With a few wobbles and unsightly walk-ins with the other masqueraders, Devin staggered outside of the lively building and made way for the nearest bench, plopping down unceremoniously on it. He was feeling weird. Everything was a little more blurry than the norm, a little softer. Frowning, the Sage removed his mask and inspected his glasses. Come to think of it, having them crammed between his face and the mask wasn't entirely pleasant. Wonder why I didn't notice before...

No, his glasses seemed to be fine. Then what could it be...?

"Danielle, what time is it?" he asked the empty area, thinking that maybe it'd gotten late without him knowing it.

It was well into the evening, the sky glittered with tiny specks of light, the streets lit by the magical lamps of the city of Juno, providing a glow that lasted all through the slumberhours. With a small tug, the yo-yo Devin was playing with returned to his hand, and he adjusted his jacket before letting it down again. It was summer, but Juno was in the northern part of the world--not to mention, elevated. What to make for dinner was running through his head, but it was so late, maybe his uncle and Darren had already made something for themselves? <i>Hah! As if</i> he <i>would make anything,</i> the young Sage thought, the corners of his mouth quirking down. He still couldn't believe Darren was living under the same roof as him. He must have done something in his past life to deserve this monstrosity, Devin groaned inwardly. <i>Oh well.</i> If they didn't eat, he could make some sandwiches or something.

Tug, hold, let down, hold, tug again. Despite the protests and grumbling about "what a stupid gift" the yo-yo was, Devin found himself easily entertained by it. The motions were oddly rhythmatic. Hypnotic, even. He found himself spacing out, the familiar pathway and years of living in the town the only thing that kept him from walking into anything.

Anything that was stationary, that is.

As it was, Devin was snapped out of his reverie to find himself on the ground, the main part of the yo-yo cast aside a few feet away. Looking up, he said hastily, "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to--"

"Are you blind?"

Devin blinked. "What?"

The woman turned to face him fully, and his eyes automatically went to the eye-patch she was wearing. <i>Her eye--</i>

His thoughts were interrupted by a <i>tsk</i> and Astrial bent down to look at him, eye-level. "Are. You. Blind," she repeated, this time more slowly. There was a frown on her face, and she sounded extremely... Strained? Irritated?

Devin didn't know what to call it. "I--No, I'm not blind," he answered, beginning to stand. "I just wasn't paying attention--so I'm sorry." But suddenly her hand was on his chest, lightly at first, keeping him from getting up.

"I could make you blind."

"... Excuse me?" There was a dangerous smile forming on her lips that he didn't like.

Leaning on one knee, Astrial pushed Devin back into the pavement, ignoring his protests. "I could rip out your eye, I could stab it with a blunt object, I could burn it out, I could <i>knee it right in.</i>"

<i>He</i> had done the same to her, and <i>he</i> was currently driving her insane. She could not find him! Everywhere she looked, he wasn't there! Escaped to Rune-Midgard? Most likely. <i>She could not go there.</i> It was driving her mad. These bouts of condensed hate, when it all threatened to spill out again because killing others, torturing them to their last breath--<i>wasn't enough.</i>

This boy was right here in front of her. Juno was not her area, but no one was around. It was late. She knew how to kill without sound.