Gladius eyed the pair suspiciously out of the corner of his socket. He knew what they were discussing, even though he couldn’t hear it. There could only be one topic.
Glancing to make sure the Collected was still with them, he resumed staring at the backside of the paper. Azure doesn’t seem too bad, but her capabilities are up in the air. She doesn’t seem to put up well with Athena… Don’t know if that’s for admirable reasons or not… I’ll have to ask Hitora.
The Lord of the Undying Storm jolted. He was evidently close enough for his vague form to be slightly more visible in the darkness. The look of recognition in the pair of eyes that stared back at him in surprise clearly already knew him. Hesitant, he approached further.
Gladius raised his eyebrows in a very sarcastic manner as Athena turned around and left. To further drive home the point of Athena being the issue here, he decided to speak in Keya’s presence.
“Athena has desired you leave.” Gladius said. “For reasons which I do not bother deciphering. Just be aware that it is our appointed task to see this carried through.”
“But that isn’t what I wanted to discuss with you.” Gladius forcibly attempted to lower some of his intimidating manner. “Why did you agree to do this? was it out of a sense of fulfillment, or do you see the need to help Okoto?”
Blaze was about to answer when he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and looked right at The Lord of the Undying Storm.
The conversation between Icar and Korā was mainly about how they should try to help in what ways they could but that the arsonist needed to be brought to justice.
“…I’ll help with the salvaging…” Icar told Korā. The conversation was too quiet for Vladin to pick out any other parts from this distance.
The Lord of the Storm suddenly did, and really hoped he was working for Erebos so he had the chance to cleave him straight down the middle.
“No more than you are.” He responded, still hiding as best he could in the dark, but his massive outline and resonating voice betrayed who he was easily. “And um… Yes. Hi.”
“The Storm.” Blaze said, gripping his sword, “Why are you here?” He nearly growled.
Past experience told Blaze that The Storm usually brought destruction and liked to boast about his power, maybe he could get him to lower his guard by monologing?
“Yes, she has but I told her to scram unlees we left on my conditions, also know as when where done here.” Azure began in a calm tone.
“To answer that I’ll need to clarify some things for you that might be a bit hard for you to hear.” Azure told Gladius, “But before we met in the mask maker city I was staying at a monastary on top of the highest peek in the ice region. Anyways on the day I left for the city I had accidentally released a creature from my species folk lore.” She continued. “This creature call itself Reige but most refers it to the consumer of anger and hatred due to it growing stronger on negative emotions, however it has a purpose and that’s to discipline our kind if we’re acting way out of line. Anyways it’s now free on Okoto and I’m the only one that can stop it.” Azure explained, “Anyways I joined this group after I had informed Ekimu about it not only because he seemed to need the help but also because if I where to meet Reige again I would try to stop him and proving my self-worth and in doing so also save everyone else on this island.” Azure concluded. “My cause ain’t noble but selfish even if it ends up saving countless of lives.” She clarified looking into the ground in front of her.
“Look,” The Lord of the Undying Storm retorted, completely unfazed by Blaze’s apparent anger. “You can have me lop your face off for your attempted stunt later. I’m actually too busy for that right now.”
“Ekimu and I made a deal.” He specified, choosing his words carefully. “Part of it involves… You, yes.” He glanced at Blaze, trying to come up with some imaginary contract to buy time. “Your explosive act caught Ekimu’s eye more than my tiny application of my power, and he agreed to my proposition. Which is to make sure you don’t leave.”
He was walking forward as he was speaking, and now stopped only a few yards away from the fire. “However that sadly means you have to stay alive. And your friends too, I guess.” He sheathed his axe and tried to look about at the party in the darkness. “So none of you better try anything.”
Gladius mused. Her cause was far from the most noble, and there was a likely chance she would return to her Monastery that he had somehow never heard of before. Must’ve been a recent addition.
“A more noble cause than the cause of others.” He said. The hinting of the statement was obvious. “But I am mainly asking because…”
There was a long silence. “Well. I’ll ask Hitora first.”
Blaze seemed conflicted by that; yes, he did to a serious mask making taboo and he left before Ekimu and him could discuss the consequences. However, he promised he would help Rena in any way he could and had left to do just that.