There he sat, once more Blade was sitting on the balcony rail. His leg dangled freely off the edge, his cape flowed majestically in the breeze, his attention was casted outward into the Ivory City. What a mysterious one he was. He was a riddle, wrapped in an enigma, which in itself could only be reached by solving a puzzle. I wanted to know more about him. I will learn more.

 I stepped out into the bright sunlight. I don't understand how he could stand it out here: being wrapped under all that leather.

 "Why do you persist in this conquest for knowledge?" He spoke. I was surprised, astonished he had heard me, I was silent walking out here.

 "I don't take pleasure in being stared at and spied upon." He still chose to look out into the land and not face me.

 "What's with you?" I asked. Taking steps forward, I got closer to him.

 "I've managed to break down a lot of people since I got here, yet I cannot touch you." My words were carefully chosen.

 "I know, I noticed when you made an attempt to look into me. Did you like what you saw?" His head turned to face me. Only one of his eyes were visible, the other was hidden within the shadow of his hood. The eye I saw was a bright blue, the other eye was peering from the darkness; it emitted a bright red.

 I took another step closer to him. We were now a normal conversation distance apart from one another.

 "Your physical appearance tells me you are young but your soul suggests otherwise."

 "If you're going to judge me by my soul then know that I am millenniums older than you."

 "Nothing like a good eon to separate class." I sarcastically spoke. He said nothing. A flicker in his eyes told me all I needed to know; he was old and was going to live a lot longer than I. Knowing that fact is what killed him inside; he wanted to die and I could tell. I placed my hands on the rail that he was on.

 "Where did they pluck you from?" I asked. I received no answer.

 "I was a beggar. Everyday I walked from the slums to the capital, I performed miracles on anyone that would pay me. Sometimes I wouldn't get paid at all, on those days I didn't eat. I wouldn't be able to afford the toll if I chose to buy food. I practically starved myself every week." I felt his heart pump with the slight remnants of sympathy. I managed to unlock his hard outer shell.

 "I was... I was a noble before this... A lot of bad things happened to get me here..." I felt the pain in his voice. He's gone through hardships worse than anything I could imagine.

 "To make a long story short, I independently took the blame for a crime I didn't commit. I was going to be beheaded that day and I would have been absolutely fine with that happening."

 "You made a sacrifice and you were prepared for the consequences. That's one hell of a flaw..." My voice trailed off.

 "Selflessness is a rare virtue amongst this land. I just hate what had to happen in order for me to achieve this level of humanism." A small silence followed those words. It was brief before one of us spoke again.

 "I'm Willow." I stuck out my hand to him. He was hesitant but he met me halfway. Within this small moment I was able to get a direct passage into his soul. Just a glimpse was all I could afford before I had to withdraw. Within his soul I felt that overwhelming darkness pressing down on me. Sadness, anger, wrath, greed, every emotion turned sour at the touch of this shadow. The happiness drained from my body as that same cackle echoed through my mind. I ripped myself away from his soul.

 Was that his ability?

 Was he able to completely control someone? To strip them of their will and use them as nothing more than a puppet? A bigger question was if he was able to control this power or not. He must remain isolated for some reason.

 "Blade." I felt a slight smile behind his mask.

 I believe I have just gained a new companion.