[Ayenee Tavern] Safety In Numbers (Open)

The flame chirped, "That's astonishing! Making a family where there was none is astonishing, indeed!"
 
:An eerily familiar thunderhead faintly begins to form on the distant horizon. Overtime the storm grew larger than any previous storm before it had been recorded. Bolts of the deepest red lightning are vaguely seen as they storm wildly deep within the growing storm. Oddly, as one would expect to hear the distant rumblings of thunder emanating from the storm, there isn't a sound. The faint push of wind signaling the approaching weather barely moved a single blade of grass.
 
The passage of time seemed nearly at a standstill as the ominous storm crept towards the capital City. Seemingly out of nowhere a deep red bolt of energetic plasma strikes the center of the road just outside the gates leaving a massive crater that seemed to destroyed the entirety of the main thorough-fare; though strangely enough no structures were affected in the blast. As the smoke wafts eerily in the gentle breeze, a pair of silver orbs are seen briefly before vanishing back into the haze.
 
Slowly she steps inside, taking in a short breath and then a slow drawn exhale. She gives a quick noticed glance to those in the room as she heads towards a table that seemed unoccupied. The chair made s slight scuffled sound as she pulled the chair back and sat down. She felt so out of place, she had lived here before but it was a brief stay, and now she has returned, and everything feels so new to her.
A slight shift on the chair she turn , sitting now at an angle, an elbow rests to the table top as she crossed her legs and rests her hand atop her lap. Taking another look she shot glances from one to another in the room. She had entered in so quickly, she knew there were others in the room but she felt..just slightly shy if one could call it that, which is funny..she is used to being around crowds..its just the feeling of being new here. The best way to describe the feeling is like a child feels on a first day of school.
She noticed that there is a small gathering of those at the fire place. Something seems to have their attention. Being curious, she leans to one side seeing if she could possible peer between them to catch a glimpse of what seems most interesting. A brow raised, saying to herself..( Did that man just spoke to the fire place ?)
 
Within moments a gust of wind blows tremendously clearing the smoke from the road leaving behind what seems like a giant black boulder in the very center of the crater. After several moments, the boulder begins to move and unwrap until a mountain of a man steps from the crater. Standing at over 9'6" in height, his body build would make even the most extreme bodybuilders seem insignificant in comparison. His waist length midnight black hair billows gently in the passing breeze giving a brief glimpse of an ornately rare hilt of a sword lashed upon his back, though the scabbard seems to be hidden beneath his clothing. His midnight black leather duster silently moves with his body as he steps clear of the crater and towards the gates of the city. Glints of silver, seen covering his clothing from head to toe including within his hair, reflect brilliantly in the light of the Ayeneenian sun. Silently, he makes his way towards the tavern as though any scene of his arrival was inconsequential. Thoughts of the past long since buried seem to occupy his mind as he takes a seat at the end of the bar shrouded in shadows. Slowly his thoughts begin to surround a single person from his history, a lover perhaps. Lighting a cigar from a seemingly invisible flame, he silently allows his gaze to drift among the occupants of the establishment, though clearly his mind was preoccupied elsewhere.
 
Still seated at her table her attention to the others broken as she caught glimpse of a very tall man. In fact he has to be the tallest she had ever seen. Not that she's an expert of reading people, she is far from that. But she did notice that from his expression, he seemed very preoccupied in his thoughts. Not wanting him to think she was staring she turned away, returning to her sitting quietly , not so much as staring at anything or anyone..but is thinking she may be calling it a day and leave for home.
 
Silently the smoke from his cigar wafts in the still air as it lazily drifts from the glowing embers. Drawing in a lungful of the sulfuric smelling burning tobacco, pauses a moment before exhaling. Sensing a gaze upon him, he allows his eyes to sweep the room cautiously before resting a moment upon the woman whose gaze belonged to. Her appearance reminded him of a lover long since dead. How many years has it been? A question that seemed to repeat itself the longer he took in her visage. Shifting his gaze away from the woman to the bar top; his mind trapped in thoughts of a history long since forgotten within the realm. He allows his eyes to close allowing the last few remaining pieces of evidence of his existence within the shadows to be lost to view, though he continues to draw silently from his cigar as though expecting an approach of a wandering visitor.
 
Her head lifts then tilts slightly as the aroma of cigar smoke placed a scent to the air in the room. Her gaze first looks over to the small gathering people over to the fireplace..then she cast a casual glance in the direction of the newcomer to the venue, she gave a small soft smile and a slow nod, a sign of a silent casual 'hello'. It was a type of hello, when as if in a room of a gathering, much like this one where you really don't know anyone, and quite feel out of place. Her smile, much like that of his cigar smoke, it lingered for a few brief moments then disappeared as she pushed back her chair ..now standing she brushed her hands over the front of her dress smoothing over wrinkles in the fabric, even if wrinkles weren't present. The actions would seem almost like a habit of hers. She then began an moderate assent across the room . The table from where she once occupied was not that far off from the bar, so in the process of leaving she had to step past the stranger. Once again as she passed, not pausing but she cast a quick smile. Another smile she sent over to the others, a show of a pleasantry. It wasn't long from closing the short distance from table to door that she then opened it and began passing through the threshold to leave. Her visit to the establishment wasn't all that bad, though she felt a bit awkward, first visiting a place she hadn't been to before.
 
Sensing the woman casting a glance in his direction, he allows his eyes to open to mere slits. The silver dim glow of his eyes seemed to carry a feeling of sadness and pain as his gaze gently rests upon the woman as she strode by on her way to the door. Several moments pass before stubbing out the last remains of his cigar. It had been a very long time since he had been in the company of others. "The more things change...." His soft yet ancient voice rumbles passed his lips as he is heard speaking to himself as he stands from the barstool. "The more things stay the same." Turning silently towards the door as if following the other patron out over the threshold. Making his way towards an open field some distance from the tavern, his thoughts were mixed. Thoughts of a time long since buried, and now, thoughts of two women and how closely they were alike. Drawing a murasame from a hidden scabbard upon his back with a quick flick of his wrist, though the movement had been imperceptible. Taking up a familiar stance he begins to spare with the memory of his former master, Jubei.
 
The motions of his actions seemed nearly flawless, though as with time, his stamina quickly drained. Pausing mid swing, his silver dragon-like eyes widened suddenly with the realization that truly something was missing; but as he reacted to the change from deep within he stumbled and fell heavily upon the ground out of view. In the time that it took from the moment he paused mid swing of his blade to his collapse the passage of time had only been a mere glimpse. Laying upon the hard earth, barely breathing, he focused his mind to search within for the meaning behind his sudden power loss, but to those that would eventually find him; he would appear lifeless.
 
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'Master Jubei, what is... happening to me?' Va'Sentai, had once been raised in the secluded 'Valley of the Crescent Moon' where a prominent ninja master of ancient lore had raised him as a master ninja, having attained ninja techniques long since held in such reverence that even the most dedicated would die in the mere attempt of achieving such terrific skill. What made him so different? Va'Sentai, laying in the dirt knew the answer. It wasn't his bloodline. Nothing he had inherited from either of his natural parents, genetically, would have him appear in such a fashion; though his natural father had been a shapeshifter. His mother... a member of a royal family long since dead. Why, even his fondest memories of his mother where fleeting. He couldn't remember her name, not to mention what she even looked like. All he had known was secluded in a place long since changed by the passage of time. Memories of his youth, the school, his surrogate parent Jubei, slowly fade to be replaced by an out of focus view of a what appeared to be a dimly lit bedchamber of an ancient castle... who, where, when was this? surely, this wasn't... but it was. As the new memories clear and sharpen, the slender, pale, dark haired woman beckoning to him from the bed. Who was this woman? Clearly it was someone from his past. As he approached the woman's began to resemble that of the woman he had only just shared a glance only hours before. Something wasn't right, why was he seeing this woman, in this memory? Quickly his eyes snap open. How long was he out? minutes? hours? For a moment, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was indeed, 'off'; though he continued to lay still he allowed his mind to ease as if placing himself in some form of trance.
 
Upon leaving the Ayenee Tavern, she decided to make a stop over to The Blackbird. A jingle of keys then the door opens with the room shortly after bathed in light as she found the switch. She stepped across the room, pausing only to slide a chair back to its table, and soon she is behind the bar counter taking a bottle of wine from a shelf. She slowly gazed around the room and sighed. Yet chuckled to herself shaking her head just a little,
" This place...it's my own fault..for being away for such a long time. Yet it was needed.." She scoffed at herself, " Look at me..talking to myself..seems I been doing alot of that lately.."
A slight roll of her eyes , she started back to the door only to pause again to straighten a picture hanging to the wall. She stared at it for a brief moment, sighed deeply as she then reached the handle to the door swing it open and moving outside pulling the door closed behind her. She gave a jerk to the handle to make certain it was locked , assured that it was she then began heading home, a few back thoughts flit of her visit to the Ayenee Tavern thinking how very..interesting the visit had been. Then added to her though that she just may make the visit again. Right now she just wanted to make it home..a hot bath, glass of wine and a good book.
 
The memories of his long begotten history continue to circulate throughout his mind as Va'Sentai lays motionless upon the unforgiving earth taking in what seems to be imperceptible shallow breaths. It felt as though hours had passed as he lays on the ground with his immediate attention turned within searching for the reason to this... weakness. Slowly, at first, a pair of bloodred bolts of pure energy comes to life arching hesitantly his arms. After what felt like only a mere moment, the pair of energy bolts rapidly multiples exponentially until all that could be seen is dim blood red glow concealing his massive form inside. This power, Va'Sentai knew, wasn't a gift nor a curse, but a necessity. A power entrusted to him by a Bounty Hunter of unknown origin, on the day of his... still-birth? Why was his life resurrected? Questions upon questions about his life, and what it was that he was meant to do. Why was he given this... Suddenly the bolts of energy erupt into a column of plasma that seems to pierce the limits of the atmosphere.
 
Finished with her bath, she rose up grabing her robe from the hook on the wall, picked up her wine glass from the side of the tub and headed over to the mirror. She was about to place the wine glass to the counter but decided to take the last few swallows. She then looked into mirror as she sat down the glass and now reached for the comb. Combing in between quick and slow as she pulls the comb teeth through her hair, comming across a few snares with she had to work through. Once done she then went to change into something comfortable and then headed out towards the kitchen but stopped at entrance and turned to retrace her steps back to the bathroom as her mind reminded her that she had forgotten the wine glass still sitting on the counter. Now returning to the kitchen, she turned on the faucet to wash and rinse the glass then set it to the strainer. Then headed over to the island counter, lifted a lid to a crystal platter and took a slice of the lemon flavored pound cake, ..returned the lid carefully back to rest on the platter. She loved that platter..it's only one of things she got when her grandmother passed away.
Walking to the sliding glass doors, she slides it open after flipping back the lock. Immediately as she pushes the door to the side , the night breeze swept over her, she closed her eyes just for a moment enjoying the feeling to her face. Opening her eyes she moves over to the balcony and gazed out over the city of Ayenee. She did like it here. But she liked it there also, but now felt she had to run away from it..that is what brought her to live in Ayenee...an escape..a hiding place.
 
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The plasma column quickly subsides as it had erupted leaving nothing but the faint sporadic arching of the tiniest of bloodred energy pulses. His smoldering large gloved right hand slowly twitches to life as though his fingers were searching for the hilt of his finely polished ancient weapon. The excruciating pain, that would have caused a mere mortal to fall into coma if the had managed to survive the sudden energy release a moment ago, caused his determination to faulter as well his body collapsing back onto the ground with a full this and a puff of dust upon contact. Va'Sentai allows his head to roll to one side slightly as his full silver colored eyes rest upon the woman as he speaks. Hearing only muffled noises for the moment, his eyes seem to question the sight of his dead lover lingering within his vision as a mirage or hallucination. His soft yet ancient and wise voice weakly escapes his lips, "V... Va... Val?"
 
She could for the most part just stand and stare at the stranger whom she has recognized from seeing him at the Ayenee Tavern. What is he doing here..who is he really ?...and who is this Val person he seems to be calling out to ? She shakes her head, " Sorry, but this isn't Val..but I can try to get that person if you can tell me how to reach her-him..." She wasn't sure how to react to this, she has never come across anything like this before..she felt like she needed to head to the tavern to see if she could get anyone there to help..but realization set in that the tavern may be closed by now. She stood there not knowing what to do.
 
Slowly his vision clears as the memory fades revealing the woman, Veta, as she for whom she was as she stood the perplexed. Releasing a weak sigh of disappointment as his ears clearly understood what she was saying. Gathering his strength for the push to stand though his legs screamed painfully even with his sword bearing the full brunt of his massive weight; however, oddly as it had appeared, eventually the blade of his sword drove even further into the dirt. Shaking his head slightly, fully realizing that the vison of his late wife Valentina was just that a fading memory daring to linger in an aged mind. Casting a quick glace back to the woman as he slowly rises to his full height while ripping his weapon from the ground and sheathing it in a hidden scabbard in one imperceptible movement. "Ma'am, I... I do apologize for causing you to worry." Va'Sentai slowly turned making the movement very deliberate as every muscle in his body screams in pain though his face remains stoic and emotionless. "I... am not sure if you can find her... or her tomb for that matter." Drawing his attention from his companion, Va'Sentai allows his dull silver dragon like eyes to take in their surroundings and the world before them. "If I may inquire about your name?"
 
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She took a couple of steps back as the stranger slowly rose to his feet then straightened. He seemed tall when she first saw him entering the Tavern earlier, but now he just seemed taller, perhaps it's that she is standing closer. Her gaze then quickly noticed his sword. She wondered if he was wearing it in the Tavern, he might have, she just couldn't remember. At first she was alarmed in seeing he wore a sword, but then she witnessed earlier a flame talking. She should know by now about those living in Ayenee. She had lived here before, but now, after being away for such a long time, everything about Ayenee felt so new to her. She stood there staring till hearing him speaking broke her from her thoughts. Her tomb ? she had heard him say...then heard his question of her name.
" Veta..Veta Norr. " she waited just a few very brief moments as she watched him secure his sword, " I ...that's....I'm sorry to hear that someone you know has passed. I'm sure you are quite right that I wouldn't be able to locate who , or I should say where this person is located. I am trying to learn this town again. But surely there may be a cemetery located here. What's your name ?"
 
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The stranger seemed to have gone silent after she had responded to his question to her. After about twenty minutes of trying to speak to him, he still seemed to have slipped into some sort of trance or something. She thought it best to not touch him in any way as fearing she would startle him and unsure how he would react to being startled, afterall she honestly knew much of anything about him. She took a few steps back then turned and returned to The Blackbird Tavern.
 
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