This burning curse...

[kalimofvalmont]

He stayed at the beach after the wedding that happened earlier that night. In fact, he had even helped the servants clean up the chairs and what not. It was chilly, the ocean's waves crashing softly against the shore. His sleeves had been rolled up, suspenders let down. He had brought his horse over to roam free on the sand, and his backpack had been brought over as well.

Bare feet dug into the sand, Anwar had fallen asleep in his shirt pocket. He was careful with his movements, slow and smooth as to not wake the pixie he had come to care for as if she were a family member. Metallic fingers rummaged through his backpack, looking for something in particular.

Brilliant blue hues were dead inside, those usually grinning lips thin with a serious tone that he barely showed. Finally, he found it. He pulled out a small wooden carving. Standing up, he would begin to walk up the beach. Zvi was still out hunting, and most likely wouldn't be back until daybreak.

As he headed up the shore, Kalimar would grab pieces of driftwood. Once he had enough, he headed back to where his bag was. Dropping the driftwood into a pile, he removed a feedbag from his backpack and gave it to his horse for a meal. He then withdrew a knife and began to shave the driftwood. He was making some small pieces so that he could get a fire going.

Once the base of the fire was set up, he went about mixing those chemicals for the explosion. Kalimar had many interesting traits. Part of his old job as a demon hunter...he needed to know a lot to dupe people into allowing him access to many areas. But it seemed to pay off now in life when he was retired. He threw down the small makeshift bomb, the kindling lighting. It wasn't long before the fire grew and roared with life.

Sitting down in front of it, he moved to look at the carving that was in his hand. It was a large storm dragon, that was sleeping. The piece of wood was delicately carved with intricate detail. He had spent countless hours fine-tuning it so it looked perfect. It was a replica of Angel...

He held it in his hand, looking at it for a long time. Metallic fingers moved to reach out toward the flames. He hesitated for a moment, drawing it back. He swallowed hard, before closing his eyes and looking away. The carving was dropped into the flames, the lacquer used to give it its luster causing it to ignite in flames. In a matter of minutes it was burnt to ash.

Kalimar rested his arms across his knees, his forehead falling to rest on his arms. And then he cried. He cried in a way he hadn't done since he was a child. The tears didn't seem to stop coming from his eyes, running down his cheeks and dripping onto the sand. White feathery wings moved to shield himself in a protective manner.

"I'm tired....of being...lied to..." He managed to say to himself between sobs.

[Queen Solace Rayana Klojhen]

It had been a while. And over the time she's been gone with Nicho and Paul, she's become a more powerful mage in her own right. More so than ever before. She knew that Gelina was handling things just fine, but she was still connected to certain people of the kingdom. That couldn't be helped.

However, while she was sleeping, she was abruptly waken by a feeling of utter pain from someone that she thought long gone. Being an empath had it's downsides sometimes.

She sat up in her bed, glancing back over her shoulder at Nicho sleeping soundly then slips out of bed, grabs her robes, and makes her way outside. Looking up at the night sky, she whispers softly then closes her eyes to focus on who and what she was feeling. Holding her robes closed tightly against the coldness of the night, she finds the beach in her mind. A smile forming as she sees what has taken place this night. Angel got married. How happy she was for her. As she watches it all play out in her mind, she cants her head as if listening to something. After the wedding was over, she sees someone alone on the beach. To her realization and surprise, it was Kalimar. She could feel his pain and it wracked her hard. Reaching out for a low hanging tree branch to steady herself, she uses what she's learned and produces and image of herself on the beach on the other side of the fire across from Kalimar.

"So sad, Kalimar... " Her image was shimmery looking on the otherside of the flames. Almost glittering. Her semi-dark hair much longer now, loose, hanging down around her shoulders, green eyes gleaming brightly with the happiness she's found being with Nicho and Paul away from the kingdom. She almost looked like an angel.

"Tell me, Kal, what has brought those heavy tears to thy eyes."

Her voice was soft and soothing, almost crooning as she spoke.

[Sanguine Claws]

She had wandered off when the wedding was finished, having watched Kal cause such a ruckus but Angel had stayed by Kai's side. She knew how Angel felt the moment ex husbands and lovers came to stand before her. But she felt herself a little lost lately without Gelina nearby.

Walking along the beach as she had some point kicked off the shoes letting them sit in the sand and her toes felt the mixture of waves, of sand. She paused a bit coming across him though she stood there along the beach as the breeze blew against the green dress and the golden hair shimmering like the ocean waves itself. Her eyes emotionless, more like a beast come upon something it didn't understand.

Ears a bit pointy from her long years as a wolf, there was parts of her that was no changing her to look fully human anymore. What could she say to him? She didn't know him, didn't understand his past with Angel nor his background. To her he was just a man lost in a desert he created himself to keep others away.

So she said nothing and simply stood there watching him.

[kalimofvalmont]

He heard the voice, quickly rubbing his eyes to dry the tears that stained his cheeks. Bloodshot hues glanced up from his spot on his arms, only to see the projection of Solace's form before him. He laughed a bit, followed by a sniffle, before smiling to her. Even though it was just a projection of her, Kalimar was glad to see her.

"Isn't a guardian angel's job to withstand the suffering to protect others?" He laughed a bit. He had joked with Angel that he was her guardian angel, and that he'd never let anything hurt her. He sighed a bit, moving to let his arms rest back behind him so he could lean.

"I screwed up Solace..." He looked down to the sleeping form of Anwar in his pocket, before icy blues moved back to the shimmering form of the Queen. "I had her...and I let her go, because I couldn't stand in the way of her and Anduin. I couldn't betray my best friend...and it has cost me one of the few things in my life that has been very real."

He had stopped sniffling, his tone still sad, but much softer. It was the kinder side of Kalimar that took over now. He knew so much love, and even though he felt his heart ice over...he couldn't hide the way he was.

"I loved her so much, that I wanted her to be with the one her heart belonged too at that time. But I stayed, and I came back to her...each time she was heartbroken, I came back." He glanced down at the sand. He idly played with his fingers now. "But I was always too late. Someone else had already taken that spot in her heart, with guarantees to love her forever. I was always placed on the back burner...that..." Another pause, letting out a sigh. "That if things didn't work out between her and her new man...that we could be together then."

He pushed himself up to his feet now, reaching down to pick up a smooth shell from the sandy shoreline as he walked toward the ocean's edge. "She told me that about Darien...about Anduin...About Sate...and About Trent..." He tossed the shell up and down in his metallic fingers. "I tried to move on, and I found my heart's happiness with Lilith...but when she disappeared, I felt the pain Angel did..." He sighed. "I thought that because I knew her pain, I could relate better...and that I could show her she wouldn't have to worry about that with me..."

He laughed a bit to himself. "Listen to me...I'm rambling like a moron." He grew angry at himself, giving a yell as he whipped
his arm to the side, sending that shell skipping across the top of the ocean. "Augh!" He turned to look at Solace. "I came back tonight because I was tired of being pushed aside for her to get hurt again and again." He shrugged his shoulders. "I followed my heart, and it led me to getting hurt. But I feel no regret. At least I know the truth now. If I hadn't followed my heart, I would have hated myself for never knowing what would've happened if I didn't come tonight."

He sighed a bit more, looking up to Solace. "It is good to see again, my queen." He bowed to her, out of respect. "I was a bit sad when I heard the royal family had gone on vacation, but I appreciate you using your magic to speak to me. You are a dear friend." His smile was genuine as he spoke what he truly meant.

"I just need to move on." He laughed a bit. Laughter always helped ease the pain of sadness. It was the best medicine he knew of for his current predicament.

[Queen Solace Rayana Klojhen]

She watches him as speaks, explaining everything to her. She had known about his feelings for Angel for a long time. And she had watched while Angel had moved on from one to another without ever giving Kalimar a second look. Using him as a crutch inbetween loves, knowing he would always be there for her. While she loved Angel dearly, she certainly couldn't approve of how she has treated Kalimar in the past.

His pain slams her again and her image closes her eyes. Her form back in reality winces, her face scrunching up slightly from the pain. Her heart ached for him. All she ever wanted for anyone was to be as happy as she was. She wished beyond anything and everything that that would come true.

Her image moves from the other side of the flames then closer to where he's standing by the shoreline.

"I know how ye have been there for her. How ye always told her that ye would be there when she fell. And fallen she has. Many times since ye left. I know how much ye love her, Kalimar, but now that she's married, there's really nothing... well, nothing honorable anyway... that ye can do. If I knew of a way for ye to win her heart, I would help ye. All I can do for ye now is be here for ye. Though I wish it was in person instead of like this."

Though she was only a projected shimmering image, her hand on his shoulder from behind him felt as real as if she were really there. Her touch was warm and comforting.

"Ye have always done the honorable thing. Letting her follow her heart. But ye knew in the end where ye would end up."

She moves around in front of him to face him as he screams and throws the shell into the ocean.

"Kalimar, listen to me. Ye are not rambling like a moron. And while I agree ye should move on, I urge ye to grieve before ye do. If ye do not, it will eat at ye for the rest of thy life. I do not want to see ye live that way. I have seen ye go through enough pain since the day I met ye." She pauses a moment then speaks again. "Then again, if ye wish to follow thy heart, I will stand behind ye for support. If ye really love her, then do not give up."

Sure, it sounded as if she was contradicting herself, but she was only trying to get him to see the two sides. It's hard for one in pain to see one side of it let alone two. The smile she gave him was a soft and loving one. One showing that she meant what she said. He was a dear friend of hers and she would do anything to help him if she could.

[kalimofvalmont]

He felt her hand on his shoulder, taking comfort in the soft touch. It wasn't real, but he felt it regardless. The warmth from her hand. He was lucky to still have friends like Solace and Nym. He listened to what she had to say, falling silent. It was hard to hear that someone else had seen what he understood. Hard for him to understand that Angel couldn't see it the way he...and now Solace did.

Kalimar had indeed did his best to lead his life honorably. He had to atone for many sins of his past, and for that he had done all he could to become a better person than he had been previously.

He chuckled a bit, at Solace talking about previous pains. He was very thankful to have met her. When no one else seemed to care, Solace had made it her business to revive Kalimar from the horrific event that led him to insanity, and eventually a gruesome death. He looked down at the sand, a small smile on his face.

"I love her so much Solace...but I need to do something that is good for me, just this once." He paused for a moment. "I promise that I will grieve for her. I cannot allow myself to harden over, and become cold and uncaring. I have too many sins to atone for...but I will not pursue her."

He looked up from the sand, back to Solace. "I will stop loving her once I am done grieving. I will stop loving her, and move on. I deserve something better anyway." He was rationalizing it out. But it was hard to do, for one who thought so strongly with his heart. For his sake, he needed someone who treated him like he mattered...rather than a safety net to fall back on when other options fail.

"Thank you again, Solace..." His eyes were glassy. They looked as if they could break and let the waters of the world pour from them, but his resolve was strong and he did not shed anymore tears. At least not now. His sadness was being pushed aside from the happiness he felt from being consoled by a friend.

[Queen Solace Rayana Klojhen]

Another warm smile.

"Aye, Kalimar, ye do deserve better. Ye have a wonderful heart and so much to give someone. And ye will find someone that deserves that love. I truly believe that."

She cants her head, looking into his eyes, her hand lifting to his face, still being felt regardless of being a simple image on the beach.

"I'll always be thy friend, Kal. I will never turn my back on ye. I will always be there to save ye."

She knew what it was like to be saved. And she would do it for anyone that held a place in her heart.

[kalimofvalmont]

"Good to know I have the queen behind me...even though I'm supposed to be one of the ones that protect you, and this kingdom should it ever need protection." A small chuckle, as he had thawed out of his saddened mood. "Thanks again Solace...I think I'm going to spend the night out here though. One last night under the stars before I settle down again."

Kalimar was a traveler. There were only two places in his life that he had ever wanted to settle down. One was a place that only brought pain in its memories. The other was the land of GoldenMyst. He would look at the fire, kicking his boots off and peeling away his socks. Bare toes dug into the sand.

"I think I'm going to go for a walk...take some time to clear my head." A smile offered to the image of Solace, as he bowed again. "Have a good night, and take care on your vacation." He smiled to her before heading off.

He walked along the shoreline, waves crashing down. Eyes gazed up into the twinkling stars that lit the sky, before down to the darkness of the ocean. "Like Icarus...I keep flying to close to the sun, only to crash down into the waves and die..." He chuckled a bit as he made the analogy. He didn't know that he was walking in the direction from with Riley had been watching him.

A squawk echoed through the night sky, Kalimar instinctively raising metal digits to allow that hawk the luxury of a perch. He turned to gaze to the majestic bird on his hand, bringing his other fingers to pet it softly. "Have a good meal buddy? Back a bit sooner then I expected..." The bird shook its wings, before butting its head against Kalimar's. It then moved to hop up onto his shoulder as he continued to walk the beach.

[Sanguine Claws]

She observed but did her best not to pay attention too closely to the conversation, she didn't eavesdrop and she knew Solace. Golden mane spilled around the visage in the wind currents, she lifted a hand letting fingers trace the thin triple red slashes along the left side of her face.

She missed her children, but they were exploring for now so she would have to wait until they were done with their journies through the world. Maxwell was no where to be seen but either way time would come when he'd pop up again. She did not wish to have Kalimar think she was spying on him so with a turn and slow stride Riley walked through waves and sand.

[Stoic Soul]

:Anduin walked alone this night, heading down the path that led to the beach. He had decided not to go to the wedding, for he didnt wish to relive the past, for he had decided to move on, and had done so. Stone-grey eyes looked around as he walked onto the beach, his black leather pants fitting his sinewy calves and thighs like a second skin, the sea breeze blowing up his bare upper body, muscles rippling under tan skin. His gaze fell upon the fire that was burning, then, as he started to walk towards the fire, he stopped, noting the two people that were there. He looked first at Riley, then at Kalimar, though he could not see Solace from where he was: