<b>”Yes, the tellings of murder are most unsettling.”</b>Emery replied with agreement. While she did not know the victims, death was one of the most fearful things in the world to the young witch. Perhaps that was part of her drive.<br/><br/>Emery observed Deacon as he spoke, and she wondered about his past. For some reason, people like him always seemed to have such good stories - whether from personal experience or hearing them from others they met on their journeys. However, the minute that he began to talk about her abilities, she frowned and listened carefully.<br/><br/><b>”Just because it’s a gift doesn’t mean that it isn’t a coincidence, sir.”</b>Emery tacked on that formality to make her point clear.<b>”I believe the world to be of the most random design. Surely there is nothing intelligent enough to coordinate this ‘gift’ and whom is belongs to.”</b>Did the gods exist? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But the way that Emery spoke was almost blasphemous. The only thing that Emery believed in was life and the cycle of it. Everything else? Chance. But her beliefs were resounded by his comments on her abilities.<i>Fire - destroyer and creator.</i><br/><br/>Shocked, Emery stuttered,<b>”How? How did you know?”</b>He would understand that she was asking how he knew what her skill sets were. It made her nervous that he knew such personal pieces of information. While Emery herself couldn’t put a finger on the exact way that Deacon knew her abilities and their most exact details, she knew that he knew more than he was letting on. Perhaps how to tame the flames in her soul, if she’d let him teach her how.<br/><br/><b>”You come from an organization of mages of a higher caliber?”</b>Emery repeated him verbatim, tilting her head to the side as she thought it over. What if she had joined such an organization? What kind of skills would she have? With another frown, she thought of Kodama and the others the depended on her for safety. If she had not been there, where would they have ended up? The fearful thoughts of those creatures dying at the hands of man or nature made her rid her mind of all questions regarding such an organization and her role within one. She did not want anything more than to return to her home and live out the remainder of her life in peace.<br/><br/><b>”Describe him? Well, he’s a rather interesting individual.”</b>Emery paused as she thought of ways to describe Kodama without exposing what he truly was.<b>”He has an affinity too. To fire. Just as I do.”</b>Emery shrugged.<b>”He was more of a teacher than a friend, but a friend nonetheless. I worry that he has gotten into some trouble and has not been able to get himself out of it. You see, his absence was quite strange, and I fear that bandits might have gotten him. Can you believe that? Bandits!”</b><i>Mercenaries</i>was more appropriate, but someone who had been secluded most of their life would not understand words that were not mentioned all that commonly.<br/><br/><b>”I would be grateful for your assistance, but I’m afraid that I do not work well in groups.”</b>Emery smiled pleasantly.<b>”You have your secrets, sir, I also have mine. Let’s leave it at that.”</b>And that’s exactly how Emery hoped things would stay. She should have known better.<br/><br/><b>”As far as why I think you don’t belong here,”</b>Her voice was slightly muffled between bites of her meal.<b>”You don’t fit. Everyone fits where they belong. Just as I stand out, so do you. Tis not your home here.”</b>