Hope for A Lost One

Hope for A Lost One
Date of Scene:	19 March 2013
Location:	Cleyra
Synopsis:	Reize was on his way back to Fluorgis after getting lost. However, a wind storm directed him to a cavern, where he runs into a former Shadow Lord on the run.
Cast of Characters:	Reize Seatlan, Ember

---

Ember has posed:
Having wandered aimlessly in the desert for several hours, Katyna had briefly run into Ramza, before breaking off from his party for fear of leading the heartless straight to him. Instead, she had struck out alone after some rest and food..But a sudden violent storm had sent her off-course from Fluorgis, pushing her further from the city, and closer to a largely unfamiliar territory..

As the wind storm continued its fury around her, the young ember night huddled in a small cavern, waiting for it to pass..

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Finally, Reizew as on his way back to Fluorgis! At least, that was the intention. It started off as a simple return back home after spending time at the bridge with Lily and Violet. Unfortunately, Reize made a wrong tun and ended up somewhere else. Now, he's back.

Reize is wandering along the desert, trying to find his way back to Fluorgis. If only he knew he was a little closer.

However, his path has led him into the windstorm that was oh so familiar...

And then the cavern. Waiting out the storm is a good idea. Reize holds a torch, looking from left and right. As the flames light up, the boy continues his journey ahead until he sees something in the midst of the area. "..Hello..?"

Ember has posed:
In this eerie darkness caused by the early twilight sky and the heavy clouds of the storm, it is indeed dark within the cavern, but it certainly not empty. Katyna had chosen to rest within it herself, but it seems she is never truly safe, not even here.

Before she can answer Reize's call, a gaggle of small heartless pop up suddenly between herself and Reize. Eyes widen and she jumps to her feet, her treasured sword flaring to life as it reflects brilliant red light off the cavern walls.

"Reize!? Look out!" And she starts slashing and slicing through the heartless that strangely seem to focus more on the ember knight than on Reize this time. Strangely, she seems more surprised by Reize's presence than by the heartless'.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
And that is when company comes in.

As the creatures from the darkness creep into existence, Reize's eyes widen and he start withdrawing both of his boomerangs. His pendant is shining, glimmering brightly as he shifts his stance. The mithril boomerangs now gripped, Reize charges into the frey of battle while swinging his feet at the Heartless nearby.

'Reize, look out!'

...Wait, what?

Both eyes widen upon realizing who the voice is. His resolve is heightened upon realizing who the voice is.

"I'm not going to let you do this alone, Katyna!" The memories of their conversation a while back when she was found wounded and beaten comes to mind. However, Reize won't let her be alone.

No. He won't.

"I'll help!"
It involves more boomerang strikes and kicks.

Ember has posed:
Kat's eyes widen in surprise when he stubbornly refuses to leave her to her own devices. She just nods and smiles softly, continuing to slice through the heartless, even as they bite and claw at the both of them. It's a good thing they cant talk, since Kat's pretty sure of what they would say to her..Nothing nice to be sure.

Between the two of them, it doesnt take long to make mincemeat of them, and Kat smirks, twirling her sword around her all flashy like. "Hah! Piece of cake! No sweat..."

Now comes the hard part, revealing the truth to Reize, if he doesn't already know. She bites her lip, watching him thoughtfully for a few seconds as if hesitant to do anything..But eventually, she steps towards him, albeit hesitantly, a shamed look on her face.

"Hey..."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
It is time that passes...

After the Heartless are cleared out, Reize twirls the boomerangs around and then he slides the weaponry back into the sides. He smiles a bit, letting the peace pass by. However, then it comes the more tense part.

He looks over towards Katyna, reading her expression as she reveals that shamed look.

Reize lets silence pass, not saying a word to her.

But then, the young man walks over towards her, placing his arms around her to embrace her close. "...You don't need to say anything, Katyna. ...Welcome back. ...We'll help you become stronger without their help."

Ember has posed:
Ahh, he knows. She's sure of it. She can see it in the way he looks at her. How did he feel now..Betrayed? Angry? Did he hate her? But then..He does something..Totally unexpected for anyone but Reize.

Her eyes widen a bit, tensing in his embrace. "Reize..You're not..Not angry? But..I betrayed everyone. I lied to you too. I'm...A terrible person, and now the heartless want me dead too.."

Still it felt nice to know that he still believed in her, and she blinks several times before bursting out sobbing, hugging him tightly. Words dont seem to cut it at this point as she's so overwhelmed with so many confusing emotions.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
"...I." The boy looks over towards Katyna, "...Yeah, I am angry." His expression is calm. He becomes sadden. "...I... I have been betrayed before." He grits his teeth, "But... I think you have gotten enough from everyone." He smiles over towards her.

"...And I know deep down, you're a good person." His eyes shut as the boy embraces her close. There is a comforting gaze as his hand rests against her shoulder. He rests against the wall, slowly pulling her down along with him.

"...Let's wait out this storm for a while here, okay?"

Ember has posed:
Katyna flushes a bit when he says he's angry, but of course, she knows she deserves it. "That time when you found me out in the desert? It wasn't a heartless that attacked me. It was Angantyr. He tried to kill me, because I was dressed at Ember at the time..Because Ember had hurt those he loves.."

She bites her lip, looking away rather embarrassed. "I....I'm afraid. I dont think I can go back to VALKYRIE, Reize. I hurt them the most. Avira, Maira and Angantyr. But..It hurts too, that I wont get to see Avira and Maira again, knowing that they might not ever forgive me. I...I was so stupid! I just....I was so scared that the Shadow Lords would kill me if I didn't obey them, afterall, that's why they saved my life that first time, but...But a small parted of me...Wanted that power too.."

She nods though, sitting down on the ground next to him. "You're so sweet, seeing the good in everyone, even the darkest soul..Do you think there's still hope for me?"

Reize Seatlan has posed:
So, it was in her fight against Angantyr that put her in the condition that she was in. Reize furrows his eyebrows, listening more to her tale. So, this Ember that she took the name of. "...So Ember was the servant of the Shadow Lords?" He furrows his eyebrows, listening carefully.

A faint smile grows as sh further explains what happened. He looks at her carefully, hearing her out. A person put in a position to work for the Heartless.

"...You wanted to be strong, didn't you?"

Once she settles down near him, Reize keeps the embrace. He shuts his eyes, listening to her request. "Knight's Vow #14: Even a small star shines in darkness." He smiles at her, "...There is also some sort of light beyond the darkness." His hand presses over towards her chest, right to her heart.

"There is light in your heart. Just believe and use that as your strength."

Ember has posed:
Katyna nods, biting her lip. "I was Ember, the fiery dark knight and servant of the Shadow Lords..." She smiles sadly, closing her eyes as she leans against his chest, finding some comfort next to him here, in the cold and darkness. A light, a beacon, that's always what he was to her. One of the few people who always believed in her.

""I suppose, being strong was the most important thing to me. I never stopped having the nightmares of that day. I was an orphan, and a street urchin, see. A mere thief. But..I had friends, people who cared about me. Ser Kasrillen, the honorable paladin who sought to teach me about the Ajoran Faith, and who taught me in sword play. The boy Razan, who resembled you so much, who I...." She blushes a bit, not finishing that sentence. How could she tell him how he was the first boy she ever loved, that boy who looked so much like Reize it was uncanny..?

"There was the lady who taught me about thievery too, and her guild. We were a happy family..Until the heartless came, attacked us, killed everyone I loved one by one. And I..I just hid, cowered, waited for someone to protect me. And then..He came. Lord Fessner. The shadow lord who believed in me. He...He did not kill me when I fought him, but he spared my life, took me under his wing and promised to make me stronger...And to spare my life, in exchange for my services..And so I was planted as a spy against VALKYRI, but..."

She sighs, seeming tired by her story, but she must continue, the truth must be known. "But..I was stirred by their kindness, the good that they did. They believed in me, and they were my friends. So, even as I spied on them, kidnapped Maira and faked her death, and later dragged Avira to hell, still...I just..I culdn't take it any more. I was disgusted at myself, what I had become..And...I made Maira cry..."

She sniffles a bit, wiping away a tear. That was the breaking point for her, clearly.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Reize listens carefully. It takes quite a bit for him to process. He tries to process the deeds that she done as she took on the name Ember. Reize furrows his eyebrows, thinking carefully. He can only hear the young lady out as she continues to speak. All what he can do is be there for her. His hand rests along her shoulder.

It all comes back to her desire for power. She wanted to be strong. That's all that she wanted. It is the retelling of her story that earns a frown. He recalls the day that he found her injured, she shared with him a personal secret. Almost big-brotherly, a hand rests along her hair with that serene smile. He looks over the former Shadow Lord. "...Razan. Yeah, you mentioned him."

And more of her story of how the Shadow Lord took her in and promised to make her stronger, Reize furrows his eyebrows. But then as she mentions all of the things that she did... Reize just holds onto Katyna, bringin her closer to his chest with a deep hug. The embrace is fierce and strong. He won't let go of her. There are no words to offer her.

Just a shoulder to cry on.

Ember has posed:
Katyna closes her eyes as she continues to hug him, sniffling into his shirt. Ahh, how silly of her, to try to believe that this was Razan, the one she loved. How blind of her. "Eh.." She pulls away suddenly, "Sorry. I'm putting all my burdens on you, and..I probably shouldn't. Heh.." She laughs a little as she wipes away a tear.

"Gee, I'm such a mess, arent' I? I wonder if there's any hope for me, after the things I've done?" Katyna just sighs again as she plays with the sand beneath her fingers, watching as it runs through her hands.

"All along, I thought that if I did what they wanted, that maybe I could learn the secret to being strong, but..That's not the knight's way, is it? That wasn't the kind of power that I wanted. In the end, I hurt my friends instead of protecting them. Now..I'm not sure what to do to earn the trust and respect of my friends back.."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
The closeness of the hug is there. Reize is here for his friend, offering her comfort when she needs it. Yeah, he is upset with the fact that she was a Shadow Lord. He was upset that he found out randomly. However, she needs him. He is here to help anyone in need. Especially a friend. As she pulls away, Reize offers her a smile. "... Katyna. Don't worry. What are friends for?"

Grunt, the boy furrows his eyebrows her, "Ooi! Don't talk that way!" He makes a face with his furrowed eyebrows. "There is hope if you are willing to believe and accept that hope! You are not going to fall into that! You want to be strong, right?

The boy listens to Katyna, shutting his eyes to take in her words.

"...Time." He smiles, "There is someone like you who had struggled and is still struggling. She was possessed and accepted a demon into her for power long ago. She has made progress." Even if recently, she fell back from that progression. Reize has faith in her.

Ember has posed:
Katyna smiles weakly at Reize. "Thanks. I guess. You're all I have now. You and, er...Ramza." She hesitates for a moment, uncertain if it's safe to reveal her associations with the heretics. But she trusts Reize with her life. "I think Maira understands, but the others dont. They all hate me. I've never felt more alone..I had to flee Hollow Bastion, AND VALKYRI. Now, I'm just an outcast. I suppose, I fit right in with the heretics.."

Another sad chuckle. It's as if she's lost that fiesty edge to her, although Kat does seem hopeful when he mentions hope and strength, and...Time. "Huh, I suppose. Maybe if I prove I'm a good person, and try and help others. Maybe in time, they'll see that I really DO want to change, right?"

And then he speaks about *her* and Katyna frowns. "Leida. Is that who you mean? Yeah, I heard the Shadow Lords talk about her. How she's dangerous even to the Shadow Lords..Seith just abandonned her to the mercy of the heroes. Twice! I...I did my best to defend her, against Angantyr, but..I wonder what she'd think now, if she knew that Ember is really Katyna?"

Only one way to find out..."So..Is she..Is she still under the control of a demon? She seemed like such a sweet, gentle girl.." She should pay her a visit..

Reize Seatlan has posed:
"Who?" Reize hasn't really heard much of---ooooh wait. Isn't that the individual that Faruja has been fuming about? Reize furrows his eyebrows, rubbing the back of his head. Admittedly, Reize isn't the type to stop Faruja from his hunt unless he feels that he should intervene, but...

If this Ramza is the person who is accepting of her, Reize can only offer Katyna a smile, "Then I hope that Ramza treats you well." He slowly pulls himself up along the cavern wall, lifting his gaze towards the sky. His eyes shift over to look over at her. "...Just have patience, Katyna." A smile grows. "It's going to take a lot of time to heal the wounds."

And then, the subject of Leida comes up. Reize furrows his eyebrow, then he offers her a faint smile, "... Yeah." As for her question of Leida's opinion, "... Ask her yourself." He shuts his eyes, "...At this point, you'll have to be truthful with her. I am not sure how much you know each other in details, but..."

"... Not so much... Though, it seemed like she is still struggling."

Ember has posed:
Katyna nods. "Ramza, yeah. Just..Dont spread the word around. He has enough enemies as it is." And it's a feeling she knows only too well. "Misunderstood, mislabelled. Heh, even VALKYRIE are too ashamed to publically associate with him.." she smiles and nods. "Yeah, Ramza and I shared the same instructor at Gariland academy, Ser Kasrillen.."

She nods. "She a shard seeker? I'd like to talk to her, sure.."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
The dealings of the man announced as a Heretic. Those happen to be very serious words, given the nature of the world and how Faruja reacted. His smile becomes fainter, realizing what would happen if his companion was to learn of this. As much as he liked Faruja, he did go at odds with the devout Paladin over Riku.

...Their visions are quite different.

"...Hrm." To associate with the announced Heretic is to be marked as such. The young adventurer is not sure where to go with this.

"I won't tell."

His eyes drift towards the cavern, still noticing the windstorm. However, his eyes are slowly becoming heavy. "...I..." His eyes now heavier, "...think we should rest until---.... ZZzZzz..."

Ember has posed:
Katyna nods. "Ramza told me the truth, about the church. It's a serious accusation, but I believe him. He is a good, honest and forthright knight, and while I respect Faruja too, I cant ignore what Ramza told me. Maybe there's a way the church and Heretics dont have to fight. I think the church has lots of good people like Faruja too..But the heretics are good people too..."

But she's also growing tired and moments after Reize falls asleep, so does she.."Good night, Reize.." She murmurs, althoug it is likely she will dream of Razan tonight..