Private 1x1

[Akira.S]

The man spat blood and even in pain, still held more respect for his code then tell the Spirit or the Guardian who dun it. "Why should I tell you....you know you're kind did it...you're just trying to cover up...." it took him a while to say, his vision clouding in front of him.

Ceres was rubbing her temples a moment just before she spoke, still keeping her back to the Raider, "well.....since you fail to provide us with the information we want..." In another movement she snapped her finger, waiting for his final torture from Israel, or for all the blood to spill before making her next move.

The young woman couldn't help giggle once again, suddenly clinging to Michael's arm with a warm smile, sticking closely to him as if absorbing his warmth his gentle presence. "Of course," Theia corrected herself, "I just meant you looked so young to be owning your own shop...and..." she paused for a moment, "without a woman to keep you company." if he was going to ask how she knew, she stopped on the side and motioned the arm she was holding onto, "it's a feeling I have that tells me you don't belong to anyone.....or perphaps this is conversation best left for another time, place and a different woman."  

[Spaniard The Last Angel]

Israel grinned again, and looked to the man who now had fear in his eyes. Raising his hand to strike a much deadlier blow, Israel stopped just a hair before delivering the blow, a pleading shrie coming from the man. "NO! I'll tell you okay! I'll tell everything!"

Michael gave a frown, not really understanding what Theia was suggesting. "I'm not sure what you mean by this... are you not a woman? Are you not keeping me company?"  

[Akira.S]

"So...we do have a squeeler..." Ceres turned around, grabbed the man by the neck almost choking him but allowing him enough air to speak.
"Who's responsible for killing that girl, I demand to know right now..." there was a flame burning in her eyes that seemed to be spiritually burning out his own flame.

"A-Alright, I'll telll you!" he said struggling to speak with Ceres' hand over his neck. "...I wasn't close enough to see...but I saw a moving sword, a red figure and a blue one....I had to run for my life, there was no way I could stand up against them..." he said continuing to struggle to breathe.

Theia giggled in respects and shook her head, leaning against his arm with a warm smile, "I just meant that...you're not married, you're not seeing another girl, if you were...you wouldn't have approached me like so, besides you still contain all your warmth..." she smiled to herself while walking with him to the side of town, seeing a river flow through it. When she saw it she smiled to Michael and ran over played in it a while, feeling the refreshing feel of the water against her feet and legs under her dress. When Michael was close enough she splashed him like a child and laughed a bit, retreating into the small river, wondering if he'd come in.  

[Spaniard The Last Angel]

Israel stood closely behind Ceres, watching the man with a smirk across his face, glad that Ceres was getting what she desired from him. Keeping a steady green gaze on the man, Israel spoke softly enough for Ceres to hear. "Red and blue? The only one's who even fit that discription are you and Theia..."

Michael followed Theia to the river, and gave a smile when she splashed him with the water, giving her an akward expression. "Haha, you're either very couragous, or very odd... how do you know that water is even pure to drink?"  

[Akira.S]

"And you think I did it!?" Ceres yelled at Israel for a moment and then began to walk off, "Kill him." she said simply while leaving the scene, "Red...and blue....who could that be..." she pondered on it, waiting for Israel to catch up.

It wasn't long before every city, town or village they passed had at least one young girl reported dead, killed with her uterus cut out and other body parts cut, hanging or left in an alley to rot. And anytime anyone had any information about the killer they would always say it was a red figure, a blue one and often times a knife or a weapon of sorts... Time passed and in some cases the stories died or were reborn in another village, but after a while...the killings had ceased.

"Seems the killer may still be out there.." Ceres said sitting against the window during a stormy day as the two were stuck inside an inn. "How long has it been since we've been on this trip Israel...?" she asked turning to the window, "Wonder...where my sister is right now....?" after a moment she walked to the bed where Israel was sitting and put her head on his lap with a sigh, "wonder when this stupid rain will stop..."

Theia smiled and then walked to the egde and sat down, "it's just a feeling..when the water is cool, crystal clear and soft against my hands I can just tell....kind of like...with people, I know what they're like just by spending time with them..." she said softly, as Michael approached. She stood and walked to him slowly, looking up into his eyes...whispering. "Forgive me..." she said softly before leaning up and kissing him gently.

That one kiss turned into much more after that. As time passed quickly, the two were married in the human village and the three of them...stayed put. Adrian was never revealed to Michael but kept as a secret incase Raiders were to pass through. Months and Seasons changing, and Spring coming back again, Theia was proclaimed, at least by her standards and Adrian's, the first Spirit to ever conceive a child.

"Isn't he perfect Adrian?" Theia had brought her son out to the forest one afternoon while Michael was working in the shop. Pharos was just a new born baby at this point, his eyes and hair colour the same as his mother's but his attributes the same as his father's. "His cheeks are so soft...and just looking at him fills me with such joy.." Theia seemed so much happier being a human than being a Spirit she could really care less about Raiders and her family as long as she had her human one.  

[Spaniard The Last Angel]

Israel rolled his eyes at Ceres, when she could not see him of course. How could she assume that from him? Israel simply meant that as an obvious observation, not literal of course. His expression changed quickly however, when he was ordered to kill the man. Israel had never really killed a human before, only animals and Raiders. He turned to the man, fear in his eyes as he began to sweat, shaking violently. But Israel could not ignore Ceres commands, and she was too far to argue with her. Rasing his fist, Israel looked away from the man who began pleading frantically for his life, a loud scream the last of his vocal use after Israel pounded a fist across his face, another loud snap echoing through the trees and Israel decided to never again, feel guilty for his actions.

At this point, for taking an innocent man's life, a man who had not threatened him, nor confronted any real danger to him, simply on command, Israel had become broken. He was now a tool, no longer capable of opinion or rights of his own, but relying simply on the will of his master, of Ceres. His hair was very short, as short as Ceres could manage to keep it, and he was always well dressed, due to Ceres wanting to seem as if she and him belonged to something better as they passed through the towns, subconciously hunting the serial killers who seemed to have died away. Sitting on the bed watching her speak, Israel did not move when Ceres came over and lay her head on his lap. "Soon, I saw the cloud break only an hour away... and to answer your other question, three years." He gave a slight shiver, but ignored it. Ceres was always much colder when it rained.

Michael did not blush. He did not breath, he did not think, for in this moment nothing else existed but he and Theia, and the warm embrace he gave her as they romanced through the night. A few years later, though it seemed a little longer, Michael and Theia, or Athena as she was known, lived in the small town, and after a while, Michael was thrilled to find that Athena had given birth to a baby boy. Every morning since he was born, Michael would hold baby Pharos in his arms, craddling him and running a slightly older, stronger hand against his soft hair which Theia claimed was so black it was blue, and went off to work, still at the small metal shop he owned proudly with Theia.

Adrian, did not approve of any of Theia's disicions, not one, and it hurt her when they decided that Adrian would have to seperate from Theia and live in the woods instead of with her in the town. To Adrian though, it was the more sensible idea, seeing as how they did not want thier relation to be known to the villagers and having two new women move into the town at the same time would have been too suspicious. Never before had Adrian been seperated from Theia for so long, used to even sleeping with her like a loyal pet during thier long childhood. Still, Adrian was compelled to do whatever satisfied Theia, even if it meant for herself to suffer through it. During the day she would sleep when the sun was highest, knowing very well Theia was inside durning this time of the day and would not want to become weak from the sun. From dusk until dawn however, Adrian watched from the nearby forest, Theia's home being on the edge, and even watched as she slept, though there were times when Adrian would have to leave to give Theia and Michael some privacy.

When Pharos was born, Adrian was no where to be seen for several days, pondering this break in tradition hard over time. When she smelled Theia move into the forest for the first time since the birth, Adrian was quick to come to her side to greet her with a smile. Her hair was longer and her clothing tattered since she had previously relied on Theia so much in her grooming. Landing without a sound infront of Theia, Adrian walked towards her slowly, smelling the new born who's scent was fresh like Theia's when Adrian was first called to her. Looking over Theia's shoulder, Adrian could not help but smile at how much the baby resembled Theia, and frowned when she saw Michael's features. "Yes, he is perfect because he is yours..." She did not spea much when Theia came to visit her, for it was Theia who talked the most.  

[Akira.S]

Looking up she gently put a hand on his cheek and sat up in his lap, "Tell me..Israel....three years, human years..have gone by and I can only wonder do you tire of me? tire of chasing nothing but an illusion that might be nothing..." she asked her warm hand still resting on his cheek, her eyes sort of gentle in his eyes.
Although there wasn't much communication between them other than commands and such during the day, during the evening, especially when it rained Ceres seemed...colder yes but...a little more gentle towards Israel and more like she had a heart. "I need to know if you've hated me all these years we've travelled the land, searching for something that possibly no longer exists..."

Walking over embraced Adrian as well as she could without dropping her son with a smile.
"I'm so sorry I haven't been around...I've just been so busy with Pharos that I couldn't find anytime to come see you...with the midwife and Michael and the villagers coming to see the baby I couldn't risk leaving...." she said softly, "my deepest regret was not having you with me when he was born..." she said softly holding Pharos out slightly, "Here, I want you to hold him, he's a part of the family now....maybe you're not assigned to him but he will be around for quite a long time." Theia was still as beautiful, charming, graceful and kind as she always was, nothing about her had really changed over the three years she'd lived at the village and she deeply missed Adrian being with her.
"Oh I wish you could come live with us Adrian, nothing would make me happier..." she said sitting down against a tree and craddling Pharos who yawned and cooed a bit wrapped in a yellow blanket. It almost seemed like Theia had forgotten the reason why she left...to find the other Spirits to find the rest of the Guardians and....to maybe one day meet up with her sister as well.  

[Spaniard The Last Angel]

Israel did not look at Ceres directly, his sensitive skin feeling the cold front coming from the rain and he shivered again. "No. My only purpose is to do what you wish. If chasing an illusion satisfies, then who am I to oppose it." It was more of a statement than a comment, but Israel always felt under the weather when he was forced to stay cold inside.

Adrian cringed for a moment, not sure of how exactly to hold the small baby, but she did not resist Theia's request and very soflty, took Pharos in her arms. The child was certainly warm, his fresh scent overwhelming Adrian so much that she was forced to give him back quickly. Her attention then turned to Theia who went to sit under a tree. "I wish you would stop worrying about me. I may not remember the past very well, but it does not mean I do not know how to survive." It was true, if Adrian's ordeal with losing memory had not been a factor in thier eariler years, is surley was now, for she herself had let her mind slip from Israel and Ceres. "If that is what you want from me, then I will, but I don't think it would be such a wise desicion in keeping your secret from your... husband..."

Meanwhile in the town, Michael was busy weidling different metals to create different colors for blades and armour, easily selling them on the market for thier rarety and creativity. A hooded man came to his table and began examing the items, a dense aura about him.

"Oye lad, I don't s'pose ya have any weapons fer a Raider, now would ya?" The man was elderly by his voice for it was light and scratchy, his hands slightly wrinkled.

Michel quickly came over to the elders aid and shook his head. "No sir, I'm sorry, but I don't deal with Raider magic, don't know much about it."

The old man laughed, picking up random items and examing them. "Ya mean ter tell me that you ain't never had a piece o' Spirit meat? Ha! You miss out on life boy! On power! Here, try this..." Digging deep into his pockets, the old man held out a dried piece of bright red meat and handed it to Michael, not telling him it was actually the meat of a Spirit's heart.

Michael took the meat and sniffed it, a spicy scent coming from it and he bit into it as to not be rude. As he swallowed, the meat in his hand seemed to warm, or more rather, his arm began to heat up and he could instantly feel the power that would be granted to him by the heart of a Spirit. Looking with a wild gaze to the old man, Michael held out the meat with a small smile on his face. "Amazing... what is it..."

The rest of the afternoon, Michael learned of the glorious power he could obtain by becoming a Raider... and he wanted more.  

[Akira.S]

Ceres kept her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat with a sigh, "I always thought that...this...belonged to me...now I'm not so sure..." she said up and held herself slightly, looking sort of dazed, "I haven't been fair to you Israel, after years of being my loyal servant....you've always been my friend..." she said softly keeping her glance away from him, "Look at me now I'm going soft...confessing things like this to you.." now things just got awkward between the two and she wasn't sure if she could really go through things the way they were planned.

Now that they were alone during a cold stormy day she felt, it was time to see if her feelings - her reason for fighting....was really worth it all.
"Tell me then Israel, if I were to die...what would you do?" she questioned him with a slight glance, playing with a fireball or two in her hands.

"You mean...you want me to tell him?" Theia asked taking Pharos back from Adrian, who was reluctant to hold him. After three years of being married and having his child, Theia still had not told Michael of her true being...that of a Spirit and hiding Adrian from him. Of course she thought it was strange how he had never commented on how she had not changed in apperance for the past three years. "I....I guess you're right...I should have done so the night we got married but I was too afraid he'd leave me... but now that we've built a life together and have a son I'm sure he'd understand. " she stated after looking back down at Pharos then at Adrian, "I'll go back later, for now...I just want to sit here with you and Pharos...I've missed you far too much.." her smile and her words were very genuine - truthfully she wanted nothing more than to be beside Adrian after so long.

The two had spent the afternoon, Theia mostly telling Adrian about Michael and about Pharos; how she felt when she was pregnant with him, and how strange it was to have him move around inside her and when she gave birth. Time went by quickly and it was getting late when Theia stood to head back into town.

"I'll tell him tonight, and hopefully I'll be able to introduce you tomorrow. Won't it be wonderful if you could come live with us?" she embraced Adrian and held Pharos up gently, "Say byebye to mommy's friend Pharos" she said softly having her son coo and laugh slightly. Waving her off Theia quickly headed off to the house, putting Pharos into his wooden craddle that Michael had made for him, staring dinner before he had arrived home, excited to finally lift the burden from her chest of hiding her most precious secret.  

[Spaniard The Last Angel]

Israel did not change his tone of voice, and his green eyes only flickered to Ceres once when he answered, trying to keep his statement as true and short as possible. "You are not soft. If you were to die, I would kill whoever harmed you, and then myself when it was done. Without you, I am nothing."

Adrian felt like the hole in her chest that was once filled when Theia appeared, was now growing back and there was absolutly nothing she could do about it. Bidding Theia and Pharos a short farewell, she took her usual perch in a tree, the highest in the forest that over looked the entire town and gave a fairly decent view of Theia's house. She watched and waited, waited and watched until Michael finally came home, and a growl vibrated in her throat... she always did that, and just began to stop resisting it.

Michael, a bit later than usual as the moonlight shone over head walked into his home with an excited smile on his face as he waltzed into the kitchen, kissing a sleeping Pharos and then his wife. "Why hello my dear Athena. How was your day?"  

[Akira.S]

With a smirk, the few fireballs flew towards Israel and spun in a circle before disappearing while Ceres lay down, her head in his lap.
"Now I can only wonder...who's become colder....you or me...." her eyes were flickering shut slowly, until they finally closed, her breathing soft as a mouse, her skin rather warm from playing with fire. Not to mention she was rather comfortable just being the two of them but recently, she felt distant from the one and only person who'd follow her to death and wondered if she'd really want him to be like this forever. Ceres slept on the thought and hoped the rain would stop before sunrise.

"The same as always." Theia smiled while putting dinner on the table, "I slept the afternoon taking care of Pharos, sweet thing does nothing but eat, sleep and once in a while play." she walked over and kissed him gently before sitting him down at the table, rubbing his shoulders gently to relax him. "Michael, I have something that I want to tell you...something....very important to me and I thought it was time you knew." she said walking around to the front so he could see her.
Suddenly, the water in the room started to bubble as Theia's eyes closed, her skin beginning to pale out, her dress changing from a commoners one to her silk and lace sea blue, her hair returned to the dark midnight blue colour like Pharos' and lastly her eyes changed from black to light blue.
"I'm sorry to have kept this from you for so long..." she said softly, folding in her arms in front of her, "but..now that things are so perfect between us I decided that you have a right to know, that my name is not Athena but Theia of the Calm, I'm a Water Spirit and our son Pharos is half a Spirit as well, the first born human and spirit child ever purely conceived." she smiled walking over to the craddle and picking him up, still craddling him like any loving mother would.
"You're not...mad at the fact I kept this from you for so long are you?"  

[Spaniard The Last Angel]

Israel simply shrugged at Ceres and watched as she fell asleep, still not moving an inch except for his wide broad chest moving up and down in time to his breathing, which soon matched Ceres'. He felt much warmer now that Ceres had used her fires, but he could still feel the coolness of the atmosphere outside and it seemed the rain clouds were expanding and slowing in thier path.

Michael listened very carefully to Theia. He may have been a wielder of metal, but that didn't mean he was dense. In fact, he was actually rather smart about things, very quick to learn, and as he sat, his expression quickly changed from excited, to a deep frown as he remained still in thought, his eyes glancing from his wife Theia and his child Pharos. "I um, I... no, I am not..." He was thinking very quickly, and he picked the emotions he would feel carefully. How hurt he was by Theia, for her to have lied to him about herself, her name, thier son. Of course, he stilll loved her, but there was now a wound in his heart that we wasn't sure he could sew back together. Yet, he kept a calm and reserved face towards Theia and they conversed somemore on the matter, Michael very capable of making Theia believe that he was perfectly fine with the matter and was quick to want the three of them to go to bed.  

[Akira.S]

When the rain finally stopped, and the two were out in the clear, at least....away from a human or Raider, Ceres almost completely errupted in flames as a sign of her happiness that the rain had finally stopped and they were able to continue. Turning to Israel she floated over and put her hands on his cheeks, framing his face with a smirk, "Are you not content with the weather changes my Guardian?" she asked coming back down so that she was now much shorter than he was still with her warm hand to his face. "I find it rather strange...there haven't been many Raiders on our tail....I wonder why that is...." she said turning to look at their continuous forest path.

Right after dinner, Pharos was given a quick bath...quicker than usual now that Theia was allowed to use her powers in front of her husband. Once he was all nice and clean, she carried him to bed and lay down, placing him beside her so they'd be in the middle of herself and Michael. She felt more comfortable now that she could be herself inside the house and put on her human form on the outside; streaching over and kissing Michael deeply before placing her head on the pillow, one arm around her sleeping son. "Rest well..." she said to both Pharos and Michael, hiding under the warm bed sheets, falling asleep the instant she had closed her eyes, her breathing just as soft as Pharos' as he slept in her warm yellow blanket, burried under his mother's arm. To her, she felt Michael had been fine with her secret, seeing as he wasn't upset or hurt by it which meant slowly she could possibly allow Adrian to come live with them. Everything she had planned was slowly unfolding which made her sleep even more enjoyable.  

[Spaniard The Last Angel]

Israel gave a shrug to Ceres as they exited the town and walked on a beaten trail through large plains. "We are West of where we began, not much out here. I suppose most Radiers may be in the South. Warm weather, strong winds, fresh waters and plenty of earth... the perfect place for Spirit salvation." They walked a little further and finally they reached a large hill over looking a small farmers town. Walking in with somewhat of a common routine, Israel took his normal role as Ceres' husband as they portrayed a pair of wealthy travelers. They walked around the marketing town for a while and finally as the sun began to set, decided to stay at the local inn. It was here that they recieved information of one or two passing Radiers, but they were elderly and did not present much of a presence. In thier rented room, Israel sat with a rather confused look on his face in a chair near the opened window, Ceres on the bed beside him. "Something seems... familuar... a scent, but it's faint..."

Michael did not go to sleep. He spent his time laying down next to a traitor. his mind was reeling, turning gears of information that shifted thoughts and outcomes, until finally towards the middle of the night, he made his final desicion, which would be carried out the next day. If he had the heart to go on with it.  

[Akira.S]

"Familiar?" Ceres asked while biting into an apple, quickly putting it on the side table while hiding under the covers. She was tired after much travel and wanted to get a good rest but she too felt the uneasiness in the air and looked outside from where she was on the bed. "I can sense it too...but you're right it's faint.." she muttered softly getting up, "Should we perphaps investigate...it might not even be worth the trouble..." she gently put her hand on Israel's shoulder, gazing into the darkness of the night.
Ceres tried as well as she could to scan the area but nothing prudent seemed to be coming up. "Maybe it's nothing..." shaking her head she turned to Israel and put a hand on his cheek, "What is your opinion of me...would you die for me if I told you not too...or would you do it anyway...would you-" she paused and bent over, whispering and yet kissing his ear, "love me...for eternity...?" she asked out of the blue, testing her Guardian's loyalty and personal gain at the same time.

Next morning came, and all Theia could do was really sleep with a happy smile on her face. Pharos was also drifting in and out of sleep, shifting around in his little blanket and his mother's warm embrace. Often when he woke for a few minutes he looked around, wondering where his father was.