Tale as Old As Time [Finished]

[accalia]

Echo sits on the ledge of the fountain, with one foot in the fountain and the other on the ground.

"A very great and terrible thing it is to take the life of another. When used for the betterment of many it can be redeemed, when used in anger and hate.... well that is much harder to redeem. This one knows this. This one has seen this, but more importantly this one too has killed..."

Echo drops several pebbles into the fountains' water and begins to talk. As he does he uses his hands to sculpt the thick fog that rises from the pebbles into rough facsimiles of the actors in the story he tells.

Echo tells of a war, with remarkably few details. he talks about one battle. He talks of a kill, his only kill that day. his kill was too late though, for his target had already fired and killed the one he was escorting through the war zone...

and in a very soft voice he speaks her name.

"Sylphia...."

[yamikuronue]

When he falls quiet, Lance begins to speak himself, in hushed tones.

"I was... young. Reckless. I'd been hunting in the woods, and I'd come across a beast, a monster. Instead of shooting it, I'd fought it hand-to-hand, and sustained a nasty wound across my chest. Within a few days, I succumbed to a fever, and when the full moon rose... I became something else. I hardly knew what I was doing. I was afraid and hungry, and I slew my family, and a few of the servants, before I managed to get out of the house. When I came around the next morning... All my injuries had healed save the one that caused all this."

[accalia]

Echo nods slowly.

"Lycanthropy... and ten years later you are still fighting it. It takes a strong mind to deal with that and not break down or go feral. that is commendable."

Echo is still idly shaping the fog that covers the fountain. as he speaks the form of a wolf takes shape.

"This one cannot cure you of lycanthropy... that is beyond this one's power. but this one can help you deal with it, control it so that you won't repeat the tragic accident that cost you your family. You have already shown that you are strong enough to control it, because you are still a human, mostly, after ten years... and with time and effort you can bring yourself completely under control."

[yamikuronue]

Lance nods, slowly. "I've been bleeding off some of the aggression, fighting local criminals. The anger I can handle, I think. I haven't hurt anyone I didn't mean to in years. But... how can I live with what I did? Knowing what I am?"

[accalia]

"There are ways. This one lives, and knows what one is and what one has done to become what one is. Think you that this one's ability to heal is natural? that it is something that anyone can do? it is not, neither is your... let us call it condition."

Echo reaches deep into the fountain and retrieves the pebbles that caused the fog, they are substantially smaller now, and with them removed the fog dissipates quickly.

"It is but a parlor trick, the old ones are sometimes the best ones. The point is to move forwards. always forwards."

[yamikuronue]

"Forward to what? My family is gone. I will never have another; I cannot risk infecting someone I love."

[accalia]

"so you cannot, or rather will not, couple with a human. That is not so much an issue. but even if you have no family to come after you there are things you can do to improve your life here and improve the lives of many others as well."

Echo stands slowly and steps out of the fountain.

[yamikuronue]

"I can't have children either," points out Siegfried, "But I keep going."

Lance looks about to protest, then falls silent.

[accalia]

"Come then all. it has been a stressful night. let us return to the house and reconvene in the morning with fresh heads. Master Lance, you may wish to find Rosanna in the morning and let her know you will be keeping her on, no?"

[yamikuronue]

Lance hangs his head. "I... suppose."

[accalia]

"it will work out in the end Master Lance. we'll make sure of it"

And with those words echo walks off towards the house at a sedate pace. Instead of going to his room however he enters the kitchen, turns on the light and takes a seat at the kitchen table.

[yamikuronue]

As Lance drifts toward Rosanna's room, Siegfried follows into the kitchen, wondering if he can be of service.

[accalia]

"good evening, that was rather unexpected. This one would like it if you would share your impression of the evening. It is important, if you are willing...."

Echo is seated at the table, a bottle of brandy that Siegfried does not recognize and two glass tumblers sit on the table next to him.

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried sits, thoughtfully, resting his chin on his hand. "I... am not certain what to think. To tell the truth, I wasn't certain what had transpired. Lance...I knew he felt responsible, but not why."

[accalia]

Echo pours the brandy for both of them before speaking softly.

"That must have been a shock to you to hear that."