It is nightfall, and Des is restless, unable to figure out how his skills have diminished since he came to Jastery. He goes off to an area along the road in the forest and finds a clearing, and he decides to practice his swordsmanship.
He tries to remember the techniques he learned before: Shredding Winds, Rain of Hell, Blade Tango. But his form is much sloppier than he recalled from before.
"Why doesn't it look right? Why can't I... hngh!" He throws a dagger in frustration as it digs into the bark of a tree, then falls to his knees, leering at his blade in frustration.
Puzzled, the angori catches the blade and gets up to his feet, cautiously, not taking his eyes off of her. He readies that and his other knife just in case he will need it, hoping in the back of his mind that he won't.
"What do you want?" He speaks with a clear voice and stares into her red eyes.
He stands a bit at ease, but his face insinuates that he is now even more confused.
He thinks for a few seconds as his gaze seems to fade off into the distance. Then he refocuses his gaze to her.
"I want a lot of things."
He starts to pace back and forth.
"I want to get stronger, more so than I was before coming here. Enough to protect 'us' from anyone who tries to fuck with us."
He stops at about 5 feet away and points toward her with his blade. "Why do you ask?"
Akon stays right where she was, relaxed, but something about her stance radiated a readiness, and intensity. "Because I was not always damned as I am now...was not always the blackarts weaver that stands before you now. I know how to use a blade just as well as my tongue. And I've taught others to do the same. Do you know me? No. No one truly does, nor will, but it doesn't mean I can't help you."
"The choice, however, is yours."
Des looks at her as she speaks those words, and afterward they echo in his head. Part of him wants to be thrilled about the situation, but as well he has no clue what this dark messenger wants in return.
He looks at his hands and visualizes how powerless he's felt since landing in Jastery, as opposed to how powerful he felt... before. While his head is lowered, he peers up at her and asks "What can you teach me?"
"I... I don't know... And I don't know what you can teach me... If I can't remember the sword techniques I perfected before I came here, I want to learn new ones that will make me more... effective."
Then he looks at his hands. "But that still doesn't seem like enough... I want to be more than just what I am. I want to be feared, not a punchline for the rest of that stupid tribe to poke fun at!" He has a look of disdain and disgust on his face as he mouths the word, "Bambi..."
He glances at his right arm, calms down and remembers... "And for the sake of me and my friend, I want retribution." His gaze intensifies as he speaks, as does the burning feeling in his gut.
Akon's eyes seem to see all of him all at once, noting him gazing at his arms, though her eyes don't shift from peering directly at his own. "Then so you shall be taught."
"I have never called you that, Desiderio, nor will I. Find me when you are ready." Akon bowed her head, the stepped backwards before disapearing into complete shadow.
Des stands still for a good while as he tries to figure out if all that happened or not. He feels... invigorated... but can't help wondering who that figure was, or what she wanted, or how she would help him, or how she... how she...
"..."
o_o
"How the bloody hell did she know my name?!"
END
Yet the expected thud of the dagger was not heard. A slender pale hand had caught it just before it landed at its target, red eyes peering on at the angori. The tall black robed woman stood looking at him, her long and sharp blackblade ever fastened at her side. She tossed the blade back towards him to land at his knees. "Rise." She said in a low, direct tone.