The sound of footsteps grew louder, there was no question now that whoever was making them knew that Nadiel was there. He kept his stance low in preparation for the encounter, but waited until the last second to make his move. Too soon and and he risked falling into serious tactical error, too late and his presence would be known for sure. His anxiety had built to a point where his hands were shaking as he gripped his rifle while it still hung from its holster under his cloak. Both in his typical mindset and his current predicament alike, Nadiel was like a coiled spring, at any second he could cast aside his usual torpor and jolt to life with frightening determination. This instance was no different, his visitor was in for quite a surprise, but it would seem that Nadiel would receive quite a shock himself. At long last his pursuer had made it into the clearing and he could see who it was who had come after him. It was a young woman, wearing green, with striking gray eyes and long brown hair. Immediately Nadiel sensed that something was amiss. No one so innocuous would have made it this far, what trick could this girl have employed to move about in this treacherous place without a care in the world? By this time she had stopped at the opposite bank of the stream and knelt down to fill her canteen without as so much as giving him a glance. Even when he operated his rifle's bolt to arm it, which made a characteristic sound, she did not look up.
Nadiel's goal was to avoid being noticed, but being ignored completely was unnerving. His eye began to twitch in frustration, but he held his fire. Finally his guest took notice of him. "That isn't smart" she said, "if you fire a gun like that you'll be found for sure." Her voice was very soothing, Nadiel couldn't help but take a step back and relax the tight grip he maintained on his weapon. "So you must be the hopeless romantic who's been bumbling around the jungle" she continued, "you're Nadiel, aren't you?" He had never met this woman before, how could she know who he was? "My name is irrelevant" he responded, "but I would like to know from whom you've learned it". Now that her canteen was full, she rose to her feet and met him eye to eye. "Crisis has told me quite a bit about you". Even the mention of that name brought a grimace to Nadiel's face,"Oh, right, her..." he droned on, if this woman had ties to her then surely she could rat him out and make his life miserable. Worse than that, he knew that she would probably be under close watch just as he had been, which meant that any second now he could be put right into the limelight. "You've got it all wrong," the woman reacted, "She's been worried sick about you." Nadiel was miffed to hear this. "Worried about what? That someone else might drive me out of my mind?" The woman shook her head gently and sighed. "Believe it or not she was trying to help you, just in her own way. Everything that happened to you was for your own good." "If you know that much" Nadiel reciprocated, "then you should know that all I want is information." The woman shrugged. "Fine, but it'll only get you killed faster. Not as though I care, you're no friend of mine. Go to the Chordoni falls and find Vivian. She's the one who gave shelter to your friend, and she'll know all about it. You've been warned, your little story might not be enough to guarantee your safety, you might need to put on a show."
Before Nadiel could thank the stranger for perhaps the best lead he had gotten in his whole journey, his attention was turned to something he had just heard in the distance. Rather, something he didn't hear. Things had once again gotten quiet, in a way that was all too familiar. He knew who was drawing near so he bolted off to the distance at a speed that just barely allowed him to slip past the senses of the cunning predator who had just entered the area. Within a few moments she made it to the clearing where the two had been conversing. "Hey Lea, who ya talkin' to?" The woman turned to her gigantic blonde companion. "Oh no one, no one at all..." "Was it a tasty no one?" "Probably, but he's gone now." Crisis tried to scan the area for the escapee, but much to her disappointment even her keen senses picked up nothing. "Aww, why'd you let him go?" Lea chuckled at this, "Don't worry, we'll get him next time."
By now Nadiel had burned up all of his energy but had made it a good deal closer to his goal. He stopped briefly to catch his breath but promptly continued northwest. All the events that had happened to him over the last few days were rattling about in his mind, and he struggled to find the links between them to uncover the bigger picture of things. Was it just coincidence that Crisis had dragged him through utter hell at Ryoko's behest, and that Lea had just told him that it was for his own good? Or that his master had intended for him to be put through even more torturous labor to unlock the angelic blessing? Just what did either side want from him? It didn't matter anymore, Nadiel had his own agenda and neither man-eating carnivores nor skilled assassins would deter him from seeking the answers that had eluded him. However, unbeknownst to him there were others whose convictions were no less solid. Because they knew something that he did not they prepared to do what was necessary to keep Nadiel from starting a disaster of epic proportions. All at once these many parties converged onto the heart of the jungle.
Subject: Ch. 8 -Walking on Eggshells 
Thu Apr 03, 2008 11:12 pm
