The Wonders of Bravery

[Parin d'Aulaire]

Parin had been shopping for Notebooks and Quills that day. She was very eager to learn with the other Mages, but wasn't sure she'd remember everything her new Master said. Thus the Quills and Notebooks. She was just about to shop around for ink when she saw down the road the building that housed Heaven's Alter, the one place she didn't wish to go.

News had reached Aesir that down below Mage and all who were involved with magic were getting arrested for no good reason other than Hate. Parin had experienced hate here, and could only imagine how horrible the hate brewing down in Avaren was. Still, she wondered what the actual Alter looked like.
As long as I don't touch it, surely it can do me no harm? she thought as she walked down the road toward the building.

Once she reached it however, her bravery failed her.
I'll just look though the door and see what it looks like. she decided. I wouldn't want to get sucked in and sent down after all. All i know how to do is float things. It's just not safe for me down there. Parin carefully opened the door of the building and standing on the steps, looked into the darkness within.
"Hello," she said. She then thought What if someone has just come though the Portal? "Welcome to Aesir," she added just in case.

[Noctis Sepulcral]

Emerging from some distant darkness, venturing from the quiet gardens, Noctis arrived at the altar. Heaven's Alter, they called it, the name made his veins constrict, however, that was not the name with importance. The evening cloaked him more so than his dark clothing and blackened eyes, though the moon greatly illumed his fair skin and greying strands of hair. The sun was about to meet the earth, nearly touching it, wrapping it's rays around the area. Squinting foreword, there were many who took a stare upon Noctis, whom them turned the other way. He would not deal with such pseudo blue-bloods for such an integral matter.

Ahead of him, he found a lone child, a young girl standing by herself, she must have been innocent enough to approach. His thoughts always found young children with some kind of innocence to them, it may be a waste to ask a little girl, or maybe her young memory and sight would be aiding. He stood behind her, his pale hand lightly touching her shoulder.

"Young lady." He called her, awaiting the turn of her face. "Could I spend a moment of your time?"

[Parin d'Aulaire]

Parin jumped slightly when she felt the light hand upon her shoulder, and quickly turn and looked up-up at a tall dark man who seemed vaguely familiar.
"Hello sir," she said seemingly unimpressed with his dark facade. "What can I do for you?" She suddenly realized that she was standing in the doorway, quite in his way, if he were headed down to Avaren.

"Oh, I am sorry." she said, holding the door for him. "I didn't mean to stand in your way. Although personally I wouldn't go down there for all the gold in Aesir, but that is just me." she smiled at the man, but the man didn't seem to be smiling back.
Gee, I hope he isn't mad at me for standing here. She said her smile fading in concern. Maybe I should have just kept shopping. It might be too late for ink by the time we are done talking.

[Noctis Sepulcral]

Noctis smiled at the girl's face. "No, no. I've come to ask something of you." He told her.

His strong voice was as gentle as it could be, which even still seemed masculine and rough. The last time he had spoken to a child was his own daughter at that age. The rage he held onto was but more effort to contain, as time went by it only grew, manifesting itself like a plague. His eyes were piercing as daggers, invoking an immediate sensation of dread to anyone who dared to look directly into the voids.

"It is a question I have for you. Have you seen a young lady? She is beautiful, her hair is like the wings of a raven, her eyes are mine, darker than the shadows, her skin is nearly as white as the snow when it is winter, her stare, that is like the winter winter itself, gentle and cold."

The words passed from his mouth like an easy wind, the image of Insidia would never be mistaken to him. As he spoke he pictured her, the last time she smiled, the last she shouted to him for his harshness, the last she said goodbye. His head was bowed as he looked at the little girl, Noctis easily towered over her, though intimidation was no intent...yet.

"Have you seen my daughter, young lady?"

[Parin d'Aulaire]

Parin eyes got wider and wider. This man was talking about her friend Miss Insidia! Yet something told Parin -perhaps a magical instinct- that she did not want him to get her friend. Yet what to do? Surely if he didn't get what he wanted he would be angry, and he was much taller and surly more powerful than herself. Could he read minds? Maybe if she lied, and said she hadn't seen her . . .

Come to think of it Parin hadn't seen her after that night. She'd said she was going back to the garden, but if Parin left that out . . . Parin very much hoped Miss Insidia had moved from the garden by now.
"Once I remember . . . seeing a lady resembling the one of which you speak. She helped me find the Academy of Mages. . . but it was a while ago . . ." Parin made a face like she was trying hard to remember. For a kid she was a good actress.
"Somewhere near the Academy . . ." she shrugged trying to make out that that was all she could remember.

[Noctis Sepulcral]

Pulling in a deep inhale, the eyes of Noctis shut, his lips touching firmly. His exhale was slow and gentle, reopening his eyes upon it's end. The thought someone had seen her was no relief, the girl spoke to him that it were long ago. It may have been any number of days, it still did not ease his heart that she may not live, or for many more days. His greying black hair fell over the front of his shoulders, moving around his pendant, embracing it, the setting sun allowing a sparkle of light to reflect off.

"She...would not go to an academy...I know her well." Noctis told her, his stare off into the distance behind the child, his hands clasping together.

[Parin d'Aulaire]

Parin's eyes had begun to burn. This man was being very nice to her, yet he made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. What was she too do. It was clear he wouldn't go away without a clearer answer. Darn it . . .
Parin put her head in her hand and pretended to consentrate hard.

"What did I do that day. . ." she said to herself, then after a few convincing moments she looked up and smiled.
"I remember now! I was lost, my other friend had gone. I wandered till I found this place, it must have been a Garden - so many pretty plants. Yes that is where I first saw her. We talked for a little and then she helped me find the Acadamy."

She smiled at the man, sure that she had delivered herself but sealed the fate of her friend Miss Insidia.

[Noctis Sepulcral]

That garden this child spoke of, he passed by, she had not been in his sights, and true it was, she had already gone. The kindness of his daughter, helping this girl was nearly heart warming. Though this all was recognized as one thing, which was she was no longer within this city, she were farther into the unknown depths. The roads less traveled he had gone down before, harsh and dismal they were. A fitting place for a young woman's death. It felt as if his heart and stomach cringed, and the more time he would waste, would be the worse.

"Thank you." Noctis spoke, then turning his back from the girl.

One step foreword, and he began to continue walking, deeper and deeper was his scorn. For only a moment his eyes closed, as he wished for her life to be spared by the terrors of night and the outer lands. He could survive them well, as always, though his fair daughter may not. Noctis' eyes sought to the distance, the wretched, creeping, citadel. She would be most intrigued by it, but perhaps she had went past. Death did not follow him to take his life, death followed him because it served him. And death he would bring to any whom may disturb.

His deep voice seeped from his mouth in a quiet tone, "Come with me Infernal One, my daughter is yours too."