"You have my condolences." That much the old soul would grant Kulgor even as her welling grief threatened another lashing out, another breakdown to eyes undeserving of such ugliness. There would be no further words to be shared, but the woman was not one to discard her obligations over personal grievances, even if it were quite simply self-imposed, such as in this case. Her sense of duty towards her obligations was one of the few virtues she could genuinely take pride in, as perverse as it actually meant back in her worst days for it meant she would gladly do anything and everything it took to get the deed done. Much in the way of self-restraint has been regularly practiced since, though without her chains of morality to shackle her down, it seems that she may be on a one-way trip to the bloody purgatory once more.

Sleep was uneventful, as it was when the dreamcatcher performed its fanciful duty of warding off nightmares. The former assassin was incapable of just having harmless dreams; that luxury was lost to her ever since she stole a person's life. She would wait for the druid to wake while checking that her belongings remained undisturbed.

Kulgor awoke with a crack of his neck and long yawn. His left eye opened to find the woman tending her things. Seeing as he was not dead, he assumed it all worked out.

"Well rise and shine it seems glad to see you still here. I was close to wondering if I had crossed an irrevocable line."

With his neck fixed he stood up and then waved a hand about his body fixing any little knots or kinks with his minor healing magic.

"Say are what do you plan on eating out in these lands. I can always use my magic, but the taste can get old... fast. Or are we close enough to town to just push on and ignore the little things such as food boredom?"

Next the druid used his magic over plants to fix his robes and clothes. Seeing him work up close it is clear that his garments are at least partially living plant matter he has trained to grown in a specific way.

"Well, whatever you say boss lead the way."

Prying eyes have always brought out the worst in Ambika without fail, and this spanned all the way from back when she was but a child living in the desert. She could sparsely tolerate the glints in the irises of curious onlookers looking to see whatever laid beneath the skin she wore, and were it not for her underlying sense of responsibility and perpetual self-loathing towards her own atrocities, she might very well have decided to drive a blade into the druid's heart during her sleep. She will endeavour to see that the man lives, accepting that this might be yet another ordeal challenging her personage.

"There is an inn about half a day's walk from here. Eclipse City is a number of days away from here. I generally have a large meal once a few days rather than have regular meals. More practical when travelling frequently." The old soul replied. Carrying food around could very well bring unwanted trouble in her direction, so she carried only dry rations. "I have some shortbread and dried meat jerky if you want them. I will eat only when we arrive at our next stop."

Ambika would wait for Kulgor to finish eating if he so chose, then continue their journey with her at the lead as was designated.

Kulgor quickly conjured up a berry and gulped it down. He said nothing for a while just nodded his head in affirmation. Then after thinking over what best to say, he spoke.

"I am started to feel you are person of deep and complicated emotions. So, in light of not wishing to be out of a guide I am going to just keep mostly silent and focus on the path before us. I do thank you again for such care you are showing me."

With his words spent he pull up his hood and followed behind her. Better to ride this one out and make it to safety than to poke the bear.

"Ok I ream ready please lead the way."

Ambika visibly grimaced as she heard Kulgor's words, which bore the inflections of fear towards the former assassin. She really was a child of that loathsome hometown of hers, wasn't she? Cold, forceful, unwelcoming... and yet caring in its own way, providing just enough warmth to ensure everyone will survive the coldest nights despite everything.

"I apologize for my coldness yesterday. Words have never been my strong suit." Even if she would not deny her emotions release, the druid did not deserve the brunt of it.

"Though if I may, what of yourself would you see fit to speak of? I will not pry if you do not find it appropriate, but you would do well to remember to pay with your own stories if you wish to learn that of others." The man had been asking the questions the entire time, so the old soul found it fair enough to throw the ball back in his court for once.

The walk itself would be uneventful for the most part; the early morn could be likened to a stroll in a park, with leaves falling from trees as the winds billowed and sonorous chirps inundating the landscape with a music of its own.

Kulgor nodded in agreement. She did have a point the law of the fey was quid pro quo after all.

"Well mam you do have me there. I sure owe you a great many questions as I have asked a fair many myself. How do I begin. Well, I guess it starts where most tales of bad choices start. It starts with a girl and a young man that knows better but can't help himself. I met her in the forest one day while hunting. She was undoubtedly the most attractive creature I had ever seen. Yet her charms were unearthly, ephemeral, or intangible it is hard to say. She was singing and a gaggle of small animals gathered around her in awe. I to was smitten of course and approached offering as small wood carving, I had made, as payment. Perhaps she took pity on me, perhaps she was simply bored I doubt I will ever know, but she accepted. From then on, I would visit her every day to hear her voice and bask in here aura if you will. It was like being wrapped in a warm blanket of love. The kind of love that doesn't care about past problem and promises a grand future. Thinking about it now, it is a more dangerous drug than any other."

He pauses for a moment to let out a forlorn sigh.

"Where was I oh yes, sometime later I professed my love she giggled but accepted. Yet she did give a warning. A mortal's life is fleeting. To love me will cost you greatly. I now know what she spoke yet at that time blithely ignored her. She offered me an apple from her tree. And when I say her tree I me she herself as she was part of the tree. I ate it stupidly. From the moment of the first bite, I could feel her inside of me changing me altering me. My eyes are a telltale from the event. With that I was forever linked to her and the wilds. Even now I can feel her pull."

His hands fidget with the small figure he crafted.

"It was then I followed her into the wilds. There I learned to be one with nature and there where I had the best moments of my life. Over time she grew bored of me it seems. I should have known it from the start. The whims of the fey shift like the tides of the ocean. Well, that is how I found me self here I woke up in this place a week or so ago with lone note on my chest. It simply read... Good Luck."

His eyes darken at the mention of his abandonment.

"And then I met you, so again if it helps at all I to know what it means to lose. I have lost not only my family and friends but also my life. Everyone and everything I know is gone. You are the only person that knows me now. And thank you for you aid again."

The old woman listened to Kulgor's sordid tale without interrupting him even once. It was not in her character, and she was always a better listener than a speaker. So it was that she let him finish before giving him her words.
"To lose everything is a horrible experience. To have only the unknown ahead of you, however, could be a blessing in disguise." She was quoting Florentio, really. Her partner had lost every ounce of his noble life, and was forced to go on the run to avoid the end of his own being. "To have none of the shackles of days past to tie you down, drown you in the haphazard knowledge of your sins... Of course, I cannot pretend that this is applicable wisdom when you did not actually live for as long as the time you have lost."

"Give yourself time to mourn. It may take days, months, years. The void of loss may never be filled, perhaps, and the mind may decide to search eternally for meaningless answers that do not exist. But the tears must flow. The emotions must find release. At least then you know where your heart lies." Words were easy, of course, and Ambika was drowning still in her own grief.

"If it is any consolation, at least you did not have the misfortune of witnessing your family die in front of you." The mother looked into Kulgor's eyes as those words left her. "You will meet more people if you live, even if you never find yourself ingratiating into society once more."

The inn Ambika had spoken of was soon upon them, a simple two-storey building with a wide basement tavern to accommodate guests.
"The tavern is downstairs. Feel free to order anything you wish to try. I shall be with you shortly." She had intended to travel here in the first place with or without Kulgor for some personal business, and would wait for the druid to descend before attending to her own, passing on some secret papers to the inn owner as part of a delivery request.

"I suppose that is correct, and truth be told I don't feel like I used to. I was told that humans in the wilds run the risk of becoming part of it. Also, that one shouldn't drink or eat anything from the wilds, and I very much did both. I think a permanent change at least in some small part has overtaken my person. As I still feel the sadness of lose but it is as if something has taken the edge off the blade, and it doesn't cut as deeply. Well then perhaps you have a point it could be this was all by intention she didn't wish me to become stuck in the wild lands. I suppose I won't know until I ask her, and I think that won't happen any time soon."

Kulgor opened the door to the inn and then looked back over his shoulder. She was watching him, yet he felt as mix of predator and mother staring back. This woman clearly leads a hard life. One full of diametrically opposed opposites that she does her best to wrangle into the semblance of a life.

"I'll just wait for you in the inn, take as much time as you need. I have nowhere to be anyhow and everything to me is new. Thus, I won't get bored."

With a warm smile he made his way down the stairs hoping to find new sights to wash away the stain of loss.

The basement tavern had an earthy aesthetic to it, given that it was shaped into form through judicious use of Earth magic to get the underground space to form the desired curves and cavern-esque natural supports needed to prevent any unwanted collapses. Same applied to the shelves and counters, though the countertop, tables and chairs would be of wooden craftsmanship. Candles and lanterns lit the space, giving the location a somewhat romantic atmosphere to those inclined to view the interior scenery in that manner. And of course, there were fungi to be found along all surfaces.

Ambika walked down to the tavern, and thankfully, it seemed, nobody paid particular interest to both her and Kulgor. If the druid had picked a table, she would go to him. Otherwise, she would pick a table at the furthest end of the space to make sure she had an eye on all the ins and outs of the place as was her prerogative whenever possible. Taverns were a bubbling pot of sustenance, information, and perpetual chaos. 

Menus would be found on the drawers under the tabletop, and she would quickly decide upon a choice that was easy for consumption - a meat-and-vegetable wrap along with a glass of fruit juice. She would then direct her attention to Kulgor in the off-chance he might be struggling to make a choice, and if so, ask the following. Even if it might sound offensive.

"Can you read?" If no, she would see fit to educate him on the details of the menu consisting of largely simple menus such as burgers, salads, wraps; foods that could be prepared relatively quickly. Drinks were on the simple side as well, consisting of coffee, tea, simple ales, fruit juices and water. If he struggled to make a decision, then she would attempt to ask him on his preferences and make as best a choice as she could.

His face blushes just a tad.

"Well yes I can read but it seems words have shifted a bit in 200 plus years. I understand every other word of this menu, but it doesn't matter as I can keep myself alive with my magic. It was needed in the wilds as much of the food was poison to a human. So, in that case just order something and I shall do my best to muddle through it. But while we are on the topic, I am able to speak the language of the fey. Not that it will help me at all in this current environment."

Kulgor adjust the menu like an old man trying to squint out the meaning of a newspaper.

"But never mind that where are we? I don't know anything about this land, and it would seem we are not in a large city. But then again I don't have much info to go on."

His gaze moves back to his new acquaintance. He pauses a moment before speaking.

"I am wondering about one thing. You move with much ease and dedication. How it is the years have not worn your body to the bone. You don't look like the type that had a calm life free of physical trauma. Yet I don't see any limp or other permanent maladies."

Ambika assessed Kulgor's words as best as she could - that the man was a druid might suggest an aversion against meat, but at the same time it might suggest that they subsisted largely on fruits and vegetables, and the mother in her sorely wanted to feed him something else for a treat, so it was that she ordered a bowl of mushroom soup along with some garlic bread for the poor man.

"This is an inn by the name of Shoestop. The forest we are currently traversing is Moonveil Forest, and we should soon be entering the Lantern Light Wood after we leave. Beyond that will be Eclipse Jungle, where the city I mentioned yesterday, Eclipse City, is located. In terms of region, we are in Moonglade." The old soul pulled out a weathered map to roughly point out where they were travelling along.

"My hometown is a wretched place, built of, for and by people of questionable backgrounds and their descendants. The elders saw to it that everyone knew how to survive the worst that the world could throw at them by hook and by crook." There would be no direct answers for the man's query, but it should hopefully suffice. "My bones ache on the regular, despite my efforts to keep fit. I have simply learned to use the pain as proof that I still live and soldier on." Her body will forever be the best asset she has, one that will never not see use, and one that she will always care for so that it does not betray her.

"I see so you have led a hard life. Well, I am still working on my healing skills. All I can offer is cuts scraps bruises sore bones these types of things. As for the food it does smell good. Things in the wild were strange the fey each such an odd assortment of items. One hag I read about can only eat distilled suffering. She has to capture many human like creature and boil their pain and regret into a thick soup. Another I heard about can only drink dew from fresh morning grass. Being such a magical place, one never knows what to find."

He smells the soup and bread and smiles.

"Sure does beat eating berries for 2 weeks like I have."

He picks up the bread and cracks it in half. Giving he one end.

"There now we can break bread and get to know each other. Much better, no?"

Ambika had never had much experience with the Fae. Her long, arduous life was one that was largely marred with bloodshed and death, then grounded by the realities of family life. The former she will forever loathe, the latter she will forever cherish, and neither shall escape her memories. Though she supposed there were the Morphleons, and the mysterious portal she entered in the Black Spire.
"Your experiences might be of use to the world. Recent news suggest that there has been an increasing influx of Fae all over Charon. One of those that I know to be particularly dangerous is what one of the leading researchers in monsterology, Lloyd, have dubbed the Morphleon. They disguise themselves as animals, pets or even people to feast upon others even there is none left." The old soul had no idea what the druid wanted to do with his life, or if he even had any intentions of continued existence. He might seem alright now, but that could simply be due to him being swept along by everything currently going on around him, like how he was greatly serving as a continued distraction from her exceedingly broken self.

"I suppose." Ambika took the bread and helped herself to it as her order arrived, and she cut out a piece of the wrap and set it towards Kulgor's side. "Do you eat meat?"

Kulgor seemed shocked by the information but quickly brushed it aside.

"Why yes of course I eat meat. I suppose I should say I don't overindulge as the needless killing of animals is against my code. However, my teaching focus on the natural cycle and the balance between opposite forces. Predator and prey are of course part of that cycle. As men can often be both at the same time. We must seek to strike a balance between our own nature. If one becomes too much of a predatory, they run the risk of shifting into tyranny. If one only acts as prey, they run the risk of being devoured by life itself. Thus, a man's path is a narrow line with pits of loss and despair on both sides should one slip and fall. I am going to take a bit of a liberty here and point that you yourself are a perfect example of what I speak."

With a pause in the conversation, he takes the opportunity to scarf down some of the bread. His eyes light up with the magnificence of the flavor.

"Oh man this is great; wow you can't get anything like this in the wilds. Hey thanks mom I would never have found this without you."

His statement lingers in the air as he realizes what he just said.

"Uh... sorry that just came out like that."

"I see." The old soul remained neutral this time around, tacitly agreeing with both the wisdom he spoke of, and his assessment. Balance between predator and prey, huh? She could certainly be said to have been tyrannical in her methods during her years as an assassin, and even now she was on a eerily narrow tightrope laden with barbed wire, struggling against a gnawing void threatening to suck her in on one end, and the blazing solar flares of judgment in the other.

'Hey thanks mom I would never have found this without you.' The words sent a flood of emotions soaking into Ambika's very being as memories normally shelved away in corners of her mind began replaying in horrifying clarity despite their age, from little things like her slightly scatterbrained Florentio misplacing some important document in the most illogical of places, Kishan profusely apologizing for having to trouble his mother over something he wanted to know about but hadn't any idea how to get there, Semaini thanking her mother for saving her from embarrassment when she forgot to bring a birthday present from a friend, and Cordelia trying her best to stay positive when her parents were watching despite the pervasive powerlessness eating away at her soul...

The old mother sat frozen, tears flowing down and forming trails along her old, wrinkled face, gazing at nothing in particular. The tavern was as noisy as ever, but nothing was registering. All of the senses that normally dictated the woman's behaviour had all shut down for the moment, replaced by a deep reverie as she drowned in her ever-present grief.