"How I met Colwyn? There really isn't much to tell," Said Azel scratching his chin like he was pretending to remember the specifics. The two of them had a short time coming up with a fake background for the zombie.
"I find that any story with Colwyn as a character is at the very least an interesting one," Said Rio, she said it like she had a long history dealing with various shenanigans that Colwyn seemingly got up to.
Azel didn't have any issue lying about the story of course, but he was slightly distracted by the various items Noah was leaving and returning with. The tea cups he had just set down seemed to be very expensive from the gold trimmings, and Azel was starting to think of Rio in a better light.
Reminding himself that despite all pretences, this was effectively an interrogation, Azel recalled the story him and Colwyn had briefly agreed on. There wasn't really much thought put into it because according to Colwyn the foggier it was the harder it would be to confirm.
Raised by his grandfather in the woods, Azel learned how to survive by himself from a young age, after encountering Colwyn shortly after his grandfathers death the "young man" agreed to be inducted into the Sunchaser's after hearing promises of fame and riches.
Relaying the story back too Rio, Azel was fairly sure he had convinced the woman who now seemed to be looking at him pitifully. The zombie was quite happy with this notion, because as great as Colwyn was, having a templar backing him would be far more impressive on his resume.
"To be alone from such a young age... What a tragedy," Responded Rio, her voice dripping with sympathy. "But living alone in the Taranis mountain range is truly impressive, I think I can understand why Colwyn took such an interest in you. It must of been difficult, yes?"
Rio tilted her head questioningly, her placid smile not leaving her face once, yet her deep black eyes still seemed sharp and focused. Azel let out a fake nervous chuckle as he nodded slowly. The bumbling fool act may not have worked on Colwyn but it seemed to be doing the trick with Rio, so maybe his skills as a thespian had improved.
Azel played with the thought in his head, he was a quick learner after all, there was no reason not to let himself occasionally relish in his natural talents. "Well, there were definitely some tough times, but I'm far more capable than I look," He said with a smirk.
Rio matched his chuckle and lifted the tea cup to her lips. At some point during the conversation Noah had returned with various refreshments. Azel admitted they all looked very appetizing, from tea cakes to sandwiches, it felt like he was a rich noble.
"How curious, you act a lot like Colwyn as well, you both have that same natural confidence," said Rio, this time she spoke more contemplatively, as if she was solving an equation in her head at the same time.
Azel shrugged dismissing the thought, and then scratched his chin in thought, after all he had also noticed that he was slowly picking up on Colwyn's personality. Probably a result of the zombie spending so much time around him, and well, the knight being only person Azel has had significant contact with since his revival.
"Maybe that's why he picked me... He seemed like a bit of a romantic don't you think" Joked Azel as he reached for another one of the cakes.
Looking up back at Rio, Azel flinched.
The women's placid smile was now a wide grin. Her sharp eyes seemed dark and empty now, like two glistening pools of shadow. In all ways Azel could suddenly see why Colwyn was so wary of the thin woman now, she was terrifying.
"Those movements... Down to the way you scratched your chin and shrugged your shoulders," Said Rio with a coldness so powerful Azel felt himself stiffen, "They're exactly the same to how Colwyn would do it."
Opening his mouth to object, Azel had no choice to keep quite. After all, just because too people were alike didn't mean that they would have the same subtle habits. Besides, there wasn't really a need, Rio just seemed so accusatory with her statements that he felt like he should naturally defend himself.
"You're not like Colwyn, You practically are him!" Grinning even more, Rio continued, "Thinking back on it, the way you were cold and brisk earlier before I had you let your guard down was a lot like Lyra... And from your expression you don't seem aware that you're mimicking people either. Tell me, Azel, why do you think you are copying everyone you encounter?"
Now Azel felt nervous. He hadn't realised that he was copying the actions of the people around him, it was small, but definitely a clue to his non-human nature.
Azel stood up quickly. Rio was figuring out too much from what seemed like a whole lot of nothing. Staying around any longer would be too dangerous for his identity. "I'm leaving," He said matter of factly, not bothering to be polite anymore.
Ignoring Azel's sudden movements, Rio continued seemingly lost in her train of thought, "Then there's that fishy backstory of yours. After all the patron god of those mountains is Pan, not Taranis, any native would of been outraged that I got that wrong. So even if you didn't say anything to be polite there is something suspicious about it..."
Pushing past the smiling Noah, Azel strode down the hallway, his dull red eyes gleaming at self hatred. The zombie realised now that he had gotten arrogant, he had foolishly believed that he could keep up with experienced schemers because of his quick growth rate.
Never again would he make such a mistake.
But the mental dissection provided by Templar Rio was helpful in its own way. Azel wasn't just letting his personality become influenced by the people around him. He was actively mimicking their traits to nigh perfection.
Subconsciously, Azel had created his own patchwork of a personality. It would have to be discarded of course, Rio had just done a very good job showing him that the egoist mindset causes more harm than good. But it still meant that Azel could potentially create his own ideal personality whilst his subconscious was still trying to form one.
The new Azel wouldn't make such mistakes. He would be efficient and and thorough but not robotic, Calm and confidant but not arrogant. He would be perfect, and he would repay the humiliation he had found himself in today.
<---o--->
Humming a tune to herself, Rio was now enthusiastically clearing threw the stack of paper work that had built up over the last few months. She had thought that Colwyn would of given up on trying to dethrone her after the catastrophe that was his last attempt.
What a pleasant surprise it was that he was still clinging onto this little internal war of theirs. Rio had spent far too long wallowing in her self misery, she had chosen to be ruthless and cold for the sake of her ambitious goals, quitting halfway would be an insult to everyone she had crushed under her heel.
The Sunchaser's would collapse, the paladins and the prophet would burn and her new world order will take its place. Rio laughed to herself and for the first time in a while a genuine smile of joy crept up her face.
"How pathetic," she chuckled.