RP:When a Heart Breaks it Don't Break Even

    Beata's Spa and Health Salon

Set in the coastal region of Chartsend this house was built by the loving hands of the owners, using the finest local wood and stone that surrounds this circular building, the design is rather unique for this area but fits the local landscape. The entrance is guarded by two ornately carved statues, arms entwined over the door frame. You enter and sweep back the fine multi-coloured silken drapes that hang from the ceiling to pass into the inner sanctum. This main room is dominated by a bubbling, spa style, plunge pool with hidden lovers nooks. Natural mineral water flows from the pool, invigorating even the tiredest of limbs. Your eyes gaze upon the many throw cushions and soft mattresses that are scattered around the edge of the pool. Several guards are enjoying massages, soothing away the aches of a hard days training. A servant plays gentle music in the background and incense sticks waft their heavenly scent throughout the room sending you into a blissful mood. The soft lighting invites you in.

Sabrina couldn’t breathe. The last port left some damage in her landing, melding her with a heavy oak for a moment only long enough to gather it was painful. She had since separated herself and her worries and panic began washing away in the waters here. She still couldn’t find Rohk, and without her parchment she was still at a loss. The golden quill was tucked in her hair neatly and it appeared as though she took to writing directly on her skin- although the ink swirled in tattooed-pearlescent reminders over the back of her left hand and up through her forearm. Her hair clung to her form in a full manner of concealment- though unnecessary as she was of course dressed well enough to clean her wounds in the sparkling waters she was half-submerged in.

Eliason is moving quickly through the town, headed to his home for some much-needed rest. As he passes through the spa, he catches sight of Sabrina half-submerged in the water. He pauses, a smile forming on his lips until he notices that something seems to be wrong. Approaching the edge of the water he watches as she cleans her wounds. "Sabrina... what happened?"

Sabrina’s right side had been blind to Eli as he approached. Huffs of forced breathes push thick strand of wet hair in and out hastily about her mouth and face; emerald angry eyes glimmered up at Eliason with zero recognition. She was tired, in pain, and lost. The pool was stained with her blood, billowing out crimson clouds in the water; from the right shoulder to the tips of her fingers was missing a great deal of flesh, along with a portion of skin and possibly more tissue from her rib cage on that same side- like she was ripped from it most unwillingly. Her left hand reaches out toward Eli whether to ask for help or threaten violence is unclear in her weakened state. She stayed here to heal, thinking the traffic had been next to nothing in those few moments she had been here. It was weak, and heavily accented, but it echoed intricately clear in his ears. “How have you come by my name?” Too many had been calling on her today and Rohk was not here to tell her friend from foe.

Eliason looks down at the water, noting the flow of blood through the liquid. He takes a step back and drops to one knee as she holds her hand out toward him. He has no desire to scare the woman and her oddities are somewhat familiar to him at this point. He looks around for her hellhound, wondering where the creature could be. "Peace, milady. You gave me your name a few weeks ago. I am a friend and I can help you if you would allow. Were your hound here, he would show you that I mean no harm." The big man doesn't make any moves toward her, merely hoping that the softness of his voice and his posture will set her at ease.

Sabrina pushed herself a little more upright as her form had since begun to sag deeper into the water of which already stole her breathe; an innate fear of drowning keeping her from submerging any further. With her left hand she pulls wet strands out of her face and tucks them sloppily behind a pointed ear. She wasn’t wearing a shirt, and with good reason; she had removed it to clean and bind her wounds. Her hands began shaking as the shock to her system became more pronounced. She wasn’t healing fast enough. She borrowed what energy she could from the wood and stone, evidence thereof being a dulling of their essences brought out in a circular pattern surrounding her. Even the water that was stained with her own life was robbed of its vibrancy and still it wasn’t enough. It was a wonder how deep the wounds had been before Eli had arrived taking into consideration the path of blood-mottled ground with dead grasses and an equally dead trail of perennials likely overlooked on the way to this house. It had been one of the worst in some time, for now just the gory bits remained. “Ro…” She nods at him in understanding and only now looks like she is about to cry. She softens just enough to relax her back against the back wall of the pool, albeit stiffly.

Eliason pushes himself to his feet, taking her nod as an affirmation that she will accept his help. He doesn't take the time to remove any of his armor... Indeed, she seems to not have much time left considering the amount of blood that is pouring into the water. He ignores her state of undress as it is not a current concern. His first concern is that she not pass out and drown herself. With that concern in mind, he reaches her side and wraps a supportive arm around the woman's waist. He wastes no time, but instantly begins uttering prayers in an archaic language. It only takes a brief second before his hands begin to glow softly with white light, signaling the beginning of the healing process. Should the prayers work, several of her minor wounds would begin to show up on his own frame, though less pronounced as he absorbs her injuries into himself.

Sabrina began to explain, but for being taken up in his healing embrace. Another’s touch was unfamiliar to her to begin with, let alone a healing touch so calming and pure. Thick trusses cover anything deemed indecent how ever irrelevant that fact had become. She is lifted from the water with rivets of thin mixed blood stringing down her small and spent frame. She would for only the second time in her life appear helpless. A small charge would be felt on his skin where direct contact was made and the floodgates of healing power so willingly offered and had opened. High pulses of energy would travel from his form to hers like a thief stealing the beats from his heart away, more than he would have given freely. Her wounds would reverse unto him in mirrored image slowly and her awareness becomes drenched in clarity. Time, for a moment offered to hold this stand for eternity, moving fluidly slow and bright. She opens warm minty eyes to look upon a fading ocean of reality, an ocean she was stealing unwittingly, and she wrenches to pull away. There was something quelling just there, a dark and disturbing force- demonic in nature but no stranger to either of them. In this moment Eli would feel Rohk’s life force in her as well and it all became suddenly clear. The secret was spelled painfully and etched in the wounds he took upon himself. Would they linger he too would share the life force of that blasted hound and all the sins he carried with him. The nature of this affliction would be painful – if not permanent- if her healer could not break free.

Eliason opens his eyes wide as those floodgates open wide and the holy energies flood out of him. At first, the process goes normally, if not more quickly than usual. But then there is that presence and his teeth clench. The flow of prayers and the light in his hands grows dark as the holy energies become tainted with the hellhound's lifeforce. From somewhere within, his reasoning mind screams out a warning. This and the feel of her wrenching against him breaks through the hold that is over him. He is able to let her go as blood flows from the new wounds upon him. Taking a shuddering breath, he sinks to one knee in the water, barely keeping his face above the surface.

Sabrina falls to the ground hard, cursing him for what he had done. Her eyes dug into him accusingly and she called out his name while clarity still held her. She does her best to tug at his large body, her tiny form doing little to free him from a watery grave. She screams again, lashing about in the water, her own fears hiding in the recesses of her mind. She looks around frantically searching for help of any kind. Rohk slides into the spa, panting and fully ablaze and his bestial mass climbing into the water with the stones breaking beneath his feet. He would, if able, latch onto the servant of Arkhen at the shoulder with a maw not biased to delicate natures. A twisted ringing would offend his ears repeating without mercy an insult to add to his injury ~stupid human~ The voice of the hound resonating clearly in Eli’s mind. Sabrina sat trembling at the water’s edge where Rohk would then drop the male without compassion.

Eliason is far beyond feeling any more pain, his body is at the threshold of all he can possibly handle. Usually, he would have absorbed just enough of her injuries for her to survive and he would heal quickly from what he had taken. But her essence or that of the presence within her had taken hold and dealt the man far more than was appropriate. Rohk's teeth sinking in his shoulder are barely felt as he sinks into a lower level of consciousness where he is numb from everything. Sabrina's accusatory glare and her flailing about go unnoticed, but Rohk's voice in his head comes across like a splash of cold water in the face. It is merely a moment after being unceremoniously dumped at the side of the pool that he would jerk up into a sitting position, his hand settling upon his wounded torso. He looks between the other two in confusion as to what exactly had just occurred.

Sabrina said nothing, she just looked at him in completely aware horror. There were things he knew now and she wondered if he should die. She didn’t know him, she owed him big time, but this… what was this anyway? Her thoughts were pouring out in rambled confessions through both of them. Rohk just stared at her like the crazy person she was acting like and simply waited for what Eli would think to do. That was all it would take, think of it. Sabrina’s thoughts began to slow, no doubt realizing the link would probably be similar to what she shared with the hellbeast and her guilt bled just as eagerly into the network they shared. Rohk seemed irreverent to any of it. Finally gathering herself she becomes aware of two things; Eliason is wounded, she is disrobed. Quickly she finds her corset and despite still being relatively sore she dresses on her way out the door. She is gone for some time, giving Rohk and Eli a moment to sort it all out.

Eliason is still as Sabrina's thoughts and emotions flood his senses. It takes some time for him to realize what he is feeling, hearing, sensing. His head jerks up at her brief thought about him dying, seeing in her mind how it would happen and why. But the thought is banished quickly and he shakes his head, trying to clear the jumble that is in his head. As she realizes that he can hear her thoughts, it becomes clear what has happened... As if her sorting it out in her head allows him to see the same in his own. And just like that, she is gone, leaving him with the hellhound. He looks toward the beast, though the motion pains him and the wounds that he's taken on. He speaks aloud, not quite getting the concept of sharing consciousness with someone. "I don't understand... I just healed her, that's all."

Rohk is disgusted by what just happened, thinking a healer should have known not to mix one art with another, but Sabrina didn’t know either when she found the beast nearly frozen to death in a pile of his mother’s ashes. Those magics were evil; they took what they wanted and gave nothing back. The vision was clear and the meaning was deep rooted. She gave her heart to him, literally, half of her heart was imbued to his to keep it beating, keep him bound to this plane. Every magic is different, it could turn out a million different ways, Eli’s effects could wear off in time. Truth be told The hound was indebted to the High Elfess, just as the High Elfess was now indebted to Eliason. Sabrina returned, still pale but freshly aware. There were new pearly markings on her arms written with the Golden Quill; that Eli would somehow just know she used to record important events as she was incapable of storing memories like others normally would. There was simply too much in there. She seemed angry with him and apologetic at the same time. “You should eat something.” It was more a suggestion for what he just endured rather than a genuine concern for his appetite or lack thereof. She tosses to him a small rolled up package. “What have we decided?” She almost dreaded asking it as she kneels down beside him encouraging him to lie down before she begins a less evasive, less direct, manner of healing.

Eliason takes in the information offered by Rohk in his visions gritting his teeth against the truth of what he had done. This should not have happened, his power not being his own, but more a channel of a higher one should have shielded him from these things... But it had happened, the fact could not be disputed. Taking a deep, gasping breath, he takes a moment to eat a few bites of the offered food before Sabrina asks her question. Turning his head only slightly once he is lying down, he looks at her. "We.." he waves a hand to indicate Rohk ".. should not share consciousness. We are of different essences and I'm afraid it will hurt you." That is about all of the coherent thought he can manage before groaning under the pain of the injuries.

Sabrina glares down at him. “How could you have been so stupid?” How could he have even known? It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate him, but half a century bound to a hellhound would leave one somewhat bereft of tenderness. Despite her bedside manner there was still a genuine warmness for her need to make Eliason at ease. Her cold words would be masked in a blanket of fondness for the Commander. She simply nods at his statement. “Ro and I decided that we shouldn’t share either; unfortunately there is no higher power to free me from my ties. Its why I have been searching the Book of Ara, it is for a spell that can put me in two places at once.” She looks at Rohk with tear filled eyes. “I cannot exist in his world, and he should not have to exist in mine.” His statement was all too true, about the pain and about having one and not t’other. She did just fine finding that line that kept her and Rohk some level of sane, but the powers of the light seemed to combat that line in an attempt to sever it. Between Eliason and Rohk, she was the weakest link. She had paused in healing him for that one simple thought that lingered dangerously in her mind and she swallows hard. They all at once would have to realize that in order to undo what had been done, Eli would have to undo what he had done and give it all back. Her eyes well up and flow over. “We have to go to the lake.” At least there, it was enough nature she would surely not die-not like Rohk would let it happen anyways.

Eliason is of course aware of what she's thinking and as her healing offers him some comfort, he is able to lift a hand to set it upon her knee. "Wait... It may not come to that. I don't want to undo the healing..." He will not respond to her first question, knowing that it was only asked out of frustration. And with a light easing of his pain, the paladin can think more clearly. "If I lower my defenses, Rohk may be able to force me out of your consciousness. But..." he pauses, his eyes growing cautious as he continues. "If this does what I expect, I would be an open book to both of you. You would know my past, my present, my plans for the future. I have to be able to trust you."

Sabrina laughs lightly. “I don’t know what you propose, but if you succeed I won’t remember you anyways.” The rush of sadness was almost smothering with this admission. “There is only one guarantee that grants all parties fair justice. And we need to go to the lake before your wounds seal in that which you cannot be bound by.” It was not an act done willingly; it was a byproduct of an uninformed leap. This would become clearer as the truth set in; Eliason did not take only Sabrina’s superficial wounds, but the infection of the demon as well. “The only trust I can offer you is the truth that if you kill one of us, you kill both of us.” Rohk growled at Sabrina, bearing his teeth at her and wanting to rip out her throat for such confessions. She snarls back at him ~He would have found out anyway, you can’t hide everything forever.~ There arguing between the two would soon become deafening though they sat there in complete silence, exchanging very hateful glances in each other’s direction.

Eliason nods slowly, not fully comprehending what Sabrina's idea is, but knowing that something must be done before anything becomes permanent. One thing grows clearer by the moment, however, these two do not share the loving bond that he had thought existed between them. Her healing was debt that Rohk resented as much as he appreciated much like his healing is now to her. Closing his eyes against the silent battle between the two, the paladin finally calls out verbally..."Enough! You two arguing in my head is too much!" Lowering his voice, the man shakes his head. "Please stop..." He turns his sapphire gaze to the hound. "If I lower my mental defenses, do you think you can push me out? It would be better than transferring these wounds back to her..."

Sabrina didn’t want to argue anymore. She cut him off and with all hope she would catch Eli off guard and leaning forward she presses her lips to his and begins stealing fractions of his freshly acquired wounds. Hot tears strung down her cheeks as the pain became intolerable. Rohk’s jaw just dropped, thinking he didn’t know she even knew how to do that and then the unspeakable happened. The hound, very childishly yanks Sabrina from Eli by the hair and sneezed disgusted snot at both of them. He didn’t even have a moment to block that off as he swaggers away trying to get the taste of Eli out of his mouth. He was speechless, and totally grossed out by everything that had happened…was happening… just Ew! And with a human no less. He interjects his opinion about going with Eliason’s suggestion out of sheer and utter revulsion; pointing out if Eliason was so willing he could simply give back the sins and keep the agony to himself. Deep down inside he cared about the girl in a way the paladin would never understand. Sabrina naturally loved everything more than she cared to admit, it is why she did what she did.

Eliason 's eyes open wide as Sabrina's lips meet his own. His arms flail helplessly at his sides in surprise and not knowing what to do with them. For a moment, the feeling is actually quite pleasant, but then he realizes exactly what she's doing as his own healing is slowly reversed and the wounds begin to heal slightly. He lifts his hands to push her away just as Rohk takes her by the hair. In the confusion of the moment, the paladin suddenly finds himself covered in hellhound snot and his head full of the beast's disgust. But after a moment, the man realizes that the thoughts are not as pervasive and have actually grown a little distant. Obviously whatever she had been trying to do was working... But he watches her gasping in pain and finds himself helpless to make a decision.

Sabrina pulls a string of clear-grey snot from her hair, making a face akin to a child with vegetables. They exchanged a few more glances and in Rohk’s finale silence they both turn to Eliason in perfect harmony. A corresponding duel head tilt ensues, followed by a lengthy round of silence. Sabrina and Ro look to each other again and Sabrina grins sheepishly as the last of that round of wounds seal shut. Rohk approaches Eliason very interested in what just happened. He stoops so he is eye to eye with the semi-propped paladin. Sabrina shrugged, almost too happy of what she had to endure. Eliason was the first male she had ever kissed and all pain aside she was comedically pushy to give it another go. She sits upright and begins the slightest of lean-ins on Eli only to be pushed back on her butt by Rohk. He didn’t know how to deal with this, like a papa bear and his cub he was unwilling to just stand by and let the perversion happen.

Eliason lifts a hand to push it through his hair, a trail of slime coming free with the motion. He swallows hard to push down the bile rising at the feel of the snot. Turning his sapphire gaze between the two as they regard him, the man opens his eyes wide in innocent confusion. "What?!" he asks helplessly, though he is thankful that whatever connection he had shared with the two had faded to a dull roar in his brain. He turns just as Sabrina is leaning in closer. Had he taken a moment to consider, he might not object to the kiss, but he knows that she will take on more wounds should she do it again and so takes a breath to say something to stop her. Rohk's nudge saves him from having to say anything and he turns back to the hellhound, asking again, "What?!"

Sabrina just giggles. That was easier than she thought, though after calculating the opposing forces and nature’s way of righting its wrongs she came to the conclusion it was probably meant to be. She figured it had less to do with any of them and more to do with circumstance- there was nothing that said anything had to be done and it may have simply worn off. Still… that other thing that just happened was frickin amazing; The snot covering both of them, not so much. She looks to the blood soaked pool, thinking they would probably clean it out in the morning. She looks upon Eliason’s wounds with a lot less guilt now that it looked like he would heal in his own time through his deity or whatever. She grins beautifully at him, her whole persona changed from the confused lost soul that wandered mindlessly and in this way she was stunning- but covered by a thin layer of boogers. “Keep eating, I put a ton of herbs in there.” She stood, not bothering to rake off the slimy filth that was still upon her, for a single hound with a single nose Ro seemed to produce enough snot to cover a picnic table. “You can still join me at the lake; a bath will do you good.” It was a playful offer, for the time being she forgot he was merely human. Something was different now; Eliason was etched into her memory. “Your eyes…” She beams at him “… are happy.”

Eliason pushes himself to his feet with much effort, grunting at the pain in what was left of the wounds he had absorbed. He considers using the warm waters of the spa to clean himself off, but thinks better of it when he sees just how red it has become with spilled blood. He lifts the package of food that she had provided and nods his thanks. For some reason, despite the layer of hound-snot on her face, the paladin finds that he is having a hard time looking away from the woman. "I should probably escort you to the lake anyway. It's not safe..." Her observation about his eyes elicits a chuckle. "Well, at least they don't make you sick anymore." Suddenly he becomes aware that Rohk is actually fairly close to him and the look on the hound's face doesn't look particularly friendly.

Sabrina didn’t care what Rohk had to say, and if everything was as it seemed Eliason didn’t understand a word of what was going through his mind. The hound scoffs audibly and tramples out the door truly appalled about what was going on in Sabrina’s mind, leaving him no choice but to block all that disgusting nonsense off and hope she never thought of it again. Sabrina happily grabs hold of Eli’s wounded arm; she was completely different when she didn’t have to protect Rohk’s safety. If anyone had wanted to harm him the easiest way would be to harm her- and Eliason didn’t seem the harming type. She was warm, certainly not dangerous in this state, and she was more than willing to share what ever information Eliason wanted about how the hound was bound to the surface; though it was possibly Eliason already knew. She didn’t have a whole lot to say about herself, as she was never the topic of most queries. She urged Eliason lake-ward.

Eliason allows himself to be led by his wounded arm toward the lake. The wounds that he still bears are beginning to ache less as the divine power begins to do its work and heal him. There are still faint traces of what was going on in Rohk and Sabrina's minds, but nothing concrete that he can hold on to and make anything out of. He relaxes visibly once Rohk disappears and offers a tentative inquiry, testing how open Sabrina will be with him considering the circumstances. "I'm still kind of fuzzy on how you got hurt in the first place. What exactly happened?"

Sabrina wanted so badly to dismiss the reason for the injury he was now forced to sustain. “I um… ported. Into an oak tree…” She lets go his arm. “It was my second successful attempt.” What were the unsuccessful ones? “The book wasn’t clear of what to do in those circumstances… I believe I will stick to porting to familiar areas…” She trailed off realizing now it would have been the logical first step rather than a sloppy hindsight. She wore her careless curiosity on her sleeve.

Eliason cannot help but chuckle at the reason behind everything that had happened today. He ponders also the change in demeanor that it had all caused in the woman and they way she spoke to him. He wonders idly if she will remember his name the next time they meet. With a sly smile he offers, "Well, congratulations on the success..."

Sabrina stops walking and looks way up at Eliason. “Commander, the chances of me remembering any of this are slim. Would you mind too much… that is to say... Will you do me the honor of a formal kiss?” She stole one earlier and realized it wasn’t completely unquantifiable. She blushes brightly as she earnestly loses herself in his abyssal torment. “You don’t have to mean it.”

Eliason stops and turns toward her, color rising in his cheeks at her request. This was the last thing he had been expecting to hear from her. He looks around, trying to see if Rohk might be lingering nearby before turning to meet her eyes. "You want me to kiss you?" It is not that he is put off by the idea, he is just very surprised at the request.

Sabrina fabricates a meaningful smile, misreading his deferment completely. “So silly, I am sorry I asked. It was stupid.” Her smile lies for her well. After all, there were probably procedures and whatnot she was unaware of. “I think I can find my way to the lake from here, Commander.” Minty orbs find her feet and she walks on without him in silence.

Eliason thinks for a moment, watching as she moves away. He has offended her and really what is the harm. It's not as if it would be their first kiss and she wouldn't remember it anyway. Quickly making up his mind, he follows after her quickly. Once he is within arm's reach, he reaches out and takes her by the arm, turning her gently toward him. "Wait, I didn't say no. You just caught me off guard is all."

Sabrina wouldn’t look up at him and with good reason. “People aren’t experiments, it was rude to ask.” She wasn’t offended, she just felt ridiculous and in that effect had changed her mind. After all the assumption was right, she wouldn’t remember after all. She felt like breaking and quietly responded as sincerely as she could muster. “I don’t want to talk right now, I am going hunting.” Hunting… she was good at that and didn’t have to ask anyone for anything. She pulled away in every effort not to appear either rude or weak. After all, he was just some Human, what did he know. Oddly enough it began to rain.

Eliason shakes his head, rain beginning to bead in his hair as the heavens open up above them. As she steps away, he makes a final attempt at reaching out to her. Lifiting a hand, he sets it under her cheek and attempts to raise her eyes to his own. Should she meet his gaze, he would step forward and lower his lips to hers. Should she not meet his gaze, he would simply shake his head and say, "I'm sorry, it wasn't rude..."

Sabrina was crying when he met her gaze. Silent tears falling in crystalline splashes of rain collected on her flushed cheeks. This was not like her in the least, succumbing to any emotion other than the violence that would normally ensue. Her lips were warm, inviting, and safe. Her aura would surround them in a peace where rain fell still and delicate flecks of dewy prisms danced along her lashes as she gazed mesmerizingly into his eyes. She was on tip toe, still only coming to the middle of his chest and would feel delicate and helpless in this moment- much like she was when wounded and broken on the spa floor. She wished she would never forget this but as luck would betray her very heart she would not know his name by dawn. Her hurt and dismay would wash over him, every emotion mustered and held astray by the grace which her kind could bestow would drown him in a sorrow she carried with her always. He should have kissed her when she was happy, the reward would have lifted him up.

Eliason presses his lips against Sabrina's softly. The sight of those tears streaming down her cheeks had left him with such a feeling of guilt for hurting her in such a way. As he stands there, lips pressed against hers. Perhaps it is the residual effects of that healing connection, perhaps it something to do with her magic, or perhaps it is a combination of all, but he is suddenly overwhelmed with the emotion that she is experiencing. Sorrow and regret and a desire for life to be different... they are overwhelming in the flood that pours from her. But there is a sweetness to it that is intoxicating. Though she will forget by dawn what is occurring, for him it is the ultimate in intimacy. To share such an emotional reaction to such a physical thing. This moment burns itself into his mind and he knows that he will not ever be able to forget. After several moments, he pulls away slightly and looks down at her, finding that he has no words.

Sabrina keeps her eyes closed for a time, the reality of it all stabbing her in the chest. She exhales slowly, eyes opening to a shining raw and lush green that glowed against the first moon’s light. The downpour had ceased, following a trail toward the place they just left. She takes a small step back, looking frail in comparison to him in general. “I won’t write this down.” She smiles at him reassuringly. “I promise.” Turning toward the path leading to the lake she walks on, Rohk can be felt nearby- the ever watchful eye of her protector the only constant she can rely on when she wakes.