RP:A Meeting of Body and Soul

Part of the The Orb Of Life Arc

Summary: Rhocielle, bearer of the Key of Soul, meets with Neema, bearer of the Key of Body, to discuss the impending situation on Aramantium.

Characters: Neema, Rhocielle

Location: Xalious; Scenic View

Rhocielle sat perched upon a large rock near the edge of the cliff. Though it could not possibly be so, but Neema's ears pick up what she might believe to a very soft and soulful melody when she at last arrives at the rendevouz point. Surely there is no one playing an instrument, that much is certain. And yet, the music seems to flow around the still armored Lycan. His own canine ears flick and a glance over his shoulder to the winged woman is met with a dip of his muzzle. "Thank you for coming, Neema...," the black wolf huskily greets before returning his attention to the view before them.

Neema flew out of Schezerade as fast as her awkwardly flapping wings would let her. Rho is spotted easily enough, but the music kind of throws her off a bit. Did he bring bards? She glances downward while her flight slows, the avian lowering herself to the ground near the lycan. She approaches, greeting Rhocielle while she does so. "Hi, Rho.." She had no idea that he was the bearer of the first key. If anything, the avian was glad somebody she knew had one of the keys. "You wanted to see me?"

Rhocielle nodded without turning to see her. "Aye, I did. You are the other one with a key... Have you spoken to Thea or the Sage yet of it?" he asked, at last shifting off the rock to stand properly. He saw her there when the Eternal Tree spoke, and knew she had heard what it had spoken regarding the Avians. Even now, he saw the worry in her eyes, "Hrmm, what troubles you about this, Neema?"

Neema 's hand went to rest against the rusted key dangling from her neck, but her head shook. "I haven't spoken to either, but I saw Thea yesterday. I'm sure she saw it." That worried expression on her face grew just a tad worse, but it was obvious she was trying to prevent it from showing. "All of it does, I guess. Was the Tree right, Rho? Could the avians probably be wiped away? Or those elves?" She paused, recalling what else the holy tree had said. "..I never realized that my kind were capable of doing something so awful." Her eyes went down to the key she found. "What do you think is going to happen?"

Rhocielle canted his head slightly at her rather slanted observation of what the Tree had spoken about. "...the Avians are not going to be wiped out. Why would you think that?" Slowly the armored Lycan approrached her, his wolfen face still holding a quizzical expression. "There are no Avians left on Aramantium... Only the Homunculi that... he, the Avian that stole the orb, created... The choice is between... them, and the elves that live in Vhys, Neema. Not the Avians themselves..." He snorted softly, believing the female Avian's worried to be over nothing at all now, "We are going to find the third key and restore the Grove, which will also rid Aramantium of the Homunculi. Your kind would be able to retake and restore their lost city..."

Neema blinked. The Homun-what? Clearly, Neema did not know much about avian history. You'd think, after Neema nearly had a panic attack telling the news to Cerinii that the ancient senator might have told her about those things in Armantium. It's safe to say that the avian felt really, really stupid right now. That worried expression on her face shifted to one of complete and total embarrassment. "You've got to be kidding.. And all this time I thought -" Her hand went to slap against her forehead while she sighed. It lowered soon after, leaving behind a nice red splotch upon the foolish woman's forehead. With that out of the way, she nodded, followed by a sheepish grin. "Until the final key is found, what are we supposed to do? -Is- there anything we can do?"

Rhocielle smirked faintly, relief evident in his eyes that at least she was no longer overtly worrying herself about some imagined extermination of Avians. "There is a reason Aramantium is still not inhabited by your people, Neema... They, the homunculi, killed those that lived there..." His thoughtful grey eyes turned to scan the darkening horizon, then up to Schezerade. "We will wait, until the Tree speaks again, or the Sage recalls where the third key was hidden. And then... we will return to Aramantium, to retrieve the orb..."

Neema ; The thought of just waiting while those creatures were roaming about Armantium for the Tree or the Sage to speak didn't settle well with Neema, at first. While part of her wanted to fly right on up to the floating city and do something about it, the other, far more sensible one knew it would be a better idea to just wait. Besides, if those homunculi killed off the avians that used to live there, her chances of surviving up there alone had to be small. Very small. Her hat-covered head bobs with a nod, but that worried expression that disappeared just moments before reappears again. "But, what if the third key isn't found?"

Rhocielle offered the worried winged woman an assuring smile, "The first key was found within hours of the Sage's vision... How long did it take you to find that one?" He did not bother waiting for an answer from Neema, as the fact that the first two were found rather quickly should be enough to rest her fears aside. "It will be found..., I am certain of it. In the meantime, you should continue your training, if you are to face off against Homunculi..." His tone was gentle and endearing, however husky his accent was. He would not suddenly subject her to training this late at night, but it was something for her to think over in the coming days.

Neema made a small grin. She was kind of proud of herself for locating the key as quickly as she did, even if it meant squeezing her way through some disgusting fermin tunnels. "About the same time, I'd thi-" Her words cut short once Rhocielle spoke again. Her thoughts drifted toward the staff she had barely touched since last seeing the lycan, and nodded. Her use with magic would definitely need some work too. Aside from what Rhocielle and others had seen Neema do in the past, she couldn't do much. She didn't think flinging a puddle-sized amount of water at one of those homunculi would prevent it from attacking, either. "You're right. I have a feeling I'm going to be the weakest out of the three key bearers.."

Rhocielle scoffed wryly, though keeping his smile towards her, "All the more reason to continue your training. We should be alright, however. Thea will be sending an Avian scout to the city to examine it before we rush off to a hero's death foolishly." He nodded to her, patting her shoulder as he walked past to begin his journey back to Kelay, "We can begin another lesson tomorrow if you wish. I'll send word for you when I am ready, and to tell you where." Looking once more to the Avian, he repeated, "We will find the third key, Neema, and Aramantium will be free for the Avians to use once more..."

Neema nodded again, already taking the thought of searching for a training dummy later on to practice with for a little bit into consideration. "That would be nice," she replied, turning in the lycan's general direction as he walked past. With the concern over whether or not the avians would be wiped out gone and replaced with the thought of training again, she was beginning to get into a nicer mood. As Rhocielle disappeared from view, she sighed. "I sure hope you're right, Rho."