, so tell is now about this -protection- a Devil offers in full, but note the fest sign off a spell and we may have to act.
I look at the woman offering a contract and begin to take a step forwards, but upon hearing that making such a contract would be bad I stop myself from walking. I look about at the people around me, obviously confused as to what is going on.
Gaza walks around the corner, "I will not partake of any binds, I will consider a trade, and though I do not trust you, neither do I seek to make an enemy. However, I trust binds far less then words, so why don't you make a trade proposal then, so that we may consider that? Surely one such as yourself would not trust us any more then we trust you anyway."