Passing On the Torch

[Merc]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,425,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=style, background: #f2f2f2 url(http://static2.grsites.com/archive/textures/lgrey/lgrey007.jpg); border: 5px solid #d4d4d4] AS I WALK IN THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS i'll strive to find my own light Riley sat behind her desk, which looked strangely empty, barren of the usual stacks of papers and the like. In fact, the entire room had been picked clean of anything that belonged to Riley personally, though no one had seen her move her possessions out, she had done so quietly, because this was the way that she wished to leave. It was the dead of a dark night, in which the moon was hiding behind the low rolling clouds. Slivers of moonlight shone through, but all in all, it was the perfect night for her to simply... Walk off into the darkness and disappear. It sounded a bit hasty, sure. It was rude, sure. The guild would not appreciate that, sure. But she also knew that she would be unable to do what had to be done, if faced with the entire guild. "Fetch me Durriken," Riley murmured, reclining in her chair and closing her eyes. She rose a hand to rub lightly at her temples, slowly casting a glance towards the birdman that was standing before the desk. "Are you certain, master?" Atlas asked. As she nodded in response, he too nodded, lumbering out of the room in search of the man in question. When he had stumbled across Durriken, he was inform him that he was wanted in the guild master's office, and proceed to follow him there. RILEY'S MANA REMAINING: /150 ATLAS' MANA REMAINING: /100 NOTES: made by FLOU of GS.

[Durriken Petulengro]

[atrb=cellspacing,4,true][atrb=cellpadding,5px,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/Vrs56.png); border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; -moz-border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 5px solid #222222;] — Durriken, in the absence of will power, the most complete collection of virtues and talents is wholly worthless. When Atlas found him, Durriken was at his desk finishing writing a letter. He put it in an envelope and sealed it with wax using the strange silver cross around his neck as an imprint to signify it came from the clan Petulengro. He put the sealed letter in a small pocket on the inside of his vest before he got up and followed Atlas out before getting a few other small items from draws and his sink. Durriken walked in following Atlas. In his hands, he had a glass of water and a tablet that would ease her headache. People tended to forget how observant the silent man could be which exactly how he liked it is. Flying under the radar let him help in the best way possible. It was how he worked; a well-placed strike from the shadow could do so much more than an aggressive frontal assault. He also found himself being overly protective of the guild. He even heard some of the people offhandedly comment on how he was the shield of Griffin Wing with his unique magic tied so strongly to the guild itself. He would set the tablet and water on her desk before taking a step back and putting his hands behind his back waiting for her to speak.

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[Merc]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,425,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=style, background: #f2f2f2 url(http://static2.grsites.com/archive/textures/lgrey/lgrey007.jpg); border: 5px solid #d4d4d4] AS I WALK IN THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS i'll strive to find my own light Riley let out a soft 'heh' sound, followed by a 'thanks', as Durriken brought her the pill and some water. She accepted it, of course, her green eyes fixating on Durri for a few long moment, even after she had set the water down. In truth, she began to wonder just how much he knew of what she was going to say. Nodding for Atlas to close the door, she sat up a little folding her hands gently over her stomach. "I am rather curious, Durriken," she finally piped up, relaxing a little into her large chair, for what would likely be the last time, "what do you know?" She soon realized how vague this question was, and reclined more so with a deep sigh, "about why I called you here, I mean. Do you have any speculation?" "Master..." Atlas murmured from the corner of the room, shaking his head a little as he did so. It was an odd time for her to suddenly be curious about how good she was at hiding things, he thought. Raising a hand, he scratched the side of his face a bit, feathers rustling. Riley's green eyes gazed intently upon Durriken as she waited for his response, dancing to observe his feature's slightly, but never leaving his face. RILEY'S MANA REMAINING: /150 ATLAS' MANA REMAINING: /100 NOTES: made by FLOU of GS.

[Durriken Petulengro]

[atrb=cellspacing,4,true][atrb=cellpadding,5px,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/Vrs56.png); border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; -moz-border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 5px solid #222222;] — Durriken, in the absence of will power, the most complete collection of virtues and talents is wholly worthless. "A fairly good amount considering you never sound proofed your room like I suggested." He said simply. "I know the what, that you are leaving, but not the why, the how, or the how long. It is hard to hide the sound of packing even if you got the majority of the items out of here without anyone noticing." His voice was flat as he spoke. He was disappointed that she was leaving but he would never voice such a thing since it was not his place to stand in her way. That didn't mean though that he couldn't aid her in the endeavor. "I just finished the last of my preparations when Atlas came for me. I doubted that you would let me following you or else I would have been informed of this earlier." He reached into his vest and handed her the envelope. "This is a letter of introduction with my families seal on it. If you ever encounter the circus once again this will make them give you anything they can spare to aid you in your journey." He then took the silver cross with the strange eye upon it from around his neck and handed it to her as well. "This will ensure safe passage with anyone descendent of gypsies who remember the old ways. This will mark you as under the protection of the evil eye of the clan Petulengro. And lastly there is this as a last resort." He said as he handed her a magic calling card imbued with his magic.

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[Merc]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,425,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=style, background: #f2f2f2 url(http://static2.grsites.com/archive/textures/lgrey/lgrey007.jpg); border: 5px solid #d4d4d4] AS I WALK IN THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS i'll strive to find my own light Riley blinked a little at the amount of preparation that Durri had put together while she had been busy trying to hide what she was doing. She accepted the letter, but paused as he tried to hand her the cross, "that seems like something that would have a lot of personal value," she pointed out, not seeming to want to take it, as she did believe that it was a family heirloom or something of the sort. However, she accepted his calling card, tucking it carefully into the pocket of her jacket as she did so. She wasn't an idiot by any means, she knew that he was likely disappointed in her, perhaps hurt that she was suddenly abandoning the guild, which was why she offered an explanation to him. "I love the guild, I always will, and I will certainly miss it and all of the members," she pushed herself slowly to her feet, pacing towards the window and simply staring out into the darkness for a few moments. Eventually, she peered over her shoulder at him, "but when I first accepted this position, it was because no one else was strong enough to defend the guild. That is no longer an issues." She turned to face him, sitting on the sill of the window. "I am no leader, and I feel as if I have carried the guild as far as I can. As such... I would like to relinquish my position as guild master to you, the one that I trust most to protect it." Riley rest her hands on her knees, watching him intently as she spoke, "Durri, I feel as though other places need me more than the guild, though I will always come to help if I hear of trouble, I can't be here running the show and actively making a difference with some of the problems that have been rising recently... I guess what I'm trying to say is... I'm just tired. I admit that I cannot do it all, and there are things I need to deal with elsewhere..." She rambled, seeming uncertain of her wording. No matter how she worded it, it sounded to her like she was abandoning the guild out of laziness... Atlas slowly narrowed his crimson eyes as he stared at his master, nothing that she was leaving out a few critical pieces of information, he could not help but wonder why she was doing so - though he said nothing of it, the birdman looked troubled as he leaned his back to the door. RILEY'S MANA REMAINING: /150 ATLAS' MANA REMAINING: /100 NOTES: made by FLOU of GS.

[Durriken Petulengro]

[atrb=cellspacing,4,true][atrb=cellpadding,5px,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/Vrs56.png); border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; -moz-border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 5px solid #222222;] — Durriken, in the absence of will power, the most complete collection of virtues and talents is wholly worthless. Durriken gestured with his hand for her to keep the necklace. "It does have a lot of personal value but part of that value is because of where it came from and the promise of where it will go. It was passed down within my clan and I want you to have it partly as safe passage with other gypsy but also so you always remember your time with the guild." "I can't say I agree with your reasons for leaving Mistress, but I will not stand in your way. If you feel that your fate leads you elsewhere then you must go elsewhere. I will do my best to lead and protect the guild. I hope I am strong enough to protect them from the forces that may come once your absence is well known." He said not hiding the truth from her. It was very possible that people will take Riley's absence as permission to attack the guild or to get revenge on the good that the guild had done in the past.

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[Merc]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,425,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=style, background: #f2f2f2 url(http://static2.grsites.com/archive/textures/lgrey/lgrey007.jpg); border: 5px solid #d4d4d4] AS I WALK IN THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS i'll strive to find my own light Riley somewhat hesitantly accepted the necklace that he offered her, looking at it in the palm of her hand before slowly attaching it around her neck (where it would of course be the safest). She blinked a little at his words, furrowing her brows a bit, "of course I'll never forget my time in the guild, it is, and will always be, very important to me." She stood out from the windowsill once more, her green eyes dancing a little. "Yes, I have considered that possibility. It is in part why I am leaving, I fear that my actions would draw a lot of trouble to the guild, and I would rather shoulder the blame on my own," she mused, now leaning her back to the wall. But you are a Wizard Saint, your power is not to be underestimated. Even the members of the guild are much stronger now than when I first took over. If you need assistance, Fairy Tail is still an ally, and if I hear anything has happened I will return and do what I must." Riley exhaled a little, shoulders slumping a bit where she stood, "please do not look at this as though I have stopped loving this guild. It is not like that, and it never will be. The guild was the closest thing that I ever had to family, and it was not an easy decision for me to come to. It mightn't seem like it right now, but this is the best protection that I can offer." She stuck her hands into the pocket of her jacket, pausing as she felt something against her fingers, she let out a soft 'ah' sound. "I almost forgot, but I had one of these made to give to you as well," she told him, stepping forth as she drew out a gloved hand, she offered him her calling card, "so if anyone does attack, or you should find yourself in great need of me for some reason, do not be afraid to use it." As she spoke, Atlas moved away from the door, plopping to sit on the corner of the desk that was the furthest from Durri and Riley. He glanced to them occasionally, a bit bored looking, but he remained quiet, respectful. He held no fondest for most people, least of all Yoichi, but he respected Durriken, his power, and his master's respect for the young man. The birdman ruffled his feathers a bit, his wings pinned to his back to keep from taking up a large portion of the room. His crimson eyes watched the two closely for a moment before looking away. RILEY'S MANA REMAINING: /150 ATLAS' MANA REMAINING: /100 NOTES: made by FLOU of GS.

[Durriken Petulengro]

[atrb=cellspacing,4,true][atrb=cellpadding,5px,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/Vrs56.png); border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; -moz-border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 5px solid #222222;] — Durriken, in the absence of will power, the most complete collection of virtues and talents is wholly worthless. When she turned to give him the card she would notice that his eyes were hardened but not out of anger but in the classic way they did when he was fighting and was trying to analyze everything that was going on around him. The longer she spoke the more information he would obtain which meant he was more likely to figure out what was really going on. He took the card and put it in a small pocket of his satchel almost robotically as his mind whirled trying to put together all of the pieces. He could see that there was something more to why she was leaving and his mind was sifting through the conversation trying to figure it out. He did find it ironic though that the person who consumed other people's sins to shoulder their burden had the hardest time with her own. He wasn't sure if who she was trying to convince more, him or herself that leaving was the correct thing. He reached into his pocket and checked his pocket watch frowning when he saw the result. "If you want to make it out of here unnoticed you will need to leave soon. The last thing I can offer you though is a minute with the High Priestess though from the snippets I got from you that didn't go exactly well last time." He mentioned as glanced out the window starting to see a few streaks of reds and yellows on the horizon.

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[Merc]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,550,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=style, background: #f2f2f2 url(http://static2.grsites.com/archive/textures/lgrey/lgrey007.jpg); border: 5px solid #d4d4d4] AS I WALK IN THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS i'll strive to find my own light As Riley had expected, Durriken seemed to have come to the conclusion that there was something more than what she was openly admitting to. She made no comment on it, however, as it was in fact something that she wished to remain hidden. It was because of this that she tread so carefully around her words, and shot occasionally glanced to Atlas to keep him quiet - after all, he was far more likely to give away what was going on than she was. She watched him check his watch, giving a bit of a nod, she turned to the window once more, prying it open with relative ease, she paused here, her brows furrowed a bit as he suggested talking to the Priestess. The last time they had met, the spirit had appeared by her own will in order to warn her, so she wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of being scolded once again, though, as she turned to Durri, she gave her head a slow nod. "Sure... Why not?" She murmured, sitting against the window sill once more, her back to the open window, feeling the slightly chilly breeze ruffle at her and her jacket as she waited for him to summon out the spirit of the high priestess. RILEY'S MANA REMAINING: /150 ATLAS' MANA REMAINING: /100 NOTES: made by FLOU of GS.

[Durriken Petulengro]

[atrb=cellspacing,4,true][atrb=cellpadding,5px,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/Vrs56.png); border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; -moz-border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 5px solid #222222;] — Durriken, in the absence of will power, the most complete collection of virtues and talents is wholly worthless. Durriken nodded as he pulled the High Priestess card from his bag. It felt hot in his hand like it was itching to be used. He threw it in front of him and it floated there as the phantom image of the High Priestess grew from the card before overlaying on top of Durriken before fading leaving only the moon symbol on her/his forehead shown. When the card finished overlaying Durriken's eyes turned glossy as his mind was suppressed. The High Priestess took firmer control than usual because it was clear Riley didn't want Durriken to know about what was happening to her though the High Priestess knew exactly what was happening. As a small gift to the women, she closed the doors temporarily to the parts that held the Sin Eater magic. The voices would be locked away for one day's time or until she chose to use the magic, whatever came first. "Nice to see you again Miss Aquila. Speak freely and ask me one question. Durriken shall not hear my answer or your question. And for keeping to your word to not harm this boy I have banished the demons from your mind for a short period of time though it will not last long for my power has waned since the loss of the gypsy." Durriken's lips moved though it was not his voice that came out but that of the women.

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[Merc]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,550,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=style, background: #f2f2f2 url(http://static2.grsites.com/archive/textures/lgrey/lgrey007.jpg); border: 5px solid #d4d4d4] AS I WALK IN THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS i'll strive to find my own light Riley watched as the slightly familiar transformation took place, in which the High Priestess took over Durri's body. She assumed that, once more, the young man would have no recollection of what was going on, which was a good thing, obviously, or it would defeat the purpose of everything that she had been working hard to hide. Her brows furrowed a little, as there was a sudden clarity in her mind that she had not felt in quite some time. "Hello again," she softly replied, her expression softening a bit as the priestess told her that she was the one whom had stopped all of the hustle and bustle inside of her head. "Ah... Thank you. It has been too long since I was the only voice inside of my head," she pointed out, raising a hand to tap two fingers to her temple as she gave a weary, sad smile. "There are many questions that come to mind, but I know which I would like to ask..." She inhaled sharply, exhaling deeply a moment after, as though preparing herself for the answer to the question that she was about to ask, "will the guild be alright without me, Priestess?" She questioned. Of course, she could have asked if it were possible to defeat her demons, or if Yoichi was the one she should marry, or any number of other things, but her guild always came first. She needed to know that they would survive without her. Even if she had not decided to leave the guild, they would eventually have to learn to survive without her, after all. RILEY'S MANA REMAINING: /150 ATLAS' MANA REMAINING: /100 NOTES: made by FLOU of GS.

[Durriken Petulengro]

[atrb=cellspacing,4,true][atrb=cellpadding,5px,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/Vrs56.png); border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; -moz-border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 5px solid #222222;] — Durriken, in the absence of will power, the most complete collection of virtues and talents is wholly worthless. If possible the blank stare on Durriken' face got even blanker as the High Priestess gazed into the future. It was like a web, or a complex weave of fabric where people's lives intersected and each choice springing forth multiple threads, some just phantoms of choices unmade, most firm in the finiteness of the actual world. The further ahead she looked the more phantom lines she saw signifying how the future becomes murky past a certain point due to all the chaos in the universe. "I am sorry Miss Aquila but I cannot give you as finite of an answer that you would want. The future is always murky, shifting between multiple possible timelines. I can answer you the spirit of your question though. From what I can see, no danger will come to Griffin Wing that could have been prevented by your staying. This boy's magic draws strength from the bonds between the people within this guild and this guildhall is the largest symbol of those bonds. It will be nearly impossible for him to be defeated within its walls. Because of that fact you are correct in choosing him as your successor and he will guard Griffin Wing as strongly as you have. And with the question answered I will take my leave....oh and by the way, be wary pork." With those words, the moon vanished from his forehead and Durriken stumbled back before quickly regaining his sense of balance. When she took over sometimes he got to hear in, other times she shut him out completely. He never questioned it figuring it would always be for the best or that him hearing a prediction could change it. It still disoriented him to suddenly be in control of his body once more.

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[Merc]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,550,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=style, background: #f2f2f2 url(http://static2.grsites.com/archive/textures/lgrey/lgrey007.jpg); border: 5px solid #d4d4d4] AS I WALK IN THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS i'll strive to find my own light Riley waited patiently for the high priestess to deliver her verdict, for once enjoying the silence, as she was not plagued by the voices that had been eating her up for what felt like an eternity. She had forgotten how peaceful it was to be back in her own mind, without anyone else to 'keep her company'. The young woman opted to cover as much ground as possible, and hopefully get a good night's rest while she was still free of the voices. As the high priestess spoke up, apologizing to her, she nodded a bit in understanding. As she continued to talk, Riley listened intently, speaking up only to comment that was part of her reasoning for choosing Durriken, before the spell ended - with a somewhat strange comment about being wary of pork. This made her arch a brow a bit, but she made a point to remember it. Watching as control of Durriken's body returned to him, she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket, casting a brief glance over her shoulder, at the sun that was slowly creeping into the sky. Her heart ached a bit in knowing that she would be leaving her precious guild, but she was also glad that she was leaving it to some very capable hands. "Well, I guess this is good bye," she murmured after a moment, slowly looking towards him once more as she did so, waiting only to see if he had anything else to say. RILEY'S MANA REMAINING: /150 ATLAS' MANA REMAINING: /100 NOTES: made by FLOU of GS.

[Durriken Petulengro]

[atrb=cellspacing,4,true][atrb=cellpadding,5px,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/Vrs56.png); border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; -moz-border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 5px solid #222222;] — Durriken, in the absence of will power, the most complete collection of virtues and talents is wholly worthless. "Is there anything you would like me to tell the guild upon your leave? I will wait till the morning to give you time to leave but the message will mean more to them if it came from you instead of from me." He asked. He expected some chaos in the guild since any shift of power brings irrational fear concerning the new management. Some would fear that Durriken would make changes, others would fear that he is not a good enough leader. These changes were always hard to predict but he would meditate and prepare once Riley left with his tarot cards to try and determine the best way to proceed. He wasn't sure the best way but he did know even a short phrase that he could quote directly from Riley would help ease the transition a letter would be even better. It wouldn't hit him right now but later, once it all set in, his largest fear and largest weakness would rise. He was always a paranoid person. It didn't show up often since he learned how to manage it over his lifetime but times like this it came through. He would worry about if he was a good enough leader, if his guild mates would respect him as a leader or try and challenge his position. Or the worst thought, would they think he took out Riley to obtain her position. This paranoia is partly what got him interested in tarot and other forms of divination. Small glimpse into the future helped ease his mind of the irrational thoughts that haunted him.

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[Merc]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,550,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=style, background: #f2f2f2 url(http://static2.grsites.com/archive/textures/lgrey/lgrey007.jpg); border: 5px solid #d4d4d4] AS I WALK IN THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS i'll strive to find my own light "Huumm, well, the master before me never said anything before she left," the young woman mused, wondering what she could possibly say to ease their minds in the situation. It was then that she really recalled when she had first had control of the guild thrown onto her. Her life had become very difficult from that point onwards, because people were constantly challenging her to fights, either trying to take her place, or simply trying to destroy the guild. However, Durri was considerably stronger than she had been when she had taken over the guild. He was a wizard saint, like herself, so hopefully he would not face too much opposition. She moved forwards in silence, wrapping one of her arms around Durri's shoulders as she took a moment to think, "tell them that I will always love this guild, and that will only ever be trumped by my love for the people in the guild," she murmured, unsure of what else to say - she wasn't exactly the speech giving sort of person, after all. "And tell them that I look forwards to the time when our paths should cross again..." Riley closed her eyes for a moment, almost regretfully, but a small smile formed as she turned her attention to Durriken. Leaning in, she pressed a kiss to his cheek in a manner that somehow seemed motherly, like the 'old' Riley. "You are among the handful of people that I trust most, Durriken, I can count them on one hand, but I have placed my most precious possessions in your care. The transition should hopefully be easy for you, since you more or less have learned how to run the guild over these last months." She exhaled a little, once more looking to the rising fun, "but don't get so wrapped up in your work that you forget to live and have fun. I wont forgive you if you do," ruffling his hair a little affectionately, she removed her arm from around him, giving a nod to Atlas before moving towards the window. RILEY'S MANA REMAINING: /150 ATLAS' MANA REMAINING: /100 NOTES: made by FLOU of GS.