A City in Ruins

[Eternal Mage, Aether.]

For the first time that since I have known Riley, she has smiled. Smiling not for any silly joke, but being pleased with the building she has chosen. I like to say something about it, but I got a feeling it just makes her uncomfortable it again. So, I just smile right back at her as she crosses her arms with one hand touching her cheek. Riley seems to be in deep thought about the supplies as she mumbles. Admittedly, it will be hard in finding supplies due to the raiders and rioters. 
 
 
“If anything, we could just be a place for people to rest and sleep?” Riley jumps down the stage, but not using any magic it seems. That appears to be a bad call on her part, her knees buckle down to the round. Riley lets out smile frown upon her face as she moves into a sitting position and stretches out. Huh, so far that's two emotion expression of Riley I've seen within a few moments. “Oh, you should be careful; you ok?” 
 
 
Walk over to Riley in concern for her as there seems to be more to it than it appears before my eyes. Riley rolls up her pant legs and revealing a huge scar on her leg. The scar looks pretty bad, and I am shocked she can still walk with something like that. Riley brings up about needing a healer and being in a different world. I've been wondering for a while, but I've never brought it up because I am wanting to be considerate. Though, she's the one who brought it up. “Hm, I could do something about it and other scars on your body.” Though there is a bit of drawback to it, but it more of an annoyance than anything. “If you don't mind me asking Riley, but what has happened to you?”   

[Merc]

"Yeah, I'm fine." Riley automatically assured in a drone like tone as her fingers lightly prodded at the strange wound on her leg. At his suggestion, she raised her eyes. "Your magic can do things like that too? Hmm..." It was kind of a pain having to be mindful of her leg, especially when the situation was so dire, but the thought was pushed to the back of her mind as he asked her what had happened.

"What happened to me?" She dumbly echoed, mauling over the question for a few moments, she gave a bitter sounding laugh. "Many things." Returning to examining the wound on her leg, she continued to speak. "If you mean what happened to make me disappear for three years, it's kind of a long story." Standing up, her pants leg still rolled up, she wandered to one of the nearby chairs and sat, making herself comfortable.

"A... troubled... member of my guild ran off after causing a fuss, so I followed him to make sure he didn't find any more trouble for himself. Well, trouble still found him, irregardless of my being there. The mage that we fought used a strange magic that pulled us into a world of demons, where we were forced to fight or die." Green eyes dimmed as she stared at the stage, as though watching the events unfold on it while she spoke. "Three years passed before something, a resonating magic, called us back to the spot where we had first been pulled into this world - and it spat us out here just in time for this plague. Typical, really."

Exhaling raggedly, half lidded eyes remained fixed on the stage. "And just before that, my fiance went completely rogue and tried to overthrow the government or something. I don't even know what that was about, really. He seemed so normal..." Chewing on the inside of her cheek, it seemed as though she was speaking thoughts that were probably meant to remain in her head.

"And before that? I fled the assassin's guild that I was born and raised in. My parents found out I had powerful magic and decided that, since I didn't want to kill anyone, I could be sold for breeding purposes. 'Proper' bloodlines, and all that." She shrugged, inhaling deeply through her nose and exhaling through her mouth, she fell into complete silence, as though contemplating her life.

[Eternal Mage, Aether.]

“I have no words for you Riley that can make anything that has happened up or will claim so. So, I will give no words. What I can say is that you're strong for being able to keep going the way that you have.” No, I won't compare anything, and I cannot say anything. I will finally admit that I've got a small crush over her, but right now she doesn't to deal with me. “However, let me help you to at the healing process, as your friend.” I hover my hand over her and begin using my magic.

I begin to reverse time on Riley's body before any scar was made onto her, not just the scar on her legs, but all over her body. All the damage that's been lingered on will be removed until her body has no more scars from the past four years. Her age hasn't changed, but she should feel better and younger. I may be able to help her on a memory level to help sort her own emotions and move. Though, Riley is strong mentally, and I know she would refuse me.

Right away, the drawback for using my magic is taking place. I begin to gain wrinkles from age, and I feel tired. The drawback for me to heal those scars is increase age on my own body. I feel that I have less energy compare to normal and black bags under my eyes as if I haven't had proper sleep in years. I fall back into a chair behind and let out a yawn. “Sorry, for using my magic like that has it drawbacks. It makes me very tired, and I've increased in age for a few days.”

I begin to think back on Riley past and feel this injustice anger in my heart. Maybe I should be careful about that right now seeing I am about 40yrs old. In my own life, I chose to run away because I couldn't take it. I've driven myself deep into my own mind and let out a different personality. Riley was raised in an assassin's guild, and her family try to sell her out for breeding purpose? That just completely y sick and I want to change that system. Though, I don't have power in me to do that nor the self-confident, right now. I must become stronger, as a person, so I can help the world.

[Merc]

Raising her eyes as Aether spoke, luring her out of her thoughts, Riley folded her hands neatly in her lap as she watched him literally work his magic on her wound. Her eyes fixed upon the strange looking wound that started to fade away with the glow of his magic, and it wasn't until she rose her eyes that she realized Aether was looking... haggard?

Startling at the sudden change in his appearance, Riley instinctively stood as he started to fall, but luckily a chair was there to catch his fall, allowing her to slowly lower herself into her chair once more. "Oh, is that how it is?" She quietly mused, thinking his magic quite peculiar. "Well... Thank you. I'll be sure to protect you from now on." Nodding firmly, Riley now felt as though it was her responsibility to protect this man, who had weakened himself for the sake of removing scars on her body that were mostly superficial.

Pulling up her sleeves, she examined her bare arms, noting the distinct lack of scarring from her years of dueling with demons. Fixing her clothing, she reclined in her chair, looking thoughtful.

"I guess we should probably rest here for a while." She decided, slouching in her chair, she rest her head on the back of the seat, crossing her arms over her chest and allowing her legs to stretch out across the floor. Closing her eyes, she began mauling a number of things over in her mind, largely revolving around the building they were in and how she could improve the shelter that they were going to turn it into. Thinking it a pity that she didn't know any barrier type magic, Riley exhaled, slouching even more so in her seat.