Chains of destiny

JP with Winteroak and Bandorchu

“Season change is coming awfully early this year…”
Alexis muttered, watching the strange man’s approach.

What did he want? Shouldn’t he be haunting the mausoleum, looking for whatever had him so obsessed?

Tar was definitely a company she could do without. While with finding Voah and Tarmen they hadn’t parted on bad terms, she still felt he had deliberately used Gonyaul and her as bait. He had, after all, been quite surprised to see them alive afterwards.

But, with what had happened in Aquilo, she probably should be careful about acting all righteous. With that painful reminder, she nodded to Tar in greeting.

Tar was no longer surprised by the events that seemed to surround his life since that fateful day when he entered the Fire-Shrine not far from Maru.

He could never explain to her how he knew she would return here. He simply knew. As he knew that their paths were now tied and that both were bound to return to Ostiarium.

"When ash rain falls, two old friends will face one other. Witness the rise of the red. It shall be then, when the city burns that the end will come..." He said sitting by her fire lost in the words spoken. The pull of the hammer's head was strong. One day it would unravel his mind. He sat and looked at the flames. He was where he was meant to be.

Alexis hands stilled in the mane of her horse, her vision still fresh in her mind.

The half-stranger’s words turned it into prophecy, or so it felt. She closed her eyes for a moment, accepted the feeling of finality. Very well. Fate would find her when it was time. She would not run.

Alexis continued her work.

“… why are you saying this?”

After all, she did not have to ask him what he meant.

"Because I knew you would return." He told her in the same voice that he had used in the Mausoleum when he spoke about the dark. "You are still looking for your friends are you not?" He asked, his eyes never leaving the flames. Part of him wanted to find out what would happen if he dove face first into the blaze.

This was becoming an exceedingly strange conversation, yet Alexis continued to brush off her steed as if they were discussing the weather. Maybe she had just exhausted her supply of incredulity in those last few days.

“Yes. Why?”

"I know where they are..." He said.

Now THAT made her stop what she was doing and turn to face him. She stepped closer to the fire and crouched down opposite of him, staring at him piercingly.

“… and how would you know that?”

"I was shown it." He whispered. He didn't know of he had the words to explain further than that. He looked up from the fire at the woman holding her piercing gaze.
"I need to strike another bargain with you..." He said...