Ethstar gave the crystal clear water a wary look, the thought of swimming not once crossing his mind. He let loose a small sigh as he watched the rays of sun bounce from the lake of blue, his mind loosing itself in his own thoughts once more. He had actually swam. Once, as a young boy. He had been terribly self-conscious however, not being one to take off his shirt in front of the other boys. It wasn't like he had anything to be conscious about... he had been in better shape then about all the other kids his age. But nonetheless, he had found it extremely nerve-racking and embarrassing to strip down to mere undershorts and dive into the water with everyone else. His face slightly darkened as he remembered the taunts of all the other Angels, of how they had made endless jokes about his blushing cheeks, and his unwillingness to get into the water without full clothing on. That was probably the day that had given him something of a reputation. He had stayed in for mere moments, then gotten back out and dried off. That had also been the day everyone in the water had gotten severely punished. 'Warriors have no time for meaningless fun' the officer had said. He had given Ethstar a proud pat on the back, as if rewarding him for being the only one to not take part in "fun".

His mouth frowned at the corners, his eyes lost in the water. The Angel stood at about six feet tall, black hair framing a utterly beautiful face, a few random strands falling in front of light eyes. It was almost un-natural how stunning beautiful his face seemed to be. Light blue eyes, almost a white shone with a boy-like innocence, set into a clear and unmarked face of china-white. A black cloak covered him from the neck down, ending at the ankles of his leather boots. The cloak completely hid everything underneath, more notably a pair of folded, bandaged wings. He gave them a slight flex, yet did not even try to fully expand them. Even though he thought he was alone, who knew what could be watching. He was far from trusting anyone. Far from it indeed. Last time he had trusted, his own kind had tried to kill him.

But that was old memories. With a sigh, he knelt down, the cloak hem folding upon the ground. He dipped a hand into the waters, and splashed his face with the cool liquids, sighing in enjoyment as the cool fingers of ice brushed his face. He blinked as a few droplets fell from his eyelashes to his eyes, obscuring his vision for a moment. With a small chuckle, he shook his head, more droplets flying in completely random directions. The sun that was shining would dry him soon, he knew. It was a beautiful day, with white clouds and a blazing sun, not a storm or snow in sight. He could smell the trees that surrounded him, the unfamiliar scent of pine being something of an enjoyment to him.

Amy walked around, her bright eyes looking at the sky. It was quiet and peaceful. Her mind searched her thoughts, trying to think of her past. The past was fuzzy to her, and now was the perfect time to think. Her mind kept searching, and searching, as she walked through the lush green grass. Her red hair fluttered through the air, and her face was carresed by the breeze coming from the lake. She couldnt remember anything of her past, only that she was left on a boat that was headed to Taras, and now here she was, exploring the new land.

She began humming, and then decided to give her mind a rest, so with that, she started to skip towards the lake, and forget her worries. As she came clear of all the trees in front of her, she saw a cloaked figure, and by the look of it, she guessed it was a man. By then, she stopped, and only starred at him. She observed his actions, and then took a few more steps towards him. Seeing as he hadnt noticed her yet, she just decided to continue walking. As her foot came off of the ground, and back on the ground, she stepped on a nest of small tree brantches, followed with a loud noise.

((Im not the best roleplayer out there! So sorry its so short!!! :/ ))

With an almost inhuman speed, his head snapped around, eyes focusing onto her face. They were much different then they were before, because of one detail. The pupils had dilated, as had the color around the small pinprick. A thin blue ring around the small black dot, giving the gaze an intense, almost demonic look. He didn't move from his position though, simply kept knelt upon the grass. It was a technique he had learned a long time ago. Look as off-guard as you possibly could, and any opponents would be lured into a false sense of security. Then slit their throat. It was that simple. Under the cloak, he was much more on guard then what the naked eye could see. His right hand had darting to his left hip, and was now tightly wrapped around the leather hilt of a hidden longsword. He obviously did not like to be sneaked up on. And, he wasn't used to it. HE was the one who had normally done the sneaking.

For a few more moments, the silence stretched out. His eyes slowly slid down, and back up her body. Not in an perverted or insulting way, but like a hunter judging his prey. She may feel insulted, or she may notice that his eyes held no lust, nor stopped on her chest. Whatever she may think, he wasn't really caring right now. He was mostly trying to judge if she could kill him or not.

It was slightly ironic. This was the part of Ethstar that was hidden. The ruthless warrior, the one who trusted nothing. Gone was the boylike innocence, replaced by a look of death. He didn't even think of the fact she could just be an innocent girl. In his mind, she was someone sent to kill him. That was the effect that some people had. Or, more specificly, the ones who took him off-guard. So far, that hadn't happened in this land. When he had killed the one bandit, that had been easy. Even the dark elves hadn't caught him unaware. Well, actually, one had, but he had already been in this mood. Ah well. His voice echoed out, cold and threatening.

"Who sent you?"

((OOC: You are fine. ;) ))

Amy starred at him for moments, wich seemed like hours. When she heard those words, she got even more tense then she already was, and her body froze "Who sent me?" She said in wonder, with a soft voice. She was trying to think of what was going on, and she finally said, "No one." Her voice had changed from a soft one, to a deep one. "Why do you ask?" Thoughts ran through her restless mind.

Is he wanted? Is he being chased or hunted? Is he awaiting someone? Is he..

She shook her head, and sighed. She let her hand out, and her soft, cherry, lips spoke in a soft voice again, "Please, I mean you no harm. My name is..." She stopped speaking, and realized that it isnt safe to tell a stranger your name. She cleared her throat, and then changed the subject. "What brings you here?" As she awaited his answer, she noticed that he was wearing a cloak, a rather long one. She did not dare to take another step foward, for she knew he might try to attack her.

The breeze had gotten stronger, and a gust of wind hit, and her hair flew in front of her face, and her long, black dress fluttered in the air, and she took her hand back. She smiled, and then awaited the mans reply.

For a few more moments, the silence stretched out across the place, his eyes remaining as cold and deadly as ever. He had registered her words, yes... but they had not yet struck home. He was still delved so deeply within the side of him that never slept, but hid itself very well... for a few moments, he imagined how easy it would be to slit her chest wide open... she would die without a sound, her lifeless body sliding down in his arms to make it's final rest within the caress of the green grass. It would be a shame, to stain such natural beauty with blood... but he was sure he could make the sacrifice. For the Legion, and for the Light.

No.

He snapped out of it, his eyes changing. Back to normal eyes, big and blue, innocent and beautiful. He blinked once, and suddenly stood, the quick and graceful motion bringing him to his full height. He stared at her with a look of confusion, then shook his head, quickly snapping the thoughts from his mind. He coughed, then tried to apoligize in a somewhat normal voice. "I... was hot. The water looked quite cooling." He looked down to the toes of his boots, then swept his eyes back up to catch hers in his gaze. "I... Am sorry... I mistook you for someone else, milady. It will not happen again." His eyes changed to a pleading look, almost as if he was secretly begging her to forgive him. Whatever it was, he was truly sorry for whatever personal sin it seemed he had commited.

She chuckled, and nodded her head. "Yes, I know what you mean, its a little hot." As seeing he meant her no harm, she walked over next to him slowly, and looked at the water, the reflection of her appeared. She bent down, as her dress slid a little on her arm, and she splashed her face with water, and then stood up, the water dripping down her soft cheeks. Her head looked up at his face, and her face gleamed in the sunlight, and her eyes became brighter, as she put a strand of hair in her face out of the way by putting it behind her ear. "Its ok, I would have been as scared as you if someone just walked up to me like that..." She said in a jokingly way, but at the same time serious.

She smiled at this, and then yawned. "Oh, excuse me, I havent had any sleep in days..."
She turned her face back at the water, and then looked into the distance. I must be careful.

She closed her eyes, and smiled widely, back at him. "Now mister, before I tell you my name, dont you think it would be a little more approriate to tell me your first? And yes, I know, you didnt ask for my name... but.. well, we might as well make coversation as I see were are the only ones here!"

He gave a polite laugh, her humor lost on him. It wasn't as if she was bad at making jokes, or as if the little jest hadn't been funny... he just wasn't the one to have a sense of humor. Especially after what he had just gone through with her. He gave a polite smile though, the motion seeming to make him even more beautiful then before. He gave a little nod and then made a short, yet graceful bow to her, taking a step back to give himself room. "Ethstar. Nice to meet you, milady." The bow was quick, his body snapping back up into a straight position right after he had spoken the words. His eyes returned to normal, shining with something bordering both serene calmness, and dancing boyhood.

"Indeed it is hot, milady." He gave a short smile, then knelt down toward the water. Once again, he dipped both hands into the blue liquid, then brought them snapping up, throwing the cupped water directly into his face. He let loose another small sigh as the water hit his face, feeling quite delighted with himself. The water felt really good on his face... even if he hadn't liked to swim back in the Celestial plane, he still did like the cool feeling of water on his heated skin. He stood once again, craning his head to the side to watch her. A few tight muscles in his neck popped loudly as he moved the muscles, yet he did not seem to react to the sound, or pain that came with such loosening. He was too busy delving into memories once more.

She was pretty, yes. She reminded him of one of the few angelic women he had seen. Never talked to, never really even watched for more then a second. More like a fleeting glance. The first one he had saw had been like this girl, except with the awe-striking beauty that all angels seem to have. Most women on this plane seemed bland compared to the few angelic women he knew of, but this one was comparable. Maybe he only thought that because she resembled the angelic woman he had saw, or maybe it was just him. He didn't really know. The gaze was somewhat questioning, for he was now awaiting her name.

Amy smiled, and decided to tell him her name "My name... is Amy.. Nice to meet you, Esthar." Just as soon as she finished the sentence, she started to remember things of her past. Just a little, and it was a bit fuzzy still. She remembered hearing someone, a tall, dark figure, telling her that the gods have banned her to earth, and to be careful next time, or she would be banned to hell. To the underworld.

"Uhh..Umm.." She had to shake her head once again to gain her awareness. "Excuse me, I was...I was...deep in thought."

She sat down, and starred once again at the lake. "Beautiful, isnt it? One of natures most admired beautys that goes unknown." By then, the sky had turned a beautiful purple. She sighed, and then look back at him. "So, mister Esthar, do you like swimming??"

At her words, a bright pink flush spread out across his cheeks, her predictable question hitting him right where he thought it would. His mind automatically fled to the thoughts of his childhood, of all the taunts and the laughter, all the teasing and being the target of all the jokes. and once again, the memory of all the hating looks that had been thrown in his direction, when HE had been the only one who hadn't gotten into any kind of serious trouble. No trouble at all actually. For some reason, it was too hard to remember the look the elder angel had given him. Ethstar really hadn't focused on that, he had only tried to focus avoiding the glares being cast at him. His cheeks had blazed a even hotter red on that day.

Just like he had on that day, his eyes swept down to regard the sparkling ripples of water, his face sour-looking in regard to that memory. He blinked as he remembered he had to answer her question, so out came the words, slow and thoughtful. "Yes, I do like to swim." The bright blush remained on his cheeks as he left it at that, not yet ready to tell her of his bashfulness. If she really pressed, he would answer, but until then... nothing would be spoken. That was how he normally was. Never giving answers unless it was really required, never telling of the thoughts that lay within his head until someone directly asked. Even then, he sometimes hid his thoughts, and came out with a bluff. He had recently started to do that a whole lot. Mostly because no one could find out what he really was. Even now, he could feel his wings pressing agaisnt his back.

"What about you milady? Do you like to swim?"

((OOC: Sorry, I posted on a friends account. I will get a mod to delete this.))

At her words, a bright pink flush spread out across his cheeks, her predictable question hitting him right where he thought it would. His mind automatically fled to the thoughts of his childhood, of all the taunts and the laughter, all the teasing and being the target of all the jokes. and once again, the memory of all the hating looks that had been thrown in his direction, when HE had been the only one who hadn't gotten into any kind of serious trouble. No trouble at all actually. For some reason, it was too hard to remember the look the elder angel had given him. Ethstar really hadn't focused on that, he had only tried to focus avoiding the glares being cast at him. His cheeks had blazed a even hotter red on that day.

Just like he had on that day, his eyes swept down to regard the sparkling ripples of water, his face sour-looking in regard to that memory. He blinked as he remembered he had to answer her question, so out came the words, slow and thoughtful. "Yes, I do like to swim." The bright blush remained on his cheeks as he left it at that, not yet ready to tell her of his bashfulness. If she really pressed, he would answer, but until then... nothing would be spoken. That was how he normally was. Never giving answers unless it was really required, never telling of the thoughts that lay within his head until someone directly asked. Even then, he sometimes hid his thoughts, and came out with a bluff. He had recently started to do that a whole lot. Mostly because no one could find out what he really was. Even now, he could feel his wings pressing agaisnt his back.

"What about you milady? Do you like to swim?"

"Why yes, yes I do.." She answered. By then, she noticed his cheeks turned red. She chuckled, and then spoke, "Is there a catch to it? Or is something else wrong?" She got up, and stretched, her arms behind her head. "Because if there isnt... would you want to swim?"

As she awaited his answer she was still trying to replay her memory again, but only fragments came to her. Tall black figure, Being banned to earth? What was all this about? For now, she would again, try to forget about her worries. Ah well, it should come back to me someday...

A small sigh came out of her mouth..I just hope it doesnt come back to haunt me....soon. She knew that the past is important to her - or rather everyone. She wished she knew more, but now..she was thinking.. is her past something that she would rather go on and live without knowing? Would it be better that way?

Ethstar sighed to himself, not at all annoyed or anything at her, but already being able to predict the inevitable. He was probably going to be in that water by nightfall. He got the distinct feeling that was how it was going to be, and nothing he could do would ever change that small fact. His eyes continued to examine the water closely, as if it was the only thing he could think of at the moment. As if he was trying to drown out everything else around him, just so it would be him and the icy liquid. For a few simple seconds, he just studied the reflections in the water, his and the girl's. Reflections... what a simple description of the word. These images in the water were not true reflections, and never really would be. A loud call from a bird flying overhead snapped him out of his thoughts, and he blinked, turning his head to look at the girl once more.

His mouth opened, then he stopped, studying her face. She looked thoughtful. About what he wondered? But his curiousity only lasted a moment, and then he went ahead, answering her question honestly. She had asked after all, and he really did have no reason to lie to her about this paticular subject. "I have issues with taking off my shirt. Do not ask why, it is just a problem for me." The blush darkened even more, a deep red now as he took a deep breath, and then plowed on. "I enjoy swimming alot, really, I do... but I just am really self-conscious." A smile was offered, this one more bashful and child-like then anything else. As he revealed a weakness, his face seemed to shine with a boy-like innocence, yet another emotion to add to the ever-changing array. His emotions seemed to change alot, and they always seemed to be clearly displayed in either his eyes or his face in general. Each emotion was clear and intense, happy moods making you smile yourself, sad moods making your heart bleed for him. It was a strange thing indeed.

She looked up in the sky, and the sun had fallen, while the moon had rose. The sky was still purple, but was starting to turn midnight blue. "Oh. I see no problem with that.." Strange she thought, but there were alot of strange things in the land of Imythess, that she had never seen or heard of. As her hair was tied up in a short ponytail, she turned her head and removed it, and then looked back at him. "You wont mind... would you?" She asked, and then blushed a little.

"You wouldnt mind.. if I swam...? Umm" She blushed a little "And if you could... um...turn around for a moment.." She looked down on the grass as she asked this, she wasnt used to asking these kinds of things, as it was also a bit embarrassing.

What am I talking about..? Im sounding so eager.. She truly didnt mean to, but she wasnt feeling good, and her skin had became dry from the hot sun.

Ethstar blinked as she made her simple request, the statement confusing him a bit. He was thankful she hadn't pressed matters further about his swimming fears, but why would she ask him to turn around? Perhaps she was bashful about taking off her shirt too? With a small nod, Ethstar spun around to look off in the completely opposite direction of Amy, so he couldn't see her. He simply decided to listen to the water, to distract himself from her completely. He was trying to be polite in this, for if she didn't want him watching, he probably wasn't supposed to listen to her either. The water was soothing on his ears anyway. Earlier, when he had camped out in a forest a few nights before... he had been lullibied to sleep by the pattering of rain. It had been such a soothing sound, and the sounds of the rippling water, and the tumbling of the waterfall... it was just as peaceful, and seemed to soothe his mind. Closing his eyes, he let himself be caught up in the sounds until he was allowed to turn.

Suddenly, he remembered. He couldn't swim anyway, even if she had pressed him. The wings... he couldn't reveal them to anyone, it was much to dangerous. With a little sigh to himself, he wondered just how long this would have to last. Never being able to take off the cloak around others, never trusting, having to lie to people a whole lot more then he possibly should. It was like the life of a thief. It was the life of a Fallen Angel.

Which was exactly what he was.

Another sigh was let out as he tried to focus on the sounds of the water again, trying to drown out all the thoughts and his memories. He slowly started to hum, matching the sounds of the water. He had liked to sing. He had a beautiful voice, or so they told him. So then, while he waited, he started to sing after humming a few bars. His voice came out, beautiful and light, almost entracing to the normal ear. It was a natural gift with Celestials, but he wasn't very good. He couldn't read music, and the song would come out in the same note. Never rising or falling it tune, just staying the same.

"Let your ears fill with music...
Let your soul fill with joy...
and let your voice sing out your song..."

Amy took her dress off, and stripped to her undergarments and walked into the water, and sat down by the edge, the top hitting her neck, and covering her whole body. "Ahh.. Relaxing.." She said quietly, then closed her eyes, and there was silence, until she heard him singing. "Hmm.. Nice voice..." His singing only made it more relaxing. "Sorry to inturrupt you... But why so self concious? I think if Im able to go in, then im sure you can.. But its up to you. "

Amy sat there, relaxed, and didnt know what else to do. "So, what do you wanna do later? Wanna travel together or something? Ive been lonely for awhile, and can use some company, besides, you seem real nice." Amy was starting to think she was being a little too talkitive, and becoming annoying. She opened her eyes, and looked back at him. "Unless im annoying, or if you were doing business, its fine. I guess if its alright, I could tag along.."

A small sigh came out of her mouth. "Oh, and you may turn around if you wish.."

Ethstar listened quietly to her questions, not turning around until she had given him permission to do so. She had gotten in the water, her dress lying in a bundle near the lake. He shifted his eyes from the garments to meet hers, assuming he had been right when he thought she was bashful of taking off her clothes too. He gazed at her for a few moments while he pondered the first question, all too aware of the two wings pressing agaisnt his back. What should he reply? I am a Fallen Angel, that is one reason. You simply can't know. That certianly wouldn't be the correct response. It would be the truth, but the truth wasn't something he could speak of. It was never something he could speak of around these humans. But, he did have another answer to her question about his bashfulness, one that was the simple truth, and wouldn't give away his race. "I don't know. I am not over-weight, or under-weight. I have defined muscles, although that is pretty common among men." With a wince, he nearly bit his tongue. Most of the humans weren't in as good of shape as he was. That was yet ANOTHER slip-up he had made. His light blue eyes spoke of sorrow for a mere instant, but then slipped back into a formal politeness.

"It is simply a strange quirk I suppose." He sighed and lifted a hand from under the cloak, running strong fingers through his locks of black hair, lifting a few obstrusive strands from his eyes, only to remove his hand and have them fall back into place once more. In a somewhat comical display, he growled and let loose a puff of air through his lips, upward toward the strands. It did as much as lifting them, and then letting them settle back into place. He had always had this problem with his hair, and it was starting to get on his nerves all over again. He had always been bothered by it back in the Celestial plane, but had forgotten about the minor irritation once he had fled for his life. And here is was again, haunting him just like it had in the old times. Sighing deeply, he moved on to her next question.

"Travel together?" He pondered this for a moment, then stepped forward to come closer, kneeling at the water's edge to look directly in her face, almost at her height. Never once would his eyes look down to try and see her body through the water, never once would any lust gather upon his face. It was void of his heart, and anyway... he knew she wanted her privacy. He simply gazed into her eyes, letting his own eyes stray to no other location. "No, you are not annoying, milady." A slight smile was offered, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. "You are quite nice yourself." She was, and he had to give her credit and thanks for not being afraid of him after he had acted so hostile upon their first encounter. He was suprised she was still here, and treating him like a normal person. "But... I must ask... Are you human?" He hoped this wouldn't sound strange, for he knew there were several races upon this plane. He really couldn't travel with human, or any races that would have reason to reveal his nature. At the moment, nothing had given him a reason to travel with her. Well, actually, it would be nice to have a companion... but he couldn't take the risk of someone learning his secret. He was almost sure if it was let out, it would spread like wildfire. A Fallen Celestial on the Material plane? He would be treated like a demon. Like a theif. And his presence would be known, and he couldn't take that risk. He knew that if word of him spread here... it would certianly be noticed on the Celestial plane...

Amys light brown eyes stared at his eyes, and thought about his question.Are you Human? She didnt know what to answer to this. She kept silent until getting annoyed by just staring at his eyes. Although, they were pretty to look at. "Maybe." She turned her head and looked in the other direction. "Are you? And please... tell me the truth." This kind of question only made her question him. And herself.

She looked back at him, with a blank look. "Hmm..Thats funny." She said, looking at him. "Why must you be hiddin under that cloak?"

She closed her eyes, and put her head back. "But I am a Teifling. Surprising,...yes?" Most were known as evil. Yet people said she was kind. Every thought of this made her sick, for she feared the future. Or her Past.

He blinked in silent suprise as she stated her race, his eyes gazing at her cheek as she had turned her head. Blinking again, he looked up at the sky, loosing himself in his own private thoughts. A tiefling. He actually COULD tell this person, or so he figured. Who would ever believe what a tiefling said about another person? He knew they were not to be trusted, or so the teachings had taught him. But the one advantage he had in that respect, is that he was one of the few people who no longer believed in the teachings. In abandoning the teachings of the Celestials and the Light, he had become a Fallen. And he had gained so much wisdom about the world. A Tiefling. Hmph. He would deny their teachings right here and right now. Anyway, it was about time he told someone about his secret, and who was better then one who had something of her own to hide?

Standing tall, he stared down at her, his voice coming out hard and cold. "As you have told me, I will tell you. But mark my words... this shall not spread. Word of me must not spread." Grabbing at the hem of his cloak, he began to unbuckle the snap that held around his neck. "Or else." With the last threatening words that were needed, he let the cloak fall. Wings snapped out behind his back, spreading to their full majesty. White and feathery, with white bandages hanging from them, they were still a beautiful sight to behold. His own beauty seemed to glow, almost increasing as he stood there at full might. His eyes spoke volumes of pain and betrayal as he remembered what he was, but also spoke of revenge. He had such emotional eyes. "I am a Celestial, a Angel. Or rather... I am a Fallen Angel. One who must not be found by anyone else." His eyes would bore into her like lasers, intense and hot. "Do not betray me, milady. I have taken this step because we both have secrets. I hope you can contain this. For I assure you, I honestly want to be on good terms with you." At this, the somewhat angry and revengeful look faded from his eyes.

He stood there, watching her, his face fading to an innocence, his eyes begging her to understand him, to hold his secret. Another reason he had told her was the fact that he simply couldn't go on like this, forever hiding. And she was a tiefling anyway. Even though they were supposed to be evil, something inside told him she was to be trusted. He hoped his heart was right.

Amy starred at him blankly. Then he reveiled his wings. Beautifil, white, feathery wings. She gasped in amazement. Beautiful.. Absolutely...Beautiful She smirked. "Mister. Why have you hidden this from me all along?" She smiled widely, and then laughed lightly. "Your gorgeous!"

When he told her he was a Fallen Angel, she sighed. "A Fallen Angel, hu? Well.. thats rather surprising. Although, it has no impact on me. I respect that. People are surprised im a Tiefling, but I do not call it a secret. It is only a secret if you think it is. But I think it is only who you truly are."

Her hand rose from the water, and held it out. "I, Amy, Swear not tell anyone of your secret."

How would she react? Would she shout in fear, would she stare at him in horror, would she try to spread his closely held secret? Was he mistaken in revealing who he was? He had ran from the Celestial plane, he had killed Angels, even if it was to defend. He had no friends in the entire world, yet he was entrusting himself to a woman he had just recently met. Was he completely insane? A gust of wind from the gloomy sky lifted the hair from his eyes for a few short, precious seconds, his eyes shining from the moonlight. Then he heard her words.

"Mister. Why have you hidden this from me all along?" She smiled widely, and then laughed lightly. "Your gorgeous!"

He stared for a few moments, then managed to sputter out a few words. "Excuse me?" He didn't THINK he was handsome. He looked about the same as most other angels. Although, he had noticed that the humans were slightly different in physical features then most. "Well... You are pretty too, milady." He offered these words to try and compliment her, as somewhat of a returning gift for her own compliment. Then he noticed her hand.

Ethstar watched her hand for a moment, a confused look on his face. She wasn't suprised at all. And she was completely ready to hold his secret, and not tell anyone of it. He hadn't expected this of the people on this Material plane. He stared at her, then spoke. "You..." He stared in silence for a few more moments, then finally laughed. An actual laugh, musical and light. He finally had someone he wouldn't have to lie to. And someone he was almost sure he could trust with his secret. Perhaps he was wrong, perhaps he was a little too trusting. But then again, he didn't trust Angels, the self-proclaimed holy beings. And not many people had that kind of issue with their trust. He walked over to her, his wings folding behind him as he knelt down in front of her again. "I am in your debt... Amy." He reached out and firmly took her hand in his own, trying not to hurt her delicate fingers. "I trust you will tell no one." A genuine smile lit his face, brighting his features even more. He seemed much more beautiful when he was happy and laughing, a part not many could see. But it was as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. She had helped him.

Amy shook his hand, and smiled again. The wind blew, and it started to get really chilly. Her teeth chattered, as she took her hand away. She put her hands around her body and shivered. "Sorry to break this up. but.." She shook her body due to the weather. She didnt mean to, it just happened.

"But... I need to put my dress back on..." She started to walk and go towards her dress that was laying on the ground. Nothing really cared right now, as long as she would get out of the water. She put her dress back on quickly, without drying off, making her dress a little wet too, then squeezed her hair to make it dry, by the lake, and put it back up.

"So um... Mister Ethstar. What do you propose to do now??"

Ethstar nodded and stepped back, letting her get out of the water to retrieve her dress. He sighed, looking down at his undershirt. Hm. He studied his muscles for a moment, they being clearly defined agaisnt the fabric of his undershirt. They had come naturally. He wondered how different it was for the humans. Did they have to do some kind of work to get in shape, or was it something that just didn't happen much? Of the few humans he had seen, only the warriors and ladies had been in shape. Not many normal men. Even some of the ladies had been incredibly out of shape, usually plump instead of slim. Not that it was a bad thing. He stood up after she got out, turning his back to let her have some privacy again. He waited quietly as she got dressed, then turned as he heard her voice speaking to him. Turning on his heels, he blinked as another gust of wind hit him in the face, chilling his skin. He blinked and walked over to his discarded cloak, grabbing it from the ground and putting it back over his tall frame. After he had secured it around his body, he turned to her, ready to answer her question.

"I don't know. I have been trying to avoid towns, for people notice me fairly quickly. I stand out for whatever reason, perhaps my height." He was completely clueless. Yes, his height, as well as his beauty, and his cloak. But he could only think of one. Sometimes he was pretty stupid, and completely unaware of the fact. "You can travel with me if you like, but I might become a burden, I don't know." He offered her a slight smile, then noticed her soaking garments. His look changed to one of concern, and he suddenly began to take off his cloak again. Unclasping it only minutes after putting it on, he stripped it from his body and took a few steps toward her. "Here. This should keep you warm. You can wear it over your clothes, or take off the wet ones and simply wear the cloak. It is quite warm." His general politeness again. He was certian she was much colder then him.

Amy saw him come up to her and offer his cloak. She nodded, and smiled slightly. "Thank you..." She took it, and put it around her dress. She felt a lot warmer. "I'll give it back soon. I just needa warm up abit." She looked around, and she noticed it had gotten darker. Time sure gos fast. "Wow." She spoke, and her cheeks turned cold, and red. "We should get out of this weather. I dont want either of us to get sick or anything." She looked at him, seeing if he would move, she didnt like being leader, she didnt know why. Maybe it was beacuse she felt pressure? Or maybe just beacuse she wasnt good at it.

She looked back down at the cloak, and was sure that they would travel together since she had something that was his. Then looking back at him, she saw his wings. "Is it safe? Are you sure you want to do that?" She was worried. She wasnt sure why, maybe she thought, just maybe, she found a friend.


A friend finally.

Ethstar stood there, quietly thinking. She was right, he was exposed to the human eye, his folded wings in full sight of anyone who may pass by and see him. That wouldn't do. The last human who had saw him this way, he had killed that one. Of course, the man HAD attacked him first, so that was another reason he had beheaded him. Sighing slightly, he racked his brain, trying to think of where to go next, and how he could hide his wings. If he stayed far enough away from a town, it should be fine... but... He glanced toward Amy, his eyes showing slight concern. She would need a good place to sleep, and probably food. He couldn't ask it of her to travel with him in the wild all the time. Perhaps... Perhaps... another sigh was let loose, his mind finding no solution to the current problem. Then, it hit him. He blinked as he recalled the events in Taras. He had regained a few of his powers. A very limited amount, but some none-the-less. And in that limited amount, he had the perfect spell to easily disguise his wings from human eyes. And make him less handsome and tall, so he would have random girls gawking at him all the time.

"I will be fine, don't worry. I think my magics can..." He concentrated for a few seconds, calling upon the magic hidden within his very being. He would need no words, only a few simple motions. Casting spells silently had been required for his line of work, so he had worked day and night to remove the speaking element from all of his spell-casting. After months upon months of hard work, he had managed to do it. Calmly, he closed his eyes, and made a sharp slashing motion with his right hand, bringing it up out of the cloak, then quickly down. His wings started to flicker, fading in and out of view. After a moment, they actually started to SHRINK, warping and twisting smaller and smaller, then seeming to slide into his back. Ethstar let out a grunt of pain, actually feeling them move around. It hurt like all fire... But he would deal, he could endure pain. Blinking, he glanced over his shoulder. They were completely gone. Giving another sigh, he released the spell quickly, letting go of his magic. The wings seemed to tear from his back, snapping out into full view again as Ethstar let out a sharp cry of agony. Okay, maybe it hurt more than fire.

It all happened in a matter of moments. After he had finished, Ethstar turned to Amy, a slight smile setting his face aglow. "I should be fine. I know how to shapeshift, a little at least. Would you like to go to Taras? We can find bedding and food." His one previous visit to Taras had taught him that. Actually, his eyes and Kli had taught him that. He had been so clueless about towns and cities, but she had been a great help. He had learned most towns had both beds, foods, and books.

Amy watched as his wings began to shrink. When he let out a cry she looked down. And when he began to speak again, she looked back up, and then had a look of concern on her face. Ethstar... She let out a small sneeze and then coughed. "Shapeshifting.. hu? I wish I could..." She sneezed again and her nose began to turn red. "Ahh shoot... dont tell me I got sick!!" She hated getting sick, and she put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Thanks Ethstar. For everything."

She smiled slightly, with her eyes closed. She noticed she smiled a lot, and guessed it was just beacuse she loved smiling, or that she was happy a lot more than other people. And she wished that would never go away. Smiling - her favorite.

He gave her a weak smile, his back still flaming hot, the muscles making loud pops and cracks. He grimaced as he tried to fold his wings, the muscles giving loud protests as he moved them around in vain attempts. The wings wouldn't fold. He blinked and growled a curse under his breath, throwing a threatening glance back at the two feathery objects. He wasn't sure why he was doing so though, for it was a pretty vain attempt to intimidate inanimate objects. Giving a sigh, he gave up on the task, looking back at the lake of water. Now it was getting tempting. He stared at the water for a few more seconds, gazing at the swirling images of his own reflection. The heat in his back kept flaming on, and the muscles kept on tightning. That is what he got for messing with the cursed objects. Literally. Sighing, he snapped his neck to one side, then snapped it to another, resulting in several loud and sharp cracks and pops. The movement did little to help his pain though, so he just tried to ignore it to the best of his abilities. Taking a step forward, he tore his eyes frokm the water to connect with Amy's own eyes. He tried to concentrate at the orbs, his gaze growing slightly intense and captivating. He could try his other power. But that would be rude. Mentally holding himself back, he kept the gaze leveled at her, but left his mind held in check. Silently gazing at her for a few moments, he seemed to be studying her features, commiting them to memory. Also, he was thinking about what to do next.

"You don't need to thank me. I need to thank you for not reacting badly to my wings." He smiled softly at her, then blinked, the smile turning into a frown. "Yes, we need to go to a city. You are catching cold, and that isn't good." He kept frowning, then turned his gaze to look off in the distance. "Taras is closest. I will take you there, and we can get lodging, and some hot food. I believe that is what colds are treated with, although I am not entirely sure." He turned his eyes back to her, looking slightly concerned. "Is that okay with you?"

Amy watched his face and saw the different expressions he made. She walked over to him, and touched his arm. Looking straight into his eyes, she began to speak. "Ethstar, I dont want you to stress yourself." Dont be greedy, she thought.... That would be just plain rude. "And yes, that would be good. I dont want you to get sick either."

She turned her head to the direction she believed was Taras. "Shall we?" Asking as she was still thinking of Ethstar, about his wings, being a fallen angel, and such. Her eyes diffted off to the distance. It was dark now, and the stars had just begun to shine, the Moon in the distance hiding behing them. In the lake you could now see the reflection. The moon was beautiful she thought, and the dark blue sky with shining stars in the distance. She wished someday she could fly there. But she knew that would most likely never happen. She sighed quietly, then began to speak again.
"Ethstar... how does it feel to fly into the dark night sky?"

"Don't worry, I will be fine." He tried to give her a reassuring smile, not wanting her to worry about him. He wasn't one to draw much attention to himself, or complain about his problems. More like just bear them in silence, and try to solve them on his own.

His face hardened as she asked the question that he was waiting for, the one that had always come up when ever he had talked to the young Celestials, the ones who couldn't fly yet. He quietly stared up at the night sky, his eyes boring into the bright moon. Underneath his skin, his soul was churning with so many questions, so much pain and betrayal. The true Angels were up there. And they were going to come for him, he just knew it. Would they hurt Amy too? No, no... they wouldn't... he wouldn't let them... With a soft growl to himself, his face grew darker. Sliding out of his thoughts, he kept staring up at the sky, yet answered her question with words that were soft and sad. "I do not know." He sighed deeply, letting his eyes drift from star to star, tracking the great objects throughout the sky, trying to count them. Was it even possible? "My wings... they are cursed." He blinked, and tried to adjust his voice, tried to keep it light and serious, and not sound as depressed about the curse as he really was. He changed from watching the stars to staring beyond the stars, trying to see beyond the night sky, beyond all of the conselations. Trying to see what was hiding from the world. "If I flap them, it hurts. If I tried to fly with them, I would likely seriously injure myself, or possibly die." He turned his eyes down from the sky, giving up on his watching and turning his gaze to Amy once again. "But..." He could guess what was running through her mind, by her sigh, and the way her question was stated. "You will fly someday. Don't worry." He offered her a smile, then turned his gaze in the direction of Taras.

"Don't worry..." Perhaps he would fly one day too, who knew? It would be nice if he could somehow regain the powers that his wings would give him. Although, it would remove one title from his resume. Hmph. Murderous, Cursed, and Hunted Fallen. What a string of titles one could have. He was certianly 'blessed'. With a slight and cold chuckle of ironic humor, he glanced back at Amy to make sure she was still holding up under the cold weather, then he started to walk in the direction of the town, hoping she would follow. Goosebumps were rising on his skin, a slight shiver every now and then showing how cold he was. He lifted hands from his sides to wrap around himself, the undershirt doing little to help. The shirt had long sleeves yes, but was somewhat tight agaisnt his body, allowing the sculped muscles to be seen to the eye, but also giving off the impression that it wasn't much in the way of warmth.

In the distance, one sound would be heard, and it would provoke Ethstar to actually say a curse out loud, instead of muttering. A great boom of thunder, echoing from the distance. Perhaps about a mile away. No stormclouds could be seen, but then again, it was night, so they were invisible to the naked eye. "Bloody...!" He growled out the curse then turned to Amy, a somewhat forced smile on his face this time around. "We might want to hurry. It is going to rain."

Amy closed her eyes.. How could they have done this to him?! She looked up into the sky, thinking of how awful they are to do that to him. How could you do that to someone? How could you curse someones wings? Ethstar had done his wrongs, but we all do! Damnit... why did you have to take that away from him!? What was so bad it made you curse his gift of wings?? What happened to forgiveness? She thought of how his wings were cursed, and tears came out of her eyes, but wasnt visible unless you looked hard. Cursed, it was a horrible word.

She looked back down and looked at him, glad he wasnt looking at the time, her arm rose, and Amy wiped her tears away with her arm, and then brought the arm back on the side of her body."Yes.." She started to follow Ethstar, looking down, with her eyes looking towards the right, her eyes trying to fight the other tears from coming.