"..Man, wished we had more people like you on earth. Maybe it wouldn't be a complete shithole." C'Leena said bluntly. "People doing things like that because it's right and not cause there's money in it are.. upsettingly few and far between. I think I was lucky to be born with.. you know; morals." C'Leena got into her profession because it was something that she enjoyed, and because it would help improve the livelihood of people who needed them. As much as she wanted to simply hand them out, she wasn't in control of pricing, despite the prosthetics being her own make and model. At least that's no longer the case.

"But yeah, maybe. Visiting is up to her, though." C'Leena nodded toward Nephele. Nephele from C'Leena's experience doesn't do well with kids. The last kid who they encountered seemed to drain Nephele within moments of meeting her. God forbid that she gets into a room with more than one. C'Leena doesn't have any issues with children herself, since she had friends who worked with them often, and C'Leena would help out occasionally, and she had a few patients that were very young. Experience grew her patience with them, but she wouldn't say she's particularly good with kids.

"I mean, it's not really surprising but still. Thats.. a lot of volts, and a lot of 'owie' for those that arent Polly here." Why she called the bird 'Polly', she has no idea. "..I still don't have a name for you. God, names are hard." A momentary distraction pushes her mind to names, as she furrows her brow and pinches the bridge of her nose, but quickly recovers and re-centers herself on the conversation.

As Nephele describes the cloth for her, her smile grows wider as it becomes more clear that that it really was made with a masterful hand. As with the necklace still around her neck that Nephele made for her, C'Leena has a particular soft spot for gifts made with somebodies own hands, and not manufactured at mass. Sure, it might not have been Cyran who made this, but it doesn't take away from the value it now holds with the doctor. After the trinket was handed back, C'Leena carefully folded the cloth and put it into a pocket, wanting to keep it on her instead of in a pocket dimension like the rest of her items. "Thank you, Neph."

"That means a lot, thank you." C'Leena said with a smile, referencing to the invitation to his home. While finding a place to stay hasn't been an issue for the couple, be that in taverns or somewhere out in the middle of nowhere, it is still a very kind offer. The momentary melancholy was shared with C'Leena as well, her mind drifting toward the Mount Drakolt incident. She's not at all proud of what she did that night, but she'd do it again without hesitation. The melancholy passes and C'Leena once again has to force her attention back onto the conversation. It really is one of those days.

C'Leena listened as Cyran recounted the story of his encounter with two adult Arcuila. From what she knows (mainly from that little book that came with the baby Arcuila), they're generally a passive creature who don't pick fights unless they have to. While it's not particularly uncommon on earth to hear about animals getting aggressive, that could primarily be chalked up to disease such as rabies or something else. Granted, her knowledge on animal attacks is probably skewed from news agencies opting for the most catching headline instead of the most accurate.

"I've heard of the WEF. And the other guilds, too. I would be lying to say that I never considered looking into one of them - probably not the Fighters Guild. After I met Shaa a number of months ago, it wasn't hard to cross that one off my list. Still don't think I can go back to Thunderhoof Village after that." Her knowledge on the guilds is very lacking as she hasn't had the time to really do any research into them, what with her constant travel and research into magic and inscriptions.

Perhaps someday she will join one.

Nephele considered the offer to visit. In all honesty, Nephele was not the best with children, and could almost completely confidently say that she found them irksome. She was never cruel to them, and she tried her best to keep herself civil as she knew that they didn't know better, but it was a sad fact of life that for some strange reason, the fey woman couldn't stand children. However at the prospect of visiting Cyran at his orphanage, tiny little goblins or otherwise, Nephele found herself smiling a little.

“I wouldn't mind.” Nephele said after a moment of contemplation, a soft smile on her face. “I will admit I'm not the best around children, but I don't mind coming by every now and again to swap stories and relax. You must tell me more about these adventures you go on as a hunter, the creatures you see sound absolutely fascinating. I lived in the forests around the Crescent Isles and the western shores of Moonglade, so I spent a bit of time with the animals around the region.”

Nephele looked at the arcuila when the topic of a name came up, then to C’Leena at the gods awful name she gave it, nose scrunched up. “Well don't call it that. That's atrocious.” She says, half joking and teasing, half being deadly serious. She couldn't imagine calling such a potentially mighty creature Polly of all things, though the name was kind of funny.

The mention of Mt. Drakolt made Nephele falter a bit, a momentary flick of her ear and twitch of her finger. While she knew that the place was a hot topic now (no pun intended), the memory of being captured and nearly tortured was not the best as a person who was weak to extreme temperatures. It was odd, as a part of her mind had actually blotted out that entire moment in time, with C’Leena and Nephele herself not really mentioning it. It was like an unspoken thing that had passed between them, to not speak of it unless necessary. It made them grow closer, yes, but at the cost of so much. The look of the boy that she cradled in her arms, half dead, that urge to--

Suddenly Nephele felt a cold… something on her shoulder, and she snapped out of it, jerking slightly and looking over her shoulder. When she was paying attention again, C’Leena and Cyran were talking about guilds. She tried to refocus on the conversation, but she couldn't shake the feeling. That...had been happening a lot more often than not. Sometimes it was eyes, most of the time it was the quiet whispers. This time it felt like an icy palm had been placed on her shoulder before completely dissipating, too cold for even Nephele to find normal. Refusing to grow frustrated in front of her fiancé and new friend, Nephele quietly refocused on their words as she ignores her inner turmoil.

Cyran’s gaze softened from sheepishness to something understanding as C’leena spoke. Goodness was a rarity in the world - a fact that seemed to be constant across different planes of existence. A sad, but unsurprising, revelation given what C’leena had shown him of her old home. “I don’t think you’re born with morals.” He spoke softly, oddly reflective for a moment. “I think it takes practice to be kind to others. Something that not everyone has bothered taking the time to learn. But I hardly think that my actions are worth praising, in this case.” He rubbed at the back of his neck, sheepish at her compliment. “I think that change happens on an individual level. I could never think to help every single person in the world, but if I can help make even just one person’s life better, then I’ve passed what I can onto the younger generation. And I can hope that they pass it on, until one day kindness is in a little less short supply.”

An odd stance for someone in a job as violently as his own, perhaps. If C’leena and Nephele knew what Cyran did for a job, perhaps they’d be a little surprised to hear those words leave his mouth. Cruelty, too, was something that you weren’t born with, Cyran thought. But unfortunately, that was what came naturally to him. It was far harder to act with love and compassion, no matter how much he wished that was in his nature. His job was something he’d trained himself at and honed because it was what he was better at. That didn’t mean he didn’t find himself yearning, at times, that goodness came as naturally to him.

The two young ladies, after being extended the invitation to visit the orphanage, both looked a little hesitant at the offer. Cyran’s eye glinted with humor as he nodded in understanding, a small grin playing on his face. “It’s alright if you’re not the best with children. I have plenty of guest rooms and the kids love hearing tales about adventurers. And if you don’t want to deal with the kids, well, my guest room is always open if you’re just traveling through and need a place to stay. At the very least, it’s a free room and a warm meal.”

He turned to Nephele. “And I’d be happy to share stories.” He brightened when Nephele mentioned being from the area. “I grew up in Moonglade. I’d love to hear stories from your own experiences, too.” He offered a small laugh. “So long as you can stand the ramblings of an old man.”

C’leena mentioned her meeting with Shaa, and this time, Cyran could not contain his startled laughter. “Encounters with Shaa are usually that… explosive. You’ll have to tell me how that encounter in Thunderhoof went, and in turn, I’ll tell you how he and I destroyed a church.” He hummed. “Guilds aren’t for everyone. Though I think the W.E.F has good intentions, I’m not sure how much help it’s really doing. But like I said, change occurs one person at a time, right?”

He shrugged.

As they conversed, though, Cyran couldn’t help but notice that Nephele was falling silent at random intervals. Perhaps he could attribute it to her not knowing Cyran as well, and being simply content to listen to the conversation, but the young nymph almost seemed troubled by something. He turned his attention to her, concerned. “Are you alright, dear? Do you need to sit down, need water? Oh, my - I’ve been monopolizing your time. Have you two even eaten today?” Perhaps she was hungry?

Cyran's take on morality is one not all that uncommon, but still an interesting take nonetheless. C'Leena is under the belief that people are born with an attitude leaning one way or another when it comes to morals - akin to a personality trait. From there, it's up to the person if they lean into that or stray away and change who they are.

"Change is always individual. Even the worst people are capable of changing, but as you said, not everybody tries to because of the effort involved. I do think that good acts should be praised, despite me very much being in your boat when it comes to accepting that praise." C'Leena chuckles lightly to herself. As Nephele would know better than anybody, she has never been good at accepting praise. Criticism she can do easily, but being told that what she's doing is good? Bit of a harder pill for her to swallow.

"It's mainly Nephele when it comes to a dislike toward children. I used to be in that position but my work back on earth had me around children as my department in the hospital was right next to Pediatrics. Plus I had a few younger patients of my own - this one girl was in a car accident and had one of her legs buggered up so much so that it had to be amputated and replaced." Despite the description, a small smile forms on C'Leena's expression, memories of the young girl resurfacing. "This was after my own accident so I had all these prosthetics that actually looked fake and according to both the girl and her mum, I became a role model for her." The smile widens as she retells the story. It's one she's told Nephele previously, but still. Realizing she went slightly off topic, she rubs the back of her neck. "..Sorry."

C'Leena listened on as Nephele and Cyran spoke, a smile forming once again as they do so. In the number of months that her and Nephele had been dating, Nephele has remained somewhat secluded, content to remain either alone or with C'Leena. So seeing Nephele interact with somebody outside of her is a good thing. Being called out on the 'name' that C'Leena hurled into the air got a chuckle out of her. "Yeah, no. Dont'chu worry, I'm not that far gone." 

"Oh good, you know the buffa. Absolute lunatic, that one. Good fun, don't get me wrong - he's the fella who really made me certain that I'm an adrenaline junkie." It doesn't help that due to her drastically lowered blood levels that whenever she does get a hit of adrenaline, it's magnified. "Although I don't think that a run from a band of Kobolds, busting through a dwarf mans birthday party and getting poisoned tops destroying a church." She chuckles, then promptly realizes that her fiancé who has made it painfully clear that she is always concerned for her health is right next to her. C'Leena looks over, looking apologetic. "..I magicked it away, it was fine, I promise."

Now, when it came to Nephele and various paranormal bullshit, C'Leena has grown used to it. Sudden heavier winds, Nephele reporting cold touches on her shoulders, spooky whispering on the wind that one time, it's almost become routine (despite it not happening that often). 'Wake up, have breakfast, deal with Callythia, move on with their days'. So it's become something she's learnt to identify when something like that is happening. Just out the corner of her eye, she sees Nephele look over her shoulder, slightly recoiling and with a practiced motion, slips her own hand into Nepheles, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Cyran's keen eye spotted it as well, and his questions on whether they've eaten is both amusing and sweet. It also makes C'Leena realize that she can't actually remember if they have or not. "..Oh shit have we?" She asks, turning toward Nephele with a borderline iconic confused expression.

Nephele found herself mostly humming and nodding along to what C’Leena was saying, mostly in regards to the children bit. It was a flaw of hers that she had actively been trying to resolve (and by actively she basically meant that she didn't stare with complete and utter contempt at every individual under the age of 16 human years), but it had come up mostly fruitless. Hearing C’Leena speak about her experiences with children very slightly helped her warm up to the idea of their existence at least, though not much else after that. Nephele was a very slow person to change, so being with her fiance actually allowed her for that time to reevaluate her life choices and morals. It was just one of the many things that she was grateful to C’Leena for, and when her fiancee apologizes for rambling she reaches up to poke her cheek in her own weird way of reassurance.

Mention of this ‘Shaa’ person actually spurs on a morbid sense of curiosity, especially when C’Leena claims that he was the one who brought her to the realization that she was an adrenaline junkie. She recognized the name from the many stories that she was told about C’Leena's life in Charon before Nephele, however she definitely did not hear the last few bits in the past. Nephele's eyebrows flew up and she immediately looked to C’Leena in confusion and thinly veiled disapproval. Then again, sinking an entire ship and killing at least 20 people by drowning and/or stabbing wasn’t the smartest thing to do in a city where your name was already tarnished. So she accepted his fiance's apology, waving it off with a slightly strained smile. “You're alive now so that's all that matters… though you will have to tell me who it was that poisoned you.” She said this last part very quickly, playing it off as a very ambitious slip of the tongue.

Callythia’s presence was always a thing, but in recent weeks it had only gotten stronger. It was almost maddening, or at least it would be if Nephele hadn't been hearing her in her head since her death, to the point where if one was to receive a telepathic message from her they could hear her mother whispering. It was still no less frustrating, and it in fact irritated Nephele to no end. Thankfully C’Leena was there with her, and she quickly snapped out of her momentary panic at the squeeze to her hand. Readjusting herself, the nymph smiled a bit sheepishly at Cyran, opting to tell a white lie.

“My apologies, I'm alright. You'll have to forgive me, I normally don't talk to many people so I suppose I'm experiencing…’burn out’. Is that the proper usage?” Nephele recalled, remembering C’Leena saying something along those lines when it came to introversion. Yet another C’Leena Term for her private stores. “In terms of food... Goodness, did we eat?” Nephele trailed off after a moment, raising her fingers to her lips in surprise, looking at C'Leena in equal confusion as she realized for the first time in the four hours they've been up that yes, she was hungry.

Usually the ADHD-ridden couple managed to get sidetracked enough that they often forgot to eat, especially when exploring a new place. This was no exception, and they had hit the town immediately after waking up that morning.

“I guess that’s just something we both need to get more accustomed to, then.” Cyran laughed along with C’leena. Like the young medic, he had difficulty allowing himself to be praised like others. How could he, when it was entirely impossible for him to believe that he did things worth praising? If they were looking at the span of his life stretched along like a spool of yarn and wanted to talk about actions then he’d done more harm than good. Especially compared to a doctor who’d been such a good mentor in saving kids as she was describing.

“You don’t have to apologize. I’m hardly the kind of person who shies away from grim topics. And I’m glad to hear that you had such a support system after your accident, as well. Kids are as much there for us as we are for them.” He paused, glancing at Nephele. “I understand they’re not for everyone. Don’t feel pressured to visit if it’s going to make you uncomfortable.” Nephele was still oddly silent. Cyran frowned, thoughtful, though he continued talking with C’leena. Her adventure with Shaa, as encounters with the minotaur brawler often were, sounded rather hectic.

“I would think getting poisoned at a birthday party tops the church thing.” He said, eyes wide. Getting poisoned was certainly no small deal, even if healing magic could be used to extract any venom! That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Though he didn’t need to do any admonishing when Nephele was already there, waving it off with a tight smile that implied there might be more words on the subject later. At least Nephele was coming back to herself from whatever spell had gripped her, brushing off Cyran’s concerns in a similar manner.

Perhaps Cyran would have been willing to let the matter drop - he knew that there were those whose social battery drained rather quickly due to overstimulation, and some of his own kids struggled with the same issue - if it weren’t for the tugging at the back of his mind, a familiar kind of pinging sensation that something wasn’t quite right…

She was lying to him.^[1]

It was not a large lie, but it also did not take a genius to look at her and realize that she was not as okay as she’d promised, and that whatever she was experiencing was more than simple burnout. That, coupled with the knowing look on C’leena’s face, as if she’d seen that particular mood painted on Nephele’s expression before, said that there was something happening that Cyran was not privy to.

Well. They were entitled to their secrets, and even though Cyran was cognizant that they were keeping something from him did not mean it was his place to pry. All he could do was support them from a distance, until they trusted him enough to allow him to help, should they decide there was something Cyran could do for them. He nodded, unsurprised that the young ladies had not eaten. Truth be told, he’d neglected his own meals, as of late. Too focused to manage something. Not that Cyran particularly cared. He would eat enough to be functional, but outside of that…

“Alright.” He said after a moment’s thought, turning to scan the crowd. “Let us get you both something to eat then, okay? There’s a small fish grill around here if you’re okay eating that.” He knew that not everyone’s diet allowed for fish. “It’s hidden in a back alley so it’s nice and quiet. If you’re feeling overstimulated, that’s a good place to rest and reset.”

He deliberately did not mention that he knew of it because he’d scoped out the best places to conduct business deals if need be while he was in town.

“My treat today, okay? Please allow me to pay for the both of you, in celebration of the happy couple.”

---

1. Insight Rune

When it came to C'Leena's accident, unlike what Cyran said, she didn't have anybody. She had doctors who were monitoring her as she relearnt how to walk and use objects, but when it came to the internal turmoil of such an accident, and the PTSD that came from the event, she had nobody. be that through her own seclusion and the simple lack of people to talk to about it, it hardly matters at this point. The kid was heartwarming, but it didn't mend C'Leena's struggles with feeling human. "..Yeah. The kid was sweet. I just wonder how she's doing now."

"And to be fair, the poisoning happened after busting through the birthday party." C'Leena looks over to Nephele, seeing that particular look in her eye that has become more and more common. "It's no worries, I promise!" She knows it'll be spoken about no matter how much reassurance she tries, but she wont give up in hopes that one day she'll let something go.

When Nephele also wasn't sure if they ate, C'Leena looked at her with mock betrayal. "Neph, I rely on you to remember this! I need people to tell me to do shit like this otherwise I might just die without realizing it!" She says in a joking manner.. Mostly. Back on earth she sometimes had to set alarms to remind her to eat cause she gets so focused on one single thing for hours at a time that she just doesn't eat or drink. Nephele has proven to have the memory of an actual elephant so hearing her not remember something is slightly jarring, but not out of the question.

Upon Cyran offering to buy them both food, C'Leena's head immediately snapped to Cyran. "Wait what? Nono you don't have to pay for us, I have the money!" Accepting free things was always something that was drilled into her skull by her mother, saying 'Even if you can't use it, someone else can'. Even with those lessons, it's been something that has been lost over the years. And now she's back to square one on not accepting anything for free because she feels bad about it.

"..I'm not saying no to the food, just that you don't have to pay. I'm getting that damn fish." She chuckles before turning serious again. "No, but seriously, you don't have to pay, it's all good."

Nephele was training her galactic eyes on C’Leena with barely contained concern and bemusement, her expression deepening the more she tried to brush it off. Alright, well now she had to ask more about this Shaa person later. She knew C’Leena could take care of herself, was more than aware in fact. Did that stop the nymph from wanting to exchange a few very strong words with this person? Absolutely not. However, Nephele said nothing in response to those rushed words of assurance, simply humming once and quirking a brow briefly before returning to neutral.

She does, however, frown, a borderline pout stretching her delicate features, scratching her right cheek in embarrassment and confusion at the mention of food. She barely suppressed an eye roll at her fiance’s betrayed expression and tone, fluttering her lashes with a sigh, trying to recall. Nephele wasn’t the best at having a good eating schedule, as she often had a tendency to have sleep for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Coming up empty of all food related thoughts today, Nephele shrugged sheepishly. “Um…oops?”

Hearing the words “fish” and “treat” in the same sentence instantly has an effect: The nymph’s ears flip straight up, a rare gesture that C’Leena had seen a select few times (and yes, almost 90% of the time it is for food related reasons). Nephele would have the heart to be embarrassed if she weren’t hungry, eyes literally twinkling. “Oh, you do not have to pay for everything! It’s our fault for having horrendous eating habits.” Nephele’s ears dropped to normal, and she carded her fingers through her hair, muttering her hungry thoughts aloud once again whilst averting her gaze. “Though if you are offering I will not entirely complain…”

“No, no, I insist.” Cyran waved a dismissive hand. “I am more than capable of paying…” Probably, “And I want to congratulate you two on your engagement. A meal is the least I can do to celebrate for you both.” He was not sure if he would be invited to the wedding, and there was no expectation of such. But Cyran wouldn’t waste the opportunity to give his well wishes to the happy couple. Especially when Nephele still seemed rather tired, and the two had neglected to eat…

Kids these days, I swear.

Never mind the fact that Cyran’s own eating habits were very much the same.

“Then I’ll hear no argument about it. You two need to sit and eat, and catch your breaths.” He beckoned for them to follow, leading them to a much quieter part of the city. Soon, the bustling sounds of the marketplace were behind them, a distant memory. Only once they were out of that crowd was Cyran able to breathe again, feeling a little more relaxed as he brought them to a small, hole in a wall restaurant nestled between a few houses and an antique shop. It did not look especially flashy, but it’s nondescript appearance and the silent atmosphere inside almost had a mindful quality to it - and most importantly, it was nearly empty save a couple others enjoying fish in bowls of steaming broth.

Cyran grabbed a table for the three of them, flagging down one of the waitresses. As they all ordered food and settled down, Cyran couldn’t help but smile. A chance meeting in the marketplace had turned into a wonderful outing, one he certainly hadn’t expected. He would relish this meal, one to new friendships, and new relationships. And he hoped there would be many more like it in the future.

C'Leena has never kept it secret that she thinks that Nephele is adorable. The little quirks of hers, ranging from eyes, ears to even just how she pronounces some words and always seems to be poking or prodding at C'Leena. The rare-to-see 'Ear Raise' is no exception.

Despite C'Leena's fear of fire, it's become situational. She is still extremely unnerved around a cooking flame, but it's not paralyzing as an open hearth would be, so when C'Leena has the chance, she would cook for Nephele. Nephele has tried in the past, but she returned with burnt food and a questionable amount of flour coating her hands, clothes and face. It was greatly amusing, but she has decided at some point to help Nephele with cooking - most likely when they get their own place.

"..Alright fine, I feel like you won't back down from this. Lead the way." She says with a light chuckle. Cyran really does have that parent attitude that is frankly impressive to see. She never understood how to do it, so she has a great amount of respect to those who can do it.

Following Cyran into a quieter part of the city was surprisingly relieving. She's awfully used to the noise of urban environments but she forgot for a moment how much she's been enjoying silence since coming here. The place hidden away between buildings is quaint and cosy looking, and C'Leena is all for it.

After ordering and some brief conversation, she found herself raving about her old job. Not exactly a rare occurrence, but certainly become less and less common as she's grown more and more used to not working.

"Prosthetics are crazy complicated. Here, let me try something here.." C'Leena extends her hand out, palm up as the sigaldry on her arms begins to glow brighter. After a few moments, a form of what looks to be an aquamarine arm begins to materialize above her hand. It takes a moment for it to become detailed enough to identify that it isn't a real arm, but the image of what a prosthetic generally looks like without the skin back on earth. The image softly rotates, distorting for a moment every once in a while.

"Okay - whooh, this is difficult - Alright, this is what a prosthetic generally looks like. Lots of electrical components that all need to work exactly right otherwise shit might break. My job used to be to make these from nothing more than drawings on paper, and find a way to trick the brain into thinking that this is their arm. Generally with a lot of medication and a lot of fucking around with the central nervous system-" The image suddenly fizzles out, and C'Leena drops her hand to the table, taking a deep breath.

"You know what? Longest I've held that. Progress!" C'Leena has been practicing with her concentration on magic lately. Generally by making a 3D illusory shape and increasing it's sides and vertices gradually until failure, then taking a five minute break before trying again. She's been making fairly good progress.

The general overview on what C'Leena was explaining about her job was generally how prosthetics function without magic. She's managed quite well to keep the terms simple 90% of the time, and it's extremely clear she's very passionate about this area of work.

"But seeing as the lightweight alloys that were generally fabricated for my prosthetics aren't exactly available here, I need to learn how to smith if I want to continue that line of work - which I very much do.. Oh shit I should probably shut up and let someone else talk, huh? Sorrysorrysorry!"

Once they were in a quieter section of the city, Nephele found herself relaxing if just a smidge more. Like C’Leena, her social battery wasn't the best especially when she was speaking to another person in a crowded area. Granted, things were different when it was just her and her fiancé, as they were each other's solitary companions for several months now. However, adding their new friend to the mix had caused Nephele to overthink in large capacity of who and what could possibly be watching them.

Nephele also did not forget what city they were in, and though she had slacked a bit on trying to conceal herself today, the less eyes on them the better. Thankfully if anyone did notice them, no one had said nor done anything to cause alarm. This was a good thing, Nephele would be remiss if she had to give up going to the place where she was partially raised.

When they were seated and easing into small talk, Nephele found herself a little bit more comfortable speaking to Cyran without being prompted first. She didn't quite lead conversation, but rather asked simple questions that led into longer conversations that the more acquainted of the group could branch out into, with Nephele herself humming and letting out soft little “ohh” sounds in response. All in all she was more comfortable at least, and eagerly awaiting fish.

Watching C’Leena perform magic was something that never got old, in Nephele’s not at all humble opinion. She even lightly clapped her hands together after the ordeal was done, a shooting star arching through her eye as she beamed at her fiancee in pride. She didn't speak until after C’Leena began to backpedal, as she tended to, the poor dear.

“Goodness, don't apologize! That was incredible, you’ve definitely gotten so much better. Illusion magic is always so confusing and elusive, it's a wonder that-- oh my, is that why it's called that?” Nephele more so asked herself the last bit, pausing her invigorated clapping to frown in thought.

Nephele wasn't the smartest when it came to half of the things that C’Leena said, especially medical terms. However she had to pat herself on the back, as she remembered bits and pieces from the many, many times that C’Leena had gone on long tangents about prosthetics. Nephele then found herself turning to Cyran, a blissfully curious look in her eye. “You said earlier that you are a hunter, yes? What exactly do you hunt? Mentioning occupations and things of the sort made me think, as I've lived in the wild for quite a few years it's especially hard to find ways to properly socialize. However I've always had a knack for keeping the peace with animals.”

Then with a sheepish smile: “It's much easier than the people part of life…ah, but you have been incredibly lovely.” Nephele amended swiftly, dipping her head in a quick, respectful bow. It seemed that the part of her that hailed from this place never fully went away, no matter how long she’d been away.

It took a few minutes for conversation to pick up once more while everyone recovered from the sheer noises of the city. Cyran himself was content to sit back for a moment and watch the happy couple interact - they were both quite excitable, and once they got going, there was no dissuading them from what was on their mind. Cyran relished listening, even if he did not quite understand the subject matter. It did not help that much of C’leena’s home and the not-quite-magic surrounding it flew right over Cyran’s head.

He picked at his fish while C’leena started talking about the blend of magic with her own prosthetics. His single visible eye sparkled with interest while he watched her form minor illusions showing off her old job. All of it was far too complicated for a man like him. He could manipulate the energies of the world, an umbramancer of high caliber and raw strength, but there was a reason he preferred not to pay too much attention to the inner workings of his own magic; and even more reasons he had not joined the mage’s guild. The why of it all could be answered by the scholars and thinkers. Cyran was quite content merely making use of it as a killer, and more than willing to listen when his friends wanted to speak about it.

He set his chopsticks down on his bowl, thoughtful and more than impressed at her skill.

“You know, the guiding principles of Charon are centered around a concept known as the Formulae Arcanum - the underlying script of the world. Spells are woven from manipulation of the Formulae. I wonder if this prosthesis building you did was governed by the same ideas… it would certainly explain why it is compatible with our magic.” He mused. Truly, the concept was a little difficult for him to wrap his head around, but if there was anyone that could do it, it was C’leena. She was sharp as a tack, and with a sharp tongue to match. And more than that, she had a natural curiosity for how things worked, a desire to take things apart and strip them to their barest elements and learn their inner mechanisms.

“Illusion magic is tricky.” He murmured, nodding in agreement. A weave to pull over the eyes of others, clever misdirection. It was far easier for him just to cloak himself in the darkness of the shadows and hide, rather than create something entirely new - though when push came to shove he could make use of it. Certainly not to the degree C’leena could. “In any case, you don’t have to apologize for speaking about your passions. I find it quite fascinating.” He assured her.

In reality, Cyran would find the ramblings of any of his friends fascinating, regardless of his understanding of the subject. He relished the opportunity to get to listen to others speak about what brought them joy, to see those smiles on their faces. And evidently, Nephele was the same towards her fiancée, the both of them working in tandem. So different - quite literally from opposing world - and passionate about the other’s interests.

He blinked, surprised that Nephele had turned the conversation back to him; and more importantly, biting back his initial instinct to answer that question truthfully.

“Monsters, mainly.”

That was not, in the metaphysical sense, a lie. Most of the targets Cyran was hired to eliminate were not good people. Monsters in human suits, a rot simmering underneath the surface.

It was also technically not a lie because Cyran did hunt monsters on the side.

“I hunted a Yeti with Del a while back, can’t remember if I mentioned that - ah, there was a Basilisk in Mount Drakolt, Hellhounds around Darkveil, Origin Matter in Moonglade… I mainly take care of and track down rampaging creatures that pose a threat to the people. The ones that mind their own business, they generally get left alone. I guess you could say I’m the one people call when they want something taken care of swiftly and quietly.”

He let out a small laugh and waved a hand. “Ah, don’t worry about offending. People are… complicated. I’ve spent many of my years alone, preferring solitude to company, so I understand. Ah, you lived in Moonglade, right? What kind of animals did you spend your time around?”

C'Leena is always happy to talk about her old job. It's always been a comfort for her, to simply zone out and make prosthetics for those who need them. She's found a similar sense of serenity when studying inscriptions and magic, puzzling out why things happen and for what purpose. Knowing exactly how something works, why it works and how the foundations of that thing function to make everything else work is magic to her, be it from a mundane or magic source.

"Formulae Arcanum.. We have something similar, but it's simply called the 'Laws of Physics'. Ranging from Thermodynamics - how heat interacts with the world and how it can be manipulated, to Gravity and Light."

"We've discovered entire planets beyond the skies, we've sent people to planets that shouldn't hold life, and forced entire fucking planets to bend to our will and host life.. God I make us sound so badass when I say that. Making worlds quiver from our might. For we know only progress, and by God we will conquer even the heavens themselves." C'Leena chuckles , shaking her head from such an over-the-top performance.

"But yes, I would like to know more about that Formulae Arcanum at some point. It would be interesting if nothing else." C'Leena says easily. Perhaps she can get a book on it somewhere.

After C'Leena's demonstration of illusion magic, the sudden praise from Nephele and Cyran causes C'Leena to almost lag slightly as she processes the praise, and immediately doesn't know what to do with it. She rubs the back of her neck and stutters a moment. "I-I'm hardly an expert at it. I'm sure you guys could do so much better than that, what with you both being so much more familiar with magic than me." She says in a soft voice, not making eye contact and instead is very invested with the table. Man, those are some funky wood patterns. Is this what natural wood is supposed to look like? She never really paid that much attention to floorboards but it's frankly impressive to see all the lines and natural patterns with the wood.

C'Leena finds herself genuinely curious about the wood, lightly running her fingers over the rough-looking surface. She can't feel it worth a damn, but it still fascinates her. There have been a few times where C'Leena has been incredibly invested in very non-interesting things. Like forests and grasslands. And the ocean. And people building houses without heavy machinery.

C'Leena catches the tail end of Nepheles question to Cyran, and listens intently as she figures out the subject is still on occupations. Her eyebrows shoot up when she hears that Yeti's and Basilisks are real here. "Wait wait, they're actually real here? Yeti being the massive snow-dwelling.. thing and Basilisk is that bigass serpent thing, right? Those are mythological creatures on Earth - shit you see in fantasy stories or children's bedtime stories to stop them from acting up. That is so fascinating."

It's extremely interesting to C'Leena that there are parallels between Earth and Charon. Most of the races she's seen she was at least passingly familiar with from fantasy stories and the sort. Dwarves and Elves being the primary two. C'Leena idly wonders if they also have massive beef here like they do in those stories back on earth. Questions upon questions.

As C'Leena is distracted, her new Arcuila friend has decided to steal some fish from her bowl. Despite the bird resting on C'Leena, she doesn't even notice the act from the bird, far, far too invested in either the conversation or her own thoughts.

Nephele felt her head spin at the mention of the Formulae Arcanum, though that was mostly out of bewilderment for the name. As the two spoke of it, her mouth subconsciously shaped the words and frowned when her tongue struggled to form it properly. Aside from that, she did find this particular topic interesting, as Nephele didn’t know much about magical theory. She knew the bare bones and she knew how her own experiences melded her understanding on magic and how it worked, but otherwise she was clueless. If she had been the type, she’d feel self-conscious at her inferior intelligence, but if travelling with C’Leena had told her anything it was that there were different types of intellect; perhaps she possessed a different type.

Maybe Nephele should pick up reading…

The nymph giggled a bit upon seeing C’Leena grow flustered, a sound she stifled by plucking a bit of fish in her mouth to save her from further embarrassment (and teasing). Nephele happily shimmied in her seat at the slightly sweet and tangy flesh of fish, preventing the urge to fully shake out her hands. Food and song were both key parts of both Crescent Islander and fey culture that completely held sway over the nymph, and so sharing food and conversation with both C’Leena and Cyran, if she didn’t talk as much, was perfect for her.

Mention of a basilisk within Mt. Drakolt made Nephele perk up in equal parts intrigue and surprise, humming in recognition. She recognized the monsters mentioned, at the very least through name alone, but she did shudder a bit at the thought of her being trapped in a place where a monster so horrendous could lay. Usually Nephele would jump at the opportunity to observe and maybe even fight one, but the volcanic site hadn’t exactly given her the best impression, and she’d rather never go back inside again. Nephele smiled surprisedly to herself; look at her, exercising restraint for once.

“They’re very real. I will admit I’ve never seen a yeti in person before, nor a basilisk.” Nephele answered C’Leena first, covering her mouth to chew. She swapped a piece of her food with C’Leena’s, exchanging for a taste of hers. “I would love to though, even in passing some day. I travelled with my mother, you see, a handful of years ago before her passing. We used to watch girallon fight for a mate during the spring, and I remember riding on the backs of wild bison during migratory season. I also recall my mother telling tales of coming face-to-face with a kayren when she crossed the water to Starlight City from the forestry.”

She paused to take the last of her fish, mainly the skin, and roll it up to offer to the arcuila from her palm. “Though I wouldn’t take that last bit as fact, simply rumor. I've mostly heard stories of monsters, not much else.”

“It falls under a different name but part of me wonders how different they truly are, in principle.” Cyran mused aloud. “I’m no scholar, so the minute differences are lost on me.” Perhaps he could steal some books for the Mage’s Guild for C’leena, though. It might make a nice wedding gift for her, if nothing else - and stimulate her mentally in a way that she wasn’t necessarily receiving in this world, whose cumulated knowledge was so different from her own. Good; that was one present figured out. Now what to do for Nephele…

He shrugged in response to C’leena’s sheepishness regarding her own talents and their experience. “Even though magic is quite commonplace in our world doesn’t mean that everyone is an expert at every facet. My own talents lie in the manipulation of the darkness than the conjuration of images. Sometimes, they overlap, but it is not my expertise to do so. Be proud of what you can do, and more importantly, how far you've come.” And though he knew little of the nymph’s own capabilities, he was certain that any magical talents she might possess lay more on the primordial path.

In any case, just because magic was a widely known concept in Charon did not mean that it was so widely understood. Just in the way C’leena’s world had scholars who did things like… science and whatnot. Those were the people who understood its innermost workings, had studied it relentlessly to make sense of the force of nature. Then there were those like Cyran, whose font of magic was imbued so deeply within themselves that using it could feel as natural as breathing. But cracking open a book and learning a spell was a difficult task. Nor did Cyran particularly… enjoy it, when his magic was so ugly and twisted as it was.

C’leena’s exclamation pulled him out of his thoughts. It seemed that the two young ladies were not the only ones with their heads in the clouds, today.

“… Of course they’re real. Why wouldn’t they be?”

He was equally as interested to learn that fact and fiction were quite different in C’leena’s world. Cyran let out a small, kindly laugh, happy to get to be the expert on something for once. “Yes, those are both right. It is odd for me to think what manner of beasts might be considered mythical in your world.” Cyran paused, musing to himself. “You know most creatures that are considered legend here are based on extinct creatures. Who’s to say that they did not once walk e-yarth as well?”

His butchering of the world’s name notwithstanding, Cyran was more than interested in learning about their worlds. While he mused on this, Nephele shared some stories and experiences of her own, namely the story of the Kayren. “I’ve not seen one of those before.” He replied; nor had he seen Girallon.

“Most of my experience is with beasts who have been rampaging and need to be taken down quickly, like I said before. Those that mind their own business have no need for meeting the receiving end of a hunter’s knife. But getting to travel, and see beasts in nature, sounds like a beautiful life.”

Cyran perked up, suddenly remembering something.

“Oh! Do you two have any plans for your honeymoon, come to think of it?”