The woman looks up, tears leaving trails on her soot covered face. "Please!" She begs, struggling to be heard over the roar of the fire raging around them. "Do what you want, but spare my son." She's holding him tightly against her, doing what she can to shield him from the flames and smoke; from him. No more than eight years old by the looks of things. It didn't matter, he had his orders.

"He's just a child." She tightens her grip as he moves closer, ignoring the flames licking at him. "Please!"

"The Emperor's word is law." He drones as he raises his hand, fire flickering along the sharpened metal. "Those who defy him must die." The woman's terrified scream echoes around them as he swings.

The turtle struggled to get the sweat-drenched blankets off before giving up and rolling himself off the bed, landing on the cold stone moments before his dinner ended up on the floor. It took several minutes before his shaking limbs obeyed him and he pulled one of the remaining blankets off the bed, tossing it over the mess as he wrinkled his beak in disgust. Moonlight filtering through the window was the only light available and a cursory glance in the direction of the stone-cut fireplace showed only a few dying embers remaining. With a grunt he rose unsteadily to his feet, making his way over to the counter. Grabbing the vase he kept there he took mouthful of water and sloshed it around to wash out the lingering taste before spitting it, watching it disappear down the drain. Upending the vase over his head he cursed as the cool water hit his warm skin, not caring that it ended up on the floor.

Feeling a little better he made his way to the window and sat on the sill, pressing his forehead to the windowpane with a sigh. There was no point in going back to bed, he wouldn't be able to fall asleep again. Looking up at the moon he realized he'd only slept for an hour or two, three at the very most. He examined his hands, imagining the woman's blood on his hands. A guttural growl escaped him and he slammed his fist down.

"You'll fucking pay for this." He thought with a snarl, curling his hands so tightly his nails dug into his palms. "I won't rest until I gut you like the swine you are." Opening his hands he eyed the blood welling from the shallow cuts. "And I'll make damn sure I pay the price in the end too..."

Looking up at the moon again his thoughts trailed off as he watched it's slow trek across the starry sky. Not once throughout the night did he move from his perch to rekindle the fire, it didn't matter to him; he preferred the dark. It wasn't until the waterfall's rainbow began to form as the sun peeked over the horizon that he finally stirred, sleepily making his way to his primitive excuse for a shower stall. The people of this nation weren't fond of technology and mostly went by their daily lives using cleverly made contraptions of wood and stone. The waterwheel in this village was the closest thing to a technological marvel they had, and it paled in comparison to what the Empire could achieve with Machina. None of this mattered to him. He was trained to handle harsh conditions and compared to the several months he'd survived living alone in the Nihal Desert this was practically a luxury. In fact he was more shocked that he wasn't still finding sand in his gear than he was about the way the people went about their lives.

Slamming the door shut behind him he stepped into the stall, tugging at the cord near his head. Outside something shifted and a hollowed out log lowered into the falls, gathering it's waters and bringing them inside. Bracing his hands against the stall he hissed as the ice cold water flowed over him. The inhabitants of Opu may have been used to the sudden cold, but for a reptilian creature like him it was far less pleasant. Focusing on his natural affinity with fire he quickly brought the small space to a tolerable level by heating the air around him. Tough less potent, it was this same affinity with ice magic that helped him survive the blistering heat of the Nihal Desert. Try as he might though, he simply couldn't connect with any other element unless items were already enchanted with it.

Finally comfortable he reached over to a nearby shelf and grabbed a large jar, twisting the cap off and plucking one of the thick leaves inside. The inhabitants didn't use soap, but they'd long ago discovered the cleansing properties of a succulent plant that flourished in the nearby mountains. All the stores in Anuenue carried them, but he preferred the old school approach of gathering them himself which he'd have to do soon when it was obvious his supply was running low. Bitting off a piece he squeezed the thick juices into his hand as he chewed the one in his mouth. To his knowledge he was the only person who chewed these leaves instead of the other ones typically used to wash one's mouth with. Personally he preferred them, so long as he didn't swallow. That had been a hard learned lesson and he'd been violently ill only minutes after swallowing. They were fast acting though if you accidentally ingested something toxic and he always carried a few in Magnus form at all times.

It didn't lather up like soap did and he rubbed it into his scaly skin, feeling the pleasant tingle as it went to work. Closing his eyes tightly he rubbed it over his face. Another lesson he'd learned the hard way. Some had gotten into his eyes the first time he'd used the leaves and it had stung worse than the leap he'd missed in Moonguile Forest; straight into a nest of Shawra. He smirked at the memory, even if it had been one of his most embarrassing moments he couldn't ignore the hilarity of fending off a bunch of angry, screeching bats while trying to scramble out of their nest without harming them. It wasn't like they'd asked for a man-sized turtle to crash into their home while minding their batty business, after all. He spat out the stuff in his mouth as he finished, making sure to toe the chewed leaves into the drain before stepping out of the stall. Reaching into the opening the log was coming in he pushed it back up, letting go once he heard the snap of the stone holder locking it into place.

With a satisfied grunt he grabbed the towel and dried himself off as he left his shower room, tossing it with the blankets on the floor. Ignoring them he made his way to his desk where he kept his gear and began to pull it on, examining the long scar that ran from shoulder to elbow. He wished he could remember how he got it, but for as far as he could remember he'd always had it. Shrugging he pulled on his boots before tightly strapping on his Magnus pouch, thumbing quickly through them and discarding the few that had decayed into something useless. Grabbing his metal claws he began the tedious job of putting them on in a way they wouldn't come loose in the midst of combat.

A tentative knock at his door had him snapping his head in its direction, narrowing his eyes. Only one person ever came to see him, but that didn't mean he could let his guard down. Snatching a grenade from his desk he made his way to his door, thumbing the pin even as he opened it.

"Hello, Raphael." The young girl greeted sweetly, hands clasped behind her back.

He grunted a greeting as he stepped aside to let her in, sealing the grenade's magna essence in an empty Magnus as he kicked the door shut.

"Sleep well?" She asked, eyeing the blankets on the floor.

"Did you need something, Mayfee?" Raphael asked curtly, crossing his arms and dodging her question.

The young Keeper was the only person in the village who actively sought his company, no matter how curt he was with her. Everyone else left him alone since he went out of his way to ignore them as he went about his day. The only time he participated in their lives was when he actively hunted monsters in the mountains surrounding the village to keep them safe, his way of thanking them for leaving him be.

Mayfee looked at him, noting the darker color under his eyes. "Another nightmare." She mused sadly, worry knotting her stomach.

They were happening with growing frequency, rare now were the nights he didn't have one. She knew about them, had heard him thrashing around one morning as she'd come to visit him. Mayfee had rushed in thinking he was hurt but discovered him in the throes of a vivid nightmare instead. Once he'd calmed enough he'd begrudgingly told her about them and she'd since tried to get him to drink a special tea to help him sleep better. Stubbornly he'd refused any type of help and continued to suffer through them in stoic silence.

"Gram is running out of medicine, I need to go to Komo Mai to get more."

Raphael's aloofness melted a little at that. The girl, no more than eight or nine, only had her grandmother left after her parents had died. Yulfee wasn't young anymore and it wasn't a surprise that her health was failing her. People died all the time, it was the way of things, but he couldn't bring himself to dash her hopes with his cynical outlook. Not her, not the only person who went out of her way to befriend him despite his attitude. At least she was trying. All he'd done was stand there as his father bled to death. Some son he'd been, letting the only person who'd loved him die like that.

They'd have to climb across the mountain ranges surrounding the village and then trek through the Holoholo Jungle, a journey he himself did with some reservations. Bringing her along was out of the question. Mayfee may have spirit but it was too dangerous and he wouldn't let her put her life in jeopardy as long as their was still life in him.

Raphael dropped to one knee so he was eye level with her. "You stay here and take care of your grandmother. I'll go to Komo Mai and get the medicine for you."

"Really?"

He nodded and grunted in surprise as she threw herself on him, hugging him tightly. It had been twenty years since anyone had hugged him and he swiftly pulled away, pretending to busy himself with sorting his Magnus as he rapidly blinked the wetness that had formed at the unexpected contact. Mayfee watched him sadly, having felt the tremor as she'd hugged him and caught the sheen in his eyes. When he turned to her again it was like nothing had happened and she stepped to him and offered him some coins.

"It's what I've been saving for the medicine." She explained as he reached for them.

A quick count of them told him there wasn't enough for the medicine. "It'll probably take me most of the week to make my way there and back." He told her, dropping the coins in his pouch as he did.

Mayfee nodded in understanding as they left his house and Raphael locked the door and gave her the key. The woman who often admired the rainbow most mornings greeted them and Raphael gave her a curt nod even as Mayfee waved warmly. Once at the top of the stairs Mayfee bid him a safe journey and went into her house to take care of her grandmother. Raphael quietly slipped into the building next to it that housed the mechanism that powered the waterwheel. Kneeling in front of the altar to the Guardian Angel he placed the coins on them. Mayfee was a superstitious child and always thought the Angel gave her back the coins, there was no harm in keeping her spirits up.

Raphael didn't usually believe in things that weren't tangible, but he found himself gazing at the effigy longingly. "Cast light upon the darkened earth, save those lost in despair." He recited hoarsely, bowing his head to the effigy. "Find us, O Mighty Ocean, and forgive us."

Rising to his feet he made his way out of the building, not noticing the red and black Greythorne that had been watching him serenely the whole time. It hopped off the mechanism and bounced it's way to the altar, nudging the coins before bouncing over to the door and peering out to watch the departing turtle.