raetos

[raetos]

Your favorite resident Himbo, Raetos @raetos , also got a bit of a glow up with the new patch. Let his hair down a bit! He’s had no shortage of interesting encounters in the Shadowlands!

[raetos]

N: Never Have I Ever

1. what would they never do?

2. what have they never done that they want to do?

3. is there anything they absolutely can’t believe people do?

4. what is the most embarrassing thing they’ve done?

5. have they done anything they thought they’d never do?

1. Fable would never betray a true friend. If you get that title, he pretty much is ride or die until you fuck up.

2. Attend one of the Howling Owl’s raves, or one of the night performances. He intended to ask Raetos to go with him, but scourge and getting stabbed kind of put a damper on those plans.

3. Deny themselves pleasure. He’s very much the mindset of enjoying yourself, because you don’t know when it’ll be gone.

4. When he was reunited with Raetos in the Maw, and found out that Rae was there specifically for him, he started ugly sobbing. For a man that doesn’t cry, that was pretty embarrassing...

5. To date? Fall in love. That was never on his to do list, and yet... @raetos / @kidcatgemini for mention!

[raetos]

“Would you like an adventure now, or shall we have our tea first?” ~ Peter Pan

[raetos]

[raetos]

Safe Haven

Oribos

Raetos groaned as he found his way back to the waking world. He knew he was alive by how much his body ached. His head, most of all, felt like someone was hammering multiple nails in place. Only one luminous eye opened, the other still swollen shut under bandages wrapped around his head. His abdomen was also strapped tightly. He could feel the pressure of the wrappings limiting his movement, as to not aggravate what he assumed was broken ribs. The wound on his arm had been well cleaned and bandaged. Someone had been talking very good care of him.

He smiled, not having to wonder who, feeling the body curled up against his own. Tilting his head down, he caught a glimpse of the top of Fable’s head… there was no mistaking those lovely indigo locks. 

“How long have I been out?” He asked.

For just a moment, Fable grumbled and curled more tightly against Raetos. If this was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up. The hellscape that had been The Maw was no longer ringing in his ears, and his lover was by his side again. This had to be a dream. It was never this good.

Or was it?

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[raetos]

Raetos

Race: Lightforged Draenei (Argus)

Age: 1200+ years

Sexuality: Pansexual / Polyamorous

Profession: Pathfinder and Scout

Addictions: Wanderlust 

Marital Status: Dating Fable Darkvale ( @darkestfable​ )

Honest, curious and socially awkward, Raetos will go out of his way to help those in need. Having lived most of his life fighting the Legion on Argus, he’s now learning to navigate life on Azeroth, along with its many people and cultures. While he’s not the brightest crayon in the box, he’s very skilled at what he does.

Current Situation: In the Shadowlands, trying to track down his partner’s killer.

FC: Chris Pratt

[raetos]

Are We Dead Yet? - Part V: Left Behind

[[ Co-written with @sylaess​ / @kidcatgemini​ / @darkestfable​. Gif source: @wowdetails​ ]]

*CR-CRUNCH!*

Argonas slammed his shield up against one of the Mawsworn, pinning him to the jagged cliff facing. He bashed the winged assailant’s head with his hammer to put him down for good– the abettor helpless to block or evade. That was the last of them. The last of this wave, in any case.

Fighting erupted in intermittent spurts. Mawsworn agents would swoop in with little to no warning, needing to be fended off by the ragtag group as they made their way further. Their goal was in sight, atop the next ridge– Avehi didn’t know what it was, but she felt drawn to it. The mysterious obelisk was unlike anything else here in this dreadful place. With any luck, it’d be their way out. 

The fighting was a nuisance, but in a strange way… Avehi welcomed it. Each foray taught her something new about the Mawsworn. The winged ones, the ghost-like casters, even the ones she could’ve sworn were mere suits of armor enchanted to move on their own. She was assessing them all, in potency and fighting style. And that assessment was yielding good information that she and her compatriots would need to stand a chance against them.

In addition to that, she wasn’t quite ready to leave. Not wholly, in any case. Certainly, she didn’t want to spend a second longer than was necessary down here, but… she hoped Raetos would show up sooner or later. A small sentimental part of her wished it so, turning her eyes to distant ledges to look for a flicker of brightness in the desolace of the Maw.

“Damned fool… where is he?” she muttered to herself.

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[raetos]

Are We Dead Yet? - Part IV: Rescuers Down Under

(( Co-written with @darkestfable . @argonas / @avehi-the-adamant / @thefugitivemango , @codegemini​ , @sylaess​ for chatacter mention))

~*~*~

Landing in The Maw was more of a bang than a whimper. Fable’s soul had been torn apart between worlds, searing pain and deafening screams pulling him apart until he hit soil with an unceremonious thud. The blood hunter’s body should have been broken from the impact, but as the dust settled around him Fable realized that he was...alive? No, not alive, but not resting.

His ears rang, his head was foggy. As if every system was restarting from the ground up. The high pitched ring was subsiding, being replaced with the growls of distant thunder. The sound rumbled deep in his body before it faded away. Ash blew around his body from the constant wind, a dull roar that he could now make out between the bellows of unseen storms. A louder noise reached Fable’s senses now, and at first he thought that it must be higher winds. They wailed and moaned, echoing with metallic screams before fading. It wasn’t until the hunter opened his eyes and sat up that he realized what the sound actually was.

Souls were crying out, their wordless pleas echoing across a landscape that was far from barren. The sound was horrendous, heart wrenching. In the distance, Fable could make out what he assumed was a river with at least one bridge that crossed over. It would be a rough trek, but the jagged stone that shot up from the ground all over the landscape would make for ample cover.

Dirt crunched and plumed out from each step, a dim sound in comparison to the constant suffering all around him. The closer Fable got to the bridge, the more clearly he could see that it wasn’t a river of water at all. The mist did little to hide the floating shapes that flowed downstream, and now their screams were even louder.

They were anguished souls, cursed to the river by whatever had upset the balance.

“Fuck…” Fable muttered, pressing his back against a large, sharp stone. He couldn’t do this alone.

~*~*~

Raetos wasn’t certain how long it had been since he’d separated from Avehi and the rest of the group. He felt guilty for sneaking off after she’d helped smuggle him into the Maw, but in his growing frustration, he’d been worried any words shared would have left them parting on angry terms. Avehi was determined to help Argonas and Sylaess find Sinafay, pushing Fable’s rescue as a secondary goal. Raetos couldn’t have that. He knew Sinafay and Fable wouldn’t be in the same place, and waiting around to rescue his lover was absolutely unacceptable. Especially now that he witnessed the Maw and it’s horrors for himself. 

Finding Fable had initially seemed like an impossible trek, given the Draenei had no idea where to start looking. The moment he’d spotted the shade hounds, however, he knew what to do. He watched them with their rider, hunting down wayward spirits. He wasn’t certain if they could track specific spirits, but it was his best shot. With all the commotion caused by the Ebon Blade, Raetos found himself able to move about easily enough.

That is, until the distance between them became too great. Sneaking around was nearly impossible now. Despite his best efforts to remain unseen, the denizens seemed to detect him the moment he’d step into their vicinity. He already held a number of bruises and minor cuts from a few encounters. As it was, he couldn’t go much further alone.

He perched on top of a stone cliff, preparing to jump down onto the hound’s back. A leap of faith… that is, until a dark, winged form swooped in and grabbed him by the throat. It flew upwards, lifting him up into the air with a surprising amount of strength. The Lightforged reacted quickly. He didn’t have time to get carried off to who knows where. One hand gripped the dark angel’s wrist while the other came up to shoot a beam of Light energy into its eyes. The figure screeched as it was blinded, giving Raetos the opportunity to grab his sword and stab it into the creature’s wing. He gasped as he was released and plummeted down. Light! He hadn’t thought that part through! 

Again, he lost his breath, this time, from the impact of hitting the ground, feeling ribs, and even his crest, crack on impact. Blue blood oozed out from the wound, and also on various scrapes across his face and body from the landing. 

He hissed, gritting his teeth as he forced himself up. To say he was in a lot of pain was an understatement, but adrenaline still courses through him, giving him the push he needed. A good thing, too! His hand had barely taken hold of the hilt of his sword before he heard a howl and looked up ahead of where he lay. The shade hound and rider he’d been stalking were now charging straight at him.

~*~*~

In his slow advancement around the inhospitable land, Fable had heard hounds howling in the distance. It hadn’t been until he looked down on them from a cliff that he’d seen one of the shade hounds chasing what looked like a member of the Ebon Blade, but...glowing? There wasn’t enough time to process whatever it was, but Fable decided to act anyway. He still remembered how to fist fight.

With the rider hanging back a bit to let the hound bite their quarry, Fable made his way around behind them as silent as he could. He’d be dead(again) if a weapon was swung his way, but it could be worse, right? The blood hunter waited quietly until the rider raised his weapon to take aim, and waited until his attention was occupied.

Fable lept on the hunter’s back and wrapped one arm around the man’s neck, the other at the top of his head. A quick twist should do it, and it would show him just how human or undead these soldiers of the Jailer were. The creature clad in armor simply crumpled from the surprise attack, and the elf went down with him, landing on top of the heap. The metal bit into his skin, but his attention snapped to the Ebon Blade soldier and the hound.

It wasn’t long before some of the Ebon soldier’s more particular traits gave off his identity. Raetos had shed the heavier plate armor, but still wore the dark colors and tabard of the Ebon Blade. Even so, with the gold plated tail and hooves, long blonde hair and signature sword, marked him otherwise. 

Unfortunately for the Lightforged, he’d barely had time to get up and run before the hound was on him, pinning him down and snapping its jaws down around his forearm. 

“Hey hey! Don’t be rude!” He growled.

But as suddenly as the hound was on him, it froze. Thankfully for Raetos, killing the hunter, severed the connection to the hound. Raetos blinked, confused as he was released and the creature backed off and just… stood there. 

“Uuuh, good boy?”

He winced as he got up, hand clutching his side as he looked over towards the hunter’s body. He gasped, eyes wide as he just stared at Fable for a moment.

“Hey… no fair,” he grinned wide, though his eyes watered as a flood of emotions overtook him, “-I’m- supposed to be the heroic figure here.”

Realization flooded Fable at once, and he felt his own eyes well up with relief. The hunter was sure he was imagining the gold, and he’d seen Ebon Blade members with blonde hair. But not that shade of blue. Not accented by gold and glowing with the Light. His breath hitched when he saw that grin. It was like falling for the man all over again.

“You are, love. You are,” his voice shook as he stepped over the crumpled hunter, closing the distance between him and Raetos with a swift stride.

He could tell that his lover was bleeding, hurt. For the moment, it didn’t matter. Fable reached his arms up around Raetos’ neck and pulled him down for a desperate kiss. Guilt chewed at the back of his mind, and just the memory of where he was stabbed was enough to make the mark feel like it was on fire. But none of that mattered right now, he had his lover back!

“Sorry I died, love. It uh...wasn’t supposed t’ happen that way. I jus’... You kept your promise, ‘n I fucked up.”

Raetos choked out a sob as he wrapped his arms around Fable. Physically, it hurt like hell due to his injuries, but the relief of having his mate back in his arms pushed it all into the back of his mind. 

“Shhh,” he managed, burying his face into his lover’s hair, “It’s okay… it’s okay. I’m here… and I’m not leaving without you.”

For a moment he just lingered in the embrace; in that sweet moment of reunion, before he released his grip slightly, happy tears rolled down his cheeks as he cupped Fable’s face in his hands to just stare at it. He’d missed those blue eyes, that nose, his lips. Lips he couldn’t help but claim again with his own.

His words were swallowed up in the kiss, and for a moment their reunion was the only real thing in the world. Fable carefully pressed against Raetos as he kissed him, hands gripping at the poorly fitted armor. The blue blood from his lover's wounds wet his hands, and that was what brought him back to reality.

"I wanna keep kissin' you, but we gotta get outta here. I uh...ain't got a clue what's what. Please say you got a plan," Fable looked around, expecting another hunter.

Raetos couldn’t help but give a bit of a pout as the kiss was broken. It seemed he had completely forgotten where they were for a moment. Fable’s words were enough to snap him out of his trance. 

“—Oh! Uh… yeah! Totally,” he nodded, “I mean… sort of?”

He hadn’t exactly planned further than getting into the Maw and finding his mate. Now that he’d achieved that, he had to play it by ear. He sheepishly brought a hand up to rub the back of his neck.

“We weren’t too sure what to expect. Came down here with Avehi, Argonas and another one of those deader knights. Syl… something… Anyway, they were— Ow…”

He winced as he leaned over to take his sword. With the moment of euphoria passed, the pain from his wounds became more and more evident. They had to get back to the others soon, so that he could treat them.

With Fable’s hand in his, and his sword in the other at the ready, he led them up a steep slope, towards higher ground.

“Anyway… they were going to find Argo’s wife, Sinafay. She’s been here a long time, I guess, so they needed to get to her fast. I split off to come find you,” he glanced over his shoulder, offering Fable a smile, before moving on to a more dreaded yet important subject, “Hey so… what happened? Any idea who did this to you? Gotta hunt them down and destroy that dagger they used on you. Some cult ritual artifact bullshit, I guess. Only way to get you back to your body on Azeroth is to destroy the weapon that killed you.”

Adrenaline was fading, and Fable could feel his own body aching in kind. So much travelling and skulking about had left his thighs exhausted. He paused at the top of the slope when Raetos started talking, and the hunter’s ears pinned back at the question. It wasn’t a look his lover had ever seen on his face, because it wasn’t one he wore often.

Shame.

The elf cleared his throat, trying to choose his words. Were it anyone else, Fable would simply try to deflect and turn the conversation on whoever these Argo and Sinafay people were. And Syl. All names he wasn’t familiar with, not really. No faces to put to them. His cheeks burned under the dark skin. Raetos could feel the tension in Fable’s hand as it rested in the larger man’s grip.

“I was doin’ a dig t’ kill time ‘n this lady showed up. She uh… I dunno what happened but she jus’ got into my head ‘n I couldn’t stop. Raetos I… I was gonna do it. Her. If she didn’t stab me…” his gaze was on the ground. Fable wouldn’t meet his lover’s gaze.

Raetos’ brow knit into a frown, at first, in confusion. His head tilted slightly to the side, as it often did whenever he was trying to figure something out. It felt like his head was in a fog. He had to replay those words in his head a few times. Then he thought maybe they didn’t mean what he thought it did. Or maybe the wailing wind distorted the words? No. Fable’s expression confirmed it well enough. 

“...Oh…”

It was all he could think of as a reply. For once, he wasn’t quite certain what to say. He wasn’t angry… that much he knew. He and Fable hadn’t exactly determined boundaries, even after Raetos himself had almost done the same thing with Avehi. He felt hurt, to be certain, like a sharp pain in his chest, but his lover looked guilty enough, he didn’t want to express it and make him feel worse. 

“Hey,” his hand squeezed the Blood Hunter’s, “We’ll get through it, okay? Together.”

He offered a smile, showing he meant the words he’d spoken. Fable obviously regretted what he’d done, and not only because it ended up getting him killed. Raetos wasn’t the particularly jealous type, but he couldn’t pretend the thought of his mate lying with another person on his own didn’t bother him.

“If you think this makes me love you any less, you can kick that thought from your head. I’m not going anywhere… Afraid you’re stuck with me, Love. You know… as long as you’ll have me.”

Fable felt tears well up again, his voice catching in his throat as he reached up to wipe at his eyes. It left streaks of dirt on his face, and didn’t hide the emotions that had bubbled over. All the hunter could do was sniffle and squeeze Raetos’ hand. 

“I don’t deserve you,” he managed to say, wiping at the tears.

“Don’t say that,” The Draenei’s voice shook as he pulled his mate in for another tight hug. He was feeling rather light headed, and his legs felt weak, so he kneeled down, making it easier to hold the elf close. A hand came up to brush through Fable’s hair as he buried his face in his lover’s neck. 

He was well aware that they had to keep moving. The trail of blue blood would be picked up sooner rather than later. But he was so tired…

~*~*~

[raetos]

Are We Dead Yet - Pt III: A Way Out

[[ Co-written with @kidcatgemini​ & @sylaess​ ]]

Avehi led the trio to a small cave. The term was a generous one; it was a hole in the cliff facing, hardly noticeable from the outside. Avehi only found it thanks to a subtle rune placed over the entrance. Not by her hand, but that of a friend. She peered inside, and once it was determined to be safe, only then did the Draenei lower her guard.

Argonas brought up the rear; his hulking mortal form only barely able to slip inside the cave– and not without a bit of scraping. Still, he managed inside without drawing too much attention to himself or the cave overall. He loitered by the entrance, not keen on delving too deep in the cloistered space. Keeping watch was as good an excuse as any. He exhaled slow, even breaths to suppress his phobia. Few things gave him anxiety like rightly enclosed spaces. But he set that aside, out of necessity. 

For Sinafay.

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[raetos]

Are We Dead Yet? Pt.II - The Tremaculum

 (( Co-written with @thefugitivemango / @argonas / @avehi-the-adamant​ ))

 ~*~*~

Sinafay kept her head low, hair hiding her features as her tormentor floated away, seeming satisfied with his work. Her ghostly form still trembled from the inflicted pain, but her concealed expression was that of a defiant grin. It took a moment for her head to clear, but once it did, she brought her head back up and peered around.

 One was never really alone in the Tremaculum. There were plenty of sentries and tormentors about. For now, none were watching her. Prisoners were never really active after torture sessions. Even now, Sinafay knew she didn’t have the energy to do much. But she had enough for what she needed. 

 Glancing down to her side, her tail came into view. The end was curled up tightly, one would assume, out of pain. But there was another reason for it. It had been busy during her session, when her torturer had been deep in concentration. Slowly, it uncurled just enough to reveal a key. Her smile widened. 

 Her tail’s movements remained slow, as she kept her head low, peeking through her hair to make certain she wasn’t being watched. It took some time, but eventually, it managed to unlock the shackles holding her wrists, before tucking the key away, out of sight.

 For now, she kept the unlocked shackles on. She didn’t have the energy to attempt an escape… not yet, anyway. So she waited, either until she regained her strength or until a distraction broke out. Whichever would come first.

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[raetos]

Are We Dead Yet? Pt. I - Piercing the Veil

[[ Co-written with @sylaess​ & @kidcatgemini​ ]]

~*~

The summons came for all of them. 

Every single Knight of Acherus could hear that call, knew that call. It wasn’t one you fucked around with. 

They stood in ranks, watching the portal open. Waiting. Somehow, they were going to help. The icy winds atop Icecrown snatched at cloaks and fur-trimmed armor alike. Stole the wispy breath of the living and tossed it to the glacier beyond. A very solemn time.

A very anxious time.

They filed through. Rank by rank.

It took forever, in Sylaess’s humble opinion. All for a bloody portal. To the deadlands. Shadowlands. Syl hated portals. They always fucked her up. She cut a glance to see if she could spot Avehi one more time. Had tried to get into formation with her, but who knew if they were still near each other? There had been so much shuffling about. 

The rank before her moved up. Started popping through, one by one. So the rumors were true, then. Bolvar had had his ass handed to him by Sylvannas. And then she messed everything up. Again. Sylaess was careful to keep herself still, steady, and cool. At least outwardly. It was tiresome. But she did an excellent job of that mask.

Sigh.

Syl stepped forward unthinkingly. Just muscle memory in the line, headed into the portal. The less she thought of the insanity she was about to partake in, the easier it got.

That was a bold-faced lie, but she was grasping every thin thread to keep herself from launching off the side of Icecrown instead of into the afterlife. Both options sucked, to be fair. 

Took a breath, hands on her swords hilts like they were a lifeline. Stepped through the blue-black mass of magic that would lead her to the exact place she’d been avoiding all these damned years. Literally. 

Tried not to scream.

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[raetos]

The Good Place S2:E10

[raetos]

[raetos]

Feburary Prompt - Raetos and Fable

Gemstone: Amethyst

The Amethyst symbolizes courage, clarity, and quick wit.

Flower:  Violet

The violet represents loyalty and faithfulness.

~*~*~

Raetos ( @raetos  ) and Fable ( @darkestfable ) are rather new as a couple, but that relationship has already been tested. Fable has shown courage in the face of his fears; taking a chance at a loving relationship in what was supposed to be a simple fling. Raetos, on his part, is as loyal and faithful as they come, going as far as facing the Maw to rescue his lover’s soul.

Fable Darkvale belongs to Harley! Check out their Patreon here!

~*~*~

Like what I do? Support me on:

Ko-fi | Patreon | Twitter

[raetos]

Heart thing, Raetos to Dahlyah.

Drop me a character name and I’ll reveal my muse’s heart…

💔 Non-existent 💗 Very low 💗💗 A little 💗💗💗 Hopeful 💗💗💗💗 High 💗💗💗💗💗 Maximum

Dahlyah Grimshatter

VISUAL ATTRACTIVENESS:  💗💗

“Oh, she’s cute as fuck. Has a smile that lights up the room. Dwarves aren’t exactly my type, but she’s got an allure to her. She’s got really nice boobs, too. That helps. Oh! And the freckles! Freckles everywhere!”

FRIENDSHIP LEVEL:   💗💗💗

“She’s a good friend. I trust her... even though she stole from me a couple of times. I mean... she didn’t see it as stealing but... it was kind of stealing. Anyway. I trust her to have my back on the field. Handles her riffle well! Plus, she comes with benefits so... hen”

SEXUAL DESIRE:    💗💗💗

“I mean, yeah. I’d do her again as long as Fable’s in the mix. She’s hot stuff! Literally. Like... her body temperature is hella high! Was a surprise the first time I was with her. Not -too- hot, thankfully. Again though, she’s a Dwarf, so...  can’t exactly fit in all the way. And a bit on the short side... though when you think about it, that makes her a good height for other fun stuff. Hehe...”

ROMANTIC INTENT: 💔

“Nah, I can’t see it happening. At all. Even if I was single, I can’t see it working out. I enjoy spending time with her, and like her as a friend, but no. No romantic feelings at all there. Plus, I don’t even think she’s looking for that sort of thing, if memory serves me right.”

@thefugitivemango / @dahlyah-grimshatter @raetos @darkestfable

[raetos]

Heart thinger, Raetos to Fable.

Drop me a character name and I’ll reveal my muse’s heart…

💔 Non-existent 💗 Very low 💗💗 A little 💗💗💗 Hopeful 💗💗💗💗 High 💗💗💗💗💗 Maximum

Fable Darkvale

VISUAL ATTRACTIVENESS:  💗💗💗💗 

“I mean... considering he’s not Draenei, he’s pretty good looking. The size difference between us is fun. He’s so easy to pick up and throw over my shoulder, you know? Don’t let his size fool you, though! He’s got a pretty sturdy frame, and knows how to take control when he’s in the mood. And have you seen his ass? Yeah... I really REALLY like it.”

FRIENDSHIP LEVEL: 💗💗💗💗💗

“He’s my best friend. I can tell him absolutely anything, and he won’t ever judge me for it. It’s been a really long time since I’ve had someone like that. I can let down my guard completely around him, and I know he’ll always have my back.”

SEXUAL DESIRE:   💗💗💗💗💗

“Yo, any place at any time, Dude! Fable is absolutely amazing in bed. His kisses are addictive and the things he can do with that mouth...Yeah, I’d drop my pants for him right now if he asked.”

ROMANTIC INTENT: 💗💗💗💗💗

“Absolutely! I’m in love. No doubt about that. I’d do anything for him... obviously, since I literally dove into the Maw to go rescue his soul! Not to brag, but it was a pretty heroic moment... mostly... kinda...”

@raetos @darkestfable

[raetos]

The Soul Dagger

(( Scene co-written with @thefugitivemango​ / @avehi-the-adamant . Fable belongs to @darkestfable . @argonas​ and @codegemini​ for character mention.

Follows the stories: The End and Homecoming ))

~*~*~

2 Months Ago ~ Tanaris

The Lightforged's tail twitched anxiously as he smoothed a loose strand out of a motionless Fable's face. The void elf was barely clinging to life, his face was pale, his pulse weak; almost non-existent, leaving his extremities cold, although his body still seemed to produce some heat. His breathing was so shallow, one had to lean in and pay close attention to notice it. Raetos had initially thought him dead upon finding him at the dig site. The only clues towards his assailant being a stab wound, footprints left behind by what he suspected was a female elf, and of course, the missing artifact.

He glanced towards the door as he sensed the Ebon Knight’s approach. His cheeks were still wet with tears from crying.

Avehi stepped inside the inn, scowling. She brushed a bit of sand from her tabard, before causing a rune to glow on her hammer-- the air about her grew chilly as she set her gaze upon the one that had called her here.

“This had better be good, Raetos. I despise this place.”

"Avehi! You... you have to bring him back!"

“Bring who b--” Avehi stepped in, eyes affixed to Fable. Her frown deepened, "... What happened?"

“I found him like this... you have to. You can do it, right?!”

She approached, and held her hand out, palm hovering a few inches from Fable's chest. Raetos backed away to give her space, wiping his face with the back of his forearm. But then she sighed, brow furrowing. 

"Dark magic is at play, here. His soul has been severed, but his body is..."

"He went on a dig... didn't come back... so I went to find him and.... I dunno what happened. He was stabbed in the back, but I couldn't find a weapon...."

Avehi raised a brow. Without much effort, she rolled Fable's body to the side to observe... 

"Tch. A soul dagger? I haven't seen a wound like this in years, Raetos. Ritualists of the Cult of the Damned used to sever souls in such a manner, leaving the bodies intact like Fable's, so the parts remain fresh.”

“So... so it should make it easier to bring him back, then, right?”

Avehi stepped back, arms crossed. 

"Harder. Much harder. As long as the dagger remains, his soul will remain detached. Imagine a dagger in your chest. The wound won't heal until the dagger is removed, yes? This is the same, but... for the soul. Does that make sense?” she shook her head, and sighed. "I cannot do as you ask."

Raetos frowned, shaking his head, "There has to be a way. Avehi... there's gotta be something... anything..." He reached out to grab her shoulders, teary eyes gazing into hers, pleading, "Please, Avehi."

“Until you can find the dagger that did this... I'm sorry, Raetos. There's nothing to be done. I could not even finish killing him and raising him, as he is now. No fragment of his soul lingers, thanks to this wound. I could not find him from here to bind him back to... anything. His corpse, or anyone else's.”

Raetos shook his head again, "Then how do I find the dagger?!"

“I imagine whoever did this to him still has it. Do you know of any enemies he has? Anyone who would do this to him?”

"I... I don't know. He said he has a past but... but he never talked much about it… What about his soul? This... this spell thing... it at least keeps it from the Maw, right?

“I... cannot say. By itself? No. Unless whoever did this to him preserved his soul elsewhere... it's safe to assume he's in the Maw, now.  And with as many souls that are stuck there now? It will be nearly impossible to find him.”

Raetos' grip tightened on her shoulders, "Then I have to try! You're taking Argonas there, right? To save Sina? To the Maw?”

Avehi shifts, frowning at the notion. "... The Ebon Blade is mobilizing. We... may have a way into the Maw. But it is a huge unknown, Raetos. We don't know how a living mortal can maintain themselves in a place like that."

“I don't care! If I can find his soul, then he can tell me who did it. He can tell me what happened!”

She was pensive a moment, tail flickering back and forth as her brow knit in thought. "That is true... and we could preserve his soul until we find the dagger if we manage to retrieve it. We don't have much time, then. You need to do exactly as I say, do you understand?”

Raetos nods, "I'll get his body to a healer... so that he stays safe. After that, I'll do anything that needs to be done. It's all I've got to go on. If I can't bring him back from this... then I'll stay in the Maw. I don't care... I can't--” he closed his eyes, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks.

“I'd prepare for that possibility, yes.”

“At least... we'll be together there.”

“Eh... probably not. But at least you'll be suffering too much to think about it.”

The words earned her a nasty look. She shrugged lightly. "Meet Argonas and I in Icecrown when you've secured his body somewhere safe. I think I can sneak you both in with us, if you dress as a Knight of the Ebon Blade. Then, we'll go in, and see if we can't find Fable, as well as Sinafay. With any luck... we'll at least get one or both of them out of the Maw and into a better place until we figure out what to do next.”

The Lightforged finally released her shoulders, "Thank you..."

“Don't thank me yet. Fortunately for you, it's on my way, anyway. Unfortunately for you... there's no guarantee it will work. At all. But if you're willing to die for this elf? I will not be the one to stop you.”

“I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't try,�� Raetos turns back towards the unconscious Ren’dorei, scooping him up gently into his arms, "I'd do anything for him."

Avehi scoffed, "Hmph. You Living certainly like to throw that phrase around carelessly. I think you underestimate what you can live with. And what you can live without."

Raetos snarled at that, "It's my choice to make. I love him, Avehi."

The Ebon Knight stared at him searchingly for a moment, “ ... Then I'll see you in Icecrown. We'll see if your love is strong enough to endure the Maw. Prepare yourself accordingly.”

~*~*~