Change of Heart and Soul

A bead of sweat trailed down the young man's face as he faced his opponent in all it's glory. It... Yes, the thing surely was an it. Impossible to call... it.. either male or female. Whoever or whatever it... was at the moment the young man was getting his ass kicked by it. He quickly brought his shield up to block a sword attack and saw a brief change of expression as his opponent uttered words. The young man braced himself for the attack, knowing he had made a fatal mistake in leaving himself completely open for it. He went down hard, coughing up the blood that poured into his throat angirly. Bested by a bug. As instantly as the young man felt the sting of defeat and saw his vision blackening he felt the deep tingling as his opponent magically mended his wounds. By the Gods that hurt! His opponent walked away, muttering something to it's self as the young man puzzled over the complexity of mind that could slay a man effortlessly, heal him, and leave him all in almost the same breath.

Sliver, however, had it's mind on something unrelated to the physical sparring that had just taken place. A path. Two to be more precise. Two very different directions. One of the present and future which held great rewards and certainties and challenges that could definately entertain and hold it's attention for years to come... But... A slight pang of a life long past came over the creature as it shed it's claok and swords. A deep sagging of the shoulders was the only clue of the turmoil of thoughts within the blank faced bug like creature. Sliver stretched it's limbs and stepped onto the hot sand of the desert. No need for weapons here. This was familiar territory. This was a place to be free of the restraints of humanity and be like ancestors of old... But still, even this freedom did nothing to settle the mind.

Sliver allowed the intrusion of memories from the past. Brothers. That's how Sliver had thought of them. They had taken the Priest in maybe for their own gain, but regardless it had been a life changing experience. The situation had satisfied urges in the bug that nothing else had. And then it had been dashed away. They had all been gone. There, but not there like it was before.

Sliver brought those thoughts back to the present with a frustrated grunt. But that was the past, and as much as the longing was for that kinship, it wasn't to be...

Sliver's chin lifted slightly at the thought of what COULD be in the future if the right path was chosen right now. The opportunity was there... All the Priest had to do was reach out and grab it...

Sliver reached out a limb and impaled a small mouse that was bleeding from some battle and on it's last limb on a a claw. The bug tilted it's head to the side, studying the mouse as it struggled slightly. Words of healing were uttered as Sliver placed the creature back on the ground, disturbed with the battle that played on it's mind. Sighing Sliver rationed that the memories were enough. Substance was needed for a complete life. The soul of the bug like creature tugged in one direction and would not be denied.

Decision made, Sliver whipped around quickly, running back to the edge of the sand to gather equipment that was more annoying than useful at the current moment in time. Quickly the priest stuffed cloak weapons and all into a seemingly bottomless backpack and threw it over shoulders encased in it's scarred shell exterior. Sliver knew where to find the man that was sought. He'd be waiting. He knew... He'd always known. When no one else did, he did. Maybe a formal request would be better in this case... Pushing the disturbing thought away, Sliver hurried to the future and the possibilities it holds.