RP:The Death of a Coward

Tyler sits alone at the edge of the world, legs hanging over the cliff face as the mans palms grip to the frosted soil on either side. He sports the same poor dress from a few days prior with the exception of a nice full coin pouch fastened neatly to his belt. The woman had fetched a nifty price. His hair is a mess and his eyes are wide as the scroll across the view before reseting to repeat the motion. Beneath the moonlight of the winters night his frail frame seems unmoving and resembles closely that of the deceased. The human hasn't been doing well. The golden needle in his pocket burns into his leg bringing a deal of discomfort as his mind attempts to reconcile with his actions, the sense of guilt washing over him leading the man to find himself in a battle against his own judgement. Tyler is worn, tired and beaten though it's not something he'd ever admit. He'd rather press on, proclaiming all is right and the world is ok, when in reality, he is forsaken.

Skylei doesn't look much better than Tyler. Sleepless nights take their toll and she wears heavy bags underneath her eyes, combined with untidied hair that falls without purpose or place around her shoulders. She is, at least, better dressed than her partner is; really, with all that money hanging at his belt, is it not time to invest in some better clothes, Tyler? It's a good job Skylei is too tired to pick a fight over this topic and berate him for embarrassing her with his shoddy state of dress when she spies him alone on the cliff edge. Instead she simply walks over and rests a hand, lightly against his shoulder blades. He is thin, too thin. Every part of his body betrays the fact that he is underfed and underweight and, whilst Skylei would have normally chosen to 'discuss' (argue) this fact as well, the fact reminds that she is simply too damn exhausted to care.

Tyler doesn't move as the hand comes in contact with his back. His gaze merely halts in place, hovering over Larket as he allows time to assess who could possibly be touching him. Most people would feel fear from a sudden touch in the dead of night, but Tyler welcomes it. The feeling registers as he measures up the size of the hand merely by the pressure on him. "Hello love." He calls out in a soft tone. It rings in the same chime as the night they had met. Innocent with a hint of anxiety and embaressment.

Skylei keeps her hand in contact with his back as she slides down onto the ground beside him, her own legs dangling alongside his over the edge of the cliff. Her gaze would fall briefly upon Sage, as they were prone to do whenever she found herself in this particular location, before looking to his face. He looks terrible. Skylei worries, of course, but feels no need to let him know that he looks like crap; she's sure he already knows. The hand on his back moves in slow, soft, comforting circles, ensuring that she doesn't place too much pressure on his skin as she has no desire to feel his prominent ribcage. With her other hand she would push her body closer to his so that the two are sandwiched together. Actions do most of her talking and she utters only one softly-spoken word in greeting "Hi."

Tyler waits for Skylei to lean into him before pushing his own weight in her direction. Slow blinks are offered as he gives himself time to think, wetting his lips before taking a deep breath to speak to the wood elf. "A few months ago, I met my first friend. The first person in my life that took a moment to speak with me, to get to know me and to befriend me." A small smile etches itself upon his visage as the man continues. "Do you know what I did to her? I broke her damn shoulder." A sharp exhale through his nostrils is provided as he places his cheek on the top of her head. "What the hell happened to me Skylei?" The human knows Skylei likely won't remember her aide in the capture of the woman recently, and he knows she is unaware of his bond with the dark creature, the one that constantly prys into his mind thanks to the artifact wedged between the duo. "A few months ago, I would kill just to sit with you, now we're engaged... and I feel like you've made the dumbest decision of your entire life." Tyler glances down to her hand to ensure the ring is still there before whispering to her in a low tone. "Get out while you can, girl."

Skylei doesn't remember the incident that plays so heavily on Tyler's mind. Indeed all she remembers is being reunited with her love, and then the incidents that had followed once they had returned to the warmth of indoors. If she tried to think about it too hard, perhaps she would realise that she is missing large chunks of that night. The problem is, of course, that Skylei believes that night was just another like all the rest and she hasn't given the incidents that occurred on Kelay Way a second thought since that day and the crime became lost in the mind mess that Tyler's illusions had somehow managed to produce. This outpouring of emotion, whilst not entirely surprising seems strange to her; things were good, were they not? Indeed half-elf and human haven't fought in quite some time, a strange rarity in their relationship. Why would he tell her to leave now, of all times? The smile that had risen to her lips as Tyler recounted the duos meeting quickly fades as he tells her, yet again to leave. Her response is the same as always. Left hand, with ring still firmly in place rests on his thigh and she whispers one word, "Never."

Tyler chuckles lightly as he begins kicking his legs lightly back and forth over the edge. "Somehow, I knew you'd say that." He turns to face Skylei with a smile and places a soft kiss upon her lips, holding it in an attempt to catch up on those he's missed in recent months. A light pop is heard as he finally breaks the kiss and turns back to the view. "I don't know how I got here, I don't know where I'm going and I don't know what's going to happen." He shakes his head a bit as his heels clash with the cliff face sending some dirt plummeting below. "I just want to be normal again."

Skylei is glad to see that the idea of her leaving floats so quickly from Tyler's mind as it seemed to have entered. She would return his kiss, savouring the sweet moment between the two of them. Once he moves away and turns his face to the view again she would attempt to offer some answers to his questions. Of course, she knows Tyler has the occasional tendency to be maudlin and attempts to bring that smile that had so briefly graced his features back with some less than serious answers, "You got here because you met me, and as for where you're going, that's wherever I'm going. And as for what's going to happen," Sky pauses briefly and runs her ring finger lightly against his thigh, "you're going to marry me and we'll live happily ever after." It's a fallacy, a fantasy; even delusional, somewhat brainwashed Sky knows that. But doesn't it sound nice?

Tyler offers a sharp exhale once more, this time in response to Skylei's optimism. He appreciates it, he honestly does. He could use a bit of light in his life. His features fall stale for a moment and his breathing halts as he seems to lock onto something. A silent nod is given as he turns to face Skylei once more and he mutters to her. "For now, that is a fantasy. But perhaps, one day, when I'm better, it can be a reality." He lifts his left hand and brushes Skylei's hair back before placing his open palm on her cheek. It's a familier sight. Caramel hues begin to glow a bright blue as coils of mana spring from the male and into the woman though this time he provides her with no task. No, the human has come to find that this path he has fallen on is best to be walked alone. He moves about Skylei's mind and picks apart every bit of enchanting he has performed there. Completely erasing her mind of his control. He hesitates. The memory of the woman. Should he leave it? Would she understand? No. She wouldn't. She would, without a doubt, have his head. But is that what he fears most? The work continues until finally the coils release Skylei from their grasp and pull themselves back into the mans skin. Skylei's mind would no longer be a tool for Tyler's control, in fact, the only thing left... is the memory of the woman. He awaits for her to return to him and speaks in a soft tone once again. "Get out while you can." He turns to look over the view, half expecting her to push him to his death.

Skylei goes limp as Tyler's mana works its magic on her brain. Such is the nature of the work that he undertakes that she loses all control of her limbs for a brief moment and her body lolls against his. It is fortunate in fact that she does not fall forward and tumble to her death. Note to Tyler: Don't do this kind of thing on a cliff edge, it's just poor practice. Eventually, as he finishes his work, her eyes reopen and look to him and he whispers those words, 'get out while you can'. She almost opens her mouth to utter her usual response when the weight of newly emerged memories hit her. The night in the forest after their stupid fight in the tavern where he had physically attacked her body and mentally assaulted her mind hits particularly hard and leaves her feeling sick to her stomach. Whatever it was that had happened next remains somewhat blurry; even her unfettered mind is unable to make sense of the metal breakdown that had occurred and had led to the opportune moment for mind-control. But the next memory is worse. She remembers the feeling of a brick in her hand, the feeling of a skull beneath that brick and blood staining her hands. Worse than her vile behaviour, she sees in her memories the look of pride and… pleasure that Tyler had worn as he'd watched her commit the despicable act and the words that he'd spoken that had prompted her to do so. She stops breathing for several seconds as though someone has dropped a ton of bricks on her own skull. Eyes search desperately for him and she begs him with a single word whispered in anguish, "Illusions?" That's what she wants to believe these are, illusions created by him and forced into her mind to scare her away. He is all that she has. She will not believe, without prompting that he would do such things to her.

Tyler provides a longing stare to Skylei. The glow fading from his eyes to reveal a watered base as the emotional man's jaw begins to spasm. His eyes close for a moment as he grips her hand tightly and slowly shakes his head, providing her with an honest answer. The world seems to cease around the two of them. The man taking a final inhale as he struggles to exclaim through a heaving chest as tears fall from his face. "I just want to be normal again." He pushes himself from the cliffs edge, his hand releasing Skylei's as his body begins to descend rapidly towards the earth below. It doesn't take long, but it feels like forever. A thud is heard echoing up the cliff as crows fly off in fear as the mans body crashes to a halt. Unlike the last time, Tyler doesn't suddenly reappear at Skylei's side in order to show her some leason via illusions. No. His body remains gone. No matter how long she waits, the man will not return by her side. Tyler is dead.

Skylei nearly gags when she sees him shake his head. There is an unflinching honesty behind his stare that makes her realise that this is no joke. She still wasn't entirely sure what it was that they had done, but she knows it was disgusting. She's rendered speechless and filled with a primal rage He had defiled her mind and used her to commit evil acts; that is not the behaviour of a lover, fiancé or even a friend. He is vile and he made her vile. She opens her mouth to throw abuse at him but within seconds he is gone. Another one of his stupid illusions. "Good!" she screams over the cliff edge, in the direction of what she believes to be an illusionary corpse, "I hope you are dead! I hate you. I hate y-" She can't finish her words. Try as she might she simply bursts into tears and wraps her arms around her knees and begins to sob. When he doesn't reappear beside her after a few moments, Skylei begins to worry. She doesn't want to worry. Screw Tyler. He's betrayed her in the worst way possible and she hopes, in her blind rage, that the next time she sees his pretty boy face she's in a state to burn it and make him realise how despicable his behaviour was. Minutes pass. Still no Tyler and her tears don't stop falling. Eventually she gets up and peers to the ground below. In spite of her anger, her hatred, the rage and sadness that boils up inside of her, this action makes her sob hysterically again. Still she waits and eventually a horrible realisation hits her. He is dead. That was no illusion and he is not coming back. This is the worst moment even after everything she had felt in those few moments together, Skylei screams with the bloodcurdling, agonising tone of a woman who has literally nothing else to lose. She even briefly contemplates hurling herself off that very same cliff. Instead she curls up in a ball, rocking backwards and forwards and sobbing silently.