Closed A Reunion

[Zach Grasswind]

1st Fall, 521av

"Speech"

Zach jolted awake with a start, almost flinging himself right over the side of the bed as he did so. He squinted his eyes almost shut at the bright light of Syna seeping in around the gaps in hastily drawn curtains wondering with a groggy mind what on Mizahar the time was.

The Drykas hunter had made his weary way back into the city in the middle of the night. Of course, night did not mean a lot in Lhavit, for as he had all but stumbled through the Amaranthine Gate he was met with the unmistakeable buzz of a city that was very much awake. It had been somewhere around the 4th bell which was usually prime time for leisure and revelry. It had taken all of his willpower to stay awake long enough to lug his belongings to the Solar Wind Apartments and crawl into bed for the deepest sleep he had had in a long time.

Zach yawned and rubbed at his eyes before casting his gaze over the room. It was a bit of a mess, for he had been too tired to put anything away after upending his pack to find clothes to sleep in that did not have mud and road dust all over them. His eyes had adjusted to the light by now, and he realised it wasn’t as bright as he had first thought. He slid off the bed and twitched open a curtain to see a haze of clouds stretching over the sky above with Syna’s light struggling to break through to the city below.

There had been only one thought besides sleep on the hunter’s mind since he had gotten back. The thought took the shape of a person, one he had missed terribly, and the exhaustion had been the only thing keeping him from going to find her the second he had gotten back. He hurriedly dug through the mess on the floor and found a presentable shirt which he pulled on, smoothing out the wrinkles in the dark blue fabric as best as he could. Brown trousers and scuffed leather boots went on next before he splashed some cold water on his face to make sure he was truly awake.

The streets outside of the Solar Winds were fairly quiet so it took a chime for Zach to find someone to stop and ask the time of. It was rapidly approaching the Dusk Rest and he picked up the pace, boots tapping rhythmically over the ground as he speed-walked to the Shinyama Peak. As he stepped onto the bridge fat drops of rain started to fall, turning the hunter’s shirt almost black where they landed.

Despite walking as fast as he could without running Zach was pretty soaked by the time he stopped outside of the Nine Lives. He was relieved to see it was still here, the familiar little sign at the bottom of the steps leading to the plain door. He reached out and twisted the handle to find it locked. The Dusk Rest must have crept over while he had been walking. The lights were still on though, so he had hope she was still here. He knocked once, peering through the small window as he did so.

Zach thought he could make out a small cat perched on the counter, but whether it was a sleeping Ember or an ornament he could not say for it was very still. He rubbed at the back of his neck, a little anxious now that he was actually here. Would she be angry with him? Pleased to see him? He hoped she had received his note, but the boy he had trusted it to for delivery hadn’t struck him as the most reliable.

The Drykas knocked again, rapping twice on the door this time.
“Dev? Are you there?”


wc: 641

[Dev'Ania]

Dev’Ania moved sluggishly around the small shop. It had been over a year since the events of the Magekiller. Well in the past now, but somehow the pain still remained. At first, she thought the execution of the serial killer would give her mind a sense of relief. Justice had been served. Right? Instead, her mind longs for answers and goodbyes that she will never get. Dev had become a new person. Pieces of her were missing. Filled with grief and loneliness - she was broken.

Yet, every day she woke up and came to her shop. Giving readings to the plentiful denizens of the bright city, knowing that her readings were often giving their lives a sense of purpose - that is what fueled her to push through the day. It was harder on slow days like today. Fall had begun, bringing its gloomy weather along with it. The silence of the shop allowed Dev’s mind to wander to places she was trying to avoid.

Dev tried to keep herself busy to avoid her mind’s activity. She began to clean up as part of her usual routine before closing for the next resting period. Locking the door of the shop and making her way behind her counter. She grabbed a simple broom and began sweeping the wooden floor back and forth, dust and dirt forming a small pile as she went along. She swept the entire shop, moving the pile closer and closer to the door which would allow her to simply sweep it all outside the door and into the grass when she was ready to leave.

It was on to her next task after sweeping - replacing all the candles. The silence of the shop was broken by the sound of the rain falling on the shop’s roof. Soft patters at first, then progressively louder as the heavy drops fell from the sky. It soothed Dev’s nerves. She took a chime to close her eyes and listen. The rhythm of the rain hitting the roof eased the Konti in a way that made her instantly forget about her pain. Deep breaths filled her lungs and she took a seat at her table. Across from her, her best friend and pet, Ember, laid snug on the counter as she often did.

The peacefulness was disturbed by a quick knock at the shop’s door.

“Sorry, I’m closed until after Dusk rest.” she sighed. Her eyes opened slowly as she glimpsed at the front shop window. The weather had created a foggy mist that covered the windows and made it hard to see through. All she could make out was the figure of a person. A man based on the figure’s build and stature.

After a few ticks, the man knocked again. Perhaps he couldn’t hear over the rain. Dev’Ania rose from her seat and walked over to the door to repeat herself.

“Sorry, I said I’m-”

She was interrupted by the voice on the other side of the wooden door. A voice that was familiar to her. A voice she had not heard for such a long time. The Konti’s hand unlocked the door and slowly pulled it open in disbelief. After so long, he was back?

Dev’s jaw dropped as she saw him on the other side of the door. She couldn’t believe that he was there.

“Zach!” She yelled out the Drykas’ name as she threw her arms around his neck for a hug. She held on to him, feeling his soaked clothing and the rain beginning to wet her as well. “Oh, sorry. Please, please come in!” She dropped her arms and gestured for him to come into the shop. She swiftly made her way behind the shop’s counter, noticing Ember awake and stretching, and grabbed a spare towel she had kept for cleaning. Her hand held the towel out to Zach, “Here, use this to dry off. You wouldn’t want to get sick from the cold…”

[Zach Grasswind]

"Speech"

Time does funny things when you’re waiting for something. Even though Zach had knocked on the door mere ticks ago, he felt as though he had been waiting for several chimes. It did not help that he was overthinking the situation either, something the laid back Drykas never usually did. It was an unfamiliar sensation, the fluttering feeling somewhere under his sternum and he wasn’t sure that he liked it at all.

His mind ran through several scenarios as he stood on the step, water running off his hair and down the back of his neck. Would she shout at him and tell him to leave? No… even if she didn’t want to see him she was too nice to do something like that. Perhaps she would simply pretend she was not in. Or maybe, just maybe, she would be happy because the boy had delivered his note after all.

Zach shuffled his feet, watching water move under the soles of his shoes. The top step was worn with a dip in the middle that allowed the rain to pool. He raised his head again as he thought he heard footsteps sounding on the other side of the door and took a tiny step back so that he was not standing too close. He watched the handle turn and lifted his gaze as the door opened, and then he was face to face with her.

Dev’Ania hadn’t changed in the time he had been away. Long blonde hair framed her delicate features and the pearly scales dusting her forehead shimmered faintly in the pale afternoon light. He sought out her eyes, a clear bright blue like his own used to be, the eyes he had thought of often while he had been elsewhere.

He hadn’t known what to expect from Dev’Ania when he had knocked on the door, but the excited shout and the arms around his neck was certainly not it. He paused, taken aback, for just a fraction of a tick before wrapping his arms around her in return. Zach smiled into her hair, relieved and overjoyed all at once.

He stepped after her into the warmth of the shop, slicking his soaking hair back out of his face. Zach loitered in the doorway for a moment, taking in the familiar room. The tapestry still hung on the wall and he noted that the cat on the counter was indeed Ember, as the feline had awoken with a stretch. He shut the door behind him and moved to the counter, scratching the cat gently behind its ears.

“Thank you.” He took the offered towel from Dev’Ania and scrubbed at his hair. “Dev I…” It was unusual for the Drykas to fumble for words, but somehow the Konti often had that effect on him. “I’m sorry I didn’t come and see you before… I hope you got my note.” Zach’s brow creased slightly, the hunter feeling awkward and not sure if he should be formal or not. “If you didn’t then I am even more sorry. I should have come and found you but I didn’t think I’d be away for so long.”

He offered a smile to the Konti before continuing, trying to ease into his good-natured self. “I’m glad you still have your shop here. It looks like you’ve been doing well. And Ember is so big now!”

He set the now sodden towel down on the counter next to Ember. The cat pawed at it curiously, and Zach watched her while he considered his next words. Had Dev’Ania moved on from him while he had been away? He didn’t want to presume he could come back and have her in his life again. Would she want that anyway, after the amount of time he had been gone? Zach took a breath and hedged his bets. You didn’t get anything without trying.

He raised his gaze, his starburst gold and blue eyes finding hers again. “I missed you Dev.”


wc: 662

[Dev'Ania]

It was still hard for Dev’Ania to believe that Zach was back and standing before her. Her stance was soft and steady, all she could do was stand there with her deep ocean eyes admiring him, almost in a trance. She thought back to the feeling that she got the first time she laid eyes on him at the tavern. The flutters that filled the pit of her stomach and rose into her chest. The thudding of her heart. A feeling almost indescribable for the pale, blonde-haired woman.

Perhaps it was The Call that Dev was feeling. The desire for companionship flowed through her Konti blood. She longed to fill the void, emptiness within her after losing her family, and what seemed like every person that was close to her. Or perhaps, the young konti was just being foolish.

He hadn’t been gone for that long, but in the time of his absence, Dev had managed to change a lot. She had grown into a more mature woman. It was almost as if the pain in her brought out another, very different, side of the sweet, kind-hearted konti. A more protective and shielded side of the woman, something she had never experienced within herself, though she was still fairly young and would be learning much more about herself as she aged.

Reality set back in as Zach spoke, snapping Dev out of her trance of the man. In hopes that he didn’t notice her subtle stare, her hands quickly rose to cover the flush of red that overtook her soft, pale cheeks.

“Oh, Zach… I’m sorry, I didn’t get your letter. But it...it’s okay…” Her fingers fiddled with one another as she spoke, feeling as if she were being awkward. Just relax, she thought to herself. If she were honest with herself, she was quite upset to know that he sent her a letter that she didn’t receive. Granted it wasn’t entirely his fault, she would have been saved the time spent questioning if she had gotten his note before he left. Her fingers continued to fiddle with one another and she quickly took a seat in her chair at the table, then she gestured for him to take a seat across from her.

“Thank you, the shop has been well. Still a lot I want to do with it, but in due time. And, yes, Emmy has grown quite a bit. She still manages to keep me in awe with how big and grown she is getting.” Her reply was accompanied by a chuckle and smile. Her smile grew wider at his comment and the red in her cheeks deepened once more, causing her to look down into her lap. Her heart beat faster with the simple comment.

RELAX!

A deep breath flowed past her lips and her muscles loosed as she finally listened to her mind and relaxed before replying, “I’ve missed you as well, Zach... We have some catching up to do, don’t we?” She looked back up to see him, whether her invitation to sit was accepted or not, she would look at him. Catching her own eyes would be the difference in the color of his. The fade from yellow to blue in his irises had been of the intrigue of the Konti, but she had never known how the hunter has such interesting colored eyes. “Your eyes are still as fascinating as they were the last time I saw you, hunter.”

[Zach Grasswind]

"Speech"

Zach was watching Dev’Ania carefully, trying to pick up on any signs that she might be more angry or disappointed than she was letting on. He kept her in his line of sight as he peered round the shop and tried not to smile as he noticed the Konti fixing her own gaze on him.

His brow furrowed as she revealed his letter had gone undelivered. Zach offered her a small smile and a shake of his head. “It’s not your fault at all Dev… It’s mine. I should have come to you myself.” He knew he should not have trusted the boy but he hadn’t wanted to risk being left behind to trek from the gates by himself. “I can’t imagine what you must have thought.” He watched her hands as they danced, hating the idea that the gentle Konti might have thought he had abandoned her.

The tension broke a little as Dev’Ania moved, and the Drykas visibly relaxed a little more as a light chuckle followed her words. He had forgotten how soft and lyrical her voice was. He flicked his gaze to the cat again, still perched on the counter studiously cleaning its whiskers. That it seemed to be mostly fully grown was a testament to how long he had been away for.

He sat opposite Dev’Ania in the seat she had motioned to. He caught the reddening of her cheeks before she dropped her head and smiled again to himself. That was a good sign right? Zach braced his forearms on the chair and leaned forward to look at her as she raised her head again. Their gazes met and his smile was warm as he heard her words.

He chuckled, any lingering awkwardness leeching away. “We do indeed.” Her eyes almost reflected his, the bright cerulean irises watching him carefully. He could sense there was something different about her. Not in her looks, but in her gaze, the way she held herself. It took him a moment but he realised that it was perhaps a maturity that hadn’t been there before. There was a lack of innocence in her eyes that had been so pronounced when they had first met.

He wondered what may have caused such a thing. Time maybe, but he sensed there was more to it than that. He cast his mind back, recalling dark moments for the city as a whole not long before he had left. Mages had died and an air of anxiety had lingered for a long while.
“What happened while I was away?” Concern etched itself over his brow as he wondered at how the Konti may have been involved. While not technically a mage she did have the use of another type of magic. Had that put her in danger? Zach mentally cursed himself for not realising sooner. If he had known…. would he have left?
“The city feels… a little different.”

The Drykas gave her a wry smile at the mention of his eyes. He fixed them on her again, the gold starbursts reflecting the soft light in the shop. “I never did get a chance to tell you.” He paused, wondering how much detail he should go into.
“They’re magic, Dev. I have magic now.” He chuckled again, sounding almost disbelieving of himself. “At least, Madeira helped me figure out that’s what it likely is. I’m still not really sure how it works but I have an idea…”

He trailed off for a tick to let her digest the information. “You know how sometimes my shoulder gets stiff? I had an accident one time out on the mountain.” He grimaced, recalling the day. “I know, it was stupid to go alone. I got hurt and stuck, and there was a fox too. It has the same eyes and somehow it gave them to me and now I guess I have them forever.”

From up on the counter Ember yawned and Zach sat back in the chair again, glancing around the shop once more. “I would love to hear about your plans if you would tell me? For your shop.” If she would have it, Zach would be more involved in the Konti’s life. The pair had previously flitted around such things and had never truly meshed their individual lives together.


wc: 717

[Dev'Ania]

The konti’s posture remained straight as she sat in the sturdy wooden chair. She gulped as the hunter asked about the events of when he was away. She briefly paused before answering, collecting her thoughts and thinking about what she wanted to tell him. Should she tell him everything? Or should she leave out some parts as to not worry him? After a few ticks, she opened her mouth to reply, but it took her a few more ticks for actual works to escape her mouth. She would tell him everything. It was better to be entirely truthful.

“W-Well, quite a lot happened. There was a serial killer on the loose in the city - The Mage killer, she was called.” She paused before continuing, her mind filling with flashbacks of the events once again. "Symbols were painted across the doors of known mages in the city, and then not long after, those mages were found dead. My old mentor, the Alheas Crone, was one of them…” Her voice trailed off for a tick at the mention of Cala. “A few of us decided to do our own investigation into the matter - mostly me and Madeira Craven. And eventually, the killer was caught, thank the gods.” Dev’Ania looked down as she recalled the event. Her breathing became slow and steady as she tried to calm her mind again. “But everything is okay now.”

She looked back up and into Zach’s eyes. “Magic, you say…” she gave a slight smirk, “So you know the great Madeira Craven, too. She was one of the most magical people I know, but I guess I can add you to that list as well. And no matter how it happened, what matters most is that you are okay.” Dev’s elbows leaned on the table and her arms crossed as she leaned forward. She looked around the shop as she began to explain her future plans. When talking about her shop, Dev’s whole demeanor had shifted. Her shop brought her joy. It was her place of escape, so she enjoyed talking about the plans she had for it.

“I want to expand it, a lot. I’m working towards having a garden added to grow my own tea leaves. I want to add more decorations around the entire shop - more tapestries, rugs, pillows. More comfy seating over here. Maybe some paintings over there. An alter to Avalis over there, too.” Her eyes lit up with excitement as she gesture to and fro for where she envisioned everything going. “Maybe the shop will become like Infinity Manor,” she giggled. “Oh, and maybe I can offer services. I haven’t quite figured that out yet. But I want the Nine Lives to be a welcoming and cozy place for everyone."

[Zach Grasswind]

"Speech"

Zach could sense Dev’Ania’s emotion change as he asked about events that had transpired in his absence. From the look in her eyes and the slight stammer to her voice as she began to speak, he figured it was the remnants of fear. Again, he wished he had stayed, hating the thought that the gentle Konti had been in danger.

He nodded once. “I remember the name…” Zach had heard a whisper of it not long after he had started his journey – the first of the deaths occurring while he had still been around. His brow knitted together in a worried frown as Dev’Ania spoke of the Alheas Crone. He had not realised that the woman had been someone so close to her.

“I’m sorry to hear that, truly I am.” His voice was soft as he spoke, and he waited quietly for Dev to collect her thoughts again. His expression returned to normal, before he raised a single eyebrow momentarily. Of course Madeira Craven had been involved. He wouldn’t ever underestimate the spiritist’s ability to find out about everything that was happening in the city.
“Well, I am glad. I’m so happy you’re safe, and I’m sorry I wasn’t about to help…” He met her eyes again.

Zach gave a light chuckle. “I’m not sure that there is anyone Madeira doesn’t know at this point!” He smiled. “She’s basically family now, her and the rest of them.” Zach hadn’t seen any of them yet since his return – Dev’Ania was the first one on his mind upon waking. He hoped the Craven’s were alright too, though he didn’t doubt they were anything but with Madeira at their head.

Zach leaned back in his chair, smiling mostly to himself as he watched and listened to Dev’Ania become more animated. Speaking about her shop lit her up, the excitement practically bubbling off of her. He tried to picture what she was explaining, his gaze following her gestures around the space they currently occupied. It took him a tick to remember that Dev was marked by Avalis, and it was the Goddesses power that aided her in her work.

The Drykas grinned at her. “Can Lhavit handle two Infinity Manors?” He laughed again. “It sounds wonderful Dev, truly. If I can do anything to help you, please ask.”
It was at that moment that Zach’s stomach decided to make it known that he had not eaten anything of substance in almost twenty four bells. He looked at Dev’Ania for a moment before standing. “Would you like to come with me for dinner?”

Zach moved to the door, peering out through the foggy pane of glass. It was still raining, though not quite as heavily as it had been on his way over. He pulled his coat back around his neck and turned to wait for Dev’Ania to join him before holding the door open for her.

Once it was locked behind them Zach held his hand out under the pretence of helping her down the stairs, though he knew she was more than capable of traversing them by herself. If she took it, he would be in no rush to let her go again when they reached the path. Zach was determined not to mess up whatever was brewing between them again, if of course she wanted it too.

Zach directed them over the bridge to the Zintia Peak and stopped outside The Shooting Star. He had not been inside before, but the outside was grand and beautiful. He turned to Dev’Ania, finding her eyes and meeting her gaze. “Dev, I want you to know…”

Zach found it very difficult not to take her lovely face in his hands, but he did not want to overstep. She had clearly changed in the time he had been away, and while a year ago he wouldn’t have hesitated, now it was harder to tell how she was feeling. “While I was away there was barely a day that passed where I did not think of you. I was worried that I would come back and you would hate me… I am glad that you don’t.”


wc: 690

[Dev'Ania]

The hunter’s laugh made Dev’Ania grin. It was nice to hear his laugh and see him smiling. His interest in her shop made Dev delighted and grateful. She got the sense that he cared, and that was all she could have asked for.

Her grin grew with the growling of his stomach. Dev wasn’t sure when he had returned to the city, but based on how loud his stomach’s growl was, she guessed he hadn’t had the chance to have a proper meal since. She would stand up after him as she replied, “Of course, I would love to.”

She pushed the wooden chair under the table and made sure the table was presentable for whenever she was to return. Dev grabbed her cloak from behind the counter, where Ember was still resting, and wrapped it around her shoulders. Before walking away she would gently brush her fingers behind Ember’s ears and give her a soft peck on the top of her head. “Bye, Emmy. Be good and watch over the shop while I’m out. I’ll be back later.” Dev had no doubt the Ember and the shop would be fine while she was out.

After blowing out the shop’s candles, the Konti would join Zach by the door, raise her hood over her head, and lock the door behind them. Dev placed her hand in the hunter’s as they walked down the path. The hand of the hunter was rougher than the konti’s but its warmth was unquestionably soothing to the konti. Holding his hand the entire way to their destination, she felt safe and secure.

The pair stopped under the gazebo before entering the inn. Now that they were out of the rain, Dev removed her hood. She looked into his eyes as Zach began to speak, making sure to not let go of his hand. Her heart began to thud faster and faster with each word that came out of his mouth. Her cheeks, again, became rosy and warm from blushing. For a tick, she looked down, breaking eye contact, and steadied her breathing before looking back up at him to reply.

“I thought of you, too, Zach… every day.” Dev smiled warmly as she looked at him. Her grip on his hand was loose, but still, she held on. “And while I was upset that you were gone, I- I could never hate you.” The statement was undeniably true. While a part of her feared losing him, the fortune-teller could tell that Zach had a kind heart, and she could never imagine the hunter doing anything to intentionally hurt her. She just hoped she wasn’t wrong about him.

Ticks had passed, and their eyes were still locked. This was her opportunity to tell Zach her true feelings. But, instead, it was as if her heart and body took full control and spoke for her. Before he could walk inside, Dev’Ania threw her arms around him and nestled her head on his chest. Whether the hunter had the same feelings as Dev, or not, she seized the opportunity in front of her. With her arms still around him, she looked up at him with a longing gaze before fixing her soft, pink lips onto his. At the contact of their lips, a rush of comfort went through Dev’s entire body - from the top of her head, down to her webbed toes.

What seemed like bells long of a kiss, was a mere few ticks. Dev’Ania pulled away from embracing the hunter and cleared her throat slightly. The rain poured down heavier around them now, rushing down the entrance’s gazebo that protected them. “I suppose we should head inside. It wouldn’t be good to get a cold in this weather.” With that, Dev’Ania waited for Zach to agree for they entered the Shooting Star Inn, where they would eat dinner together.

[Zach Grasswind]

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With her hood down, the scales along Dev’Ania’s forehead shimmered as he looked at her. Zach didn’t think had never seen anyone so lovely before. The flush that rose in her cheeks only added to the fact. And even though she broke eye contact for a moment, she still held onto his hand, and Zach started to hope.

Her words buoyed him, though his relieved expression turned just for a tick into one of worry as she revealed she had been saddened. Her warm smile didn’t falter as she spoke however, and Zach returned it soon enough, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he did do. He vowed silently to himself that he would never leave her again of his own free will.

Zach wanted to say something more to her, though his mind fumbled over what exactly. Before he had a chance to even begin to speak, Dev’Ania had reached up and pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around his neck. Without hesitation he returned the gesture, arms circling her torso and holding her tightly. He imagined she could hear the erratic staccato of his heart, nerves and hope and elation causing it to beat as though he’d been running from a pack of wolves.

As she moved, lifting her head and fixing her eyes on his, Zach knew with certainty that he loved her. He had loved her for a while now, but hadn’t allowed himself to admit it for fear he would return and find her pushing him away. They moved at the same time then, Zach tipping his head down and her up. A warmth like a sigh radiated through him from the point of their kiss and then it was over far too soon.

A smile pulled the corners of his mouth up as Dev’Ania moved back, untangling herself from him. Zach chuckled at her words, breaking any lingering tension and held his arm out to her so she could link hers through, and he led her inside.

The food they shared was the best Zach had ever tasted, though it was entirely possible that was thanks to his mood. He couldn’t stop watching Dev’Ania sat opposite him, practically glowing in his eyes under the warm light of the lamps. They dragged the meal on for as long as they could, not wanting to leave each other’s company.

But Dev’Ania had a business to run, and soon the pair were back out in the rain, winding their way over to The Nine Lives once again. At the door, Zach stole another kiss from the Konti, promising her that he would be back to walk her home again at the end of the day. It had taken a while, but for the first time, Zach was certain now that Lhavit was where he was always meant to end up, and he’d look back no longer.