"You're well-informed," Azel said, his voice as cold as the grave. "But you still haven't answered my question. What do you know about Rio, and why are you here?"
The woman raised her hands in mock surrender, her expression caught between amusement and caution. "I'm here by coincidence, I swear. Just happened to stumble upon you and your flashy little display. But Rio? Well…" She trailed off, her smile returning, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Let's just say I've crossed paths with her before. A fascinating woman, wouldn't you agree?"
Growing annoyed at the roundabout way this mysterious stranger was jumping around his questions, Azel dismissed the dagger and turn around. All his senses but touch were significantly enhance, down to the point where he could hear hear the woman's heartbeat and catch subtle shifts in her expression. It wasn't a perfect art, but Azel was sure she wasn't aware of his true nature.
"Hey," Called the woman, "Where are you goin'?"
Azel ignored the woman as he slung the cloak over his shoulder and begun leaving the quite night park. Well, it had been quite, but the tanned woman kept speaking to him as she followed maybe three meters behind him.
"You seem pretty fun for someone who lives in the enclave, everyone else was boring," Continued the woman, "My name's Niva, what's yours?"
The woman, Niva, had a persistence about her that grated on his nerves. Still, he couldn't help but acknowledge that her presence—her unbothered confidence—was a rare quality. Most people would have long since backed off, especially considering his manner and his abilities. She wasn't afraid, despite his best attempts, which made her a strange puzzle in his mind.
As Niva continued to speak behind him, Azel felt the strain of her words weaving into his thoughts. He didn't trust this woman. Something about her ease with him seemed too casual for someone who was aware of the weight of Rio's name. He kept his pace, ignoring the woman's chatter, his mind focused on his next move.
"You don't seem to like Rio," Continued Niva, "Guess the two of us are unique like that, huh? I reckon we should be friends, thick as thieves, you and me."
His hand tightened around the edge of his cloak, his thoughts drifting back to the glowing orange tips of his fingers and the words of Gryphon. Serpent speak… his mind had been so preoccupied with his lack of progress that he hadn't fully considered how quickly things could escalate if he let his guard down.
Azel took a deep breath, the faint scent of earth and the tang of magic hanging in the cool night air. Focus.
He didn't turn around, but his voice was low and controlled. "We're not alike, Niva." He kept his eyes on the path ahead, the city lights faint in the distance. "I'm not the type to make friends. Especially not with strangers who talk too much."
"That's fine," Responded the woman, her sunny nature seemingly shrugging of any attempt to end the conversation, "I'm actually pretty quite, when I want to be, y'know?"
Azel sighed inwardly, his patience wearing thin. He stopped abruptly, spinning on his heel to face Niva, his glowing eyes narrowing as they locked onto hers. Her expression didn't falter, but the way her shoulders tensed ever so slightly wasn't lost on him.
"I don't have time for games," he said, his tone sharp. "Whatever you want, say it now, or leave me alone."
Niva tilted her head, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "You're awfully intense, aren't you? Relax, corpse. I'm just trying to be friendly." She took a small step closer, her casual demeanour contrasting sharply with the tension in the air. "But fine, if you want to skip the pleasantries…" Her voice dropped slightly, losing its playful edge. "What's your deal with Rio?"
Azel's hand twitched, instinctively curling into a fist beneath his cloak. He didn't respond immediately, instead studying her face for any cracks in her facade. Her confidence wasn't feigned—she genuinely believed she had the upper hand, or at least thought she was safe.
"Hmm..." Pondered Niva, "Not saying anything then? That's fine, fate brought us together for a reason, I'm sure we'll meet again."
Azel didn't reply. Instead, he turned on his heel and resumed his walk, his cloak billowing slightly with the motion. He didn't need to look back to know that Niva was still watching him. The young woman was friendly enough, but there was something about her that put Azel on guard.
It wasn't the two sickles tied to her waste, nor the strong mana he detected from her presence, but something in her golden brown eyes. They didn't have the same calculating intelligence that Rio had, nor the ruthless fervour Azel would spot when he caught a look between Colwyn's visor. But there was some dark, twisted glint hidden in this new woman's eyes.
Giving out an involuntary shudder as he left the park gates and dipped into a side street, Azel chalked it up to the cold and kept walking.
The unsettling sensation that lingered from his encounter with Niva gnawed at him, but he shoved it aside for the moment. He needed to focus—on the magic, on improving his control, and on making sure no one else interfered with his goals.
His fingers tingled as he recalled his failed attempts at casting the spell earlier. The energy had been unstable, almost uncontrollable. He needed solitude to perfect it, away from distractions—especially from unpredictable strangers like Niva.
As he continued walking, the city around him was quiet. The low hum of distant conversations and the flicker of lanterns in alleyways provided a strange comfort. But the quiet didn't last long. Azel soon found himself at a crossroads, with the path ahead splitting into two: one leading deeper into the richer part of the city and the other veering toward the rougher, dirtier outskirts.
Sighing in resignation, Azel took the off road down the muddy lane. It was going to be a long walk home.