Awkward Meetings (Tamesis)

[Zero]

It was close to midnight and she had nowhere to stay. Stars being like diamonds on a black velvet sheet-like sky covered the world as far as she could see. Zero headed for the tallest thing in sight, the clocktower. Her blue cap ever present on her head, her eyes staring straight ahead held the expression of remorse and sorrow. She had to zig-zag around the people milling about. Once at the base of the clocktower she climbed it resting on an edge looking to the stars. "What side has caused the damnation of my world? Why has everything been destroyed, everything we've worked for? Why did I have to be treated like an outcast?! Why did I have to fight to survive? When if we banded together we could have gained fairness!"Zero sighed knowing that the 'all-knowing' stars won't answer. They never did.

She closed her eyes allowing the coolness of night quell her anger and calm her nerves. She opened her eyes once again and stood up on the platform she was on. "Well, no time like the present." She said pulling out her staff in twin form. She began sparring in the night air. It never hurts to get in practice, besides it makes quite a sight from the ground to see someone moving around in a pattern of fighting in the night air.

Zero stopped sparring as a foreboding sensation came over her. The air seemed to grow colder and the atmosphere somewhat lighter. Zero turned around to stand at the edge of the platform placing her staff away and waiting for whatever was going to happen, happen.

[Tamesis]

The cool of night had settled once more over this quiet and sleepy little city, if it could be called such. Tamesis could not help her tinkling laughter as she dipped down with the night, humming her lullaby as she waited for souls to rise up as they always did when they dreamed and their bodies were left behind for the pseudo death and pleasure in which they rejoiced, dancing in the existence of darkness just as much as light.

She slowed upon hearing a heated cry and watched as one soul that was not sleeping began a deadly dance high in the air, as if daring death and darkness to take her. The voice of darkness did not reach the ears of an awake mortal... but Tamesis sang anyway. The souls about her enjoyed the tune, and the night thrummed with the solace of it.

The raven haired goddess finished her song before ushering the sleep-walking souls away. It was not time to collect them... though she sang so they would know her voice when it was time. The immortal soul had not forgotten its mother, even if the stunted mind and fragile body did not remember even its own birth. The girl had enjoyed the song, though she did not hear it with her ears; the music of the night had quelled her spirit in a way words never would be able to. This was the gift of the night and sleep and even death; and all of these gifts were Tamesis'.

Slowly she materialized in human form, hovering above the clocktower, the icy cold of her presence sweeping down in a strange wind that was not right for the time of year. She slipped like silk down the side of the tower to sit down on the corner of the ledge where the girl was practicing.

"... Though you are not the first to ask the questions... I'm afraid the answer is not so easy to explain. Not to one who doesn't understand the true nature of the forces that be."

She continued staring out over the darkened world, eyes reflecting an eerie lavender in the pale light of the moon; the dark oblivion of the sky watched over it's mother with a wary interest. She was not one to easily speak to humans that would gain her nothing. What was she planning?

Inspirational Song

[Zero]

Zero turned to see a floating human? "Okay, first of all who and what are you? Secondly what would you know?" It was normal for Zero acting like that, it's how she always acts when she's surprised. She didn't understand anything at the moment, and she didn't want to understand what was going on. All she knew was one of the sides destroyed her home world and she lost all her friends. As much as she wanted to blame the dark, she knew there was the possibility that it was light. Yin and Yang hang in the balance she could feel the shift of it going from one side to the other. She only had to look at her past to know that.

"I was outcasted when I was younger, I had to fight for my own survival. I was abandoned by my own family so they could live. I had to do wrong to do right. My world was destroyed, I don't have any friends I can go to anymore. Do you know how that feels?" Zero rambled to the mysterious woman. For some reason Zero felt she couldn't trust anyone. Not even the world. Speaking of which Zero only just realized she didn't know which world she was on. She had heard of other worlds in stories but she never thought about them existing.

[Tamesis]

The strange entity didn't stir. Not even the wind would brush through her hair after hearing the questions and accusations thrown at her. She stayed like that for a long moment, letting the mortal vent her frustration and rage as a small child throws its temper tantrum. Tamesis stayed so perfectly still that one would wonder if she was alive or simply a stone ornament that had been placed there for decoration. 

The world seemed to pause for a moment and await the dark lady's answer to the mortal, as if it were also curious as to what her reaction would be. Rage? Indignation? Sarcasm?

No. So far, the Darkness did not bother to stir those emotions. She seemed transfixed on something mortal eyes could not see in the distance. Or maybe she just wasn't paying attention at all.

All at once, the world started moving again. The wind rushed by the tower in a rush to get to the sky and down below crickets began their serenade to the twilight. Slowly, the grand lady of darkness turned her head towards the mortal and her eyes locked with the girl's.

"... More than you might know, little one. More than you might know." It was eerie, that statement. Almost tired; said without ego or pride. The deep violet eyes of such a young looking woman suddenly seemed so ancient yet potent, like sacred wine or precious stones...

"I am... Darkness. And, believe it or not, I know exactly what you feel. But more importantly? I know the steps to take to return lost things."

[Zero]

Zero stood there for a few moments listening to the world stop and start she had to focus on paying attention to the woman in front of her. The woman had said there is a way to return what is lost, but is that really possible? And how can one bedarkness Zero calmed herself before speaking again. She has only ever felt this way once before, but that was a long time ago. "How can lost things been returned? How come I believe everything else just not that?" Zero said keeping her voice nice and calm.

She looked between the woman and the sky, sighing Zero didn't who or what to believe she was just angry, sad, confused all at once. She sat down unsure what to say or what to do, here she was on another world, talking with someone from darkness who's telling her things gone can be returned, Zero wanted to believe but she just couldn't. She wanted to understand what was going on, but the more she thought about it the more she got confused.

[Tamesis]

The goddess woman looked at the girl with vague interest in her eyes. Perhaps it was curiosity. Perhaps it was fascination with a being who could believe but not understand. Perhaps it was the morbid idea that none of it would matter in the end, anyway. No matter the reason, her interest was sparked in this girl. Tamesis let a small smile lift up the corners of her mouth and reached a hand out over the wide empty space between where she sat and the tiny city below. A mortal would have been terrified, probably. To fall from this height meant certain doom. For Tamesis, it was merely a rush and a splash into the shadow of the building, where she would be safe and sound.

From the shadows, she pulled her long, silver staff and pulled it close.

"...The Blind Prophet and I... know that what you seek seems, to mortal eyes, to be eternally lost. However, the soul of a mortal is not mortal itself. They are still out there, probably together." The raven haired woman studied the glinting edge of her stave for a moment, as if reflecting on her words. "...but so many souls are collected... it becomes difficult to find one specifically. It would be hard... and requires a favor. But that's life, I suppose. You don't get miracles from thin air."

With a flick of her wrist, she vaulted herself off of the ledge and into the air, stave out before her as she twisted and landed riding side saddle upon the slender stave, looking almost like a witch upon a broom.

"...But perhaps that's not what you were referring to? Perhaps what you look for is merely a broken thing and wouldn't require such great sacrifice?" Her eyes did not betray even a trace of the game she played, seeming genuinely to wonder when in truth she knew very well what this girl had gone through and what she would be willing to do if motivated properly.

[Zero]

Zero eyed the woman curiously but suspiciously at the same time. "Wait..you mean....I can...they can? Really? What price is to be paid though?" Zero was excited but she quelled her excitement, she wasn't about to sign herself into something if she didn't know what price was due to be paid. Zero was sure nothing good would come of this, but if it was worth it what did Zero care? If it was going to get her friends back, she'd do it.

Zero stood up and walked closer to the edge of the platform that she and the woman occupied. "I supposed we better get introductions out of the way, it'd be kinda awkward to go through business without knowing each others name. I'm Zero." Zero said holding out her hand for the woman to shake. Zero's blue eyes staring straight into the Violet eyes of the woman of darkness.

[Tamesis]

Tamesis watched the hand that had been extended to her quietly for a moment before nodding and very carefully taking it, just touching it barely, before removing her hand, as if touching Zero might break the girl.

"I have many names... but you may call me Tamesis... Zero."

She studied the girl for a moment before smiling gently. "The price is small, considering the rewards. Consider that I am disrupting the order of nature for you, and you can easily see that this will take a lot of power to do. In fact, some of your own power will be required."

Tamesis watched the girl a bit longer, as if deciding something, before nodding. "... I am willing to be generous for someone who is so similar to myself. I will make you a deal you wouldn't refuse in your wildest dreams. I need someone to break seven seals for me. These seals will allow me to gain enough power to restore as many people as you want. I have collected seven one of a kind scrolls, each with a very special magic seal on it. All you have to do is take it to the right place, break the seal and walk away."

She smiled and crossed her legs gently. "Simple enough, right?"

[Zero]

Zero stared at Tamesis. Break seven seals, but isn't that basically swearing loyalty to a side. Zero had always been neutral, having nothing to do with either light nor darkness, and it would be disastrous if she chose the wrong side. Zero thought about it, it seemed that only darkness was able to return her friends. "Okay, I think I should be able to do it. But what power do I have? I mean...like...I'm just...average-ish." Zero was unsure of what she had gotten herself into but...She had to take the dive. She'd have to choose a side eventually, and the darkness had come to her first with quite an interesting proposal.

Zero smiled at Tamesis like the situation totally wasn't awkward...which in fact would be very awkward but it didn't bother Zero any. She was one who was given a task would complete it, then when her reward was given would have nothing to do with her employer unless another task was needed to be done. Not that Zero has had all that many tasks and employers but still, it could be like a future thing.

[Tamesis]

Tamesis' smile widened and she hovered back close to the edge and held out her hand for Zero to shake again.

"...Then we have a deal? You break all seven seals in the proper place and order... and I will see to it those precious friends of yours are restored. We both get what we want."

She looked into Zero's eyes, unblinking, unwavering, and completely calm. It seemed almost as if this kind of thing were easy to her.

"Where I come from, we both recite the deal and shake on it, to show our understanding of the conditions of the agreement. These scrolls are very rare and valuable; I'm offering a lot of trust giving them to you."

The girl asked then about what kind of powers she might possibly have. Tamesis blinked for a moment before chuckling.

"Why, you have the power of an innocent mortal soul, my child. No other could open these scrolls. No Entity, or Goddess, would be allowed to break these scrolls open. But, without their power, I can't restore the lost souls you search for. So you see, it's really only you doing something for you."

She stood there patiently, waiting for Zero to take the final plunge and shake her hand, binding her to the agreement.

[Zero]

Zero thought about it one last time, before taking the final plunge, "Break seals in right place and order, and my friends will be returned to me." Zero said shaking Tamesis' hand. Zero smiled at Tamesis like a daughter smiling at her mother. Well, technically that's the case, but Zero just doesn't know that. Sealing the deal to break the seals Zero awaited further instruction from Tamesis.

The cool night air that would pierce through someone's clothing and generally bother people, blew through Zero but Zero wasn't too bothered, in fact Zero rejoiced in the darkness and cool air. A soft refuge to get away from everyone and everything, it gave her time to think and Zero was sure she thought about the situation enough to agree to the proposal Tamesis had laid out in front of her.

[Tamesis]

As Zero pulled back her hand she would feel a tingling sensation and a mark would appear. The mark of a crescent moon, the same as on the end of the staff Tamesis held.

Smiling warmly, Tamesis nodded and stood, hands on her staff as she held it up, moonlight glinting off the silvery edge of the sharp looking crescent. A strange ripple filled the air as she brought the stave down and released a beam of purple energy towards Zero.

The energy wrapped around her and in the energy floated the seven scrolls.

"..."

Zero could hear the instructions for where to put the scrolls only in her mind as each scroll hovered before her. When the fantastic spectacle was over, she was left, the seven scrolls laid on the tower around her in a perfect circle.

"...I have granted you the power to walk between worlds using a portal of darkness. All you must do is hold one of the scrolls in your hand and focus on going to the place it leads you. When you have placed the final scroll, call out my name and I will bring you to the perfect place to begin the rebirth ceremony."

The raven haired goddesses eyes sparkled an iridescent lavender glow as she spoke. "...The mark on your hand will keep you safe from most enemies; at least any lesser ones. Humans tend to ignore the mark. But I don't imagine you'll have much trouble with humans. I don't think any of them have any interest in these scrolls."

She began slowly fading into the darkness. "Remember... we have a deal..."