IC: V)Well for one thing, she was asleep before, and just after a massive trauma to boot. Her mind was quite malleable, as I found for myself when I dulled her memories. You are obviously strong enough to have used that opportunity. For another thing, you could have attacked anywhere in the past conversation. As you are fully aware, I'm stuck. And finally, she's been monitoring your emotions for as long as you were her mind, though I'm not sure it was intentional.
OOC:
Excellent reasoning, but maybe I need to you trust me too, vampire. I have had many, many years of practice at being patient. I can wait for a long, long time to get what I want.
IC: V) And why would that be? My skills are manipulation, assassination, and black magic, and I rather doubt you'd need help with any of the above. Besides, I'm still stuck. Much as I hate to admit it, I couldn't even attempt to harm you if I could get free. Nayari gave her heart to you, and as long as you hold it, you have the closest thing to trust that I am capable of. You're playing chess with a child. If you intend to make a move, now is as good a time as any. she isn't frightened or anything, simply factual.
OOC:
I don't plan to do anything, nothing bad at least, and if I hold Nayari's heart, the same is true for what's left of mine. Nothing I can do will not end in heart break.
IC: V) Perhaps, but it's fun while it lasts. Nayari obviously doesn't know how bad it is in your case, but she thinks much the same of herself. She tried to save someone-quite a few people, in fact- and it ended in tragedy. She really does mean forever. She doesn't understand the problem with that yet, and I won't tell her. With you, she is happy.
OOC:
Phenax withdrew from her mind for a moment, thinking. There's no problem with wanting to be with someone until the end of time, life just doesn't want to cooperate sometimes. When I said forever earlier, I really meant it, and with both of us being immortals, what's to stop us?
IC: V) there's something I read once-or rather, Nayari did, and I yoinked the memory-It said that there is a major difference between living and surviving. It's the difference between Nayari and myself. We are going to survive, that is my singular purpose. But Nayari? She's alive to the point that it's intoxicating; hell, she just piggybacked a f'cking dragon for the heck of it! You gave her that back, Phenax. You are why she lives.
OOC:
I plan to be the reason she lives and survives. She can take risks if she wants, but I need you to have her back, Vampire. I can't always stop her.
IC: V) I understand. Believe me, it's in my best interest to keep her safe as well. Fun fact, I've already become… corrupted, you might say. Normally the process would work the other way, my aura seeping into hers, until she becomes dark enough that we merge. The thing Darien didn't account for is her sheer tenacity, or your influence; I'm the one beginning to change, and I don't even mind. Eventually we'll end up being the same personality. I'll have to lock away some of my memories before that, the poor girl doesn't want that in her head.
OOC:
Then you do that, lock away the memories and throw away the goddamn key. If you've become corrupted, that means she's the stronger of you, doesn't it, and if you both become the same personality, what happens them? Does she still hear your voice, or do you fade away completely?
IC: V) It just gets to the point of normal emotional duality. She gets all of my spells, and I merge with her conscience. Still there, but not separate. We won't be able to speak like this, but she won't sleep either, so either way. looking at her mindscape, you can see a woman in a long black dress going through a series of books, occasionally tearing out a page or two, or crossing something out with a pen. Her eyes are whiteless and deep red. Nayari is in a bed in another room, sleeping.
OOC:
That book you're desecrating, what is it? Phenax asked,surprised by the scene.
IC: The vampire looks up. "My memories. She'll absorb the book, so I'm changing what I don't want her to see." The woman is much older than Nayari, and her features are less rounded, giving her the appearance of what one might expect from a vampire-manipulative and deadly in her beauty. At the moment, however, she has a kind smile on her face, along with a bit of a sadness.
OOC:
"And when she merges with you, will she remember the parts you crossed out?" He asked, looking at her. He was surprised by her appearance, as he had been expecting a younger woman, with ash grey skin.
IC: She shakes her head. "I forget myself once I'm done. I did the same for her after the village. She still remembers what matters about the facts, I just edited out the most harmful parts." She says. She goes through the book again, then closes it. She looks up at him. "You want to go over it? I can see why you wouldn't trust me." She says, gesturing to the torn pages.
OOC:
"I trust your judgement," Phenax said, waving the book away. "If you've made her forget home, or me, though, I will make sure you regret it."
IC: She grimaces. "I wish I could say 'of course I wouldn't do that' but originally, I would have. Don't worry, I as I am now would never do that to her." Her face softens to an almost maternal expression as she thinks of Nayari. "I'm just doing what I can before I go at this point." She closes her eyes, sadness showing itself, along with a bit of fear.
OOC:
Phenax went pale at those last words and his eyes went wider, before he got his features under control again. "Tell me what's going on, vampire. I need to know so I can help," He said, tone sharp as a knife blade.
IC: She looks up at him. "I told you, I'm fading. Yes, my abilities and basic judgement will be there, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm going to die." Tears begin to trail down her sharp face. "I-I'm scared."
OOC:
After a moment's hesitation, Phenax walked over to her and took her in his arms. "Everyone's afraid to die, young one, even gods. There's nothing wrong with it." He said, wiping the tears from her cheeks with a thumb.