Chapter 3: When the Paths Cross ------------------------------- Xyo had done nothing but huddle next to her chocobo for the past several hours. She mentally tried to shield herself against the onslaught of emotional battering from the nearby town to the north. "If this keeps up," she whispered to the ground, "I don't know if I'll ever die." The chocobo stirred for a moment then went back into its blissful slumber. Xyo sat up wearily and glanced around into the comforting darkness. It was quiet; only the faint chirping of nearby crickets could be heard. She pulled off her veil and gloves and tossed them carelessly to the ground. Opening her robe a bit, she inspected her rib cage and found the wound was no longer a gaping gash, but healing nicely. She briefly thought of trying to stitch it but ceased the thought for it was not worth the trouble. The relentless flood of other people's emotions advanced back into a trickle and she was able to think more clearly. Xyo had not been affronted with such on onslaught in years; she had to once again get used to the burden. Her mind turned to the memory of all those muddled fears and angers. She noted that there was one emotion that she remembered she once felt. She felt a singular spark of ambition. Ambition that was very strong and very vengeful. She also noted that there was one anguished emotion that was still clear. Not muddled like the rest. It was also very close by... Xyo's eyes snapped open at the realization that there might be danger and hurriedly grabbed her gloves and veil and pulled them on. She tucked her robe closed. And unsheathed her dagger. She glanced scathingly at the blade, for she didn't know how to use it. It had almost always worked to scare away potential assailants, though. She stepped out from the clearing and cleared her mind to try and track the direction of the intruder. The emotion was strongest to the left, so she turned and began to creep through the dense forest. She almost tripped over the sleeping form of a woman. The woman was young, and had very long hair. The color wasn't dicernible in the darkness, but, Xyo could see that it was very curly. Most of the other features were hidden. But, Xyo could sense the fear being suppressed by the dream state. Xyo saw the body shiver and decided to bring the girl back to the clearing and at least get her warmed up. Xyo looked at herself scathingly. Who was she kidding? She would never be able to even budge the girl more or less lug her to a clearing. Xyo glanced about and searched for some dead branches. The chocobo had woken up and wandered over to watch Xyo work. She built a poor campfire; she had no skill in the matter, as her robes kept her relatively warm. As the fire danced weakly, Xyo could now see the girl had red hair and seemed pretty healthy. Xyo inwardly sighed and muttered as she settled once against the chocobo. She looked at the still sleeping girl and wondered how someone can sleep so soundly. Then shrugging off the thought she sat and stared at the fire and watched it as it slowly died out. * * * * * * * * * * The woman woke up as the sun was beginning to peek over the horizon. Xyo watched her critically as she stretched and finally came to realize that she was not alone. At which point, the woman scrambled up and moved back a few feet into a semi-defensive stance. Xyo kept deathly still as the woman studied her surroundings, eyes lingering for a moment on the campfire's ashes and also on the chocobo, who had gone to eat some leaves off of the nearby branches. She stared coldly at Xyo. "Who are you?" Xyo, raised an eyebrow. "So this is the thanks I get for giving you a warm fire to sleep by and scaring away any harsh predators? A defensive stance and an interrogation?" The woman blinked for a moment, "I have a right to know. I am not in the friendliest of moods, and this area is full of dangerous people. Now, I'll ask again: Who are you? Are your intentions of malice or not?" Xyo chuckled; her voice was still hoarse and it rasped and rattled in her lungs painfully. "My name is Xyo. I suppose I have no malice against you.. but you would be a fool to accept my paltry word in such a *dangerous* area." Xyo leaned forward. "But as you can see, I am sickly and frail, and I have no visible weapons. So I suppose I should just leave the decision of *my* intent into your hands. As it would be, in all right, your decision ultimately." The woman glanced around at the empty, lightening forest and then cautiously sat down again, keeping her distance still and eyeing her warily. "Is your illness contagious?" Xyo shook her head. "No," she rasped, "not unless you anger the Goddesses." The woman looked at her doubtfully and Xyo began to laugh harshly. "Now, what is your name? And where are you from? So that I may have a better time addressing you." Xyo asked her after a moment of sarcastic mirth. The woman eyed her suspiciously for a moment and then sighed, "Merine. I am from Kohlingen, the town to the north." "The one that was devastated?" Merine nodded solemnly. "By Sascha and Akfek... they took the town and did something to the people. I don't know what, but they all love them!" Xyo felt Merine's anger and confusion and flinched painfully. Merine stared at the ground silently for a moment and then looked up "You knew the town was destroyed. Were you there too?" Xyo shook her head, "I was heading for the town and I saw the columns of smoke. I redirected the chocobo to the clearing over there." Xyo made a gesture to the south, and Merine nodded nervously. Xyo could definitely tell that this woman would be very hard to win a friendship by. Xyo frowned. Did she really want to start an acquaintance after all this time? The girl still hadn't seen her face, so there was still the risk of her running of screaming that the dead had risen from the ground. Xyo had lost too many friendships, as people grew old and died around her, even those poor elves. Did she want to risk more loss? This would take some time to think about... why had she helped Merine out in the first place? "Why were you going to Kohlingen?" The question brought Xyo out of her pondering trance and back to attention. "Hmmm?" "Why were you going to Kohlingen?" Merine was still suspicious. "I was going for supplies. I don't even have any food." Merine realized she too was hungry. Xyo asked, "Do you know if there are any unoccupied towns in the area?" Merine shrugged. "Not anymore, I know there is a big coliseum up north. Jidoor, Zozo and Maranda are all to the south of us. But whether any are safe is beyond me. Things are happening too fast now." Xyo nodded and picked up a charred twig and scratched the dirt with it. "Well, obviously we can't stay here, the troops will be patrolling the outlying areas soon." Xyo looked up at her. "Do you want to come with me? Right now my Chocobo can carry two, as I am not even heavy enough to faze it." Merine looked surprised. "Travel together, but I want to help Kohlingen. All the citizens, they need help, even if they don't know it." Xyo tossed the stick back into the ashes. "Take a town? Only you? I doubt you'd even make a dent." "I have to try..." she murmured. "I have to do... something..." Xyo leaned forward, her voice hissing, "Then remember, patience! The town will wait for you. But if you go back now, it will be for nothing and you will have saved no one!" Merine looked at her sullenly, somewhat shocked at the tone of Xyo's voice. "I still don't trust you." "A wise decision." "Why are you so against yourself?" Xyo tilted her head. "If you stick around... someday, I'll tell you." Merine sighed and looked glumly around her, "I start from nothing." "Not quite," Xyo breathed. "Nothing only begets more nothing. You must have something." Merine stood up and began to brush the dirt off her clothes. "Well, if I *do* travel with you, I want to at least know what you look like. All I know is that you are female." Xyo sighed, "If you must... I am not that 'pleasing' to the eye." Merine folded her arms stubbornly. "Try me." Xyo raised a shaky, gloved hand to her veil and then quickly yanked it off. Closing her eyes, she waited for the girl to scream, faint or something. But there came no sound. Xyo slowly opened her eyes to find Merine studying her. "Well?" Merine looked at her somewhat sadly. "I bet you were really pretty once. How old are you?" "I was. And I am... I think 28... I'm not sure," Xyo replied darkly as she quickly refastened the veil. Xyo looked coolly at Merine and changed the subject. "Where should we go then?"