After her daily training, and the variety of chores a self-sufficient household needed, Malati's mother would make a point to tell her daughter one of the many stories of her old adventuring days. It had often been one of the young Tiefling's favorite times of the day. And while most of Vasa's stories revolved around settling things right with the edge of one of her many weapons, there were a few that had been about the sheer wonder of the world around them. Of those stories of wonder, Malati had always latched on to the stories of Horae, the Island of All Seasons. And now that she was making a point to see the world outside of the Highlands, Horae was right near the top of the list.

She would have made it her first visit, but living alone in the wilds did not cost anything and it seemed like everything in Canelux cost coin. Malati glanced down to where her coin purse hung on her hip, nearly empty once again. When she had first arrived on the east coast of Canelux she had had a momentary daydream of hiring one of the airships that traveled to and from Horae. One look at the price quickly disabused her of that idea, so she took what meager coin she had and spent the vast majority on booking passage in a more mundane sea fairing ship. 

That voyage had been interesting, and even enjoyable, but all memory of it had fled from Malati as soon as the island came into view. Her hired ship set her down in the Terra section of the island, and at first this disappointed the young woman. Terra in her mother's stories had always sounded the most like their homelands. Bears, deer, rivers with fish, wildflowers. All things she knew well. But as the ship pulled into port Malati could immediately tell that while the comparison was not without merit, it did not do the island justice. Wildflowers spread out before her in a rainbow of colors as far as her eyes could see. The quite din of hundreds of happy insects filled her ears as she left the port and walked through the meadows.

Malati ran her free hand through the soft petals of the wildflowers as she walked, her right hand busy keeping a tight grip on Windsong. A part of her wanted to rush off into the rain forest, or up the icy steps into the tundra. She wanted to see everything the island had to offer. But she had a goal, the rest of the island could wait. In her mother's stories about Horae one feature always stood out to Malati. The Tree. If it had another name, Malati did not know it. Her mother had said it was so large that it rivaled even the World Tree which had once lived. And having caught her first glimpse of the Tree all the way from the port, Malati could believe it.

When she finally made it to the center of the island, Malati could only look up to its great canopy and gape, open mouthed, in wonder. Here all four seasons met and touched in a bizarrely beautiful ballet. She watched as an eddy of wind caught up a few snowflakes from Glaciem and brought them over to Ignus where they melted and fell as water, soaking into the soil. When the wind rushed around her from one direction, it was cool and crispy, but if blown from another it was frigid and chilled her to the bone. Malati considered pulling her cloak more tightly around herself, but one look at the Ignus portion of the island told her that it would only be a temporary fix.

Deciding to ignore the four seasons that swirled around the Tree, Malati took one hesitant step forward then paused. She subconsciously reached up to her left temple, and ran her hand across the soft purple stubble, where the hair on her left side was starting to grow back in, as her fingers searched for the old scar. Her fingers ran along the familiar mark as she considered. This was the Tree her mother had told her about, and it was as wonderful as her stories had made it out to be. Leaves of every color rustled in the breezes creating. Was it appropriate to approach it closer? The fingers of her left hand traced her scar, back to front, before moving next to the stump of her left horn. Was this place holy to someone? Would it be considered inappropriate to touch it?

Malati glanced around, her red tail suddenly swishing with anxiety, as she looked for someone to reprimand her. There was no one else around. A slight smile crept across her lips as she stepped forward, resting Windsong on the ground (placing a weapon against the Tree did seem inappropriate), and placed both her palms on the trunk of the tree. She closed her eyes, and let the feel of the Tree against her hands wash over her.

Having heard stories of the tree on this island the angel had been interested in visiting to see it for herself. Not that she didn’t trust the stories she had heard of an island with all four seasons in… season at the same time, but she felt like it was just something she should see with her own eyes. On top of that the idea of a tree that rivaled the World Tree was something to behold to be sure, more so for an angel like Sirona who was a follower of the Divine.

Sirona had taken it easier to get here than she could have. She could have flown across the waters to reach the island, but that was a long flight over a lot of deep and open water and she couldn’t swim. She was afraid of heavy winds coming off the island knocking her out of the air. To that end Sirona had saved up some coin to take an airship over from the mainland, once it had docked Sirona had take wing over to the island. She landed again within the Venti section of the island away from where the airship had docked.

Finding the cobblestone path the armoured and armed angel started up it when she noticed that the trees looked like women! Curiously Sirona stepped up to one and reached out to place her hand on its bark, only to jumped back a foot when it started to giggle and wiggle its ‘hips. That would have been enough to make Sirona never touch one again when she nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a smooth barked branch gently caress her cheek with just enough sensual nature behind it to make Sirona jumped into the air.

Nope.

She wasn’t dealing with that!

Deciding she would just head to the tree, since it was huge and she had been able to see it ever since she arrived here, she started to fly in that direction. It didn’t take her long to get there and she stayed over top of the Venti section since the winds were calm there for her to fly easily. From the air before she landed Sirona spotted another figure down by the tree, and what she could see made her frown. It looked like a demon!

Thinking back to when she met another demon that ended up not being as evil as Sirona though, the angel dropped from the air and landed a few yards away from the… demon, since that’s what she thought it was by the way it, she, looked. Sirona wasn’t hiding herself as she landed either, as she placed a hand on her sword’s hilt as she looked at the female. Indeed it was female, and Sirona had noticed the sword laying on the ground nearby, not to mention that the female had one horn that was only a stump. Interesting.

For now everything else was being ignored as the angel studied the female for a moment before speaking up. ”What are you? Are you a demon?” The angel asked in an even voice, hand on the hilt of her sword but she hadn’t drawn any of it from the sheath at this time.

With her palms pressed to the massive tree at the center of Horae Island, Malati couldn’t help but feel a little foolish. This was silly, she had hoped she would feel something, but all she felt was the rough bark beneath her palms. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to close out the world. Everything dropped away from her except the tree. She wasn’t sure why she was doing this exactly, other than the tree was damned impressive and once upon a time her mother had been standing in this exactly spot. Well…maybe not this exact spot. The tree was insanely big, only her mother knew exactly where she’d stood. But this was close!

Despite spending some four odd years living away from civilization, in the wilds of the Highlands, Malati had never really gained the connection to nature that some people had. She appreciated the wilds, and was marveled by things like this massive tree. But she was not connected to nature, and really if she was going to be honest with herself, she preferred the quite din of a city to the peaceful sounds of a forest. Too much time spent alone…or with only one other person.

As she stood there with her eyes squeezed closed and palms pressed to trunk of the tree, an image came to her mind. In her mind’s eye she saw the vivid image of a tall, broad Tiefling woman, her great sword leaning against the tree, her eyes closed and both her palms pressed to the tree trunk. Malati had no idea if her mother had done what she was now doing when she came to the island, but it brought a smile to her face to imagine that she had.

A sudden, gentle breeze pushed against Malati’s hair, and for some reason every muscle in her body tensed. The hard won instincts Malati had been taught by the two women who had trained her kicked in before her conscious mind caught up to her subconscious. She dove to the side, rolling towards where her glaive lay on the ground, as the newcomer said something. As she came up, weapon in her hands ready to attack or defend, she grasped at the words which had already faded from the air. All she came back with was ‘demon.’

Well shit, she thought. When people called her a demon, nothing good came from it. Well shit! she thought again more desperately as she finally lay her yellow eyes on the newcomer. Taller than her, wearing a sword and heavy armor, was a woman with majestic avian wings. Standing there was an angel, or someone who could certainly claim angelic blood, with her hand on her sword, facing a young woman who knew all too well that demonic blood ran through her veins. Malati was not the type to believe that one’s blood defined their place or choices in the world, how could she be knowing her lineage, but that did not protect her from those who did think that way. And she really did not want to have to deal with an angel who thought it was her divine duty, or something, to purge the world of poor mortals who just happened to have some demon blood.

Was it her fault that one of her great great great grandparents (well two, both of her parents were Tieflings) thought it was a good idea to bed down with a demon?

No. The answer was no.

“Listen,” Malati said as she held Windsong between herself and the angel, “I’m not looking for any trouble here, okay?” She slowly began to try and put some distance between herself and the angel. Her yellow eyes darted back and forth, trying to take in the scenery around her again, this time in light of the fact that she might have to fight here in the near present.

“I’m not a demon,” she said a bit more defensively than she’d intended. “Well…I mean, not really. I…” She took a breath, calming herself as she realized this spot would be okay for a fight. Not great, she was edging into the Ignus section of the island and the vegetation was thicker around the edges, but right here was fairly clear and open. “Okay, yes!” she called out, a little bit of frustration, and maybe some anger at having to deal with this, leaking into her voice, “I have demon blood, but I’m not doing anything here.”

Did that make her sound guilty of something?

Well shit…

Sirona watched the short looking glaive come up between them as the demon spoke. In response Sirona removed her sword from its sheath, she hadn’t drawn until now, but with the demon pointing her own weapon at the angel, Sirona now wanted to have her sword in hand. As the demon slowly started to walk backwards Sirona took equal steps closer to keep the distance the same, sword at her side though, not pointed at the demon.

The angel listened closely to what was being said, not a demon and not looking for trouble. But then she corrected herself and Sirona raised a brow in question. She could hear the anger in the female’s voice as she spoke, demon blood in her but she wasn’t doing anything here.

Sirona was silent for a bit as she contemplated what the situation looked like. A very young-looking female who looked like a demon, claimed to have demon blood but she wasn’t doing anything here and wasn’t looking for trouble. Sirona studied the shattered horn for a few moments as well as the scar that was likely the result of whatever trauma broke the horn in the first place.

Without immediate words, Sirona started to walk forward with intent in her footsteps, sword still at her side and shield in her hand but not raised. ”Explain to me this then; how have you come to have demon blood, but perhaps aren’t a demon? Can you tell me what kind of demon blood you have then?” Sirona asked slowly stepping forward, remembering back to her conversation with Veda Sirona had learned then that looks weren’t everything in these lands. ”And, your horn, what happened to it? And, please do tell the truth.” Sirona ended with stopping just outside of the range, or what she thought would be the range, of glaive the demon-blooded-not-demon was holding.

Of course I'm the one to escalate things, Malati thought as the angel drew her weapon. She hadn't had her weapon out when she landed, Malati now realized, but with Windsong up and ready to attack or defend, the angel obviously would want to have her own blade ready. At least she wasn't holding the blade in an attack posture. That was something. Thank the Gods for small victories.

Malati wanted to lower her own weapon in the hopes that that would deescalate the situation, but even as the thought crossed her mind she could hear her mother's voice in her mind. Yeah, lowering Windsong might makes things better, or the angel might take the opportunity to press the attack. The precious seconds it would take to bring it back up to defend herself could be the difference between life and death.

She eyed the angel intently as she took a few steps forward. Up until this point she'd only been walking to keep the same distance between them. Now that Malati had chosen her ground to fight on, the angel continued to walk, closing the gap between them. Every muscle in the Tiefling's body tensed as the swordswoman stepped closer. She studied her, waiting for the tell tale signs that the angel was preparing her body for a strike. But it did not come, she stopped just outside of Windsong's reach and Malati relaxed a touch.

Sadly, her somewhat relaxed state only lasted as long as it took the angel to speak. She had to ask about the horn and the scar. Malati could feel her hands beginning to tremble, and she squeezed her eyes shut. It was a stupid thing to do, the angel could kill her now without any real resistance if she had the mind to. But Malati couldn't help it, she had to try to keep the memories at bay. 

It did not work, and the memory of her weapon covered in her blood and Jyeir's flooded her mind.

Malati took a series of quick deep breaths, hoping to calm herself but only succeeding mildly. But she was calm enough to speak, and that was a start. She opened her eyes.

"I'm…I'm a Tiefling. We..uh, our people, I mean…" She took another breath and the memory of her fight with Jyeir began to fade. A little bit. "Our people started when humans and demons had children…I don't know why they did that, or who did it. But they did and," she let one hand free of her weapon to gesture to her self. "And we exist because of it. We're not de-…demons, we're mortals, we…we make our own choices. I don't know what demon started my pa…parents' lines, and I don't want to."

If the angel wanted to know about her nature, that probably was a good thing. In Malati's limited experience people did not tend to ask to learn more about the people they're preparing to kill. Taking a chance, fighting her mother's training, Malati lowered Windsong's point, so the blade touched the soft soil around the Tree's roots. "Please don't make me talk about the horn," she said in a near whisper as she raised a hand, which had thankfully stilled, to wipe away the tears that was forming in her eyes. "I don't like reliving that story."

Sirona watched the maybe-demon, her hand started to shake and she closed her eyes, that was an interesting reaction. As the maybe-demon thought Sirona could have attacked in that moment but she didn’t, Sirona was getting the idea that this was yet another demon looking being that she didn’t need to cleanse from the lands. A few deep breaths were taken and she started to speak in halting tones as she opened her eyes again.

Tiefling? Another being that Sirona hadn’t heard of before. Demons and humans having children?! Sirona shuddered at the idea of that and forced it from her mind as she listened more to what the Tiefling had to say. She didn’t know where her own lineage started and didn’t want to. She watched as the Tiefling lowered her weapon until the point touched the ground, asking not to have to explain her broken horn in a near whisper that Sirona wouldn’t have heard if there was any other noise around.

At the visible tears the angel relaxed and sheathed her blade while the Tiefling wiped her tears away. Sighing Sirona looked to the Tiefling. ”You don’t have to explain, I’m sorry for making you think of those memories.” She replied gently. ”My name is Sirona, I am sorry for assuming you were a demon, or at least an evil demon. I can’t be too careful, I hope you understand.” Sirona explained in short. ”Tiefling though, never heard if your kind. The idea of a demon and human… just makes my skin crawl though, no offence to you personally.” Sirona didn’t like any kind of talk that was sexual in nature and she was desperately trying to push the images from her mind.

The angel would admit she was still curious, more so now, about the broken horn. But demon blooded or not the tears had been enough for Sirona to not inquire further about the story behind it. Instead, she asked a bit more of a mundane but more personably question. ”Are you out here exploring the island as well? I haven’t been here until now, I’m from Onnen. This island is beautiful, to see all four seasons at the same time in such a way. Oh, if you haven’t been to the Venti section yet be careful, the trees are alive and will giggle if you touch them and try to touch you in turn.” She warned shuddering again at the soft and obviously sensual touch to her cheek she had felt.

With just a few simple words all of the tension in Malati's body drained from her. The muscles in her arms, legs, and tail all slowly uncoiled when it became clear that there was not going to be any fighting for the moment. And Malati couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Not that there would be no fight, any day where she did not have to use Windsong to hurt someone was a good day, but with her reaction to all of this.

She left her self imposed isolation because she finally felt like she had a handle on herself and who she was, and yet at the mere mention of her horn and scar, and the memories she thought were behind her came flooding back. Was she really okay with who she was or was she still ashamed of how she was fooled and used? If she wanted to see the world she would have to get used to people asking questions about it. Wouldn't she? And yet, she also felt like she was well within her rights not to speak about it, about anything she did not want to talk about.

It was strange to find that both thoughts felt true and right to her when they were somewhat in opposition to each other. It was something Malati would need to think on more at some point.

"Thank you," she said as she slung the strap on her weapon over her shoulder so Windsong was carefully strapped to her back. Malati then gently raised a hand to tap the scar on the left side of her head, "This wound is old, but it cut a lot deeper than it looks. So while it's healed here it hasn't fully healed here yet," she said as she moved her hand to tap just above her sternum. The Tiefling gave a slight smile, that would be a good middle ground between her two mindsets. She wouldn't ignore it, but she didn't have to dwell on it more than that either.

"I'm Malati. It's nice to meet you, Sirona, misunderstanding aside and all," she said with a genuine chuckle. "I'm not surprised you haven't heard of our people. We aren't a very big group, and we mostly try to keep to ourselves. Most people who think we might be demons don't wait to make sure we are before trying to drive us off or worse." Malati had only experienced that once before she got sent off, but she had always been aware that it could happen. It was why she and her mother hadn't lived in the village as she was growing up. "I don't take any offense, so no worries there. But I can't say I'm disappointed that some humans and some demons had children thousands of years ago, otherwise I wouldn't exactly be here. I can say I'm not sure what would make that kind of union enticing to any human. I might be grateful to my ancestors for allowing me to exist, but I'm not sure I'd ever want to follow in their footsteps."

Malati slowly began to make her way back over to the Tree, it was why she'd come to this island in the first place after all. She listened as the angelic woman spoke about the Venti section of the island. "Yeah," she replied to Sirona's question about her presence on the island, "My mother used to tell me stories of her adventuring days, and she always made this island sound unlike any other place in Canelux. So far her stories haven't disappointed." She thought for a moment, "Though I don't think she ever mentioned trees that giggle, I feel like I would remember stories of those." She gave a bit of a shrug, "If they giggle maybe they talk to. Maybe I'll go there later, but this Tree is why I came. Nothing like it that I've ever heard or seen. But then I haven't seen much of Canelux yet, another reason I'm here."

Malati simply stood staring the the massive Tree for a few moments before she turned back to Sirona. "So, you know what I am. I'm guessing you're an angel or at least have one somewhere in your ancestry? Do you serve one of the Gods? What brings you all the way from Onnen?" she asked before a thought crossed her mind. Her eyes went wide at the possibility. "Are you here to hunt down a demon? That would explain the full battle gear and you being ready to fight with me and all."

Sirona nodded in understanding, or at least she thought she understood. ”Sometimes the physical wounds aren’t the worst ones.” She spoke as if she had a measure of first hand experience in that and to a degree Sirona did. Malati was her name, a pretty name if Sirona was any kind of judge in that area. As Malati spoke on Sirona took that time to remove the hood from her head and shake her black hair out, this also made it a bit easier to see the facial tattoos that she had as well over her cheeks, under her lower lips and a black bar in the middle of her bottom lip as well. ”Not too long ago I met a female demon, I attacked her on sight but she didn’t fight back, just ran away. When I realized that I stopped attacking and allowed her to talk. She was in fact a demon, but not the kind that I am used to dealing with as you may expect. She told me a bit of herself and I understood that not all demons were the evil beings I’m accustomed to fighting. Not only that but to not judge based on looks, which is why I asked you what you were, Malati.” Sirona explained in brief what had happened before with Veda.

The angel asked why Malati was here and she was correct in her thinking, Malati was out to see the island for herself. Malati explained it had been her mother who had informed her of the island and its beauty, but that she hadn’t mentioned the giggling trees that Sirona had encountered and rather swiftly got away from. As Malati continued to speak Sirona stepped up to the tree as well, she removed her right gauntlet to touch the bark gently with her skin. Skin that, just where her wrist was visible more tattoo work was visible, this starting at her wrists and worked its way up her arms to her throat, but all of that was still covered.

Malati then asked of Sirona and the angel removed her hand from the tree and put her gauntlet back on again. ”I am a full angel.” She started to explain. ”As for serving the Gods, well, I have met a few of them already, but I wish to meet the rest of them as well. It’s a feeling, a want that I have, to meet them all and pledge myself to them. I came to Canelux to explore the new land after I heard about the invasion from the insect tribes, the fools that were to try that. Savages.” She sighed. ”But once I heard about the Deities that lived in these lands I knew what I had to do, as an angel I’m a servant of the Divine.” She grinned at the comment about hunting a demon. ”So no, I didn’t come here specifically to hunt a demon of any kind. I’m always dressed like this, ready in case I need to destroy evil in some form or another.” She was well trained, but it was her conviction to cleanse evil from the lands that could make Sirona dangerous at times, as it blinded her when she wasn’t careful.

”I think I’m going to take a walk around the tree and see the other seasons closer up.” She looked to Malati. ”Care to join me, Malati?”

[OOC: Gm granted to have Sirona follow Malati if you want :)]

"I didn't kn-" Malati's voice cut off as she was about to respond to Sirona's revelation that she had met a good demon. While that was shocking in its own right, the reason Malati's voice caught in her throat was the sight of Sirona with her hood down. The angel had striking facial tattoos. They were unlike anything the young Tiefling had ever seen before. Malati had a few of her own tattoos, but her tattoos all looked like what they were. An eagle, a tree. She didn't have anything so abstract as the lines on Sirona's face. 

A dozen questions formed in Malati's mind, but before she could ask any of them the thought that it might be rude occurred to her. Besides, the angel might reveal it naturally over the course of their conversation. So instead, she finished her earlier thought, "I didn't know that there were non-evil demons," she said honestly. "I know they're my ancestors and all, but I figured we Tieflings were capable of choosing our own paths because of our human blood. I guess its nice to know that there is a chance my ancestors have a chance of not being terrible scourges on the world," she said trying to make light of the situation somewhat.

Malati turned to look and smiled to see the angel had followed her back to the tree. Even if they had almost come to blows, it was nice to be around other people for a change. She smiled as the angel began to speak of her own nature and relationship with the Gods. But most of what she had to say did not completely register, as her yellow eyes fell on Sirona's hand. Without her gauntlet, Malati could see that the angel's tattoos weren't just contained to her face, she had tattoos on her wrist, and from the look of it they probably extended up her arm as well, though her sleeves made that impossible to determine.

Again, she suppressed her desire to ask questions, not sure if it would be rude or inappropriate. Thankfully Sirona said something that caused Malati to raise a curious eyebrow. "I know some people like to fight with that armor on, which I guess I get. But the idea of always wearing it…" she shook her head in disbelief, "I can't imagine that. You've got to be very strong. It's heavy right?" Malati shook her head again as if trying to force some kind of understanding. "When I fight, I've got to be fast and flexible. I feel like I'd get hit constantly if I wore anything near that heavy."

She smiled broadly when Sirona asked if she'd like to join her in exploring the island. Malati quickly nodded her head enthusiastically. "Yeah, that sounds great." With one last look at the tree up close, Malati waved for Sirona to follow her as she headed towards the Glaciem section of the island. They walked in silence for a few seconds, the conversation having reached a natural lull. But as the quiet lingered, Malati's curiosity built within her. "Okay, I don't know if this is rude or anything. And if it is, I'm sorry, but I have to ask! Your tattoos, they're sooo…." her voice trailed off as she wasn't sure what word was appropriate. Cool? Pretty? Unique? All true. "Amazing," she finally settled on. "I've never seen anything like them before. Who did them?" 

Embarrassed by her own enthusiasm and curiosity, Malati quickly followed up before Sirona could respond, "Sorry, I just…I like tattoos." She rolled up her left sleeve, revealing the eagle silhouette, its head on the back of her hand, tail halfway up her forearm, and wings wrapping around her to her inner arm. "I did all of my own," she said as she rolled up her right sleeve revealing the flowering tree on the inside of that arm. "These are my favorite two," she said quietly, unsure of her work next to Sirona's tattoos, "but yours are so unlike anything I've ever seen."

Sirona nodded. ”I didn’t know there were non-evil demons either, so I learned something that day. She was nice, she was trying to make silver to help her parents too. I guess there is more free will among demons that I had assumed. Also, she wasn’t the horrible looking monstrosities that I’m used to either. She looked, well, to be honest, Malati, she didn’t overly different from you. Her horns were taller, she had a tail as well. Really, now that I think of it, she could be mistaken for a Tiefling if she wanted to.” Sirona had noticed that similarities before now. ”Perhaps it’s her kind of demon that are your ancestors are derived from?” She suggested, she’d have to find Veda again and speak with her about that at some point, perhaps have Malati and Veda meet to talk.

As the two of them inspected the tree Sirona looked to Malati when she asked about her armour, noting that it would be heavy and that she couldn’t get the idea of wearing it all the time as Sirona did. ”It’s not as heavy as it looks, but since I’m always wearing it I’m used to the weight by now I guess. This armour is also a bit, um, different than you might be used to seeing around here.” She thought for a moment on how to explain what she had meant. ”This armour is enchanted, or perhaps haunted, depends on how you want to look at it. Either way, it has an intelligence of its own, so when I’m attacked it will shift slightly to better protect in the area that’s about to be hit. I’ve had large gashes carved into it before and over the course of a week it will repair itself, somehow. Even I don’t fully understand how it works, but it does. Also.” She held up her hands, with a flick of her right hand a two foot blade snapped out from within the gauntlet and a hum sounded the forming of the magic buckler shield from the gem hidden in her left gauntlet. ”These have come in handy more times than I care to admit.” She grinned and sheathed the blade and undid the shield spell within the gem while lowering her arms. ”So, while it is heavy, since it can move on its own as well when I move it moves and takes some of the weight off of me.” She explained and figured that was probably the best explanation she could give for it.

After that Sirona suggested they explore together, which Malati liked the idea of and agreed to. Silence fell between them for a bit as they walked, which Sirona was ok with for that time if only because she was taking in the natural beauty of the island. But Malati broke that silence, and the topic she brought up made the angel blush slightly even while she looked over the tattoo work on Malati that Malati said she did herself. When Malati was finished Sirona managed a smile. ”Yours are beautiful, Malati, you should be proud of your work.” She praised with genuine sincerity in her voice.

However as she moved to her own tattoos she seemed a bit embarrassed, but spoke on anyway. ”I don’t know who did mine, let alone what they mean, sadly. All I do know is that they are angelic symbols of some kind.” She removed her gauntlet again and then made her armour move itself so that her arm from wrist to shoulder was visible showing that she was covered in black swirling ink. But it also showed that she was well built, there was nearly no fat on her muscles and they were tight from her training and wearing her armour all the time. ”See, I woke up in Onenn one day in a monastery that houses some monks. I don’t know how I got there or why I was there, nor did they. I stayed with them for over two years after waking up, learning everything I could. All I could remember of my past was my training with a sword and shield, and my armour was even on me when I was found.” She sighed and placed her armour back on. ”So, ya, sorry I can’t answer your question, Malati, I hope to one day, and when I know I’ll find you and tell you. Until then, it’s a mystery.” Sirona spread her hands out in a defeated manner.