Sayah flashed her signature prankish smile at the young demon as she only gave her a playful stare as her initial response. Anything could be going on inside that head of hers. The girl had a reputation for causing some mischief or giving other soldiers a hard time, though only if they deserved it and never just whenever she pleased. Was she going to try and mess with someone and wanted to drag Daru down to her level? It might've been the reality of the young demon claiming to be officially friends with Sayah, hence the inviting grin. It appeared Daru had to make things clear with Sayah and lay out new ground rules if they were going to be friends; that first ground rule being "exclude Daru from all potential and future mischiefs".

However, that wasn't the case as Sayah explained further. Not before she had a sip of her beer "You've heard of him throughout Frost, specifically Frost. He's known to be a legend... a myth... a figure that has only been uttered through stories and the likes..." She trailed off as she wiggled her free fingers to imitate a ghost to create some sort of "spooky" atmosphere, but as expected, Daru only stared at Sayah in return to signal that her patience was already short with her. She could already feel the daggers from that stare piercing through her. The girl fixed her posture before awkwardly huffing a cough to clear her throat before she continued. "P-Pola. I'm talking about Pola." She clarified with a meek voice.

Daru laid back in her seat as she continued to stare at her new friend, though this time in inquisitiveness as Sayah finally revealed who she was referring to. Pola was known to be the "only master" on Frost, but his presence often came up sparse. Rarely did he ever meet anyone, let alone shown himself to anyone. Only a handful of people has met the legend himself, but very few have been taken in as his pupils. He was a Changeling whose abilities were very unique of his race. Some even thought that was all he was: a pure myth. "Mm. And what of him?" She asked as she took another big bite of her chocolate bar.

"Well, I overheard a few idiots in Diskord actually spotting him in the living flesh." Sayah explained. It wasn't often, if not at all thought to be possible to find Pola in person. One thing that made him puzzling was that he always moved. He never stood in one spot, understandably so since the more traction he'd brought on himself, the more likely unwanted visitors would try to capture his very appearance. It was a smart move, Daru would admit. "Someone said the last time they saw him was around the Serene Lake within an icy cave, something like that." She said.

Serene Lake. As the name spoke for itself, it was a peaceful area that brought nothing but tranquility and the cool breeze that could never compare to the hellish cold temperatures offered by other areas within the planet. What made it unique was that its lake was never frozen and it was never discovered as to why. It was actually a suitable, yet predictable spot for Pola to lurk in. Still, Daru didn't know where Sayah was going with all of this. What the hell was she planning to do? "Okay... I'm still not sure what exactly you're trying to propose here." She pointed out.

Sayah sighed while she shook her head, flabbergasted that Daru didn't pick up on the hints. "I'm saying that we should pay him a visit. You know, convince him to take us in as his pupils to teach his some of his techs! If not me, then it should definitely be you!" She exclaimed.


WC: 639
TWC: 1,938

After a quick few hours of freshening up and ridding the stench of alcohol from both their bodies and clothing, Sayah and Daru were on their way to meet Pola at the Serene Lake. Once they arrived, they were met with a soft breeze that graced their bodies, relieving them from the usual harsh breeze and temperature they would receive elsewhere on the planet. Surrounded by mountains, the ground littered with snow, and a few signs of plant life being present, it felt eerily calmingly, adding the soothing sound of the running lake. It was a surreal scenery to take in, considering it was Daru and Sayah's first time ever coming to this location. For some reason, the atmosphere felt... uncanny in what was showcased to be a more pacifying area. It could had something to do with the idea that Pola himself was in this very spot.

Sayah surveyed the area for the cave she mentioned earlier, but to no avail, she was unable to spot it. "Damn it, there was supposed to be some sort of cave around here." She muttered to herself. "Well... screw it. Cave or not, all I know for sure is that Pola's around here somewhere. We just got to look for him." She stated to hold a high morale of some sort. She already knew the young demon wasn't exactly sharing the same view and hope Sayah did. Daru might already think that this was all a waste of time.

Daru also turned her head around in every direction she could to see if she spotted a figure; any figure. She couldn't even sense any distinct power level besides Sayah, who was significantly lower than the demon. "I don't even sense anyone else besides you. Not even a sense of suppression." She pointed out the fact. It was possible that Pola was able to suppress his power to the point where it couldn't be sensed in the first place. With how large the area was, it was also feasible for the Changeling to be almost anywhere here. "In that case, let's take a look around, see what and who we can find." She suggested.

"Alright... yeah..." Sayah was shocked that Daru didn't immediately jump to calling this off and a waste of time, but she knew better than to point it out. "So... this place is hella big. I think the best we can do is just split up and cover our grounds. If one of us find him, we'll ping each other and-"

"That won't be necessary."

Sayah jumped at the new voice that echoed behind them while Daru turned her head around to see who was near. The voice was deep, full of confidence and authority. There, the young demon spotted a tall light gray Changeling with red accents. His arms were crossed against his chest as he stared down the two women with cold eyes while he levitated in the air. He looked menacing to those that never witnessed anyone that oozed in self-assurance without forcing it.

That was him. The Changeling before them was Pola, the only master on Frost.

"So you must be Pola." Daru coolly greeted, returning the same gaze at the Changeling. She didn't point out the fact that she was unable to sense him at all, and although she was impressed, her pride refused to let her admit it.

"And you must be Daru. And this one here," Pola took a moment to nudge his head at the direction of her companion. "Must be Sayah." He stated.

"Wha... I-I mean yes! Yes! This here is Daru and I'm Sayah!" The girl couldn't believe that the Changeling knew who the two were, and she made no effort to hide the surprise on her face. She wasn't even going to ask how he knew who they were among thousands of other PTO soldiers. The young demon, on the other hand, remained stoic while she continued to view the Changeling from the ground. Daru was curious to how much the Changeling knew about the two to the extent of their history, or preferably, their current events.

Pola hummed in contemplation as he eyed the two women, moreso on Daru compared to Sayah. He noticed Daru's rather strangely impressive power level compared to most other PTO soldiers. Even Sayah's power level paled in comparison. Though, he wasn't ready to give out compliments just yet. "And I'd assume you two are here the same reason everyone else ventures for me. You're looking for guidance." He spoke.

Guidance. Not training, but guidance. Daru could already tell he saw himself above most, if not everyone on the planet, just as she predicted. She refused to agree with the point of view, but played along very careful to watch his reaction. She wanted to get on his good side while maintaining her decency than to fall into trying to shower him with compliments that held no weight or please him to stroke his ego. "Of your techniques, sure. In general? I think we've both suffered enough to guide us through this damned planet with a faction made up of mostly incompetent soldiers. You won't add much value in that regard. So please, don't think you're doing us much of a favor." She replied.

Sayah's eyes widen at the remark and attempted to shush Daru. This woman was about to cost them an opportunity! Instead, they were met with a low rumble that resembled a chuckle. She turned to the Changeling and... Wait, was Pola... actually laughing? He was! Did he find it funny? Was it amused? Impressed?

"I'd assume no less that you had your fair share of troubles on this planet, let alone the conflict you've faced for decades and more to come." Daru felt herself heat up in frustration as Pola made a reference to her status as a slave's daughter. Just how much did this creature know? Was it possible that he also knew about their encounter with Gong? It was annoying, knowing that he had more leverage than Daru. She had to be cautious on how she played her cards and not give in to the temper that slowly risen within.

"Of course. My power wouldn't be where it was if I hadn't gone through what I did. I do whatever it takes to climb no where else but up. Including those that are within higher authority and those that view themselves as more capable, if not better than everyone on this planet." Daru stated.

This little exchange was obviously getting heated as Sayah started to wave her hands at Daru. "Daru! Not! The! Time!" She frantically whispered. This woman was going to ruin their chance! Sayah had to do something before the young demon took things to a new level and possibly piss him off to where he might end up killing them!


WC: 1,145
TWC: 3,789

Daru stopped in her tracks as the Changeling called out to her. "Caliber". There was a hint of respect in his tone, especially when he used such a word like "caliber" to describe the young demon's abilities and overall strength. She knew it, just as she expected. The Changeling never had anyone talk back to him or even dare initially challenge him unlike Daru. The very idea that Daru acted as if she doesn't need Pola, or even worse, thought that he was a waste of his time, intrigued him about the young demon. He wasn't used to being challenged due to the raw power he possessed, even if his power was completely suppressed. Especially with the techniques he knew, no one figured to try and knock him off of his egotistical pedestal.

In lieu of talking back, the young demon stood silent. Like Pola, she didn't bother to look back. After what felt like an eternity of letting the silence sit between them, she finally spoke up. "Fear is nothing more than a state of mind. Those that overcome it are resistant to being robbed by the thief of dreams." She spoke. Daru wasn't afraid of anything, though she wasn't immune to what fear can do rather than fear itself. Was she willing to admit it? Absolutely not.

In an instant, Pola appeared right in front of the young demon with his overall position maintained and smirk remaining on his face. Daru's composure was kept, yet Sayah still stood in the same spot, astonished by the interaction that went on. They were trying to size each other up, now there they were, trying to one up another by... speaking in riddles and more eloquent than usual on Daru's part! Now the Changeling managed to, what, teleport in front of the young demon like it was nothing! She didn't even see him move a muscle or even start the process of teleporting! How Daru was still alive was beyond Sayah, but it looked like Pola was somehow impressed!

"I'll admit, there is something unique inside of you. You're far from being similar with any of the soldiers in the faction. You walked away from a golden opportunity anyone else would've snatched up in mere seconds the moment it'd be brought up. I commend you for that." Pola was, in fact, impressed. Daru's plan went accordingly and Pola was able to see it. It wasn't often he was standing in opposition of what he expected versus the reality of what he got, and the young demon managed to surpass his expectations more than he'd like to acknowledge. "That said, I'm more than willing to officially offer you an invitation of my own; to learn from me and utilize the techniques I teach you to your own advantage however you like." He said.

Daru studied Pola's expression, her own still blank. She was successful, she got Pola to want to train the young demon. Her performance could now come to an end, but she wouldn't dare try to smile in victory. It was a checkmate, but she refused to show any sign of happiness or glee. "Very well. In one condition. If you want me as your student, you also take my friend, Sayah, under your wing." She said.

Pola looked back at Sayah as if he saw her for the first time. The girl flinched as it looked like she was finally being included. She gave an awkward smile followed by a wave before the Changeling looked back at Daru. It was apparent that he wanted to refuse, but he decided against his own wishes. "Very well. You both will be my students until I feel content with your progress in the future." He said.

She... no way, Sayah was about to train under Pola along with Daru! She didn't know how the hell the young demon did it, but Daru always had something in her to always get things her way... most of it, if Sayah had to be honest, but her friend always came through with a plan made on the spot, and Sayah was more than grateful to have someone like her in her corner.


WC: 700
TWC: 5,136

THREAD END